Minuscule sculptures called “Quirks” on Wolfe Brack’s finger. // Courtesy Wolfe Brack Wolfe Brack is good at appreciating the little things in life. But we’re not talking about particularly sunny days or when the person in front of you at Starbucks buys your coffee. When Brack says little, he means objects that you can hold on the tip of your…
Hundreds of workers at the Frito-Lay facility in Topeka are on strike. // Courtesy of Abigail Censky More than 500 workers went on strike at the Topeka Frito-Lay plant this week demanding higher wages and more limited hours. Strikers picketed outside a warehouse entrance, hoisting signs that mocked Frito-Lay branding like Chester Cheetah and pressed for public support for pay…
The event will be hosted by Black History for Beginners and KCTC. // Courtesy of Black History for Beginners Which political party is best for Black America? This is the question that will be explored Tuesday, Aug. 10 at the Bread of Life Community Baptist Church by Black History for Beginners and the Kansas City Touring Company. The event will…
Photo by Eric Krull It’s that time again, folks. The second installment of Record Store Day is here and we know all the places to hit up while you search for that perfect record to get your summer going. Stop by record stores July 17 to try your hand at getting a new addition to your collection. The Kansas City…
The Crustacean Sensation from Blu Hwy. // Photo by April Flemming A dish called the “Crustacean Sensation” seems like something you might find in a stall at Oceans of Fun rather than in a brand new fine-dining space. But if you find yourself either ordering this dish as takeout from the new South Plaza restaurant Blu Hwy (which as of…
Illustrated by Katelyn Betz In an effort to keep you all abreast of the latest local music that’s not album or music video related, we present the latest installment of our irregular feature, Single Sentence Singles. We take a listen to the latest local singles to hit Soundcloud, Spotify, Bandcamp, et al, and sum them up in one sentence. Simple…
Sam Passer, Sheila Rodriguez, and Amy Goodman-Long, candidates for Ward 5 in Overland Park’s primary election. We asked the candidates running for Ward 5 in Overland Park’s August Primary election some hard-hitting questions. We wanted to determine their stances and commitments to improving equality and transparency issues, which have plagued the city’s current leadership. The candidates are Sam Passer, Sheila…
COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic at University Hospital. // Photo by Justin Kelley/MU Health Care As federal officials land in Missouri at the request of the state to assist with combatting a wave of new COVID cases spurred by the Delta variant, Gov. Mike Parson publicly rebuffed outreach strategies President Joe Biden touted. On Tuesday, a member of the newly-created federal surge…
The State Historical Society of Missouri Columbia Research Center. // Courtesy of SHSMO The State Historical Society of Missouri is looking for two Center of Missouri fellowships to begin on Jan. 1, 2022. The fellowships carry a stipend of $5,000 for a 6,000-8,000 word scholarly essay on women’s history in Missouri or on post-World War II immigration to Missouri. Chosen…
Some of the adoptable pets at KC Pet Project. // Courtesy KCPP The pet adoption craze of 2020 has slowed, and with that comes a large influx of pets in Kansas City shelters. On Wednesday, July 7, 84 new pets arrived at the Kansas City Pet Project shelter. That intake brought the shelter’s total to 1,209 pets in their system….
On Saturday, July 17, for the second of two Record Store Day drops, Minky Records releases Soulsuckers on Parade, a collection of recordings made in 1984 by Gun Club frontman Jeffrey Lee Pierce. The collection was supported by “an all-star unit comprising guitarist Dave Alvin, drummer Bill Bateman, and the late pianist Gene Taylor, then of the hot L.A. roots…
Illustration by Nidhi Shenoy Almost 20 years ago at the University of Central Missouri, The Bridge hit the airwaves for the first time. The station made its way out of Warrensburg 12 years later, heading 60 miles down the road and setting up shop in Kansas City. Once it settled into its new digs, 90.9 The Bridge sprung to life,…
Crane Brewing’s Black is Beautiful brew. // Photo courtesy Chris Meyers In July of 2020, many Kansas City area breweries joined in the Black is Beautiful initiative. Started by Weathered Souls Brewing out of San Antonio, Texas, the initiative is an attempt to bring issues that Black people face to the forefront and to encourage breweries to donate to social…
Andrew Jackson statue in KC. // Photo via Google Maps After 59% of voters decided to keep the statue of President Andrew Jackson outside the downtown Kansas City courthouse, a new plaque has been added telling of Jackson’s history as a slave owner and his support in removing Native Americans from their land. It also tells of the Trail of…
Taylor Hughes // Photo by Anna Selle Musician Taylor Hughes might not be from Kansas City, but it seems that the Baltimore native is happy to make the metro her home after two years in NYC. “Honestly, I wasn’t creating very much there,” Hughes writes in an email, saying that it was weird timing for her. It had always been…
From left: Riley Lucas, Caleigh Michnowicz, Jenise Cook, and Eileen Dixon. // Photo by Jordan Rice and courtesy of The Coterie Theatre. When making friends with dragons, tacos are key. I’m privy to this piece of privileged information because of the Coterie Theatre’s charming Dragons Love Tacos, onstage outdoors, under the canopy of the Pavilion at Crown Center Square. It…
Photo by Giorgio Trovato Still not sure if you’re ready to go weekend barhopping just yet but still want to get that amazing summer cocktail from your local bar? Well, you’re in luck! Gov. Mike Parson signed a new law yesterday that allows bars and restaurants to continue selling alcoholic beverages in take-out containers. It looks like the best thing to…
Mid-America Arts Alliance (M-AAA) announced the recipients of its Artist Innovation grant for FY22. Sixteen individual artists and organizations were awarded up to $15,000, totaling $226,500, for their creation or production of new artwork. Projects receiving the grant range from independent films to visual art and the artists or companies come from all across the Midwest. Olathe filmmaker Sav Rodgers was…
Monster Closets is a randomly-regular column where Brock Wilbur takes a trip back through the highs, lows, and generally bizarre elements of the survival horror video game genre. This is exceptional niche writing but hopefully funny to the outsider by the nature of just how sheerly unhinged some of these works of art come. Please enjoy. Welcome back the Lovecraft…
Interior of WyCo Vintage. // Courtesty of WyCo WyCo Vintage, run by Patrick Klima and Adam Compo, has been selling and reselling vintage wears in Kansas City since 2018. The pair recently expanded their business and opened another location next to their flagship store on Broadway Blvd. We sat down with Klima and Compo to discuss WyCo’s history, what it’s…
Courtesy of Ibis Bakery Now Open: Ibis Bakery on the Westside Those who live for bread and pizza (hi) will fondly remember Fevere Bakery, nestled in next to Blue Bird Bistro at 17th & Summit in the Westside. For many years in that location, baker Fred Spompinato crafted creative, deeply flavorful breads which he baked with real fire. He was…
Courtesy Jackson County Communications Department Just south of Truman Sports Complex Lot L, a well-manicured but unassuming trailhead represents the completion of a massive undertaking by the Jackson County Parks and Recreation department. After nearly a year and a half of construction, Phase 2 of the Rock Island Trail is scheduled to officially open to the public July 10 with a…
Photo courtesy Blackened Whiskey There have been numerous music-inspired booze collabs over the years. Be it Travis Scott’s Cacti hard seltzers, Snoop Cali Rosé from 19 Crimes, or Iron Maiden’s Trooper ale, whiskey and heavy metal go together like coffee and cigarettes. When long-running thrash titans Metallica launched their signature whiskey brand, Blackened, in 2018, they teamed up with Master…
Brothers Jordan (L) and Jake Wells (R) work from Jake’s home studio on a song for a client. The song was commissioned by a daughter estranged from their mother for Mother’s Day. // Photo by Chase Castor By January of 2021, Jake Wells Thompson was cash-strapped. The musician, who performs under the name Jake Wells, worked construction and tried selling…
