Archives: October 2022

Photos: JCCC Latino Arts Festival

Photo by Chris Ortiz The Johnson County Community College’s Latino Arts Festival was held Saturday, Sept. 24, on the Overland Park campus. Our photographer Chris Ortiz was there to document it all. Categories: Culture Tags: fine arts department, JCCC, JCCC Latino Arts Festival, Latino Arts Festival

KC Bier Co. celebrates KC Oktoberfest at Crown Center Oct. 7-8

KC Locals cheer with drink in hand in yearly Oktoberfest festivities // Photo Courtesy of KC Bier Co. On Oct. 7 & 8, KC Bier Company’s Oktoberfest features yet another festival of live music, Bavarian-style food, and, of course, beer. The festival this year will include a host of family-friendly games, competitions, entertainment and even volunteer opportunities to choose from….

Planned Parenthood launching mobile abortion clinic in Illinois to boost access in Missouri

A Title X health center in Rolla that closed Friday will also become a Planned Parenthood clinic, though Missouri law means no abortion services will be provided.

The Planned Parenthood in St. Louis on June 24, 2022 (Photo by Tessa Weinberg/Missouri Independent) In an effort to fortify access to abortion throughout the Midwest and in Missouri, where the procedure is almost entirely banned, Planned Parenthood is launching a mobile clinic across the state line in southern Illinois. The mobile clinic will be part of Planned Parenthood of…

Creature Feature: Jewel and Cher are snuggly divas

Courtesy Scott Poore Meet Jewel. You might think I’m still a kitten because I’m so petite but would you believe that I was a young mom? Now that my kittens are grown and have flown the nest to their own adopted homes I’m looking for a life of excitement or leisure with my very own human or humans. I’m super…

Photos: Violent Femmes with the Kansas City Symphony

Violent Femmes with the Kansas City Symphony. // Photo by Barry Meitler The Violent Femmes with the Kansas City Symphony Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts Saturday, October 1 To kick off their current tour, the alternative icons Violent Femmes played a special show at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts with the Kansas City Symphony as their backing…

Four Inane Questions with singer/songwriter David Luther

David Luther. // Courtesy the artist Hometown singer/songwriter David Luther says his first foray performing on stage was sophomore year at his Catholic high school. He doesn’t remember much about it—almost akin to an out-of-body experience. “It wasn’t until I saw a video of the performance that I realized music was going to be a driving force behind my life’s…

The Toadies’ Clark Vogeler on 25 years (and then some) of Rubberneck

Toadies. // photo courtesy the artist Anyone who’s ever listened to ’90s alternative knows “Possum Kingdom” by Texas rock ‘n’ rollers the Toadies. It’s from their 1994 full-length debut, Rubberneck, which the band is playing in its entirety to celebrate its 25th anniversary. The fact that the anniversary is closer to 30 than 25 is something on which you can…

Horror comedy Deadstream livestreams a disgraced YouTuber’s haunted house dare

"Just for the record: I do not condone the use of a child in paranormal research."

What brings more joy than watching a beloved YouTube personality go down in flames and public apology videos? Why, watching them scrape and scramble to try to regain relevance by any means necessary. People who get rich off saying “Smash that ‘subscribe’ button” are one of the only categories of people that deserve whatever schadenfreude we may extract from them….

Photos: The Black Angels entranced at The Bottleneck

The Black Angels. // photo by Nick Spacek The Black Angels with the Vacant Lots The Bottleneck Saturday, October 1 On Saturday night, the Bottleneck was packed to the gills with folks to see Austin psych rockers the Black Angels. After what seemed like a lengthy pause ahead of their set, but what was more likely anticipation on my part,…

Rideshare drivers in Kansas City’s gig market want more protections from companies

While 16% of Americans have earned money via an online gig platform, drivers in the gig market are bringing in less as their apps take larger chunks of their fare

April Shabazz at her apartment in Kansas City. She drives for Uber but doesn’t own a car. Instead she rents one by the week and hopes to make what she needs for bills and the next week’s car rental fee. // Chase Castor/The Beacon This story was originally published by the Kansas City Beacon.  April Shabazz began driving for Uber…

Veg-Out! Midwest Soul and Vegfest sprouts in Swope Park Oct. 8-9

KC Health Initiative returns with the annual Midwest Soul and Vegfest Oct. 8-9. Gigi Jones, the owner of Gigi’s Vegan + Wellness Café and founder of KCHI, inaugurated the event in 2019 to help “veg-icate” people on the importance of a plant-based lifestyle after witnessing the positive health impacts she experienced on her journey to veganism.  The event’s mission statement is…

Monster Closets: Haunting: Starring Polterguy gave Sega Genesis the Bart Simpson/Beetlejuice mash-up no one asked for

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 ahead of Halloween! Pop…