Archives: May 2023

Blackberry Courtesy Of Ifc Films 1
Movies

BlackBerry is a corporate biopic (finally) done right

It’s a thoughtful, lightning-in-a-bottle instant classic.
Abby Olcese,

Blackberry (2023). // Courtesy of IFC Films Like Ben Affleck’s dangerously affable ode to Capitalism, Air, Matt Johnson’s BlackBerry has a key scene that tells you everything the movie is secretly about. Fortunately, the message is Air’s exact antithesis.  Research in Motion co-founders and best friends Mike Lazaridis (Jay Baruchel) and Doug Fregin (Johnson) are dealing with a massive network…

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Sports

How Ikenna Enechukwu brought the NFL to him

Dominic Pellettiere,

Photo by Dominic Pellettiere Growing up in South Kansas City, Ikenna Enechukwu was immersed in football from his television rather than any notable youth program near him. Early 2000s football, specifically the Chiefs with defensive dominators like Tamba Hali, is where he discovered his passion.  He attended Ruskin High School, a school with a poor history of winning football for…
Politics

After lying about offer to convert Muslim woman, Kansas senator opines on ‘lost souls’

“I’m sorry to say, but these kids looked horrible,” Steffen said. “There was transgenders and, you know, they were proudly telling me they were homosexuals, lesbians. They were a mess."
Sherman Smith,

In secret audio recording from meeting of Republicans in Hutchinson, Sen. Mark Steffen says he was haunted by his response to a Kansas Reflector reporter who asked about offering to convert a Muslim woman. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector) TOPEKA — Sen. Mark Steffen says he never felt so overwhelmed as when he was caught lying about his offer to convert a…

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Politics

The Labor Beacon hosts union-focused city council candidate forum May 13

The publication, now in its seventh decade, enters a new era with a focus on reinvention and rededication.
Tyler Schneider,

Courtesy image The Labor Beacon, a storied union newspaper now in its 70th year of publication, is looking to try something a little different as it prepares to host its first KCMO City Council Candidate Forum at IBEW Local 124’s Hall on Saturday, May 13, from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. The event will open with comments from Mayor Quinton…

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Culture

Four Inane Questions with Good Morning America’s Rhiannon Ally

Michael Mackie,

Courtesy ABC News Butter her—hometown girl Rhiannon Ally is on a roll. The UMKC grad and former KSHB 41 main anchor is, for all intents and purposes, watching her shining star go supernova as a newly minted correspondent on ABC’s Good Morning America. (She’s also been doing her fair share of fill-in anchoring on the popular news show recently as…

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Music

Bach Aria Soloists to perform at The Nelson-Atkins June 9

Jacqulyn Seyferth,

Courtesy of Bach Aria Soloists The Bach Aria Soloists will be performing at the Nelson-Atkins Museum as part of An Evening of Fierce Women Fri, June 9. The goal of the evening is to honor the importance of female influence in art and music through history and the present. The event will celebrate the lavish opulence and beauty of the…

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Food & Drink

KC Sips: Five openings, Mother’s Day guide, & Boulevard for KC Current

Your weekend dining guide.
Sarah Sipple,

Art by Cassondra Jones Looking for delicious plans? Whether you want to impress a date, show your fam the best of KC, or just get out of the house, we’ve got you covered… all while supporting local.  Here is your weekly roundup of the best food and drink offerings around Kansas City. Cheers! Openings Chingu Coffee: Chingu Coffee, a sister…

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Culture

Creature Feature: See Spot run (around your yard)

Scott Poore,

Spot loves kids. // Courtesy Scott Poore Spot Meet Spot, the cutest 5-month-old mutt weighing 31 lbs. He absolutely loves kiddos and is so gentle with them (if you can’t tell by the pics).  He walks well on a leash, plays great with dogs of all sizes, and is good with cats. He is neutered, microchipped, and up to date…
Sports

Chiefs Kingdom announce some of their biggest match-ups for the 2023 season

Including a trip to Frankfurt, Germany.
Emma Hilboldt,

Screenshot from Chiefs promotional video Early Wednesday morning, the Chiefs began announcing some of their most exciting match-ups for the upcoming season with their full schedule to be released soon. These announcements have made Chiefs fans excited for the return of their Superbowl champs in the 2023 season.  Among these announcements was the reveal that the Chiefs will be playing…

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Music

Photos: The Plot In You at The Bottleneck

Maura Dayton,

The Plot In You. // Photo by Maura Dayton The Plot In You with Holding Absence, Thornhill, Banks Arcade The Bottleneck Tuesday, May 9 The Ohio-based metalcore band The Plot In You came to The Bottleneck in Lawrence on Tuesday night with support from Holding Absence, Thornhill, and Banks Arcade. Our photographer Maura Dayton (@twistedmauraphotos), was there to capture the…

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Culture

Daylight Flora’s plant life is a bright light in the heart of midtown

Women owned and operated, Daylight Flora is a must stop flower shop.
Emma Hilboldt,

Photo by Emma Hilboldt Amy Loux and Amyann Plemmons have created a bright floral escape in the heart of Midtown. Daylight Flora is the combination of Amy and Amyman’s separate floral businesses that merged in 2020 when both felt stuck in their own work.  Ever since their merge, Daylight Flora has only been expanding, moving into the vacant space next…

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Politics

Secret Service: Support animals—and their owners—have too many hoops to jump through

Sarah Moore,

Service animal training. // Courtesy photo Service animals aren’t pets—they’re employees. People who benefit from SAs, whether for a physical disability or mental health, spend at least $3,000 to train them. Some wait nearly three years before receiving a trained SA. These animals offer assistance that cannot be replicated, so when the system is abused by people passing off fake…
Politics

Missouri House tries again to prod Senate into passing sports wagering bill

An amendment added Tuesday to an unrelated bill could be the last chance to legalize sports wagering during this year’s session.
Rudi Keller,

Adobe Stock, obviously. No one has ever had this much fun outside of a stock photo. A last-ditch effort to legalize sports wagering passed the Missouri House on Tuesday but immediately ran against opposition from the senator whose bill was modified to include it. While the House has had no trouble passing sports wagering, identified as a priority by leaders…

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News

Kansas City Zoo names new aquarium after benefactor’s grandchildren

The Sobela Ocean Aquarium has oceans of fun to share with inquisitive midwestern minds, making the focus on upcoming generations a priority.
Belle Yennie,

The Sobela Ocean Aquarium invites visitors underwater with its floor-to-ceiling viewing area. // Photo by Belle Yennie The Kansas City Zoo announced the name of the new aquatic expansion opening on September 1: The Sobela Ocean Aquarium. While not exactly the catchiest monicker, the inspiration behind the decision sets a tone for exactly what audience the facility is most deliberate…

Pickin On Pearl Jam
Music

CMH Records keeps bluegrass accessible to a new generation with Pickin’ On Pearl Jam

Nick Spacek,

Courtesy twitter.com/CMHRecords Founded in 1975 by Martin Haerle and Arthur Smith, CMH Records–alongside Sugar Hill and Rounder Records–was one of the few labels to keep traditional country and bluegrass music alive as major labels dropped heritage acts over the course of the decade. This allowed artists like Merle Travis, The Osborne Brothers, Joe Maphis, Jim & Jesse McReynolds, Grandpa Jones,…

Brewkery Kombucha
Food & Drink

Drink This Now: Stone Fruit Kombucha from Lucky Elixir

Sarah Sipple,

Stone Fruit Kombucha by Lucky Elixir. // Photo by Sarah Sipple Canned with a happy yellow label, Stone Fruit Lucky Elixir kombucha is a pleasant sip that is gently sweet and devoid of the vinegar taste commonly present in kombuchas. The combination of mango and passion fruit evokes tropical sunshine. A 12-pack retails for $32. Kombucha is a sweet tea…

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Music

Photos: Against the Current flooded The Granada

Isabella Galvan,

Against the Current. // photo credit Isabella Galvan Against the Current with Trophy Eyes and Yours Truly Granada Friday, May 5 On Friday, rockers Against the Current brought their “Nightmares & Daydreams World Tour” to The Granada in downtown Lawrence with Australian punk rockers Trophy Eyes and pop-punk act Yours Truly. Our photographer Isabella Galvan (Insta: @ibella.galvan) was there to…

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Food & Drink

Mise en Place: Whiskers Cat Café’s Audrey Boese pours lattes, love, and lots of hours into fostering cats

Kate Frick,

Owner Audrey Boese. // Photo by Kate Frick Audrey Boese loves animals. During the pandemic, she took a risk, changed careers, learned to operate an espresso machine, and started Whiskers Cat Café & Coffeehouse with the intention of giving shelter cats a playful outlet for adoption. She quickly discovered that while she was helping her feline friends, she was also…
Politics

Can a fetus be an employee? States are testing the boundaries of personhood after ‘Dobbs’

Missouri is among at least 10 states with personhood language that is so broad it could be interpreted to apply to all civil and criminal laws
Bram Sable-Smith,

(Oona Tempest/KFF Health News) CLAYTON, Mo. — Kaitlyn Anderson was six months pregnant when a driver killed her and a Missouri Department of Transportation colleague in 2021 while they were doing roadwork near St. Louis. Her fetus also died. Although Anderson’s family tried to sue the department on her behalf, workers’ compensation laws in Missouri and elsewhere shield employers from…