Archives: July 2024

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Politics

Parson doesn’t think the Kansas City Chiefs want to leave for Kansas, but hasn’t talked to team owners

Allison Kite,

Missouri Gov. Mike Parson shakes Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick’s hand prior to the State of the State address (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent). Missouri Gov. Mike Parson said Monday he doesn’t think the Kansas City Chiefs want to leave Arrowhead Stadium for Kansas, though he acknowledged he hasn’t actually talked to the team’s owners. Speaking to reporters after a bill signing in Kansas City,…

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Culture, Games

I brought my teenage brother to Activate’s living arcade and we blissed out on a laser maze

Zoe Strohm,

Activate. // Photo by Zoe Strohm Located in Overland Park, Activate is more than an arcade. Described as the “world’s first live-action gaming facility,” Activate puts you directly in the game—no controller required.  Activate uses tiered pricing based on group size, ranging from $34.99 for two players to $19.99 for a group of five or more. Each player gets 75…

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Culture

Four Inane Questions with Scratch Gourmet Kitchen’s Tyler Morrison

Michael Mackie,

Photo Courtesy of Tyler Morrison Restaurateur Tyler Morrison will be the first to tell you that he went from divot to pivot a few years ago. After moving up the ranks at Topgolf’s Dallas headquarters, he got the chance to expand his career horizons. “I was lucky to travel the world creating experiential events in professional sports stadiums and alongside major brands,” he…

Steve Wynn
Music

The Baseball Project’s Steve Wynn on writing, touring, and his very busy summer

Nick Spacek,

Steve Wynn, Scott McCaughey). // photo credit Marty Perez Over 40 years in, musician Steve Wynn’s career is booming. He’s currently on tour with the Baseball Project, with former R.E.M. members Peter Buck and Mike Mills, along with Scott McCaughey (Minus 5/Young Fresh Fellows), and Linda Pitmon (Filthy Friends, Alejandro Escovedo), in support of last year’s album Grand Salami Time!…

Sunny Creature Feature
Culture

The stunning Sunny is searching for a place to call home

Scott Poore,

Photo Courtesy of Midwest Animal ResQ Did you ever want to adopt your very own Dingo? Well, that would be silly, considering they are wild animals. But we do have the next best thing—Meet Sunny the stunner! This little cutie is 70% ears, 20% freckles, and 100% love. Sunny is great with kids and other animals! If you or someone…

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Movies

Fly Me to the Moon has a perfect takeoff, but a disastrous landing

The elements are here for a great romantic comedy. Director Greg Berlanti delivers a frustrating misfire.
Abby Olcese,

Fly Me to the Moon. // Courtesy Apple Films It’s been too long since we had a romantic comedy that actually hit—one that delivered romantic goods but was also well-written and fun to watch, something that felt like it was actually made for adults. We’ve been in such a drought that hungry audiences have been far too willing to praise…

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Food & Drink

Eat This Now: Shrimp and grits at Urban

Sarah Sipple,

Photo by Sarah Sipple Lately, I’ve found myself thinking of food more in the context of function rather than fun, connection, pleasure, and culture. Hopefully I get over that soon. So while searching for my next lunch spot, I skimmed through half a dozen menus before inspiration struck.  On Urban’s website, shrimp and grits caught my attention as an uncommon…

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Sports

Photos: Sporting KC take a narrow 3-2 victory over FC Dallas

Ernest Douglas,

Sporting KC versus FC Dallas, July 7, 2024 // Photo by Ernest Douglas On Sunday, July 7, Sporting KC took on FC Dallas at Children’s Mercy Park. Sporting started off hot with two goals within the first 25 minutes, both coming from forward William Agada. Dallas would quickly answer back with a goal of their own in the 30 minute,…

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Music

White Schoolhouse hosted NY’s Godcaster for night of indie rock chaos

Andrew Dodderidge,

Godcaster. // photo by Andrew Dodderidge Godcaster w/ Blanky and Wyla White Schoolhouse Friday, June 14 “We’re Godcaster and we’re the greatest band in the world,” said Godcaster frontman Judson Kolk at a recent New York show. They likely opened that set with the first song off their recently self-titled release, the three-minute and forty-five second “Diamond’s Shining Face,” quasi-skramz…

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Culture

Four Inane Questions with Succotash’s Beth Barden

Michael Mackie,

Photo by Lolo DeManche If you’re in some facet of the media/entertainment industry in KC, it’s probably safe to say you’ve chowed down on chef Beth Barden’s culinary fare. Over the years, she’s become KC’s caterer—and personal chef—to the stars.  From Amy Poehler to the Queer Eye boys, Barden has dazzled countless visiting celebs with her menu of gourmet comfort foods. Heck, production crews often clamor…

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Politics

Strike up the band: Missouri moves to the front of the MAGA parade

Barbara Shelly,

Thirty-one percent of Missouri respondents to a recent poll said Donald Trump’s new status as a convicted felon would make them more likely to vote for him (Ralph Freso/Getty Images). A recent national poll asked prospective voters in some states how Donald Trump’s conviction on 34 felony charges would impact their choice in this year’s presidential race. In Missouri, 31%…

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Sports

KC Monarchs Update: Game of the year contender against Gary SouthShore RailCats

Bissonette's sac fly wins it in the 10th for Kansas City.
Carter Woodiel, Cal Friedman,

Josh Bissonette. // Photo by Madison Riebel / Kansas City Monarchs. KC Monarchs Update is our weekly look at what’s happening with hometown baseball heroes, both at Legends Field and on the road. Check out their season schedule here. KANSAS CITY, Kan. — In a fierce, fiery, atmosphere at Legends Field, Josh Bissonette stayed cool at the plate in the…

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Movies

A Quiet Place: Day One is unexpectedly human for a prequel monster feature

Brock Wilbur,

Courtesy Paramount Pictures A new Quiet Place movie is now in theaters, and we all know what that means: a reminder that one idiot in a public theater can ruin your entire day. There’s something particular about the films in this series, where the nature of forced silence in the space causes folks to check their phones more, chew crunchy food louder,…

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Music

The Flaming Lips ego trip on blissed-out fatalism at Uptown Yoshimi anniversary show

Brock Wilbur,

The Flaming Lips and a “Fuck Year Kansas City” balloon at their finale. // Photo by Brock Wilbur The Flaming Lips Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots 20th Anniversary Tour June 23, 2024 The Uptown Theater From the moment Merle Haggard’s “Okie From Muskogee” started playing over the speakers as the band’s entrance music, the Uptown Theater belonged fully to Wayne Coyne…

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Politics

Kansas abortion clinic regulations declared unconstitutional by state Supreme Court

Separate opinion throws out state ban on second-trimester abortion procedure.
Tim Carpenter,

Kansas Supreme Court Justice Melissa Standridge, center, wrote the majority opinion declaring a series of abortion clinic regulations signed into law by Republican Gov. Sam Brownback violated the Kansas Constitution’s Bill of Rights. Standridge, appointed by Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly, was part of a 5-1 majority that included three separate concurrences and one dissent. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector) TOPEKA — Abortion…

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Movies

MaXXXine closes out Ti West’s Goth era with a worthy payoff

After two good-adjacent entries that oozed style, our guy Ti finally makes a statement with a fistful of substance.
Abby Olcese,

MaXXXine. // Courtesy A24 Ti West loves movies. But does he understand why they have value? That’s been the question running throughout West’s current trilogy, the one that started with 2022’s X, continued with its unexpected prequel Pearl and comes to a highly-anticipated conclusion with MaXXXine, out this weekend. So far, these movies have been examples of high filmmaking craft,…

Img 0504 Credit Jono Bowles
Music

Money Time Love: On the eve of their breakthrough album release, Hembree is primed for Better Days

Austin Woods,

Photo by Jono Bowles Upon learning that I wouldn’t get to chat with Hembree in person for this story, I was overcome with disappointment. Virtual interviews just aren’t the same, I brooded. Something will inevitably be lost. I grew certain that—with them in L.A. and myself in Kansas City—the lack of face-to-face engagement would cause the group to hold back….