Archives: August 2024

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News

Osage Nation planning casino, hotel for Missouri’s Lake of the Ozarks

Miller County gambling complex would cost $60 million, require state-tribal compact and federal approval.
Rudi Keller,

New Lake of the Ozarks Entertainment District renderings. // Courtesy Osage Casino Hotel The Native American tribe that gave its name to the Osage River wants to bring casino gambling to the Lake of the Ozarks, the biggest tourist draw on that river. The Osage Nation Indian Tribe on Friday announced in a news release that it will invest approximately…

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Politics

Missouri hemp leaders set to file suit to halt governor’s ban on hemp THC products

Gov. Mike Parson said his ban aims to crack down on intoxicating hemp edibles that mimic candy, but hemp industry leaders say the ban goes too far.
Rebecca Rivas,

A St. Louis liquor store hung a sign announcing Gov. Mike Parson’s executive order to ban intoxicating hemp beverages (Rebecca Rivas/Missouri Independent) The Missouri Hemp Trade Association will file a lawsuit Friday to stop the governor’s ban on all intoxicating hemp food and drinks from taking effect Sunday. The action comes in response to a memo the Missouri Department of…

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Sports

KC Monarchs Update: Monarchs fight back in Legends finale

Kansas City scores six unanswered runs to beat Fargo-Moorhead.
Carter Woodiel,

Jhailyn Ortiz. // Courtesy 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. – One big inning flipped the script to keep the Kansas City Monarchs’ playoff hopes alive. The Monarchs overturned a 3-1 Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks lead…

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Food & Drink

KC Sipps: Full festival weekend, two new spots, and a chance at $1,000 for a restaurant warrior

This week's Kansas City restaurant news.
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 (mostly) local.  Here is your weekly roundup of the best food and drink offerings around Kansas City. Cheers! Something New Gnarly Hussle: Not only…

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Food & Drink

Eat This Now: Asada fries at Papis Tacos

Mar'Che Boggess,

Asada Fries at Papis Tacos Food Truck // Photo by Mar’Che Boggess Since opening last May, Papis Tacos food truck has been serving authentic Mexican staples like tortas, tacos, aguas frescas, and eloté. While I’m usually one to go for tacos, I couldn’t help but turn my attention to the asada fries on the snack menu. If there’s one thing…

Faith
Culture

Creature Feature: Faith wants to be your furry friend

Scott Poore,

Photo Courtesy of Scott Poore Creature Feature is The Pitch’s weekly profile on a local animal looking for adoption. Shelters and support in Kansas City and the surrounding region are often pushed to the breaking point, so picking one future companion to highlight is how we want to put them on your radar. But there are far more than we…

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Music

Cincinnati’s Zee Underscore continues to make waves in KC music scene

Patrick Sprehe,

Zee Underscore at Boulevardia // Photo Courtesy of Zee Underscore We first met with Zee Underscore (Zahra Karimah Briggs) at a quiet coffee shop, and we practically got kicked out over our lengthy and loud conversation. A month later, we reserved a room at the Plaza Library to continue our discussion, a bit more conscious of our surroundings and fellow…

Extreme
Music

Extreme’s Nuno Bettencourt on his longtime band and the everlasting amount of musical opportunities

Nick Spacek,

Extreme // Photo by Jesse Lirola Musician Nuno Bettencourt of long-running hard rock band Extreme can best be described as a guitarist’s guitarist. In addition to his work with his main band over the last four decades, he’s worked with Paul McCartney, Rhianna, and Perry Ferrell. Throw in the fact that Extreme frontman Gary Cherone did some time with Van…

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Politics

New COVID vaccines are on their way to KC. What you need to know

A summer COVID surge is starting to recede in Kansas and Missouri, but the next wave of infections is likely only weeks away.
Suzanne King,

Kansas City-area pharmacies should be getting the new COVID vaccine any day. (Suzanne King/The Beacon) A summer COVID wave fueled by a highly contagious variant, increased travel and hot days that crowded people indoors may be starting to ebb in the Kansas City area. Health officials said they hope that surge prompts far more people to sign up for the…
Food & Drink

Dish & Drink KC: A speakeasy-style experience at The Belfry and West African wings at Mr. Wingz

Tiffany Watts,

Ground Control by Belfry Lounge // Photo by Tiffany Watts Ground Control by Belfry Lounge Hidden in the cozy downstairs of The Belfry, Ground Control by Belfry Lounge offers a sophisticated retreat from the ordinary. This speakeasy-style lounge embraces the art of craft cocktails and carefully-curated tasting menus.  On a recent visit with my daughter, we explored the August tasting…

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Politics

Kansas traffic fatality adds intrigue to allegations of financial misconduct with COVID-19 grants

Tim Carpenter,

A former employee of the Kansas Department of Commerce, who is believed to have died in a traffic accident, accused Lt. Gov. David Toland, who also serves as commerce secretary and is pictured here, of allowing politics to dictate issuance of COVID-19 grants. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector) TOPEKA — A former Kansas Department of Commerce employee apparently found dead inside a…
Politics

New Missouri law expands state auditor’s powers to dig into local governments

The auditor will no longer need consent from governing boards or a petition drive to launch an audit when an investigation shows improper activity by officials.
Rudi Keller,

Missouri Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick will have new powers to initiate audits of local governments under a law taking effect Wednesday (Jason Hancock/Missouri Independent). On July 23, State Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick released an audit detailing how a former mayor of Excelsior Estates improperly paid himself more than $37,000 and funneled more than $200,000 to a business he owned. During the course…

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Music

Photos: Jamey Johnson carries his Alabama-style twang through Grinders KC

Kylee Gregg,

Jamey Johnson. // photo by Kylee Gregg Jamey Johnson Grinders KC Friday, Aug. 25 Country singer and songwriter Jamey Johnson came to Grinders KC last Friday, Aug. 25, bringing his robust voice to a crowd of fans in the sweltering heat. The eleven-time nominated Grammy-nominated musician showed up to one of Kansas City’s most acclaimed and beloved venues, gifting the…

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Music

Photos: Dames of the Dead brought a “Touch of Grey” to Lucia on Friday

Allison Scavo,

Dames of the Dead // Photo by Allison Scavo Dames of the Dead (plus a Lass) w/ Tracer Heights Lucia Friday, August 23 The second of their kind, all-woman Grateful Dead tribute band Dames of the Dead hosted a beautiful evening centered around community, kindness, and music at Lucia on last Friday, Aug. 23. From scheduling the event itself to vendors…
Food & Drink

Eat This Now: Worm Dip at The Drunken Worm

Sarah Sipple,

Worm Dip // Photo by Sarah Sipple I’ve never explicitly asked you to trust me, but for this dish, I’m playing that card. Worm dip ($10) at The Drunken Worm just might be the worst dish to feature when it comes to food photography. I’m not sure that a true professional photographer could make it look any more appealing. Then…

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Politics

Deadline for Missouri’s new marijuana plain packaging is Sept. 1

The state constitution now requires regulators to put more rules in place to protect children from accidental consumption and poisoning.
Rebecca Rivas,

Under Missouri’s new cannabis regulations, labels and packages for marijuana-related products must have limited colors and can’t appeal to children or resemble candy. (Photo by Rebecca Rivas/The Missouri Independent) Marijuana companies face a hard deadline to meet Missouri’s new plain packaging requirements on Sept. 1 — more than a year after the rule was initially put in place. For decades,…

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Music

Greg Jacobs’ book Hell on Wheels—Tour Stories: Remembered, Remixed, and Remastered collects adventures of rock’n’roll on the road

Austin Woods,

Photo by Chris Valle. In 1994, San Diego’s Rockpress published Greg Jacobs’ Hell on Wheels, a collection of tour stories by some of the author’s favorite bands. After discovering via social media that people were still interested in the book, Jacobs—a band manager and former employee of record labels like Cruz and SST—began curating 20 of its best stories and…

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Sports

Hockey player Phoenix Herron to attend Kansas City’s first Total Package Academy

Austin Woods,

Phoenix Herron skating in 2023. Photo courtesy of Juaquan Herron. This fall, Phoenix Herron will be one of the first hockey players to attend Kansas City’s Total Package Academy, a 10-month training program for student athletes with campuses across the country. Kansas City’s program will begin operating in September at the AdventHealth Sports Park at Bluhawk in Overland Park.  At…

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Movies

Pandemic pod-people horror-romance The Becomers goes full GooAnon

Brock Wilbur,

The Becomers. // Courtesy Dark Star Pictures I adore Zach Clark. His coked-up Christmas film White Reindeer is a holiday rewatch tradition in this household, and 2016’s goth’d-out Little Sister is a must-watch. His work always hits a specific indie discomfort, keeping audiences guessing as he bobs and weaves across unexpected genres. They’re always funny and packed with heart, but can…

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Politics

Photos: Candids at Kauffman during the Royals’ 7-4 victory over Philly

Stephen Fuller,

Created with RNI Films app. Profile ‘Agfa Optima 200 Warm’ On Friday, the Kansas City Royals beat the Philadelphia Phillies in a 7-4 game. Our photographer Stephen Fuller was there to capture something a little bit different this time—with some atmospheric shots from the stadium, some fans, and some patriotism. Categories: Politics Tags: baseball, Kauffman Stadium, KC Royals, mlb, Philadelphia…

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Politics

Kansas women rally adjacent to J.D. Vance fundraiser, with vulnerable plea for reproductive rights

Grace Hills,

Amber Dickinson speaks on reproductive rights at the “Kansas Women for Harris” rally Aug. 22, 2024, in Leawood. (Grace Hills/Kansas Reflector) Trigger warning: This story references rape. Help is available.  LEAWOOD — Amber Dickinson took a personal and vulnerable stand for reproductive freedom as she talked publicly for the first time about being raped. Before her speech Thursday in Leawood…
News

Calls from Missouri to new 988 crisis hotline up 136% since 2022

Clara Bates,

A crisis counselor answers a 988 call at the Ozark Center, which covers four southwestern counties (Photo courtesy of Freeman marketing). Missouri has seen one of the nation’s largest increases in calls to the revamped national hotline that aids people facing mental health crises. The number of calls to 988 from Missouri jumped 136% in May 2024 compared to May…