James Beard Awards medal. // Photo Courtesy of James Beard Foundation After the Kansas City metro saw seven nominations for James Beard Awards in 2024, it seemed like a hard number to beat in the new year. But our city has a competitive spirit, as shown in our sports fandom, and holding true to that nature, we have outdone ourselves…
Cookie-licious Milkshake at Sweet Thang and Café. // Photo by Kat Alfieri Even with a glacial wind chill, a quick run for a classic ice cream scoop is a recipe for turning a loss into a win. Sweet Thang and Café in Olathe has playful ice cream flavors, soft baked cookies and brownies, and a few sandwiches to pair with…
Seuss Mace // Photo Courtesy of Seuss Mace’s Facebook Just before the brutal Winter weather came in a few weeks ago, we popped into downtown Lawrence’s Replay Lounge to catch a hip hop bill featuring Booga Bang, ChuCho, and GeezGuala, but the real reason we were there was to catch Topeka rapper Seuss Mace, whose viral videos have become almost…
Courtesy of Pitts Photography We’re betting if you look up the word perseverance in the dictionary, you’ll find a teeny-tiny picture of Angie Read next to the definition. For years, Read was a successful PR wonk in the metro before nearly being felled by two massive strokes when she was in her 40s. During her recovery, Read decided to pivot—big time. She…
The Little Store on Knox // Photo by Tiffany Watts The Little Store on Knox Sometimes, the best coffee shop finds are tucked away in unexpected places. That’s exactly what my friends and I discovered when we decided to visit The Little Store on Knox, a small neighborhood coffee shop in North Kansas City that offers coffee, flowers, and goods…
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…
Sen. Mike Thompson held a one-sided hearing to promote his resolution urging Gov. Laura Kelly to comply with federal immigration laws. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector) TOPEKA — Sen. Mike Thompson’s hearing on symbolic legislation about immigration laws featured one-sided testimony with dehumanizing language, unsupported speculation that violent Venezuelans could be running a sex trafficking ring in Wichita, and a comparison between…
U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley speaks to reporters at the governor’s ham breakfast at the Missouri State Fair in Sedalia on Aug. 15 , 2024 (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent) WASHINGTON — Barring a few exceptions, Senate Republicans on Tuesday largely deflected or altogether avoided questions about President Donald Trump’s broad clemency for over 1,500 defendants who stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan….
Zero-proof cocktails at Third Place Lounge // Photo by Sarah Sipple Third Place Lounge–just steps from bustling Crossroads and classic Kauffman Center–has a lot to live up to with its chosen name. Being a third place requires a sense of welcome, utility, and comfort that most businesses can’t fulfill. To me, Third Place Lounge is the spot for alcohol-free cocktails…
Randy Rogers Band // Photo by Allison Scavo Randy Rogers Band w/ West Texas Wind Uptown Theater Friday, Jan. 17 Although it’s been nearly two and a half years since Randy Rogers Band’s last recording, it wouldn’t seem right if the red dirt country band didn’t make an annual stop in Kansas City—Friday night, they did just that. Randy Rogers…
Kansas City Mavericks versus Rapid City Rush on Saturday, Jan. 18, 2024. // Photo by Eli Ralls On Saturday, Jan. 18, the Kansas City Mavericks absolutely crushed the Rapid City Rush in a 5-1 victory at Cable Dahmer Arena. Goal-scoring started early for the team with Casey Carreau and Cam Morrison finding the back of the net to give the…
Chicken and Andouille Sausage Paella at Veritas Whiskey and Wine Grill. // Photo by Kat Alfieri Veritas Whiskey and Wine Grill is upscale American fare with an international touch found at Prairiefire in Overland Park. The cozy dining room is snug with walls of black leather booths and a wrap-around bar that sits under a television display with any live…
The back of House Speaker Dan Hawkins’ head can be spotted on Jan. 13, 2025 — from the perspective that journalists now have in his chamber. (Grace Hills/Kansas Reflector) Kansas House Speaker Dan Hawkins has repeatedly lied about the news media. So it shouldn’t come as a surprise that after he barred reporters from their traditional spot in the House,…
Former Gov. Mike Parson leaves Monday’s inauguration ceremony following his introduction (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent) When I think about Mike Parson’s tenure as Missouri governor, which came to an end Monday after six years, two moments jump out to me. The first came at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Parson steadfastly refused to issue stringent statewide public health orders, instead…
Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach joined a four-state lawsuit against the federal government to challenge constitutionality of the U.S. Census Bureau’s process for counting people in the United States in terms of allocating the 435 seats in the U.S. House and distributing Electoral College votes. (Sam Bailey/Kansas Reflector) TOPEKA — Attorneys general from Kansas and three other states filed a…
The Pitch has partnered with a local political awareness organization called Loud Light. Their goal is to engage and empower individuals from underrepresented populations to build community power. And impact decision-makers. Each week of the year that the Kansas statehouse is in session, they release a short video recapping what the legislature is up to. Knowing the nitty-gritty of what’s happening with your…
Three of the headlining films at Reel Black Film Fest, coming February 2025. // Courtesy Kansas City PBS Three local Black filmmakers will be featured at the Reel Black Film Festival hosted by Kansas City PBS at the Truman in downtown Kansas City on Saturday, February 22nd at 3 p.m. The festival will celebrate strides in Black filmmaking and spotlight…
Facebook and other social media platforms play such an important role in society that owners such as Mark Zuckerberg wield tremendous power. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector) For more than two decades, I have taught journalism students — ranging from high school freshmen to university seniors — a specific definition of censorship. I don’t remember the source: a textbook, a dictionary, a…
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday left in place a law that would ban TikTok, the popular social media app that for years has raised national security concerns, unless its parent company sells it. “There is no doubt that, for more than 170 million Americans, TikTok offers a distinctive and expansive outlet for expression, means of engagement, and…
Wolf Man. // Courtesy Universal Pictures At some point during Leigh Whannell’s Wolf Man, the first stanza of Philip Larkin’s poem “This Be the Verse” popped into my head and wouldn’t stop repeating. Even if you don’t know the poem itself, you probably know these oft-quoted lines: “They fuck you up, your mum and dad. They may not mean to,…
Monster Jam rolled through Kansas City for a hootin’ and hollerin’ weekend at the T-Mobile Center on Jan. 11 and 12. Kansas Citians came from around the metro to watch a few tons of heavy metal fly high and hit hard. On top of your traditional Monster Jam festivities, there was an 87 and Running wrapped truck at the event,…
Writer Parker Pubs’ new book, The Many Facets of Eyedea: Selected Writings & Oral History, is an in-depth oral history of the late freestyle battle champion and innovative MC, Micheal “Eyedea” Larsen. In addition to featuring features 50 songs and 25 poems by Larsen, the book is based on archival interviews with Eyedea, along with interviews with his collaborators, friends,…
We’re in a weird couple of months for theatrical releases right now, like at the beginning of every year. Fortunately, if you’re tired of catching up on awards bait or watching the dregs of Hollywood’s traditional dumping ground, there are some video-on-demand releases that offer an entertaining alternative. One such movie is Donnie Yen’s (John Wick: Chapter 4, Ip Man)…
Photo Courtesy of Stephanie Herbig If you’ve been struggling to figure out what you’d like to be when you grow up, you’ve found a spirit animal in Stephanie Herbig. After years in the corporate salon industry, Herbig discovered her passion was—as she puts it—”always trying to find out what I’m actually passionate about.” (We’ve all been there, yes?) So, after a few years of…
