Best Wishes

Feature: “Best of Kansas City,” October 4

Was just looking at the Best of Awards for 2007. Is this really a list of the Best of Kansas City? Because if this is a true representation of KC, we really have a long way to go.

I am just going to mention a few examples of why I think these awards are a little off. Let’s say there are some friends coming to town and they ask, “What is the best shopping center in town?” Would someone actually send them to the Old Westport Shopping Center to shop? I don’t think there is a chance in hell they would — or, if they did send them there, it would be disappointing. I live in Westport and would not send anyone there to shop, unless you needed a hardware store. Best Pizza in Kansas City? Jerry’s Bait Shop — come on. Poll a group of your very own friends and see how many give you that answer.

The Pitch strives to be the magazine that people pick up to see what’s going on in KC. I just feel that if people who live in KC or are just visiting would follow the “Best Of” suggestions, they may be highly frustrated with some of the choices.

Brent D. Wittrock, Kansas City, Missouri

Feature: “My Secret Life in the Klan,” September 27

Nice work! I’m sure it was difficult to resist the temptation to just bash, bash, bash, rather than reporting in a fair, evenhanded way. Peter Rugg did well. Sad story.

Lars Rehnberg, Davenport, Iowa

Feature: “Let’s Go Prospecting!” September 20

Recently, my family received kind words, thoughts and cards of sympathy during the passing of my mother, Mrs. Hazel Abel. Well-wishers made wonderful contributions (in lieu of flowers) to the Palestine Economic Development Foundation.

These funds will be used to support the development of an assisted-living facility for the elderly in the area of 34th Street and Prospect Avenue. This location is near Palestine Gardens and Palestine Gardens North, the two existing independent living senior-citizen housing facilities and the Senior Citizens’ Activity Center, which my father (the late Rev. Earl Abel) envisioned for revitalizing a portion of one of the city’s most notorious corridors. Mother shared his passion in caring for the youth who were served by the Camp Palestine facility southwest of Warrensburg, Mo., and for the elderly in this project. (For more information, see palestinembcofjesuschrist.org/mpc/docs/Site/Links.html.)

This development on Prospect, which presents an oasis of beauty within a much-blighted area, like other faith-based institutions and projects, was unfortunately omitted from the recent Pitch article highlighting other successful ventures in an area written off by so many others.

My mother did not live to see but would have been pleased with another interesting development, approved on October 2 by the Kansas City, Missouri, Plans and Zoning Committee, of an effort under way for more than a year: The approval for designating 35th Street as “Earl Abel Way” from Cleveland Avenue just east of Palestine Missionary Baptist Church of Jesus Christ, where he was pastor, to Prospect Avenue. These expressions of love epitomize what Mom was all about!

Rick Earl Abel and Carol Abel Lewis,

Kansas City, Missouri