Tuesday, May 13, 2008

City to shut down payday loan business in Northeast

Scoring a victory for residents who have tried to limit the number of of payday loan and check cashing businesses along Independence Ave., the City on Tuesday denied an appeal by one business to continue operating.

For the last eight years, ACE Cash Express at the corner of Independence and Elmwood avenues, has operated without the proper zoning or documentation. It was not discovered, however, until last November when owner Russell Denson tried to sell the business and was denied.

The city noticed he had not been registering his business correctly despite being open and holding a valid business license since 1999.

In 2000, the city altered the ordinances that required payday loan operations to receive special permission from the city to operate. Denson, who lives in Houston, said he never received any notification and continued to run his business unaware of the ordinance change until the error was discovered late 2007.

The city, however, was able to prove that the owner of the building did receive notification back in 2000.

His appeal, which was formally heard on Tuesday afternoon, failed.

For more on this, check here and for next Wednesday's Northeast News.

Police Identify two killed in traffic accident last night

From police:

The people killed in the fatal accident at 23rd and Montgall last night at about 8 pm have been identified as Tiffany A. Berry, 33, and Suavae R. Rouser, 14, of Kansas City. Two other passengers were in the car and they received minor injuries. They were daughters of Ms. Berry. Police have a 42-year-old male in custody who was driving the truck.

The male is a parole absconder and is being held on a no bond warrant. He will likely not be charged with any crimes related to the accident today.

Officers stopped the truck near 23rd Street and Myrtle because the vehicle was driving erratically. When the vehicle stopped, two passengers in the truck got out and were taken into custody by the officers. The truck fled the area westbound on 23rd street. The officers stayed with the passengers and told the dispatcher about the truck. Near 23rd and Montgall Avenue, the truck collided with a 1999 Chevrolet Malibu driven by Ms. Berry. The truck flipped onto its side and slid into the intersection of 23rd and Prospect where other officers were waiting. Officers took the driver into custody after he climbed out of the truck and tried to run away.

One of the passengers from the truck had cocaine in his possession. He was placed under arrest and is being held for possession of narcotics.

KC Museum tax could be siphoned to other museums

From Wednesday's Buzz Column:

As if you weren’t taxed enough.

From the city that taxes you more and delivers you less, City Councilwoman Deb Hermann wants to pile on to the MIL Levy to its full compliment to fund other museums in town.

Let’s just remind our readership that a few on this list are Liberty Memorial and Union Station. You may remember that front-men for each of those entities promised that after the passage of specific support taxes for those causes, no additional tax revenues would be needed to support the facilities because a sacred trust was going to be establish to provide funding in perpetuity — read: forever.

Well “forever” apparently comes sooner here in Kansas City than it does in other parts of the world because now they’re back at the taxpayer’s door begging and whining for more.

Here’s some advice if this hits the ballot this August - fugghettaboutit!
This thing deserves the boot!