Kemper Arena Staff Sent Packing

In something you didn't see in the daily rag, (The Falling Star) on Monday, December 1st, the administration staff at Kemper Arena was quietly let go. Two employees remain and will work out of...the Sprint Center.

Thanks to the rosy picture painted by former Mayor Kay Barnes, if we built a taj mahal arena at taxpayer expense, professional teams would literally beat a path to our door. (Ahem) The reasoning was of course completley political. (Remember those anti-Sam Graves ads she ran back in October?) She had a nest to feather and a Congressional seat to steal.

Fact: Kansas City will never again have a professional NBA or NHL franchise. We've proved that with the Scouts (NHL) and the Kings. (NBA) Now, with two vacant arenas, neither with an anchor tenant in place, Kansas City will be nothing more than a bargaining chip for other cities, with big arenas and anchor pro-team tenants to negotiate a batter gig in their existing cities.

Can you say red-headed step-child?

Oh, did we mention that you, the Kansas City taxpayer is payin for this? Maybe we can go ask some of those fat-cat developers for a bail out.

Riiiight.

Truck overturns by Sheffield Cemetery

An 18-wheeler truck flipped onto its side — apparently from taking a turn too sharply — at Wilson and Belmont streets next to Sheffield Cemetery Monday evening.
Firefighters on the scene were quick to block the sewer drain to keep any hazardous materials from leaking into the sewer system from the truck.The driver was reportedly uninjured, but as can be seen more clearly in the photo below, the streetlight pole didn't take the hit so well.

Channel 9 mainstays sue station: Age, sex discrimination alleged

The "ghost" of Christine Craft is alive and well at local news powerhouse KMBC Channel 9.

 

Three of the station's long time female, former news anchors are slapping the station with an age and sex discrimination suit that alleges, among other things that younger and prettier faces could propel the station into the future better than the old guard. 

In a 16 page court document forwarded to our news room this morning, the plaintiffs, Kelly Eckerman, Maria Antonia and Peggy Breit are bringing the action against the station. Most of the brief targets General Manager Wayne Godsey and newly hired news Director Sherrie Brown who was brought on board in January of 2008. 

Count 1 alleges gender discrimination and count 2 alleges age discrimination. Both counts allege that the three were forced to work in a hostile environment. 

This lil news hound knows a thing or two about the news biz and I can tell you - these journalists do excellent work. Additionally, if station management actually said what is alleged in the court documents, Katy bar the door. 

You'd think after Christine Craft sued the pants off the station a number of years back for essentially being told she was too ugly for TV that the management, especially at this station would have a little higher level of awareness. Apparently not! 

We'll be watching this with ever so interested eyes and ears. 

Have it your way

Northeasters — in particular those who live, do business or otherwise have a stake in the downtown area including River Market and Columbus Park — this is your chance to give input to the people planning improvements to the downtown area.
The city's Planning and Development Department and a consultant team led by BNIM Architects need citizens to show up to a public forum Tuesday and weigh in on ideas for improving the 11 neighborhoods around downtown.
The planners have already identified four themes as a framework to use for improvements — doubling the population, sustainability, walkability and safety.
However, now they've got recommendations to show people, and at two meetings from 5:15-6:45 p.m. and 7-8:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Arthur Stillwell Conference Room at Union Station, people can vote on those ideas using electronic keypads.
"At its heart," BNIM Associate Stephen Hardy said, "this is an opportunity for people to help guide the future of downtown and their neighborhoods."
He added the planners are keeping the specific characteristics of the individual neighborhoods in mind while developing this plan. To be sure they really do, attend one of the meetings or sound off on the online forum at www.plandowntownkc.com.

Long lines at polls this morning

Numerous Northeast residents reported long lines at a number of polling places this morning as the 2008 General Election kicked off. Sources close to The Northeast News said that the line at Holy Cross Parish on St. John stretched out the door, around the corner and down to the second tree on Denver avenue. Another voter told us of the wait time at the Kansas City Museum. "I got here about 5:40 a.m." said Scarritt resident Joseph Peterson. "I was probably 60th in line at that time and finished my voting at about 6:30 a.m." 

By 8:00 a.m. however, lines at most of the polling places in Northeast were down to a handful of people and wait times were virtually non existent. 

While poll workers and volunteers enjoyed the lull, election officials are bracing for the after work rush. 

Unless you like sitting still in traffic...

Motorists are advised to avoid southbound Interstate 29/35 near the Front Street interchange at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 4. Street crews will be removing an overhead sign structure at the southbound off-ramp to the Paseo, and southbound traffic will be stopped for about 10 minutes.
This work is dependent on the weather.

Interstate 29/35 lanes reduced

Drivers headed southbound on Interstate 29/35 this week may have experienced delays due to a shift in traffic and a lane reduction at Front Street.
The $245 million Christopher S. Bond Bridge and Roadway project has resulted in the southbound lanes' shifting to the east between Front Street and Independence Avenue, which means the Front Street on-ramp has been shortened and there are now two, rather than three, southbound lanes running through the area.
"We're now starting to experience the pain that goes with widening nearly five miles of the most heavily traveled highway in Kansas City," Project Director Brian Kidwell said in a press release.
Kidwell added he urges motorists to use an alternate route if possible.