On Monday the city told officials at Old Northeast Inc informing them that by 2013 they will have $6 million to construct a new community center.
"This is huge," said ONE Inc executive director Nancy Kwilas.
Since 1947 city planners have slated Northeast for a community center. Neighborhood leaders and officials with ONE Inc. have been working to get the ball rolling on the area's new center at 9th Street and Van Brunt.
The money will be allocated to Old Northeast between 2010 and 2013 though PIAC and the city Capital Improvement Management Office.
With an additional $6 million, Kwilas said, plans can now move forward and Northeast can get one step closer to having its own community center.
For more on this check The Northeast News on Wednesday
Monday, April 21, 2008
Friday, April 18, 2008
A $245 million cake to nowhere
What would a major project kick-off be without elaborate speeches, political backslapping and golden shovels? Well, just another project kick-off.But the Missouri Department of Transportation and KcIcon group decided it needed to up the ante and offer its guests a behemoth of a cake that resembles the bridge that will span the Missouri River in a couple of years.
No word on how many traffic delays were caused in the construction of this cake or what percentage of the project's budget was used on this cake-related endeavor. Our reporter did not even stick around in the freezing rain to find out if it was chocolate or white construction materials under that smooth icing asphalt.
Even in cake form, there were no bike lanes included.
BREAKING NEWS: Councilman Ed Ford fires back on the Mayor's new commitee picks
Councilman Ed Ford is more than a little upset that Mayor Mark Funkhouser bumped him from the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.
Funkhouser today announced that Councilman Russ Johnson would be taking over for Ford and would even take a lead in the city's upcoming campaign for a light rail initiative in November.
Ford, after hearing the news, was not happy.
But what is more odd is the fact that Funkhouser pulled Ford out of the Transportation Committee mere weeks after calling Ford an "asset" and "major force" in getting at 15-year extension for the 3/8-cent sales tax passed by voters.
Ford sent this letter to all residents of Kansas City explaining his displeasure with the mayor:
Dear Kansas Citians,
I am very disappointed in the Mayor’s action today by removing me as Chairman of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. I do not accept or believe his stated reason for the change.
Putting things in perspective, it is far more important that Wayne Cauthen continue as City Manager. Last November, this Council successfully challenged the Mayor when he attempted to violate the City Charter and unilaterally remove the City Manager. Today, his punishment was by my removal as Transportation and Infrastructure Chair. Both the Mayor and Mayor Pro-Tem expressed continued displeasure with me over this issue in the past week.
I wish the Mayor well in his efforts to convince the elected officials of Clay, Jackson, and Platte Counties to place a Missouri-side regional light rail initiative on the November ballot. I trust that Councilman Russ Johnson will continue to pursue a starter line route for a November vote in Kansas City, MO if the Mayor is unsuccessful in his regional effort. I hope that the Mayor’s action today does not set back the efforts of the KCATA, HNTB in its Alternative Analysis FTA process, the Citizen’s Light Rail Committee, and all of the citizens who have expressed their ideas that Kansas City move forward on this issue.
I will continue to be an active member of the City Council and work with my colleagues in moving the City forward. I will serve enthusiastically and diligently on my new committee assignments. I am proud of the accomplishments of my committee and the Council in dealing with tough issues involving the repeal of the Clay Chastain voter-approved Light Rail Plan and the $2 billion plus combined sewer overflow challenge. I am extremely grateful to the voters who approved a 15 year extension to the bus tax by a 65/35% margin.
Sincerely,
Councilman Ed Ford
Funkhouser today announced that Councilman Russ Johnson would be taking over for Ford and would even take a lead in the city's upcoming campaign for a light rail initiative in November.
Ford, after hearing the news, was not happy.
But what is more odd is the fact that Funkhouser pulled Ford out of the Transportation Committee mere weeks after calling Ford an "asset" and "major force" in getting at 15-year extension for the 3/8-cent sales tax passed by voters.
Ford sent this letter to all residents of Kansas City explaining his displeasure with the mayor:
Dear Kansas Citians,
I am very disappointed in the Mayor’s action today by removing me as Chairman of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. I do not accept or believe his stated reason for the change.
Putting things in perspective, it is far more important that Wayne Cauthen continue as City Manager. Last November, this Council successfully challenged the Mayor when he attempted to violate the City Charter and unilaterally remove the City Manager. Today, his punishment was by my removal as Transportation and Infrastructure Chair. Both the Mayor and Mayor Pro-Tem expressed continued displeasure with me over this issue in the past week.
I wish the Mayor well in his efforts to convince the elected officials of Clay, Jackson, and Platte Counties to place a Missouri-side regional light rail initiative on the November ballot. I trust that Councilman Russ Johnson will continue to pursue a starter line route for a November vote in Kansas City, MO if the Mayor is unsuccessful in his regional effort. I hope that the Mayor’s action today does not set back the efforts of the KCATA, HNTB in its Alternative Analysis FTA process, the Citizen’s Light Rail Committee, and all of the citizens who have expressed their ideas that Kansas City move forward on this issue.
I will continue to be an active member of the City Council and work with my colleagues in moving the City forward. I will serve enthusiastically and diligently on my new committee assignments. I am proud of the accomplishments of my committee and the Council in dealing with tough issues involving the repeal of the Clay Chastain voter-approved Light Rail Plan and the $2 billion plus combined sewer overflow challenge. I am extremely grateful to the voters who approved a 15 year extension to the bus tax by a 65/35% margin.
Sincerely,
Councilman Ed Ford
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Nixon campaign to visit Northeast again
Attorney General Jay Nixon, in the throws of his gubernatorial campaign, will be stopping by Northeast to call on lawmakers to pass new regulations on the payday loan industry.
Nixon, along with other local politicians and community leaders, will be outlining his plans for how to deal with payday loan businesses.
Nixon will be speaking at 3 p.m. on Friday at the Oakley United Methodist Church, 4600 Independence Ave.
To see highlights from his speech and more coverage check The Northeast News on Wednesday.
Nixon, along with other local politicians and community leaders, will be outlining his plans for how to deal with payday loan businesses.
Nixon will be speaking at 3 p.m. on Friday at the Oakley United Methodist Church, 4600 Independence Ave.
To see highlights from his speech and more coverage check The Northeast News on Wednesday.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
BREAKING NEWS: School Board delays meeting due in part to Kelly investigation
The Kansas School School District announced today it has delayed a meeting where School Board members were expected to elect a new board president and other officers.
Sources with district say that meeting, which was scheduled for tonight, was delayed due in part to an ongoing investigation into Northeast Board member Duane Kelly. Officials are looking into whether Kelly actually lives in the district that he was elected to represent.
In a press release sent this afternoon, district officials said the meeting was being delayed until next week because of the "unavailability of two newly elected board members illness and/or for reasons beyond their control."
Kelly, after a major school district shift last fall, technically lived in the Independence School District and had not relocated to a new home in his new, smaller district.
Kelly said he had rented an apartment in the 200-block of North Indiana in the Scarritt Renaissance neighborhood, but neighbors said they never see him there. one resident even contacted the district's attorney to file a complaint.
The meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, April 23 in the Auditorium at the Board of Education Building, 12ll McGee St.
For more on this check The Northeast News on Wednesday.
Sources with district say that meeting, which was scheduled for tonight, was delayed due in part to an ongoing investigation into Northeast Board member Duane Kelly. Officials are looking into whether Kelly actually lives in the district that he was elected to represent.
In a press release sent this afternoon, district officials said the meeting was being delayed until next week because of the "unavailability of two newly elected board members illness and/or for reasons beyond their control."
Kelly, after a major school district shift last fall, technically lived in the Independence School District and had not relocated to a new home in his new, smaller district.
Kelly said he had rented an apartment in the 200-block of North Indiana in the Scarritt Renaissance neighborhood, but neighbors said they never see him there. one resident even contacted the district's attorney to file a complaint.
The meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, April 23 in the Auditorium at the Board of Education Building, 12ll McGee St.
For more on this check The Northeast News on Wednesday.
Northeast Catholics to see Pope in New York
Several Northeast residents and staff with Holy Cross Catholic School will be part of a delegation heading to New York City this weekend to see the Pope give his first Mass in Yankees Stadium.
Holy Cross Principal Jean Ferrara said Wednesday that she and a dozen others selected from Northeast are going to be part of a 75-person delegation from around the Meto and St. Joseph area.
"We are not going to get to really meet him, but we will get to see him wave as he passes in the Pope-mobile," Ferrara said. "We are still very excited and honored to be picked to go."
Catholics from all over the United States are flocking to New York this week at Pope Benedict XVI makes his first visit to the country since being named leader of the Catholic Church. Today the Pope is visiting with the nation's leaders in Washington, D.C., and will head to New York this weekend where he will give Mass.
The Pope will then give a speech before the United Nations before embarking on a tour around New York's Catholic Churches.
Holy Cross Principal Jean Ferrara said Wednesday that she and a dozen others selected from Northeast are going to be part of a 75-person delegation from around the Meto and St. Joseph area.
"We are not going to get to really meet him, but we will get to see him wave as he passes in the Pope-mobile," Ferrara said. "We are still very excited and honored to be picked to go."
Catholics from all over the United States are flocking to New York this week at Pope Benedict XVI makes his first visit to the country since being named leader of the Catholic Church. Today the Pope is visiting with the nation's leaders in Washington, D.C., and will head to New York this weekend where he will give Mass.
The Pope will then give a speech before the United Nations before embarking on a tour around New York's Catholic Churches.
Friday, April 11, 2008
BREAKING NEWS: School board member Duane Kelly under investigation
Kansas City School District Board Member Duane Kelly is under investigation by District officials for allegedly not living in the home that he said he did when he filed for reelection.
School District Officials, following a resident's tip, were seen canvassing the area around the address Kelly listed on election documents, interviewing neighbors regarding Kelly’s residence and presence, or lack thereof on the block.
According to election board documents, Kelly declared an address in the 200 block of North Indiana Avenue — a rental property with a "for sale" sign prominently displayed in the yard, near the Kansas City Museum, in the Scarritt Renaissance Neighborhood.
But tax documents on the Jackson County Web site show Kelly’s address as 2800 Hawthorne, in Independence outside the Kansas City District’s boundaries. District officials had not concluded their investigation at the time of this report but promised a full investigation into the matter.
This isn’t the first time elected officials have claimed false residency in Historic Northeast.
In the mid-90s, the Kansas City School District investigated local accountant Paul Arena for allegedly residing in Independence, near the Susquehanna business district, while hold an elected seat in the Northeast sub-district on the School Board.
Arena claimed he lived with his mother who had a property near Smart and Bales avenues, ironically, also in the Scarritt Neighborhood.
After a very public de-frocking, Arena was summarily trounced in an election where political one-hit wonder Lance Lowenstein literally drove Arena out of Northeast on a rail.
School District Officials, following a resident's tip, were seen canvassing the area around the address Kelly listed on election documents, interviewing neighbors regarding Kelly’s residence and presence, or lack thereof on the block.
According to election board documents, Kelly declared an address in the 200 block of North Indiana Avenue — a rental property with a "for sale" sign prominently displayed in the yard, near the Kansas City Museum, in the Scarritt Renaissance Neighborhood.
But tax documents on the Jackson County Web site show Kelly’s address as 2800 Hawthorne, in Independence outside the Kansas City District’s boundaries. District officials had not concluded their investigation at the time of this report but promised a full investigation into the matter.
This isn’t the first time elected officials have claimed false residency in Historic Northeast.
In the mid-90s, the Kansas City School District investigated local accountant Paul Arena for allegedly residing in Independence, near the Susquehanna business district, while hold an elected seat in the Northeast sub-district on the School Board.
Arena claimed he lived with his mother who had a property near Smart and Bales avenues, ironically, also in the Scarritt Neighborhood.
After a very public de-frocking, Arena was summarily trounced in an election where political one-hit wonder Lance Lowenstein literally drove Arena out of Northeast on a rail.
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