Somebody was busy

As the primary election inches closer (It's on Tuesday, folks), the politicians and campaign volunteers are getting in one last push over the weekend and today.

With a flurry of negative campaign pieces hitting mailboxes across Northeast this past weekend, State Rep. John Burnett's supporters also hit the streets of Columbus Park putting up more than a dozen campaign signs (by our count) along Cherry and Independence Avenue.

The ones found here this morning were at the corner of Fifth Street and Locust. The signs were placed overnight and are also in the public Right of Way — a big "No-No" according to the city.

Burnett's challenger, John Rizzo, lives in Columbus Park and for weeks has had signs placed in the back yards of several homes along Cherry. Rizzo supporters were recently slapped by The Northeast News when one volunteer was caught putting up signs at the Concourse.

But Burnett was not the only one with signs in the public spots along Independence — although he did have the most. This morning at around 6 a.m. we found a regular Who's-Who's of politicians with signs illegally placed along the roadways and in public property.

Including, but not limited to:
John Burnett - state rep.
Rachel Townsend - county prosecutor
Jim Kanatzar - county prosecutor
John Bullard - Sheriff
Mike Sharp - Sheriff
Freedom Inc. - PAC

Limb and brush drop off

Got limbs and brush. Old Northeast Inc is having a free limbs and brush drop off this Saturday.

WHEN: SATURDAY, AUGUST 2
WHERE: AT THE CONCOURSE (GLADSTONE AND BENTON BLVD.)
TIME: 8 AM—NOON
QUESTIONS: CALL OLD NORTHEAST, INC at (816) 231-3707


ONE wants to thank: The City of Kansas City and Neighborhood Cleanup Assistance Program

City, employee union reach a deal

The Kansas City and AFSCME Local 500 labor union officials announced today they have reached what they are calling a "tentative settlement" for the next three-years.
The agreement, which outlines how the city will compensate 1,800 of the city’s general laboring, trades, clerical and skilled trades employees, came after months of negotiations and haggling by both sides.
The deal still needs final approval by union members and the City Council.
Negotiations began in May 2007 and reached a breakthrough recently when the parties agreed on a $1,200 cash reward for most senior employees who are not entitled to a base pay increase.
Additionally, the new agreement includes:
- An additional vacation day for employees with more than 20 years of continuous service
- An additional floating holiday
- A pay increase for most employees on a sliding scale basis.

Candidate forum, Part II

State Rep. John Burnett and three-time challenger JJ Rizzo will again square off in a public debate here in Northeast.

The two exchanged several sharp jabs at their last outing at Melrose United Methodist two weeks ago. As the Primary election edges closer, the debate is only expected to get a little more rowdy.

The Forum is at 7 p.m. at Scuola Vita Nuova, 544 Wabash Ave.

The forum is sponsored by non-partisan League of Women Voters Kansas City/Jackson, Clay & Platte Counties and Northeast Kansas City Chamber of Commerce.

The public is invited.

Free dental screenings

The Kansas City Royals, Willie Wilson Baseball and Team Smile are providing free dental health education, screening and treatment.

The event will be on Saturday, July 26, at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Kansas City Thornberry Unit, located at 3831 E. 43rd Street.

Registration is limited to the first 150 registrations. Appointment times will be allocated on a first come, first serve basis. Dental screenings will be provided to children ages 5-18.

To secure your child’s appointment you must register with the Boys & Girls Clubs.

What: Free oral health education, screening, and treatment
When: Saturday July 26, 2008 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Where: Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Kansas City Thornberry Unit
3831 E. 43rd Street

Appointments will be granted on a first come, first serve basis. To secure your appointment, call Eutisha McClain at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Kansas City at 816-361-3600 x237

Take this argument for a walk

This little pooch loves a good walk as much as the next. However, in a recent survey, Northeast fared poorly when it comes to actually grading Northeast’s walking potential.

In a survey done by walkscore.com, a Web site that promotes homes sales in neighborhoods that cater to walking and public transportation, Northeast’s walking score looked rather dim despite the amount of walking that is done by many of its residents throughout the neighborhoods.

Kansas City overall ranked 34th out of 40 major cities surveyed. Researchers at walkscore.com were mostly looking for how reliant residents had to be on their own vehicles or public transportation to get around in their neighborhoods.

Out of a 138 neighborhoods in Kansas City, Northeast’s neighborhood fell mostly in the middle of the pack with many of our streets being deemed unwalkable — mostly meaning you have to have a car to get around.

But what struck this dog as interesting was how looking at the maps generated by the Web site showed some of the most walkable regions of the city are in areas that city leaders think need MORE public transportation and resourced invested for walking traffic.

Already the downtown loop and neighborhoods to the south — all the way to the Plaza — rank as highly walkable and easily accessible through public transportation. But city leaders and the Mayor are ignoring this fact and seem bent on dumping more resources and tax dollars in an area where it really is not needed.

What this map and its data should be telling city leaders is that places like Northeast, where not everyone can afford a car or the gas to fuel it, need light rail, improved bus routs and more resourses, not the Power and lLight District or bars downtown.

In all, here is how Northeast's neighborhood ranked against other neighborhoods in the city:

1 - Old Westport
2 - The Country Club Plaza
3 - Plaza Westport Neighborhood Northeast

24 - Pendleton Heights
25 - Independence Plaza
39 - Indian Mound - South
51 - Lykins
53 - Sheffield
55 - Indian Mound - North
59 - Scarritt-Renaissance
64 - Blue Valley

City Market to show movies

The City Market, working with the Kansas City Parks and Recreation Department and Front Yard Features, is bringing outdoor movies to the Market.

Starting July 25, the City Market farmers market will become one large open air theater for residents to enjoy several movies that are planned for screening.

"We are excited to bring free movies to the City Market. We have wanted to host movies at the City Market for a number of years and now, partnering with the Kansas City Parks & Recreation Department, it is coming to fruition," said Deb Churchill, Property Manager for the City Market, "The City Market Park is one of just a few green spaces in the downtown area and City Market Cinema is just one of many ways we hope to maximize is functionality."

City Market Cinema will take place in the City Market Park, located at Third & Main. Admission is free and movies will begin at 9:00 p.m.

The schedule includes:
July 25 - Animal House
August 29 - Blues Brothers
September 26 - Rocky Horror Picture Show