Local Productions .

Ruckus: April 18, 2013

THE CONSTANT CAMPAIGN
In last week’s column, Yael looked ahead to the mayoral race in 2015 and what appear to be very favorable odds that Sly James will win a second term. We’ll talk about James’ accomplishments thus far and the challenges ahead. And, we’ll discuss how this mayor is being treated by the news media.

P.R. IS THE ANSWER! MAYBE
One way the city is trying to deal with opposition to the one-terminal option at K.C.I. is through a public relations campaign. A firm has been hired for 174-thousand dollars. What will it do? Doesn’t the city government already have public relations staff on its payroll? How would you recommend a public relations campaign be conducted for KCI?

IS “BREAKING NEWS” BROKEN?
A former network correspondent, Ed Rabel, writes that local television news across the country is a “waste of time.” Rabel, now a columnist and author, claims local coverage mostly contains fender-benders, house fires and high school reunions. Rabel was not writing about any specific community, but about local television news in markets across the country.

MISSING IN ACTION: PARENTS

There continue to be reports of teens, young adults, and small children (one as young as seven) wandering the Country Club Plaza on weekends. One report describes dozens of unsupervised teens being guided away from the Plaza by police at about midnight on Saturday. No parental presence observed! Is this continuing problem in local entertainment venues insoluble without parental involvement? Any indication that parents are responding? Are there other solutions?

ROASTS AND TOASTS

This week:

WALMART RULES!
We’ll discuss Yael’s column about Walmart and some of the controversies surrounding the retail giant in the metro area. We can also discuss the ongoing issues caused for smaller “mom and pop” style businesses when they try to compete with giant national stores.

TANTAMOUNT TO ELECTION?
The only two mayors to serve in Kansas City, Kansas, since the formation of the Unified Government have jointly announced their support for Mark Holland in the upcoming mayoral primary. The obvious assumption is this will be a great asset to his campaign. But is it possible there is also be a down side?

WHAT’S IN A WORD?
Writing about the Kansas school finance issue, Star columnist Tom McClanahan takes issue with the word “suitable” in the state constitution. Suitable precedes “provision” and refers to the “finance” of public education. McClanahan wonders about the efficacy of the term and how ” suitable provision” can be adequately defined. Some legislators are hoping to stop the state courts from making that judgment and are attempting to make certain that future decisions will rest with the legislative and executive branches. A state court recently ruled (as did the state Supreme Court in 2005) that the current level of funding is inadequate.

STATE OF THE UNION
This will be a general discussion of the president’s Tuesday evening speech and the Republican response.

ROASTS AND TOASTS

Thursday, February 21, 2013

RIGHT-TO-WORK?
One major hot-button issue in the Missouri Legislature this year is right-to-work, an issue generally embraced by Republicans and rejected by Democrats. Twenty-four other states, including Kansas, have enacted right-to-work legislation which gives workers the right not to join or financially support a union.

A PICTURE IS WORTH A ……….
Another hot-button issue, voter photo I.D., is under discussion again in the Missouri Legislature. Previous efforts have failed because of governors’ vetoes and court rulings.

SLY AND PRAGMATIC!
Kansas City’s mayor says the proposed budget document reflects an incremental and pragmatic approach. But Sly James says at some point Kansas City will have to talk about more money for infrastructure.

WILL FINN STAY IN?
The world’s attention is focused on the almost unprecedented abdication of a Pope. We will base our discussion on Mary’s personal reaction as a former nun and then ask her about how the changes at the Vatican might affect the local diocese. Are we likely to experience reverberations in the local diocese because of the imminent changes at the Vatican?

ROASTS AND TOASTS

This week:

WOODY THE WIZARD
As Woody predicted, a couple of property owners have filed suit against the two-mile starter streetcar system. The plaintiffs allege they’re being subjected to “taxation without representation.”

STATE TAKEOVER? AGAIN?
In Jefferson City, there’s talk of legislation that might permit a state takeover of the Kansas City, Missouri, School District by as early as next fall.

KOBACH TO THE FUTURE
It appears that Secretary of State Kris Kobach will not challenge either Senator Roberts or Governor Brownback in the 2014 elections. And, a Mission Hills Democrat with deep pockets, says he is planning to spend “whatever it takes” to defeat Kobach in the incumbent’s bid for re-election.

WHO DO YOU TRUST?
A new Pew Poll shows a large percentage of Americans don’t trust their federal government. A smaller number–but still a majority—say the national government threatens their personal rights.

ROASTS AND TOASTS

This week – January 24, 2013:

DEFENDING KEMPER
A group has formed with the goal of keeping Kemper Arena intact. The American Royal Association hopes to demolish the 38-year old facility and build a coliseum-like structure to house agricultural and horse shows year-round. Kemper has struggled as a mainstream entertainment venue since the opening of the Sprint Center downtown.
American Royal Officials wonder where the Kemper supporters were when Sprint was going on the ballot.

Gun Control
The Johnson County Sheriff says gun control is like unilateral disarmament and that the founders are probably ‘spinning in their graves.” Frank Denning says he will not support or enforce any law that restricts the gun rights of tax-paying, law-abiding citizens.
A new survey shows that 60 percent of high school and college students plan to own a gun (or think about it) when they purchase a home.

AND AWAY WE GO!
Jackson County Executive Mike Sanders has refined his plans for a county-wide transit system that would include tracks, buses, biking paths and more. The cost of 650 million dollars would be paid by a one-cent sales tax.

A SECOND “FIRST”
America’s first black president is serving his second term. Barack Obama was sworn in on the day when the nation celebrated the legacy of civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

ROASTS AND TOASTS

Ruckus: March 21, 2013

YAEL AND SLY’S BIG FIVE
As the mayor delivers his “State of the City” address, Yael has outlined five challenges the mayor faces. Among those is “Improving Kansas City schools.”

STUDYING THE OBVIOUS?
Mayor James has appointed a 30-member commission to study whether there should be local control of the Kansas City Police Department. James won’t give his views, even though he has a unique vantage point as a police board member.

DETAXIFICATION
The two candidates for mayor of KCK have a lot in common. Both Ann Murgia and Mark Holland went on the UG commission in 2007 and have nearly identical voting records. The lone exception: Murgia voted against a property tax hike in 2011; Holland cast a “yes” vote. Holland’s view prevailed.

RAILROADED
Jackson County Executive Mike Sanders’ plan for a commuter rail system has been stopped, at least for now, by Kansas City Southern’s new requirement that the line terminate at Union Station, not the City Market area. Sanders is known for his meticulous attention to detail and had been working on this project for more than a year.

ROASTS AND TOASTS