Week in Review .

THIS WEEK: Friday, April 26, 2013 @ 7:30 pm
(Rebroadcast Sunday @ 11 am )

YEAR-ROUND CURFEW: Is one solution to the problem of teens causing disturbances on the Country Club Plaza to extend a 9pm summer curfew ordinance year-round? A proposal at City Hall to do just that, led to a blunt discussion about race this week. One city councilman points out that all 34 curfew violation tickets have been served on black teenagers.

A TERMINAL PETITION: This week, a group of Kansas City residents filed paperwork with the city clerk’s office in Kansas City to start a formal challenge to the planning for a new terminal at KCI Airport. The group of five petitioners is seeking a referendum on what they say is an unnecessary and wasteful $1.2 billion expenditure. The city insists the effort is totally invalid.

BROWNBACK: Why is the Kansas Governor on a campaign to preserve what some see as an unpopular tax? This week, Governor Brownback goes on a tour of university campuses trying to prevent them from losing millions of dollars in cuts from the state legislature. Lawmakers are refusing to renew a one-percent state sales tax imposed during the administration of Governor Brownback’s predecessor, Democrat Mark Parkinson. But Brownback says if the tax is not renewed, it would mean a 4 percent cut to universities and that would be a “momentum killer” for the state.

GUNS: The Jackson County Sheriff’s office is extending its administrative office hours to keep up with the number of people coming in seeking a concealed weapons permit. Sheriff Mike Sharp says concealed firearm permits are already up 53% on last year. In Clay County, they’re up 50 percent. Why?

MEDICAID EXPANSION: Republican Senators made it clear this week there will be no Medicaid expansion in Missouri this session. The Republican-led Senate voted down a Democratic attempt to insert $890 million of federal funds into Missouri’s budget to expand Medicaid eligibility to an estimated 260,000 lower-income adults.

HOLLAND SWORN IN: New Wyandotte County Mayor Mark Holland was finally sworn into office this week. But there was a noticeable absence at the standing room only affair in the commission chambers.

DRIVERS LICENSES: If you trying to get a new drivers license in Missouri, you might have a hard time. As punishment for the Department of Revenue’s decision to share private concealed weapon permit information to federal authorities, the Missouri Senate this week voted to defund the entire budget of the Missouri Drivers License Bureau. What does it mean to you?

This week’s news reviewers:

Eric Wesson
The Call

Stacey Cameron
KCTV5

Steve Kraske
KC Star/KCUR

Dave Helling
Kansas City Star

THIS WEEK: Friday, April 5, 2013 @ 7:30 pm
(Rebroadcast Sunday @ 11 am )

Thumbs up to plans for a new KCI airport. Election Dissection: You voted, now we look at what it all means. Plus, why your local YMCA is about to be shuttered. And sweeping changes in Kansas.

This week’s news reviewers:

Scott Parks
Newsradio KMBZ

Lynn Horsley
Kansas City Star

Sam Zeff
KCPT Special Correspondent

Dave Helling
Kansas City Star

THIS WEEK: Friday, February 8th, 2013 @ 7:30 pm
(Rebroadcast Sunday @ 11 am )
Photo Credit: KSDK.com

BORDER BATTLE: We’ve been hearing plenty about this cross-state business border war between Kansas and Missouri. Rather than just grumble about Kansas taking jobs, Missouri lawmakers now say they’re committed to doing something about it. In fact, just this morning (Friday) Missouri lawmakers went on the road and held a public hearing on the issue at Union Station. Some of our guests around the table were there testifying. Several plans have just been unveiled aimed at keeping and attracting new jobs in the Show-Me-State. We dissect them.

SCHOOL TAKEOVER: If you thought the whole controversy over the Kansas City, MO school district had died down, think again. This week, the Missouri Senate surprised many in this community by putting the district squarely back on the front page by unanimously passing a bill allowing for a “quick” state takeover of the school district. The legislation actually is worded to allow the state to swiftly take control over any unaccredited district in Missouri. A similar measure failed to come to a final vote last year. The school district says their making progress. So why are lawmakers acting now?

TEEN HANDCUFFED IN BASEMENT: Could more have been done? Eight-months after a Kansas City girl is found locked in a closet for weeks on end, a mentally challenged teenager is found handcuffed to a pole in a Kansas City basement. He reportedly told police he’d been locked up since being removed from school last September, and that he’d been fed only oatmeal, Ramen noodles and bologna sandwiches. Did the system fail him?

WOULD YOU PAY MORE FOR HIGHWAYS?: Even some Republican lawmakers are now joining with Missouri transportation officials in supporting an effort to place on the statewide ballot a 1% sales tax hike that would widen I-70 and fix much of the state’s highway system. But aren’t “taxes” a swear word in Jefferson City?

REVIEWING THE NEWS THIS WEEK:

Will Kraus (R)
Missouri State Senator

Paul LeVota (D)
Missouri State Senator

Patrick Ishmael, policy analyst
Show Me Institute

Dave Helling
Kansas City Star