If Your Teacher Looks Likes You, You May Do Better In School
Think back to grade school for a moment and envision that one teacher who could captivate you more than any other. Did that teacher look a bit like you? One recent study says: probably. There’s mounting evidence that when black students have black teachers, those students are more likely to graduate high school. That new…
Downtown MAX Bus Rapid Transit Route Going Straight, Celebration This Sunday
The downtown MAX rapid transit line is going straight this Sunday after 12 years in operation. The Kansas City Transportation Authority is shifting the popular express bus line to a direct north-south route down Grand Boulevard from Crown Center to the River Market and is holding a celebration in Washington Square Park to inaugurate the…
Shatto’s Family Day at The Farm & Other Weekend Possibilities
Ever wanted to meet a cow? Realize your dream at Family Day at the Farm with the Shatto Milk Company (9406 N. Highway 33, Osborn, Missouri). Take a hayride, pet a baby calf, learn how Shatto makes cheese and sample their new limited-release flavor: peaches and cream. The festival runs from 11 a.m. to 4…
McCownGordon Purchases Downtown Building for New Headquarters, Investing $10.5 Million to Renovate
By Kevin Collison McCownGordon Construction has purchased a three-story building at 850 Main St. and plans to spend $10.5 million renovating it as its new headquarters. The 45,000 square-foot building had been owned by the Catholic Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph and was occupied by Catholic Charities It was part of a 2010 acquisition of…
Almost Full Commerce Tower Holds Grand Opening; Added Bonus, Dowdy CVS Pharmacy Next Door Getting New Look
By Kevin Collison The $139 million redevelopment of the historic Commerce Tower, described as a ‘vertical neighborhood,’ held its grand opening this week and 95 percent of its 355 apartments are expected to be leased by the end of November. “I knew it was going to do well, but the biggest thing is we’ve had…
Winslow’s BBQ Closing its Doors Next Month after 46 Years in the River Market
By Kevin Collison Winslow’s BBQ, a City Market institution that traces its roots to the “roaring” River Quay days in 1971, is going out of business next month. The barbecue joint and its 300-seat outdoor patio overlooking the City Market vendors has been a familiar fixture for generations, but that will all end Oct. 15,…
Cafe al Dente Closing Saturday, New Denver Landlord Begins Bringing Fresh Tenants to River Market
By Kevin Collison Cafe al Dente is closing after 17 years in the River Market, the first business to depart following the purchase of its building and others along Delaware Street by a Denver investor. The Italian restaurant posted on its Facebook Page this week it was being “kicked out” of its space at 412…
Element Ice Cream Wants to Make Science Delicious
Water vapor rolls around Ben Myers’ forearms, a puff of white clouds that subconsciously draws people toward the window of the light blue trailer parked in the parking lot of Breakout KC. “This was always a show stopper in class,” Myers said. “I love watching people get pulled in by the show. The teacher in…
New Power & Light District Mural a Sky-High Tribute to Kansas City’s African-American Cultural and Sports Heritage
By Kevin Collison Alexander Austin has worked on some big canvasses as one of the city’s preeminent street muralists, but the new assignment he’s executing in the Power & Light District is taking him to an even higher level. As in working up to 80 feet above street level painting a mural over a half-football…
Tap List | GABF Bound & Cinder Block Turns Four
The Great American Beer Festival in Denver, Oct. 5-7, is not only one of the nation’s largest beer festivals, but it is also a prominent beer competition with entries assessed by professional judges. Several area breweries send staff to attend the exhibition, research trends and beers, and submit beers in hopes of garnering a medal. This…
Messenger Coffee Sending Savory Aroma of Roasting Beans and Baking Bread to Grand Boulevard
By Kevin Collison The intersection of 17th and Grand will soon become the most irresistible olfactory zone in downtown Kansas City with the arrival Oct. 21 of Messenger Coffee Co. Matt Matsch, CEO and managing partner of Messenger, and his partners have converted a former car dealership at 1624 Grand Blvd. into what they hope…
ULI Experts Recommend Holding Off on North Loop, Focus on Improving Highway 9 and Independence Avenue Instead
By Kevin Collison The North Loop freeway that divides the River Market from the rest of downtown won’t be going away anytime soon if the advice of a panel of national urban planning experts is followed. Bottom line, there’s too much easily developable land already available downtown to make it cost effective to redevelop the…
Christianity Faces Another Tempest
As the world marks the 500th anniversary of the start of the Protestant Reformation in October, lots of Kansas City’s Protestant churches know that today they’re in another major theological upheaval. This one isn’t as violent (yes, the Protestant Reformation turned viciously violent for decades) as the one in 1517, but it may be as…
Beans Add Healthy Fiber And Protein To Gluten-Free Pastas
Pastas made from starches like rice are a boon for those with celiac disease and wheat allergies. The downside: Many spike blood-sugar levels. What to do? Look toward bean-based options.
KC Vet Recalls Discrimination in Vietnam
Thomas “Buck” Jenkins doesn’t like to talk much about his year of Army duty in the Vietnam War — a time in his life with too many bad memories from too many bad experiences. Like many, Jenkins returned home to people who criticized his service, yet had never walked five steps in his shoes as…