Civic Affairs
Fringe Fest Getting ‘Back Off Ground’ with High-Rise Fundraiser
By Kevin Collison After a Covid shutdown that disrupted Fringe Fest, forcing the edgy, annual arts festival to lay off employees and go virtual, the organization, according to its executive director, is ready to “get back off the ground to being a live festival again. Literally. For the first time in its 16-year history, Fringe…
816 Day to Cap Downtown Scavenger Hunt
This year’s 816 Day scheduled for Monday (Aug. 16) is trying something new, a downtown scavenger hunt paired with Bingo aimed at helping businesses and attractions coping with the Covid pandemic. “We’re encouraging people to get out and visit local restaurants and other establishments,” said Jared Campbell of the Downtown Council. “We’re focusing not only…
Power & Light Exec Transitions To New Job After Dozen Years at Helm
(Updated Feb. 9, 2022: Nick Benjamin is no longer employed by the Cordish Cos. When asked specifically about his departure, a Cordish spokesperson issued this statement: “The Power & Light District remains under the strong leadership of John Moncke and his senior leadership team. We expect a banner year for the District in 2022 including…
No Joke, Car Punches Laugh-O-Gram Building
By Kevin Collison The driver of a black Dodge Charger crashed the renovation party underway at the historic Laugh-O-Gram building near 31st and Troost over the weekend, leaving a hole in the structure and the project budget. “The last thing we expected was someone running into the building, we’d been making good progress,” said Gary…
Photographer Wants to Brighten Downtown with Neon Museum
By Kevin Collison Well known Kansas City photographer, Nick Vedros, is on a quest to create a downtown museum for one of advertising’s more colorful tools, the vintage neon signs that once touted businesses. “In 2017, I noticed many neon signs were in decline,” Vedros said. “There’s nothing more a part of our urban fabric…