News & Issues

Stories from around the Kansas City Metro area on a variety of topics.

Karen Paisley, artistic director and cofounder of the Metropolitan Ensemble Theatre, stands in a balcony above the stage at the Warwick Theatre. Behind her are storage tubs full of costumes that she and volunteers cleaned after a devastating fire at the site two years ago, on Feb. 6, 2024. (Todd Feeback | Flatland)

Up From the Ashes: Warwick Theatre Revival Draws Applause

Two years ago, John Cleary met a fellow Kansas City actor for drinks. Their conversation centered on the fate of the Metropolitan Ensemble Theatre. A large portion of the ensemble’s home, the Warwick Theatre, was ash, charred timbers and soot-saturated costumes and props — remnants from a recent massive fire. The destruction was so great…

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This photo was taken at Surprise Stadium before a game in March 2023. Almost no one is on the field, but it is entirely visible, with a netting in the way.

Nick’s Picks | Baseball, Drones, Romance and More …

Royals Reveal Next week, the Kansas City Royals head to Arizona for Spring Training. And that’s the mayor’s self-imposed deadline to lock in a stadium deal. So, is this finally the week owner John Sherman steps to the plate and unveils where the Royals will build their next home? At last week’s council meeting, Mayor…

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In this undated photo, then-Kansas City Mayor Emanuel Cleaver (left) stands with Rabbi Michael R. Zedek of The Temple, Congregation B'nai Jehudah and Zedek's wife, Karen. Cleaver was the longtime pastor at St. James United Church. Zedek estimated the photo was taken in the early 1990s at B'nai Jehudah's former site at 69th Street and Holmes Road in Kansas City. Zedek and Cleaver had many pulpit exchanges during that period. (Photo courtesy of The Kansas City Star)

History of Persecution Binds Black, Jewish Communities

Kansas City icon Alvin Brooks knows more about the Civil Rights Movement here than almost anyone alive. And Brooks, former Kansas City mayor pro tempore, insists that progress for Blacks here would have been much more difficult without the consistent and persistent help of Jewish residents and leaders. “Jews in this community and across the…

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The famed weather predictor Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow this morning, which means we could see six more weeks of winter, at least according to Groundhog Day lore. This was the fifth time in the last six years that Phil has seen his shadow, according to The Weather Channel, and the 20th time since 2000. Thankfully, in our neck of the woods, temperatures are going make it feel like spring. (Facebook)

Nick’s Picks | Phil, ICE, KCPD and More …

Today is my favorite holiday of the year…Happy Groundhog Day! Apparently, Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow earlier this morning, predicting six more weeks of winter. But around here it’s going to feel almost tropical. After weeks of teeth-chattering cold and snow, the deep freeze is backing off. No single-digit temps on the horizon — and…

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A view looking north from the proposed Kansas City Royals stadium with the downtown skyline in the background.

Nick’s Picks | Stadium (Again), Fire, ICE and More …

Big questions loom as the week begins — from stadium drama to detention centers to a familiar cliffhanger: Are we heading for another government shutdown? Signs of a New Royals Stadium Deal? Could last week’s closed-door meeting between the governor, mayor, and county executive signal that a deal is finally ready to be made on…

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