Kansas City's Northeast Newscast

On this week's episode of the Northeast Newscast, Board of Parks and Recreation Commissioner Scott Wagner joined Northeast News Publisher Michael Bushnell for an update on the Kansas City Museum. Wagner’s work with the museum goes back 16 years to when he was first appointed to the Kansas City Museum Advisory Board in 2005. They talk about the Kansas City Museum Foundation transition, trials Corinthian Hall has faced leading up to its current renovation, and the dedicated Kansas Citians who got the museum to where it is today.

Welcome back to the Northeast Newscast. This week we're joined by Fourth District Councilman Eric Bunch, who represents Historic Northeast. Today we’re talking about Kansas City’s Earnings Tax, which is up for renewal on April 6 when Kansas City voters will decide if the e-tax is in place for another five years. We also discuss this week's passing of the next City budget and how Kansas City will fare going forward. Thanks for listening!

This week on the Northeast Newscast we’re sitting down with Rashida Phillips, Executive Director of the American Jazz Museum in Kansas City’s historic 18th and Vine District. After nearly a year of being closed due to COVID-19, the district is beginning to see a little bit of activity. We discuss the museum’s In the Yard campaign, expanding programming, live music, her first year in the role, and so much more. Thanks for joining us!

This week on the Northeast Newscast we’re joined by Christina Hoxie of Hoxie Collective, a community planning practice whose core focus is to provide those skills to underestimated communities. Christina has worked with various Northeast neighborhoods, on transportation solutions with the Mid-American Regional Council (MARC), and is Councilman Bunch's representative on the Public Investment Advisory Committee (PIAC).

Welcome back to the Northeast Newscast. A year after COVID-19 made its way through the community, KC CARE Health Center at 4601 Independence Avenue has adjusted to a new normal, from Telehealth visits to community testing, administering vaccines and expanding primary care services. This week, we sat down with Wil Franklin, CEO of KC CARE to discuss the recent growth and changes to services.Thanks for listening to the Northeast Newscast. For all our episodes, articles and more, visit northeastnews.net.

This week on the Northeast Newscast we’re joined by local author and historian David Jackson. He's written books about Kansas City's LGBT history and discovering his family's surprising genealogy, as well as being an incredible resource in helping other authors and historians with a variety of topics. We had a few technical difficulties, but the interview is worth a listen!

This week on the Northeast Newscast we’re hearing from Kansas City Parks and Recreation Director Terry Rynard and Deputy Director Roosevelt Lyons as they look forward to the grand reopening of the Kansas City Museum later this year.They share with Northeast News Publisher Michael Bushnell what they’re looking forward to most, how the new collections will open a door to history while focusing on the often untold stories of Kansas City, and its transition to management by the Kansas City museum foundation.

On this week's episode of the Northeast Newscast, we’re joined by Tiffany Aleman and Gina Bumgarner, school counselors at Northeast Middle School. We’re discussing how COVID-19 has impacted the mental health of both students and staff, the benefits to having counselors in schools, and the most important lessons these professionals have learned throughout their careers.

On this episode of the Northeast Newscast, we're joined by three well-known veterans of the Kansas City coffee scene as part of the Northeast News’ Coffee Issue. Kate Blackman is an experienced coffee expert and competition judge, operations manager at Roast Ratings and independent coffee consultant and trainer; Ben Helt is the Director of Authorized Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA) Trainer Program; and Marty Roe is the co-owner of Workbench Coffee Labs and Service Call. We talk coffee culture, the industry, pro tips, and even get a little technical. So grab your mug and settle in!

On this episode of the Northeast Newscast, State Senate Minority Leader John Rizzo joins us for the third interview in a series with local leaders elected to state office. Rizzo, who grew up in Northeast and Columbus Park, now represents his hometown in Jefferson City. He represents District 11, which includes Independence, Sugar Creek and Northeast Kansas City within Jackson County. We discuss the state’s COVID-19 response, legislation to keep an eye on, and his priorities in office.

On this week's episode of the Northeast Newscast, State Senator for the 9th District Barbara Washington discusses her priorities for her first term. Senator Washington was previously the representative for House District 23 and is looking forward to bringing her passion for urban farming, housing and economic development to the state senate. This is the second episode in our series of interviews with state senators and representatives for our district.

This episode marks the beginning of a series of interviews with state representatives and senators where they will share their priorities for the new term. This week we’re hearing from Missouri House of Representatives District 19 Representative Ingrid Burnett (D). Burnett raised her family and taught in Northeast for many years, and is now serving her third term. We discuss her priorities and her perspective on furthering her community's causes despite a Republican supermajority. She also shares some of the projects she has been working on that will make a difference in Northeast, and the pride she has for her district.

On this week's episode of the Northeast Newscast, local realtor LoRay Easterwood with United Real Estate and Becky Gripp with CHES Inc. explain the steps individuals and couples interested in purchasing a home should make. They discuss the process of deciding a price range, necessary savings, and preparing for unexpected costs. Gripp explains CHES programs to repair credit and preventing foreclosure, and their financial planning resources.CHES Inc. is currently hosting online classes found here. Easterwood hosts a real estate podcast, Shop Your City, found here.

On this week's episode of the Northeast Newscast, Editorial Assistant Daisy Garcia Montoya interviews Edgar Palacios, founder of Latinx Education Collaborative, a nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing and retaining the number of quality Latinx education professionals in K-12 education. This interview was conducted in Spanish. For an article on the organization in English, go to northeastnews.net or read the January 6 issue of the Northeast News.

On this week's episode of the Northeast Newscast, Managing Editor Abby Hoover hosts a roundtable discussion with the staff of the Northeast News to recap 2020. From breaking news to features, faces and history, we delivered a product we're proud of to our diverse and unique community. Thank you to our loyal advertisers, listeners, readers and neighbors for supporting us for 88 years, and happy holidays!

Welcome back to the Northeast Newscast. On this week’s episode we’re joined by Kansas City Police Department Community Interaction Officer Greg Smith, who served East Patrol Zone for over three decades before retiring last week. Now, he’s reflecting on the legacy he’s leaving on the community and sharing his hopes for the future of the position.

On this week's episode of the Northeast Newscast, Coach Ann Murphy, founder of YouthRise KC, discusses how her job as a KCPD officer led her to starting the soccer program, which empowers youth and teaches life lessons through mentorship, education and sport. Her efforts have been focused on Kansas City's Northeast and East Side, where the program supplements a lack of services for college preparation, homework help and other guidance, in addition to coaching soccer.

On this week's episode of the Northeast Newscast we're exploring rock climbing, a unique sport that provides a workout for both the body and mind. Jonathan Van Volkenburgh, General Manager of RoKC, an indoor climbing gym in North Kansas City, shares the advantages of both indoor and outdoor climbing, the extra care the facility is taking during COVID-19, and the health benefits of finding creative ways to stay active.

The holidays can be stressful without a raging pandemic, record unemployment and job insecurity. Samuel U. Rodgers Psychiatric Nurse Elizabeth Blanchard Hills walks us through a few ways to mentally prepare for the holiday season and how to avoid polarizing conversations related to politics, COVID-19, or family disagreements. We share alternatives for celebrating the holidays with COVID-19 in mind, and resources that Samuel U. Rodgers offers.

This week's episode of the Northeast Newscast dives deeper into the issues surrounding homelessness in Kansas City. Merging KC is working with residents, organizations and volunteers to build a regulated campsite for unhoused members of the community as winter weather approaches. We're talking to founder Houston DeFoe about the camp, longterm solutions to homelessness, how his experience with private security formed his perspective, and the barriers they are overcoming to make this idea reality.