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Kansas City News Today Kansas City Front Page is a weekly news publication spotlighting attractions, jobs, events, business and hotels in Kansas City. |
KANSAS CITY NEWS TODAY - Friday July 23, 2010 
BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan, (SLFP.com), July 23, 2010 - Missouri Governor Jay Nixon today traveled to Afghanistan on his official trip with four other Governors to the Middle East. The Governor's schedule included a meeting with U.S. Ambassador Karl Eikenberry and Commanding General David Petraeus. The Governor also was able to visit with troops from Missouri, both from regular military units as well as from Missouri National Guard units based in Joplin and Poplar Bluff. This morning, Gov. Nixon flew to Kabul from a U.S. air base in Kuwait, then traveled by UH-60 (Blackhawk) helicopter to Camp Phoenix, Afghanistan. Gov. Nixon is traveling with Gov. Jim Douglas of Vermont, Gov. Deval Patrick of Massachusetts, Gov. Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota and Gov. Mike Rounds of South Dakota. Also with the Governors is Gen. Craig McKinley, Chief of the National Guard Bureau. At Camp Phoenix, the Governors met with troops, including individual service members from Missouri. They then traveled by Blackhawk to ISAF (International Security Assistance Force) headquarters, where they met with Ambassador Eikenberry and Gen. Petraeus. The Governors then flew by C-130 aircraft to Bagram Air Base. At Bagram, they toured the military hospital and met with Wounded Warriors being treated there. Gov. Nixon then had dinner with Citizen-Soldiers from the Missouri National Guard's 203rd Engineering Battalion, based in Joplin; and the Guard's 205th Military Police Battalion, based in Poplar Bluff. "These are brave Missourians who dedicated themselves to the mission of making the world safer," Gov. Nixon said. "It was an honor to sit down and have a meal with them tonight, to share greetings from the folks back home, and to bring their greetings back for their families. It was especially moving to meet with members of the 203rd and extend my condolences over the loss of their brother-in-arms, Sergeant Robert Wayne Crow, earlier this month." Besides the 203rd and the 205th, there are currently four other Missouri National Guard units deployed to Afghanistan: Agri-Business Development Team III and Agri-Business Development Team IV; the 1141st Engineer Company (Sapper), based out of Kansas City; and the 135th Military History Detachment, out of Jefferson City. All told, there are 500 Missouri National Guard troops in Afghanistan. Another three Missouri National Guard units currently are based in Iraq, with about 200 soldiers and airmen: the 1139th Military Police Company, out of Harrisonville; Headquarters and Headquarters Company 3/135 Aviation, out of Lebanon; and the 4175 Military Police Detachment, Criminal Investigation Division, out of Fulton. In addition, the Missouri National Guard has about 150 troops in Kuwait with the 1107th Theater Aviation Sustainment Maintenance Group, based out of Springfield. Kansas City Zoological District Established with Signing of House Bill 2297 KANSAS CITY, MO, (kansascityfrontpage.com), July 18, 2010 - Gov. Jay Nixon signed several bills in Kansas City, July 12, including House Bill 2297, which authorizes the establishment of the Kansas City Zoological District; House Bill 1848, which establishes the Joint Committee on Urban Farming; House Bill 1692, which includes a provision to spur clean energy projects; and House Bill 1941, which names several memorial highways, including a portion of U.S. 24 in Jackson County for President Harry S. Truman. The Governor was joined by legislators, Kansas City Mayor Mark Funkhouser and interested individuals and groups at an afternoon signing ceremony in the Governor's office in downtown Kansas City. The bills signed by the Governor include: House Bill 2297 would establish the Kansas City Zoological District, giving voters in Jackson, Cass, Clay and Platte counties the opportunity to create a joint taxing district and a dedicated funding source for the popular Kansas City attraction. Senate Bill 578 will strengthen the tools for economic development at 11 port authorities throughout Missouri, including Kansas City. This bill will allow those port authorities to establish port improvement districts to fund projects including construction, environmental cleanup, energy efficiency and conservation. It gives local economic development groups a tool to develop, redevelop, grow and expand projects, and it will be up to the local community to determine how this tool is used. House Bill 1892 broadens the authority to issue work permit certificates for students under the age of 16; the previous law allowed only the superintendent of the local school district where the student lived to issue such a permit. House Bill 1692 contains numerous provisions, including one to spur energy efficiency and conservation through the Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) program. This allows cities and counties to issue bonds and provide financing for all upfront costs of energy efficient upgrades, renewable energy upgrades and energy audits for homes and businesses. Those upgrades can be costly, and this assistance will help many projects move forward. The bill was supported by a broad range of groups including utilities, consumer advocates and environmental groups. House Bill 1848 promotes urban farming and establishes the Joint Committee on Urban Farming. This legislative committee is to study, recommend and produce a report on the impact of urban farm coops and sustainable living communities. Gov. Nixon noted that he and First Lady Georganne Nixon have established a vegetable and herb garden at the Governor's Mansion in Jefferson City. House Bill 1941 designates names for 11 new memorial Missouri highways and bridges, including several named after fallen law enforcement officers and military heroes. A portion of U.S. Highway 24 in Independence will be named after the only Missourian to serve in the White House, President Harry S Truman. Senate Bill 981 will allow the City of Kansas City to propose a ballot measure to secure funding for public safety projects. House Bill 2058 establishes procedures for asserting a mechanic's lien against residential real property other than a mechanic's lien for the repair, remodeling, or addition to owner-occupied residential property of four units or less. While in Kansas City, the Governor also ceremonially signed House Bill 1643, which he signed into law earlier this month. This bill allows the Jackson County recorder of deeds to collect a voluntary donation of $1 per recorded document that is purchased. The money will be donated to the Housing Resource Commission in Kansas City to assist homeless families.
KANSAS CITY, MO, (kansascityfrontpage.com), July 18, 2010 - The baseball league that helped spark integration of American professional sports is being honored on a 44-cent U.S. postage stamp being issued at the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, in Kansas City. The Negro Leagues Baseball stamps pay tribute to the all-black professional baseball leagues that operated from 1920 to about 1960. A second commemorative stamp features the league's founder, Andrew "Rube" Foster, who is considered the "father" of Negro Leagues Baseball. In 1981, Foster was honored by the National Baseball Hall of Fame as the "foremost manager and executive" of Negro Leagues baseball. "The United States Postal Service is honored to be dedicating two stamps today in commemoration of Negro Leagues Baseball," said Thurgood Marshall Jr., the Postal Service's Board of Governors vice chairman. "In 1920, the first of several black leagues of the modern era was formed right here in Kansas City. It was called the Negro National League," Marshall noted. "With the issuance of these stamps, the rich legacy of the Negro Leagues will travel far and wide, throughout this nation." Vice Chairman Marshall's remarks highlighted the legendary baseball giants who played in the Negro Leagues, including Satchel Paige, Josh Gibson, James "Cool Papa" Bell and Jackie Robinson, who broke the color barrier in Major League Baseball in 1947 and opened doors for former Negro League players and Hall of Famers Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, Larry Doby and many others. Marshall also gave a special salute to Birmingham, AL, postal employee Cleophus Brown, who played in the Negro Leagues for the Birmingham Black Barons and the Louisville Clippers. Brown, 76, has been a motor vehicle driver for the Postal Service for the past 30 years. Joining Marshall and Brown to unveil the stamps were Negro Leagues Baseball Museum President Gregory Baker, Stamp Artist Kadir Nelson, who designed the stamps, and former Negro leagues player Mamie "Peanut" Johnson. "As we celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, we are thrilled that the U.S. Postal Service has chosen to recognize and honor the men and women of the Negro Leagues who set aside the challenges of their time and empowered themselves to become the most positive examples of leadership, character, creativity and determination ever imagined in our modern day," said Greg Baker, president, Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. "In turn, the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum has nominated the U.S. Postal Service for a United Nations NGO Positive Peace Award to honor them for celebrating the league's legacy." Missouri Governor Nixon Signs Automotive Bill KANSAS CITY, MO, (kansascityfrontpage.com), July 18, 2010 - Missouri Governor Jay Nixon has signed a bill passed during the special legislative session on Wednesday (July 14) that will support Missouri's automotive industry and jobs. The Governor was joined by auto workers as he signed House Bill 2, the Missouri Automotive Manufacturing Jobs Act, at a UAW Local located near the Ford Motor Co. plant in Claycomo, which employs about 3,700 workers. "Last month, I called a special session of the General Assembly to pass legislation that would support and strengthen Missouri's vital automobile manufacturing and supplier industry and the tens of thousands of Missouri jobs dependent on that industry," Gov. Nixon said. "I am pleased that legislators on both sides of the aisle and in both chambers of the legislature worked together to put this bill on my desk. This legislation will help us keep thousands of Missourians living and working right here in our state." The Missouri Automotive Manufacturing Jobs will allow qualified manufacturing facilities or suppliers that bring next-generation production lines to Missouri to retain withholding taxes typically remitted to the state. To be eligible for these incentives, manufacturers would be required to make a substantial capital investment in production capacity and put people back to work. Incentives would be triggered only after a company had made a firm commitment for that investment and workers were on the job. Strict requirements would force a company to repay the incentives if that commitment were not upheld. The total amount of incentives under the act is capped at $15 million a year. "This new jobs bill gives us sharper, stronger economic tools to help us compete to bring next-generation vehicle production to Missouri," the Governor said. "Together, we will make sure Missouri's automotive industry remains vibrant for generations to come." The Governor pointed out that the Ford facility in Claycomo also supports a network of more than 40 suppliers located in every corner of Missouri. Those suppliers employ thousands of additional workers, who produce such items as seats, wheels, steering wheels and other components. Suppliers are located in such communities as Columbia, Dexter, Farmington, Hannibal, Nixa, Perryville and Sedalia. "While much of the attention has been on the jobs here in Claycomo, the benefits of this bill will be felt far beyond the Kansas City area in all parts of Missouri," Gov. Nixon said.   The Kansas City Front Page is owned and maintained by the Moore Design Group for the sole purpose of disseminating news and information about the Metropolitan Kansas City area. Text or graphics may not be copied, rewritten or distributed in any manner whatsoever without written permission. 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