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Kansas City News Today Kansas City Front Page is a weekly news publication, with daily updates, spotlighting attractions, events, business and hospitality in Kansas City. |
KANSAS CITY NEWS TODAY - Sunday, February 3, 2008 Department of Revenue Warns Missouri Taxpayers of Reported Scam Calls KANSAS CITY, (kansascityfrontpage.com), February 3, 2008 - The Missouri Department of Revenue (Department) today announced that some Missouri taxpayers are reporting what appears to be a telephone scam. The "callers" are falsely identifying themselves as being with the "Revenue Department" so they can obtain sensitive financial information from taxpayers. The callers are asking for customers' "routing number", and claim they are processing the previous years refund owed to the customer. The Missouri Department of Revenue would never call individual taxpayers requesting personal bank account routing numbers or credit card numbers to process an income tax refund. This information should only be provided if a Missourian initiates the contact with the Department. "Missourians need to be cautious if asked to give out their personal financial information over the phone by someone claiming to be from the Department of Revenue," Gov. Blunt said. "I have urged the Department to continue doing all it can to inform Missourians about this scam to protect taxpayers from fraud and identity theft." "We are concerned that scam artists purporting to be from the Department of Revenue could threaten the security of taxpayers' information," said Omar Davis, Director of Revenue. "These types of scam calls happen around this time of the year, and we want Missourians to be cautious before giving out any financial information over the phone in a call they did not initiate." Initiative Aimed at Cleaner Air for Kansas City Metropolitan Area KANSAS CITY, (kansascityfrontpage.com), February 3, 2008 - The Department of Natural Resources has joined nine local, state and federal entities in a commitment to environmental responsibility that establishes a partnership to implement Sustainable Skylines. The initiative is aimed at bringing cleaner air to the Kansas City metropolitan area. Sustainable Skylines is a joint venture that involves completing short-term projects that have long-term environmental, economic and social benefits for Kansas City. The Kansas City area is the second community chosen to participate in the nationwide Sustainable Skylines pilot program. Under the program, cities choose projects that address issues such as climate, transportation, energy, land use, resource efficiency, green building and air quality. Projects are chosen for their ability to address these issues and yield measurable environmental benefits within three years. As part of this partnership, the Department of Natural Resources will continue its focus on protecting air quality in the Kansas City area. An idle-reduction rule is being drafted that will implement restrictions on the idling of heavy-duty diesel vehicles in the Kansas City Ozone Maintenance Area. The rule requires all commercial, public and institutional diesel vehicles weighing more than 8,500 pounds in the affected counties limit their idling to 30 minutes while waiting to load or unload at a location. This rulemaking will reinforce the KC Idle Free campaign established as a possible project for this initiative. The idle reduction campaign would also work with public and private fleets to establish idle-free zones in the Kansas City area. "The Department of Natural Resources is pleased to work with these partners in the pursuit of cleaner air for Missouri," said Department of Natural Resources Deputy Director Floyd Gilzow. "I look forward to seeing the positive results of these innovative projects. All Missourians benefits when steps are taken to reduce our impact on the state's air resources." The department's Energy Center will also be working on an energy project as part of the initiative. A Solar City project is being developed that would work to install solar panels and solar hot water heaters at schools and city buildings in the Kansas City area.
KANSAS CITY, (kansascityfrontpage.com), February 3, 2008 - In a press conference last week in Jefferson City, Gov. Matt Blunt and Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder unveiled the inaugural Tour of Missouri's economic impact topped a staggering $26.2 million, as tourists and cycling fans from around the world visited Missouri for the six-day race. In a statement, Gov. Blunt said, "Missouri is a beautiful place to call home, filled with countless natural and historic sites of interest to visitors both near and far. Lt. Gov. Kinder and I took the initiative to bring this race to our state because we recognized the many benefits it could bring to Missourians and our economy. We knew the race would have an enormous economic impact but I do not think anyone expected it would bring more than $26 million to our state. Our state is prospering with the pro-growth, pro-jobs initiatives we have enacted together with our commitment to tourism with new signature events like the Tour of Missouri." The inaugural Tour of Missouri demonstrated its value and benefits to Missouri by generating an estimated $26.2 million in new tourism dollars for the state. The estimated spectator turnout for the Tour was 367,566 spectators. "The Tour of Missouri was an enormous success and generated a wave of energy that traveled across our state for a superb week of fun, entertainment and economic benefit," Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder said. "The Tour of Missouri was six action-packed days of international professional cycling that was enjoyed by thousands of out-of-state visitors and by Missourians of all ages." The Tour of Missouri, a 600 mile, six-day world-class bicycle race, featured internationally recognized professional racers. The six-stage race started in Kansas City on September 11, 2007 and traveled through Clinton, Springfield, Branson, Lebanon, Columbia, Jefferson City and St. Charles before concluding in St. Louis on September 16, 2007. Also announced, the 2008 Tour of Missouri will kickoff in St. Joseph on September 8, and finish in St. Louis on September 14. The race is expected to cover about 600 miles and cyclists will pedal through Kansas City, Clinton, Springfield, Branson, Lebanon, Rolla, St. James, Jefferson City, Hermann, and St. Charles. Missouri's Summer Food Service Program Seeks Sponsors KANSAS CITY, (kansascityfrontpage.com), February 3, 2008 - Gov. Matt Blunt and the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services are seeking sponsors to operate meal service sites for the Summer Food Service Program, which is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. "No Missouri child can reach their full potential on an empty stomach," Gov. Blunt said. "I have enjoyed taking part in and visiting the summer lunch program at work in our state and in order to ensure that even more Missouri children have access to nutritious meals over the summer, we are seeking additional sponsors to provide this important service for Missouri's children." "Children who depend on school lunch and breakfast programs during the school year should not be forgotten during the summer months," said Melanie Madore, associate chief of the state health department's Bureau of Community Food and Nutrition Assistance. "Additional sponsors could help further boost the number of young people in Missouri benefiting from nutritious meals and snacks this coming summer." The Summer Food Service Program provides meals and snacks to children at a variety of locations including churches, schools, playgrounds, camps, migrant centers, YMCAs, YWCAs, Boys and Girls Clubs and parks. Three million free, nutritious meals were served to children in Missouri last summer as a result of the Summer Food Service Program. This figure represents only about 20 percent of the eligible children in the state, according to the health department. The Summer Food Service Program provides meals to needy children up to age 18 during the summer months. The program is also available to people over 18 who are determined by a state educational agency to be mentally or physically disabled and are enrolled in a school program for the mentally or physically disabled during the regular school year. Sponsors are reimbursed on a per-meal basis and can apply in advance for set-up funds. More information about the Summer Food Service Program and sponsor or site eligibility is available by telephone at 888-435-1464 (toll free).   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. For more information, contact editor@slfp.com All rights reserved world wide © 2007 - 2008 Moore Design Group. |
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