|
||||||||||||
|
|
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, December 13, 2009 
KANSAS CITY, MO, (kansascityfrontpage.com), December 13, 2009 - The Kansas City Zoo celebrated its 100 year anniversary, December 13, 2009, with complimentary admission, a nod to the Zoo's original pricing! The Kansas City Parks Board set aside 60 acres in Swope Park for the Kansas City Zoological Gardens in 1908. On December 13, 1909, the Kansas City Zoological Gardens officially opened with four lions, three monkeys, a wolf, fox, coyote, badger, lynx, eagle and other birds. Over the years, the Zoo has expanded to include over 200 acres with a beautifully landscaped park that is home to 1,000 animals from around the world and hosting over 2.1 million guests in just the last five years. The Kansas City Zoo is one of sixty Zoos honored in "America's Best Zoos 2008," and was ranked number one in the nation for "African Animals and Exhibits," andĘ ranked in top 10 in the nation for "Australian Animals and Exhibits" and for "Pachyderms: Elephants, Rhinos, Hippos." The celebration featured the unveiling of a commemorative plaque in the original Zoo Building. The 1909 Zoo Building was the first building at the Zoo and housed the entire animal collection. Renovated with city bond money, it re-opened as the Tropics, an indoor rainforest, earlier this year. The Zoo is currently improving the experience through $65 million in capital projects including a new entrance, Zoo Learning Center and areas for additional exhibits for penguins and polar bears. Seven Superfund Sites in EPA Region 7 to Receive Funds in Environmental Cleanup Money KANSAS CITY, MO, (kansascityfrontpage.com), December 11, 2009 - At least seven Superfund sites in EPA Region 7, including five in Missouri and one each in Kansas and Nebraska, will receive a total of $282 million, plus interest, to fund environmental cleanup and restoration work as a result of a legal settlement in the largest environmental bankruptcy case in U.S. history. The seven sites in Region 7 are among more than 80 Superfund sites in 19 states receiving portions of a $1.79 billion settlement from the reorganization of the American Smelting and Refining Company LLC (ASARCO). The funds will be used to pay for past and future costs incurred by federal and state agencies to address environmental contamination caused by ASARCO's operations around the country. Region 7's affected sites and their respective funding amounts include Big River Mine Tailings/St. Joe Minerals Corporation ($17,072,427), Federal Mine Tailings ($7,743,418), Madison County Mines ($12,684,155), all in southeast Missouri; Jasper County/Oronogo-Duenweg Mining Belt ($21,402,000) and Newton County Mine Tailings ($11,484,000), both in southwest Missouri; Cherokee County ($25,114,000) in southeast Kansas; and Nebraska's Omaha Lead Site ($186,500,000). These amounts do not include interest payments, as required by the settlement. ASARCO, an Arizona-based mining company that is responsible for multiple sites around the country that are contaminated with hazardous waste, filed for protection under Chapter 11 of the U.S. bankruptcy code on August 9, 2005. Funds paid to the United States from the reorganization settlement will be placed into special Superfund accounts to pay for cleanup work. Funds will also be placed into accounts at the Department of Interior and the Department of Agriculture to pay for natural resource restoration at the sites. Nationwide, the settlement will encompass the cleanup of 10.5 million cubic yards of soil, or enough to cover nearly 2,000 football fields three feet deep. The funding will also address the cleanup of 5 million cubic yards of contaminated water at the various sites, or enough to fill more than 1,500 Olympic-sized swimming pools. Kansas City Is One of America's Most Generous Cities KANSAS CITY, MO, (kansascityfrontpage.com), December 11, 2009 - Entertainment Publications LLC ranks Washington, D.C., as America's most generous city, based on funds raised for schools and community groups through the sale of Entertainment Membership Books and the company's cookie dough and Sally Foster gift items. Following Washington on the "America's Most Generous Cities" list are three cities from the traditionally hospitable South: Atlanta, Dallas and Houston (tied with Seattle). Combined, America's Top 10 Most Generous cities donated approximately $22 million to support local schools and community groups. Other cities topping the list with generous community contributions include Kansas City, Kan.; Detroit; Boston; St. Louis; Orlando; and Sacramento. As the leading provider of discount offers, coupons and promotions, Entertainment Publications has helped schools and community groups across the country raise more than $70 million last year alone. In today's economy, fundraising dollars are more important than ever for these organizations. The funds raised help schools and community groups fund purchases such as classroom supplies, field trips, transportation and more. "These signs of generosity are especially welcome as we celebrate the season of giving," said MaryAnn Rivers, CEO of Entertainment Publications. "We work hard to create high-value products that in turn raise funds for schools and community organizations. At the end of the day, the credit goes to the generous community members who purchase the products and help support these organizations."   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 - 2009 Moore Design Group. |
  |
