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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, December 30, 2007 
Bayer Advanced Celebrates the 119th Rose ParadeKANSAS CITY, (SLFP.com), December 30, 2007 - Bayer Advanced will celebrate the 119th Rose Parade with its Salute to the Rose Parade float on January 1, 2008, in Pasadena, Calif. The theme for the Rose Parade on New Year's Day is Passport to the World's Celebrations. Bayer Advanced and Pasadena-based float builder Phoenix Decorating have created a float that salutes one of the biggest celebrations in the world - the Rose Parade. Bayer Advanced is shooting for its eighth consecutive Rose Parade trophy with its new float which features a 20-foot-tall sculpted rose that blooms with a pyrotechnic show, a rose variety named after Christopher Columbus and the world debut of the 2008 All-America Rose Selections(TM) winners for best roses of the New Year - Dream Come True and Mardi Gras. As part of the Bayer Advanced salute to the Rose Parade, the brand is putting a rose in space. A rose named after the Tournament of Roses(R) will be on the January 10, 2008, mission of the NASA space shuttle Atlantis. The rose was grown in the Bayer Advanced-sponsored Wrigley Gardens at the Tournament of Roses Association headquarters in Pasadena. Bayer Advanced products are used to grow all the roses in the Wrigley Gardens. The Tournament of Roses rose, which was dried in preparation for the shuttle mission, will be one of the personal items taken into space on STS-122 by astronaut Rex Walheim on behalf of his brother Lance Walheim. Lance Walheim is the Bayer Advanced garden expert and selected many of the roses on the Bayer Advanced float. "We want to make the Rose Parade's Passport to the World's Celebrations an out-of-this-world celebration," says Bayer Advanced Garden Expert Lance Walheim. Technical problems delayed the December 6, 2007, launch of the shuttle Atlantis. The rose was going to be featured on the 2008 Bayer Advanced float. It will now be featured on the 2009 Bayer Advanced float. Kansas City, Mo., is Bayer CropScience LP's core technology center. The global headquarters of Bayer CropScience, AG is located in Monheim, Germany. Largest Funding Allocation in 15 Years to Assist First Time Homebuyers KANSAS CITY, (SLFP.com), December 30, 2007 - Gov. Matt Blunt has announced that available funding to assist first time homebuyers in Missouri has surpassed totals not seen in 15 years. The $145 million allocated in 2007 has helped provide $300 million in home loans to about 3,000 first time homebuyers. "Through low interest loans and down payment assistance, this program has offered support for thousands of Missouri families working to create a better life for themselves and their children," Gov. Blunt said. "Working together with the Missouri Department of Economic Development and the Missouri Housing Development Commission we are helping thousands more Missourians realize their dream of owning their own home." Throughout 2007 the Missouri Department of Economic Development (DED) provided the Missouri Housing Development Commission (MHDC) with $145 million worth of tax exempt funding in 2007, the highest amount in the last fifteen years. MHDC used the $145 million with other funding sources to issue about $300 million in bonds. The funds helped provide $300 million in home loans during 2007. Most first time homebuyers also receive 3 percent down payment assistance. Loans offered through the program are standard fixed rate mortgages guaranteed by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA), Veterans Administration (VA), U.S. Dept. of Agriculture Rural Development Program (RD) or Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac. These types of loans help protect homeowners from the gimmick or sub-prime loans that could hurt them in the future. This was also an exceptional year for multi-family housing with the total tax exempt funds exceeding $111 million. Funding for both single family and multi-family home strongly reiterates the Blunt administration's commitment to helping Missouri families find safe and affordable homes for families and especially children. "I am proud of the strong cooperation between DED and the MHDC that made these gains possible," said Missouri Department of Economic Development Director Greg Steinhoff. "It is heartening to think that so many more families will be living in good homes around the holidays and beyond. We remain committed to this partnership and will continue to look for ways to help better the lives of our fellow Missourians." The Department of Economic Development allocates tax exempt bond authority to eligible issuers for a variety of private economic development activities. One of those activities allows the DED and MHDC to help developers create affordable housing for Missouri families in need. $1 Million Allocated to Support Local Parks in Missouri KANSAS CITY, (SLFP.com), December 30, 2007 - Gov. Matt Blunt has announced that 16 trail projects in Missouri will receive approximately $1,102,593 in funding through the federal Recreational Trails Program. The Recreational Trails Program is a federally funded grant program for trail-related land acquisition, development or restoration. "Missouri is blessed with abundant natural resources and this funding will help ensure the integrity and quality of Missouri's trails," Gov. Blunt said. "Missouri trails including the Katy Trail - the crown jewel of our trail system - bring opportunities for families, tourism, health and fitness, and stronger communities." "Many of these trails provide a way to explore scenic parts of Missouri as well as provide opportunities for healthy recreation. Our department is proud to be a part of this effort," said Doyle Childers, director of the Department of Natural Resources. Following is a list of projects receiving grants: * Missouri Parks and Recreation Association, Jefferson City, Missouri Educational Trail Summit, $6,000 * Grace Hill Settlement House, St. Louis, St. Louis Riverfront Trail, $99,953 * Missouri Department of Conservation, Clifty Creek Natural Area Trail, Pulaski County, $14,780 * City of Columbia, MKT Nature/Fitness Trail, $95,549 * Ozarks Technical Community College, Springfield, Richwood Creek Trails Project, $99,563 * Missouri Department of Natural Resources, White River Trail at Table Rock State Park, Branson, $72,300 * Watershed Committee of the Ozarks and Ozark Greenways, Inc., Springfield, Valley Water Mill trail connections, $100,000 * Putnam Co. R-I School District, Putnam, Prairie Trail, $99,853 * City of Portage des Sioux, Portage des Sioux Trail in St. Charles County, $71,122 * Missouri Department of Natural Resources, upgrades to paved trail at Watkins Woolen Mill State Park and Historic Site, Clay County, $48,885 * Missouri Department of Conservation, Roubidoux Creek Trail at Roubidoux Creek Conservation Area, Pulaski County, $24,588 * City of Wildwood, Wildwood Greenway Phase 7, $100,000 * Missouri Department of Natural Resources, resurface Braille Trail at Elephant Rocks State Park, Iron County, $96,482 * Missouri Department of Natural Resources, restroom replacement at off-road-vehicle area, St. Joe State Park, Park Hills, $80,000 * Midwest Trail Riders Association, Viburnum Trend Riding Area trailhead restroom, Iron County, $74,918 * Friends of St. Joe State Park/Missouri Dirt Riders, trail maintenance at St. Joe State Park, Park Hills, $18,600 The 16 grant recipients were chosen from 57 applications and were selected based on recommendations from the Missouri Trails Advisory Board, which represents diverse trail interest groups. The grants were awarded based on the results of a competitive scoring process and the application's suitability under funding provisions included in Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient, Transportation Equity Act: a Legacy for Users. At least a 20 percent match is required by the applicant. A funding requirement targets 30 percent of the funding for motorized trails, 30 percent for non-motorized trails and 40 percent for diversified trail use. In addition, Gov. Blunt and the Department of Natural Resources also secured through the Ameren Taum Sauk settlement a perpetual license to expand the Katy Trail from Windsor to Pleasant Hill which will result in linking the Katy Trail from St. Louis to Kansas City. The state will receive $18 million for construction of the Katy Trail to Kansas City.   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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