SWELTERING HEAT WASN'T THE ONLY BIG STORY WORTH TALKING ABOUT THIS WEEK BUCKLE UP AS WE TAKE YOU THROUGH THE WEEK'S MOST IMPACTFUL CONFUSING AND BEFUDDLING LOCAL NEWS STORIES FROM KCI TO YOUR LOCAL GROCERY STORE FROM POT TO ICE CREAM WE'LL EXPLAIN NEXT WEEK IN REVIEW IS MADE POSSIBLE THROUGH THE GENEROUS SUPPORT OF AARP KANSAS CITY RSM DAVE AND JAMIE CUMMINGS BOB AND MARLESE GOURLEY THE COURTNEY S TURNER CHARITABLE TRUST JOHN H MIZE AND BANK OF AMERICA N.A CO-TRUSTEES AND BY VIEWERS LIKE YOU THANK YOU WELCOME I'M NICK HAINES AND THANKS FOR JOINING US AGAIN ON OUR WEEKLY VOYAGE THROUGH OUR METRO'S TOP NEWS STORIES ON THAT JOURNEY WITH US THIS WEEK KCUR NEWS DIRECTOR LISA RODRIGUEZ DAVE HELLING OF THE KANSAS CITY STAR FROM KMBC 9 NEWS POLITICAL ANALYST MICHAEL MAHONEY AND MR UP TO DATE ON KCUR FM STEVE KRASKE WE'RE GOING TO START THIS WEEK AT THE AIRPORT WHEN PRESIDENT BIDEN SIGNED THE 1.9 TRILLION DOLLAR AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN LAST YEAR IT WAS INTENDED TO HELP FAMILIES BUSINESSES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS RECOVER FROM THE COVID PANDEMIC SO SHOULD KANSAS CITY BE SPENDING FIVE MILLION DOLLARS OF ITS NEWFOUND CASH TO HELP LURE AN INTERNATIONAL AIRLINE TO KCI SINCE ICELAND AIR PULLED OUT OF KANSAS CITY IN 2019 THERE IS NO DIRECT FLIGHT FROM OUR AIRPORT TO ANYWHERE OUTSIDE OF NORTH AMERICA THAT'S UNFORTUNATE BUT IS THIS WHAT CONGRESS LISA HAD IN MIND WHEN THEY SIGNED OFF ON OVER A TRILLION DOLLARS IN RECOVERY MONEY TO HELP KCI LAND AN INTERNATIONAL AIRLINE I HAD I HAD A FEELING THAT QUESTION WAS COMING TO ME NO I I THINK THERE'S YOU KNOW THERE'S A CASE THAT CITY OFFICIALS WILL MAKE ABOUT HOW UM THAT THAT MONEY IS ALSO INTENDED TO HELP CITIES REBOUND AND TO HELP ECHO HELP BOOST ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT HOWEVER I THINK FOR FOR SOMEONE WATCHING THIS HAPPEN FIVE MILLION DOLLARS TO LURE AN INTERNATIONAL FLIGHT WAS NOT EXACTLY WHAT WE PICTURED IT FEELS LIKE WE'RE GETTING TO A POINT WHERE THERE IS THIS MONEY TO BE HAD AND CITIES ARE LOOKING FOR ONE-TIME EXPENSES FOR WHICH YOU KNOW WITH WHAT TO DO WITH THIS MONEY YOU KNOW I REMEMBER STEVE WHEN OVERLAND PARK AT THE VERY BEGINNING OF THE PANDEMIC HE WAS USING SOME OF ITS COVETED MONEY TO PUT IN SECURITY CAMERAS OR NEW VIDEO CAMERAS AT THE OVERLAND PARK SOCCER COMPLEX AND THEY HAD TO WALK ALL THAT BACK BECAUSE THERE WAS SO MUCH INDIGNATION UH IS THIS IS THIS A BAD LUCK TOO THAT WE'D SPEND THIS KIND OF MONEY ON TRYING TO FIND A FLIGHT TO KCI OH I AGREE WITH LISA I THINK IT'S A LITTLE BIT QUESTIONABLE NICK I JUST WANT TO UNDERSCORE A POINT WHEN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SET THIS THING UP THESE FUNDS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE FOR NON-RECURRING COSTS AND SO ONE BIG QUESTION IN MY MIND IS WHETHER YOU BRING AN AIRLINE HERE WHO CAN PROVIDE THAT CROSS-ATLANTIC SERVICE TO KANSAS CITY AND WILL IT BE JUST A ONE-TIME THING OR WOULD IT BE WIND UP BEING AN ONGOING SUBSIDY TO KEEP THAT AIRLINE HERE ONCE WE GET IT BECAUSE ONCE WE GET IT WE'RE NOT GOING TO WANT TO LOSE IT WE'RE GOING TO WANT TO KEEP IT HERE SO THAT'S A BIG QUESTION THAT REMAINS OUT THERE YOU KNOW DAVE OTHER CITIES CERTAINLY HAVE BEEN USING MONEY TO TRY AND LURE AIRLINES OVER THE YEARS I SEE ST LOUIS FOR EXAMPLE COMMITTED UP TO A 5 MILLION DOLLARS TO UH TO BRING IN LUFTHANSA THE GERMAN AIRLINE TO UH LAMBERT FIELD IN SAINT LOUIS AND THE PENNSYLVANIA ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AGENCY SPENT THREE MILLION DOLLARS BRINGING IN BRITISH AIRWAYS UH TO TRY AND GET A FLIGHT FROM PITTSBURGH TO LONDON'S HEATHROW AIRPORT BUT WHAT WOULD HAPPEN HERE I MEAN EVEN IF WE LANDED AN INTERNATIONAL FIGHT AT BRITISH AIRWAYS FOR INSTANCE THEY WHAT STOPS THEM FROM JUST TAKING THE MONEY AND THEN LEAVING ONCE THE MONEY RUNS OUT NOTHING AND WE SAW THAT IN ICELAND AIR DIDN'T WE I MEAN THEY PAID MONEY FOR FOR THAT UH TRANSATLANTIC SERVICE AND IT WENT AWAY AS SOON AS THE SUBSIDY WENT AWAY IN FACT IT MAY HAVE GONE AWAY EVEN WITH THE SUBSIDY BECAUSE THE MARKET JUST WASN'T THERE THIS IS A LOSERS GAME WHEREVER YOU PLAY IT NICK YOU CAN SPEND ALL THE MONEY YOU WANT TO GET A NEW FLIGHT OR A NEW GROUP OF FLIGHTS BUT THE MARKET REALLY DICTATES WHERE WHICH AIRPORTS ARE SERVED AND HOW OFTEN WITH WHAT QUALITY AND THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO FOCUS ON IT SEEMS LIKE AND NOT USING I MUST SAY COVERT MONEY OF ALL THINGS UH TO TRY AND UH BUILD UP THIS SERVICE DOES THE BUSINESS CASE FOR THIS NEW KCI TERMINAL MICHAEL RELY ON THERE BEING AN INTERNATIONAL UH AIRLINE COMING IN TO THIS NEW AIRPORT OR IS THAT JUST SOMETHING THAT'S NICE TO HAVE I THINK IT'S SOMETHING NICE TO HAVE AND UH TO SORT OF RATIFY WHAT WAS ALL SAID TO THIS POINT FOR THE AVERAGE KANSAS CITY AND THE AVERAGE FOLK THAT WOULD USE KCI TO GET SOMEWHERE ELSE THIS PROBABLY DOESN'T PASS THE SMELL TEST JUST QUICKLY NICK CAN I JUST THROW THIS IN QUICKLY PEOPLE ARE WATCHING I MEAN WHEN YOU SPEND MONEY ON STUFF LIKE THIS PEOPLE WHO HAVE IMMEDIATE NEEDS ARE WATCHING THERE WAS A GREAT QUOTE IN THE STAR THIS WEEK IN A STORY ABOUT PARADE PARK OF ALL THINGS WHICH AS YOU KNOW IS FALLING APART AND ONE OF THE RESIDENTS OF PARADE PARK SAID UH YOU KNOW HEY YOU'RE SPENDING 160 MILLION DOLLARS ON A PARK OVER THE INTERSTATE AND THESE HOUSES ARE GOING AWAY UH YOU KNOW PEOPLE ARE WATCHING THESE DECISIONS SO THERE IS A COST UH POLITICAL COST IF YOU WILL FOR SOME OF THESE UH SPENDING CHOICES NOW WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME TALKING ABOUT ABORTION LAST WEEK AND WE CERTAINLY GOT PLENTY OF CALLS AND EMAILS FROM YOU ABOUT THAT THIS WEEK WITH MORE LOCAL PROTESTS PLANNED JANICE AND WALDO WANTS TO KNOW HOW DOES MISSOURI PLAN TO ENFORCE ITS ZERO ABORTION LAW IF ROE V WADE IS OVERTURNED SHE WRITES WOULD A SEARCH WARRANT BE ISSUED FOR A WOMAN'S PHONE OR LAPTOP TO SEE WHAT DOCTORS SHE SOUGHT OUT WOULD RELATIVES AND FRIENDS BE INTERROGATED AS TO A WOMAN'S MENSTRUAL CYCLE WOULD MISSOURI SUBPOENA INSURANCE TRAVEL AND BANK RECORDS DO WE HAVE ANY CLEAR ANSWERS TO THAT AT THIS POINT LISA YOU KNOW I DON'T THINK WE HAVE ANY CLEAR ANSWERS AS TO HOW THAT MIGHT BE ENFORCED BUT I THINK IT RAISES SHE RAISES A LOT OF REALLY UM PRESSING CONCERNS RIGHT NOW WHEN YOU LOOK AT YOU KNOW A LAW LIKE THE ONE PASSED IN TEXAS WHICH ALLOWS CITIZENS TO REPORT VIOLATIONS OR TO REPORT ANY SUSPICION THAT A WOMAN'S HAD AN ABORTION ALL OF THESE ISSUES COME OUT IN THE OPEN DATA PRIVACY EXPERTS ARE WORRIED THAT THAT YOU COULD BE ISSUED A SUBPOENA FOR UH YOU KNOW AN APP THAT YOU USE TO TRACK YOUR HEALTH MANY WOMEN USE PERIOD TRACKING APPS YOU KNOW WOMEN WHO ARE WHO ARE TRYING TO GET PREGNANT OR TRYING NOT TO GET PREGNANT AND THAT MIGHT SHOW WHETHER A PREGNANCY HAS STARTED AND THEN ENDED SO THERE'S ALL OF THESE APPS THAT WE USE NOT JUST WOMEN UM ANYONE GET IT GATHERING HEALTH INFORMATION THAT COULD ALL BE AVAILABLE TO TO SUBPOENA SO THERE ARE HUGE CONCERNS OVER DATA PRIVACY HERE EVEN AS WE DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHETHER OR HOW MISERY MIGHT ENFORCE ITS LAW STEVE YOU KNOW SEVERAL POINTS UH TO LISA'S POINT THAT SO MUCH IS UNKNOWN HERE NICK WE NE ED TO SORT THROUGH A LOT OF THINGS SECOND POINT I THINK MUCH WILL DEPEND ON WHO THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF MISSOURI IS GOING FORWARD AFTER ROE VERSUS WADE IS SWITCHED UH THE CURRENT ATTORNEY GENERAL ERIC SCHMIDT UP FOR THE U.S SENATE THAT MIGHT THAT OFFICE MIGHT BE CHANGING HANDS THE THIRD THING IS YOU CAN VERY QUICKLY BEGIN TO IMAGINE PROSECUTORS UH JUDGES UH YOU KNOW OTHER FOLKS LOOKING FOR INFORMATION ABOUT UH LOOKING AT A WOMAN'S CELL PHONE FOR WHERE SHE WAS WHO SHE TALKED TO WHO SHE VISITED WITH YOU KNOW IT COULD BECOME THE WILD WILD WEST VERY VERY QUICKLY HERE REMEMBER THAT MISSOURI AND THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT DID TRACK SOME MENSTRUAL DATA UH FROM MEDICAID PATIENTS BACK UH IN THE EARLY PART OF THE PARSON ADMINISTRATION AND THEN THE OTHER THING TO REMEMBER IS I DON'T THINK IT'S OUT OF THE REALM POSSIBILITY HERE THAT THE MOMENT THE STATE TRIES TO UH INVOKE THE TRIGGER LAW SHOULD ROE V WADE BE STRUCK DOWN UH I WOULD EXPECT THAT THERE MAY BE A RACE TO THE COURTHOUSE TO UH PUT AN INJUNCTION ON THAT AT LEAST FOR THE TIME BEING SO THERE ARE LOTS OF QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW THIS HOW SOON THIS THING WOULD BE APPLICABLE IN THE STATE JUST QUICKLY UH PRO-CHOICE GROUPS IN MISSOURI HAVE SAID WELL WE DON'T THINK THIS WILL IMPACT SOME BIRTH CONTROL METHODS LIKE IUDS INTERUTERINE DEVICES OR PLAN B PILLS BUT I TALKED TO EXPERTS THIS WEEK WHO HAVE A VERY DIFFERENT VIEW AND THEY THINK THAT IF ROE IS STRUCK DOWN THEY THINK THAT BIRTH CONTROL METHODS UH LIKE IUDS COULD BECOME ILLEGAL AND PROSECUTABLE AND WHILE WE DON'T IT'S HARD TO IMAGINE THAT HAPPENING NICK YOU CAN SEE IN A SM ALLER COUNTER MAYBE A COUNTY SOMEONE WANTED MAKING A NAME FOR HIMSELF OR HERSELF RUNNING FOR OFFICE MIGHT PURSUE THOSE CHARGES WE ARE INDEED HEADED TO A GREAT TIME OF UNCERTAINTY ON THIS FRONT IF ROE V WADE IS STRUGGLING NOW JUST BECAUSE WE DON'T SEEM TO HAVE ANY ANSWERS SHOULD WE STOP HIGHLIGHTING THE FACT THAT VIOLENT CRIME CONTINUES TO PLAGUE OUR CITY IN THE PAST WEEK NINE PEOPLE SHOT TO DEATH ACROSS OUR METRO IN KANSAS CITY WE'RE NOW ON TARGET TO HIT A RECORD NUMBER OF HOMICIDES WITH A NEW HAND AT THE WHEEL IN KANSAS CITY POLICE HEADQUARTERS IS THERE ANY EVIDENCE A NEW APPROACH OR NEW TACTICS BEING EMPLOYED TO STEM THE VIOLENCE YOU'RE ASKING GOOD QUESTIONS HERE ABOUT THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND VIOLENCE BUT HEY YOU KNOW WE'VE GOT TO REALLY THINK ABOUT POVERTY AND ROOT CAUSES OF CRIME IN SOME REALLY PROFOUND WAYS AND IT'S A CONVERSATION THIS COMMUNITY IS SIMPLY NOT HAVING WHY BECAUSE THE POTENTIAL ANSWERS ARE PROBABLY EXTRAORDINARILY EXPENSIVE AND LOTS OF THINGS TO WORK OUT AND THINK ABOUT IF YOU DECIDE TO GO IN THAT DIRECTION IN A REALLY CONCERTED WAY IT'S IMPORTANT TO MONITOR WHAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT'S DOING NICK BUT THAT IS JUST ONE PERHAPS SMALL PIECE OF THIS PUZZLE AS WE TRY TO WRESTLE THIS DEMON TO THE GROUND PERHAPS THE BIGGEST UH NEWS ANNOUNCEMENT CAME FROM MAYOR LUCAS THIS WEEK WHO SAID UH AND CERTAINLY FACING PRESSURE LISA ABOUT INCREASING CRIME HE WANTS TO NOW LEAD THE BOARD OF POLICE COMMISSIONERS WOULD THAT CHANGE REALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE THOUGH TO THE NUMBER OF HOMICIDES WE'RE SEEING IN THE CITY OR IS THIS JUST A A PERFORMATIVE EXERCISE TO SHOW THAT HE'S ACTUALLY TRYING TO DO SOMETHING NICK MAYBE A LITTLE BIT OF BOTH I I THINK THAT CERTAINLY THE THE HEAD OF THE BOARD OF POLICE COMMISSIONERS HAS POWER TO SET AGENDAS THEY HAVE MUCH MORE CONTACT WITH UM WITH THE YOU KNOW LEADERSHIP OF THE DEPARTMENT SO THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS THAT THEY MAY BE ABLE THAT THAT THE MAYOR MAY BE ABLE IN THAT POSITION TO INFLUENCE WILL THAT HAVE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON UM ON REDUCING HOMICIDES I DON'T KNOW I THINK WE'VE YET TO SEE HOW THE MAYOR WORKS WITH THE INTERIM POLICE CHIEF WE'VE YET TO HEAR FROM THE INTERIM CHIEF MABIN UM YOU KNOW ANY SPECIFICS ABOUT HOW HE MAY WANT TO CHANGE THINGS SO I THINK THERE'S POTENTIAL FOR FOR THE MAYOR TO HAVE MORE INFLUENCE IN THAT ROLE I ALSO THINK IT YOU KNOW IT DOES SIGNAL FOR HIM THAT VIOLENT CRIME THERE IS NOTHING MORE IMPORTANT THAN THAT THE ARGUMENT AGAINST HAVING THE MAYOR BE THE PRESIDENT OF THE POLICE BOARD IN THE PAST HAS BEEN BECAUSE HE HAS OTHER MORE PRESSING THINGS TO DEAL WITH AND THEN BY MAKING THIS MOVE HE'S SAYING THERE IS NOTHING MORE PRESSING THAN VIOLENT CRIME IN KANSAS CITY DOES IT MAKE A DIFFERENCE DAVE WELL IT COULD AT THE MARGINS NICK AND IT'S WORTH TRYING I MEAN A LOT OF OTHER THINGS HAVE BEEN TRIED AND NOT WORKED ON THIS FRONT SO PUTTING THE MAYOR IN CHARGE OF THE POLICE BOARD MIGHT HAVE SOME EFFECT IT'S HARD TO SEE HOW IT WOULD HURT SO PERHAPS IT'S SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE TRIED BUT AS WE'VE DISCUSSED SO OFTEN ON THIS PROGRAM THE ROOTS OF VIOLENT CRIME IN THE KANSAS CITY REGION ARE SO DEEP AND SO DIFFICULT AND SO INTERTWINED AND SO HAMPERED BY THE WAY BY STATUTES THAT PROHIBIT REAL ACTION ON GUNS AND GUN POSSESSION THAT ONE STEP ISN'T THE ANSWER IT SIMPLY IS I WILL EXPECT THAT THERE IS GOING TO BE SOME SERIOUS PUSHBACK BY THE INSIDERS AT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THEIR POLITICAL ALLIES IN THE CITY AND THE STATE ABOUT LETTING THIS GO UH GO FORWARD I'D BE VERY SKEPTICAL UH THE MAYOR WANTS A SHOT AT LEADING THE POLICE BOARD FINE I GET WHAT HE'S TRYING TO SAY THERE I THINK HE'S GOING TO GET AN AWFUL LOT OF PUSHBACK ON THE INSIDE NOW A TRIPLE SHOOTING IN WESTPORT RENEWED DEBATE ABOUT HOW TO RESPOND TO GUN VIOLENCE THIS WEEK THE ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT ALREADY REQUIRES VISITORS TO GO THROUGH A METAL DETECTOR TO GAIN ACCESS ON BUSY WEEK AND NIGHTS BUT THIS HAPPENED JUST OUTSIDE OF THE BAR AREA IN THE PARKING LOT OF WORLD MARKET AND IT ALSO HAPPENED JUST BEFORE THE DISTRICT BEGAN ITS WEEKEND SECURITY SCREENINGS WESTPORT BUSINESS OWNER BILL NYGRO SAYS A LOT OF THE MONEY THE NIGHTCLUB DISTRICT IS SPENDING ON SECURITY DOESN'T ACTUALLY GO TO PROTECTING THE PUBLIC BUT ON PAYING FOR DIVERSITY MONITORS AND AS A RESULT IT'S COST US A LOT OF SECURITY PERSONNEL THAT WE COULD HAVE ON THE PERIMETER DEALING WITH OUR ISSUES SO IS THERE A PUSH NOW TO DITCH THE DIVERSITY MONITORS SO MORE MONEY CAN BE SPENT ON SECURITY STEVE WELL I THINK YOU KNOW CLEARLY BILL NYGRO IS LOOKING AT THAT AND WONDERING ABOUT I THINK HE'LL HAVE A HARD TIME UH THE AD HOC GROUP AGAINST CRIME PROVIDES SOME OF THESE MONITORS AND GIVEN NUMBER OF ISSUES THIS COMMUNITY HAS EXPERIENCED IN RECENT YEARS WITH PEOPLE OF COLOR BEING UNFAIRLY TARGETED I THINK HE HAS A TOUGH FIGHT ON HIS HANDS HE ALSO IS MAKING A GOOD POINT THOUGH HE NEEDS MORE HELP AND THIS IS MONEY THAT'S BEING SPENT ON SOMETHING ELSE BESIDES SECURITY AND I UNDERSTAND HIS CONCERN I'M NOT SURE HE'S GOING TO GET VERY FAR WITH IT NOW BY THE WAY WE ARE TAKING A CLOSER LOOK AT KANSAS CITY'S VIOLENCE PROBLEM WITH A NEW DOCUMENTARY THAT AIRS NEXT WEEK IT TAKES YOU INSIDE KANSAS CITY'S DEADLIEST DEBATE IT'S CALLED THE GUN CONUNDRUM YOU CAN SEE THAT THURSDAY NIGHT AT SEVEN HERE ON KANSAS CITY PBS UP NEXT HOW WOULD YOU LIKE A 12 PAY RAISE WHAT YOU MEAN YOU CAN'T REMEMBER THE LAST TIME YOU EVEN GOT A RAISE WELL THIS WEEK THERE QUINTON LUCAS INKING A DEAL THAT GIVES FRONTLINE CITY WORKERS AN AVERAGE 12.5 PERCENT PAY BOOST THAT'S EVERYONE FROM THOSE WHO PAVE OUR STREETS TO TRASH COLLECTORS LAST WEEK YOU MAY RECALL THE BIG COMPLAINT WAS THAT KANSAS CITY WAS STRUGGLING TO FILL POTHOLES BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T FIND ENOUGH WORKERS BECAUSE THE PAY WAS SO POOR DOES THIS NOW SOLVE THE PROBLEM LISA I DON'T KNOW THAT IT SOLVES THE PROBLEM ENTIRELY BUT IT'S IT'S A MAJOR STEP AND AN IMPORTANT STEP TO TAKE I I THINK THERE'S ONLY SO MUCH YOU CAN SAY ABOUT FILLING POTHOLES AND HAVING MAINTENANCE WORKERS AND AND THE PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY MAKE THIS CITY RUN AND AND NOT PAYING THEM ENOUGH YOU'VE GOT TO GIVE THEM A LIVABLE WAGE YOU HAVE TO MAKE THESE JOBS DESIRABLE I THINK THIS WAS A BIG STEP FOR WORK FOR CITY WORKERS AND AND I THINK IF IF WE CAN MAKE THOSE JOBS MORE DESIRABLE AND FILL OUT THE RANKS THEN MAYBE WE WON'T BE COMPLAINING QUITE AS MUCH ABOUT POTHOLES OR OR SIDEWALKS OR OR TRASH COLLECTION NOW DAVE ON OUR FIRST TOPIC ABOUT KCI AND THE INTERNATIONAL FLIGHT YOU SAID PEOPLE WERE WATCHING THE MONEY NOW THAT MORE PEOPLE ARE WATCHING THE MONEY SO HOW DOES THE CITY PAY FOR A 12 AND A HALF PERCENT AVERAGE PAY RAISE AND WHAT HAPPENS IN FUTURE YEARS THEY PAY FOR IT BECAUSE THE CITY LIKE MOST GOVERNMENTS NICK IS FLUSH WITH CASH UH RIGHT NOW THEY ARE YEAH THAT'S CORRECT THERE'S NO QUESTION IN THIS CASE WE WE NEED TO BE CLEAR LOCAL 500 WHICH REPRESENTS MOST CITY WORKERS FOR THINGS LIKE POTHOLE FILLING AND TRASH REMOVAL HAVE BEEN UNDERFUNDED FOR DECADES DECADES THEY HAVE GOTTEN RAISES SMALLER THAN THOSE FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WHICH GET OVERSIZED RAISES AGAIN GOING BACK TO THE 1990S AS LONG AS I'VE COVERED CITY HALL THIS IS A BIT OF A CATCH-UP YOU MENTIONED POLICE OFFICERS I SAW THERE WAS A KCTV 5 INVESTIGATION THIS WEEK SAYING THE KANSAS CITY POLICE OFFICERS STEVE WERE EARNING 30 000 LESS THAN JUST UP THE ROAD IN DES MOINES A SMALLER COMMUNITY THAN KANSAS CITY IF WE CAN PAY 12 AND A HALF PERCENT PAY RAISES FOR THOSE WHO ARE COLLECTING OUR TRASH IS THAT 30 000 BONUSES HEADING TO OUR POLICE OFFICES IN KANSAS CITY WELL IT MAY BE SIMPLY BECAUSE WE'RE DOWN KANSAS CITY MISSOURI IS REALLY UH DOESN'T HAVE ENOUGH OFFICERS RIGHT NOW DOWN 17 NICK KANSAS CITY KANSAS DOWN 8 GLADSTONE DOWN 19 OVERLAND PARK DOWN 12 AND A LOT OF THE ISSUES ARE THEY CAN GO ELSEWHERE AND MAKE MORE MONEY THESE DAYS AND THIS IS SORT OF THE INSIDIOUS NATURE OF INFLATION AND SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES AND WHAT THIS COUNTRY'S GOING THROUGH RIGHT NOW SO MANY PEOPLE ARE DESERVING AND NEED TO GET PAID MORE TO KEEP THESE JOBS THAT PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO DO AND WE'RE ALL HAVING TO PAY FOR IT NOW SUNDAY WAS THE DEADLINE TO SUBMIT PETITION SIGNATURES TO GET STATEWIDE QUESTIONS ON THE BALLOT IN MISSOURI NOW THE COUNT BEGINS THIS WEEK GETTING IN THEIR PETITIONS JUST AHEAD OF THE DEADLINE WAS THE CAMPAIGN TO LEGALIZE RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA IN MISSOURI IT WOULD ALLOW ADULTS AGED 21 AND OLDER TO BUY AND GROW WEED FOR PERSONAL USE IT WOULD ALSO AUTOMATICALLY CLEAR CRIMINAL RECORDS FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN CONVICTED OF NON-VIOLENT POT RELATED OFFENCES THIS IS REALLY JUST WIPING THE SLATE CLEAN AND GIVING THOSE PEOPLE A FRESH START AND QUITE FRANKLY IT'S TRANSFORMATIVE ALSO SUBMITTING SIGNATURES FOR POSSIBLE INCLUSION ON THE NOVEMBER BALLOT WAS A GROUP CALLING FOR RANK CHOICE VOTING IN MISSOURI IF APPROVED THE MEASURE WOULD ELIMINATE PARTY PRIMARY ELECTIONS INSTEAD MISSOURI VOTERS WOULD GET A SINGLE PRIMARY BALLOT WITH BOTH REPUBLICAN AND DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES THE TOP FOUR VOTE GETTERS WOULD ADVANCE TO THE GENERAL ELECTION VOTERS WHO GET IGNORED NOW YOU HAVE TO PAY ATTENTION TO THEM UNDER BETTER ELECTIONS IF YOU'RE A CANDIDATE WELL LET'S TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT BOTH OF THESE FIRSTLY POT SO IF THIS IS ON THE BALLOT IN NOVEMBER MICHAEL AND VOTERS SAY YES YOU COULD START GROWING WEED IN YOUR HOUSE BY POT OFF THE STREET NO QUESTIONS ASKED NOPE IT WOULDN'T HAPPEN LIKE THAT THERE WOULD HAVE TO BE SOME ADMINISTRATIVE RULES PUT INTO PLACE BEFOREHAND WHEN MEDICAL MARIJUANA WAS APPROVED BY THE VOTERS IT WAS WELL OVER A YEAR BEFORE THAT UH THAT UH SORT OF PROGRAM GOT UP DARN THERE TWO YEARS BEFORE THERE WERE DISPENSARIES UH FOR IT UH I DON'T THINK I DON'T EXPECT IT WILL BE UM INSTANTANEOUS NOT AT ALL WHAT HAPPENED IN KANSAS UM STEVE I THOUGHT THAT THIS WAS GONNA BE THE YEAR THAT THEY WOULD AT LEAST TAKE ONE LITTLE INCH INCH ONE FOOT STEP FORWARD AND AT LEAST HAVE MEDICAL MARIJUANA AND NOW WE'RE ALMOST AT THE END OF THE SESSION THAT'S THE PREDICTION NICK YOU GET A SENSE THAT LAWMAKERS IN TOPEKA JUST DON'T WANT TO DEAL WITH THIS ISSUE IN AN ELECTION YEAR THEY'RE GOING TO PROBABLY SIDESTEP IT AS I ALMOST TRULY SIDESTEP IT THEN MAYBE TAKE A LOOK AT IT AGAIN NEXT YEAR I THOUGHT THE SAME THING NICK BUT THEY'RE NOT GOING THERE NOW I MENTIONED THERE WERE TWO STATEWIDE BALLOT ISSUES MISSOURIANS ARE LIKELY TO BE VOTING ON THIS FALL PART IS ONE THE SECOND IS UP ENDING THE WAY WE VOTE BY CHANGING TO WHAT IS CALLED RANK CHOICE VOTING NO LONGER WILL YOU PICK ONE CANDIDATE WHEN YOU VOTE BUT IF IT'S APPROVED YOU WOULD RANK UP TO FOUR DOES IT SOUND CONFUSING WELL HERE'S HOW IT'S BEING EXPLAINED WITH SOMEONE SOMETHING ACTUALLY MOST OF US LOVE TO EAT ICE CREAM WHAT IF NO ICE CREAM FLAVOR HAS MORE THAN 50 OF THE VOTE UNDER A NORMAL RACE VANILLA WOULD WIN EVEN THOUGH A MAJORITY OF VOTERS DIDN'T PICK IT WITH RANKED CHOICE VOTING THE FLAVOR WITH THE FEWEST VOTES IS ELIMINATED AND VOTERS WHO CHOSE THAT FLAVOR AS NUMBER ONE WILL HAVE THEIR VOTES COUNT FOR THEIR NEXT CHOICE EVERYONE GETS TO SAY NO ONE WASTES THEIR VOTE AND THE WINNER IS THE FLAVOR THAT THE LARGEST NUMBER OF PEOPLE AGREED UPON THAT'S RANKED CHOICE VOTING IT'S AS EASY AS ONE TWO THREE ALREADY I'M NOT SURE IF YOU PREFER VANILLA CHOCOLATE OR COOKIE DOUGH ICE CREAM IF APPROVED HOW WOULD THIS CHANGE DAVE HELLING THE KINDS OF CANDIDATES RUNNING FOR OFFICE AND THE KINDS OF CAMPAIGNS THEY WAGED TO WIN OFFICE IN MISSOURI WOULD IT REALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE WELL THE PEOPLE WHO SUPPORT THIS BALLOT MEASURE NICK SAY YES THEY SAY IT WOULD ATTRACT MORE CENTRIST CANDIDATES FROM BOTH PARTIES WHO BELIEVE THAT THEY DON'T REALLY NEED TO GO TO THE EXTREMIST WINGS EITHER ON THE LEFT OR THE RIGHT THEY NEED TO APPEAL TO THE BROADEST POSSIBLE ELECTORATE AND THERE WILL BE RESISTANCE TO THIS IT DOES APPEAR THEY HAVE ENOUGH SIGNATURES FAR MORE THAN THEY NEED TO PUT THIS ON THE BALLOT UH THIS YEAR IS THIS TOO CONFUSING EVEN WITH THAT SORT OF CUTE ICE CREAM ANIMATED VIDEO THERE LISA I I THINK IT HAS IT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BE I THINK THE THE BIGGEST HEADACHE SEEMS TO BE FOR ELECTION OFFICES AND HOW YOU CAN GET YOU KNOW RESULTS OUT IN A TIMELY MANNER COULD COULD WE LOOK BACK AND AND LOOK AT SAY UH THE U.S SENATE RACE IN MISSOURI WOULD JOSH HAWLEY HAVE WON IN THIS RACE WITH ERIC GREITENS WHEN HE WAS RUNNING FOR GOVERNOR HAVE RUN UNDER THIS SYSTEM YEAH I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY REASON TO THINK THAT THE RESULTS IN RECENT RACES NECESSARILY WOULD SWITCH NICK BUT HAVING SAID THAT YOU KNOW THE PROBLEM THE SUPPORTERS OF THIS IDEA HAVE IS THAT YOU'VE GOT TO EXPLAIN IT AND WHEN YOU'RE EXPLAINING IN POLITICS YOU'RE ASKING FOR A LOT OF TROUBLE THAT SAID IF YOU'RE CONCERNED ABOUT TOO MUCH PARTISANSHIP AND POLITICS THIS IS AN IDEA THAT EVERYONE OUGHT TO TAKE A VERY SERIOUS LOOK AT AND THE OTHER CONCERN THAT SOME PEOPLE HAVE WITH THIS IF YOU ARE IN A PARTICULARLY RED OR A PARTICULARLY BLUE PART OF THE VOTING WORLD UM YOU MAY GET FOUR PEOPLE ALL FROM THE SAME PARTY AS IN THE FINAL FOUR AND UH THEN IF YOU'RE A DEMOCRAT OR A REPUBLICAN YOU MIGHT NOT HAVE A CHOICE BUT THESE POINTS ARE IMPORTANT HERE IF YOU'VE GOT TO EXPLAIN THIS STUFF MOST VOTERS IF THEY DON'T GET IT ON THE FIRST EXPLANATION JUST BACK AWAY AND SAY NO EVEN THOUGH IT IS BEING DONE IN A NUMBER OF STATES RIGHT NOW AND A LOT OF CITIES ACROSS AMERICA INCLUDING NEW YORK CITY DOING IT AND MINNEAPOLIS I CAN'T FINISH THIS WEEK'S SHOW WITHOUT MENTIONING SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN TALKED ABOUT FOR MONTHS BUT NOW IS FINALLY HAPPENING GOVERNOR LAURA KELLY OFFICIALLY SIGNING INTO LAW AN ELIMINATION OF THE SALES TAX ON GROCERIES IN KANSAS NO FAMILY IN KANSAS SHOULD HAVE TO CHOOSE BETWEEN BUYING GROCERIES AND PAYING THE RENT OR MORTGAGE KELLY SAYS IT COULD SAVE THE AVERAGE FAMILY 500 A YEAR BUT DAVE WE'RE NOT GOING TO SEE ANY BIG CAT IN OUR GROCERY BILLS ANY TIME SOON THIS DOESN'T START TILL NEXT YEAR WELL AND IT DOESN'T GO INTO EFFECT ALL AT ONCE IT'S PHASED IN OVER THREE YEARS SO ANYONE EXPECTING TO GET THAT 500 BACK EVEN NEXT YEAR IS PROBABLY GOING TO BE DISAPPOINTED ALL KINDS OF POLITICS INVOLVED IN THIS NICK GOVERNOR KELLY COULD HAVE DONE THIS FOUR YEARS AGO JUST A CLEAN PROPOSAL TO ELIMINATE THE TAX SHE REFUSED TO DO SO I REMEMBER ASKING HER ABOUT IT FOUR YEARS AGO AND SHE JUST DIDN'T THINK IT WAS THE RIGHT TIME THERE'S ALL KINDS OF POLITICS INVOLVED IN THIS IMPORTANT DECISION ULTIMATELY KANSAS SHOULD BENEFIT FROM IT MAKE NO MISTAKE ABOUT IT NICK THIS IS A VICTORY FOR KANSAS CONSUMERS BUT THE FACT THEY HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL JANUARY TO BEGIN ENJOYING THE BENEFITS OF THIS TAX CUT REALLY IS UNCONSCIONABLE AT A TIME OF SOARING INFLATION AND WHEN THE STATE BUDGET HAS GOT MORE MONEY IN IN SURPLUS THAN IT'S HAD EVER BEFORE IN STATE HISTORY THIS WAS TO DAVE'S POINT PURE POLITICS BEING PLAYED HERE I THINK REPUBLICANS HANDED GOVERNOR KELLY AN ISSUE SHE CAN BEAT ON THIS SOME MORE BEFORE ELECTION DAY IN NOVEMBER NOW WHEN YOU PUT A PROGRAM LIKE THIS TOGETHER EVERY WEEK YOU CAN'T GET TO EVERY BIG STORY MAKING THE HEADLINES WHAT WAS THE BIG LOCAL STORY WE MISSED IT WAS A WEEK IN WHICH WE FLIRTED WITH RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURES AND OUR GAS PRICES WENT THROUGH THE ROOF UP 18 CENTS A GALLON IN A SINGLE WEEK I PUT IN ABOUT 20 BUCKS JUST TO GET ME BY A SURPRISING NEW SUPPLY CHAIN SHORTAGE AS PARENTS STRUGGLE TO FIND BABY FORMULA IN KANSAS CITY IT'S LIKE A CONSTANT HUNT LIKE SO LIKE TARGET HASN'T EVEN HAD IN STOCK FOR I DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW LONG IT WAS ANOTHER WEEK OF PROTESTS NOT JUST OVER ABORTION BUT IN OUR SCHOOLS STUDENTS WALK OUT AT LINCOLN PREP THEY'RE COMPLAINING THAT SEXUAL ASSAULTS AND RACIST INCIDENTS ARE BEING IGNORED THESE ARE THE ADULTS WHO GET PAID TO TAKE CARE OF US SO WHY AREN'T THEY TAKING CARE OF US IT WAS A WEEK THAT SOLD AMERICA'S TOP RACE CAR DRIVERS BACK IN TOWN AND AS WE WAIT TO FIND OUT IF KANSAS CITY WILL PLAY HOST TO THE WORLD CUP COULD WE BE THE SITE FOR ANOTHER HUGE GLOBAL SPORTING EVENT KANSAS CITY ON THE SHORTLIST TO HOST THE RUGBY WORLD CUP AS THE US WINS ITS BID FOR THE MEN'S AND WOMEN'S TOURNAMENTS STARTING IN 2031 IT'S CONSIDERED THE WORLD'S THIRD LARGEST SPORTING EVENT AFTER THE SUMMER OLYMPICS AND THE WORLD CUP ALRIGHTY LISA DID YOU PICK ONE OF THOSE STORIES OR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT IT'S A TOUGH ONE BECAUSE THE THE BABY FORMULA STORY IS IS HUGE AND WILL AFFECT SO SO MANY WOMEN UM BUT I PICKED UH EARLIER THIS WEEK WE WE RECEIVED NEWS THAT THE KANSAS CITY ANTI-VIOLENCE PROJECT WAS SUDDENLY SHUTTING DOWN UH FOR LACK OF FUNDING THIS IS UM A CENTER THAT'S PROVIDED SUPPORT FOR UH LGBTQ PEOPLE WHO ARE VICTIMS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND HATE VIOLENCE AND THERE ARE THERE ARE OTHER CENTERS THAT PROVIDE THESE SUPPORTS BUT THE CLOSURE OF THIS CENTER I THINK PARTICULARLY IN THE MOMENT THAT WE ARE IN SEEING INCREASED VIOLENCE AGAINST UH TRANS PEOPLE AND QUEER PEOPLE IS IS SIGNIFICANT AND A HUGE LOSS IN KANSAS CITY MICHAEL REDISTRICTING THE PROBLEM IN MISSOURI WITH REDISTRICTING AFTER THE 2020 CENSUS UH DOMINATED THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION IN PARTICULAR IN THE SENATE THIS YEAR IT CLOGGED UP LOTS OF LEGISLATION UH ALL YEAR LONG AND ON THE KANSAS SIDE THE KANSAS STATE SUPREME COURT ON MONDAY WILL HEAR THE LAWSUIT OVER THE WYANDOTTE COUNTY CASE INVOLVING REDISTRICTING IN THE STATE OF KANSAS WHICH INCLUDES SPLITTING WYANDOTTE COUNTY AS WELL AS WHAT THEY CALL THE LAWRENCE SCOOP STICKING THAT UH RATHER THAN BEING IN THE SECOND ALL THE WAY OUT TO THE BIG FIRST WHICH GOES ALL THE WAY TO THE COLORADO LINE REDISTRICTING ON BOTH STATES STEVE I THINK THE PROBLEMS THAT LINCOLN PREPNICK INSTITUTIONAL RACISM OVERT RACIST ACTS A STAFF MEMBER RECENTLY REMOVED FOR ALLEGEDLY INAPPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR YOU KNOW THAT'S JUST NOT CAN'T STAND AND OUR STUDENTS DESERVE BETTER WE NEED TO KEEP A VERY CLOSE EYE ON LINCOLN PREP DAVE MY COLLEAGUE MELINDA HINNEBERGER WON THE PULITZER PRIZE THIS WEEK FOR HER COVERAGE OF POLICE CORRUPTION IN KANSAS CITY KANSAS AND WYANDOTTE COUNTY CONGRATULATIONS TO HER TWO LESSONS THERE FIRST LOCAL NEWS STILL MATTERS SECOND THERE IS MUCH WORK STILL TO BE DONE IN KANSAS CITY KANSAS I'M BELINDA HENNENBERGER JUST LEAVING THE KANSAS CITY STAR THOUGH TO HEAD OVER TO MCCLATCHY IN CALIFORNIA YES SHE WILL BE MISSED SHE'S GOING THERE TO WRITE AND UH BUT THE WORK OF THE EDITORIAL BOARD CONTINUES I KNOW THAT WE WILL SAY OUR WEEK HAS BEEN REVIEWED THANKS TO MICHAEL MAHONEY FROM CHANNEL 9 THE STARS DAVE HELLING AND FROM KCUR NEWS DIRECTOR LISA RODRIGUEZ AND STEVE KRASKE KEEPING YOU UP TO DATE EVERY WEEKDAY MORNING AT 9 ON KCUR FM AND I'M NICK HAINES FROM ALL OF US HERE AT KANSAS CITY PBS BE WELL KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON