IT'S A NEW YEAR AND WEEK IN REVIEW IS BACK I MAY BE A TOUCH ANGRY AND A WHOLE LOT OF FRUSTRATION DID YOU THINK WE WOULD BE STARTING THIS 2022 WITH THE SAME ISSUES WE WERE DEALING WITH AT THE START OF LAST YEAR MORE FIGHTS OVER MASKS NO END TO THE HOMICIDE PROBLEM WE ARE WILLING TO WORK WITH ANYONE ON ALL THE SOLUTIONS WE CAN HAVE TO ADDRESSING VIOLENT CRIME AND EVEN THE TEACHING OF RACE IN SCHOOLS IS BACK THERE'S SO MANY PARENTS THAT HAVE COME TO ME UM REALLY UPSET THEIR KIDS ARE BEING TAUGHT THAT THEY'RE THE THE OPPRESSOR SIMPLY BECAUSE OF THE COLOR OF THEIR SKIN OR THE WAY THEY WERE BORN AND THAT'S A PROBLEM YOUR LOCAL LAWMAKERS ARE BACK WE TRACK HOW YOUR LIFE MAY CHANGE BECAUSE OF WHAT THEY DO OR DON'T DO AND THE REST OF THE WEEK'S MOST IMPACTFUL AND CONFUSING STORIES STRAIGHT AHEAD WEEK IN REVIEW IS MADE POSSIBLE THROUGH THE GENEROUS SUPPORT OF AARP KANSAS CITY 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 WELL HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU AND LET ME SAY THANK YOU I AM FLATTERED THAT YOU'VE MADE WATCHING KANSAS CITY WEEK IN REVIEW ONE OF YOUR NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS BY THE WAY OUR PANELISTS THIS WEEK HAVE MADE THEIR OWN RESOLUTIONS AND THAT'S TO BE MORE PITHY EVEN WITTIER AND MORE INSIGHTFUL ON THIS PROGRAM IN 2022 LET'S SEE HOW THEY DO MICHAEL MAHONEY IS STILL KEEPING TRACK OF POLITICS AT KMBC 9 NEWS STEVE KRASKE KEEPS YOU UP TO DATE EVERY WEEKDAY ON KCUR FM PETE MUNDO TRACKS THE NEWS FROM BEHIND ANOTHER MICROPHONE AT KCMO TALK RADIO AND ALWAYS ON CALL FROM THE KANSAS CITY CALL ERIC WESSON NOW WHILE MANY OF US GRUMPILY EASED BACK TO WORK THIS WEEK AFTER AN EXTENDED HOLIDAY KANSAS CITY MAYOR QUINTON LUCAS WAS BEGINNING THIS FIRST WEEK OF THE NEW YEAR IN QUARANTINE HE HAD TESTED POSITIVE FOR COVID19 JUST BEFORE NEW YEAR AND LATER DECLARED THAT HIS WIFE AND NEW BABY HAD ALSO CONTRACTED THE VIRUS ONE OF THE REASONS I WAS HAPPY TO GET THE TEST WHEN I DID WAS BECAUSE WE HAD NEW YEAR'S EVE PLANS LIKE A LOT OF COUPLES AROUND KANSAS CITY THAT MIGHT HAVE EXPOSED US TO DOZENS IF NOT HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE IT'S BEEN A LESS THAN STELLAR START OF THE YEAR FOR THE 37 YEAR OLD MAYOR AT THE END OF 2020 HE SAID HIS BIGGEST REGRET IN OFFICE WAS THE RECORD-BREAKING NUMBER OF HOMICIDES IN KANSAS CITY WE'VE JUST ENDED 2021 WITH THE SECOND HIGHEST NUMBER OF HOMICIDES IN CITY HISTORY STEVE KRASKE IS THAT STILL THE BIGGEST ISSUE PLAGUING HIM AS MAN I THINK IT IS NICK IT IS BECAUSE HE WAS SO UPFRONT BEFORE HE WON ELECTION TO BEGIN WITH THAT DURING HIS TIME AS MAYOR HE WAS GOING TO KEEP THAT COUNT BELOW 100.

AS YOU JUST POINTED OUT HE HASN'T COME CLOSE TO THAT 157 IN UH LAST YEAR 179 THE YEAR BEFORE 151 THE YEAR HE TOOK OFFICE THAT'S A LONG WAY FROM 100 NICK AND I THINK THE OTHER CHALLENGE HERE IS WE'RE NOT REALLY SEEING MOMENTUM NEW IDEAS HERE TO ADDRESS THIS VERY VERY TOUGH ISSUE YEAH ERIC WE HEAR PLENTY ABOUT THIS FIGHT FOR A NEW POLICE CHIEF PLENTY ABOUT THE POLICE BUDGET BUT ARE WE HEARING ANYTHING ABOUT A DIFFERENT APPROACH A NEW STRATEGY OR FIX FOR THIS HOMICIDE RATE NO I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THEY'RE PROBABLY TRYING TO DO IS TO HAVE THE NEW CHIEF COME UP WITH SOME STRATEGIES ON WHAT THEY WERE GOING WHAT THEY NEED TO DO HOW THEY NEED TO DO IT AND HOPEFULLY IT WILL BE SOMEBODY THAT CAN START REBUILDING THE RELATIONSHIP AND TRUST BETWEEN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE COMMUNITY I THINK THAT HAS TO BE ON THE FRONT BURNER OF ANYTHING THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE IN ORDER TO TO DO SOMETHING TO HELP THE HOMICIDE RATE GO DOWN IN THE CITY YOU KNOW PETE IF YOU LOOK AT UH MAYOR LUCAS YOU MAY THINK HE DOESN'T HAVE A CARE IN THE WORLD HE'S PUTTING OUT ABOUT THREE CAMPAIGN EMAILS A WEEK RIGHT NOW UH TELLING US WHAT THE GREAT JOB HE'S DOING HOW HE IS CRUSHING IT IN FACT IN NEW CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS FOR HIS RE-ELECTION THAT'S NOW JUST A YEAR AWAY IS HE GOING TO BE CHALLENGED I THINK HE IS NICK THE QUESTION IS HOW LEGITIMATE IS THE CHALLENGER RIGHT I THINK THAT'S UH WHAT REMAINS TO BE SEEN AND YOU KNOW WE'RE ALL PROBABLY HEARING DIFFERENT NAMES BUT HAVE I HEARD NAMES THAT ARE OVERWHELMINGLY COMPELLING AT THIS POINT IN TIME THAT ARE LEGITIMATE UH POTENTIAL THREATS TO MAYOR LUCAS I I HAVE NOT UH BUT OBVIOUSLY THE NAME OF THE GAME IN POLITICS IS FUNDRAISING HE'S GOT TO DO IT AND A YEAR IN POLITICS IS IS NOTHING IT'S GONNA BE HERE BEFORE WE KNOW IT SO IT'S IT'S CRAZY TO THINK I SPOKE WITH THE MAYOR ON THURSDAY MORNING I SAID I CAN'T BELIEVE WE'RE GEARING UP FOR THIS AGAIN IT FELT LIKE IT WAS JUST HIM AND JOEY JUSTICE YESTERDAY GOING AT IT BUT UH THE LAST TWO YEARS FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE HAVE FLOWN BY PETE'S RIGHT ON THE BUTTON HERE THERE'S LOTS OF BUTTERFLIES OUT THERE IN THE AIR NOBODY IS COMMITTED TO IT I THINK IT'S A SAFE BET THERE'S GOING TO PROBABLY BE SOMEBODY FROM THE NORTHLAND THAT MAKES A CHALLENGE AGAINST THE UH MAYOR WHOM THAT MIGHT BE UH REMAINS TO BE SEEN WHETHER OR NOT IF SOMEBODY CONNECTED TO THE CITY GOVERNMENT RIGHT NOW OR SOMEBODY ELSE IN IN POLITICS ERIC YOU KNOW ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I TOLD THE MAYOR WHEN HE FIRST TOOK OFFICE I HAD I TOLD HIM YOU KNOW STAY AWAY FROM THE HOMICIDE ISSUE YOU HAVE A CHIEF OF POLICE HE'S AN EXPERT IN LAW ENFORCEMENT AND CRIME LET HIM DEAL WITH THAT BECAUSE WHAT WILL ULTIMATELY HAPPEN IS THE MEDIA WILL HANG THOSE HOMICIDES AROUND YOUR NECK AND LIKE STEVE SAID EARLIER YOU PROMISED UH LESS THAN A HUNDRED HOMICIDES AND YOU EXCEEDED THAT EVERY TIME SO NOW THAT CAN BE A PITFALL FOR HIM DURING HIS REELECTION STEVE NICK HAVING SAID ALL THIS IT SAYS SOMETHING ABOUT THE STRENGTH OF THIS MAYOR THAT WE'RE SITTING HERE TODAY EARLY IN 2022 NONE OF US HAVE HEARD OF A SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGER EMERGING TO THIS MAYOR THAT SAYS SOMETHING IT SAYS SOMETHING ABOUT HIS STRENGTH I MEAN THIS IS THE MAYOR WHO'S TAKEN ON A LOT OF BIG ISSUES HOMICIDES AS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE HOUSING UH THIS COVID POLICE VIOLENCE ON THE STREETS AND HERE HE IS STANDING HERE IN PRETTY GOOD SHAPE FOR A SECOND TERM NICK UH IT'S GOING TO TAKE SOMEONE UH A REALLY BIG NAME IN THIS TOWN TO GIVE HIM A SERIOUS CHALLENGE AND YEAH JUST TO TO TIE THIS ALL TOGETHER AS WELL THE THE POLICE CHIEF FIGHT IS CERTAINLY GONNA BE ONE WE'LL BE WATCHING THIS YEAR BUT THE THE NOTION THAT SOME MAY BE UNDER THAT WE'RE CREATING OR WILL CREATE A PANACEA WITHOUT RICK SMITH INVOLVED OR IN CHARGE OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS NOT SOMETHING YOU WANT TO HANG YOUR HAT ON EITHER WELL SPEAKING OF THE MAYOR WE CAN REVIEW VIEWER SCOTT ASKS WHY DID MAYOR LUCAS WITHDRAW KANSAS CITY FROM CONSIDERATION AS A HOST FOR THE GOP CONVENTION IN 2024.

THE NEWS WAS ANNOUNCED ON CHRISTMAS EVE IS THERE MORE TO THE STORY MICHAEL THEY DECIDED NOT TO DO IT BECAUSE THEY'VE GOT OTHER THINGS IN THE FIRE LIKE AN EFFORT TO LAND SOME WORLD CUP SOCCER MATCHES LIKE TRYING TO UH ORGANIZE AND MAKE SURE THAT THE NFL DRAFT GOES WELL UH I THOUGHT I THOUGHT WE WERE A WORLD-CLASS CITY THOUGH STEVE KRASKE A WORLD-CLASS CITY COULD DO THE WORLD CUP THEY COULD DO THE DRAFT AND THEY COULD DO THE GOP CONVENTION COULDN'T THEY WELL I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY RIGHT NICK BUT HAVING SAID THAT I THINK WE MIGHT ALL BREATHE A SIGH OF RELIEF THAT THIS CONVENTION WILL NOT BE COMING TO KANSAS CITY IN 2024 GIVEN THE VITRIOL UH THAT WE'RE ALL RELIVING AGAIN ON THIS ANNIVERSARY OF THE JANUARY SIX ATTACKS IT MAY NOT BE THE WORST THING THAT THIS CONVENTION WILL NOT BE IN KANSAS CITY UH THAT'S ABSURD UH I MEAN IT WOULD BE GREAT TO HAVE PEOPLE SPENDING MONEY UH BUYING THINGS FROM SMALL BUSINESSES IN KANSAS CITY I THINK IT'D BE UH OUTSTANDING TO DO THAT WHETHER IT'S AN RNC OR A DNC I'D WELCOME THEM BOTH TO TOWN WHAT I UNDERSTOOD IN TALKING TO MAYOR LUCAS ABOUT THIS WAS THAT THE AMOUNT OF FUNDRAISING IT TAKES TO PUT TOGETHER A BID IS IN THE TENS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS AND THAT MONEY MAY JUST NOT BE THERE RIGHT NOW WE KNOW THAT SLY JAMES WENT THROUGH THAT FOR 2016.

IT DIDN'T WORK OUT FOR HIM SO IT'S JUST IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS WHERE I THINK IT'D BE GREAT TO HAVE BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE IT WAS A MONEY THING MORE THAN IT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING AT LEAST A POLITICAL THING ALL RIGHTY WELL COPENHAGEN IS STILL DOMINATING OUR LOCAL NEWS AS WE TURN THE CORNER INTO A NEW YEAR DID WE EXPECT THAT A YEAR AGO AND DID WE THINK WE'D STILL BE FIGHTING OVER MASKS LIKE AT THIS SHAWNEE MISSION SCHOOL BOARD MEETING THIS WEEK IT'S NOT GIVING TRUE FULL INFORMATION OKAY WE WILL ADJOURN FOR THE NEXT 10 MINUTES BOARD ADJOURNED TWICE SHIFTING THE MEETING TO ENTIRELY VIRTUAL AND FORCING THE PUBLIC TO LEAVE WE'RE HERE TO SUPPORT THE KIDS BEING UNMASKED IT BEING UP TO THE PARENTS TO BE ABLE TO CHOOSE WHETHER OR NOT THEY CHOOSE TO MASK THEIR CHILDREN DISPUTE SILVER MASKS WAS JUST ONE OF THE BIG HEADLINES OF THE WEEK CONSIDER SOME OF THE OTHERS CHILDREN'S MERCY SAYS THEY HAVE MORE KIDS HOSPITALIZED WITH COVID THAN AT ANY TIME SINCE THE PANDEMIC BEGAN OTHER AREA HOSPITALS REPORTING THE SAME TREND AND MEDICAL WORKERS NOT IMMUNE FROM THE VIRUS KOVITZ SIDELINING 500 STAFF AT KU HOSPITAL IT'S A DANGEROUS MOMENT CLAIMS KU'S TOP DOC OMICRON AND COVET IS EVERYWHERE AND IF YOU REFUSE TO TAKE PRECAUTIONS IT WILL FIND ITS WAY TO YOU NOW MORE THAN ANY POINT IN THE PANDEMIC NOW YOU MAY READ THESE HEADLINES AND THINK OH NO WE'RE HEADING FOR ANOTHER MASK MANDATE WE'RE HEADING FOR MORE BUSINESS LOCKDOWNS BUT INSTEAD OUR LOCAL ELECTED LEADERS STILL SEEM RELUCTANT NERVOUS PERHAPS EVEN SCARED TO DEATH OF IMPOSING ANY NEW RESTRICTIONS ON US WHY ERIC BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT THE POLITICAL BACKLASH BECAUSE IT'S GETTING CLOSE TO ELECTION TIME AND IT WREAKED HAVOC ON THE ECONOMY WHEN YOU HAVE FOUR OR 500 STAFF MEMBERS THAT ARE OUT OF THE HOSPITAL YOU'VE GOT KIDS IN SCHOOLS SPREADING IT AROUND AMONGST EACH OTHER AND WE'RE ACTING LIKE NONE OF THIS STUFF REALLY IS IS AN ISSUE AND THAT'S WRONG MICHAEL VERY FEW PARTS OF THE METRO RIGHT NOW DO ARE EVEN WEARING MASKS IS THAT ABOUT TO CHANGE I THINK THERE MIGHT BE A CHANGE BY UH PERSONAL BEHAVIOR BUT I I I THINK THE POLITICAL WILL IS NOT THERE AS ERIC SAID TO TO GO BACK TO ANY SORT OF MASS MANDATES THEY ARE THEY'RE TRYING TO DO THAT OVER AND I BELIEVE ST LOUIS COUNTY RIGHT NOW THE ATTORNEY GENERAL ERIC SCHMIDT IS RIGHT ON THEIR NECK ABOUT THAT HE WOULD DO THE SAME THING OVER UH OVER HERE UH TO TRY AND IMPOSE SOMETHING LIKE THAT IN THE STATE OF KANSAS WOULD BE VERY DIFFICULT WITH THE NEW LAWS THEY HAVE IN PLACE BUT YOU ARE SEEING SOME EFFORTS IN LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS PARTICULARLY SHAWN A MISSION TO ADDRESS THIS COUNTY COMMISSION UH WAS GOING TO TALK ABOUT THIS LAST WEEK ON THEIR THURSDAY MEETING AS WELL THERE MAY BE AN UPTICK IN MASS WEARING SIMPLY BECAUSE OF THE CONDITIONS THAT PEOPLE DECIDE THEY WANT TO UH LIVE UNDER BUT THERE'S NOT GOING TO BE ANY MORE MANDATES ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE PRESIDENT SAID OFF THE BAT WAS WE DON'T WANT TO CLOSE SCHOOLS AGAIN AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT PROBABLY NEEDS TO BE LOOKED AT YOU'VE GOT AN ISSUE IN THESE SCHOOLS I MEAN HOW DO YOU HOW DO YOU FIX IT I THINK LET'S SEE LET'S STEVE STEVE SCHOOLS ARE GOING TO BE OUR OUR TESTING GROUND HERE FOR WHERE WE GO BUT LOOK AT TWO OF OUR LEADERS RIGHT HERE IN THE METRO UH NICK MAYOR QUINTON LUCAS GOVERNOR LAURA KELLY BOTH AT THE FOREFRONT OF TALKING ABOUT AND IMPOSING MASS MANDATES A YEAR AGO TWO YEARS AGO WE'RE NOT SEEING HARDLY ANY OF THAT FROM THEM RIGHT NOW THAT'S HOW MUCH THIS ISSUE HAS CHANGED AND IS IT GOING TO BECOME MORE DIFFICULT PETE BECAUSE LAWMAKERS ARE RETURNING TO TOPEKA AND JEFFERSON CITY WITH A RAFT OF PROPOSED BILLS DESIGNED TO RESTRICT EVEN ANY MORE PANDEMIC-RELATED RULES HERE'S BY THE WAY A QUICK BREAKDOWN IN KANSAS THERE'S NOT ONLY A BILL TO BLOCK PRIVATE BUSINESSES FROM REQUIRING THE VACCINE BUT THERE'S A MEASURE THAT WOULD ADD COVERT VACCINATION STATUS TO THE LIST OF PROHIBITED FORMS OF EMPLOYMENT DISCRIMINATION ALONG WITH RACE RELIGION COLOR AND SEX IN MISSOURI BILLS HAVE BEEN PRE-FILED TO BAR SCHOOLS FROM REQUIRING STUDENTS TO GET THE VACCINE FORCE RESTAURANTS AND CONCERT VENUES TO SERVE THE UNVACCINATED AND WHILE THERE ARE TWO SEPARATE BILLS BLOCKING BUSINESSES FROM REQUIRING THE SHOT ANOTHER WOULD HOLD COMPANIES LEGALLY LIABLE FOR ANY SIDE EFFECTS OR HEALTH CONSEQUENCES A WORKER EXPERIENCES FROM GETTING THE JAB SO WITH ALL THESE NEW BILLS BEING CONSIDERED IS THAT GOING TO MAKE SCHOOLS AND BUSINESSES IN ALBI STATE THINK TWICE ABOUT IMPOSING ANY NEW RESTRICTIONS ON THEIR STAFF OR CUSTOMERS PETE WELL NICK I'M I'M NOT AS WORRIED ABOUT WHAT THE LEGISLATIVE BODIES ARE GOING TO DO HERE IN THE SHORT TERM BECAUSE WHAT WE'RE SEEING WITH OMICRON AND WHAT I THINK THE THE HISTORY SHOWS WHETHER IT'S IN SOUTH AFRICA OR ELSEWHERE THAT HAS BEEN PRETTY PREVALENT IS IT BURNS THROUGH IT'S HIGHLY TRANSMISSIBLE BURNED THROUGH QUICKLY AND THEN YOU KNOW HOPEFULLY IT WILL CONTINUE TO FADE OUT QUICKLY AS IT HAS IN PLACES LIKE SOUTH AFRICA SO RIGHT NOW FROM A SHORT-TERM PERSPECTIVE I'M LOOKING AT IT AND SAY OKAY IF MAYOR LUCAS WANTS TO DO A MASS MANDATE WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE BASED ON WHAT WE KNOW JUST HAPPENED IN ST LOUIS COUNTY WHERE THE ATTORNEY GENERAL IS NOW SUING THE COUNTY OVER THAT THE MAYOR HAS SAID IF ANYTHING WHAT HE WOULD DO AND WHAT HE WANTS TO DO IS WHAT HE HAD GOING ON BEFORE THE HOLIDAYS WITH THE SCHOOL MANDATE BUT HE'S NOT INTERESTED IN A CITY-WIDE MASS MANDATE ANYMORE THAT'S TELLING AND IT POINTS TO WHAT YOU KNOW MY COLLEAGUES HERE AND FELLOW PANELISTS POINTED OUT REGARDING THE POLITICAL WILL WHICH IS JUST NOT THERE ESPECIALLY FOR A GUY WHO'S YOU KNOW A YEAR AND A HALF AWAY FROM POTENTIAL RE-ELECTION WHAT IS THE ALTERNATIVE THEN IS IT JUST TO ACCEPT THAT IF YOU HAVE A CHILD AND THEY FALL OFF THEIR TRAMPOLINE OR YOU HAVE YOU'RE IN A CAR WRECK OR YOU'RE HAVING A HEART ATTACK THAT JUST DON'T EXPECT THERE TO BE A HOSPITAL BED AVAILABLE FOR YOU PETE WELL I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S YOU KNOW A FAIR ASSESSMENT TO MAKE NICK WE'VE GOT HALF A MILLION CHILDREN THE LATEST SENSE OF DATA I LOOKED AT HALF A MILLION KIDS UNDER THE AGE OF 18 IN THE KANSAS CITY METRO THERE ARE THE NUMBERS THAT WE SAW WHAT ABOUT 30 CHILDREN IN UH AT LEAST KU MED I BELIEVE IT IS SO YOU WANT IT TO BE ZERO BUT I THINK THE IDEA OF A ZERO COVETED GAME IS SOMETHING THAT YOU KNOW WAS A NICE THOUGHT BACK IN MARCH IN APRIL OF 2020 BUT IT'S NO WAY TO LIVE IT'S IT'S IT'S NOT AN ACHIEVABLE A GOAL AT THIS POINT MICHAEL THE BROADER PICTURE IS WHEN YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THESE JOINT NEWS CONFERENCES THIS PAST WEEK IN KANSAS CITY AND MISSOURI THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT ABOUT GETTING JAMMED IN TERMS OF HOSPITAL BEDS AND AVAILABLE SPACE AND ICU THAT IS BEYOND KIDS OKAY AND THEN THE THE WHOLE OTHER QUESTION ABOUT WHAT TO DO WITH OUR CHILDREN IS MUCH BROADER THAN THAT THAN SCHOOLS AND MATH IF SCHOOLS HAVE TO SHUT DOWN THEN THE RIPPLE EFFECT OBVIOUSLY UH BILL WHAT DID KIDS WHAT DO PARENTS DO WITH THEIR KIDS YOU KNOW WHERE'S THE DAYCARE WHERE'S THE BABYSITTING THERE ARE MULTIPLE LEVELS OF THIS AND IT'S VERY VERY COMPLEX AND IT'S BEYOND JUST WELL KIDS DON'T GET THAT SICK AND THEN AND THAT THEY DON'T AND THERE AREN'T THAT MANY OF THEM IN HOSPITALS RIGHT NOW THE HOSPITAL SYSTEM THAT THEY SAY THAT THEY ARE UNDER STRESS AND THEY'RE WORRIED ABOUT IT AND THAT HAS TO BE FACTORED IN WITH A NEW YEAR COMES NEW STATE LEGISLATIVE SESSIONS WHILE KANSAS LAWMAKERS HEAD BACK TO TOPEKA ON MONDAY MISSOURI LAWMAKERS ARE ALREADY BACK AT WORK WE'RE TOLD THAT BLOCKING VACCINE MANDATES YES WILL BE HIGH ON THE AGENDA IN JEFFERSON CITY ALONG WITH EFFORTS TO BAN RACE RELATED TEACHING IN SCHOOLS CLOSER TO HOME A BILL HAS BEEN FILED REQUIRING KANSAS CITY TO INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF MONEY IT SPENDS ON ITS POLICE DEPARTMENT BUT PERHAPS THE MOST IMMEDIATE AND PRESSING ISSUE ON LAWMAKERS PLATES IS SIGNING OFF ON A REDISTRICTING MAP THAT WILL RESHAPE CONGRESSIONAL AND LEGISLATIVE BOUNDARIES FOR A WHILE THERE WAS TALK THAT EMMANUEL CLEAVERS DISTRICT WOULD BE WITHDRAWN OF TO MAKE IT TOUGHER FOR HIM TO WIN RE-ELECTION IS THAT STILL THE INTENTION OR HAS THAT IDEA NOW BEEN DROPPED ERIC THAT IDEA IS STILL BEING KICKED AROUND WHETHER IT'S FEASIBLE OR NOT I DON'T THINK THAT IT'LL WORK YOU KNOW UH THE CONGRESSMAN HAS A LOT OF SUPPORT IN OUTLYING AREAS THAT HE'S AT BOTH WITH REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS SO I DON'T THINK THAT THAT'S GOING TO REALLY AFFECT THAT STEVE SHOULD SHOULD EMMANUEL CLEAVO BE WORRIED OR BE QUITE HAPPY RIGHT NOW MAYBE A LITTLE BIT OF BOTH I I THINK YOU NEVER UH SEE UH WALK AWAY FROM THIS THING UNTIL THE LEGISLATURE HAS ACTUALLY SIGNED OFF ON A MAP BUT THE TENTATIVE LOOK AT IT IS THAT MANUAL CLEAVER IS GOING TO BE IN GREAT SHAPE AND MISSOURI LAWMAKERS AT LEAST THERE'S A BUILDING CONSENSUS BEHIND THE IDEA THAT THE SPLIT IN THE CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION WILL REMAIN SIX REPUBLICANS AND TWO DEMOCRATS GOING FORWARD BUT IF I HAD A GUEST TODAY NICK IT LOOKS LIKE CLEAVER'S DISTRICT IS GOING TO BE PRETTY MUCH JACKSON COUNTY AND THAT'S IT AND HE'LL BE IN GOOD SHAPE FOR RE-ELECTION GOING FORWARD MICHAEL WELL THE OTHER THING TO LOOK ABOUT AND LOOK AT IS WHAT HAPPENS IN KANSAS WITH THE THIRD DISTRICT BECAUSE REPUBLICANS OVER THERE ARE VERY INTERESTED IN CREATING A THIRD DISTRICT THAT MAKES IT MUCH MORE DIFFICULT FOR UH DEMOCRAT SHARISE DAVIDS TO WIN A THIRD TERM IN CONGRESS AND THAT MAY INVOLVE UH TRYING TO CARVE UP A BIT OF A HEAVILY DEMOCRATIC WYANDOTTE COUNTY OR ON THE SOUTHERN END OF JOHN JOHNSON COUNTY SO WE'VE BEEN TALKING A LOT ABOUT CLEAVERS DISTRICT THE FIFTH IN MISSOURI KEEP YOUR EYE ON WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IN KANSAS WITH SHARICE DAVIDSON THE THIRD ERIC JUST A COUPLE OF THINGS ONE DON'T UNDERESTIMATE CHARISSE DAVIS GROUND GAME BUT THERE WAS ONE OTHER THING THAT YOU MENTIONED THAT I KIND OF WANTED TO TOUCH ON TOO AND THAT IS FUNDING FOR THE KANSAS CITY MISSOURI POLICE DEPARTMENT AND TRYING TO MO VE THE NEEDLE TO 25 INSTEAD OF 20 I GOT A A SOURCE YESTERDAY TO TELL ME THAT CHIEF SMITH IS GOING TO BE DOWN THERE AT THE LEGISLATURE TESTIFYING TO MOVE IT TO 25 I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE INCLUDING SOME OF OUR OWN PRODUCTION CREW HERE THINK STATE POLITICS IS BORING SO COMPLETE THE SENTENCE FOR ME STEVE KRASKE I KNOW STATE POLITICS MAKES PEOPLE YAWN BUT YOU SHOULD BE PAYING ATTENTION TO BLANK THIS YEAR I WOULD BE LOOKING AT ABORTION LEGISLATION IN MISSOURI NICK THERE'S GOING TO BE A BIG HARD PUSH TO MAKE IT EVEN MORE RESTRICTIVE IN THE SHOW ME STATE LOTS OF PEOPLE SHOULD BE WATCHING THAT AND BE CONCERNED ABOUT IT GOING FORWARD PETE HOW ABOUT SOMETHING FUN LIKE SPORTS BETTING I MEAN I DON'T KNOW WHAT THESE GUYS IN JEFF CITY CAN'T CAN'T WRAP THEIR HEADS AROUND THIS IT'S A NO-BRAINER IT BRINGS IN CASH TO THE STATE GET IT DONE STOP WORRYING ABOUT THE LOBBYING INTERESTS OF UH YOU KNOW THE CASINOS AND WHATNOT AND LET PEOPLE PLACE A WAGER ON THE CHIEFS GAME ALL RIGHT I GOT THEM COVERING AGAINST THE BRONCOS THIS WEEKEND LET'S GO YOU KNOW AND THEY HAVEN'T DONE THAT IN KANSAS EITHER BUT YEAH THEY DO IT IN IOWA WHAT IS THE ROADBLOCK WITH UH SPORTS BETTING IN MISSOURI AND KANSAS WHY IS THAT SO TOUGH WHEN THEY WOULD BRING IN SO MUCH MONEY FOR THOSE STATES WELL MY UNDERSTANDING IS IT'S ALL THE UH DRAMA BETWEEN THE CASINOS AND THEN WHETHER OR NOT YOU COULD HAVE THOSE LITTLE UH HANDHELD THINGS AND GAS STATIONS AND HOW THOSE TWO SIDES KIND OF AREN'T ON BOARD WITH EACH OTHER I THINK IT'S RIDICULOUS THE BEST ODDS RIGHT NOW SEEM TO BE A STATEWIDE BALLOT BECAUSE THERE'S JUST NO MOVEMENT DOWN THERE ON THIS ISSUE NOW NEXT UP WE'RE GOING TO THROW SOME MONEY AT YOU HAVE I GRABBED YOUR ATTENTION DID YOU KNOW THAT THE STATE OF MISSOURI HASN'T SPENT ONE DIME OF ITS FEDERAL PANDEMIC MONEY IT'S ONE OF JUST EIGHT STATES TO NOT DIP INTO ITS CASH WINDFALL GOVERNOR MIKE PARSON SAYS HE WON'T FULLY LAY OUT HIS PLANS FOR THE FUNDS UNTIL HE DELIVERS HIS ANNUAL STATE OF THE STATE ADDRESS LATER THIS MONTH KANSAS HASN'T SHOWN THE SAME RELUCTANCE IN CASHING ITS FEDERAL CHECKS IN FACT OVER THE HOLIDAYS GOVERNOR LAURA KELLY NOW PROPOSES USING ITS WINDFALL TO GIVE EVERY KANSAS TAXPAYER A 250 REBATE CHECK IS THAT WHAT CONGRESS HAD IN MIND WHEN THEY APPROVED THE STIMULUS PACKAGE CAN STATES JUST GIVE AWAY THE MONEY LIKE THAT FOR SOMETHING THAT HAS NO SPECIFIC COVID RELATED PURPOSE STEVE YOU KNOW THE MONEY IS FUNGIBLE NICK AND THE STATES ARE FLUSH NOT ONLY BECAUSE OF FEDERAL STIMULUS MONEY BUT BECAUSE TAX REVENUES ARE WAY WAY UP ACROSS THE BOARD IN SO MANY DIFFERENT CATEGORIES SO I THINK LAURA KELLY'S ARGUMENT'S GOING TO BE THAT HEY WE'RE NOT GIVING AWAY FEDERAL STIMULUS MONEY HERE WE'RE GIVING AWAY EXCESS EXTRA MONEY THAT'S COMING INTO THE STATE BEYOND WHAT WAS FORECAST IN ALL THESE DIFFERENT CATEGORIES LIKE SALES AND PROPERTY TAXES AND SHE'S IN FOR A TOUGH RE-ELECTION CAMPAIGN THIS YEAR PETE MUNDO IS SHE BETTING ON THE FACT BANKING ON THE FACT THAT PEOPLE LOVE FREEBIES GETTING SOMETHING INCLUDING HER RECENT PROPOSAL ALSO TO CATCH A GROCERY STORE BILL BY AXING THE SALES TAX ON FOOD WELL I THINK SHE'S BEING TARGETED AND AND YOU KNOW PRETTY SMART IN AN ELECTION YEAR ABOUT THIS AND REALIZING THAT YOU KNOW IN A YEAR WHERE WE'RE SEEING INCREASES AT NOT JUST THE PUMP BUT ALSO IN THE FOOD STORES KANSAS THIS THIS GROCERY SALES TAX HAS BEEN A THORN IN THE SIDE OF THE STATE UM AS A REGRESSIVE TAX FOR FOR A LONG TIME AND IF LAURA KELLY LEADS TO I MEAN CHANGING THAT OR REDUCING IT IN SOME YOU KNOW SUBSTANTIAL WAY THAT'S THAT'S A BIG DEAL IN AN ELECTION YEAR FOR HER I STILL THINK IT'S A TOUGH UPHILL BATTLE JUST BASED ON WHERE THE TEA LEAVES ARE GOING TO BE THIS YEAR AGAINST DEREK SCHMIDT BUT THAT DOES PUT HER IN A IN A MUCH BETTER POSITION SO WHAT'S NOT TO LIKE THEN MICHAEL I IMAGINE THAT THE REPUBLICAN-DOMINATED LEGISLATURE IN TOPEKA WILL TRY TO ADD ON A INCOME TAX UH CUT ON THAT PERHAPS BUSINESS TAX CUTS MAYBE SOME OTHER STUFF AND PRESENT HER WITH A BILL WITH A BROAD SET OF TAX UH CUTS NOT JUST THE GROCERY TAX OR THE 250 REBATE BECAUSE THAT WILL BE ONE OF THE BATTLEGROUNDS INSIDE OF THIS LEGISLATURE BUT BOY MIKE REPUBLICANS WILL BE LOATH TO GIVE HER A CLEAN BILL TO YOUR POINT BECAUSE THEY KNOW THAT WOULD BE A HUGE WIN FOR HER GOING INTO A TOUGH RE-ELECTION BATTLE TO PETE'S POINT THEY'RE NOT GOING TO GIVE HER A CLEAN BILL WELL FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP BY THE WAY HAS FINALLY WEIGHED IN ON THE KANSAS GOVERNOR'S RACE THIS WEEK HE ANNOUNCED HIS ENDORSEMENT OF KELLY'S REPUBLICAN OPPONENT STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL DEREK SCHMIDT TRUMP SAYS SCHMIDT HAS QUOTE DONE A NOTE ABSOLUTELY OUTSTANDING JOB SERVING AS ATTORNEY GENERAL CAST YOUR MIND BACK AND YOU MAY RECALL KRIS KOBACH WON TRUMP'S ENDORSEMENT IN 2018 HE ENDED UP LOSING TO LAURA KELLY BY FIVE POINTS PETE MUNDO WHAT DOES THIS ENDORSEMENT DO FOR DEREK SCHMIDT I DON'T THINK IT REALLY DOES A WHOLE LOT BELIEVE IT OR NOT OUTSIDE OF MAYBE PREVENT ANY TYPE OF POSSIBLE PRIMARY CHALLENGER OF LEGITIMACY FROM SHOWING UP I THINK THAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT IT DOES FOR HIM RIGHT NOW BUT I MEAN YOU KNOW WE'RE WE'RE STILL EIGHT MONTHS AWAY FROM A PRIMARY WHICH HE REALLY DOESN'T HAVE AND YOU'RE 10 11 MONTHS FROM A GENERAL SO I MEAN IT'S GOOD TO HAVE IT YOU'D RATHER HAVE IT THAN NOT IN THE STATE THAT TRUMP WON BY 15 POINTS BUT IS IT A GAME CHANGER NECESSARILY BASED ON WHERE THIS IS AT RIGHT NOW NO IF IT HAPPENS IN THE MISSOURI U.S SENATE RACE DIFFERENT BALL GAME YOU KNOW A HUGE LAUNDRY LIST OF PRETTY PROMINENT NAMES STEVE KRASKE RUNNING FOR THE U.S SENATE NOW TO REPLACE ROY BLUNT IN MISSOURI WHY NO ENDORSEMENT YET FROM DONALD TRUMP IN THAT RACE WELL YOU'RE RIGHT THE ENDORSEMENT WOULD BE SO VALUABLE THERE BECAUSE THERE'S SUCH A LARGE FIELD AND SUCH A MUDDY FIELD THERE YOU KNOW THERE ARE ANY NUMBER OF CANDIDATES RUNNING FOR THE SENATE SEE NICK WHO HAVE EXPRESSED UH UNYIELDING FEALTY TO DONALD TRUMP I'M SURE THE FORMER PRESIDENT IS HAVING A HARD TIME DECIDING WHO TO BACK IN THIS RACE AND ONE BIG QUESTION IS WILL HE EVEN ENDORSE IN THIS RACE BECAUSE EVERY CANDIDATE RUNNING HAS ALREADY SAID DONALD TRUMP'S THE GREATEST THING THAT EVER HAPPENED I'LL BET YOU HE DOESN'T UH UH ENDORSE IN THIS RACE BUT IF HE DOES IF HE DOES IT'LL BE LATE BECAUSE HE WANTS TO BE CALLED THE KING MAKER AND KRIS KOBACH WILL TELL YOU THAT HE BELIEVES HE WON THE REPUBLICAN GUBERNATORIAL NOMINATION A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO BECAUSE TRUMP ENDORSED HIM ON THE DAY BEFORE THE PRIMARY AGAINST THE SITTING GOVERNOR JEFF JEFF COLLIER IT MADE A DIFFERENCE IN THAT RACE 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 WERE WE REALLY THAT DISTRACTED MISSOURI REPORTING THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF TRAFFIC FATALITIES IN 15 YEARS KANSAS CITY'S LOWEST PAID WORKERS GETTING A RAISE AS THE MISSOURI MINIMUM WAGE CLIMBS TO 11 AND 15 CENTS AN HOUR THAT'S NEARLY FOUR DOLLARS MORE THAN IN KANSAS SPEAKING OF KANSAS IS IT TIME TO GIVE UP ON THE MISSION GATEWAY PROJECT THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT THAT WOULD HAVE TURNED THE FORMER MISSION MALL SITE INTO AN ENTERTAINMENT AND RETAIL DESTINATION EXPIRED THIS WEEK THE MALL WAS DEMOLISHED 16 YEARS AGO PROGRESS IN KANSAS CITY AS THE FIRST SHIPMENT OF STEEL RAILS ARRIVES FOR THE NEW STREETCAR LINE TO THE PLAZA AND GETTING CLOSER AT THE AIRPORT THE BAGGAGE CAROUSELS ARE INSTALLED THIS WEEK AT THE NEW LOOK KCI IT WAS A LATE HOLIDAY GIFT FOR K-STATE FANS A BIG WIN IN THE TEXAS BOWL AND COVED CAUSING THE ROYALS TO CANCEL FAN FEST FOR A SECOND STRAIGHT YEAR AND DID YOU PICK ONE OF THOSE STORIES ERIC WESSON OR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT JUST 30 MINUTES AGO I ORDERED MY NEGRO LEAGUE'S BASEBALL COMMEMORATIVE COINS THEY WENT ON SALE TODAY I PICKED SOMETHING DIFFERENT NICK I PICKED A JANUARY 6 COMMEMORATION THAT TOOK PLACE ON THURSDAY UH OBVIOUSLY AN IMPORTANT MOMENT FOR THIS COUNTRY ONE YEAR AFTER THE INSURRECTION AT THE CAPITOL UH THIS IS A MOMENT FOR REFLECTION TIME TO THINK ABOUT OUR DEMOCRACY AND JUST HOW FRAGILE IT IS IN THE WAKE OF WHAT HAPPENED A YEAR AGO IT'S SOMETHING WE ALL SHOULD BE THINKING ABOUT DID YOU PICK THAT ONE TOO PETE UM UH NO NO I DIDN'T ACTUALLY I KNOW UH I PICKED I'M GOING WITH MY SPORTS THEME AND THAT FROM EARLIER WITH THE SPORTS BETTING HOW ABOUT K-STATE I LIKE THAT ONE THERE NICK THEY CRUSHED LSU ANYTIME A BIG 12 TEAM BEATS AN FCC TEAM THAT'S A BIG DEAL THEY COVERED THE UH THE SPREAD THREE AND A HALF POINTS THEY DOMINATED THAT AND UM YOU KNOW SKYLER THOMPSON GOES OUT ON A HIGH NOTE GREAT CAREER BY HIM SO WE'LL KEEP IT UH KEEP IT SPORTSY HERE TODAY MICHAEL TWO THINGS BIDEN'S SPEECH ON THURSDAY UH NAMING TRUMP HAS THE UH UH THE CULPRIT BEHIND THE ATTACK ON THE CAPITOL I HAVE NEVER HEARD A PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES ATTACK A FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES IN A PUBLIC SPEECH LIKE THAT IN MY ENTIRE CAREER AS A JOURNALIST OR AS AN AMERICAN CITIZEN I THOUGHT THAT WAS STUNNING THE OTHER THING IS AS A BASEBALL FAN HERE THE FACT THAT THE ROYALS CANCELED THEIR WINTERFEST AND THE ST LOUIS CARDINALS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STATE DID THE SAME THING THIS IS NOT CODED SO MUCH AS IT IS A PRODUCT OF THE LOCKOUT THAT IS NOW UNDERWAY IN MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL THAT THREATENS THE START OF THEIR SEAS KEEP YOUR EYE ON THAT LOCKOUT AND WE WILL BE DOING SO AND ON THAT WE WILL SAY OUR WEEK HAS BEEN REVIEWED THANKS TO CHANNEL NINE'S MICHAEL MAHONEY THE COLE'S ERIC WESSON KEEPING YOU UP TO DATE WEEKDAYS AT 9 ON KCUR STEVE KRASKE AND TRACKING THE NEWS FROM 6 TO 10 ON KCMO TALK RADIO PETE MUNDO AND I'M NICK HAINES FROM ALL OF US HERE AT KANSAS CITY PBS BE WELL KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON