COMING UP NEARLY TWO YEARS AFTER THE PANDEMIC SHUT DOWN SCHOOLS THEY'RE CLOSING AGAIN THE HARDEST DECISION WE HAVE TO MAKE AS SUPERINTENDENTS IS CANCELING SCHOOL WE'RE AT OVER 800 STAFF MEMBERS ABSENT FROM OUR SCHOOLS TO OUR STATE HOUSES AND WHEN IT COMES TO COVID 19 I DON'T SUPPORT AND HAVE NEVER SUPPORTED MANDATES AND MISSOURIANS CAN REST ASSURED THAT MY POSITION WILL NOT CHANGE ALSO THIS WEEK MAYOR LUCAS FACES THE NATION AND CAN SHARICE DAVID SURVIVE NOW THAT KANSAS REPUBLICANS HAVE SLICED UP HER DISTRICT IT'S A MATH PROBLEM WITH A LOT OF EMOTION THOSE STORIES AND THE REST OF THE WEEK'S MOST IMPACTFUL CONFUSING AND BEFUDDLING 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 WELCOME I'M NICK HAINES GOOD TO HAVE YOU WITH US ON OUR PITHY AND INSIGHTFUL JOURNEY THROUGH ALL THE LOCAL NEWS THAT MATTERS TRACKING THOSE STORIES WITH US FROM KSHB41 NEWS ANCHOR AND REPORTER DIA WALL FROM KCUR NEWS STEVE KRASKE FROM KCMO TALK RADIO PETE MUNDO AND FROM THE SHAWNEE MISSION POST AND THE NEW BLUE VALLEY POST REPORTER AND EDITOR KYLE PALMER YOU KNOW NEARLY TWO YEARS AFTER GOVERNOR LAURA KELLY BECAME THE FIRST GOVERNOR IN THE NATION TO SHUT DOWN SCHOOLS DOESN'T IT SEEM INCONCEIVABLE IT'S HAPPENING ALL OVER AGAIN THIS TIME KELLY DIDN'T NEED TO WAIVE HER PEN TO MAKE IT HAPPEN SCHOOL DISTRICT LEADERS ARE DOING IT ON THEIR OWN THE HARDEST DECISION WE HAVE TO MAKE AS SUPERINTENDENTS IS CANCELING SCHOOL WE'RE AT OVER 800 STAFF MEMBERS ABSENT OLATHE KCK BONUS SPRINGS DE SOTO ALL CANCELLING SCHOOLS IS SHAWNEE MISSION AND BLUE VALLEY NEXT WE WERE TOLD THAT THANKS TO THE PROLIFERATION OF ONLINE MEETING APPS LIKE ZOOM SCHOOLS WOULD NEVER HAVE TO CANCEL CLASSES AGAIN BAD SNOWSTORM GO ONLINE KIDS AND TEACHERS OUT SICK TAKE IT ONLINE SO WHY ISN'T IT GOING ONLINE RIGHT NOW IS THAT BECAUSE OF STATE RULES KYLE PALMER THAT PREVENTS THAT FROM HAPPENING OR AREN'T THERE ENOUGH TEACHERS TO EVEN TURN THE COMPUTERS ON OH WELL THE THE STATE LAW THAT YOU REFERENCED THAT WAS PASSED LAST YEAR AND CERTAINLY AS PART OF THIS CALCULATION PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN KANSAS NOW ARE VERY LIMITED IN HOW MUCH REMOTE LEARNING THEY CAN OFFER THERE OF COURSE WAS A LOT OF PUSHBACK TO REMOTE LEARNING LAST YEAR AND THE KANSAS LEGISLATURE DID PASS THIS LAW THAT I THINK LIMITS SCHOOLS TO ROUGHLY 40 HOURS OF REMOTE INSTRUCTION PER ACADEMIC YEAR THAT TRANSLATES TO ABOUT A WEEK OF INSTRUCTION SO IF THEY DO HAVE TO GO REMOTE MAYBE THEY GET A WEEK TO DO IT I THINK THE MORE IMMEDIATE CONCERN FOR SCHOOLS IS REALLY JUST WAS IS KEEPING TEACHERS IN CLASSROOMS THESE STAFFING SHORTAGES ARE REALLY HITTING DISTRICTS HARD YOU MENTIONED OLATHE THE DESOTO SCHOOL DISTRICT AS WELL CANCELED A DAY OF CLASS LAST WEEK AND BOTH BLUE VALLEY AND CHARLIE MISSION HAVE BEEN REPORTING HUNDREDS OF STAFF MEMBERS OUT AND THEY BOTH SENT A LETTER TO THEIR FAMILIES LAST WEEK WARNING THAT IT WAS A POSSIBILITY THEY COULD SHUT DOWN SCHOOL AT LEAST TEMPORARILY WE SAW THE OLATHE SCHOOL ADMINISTRATOR THERE DEAR WALL IN THAT BITE FROM 41 NEWS YOU WERE ANCHORING THAT NEWSCAST IT REALLY IS KIND OF DRAMATIC WE HAVE SHORTAGES HERE WE ARE HAVING A HARD TIME GETTING PRODUCTION CREWS TOGETHER BECAUSE KOVID IS SO RAMPANT BUT 800 TEACHERS OUT I MEAN THAT IS REMARKABLE OH YEAH AND THEY WERE ANTICIPATING THAT THEY WERE STILL GOING TO HAVE MORE THAN 500 TEACHERS AND STAFF WHO WERE OUT EVEN AS THEY OPENED THE DOORS THIS WEEK AND SO THIS IS LIKE THE CONVERGENCE OF ALL THINGS BAD WE'VE BEEN WARNED ABOUT THIS WE'VE BEEN WARNED THAT WE HAVE TO DO MITIGATION WE'VE BEEN WARNED THAT WE NEED TO REALLY PUSH PEOPLE TO GET THESE VACCINES THAT THE POPULATION IN OUR SCHOOLS IS MOSTLY UNVACCINATED DUE TO THEIR AGE RANGE RIGHT AND SO THE PROBLEM HAS COME IN WHERE A LOT OF OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS AND LEADERS HAVE DECIDED TO GO IN AND PUT IN POLICIES TO STOP MASKING TO STOP DISTANCING TO STOP DISTANCE LEARNING TO STOP ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT THINGS BUT NOW WE HAVE NO CHOICE BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH BODIES TO EVEN FILL THE CLASSROOMS AND SO I THINK THAT SOME OF THAT ENERGY SHOULD BE FOCUSED ON DOING THE THINGS THAT OUR MEDICAL COMMUNITIES SAY WORK TO KEEP KIDS IN THE CLASSROOM AND TO KEEP OUR TEACHERS OUR HEALTHCARE WORKERS SAFE WHAT IS THE FIX PETE WELL THE FIX NICK IS TO UH FROM MY PERSPECTIVE I MEAN I WANT TO KNOW YOU KNOW IN OLATHE WHERE THEY HAD 800 STAFF MEMBERS OUT WHAT IS UH WHAT IS THE BREAKDOWN BECAUSE I'VE TALKED TO SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS IN OLATHE THEY DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER HERE HOW MUCH OF THAT IS EXPOSURES HOW MUCH OF THAT IS PEOPLE WHO ARE SICK HOW MUCH OF THAT IS PEOPLE WHO ARE ASYMPTOMATICALLY TESTING POSITIVE I MEAN THOSE ARE QUESTIONS WE DON'T HAVE ANSWERS TO AND WHEN SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS DON'T HAVE ANSWERS TO THEM HOW'S THE PUBLIC SUPPOSED TO GET THESE ANSWERS I THINK THAT LOOKING AT COVID AND REALIZING THAT STILL YES IN THIS WORLD IT DOES HAVE SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES FOR SOME PEOPLE BUT ALSO KNOWING THAT THE OMICRON VARIANT IS SPREADING LIKE WILDFIRE THANK GOODNESS THANK GOODNESS IT APPEARS TO BE FAR LESS SEVERE COMPARED TO THE PREVIOUS VARIANTS LOOKING AT THAT TO THE PRISM OF WHAT IS IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE KIDS AND WHEN WE SAW REMOTE LEARNING FAIL MISERABLY WITH NOW A MILLION KIDS AROUND THE COUNTRY HAVING DROPPED OUT OF SCHOOL SYSTEMS WE KNOW THAT YOU KNOW GIRLS AGE 12 TO 17 SUICIDE ATTEMPTS ARE UP 51 WHAT IS THE VALUE OF SHUTTING DOWN SCHOOLS IN THIS ENVIRONMENT KNOWING WHAT THE NEW VARIANT IS WHAT IS THE VALUE OF THAT AND IS IT WORTH IT AND THE ANSWER IS NO KYLE I MEAN CERTAINLY PETE'S TALKING ABOUT THERE ARE A LOT OF QUESTIONS STILL TO BE ANSWERED FOR INSTANCE WHAT IS GOING ON IN OLATHE BUT COVET KNOWS NO BOUNDARIES WHY IS IT THEN FOR INSTANCE THAT OLATHE AND KCK ARE HAVING TO SHUT DOWN SCHOOLS BUT A FEW BLOCKS AWAY BLUE VALLEY SHAWNEE MISSION ARE STILL IN SESSION WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE THERE WELL I MEAN I DON'T QUITE KNOW THE DIFFERENCE EXACTLY I'M SURE THERE'S A LOT OF VARIOUS FACTORS ALSO DEPENDING ON YOU KNOW WHAT EACH DISTRICT'S SUBPOOL LOOKS LIKE HOW MANY AVAILABLE CERTIFIED ADULTS YOU DO HAVE ON A DAILY BASIS I WILL SAY IT COULD BE CORRELATION AND NOT CAUSATION BUT SHAWNEE MISSION HAS ESSENTIALLY HAD A UNIVERSAL MASKING POLICY IN PLACE SINCE THE START OF THE YEAR UM THEY KEPT MASKS IN PLACE IN HIGH SCHOOLS AND OTHER DISTRICTS MADE IT OPTIONAL LAST SEMESTER THEY WERE GOING TO MAKE MASKS OPTIONAL IN MIDLAND HIGH SCHOOLS TO START THIS SEMESTER THEY DID IT FOR A DAY AND THEN AFTER A FEW DAYS OF CLASS THE NUMBERS WERE SO HIGH IT TRIGGERED GOING BACK TO UNIVERSAL UNIVERSAL MASKING IN ALL SCHOOLS AGAIN I SAY THAT MIGHT BE CORRELATION AND NOT CAUSATION BUT THAT'S ONE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SHAWNEE MISSION AND OLATHE SO I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT FACTORS AFFECTING THIS BUT I MEAN TO BE CLEAR BLUE VALLEY AND SHAWNEE MISSION HAVE HAVE SAID THAT THEY ARE UM RUNNING OUT OF OPTIONS IN THE WORDS OF BLUE VALLEY ITSELF SO WE MIGHT VERY WELL SEE A SCHOOL CLOSURE OR A DISTRICT CLOSURE IN THESE TWO DISTRICTS THIS WEEK OR NEXT YOU KNOW SOME COUNCIL MAYBE SOME UNSOLICITED ADVICE FOR PARENTS HERE NICK YOU KNOW WHEN IT COMES TO MAKING SUMMER VACATION PLANS I WOULDN'T MAKE THOSE PLANS FOR THE EARLY WEEKS OF JUNE I THINK WE'RE GOING TO SEE SCHOOL YEARS GET EXTENDED HERE REALLY IN SO MANY DISTRICTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY BECAUSE THERE AREN'T MANY OPTIONS FOR DISTRICTS UH ONLINE LEARNING AS DIA POINTS OUT UH CORRECTLY VERY MUCH LIMITED SO YOU'RE GOING TO SEE SCHOOL DISTRICTS EXTENDING YEARS DOING DIFFERENT THINGS TO PUSH MAYBE INTO JUNE YOU KNOW NICK IT'S NOT LOST ON ME THAT THERE WAS A CITY IN OKLAHOMA WHERE POLICE OFFICERS WERE BEING CALLED IN TO SERVE AS SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS BECAUSE THERE'S NOWHERE ELSE TO TURN TO GET PEOPLE INTO THE CLASSROOMS RIGHT NOW THAT'S JUST HOW DIRE OF A SITUATION WE'RE IN TODAY THE GOOD NEWS IS THERE IS A LITTLE BIT OF GOOD NEWS THAT HOPEFULLY THIS THIS WAVE IS GOING TO CREST FAIRLY SOON BASED ON WHAT WE'RE SEEING ELSEWHERE AND WE'LL BE OUT OF THIS COME MARCH OR APRIL KANSAS CITY MAYOR QUINTO LUCAS WAS BACK IN THE NATIONAL MEDIA SPOTLIGHT THIS WEEK HE WAS ONE OF THE HEADLINE GUESTS ON FACE THE NATION WHILE HE WAS IN MILLIONS OF LIVING ROOMS COAST TO COAST NOT HERE THE INTERVIEW WAS PREEMPTED BY THE CHIEFS GAME DAY SHOW SO AS YOU MISSED IT HERE ARE SOME HIGHLIGHTS YOU SAID YOU'D CONSIDER A CITY-WIDE MASS MANDATE IF DEATHS AND HOSPITALIZATIONS REACHED A CERTAIN POINT DO YOU HAVE A THRESHOLD THERE WHAT'S HOLDING YOU BACK RIGHT NOW WHAT'S HOLDING US BACK IS IN SOME WAYS THE POLITICAL CHALLENGE THAT WE RECEIVE FROM THE STATE OF MISSOURI THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS LAWSUITS FILED BY THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF MISSOURI WHO IS RUNNING FOR UNITED STATES SENATE A REPUBLICAN WHO HAS SOUGHT MASKED MANDATES AND CALLED THEM THINGS THAT ARE CHALLENGES TO FREEDOM HE'S CALLED THEM CHALLENGES TYRANNY THOSE SORTS OF THINGS THAT WE FACE EVERY TIME WE ISSUE A NEW MASK REQUIREMENT NOW RECENTLY ON THIS PROGRAM OUR PANELISTS SAID THE REASON WHY WE'RE NOT SEEING THESE MASK MANDATES IS BECAUSE THERE WAS ACTUALLY OUR LOCAL ELECTED LEADERS HAD NO POLITICAL WILL TO DO IT SO WHAT WE TO MAKE THIS WEEK OF CITY COUNCILS IN FAIRWAY ROLAND PARK PRAIRIE VILLAGE AND MISSION ALL VOTING TO ENACT CITY-WIDE MASS MANDATES AND PROMISING TO SLAP YOU WITH A FINE IF YOU DON'T COMPLY WHAT MAKES THE MAYORS OF THOSE JOHNSON COUNTY CITIES THEN KYLE PALMER HAVE A BIT MORE OF A POLITICAL BACKBONE THAN THE MAYOR OF KANSAS CITY OR EVEN ED ISLET AS THE HEAD OF JOHNSON COUNTY GOVERNMENT UH YOU'RE TRYING TO GET ME IN TROUBLE UM I THINK UM I WILL SAY BACK TO THE IDEA OF POLITICAL WILL I I MEAN I'LL SAY FRANKLY I THINK THERE IS POLITICAL WILL IN THIS PART OF NORTHEAST JOHNSON COUNTY ALL FOUR OF THESE CITIES ARE RELATIVELY SMALL UM THEY'RE CONTIGUOUS WITH EACH OTHER I MEAN IN FACT PRAIRIE VILLAGE ROLAND PARK AND MISSION LITERALLY COORDINATED WITH EACH OTHER TO HAVE SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS ON THE SAME NIGHT AND IN PAST ORDINANCES THAT WERE ESSENTIALLY IDENTICAL TO EACH OTHER FAIRWAY FOLLOWED SUIT THE NEXT NIGHT UM ALL THESE CITIES TOO UM HAVE LEADERS IN GOVERNING BODIES THAT ARE UM IF WE'RE DOING POLITICAL SCORECARDS YOU KNOW RELATIVELY POLITICALLY PROGRESSIVE AND LEFT LEANING AND HAVE GENERALLY ALIGNED RIGHT WITH MASS FRIENDLY OR AT LEAST MASS TOLERANT POLICIES THROUGHOUT THE PANDEMIC I MEAN JUST AS A REFERENCE POINT PRAIRIE VILLAGE HAS CITY COUNCIL ELECTIONS LAST YEAR THREE CONTESTED SEATS ON THAT GOVERNING BODY THE THREE CANDIDATES WHO WON BY A WIDE MARGIN WERE ALL CANDIDATES WHO SUPPORTED THE CITY'S PREVIOUS MASS MANDATE AND MADE THAT A CENTRAL PART OF THEIR CAMPAIGN SO THIS IS THE AREA OF JOHNSON COUNTY WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IT DOESN'T APPLY TO ALL AREAS OF JOHNSON COUNTY FOR SURE BUT I THINK THERE IS POLITICAL WILL IN THIS AREA OF JOHNSON BUT DEAR THE MAYOR HAS STILL LEFT OPEN THE POSSIBILITY OF A MASS MANDATE AND I KNOW HE IS TRYING TO BRING UH THE WHAT THEY CALL THE CORE FOUR LEADERS OF KANSAS CITY TOGETHER TO TRY AND DO IT ON A BROADER BASIS BELIEVING THAT IT WOULDN'T BE HELPFUL JUST TO DO IT IN IN KANSAS CITY MISSOURI BUT HE WAS TOLD ON THE FACE THE NATION HE WOULDN'T SAY YOU KNOW WHAT THAT WORST SITUATION WOULD BE I MEAN HE WOULDN'T SAY ANY SPECIFIC STATISTICS HOW MANY DEATHS HOW MANY HOSPITALIZATIONS DOES THAT SAY THIS IS MORE ABOUT POLITICAL HUNCH THAN SOUND SCIENCE RIGHT NOW I'M JUST GONNA BUST THE BUBBLE HERE IT'S NOT GONNA HAPPEN UM INITIALLY IN THE START OF THE PANDEMIC THE BAROMETER WAS THE POSITIVITY RATE RIGHT IF IT GOT OVER 10 THEN THAT'S WHEN SCHOOLS WOULD MAKE CHANGES CITY GOVERNMENTS WOULD MAKE CHANGES THE POSITIVITY RATE Y'ALL IS OVER 30 RIGHT NOW THAT MEANS THREE OUT OF EVERY 10 PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING TO GET TESTED FOR COVID IN OUR METRO AREA ARE POSITIVE OKAY THAT DOESN'T MEAN ALL THESE PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE HOSPITALIZED DOESN'T MEAN ALL THESE PEOPLE ARE GOING TO DIE IT I MEAN OMICRON TO PETE'S POINT IS LESS THREATENING RIGHT THAN SOME OF THE PREVIOUS VARIANTS BUT GUESS WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE ON ZETA VARIANT NEXT MONTH NEXT WEEK THIS IS NOT GOING AWAY AND SO THERE IS NO SET BAROMETER AND I WOULD JUST REMIND PEOPLE THAT I WORK AT A NEWS STATION AND SO I LISTEN TO THESE SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS AND THESE CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS THESE PEOPLE ARE GETTING BERATED DAY IN AND DAY OUT EVERY TIME THEY SIT BEHIND THESE LECTERNS FROM PEOPLE WHO DON'T WANT TO WEAR MASKS FROM PEOPLE WHO DON'T WANT TO PARTICIPATE WITH CONTACT TRACING OR ALL THE THINGS THAT ARE GOING TO HELP US GET OUT OF THIS MESS SO PEOPLE ARE TIRED WHAT WOULD HAVE TO HAPPEN PETE FOR YOU TO SAY YOU KNOW I THINK THIS IS NOW THE TIME THAT WE NEED A MASS MANDATE IN KANSAS CITY IS THERE A NUMBER OF HOSPITALIZATIONS A NUMBER OF DEATHS UH PROBLEM AT HOSPITALS WHERE YOU CAN'T GET IN ANYMORE NO BECAUSE THE CDC CAME OUT AND MADE THE POINT THAT UH YOU KNOW THESE CLOTH MASKS ARE HIGHLY INEFFECTIVE AGAINST OMICRON SO UNLESS THE MAYOR OR ANYBODY FOR THAT MATTER IN ANY OF THESE CITIES ARE GOING TO COME OUT AND SAY WE'RE REQUIRING N95S THEN IT'S ALL POLITICAL THEATER MAYBE THE ANSWER IS 95 AT MASS WE'RE AT THAT POINT WHERE THIS PANDEMIC IS SO OUT OF CONTROL THE MAYOR HAS SAID HE'S GOING TO KEEP AN EYE ON HOSPITALIZATIONS NICK AND IF THOSE REACH A CERTAIN POINT YOU KNOW HE MAY RECONSIDER HIS STANCE I THINK HIS CORE PROBLEM HERE AND HE KNOWS IT IS IS THE ENFORCEABILITY OF A MASS MANDATE IN A CITY WHERE YOU HAVE HOMICIDE ACCOUNTS THROUGH THE ROOF ENFORCING MASS MANDATES IS PROBABLY NOT PRIORITY ONE DESPITE WHERE WE STAND RIGHT NOW WITH THE OMICRON VARIANT I THINK HE SORT OF FINDS HIMSELF IN A LITTLE BIT OF A PICKLE HERE BUT IF HOSPITALIZATION RATES CONTINUE TO GO UP MAYBE HE RECONSIDERS ONE THING I WOULD ADD THOUGH WE RAN A STORY JUST THIS WEEK OF A WOMAN HAVING A MEDICAL EMERGENCY WHO WAS REROUTED TO THREE DIFFERENT HOSPITALS SO THIS IS ALREADY HAPPENING AND JUST BECAUSE IT HASN'T HAPPENED IN MAYBE YOUR CORNER OR YOUR HOUSEHOLD DOESN'T MEAN THAT IT'S NOT A SERIOUS REALITY FOR OTHER FAMILIES IN OUR COMMUNITY LAST WEEK IT WAS KANSAS GOVERNOR LAURA KELLY GRABBING THE SPOTLIGHT WITH HER BIG STATE OF THE STATE ADDRESS THIS WEEK IT WAS MIKE PARSONS TURN WE NEVER HAD ANY STATE MANDATES OR FORCED BUSINESSES SCHOOLS OR CHURCHES TO CLOSE IN THIS STATE AND WHEN IT COMES TO CULVER 19 I DON'T SUPPORT AND HAVE NEVER SUPPORTED MANDATES AND MISSOURIANS CAN REST ASSURED THAT MY POSITION WILL NOT CHANGE WE'VE GOT IT HE HASN'T CHANGED HIS TUNE ON COVID THAT WASN'T A SURPRISE BUT WHAT WAS THE BIGGEST SURPRISE FROM THE MISSOURI GOVERNOR'S STATE OF THE STATE ADDRESS FOR YOU THIS WEEK PETE WELL I I THINK FOR FOR ME AS I WAS UH LISTENING TO A GOVERNOR PARSON I MEAN HE HIT ON A KIND OF A LOT OF UH MAINSTREAM ISSUES WHICH ARE GOOD THAT SHOULD APPEAL TO I THINK UH MISSOURIANS ACROSS THE BOARD BUT WHEN HE WHEN HE DELIVERED A LINE ABOUT UH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IT SEEMED LIKE IT WAS DELIVERED EXCLUSIVELY TO MAYOR QUINTON LUCAS ABOUT UH DEFENDING LAW ENFORCEMENT I BELIEVE IT WAS NOT DEFUNDING LAW ENFORCEMENT I'M PARAPHRASING UH WHEN I USE HIS QUOTE THERE AND THAT'S THAT'S TELLING TO ME BECAUSE THERE'S A BILL OF COURSE IN MISSOURI FROM STATE SENATOR TONY LUTHER MEYER HERE LOCALLY THAT WANTS TO INCREASE THE THE MINIMUM THRESHOLD OF POLICE FUNDING FOR THE KCPD FROM 20 OF THE GENERAL FUND TO 25 PERCENT TYPICALLY HERE OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS GOVERNOR PARSONS BEEN UH PRETTY DEFERENTIAL TO MAYOR LUCAS I WONDER IF THAT WAS A SIGN THAT HE'S OPEN TO SIGNING A BILL LIKE THIS FROM TONY LUTHER MEYER IF IT DOES ULTIMATELY COME TO HIS DESK WHICH STILL COULD BE A BIG F HE TALKS ABOUT MORE MONEY FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT IN THAT REGARD THERE DEAR ANOTHER THING THAT WAS KIND OF SURPRISING IS A LOT MORE MONEY FOR TEACHERS THE GOVERNOR SAYING THAT ACTUALLY IN IN MISSOURI THE LOWEST PAID TEACHERS THEY WANT TO RAISE THE PAY FOR THEM NOW YOU WONDER WHY YOU DON'T HAVE ANY TEACHERS GETTING BERATED GETTING HATEFUL EMAILS FROM PARENTS ALL DAY MY MOTHER IS A RETIRED TEACHER AND SO YOU KNOW THIS I'VE BEEN ON WEEK IN REVIEW ENOUGH EDUCATORS HAVE MY HEART RIGHT UM I SAY THAT TO SAY YOU PAY THEM NEXT TO NOTHING TEACHERS HAVE TO GET PART-TIME JOBS AND RUN ETSY SHOPS AND ALL THESE OTHER THINGS AND THEN DEAL WITH COVET AND THE STRESS OF THAT MAN WELL OVERDUE LONG OVERDUE PAY TODAY ON TEACHERS BECAUSE I GUARANTEE YOU KEN CITY POLICE MAKE A LOT MORE THAN THAT NICK THE BIG SURPRISE FOR ME THE GOVERNOR IS PROPOSING MORE THAN A HALF BILLION DOLLARS FOR HIGHER EDUCATION IN MISSOURI MAINLY FOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS BUT ALSO FOR SOME SCHOLARSHIP SUPPORT AS A HIGHER EDUCATION GUY I'M COMING TO YOU FROM MY OFFICE AT UMKC LONG OVERLOOKED IN THIS STATE FOR A LOT OF YEARS FINALLY SOME SOME SUPPORT AND SOME HELP COMING FOR HIGHER EDUCATION LONG OVERDUE MUCH APPRECIATED AND EAGER TO SEE IT ON LAST WEEK'S PROGRAM DAVE HELLING SAID WHEN LAURA KELLY WAS MAKING HER STATE OF THE STATE ADDRESS LAST WEEK SHE SHOULD HAVE BEEN WEARING A SANTA CLAUS SUIT SHE WAS GIVING AWAY SO MANY FREEBIES INCLUDING THROWING 250 DOLLAR REBATE CHECKS TO PEOPLE GOVERNOR MIKE PARSON WASN'T DOING ANY OF THAT IN A MORE DIRECT WAY DURING HIS SPEECH THIS WEEK SO DON'T LOOK FOR BIG UH BIG CHECKS COMING YOUR WAY WE KNOW THE REDISTRICTING IS ACTUALLY AN ISSUE IN BOTH OF OUR STATE CAPITALS WHILE IN MISSOURI IT LOOKS LIKE REPUBLICANS ARE GOING TO LEAVE KANSAS CITY CONGRESSMAN EMMANUEL CLEAVER'S DISTRICT ALONE NOT SO ON THE KANSAS SIDE WHERE SHARICE DAVIDS IS NOW STARING AT A VERY DIFFERENT RE-ELECTION MAP THIS WEEK REPUBLICAN LEGISLATIVE LEADERS ISSUED A NEW LOOK KANSAS THIRD DISTRICT THAT WILL SEE HALF OF WYANDOTTE COUNTY MOVE TO TOPEKA'S SECOND DISTRICT AND BY THE WAY DID I HEAR THIS RIGHT KYLE LAWRENCE WOULD MOVE INTO THE SAME DISTRICT AS WESTERN KANSAS YES THAT IS WHAT ONE MAP SHOWS UH I THINK THERE'S DIFFERENT WAYS TO SLICE AND DICE THIS AND WE'RE NOT DONE WITH THIS AND THIS PROCESS MAY JUST BE BEGINNING BUT I MEAN I WILL SAY THE THIRD DISTRICT AT LEAST WHERE I LIVE UM IS NOW TOO POPULOUS TO KEEP COMPLETELY WHOLE IN ITS CURRENT FORM THAT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN IT'S GOING TO HAVE TO BE SPLIT UP IN SOME WAY SOME SEGMENT OF THE POPULATION IS GOING TO HAVE TO GO SOMEWHERE ELSE BUT I WILL SAY MANY RESIDENTS AND AND READERS OF THE SHAWNEE MISSION POST ARE ARE WARY ABOUT WHAT PART OR PORTION WILL GET SLICED OFF THEY MANY OF THEM DO NOT TRUST THE REPUBLICAN LEGISLATURE SINCE THE COMMENTS MADE BY FORMER SENATE PRESIDENT SUSAN WEGEL LAST YEAR ABOUT UH WANTING TO UH ENGINEER THE MAP SO THAT SHARICE DAVIDS DOES GET VOTED OUT THEY THAT HAS SOURED THEM ON THIS PROCESS I THINK EVEN BEFORE IT BEGAN BUT STEVE IF THIS MAP IS THE ONE THAT IS SELECTED AND HALF OF WYANDOTTE COUNTY GOES TO UH TOPEKA AND THE BOTTOM HALF STAYS IN THAT DISTRICT IS CHARISSE DAVID'S IN TROUBLE ABSOLUTELY AND SHE'S BEEN IN TROUBLE EVEN BEFORE THIS PROCESS BEGAN THAT SHE WON BY 10 POINTS TWO YEARS AGO THAT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN THIS TIME AND IT'S NOT ONLY BECAUSE OF REDISTRICTING THIS IS UH PRESIDENT BIDEN'S FIRST MIDTERM ELECTION THE OUT PARTIED IN THIS CASE THE REPUBLICANS HISTORICALLY HAVE ALWAYS DONE WELL AND YOU'LL SEE A BIG RESURGENCE OF REPUBLICAN SUPPORT NOT ONLY IN THE THIRD DISTRICT BUT ACROSS THE COUNTRY SHE'S UP UP TO HER ELBOWS IN A VERY TOUGH RE-ELECTION FIGHT AGAINST REPUBLICAN AMANDA ATKINS EVEN IF SHE LOSES THOUGH A PORTION OF WEINER COUNTY THAT HAS RELIABLE DEMOCRATIC VOTERS PETE THE FACT THAT SHE DID WIN AS STEVE SAID BY 10 PERCENTAGE POINTS DOESN'T THAT GIVE HIM ENOUGH ROOM TO MANEUVER AND WIN THERE UH ASKED TERRY MCAULIFFE THAT IN VIRGINIA I MEAN JOE BIDEN WON THE STATE OF VIRGINIA BY 10 POINTS A YEAR AGO AND THEN TERRY MCAULIFFE LOST IT BY TWO POINTS TO GLEN YONKIN SO I MEAN TO STEVE'S POINT EVEN IF THE THIRD DISTRICT HELD AS IT CURRENTLY WAS IT WAS GOING TO BE A TOUGH RE-ELECTION BID BECAUSE I MEAN SHARICE DAVIDS WAS ABLE TO RUN IN 18 AND 20 REALLY YOU KNOW JUST AGAINST DONALD TRUMP WHICH IS FINE THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS IN MIDTERMS IT'S AN EFFECTIVE STRATEGY IT'S A VERY DIFFERENT YEAR UH BUT I WILL NOTE I MEAN THE THIRD DISTRICT HAS TO LOOK DIFFERENT AND AND ONE THING THAT STATE SENATE PRESIDENT TY MASTERSON SPECIFICALLY POINTED OUT IS THAT WITH THE WAY AT LEAST THE MAP THAT HE'S PROPOSED OR ONE OF THE MAPS THAT HE'S LATCHED ONTO THE ONE THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE UH SHARICE DAVIDS WOULD HAVE STILL WON THAT DISTRICT IN 2020 SO LET'S JUST IT'S SOMETHING TO NOTE HERE UM AS WE MOVE FORWARD IN THIS PROCESS BUT IF THIS IF THIS IS THE MAP UH IS IT POSSIBLE THAT SOMEONE ELSE WILL COME FORWARD BEYOND AMANDA ADKINS WHO LOST TO CHARIS DAVIS TWO YEARS AGO WHO'S CURRENTLY THE FRONT RUNNER IN THAT RACE WOULD SOMEBODY ELSE COME FORWARD AND SEE A NEWLY RECONSTITUTED MAP AND SAY I'M GOING TO GET IN NOW OH POSSIBLY NICK BUT BUT I THINK THE PARTY IS PRETTY STRONGLY AND AND WHOLLY BEHIND AMANDA ATKINS SHE GAVE IT A GOOD RUN IN 2020 THEY WANT TO GIVE HER A SECOND SHOT THIS TIME BASED ON HER YEARS OF SERVICE TO THE KANSAS REPUBLICAN PARTY BEFORE WE LEAVE THE PROGRAM I WANT TO MENTION SOME OTHER RACES THAT I THINK ARE IMPORTANT AS MOST OF THE POLITICAL PUNDITRY CLASSES ALREADY FIXATED ON THESE MIDTERM ELECTIONS IT'S EASY TO FORGET THAT THERE ARE SOME PRETTY SIZABLE ELECTIONS BEING DECIDED BEFORE THEN RIGHT HERE IN OUR OWN BACKYARD INCLUDING THE LEADER OF JOHNSON COUNTY ED ISLET IS NOW 82 YEARS OLD AND UP FOR REELECTION THIS YEAR YET HE HAS SAID ABSOLUTELY NOTHING ABOUT HIS FUTURE PLANS THIS WEEK ANOTHER CANDIDATE THROWS THEIR HAT INTO THE RING TO LEAD JOHNSON COUNTY FORMER KANSAS INSURANCE COMMISSIONER KEN SELZER IS THE FOURTH NAME TO ENTER THE RACE THE MAYOR OF ROLAND PARK IS ALREADY CAMPAIGNING SO ARE TWO SITTING COUNTY COMMISSIONERS CLEAR THE AIR FOR US KYLE IS ED ISLAND RUNNING OR NOT YOU'D HAVE TO ASK ED EILER WHICH WE HAVE AND WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN A RESPONSE YET PERHAPS HE'S THAT CANDIDATE WHO'S GOING TO RUN FOR THE THIRD DISTRICT HE DID RUN HE DID RUN FOR CONGRESS BEFORE STEVE DO YOU REMEMBER THAT OH ABSOLUTELY HE DIDN'T DO VERY WELL NO BUT STILL A FORMIDABLE PRESENCE IN JOHNSON COUNTY I'M SEEING ALL THESE OTHER CANDIDATES THOUGH THINK HE'S NOT GOING TO RUN AGAIN BECAUSE WHY ELSE WOULD THEY BE SPENDING ALL OF THEIR MONEY AND ATTENTION ON THIS WELL I MEAN HE'S CURRENTLY IN HIS 80S HE'S BEEN A PUBLIC SERVANT IN JOHNSON COUNTY FOR I MEAN LITERALLY MY ENTIRE LIFE SO THE THOUGHT IS THAT HE IS CLOSE TO RETIRING TWO COUNT TWO CURRENT COMMISSIONERS THROWING THEIR HAT INTO THE RING SUGGEST THAT MAYBE THEY KNOW SOMETHING WE DON'T UM BUT YET HE HAS NOT MADE ANYTHING OFFICIAL YET FOR EQUITY BALANCE BETWEEN OUR BOTH STATES I SHOULD ALSO POINT OUT THAT THE HEAD OF JACKSON COUNTY GOVERNMENT IS ALSO FADING FACING VOTERS THIS YEAR AND THIS WEEK FRANK WHITE DRAWS HIS FIRST OPPONENT WHAT HAS FRANK WHITE DONE FOR OUR COUNTY STACY LAKE IS AN ATTORNEY AND FORMER SMALL BUSINESS OWNER WHO'S GOT A SLICK AD BEHIND HER AND IS QUESTIONING WHAT FRANK WHITE HAS ACTUALLY DONE FOR JACKSON COUNTY EXECUTIVE EXCEPT GET INVOLVED IN A NUMBER OF HOT MESSES INCLUDING PROPERTY TAX APPRAISALS SHOULD FRANK WHITE BE WORRY INDIA I DON'T KNOW IF I HAVE AN ANSWER FOR THAT ONE YET BUT I WILL SAY THAT PROPERTY TAX MESS WAS LONG IN THE MAKING NOW DON'T GET ME WRONG I THINK EVERYBODY WOULD AGREE IT COULD HAVE BEEN HANDLED BETTER WHEN THEY DISCOVERED THE PROBLEM BUT AS WITH ALL POLITICAL ADS A LITTLE TRUTH A LITTLE FIXTURE SHOULD HE BE WORRIED PETE NO UH NOT RIGHT NOT RIGHT NOW I THINK UH YOU KNOW AND I'M BY THE WAY I'M IMPRESSED BY THE STACEY LAKE VIDEO I THINK THERE'S A LANE THERE SHE'S IDENTIFIED AS A DEMOCRAT BUT NOT PLEASED WITH FRANK WHITE'S LACK OF TRANSPARENCY AND OTHER ISSUES UH BUT THERE'S NO DOUBT ABOUT IT I MEAN FRANK WHITE I KNOW THAT THE LAST TWO YEARS HAVE BEEN TOUGH FOR EVERY POLITICIAN ON A LOCAL LEVEL BUT I NOT DONE A GOOD JOB BOTHERED PEOPLE ON BOTH SIDES OF THE POLITICAL AISLE SHOULD HAVE GONE THE GEORGE BRETT ROUTE KISSING BABIES SHOWING UP AT ROYALS GAMES YOU WOULD BE IN MUCH BETTER SHAPE RIGHT NOW STEVE I AGREE WITH PETE YOU KNOW FRANK WHITE'S A ROYALS HALL OF FAMER HE HASN'T HAD THE BEST TENURE AS JACKSON COUNTY EXECUTIVE BUT NOBODY KNOWS WHO STACY LAKE IS FRANK WHITE IS IN PROBABLY PRETTY GOOD SHAPE NOW WE CAN'T GET TO EVERY BIG STORY MAKING THE NEWS IN KANSAS CITY IN HALF AN HOUR WE DIDN'T EVEN GET TO THE KANSAS CITY COUNCIL MEMBER WHO DROPPED THE F-BOMB DURING THE IMPORTANT COMMITTEE MEETING THIS WEEK UM WELL I THINK WE'VE LOST ONE OF OUR VOTES THANKS TO YOU ALL DELAY CHARMING WAS THAT THE BIG STORY WE MISSED OR WAS IT ONE OF THESE THE CHIEFS CINCH ONE STEP CLOSER TO THE SUPER BOWL AND AN UNEXPECTED SUPPLY CHAIN SHORTAGE AS ARROWHEAD RUNS OUT OF TOUCHDOWN FIREWORKS CHILDREN'S MERCY WITH A MORE SERIOUS SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUE THE HOSPITAL HALTING ROUTINE COVID TESTS SUBMIT A SHORTAGE OF TEST KITS IT HAS CAUSED A LOT OF HAVOC IN OUR INSTITUTION BECAUSE WE DO ABOUT 5 000 TESTS A WEEK AN EXPLOSION OF COVID CASES PROMPTS THE KANSAS DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TO ABANDON CONTRACT TRACING AND DON'T WAIT FOR YOUR KIDS SCHOOL TO TELL YOU IF YOUR CHILD HAS BEEN EXPOSED JOHNSON COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICTS ANNOUNCED THEY'RE NO LONGER NOTIFYING FAMILIES BECAUSE QUITE FRANKLY WITH THE NUMBER OF CASES WE CAN'T KEEP UP KANSAS CITY MARKS MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY HE TOLD US WE'LL HAVE DIFFICULT DAYS AHEAD AND IT SEEMS LIKE WE'RE STILL FIGHTING THE SAME FIGHTS WE FOUGHT 60 YEARS AGO AND IN KCK THE NEW MAYOR UNDER FIRE TYRONE GARNER SWORE TO FIGHT AGAINST WASTEFUL SPENDING NOW HE'S FACING UNCOMFORTABLE QUESTIONS ABOUT WHY HE SPENT EIGHTY FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS OF THE COUNTY'S MONEY ON A LUXURY SUV ALRIGHTY PETE MUNDO DID YOU PICK ONE OF THOSE STORIES OR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT NICK I'M GONNA DO A QUICK SHAMELESS PROMOTION SINCE WE GIVE YOU THIS GREAT CONTENT EVERY WEEK UH THE ERIC SCHMIDT QUENTIN LUCAS BACK AND FORTH IT MAY BE A LITTLE TMZE BUT IT'S FASCINATING ERIC SCHMIDT THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF COURSE IS PLANNING TO AMEND HIS LAWSUIT AGAINST KANSAS CITY OVER MASKED MANDATES IN SCHOOL UH WE TALKED TO THE ATTORNEY GENERAL ON MY SHOW ABOUT THAT THIS WEEK THE MAYOR THEN RESPONDED ON THURSDAY MORNING CALLING THE ATTORNEY GENERAL A TOTAL FUNNY PHONY A SAINT LOUIS COUNTY MODERATE DOESN'T KNOW WHO HE WANTS TO BE SO JUST SOMETHING TO KEEP AN EYE ON AND THE MAYOR DID HAVE UH SOME CHOICE WORDS FOR THE ATTORNEY GENERAL IN A TWEET THAT WAS DELETED LATE ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT SO THIS IS UH PRETTY ENTERTAINING IF NOTHING ELSE KYLE PALMER UH I DID GO WITH CONTACT TRACING YOU KNOW THE LOCAL AGENCIES AND ORGANIZATIONS KIND OF WAVING THE WHITE FLAG JUST BECAUSE OF THE FLOOD OF OMICRON CASES JOHNSON COUNTY JUST YESTERDAY LAUNCHED AN ONLINE PORTAL WHERE PEOPLE CAN THEY'RE ASKING PEOPLE TO REPORT THEIR OWN AT-HOME COVA 19 TEST RESULTS THAT'S ONE SIGN OF JUST HOW DIFFERENT THE OMICRON SURGE IS AND I WILL ALSO JUST SAY ONE UH FINAL TIME THAT ON A DIFFERENT TOPIC WITH ALL THE HANDWRINGING ABOUT LOCAL NEWS THE SHAWNEE MISSION POST IS EXPANDING TO BLUE VALLEY SO YOU CAN GO TO BLUEVALLEYPOST.COM AND YOU CAN SIGN UP FOR A DOLLAR JUST FOR YOUR FIRST MONTH AND YOU GET SUBSCRIPTIONS TO BOTH SITES OH WE'RE GETTING LOTS OF SHAMELESS PROMOTIONS HERE AND WHAT IS 41 ACTION NEWS UP TO WHAT WAS THE OLD STORY THAT WAS MISSED HERE NOW NICK I'M GONNA GET IN TROUBLE WE'RE KSHB 41 NOW YES OKAY NOW THAT I'VE CHECKED THAT OFF UH GET READY FOR MY RANT OF THE DAY WE ARE ABOUT TO CROSS OVER TWO YEARS DEALING WITH COVEN AND I'M TIRED LIKE I AM SO TIRED MY ONLY PLEA FOR OUR COMMUNITY YOU'RE ENTITLED TO YOUR YOUR VIEWS YOUR FEELINGS YOUR BELIEFS BUT INSTEAD OF BEING CONTRARIAN ABOUT EVERYTHING JUST ASK YOURSELF WHAT AM I DOING TO HELP GET US OUT OF THIS MESS I BEG YOU STEVE NICK ON CASEY YOU ARE UP TO DATE 89.3 ON YOUR FM DIAL JUST TO POINT THAT OUT I HAD DAVID HAWLEY ON THE SHOW THIS WEEK HE'S THE OWNER OF THE STEAMBOAT ARABIA MR HAWLEY WANTS TO SET UP A NATIONAL STEAMBOAT MUSEUM WITH STEAMBOATS FROM EVERY DECADE DURING THE STEAMBOAT ERA IT'S A FASCINATING IDEA WHAT BECAME CLEAR DURING THAT CONVERSATION NICK IS THAT IT'S IT'S NOT CERTAIN THAT THAT MUSEUM IS GOING TO BE IN KANSAS CITY MARSHALL MISSOURI IS REALLY INTERESTED CITIES IN PENNSYLVANIA THAT MANUFACTURED THESE BOATS ARE VERY INTERESTED KANSAS CITY LEADERS BETTER WAKE UP TO THE IDEA THAT THAT MUSEUM MAY NOT BE HERE FOREVER AND MAYBE IT SHOULD BE AND ON THAT WE WILL SAY OUR WEEK HAS BEEN REVIEWED THANKS TO DEAR WALL FROM 41 NEWS 6 TO 10 WEEKDAYS ON KCMO TALK RADIO PETE MONDAY FROM THE SHAWNEE MISSION POST AND THE NEW BLUE VALLEY POST CAL PALMER AND KEEPING YOU UP TO DATE WEEKDAYS AT 9 ON KCUR FM STEVE KRASKE AND I'M MCCAINS FROM ALL OF US HERE AT KANSAS CITY PBS BE WELL KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON