AltWeeklies Wire
Professor Pellom McDaniels Wants to Move Kansas City's Black History Beyond Entertainmentnew
Most black school kids, he says, view entertainment -- being a professional athlete or a performer -- as the only form of success available to them. McDaniels, who happens to be a former NFL player, sees history as the key to breaking the cycle of poverty and opening a wider future.
Freed After 24 Years of False Imprisonment, Darryl Burton Forgives Younew
Burton didn't just survive prison -- he met other innocents there, too, victims of a flawed justice system. Now, he says, it's his calling to do something about it.
The Pitch |
Nadia Pflaum |
09-29-2009 |
Crime & Justice
Still at War, the Army Opens a New Front: Against Soldier Suicidenew
In 2008, 140 active-duty soldiers committed suicide. That's 75 percent more than the number in 2003 and the highest rate since the Army started keeping track three decades ago. Jim Haus was almost one of the casualties.
She Survived a Rape and Stabbing 10 Years Ago, and So Did Her Casenew
Recounting the story to The Pitch is like putting a period at the end of a decade of victimhood. Maybe talking about it will help other victims, she says, let them know "they can still live -- well." And maybe, she says, there's still a chance to catch the fucker who did it.
The Pitch |
Nadia Pflaum |
08-25-2009 |
Crime & Justice
In Rejecting Real Health Care Reform, Businesses Don't Know What's Good for Themnew
"The system sucks! Save the system!" That, in six words, pretty much sums up what Chamber of Commerce types are contributing to the health-care debate. I'm exaggerating but only a little.
Kansas City Notifies Wal-Mart That One of its Dead Stores is a Nuisancenew
Wal-Mart has abandoned hundreds of locations in the course of its aggressive expansion. Big-rig operators and others have stashed vehicles near a dead Sam's Club in Kansas City for more than a year, and city officials are finally taking notice.
The Pitch |
David Martin |
07-14-2009 |
Business & Labor
It's a Dirty Job Nabbing Horny Guys in the Park, But Somebody's Gotta Do Itnew
The Kansas City Police Department's vice squad spends a couple of days a month conducting covert stings to ferret out men seeking sex in public parks. When things go right, the job is predictable.
The Pitch |
Nadia Pflaum |
07-14-2009 |
Crime & Justice
Hey, All You People Worried About Journalism: Meet the Future Pressnew
Take one glance at the eight-page tabloid Voice of the Tigers, put out by sixth and seventh graders, and its clear that freedom of the press is alive and well at Kansas City's Franklin School.
Missouri's Death Penalty May Not Outlive Dennis Skillicorn Very Longnew
Two bills in Missouri's Legislature have proposed a moratorium on the death penalty and a review board to examine issues such as cost, fairness and the risk of wrongful execution.
The Pitch |
Nadia Pflaum |
05-19-2009 |
Crime & Justice
Can Kansas City Turn Its Trash Problem into an Opportunity?new
In Kansas City, trash is consistently among the top citizen complaints. Landfill space is shrinking fast. And now the city's trash collection contractor is raising its prices. Kansas City is hoping to elbow its way out of the company's grasp -- and make some money doing it.
The Pitch |
Carolyn Szczepanski |
04-28-2009 |
Environment
Questions About Minority Participation in the Redevelopment of Downtown Kansas Citynew
A lawsuit makes a strong case that J.E. Dunn Construction Company rebuilt downtown Kansas City with little help from minority businesses.
The Pitch |
David Martin |
03-24-2009 |
Housing & Development
Twitter: The Fun of a Public Meeting without Having to Be Therenew
Pitch staff writer Nadia Pflaum had your back last Wednesday, when she spent a couple of hours "tweeting" from a meeting on a proposed dress-code ordinance in Kansas City.
Christian Former Cops Fight a Battle of Wit, Skill and Strategy with Imaginary School Shootersnew
Since a 2006 school shooting in Missouri, the state has been trying to get Missouri's schools prepared for another attack. Beating out more than a dozen agencies across the country for the one-year, $100,000 contract was Christian security firm Strategos.
The Pitch |
Peter Rugg |
03-17-2009 |
Crime & Justice
A K.C. Jail Is Falling Apart, But Shutting It Down Might Be Destructivenew
Nancy Leazer, Superintendent of Kansas City's Municipal Correctional Institution, has made shuttering this crumbling facility far more complicated.
The Pitch |
Carolyn Szczepanski |
03-10-2009 |
Crime & Justice
What Was the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City Doing as the Housing Market Went Insane?new
If president Thomas Hoenig saw trouble -- trouble he could have reported to insulated Washington -- he certainly kept pretty quiet about it.
