Share This Story Above Image Credit: “Kansas City Week in Review” host Nick Haines. (John McGrath | Flatland)
For many Kansas citizens, it’s another four-day week.
No, we won’t be stopping for a second Super Bowl parade, even though it would be fun. It’s Presidents Day.
This means that all banks are closed and you will not receive mail delivery.
Most government offices will be closed today, as will many area libraries and school districts.
And if you’re scratching your head wondering why your trash wasn’t picked up today, that too could be influenced by the holidays.
Kansas City is delaying garbage pickup until Tuesday.
Longest serving president
As we celebrate Presidents Day, come tributes and prayers for Jimmy Carter.
At 98, Carter is the longest-serving president in American history.
Over the weekend, the former president’s charity announced he would be entering hospice care after a series of illnesses. According to a release, Carter will forgo further medical interventions and has “decided to spend the remaining time at home with his family.”
Last week, reviewed
Bloody Anniversary
This Friday is the anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
The conflict has caused tens of thousands of deaths on both sides and the largest refugee crisis in Europe since World War II.
Kansas City Library is hosting a public forum on conflict this Tuesday at 6:00 pm at the Downtown Central Library.
Police funeral
A large crowd is expected at James Muhlbauer’s public funeral this week. It’s the Kansas City Police officer who was hit by a motorist running a red light between East Truman Road and Benton Boulevard.
A pedestrian and Muhlbauer’s police dog Champ were also killed in the high-speed collision.
Muhlbauer is the first Kansas City Police Department officer to be killed in the line of duty in 22 years.
A public viewing is scheduled for this Wednesday at 9:30 at the Municipal Auditorium in downtown Kansas City. The funeral will follow at 11.30
Muhlbauer served 20 years with the KCPD, the last three with the K-9 unit. He leaves behind his wife and 10-year-old son.
KCI prepares for takeoff
It’s almost time for take off.
This week, construction crews will be making some final adjustments and touch-ups to Kansas City’s new $1.5 billion airport terminal.
It opens to passengers next Tuesday.
A public test of the new Kansas City International Airport with mock passengers last week got rave reviews. But it also revealed the need for reinforced signage in places.
Even the security gates had not yet been completed, and KCI officials now acknowledge that most of the 45 restaurants and shops will be ready to open on day one.
It will also be one of the few airports across the country without a Starbucks. If you’ve booked one of those early flights next week, you’ll need to get your caffeine fix at Dunkin Donuts or one of the local shops that have won contracts at the new airport. Parisi and Messenger Coffee Co. both have seats in the new terminal.
Next up at KCI: the demolition of Terminals B and C. Neither building has been reused. The dismantling work will begin in the coming weeks.
NFL draft
If you already feel a huge void in your life now that the NFL season is over, don’t despair, Kansas City is just weeks away from hosting the NFL Draft.
Visit KC officials say we can expect 300,000 visitors converging downtown for the three-day football spectacle which kicks off on April 27.
We may find out this week which artists will be heading to Kansas City for the nationally televised event. In addition to the athletes, there will be a number of free concerts as part of the experience.
In fact, the entire event is so huge that Union Station says it will take four weeks just to build the stage. Also, head on, the historic building will be completely closed during the week leading up to the project.
Trash talk
We all produce garbage. But none of us want to live within a sniff of a landfill.
Amid concerns that Kansas City is planning to open a large new garbage site in southern Kansas City, residents are putting up signs in protest, and neighboring cities from Raymore to Lee’s Summit are getting state lawmakers involved.
The Missouri House will hold a public hearing on Tuesday on a bill that would require Kansas City to get state approval for any new landfill within a mile of another city’s boundaries. The Kansas City Council is expected to address the issue this week.
Disney story
The Walt Disney Co. is in crisis as it loses thousands of jobs, but backers of Walt Disney’s old animation studio in Kansas City are hoping for a more fairytale ending.
A large press conference is scheduled for Wednesday to announce $2 million in federal funding to help complete the renovation of the former Disney studio near Troost Avenue and 31st Street.
The building has been called the birthplace of Hollywood animation. Walt Disney and six other animators learned their animation craft making cartoons in the building before moving to California.
He was placed on the Kansas City demolition list in 1995.
Sports KC
After the Chiefs’ season ends, Sporting KC’s season kicks off this week.
Kansas City heads to Portland to face the Timbers on Saturday. It’s a late game. Kick-off is at 9.30pm
As they launch a new season, Sporting hosts a free watch party at Chicken N Pickle in Overland Park. In addition to watching the game, you can play pickleball for free, take a selfie with the team’s MLS Cup 2013 trophy, and get reduced prices on food and drink.
Tickets are free but you need to reserve your seat in advance.
Royals spring training
The Kansas City Royals play their first spring training game this week.
The team is now in Surprise, Arizona for spring training. Their first Cactus League matchup is this Friday against the Rangers.
The opening day is March 30th.
Entertain the troops
With tens of thousands of visitors from overseas arriving for the Big 12 basketball tournament in a couple of weeks and the NFL Draft in April, our area museums are trying to tap into the passions of these sports fans.
This week the National World War I Museum and Memorial presents the corner of football as it opens “Entertaining the Troops,” a new exhibit highlighting what soldiers did to ease boredom during wartime: from soccer to baseball, from gambling and card games, to music, food and drink.
Thursday opens the new exhibition.
Black Dance
It’s still Black History Month, and Alvin Ailey’s friends from Kansas City want to take you on a journey through black dance history.
“Setting the Stage: The Moving Story of African American Dance” features local and national artists who will dance through minstrel, jazz, Afro-Caribbean and modern styles.
And as part of the Gem Theater’s 25th anniversary celebration, the show is free.
It’s this Wednesday at 7:00 pm at the Gem Theater, 1615 East 18th St.
Mmm, beer
Before it shuts down for a week for the NFL Draft, Union Station is managing to pack in another big event.
This Saturday, more than 40 local and a few national and international breweries take over Union Station for the KC Brew Fest.
You can sample dozens of craft beers with all kinds of weird names, if you book a ticket in advance.
Nick Haines tracks the week’s biggest impact local news on “Kansas City Week in Review,” Fridays at 7:30 p.m. on Kansas City PBS.
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