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Task force proposes limiting Northeast park hours

Posted April 30, 2013 at 11:00 pm

By LESLIE COLLINS
Northeast News
May 1, 2013

Despite safety enhancements, some of Kansas City’s parks continue to generate a high volume of calls for service.

“You’ve done everything you can and yet there’s still a problem,” City Council member Scott Wagner said of three Historic Northeast parks.

For Budd Park, George E. Kessler Park and Independence Plaza Park, Wagner feels the only option left to enhance safety is to close the parks during evening hours, an unprecedented option in Kansas City. Currently, all of the city’s parks are open 24 hours a day.

During the past year, a parks safety task force comprised of police officers, parks and recreation department staff, neighborhood leaders and Wagner evaluated 10 of the city’s parks that received the most calls for service.

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    KC homelessness – it’s a multifaceted issue

    PART TWO OF TWO. In this two-part series, Northeast News takes a look at Kansas City’s solutions to addressing homelessness.

    By LESLIE COLLINS
    Northeast News
    April 24, 2013

    As cars whiz by the outskirts of George E. Kessler Park along I-35, it’s easy to overlook one of the city’s first established parks.

    But beyond the trees and beyond the bluffs lies a subculture. Beyond those trees, there is desperation, there is homelessness. Despite police raids, individuals continue to flock to the woods. Some are veterans, some are those who want to escape

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    Task force recommends limiting hours at three Northeast parks

    By LESLIE COLLINS
    Northeast News
    April 22, 2013

    Despite safety enhancements, some of Kansas City’s parks continue to generate a high volume of calls for service.

    “You’ve done everything you can and yet there’s still a problem,” City Council member Scott Wagner said of three Historic Northeast parks.

    For Budd Park, George E. Kessler Park and Independence Plaza Park, Wagner feels the only option left to enhance safety is to close the parks during evening hours, an unprecedented option in Kansas City. Currently, all of the city’s parks are open 24 hours a day.

    During the past year, a parks safety task force comprised of police

    … Read Full Story…

    KCPS searches for ways to improve safety in schools

    By LESLIE COLLINS
    Northeast News
    April 17, 2013 

    “The school district is probably one of the safest places for our kids at any given time,” said Marcus Harris, director of security for Kansas City Public Schools (KCPS).

    However, there’s always room for improvement, said KCPS Manager of Public Relations Andre Riley.

    To improve student safety, KCPS recently formed the KCPS Safety Committee, as dictated by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE).

    Each year, KCPS forms

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    Vox Narro to host community Kurdish celebration at North-East Library

    By LESLIE COLLINS
    Northeast News
    April 17, 2013 

    Not everyone knows Kansas City has a thriving Kurdish community.

    “I think Kurdistan is one of those places where people have a rough sense about where it is, but they really don’t know much about it,” said Henry Fortunato, director of public affairs for the Kansas City Public Libraries. “I don’t think people are aware there’s a significant Kurdish community in Kansas City.”

    To celebrate the Kurdish community and provide other community members a glimpse into

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    Culinary arts kitchen becomes frenzy during competition

    By LESLIE COLLINS
    Northeast News
    April 17 2013 

    Beeps and buzzes, clinking and clanging. Students scurried to measure the next ingredient, to stir sauces to correct consistency.

    Each team competed against the next to win first place in the April 4 culinary arts competition sponsored by the Kansas City Teen Summit at Kansas City Public Schools’ Manual Career Technical Center. Three well-known local chefs judged the competition and included Jasper J. Mirabile Jr. of Jasper’s, Dan Swinney of Lidia’s and Shanita McAfee of Magnolia’s.

    KCPS’

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    Hollywood comes to Kansas City for “42” premiere

    By LESLIE COLLINS
    Northeast News
    April 17, 2013 

    Harrison Ford, along with other movie stars and baseball legends, graced the red carpet April 11 for the Kansas City premiere of the movie “42,” starring Ford (Branch Rickey) and Chadwick Boseman (Jackie Robinson).

    Written and directed by Brian Helgeland, “42″ captures the story of Jackie Robinson, who played for the Kansas City Monarchs in the Negro Leagues and later the Brooklyn Dodgers, and Branch Rickey, Brooklyn Dodgers’ general manager. Rickey took a stand against prejudice, breaking baseball’s color barrier by offering Robinson

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    Public questions KCPD homeless camp eradication

    PART ONE OF TWO. In this two-part series, Northeast News takes a look at Kansas City’s illegal homeless camps. Next week, we’ll highlight the city’s proposed solutions.

    By LESLIE COLLINS
    Northeast News
    April 17, 2013 

    They’ve been called heartless, cruel.

    For the Kansas City Police Department, raiding the city’s numerous homeless camps is creating a negative image.

    On April 2, police officers raided a homeless camp in a wooded area near the Northeast baseball diamonds in the 6400 block of

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    Kansas City voters approve health levy for 9 more years

    By LESLIE COLLINS
    Northeast News
    April 10, 2013 

    Kansas City voters overwhelmingly approved renewing the temporary portion of the health levy for another nine years during the April 2 special election.

    Prior to the election, the health levy renewal received backing from a number of groups, including the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce and the Kansas City City Council.

    “There’s no question about the continued need we have in Kansas City to provide these health services for our

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    Nearly 1,350 participate in spring break school

    By LESLIE COLLINS
    Northeast News
    April 10, 2013 

    “I wanted to come because I figure it’s going to get me a good education. I was struggling just a little,” Garfield Elementary fourth grader Walid Abas said.

    Abas was one of nearly 1,350 students in grades third through sixth who participated in the Kansas City Public Schools’ (KCPS) district-wide spring break school March 25-29.

    KCPS offered the voluntary spring break school to give students an opportunity to review subjects slated for the Missouri Assessment Program (MAP)

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