Good things happening in Historic Northeast

NORTHEAST NEWS
November 7, 2012

In addition to celebrating its 80^th anniversary, the Northeast News is celebrating a few other things, too.

In the words of former Kansas City Mayor Kay Barnes, “The stars are aligning in Northeast.”

Years of planning are coming to fruition and the dedication of Northeast stakeholders should be commended.

During a recent city meeting, City Council member John Sharp said Northeast is becoming an example for the city to follow.

While other media outlets focus on the crime and grime of Northeast, we know there’s much more to the story.

Funding for improving the quality of life in Northeast is pouring in. Northeast was the first Kansas City community to benefit from the city’s new revolving loan fund for implementing Community Improvement Districts (CID) and Neighborhood Improvement Districts (NID). The Greater Kansas City Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) awarded Northeast $40,000 to implement a pilot CID. On top of that, Northeast recently received a $150,000 Planning Sustainable Places grant from the Mid-America Regional Council to improve the quality of life in Northeast, and the city of Kansas City gave $250,000 to Northeast to go toward items like the Justine PETERSEN Small Business Loan Loss Reserve; internal marketing; Minor Home Repair Loan Loss Reserve; Home Loan Loss Reserve Fund; commercial building preservation and more. In addition, both the current owner of the Hardesty Federal site and LISC each gave $10,000 to go toward the Northeast Sustainable Redevelopment Project, which centers around the Independence Avenue Corridor from The Paseo east to I-435.

Northeast is also inching closer toward establishing a CID. CID committee members have already garnered signatures of approval from the required 51 percent of property owners within the CID boundaries. Those signatures are currently being verified by the city and City Council approval is still needed. Once the CID is approved, property owners within the CID boundaries will pay $300 per parcel,which will go toward initiatives to address crime, graffiti, litter, facade improvement, among others.

For the CID pilot project, Michael Stovall of Northeast has already hit the streets as an urban ambassador. He’s been assisting pedestrians, keeping an eye out for suspicious activity and picking up trash along the Avenue. Several individuals have told us they’ve noticed less trash on the Avenue and more pedestrians throwing away their trash in Stovall’s trash cart or in trash cans instead of on the ground.

We’re excited about all the positive activity happening in Northeast.

…

On another note, once again Northeast News garnered several awards in the Missouri Newspaper Association’s 2012 Better Newspaper Contest for entries published during calendar year 2011. Northeast News received second place in the Best Photo Package category; second place for Best News or Feature Series; third place for Best Cartoon; and third place for Best History Story. In addition, Northeast News received two honorable mentions for Best Photo Illustration and Best Special Section.

…

Publisher Michael Bushnell and his wife, Christine Adams, purchased the newspaper in 1998, transforming it from a shopper into a community newspaper. Bushnell boasts it’s one of the last independently owned community newspapers in Kansas City. Instead of solely focusing on the negative, Northeast News goes by the motto, “Good news for Historic Northeast.”

And this year, we’ve got plenty of good news.

Publishers – michael bushnell, christine adams
Managing Editor – Leslie collins
Art/Creative Director – bryan jordan
Account Executive – joe keefhaver
Circulation Director – eugene fletcher