Julia Williams

Editor-in-Chief

As 2024 comes to a close, The Northeast News reflects on its 92nd year of giving a voice to the Historic Northeast community. Northeast News staff has pulled its most viewed content published from January to December 2024 for the following categories: Breaking News, History — including Postcard and Remember This? — Opinion, Internship Project, Dual-Language, News, Podcast and Social Media post:

Breaking News:

Kicking off this wrap with a crowd favorite category — breaking news — topping at 25,699 views was a story from March 10 by Contributor and former Publisher, Michael Bushnell. 

“Two Dead in Convenience Store Shooting”

This morning, just before 4:30 a.m., the Kansas City Police Department was dispatched to the Phillips 66 station in the 4800 block of Independence Ave on a reported shooting call. The victims in this case have been identified as 27-year-old Nicholas Lewis and 24-year-old Reginald McGee both of Kansas City. Upon arrival, officers located the victim, an unresponsive male lying in the parking lot. Officers rendered aid to the victim, but he succumbed to his injuries …

Postcard and Remember This?:

Honing in on the ‘History’ of Historic Northeast, Northeast News produced two recurring segments — Postcard, which Bushnell started around 2010 and Remember This?, which Managing Editor, Dorri Partain established in fall 2018. While these segments concluded in September 2024, two articles received high traffic throughout the year.

Published on Feb. 13, “The Unfulfilled Legacy of Ha Ha Tonka Castle” postcard received the most views at 4,359. 

“The Unfulfilled Legacy of Ha Ha Tonka Castle”

“Here I will spend my leisure, secure from the worries of business and the excitement of city life. I will fish and loaf and explore the caves of these hills, with no fear of intrusion.” So said Kansas City businessman and financier Robert McClure Snyder on the compelling view from the high promontory overlooking the quiet Osage River near Camdenton, Mo. The embodiment of the Horatio Alger story, Snyder came from humble beginnings as one of seven children born to John and Sarah (Pence) Snyder in Columbus, Ind., in 1852. His father, grandfather and great-grandfather were millers by trade, owning mills and grocery stores in Virginia, Kentucky, Indiana and Missouri …

Following on March 27 was Remember This?, written by Partain, which received 1,988 views. 

“I Vote, you Vote, We all Vote for Ice Cream!”

Generations of Kansas Citians “voted” for Velvet Freeze ice cream after the St. Louis brand expanded operations to Kansas City. Jacob Martin, once president of the Union Ice Cream Company, opened his own stores as The Original Double Dip Ice Cream Company in 1934, selling double-scoop cones for 5 cents. The following year, Martin merged his business with the owners of the Crispo Cake Cone Company to create a new corporation, Velvet Freeze, Inc., with 11 locations specializing in offering double-scoop cones. Within the next 10 years, Velvet Freeze had expanded operations to Kansas City and Topeka …

Opinion:

2024 saw many opinion pieces — traditionally in the form of opinion-editorials, and written by Northeast News staff. The most popular opinion piece from 2024 was written on March 6 by Bushnell with 8,560 views. 

“Don’t be Bullied, Keep the K at Kauffman.”

Well, the Kansas City Royals dropped the new stadium bomb a few weeks back and it landed in the Crossroads District like the big, brown stink log that it is. Let’s just get the housekeeping out of the way first, shall we? Royals owner John Sherman is a bully.  Any time you have to lead with the threat, and it was a threat, of using eminent domain to destroy the livelihoods of over two-dozen small businesses that have resurrected the Crossroads District from a blighted slum, in to an organically grown thriving Arts and Entertainment district, you’re a bully and your initiative deserves to go down in flames …

Internship Project:

At the conclusion of summer, Northeast News summer interns produce a special “Back to School” edition as part of their curriculum — catering toward the Kansas City Public schools — prior to a new year. This issue — with the exception of the 2024 edition — is traditionally printed in a magazine format, separate from the weekly print edition. 

However this year, Community Engagement Intern EllieAna Hale, who worked for The Northeast News from May 2023 to May 2024, created an additional special project, “Northeast Narratives.” This project — published May 17 — highlighted prominent Northeast businesses, individuals, history and resources of Northeast Kansas City. This project received 10,128 views over 2024 and was included in circulation distribution around the Northeast community.

“Northeast Narratives”

Welcome to Northeast Narratives, a vibrant multimedia project poised to capture the essence of our beloved Historic Northeast community. Through this dynamic magazine, we go on a journey of our rich history, a celebration of community engagement, highlighting local resources, and sharing inspiring stories of everyday people and social non-profits. At the heart of our initiative lies a commitment to fostering a deeper understanding of our past, present, and future. Through working on this project, we delved into the historical tapestry of the Northeast, unearthing key events, landmarks, and cultural aspects that have shaped the identity of the Historic Northeast. Through engaging storytelling and impactful visuals, we aimed to preserve our heritage and celebrate the diverse experiences that define us  …

Dual Language:

As a multicultural and diversified community, publishing content that reflects the Northeast and is inclusive to many languages beyond English is vital. The Northeast News has accomplished this on its digital platforms with a widget that allows any reader to access information at Northeastnews.net with any language. However, Spanish Education Reporter Daisy Garcia Montoya additionally produces content in both English and Spanish — growing Northeast News readership to a wider range of audiences. From all of Garcia Montoya’s contributions in 2024, a piece from Feb. 21 received 4,468 views. 

“Dual Language Program at Local High School Promotes Language and Cultural Literacy”

At Paseo Academy of Fine and Performing Arts, students have the unique opportunity to continue to practice, take courses in Spanish, and earn college credit through the dual language program. As students from George Washington Carver Dual Language School, a second through sixth grade Kansas City Public School (KCPS) that provides students instruction in two languages, Spanish and English, began to transfer and continue their education at Paseo, the school decided to continue to offer dual language instruction to those students. Currently, the program at Paseo begins in seventh grade and extends to 10th grade, consisting of 105 students in the cohort with plans to include 11th and eventually 12th grade as current students progress grades …

News:

The news category is one which Northeast News staff caters toward more than others. Below are the top five viewed news stories of 2024: 

The top news story from 2024 came in just in time — written by Partain and published Dec. 17 — received a total of 9,121 views.

“Eatery Open  Since 1958 to Close Dec. 31”

Burgers, eggs, sausage and bacon sizzle on the griddle, prepared to satisfy breakfast and lunchtime hunger pangs, order after order and year after year. Harold’s Drive-In at 1337 Admiral Blvd., nestled between a Rodeway Inn and Hope Faith Ministries, has earned iconic status — not just for its location but also the number of years in operation. Come Dec. 31, following a series of financial hardships, current operator Deb Walker will fill the last order of the day one final time. This restaurant closes daily by 2 p.m. “We (the building owner and I) can’t agree on the lease,” Walker stated last Friday, indicating a raise in rates she could no longer afford. The lease agreement includes the restaurant equipment, which means moving to another location is not an option.

Coming in second was an article from Aug. 14 with 6,110 views and was written by former Editorial Assistant, Emily Wheeler.

“Infamous Truck Eating Bridge Claims Another Victim Despite New Murals”

Friday, Aug. 9, the Independence Avenue “Truck-Eating bridge” devoured yet another vehicle attempting to reach its destination. This incident follows the recent installation of four new murals at the site — all depicting the bridge’s notorious reputation. These murals were part of an initiative to enhance the bridge’s visibility and address its persistent problem with truck collisions.  Despite these efforts, some local residents and daily commuters have expressed doubts regarding the new artwork’s effectiveness in preventing accidents on the Facebook group, “Independence Ave Truck-eating Bridge KCMO.” They argue that while the murals are visually striking, they may not provide the necessary deterrent for truck drivers who frequently misjudge the bridge’s clearance …

This piece later received a clarification for its lead: The recently illustrated Independence Avenue “Truck-Eating” Bridge murals were created with a purpose to prevent graffiti in this location and clean-up the area, according to the Independence Avenue City Improvement District (CID). While it may have come across previously that these murals were an attempt to prevent truck-bridge collisions, the intention was to illuminate this space visually  — rather than accident determent. We apologize for this confusion.

The third most-viewed news article from 2024 was a photo story by Editor-in-Chief Julia Williams, which highlighted a new recovery facility. This was published Oct. 23 and received 5,638 views. 

“Sheffield Breaks Ground on Third Residential Recovery Facility, Wednesday”

Smells of fresh barbecue wafted and ‘80s music faintly wavered as Sheffield Neighborhood residents gathered Wednesday, Oct. 23 at the corner of Tenth and Newton Avenues to witness the groundbreaking of Sheffield Place’s third residential structure. Sheffield Place — a nonprofit organization, which provides assistance and safe housing for women and their children, in various recovery circumstances — was founded in 1991 with a mission to empower unhoused mothers and their children, to achieve independence and heal from trauma, according to its website. Beginning with one facility (6604 E. 12th St) and serving around 30 families, Sheffield Place has grown to operate two residential facilities — headquarters and SEVI House (1004 Newton Ave) — obtain 10 neighborhood homes and offer support to over 1600 families within its 33 years …

Coming in fourth was a piece from March 13, which received 5,237 views and was written by Bushnell.

“County Rolls Out New Property Tax Freeze Program for Area Seniors”

On Monday, March 4, Jackson County officials announced a property tax freeze program for eligible senior citizens authorized by the passage of a new state law. Senate Bill 190, which was passed by the Missouri Senate during the 2023 session, was signed into law by Governor Mike Parson in August of this year.  The new law is available to Jackson County residents who are eligible for Social Security retirement benefits and meet certain property ownership requirements. The year that an application is approved is the year the freeze begins. For example, if an application is submitted by Dec. 31, 2024, the amount frozen would be reflected in the 2025 tax bill …

The fifth and final top-viewed news story of 2024 was a follow-up piece on Northeast News’s ongoing coverage of the Kessler Park Master Improvement Plan — published on July 31 and written by Williams, received 4,874 views. 

“Master Improvement Plan for Kessler Park Sees Board Approval”

Within a cramped room — in rather courthouse fashion — Northeast residents, Hoxie Collective LLC and Kansas City’s Parks and Recreation Department Board gathered July 23 at its public board meeting (4600 E. 63rd St.) to witness the approval of the Collective’s Kessler Park Improvement Master Plan. A ploy over a year in the making, this Kessler Park master plan is driven by Hoxie Collective LLC and its founder Christina Hoxie — with a mission to improve quality of life, health and wellness within the Northeast community, according to its planning process. Operating over a three phase planning process, this improvement objective will address seven recreational grounds within the Northeast across 303 acres — including Maple Park, the old municipal Reservoir, North Terrace Lake, Concourse Park, Kansas City Museum/ Scarritt Point, Indian Mound and Northeast Athletic Fields …

Podcast:

“Northeast Newscast,” which was introduced by former Managing Editor, Paul Thompson and Bushnell in March 2017 is a platform for Northeast News podcasts — available for streaming on Spotify, Apple Music and Northeastnews.net. The most downloaded podcast from 2024 was episode 399, which aired May 25 and was hosted by Bushnell. 

“399: Family Ties Keep Custom Truck One Source in Northeast”

This week we sat down with Chris Ross, Operations Manager at Custom Truck One Source located on the site of the old Armco steel plant. Custom Truck was founded in April of 1996 with a one-acre site on Manchester Trafficway in the Blue River Industrial District. The company moved to the old Cummins engine plant on Gardner Avenue in December of 1996. In 2005, after multiple floods along Gardner Avenue, Ross found buildings on the south side of the old Armco site. The family pulled together, renovated the initial building, and in Ross’ words, “it just kind of took off,” after that. Over time, more property was acquired and the company continued to grow. Ross credits much of the company’s growth and its continued success to divine providence and a strong family work ethic.

Social Media Post:

The Northeast News operates content on Facebook, Instagram, X and Tik Tok social media platforms. While Facebook remains its platform with the highest reach, one infamous breaking news post stood out over others. With a reach of 136,854, published on Nov. 13 by Northeast News staff was none other than a truck lodged in the Truck-Eating Bridge.

“Independence Avenue Shuts Down to Traffic Going Westbound due to Lodged Truck in Infamous ‘Truck-Eating Bridge’”

BREAKING— This roadway will remain shut down until this truck can be removed from the scene. Additional information is unknown at this time.

While The Northeast News has experienced several transitional periods within 2024 with changes in staff members, page count and circulation, one element has remained consistent over the past 12 months — Northeast News readership. Continued community support has allowed this newsroom to remain an accurate, reliable and trustworthy source for Historic Northeast Kansas City and beyond, for over 92 years. It is the dedication from its staff members and community, which allows this publication to continue operations. As The Northeast News closes the door on 2024, it looks forward to 2025 with a mission to continue providing a voice for Historic Northeast, while upholding the Society of Professional Journalists Code of Ethics — abiding by the power of truth and accuracy, accountability, transparency, independence and minimizing harm — the foundation by which it stands. The Northeast News staff expresses its utmost gratitude toward this community as this news publication enters its 93rd year. 

Northeast News Team, 

Julia Williams, Dorri Partain, Daisy Garcia Montoya, Bryan Stalder and Rayna Oldham