Kansas Lowers Concealed Carry Age to 18??

Couldn't believe what I read. And it took place at the beginning of the month. I don't know how I missed it. Yes, the Kansas statehouse overrode Governor Kelly's veto and lowered the concealed carry age to 18 years. Insane.

And they're not--repeat NOT--putting any exceptions on college campuses or universities. That's going to be a really good mixture right there, isn't it? No permit required and it can't be open carry--big deal--and the students don't have to be registered with the school. Brilliant. Let's have the administration fly blind as to who may or may not have a weapon. Can you imagine if you had a student who clearly didn't seem to care for you and who also might not have a good, stable emotional base but you don't and can't know if maybe he's carrying a weapon? That's brilliant right there. If they do conceal carry on campus, they do have to be 21 but other than that, Katy bar the door. And if they don't have to register anyway, who's to say an 18 to 20 year old isn't going to carry? Legislators? Republicans? Do you ever really think these things out?

They're fighting citizens being able to vote over there, they're that unpopular, but hey, more guns! is always an answer, right? Not be outdone, Missouri Senate approves a bill seeking to nullify federal gun laws. It's that terrific? God help us all. We have GOT to vote out Republicans, state to state, all across the nation. Let's do this.

The Star Isn't as Bleak on Mission Gateway

Out local Star paper ran the following article today.

Future of Johnson County’s Mission Gateway 

in question

On their website, it had this headline:

‘We’ve waited so long’: Future of Johnson County project in question, funds in limbo

A bit from the article:

The property has the hallmarks of an active construction project: a yellow crane, orange cones and temporary chain link fencing. But there are no sounds of dirt moving or concrete being poured. And no workers in sight.

After 15 years of delays and tempered expectations, work has once again halted at the ill-fated $225 million Mission Gateway development in Johnson County. And it’s unclear if or when it might start back up.

And check out this ugliness.

Workers left the site after two major funding sources were put on hold during the coronavirus pandemic. Since then, at least a dozen liens have been filed on the property, claiming invoices have gone unpaid to contractors and suppliers.

“We have not been paid,” said Jerry Messick, one of the contractors and owner of Metro Interiors in Lee’s Summit. “I can tell you that without any guilt because it really pisses me off.”
Keeping in mind, as the article states, too, this has been going on for 15 years. Wow.

So true. So very true. I wrote and posted this July 16, last week.

Mission Gateway: 

The Construction Project From Hell

To say, however, that the project is "in question" when you have a huge slump in retail shopping anyway and then now, this pandemic which makes even construction difficult, let alone, again, weakens that same retail shopping and, for the foreseeable future, dining out, restaurant business and then movie-going, too. Yes, it makes the funding of this project highly suspect, if not out and out deeply in doubt to very unlikely. Funding is drying up all over but especially here, on this nightmare.

I say again,  what should happen is the developer finally, finally faces the ugly reality, declares bankruptcy on the entire project then donates the land, the entire site, to the city of Mission for a park.

It won't but that's what should happen.

At one point in the article, the Star asks if it wasn't "The right idea at the wrong time."

To which I'd answer no. It was never the right idea. The former site worked and was good-looking and well-placed. It should have been updated, at most.  And all this was, of course, at the worst possible time, for all the reasons I mention in my post above--the 2008 financial collapse, the collapse of retail and now this pandemic and all it brings down on everything here.

Good luck, Mission.

You're gonna' need it.

Star Wins Big Award

Yes sir and ma'am, our own Kansas City Star won a terrific award this week for its report on Kansas government keeping information away from its own citizens.

The Star earns national Pulliam 

First Amendment Award

The award is for this series:

Kansas is ‘one of the most secretive, 

darkest states’

Fantastic.

With this thought, it's the perfect time to say the Star needs to do more hard-hitting articles like these. This is what newspapers are for. This is why we need newspapers generally and the Star, here, locally. If the Star doesn't do it, no one else will. Certainly not some local blogger.

We need them to do more hard-hitting articles like these on state and local governments in the area and on both sides of the state line. This and do more articles on local people in the metropolitan area. Both types of these articles will gain far better readership for them, too. 

Total wins for all of us.

Note to the Kansas City Star

Ladies and gentlemen at the Kansas City Star:

You know your readership is falling off. You've known and experienced it, sadly, for years. We all know it. We ache for you. Heck, we ache for our society. The local newspaper is something we used to all share. It was a foundation of information  most of us all checked in on daily and read. We know those days are gone.

But some people still read you, of course, and thank goodness. And some others of us out here read you online. I'm one of them. And I've noticed something about you and what you do daily. My suggestion, if taken, could help you, I believe, if you take and execute it.

The suggestion?

You have to be like the "big boys" out there in newspaper land---like your counterpart across the state, for instance, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch---and CHANGE YOUR ONLINE PAGE ONCE A DAY.

You have to update. Daily. It has to change.

Apparently this is a radical idea for you all down there or a lot to ask or expect but--NEWS FLASH:  if your site doesn't change daily, there's no reason for us out here to check in on you daily.

Imagine that.

Now I know the Post-Dispatch comparison is a tough one because they're much bigger and have more money and they're an older paper (I think/believe) and have more power (read:; Pulitzers) behind them but YOU CAN DO THIS. In fact, you really must do this. If you don't change up your paper online, daily, you will lose any reason for people to check in on you. I know. I looked in yesterday, read some articles and then checked today, just now.  WAY too many of the same, leftover articles.

I know this is tough. I know it demands more of you. I know it will likely cost. And it requires some creativity, too, sure. But that's the business you're in today and you more than likely know it.

So that's what needs to happen, Star. I hope you can do it. You need it, we need it. You need it to exist. You need it to stay relevant. You need it so it keeps the clicks happening, online. You need it to keep the revenue coming in.

It's not fun. It's not pretty, Yes, it's demanding but you have to do it or, God forbid, you won't be around.

This is about your survival.

The clock is ticking.