What happened last week in Midtown Kansas City?

Last week in Midtown Kansas City, some schools opened, the school district announced good news, and parents started pushing for new opportunities. Residents weighed in on Armour Boulevard issues, and hundreds joined a rally against violent crime. Those are some of the stories we covered at the Midtown KC Post.

If you find anything interesting, you can read more on our website at www.midtownkcpost.com. Remember you can also follow us on Facebook by liking our page, or sign up on our website for a daily news digest each weekday.

There was plenty of news about schools in Kansas City last week. On Friday, the Kansas City Public Schools tripled the district’s performance standard, a step toward regaining full accreditation.  Earlier in the week, the Gordon Parks charter elementary school, closed by the state and then reopened through a court decision, welcomed 80 students to its K-2 classes.

The Midtown Community School Initiative held its first public meeting, asking for supporters to help create quality schools in Midtown. A member of the school board told the Midtown KC Post he supports the effort and wants to work with the group.

Another big announcement came late in the week, when the school repurposing office announced the proposal to turn closed Westport Middle School into market-rate apartments and housing for nonprofits will go to the school board this month.

At city hall, the council passed a controversial no-bid water contract. The charter review commission continued considering ways to change the current city council districts.  And a downtown property owner filed another appeal of a dismissal of her lawsuit challenging the streetcar system.

As health care continues to change, Jackson County moved a step closer to a vote on whether to put a tax for medical research to voters on Nov. 5. Also, we learned that several UMKC health schools will try out a new approach to collaborative care at the KC CARE Clinic on Broadway under a three-year federal grant.

Residents of neighborhoods along Armour Boulevard gave consultants their input into parking, speed and bicycling issues as the city prepares to study changes there.

The new initiative to reduce violence, KC NoVA, held a rally at 31^st and Prospect, attracting  a few hundred people to call for an end to murder carnage.