What happened last week in Midtown?

This word cloud shows some of the topics we covered last week 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.

At city hall, a new commission on violent crime released its recommendations, including the suggestion that the city should make its work permanent rather than putting the report on a shelf. We also checked in with members of the commission’s neighborhood committee, who said the commission recommends strong neighborhoods  should be built “block by block” and the city should replicate successful programs including mediation. The city health director also helped us understand the impact of new findings that high childhood lead exposure can lower intelligence, trigger aggression and may be linked to crime.

Residents of neighborhoods across Midtown turned out to work on the emerging Midtown Plaza Area Plan,  which when completed will be a new set of city guidelines for land use, zoning, public improvements, transportation, housing and economic development. Their strongest message – keep the Plaza Plan which has governed the height and character of the Plaza since 1989. They also discussed the impact of new development along Armour Boulevard, and asked for relief from traffic in Midtown neighborhoods.

In the neighborhoods, Hyde Parker editor Mark Dillon covered the blessing of a new chicken coop a block from Troost, built by artists and benefit the St. James Catholic Church Community Garden. We also learned that neighborhoods with abandoned properties may soon get relief as the new land bank begins selling properties.

Interest in transportation issues continued last week, with streetcar lawyers arguing a challenge by downtown business owners could slow things down.  The city began converting some Downtown streets to two-way instead of one-way, hoping to make the area easier to navigate. And despite a freaky May snowstorm that slowed down traffic, the Mid-America Regional Council released a new bike map.

The University of Kansas Hospital shared news about how it is trying to head off the new bird flu.  The hospital also got a grant to help people with cancer navigate the complex maze of appointments, tests, treatments and follow-up, and provide emotional support.

Finally, we checked in on progress of the Envision Arts and Culture KC project, which is gathering citizen input into strengthening the culture and the arts in Kansas City.