Plus, Glass Animals appear at Casual Animal.
 
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6AM City In-House pt 2

Today’s Forecast

66º | 6% chance of precipitation
Sunrise 6:55 a.m. | Sunset 7:46 p.m.

 
💰 Money, money, money
KC skyline pic KCtoday
It isn’t cheap to run a city like this. | Photo by @davevonfintel
ICYMI — what with everything else going on — Kansas City passed its largest budget in history last week to the tune of $2.3 billion. Let’s dig into what this prodigious price tag means for the 2024-2025 fiscal year.

The big picture

KC is a growing city, and it’s got the cash flow to prove it. According to KCUR, the city has its highest revenue to date. Revenue is lagging slightly behind at $2.2 billion, so $38 million is being pulled from the general fund to make up the difference.

That’s a short-term solution, says finance director Tammy Queen. New programs could suffer if the city doesn’t pick up fresh sources of revenue by this time next year.

The nitty-gritty

Let’s break it down from top to bottom.

What’s at the top of the new budget? Public safety spending, split between two broad categories.

All police officers are getting a pay raise, with starting salaries for KCPD recruits jumping from $50,000 to $65,000. All told, the increase in police department funding amounts to ~$36 million.

Over $8 million is being directed towards non-police intervention and diversion, including Partners for Peace and the newly formed REACH program, which diverts certain non-violent emergency calls to the health department.

Further down, we see some of the more big ticket development items: $40 million for street resurfacing, $15 million for sidewalk and ADA ramp improvements, and an eightfold increase in funding for Vision Zero street safety measures.

Last but not least, a $5 million investment in World Cup preparations, plus another $5 million between T-Mobile Center improvements and increased funding for Visit KC, continue the city’s growth as an international destination.

Phew, that about covers it. If you’re really type A, take a look at the full submitted budget, or check back to see the full approved version in late April.
 
Events
 
Friday, April 5
  • Art Course Mini Golf | Friday, April 5-Sunday, May 12 | 10 a.m.-8 p.m. | The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, 4525 Oak St., KCMO | $12-$18 | Reserve your spot for the artist-designed mini golf experience through the Nelson’s sculpture park.
Saturday, April 6
  • Wyandotte County Ethnic Festival | Saturday, April 6 | 10 a.m.-6 p.m. | Pierson Community Center, 1800 S. 55th St., KCK | Free | Celebrate the metro’s diverse heritage with ethnic foods, music and culture booths.
  • Kansas City Jazz in the Garden Series | Saturday, April 6 | 3-7 p.m. | Global One Urban Farming, 4409 Cypress Ave., KCMO | $20 | Get right in the garden with food, fun + live performances by the James Ward Band.
  • Jay Pharoah | Saturday, April 6 | 8:30 p.m. | Funny Bone Comedy Club Restaurant, 7260 NW 87th St., KCMO | $37-$47 | Catch actor and SNL-alum Jay Pharoah on his one-night-only stop in KC.
Sunday, April 7
  • KC Metro Pickleball Clinic | Sunday, April 7 | 5-6 p.m. | Westboro-Canterbury Pickleball Courts, 1030 S. Withers Rd., Liberty, MO | Paddle up to this weekly training sesh for the nation’s hottest sport.
Monday, April 8
  • Traditional Sound Bath | Monday, April 8 | 6:30 p.m. | The Muse KC, 524 Walnut St., Ste. 320, KCMO | $5-$30 | Relax into the healing sounds of finely-tuned quartz crystal and Tibetan singing bowls.
Click here to have your event featured.
 
 
News Notes
 
Announced
Sports
  • The Chiefs have a new backup quarterback on the roster. Carson Wentz was the No. 2 overall draft pick in 2016, playing with the Eagles for five years and the Colts, Commanders, and Rams since. (Kansas City Star)
Open
  • Elixir, a new soda fountain selling house sodas and grab-and-go meals, is now open Thursday-Sunday in the Kansas City Museum’s Corinthian Hall. The extensive drink menu was developed alongside local groups like The Spot and Fairway Creamery.
Edu
  • Blue Valley School District and USD 232 both set capacity limits for the number of nonresident students that can enroll for the 2024-2025 school year. The change applies to the open enrollment period mandated by recent legislation in Kansas. (Johnson County Post)
Coming Soon
  • Pennsylvania-based Duck Donuts will open its second JoCo shop in Prairie Village on Saturday, April 20. Customers can pick a coating, topping, and drizzle for their donuts, which are all made to order. (Johnson County Post)
Outdoors
  • The Overland Park City Council approved an $865,000 bid to remove dead and dying ash trees from neighborhood streets. Once comprising a quarter of the city’s canopy, invasive emerald ash borers have wiped out almost every one. (Johnson County Post)
Wellness
  • BetterHelp creates a safe, stigma-free space where you can be your authentic self and explore your concerns. Get 25% off your first month of therapy.*
 
 
Edu
 
🎓 UMKC is first class
A rendering of a large glass building with "UMKC" printed on its side, set adjacent to a walking path with bushes.
The Healthcare Delivery and Innovation Building is the largest capital project in the university’s history. | Rendering via UMKC
At its State of the University, UMKC shared a few of its record numbers from the past year + updates on some major developments coming around the corner.

Like everything else in the metro, UMKC is growing fast. It saw the highest number of first-time students to date in fall 2023, as well as the highest retention + graduation rates in a decade, in part attributed to its First Gen Roo program.

The $120 million Healthcare Delivery and Innovation Building begins construction in June, with sights set on a 2026 opening. The building will facilitate dental programs, medical programs, and research — with hopes for the university to receive an R1 research accreditation in the coming years, which only 146 four-year institutions in the country have.

Other projects, like the pedestrian plaza, streetcar stop, and Foodiverse food court, will also see updates in the coming year.
 
The Buy
 
Eco-friendly self-care options. Parrotfish has shampoo, conditioner, soap bars, and shower steamers that will level up your night in.
 
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The Wrap
 
Dayten Rose Today’s edition by:
Dayten
From the editor
Looking for a good place to end your pub crawl through Brewer’s Alley? Just around the corner of Cherry and 18th Street, I ran across Lifted Spirits Distillery — a name I’d heard plenty, but not a taproom I’d visited. Not only were the vibes immaculate, but as a gin drinker, the cocktails were 10/10. (For something sweeter than gin, the Roadie Soadie tastes just like a root bear float.)
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