Kansas City - July 14-2008

* A vague light rail plan is better than no light rail plan at all.

However- if the results of one of my polls (still there- down the right column) about transportation system preferences in this burg are ANY indication- most people- myself included- prefer higher-speed commuter rail.

No one really wants to take a 1-hour bus or street-level light rail trip to work and back when a car ride takes 30 minutes. Plus- busses and light-railcars that run on the streets are subject to the increasing number of no-drivers.

* Joy-joy that the Kansas City (MO) School District (KCSD) quit acting like the people they claim to (try to) educate and turned over the 7 buildings to the Independence School District (ISD).

The KCSD is still trying to get more money for the buildings which became part of the ISD after voters in western Independence approved the switch.

Awaiting voters to approve abolishing the KCSD and having the surrounding districts divy it up...

* Speaking of the KCSD-ISD issues- saw Meredith Hoenes doing a live shot on the subject on this morning's WDAF-4 News.

Looked a bit like it was too early for her- but hell- it's Monday and Ms. Rittenhouse didn't get much sleep either.

* A correction about the planned opening date of the Bannister Mall/Wizards Soccer Stadium. It's said to be 2010- not 2009 as I reported was earlier reported by news sources.

This construction season is more than half over with no sign of any activity along Chuck Eddy (Hillcrest) Road...

* I'm damned surprised at the number of people who had no idea the 2nd-largest bank failure in American history was going down. I must have talked to every former Jay-Walker...

* This is interesting broken news.

Just before 10am- a Southwest Airlines jet aborted a take-off at K.C.I. after they struck a bird on the runway.

A MAST-EMS unit was sent for an unknown injury.

Damage to the plane was unclear- other than very hot brakes on the landing gear- the airport fire & rescue crews said.

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