Spring Break
Kansas City - Home sweet ... something or other
Alexia Lang
Issue date: 6/1/09 Section: Forum
He said citizens are concerned about the quality of city services, of safety and of the education system.
He also said it is those same issues that keep people from moving back.
He is right.
Families retreat to the suburbs and to small towns for the quality of life they offer.
While some people continue to commute to the city, few spend any more time in it than necessary.
Meanwhile, the city is going to crap, becoming something of a no-man's land, and the suburbs are flourishing, growing bigger each day.
But that does not mean good things are not happening in this fair city.
I look at the Historic Northeast district with all of its problems, and yet its concerned citizens are coming together to revive the area.
And I look at the involvement of UMKC and other schools and businesses in the community. They have the ability to make a difference on a large scale.
We have issues that need to be dealt with. That is no secret.
This city continues to be on the top-10 list for homicides each year.
A conversation with a police officer last week revealed that he could only think of the names of four prostitutes in the area because many of them are new. Only?!
Let's not even get started on drug dealers.
The truth is nothing is going to happen if the citizens don't team up with government leadership to make things happen.
I will tell you something valuable. This city is worth it.
I enjoy coming to work each day and seeing the historic neighborhoods.
I enjoy meeting and talking with the people who live here.
I want people to move back and help restore this area to its former glory.
Maybe I'm not a city girl yet, but I am a girl who loves this city.
And I hope to help make this home-away-from-home a better place.
So, I'll see you around, Kansas Citians, hopefully out doing your part for the city.
alang@unews.com
He also said it is those same issues that keep people from moving back.
He is right.
Families retreat to the suburbs and to small towns for the quality of life they offer.
While some people continue to commute to the city, few spend any more time in it than necessary.
Meanwhile, the city is going to crap, becoming something of a no-man's land, and the suburbs are flourishing, growing bigger each day.
But that does not mean good things are not happening in this fair city.
I look at the Historic Northeast district with all of its problems, and yet its concerned citizens are coming together to revive the area.
And I look at the involvement of UMKC and other schools and businesses in the community. They have the ability to make a difference on a large scale.
We have issues that need to be dealt with. That is no secret.
This city continues to be on the top-10 list for homicides each year.
A conversation with a police officer last week revealed that he could only think of the names of four prostitutes in the area because many of them are new. Only?!
Let's not even get started on drug dealers.
The truth is nothing is going to happen if the citizens don't team up with government leadership to make things happen.
I will tell you something valuable. This city is worth it.
I enjoy coming to work each day and seeing the historic neighborhoods.
I enjoy meeting and talking with the people who live here.
I want people to move back and help restore this area to its former glory.
Maybe I'm not a city girl yet, but I am a girl who loves this city.
And I hope to help make this home-away-from-home a better place.
So, I'll see you around, Kansas Citians, hopefully out doing your part for the city.
alang@unews.com
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
Brian Dear
posted 7/15/09 @ 12:55 PM CST
I'm reading this story from Seoul, Korea and it makes me look back fondly on my year I lived in Kansas City. The snobbery of the JoCo crowd was always confusing because the reasons I love Kansas City are the reasons the JoCo crowd seems to view it frequently with disdain. (Continued…)
anonymous female
posted 8/25/09 @ 6:06 AM CST
I'm with you Brian. JoCo freaks me out... I would seriously never want to live somewhere like that. Driving around there makes me think of The Stepford Wives and I hate how everything looks the same and it's impossible to walk anywhere. (Continued…)
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