If you didn’t know this already, now you do: one of my favorite area bands, The Zeros, will be in concert at Knuckleheads on April 22 at 8:30 p.m.
Way back in early March, the Missouri Department of Transportation told us to brace ourselves, because resurfacing work was about to begin for a major portion of I-435 in the area from I-29 southbound on I-435 to the Kansas State line. They sent us a detailed press release, listing the lanes/ramps that would be closed and specific dates and times for each. Seemed like good information, very helpful for motorists, worthy of some space in this fine newspaper. I think the first public start date they listed in their initial news release was March 20. Some electronic signs were placed along both I-29 and I-435 at that time as well, announcing the planned work for March 20. Then subtly around March 20 the signs were changed to March 27. Then a brand new press release from MoDOT went out, announcing a different adjusted date. Then a different announcement was made announcing yet another start date as April 7. No explanation has ever been given for the repeated rescheduling times.
Well surprise, the April 7 start date didn’t stay in place very long. I’m sure you couldn’t help but notice if you drove the stretch of highway over the weekend that no roadwork has begun. In fact no preliminary hints of roadwork have even appeared.
Being the good journalists that we are, with each announcement of a new date from MoDOT we would update the story in print in our newspaper and/or on our website. And each time no road work happened.
I told my wife over the weekend that if MoDOT sends out a new date announcement I’m not even gonna bother printing it. Promoting repeated and ever-changing announcements of pending work and lane closures that never happen is just confusing the public at this point. And probably irritating the public, as well.
Well guess what? On Tuesday of this week MoDOT sent out a press release announcing a new start date. Nice try, MoDOT, but I’m not gonna fall for the banana in the tailpipe. You’ve whizzed away all your credibility on this topic.
I’m not printing those new alleged dates for roadwork. I guess the public can expect construction whenever the public sees construction.
The stretch of I-435 in the area from I-29 south to Hwy. 45 at Parkville and on toward the Kansas state line is of particular importance because it’s a stretch I drive very often. Maybe that’s why MoDOT keeps putting it off. That was said in jest, don’t try to paint me as a conspiracy theorist or a county commissioner.
I like that I can pull out of my driveway and be on I-435 in less than a minute. I can drive nine minutes one direction to be at Creekside in Parkville or eight minutes another direction to be at my office in Platte City. Eighteen minutes puts me at the nearest sportsbook. Don’t ask me how I know.
Speaking of sports wagering and Missouri’s continued embarrassment on failing to move into the year 2023, I’m leaving the rant this week up to Guy Speckman on page 3. He nails it.
Social media accounts for some of Kansas City’s morning news anchors are quite a treat. Have you noticed? Are the news folks’ social media updates in other cities like this? That’s an honest question, I’ve never paid attention to see if the morning newsies in other markets are as self-absorbed as some of the faces on Kansas City’s morning news shows. Who knows, maybe this approach is something highly paid news consultants for the TV stations advise their clients to do for social media content. If so, let’s blame the consultants instead of the anchors. One of the KC stations seems worse at this than the other stations, so I shouldn’t put them all in one basket. If you’re a social media person you can probably pick out which station.
My favorite is when one of the female newsies will post a pic of herself and a co-worker who coincidentally wore a similar shade of blue, or red, or purple or whatever the color of the day happens to be. Maybe it’s just me but this seems to happen a disproportionate number of times each month. I suck at identifying colors so sometimes I really have to squint to see any kind of similarity that’s being claimed. “Oh, look, the weather girl and I showed up wearing the same hue!! Amazing! Giggle giggle. You don’t need to know any news, just tune in to be amazed by our similar shades of fashion! This is so crazy! And super cute!!!”
Listen, hold your calls and emails, I don’t mean to pick on female morning newsies. Maybe morning TV guys do something similar, I just don’t pay as much attention, for obvious reasons. But I don’t recall Pat McGonigle or Nick Vasos ever posting pictures to point out their “super cute” fashion choices.
I still have Parkville Pat McGonigle down as a future guest on Landmark Live. We’ve had a preliminary chat about it but that was a while back when he was working nights. His availability might be easier to nail down now that his real job has switched to mornings.
Need to ask Parkville Pat if he has ever made it into the Speakeasy.
Should probably never say never, but I predict you’ll never see your Landmark columnists posting selfies in (kind of) similar colored super cute outfits. Or speaking the phrase “super cute.”
(Get more super cute analysis from Foley at ivan@plattecountylandmark.com)