JimmyCsays: At the juncture of journalism and daily life in KC

I have always loved the Thanksgiving Day Kansas City Star. It is the biggest, fattest paper of the year, and when I was a reporter, I always wanted to have a story in that edition, preferably on A1 or the front of the Local section.

As usual, this year’s edition offers a variety of interesting things that will improve the quality of your lives and enhance your Thanksgiving Day…I think.

Let’s start with the paper itself…

A Load of Thanks

Today’s paper weighed in at an even five pounds, most of it advertising sections. If you combine advertising and circulation revenue, today’s paper probably generated more than $1 million.

The Star’s debt-ridden owner, McClatchy Corp., based in Sacramento, is very grateful.

Wishing and Hoping

A Republican member of the Missouri House of Representatives — Noel Torpey of Independence — is planning to lead the charge for ethics reform in the Missouri General Assembly. Missouri, in case you didn’t know, has the loosest ethics laws — virtually none — in the nation. There are no restrictions on gifts from lobbyists; lawmakers can accept campaign donations of any size; they can become lobbyists the day they leave office; and — and this I didn’t know — legislative staffers can work as paid political consultants during the legislative session. Just in case Noel’s bill doesn’t fly, some people (led by a Democratic strategist) have already prepared an initiative petition that would go to the voters in two years.

It hurts me deeply to say I don’t have confidence in our Republican-dominated legislature, but I think it’s odds-on that we’ll be voting on the initiative ballot measure.  

Nice Touch

Former Royals player Billy Butler took out a full-page ad in today’s Star, expressing gratitude for his 10-year run — more than any other current Royal has logged. “Thank you for the amazing ride!” was the headline on the ad. Above a photo of Billy, his wife Katie and their two daughters was a paragraph, which ended with this: “There will always be a part of us that will #BEROYAL.”

We all hope you have great success — and find acceptable barbecue — in Oakland, Billy.

Visit What? 

The business page featured an article on Ronnie Burt, the new president of the Kansas City Convention & Visitors Association. But the headline said, “Head of Visit KC marks progress.” Not recognizing the term “Visit KC,” used as a proper noun, I almost didn’t read the story. Turns out the Convention & Visitors Association has changed its name.

Hmmm. What was wrong with the original name — Convention & Visitors Bureau? That’s what it is, after all, a bureau, the division of the city that promotes tourism. I don’t think I’m the only person who’s going to find the new name confusing and problematic.

Killer Bags

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has demanded that Takata, the Japanese supplier of poorly designed and potentially dangerous air bags, expand its recall of cars with faulty bags. Takata has resisted expanding the recall beyond the hot and humid areas where its air-bag inflators are thought to become more volatile. 

I’ve already sworn off GM products because of the company’s 10-year cover-up of faulty ignition switches, but I don’t know how I’m going to put a personal dent in Takata’s business.

It Was Just a Murder…Whatever

Finally, Glenn E. Rice reported that a 37-year-old Kansas Citian named Christopher S. Deboe has been charged with first-degree murder in the fatal shooting of a man he accused of sleeping with his wife, while he — Deboe — was in prison. (He recently got out.) After the shooting, Deboe called 911 and dutifully reported, “Somebody just got shot.” (Note the passive voice.) The call taker then asked a follow-up question, to which Deboe replied: “Yeah, this guy just came in whatever, he had a gun whatever, we started fighting.”

Happy Thanksgiving, Christopher! And good luck in the future, wherever you go and whatever you do.