From my view not far from Meyer Circle, things aren’t lookin’ so good these days.
You know how I hate to be a negativist but, damn, a few things have me wringing my hands.
Have you got a minute?
— Let’s start with the fountain itself. When the city’s other fountains came on this spring, the Sea Horse Fountain at Meyer Circle didn’t come on. Stayed dry. And it hasn’t functioned yet. Turns out the fountain’s “vault,” which contains the inner workings, including the pump, collapsed. The preliminary estimate for repairs is $500,000. Our neighborhood association is applying for capital improvements funds, and the City of Fountains Foundation will be able to help some, but it’s not going to be quick or easy.
— As much as we want to hope that what we’re seeing isn’t “the real deal,” it’s looking more and more like the Royals are a shadow of their former selves. On Friday night, they gave up nine runs in the first inning, and last night they gave up seven runs in the second inning. I feel sorry for the people who went to those games; that had to be pretty bleak. Those of us who started watching the games on TV could, mercifully, tune out and still have most of the night ahead to entertain ourselves otherwise.
— What can you say about that crazy Kansas Legislature? For three or four days, it cast about in special session, wrestling with something called a “hold harmless” provision, before finally coughing up enough money to finance the 2016-17 school year. Some of the news stories prior to Saturday’s were pretty much gobbledygook, and I think it was only partly the reporters’ faults. The Republican-dominated Legislature also contributed to the muddle by refusing, until the end, to come up with more money to open schools in August. A lot of those conservatives simply don’t believe in a balance of power; they’d like to see the Kansas Supreme Court go poof in the night so they’d have clear passage to do what they damn well please.
The Star’s lead editorial Saturday called for Johnson County voters to select several moderate legislative candidates over several conservative candidates in the August primary. Among those recommended for departure was state Sen. Greg Smith, father of murder victim Kelsey Smith. I went through teacher-certification courses with Greg at Avila University in the mid-2000s and admire him and wife Missy greatly. But I agree with The Star; it’s time for Smith to leave the Legislature, which badly needs more people who will take the blinders off. The conservatives idea of playing in the sand box is simply throwing as much as possible, and now the box is just about empty.
— Today, Bishop James Johnston of the Catholic Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph will lead a “Service of Lament” at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception to apologize for the local priest sexual-abuse scandal. He’s asked all the priests of the diocese to attend and wear purple vestments as a sign of penance. I guess this is a good thing, but the specter of our recently departed, criminally convicted Bishop Robert Finn will certainly be hovering inside the cathedral’s golden dome. I certainly have no interest in being there. Furthermore, the specter of that exclusive Men’s Club — priests, deacons, etc. — congregating in purple garb just sounds kind of weird and warpy.
— Finally, I’ve got my own cloud looming on the horizon: knee-replacement surgery toward the end of next month. Damn thing’s been getting progressively worse for about a year, and I’m ready for the sawing and gluing to get underway. A couple of weeks ago, I had to cancel a planned trip to the U.S. Open Golf Tournament outside Pittsburgh because of the discomfort. I can still play a little golf, provided I take anti-inflammatories beforehand and acetaminophen before and after. I try to put it in perspective, though. Last night and early today, The Star had on its website a short story about a 34-year-old Kansas City man who lost control of his vehicle at 10:40 a.m. Saturday morning on the entrance ramp to southbound U.S. 71 from Bannister Road. His vehicle left the roadway, went down an embankment and hit a tree. Bam. That was it for him…I’ll be thankful if I can get to the O.R.
JimmyCsays: At the juncture of journalism and daily life in KC 
I don’t know why but the image of those purple enshrouded priests & deacons suddenly breaking into song and dance (Let’s Do The Time Warp Again!) within the confines of Immaculate Conception just popped into my head…
Perfectly logical, Will, that image that popped into your head. But I think you got the wrong song…It’s “Let’s Twist Again Like We Did Last Summer.”
Hmm; six of one, half a dozen of the other on the song. It’s the image of them capering about in their robes…
My better half is a physical therapist; discussions about joint replacements are de rigueur dinner fare. Trust me when I say –if you’ve a good doc– you’ll be on your feet hours after the surgery and better than normal in no time.
I can empathize with your knee pain and upcoming surgery. I suffered much longer than you, and with not one, but both. Finally bit the bullet, and now have two brand new ones and learning to walk properly and without pain again. Fret not; you’ll be glad you did it.
I won’t comment on the rest ’cause it’s just too dang depressing. (How do they just now find out about a HALF-MILLION DOLLAR repair?!?!)
Thanks for the encouragement on the knee surgery, Gayle…I’ve heard many success stories like yours. I’m not worried, just anxious to get on with the surgery and rehab.
…The half-million-dollar estimate could change, either up or down. Parks and Rec has commissioned an engineering analysis that should give a more accurate appraisal. The analysis alone is going to cost $40,000 to $50,000, I think.
Yes, rehab is really important for ROM (range of motion). Can be hard and painful, but worth it.
Jim:
Am sure you are going to feel so much better after your knee surgery. So many do. John Dauner had both knees done, several weeks apart, and got along fine.
Sorry you couldn’t make it to the U.S. Open.
That fountain at Meyer Circle has got to get repaired. It is so depressing to see it shut down. Bea Davis would never have let it happen.
Your loyal followers will be thinking of you at the end of next month. Let us know, when you can, how the knee surgery goes.
Take care of yourself.
All best,
Laura
Thanks, Laura, you’ve got a great heart…I didn’t know about John. I remember the floor reverberating from his long, determined steps as he would enter the KCK bureau at Seventh and Minnesota. Hard to imagine that powerful stride slowed by arthritis.
…You’re so right about Bea Davis (Ilus’ widow, for those old enough to remember the mayor who served from 1963 to 1971). Do you remember, about 20 to 25 years ago, when she raised hell because Parks and Rec rebuilt the stone wall around the fountain but, in so doing, made it so tall that people passing by on Ward Parkway couldn’t see the fountain water falling into basin water?
I was covering the city at the time, and then-managing-editor Monroe Dodd gave me a lesson in fountain aesthetics. “Fitz,” he said, “part of the beauty of a fountain is watching the water splash down into the pool.” I then wrote a story sympathetic to Bea’s cause, and of course she was right. Parks and Rec ended up sawing about a foot or so off the top of the wall so passers-by could once again enjoy the fountain top to bottom…I think about Bea every once in a while when I drive past the fountain and how she and Monroe were right on the money.(Bea died in 2012, from what I could gather on Google.)
Jim, I have a different take on the service.
I celebrate the public repentance of the local priesthood, albeit all men. It marks the accepted responsibility of the corporate complicity which allowed decades of sexual abuse of the children under their spiritual authority. It further marks the corporate renewal to not only “turn away from sin”, but to also renew their relationship with Christ in order to “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”
Good point, Pam…I have no doubt it marks a sincere effort to make amends for the past and go forward with renewed commitment to do right.
Thanks, Jim. Loved your story about Bea and the fountain and Monroe Dodd explaining the splashing
By the way, there will be a book signing Thursday, June 30, 3:30 p.m., at Gov.
Stumpy’s, Gregory and Oak, of “From Worst to First–The Kansas City Royals, 1955 to 1985.” Written by Sid Bordman, Del Black, Bob Sands, Joe Henderson and Jim Murray, who did the artwork. The books are $24.95 and well worth it.
You might find it fun to go.
All best,
Laura
Those guys just don’t have any quit in them, do they?
Let us know what hospital you’re in and I’ll sneak some decent food in for you.
As for The Star’s choices, while there were no drunken judges, or convicted felons endorsed this time, as always, one takes The Star’s recommendations and votes against them for honest government.
My favorite part of the session was when Melissa Rooker punked virtually the entire lazy, biased press corps by claiming to be a driving force in the settlement. Most simply regurgitated her press release without doing any research only to find out that she had absolutely nothing to do with it. Ron Ryckman, Jim Denning, some school admins and the plaintiffs attorneys worked the deal out.
As always, Yael Abouhalkah disgraced our community after being confronted with the actual facts by ignoring them. Instead he continued to spread Rooker’s lies repeatedly long after they were conclusively demonstrated to be false. It’s bad enough to be so lazy you just regurgitate a press release, but Yael took it to the next level by regurgitating known lies.
In the end Kansas is now spending over 50% of the state budget on k-12 education while administrators drive around in $70,000 luxury SUVs and make six-figure salaries. Needless to say, they’re still whining that they don’t have enough.
They should definitely be driving hybrids or all-electric cars. I do think the supers of the large districts deserve six-figure salaries; they’re overseeing a lot of people and setting significant policies. From my experience as a sub, I feel Shawnee Mission, for one, is a well-run district.
In the meantime I know a lot of teachers who provide materials for their classrooms out of their own pockets. Seems like the little guys always get lost in the shuffle.
…and McClatchy is a well run, humanistic, newspaper corporation.
Post script re the Royals: why can’t we learn you can never count them out? Personally, I believe that bird that nearly lost his life last night, but didn’t, was a sign.
Patty is always on me because I rise and fall so fast — with every game, every development. I don’t know how Ned Yost does it; he keeps such an even keel, regardless of how bad or how good things get. I don’t think we would have been in the last two World Series without him and his unyielding confidence in the players.