We’ve been home since Saturday night, and, while it was nice to be in the Florida sun, it’s great to be back in Missouri.
Great to be back in Kansas City, too, even though the hometown paper keeps sagging, sagging, sagging.
One predictable facet of The Star, however, is Chief Star Meteorologist Robert Cronkleton’s almost continuous updates on the weather. This morning he was reporting “numerous accidents.” This afternoon he was warning of “a prolonged (snow) event, stretching over 24 to perhaps even 30 hours.”
…I was joking when I called Cronkleton the paper’s chief meteorologist. Actually, he’s one of only two or maybe three general assignment reporters they have. His byline appears on a majority of all breaking-news stories.
Checking his bylines in the “search” box for Tuesday, Wednesday and today, I found five weather stories, three crime stories and one story about the Big 12 basketball tournament. Nine stories in three days is a pretty good churn. I wonder if he also had time to get down to Grand Boulevard and shoot some hoops in the makeshift buckets set up on the street…weather permitting, of course.
Cronkleton, who’s been at the paper about 30 years, is a good hand. He’s not in the upper echelon of reporters, and he’s not an outstanding writer, but he’s reliable, accurate and persevering.
I know him pretty well. We worked together for several years when I ran the KCK bureau, from 1995 to 2004. He’s managed to hold on to his job through many rounds of layoffs (the first of which occurred in 2008), partly because he’s been willing to work the very-early-morning shift. When most everyone else is in bed, he’s checking the overnight police, fire and weather activity and pecking away on his computer — at home, of course, because The Star no longer has a physical office, as far as I know, anyway.
At this point, I’m sure “Cronk,” as he’s known by many, is just trying to keep his powder dry until he can retire. So today, hats off to a new-era, old-time reporter…Keep churning out the bylines, buddy!
**
Here’s something else on my mind…Do you remember, not that long ago, when there was an abundance of office-supply stores in central KCMO? During the period that Office Depot and Office Max were competing (before Office Depot bought the competitor out) an Office Max was built at the site of the former Club Royal (which just about everybody mistakenly pronounced Royale, as if it had an “e” on the end). Another office supply store was on Grand at about 20th Street. Then the Office Depot on Main and another one near 103rd and State Line Road opened. You didn’t have to go far to get your papers, pencils, erasers and computer supplies.
But then the “great closing” began. I think the store at 20th and Main was the first to go, followed by the “Club Royal” Office Max. A few years ago, the Office Depot in south KC closed, and the building was converted to a Tesla dealership.
The Office Depot in Midtown has been a pretty sorry place — they don’t even carry traditional 3-tab file folders — but at least it stayed open. Today, though, I got a big surprise when I dropped by and found it shut. The glass doors were locked, and accordion-style, metal gates were pulled together behind the glass. There was no sign on the door indicating it was out of business, but closed it was, and my guess it wasn’t because of the “snowstorm.”
If it’s closed, the nearest office supply stores for central city residents are in Merriam, Overland Park and Independence.
If it’s closed, that would be rotten. On the bright side, though, wouldn’t it be something if I beat The Star’s ubiquitous retail reporter Joyce Smith to the story?
Why, I bet “Cronk” would be proud of his former boss.
JimmyCsays: At the juncture of journalism and daily life in KC 
I walk to Office Depot on Main (and bring a two-wheeler with me if I buy something big since I have not owned a car in a dozen years). The website has a check mark for closed today but hours otherwise. Unusual. I’ll keep hope alive, at least through the night.
https://www.officedepot.com/storelocator/mo/kansas-city/office-depot-239
Glad to have you back in town! I’m tired of envying your vacation reports.
Why the heck would a store like Office Depot be closed on Thursday? I guess it’s possible they don’t have enough empoylees. I mean, who would want to work there? I hope you’re right, Vern — that it’s still open most days.
Hi Jim! I loved working with Bob Cronkleton when I was with the Star and Times. Bob could tackle any kind of story, from technology to a traffic jam, nail it down and turn it around, quickly and accurately. He started out a few desks over from me on the Kansas City Times Business News Desk in the late 1980s. His knowledge and expertise on the technology front helped him roll with all the changes the last 20 years have brought.
Meantime, I just called Office Depot at 42nd and Main. I had to push the button for curbside pickup to talk to a person, but I finally got through to someone and he said they’re open. They might have closed yesterday due to the weather.
I had forgotten Bob started on the business desk, Julius…Advanced tech skills — which I don’t have — really help reporters these days.
I hyperventilated on the Midtown Office Depot…They are just closed on Thursdays…If they’re going to be closed one day a week, however, wouldn’t it make sense to be closed on Sunday? Far fewer people are needing to make a quick run to Office Depot on Sunday than on Thursday. Screwy. I say, let’s get back to the old Blue Laws!
You and I are in the same boat on tech skills, Jim. I have gained a lot of ground. But no matter how much I advance, I always seem to be about five years behind the folks on the cutting edge. OK, maybe 10 years behind if you’re talking about guys like Bob Cronkleton and Dave Hayes. But I’m still learning.
Maybe Office Depot determined that they would rake in more sales nowadays if they were open both days of the weekend, when many consumers have more time to shop. But they should post their hours.
FYI- I always use the Home Depot at North Oak & Vivion. They have a great selection of everything. I live in Oz, so I also shop the North Oak Price Chopper to save the taxes.
Sorry, Office Depot.
I wondered about that. I asked Patty, “Does Home Depot have office supplies?” She said, “Maybe a few.”
I went to the Club Royal Office Max (where I worked as a teenager parking cars) the other day not knowing it closed a long time ago. So I came home and ordered what I needed on Amazon. I’m thinking that is the downfall to these stores.
You mean you might have to grace the sunflower state with your presence? Horrors!
I think Ms. Smith is too busy keeping up with the area eateries to bother witn boring old office supply stores.
Well, I figured out the Office Depot mystery today. I went by there to buy an address stamp and five or six employees were buzzing around. I asked a counter clerk if they were always closed on Thursday or just yesterday, and he said just yesterday. Reason? The weather. But no one had bothered to put a sign on the door saying the store was closed. Like I said, it was just locked up, and the posted hours showed open every day.