Kansas City News Blog

This week's column involves a shopping center in Lee's Summit that's getting taxpayer assistance. Nowadays, big retail centers receive incentives as a matter of course. Curious to know what cities did (if anything) for the malls of yesterday, I went to the Missouri Valley Room at the Central Library to look at old newspaper and magazine articles.

One source turned up in a 1984 edition of Kansas City Magazine. The article described the effects of Bannister Mall on Truman Corners in Grandview. The piece mentioned that Bannister Mall's developers negotiated with government authorities to improve nearby roads and highways -- a process that tax-increment financing would standardize in years to come.

I had a hard time keeping my eyes on the story about the malls, however, because a 25-year-old edition of a city magazine is mesmerizing. The first article to grab me featured 84 Kansas City faces worth watching.
The eye-worthy politicians in 1984 included Jerry Riffel, a Fourth District Kansas City councilman, and Mike White, fresh off a term as Jackson County executive. Riffel and White are today prominent lawyers, but their political careers pale next to that of another attention getter in '84 -- Claire McCaskill. Then a measly but fetching state representative, the current U.S. senator was described by the magazines's editors as tough, bright and still climbing. Future Kansas City Star editor and publisher Art Brisbane, then a Kansas City Times columnist, appeared on the same page of the magazine as McCaskill.

The magazine recalls how bleak the post-Stram pre-Schottenheimer years were for Chiefs fans. Quarterback Todd Blackledge and head coach John Mackovic were ones to watch -- but not for long. Three seasons later, both were gone.

Heavy with media personalities, the list praised the chops of Star reporter Rick Alm and cartoonist Lee Judge. Alas, their full-time positions disappeared in recent rounds of downsizing at The Star.

Vicki Noties, described as an architect and political activist, was on the list. She ultimately became a director of planning for the city of Kansas City and now works as a consultant. A chestnut-haired Larry Moore, recently hired by Channel 9, also made the list. Hey, he's still there!

Big crowds showed up at Kemper Arena to watch the Kansas City Comets play indoor soccer. Brothers Tracey and Tim "Timmy" Leiweke ran the operation and created the buzz. They were photographed next to a "Comets" logo that, today, seems to be trying to look dated. Our little Timmy is now president and CEO of AEG, one of the largest sports and entertainment companies in the world. He's the guy who guaranteed the Sprint Center would have a tenant.

Other issues of Kansas City Magazine in the bound volume I looked were just as compelling. The cover model on the "Kansas City's Most Powerful Women" issue is standing on a rock and shooting laser light out of an extended digit.

A story about computer use shows that Dad's a P.C. and Mom's a Mac.

And, finally, a story about the gay community's social and political aspirations was titled "Coming Out Together" but accompanied by a photograph that said "Staying In."