Sunday, July 9, 2017

James B. Nutter's final resting place: EAST OF TROOST! Visitation/ aka wake: Wed. 5-8pm, Unity Temple on Plaza. Funeral, Thurs.10a at Country Club Christian, 6101 Ward Pkwy. McGilley's Midtown coordinating

This just in--
the fine folks at McGilley's Midtown are coordinating services for James B. Nutter Sr.  Since a huge crowd is expected they selected two large venues.
Major domo Jackson County Dem chair Lonnie Shalton, Senator Claire McCaskill,
James B Nutter Sr and former staffer to Congresswoman Karen McCarthy,
Jan Hodgson, last summer at the funeral services for Hila B "Dutch" Newman.

All these key Dems expected to be at Nutter's visitation and funeral this week--
Jaxco Commissioner Scott Burnett, Congressman Emanuel Cleaver, (x/help!), 
Commissioner Theresa Garza and far right (LOL only in photos, never in opinions!) 
former regl dir, Dept of Energy and now campaign coach Mary O'Halloran. 
Dem Chair Lonnie Shalton, James B Nutter and world traveller Rita Leifhelm--last summer at the services for
Hila B "Dutch" Newman.  

One of a kind mouth of the Third District, former state rep and KCMO Councilwoman Carol Coe
attended Dutch Newman's services last summer, and is expected at James B Nutter's grand send-off,
this Wed. July. 12 at Unity and Thurs J. 13th @ Country Club Christian,
and then to proudly welcome Nutter to his final resting place, EAST of Troost!
Former mayor backed by Nutter, Richard Berkley, and former Congressional staffer Jan Hodgson,
with photo of Dutch Newman and Hillary Clinton, at Dutch's funeral last July.
This is a rare photo--since usually Berkley TAKES 400 photos a week!
Expect to see him at Nutter's visitation Wed. at 5pm, Unity and the funeral, Thurs. at 10am at Country Club Christian.

WED. JULY 12
5-8PM
Unity Temple on the Plaza
707 W. 47th
5-8pm
This is a "visitation", rather than a formal religious ceremony.
Folks pass by the casket, (optional) then gather in small groups for refreshments and sharing of memories, informally.  (Catholics call it a wake.)

THURS. JULY 13
10AM   (Approx. one hour)
Country Club Christian
6101 Ward Parkway
This will be a formal church ceremony
with a program, a sign-in book, and list of key speakers and music.

Burial of the casket will be immediately after that, 11:30am, Forest Hill Calvary Cemetery--
6901 Troost.

So imagine that, folks!  From a great man who loved and served and shaped the future of Jackson County his whole life:
A classic Jim Nutter move--he will be buried EAST OF TROOST!


Expect parking to be in short supply!

Our hometown funeral experts, McGilley's Midtown,  did a sensational job last summer for Dutch Newman, who was celebrated and loved by so many of the same folks.  Dutch's sendoff was at Visitation Catholic on Main.  And of course, James B. Nutter was there--greeted in his wheelchair by all, photographed by me and of course, Mayor Dick Berkley.  A who's who for Kansas City and Democrat politics.  And a motorcycle patrol of 14 of Jackson County's finest men in blue.

Friday, July 7, 2017

Burns&Mac running false radio ads on 4 stns! Deceives public! Lobbies KCMO Council for their NoBid "New KCI"!! Goals: a) avoid public vote b) skim addl $140M financing profits and c) head off Katy Shields' smarter plan: local revenue bonds

 Bottom line: if Burns & Mac will lie to the public NOW, what else will they conceal?  Or attempt to sneak past the KCMO City Council?

This is a clear case of deceptive lobbying.  Burns and Mac is spending thousands of dollars on what's called The Assumed Close.

They struck their deal with Mayor Sly James.  It's been blocked.  The council wisely caved into public pressure, to at least invite a few others to bid.  And best of all, Katy Shields came up with a better plan, selling Airport Revenue Bonds, which will save the taxpayers $140 million in interest, since public bonds are sold at a lower interest rate than what Burns and Mac's secret moneybags, Michael Merriman at Americo will charge rich investors, (eg backers of Sly James).

But who would be surprised  at the temerity of telling an untrue outcome?  At B&M's IGNORING the facts that is, their Pearl Harbor sneak attack to spend a billion bucks to build a SMALLER airport may have been thwarted??

Who would be surprised at Burns and Mac now lobbying falsely by running radio spots AS IF THEY ALREADY WON AND BUILT THE "NEW KCI"??????

The splash page of Burns and McDonnell's own website is our first clue to an altered sense of integrity.  It starts with some X-files worthy music, and this apocryphal quote:
It can happen right before your eyes.
And at first, you might not even notice.

I hate liars.  So when I heard this unsourced radio spot on my favorite station, 980 KMBZ, claiming the city already built a new KCI, paid by Burns & Mac, I investigated.  Because the FCC says all spots must make it clear, who paid for them.  This one doesn't.  

Turns out it IS Burns and Mac paying the bill.  But could just as easily have been a lobbying group promoted and funded by their benefactor, Sly James.  Or Michael Merriman at Americo Insurance, the secret financier who hides from all reporters, and stands to make $140 million in higher bond rates.
Mike Merriman's Americo Life secret downtown financing partner 
for Burns and Mac's No Bid billion dollar, smaller"New KCI".
He may have paid Burns & Mac to run the false radio spots.
After all, if he snags this No Bid contract, he makes an extra 

$140 million, because private investments earn 1 1/2 to 2% 
more interest per year than publicly financed Airport Revenue Bonds. 

Burns & Mac has 5 registered lobbyists, according to James Klahr, Director of the Missouri Election Commission.  He shared with me, Missouri law is very weak on disclosures--re issues coming up on a ballot or a candidate: just for printed materials.)  But the FCC says  on every spot in America for any purpose: reveal to the public, (which owns the airwaves), exactly who is paying to dish out this narrative, in this case, a false one.

The spot states, "...in 2017, Kansas City made history, with the first ever privately built airport in the nation...built and financed locally...every pilot is talkin' about that new privately built KCI..."

It's simply not true!  It's wishful lobbying.

Listen here: KCI Pilot radio spot on 
4 Entercom stations


The spots are airing this week and next, thousands of dollars on a heavy schedule on four major Entercom radio stations: AM 980 KMBZ; 98.1FM (think EJ& Ellen and Dana and Parks); KCSP610 Sports, and 98.9 KQRC the Rock (Johnny Dare et al) .