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VOL 18 No. 27
Local mexican artist
Mauricio Zuniga’s exhibits
his artwork at TMC
See page 8.
Mauricio Zúñiga,
artista mexicano local
expone su obra en TMC
Ver página 8.
PRSRT STD
U.S POSTAGE
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KCMO
PERMIT NO. 990
www.kchispanicnews.com
19 de Marzo, 2015 * Periódico Bilingüe Kansas City
Your latino connection since 1996
Westside concerns
linger after Southwest
Boulevard shooting
Persisten las preocupaciones en
el Westside después de tiroteo
en Southwest Boulevard
Tú conexión latina desde 1996
Seven women inducted into
Starr Women’s Hall of Fame
Siete mujeres son aceptadas en
el Salón de la Fama Mujeres Starr
A bartender at Rhythm & Booze, 423 Southwest Blvd., told
Hispanic News she was working when the shots rang out.
Una camarera en Rhythm & Booze, 423 Southwest Blvd., dijo a Hispanic News
que estaba trabajando cuando sonaron los disparos.
by Jerry LaMartina
traduce Gemma Tornero
L
upe Banuelos fears for her
grandmother’s safety. She also
fears for her other Westside
neighbors because of what she
said had been a series of recent
shootings in the neighborhood.
Banuelos owns Ricos Tacos Lupe
at 802 Southwest Blvd. She said
L
upe Bañuelos teme por la
seguridad de su abuela. Ella
también teme por sus otros
vecinos en el Westside, debido a
lo que ella dijo, habían sido una serie
de recientes tiroteos en el barrio.
Bañuelos es dueña de Ricos
Tacos Lupe, ubicados en el número
“PEOPLE AREA GOING ... / PAGE 2
“LA GENTE VA A ... / PÁGINA 2
Fierro & Justus square
off in 4th District race
Fierro y Justus se ponen en guardia
para la contienda del Distrito 4
The Starr Women’s Hall of Fame held their first inaugural inductees luncheon honoring seven Kansas
City women for their vision and fortitude to change the landscape of Kansas City and make it a better
place for women of all walks of life. The inductees were Marjorie Powell Allen, Kay Barnes, Myra
Christopher, Adele Hall, Shirley Bush Helzberg, Dorothy Johnson and Martha Jane Phillips Starr.
El Salón de la Fama, Mujeres Starr, celebró su primer homenaje a sus inaugurales intregrantes, con un almuerzo en
honor a siete mujeres de Kansas City por su visión y la fortaleza para cambiar el panorama de la ciudad de Kansas,
convertiendola en un lugar mejor para las mujeres de todas las clases sociales. Las homenajeadas fueron Marjorie Powell
Allen, Kay Barnes, Myra Christopher, Adele Hall, Shirley Bush Helzberg, Dorothy Johnson y Martha Jane Phillips Starr.
by Debra DeCoster
traduce Gemma Tornero
T
E
he Starr Women’s Hall of Fame at the University
of Missouri Kansas City (UMKC) is dedicated to
honoring the accomplishments of women, past
and present, whose contributions leave a lasting
impact on Kansas City and beyond. The Hall of Fame
is dedicated to recognizing Kansas City women and
preserving the history of their accomplishments.
l Salón de la Fama Mujeres Starr, de la
Universidad de Kansas City Missouri (UMKC
por sus siglas en inglés), está dedicado a honrar
los logros de las mujeres, pasadas​​y presentes,
cuyas contribuciones dejan un impacto duradero
en Kansas City y más allá. El Salón de la Fama está
dedicado a reconocer a las mujeres de Kansas City y a
WOMEN RECOGNIZED ... / PAGE 7
MUJERES SON CONDECORADAS ... / PÁGINA 7
Councilman Glover faces
challengers for his seat
El Concejal Glover, se enfrenta a
sus oponentes por su actual puesto
“I’ve had a history of working in the community and trying to
create jobs and improve public safety and overall quality of life,”
said John Fierro.
“I found I had skills and a leadership style that were really
effective… now I want to put it to use at City Hall,” said Jolie Justus
“He tenido un historial de trabajo en la comunidad, he tratado de crear
puestos de trabajo y mejorar la seguridad pública y la calidad de vida
en general”, dijo John Fierro.
“Descubrí que tenía habilidades y un estilo de liderazgo que eran
realmente eficaces”, añadió... Ahora quiero ponerlos a trabajar en el
ayuntamiento,” dijo Jolie Justus.
by Jerry LaMartina
traduce Gemma Tornero
V
oters will choose between
longtime Hispanic activist
and former parks board
president John Fierro and
former Missouri Senator Jolie Justus
for the 4th District seat on the Kansas
City Council in the April 7 primary
election.
Fierro is a lifelong 4th District
resident and president/CEO of the
Mattie Rhodes Center. Justus grew
up in Kansas City and Branson, Mo.
She is a lawyer and director of pro
“THIS ELECTION SHOULD ... / PAGE 3
NEWSROOM: (816)472.5246
|
L
os votantes elegirán entre John
Fierro, un activista hispano de
toda la vida y ex presidente
de la junta de parques; y la ex
senadora de Missouri, Jolie Justus,
para el puesto del cuarto distrito en
el Consejo de Kansas City, en la
elección primaria del 7 de abril.
Fierro es un residente por mucho
tiempo del Distrito 4 y, el presidente
y director general del Centro Mattie
Rhodes. Justus creció en Kansas
City y Branson, Missouri. Ella es
Jim Glover
by Joe Arce and Debra DeCoster
I
|
JARED CAMPBELL
KATHERYN SHIELDS
traduce Gemma Tornero
E
ncumbent Councilman Jim Glover, 4th District
at-Large, is running in the Kansas City, Missouri
Primary election on Tuesday, April 7 for his 5th
term in office.
Running against him is former City Council woman
and Jackson County Executive Katheryn Shields,
new comer on the political scene Bryan Stalder and
Jared Campbell, an insurance agent and civic activist
respectively.
Glover has a long history on the Council having
won his first seat in 1991. He served through 1999
vacating the seat because of term limitations. He
returned and served from 2003 until 2007. He was
elected for his fourth term in 2011.
l concejal titular Jim Glover, del 4to. Distrito
General, está compitiendo para su quinto
mandato en el cargo, en la elección primaria
de Kansas City, Missouri, a llevarse a cabo el
martes 7 de abril.
Compitiendo en su contra se encuentran la ex
Concejal del Ayuntamiento y Ejecutiva del Condado de
Jackson, Katheryn Shields; el recién llegado a la escena
política, Bryan Stalder; y Jared Campbell, un agente
de seguros y un activista cívico, respectivamente.
Glover tiene una larga historia en el Concejo, después
de haber ganado su primer escaño en 1991. Él sirvió
en el puesto hasta 1999, dejando el puesto debido a
limitaciones del término. Él regresó y se desempeñó
FOUR CONTEND ... / PAGE 6
SON CUATRO ... / PÁGINA 6
“ESTA ELECCION DEBE SER ... / PÁGINA 3
FAX: (816) 931.6397
BRYAN STALDER
KCHISPANICNEWS.com
|
E-MAIL: [email protected]
| 2918 Southwest Blvd.
Kansas City, MO 64108
MARZO 19 DEL 2015 I KCHispanicNews.com
“La gente va a empezar a pensar que ya no es seguro”
CONT./PÁGINA 1
802 de Southwest Blvd. Ella
dijo que había notado el
aumento de los problemas
en el vecindario desde que
un club nocturno ubicado en
el 700 de Southwest Blvd.,
llamado Club Encore KC,
abrió recientemente. Las
llamadas al centro nocturno
no fueron devueltas hasta la
hora de cierre de Kansas City
Hispanic News.
“Mis abuelos viven justo
detrás de allí, y mi hermana
también”, dijo ella. “Estoy
preocupada por mi abuela.
Ella tiene su tienda (La Posada
Market, 722 de Southwest
Blvd). Está asustada porque
ella escucha los disparos por
la noche. Ella tiene que usar
un audífono para escuchar, y
si ella puede escucharlos sin
su audífono, eso le dice que
es muy cerca”.
“Mi
preocupación
es,
que han sido dos semanas
seguidas en las que ha
habido
disparos”,
dijo
Bañuelos. “Puede ser que
un día reciba una llamada
telefónica de que mi abuela
fue alcanzada por una
bala, porque ella vive justo
detrás del establecimiento
- ni siquiera son 100 pies
(de distancia); ella puede
caminar afuera, y está justo
ahí. No sólo ella, sino los
vecinos del lado derecho que
tienen niños. Y sobre todo
ahora, con los First Fridays
(en el distrito de Crossroads),
simplemente otras personas
caminando por ahí, gente
inocente”.
La portavoz del Departamento de Policía de Kansas
City (KCPD por sus siglas
en inglés), la Sgt. Kari
Thompson, confirmó que
alrededor de las 2:40 am, el
7 de marzo, la policía recibió
un informe de un tiroteo
cerca de la intersección de
Southwest Boulevard y la calle
Washington. Tres personas
resultaron heridas en el
incidente realizado desde un
automóvil en movimiento, y
que involucró a tres vehículos.
Según el informe policial
del incidente, una víctima dijo
a la policía, que él y otros
iban en el mismo vehículo y
se habían retirado del Club
Encore KC poco tiempo antes
del tiroteo.
Una bartender en Rhythm &
Booze, ubicado en Southwest
Blvd. 423, dijo a Hispanic
News que había estado
trabajando cuando sonaron
los disparos. Cerca de 40
personas se encontraban
en el bar en el momento, y
una bala entró en un cuarto
trasero, pero nadie resultó
herido.
Sin embargo, el incidente
no parece haber afectado al
negocio de bar, dijo.
“Nos asusto mucho a
nosotros, porque tuvimos un
día muy ocupado después
de eso”, dijo la mujer, que
prefirió no dar su nombre.
“Pero, ya sabes, la gente
habla”.
Según el informe policial,
un testigo dijo que estaba
en el bar cuando ocurrió el
tiroteo, después salió y vio
una “suburban blanca con
un decorado negro grande,
un pasajero masculino que
llevaba una gorra de media
oscura y disparando una
pistola semi automática” en
un vehículo. También fueron
despedidos
disparos
de
“un pequeño sedán oscuro,
posiblemente un Honda”.
El propietario de Rhythm &
Booze, quien se hace llamar
Rhythm,
también
estuvo
presente durante el tiroteo.
Él le dijo a Hispanic News
que había sido un incidente
aislado. Él ha sido dueño del
bar por alrededor de cinco
años y medio.
“El último tiroteo del que
supe cerca de nuestro bar,
fue en el puente I-35, hace
unos cuatro meses”, dijo.
El incidente más reciente
en el área inmediata al
que respondió la policía
antes del incidente del 7
de marzo, fue choque con
fuga, el 11 de enero cerca
de Rhythm & Booze, dijo
Thompson. Un vehículo en
movimiento golpeó a un
vehículo estacionado, y luego
el conductor huyó.
El informe policial en
relación al tiroteo del 7 de
marzo también declaró que
uno de los vehículos se había
estrellado contra un edificio
“People are going to start
thinking it’s not safe anymore”
CONT./PAGE 1
that she’d noticed increasing
problems in the neighborhood
since a nightclub at 700
Southwest Blvd., called Club
Encore KC, opened recently.
Calls to the nightclub weren’t
returned by press time for
Kansas City Hispanic News.
“My grandparents live right
behind there, and my sister
lives there, too,” she said. “I’m
worried for my grandma. …
She has her store (La Posada
Market, at 722 Southwest
Blvd). (She’s scared) because
she hears it at night. She has
to wear a hearing aid, and
if she can hear it without her
hearing aid, that tells you it’s
really close. …
“My concern is, it’s two
weeks in a row there’s been
gunshots,” Banuelos said.
“Either I get a phone call one
day that my grandma got hit
by a bullet because she lives
right behind it – it’s not even
100 feet (away); she can walk
outside, and it’s right there.
Not just her, but the neighbors
right next door that have kids.
And especially now, with First
Fridays (in the Crossroads
district), just other people
walking around, innocent
people.”
Kansas
City
Police
Department
(KCPD)
spokeswoman
Sgt.
Kari
Thompson
confirmed
that
around 2:40 a.m. on March
7, police received a report of
a shooting near the intersection
of Southwest Boulevard and
Washington
Street.
Three
people were injured in the
drive-by
incident,
which
involved three vehicles.
According to the incident’s
police report, one victim told
police he and others in the
same vehicle had left Club
Encore KC a short time before
the shooting.
A bartender at Rhythm &
Booze, at 423 Southwest Blvd.,
told Hispanic News she’d been
working when the shots rang
out. About 40 people were in
the bar at the time, and one
bullet entered a back room, but
no one was injured.
The incident didn’t seem
to have affected the bar’s
business, though, she said.
“It shocked the hell out of us,
because we had a really busy
day right afterwards,” said the
woman, who preferred not to
give her name. “But, you know,
people talk.”
According to the police
report, a witness who said
she was in the bar when
the shooting occurred, went
outside afterward and saw a
“white suburban like vehicle
with a black, heavy set, male
passenger wearing a dark
stocking cap shooting a semi
automatic handgun” at one
vehicle. Shots also were fired
from “a small dark sedan,
possibly a Honda.”
Rhythm & Booze’s owner,
who calls himself Rhythm,
also was present during the
shooting. He told Hispanic
News it was an isolated
incident. He has owned the
bar for about five and a half
years.
“The last shooting I know of
anywhere near our bar was
on the I-35 bridge about four
months ago,” he said.
The most recent incident
in the immediate area that
police responded to prior to
the March 7 incident was a
hit and run on Jan. 11 near
Rhythm & Booze, Thompson
said. A moving vehicle struck
a parked vehicle, and then the
driver fled.
The police report on the
March 7 shooting also stated
that one of the vehicles had
crashed into a building at 405
Southwest Blvd., which houses
Escapist Skateboarding, and
that the front door of El Conejo
Bus Lines, at 501 Southwest
Blvd., had a bullet hole in it.
Banuelos said she also
was concerned because the
neighborhood has improved
with residential and other
developments, and “all of this
is going to make us look bad.”
“People are going to start
thinking the Westside is an
ugly place (that’s) not safe
anymore,” she said. “I’m
not open at night, but other
restaurants are open at night,
and it can affect them.
“We haven’t had this for
awhile,” she said. “It started
now that (Club Encore KC)
is open again. I do know
the week before there was
shooting. My grandfather
found empty shells. One of his
gutters has a bullet hole. My
sister called the police because
she’s seen where people park
on Summit, ladies fighting at
night, and they’re people that
are coming from this nightclub.
They park on Summit, they park
on Southwest Boulevard and
they park on Cesar Chavez or
underneath the bridge.”
Banuelos said she’d seen
sheriff’s department patrol
cars “sitting outside, … but
obviously they must not care
what’s going on, because
my sister’s called the police,
and they’ll say ‘OK. We’ve
TU CONEXIÓN LATINA DESDE 1996
already gotten a phone call.’
And that’s about it. We don’t
need, Lord forbid, something
happens like Ferguson (Mo.),”
she said. “If the police stop
them and shoot somebody –
it’s not going to help us, this
negativity, because people
who live in Olathe and
Overland Park are going to
think the Westside is a danger
zone, when we’re not.”
Chato
Villalobos,
a
community
police
officer
with the Kansas City Police
Department who is assigned
to the Westside, said that
his office received calls from
residents the day after the
March 7 shooting and that
he’d been talking to people
while walking his beat.
“It’s upsetting because the
people who go to that club
aren’t from the neighborhood,”
Villalobos
told
Hispanic
News. “There have been a
lot of businesses opening up,
schools opening up, people
moving in (on the Westside)
during the past three years or
so. It’s been very quiet lately.
That community is thriving
now, and they don’t want the
Westside perceived as having
a lot of crime. The Westside
is one of the more successful
communities as far as people
having a good relationship
with the police department,
reporting crime and taking
part
in
crime-reduction
programs.”
The best way for people to
protect themselves, he said, is
to get involved with broader
efforts to reduce crime.
“You’re talking about the
element of human beings,”
Villalobos
said.
“There’s
no way to guarantee that
nothing’s going to happen.
What we can do is show by
collective force that we won’t
tolerate that behavior. Drive-by
shootings are unacceptable.”
Villalobos wants residents
and business owners to tell
police if they learn of anything
that hurts the Westside’s
quality of life.
“For businesses, get more
security,” he said. “I put the
responsibility on the owner
to keep the people working
and coming there safe. If
anybody – a resident or a
business or a school – is not
monitoring the behavior of the
people they serve who come
there, then we’re holding them
accountable. The police have
to do their part, but we can’t
do it alone. It has to be a
collaborative effort.”
ubicado en el número 405
de Southwest Blvd., mismo
que alberga a Escapist
Skateboarding, y que la
puerta principal de El Conejo
Bus Lines, en Southwest Blvd.
501, tenía un agujero de
bala.
Bañuelos dijo que también
estaba preocupada porque
el barrio ha mejorado con
los desarrollos residenciales
y otros, y “todo esto va
hacernos quedar mal”.
“La gente va a empezar a
pensar que el Westside es
un lugar feo, que ya no es
seguro”, dijo. “Yo no abro
en la noche, pero otros
restaurantes están abiertos en
la noche, y puede afectarles
a ellos”.
“No
habíamos
tenido
esto por un tiempo”, dijo.
“Comenzó ahora que (el
Club Encore KC) está abierto
de nuevo. Sé que la semana
anterior hubo un tiroteo. Mi
abuelo encontró casquillos
vacíos. Una de sus canaletas
tiene un agujero de bala. Mi
hermana llamó a la policía
porque ha visto donde las
personas se estacionan en
Summit, a señoras peleándose
en la noche, y son personas
que vienen de esta discoteca.
Se estacionan en Summit, en
Southwest Boulevard y en
César Chávez o por debajo
del puente”.
Bañuelos
dijo
que
había visto patrullas del
departamento del sheriff
“estacionados afuera, pero
obviamente no les preocupa
lo que está pasando, porque
mi hermana llamó a la
policía, y dijeron ‘OK. Ya
hemos recibido una llamada
telefónica’. Y eso es todo.
No necesitamos, Dios no
lo quiera, que suceda algo
como en Ferguson (MO)”,
dijo. “Si la policía los detiene
y dispara a alguien - no nos
va ayudar, esta negatividad,
porque las personas que
viven en Olathe y Overland
Park van a pensar que el
Westside es una zona de
peligro, cuando no lo somos”.
Southwest Blvd., is a fun place to enjoy. On St. Patrick
Day’s, hundreds gathered at La Fonda Mexican
Restaurant, while others hit the bars and restaurants.
Area businesses and homeowners want their community
to remain safe.
Southwest Blvd., es un lugar divertido para disfrutar. El día de San
Patricio, cientos se reunieron en ‘La Fonda Mexican Restaurant’,
mientras otros disfrutaron los bares y restaurantes. Empresas de
la zona y propietarios de viviendas quieren que su comunidad
permanezca segura
Chato Villalobos, un oficial
de policía de la comunidad
con el Departamento de
Policía de Kansas City,
y quien está asignado
al Westside, dijo que su
oficina recibió llamadas de
residentes el día después del
tiroteo del 7 de marzo y que
había estado hablando con
la gente mientras caminaba
su ronda.
“Es molesto porque la
gente que va a ese club no
son del barrio”, Villalobos
dijo a Hispanic News. “Ha
habido una gran cantidad
de apertura de negocios,
escuelas, la gente se ha
mudado
(al
Westside)
durante los últimos tres años,
más o menos. Ha estado muy
tranquilo últimamente. Esa
comunidad está prosperando
ahora, y ellos no quieren que
el Westside sea percibido por
tener mucha delincuencia.
El Westside es una de las
comunidades más exitosas,
ya que las personas tienen
una buena relación con el
departamento de policía,
la denuncia de delitos y
la participación en los
programas de reducción de
la delincuencia”.
La mejor manera para que
las personas se protejan, dijo,
es involucrarse con esfuerzos
más amplios para reducir el
crimen.
“Estamos hablando sobre
el elemento de los seres
humanos”, dijo Villalobos.
“No hay forma de garantizar
que nada va a pasar. Lo que
podemos hacer es mostrar
a la fuerza colectiva que
no vamos a tolerar ese
comportamiento. Los tiroteos
son inaceptables”.
Villalobos
quiere
que
los residentes y dueños de
negocios le digan a la policía
si se enteran de algo que
lastime la calidad de vida del
Westside.
“Para
las
empresas,
consigan más seguridad”,
dijo.
“Yo
doy
la
responsabilidad
a
los
propietarios, para mantener
a la gente trabajando y
yendo allí de manera segura.
Si alguien - un residente o
un negocio o una escuela
- no está monitoreando
el comportamiento de las
personas que atienden, que
llegan allí, entonces estamos
haciéndolos
responsables.
La policía tiene que hacer
su parte, pero no podemos
hacerlo solos. Tiene que ser
un esfuerzo de colaboración”.
YOUR LATINO CONNECTION SINCE 1996
KCHispanicNews.com I MARZO 19 DEL 2015
“This election should be about passion, commitment and purpose”
CONT./PAGE 1
bono services for the Shook,
Hardy & Bacon law firm.
Fierro and Justus are the
only candidates for the seat
on the April 7 ballot. Both
will advance to the general
election on June 23.
The
candidates
spoke
with Kansas City Hispanic
News about the district’s
problems and strengths, their
experience, how they would
approach the job and their
priorities.
“I’ve had a history of
working in the community
and trying to create jobs
and improve public safety
and overall quality of life,”
Fierro said. “Overall, there’s
a huge disconnect between
communities and City Hall.
We have to find ways to
engage Latinos, AfricanAmericans and everyone else.
We haven’t provided them an
opportunity to have a voice.
I want to be a convener, to
bring them together and ask
them what their concerns
are. I’m going to make sure
we’re transparent, open and
inclusive with major decisions
affecting our district.”
When Justus decided to run
for the Missouri Senate eight
years ago, “it was because
I had seen several problems
I thought I could help within
Jefferson City; social and
economic justice issues.”
“I found I had skills and a
leadership style that were
really effective,” she added.
“Now I want to put it to use
at City Hall. I think it’s really
hard to address issues district
by district, and that’s one of
the problems the council has
right now. I tend to look at the
city as a whole.”
Her top priorities Justus
said, would be infrastructure
and basic city services; a
sustainable
approach
to
economic development, with
an emphasis on neighborhood
development, and getting
“smart on crime.”
“I passed a bill (in the
Missouri Senate) called the
Justice Reinvestment Act, for
criminal-sentencing reform,”
she said. “The next year,
we completely rewrote our
criminal code. The last time
we’d worked on that code
was in the 1970s. We were
putting people in prison
who shouldn’t have been in
prison, and letting people
go free who should’ve been
in prison. … We should put
the dangerous people behind
bars, but if it makes more
sense to put people who’ve
committed drug crimes but no
violent crimes in a drug court
system with drug treatment,
that’s what we should do. Just
locking people up and letting
them out five years later has
been a very bad thing for our
city.”
Both candidates have been
meeting with district residents
and community leaders to
gauge their concerns.
“I was eating at a restaurant
on the Boulevard, and one
gentleman, who owns and
operates a food truck, said
he wanted to rent a storefront
in Westport and had trouble
getting the opportunity. He’s
primarily Spanish-speaking,”
said Fierro, “and I live in
the neighborhood. I speak
Spanish and I can connect
the dots a lot faster and make
things happen. We all know
a lot of our small businesses
are very entrepreneurial. …
I think at times the city and
some of our business districts
don’t do enough to help them
develop their businesses.”
“When I’m talking to Latino
and African-American leaders
and
other
underserved
neighborhoods, I’m talking
about blight and the need to
clean up properties,” Justus
said. “I think we can create a
position in the city funded by
the city or the state to advocate
for neighborhoods.”
Fierro cited the district’s
cultural and economic diversity
as its biggest strengths. His
strengths include that he’s
“an established community
leader.”
“I have formal education to
be able to manage resources
in an effective way,” he said.
“I’m very humble; I come from
humble beginnings. I grew
up in public housing. I was
a teenage father at age 19.
I came from a background
where you have to work
hard. People have opened
up doors for me, and it’s
my responsibility to pay it
forward. I think one of my
weaknesses is whatever I do
each day, I try to cast a very
wide net for a great deal of
individuals. That may limit the
amount of time I can spend
with each person, and I‘m
human so I can get tired. It’s
also one of my strengths: I
get more times at bat and I
may strike out once but I’ll get
three hits.”
Justus said the 4th District’s
neighborhoods are its greatest
strength. “I have been serving
this area in the 4th District,
south of the river, for eight years
now. We have the most active,
engaged
neighborhoods
anywhere in the state, as far
as I’m concerned.”
Her strengths, she said,
include her “ability to get
along with anybody.”
“I was kind of known in
Jefferson City for crossing
party lines to get things done,
plus the skills and experience
that I’ve developed, and my
hard work,” she said. “One
of the things people have told
me they appreciate about
me is that my door’s always
open and I tell them the truth.
Sometimes I think my family
and friends would say I need
to take some time for myself
every now and again so I can
serve others.”
Fierro said that his service on
the Kansas City Board of Parks
and Recreation Commissioners
would translate well to the city
council.
“As a board commissioner,
we set policy, adopted
ordinances and resolutions,
and conducted hearings,”
he said. “I was interfacing
with the community every
day. I’m here, I’m visible and
I’m accessible. If somebody
had an issue, good or bad,
they could confront me pretty
quickly. And when I was parks
board president for four years,
my role was to expand it. And
I appointed some of my fellow
commissioners to committees
and presided over our
meetings. Over 98 percent of
the time, we had unanimity.”
Fierro called the Kansas
City Public Schools (KCPS)
“critical to the future economic
development of our city.” The
district’s students “have to have
the proper skills to compete
internationally and contribute
to our local tax base.”
“I think (KCPS) is making
strides,” he said. “I feel very
positive about the direction
they’re going. The city’s
role is to be a partner, to
leverage resources on behalf
of the district, with the private
sector to invest dollars and
volunteers for tutoring.”
Justus said the district has
shown “improvement, but not
enough improvement. … I’m
often cautiously optimistic.
Families do have a mix of
options.”
She supports having the
state
accredit
individual
schools, as opposed to the
district as a whole.
Regarding
city-provided
tax incentives to developers,
Fierro said he was pro-growth
and supports the incentives,
“But I think we need to assess
the current configuration of
incentives and to make sure
we’re not penalizing the
library (for example) by giving
out (tax-increment financing).
We have to have a return in
job creation. And how do we
help foster small businesses?
We allocated tremendous
amounts of incentives to
Cerner (for example), and
my question would be what
level of business are they
doing with small businesses,
minority and women-owned
business?”
Justus
thinks
“there’s
room” for tax incentives for
developments, “but I don’t
think you should give away the
bank just because someone
has one good idea.”
“If we did not have
incentives, we wouldn’t have
the amazing growth we’ve
had in the past 10 years,” she
said. “It seems like incentives
are all based on building new
things. I think we can do more
creative things. I think you
can be very balanced in your
approach; you don’t have to
say no to everything or yes to
everything. There’s room for
incentives to help people start
businesses, not necessarily
only for new construction.”
When it comes to KCI,
Fierro supports tearing down
the existing three terminals
and building a single-terminal
airport citing job creation as
a benefit.
Justus wants “a modern,
safe, efficient (and) convenient
airport.”
“We have to do something
to it,” she said. “I don’t
care if it’s a single terminal
or connecting the three
terminals. Beyond that, I want
to know how we’re going to
pay for it. I don’t think we
should go into public debt. I
think the private sector can do
a lot of it.”
When it comes to ground
transportation in Kansas City,
“the public transportation
system is a huge problem
right now,” Justus said.
“It’s one of our biggest
barriers when it comes to
family reunification in the
foster care system, and for
jobs,” she said. “Before
we decide about streetcar
expansion, I want to look
closer at expanding bus
service.
For
streetcar
expansion, how much would
it cost and where would it
go?”
Each candidate expressed
praise for the other.
“I
think
we’re
both
committed to do what’s best
for the city,” Fierro said, “and
regardless of the outcome, I
look forward to working with
her.”
Justus, in turn, said that she
and Fierro “have had a great
working relationship over the
years.”
Justus has raised about
three times as much money as
Fierro, according to the most
recent filings with the Missouri
Ethics Commission. Fierro
said he wasn’t concerned
about the discrepancy.
“I’m running a grassroots
campaign with family, friends
and volunteers,” he said. “I’m
more focused on listening to
people and understanding
the issues. My focus isn’t
about raising large amounts
of money or comparing how
much I raise to how much she
raises. This election should be
about passion, commitment
and purpose.”
barrios marginados, estoy
hablando del deterioro y
la necesidad de limpiar las
propiedades”, dijo Justus.
“Creo que podemos crear
un puesto en la ciudad,
financiado por la ciudad o el
estado, para abogar por los
barrios”.
Fierro citó la diversidad
cultural y económica del
distrito como sus mayores
fortalezas. Entre sus puntos
fuertes está que él es “un líder
comunitario establecido”.
“Tengo la educación formal
para poder gestionar los
recursos de una manera
eficaz”, dijo él. “Soy muy
modesto; yo vengo de
orígenes humildes. Yo crecí
en una vivienda pública.
Fui un padre adolescente
a los 19 años, vengo de
donde
hay que trabajar
duro. Las personas me han
abierto las puertas, y es mi
responsabilidad el retribuir
el favor. Creo que una de
mis debilidades, es que no
importa lo que haga cada
día, trato de lanzar una red
muy amplia para una gran
cantidad de personas. Esto
puede limitar la cantidad
de tiempo que puedo pasar
con cada persona, y yo
soy humano, así que puede
cansarme. Es también uno de
mis puntos fuertes: estoy más
veces con el bate de beisbol
y puedo batear una vez, pero
conseguiré tres imparables”.
Justus dijo que los barrios
del Distrito 4 son su mayor
fortaleza.
“He
estado
sirviendo esta área, en el
Distrito 4, al sur del río,
desde hace ocho años. En lo
que a mí respecta, tenemos
los barrios más activos y
dedicados que en cualquier
parte del Estado”.
Sus puntos fuertes, dijo,
incluyen su “habilidad de
llevarse bien con cualquiera”.
“Yo era conocida un poco
en Jefferson City debido al
cruce de líneas de partido
para
hacer
las
cosas,
además de las habilidades
y la experiencia que he
desarrollado, y mi trabajo
duro”, dijo. “Una de las cosas
que la gente ha dicho que
aprecian sobre mí, es que mi
puerta siempre está abierta
y yo les digo la verdad. A
veces pienso, que mi familia
y amigos me deben decir que
necesito tomar algún tiempo
para mí de vez en cuando,
para que pueda servir a los
demás”.
Fierro dijo, que su servicio
en la Junta de Comisionados
de Parques y Recreación de
Kansas City se tomaría bien
en el ayuntamiento.
“Como comisionado a
bordo, fijamos la política,
adoptamos ordenanzas y
resoluciones, y realizamos
audiencias”, dijo. “Yo tenía
una interconexión con la
comunidad todos los días.
Estoy aquí, soy visible y soy
accesible. Si alguien tenía
un problema, bueno o malo,
podrían confrontarme con
bastante rapidez. Y cuando
estaba como presidente de
la junta de parques, durante
cuatro años, mi papel era
expandirlo. Y nombré a
algunos de mis compañeros
comisionados a los comités
y presidí nuestras reuniones.
Más del 98% del tiempo,
tuvimos la unanimidad”.
Fierro dice que las Escuelas
Públicas de Kansas City
(KCPS por sus siglas en
inglés) son “fundamentales
para el futuro desarrollo
económico
de
nuestra
ciudad”. Los estudiantes del
distrito “tiene que tener las
habilidades adecuadas para
competir a nivel internacional
y contribuir a nuestra base de
impuestos locales”.
“Creo que (KCPS) está
haciendo grandes progresos”,
dijo. “Me siento muy positivo
acerca de la dirección en que
van. El papel de la ciudad es
ser un socio, para aprovechar
los recursos en nombre del
distrito, con el sector privado
invirtiendo y con voluntarios
como tutores”.
Justus dijo que el distrito
ha mostrado “mejoras, pero
no las suficientes. A menudo
me siento cautelosamente
optimista. Las familias tienen
una mezcla de opciones”.
Ella apoya que el estado
esté acreditando a escuelas
individuales, en comparación
con el distrito en su totalidad.
En
cuanto
a
los
incentivos fiscales que la
ciudad proporciona a los
desarrolladores,
Fierro
dijo que estaba a favor
del crecimiento y apoya
los incentivos, “Pero creo
que tenemos que evaluar la
configuración actual de los
incentivos y asegurarse de
que no estamos penalizando
a
la
biblioteca
(por
ejemplo) al proporcionarle
(financiamiento fiscal de
incremento). Tenemos que
tener un retorno en la
creación de empleo. Y ¿cómo
podemos ayudar a fomentar
a las pequeñas empresas?
Nos repartieron una enorme
cantidad de incentivos para
Cerner (por ejemplo), y mi
pregunta sería ¿qué nivel
de negocios están haciendo
con las pequeñas empresas,
negocios
propiedad
de
minorías y de mujeres?”
Justus piensa que “hay
espacio” para los incentivos
fiscales para desarrollos,
“pero no creo que usted debe
regalar el banco sólo porque
alguien tiene una buena
idea”.
“Si no tuviéramos incentivos,
no tendríamos el increíble
crecimiento que hemos tenido
en los últimos 10 años”, dijo.
“Parece que los incentivos
se basan en la construcción
de nuevas cosas. Creo que
podemos hacer cosas más
creativas. Creo que se puede
ser muy equilibrado en su
enfoque; usted no tiene que
decir que no a todo o sí
a todo. Hay espacio para
incentivos, para ayudar a la
gente a crear empresas, no
necesariamente sólo para
nuevas construcciones”.
Cuando se trata de KCI,
Fierro apoya el derribar las
tres terminales existentes y
construir un aeropuerto de
una sola terminal, creando
empleos como un beneficio.
Justus quiere “un aeropuerto
seguro, eficaz, moderno, y
conveniente”.
“Tenemos que hacerle algo
al aeropuerto”, dijo. “No me
importa si se trata de una
sola terminal o conectar las
tres terminales. Más allá de
eso, me gustaría saber cómo
vamos a pagar por ello. No
creo que deberíamos ir a una
deuda pública. Creo que el
sector privado puede hacer
gran parte del proyecto”.
Cuando
se
trata
de
transporte terrestre en Kansas
City, “el sistema de transporte
público es un gran problema
en este momento”, dijo Justus.
“Una de nuestros más
grandes barreras, cuando
se trata de la reagrupación
familiar en el sistema de
cuidado temporal (foster
care), y el empleo”, dijo
ella. “Antes de decidir sobre
la expansión del tranvía,
quiero mirar más de cerca
la ampliación del servicio de
autobuses. Para la expansión
del tranvía, ¿cuánto costará y
a dónde habría que ir?”
Cada candidato expresó
elogios para el otro.
“Creo que ambos estamos
comprometidos a hacer lo
que es mejor para la ciudad”,
Fierro dijo, “y sin importar el
resultado, espero con interés
trabajar con ella”.
Justus, a su vez, dijo que
ella y Fierro, “han tenido una
gran relación de trabajo a
través de los años”.
Justus ha recaudado cerca
de tres veces más dinero
que Fierro, de acuerdo
con
los
más
recientes
documentos
presentados
ante la Comisión de Ética de
Missouri. Fierro dijo que no
estaba preocupado por la
discrepancia.
“Estoy compitiendo en
una campaña de base junto
con la familia, amigos y
voluntarios”, dijo. “Estoy más
centrado en escuchar a la
gente y en la comprensión de
los problemas. Mi enfoque
no es sobre reunir grandes
cantidades de dinero o en la
comparación cuanto puedo
recaudar o lo mucho que ella
recauda. Esta elección debe
ser acerca de la pasión, el
compromiso y el propósito”.
“Esta elección debe ser acerca de la pasión, el compromiso y el propósito”
CONT./PÁGINA 1
abogada y directora de
servicios pro bono para el
bufete de abogados Shook,
Hardy & Bacon.
Fierro y Justus, son los únicos
candidatos para el puesto en
la boleta electoral del 7 de
abril. Ambos pasarán a las
elecciones generales del 23
de junio.
Los candidatos hablaron
con Kansas City Hispanic
News
acerca
de
los
problemas del distrito y sus
fortalezas, de su experiencia,
cómo abordarían el trabajo y
cuales son sus prioridades.
“He tenido un historial de
trabajo en la comunidad,
he tratado de crear puestos
de trabajo y mejorar la
seguridad pública y la
calidad de vida en general”,
dijo Fierro. “En general,
hay una gran desconexión
entre las comunidades y
el Ayuntamiento. Tenemos
que encontrar maneras de
involucrar a los latinos,
afroamericanos,
y
todos
los demás. No les hemos
dado la oportunidad de
tener una voz. Quiero ser un
convocante, para reunirlos
y preguntarles cuáles son
sus preocupaciones. Me voy
a asegurar de que seamos
transparentes, abiertos e
incluyentes con las decisiones
importantes que afectan a
nuestro distrito”.
Cuando
Justus
decidió
postularse para el Senado
de Missouri, hace ocho años,
“fue porque yo había visto
varios problemas en los que
pensé podría ayudar estando
en Jefferson City; temas de
justicia social y de economía”.
“Descubrí que tenía habilidades y un estilo de
liderazgo que eran realmente
eficaces”, añadió. “Ahora
quiero ponerlos a trabajar en
el Ayuntamiento. Creo que es
muy difícil hacer frente a los
problemas distrito por distrito,
y eso es uno de los problemas
que el consejo tiene en éste
momento. Tiendo a mirar a la
ciudad como un todo”.
Sus principales prioridades,
Justus
dijo,
serían
la
infraestructura y los servicios
básicos de la ciudad; un
enfoque sostenible para el
desarrollo económico, con
énfasis en el desarrollo de los
barrios, y ser “inteligente en la
lucha contra el crimen”.
“Pasé un proyecto de ley
(en el Senado de Missouri),
llamada Ley de Reinversión
de Justicia, para la reforma de
sentencia criminal”, dijo ella.
“El siguiente año, reescribimos
por completo nuestro código
penal. La última vez que
habíamos trabajado en ese
código fue en la década de
1970. Estábamos metiendo
a gente en la cárcel que no
debería haber estado en la
cárcel, y dejando libre a la
gente que debería haber
estado en la cárcel. Debemos
poner
a
las
personas
peligrosas tras las rejas, pero
si tiene más sentido meter
a la gente que ha cometido
delitos de drogas, pero no
delitos violentos, en un sistema
de corte para drogas con el
tratamiento de drogadicción,
eso es lo que debemos hacer.
Simplemente encerrar a la
gente y dejarlos salir cinco
años más tarde ha sido una
cosa muy mala para nuestra
ciudad”.
Ambos candidatos se han
reunido con los residentes
del distrito y con líderes
comunitarios para conocer
sus inquietudes.
“Yo estaba comiendo en un
restaurante en el Boulevard, y
un caballero, que es dueño y
opera un camión de comida,
dijo que quería rentar una
tienda en Westport y tenía
problemas para conseguir
esa oportunidad. Él habla
principalmente
español”,
dijo Fierro, “y yo vivo en
el barrio. Hablo español y
puedo moverme mucho más
rápido y hacer que las cosas
sucedan. Todos sabemos
que muchos de nuestros
pequeños negocios son muy
emprendedores. Creo que a
veces la ciudad y algunos de
nuestros distritos de negocios
no hacen lo suficiente para
ayudarles a desarrollar sus
negocios”.
“Cuando estoy hablando
con líderes latinos y afroamericanos y con otros
TU CONEXIÓN LATINA DESDE 1996
YOUR LATINO CONNECTION SINCE 1996
MARZO 19 DEL 2015 I KCHispanicNews.com
In Loving Memor y
SISTOS “SIS” REYES
O
n the morning of March 11, 2015,
Sistos (“Sis”) Reyes at the age of
93, was called into the arms of
our Lord while in the comfort of
his home, in the presence of loved ones,
and under the constant care of his devoted
and selfless wife Catalina. Sistos was born
in Moline, KS, and at age 8, he moved to
Coffeyville, Kansas, where he graduated
from Field Kindley High School in 1939. He
was an avid athlete throughout high school.
He lettered in track and football. Sistos was
inducted into the United States Army in 1942
and received his basic training at Fort Bliss
in El Paso, TX. After basic training he was
assigned to the 514th Antiaircraft Artillery
Automatic Weapons Battalion. The Battalion
left the United States for Oran, Algiers where
it took part in operation “Torch.” In September
1943, his battalion joined the 36th Division
(a.k.a. Texas Division) of the 5th Army to fight
in the Italian Campaign. The assault began
on Salerno then they proceeded up the Italian
Peninsula to the engagements at Anzio, Mt
Cassino, and into Rome. In August 1944, the
battalion joined the 7th Army under General
Patch in the invasion of Southern France
which took them through the Rhineland
Campaign. At the war’s end, the battalion
was in Austria. TEC Corporal Reyes was a
rifle marksman and earned the following
ribbons: The Good Conduct, The European,
African and Middle East Ribbon, five bronze
stars and two arrowheads designating
operation in two invasions and the World
War II Victory Ribbon. He was honorably
discharged in 1945. Following the war, he
joined his family in Kansas City, Missouri,
where he eventually worked for Darby Steel
Company as a welder and X-ray machinist for
31 years. He retired from Darby Corp at the
age of 62. He belonged to the Boilermakers
Union Local #83. He married Catalina
Padilla in 1949 in Armourdale, Kansas at
Mount Carmel Catholic Church. They were
married 65 years and had 8 children. When
asked which was more difficult, fighting in
WWII or raising 8 children, he said, “I don’t
know, both were pretty tough. “ Affectionately
called “Papo Sis”, he was a wonderful man,
beloved husband, father, grandfather, and
great grandfather. He was a very special
man. He was quiet, humble, stern, proud, and
very family oriented. He was a hard worker,
loved to house paint, and fix things around
the house. He seemed to have a tool for every
job. He loved watching TV, especially old
westerns, black and white movies, sports, the
sci-fi channel and nightly news casts. He also
read the newspaper every morning. He loved
music and was a great dancer. He enjoyed
listening to big band and Mexican ranchero
music on his front porch. He was preceded
in death by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Juan
Reyes; his brother, Lupe Reyes, and his
sisters: Rebecca Reyes, Jessie Arciga, Antonia
Gonzalez, and Alvina Aguilera. Sistos is
survived by: Wife, Catalina (Catherine)
Reyes of Kansas City; Sisters, Juanita Leyva,
Virginia Parra; Brother, Jim Reyes, Sr., all
of Kansas City; Children: John Reyes (wife
Mary Angela) of Kansas City, MO, Laura
Reyes Schneider (and spouse Cary) of Plano,
TX, Daniel Reyes of KCMO, Michael Reyes
of KCMO, Anthony Reyes (wife Alesia) of
Independence, MO, Phillip Reyes (wife Tami)
of Columbia, IL, Mario Reyes (wife Johanna)
of Independence, MO, Alicia Reyes Satre
(husband Tim) of Sour Lake, TX, 16 Grand
Children, 16 Great Grandchildren, and 1
Great Great Grandchild. Sistos will always be
deeply missed and never forgotten. Visitation
was held on Sunday, March 15, 2015. Family
and friends came together to pray the rosary
that evening at McGilley Midtown Chapel, 20
W. Linwood Blvd, KCMO. Mass of Christian
Burial was held Monday, March 16, 2015
at Guardian Angels Catholic Church, 1310
Westport Road, KCMO 64111. He was laid
to rest at Mt. Calvary Cemetery, KCK.
In lieu of flowers, please send memorial
gifts to the charity of your choice or to
Guardian Angels Food Pantry.
“Sistos Reyes rewarded with
trip to Washington DC Memorial Site”
KC Hispanic News featured Sistos Reyes
on May 26, 2011 as the lead story.
istos “Sis” Reyes and his wife of 65
S
years Catalina shared a joyful moment
in 2011 in their Westport home. Part of
that festive mood came from thank you
notes they received from young people in
the metropolitan area following Sistos’ trip
to Washington DC to visit the World war II
memorial in 2011.
On April 20, 2011 he was part of a group
of veterans that traveled to Washington DC
sponsored by Honor Flight. The organization
provides a free airplane trip to Washington
DC for veterans. The idea was the brainchild
of Earl Morse, a physician and retired Air
Force captain.
“I had wanted to go before but I could
not afford it. It takes a lot of money. I had a
chance to go and I took the opportunity to
do it,” Reyes told Hispanic News in 2011.
He traveled with 22 other area veterans.
He saw the memorial and the inscriptions
and remembered places. “I recognized the
names of Salerno and Sicily because that is
where we made the landing.” He was in an
anti aircraft unit. “We were always in the
front you know. We lost our equipment and
they just moved us over to the infantry. We
were trained in the infantry anyways.”
He was in the 36th division and recalls
that there were many Mexicans and most
of them were from Texas. “We were in the
front lines. … We went in the first wave and
I am glad we went in the first wave. It was
still rough you know but it was dark. By the
time the fifth wave came on, the day was
breaking and they [Germans] just started
raking the beach. The Germans just had
them zeroed in. It has been a long time
since the war and there are still things I can’t
recall but I will always remember Salerno
and all that.”
He remembered it enough that he shared
some of the details with his son Mario who
accompanied him on the trip.
“One thing I found out that he told me,”
marveled Mario, “when they were in
Salerno they got only so far because the
boat was grounded but they did not want to
lower the gate. So the commander asked for
volunteers and then he went you, you, you
and you and my father was one of them.
They went over the side and went to the
beach to see what kind of fire they would
take and then they had to come back and
report before they would open the door.”
Mario sat in silence absorbing what his
father had told him. “I said, ‘man I don’t
see how you went through all that.’ It is
overwhelming to me when I think about it.
He told me that on this trip. And there were
more experiences like that. I just don’t see
how he got out after all those times he was
in danger. … He has let us in a little here
and there and I have so much respect for
him.”
That respect extends to all the military.
Though Mario never served, his son
Christopher is in the Marines and will be
shipping out soon to Afghanistan. “He made
two tours of Iraq already but this is his first
time in Afghanistan. When you are a parent
and your son is over there, every day it is
nerve wrecking,” explained Mario. “He is
getting ready to go again and here we go
again. The thing is that I have the utmost
respect for the soldiers that are over there
fighting for our freedom.”
Jackson County officially
“StormReady”
S
evere weather can
strike
anywhere
anytime. So much
time has passed since
a tornado last struck Jackson
County, however, that the
Warning
Coordination
Meteorologist
for
the
National Weather Service’s
Kansas City/Pleasant Hill
office, Andy Bailey, is
concerned “people might let
their guard down.”
But he and the KC/Pleasant
Hill office’s Meteorologist-InCharge, Julie Adolphson,
credit
county
officials
for
continually
keeping
their guard up. Jackson
County is now one of only
27 counties in Missouri
(out of 114) to earn the
National Weather Service’s
StormReady
designation.
The Weather Service defines
a StormReady community
as being “better prepared
to save lives from the
onslaught of severe weather
through advanced planning,
education and awareness.”
“No community can be
made storm proof,” Jackson
County
Executive
Mike
Sanders said, “but we have
an obligation to make ours
as storm-ready as possible.
“We don’t want our citizens
being complacent. Any
day of the year can bring
severe weather to our area.
Remember eastern Missouri
getting hit by tornadoes on
New Year’s Eve 2010?”
Sanders accepted the
StormReady
certification
from
Adolphson
during
a news conference at the
Independence/Eastern
Jackson County Emergency
Operations
Center
on
March 2nd–the first day of
Severe Weather Awareness
Week in Missouri.
In a letter designating
Jackson County StormReady,
the
National
Weather
Service cited the county’s
“program of severe weather
readiness and preparation
that is a model for others
to follow.” Citizens can
receive text and/or email
alerts about severe weather
through
the
Jackson
County’s emergency system
by signing up at jacksongov.
org/alerts.
Adolphson credited the
county for “working in
partnership”
with
local
law enforcement agencies,
firefighting
departments,
hospitals and schools to
“make sure all are ready
for the inevitable.” She
stressed, “We get hit by
severe weather every year.
It’s never a matter of if, but
when.”
The county having multiple
systems in place to warn
citizens about approaching
severe weather was one
crucial factor to Jackson
County
being
named
StormReady.
Adolphson
also noted the county’s
extensive efforts to educate
the public, with an emphasis
on sponsoring storm spotter
training.
Bailey
often
conducts that training.
“We focus on situational
awareness,” he said, “and
how to identify severe
weather as it is developing.
Spotting is really safe if
you’ve been trained and
really dangerous if you don’t
know what you are doing.”
Bailey added the Weather
Service was also impressed
with the plans the county
has in place to not only
adequately warn citizens
about threatening weather
conditions, but to then
TU CONEXIÓN LATINA DESDE 1996
respond after a storm strikes.
“Jackson County has a
lot of redundancies built
into its systems,” he said.
“Emergency Preparedness
has made the county as
resilient as it possibly could
be in the event of disastrous
weather.”
The devastating tornado
that killed 158 people in
Joplin, Missouri, on May 22,
2011 “wasn’t that far from
home,” County Executive
Sanders said. (Six of the
25 deadliest tornadoes in
U.S. history had been in
Missouri.)
“We want people to
have a plan in place to
be ready,” Sanders said.
“Only 17 other counties
in Missouri have been hit
by more tornadoes than
Jackson County over the last
64 years.”
According to the National
Weather
Service,
31
tornadoes were reported
in Jackson County between
1950 and 2014.
“The odds of being in the
direct path of a tornado
are slim, but the odds of
surviving one if you are not
ready, don’t know how best
to seek shelter, can be pretty
slim,” Adolphson said. “The
Joplin tornado wasn’t all
that long ago and not all
that far away. A tornado
like that could happen here.
It could happen anywhere.”
Jackson County Emergency
Preparedness Director Mike
Curry agreed. While Bailey
said it has been “awhile”
since a tornado was last
spotted in Jackson County
– he couldn’t recall one in
his eight years in the Kansas
City/Pleasant Hill office
– Curry pointed out, “You
Jackson County Executive Mike Sanders (left) declared the county ready for severe
weather as he and County Emergency Preparedness Director Mike Curry (right) received
the official StormReady designation from Julie Adolphson, meteorologist-in-charge at the
National Weather Service’s Kansas City/Pleasant Hill office. Jackson County is one of only
27 counties in Missouri to earn the Weather Service’s StormReady designation.
never know when you’re
due for a tornado. Severe
weather has no schedule
and goes beyond tornadoes.
Severe thunderstorms can
produce high winds, hail,
and lightning. Flash flooding
is fairly common.
“The main thing is to be
aware and then know what
to do to keep yourself as
safe as you possibly can in
a dangerous situation.”
There are a lot of myths
surrounding tornadoes. The
“Tonganoxie Split” is a local
one.
“I’m not sure where that one
comes from, but I’ve heard
it,” said Julie Adolphson,
the
Meteorologist-InCharge at the National
Weather Service’s Kansas
City/Pleasant Hill office.
“Supposedly,
storms
will
reach
Tonganoxie
in
Leavenworth
County
[Kansas] and split in two,
then go around Kansas City
or be severely weakened.
It’s nonsense.”
And the Missouri River
won’t stop a tornado either.
“That’s another one you
hear,” Adolphson added,
“that tornadoes can’t cross
rivers.” That myth was one
Adolphson had to work
doubly hard to debunk when
working in Fort Wayne,
Indiana, where three rivers
converge.
Another myth is that
tornadoes never attack a
major metropolitan area.
“They can happen anytime
anywhere,”
Adolphson
said.
About 1,000 tornadoes
are spawned each year in
the United States, more than
in other country. And that’s a
fact. The Gulf of Mexico acts
as an “engine,” Adolphson
said, to disburse the warm
air that clashes with the cold
fronts that trigger the severe
thunderstorms which can
evolve into tornadoes.
“We
want
everyone,
whether
they
live
in
downtown
Kansas
City
or out in unincorporated
Jackson County to have a
plan,” said Jackson County
Executive Mike Sanders.
“Don’t wait for the storm
sirens to go off and then try
to figure out where to find
shelter.
“It’s great the Weather
Service
has
officially
declared the county to be
StormReady. We want every
citizen to be ready.”
Source
Public Information Officer
Jackson County, Missouri
YOUR LATINO CONNECTION SINCE 1996
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TU CONEXIÓN LATINA DESDE 1996
YOUR LATINO CONNECTION SINCE 1996
MARZO 19 DEL 2015 I KCHispanicNews.com
Four contend for seat
CONT./PAGE 1
“My reason for running
has always been to solve the
problems of the city. During
this term I have brought some
new ideas to old problems.
We have been working on
economic
development,
job
development
and
infrastructure,” said Glover.
Glover’s interest in the
urban core led to the voters
approval of what was referred
to as the “Glover Plan” a
revitalization of Midtown that
saw Costco, Home Depot and
Marsh’s Sunfresh open in the
urban core. The new stores
brought in hundreds of new
jobs and eliminated blight in
the community.
“Redeveloping the urban
core is a passion of mine.
I have a lot of experience
working in the urban core of
the city,” he said.
As
a
neighborhood
president, he put his focus
on restoring neighborhoods.
“I spent six years as an
appointee on the Governor’s
House and Development
Commission. We put a lot
of money into Kansas City
neighborhoods,” he said.
“I
want
to
rebuild
neighborhoods, focus on
budget reform to bring more
money into basic city services.
In the 90’s when the economy
turned and revenue started
coming in it was hard to keep
it in the basic neighborhood
services. It went to other
things and we need to make
sure we retain revenue for
basic city services,” said
Glover.
As
chair
of
the
Neighborhood Development
Committee, he developed
resolutions affecting the city’s
policy for neighborhoods.
“These resolutions allowed
the city to use our tax
incentive programs to help
develop our neighborhoods.
I believe that development
tools ought to be used to aid
our neighborhoods not just
developers,” he said.
Glover hopes to decrease
the crime rate by making jobs
available to people in the
urban core.
“Jobs for Neighborhoods
is a critical component in
having an impact on crime,”
he said.
Shields served on the
council during one of Glover’s
terms from 1987 through
1994. Today she focuses on
neighborhood preservation.
“When
I
was
there
before, we had a focus
plan. We wanted a plan
in place that would restore
our historic neighborhoods
and that emphasis is not
there anymore. I am very
concerned about that,” said
Shields.
Shields
believes
that
Kansas City on a scale of 1 to
10 is at an 8 when it comes
to housing, leadership and
economic development.
“We hit a home run with
Google Fiber but we need
to look at the basics —
preserving
infrastructure
and protecting our historic
properties. We are a city of
planners and we had a strong
city planning department, but
the city has turned its back on
it,” she said.
She credits her two years as
executive director of Westside
Housing for giving her a
greater appreciation and
understanding of the Hispanic
community.
“Serving in that role
has given me a better
understanding of their wants
and needs. That is a real
strength that I would bring to
the City Council,” she said.
On her previous council
stint she championed the
one percent for Art Program
and an ordinance to prohibit
discrimination
based
on
sexual orientation.
Under her leadership as
Jackson County Executive, the
county launched a $20 million
renovation of county buildings
including the Jackson County
Courthouse, construction of a
visitor center at Fort Osage
and negotiated an extension
that kept the Kansas City
Royals and Kansas City
Chiefs at a renovated Truman
Sports Complex.
Shields and Glover both
tried their hand at running for
the Mayor’s office but were
unsuccessful. In 2007 just
before she was going to file
for mayor, Shields and her
husband were indicted on
federal charges of wire fraud
in connection with the sale
of their Sunset Hills house.
Shields and her husband Phil
Cardarella were found not
guilty of all charges.
When Hispanic News asked
her to address constituents’
concerns about her past, she
replied, “I have had the most
thorough background check
than anyone running,” she
explained. “If you are talking
about the investigation by the
Justice Department that took
place under President Bush’s
administration, they looked
at every contract I signed
and they talked to every
contractor and they could
not find anything I did illegal
because I didn’t do anything
illegal.”
She hopes constituents
will look at her 20 years
in political office and see
the programs that she has
brought into the city. She
hopes to address the current
crime rate in the metropolitan
community.
While crime
numbers are dropping, she
feels that one homicide is one
too many.
Shields told Hispanic News
that one of her greatest
strengths is being an advocate
for the people.
“When I am on the council
I am not just one vote, I can
bring other votes with me. I
am open to others’ ideas and
help them come to fruition,”
she said.
Jared Campbell is running
for the at-Large seat and hopes
to bring a new and different
perspective to City Hall. He
Son cuatro los contendientes para el puesto
CONT./PÁGINA 1
desde 2003 hasta 2007.
Fue elegido para su cuarto
mandato en 2011.
“Mi razón para participar
siempre ha sido resolver los
problemas de la ciudad.
Durante este plazo, he
traído algunas ideas nuevas
para
viejos
problemas.
Hemos estado trabajando
en el desarrollo económico,
desarrollo de empleo e
infraestructura”, dijo Glover.
El interés de Glover en el
núcleo urbano, le llevó a la
aprobación de los votantes,
lo que se denominó como
el
“Plan
Glover”,
una
revitalización de Midtown
donde se construyó un
Costco, un Home Depot y se
abrió un Marsh’s Sunfresh.
Las nuevas tiendas trajeron
cientos de nuevos puestos
de trabajo y se eliminó el
deterioro urbano.
“El reurbanización del
núcleo urbano es una de mis
pasiones. Tengo un montón
de experiencia trabajando
en el núcleo urbano de la
ciudad”, dijo.
Como presidente de barrio,
se enfoco en la restauración
de los barrios. “Pasé seis años
como persona designada en
la Casa del Gobernador y en
la Comisión de Desarrollo.
Invertimos un montón de
dinero en los barrios de
Kansas City”, dijo.
“Quiero reconstruir barrios,
concentrarme en la reforma
presupuestaria para traer más
dinero a los servicios básicos
de la ciudad. En los años 90,
cuando la economía cambió
y los ingresos empezaron a
llegar, era difícil mantenerlos
en los servicios básicos de
barrio. Los ingresos se fueron
a otras cosas y tenemos que
asegurarnos de mantenerlos
para los servicios básicos de
la ciudad”, dijo Glover.
Como
presidente
del
Comité
de
Desarrollo
de
Barrio,
desarrolló
resoluciones que afectan a la
política del gobierno respecto
a los barrios.
“Éstas
resoluciones
le
permitieron a la ciudad
utilizar nuestros programas
de incentivos fiscales para
ayudar a desarrollar nuestros
barrios. Yo creo que las
herramientas de desarrollo
deben ser utilizaas para
ayudar a nuestros barrios y no
sólo a los desarrolladores”,
dijo.
Glover espera disminuir el
índice de criminalidad por
medio de la disponibilidad
de trabajos para personas en
el núcleo urbano.
“El empleo para los barrios
es un componente crítico
para tener un impacto en el
crimen”, dijo.
Shields sirvió en el consejo
durante uno de los términos
de Glover, de 1987 hasta
1994. Hoy ella se centra
en la preservación de los
barrios.
“Cuando yo estaba allí
antes, teníamos un plan de
enfoque. Queríamos tener
un plan funcionando, que
restaurara a nuestros barrios
históricos y ese énfasis
ya no está allí. Estoy muy
preocupada por eso”, dijo
Shields.
Shields cree, que Kansas
City, en una escala de 1 a 10
está en su punto 8 cuando se
trata de vivienda, liderazgo y
desarrollo económico.
“Bateamos un jonrón con
Google Fiber pero tenemos
que mirar a lo básico - la
conservación y protección
de la infraestructura de
nuestras
propiedades
históricas. Somos una ciudad
de planificadores y tuvimos
un fuerte departamento de
planificación de la ciudad,
pero la ciudad le ha dado la
espalda a ello”, dijo.
Ella reconoce que sus dos
años como directora ejecutiva
de Westside Housing le dio una
mayor apreciación y comprensión
de la comunidad hispana.
“Servir en ese rol me ha
dado una mejor comprensión
de sus deseos y necesidades.
Esa es una verdadera
fortaleza que traería al
Ayuntamiento”, dijo.
En su anterior paso por el
consejo, ella defendió el 1%
para el Programa de Arte y
una ordenanza para prohibir
la discriminación basada en
la orientación sexual.
Bajo su liderazgo como
Ejecutiva del Condado de
Jackson, el condado inició
una renovación de edificios
por $20 millones de dólares,
incluyendo el Palacio de
Justicia del Condado de
Jackson, la construcción de
un centro de visitantes en
Fort Osage y negoció una
extensión que mantuvo a
los Reales de Kansas City y
a los Jefes de Kansas City
en el renovado Complejo
Deportivo Truman.
Shields y Glover, ambos,
intentaron dar su mano
compitiendo para la oficina
del alcalde, pero no tuvieron
éxito. En 2007, justo antes de
que ella se fuera a presentar
a la alcaldía, Shields y su
esposo fueron acusados por
​​
cargos federales de fraude
electrónico
en
relación
con la venta de su casa en
Sunset Hills. Shields y su
esposo Phil Cardarella fueron
encontrados no culpables de
todos los cargos.
Cuando Hispanic News
le preguntó responder a
las preocupaciones de los
votantes sobre su pasado,
ella respondió: “He tenido
la más completa revisión
de antecedentes que nadie
más ha tenido”, explicó. “Si
usted está hablando de la
investigación por parte del
Departamento de Justicia,
que tuvo lugar bajo el
gobierno del presidente Bush,
revisaron cada contrato que
firmé y hablaron con cada
contratista y no pudieron
encontrar que hice algo ilegal
porque no hice nada ilegal”.
Ella
espera
que
los
electores verán a sus 20 años
en el cargo político y a los
programas que ha traído a
la ciudad. Ella espera hacer
frente a la actual tasa de
criminalidad en la comunidad
metropolitana. Si bien las
cifras de criminalidad están
bajando, siente que un
homicidio es demasiado.
Shields dijo a Hispanic
News que una de sus
mayores fortalezas es ser una
defensora de la ciudadanía.
“Cuando
estoy
en
el consejo, yo no soy
simplemente un voto, puedo
aportar otros votos junto
conmigo. Estoy abierta a
las ideas de los demás y
ayudarles a llegar a buen
puerto”, dijo.
Jared
Campbell
está
compitiendo para el puesto
General y espera aportar
una perspectiva nueva y
diferente a la Alcaldía. A él y
and his wife liked being in
the downtown community
and they purchased their first
home, a condo, in the Library
District.
“Living through the rebirth
of our downtown has only
deepened our love and
passion for this great city,”
said Campbell.
He has been active in
neighborhood issues, having
been appointed by Mayor Sly
James to the Board of Trustees
for the City Trust. He has also
served on the Neighborhood
Advisory Council and was
a graduate of the Greater
Kansas
City
Chamber’s
Centurions program.
In his campaign he has
focused on early childhood
education, KC2030, a longterm vision plan for the city. He
is an advocate for improved
public transportation.
“I want to retain and
attract residents by being a
resource to help individuals
realize there are good quality
education options in Kansas
City. I want people to know
there are clean and safe
neighborhoods here to raise
their families in,” he said.
If elected he plans to
continue the city’s downtown
revitalization.
“Building vibrant, safe
neighborhoods will allow
us to sustain and grow our
population base, which in
turn will greatly help with
our budgetary issues. I want
a public transportation that
all people of socioeconomic
levels can efficiently travel
for work or pleasure through
Kansas City and the metro
region,” said Campbell.
Bryan Stalder is the youngest
candidate in the race. He
lives in the Northeast sector
of the city and is educating
his four children in the Kansas
City Public schools.
“I have a plan to make
Kansas City EPIC, which
stands for Education, Parks
and
Inter-Connectivity.
Every neighborhood should
have access to quality public
schools and safe clean parks.
We can shift our focus toward
creating communities that
families are excited to make
long term investments,” said
Stalder.
As president of the Indian
Mound
Neighborhood
Association, he believes that
if the city would improve the
quality of the neighborhoods,
they would be able to attract
residents and businesses into
Kansas City from surrounding
municipalities.
He would like to see the
city put repairing streets,
sidewalks,
efficient
bus
service and clean, safe parks
on their list of priorities. As
president of his neighborhood
association, he has tried to
engage the Latino families
that live in the community.
He has reached out to
Mattie Rhodes Center, LINC,
and local ministries.
“Our neighborhood is over
52 percent Latino but we
have very little participation
from those communities. I
promise that I will work for
the needs of all Kansas City
residents, not just those who
vote,” he said.
su esposa les gusta estar en el
centro de la comunidad y se
compraron su primera casa,
un condominio, en el Distrito
de la Biblioteca.
“El vivir el renacimiento
del centro de nuestra ciudad
sólo ha profundizado nuestro
amor y pasión por ésta gran
ciudad”, dijo Campbell.
Él
ha
participado
activamente en cuestiones de
vecindarios, habiendo sido
designado por el alcalde Sly
James a la Junta de Síndicos
del Fideicomiso de la Ciudad.
También se ha desempeñado
en el Consejo Asesor de
Barrios y es un graduado del
programa de los Centuriones
de la Cámara de Kansas City.
En su campaña, se ha
centrado en la educación de
la primera infancia, KC2030,
un plan de visión a largo
plazo para la ciudad. Él es
un defensor de la mejora del
transporte público.
“Quiero retener y atraer a
los residentes, ser un recurso
para ayudar a las personas
a que se den cuenta de que
hay buenas opciones de
educación de calidad en
Kansas City. Quiero que la
gente sepa que hay barrios
limpios y seguros para criar a
sus familias, aquí “, dijo.
Si es elegido, él planea
continuar con la revitalización
del centro de la ciudad.
“La
construcción
de
vecindarios
vibrantes,
seguros,
nos
permitirá
mantener y hacer crecer
nuestra base de población,
lo que a su vez ayudará
enormemente con nuestros
problemas presupuestarios.
Quiero un transporte público
para las personas de todos
los niveles socioeconómicos,
donde puedan viajar de
manera eficiente para el
trabajo o placer a través
de Kansas City y la región
metropolitana”,
dijo
Campbell.
Bryan
Stalder,
es
el
candidato más joven en la
competencia. Él vive en el
sector Northeast de la ciudad
y está educando a sus cuatro
hijos en las Escuelas Públicas
de Kansas City.
“Tengo un plan para hacer
Kansas City EPIC, que significa
por sus siglas Educación,
Parques e Interconectividad.
Cada barrio debe tener
acceso a escuelas públicas
de calidad y parques seguros
y limpios. Podemos cambiar
nuestro enfoque hacia la
creación de comunidades
sobre las cuales las familias
estén muy contentas de hacer
inversiones a largo plazo”,
dijo Stalder.
Como presidente de la
Asociación de Vecinos de
Indian Mound, él cree que
si la ciudad pudiera mejorar
la calidad de los barrios,
serían capaces de atraer a
residentes y negocios de los
municipios circundantes a
Kansas City.
A él le gustaría ver que el
gobierno de la ciudad tenga
en su lista de prioridades el
reparar las calles, aceras,
un eficiente servicio de
autobuses, parques seguros
y limpios. Como presidente
de la asociación de vecinos,
ha tratado de involucrar a las
familias latinas que viven en
la comunidad.
Él se ha acercado a Mattie
Rhodes Center, LINC, y a los
ministerios locales.
“Nuestro barrio, es más
del 52% latino, pero tenemos
muy poca participación de
esas comunidades. Prometo
que voy a trabajar para las
necesidades de todos los
residentes de Kansas City, no
sólo los que votan”, dijo.
STUDENT INTERN
(Becario)
Jose Muñiz
Armando Noel Baquedano
PUBLISHER/PRESIDENT
(Editor/Presidente)
Jose “Joe” Arce
VICE PRESIDENT
(Vicepresidente)
Ramona Arce
EDITOR (Editor)
Jose Faus
REPORTERS/WRITERS
(Reporteros/Periodistas)
Debra DeCoster, Jose Faus,
Jerry LaMartina
DESIGN/LAYOUT
(Diseño Editorial/Diagramación)
Janneth-B Rodríguez
Gemma Tornero
SPANISH TRANSLATION
(Traducción a español)
Gemma Tornero
TU CONEXIÓN LATINA DESDE 1996
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bears no responsibility for accuracy or content advertisements.
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YOUR LATINO CONNECTION SINCE 1996
KCHispanicNews.com I MARZO 19 DEL 2015
Women recognized for their civic efforts
CONT./PAGE 1
Seven
women
were
honored as the inaugural
inductees into the Starr
Women’s Hall of Fame last
week for their tireless efforts
to blaze a trail for other
women in Kansas City. The
women were recognized for
their efforts in stepping up
and taking leadership roles
in the community and for their
efforts to reach out and give a
helping hand to other women.
The inductees are Marjorie
Powell Allen, Kay Barnes,
Myra J. Christopher, Adele
Hall, Shirley Bush Helzberg,
Dorothy H. Johnson and
Martha Jane Phillips Starr.
The women were honored
for their community service,
their philanthropy and their
work that thrust women into
leadership roles in business
and government positions.
The former and present
women leaders have left their
fingerprints in Kansas City,
Missouri through their efforts
to develop the arts, promote
education and health care
and their work with charitable
organizations.
During a short video, the
Hall of Fame committee
explained how each woman
was picked into the first
inductee class. Former Mayor
Kay Barnes was applauded
for her effort to revitalize
the downtown area and the
urban core.
“I think it is really important
for a growing number of
women to recognize that they
have a responsibility to be
involved in their community.
If they have families to be
a good mother, be a good
grandmother and at the same
time be involved in public life.
Whether they chose to do that
as a volunteer, elected office,
non-profit career, whatever
each woman can do to
match for herself who she is
and what she is passionate
about. That is the winning
combination and the more
women out there doing that,
the better off we will be,” said
Barnes.
Inductee
Shirley
Bush
Helzberg was instrumental
in revitalizing the Crossroads
Art District. She is dedicated
to the arts and in 2011
the Kauffman Center for
the Performing Arts and
its breathtaking Helzberg
Hall opened its doors to the
community.
“I feel very strongly about
the arts culture.
It really
enhances a community. 18
years at the helm of the
Kansas City Symphony and
really seeing the tremendous
transition of musicians that are
working to the greatest of their
potential.
Seeing Starlight
change dramatically over the
years and you think what it
has done for our community. I
am enjoying working with the
Nelson Atkins Museum and
seeing the diversity there has
been wonderful. We have a
responsibility to improve what
ever we touch and it is our
responsibility to be involved
in our community,” said
Helzberg.
The luncheon, held on the
UMKC campus, was sold
out with 1,100 individuals
attending. Mayor Sly James
told the packed auditorium,
“each of these astounding
and
outstanding
women
leaders have made their own
unique contributions to the
Kansas City region and they
have served as an inspiration
to others along the way.”
Starr Hall of Fame Co-chair
Amy McAnarney told the
crowd, “We have all been
touched by women that have
inspired us to excel and be
the best we can be.”
It is the Hall of Fame
committee’s hope that in telling
the stories of extraordinary
women in Kansas City, it will
inspire the next generation of
leaders to dream big and not
fear the impossible.
Before introducing Robin
Roberts,
co-anchor
of
Good
Morning
America
as the keynote speaker,
McAnarney said, “Robin
Roberts has inspired young
girls and women to dream
the impossible. She wants
the young girls to not see their
surroundings as limiting but
rather as a starting point for
greatness.”
Roberts told the audience
that her mother was her
inspiration in her life.
“My mother came from very
humble beginnings in Akron,
sin fines de lucro, lo que
sea que cada mujer pueda
realizar para estar bien con
ella misma respecto a quién
es y qué le apasiona. Esa es
la combinación ganadora
y entre más mujeres hagan
eso, estaremos mejor”, dijo
Barnes.
contar las historias de mujeres
extraordinarias en Kansas
City, inspire a la próxima
generación de líderes a soñar
en grande y no temer a lo
imposible.
Ohio. She was the first one in
her family to attend college.
She was an educator and
then she put her dreams on
hold while she raised four
children. When I went off
to college, she pursued her
dreams and it was powerful
for me to see her reach her
goals. She was a leader and
civic minded,” she said.
Roberts
encouraged
women to help one another
in the community and in
the workplace. When she
landed her dream job of coanchoring on Good Morning
America, she said Diane
Sawyer embraced her.
“It was so powerful to have
a woman there that knew
there is plenty of room for all
of us. She taught me about
women helping women in the
good times and also to stand
beside each other in the bad
times as well,” said Roberts.
Roberts praised the work
that the Starr Hall of Fame
committee
is
doing
to
preserve the stories of women
in the community who have
fought for their dreams and
for women’s rights.
Her parting words for the
next generation of women
leaders were “focus on the
fight and not the fright. Focus
on what you are fighting for
whether it be your life or a
job. Put your energy towards
the fight and not the fright.
Be extremely thankful for the
examples from those who
have paved the way before
us,” she said.
Mujeres son condecoradas por sus
esfuerzos cívicos
CONT./PÁGINA 1
la preservación de la historia
de sus logros.
La semana pasada, siete
mujeres fueron condecoradas
como las nuevas integrantes
inaugurales al Salón de la
Fama de las Mujeres Starr,
esto por sus incansables
esfuerzos para abrir camino
a otras mujeres en Kansas
City. Las mujeres fueron
reconocidas por sus esfuerzos
de dar un paso al frente y
tomar roles de liderazgo
en la comunidad, y por sus
esfuerzos por acercarse a
otras mujeres y brindarles
una mano.
Las nuevas integrantes son:
Marjorie Powell Allen, Kay
Barnes, Myra J. Christopher,
Adele Hall, Shirley Bush
Helzberg, Dorothy H. Johnson
y Martha Jane Phillips Starr.
Las
mujeres
fueron
condecoradas por su servicio
a la comunidad, su filantropía
y su trabajo, que impulsa a las
mujeres a roles de liderazgo
en puestos empresariales
y
gubernamentales.
Las
anteriores y actuales mujeres
líderes han dejado sus huellas
en Kansas City, Missouri
a través de sus esfuerzos
para desarrollar las artes,
promover
la
educación,
la atención de salud y su
trabajo con organizaciones
de caridad.
Durante un breve vídeo, el
comité del Salón de la Fama,
explicó cómo se eligió a
cada mujer para ser parte de
la primera clase postulante.
La ex alcalde Kay Barnes fue
aclamada por su esfuerzo
para revitalizar la zona del
centro y el núcleo urbano.
“Creo que es realmente
importante, para un número
cada vez mayor de mujeres,
el reconocer que tienen
la
responsabilidad
de
participar en su comunidad.
Si tienen familias, para ser
una buena madre, ser una
buena abuela y al mismo
tiempo participar en la vida
pública. Ya sea que opten
hacerlo como voluntarias, en
cargos de elección popular,
en carreras con agencias
La postulante Shirley Bush
Helzberg, fue clave en la
revitalización del Distrito
de Arte Crossroads. Ella
se dedica a las artes y en
2011 el Centro Kauffman
para las Artes Escénicas
y su impresionante Salón
Helzberg abrió sus puertas a
la comunidad.
“Tengo un sentimiento muy
fuerte sobre la cultura de
las artes. Realmente el arte
mejora a una comunidad.
Con 18 años al frente de
la Sinfónica de Kansas
City pude ver realmente la
tremenda transición de los
músicos que están trabajando
para llegar al más grande de
su potencial. Al ver Starlight
cambiar
dramáticamente
en los últimos años y
creer lo que ha hecho por
nuestra comunidad. Estoy
disfrutando de trabajar con
el Museo Nelson Atkins, ver
la diversidad ahí ha sido
maravilloso.
Tenemos
la
responsabilidad de mejorar
lo que alguna vez tocamos
y es nuestra responsabilidad
participar
en
nuestra
comunidad”, dijo Helzberg.
El almuerzo, que se celebró
en el campus de UMKC, se
vendió con una asistencia de
1100 personas. El Alcalde
Sly James dijo a un auditorio
repleto, “cada una de
estas mujeres asombrosas y
destacadas líderes han hecho
sus propias contribuciones,
únicas, a la región de
Kansas City, y han servido
de inspiración a otros en el
camino”.
La copresidenta del Salón
de la Fama Starr, Amy
McAnarney, dijo a la multitud:
“Todos hemos sido inspirados
por mujeres para sobresalir
y ser lo mejor que podemos
ser”.
Es la esperanza, del comité
del Salón de la Fama, que al
TU CONEXIÓN LATINA DESDE 1996
Robin Roberts, co-anchor of Good Morning America,
attended the Inaugural Class Induction for the University
of Missouri Kansas City Starr Women’s Hall of Fame.
“We have to be willing to help women along the way.
When I came to Good Morning America, Diane Sawyer
embraced me and was encouraging to me. It was
powerful to have this woman there who knew there is
plenty of room for all of us.”
Robin Roberts, co-presentadora del programa, Good Morning
America, asistió a la inducción inaugural para el Salón de la
Fama, Mujeres Starr de la Universidad de Kansas City Missouri.
“Tenemos que estar dispuestos a ayudar a las mujeres a lo largo
del camino. Cuando llegue a Good Morning America, Diane
Sawyer me abrazó y me animo. Fue poderoso tener a esta mujer
alli, quien sabía que habia mucho espacio para todos nosotros“.
Antes de la presentación
de
Robin
Roberts,
copresentadora
del
programa Good Morning
América como la oradora
principal, McAnarney dijo,
“Robin Roberts ha inspirado
a las niñas y mujeres jóvenes
a soñar lo imposible. Ella
quiere que las chicas jóvenes
no vean su entorno como
una limitación, sino como
un punto de partida para la
excelencia”.
Roberts dijo a la audiencia
que su madre fue la
inspiración en su vida.
“Mi
madre
vino
de
comienzos muy humildes
en Akron, Ohio. Ella fue
la primera en su familia en
asistir a la universidad. Fue
una educadora y luego puso
sus sueños en espera mientras
criaba a cuatro hijos. Cuando
fui a la universidad, ella
siguió con sus sueños y fue
muy poderoso para mí verla
alcanzar sus metas. Ella era
un líder y con conciencia
cívica”, dijo.
Roberts animó a las
mujeres a ayudarse unas
a otras en la comunidad
y en el lugar de trabajo.
Cuando ella consiguió el
trabajo de sus sueños, como
co-presentadora en Good
Morning
América,
dijo,
Diane Sawyer la abrazó.
“Fue tan poderoso, el
tener a una mujer que sabía
había un montón de espacio
para todas nosotras. Ella me
enseñó acerca de las mujeres
que ayudan a otras mujeres
en los buenos tiempos y
también estar al lado de la
otra en los malos momentos”,
dijo Roberts.
Roberts elogió el trabajo
que el comité del Salón de
la Fama Starr está haciendo
para preservar las historias
de mujeres de la comunidad,
las que han luchado por sus
sueños y por los derechos de
las mujeres.
Sus palabras de despedida
para la próxima generación
de mujeres líderes fueron
“céntrense en la lucha y no en
el miedo. Concéntrese en lo
que ustedes están luchando,
ya sea acerca de su vida o un
empleo. Ponga su energía en
la lucha y no el miedo. Sean
muy agradecidas del ejemplo
de las mujeres que han
facilitado el camino delante
de nosotras”, dijo.
YOUR LATINO CONNECTION SINCE 1996
MARZO 19 DEL 2015 I KCHispanicNews.com
Having art exhibits at Truman Medical Centers is important because it reinforces “our healing arts culture that we promote here,” says Leo Prieto, the hospital’s director of
community outreach. “As you can see, throughout the hospital we have art everywhere. That’s one of the things that we kind of pride ourselves on is to make people feel at
home. … It goes a long way.”
Tener exposiciones de arte en los Centros Médicos de Truman es importante porque refuerza “nuestra cultura de las artes curativas que promovemos aquí”, dice Leo Prieto, director de extensión a la comunidad
del hospital. “Como se puede ver, en todo el hospital tenemos arte por todas partes. Esa es una de las cosas que nos enorgullece, es hacer que la gente se sienta como en casa. ... Es un un pasillo largo“.
El trabajo del artista mexicano Zúñiga en Mexican artist Zuniga’s
exhibición en Centros Médicos Truman work on display at
por Joe Arce y
Jerry LaMartina
Truman Medical Centers
M
auricio Zúñiga es
un fotógrafo de
profesión y pintor
por pasión.
Los
Centros
Médicos
Truman (TMC por sus siglas
en inglés), están exhibiendo
pinturas de Zúñiga durante
la primavera, como parte
de su colaboración con el
Consulado de México en
Kansas City. Zúñiga es nativo
de Poncitlán, México. Él
creció en Chicago, tiene una
licenciatura en fotografía en
la Universidad de Illinois y ha
vivido en Kansas City durante
15 años.
“Veo el mundo a través
del visor”, dijo a Kansas
City Hispanic News, “y he
estado tratando de poner
todo junto (en sus pinturas) en
este pequeño cuadro, traer el
mundo al pequeño cuadro, y
tiene sentido para mí. Es por
eso que hago este tipo de
imágenes”.
Zúñiga incluye imágenes
dispares en algunos de sus
cuadros. Él describe una
serie de tres imágenes que
incluye “edificios, pájaros
y personas, sentimientos,
geometría (y) astronomía”.
En una de las imágenes,
dijo, “Traté de crear una
especie de escenario en
el que dos mujeres están
teniendo una conversación,
y todo esto movimiento que
hay alrededor de ellas,
formas de estos pequeños
cuadros, pequeños marcos
de diferentes imágenes y
diferentes cuentos”.
El consulado mexicano
y TMC comenzaron su
colaboración para traer la
obra de artistas mexicanos
al público desde hace unos
dos años, dijo Alicia Kerber,
cónsul de México en Kansas
City. El esfuerzo es una
ampliación de un acuerdo
previo entre el consulado y
TMC, para el intercambio
de médicos, investigadores
y estudiantes de medicina
mexicanos y estadounidenses.
“Los
Centros
Médicos
Truman se preocupan por
ofrecer a sus pacientes un
ambiente diferente, no sólo
como hospital”, dijo Kerber
a Hispanic News. “Tenemos
una larga relación (con TMC),
porque tenemos una enorme
población de la comunidad
mexicana en esta área”.
TMC ofreció una recepción,
el 12 de marzo, para
presentar a Zúñiga y sus
obras de arte, cerca de 60
personas asistieron, dijo.
El hospital comenzó a
mostrar el trabajo de artistas
desde hace unos ocho años,
dijo James Martin, asesora
curatorial del Centro para
las Artes Sanadoras del
hospital. La colaboración
técnica es importante, dijo
Kerber, “porque a través de
la cultura podemos abrir las
puertas a muchas cosas”,
y agregó que la cultura
mexicana es uno de los
aspectos más predominantes
de la influencia mexicana
en los Estados Unidos, que
“va más allá del tema de la
inmigración”.
Zúñiga habló de la noción
de que el arte está en el ojo
del que mira.
“En
muchas
de
mis
imágenes, voy a tener
gente que viene y dice (por
ejemplo), ‘quiero comprar
el que tiene el bote’ Y para
mí, no era un bote. Pero lo
que me gusta de esto y lo
que me gusta cuando hago
mis imágenes, es que quiero
que la gente cree sus propias
imágenes (de su trabajo)”.
Zúñiga trabaja en el
cubismo y el realismo, “y los
pongo juntos”, dijo.
“Yo particularmente no
tengo un estilo”, dijo. “Puedo
decir que yo los pongo juntos,
y ese es mi estilo”.
Él comenzó a pintar hace
unos 15 años.
“Siempre quise pintar,
pero siempre tenía miedo de
la tela, del espacio vacío”,
dijo. “Lo que me animó a
hacer esto es, cuando me
mudé a Kansas City hace
TU CONEXIÓN LATINA DESDE 1996
15 años, intenté mostrar mi
portafolio de fotografía en
algunas de las galerías. Uno
de los hombres dijo que no
necesitaba otro fotógrafo. Sin
embargo, dijo, “Si puedes
pintar, regresa y vamos a
hablar de ello’. Así que eso
más o menos me empujó
hacia la pintura”.
Zúñiga dijo, que otra
de sus pinturas representa
“pequeñas historias que un
anciano en México solía
decirnos para asustarnos
cuando éramos niños”.
“Todos esos recuerdos
regresan
cuando
estoy
haciendo el trabajo”, dijo.
“Todos ellos vuelven y me
persiguen. Esto es a través de
todo el día - Estoy caminando
alrededor y cuando no
estoy haciendo algo en lo
que me tengo que enfocar,
estoy pensando acerca de
las imágenes y la forma de
colocarlos en el lienzo o en
papel. Siempre estoy con
un cuaderno de dibujo. Es
una gratificación cuando
realmente terminas la pieza
que has pensado cuando
estás caminando por la calle.
(El lienzo) para mí es el visor”.
Zúñiga es claro en relación
al mensaje que espera que la
gente reciba de sus obras de
arte.
“No quiero que la gente
simplemente vea a simple
vista el trabajo”, dijo.
“Quiero que se detengan, lo
miren, lo estudien y que lo
hagan suyo. Ahí es cuando
tiene una mayor satisfacción
para mí. Es por eso que mis
precios son de 700 a 800
dólares. No estoy haciendo
esto por negocio; estoy
haciendo esto porque me
encanta hacerlo. La mayor
satisfacción para mí, es que
yo sé que esta pieza va a
estar en su sala de estar para
el resto de su vida. Eso es lo
que me motiva a hacer más
de esto, y simplemente para
crear ideas. Es un proceso;
para mí, es un proceso que
disfruto cada día”.
traduce
Gemma Tornero
by Joe Arce and
Jerry LaMartina
M
passion.
auricio Zuniga is
a photographer
by
profession
and a painter by
Truman Medical Centers
(TMC) is showcasing Zuniga’s
paintings throughout the spring
as part of its collaboration
with the Mexican Consulate
of Kansas City. Zuniga is a
native of Poncitlan, Mexico.
He grew up in Chicago,
has a bachelor’s degree
in photography from the
University of Illinois and has
lived in Kansas City for 15
years.
“I view the world through
the viewfinder,” he told
Kansas City Hispanic News,
“and I’ve been trying to put
everything together (in his
paintings) in this little square,
bring the world into the little
square, and it makes sense to
me. That’s why I do this kind
of images.”
Zuniga includes disparate
images in some of his
paintings. He described a
series of three images that
includes “buildings, birds and
people, feelings, geometry
(and) astronomy.”
In one of the images, he
said, “I tried to create some
sort of a stage where two
women are … having a
conversation, and all this
motion there is around them
… forms these little squares,
little frames of different
pictures and different tales.”
The Mexican consulate
and TMC started their
collaboration to bring the
work of Mexican artists to the
public about two years ago,
said Alicia Kerber, consul of
Mexico in Kansas City. The
effort is an expansion of a
prior agreement between
the consulate and TMC to
exchange Mexican and U.S.
physicians, researchers and
medical students.
“Truman Medical Centers
is concerned about giving
its
patients
a
different
environment, not only as
a hospital,” Kerber told
Hispanic News. “We have
a long relation with (TMC)
because we have a huge
population of the Mexican
community in this area.”
TMC held a reception
introducing Zuniga and his
artworks on March 12. About
60 people attended, she said.
The
hospital
started
showing artists’ work about
eight years ago, said James
Martin, curatorial consultant
for the hospital’s Center for
the Healing Arts. The art
collaboration is important,
Kerber
said,
“because
through culture we can open
the doors to many things,”
adding that Mexican culture
is one of the most prevalent
aspects of Mexican influence
in the United States, which
“goes beyond the immigration
issue.”
Zuniga spoke to the notion
that art is in the eye of the
beholder.
“In a lot of my images, I will
have people come up and
say (for example), ‘I want to
buy the one with the boat.’
And to me, it was not a boat.
But what I love about this and
what I love when I make my
images is that I want people
to create their own images
(from his work).”
Zuniga works in cubism
and realism, “and I put them
all together, he said.
“I don’t particularly have a
style,” he said. “I can say that
I put them all together, and
that’s my style.”
He started painting about
15 years ago.
“I always wanted to paint,
but I was always afraid of
the canvas, of the empty
space,” he said. “What
encouraged me to do this is,
when I moved to Kansas City
15 years ago, I tried to show
my photography portfolio in
some of the galleries. One of
the guys said he didn’t need
another photographer. But he
said, ‘If you can paint, come
back and we’ll talk about it.’
So that kind of pushed me
into painting.”
Zuniga said that another of
his paintings depicted “little
stories that an old man in
Mexico used to tell us to scare
us when were kids.”
“All those memories are
coming back when I’m doing
work,” he said. “They all
come back and haunt me.
… This is through the whole
day – I’m walking around
and when I’m not doing
something I have to focus on,
I’m thinking about images
and how to place them on
the canvas or on paper. I’m
always with a sketch book.
… It’s gratification when
you actually finish the piece
that you thought about when
you’re walking down the
street. … (The canvas) to me
is the viewfinder.”
Zuniga is clear about the
message he hopes people will
receive from his artworks.
“I don’t want people just
to glance at the work,” he
said. “I want them to stop,
look at it, study it and make it
your own. That’s when it has
the most satisfaction for me.
That’s why my prices are 700,
800 dollars. I’m not doing
this for business; I’m doing
this because I love doing it.
… The most satisfaction for
me is that I know that this
piece is going to be in your
living room for the rest of your
life. That’s what motivates me
to do more of this, and just to
create ideas. It’s a process;
for me, it’s a process that I
enjoy every single day.”
YOUR LATINO CONNECTION SINCE 1996