Editorial board highlights the best of 2023, and the importance of trust in KC | Opinion

Editor’s note: This week you can find no end of 2023 recaps, from what happened in the news to the best of entertainment. But Opinion is different, because our columns and editorials come from the heart as well as from the mind. I asked the members of The Kansas City Star Editorial Board to pick their favorite articles of the year. Board members picked the following nine, plus a guest column, on a basis of importance in the Kansas City community. — Yvette Walker

Ralph Yarl shooting

The world’s eyes are on Kansas City. Police can’t get the Ralph Yarl shooting wrong: When a Northland homeowner shot a mild-mannered high school band kid in the head, the KCPD started off the investigation weakly with conflicting statements and not even initially arresting the shooter. This mistaken shooting became a national story, with issues of police mistrust, race, fear and “stand your ground” bubbling to the surface. Our editorial was clear. Police needed to get this right.

Excerpt: “After being shot two times, once in the head, teenage Kansas City shooting victim Ralph Yarl is at home and recovering. For that, we should be thankful above all. The man who allegedly shot the 16-year-old Staley High School student was taken into custody for 24 hours following the assault, but released. Until Kansas City Police Department investigators present a case file to Clay County Prosecutor Zachary Thompson, the man will remain free, Thompson told us Monday. Thompson let us know he will be on the case — as soon as he is presented one by police. We will see if he handles this case in a fair and impartial manner. Forget the excuses offered up by new Kansas City Police Chief Stacey Graves. Her explanations about the shooting and why the man wasn’t arrested don’t add up. And the longer authorities play coy about why the alleged shooter is free, the situation could worsen.” Read more here.

(We also wrote about the “radicalization” of the shooter, Andrew Lester, and about the unusual gentleness with which he was treated by police.)

Marion County Record police raid

Raid on Kansas newspaper is an intolerable overreach by police: As in this editorial from Marion County, The Star occasionally works with The Eagle, its sister paper in Wichita, when a story is big enough to affect all of Kansas, and, daresay, the nation. We highlight two stories here, one about the police raid, and one about death of the paper’s 98-year-old publisher after the raid..

The small central Kansas town of Marion drew international attention in August when police raided the Marion County Record newspaper and the home of its editor — the outgrowth of a feud between a local business and the often-cantankerous weekly. Officials quickly backed down in the face of the outcry from journalists who rightly saw the raid as a violation of the First Amendment, and Police Chief Gideon Cody — a former KCMO officer — soon left his job.

Excerpt: “Marion city police and the Marion County sheriff’s office did something on Friday that no government agency in America has any right to do. They shut down a newspaper. Those agencies raided the offices of the Marion County Record and the home of its owners, Eric Meyer and his mother, Joan. Police seized company-owned and personal computers and cell phones, and photographed personal documents on tables in the Meyer home. The police action, involving at least four city officers and two sheriff’s deputies, also seized similar equipment and materials from the city’s vice mayor, Ruth Herbel. Marion Police Chief Gideon Cody reinjured a dislocated finger of Record reporter Deb Gruver — a former Wichita Eagle reporter — when he personally snatched her cellphone from her hand during the raid. The ransacking and seizures, which include the Record’s file server, directly threaten the ability of the Record to publish.” Read more here.

We also wrote about the 98-year-old publisher who died just hours after her home and office were raided. Before her death, she kept asking where all the “good people” were, who were supposed to stop this kind of illegality from happening. They did show up, but not in time for her to see it.

Excerpt: “Joan Meyer, 98-year-old enemy of the people, died in the line of duty on Saturday. A newswoman since 1953 and co-owner of the local paper in her hometown in central Kansas, she lived to see her Marion County Record, as well as her home, raided by police on Friday, for reasons that defied both law and logic. It is not hyperbole to say that this attack on the people’s right to know appears to have killed her.” Read more here.

You can find the entire coverage of “Police raid of Kansas newspaper” here. Click the drop down arrow.

Continued corruption in KCK

Of course ex-KCK cop Golubski’s defense wants to delay. But why does the prosecution? We continued to write about the federal charges against disgraced former Kansas City, Kansas police detective Roger Golubski and his alleged sex trafficking conspiracy with convicted drug kingpin Cecil Brooks.

Excerpt: “Here’s what happened at the latest status hearing for both the federal case against former KCKPD detective Roger Golubski, which involves allegations of rape and kidnapping, and the separate sex trafficking case against Golubski, drug kingpin Cecil Brooks and two other men: Nothing. In fact, we seem to be even further away from setting a trial date than we were at the last such courtroom get-together more than a month ago. Justice is not soon going to be riding over the hill. The summary put out by the court after the hearing put it this way: “Parties request additional time.” Again. First, let’s walk through the weeds that explain how the delay just keeps being extended, more than a year after Golubski’s arrest in September of 2022. Then we’ll talk about why that might be. Read more here.

In an occasional series of stories in 2023, we also wrote new and updated stories about the women he victimized.

Serberthia Bassett was connected to Golubski, and worked without pay for a major KCK drug dealer. But when her partially naked body was found dumped under a bridge two years ago, her death was ruled an accident and those ties were not investigated.

Natasha Hodge, who got involved with Brooks at only 14, was taken in by him when she fled an abusive home at 16. “It was a fire-to-frying-pan situation,” she says. She lived rent-free, though at a very high cost, in the Delavan apartments Brooks owned, where the trafficking operation allegedly went on. Yet the FBI has yet to interview Hodge.

Six people in Meka Hobbs’ life knew at the time that she was being abused by Golubski, yet authorities haven’t talked to her, either, even though that kind of corroboration is important.

27 years after Sameemah Musawwir’s murder, charges were finally filed. But police inaction all these years was a kind of crime, too, and her loved ones were its victims.

Since the KCKPD got a DNA hit in the murder of Christina King in 2003, why did it take 20 more years to file charges? And if the suspect is responsible for any other deaths since then, aren’t police responsible?

An editorial on war, and a dissent

We denounce violence in the Israel-Hamas war — but we have to find a way to coexist: The Editorial board was divided on the war on Israel against Hamas. We published an editorial denouncing violence and calling for peace from both sides. However, a board member, in a rare dissent, stood with Israel on the issue. This is an important example of free speech, even among our own.

Excerpt: “We will say it in no uncertain terms: The violent attack on Israel by Hamas Saturday was extreme, brutal and unexpected. More than 2,000 people have died on both sides. But when war breaks out, we choose sides. It’s a human thing to do. We claim an injured party and give our support through statements, donations, thoughts and prayers. Sometimes those sides involve people far away, thousands of miles from us. But sometimes those sides are our neighbors, those who identify with the people fighting in the war. Religious and nonreligious ethnic Jews live in the greater Kansas City area. Muslims live here. Palestinians live here. They are our neighbors. How can we reconcile the grief for those we care about with trying to understand a different group of people who are causing pain and harm to our own? Just a thought: Are we supposed to find common ground? Or are we just supposed to turn our heads and focus on one side — our side?” Read more here.

Dissent Excerpt: “The Star’s editorial board is not a monolith, and I appreciate that when one of us disagrees with the consensus of the group, that person is free to dissent publicly. This does not happen often; the last time I begged to differ was five years ago, when the sense of my colleagues was that Democrats should elect anyone but Nancy Pelosi as House speaker, because only “fresh leadership for a caucus in desperate need of it” could effectively counter Donald Trump. The woman my colleagues saw as “an albatross around the neck of the Democratic Party” I saw as uniquely qualified to meet the moment. That difference of opinion was small, though, in comparison to the chasm between my view of what’s happening in Israel now and the board’s position that “We denounce violence in the Israel-Hamas war — but we have to find a way to coexist.” As in Ukraine, this is just not a ‘tomato/tomahto’ situation. There is no “but” in a scenario in which people have been beheaded and terrified children and grandparents taken hostage. I do take a side, Israel’s.” Read more here.

Kansas City Police Department local control

Mayor Q should make local control of Kansas City police a major focus of 2nd term: In 2023, we continued our calls for local control of the Kansas City Police Department, the only state-run police department in the nation for a city as large as Kansas City. In addition, We implored Missouri Gov. Mike Parson to consider diverse candidates for Kansas City Board of Police Commissioners. None of the current commissoners reside east of Troost Avenue, a heavily policed area with majority Black residents.

Excerpt: “What can stop this rolling (death toll) crisis? We certainly support a return to the kind of violence intervention program that had been working in Kansas City, and never should have been ended under ex-Police Chief Rick Smith. But in the state with the highest Black homicide rate in the country, Kansas City is not going to turn this trend around until the KCPD earns the trust of all of our communities. Which is not going to happen until we have local control. With his reelection behind him now, we’d love to see Mayor Quinton Lucas make a campaign for a statewide ballot referendum on that issue a major focus in his second term” Read more here.

Attorneys general target national hot topics

Kobach, Bailey target abortion drug beyond Kansas, Missouri: Kris Kobach and Andrew Bailey each started their jobs as attorney general — of Kansas and Missouri, respectively — at the beginning of the year. And both men, Republicans, made it clear that they had their eyes on big national issues. Together, they asked to join a lawsuit challenging the federal government’s approval of abortion drugs. Bailey chastised Target for selling LGBT-themed merchandise, then announced an investigation of progressive watchdog Media Matters for its reporting on Elon Musk’s social media site, X. Kobach, meanwhile, looked for new opportunities to sue the Biden Administration. 2024 is a presidential election year — both states are already locks for the Republican column, but expect the two AGs to be in the thick of any litigation over the race.

Excerpt: “Being an attorney general is usually a pretty sweet job. You’re the top law enforcement officer in your state — relatively famous as far as attorneys go, putting your decades of knowledge and experience to use to work in public service with a job that’s often a springboard to the governor’s mansion or beyond. And if that doesn’t work out, there’s usually some pretty lucrative private sector gigs waiting for you. Most of the time, you even get your portrait hung in the office hallway after you leave, for future visitors to ponder for decades to come. It’s a little bit of immortality. So why does it seem like Kris Kobach and Andrew Bailey would rather go to work for the Food and Drug Administration in Washington D.C.?” Read more here.

Anti-transgender sentiment in Jefferson City

Missouri law could force public schoolteachers to out transgender students is an editorial about one of a host of anti-LGBT bills pre-filed by Missouri lawmakers ahead of the 2024 legislative session, which starts next month. Part of H.B. 1739’s text is potentially harmful: Teachers and other public school employees would be ordered to report if a student approaches them “to express discomfort or confusion about the student’s documented identity.”

Excerpt: “Missouri already faces a massive teacher shortage in its public schools. What will happen if educators are forced to betray their transgender students — or else face the loss of their careers and livelihoods? Unfortunately, we may find out soon. H.B. 1739 — which bills itself the Parents’ Bill of Rights 2024 — is one of a host of anti-LGBT bills pre-filed by Missouri lawmakers ahead of the 2024 legislative session, which starts next month. Much of the bill is relatively innocuous: It would guarantee parents and guardians the right to important pieces of information about their child’s public school education — the names of teachers and guest lecturers, access to their student’s education and medical records, and information about medical records. It’s the rest of H.B. 1739’s text, though, that is potentially harmful: Teachers and other public school employees would be ordered to out transgender students to their families.” Read more here.

Anti-trans sentiment can be a potent political tool, and it’s not leadership to demonize a tiny minority for power, said our editorial about two trans girls who want to play high school sports in Kansas: There’s a reason Kansas and Missouri lawmakers are attacking trans kids right now.

Kansas City police and Taylor Swift

Why we must ask about KC police captain, security work and pop star Taylor Swift. If Daniel Graves worked off-duty to provide security for pop star Taylor Swift and everything is above board, why won’t department officials just say so? On Wednesday, we asked officials – yes or no? – but got the same response Star reporters received earlier this week to go ask Taylor Swift herself. That’s not the transparency we would like to see in the Kansas City Police Department. Based on the video footage we watched, it was fair to question whether Daniel Graves violated Kansas City Police Department policy. Police officials have said he didn’t. However, we also must wonder if police officials were as clear as they should have been in this situation.

Excerpt: “Kansas City Police Capt. Daniel Graves is the husband of Police Chief Stacey Graves. As such, most of us could agree Daniel Graves, a decorated cop himself, is a public figure, especially because his wife is the first female chief in Kansas City. If Daniel Graves worked off-duty to provide security for pop star Taylor Swift and everything is above board, why won’t department officials just say so? Lots of questions, but no clear answers from officials. If there is a loophole or reason why there is no violation, we ask the KCPD to be upfront about it. Why is that important? To continue building trust between police and the community by being open and transparent.” Read more here.

The Star endorses candidates, issues

Why the KC Star editorial board endorses candidates, issues: This made our list because we took a pause in endorsements in April 2023 and we wanted you to know why, and why we are starting up again. We took stands on the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority sales tax, the Wyandotte County Board of Commissioners and several Johnson County city and school district races. You can bet we will endorse races in 2024.

Excerpt: “The Kansas City Star will endorse a selection of candidates and ballot initiatives in Tuesday’s election. The Star has a long history of endorsing candidates and issues. In the local April 2023 election, we did not. That was a difficult time for the board, with changes in its personnel and the recent death of Michael Lindenberger, our previous editorial page editor, just months before. It was not because The Star’s editorial board stopped believing in endorsements like other media outlets and their owners. I, for one, am happy that’s not the case. Endorsing candidates and issues in presidential and especially community races, and explaining how we came to those decisions, arm readers with information that can help them make their own decisions.” Read more here.

Local guest column: Trump and the VA

KC’s Cerner got a no-bid contract for VA health record system. There’s a better choice: And finally, we’d like to highlight one local guest column and thank all of you who have written letters to the editor and guest columns. We appreciate you and rely on your opinions and expertise. Back in 2018 when Donald Trump was in the White House, Jared Kushner and the “Mar-a-Lago group” of wealthy insiders with no relevant expertise rushed a no-bid deal through to give Veterans Health Administration business to Kansas City-based Oracle Cerner. It still hasn’t helped veterans, writes this local retired oncologist.

Excerpt: “In 2018, the Veterans Health Administration signed a no-bid contract with Kansas City’s Cerner for a new electronic health record system to replace the VA’s longstanding one. The contract stipulated “a $10 billion ceiling over 10 years.” Enter Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner and “the Mar-a-Lago group” of wealthy insiders with no relevant expertise. They justified the rushed, no-bid contract because of “the urgency and the critical nature of this decision,” according to then-Secretary of Veterans Affairs David J. Shulkin. Five years later, the “urgent” project with an initially-promised $10 billion ceiling has rolled out to just five VA hospitals. The contract has ballooned to $16 billion, heading toward $50 billion. With terrible reviews and user distrust, further Cerner record system rollouts are on hold because of malfunctions causing lost productivity, chaos and even deaths. It is time to scrap it.” Read more here.