Letters

Best in Show
The road less traveled:The Franklin-Douglas Counties Coalition of Concerned Citizens is very honored to have been named Best Grassroots Organization in your Best of Kansas City issue (October 19). We're thrilled to be recognized for our work and our uniquely diverse coalition of farmers, environmentalists, native peoples, and preservationists. However, the paragraph and accompanying cartoon don't accurately convey the purpose of our group, which is to have Highway 59, between Lawrence and Ottawa, expanded and made safe along its current alignment.

While stopping KDOT's preferred new alignment one mile east of the existing road is a means to our end, it is not the end in itself. Our group draws together people concerned with a variety of issues, including preserving the farming community, native prairies, woodlands, and habitat for various animals, historic sites, and Native American sites. But the one thing we all agree on is that the current Highway 59 is dangerous and must be improved. In fact, one reason we oppose the potential new alignment is that it doesn't address safety concerns. Furthermore, in the name of safety, local and state legislators on every level in both counties have repeatedly voiced their preference for KDOT to improve 59 on its current alignment.

We want safety first, and we want KDOT and the Federal Highway Administration to do a better job of listening to the public and responding to local needs. And we want 59 fixed on 59.
Caryn Goldberg
Lawrence

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Hike five:Living 950 miles from Kansas City, I thought it was great to get an excited call from my daughter Tami Frost, the owner/cook of Merriam Café and winner of Best Lunch and Walk in the Best of Kansas City issue (October 19). It was even more exciting to be able to see the description about her café for myself on the Internet. Thank you for your kind words.
Sandi McKinley
Nucla, Colorado

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All decked out:The staff at John's Food & Drink was very pleased that the Pitch wrote about our "Big Deck" as the < ahref="http://www.pitch.com/issues/2000-10-19/bestfood16.html">Best Rooftop Rendezvous. However proud we are of our "Big Deck" and its season of live music, we can't help but feel that people overlook our other two floors. Our DJ, John, has packed the second-floor dance floor every weekend for over eight years. The second floor also has pool tables, games, and a weekday lunch buffet under $6. The first floor has served lunch and dinner for downtown workers and visitors from the nearby convention center and hotels for almost 20 years. We're one of the few places downtown open seven days and until 3 a.m. on weekends.

Our little sister a few doors up the street, Josie Ann's Deli & Pub, adds its unique menu and atmosphere to Wyandotte Street. The addition of the club Life to the area has brought in a number of people who have discovered John's recently. The Savoy Grill is around the corner, plus the Phoenix, the Quaff, and Tanner's are a short walk away.

The Pitch has given a lot of attention lately to the lack of activity downtown, with the failure of the Centertainment proposal and the idea of one of your writers of moving the Grand Emporium, Beaumont, and XO downtown (Bruce Rodgers' "Move the Clubs," September 21). The former Lane Blueprint buildings at 9th and Baltimore, the spaces once occupied by the Edge and Callahan's in Lucas Place, or the Old Spaghetti Factory's former home would make great club and dining spots. John's would welcome any move that would bring more entertainment, dining, and people to the downtown loop area.
John Canterbury
Kansas City, Missouri

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Foul ball:It seems pretty idiotic, considering all the press he got this year, to rename our ALL-STAR outfielder Jermaine Dye "Jerome." I know the Pitch decided to drop its Sports coverage, but I think it's pretty indicative of how far the Pitch has moved away from being a local paper that is in tune with the people of Kansas City.
Sara Ogilvie
Kansas City, Missouri

Editor's note: Calling Jermaine Dye "Jerome" wins the award for most stupid mistake in our Best Of, and we regret the error. We also regret the closing of Lawrence's Lotus, which had the Best Vegetarian Sushi until it went out of business as our issue was in production; we found out too late to pull the write-up.

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Muddy Waters
Without a paddle:I have but one bone to pick about "Mud Money" (October 12). Patrick Dobson makes much ado about the conflict of interest between the big-money Missouri River barge operators on the one hand and canoeists and environmentalists on the other, but he never makes clear (to me, anyway) what it is about higher river depths that is mutually exclusive to recreation. Furthermore, what is it about enhanced Missouri River recreation that is mutually beneficial to wildlife conservation?

It seems to me this is a case of one liberal cause (canoeing on the Missouri River) trying to ride the coattails of another reasonable and valid cause (wildlife conservation). It's sort of like me insisting that the speed limit on I-435 be reduced to 25 mph so I can ride my bicycle on it and pointing out that fewer deer would be killed by motorists at that lower speed limit. If the Missouri River moves too fast for some recreational canoers, they should canoe the Kaw or the Blue.
Erich Noll
Kansas City, Missouri

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The Satanic Verses
A cult following:I wanted to drop you a note to let you know how much I enjoy reading your paper on a regular basis. The stories are generally cutting-edge and always seem topical. Deb Hipp's recent cover story, "Could It Be ... Satan?" (October 12) was a fascinating read and well-researched to boot.