Editor's note: As this issue of the Pitch goes to press, the hideous fiberglass bears are being collected for their October 5 auction. Kansas City will mercifully be rid of them -- at least until the holidays, when the curse of the teddy bears returns. Sadly, we weren't able to capture the true essence of every single bear in our Teddy Scare of the Week. The ones we got, though, live forever in a handy photo album.
I was enjoying myself and feeling safe until I spotted something I have never seen in Johnson County: Mayor Barnes and a gentlemen companion were walking around with an armed bodyguard following at a respectful distance. If the mayor cannot attend a public function without an armed guard, what are common citizens who cannot use tax money to hire armed guards to do? Does the city provide armed guards for all city officials when they are not in their offices? Are unprotected citizens expected to pay to provide armed guards for their elected officials? Shouldn't it be the other way around? What is Mayor Barnes' position on the right to carry?
I think we have passed a law in Johnson County that elected officials must appear in public without bodyguards and take the same chances as the rest of us. I assume this law is intended to ensure our representatives have an incentive to work to make the streets safe for everybody. Maybe Kansas City should pass this law.
Name withheld upon request
The article states that "Korn and his associates, including Nance and possibly Angotti," were involved. Johnson says "possibly" because there is no evidence against my dad. There are only two reasons that his name is mentioned in connection with this case at all. The first is because of the deposition given by his estranged wife. She is not a credible source, even in a "sworn deposition." She has not lived with us in over a year.
The second reason is because the only way some of the other victims of Art Korn's crimes are going to get any money is by going after a large car dealership. Bernard Brown (the lawyer) needs to have that angle in order to have a profitable case. The people that were actually involved in this are in jail. This is a civil case. The article even states that the Brown Law Firm is soliciting business. "After more than a year of hassles with the truck, Dowdall got a call from the Brown Law Firm."
Unfortunately for my father, he happened to be friends with Art Korn and worked for Albright Roberts at the same time. Johnson also mentions that my dad got fired without mentioning the thirteen years of loyal service that he gave to Albright without any problems.
My dad did nothing wrong; he simply was a bad judge of character. He was friends with the wrong man at the wrong time, and he married the wrong woman. My dad still pays our bills by selling cars. Hopefully, my thirteen-year-old sister and I will still be able to eat in the aftermath of this article.
Angela Angotti
Independence
