Copyright 1999 The Kansas City Star Co.
THE KANSAS
CITY STAR
March 18, 1999 Thursday METROPOLITAN EDITION
SECTION: METROPOLITAN; Pg. B1; P.S.
LENGTH: 425 words
HEADLINE:
P.S.
BYLINE: RICHARD ESPINOZA; LYNN HORSLEY; ALAN
BAVLEY, The Kansas City Star
BODY:
Just making
sure
Overland Park police stopped by 29 houses to see
whether the
residents had any trouble Tuesday after
people dialed 911 to check
their phone lines and then hung
up.
Southwestern Bell had a hardware problem about 6 p.m.
near
Corporate Woods that prevented customers in the area
from making most
calls, a spokesman
said. Patrons could call only other affected
customers and 911 until the problem was fixed about 10 p.m.
To make sure no one is coerced out of asking for police once
they
dial 911, an officer shows up at every emergency call.
"When they call 911, we're going," Officer Jim Weaver
said.
"No matter what, they're going to get a police
car."
- Richard Espinoza/The Star
Climbing
back into the ring
Clay Chastain, who lost his primary race
for Kansas City mayor,
says that the two surviving
candidates are lackluster and that the
race needs a shot
of energy. So today, Chastain will announce he is
running as a write-in candidate.
Chastain placed fifth
in a field of six candidates in the March 2
primary. George Blackwood and Kay Waldo Barnes will
be on the ballot
in the March 30 general election.
Chastain said he hoped to pick up votes from people who
backed
other candidates in the primary. He said he
would concentrate on such
issues as promoting light
rail and preventing the closure of
Richards-Gebaur
Memorial Airport.
Mary De Shon, who ran as a write-in
candidate in the primary,
said Wednesday she planned
another write-in campaign.
- Lynn Horsley/The
Star
Changes suggested in AIDS program
Controversy
shook Kansas City's AIDS program two years ago, when
some
patients and service agencies complained to Mayor Emanuel
Cleaver that members of minority groups weren't being
treated fairly.
A city auditor's report Wednesday
found no evidence of unfair
treatment but did say the way the
program was handled could have led
to mistrust and
dissatisfaction.
The Health Department, which
distributes federal Ryan White Care
Act aid,
didn't spell out clearly its reasons for approving or
denying
contracts to agencies, City Auditor Mark Funkhouser found.
Judy Moore-Nichols, the Health Department's HIV
services program
manager, said the department agreed with
the auditor's findings and
was implementing his recommendations.
- Alan Bavley/The Star
GRAPHIC:
Photo (color), New furry friends- Children were drawn Wednesday to the
Pet-a-Pet Petting Zoo at City Market during its St. Patrick's Day
festivities. Ethan Kelley (left), 3, and brother Andrew Kelley, 5, of
Shawnee, made friends with a pair of rabbits. Pony rides, face
painting
and other activities also were featured at City Market.; DELORES JOHNSON/The
Kansas City Star
LOAD-DATE: March 18, 1999
