18-year-old Dominic Miller and 23-year-old Lyndell Mays were charged with “second-degree murder, two counts of armed criminal action and unlawful use of a weapon.” As the parade concluded, locals overheard Miller and Mays arguing with one another, which quickly escalated to gunfire. Two other teenagers were also charged with both gun-related offenses and with resisting arrest. 

Video evidence from the event shows onlookers chasing down and tackling the shooters, detaining them until the police arrived. In an interview with NBC’s Today Show, Paul Contreras, who was seen tackling one of the shooters, explains the event. “When I took him down to the ground, his hood went over his head so he was face down the whole time,” Contreras said. “I had him face down to the ground with me on top of him…”

As our community members and families process the tragedy that took place, the Chiefs players have teamed up with United Way of Greater Kansas City, a non-profit organization, to launch the #KCStrong Fund for emergency monetary funding to support those affected by the shooting, violence protection organizations, recovery facilities and first responders.

Lisa Lopez-Galvan, whose life was unfortunately taken at the shooting, was a part of the William Jewell community, both as a sister and as an aunt. In a supportive effort to honor Ms. Lopez-Galvan, the Faith and Culture center at Jewell has set up a memorial outside of Gano Chapel.

Whether you are a Kansas City native or from out of town, there is always something new and exhilarating to explore in Kansas City. However, as college students, it may be daunting to find budget-friendly or free places to explore around the city this season. Since we are all busy with CTIs, other classes, research and work, below is a list of budget-friendly things during your leisure time. If you love art, books, museums or just exploring new places, you are bound to find something fun on this list to try!

Central Branch of the Kansas City Public Library 

First on our list of budget-friendly places to visit in the area is the Kansas City Public Library. The Central Branch of the Kansas City Public Library fulfills all book lovers’ dreams! Not only are there hundreds of amazing books, but also there is a large mural of many of the great classics located on the south wall of the library for all visitors to enjoy. Another thing to experience is the rooftop terrace, which features a chess board and great views of the city. The Central Branch is open:

• Mon. – Wed. 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
• Thurs. – Sat. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Sunday 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Taking a ride on the Kansas City Streetcar

Another free and wonderful thing to do in Kansas City is to take a ride on the streetcar from Union Station down to the City Market. The streetcar travels two miles through Kansas City and is a great way to see all must-see sights. You can visit Union Station at the beginning of your route and see all the old, beautiful architecture, then hop on track and ride down to the City Market to enjoy all the local vendors and shops. The streetcars’ hours of operation are:

• Mon. – Thurs. 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.
• Friday 6 a.m. to 1 a.m. (Saturday morning)
• Saturday 7 a.m. to 1 a.m. (Sunday morning)
• Sunday 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.

The Money Museum

Did you know that Kansas City is home to dozens of museums? One unique museum in the city is the Money Museum, which is located in the Kansas City  branch of the Federal Reserve Bank. This free museum has several exhibits on the history of money, inflation and presidential coin collections. Currently, through December 2022, the museum has a special exhibit on display of the Triple Play: Negro Leagues Baseball Commemorative Coins, and visitors can learn more about the history of Negro Leagues Baseball through the US Mint’s coin collection. The Money Museum is open:

• Mon. – Fri. 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Loose Park

If you enjoy the outdoors and free things, then Loose Park is the place for you to visit. Loose Park is the place to have a nice picnic on a beautiful weekend afternoon. While you’re there you can visit the famous 1.5-acre Rose Garden and pond area. If you are an avid history lover, you may find the history at Loose Park of interest; it is the historical site of the Civil War Battle of Westport and features a monument of the battle off of West 52^nd Street. The park is open:

• Every day, 5 a.m. to 12 a.m.

Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art 

Art and Kansas City are synonymous in the minds of many.. Whether or not you are an art fanatic or have an appreciation for all things beautiful, the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art should be on the list of places to visit. It is free to attend and open from 10 am to 4 pm Wednesdays and Fridays through Sundays and from 10 am to 9 pm on Thursdays. The museum boasts a large permanent collection of modern art from well-known artists like Georgia O’Keeffe, Tom Hück, and Leonard Pryor. If you get hungry on your visit, you can also visit Café Sebastienne for a small brunch or lunch while there. The museum is open:

• Wednesday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Thursday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
• Fri. – Sun., 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

We took advantage of our free day to go to Kansas City and explore. Without money or time restrictions, we’ve compiled a list that we think will help you explore the city. 

Morning: We hope you guys also sleep in because we did. Our day starts at 10 a.m.

Our first stop was the River Market. A hot coffee from Thou Mayest was a great start for a long day ahead. I recommend a honey lavender latte. This place is also ideal for cute pictures. After that, we walked to River Market Antiques closeby. I have no pictures of the store because everything in there was so interesting that I didn’t even think about my phone. It was a little bit pricey but it is worth it to at least walk around and look at all the old stuff. Before taking the streetcar, we stopped by Dutch Flowers. They have everything you need for a garden, tiny plants for your dorm room, cute notebooks and decorations.

Our next stop was Union Station. We took the streetcar there. Except for the train museum, there is not a lot in there if you are not willing to pay. But if we did have money, I would go to Science City. Sadly, we had a limited budget.

Our last stop in the morning was the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. I spent almost three hours there. If I had more time, I would go visit the World War I Museum. I visited it at the beginning of school. I felt really sad after, but I think it was a good lesson to value the peaceful time we are having right now.

Night: After the Nelson Atkins, we stopped at Gocha 2 in West Port for boba tea. The tea shop is so cute that we took pictures while we waited for our tea.

After getting boba, we drove around the Power and Light District and played music with the windows down. The Power and Light is a quintessential city experience with its tall skyscrapers and beautiful lights. We drove around the T-Mobile Center and talked about how much we miss concerts and what concerts we will go to when COVID-19 is finally over.

We ended our night by visiting 18^th and Vine and all the jazz bars. The Jazz District is an important part of Kansas City as one of the major jazz cities in America. We didn’t have time to do it all in one day, but the Jazz Museum is definitely something to add to your list of things to do in Kansas City. We walked up and down 18^th and Vine and took pictures of the lights. 18^th and Vine is also home to one of the KC Black Lives Matter road murals.

If you are ever feeling bored or wanting a day away from studying and classes, going to the city can be a great experience full of opportunities for you and your friends. It may be hard to think of things to spend your time with, but our day of exploring will hopefully inspire you to explore the city yourself and take lots of pictures.

When I began to think about what I did over winter break, I couldn’t quite remember. It just seemed to meld together with the never-ending COVID-19 time vortex. For many of us, COVID-19 fatigue grew this semester as we had to attend school with little of the social benefits, since most on-campus activities were canceled. I’m not referring to a general or vague feeling of tiredness when I talk about COVID-19 fatigue. In fact, COVID-19 fatigue describes a real set of symptoms that includes lack of energy and being constantly overwhelmed.

However, when I reflected on my winter break, I realized that I still found ways to enjoy the time off from school and get into the holiday spirit. Even though the holidays were different this year, it’s important to remember the positive things that happened through the season.

In December, I visited Union Station’s Home for the Holidays display. The entire Grand Plaza of Union Station was redecorated with lights displays and a train-themed, walk-through village. The walk-through exhibit, which spanned three rooms, was an array of Christmas villages and toy trains that ran throughout all the villages. Each village was from a different historical time period. There was even a train that you could ride through a winter wonderland in the middle of the Grand Plaza, but I was told that was reserved for those 5 years old and under. 

Shortly after finals concluded, I was able to gather with a small group of friends to have some Christmas celebratory fun. We decided to brew a cup of cider and watch the newly released “Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch Musical!” starring Matthew Morrison.

Little did I know this would be one of the most unsettling pieces of film produced during our lifetime. Morrison’s drawing upon the Joker as inspiration for his chaotic, and sexual, spin on the character of the Grinch was an unnecessary but “natural” way to end the year. 

As Christmas came and went, I was reminded of how grateful I was to gather, in small groups, with family over the holidays. In a year where so much has been canceled, it was nice to relax and reflect upon what truly matters during this season. 

While ringing in the New Year is often met with much hope and anticipation, that feeling was regrettably absent this year. As the calendar flipped, I think most people greeted the year with a heavy sigh. Notably, this was the first New Year’s Eve I can recall going to bed before midnight. I’ll blame that on the pandemic. 

As always, January flew by, and I was back ordering books and logging onto Zoom before I knew it. There was a time when I hoped that the spring semester of my senior year would be relatively normal. In a way, it has almost been more freeing to accept that this semester won’t be normal. I spent most of the fall semester wishing that the spring would bring all the traditional William Jewell College activities that I could do for the last time, like homecoming and formals. And while there’s nothing wrong to wish for those things and be sad that they won’t happen, I don’t have to spend my time wishing. Instead, I can accept that this will be our normal for a while and commit to living in the present.