By Yael T. Abouhalkah, Kansas City Star Editorial Page columnist
Questions are going to be asked when one of the best-known athletes in the world -- Tiger Woods -- is injured in any kind of accident.
But rumors are going to spread like wildfire now that Woods has been involved in a suspicious-sounding accident outside his Florida home.
By Yael T. Abouhalkah, Kansas City Star Editorial Page columnist
Google made the right call in refusing to block publication of an offensive image of Michelle Obama.
By Yael T. Abouhalkah, Kansas City Star Editorial Page columnist
And off we go again, as Kansas City begins the search for a city manager who will pinch pennies, tear apart bureaucratic fiefdoms and make nice with elected officials.
By Yael T. Abouhalkah, Kansas City Star Editorial Page columnist
In a sudden move Wednesday, President Barack Obama surprised and pleased global warming believers in two different ways.
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By Yael T. Abouhalkah, Kansas City Editorial Page columnist
Never underestimate the power of a woman scorned -- especially when she's been told by a government group that she doesn't need so many mammogram tests if she's under 50 years old.
And women outraged by that advice could tip the scales against the passage of health care reform in Congress.
By Yael T. Abouhalkah, Kansas City Star Editorial Page columnist
All the talk about rural Kentucky residents hating the Census Bureau enough to kill one of its workers has turned out to be completely false.
Anti-government zealots did not kill a Kentucky U.S. Census worker in September. Instead, he committed suicide, authorities said Tuesday.
By Yael T. Abouhalkah, Kansas City Star Editorial Page columnist
City Council member Jan Marcason was a key vote in the decision to fire City Manager Wayne Cauthen last week. Now she's telling the public why she did it.
By Yael T. Abouhalkah, Kansas City Star Editorial Page columnist
After years of planning, backers of a new climate change treaty see disaster looming early next month in Copenhagen.
The main reason: There's no leadership from two major polluters -- America and China -- to establish tougher limits on harmful greenhouse emissions that are causing global warming.
By Yael T. Abouhalkah, Kansas City Star Editorial Page columnist
Dennis Moore is announcing Monday that he will retire as the U.S. congressman representing Johnson County and northeast Kansas. It's the right decision.
It was time for Moore to go, not the least because he would have had a difficult time getting re-elected in 2010.
By Yael T. Abouhalkah, Kansas City Star Editorial Page columnist
Calm down, Kansas City. The clumsy ouster of City Manager Wayne Cauthen isn't the end of the world.
By Yael T. Abouhalkah, Kansas City Star Editorial Page columnist
Bad news for Barack Obama fans: The new Gallup Poll shows only 49 percent of Americans approve of his performance in office.
What a stunning turnaround from the heady days of near-70 percent approval ratings in early 2009.
By Yael T. Abouhalkah, Kansas City Star Editorial Page columnist
Four city managers have served Kansas City since 1987 when I began covering City Hall. In that 22 years, only one has been fired -- Wayne Cauthen on Thursday.
By Yael T. Abouhalkah, Kansas City Star Editorial Page columnist
Troy Schulte is the new acting city manager in Kansas City, replacing the fired Wayne Cauthen. But who is Schulte?
By Yael T. Abouhalkah, Kansas City Star Editorial Page columnist
As a critic of Wayne Cauthen's general job performance the last few years, I'm not surprised nor disappointed he's out as city manager.
I do wish Mayor Mark Funkhouser would have arranged the firing in a more professional, less messy way.
By Yael T. Abouhalkah, Kansas City Star Editorial Page columnist
The firing of Kansas City's first black city manager, Wayne Cauthen, wasn't based on his race. It was based on his inability to meet the managerial expectations of seven of his bosses on the City Council.
By Yael T. Abouhalkah, Kansas City Star Editorial Page columnist
Mayor Mark Funkhouser got his way Thursday when a council majority decided to fire City Manager Wayne Cauthen. Opponents correctly criticized the mayor for how he handled the matter. However....
By Yael T. Abouhalkah, Kansas City Star Editorial Page columnist
How's this for bad timing: On Friday, Mayor Mark Funkhouser and the City Council will hold their annual legislative lunch.
It's where Kansas City's elected officials tell their local state lawmakers what they want to see happen during the 2010 legislative session in Jefferson City.
By Yael T. Abouhalkah, Kansas City Star Editorial Page columnist
Mayor Mark Funkhouser's attempt to get rid of City Manager Wayne Cauthen hinges on this question:
Does he have six other votes on the City Council to make this move?
By Yael T. Abouhalkah, Kansas City Star Editorial Page columnist
Mayor Mark Funkhouser suspended City Manager Wayne Cauthen on Thursday. The mayor's letter to City Council members said the reason was, "I believe we need new leadership for the city." This is not surprising.
By Yael T. Abouhalkah, Kansas City Star Editorial Page columnist
The potential for a $15 million deficit at the Power & Light District in the next city budget is stunningly bad news for taxpayers.
By Yael T. Abouhalkah, Kansas City Star Editorial Page columnist
The idea of creating a Capital Projects Department to oversee large construction projects for City Hall has an important ally: Mayor Mark Funkhouser.
By Yael T. Abouhalkah, Kansas City Star Editorial Page columnist
The Senate health care reform bill unveiled Wednesday by Majority Leader Harry Reid is superior to the House-approved measure, at least when it comes to costs.
These are important points for senators to keep in mind when they vote on the bill, possibly as early as this weekend.
By Yael T. Abouhalkah, Kansas City Star Editorial Page columnist
U.S. Attorney Gen. Eric Holder isn't backing down from his decision to hold public trials in New York of five accused 9/11 terrorists.
By Yael T. Abouhalkah, Kansas City Star Editorial Page columnist
Mayor Mark Funkhouser's teleconference call Wednesday night allowed the mayor to get across his candid talking points, though not with enough detail.
The candid examples:
By Yael T. Abouhalkah, Kansas City Star Editorial Page columnist
Kudos to the Kansas City Parks and Recreation Department for reaching out to see what kinds of amenities are needed to serve disabled people.
By Yael T. Abouhalkah, Kansas City Star Editorial Page columnist
The City Council’s top priority over the next several months is to determine whether it has the political will to establish a Capital Projects Department.
By Yael T. Abouhalkah, Kansas City Star Editorial Page columnist
Republicans are attacking a new government-produced mammogram report, saying it's the kind of thing that could lead to rationed care in the future.
The critics make a legitimate point.
By Yael T. Abouhalkah, Kansas City Star Editorial Page columnist
Finally, John McCain on Wednesday entered the fray surrounding Sarah Palin's "Going Rogue" memoir.
By Yael T. Abouhalkah, Kansas City Star Editorial Page columnist
Michael Kaiser has thought a lot about the arts, funding them and their essential roles in society. And it shows.
On Wednesday, Kaiser -- president of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts -- talked for more than 90 minutes at the Lyric Theatre about his passion for the arts.
