Yael T. Abouhalkah

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.

By Yael T. Abouhalkah, Kansas City Star Editorial Page columnist

Looking for evidence that Democrats have finally found a little spine to fight back against the GOP in the U.S. Senate? Here it is.

On Tuesday, the Senate voted 70-29 to kill a Republican filibuster against appeals court nominee, U.S. District Judge David Hamilton of Indiana.

By Yael T. Abouhalkah, Kansas City Star Editorial Page columnist

Long-suffering Kansas City Royals fans have something big to celebrate Tuesday: Zack Greinke has just won the American League Cy Young award.

And it was well-deserved honor for a still-young pitcher (age 26) who beat a bad case of anxiety disorder to stay in the major leagues a few years ago.

By Yael T. Abouhalkah, Kansas City Star Editorial Page columnist

Psst. Did you hear what Apple is going to knock off its best-selling electronic products on Black Friday?

Or how about the deals Wal-Mart will be giving on the busy shopping Friday after Thanksgiving? Or Toys 'R' Us? Or Cabela's?

By Yael T. Abouhalkah, Kansas City Star Editorial Page columnist

In the never-ending dress code saga at the Power & Light District, yet another remedy emerged Monday to eliminate complaints that the code is targeted at minorities.

The idea, on its face, has merit: Form an oversight board and allow it to hire a third-party organization to handle dress code enforcement.

By Yael T. Abouhalkah, Kansas City Star Editorial Page columnist

As expected, Sarah Palin told Oprah Winfrey in the interview broadcast Monday that running for president in 2012 isn't at the top of her list.

But let's dig a little deeper.

By Yael T. Abouhalkah, Kansas City Star Editorial Page columnist

The replica jersey of Kansas City Chiefs running back Larry Johnson was selling for $80 a pop last month at Dick's Sporting Goods stores.

How quickly the star athlete can fall.

On Sunday, three dozen Johnson jerseys at the Independence Dick's store were marked way, way down -- to $9.97 each.

By Yael T. Abouhalkah, Kansas City Star Editorial Page columnist

The drug companies will never give up trying to make money off drugs that are costly and not as effective as advertised. For Exhibit A, see Merck's handling of its money-making Zetia.

A new study released Sunday shows the prescription form of niacin is more effective than Zetia in reducing buildup in arteries.

By Yael T. Abouhalkah, Kansas City Star Editorial Page columnist

Talk about a made-for-media event: Sarah Palin sitting down for coffee with Hillary Clinton.

By Yael T. Abouhalkah, Kansas City Star Editorial Page columnist

Seriously, if Republicans could really bring some strong, productive ideas to the health care reform debate, more Americans would pay attention to them.

But on Saturday, GOP leaders issued more of the same, shop-worn, minor fixes for how to deal with America's incredibly broken health care system.

By Yael T. Abouhalkah, Kansas City Star Editorial Page columnist

President Barack Obama spoke for all Americans Saturday when he indicated federal officials missed some pretty big warning signs about Fort Hood suspect Nidal Malik Hasan.