Chuck Cuda is a principal/broker at Opes Commercial Real Estate. He is on the board of trustees of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Mid-America Chapter. Chuck has served as a member of the Light the Night executive leadership committee and was chairman of the event in 2018. Chuck organized his own event, Green Tie Gala, […]

Emily Catherine Kerr and Eric Samuel Lund were united in matrimony on August 8th in Vail, Colorado. The bride is the daughter of Cathy and Matt Kerr of Leawood, Kansas. Emily is the granddaughter of Eugenia Cartmell Hovey and Robert Hovey of Mission Hills, Kansas, and the late Philip Martin Cartmell, Jr., and James Kerr […]

Sarah Reed grew up in a small town near Detroit, Michigan. Her father was her first inspiration, and she considers him the best artist that she knew growing up. “He taught me how to draw and what to look for when I create something, like what shapes make up an object and how different colors […]

Join us in our proud send-off to the Class of 2020. We wish the best to these amazing students as they start their exciting journeys around the country this fall. Reverend Vincent Giacabazi, S.J., Rockhurst High School; Tom Rottinghaus, Luke Rottinghaus, The University of Kansas; Katy Rottinghaus, and David Laughlin, Rockhurst High School   Tyoni […]

“The true alchemists do not change lead into gold; they change the world into words.” – William H. Gass As I have struggled in the last few months, I have found a new sense of artistic resonance in the genre of memoir. These authors play with words and my sense of the world by blending […]

Karen Crnkovich has been a member of the Junior League of Kansas City, Missouri for 16 years and is serving as the 2020-21 president. Karen has served on the board of directors for four years and in many other roles, including director of fund development, director of training, board assistant, Holiday Mart co-chairman, and advocacy […]

Teaching math might not be everyone’s idea of happiness, but for Moe Chizari, it’s exactly what the semi-retired accountant and volunteer loves to do. Moe spends his free time working with Literacy KC’s program, High School Equivalency Test preparedness. Giving back motivates Moe to do the work of teaching, and the joy comes when students, […]

If you’re driving by 71st Street and Mission Road in Prairie Village, you’ll notice that there’s a new kid in town. He is part of the sculpture Fifties Freedom In The Village. Brad Johnson wanted to honor his bicycle-riding friends, and E.S. Schubert, who is known as Spencer, created the artwork. Both men graduated from […]

The residents of Our Town love the summer months, and The Independent delights in sharing their special moments. We are excited to feature many happy celebrations that were held with healthy protocols in place, including masks, social distancing, and temperature taking. Cheers to some Kansas City fun!   Additional photos featured in the September 5, […]

All of us out at Lake Lotawana have been watching with anticipation the transformation of longtime lakeside eatery, Marina Grog and Galley, into the stunning new Marina 27 Steak & Seafood. (The number 27 stands for how many miles of shoreline are at Lake Lotawana.) Jack Schwindler, who had been a lake resident since his […]

Madeline Louise Ledom and Samuel Hurst Logan were united in matrimony on July 18th at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Kansas City, Missouri. The bride is the daughter of Lisa and Mark Ledom, Sr. of Prairie Village, Kansas. Madeline is the granddaughter of Richard Boerger of Tulsa, Oklahoma, and the late Loretta Boerger, […]

In sixth grade, I became the proud owner of a bar of Clinique Facial Soap. Between the preteen hormones and frustrating flare-ups, I was forced to focus my attention from playgrounds to pimple control.  Fast forward 20 years, and I am a self-diagnosed product junkie who is known to buy it, try it, and move […]

When Lucy Christie Drage died in September 1965, our scribe wrote: “Gallant was the word for this indomitable woman whose life was touched by an over-abundant share of tragedies. Three generations of localites remember her in distinctly different lights. Courtly gentlemen who were gay blades after the turn of the century recall the beautiful Lucy […]

Karly Scholl is in her second year as a Centurion, where she has served on the Education Task Force and is on the projects committee. This married mother of two earned a bachelor’s degree from Minnesota State University and a master’s degree from Iowa State University. She joined CommunityAmerica Credit Union in 2017,  tasked with […]

October 10th is the date for the 2020 Kemper Gala, “Ions & Elements: Through the Microscope.” During this year’s event, the exhibition on display at the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art will be Elias Sime: Tightrope. Elias takes salvaged electronic components and creates artworks that highlight the effects of technological progress on the global environment. […]

The Meyer Circle Sea Horse Fountain has graced Kansas City with its presence for nearly a century. Prior to that time, the original statuary, which was made of Carrera marble and dated from the 17th century, was on display in Venice, Italy. J.C. Nichols, the real estate developer, decided that it should be a gift […]

  Bianca Fields has been living and working as an artist in Kansas City for a little more than a year, and she currently has a studio space at the Cherry Pit Collective. Originally from Cleveland, Ohio, Bianca graduated from the Cleveland Institute of Art College. What brought her to Kansas City was her partner. […]

No matter what size or style your upcoming rehearsal dinner and wedding reception is, everyone has to eat. Right? So what are some of the food trends wedding planners, restaurants, and caterers are seeing?  Wedding Planner Sarah Quinlivan of Quintessential Events said, “People want food that matters to them, whether it’s an homage to their […]

Elizabeth Word Moody and David Churchill Shelton were married on November 23rd at Church of the Nativity, Episcopal in Huntsville, Alabama. The bride is the daughter of Emily and Dr. Jon Moody of Huntsville. Elizabeth is the granddaughter of Elizabeth and Robert Word, Jr., of Scottsboro, Alabama, and Glenda Moody of Scottsboro, and the late […]

Elizabeth Crellin Leek and Tyler Christian Murray were married on February 8th at Mission Hills Country Club. The bride is the daughter of Mary Brown Leek of Prairie Village, Kansas. Elizabeth is the granddaughter of the late MaryAnn and Joseph Brown and the late Carolee and Louis Leek. Her groom is the son of Christine […]

Victoria Elizabeth Miller and Patrick Bryan Melland, Jr. were married on May 22nd at Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church in Kansas City, Missouri. The bride is the daughter of John Miller of Kansas City, and the late Lee Ann Miller. Victoria is the granddaughter of the late Earlana and Gerald Hamilton, the late Margaret […]