By Sylvia Maria Gross and Alex Smith
Kansas City, MO – Community activist Vonnie Crain says that as a child in the 1960s, she looked forward to seeing Christmas lights every winter, not on the Plaza, but on Benton Boulevard, the wide, tree-lined avenue on Kansas City's east side. She's now an organizer for ACORN, the national community organization for low and moderate income families. Crain's district includes Benton Boulevard and she helped the residents organize a rally on Saturday to help improve city services and reducing crime between 31st and 39th streets. Residents of Benton Boulevard, like those on Ward Parkway and West Meyer, pay a special boulevard assessment to maintain the roadway. KCUR's Sylvia Maria Gross walked with Vonnie Crain and resident RJ Lee along Benton Boulevard last week.
She also spoke to KC Parks and Recreation North Region Manager Michael Herron and Purline McFall, division manager of Neighborhood Preservation.