KANSAS CITY, MO. – About 40 friends of a murdered community activist joined Kansas City's mayor this afternoon to decry the death of Yuri Ives. He was killed at his home Monday.
Neighbors have been trying to clean up the Old Northeast side as well as its image. They gathered not far from the house where Ives was found murdered.
Mayor Mark Funkhouser was there, calling for policing parity-- "we ought not tolerate on Independence Avenue what we will not tolerate in the Power and Light District." Hizzoner the Mayor said he was talking about street crime and disorder.
Funkhouser wanted to encourage Northeast side residents to continue efforts to clean up neighborhoods, fight crime and fight indifference to change. Tracy Marriott who lives and works on the far East side said she was frustrated that crime discourages people from moving to the area. Marriott spoke of efforts to enourage the arts in the district, to refurbish old mansions and to attract a vibrant collection of active residents.
She tears up when talking about Ives who was passionate about the district and rarely shy to fight for reform. In her words, "he convinced a lot of people who didn't want to come because it was too shady a neighborhood."