Looking back, 2010 wasn’t the worst year in Kansas City history, but it won’t go down as the best either. That’s because 2011 will be the best.

A northeast Kansas sports apparel and gift shop will expand into Wichita in February.

A northeast Kansas sports apparel and gift shop will expand into Wichita in February.

AMERICAN RESTAURANT: New Year’s Eve Dinner. Five-course dinner, music, champagne toast and party favors. Reservations 7-9 p.m. Dec. 31. $125. 200 E. 25th. theamerican kc.com (816-545-8001)

Eager to catch some high school hoops before the year ends? Check out the Bank Midwest Holiday Basketball Classic at William Jewell College in Liberty. The tournament begins today and runs until Thursday. It’s a smorgasbord of games, which start at 9 a.m. today with the last tipoff 12 hours later.

Ball drop at P&L: Many of us in Kansas City like to party every now and then like we’re on the coast, and heading to the Power & Light District can make NYC feel a little closer.

In recent days I’ve started to examine how much Kansas Citians pay in property taxes vs. how much residents pay in other local cities. It’s part of a long-term effort to review Kansas City’s tax structure now that voters next April will decide whether to renew the 1 percent earnings tax.

Seth Hartman won't forget the day he got his first duck call.

Until recently, nobody would have mistaken John Noblit for a tree hugger. But now he and his partner, Rick Didier, are striving to become leaders in energy-efficient home building in the Kansas City area.

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP)--A Leawood man admitted in federal court that he didn't play almost $4.8 million in payroll taxes for companies he owns. The U.S. Attorney announced in a news release that 41-year-old Jeffrey Phillips pleaded guilty Dec. 7 to withholding tax payments from employees' pay from 2001 to 2005. Prosecutors say Phillips owned JP Holdings, a Shawnee, Kan.-based company ...