TKC: Curls Explains Lobbyist Gifts July 3, 2013

Kansas City State Senator Kiki Curls says it’s “preposterous” to think lobbyists have swayed her vote with gifts.
Curls is quoted at ‘Tony’s Kansas City’ website as saying she’s part of “an ultra-minority Democratic party”in the State Senate, implying she doesn’t have that much clout.
The TKC report says Curls received just more than $7,600 in gifts from lobbyists during the 2013 legislative session.
“As a State Sen. in an ultra-minority Democratic party the assertion that anyone thinks they could buy my influence with tickets is preposterous. In fact, I rarely use these tickets and they are very often given away to help my constituents who in turn use them to fund-raise or as benefits for community organization. Furthermore, this is all documented with the Missouri Ethics Commission where I have went out of my way to report every gift sent my way in order to assure transparency,” said Curls according to TKC.

Senate Education Panel Zips Through KC School Take Over Bill 10-0 January 30, 2013

The Missouri Senate Education Committee gave unanimous approved to a bill that could speed up the state take-over the unaccredited Kansas City, Missouri School system.
The bill moves to the full Senate. A similar bill passed both Houses of the legislature last year. It was caught up in the last-minute flurry at the State Capitol and was not passed.
Kansas City Senators Kiki Curls and Jason Holsman says they hope they can buy some time, even if the take over bill is passed this year.
Curls and Holsman want the Missouri Education Chief, Chris Nicastro, to wait until the new state school test scores coming out in late summer before making any move.
The KC school district administration hopes those scores will show more academic improvement. The hope the improved scores could lead to provisional accreditation and stave off a state take-over.

Flash! Brandon Ellington Elected to Missouri House November 8, 2011

(photo: KC Community News)

East side Kansas City voters have elected Brandon Ellington to the Missouri House from the 41st district. Ellington cruised to an easy victory in a special election Tuesday because he was unopposed.

Ellington fills the vacancy in the Mo-41 that was created when former State Rep. ‘Kiki’ Curls was elected to the State Senate. The district remains in Democratic hands. Democrats in the Missouri House remain, however,in the minority.

Ellington lost a race earlier this year for the Kansas City  Council. He was defeated by incumbent Melba Curls.

Election Day 2011: Dems Hope to Hold Two KC Seats in Missouri House November 8, 2011

Missouri Democrats are hoping to keep two seats in the state legislature from Kansas City that are up in special elections on Tuesday.

One is the Mo-39th District. It became open when former State Rep. Jean Peters Baker was appointed as the new Jackson County Prosecutor.

Former AFT teachers Union President Judy Morgan is the Democrat in the race.

She is opposed by Republican Jamie Barker Landes. She is a real estate attorney.

Both woman says they would go to the legislature and push for more jobs and education programs for the state.

The Mo-39th is a district in mid-town Kansas City. It is, by tradition, a heavily Democratic district.

The other race will be much easier for area Democrats, becuase their candidate is unopposed.

Brandon Ellington is standing for election to the legislature from the Mo-41. Its former state represenative “Kiki” Curls was elected to the State Senate recently.

Ellington has had a rising profile in the East Side district. he ran, and lost a City Council race earlier this year, against incumbent Melba Curls.

KC Dems Pick Ellington for Mo-41 Special September 20, 2011

Kansas City Democrats have nominated Brandon Ellington to run in a special election this fall. The Missourip 41st district is in central Kansas City and heavily Democratic.
Former City Council candidate Brandon Ellington defeated Kenneth Hughlon in a party meeting nomination That seat was vacated by Kiki Curls when she was elected to the State Senate. She replaced Yvonne Wilson. Wilson retired.