12-05-2008 FUNKHOUSER LASHES OUT AT ZIEMAN, KC STAR An obviously frustrated and exasperated Kansas City Mayor Mark Funkhouser lashed out against the Kansas City Star---and personally against its president and publisher Mark Zieman--this morning on KCMO-710 AM radio. Funkhouser, clearly upset over the newspaper's singular focus on the issue of his wife working with him, unloaded during his weekly segment on the "Morning Show With Chris Stigall." "Mark Zieman is managing the Star into oblivion," said an agitated Funkhouser. "The paper of record in the city has a single obsession with my wife." Funkhouser noted that the city has an $89 million revenue shortfall, but still focuses on whether his wife is volunteering in his office. He said the Star refuses to cover any positive aspects of his administration and he cannot get coverage in the newspaper for virtually any of his programs. "The paper of record sets the agenda for the other media," Funkhouser said. "How do you hold a newspaper accountable?" The Mayor's remarks are just the latest salvo in an ongoing war against the Kansas City Star that sometimes has become ugly and personal with Zieman, who was promoted to the publisher position in March of this year. When the newspaper attacked Funkhouser for having his wife working with him at City Hall, the Mayor responded by noting that Zieman's wife, Rhonda Chriss Lokeman, is a columnist at the Star. "She has never worked in my office or for me, has never greeted visitors, has never acted as a member of my office staff, and has never involved herself in Star business affairs," Zieman responded on the Star's Web site in August. "In fact, the only similarity I can find between her and Ms. Squitiro is that they are both married women." And then in November the newspaper officially "rescinded" (LINK) its original endorsement of Funkhouser. It is believed this is the first official endorsement retraction in the 100-year-plus history of the paper. Stigall also unloaded on reporter DeAnn Smith, who covers City Hall for the Star. "DeAnn Smith, who is also known now simply as 'Gossip Gerdy,' is no longer a credible reporter," said Stigall. "She is now just a gossip columnist." Stigall said after his show that he was upset that no KC media outlet---TV, print, or radio--reported that City Manager Wayne Cauthen's office confirmed the city is in an $89 million dollar free-fall. Or that Cauthen did not suggest a single staff cut or solution to the problem. "In fairness, (Lynn) Horsley wrote the story on line, but it never went to print ANYWHERE today," said Stigall. "I ask you, what is of more consequence and significance to the taxpayers of Kansas City: Cindy Circo and Ed Ford sniping at the mayor, or the financial albatross known as Bartle Hall and the P&L District?" "All of this was crafted by the hands of this inept city manager and the former mayor,' concluded Stigall. "This is disgusting. "It is an organized back scratching session between this embarrassing "news"paper and the city manager/ council."
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