Latest news with #Lahl
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Missouri Supreme Court upholds voter-approved minimum wage, paid sick leave initiative
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Missouri's highest court on Tuesday upheld the election results of Proposition A, also known as 'Prop A'. The ballot initiative increases the state's minimum wage and requires paid sick time. Missouri's Supreme Court upheld the initiative in a unanimous opinion, although one judge dissented on the reasoning. Missouri voters continue to wonder whether Prop A will go into effect 'Prop A' is set to take effect this Thursday, May 1, but some challengers are still trying to repeal this portion of the proposition, saying rules on sick leave shouldn't have been lumped in on the ballot with a minimum wage increase. Missouri's Restaurant Association is among those challengers. FOX4 caught up with the restaurant association's CEO, Buddy Lahl, on Tuesday after leaving Jefferson City. Lahl and a coalition of restaurant owners were meeting with State Senators about House Bill 567, which would repeal the earned sick pay portion of the proposition. It passed the House, but has been met with filibusters in the Senate. As it stands now, starting Thursday, employers will have to calculate at least one hour of sick leave for every 30 hours worked, consecutive or otherwise. 'This is going to hurt small businesses in Missouri,' Lahl said. 'It's not going to hurt the larger employees as much because they have systems in place, they are going to have to adhere to these guidelines and regulations.' Right now, only businesses with an annual revenue of less than $500,000 are exempt. Lahl said he'd support sick time regulations if businesses with fewer than 100 employees, or at the very least 50, were exempt. 'We are happy to work with businesses on successful implementation and really doing what voters intend,' said Richard van Glahn, director of Missouri Jobs with Justice. 'When the business groups and some legislators are really seeking to do is undermine what voters clearly intended…that's where we have a problem. 'I don't think the courts should have ever been asked to overthrow the will of 1.7 million people,' he added. Without a repeal, Lahl said suffering small businesses may be forced to cut other benefits or lay off employees. 'And what will absolutely happen is they will have to raise prices; as you incur additional expenses, you have to raise prices,' Lahl said. If Missouri's Legislature does vote on the bill, it will have to happen before the Legislature adjourns on May 16. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
19-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Founder of popular Kansas City restaurant dies. ‘Happy-go-lucky man'
It's hard to exaggerate just how much Vic Allred's restaurant meant to him. 'It was his life,' said Buddy Lahl, a 20-year friend of Allred's and the CEO of the Missouri Restaurant Association. In addition to founding Jazz — A Louisiana Kitchen, Allred served on the board of the Greater Kansas City and Missouri Restaurant Associations, as well as the National Restaurant Association. Then, he decided to advocate for restaurant owners on a political level and became a Missouri representative, representing District 13 from 2019 to 2021. Allred, who was in his early 60s, died recently, leaving Lahl and others in the restaurant community heartbroken. His cause of death has not been shared publicly. 'I talked to him a few weeks ago,' Lahl said. The two were planning a trip to Washington, D.C., to attend a public affairs conference together. Allred began Jazz in Lubbock, Texas, in 1986. He moved to Kansas City and opened a restaurant here in 1994 on 39th Street. Several more locations followed, including ones in Independence; Omaha, Nebraska; Austin, Texas; and Sparks, Nevada. Today, Jazz remains open at the original Lubbock location, its first Kansas City metro spot at 1823 W. 39th St., and 859 Village West Parkway, No. 102 in Kansas City, Kansas. Another is open in Columbia. Menu items include the Cajun stir fry, Cajun fried shrimp, crawfish fettuccine and Papa Vic's Pasta (bell peppers, celery, onions, mushrooms in chicken fettuccine Alfredo). In opening Jazz, Allred envisioned a swinging Cajun bar and restaurant with live music acts multiple days a week. Not surprising for Allred, who Lahl said loved to entertain. The customers all knew him, too, whether it was from seeing him working behind the bar or appearing in commercials with former broadcaster Bill Grigsby. 'Hey, folks, Papa Vic here to talk about what's new here at your favorite restaurant, Jazz — A Louisiana Kitchen,' Allred can be heard chirping in an old commercial, drawing out the vowel on the word 'Jazz.' 'Vic was a happy-go-lucky man,' Lahl said — much like the motto of his restaurant 'laissez les bons temps rouler' ('let the good times roll'). Allred was friendly with everyone who would walk through his doors. 'If you were ever in the restaurant and he was there, he would go over and say 'hi' … before it was over, you would be his best friend,' said Jazz's chief technical officer, Scott Medlock. Joe Roberts worked at Jazz for several years in various capacities: assistant manager, bartender, waiter and everything in between. He helped Allred open the original Kansas City restaurant. He remembers Allred for his jovial personality and big smile. 'He was a fun guy,' Roberts said. 'Very smart restauranteur … little bit of a genius.' In addition to keeping the overhead costs low and energy high, Roberts said Allred was kind to his employees. Roberts got emotional, or 'misty eyed' as he called it, talking about the moment he found out Allred had passed. 'It's the same kind of deflation you feel when you find somebody in your family passed in the night you didn't know about,' he said. 'And you were like 'Wow. Gosh, I'm never gonna see that smile again.'' Three or four years ago, Allred stopped being involved in the day-to-day operations of Jazz but kept a small share. Lahl isn't sure how much, but he called him 'a silent partner.' Allred's brother, Lee, continued to be involved in the business. What are some of Roberts' favorite memories of Vic? Too many to tell, he said with a laugh, then added, 'But that's New Orleans.'
