No matter how it feels, there is a world outside of the Northtown campus. Local events in particular affect us. It’s good to stay informed. Here’s some quick facts that you may find helpful:

Crown Center will welcome two new attractions next spring: a Sea Life aquarium and a Legoland Discovery Center. Lego land, which is slated to open in May, will include a shop, cafe, cinema, ride, and master modeling classes.

The Kansas City Metro has released plans to redesign transit service to become more efficient. The plans include changes to over 50 routes, which will be phased in starting in 2012.

City inspectors have installed 40 surveillance cameras intended to catch illegal dumpers. Illegal dumping is an expensive and messy problem for the city, but the cameras have already led to several cases and one guilty plea. Many cases involve construction debris or large items people are paid to remove, although all sorts of trash can be found at the sites.

The Occupy Wall Street movement, which began on Sept. 17, has spread across the world. Demonstrators of Occupy KC have even set up a campground south of the Liberty Memorial. Although it is difficult to pinpoint a clear central ideal, protesters in general believe money and greed have corrupted the U.S. government. Demonstrations have hit rocky patches, and many have been arrested.