Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Independence Police Shoot at Alligator Statue

Rick Sheridan of Independence, Missouri was working in his garage when he heard gun fire.  He walked out to his yard to find three Independence police officers firing away at a concrete decorative alligator that was in his yard.  The police officers fired off several rounds into the head and body of the concrete alligator in order to kill or subdue the predator.  When police noticed that their bullets were bouncing off of the alligator, they promptly left the scene without saying a word to anyone, including the owner of the decorative alligator, Rick Sheridan.

Rick calmly recalls the story of how "three of Indepence's finest lined up on a bank in my back yard and KILLED my concrete ornamental alligator".

The concrete alligator suffered major wounds to the head but is expected to make a full recovery. - KCMB, Kansas City News

Jim Tressel Resigns Amid Scandal

Ohio State head coach Jim Tressel announced his resignation yesterday, amid NCAA violations due to his players' tattoo-parlor scandal and his attempted cover up. Tressel was one of the most successful coaches in recent college football history, and lead Ohio State to its first national title in 34 years in the 2002 season.

Tressel's resignation came from mounting pressure on Ohio State from fans and the media. Originally, Tressel was suspended two games due to a tattoo parlor scandal involving several of his best players. However, after more information began to surface that Tressel may have been aware of his players' actions and attempted to cover up what had happened, Ohio State increased the suspension to five games and fined the head coach $250,000.

Things went from bad to worse for Tressel in a hurry, and he quickly lost the support of the Ohio State faithful as more violations surfaced. Tressel received e-mails from a former player which detailed his players' violations at the tattoo parlor, but did not report this information. Ultimately, the cover up did the coach in, and he resigned after meeting with athletic director Gene Smith. Smith announced that Luke Fickell will be the Buckeye's interim coach next season.

Tressel resigns from Ohio State with a 106-22 career record. He lead Ohio State to eight BCS bowl games in 10 years, including a national championship in 2002. During Tressel's tenure as head coach, Ohio State had more players drafted into the NFL than any other college program. Despite the success he enjoyed at Ohio State, Tressel will likely be an outcast for several years due to the NCAA violations.

Monday, May 30, 2011

Royals Lose Heartbreaker to Rangers, Soria Blows Another Save

The Royals seemed to have a victory in hand, taking a 5-3 lead over the Texas Rangers into the ninth inning. However, Joakim Soria once again blew a save opportunity, and Kansas City lost, 7-6.

Soria once again blew an opportunity for young Danny Duffy to pick up a win. Since being called up only two weeks ago, Duffy has pitched very well for Kansas City. Twice he has been in a position to pick up the win, only to watch the Royals' former all-star closer get lit up in the ninth. I hope Soria has at the very least bought Duffy a beer (don't worry he is 22) or sent him a nice apology card, because his performances are getting downright embarrassing. He has now blown four saves in his last 11 opportunities. It is starting to look like Zack Grienke shouldn't have been the only all-star pitcher the Royals traded for young talent last offseason.

Despite Soria's best attempts to ruin another game, the Royals were in a position to take the game to extra innings in the ninth. After Nelson Cruz crushed a homer off Soria to tie the game, the Royals seemingly had an easy out at home plate when Mike Napoli rumbled in for the winning run. Despite a good throw from Eric Hosmer, Bryan Pena somehow missed an easy tag, and that was the ball game. While Pena and the rest of Kansas City argued the call, replays show that Napoli was indeed safe.

The loss was a perfect representation of Kansas City's season. When one thing goes right for the Royals, something else always goes wrong. The lone bright spot in the Royals' struggles continues to be Danny Duffy, who has pitched very well since being called up. While Duffy has earned a permanent spot in the starting rotation, it is time for the Royals to find another option at closer.

Tom Watson Wins Senior PGA Championship

Tom Watson became the oldest winner of a Champion's Tour major over the weekend when he took home the Senior PGA Championship trophy. Watson and David Egar were neck and neck all day in the final round at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville. Both had a chance to win it on the 18th Green only to finish tied. Watson won with a birdie on the first playoff hole.

The victory gives Watson six major victories on his Champion's Tour career - the record is eight held by Jack Nicklaus. He won 8 majors on the regular PGA Tour.

At 61, Watson shows no signs of slowing down. This July he will play in the British Open, The Senior British, and the Senior US Open. He feels as if he's living on borrowed time at his age and wants to get in all the tournaments he can.

How about that trophy? You have to question the wisdom of awarding a trophy that large to a senior player. Does it come with a PGA logoed truss?

Sunday, May 29, 2011

Royals Wrap Up Series Vs. Rangers Today

The Royals wrap up a wild series with the Rangers today at 2:05. Today's game will serve as a rubber match, as Kansas City won the first game before getting blasted by Texas yesterday. Danny Duffy will take the mound for the Royals, seeking his first major league victory.

The series got off to an explosive start, as Kansas City rallied to take the first game 12-7 in 14 innings. The win snapped a six game losing streak, and was done in dramatic fashion. Alex Gordon unloaded a home run into the upper deck in the ninth inning to send the game to extras, before the Royals exploded in the 14th inning for five runs to seal the game. Melky Cabrera and Eric Hosmer hit back to back home runs to seal the victory for Kansas City, and Blake Wood picked up the win.

The Royals couldn't keep the momentum going last night, as Sean O'Sullivan got shelled in an embarrassing 10-1 loss. The loss had to be disheartening for Kansas City, coming off the heels of a big victory that could turn things around. Today's game provides the Royals with an opportunity to win a series, something it hasn't done in weeks.

Saturday, May 28, 2011

Kansas City Bishop Finn Says Mistakes Made in Ratigan Child Porn Case

The Bishop of the Kansas City-St Joseph Diocese admitted on Friday that he should have done more after learning about Father Shawn Ratigan's inappropriate behavior. Last week, Ratigan was charged with possession of Child Pornography.

Since the priest's arrest, new details have emerged that inappropriate conduct was noted more than a year ago by the principal of St Patrick's School in Kansas City, North of the river. In a letter to the diocese, the Principal noted that teachers and parents had some concerns about the Father being a little too touchy, feely with the children, as well as a large number of pictures he was taking.

That letter found it's way to the desk of Monsignor Robert Murphy in May of last year. The Monsignor spoke with Bishop Finn about the letter, but the Bishop never asked to see the report. Monsignor Murphy spoke with Father Ratigan about his behavior, and it was left at that.

Bishop Finn now regrets that he did not take more action and vows to change policies for future possible events. All this rings hollow to catholics who have seen and heard this song and dance before. Back in 2008 while announcing a Church payout to the tune of $10 million to victims of past abuse in the Kansas City area, the Bishop apologised and vowed to put into place programs that would see this never happen again. How'd that work out for ya, Bishop.

The Catholic Church is a joke. I can't understand how anyone can step into a Catholic Church, let alone give them money. But I do understand them a little more. They are so opposed to abortion because it would rob them of one more child they could molest.

Top Ten Singers of All Time - (Loosely) Based on Rolling Stone's Top 100

Here at Kansas City News we are always knocking new music, and rightly so as it has absolutely nothing original to offer, no soul, nothing that hasn't been done before, hell, half of the new songs are remakes of songs from the 70's - but the kids are so spoon-fed that they think that they are new songs.  SO, instead of bashing talentless TV commercial drones like Justin Bieber and Katy Perry, we're going to open the classroom today and educate today's youth on what real music is (or was).

Rolling Stone Magazine released it's "Top 100 Singers of All Time" and we found the list to be mostly accurate, but they tended to include singers who were commercially successful (i.e. Elvis, Bob Dylan, Marvin Gaye) but not exactly the most talented singers of all time. To demonstrate our point, Tom Petty is a very successful singer, but he can't sing worth a shit (he actually admits that in several interviews).  Elvis was a commercially successful singer, but he had a vocal range of about 8 notes that he just sang over and over.  We're not going to bore you with a list of 100, but we are definitely going to put in our two cents in on who the top 10 singers of all time really are...

For the record we agreed with 4 out of 10 from Rolling Stone's top ten, but the other 6, not so much.  Now pay attention class, you might find some new music to put in your stupid little iPod or MaxiPad or whatever:

1. Freddie Mercury
First of all, it is important to note that 76 out of the top 100 singers of all time were men according to Rolling Stone's list, and there just isn't a male singer that has ever lived on earth who can even come close to Freddie Mercury. One listen to Freddie's vocals on "We Are the Champions" and Mercury takes you on a ride from heartfelt and melancholy in the beginning to microphone shattering power as the familiar chorus rings through. Mercury's voice is so powerful that it rips through the speakers and leaves you with your mouth hanging open, wondering how and the hell that much power could be summoned from one man's vocal chords. It would be interesting to see how many decibels Freddie could blow on a dB Meter. Mercury's stage presence in concert with the multi, multi, multi-platinum band Queen was equally unmatched. Today's front men (if you can even call them front men), think that a great stage move is taking the mic out of the stand. Hooray! You suck.  If you have judged Mercury's position at the top spot too quickly and without any real knowledge of the man's repertoire, then you must immediately purchase Queen's "News of the World" (4x Platinum in the US) and prepare to have your face melted off.


2.  Stevie Wonder
If it's raw talent that you're looking for, look no further than Stevie Wonder.  This kid hit the stage running with his famous rendition of "Fingertips" when he was only 13 years old - the song went straight to #1 in the US.  Stevie has more vocal range than any male singer living or dead, measured at over 5 octaves.  If you are not a musician you may not understand this, but this kind of talent cannot be learned, or achieved through practice or lessons, etc. - either God gave you a voice like that, or he didn't.  That's the cool thing about music, not just any clown can learn it at college - you have to be born with it, or you will NEVER have it.  And my friends, Stevie Wonder definitely has it.

3.  Robert Plant
We're not talking about his 80's and 90's benefit for Africa solo crap here, we're talking about Led fucking Zeppelin.  Anyone who has ever been in a band knows that you pretty much have to stay away from most Led Zeppelin songs because, well........no one can sing them.  That's when you know a singer is good, when he just can't be imitated.  Robert Plant was one of the first singers to really make his voice become a musical instrument.  Often during Zeppelin songs, Robert wasn't singing any words at all, just making musical contributions with his voice, much as a lead guitar, adding depth and mystery to some of Zeppelin's most famous cuts such as "Whole Lotta Love".  Plant's stage presence was also legendary, taking an otherwise boring looking band and making them come to life with his famous poses.  Plant often got death threats from angry boyfriends who were insanely jealous of Plant because their girlfriends were so obsessed by him.  His band mates often poked fun at him and his outrageous wardrobes etc. and they secretly nicknamed him "Percy".  If you want to read about some stories that would make Tucker Max fall to his knees, read "Stairway to Heaven" by Richard Cole about the shit that Zeppelin used to do on the road.

4.  Ann Wilson
Enter our first female offering, the legendary front for the band Heart, Ann Wilson.  Once again, this is not based on anything recorded by Heart past the year 1980.  We're talking about 1976 - 1980 Heart here, not that soft crap.  Ann Wilson, much like Freddie Mercury can take your head clean off with her vocal chords.  I wouldn't be surprised if the studio engineer had to record her from down the hall just to keep from breaking microphones.  For a sampling of a REAL female singer, not a little whiny little girl singing about text messages, check out "Magic Man" for a nice ride.

5.  Chris Cornell
If you think that you're a 90's grunge fan, and you like Nirvana and STP and we hate to mention them in this genre, but even Pearl Jam (they only made one album called "Ten" the rest are crap), you have to understand that this movement started with a little man with a big voice named Chris Cornell.  One listen to the Soundgarden track "Black Hole Sun" will sell you on this guy, WOW can he sing.  Chris is one of those rare singers who kills in the studio, but actually gets better live.

6.  Steven Tyler
There's one thing you can say about Steven Tyler, they only made one of him.  Freakshow from face to voice, Tyler is one of the greatest front men of all time.  His vocal prowess is only slightly overshadowed by his outrageous stage antics.

7.  Mark Middleton
Some of you out there are going to say "who?".  Well, there's a good reason for that.  Mark Middleton was a member of the group Blackstreet, and after only 1 album, Middleton retired from the music business to sing in church only.   Middleton has incredible range, limitless passion and is truly one of the most gifted singers to ever grace a recording studio - although regrettably, he only did so a few times.  Blackstreet's album "Another Level" is worth adding to your collection, and for an example of Mark Middleton blowing the microphone away, listen to the track "Never Gonna Let You Go" around the 3:38 minute mark to the end and you will see what we're talking about.

8.  Geddy Lee
Based on vocal ability alone this guy would have easily cracked the top 20, but since he sings like a bird AND plays the bass guitar like a man possessed, we have to move Geddy Lee up a few notches.  Fronting the most successful power trio in the world, RUSH, Geddy Lee's voice is equally remarkable and unmistakable.  The SECOND a RUSH song comes on the radio, you know who it is.  Geddy has been noted by hundreds of great modern vocalists as a major influence including Sting, James LaBrie of Dream Theater, and Rik Emmitt of Triumph among many others.  RUSH was mostly a band for musicians, as musicians would go out to hear RUSH perform just to see what it was like to actually achieve musical perfection.  Upon first seeing RUSH, David Lee Roth of Van Halen was quoted saying "DAMN that guy sings high".  For a nice sampling of Geddy's vocal magic, you might try "Fly by Night".

9.  Michael McDonald
Starting out from such humble beginnings as the group Steely Dan, Michael McDonald can be heard clearly even as a background singer.  McDonald was quickly snatched up by the Doobie Brothers, and from there history was made.  What Michael has is TONE.  He has a bluesy, almost rough voice that makes him sound like he is singing quite low (in range), but then if you try to sing along with him, you will find that he is hitting some seriously high notes.  Michael is still a strong force on the musical front, touring with his own band around the world.  For a good sample of this unique vocalist, try "I Keep Forgettin" which was later sampled into a rap song by Warren G and Nate Dogg called "Regulate".

10.  Stevie Nicks
People talk about certain public figures being the "voice of a generation", well for the 70's that voice was Stevie Nicks.  Stevie had an unmistakably recognizable voice, and she used it to make more number one hits than any other artist during the 1970's.  Whether solo or with other artists in a duo or with her famous band Fleetwood Mac, Stevie Nicks was everywhere.  Her most famous song is of course "Landslide", but another cut that is worth a listen is Stevie Nicks' famous performance with Fleetwood Mac called "Sara".

Until the next class, I hope that you young ones out there found some great new music to dive into after reading this article from your friends at Kansas City News.

Thursday, May 26, 2011

Rachel Perez Sentanced to 8 1/2 Years

The De Soto, KS mother who starved her 6 year old Down Syndrome child nearly to death has been sentenced to the maximum 8 and a half years in prison. The 27 year old mother of 4 was arrested last year on outstanding traffic warrants. She told authorities at time of arrest that she didn't have the boy, but police returned to her house later that day at the persuading of a family member and discovered the boy. He was locked in the attic, nearly starved to death and covered in his own shit.

The judge, Peter Ruddick, quickly sentenced Rachel Perez to the maximum 102 months in prison. He could find no mitigating circumstances that would justify a lighter sentence even stating that 8 1/2 years "was not a terribly long sentence for what she did to her son". A tearful Perez had just asked the judge for leniency stating that she didn't mean to harm her son, but was afraid authorities would take the child.

What might be even adder is that this woman has three other children, including one she gave birth to in jail. All four are currently in foster care. I'm sure they all have bright futures with trash like this for a mother. Also, I would like to know where the father of these children is? More likely fathers - they share some responsibility too.

Royals Pitching Continues to Struggle

Just one night after blowing a ninth inning lead, the Royals established early on that they had no chance in this one. The Orioles scored eight runs in the fourth inning, and went on to humiliate Kansas City 9-2. The pitching meltdown in this game came courtesy of Luke Hochevar, who dropped to 3-5 on the year.

While Hochevar, the team's number one starter, was getting lit up like the fourth of July, former Royal Zack Grienke pitched lights out in Milwaukee. Grienke struck out 10 batters in his seven innings of work, while also blasting a home run. Looks like the former Cy Young winner is joining a long list of former Royals that went on to do great things once they left Kansas City.

Kansas City's offense has been fairly good this season, but the only way the Royals were going to compete this year was if the pitching could hold up. Not only have the starters struggled, but former All-Star closer Joakim Soria has been a disaster recently. At least Royals fans can remain optimistic that Soria will return to form and get back to being one of the best pitchers in the AL. Hochevar, a former number one overall pick, has never lived up to his draft status, and is once again turning in a crappy season for KC. It is hard to watch the Royals' former top pick get shelled while Grienke enjoys success in Milwaukee.

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Royals Fall to Orioles

Kansas City fell to Baltimore 5-3 last night, and has now lost 8 of its last 10 games. Royals closer Joakim Soria continued to struggle and gave up a two run walkoff homerun to Adam Jones.

Kansas City appeared to be in position to win the game, entering the ninth inning with a 3-2 lead. However, Soria quickly gave up two doubles which allowed Baltimore to tie the game. He then delivered a fastball that Jones, who hadn't hit a homer in over a month, blasted into the bleachers to send Kansas City on its way to another late inning loss.

Soria's meltdown wasted a solid effort from rookie pitcher Danny Duffy, who was in position to pick up his first major league win before Baltimore's late game heroics. Duffy gave up two runs and five hits in 5 1/3 innings, and has looked good in his first two starts as a Royal. Duffy's emergence could be a big boost for a pitching staff that is struggling, and the fact that he is only 22 years old has to have Kansas City fans excited about the future.

Alex Gordon homered for the second time in two games, and Billy Butler hit an RBI single to give Kansas City its 3-0 lead. The Royals play again tonight at 6:05.

Paul Splittorff Loses Cancer Fight

Royals Hall of Fame pitcher and broadcaster Paul Splittorff has died. He died this morning at the family home in Blue Springs form Oral Cancer and Melanoma. Splittorff was hospitalized last week and the speculation was that he was very sick, with one local blog reporting he had been given last rights. He was a very private man who had obviously been having some sort of medical issue for a few years as anyone who has seen his broadcasting lately could tell you. His voice was not up to par, and sometimes he was difficult to understand. Splittorf would claim it was a viral infection causing his issues and he kept working up until two weeks ago.

Paul Splittorff was a fixture in the Royal's rotation for 14 years, from 1970 - 1984, he retired one year before the World Championship. Though he was probably never the best pitcher in the rotation at any given time (he pitched with the likes of Busby, Leonard, and Gura), his longevity made him the Royals all time leader in victories with 166. He was also the Royals first 20 game winner in 1973. He was inducted into the Royals Hall of Fame in 1987

Splittorff then went on to a long broadcasting career with the Royals, 27 years. He also did basketball games for the Big 12. Paul Splittorff was 64.

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Joakim Noah Caught Using Gay Slur During Game

First Kobe Bryant, now Joakim Noah. The Bulls star has been caught using a gay slur towards a fan and will likely be punished by the NBA for his actions. The incident occured just one week after Suns CEO and president Rick Welts admitted that he was gay, one of the first prominent figures in sports to do so.

Bryant was fined $100k for using a gay slur towards an official, so expect Noah's punishment to be similar. The Bulls star has apologized, and given that Noah deals with a lot of abuse from opposing fans night after night, he may be given more of a free pass from other players and the media in regards to his actions than Bryant was.

The bigger picture here is that the NBA can't shake the issue of its players using gay slurs during games. After Bryant was caught hurling a gay obscenity at an official, the league started running commercials featuring NBA stars encouraging players and fans not to use gay slurs during basketball. If Welts' coming out was a step forward for the sport, Noah's actions are a clear step back.

Monday, May 23, 2011

Royals Drop Series to Cardinals in Wild Fashion

The Royals dropped a wild 9-8 game to the Cardinals, losing the 1-70 series and falling to 22-24 overall. The loss moves Kansas City to eight games back of Cleveland in the AL Central.

The Royals pitching yesterday was downright terrible at times, as Kansas City walked 13 batters. However, St. Louis was called for only walk, which upset catcher Matt Treanor and manager Ned Yost so much that they both were ejected during the seventh inning. Kansas City had fallen behind by as much as six runs, but was able to battle back and tie up the game before eventually losing in extra innings. Kansas City's poor pitching and defense (the team's streak of 11 games without an error was broking) wasted a terrific offensive effort from the Royals, as Alex Gordon, Wilson Betemit and Jeff Francoeur all homered during the comeback.

The Royals have an opportunity to get a once promising season back on track in its next series against Baltimore. Danny Duffy has showed some promise, and he will get the start tonight against the Orioles.

Devastating Storms Hit Kansas and Missouri

Harold Camping may have been wrong about the end of the World, but don't tell that to the survivors of Missouri's worst tornado related weather event in history. Pictures from Joplin, MO are apocalyptic this morning after a mile wide tornado destroyed much of the city. 89 are currently confirmed dead, but that number is likely to rise as workers search the rubble for survivors.

A hospital, one of two in the city, and a nursing home took direct hits Sunday afternoon around 5PM. A resident 45 miles away reported debris in his yard from St John's Regional Medical Center including x-rays and medical equipment. Patients have been sent to hospitals in other communities. Thousands are without power, and residents have been told to boil water for drinking or preparing food. The Joplin School District was also hit hard with 9 schools receiving damage, 3 completely destroyed. Phone lines are down making it hard to reach those in the affected areas. You can search for friends and other loved ones on the Red Cross's safeandwell.org site.

If you wish to help, you can contact the Red Cross. They are VERY good at getting help to the right spot in a timely manner. You can also give blood, please go to one of the local community blood centers to contribute.

The tornado in Joplin overshadowed an EF3 tornado that struck on Saturday night in the small town of Reading, KS near Emporia. One man was killed when his mobile home (of course) was flipped in the storm. At least five people were injured, and most of the town destroyed.

Saturday, May 21, 2011

Rapture 2011 Apocalypse After Rapture Party


Ok, well....................it looks like.......................I'm still here..........................does this mean that the rapture started and I was left behind?  No one I know disappeared.................unless you count my brother, but he's probably just at the casino.

If this is the Apolalypse, hey! it's not so bad :)  The sun is shining nicely and it's about 78 degrees in good old Kansas City, my beer is still cold, my PlayStation still works, and my girlfriend is still hot and continues to clean my house and put up with my shit.  And, well...........if you're reading this right now, you didn't get taken up to heaven in the rapture this evening either.  So welcome to the after party!  We're kicking off the "After Rapture Party" right here on Kansas City News, so crack a beer or pour a rum and coke and let's do it right!

6pm Saturday Rapture - How to Prepare

Harold Camping (he looks like a urine tester)
As my good friend Mr. Wonderful informed us this week, "religious nutburger and all around fun guy Harold Camping (pictured at right) has predicted the Rapture to begin at 6PM local time this Saturday, May 21st - followed by the fiery end of the world Oct 21."  We would like to follow up on the rapture at 6pm and address some of your concerns.

We've been watching what search phrases you are entering to get to Mr. Wonderful's article and here are the top 3:

Top Search Query - "what time will the rapture begin"

Well, this is a good one, as you would probably want to be sure and get all of your affairs in order by the deadline....the ultimate deadline, that is.  To answer this hilarious search phrase query, the rapture is supposed to begin at 6pm Central Standard Time.  I think that the only thing that's going to happen at 6pm at my house is the sound of a beer cracking open and my new Tiger Woods Road to The Masters game being booted up.

Top Rapture Search Query #2 - "what state will the rapture begin in"

Another good question.  Unfortunately, Harold Camping wasn't very specific about the exact location of the beginning of the end as it were.  We can only assume that it will start somewhere like "Sin City" Las Vegas, where prostitutes, alcoholics and gamblers run free.  But the rapture could just as easily begin in Los Angeles, CA where everyone and everything is fake and pretentious and people step all over each other to get ahead.  Or it might start in New York where you just know there's going to be "that guy" on the corner ringing a bell warning everyone that "the end is near" like Kareem Abdul Jabbar did in Stephen King's movie about the end of the world "The Stand".

The last popular search phrase is "how to prepare for the rapture"

I would start by getting pretty drunk, then I would be sure that there was an abundance of hot women around me, so that I would be able to use the classic "hey baby, it's the end of the world" line.  I would call my mom and tell her that she can go ahead and open that $480.00 bottle of wine that I bought her, and then I would go to the bank, take out about $50,000 or so from the old savings account and head for Las Vegas.  Maybe I'll be like Ashley Revell and put everything on red on the roulette wheel. (he won, by the way).  Now that I think about it, I will be pissed that I will miss my upcoming trip to The Windsor Resort in Vero Beach.  Lastly, I will kick my brother in the nuts one last time.

Alas, this may be my last post here at Kansas City News.  It's been a good ride, I've "sampled" women well into the triple digits, been on stage in front of hundreds of thousands of people, made some great friends, kicked some ass (and also had my ass kicked), built a successful business from the ground up, survived the worst music generation in history (basically anything after 1992), and found a great girl that will put up with my shit.

Thanks for the memories Kansas City, you always cared just enough to keep me clothed, housed and fed, and also didn't give a shit just enough that I could take a few days off here and there and no one even noticed.  If you haven't figured out what is so great about Kansas City, there it is in a nutshell - just read that previous sentence one more time.

Kansas City Priest Charged With Child Pornography

Kansas City Priest Shawn Francis Ratigan was arrested Wednesday on child pornography charges. Ratigan was charged with three counts of possessing child porn and is being held on $200,000 bond. Authorities allege that Father Ratigan took photos of young girls in and around the churches and schools that he worked. He was at St Patrick's in Kansas City North for about a year, and at St Mary's in St Joseph, MO before that.

Back in December, a computer repair technician discovered suspect images on his laptop and alerted church officials. At that time Bishop Robert Finn contacted a Kansas City Police officer and described "a single image of a young naked girl...nothing of a sexual nature" and asked if it was pornography. The officer replied that is was not, but never saw the image or was told that there were others. This information is according to Kansas City Police Captain Steve Young.

The day after the discovery of the images, Father Ratigan attempted suicide and was hospitalized for psychiatric care. Finn also restricted Ratigan's actions, including ordering him to stay away from children and events where children might be present. In March, Bishop Finn discovered that Ratigan had attended a child's birthday party and a St Patrick's Day parade. Soon after, a higher church official had contacted police to provide them with the images that were originally found on Ratigan's computer. KCPD conducted an investigation and uncovered more pictures.

As Parishiners learned of Father Ratigan's arrest, their concern spread. Some wanted to know why it took so long to turn over eveidence to the Police. Poor judgement on the behalf of church officials once again causes embarrassment for a Catholic church that continues to not learn from it's past mistakes. What is it about the priesthood that attracts men who like to engage in deviant sexual behavior and those who will cover up the acts?

Father Ratigan will likely get his punishment at the hands of other convicts in prison. Even cold blooded killers don't like child abusers, especially hypocritical ones. It's no wonder religion is on the decline in this country with stories like Father Ratigan's and this nut.

Friday, May 20, 2011

Where Do Chiefs Players Land in the NFL Top 100

The NFL has announced its top 100 going into 2011, and the list includes several Chiefs players. Kansas City has a total of five players on the list, which is tied for fifth most in the NFL. There are two teams in the league that do not have any players on the list.

There are several picks that make sense, most notably Eric Berry being listed at 93. Berry showed a lot of promise as a rookie, and should be even better next season. Guard Brian Waters checks in at 67, which seems about right for the reliable offensive lineman.

There has been some controversy with Tamba Hali's ranking, as most Chief fans felt he should be much higher on the list. Hali came in at number 64, a ranking that seems a bit low considering he is one of the best pass rushers in the league. Despite registering 14.5 sacks last year for a division winner, the Chiefs' pass rush specialist continues to fly under the radar. Hopefully another monster year will result in Hali getting the recognition he deserves.

Jamaal Charles and Dwayne Bowe are the other two Chiefs players who will be listed in the higher rankings.

Thursday, May 19, 2011

Prepare for Rapture, Saturday at 6PM

Religious nutburger and all around fun guy Harold Camping (pictured at right) has predicted the Rapture to begin at 6PM local time this Saturday, May 21st - followed by the fiery end of the world Oct 21. Camping predicted the same thing back in 1994, inaccurately since we do still exist. It sure makes my posts about future Kansas City Events somewhat useless.

All believers will be instantly transported to the Kingdom of Heaven. The good news for us heathens is that according to Camping there is no eternal damnation in the fires of Hell. Instead we will be treated to five months of "horror and chaos beyond all description" and "all graves will be thrown open" ala Zombieland. Sounds like a helluva party! After which, total annihilation of all living things on October 21st, and that's it. So at least we got that going for us.

Don't worry, we here at Kansas City News will keep blogging (at least through Saturday) to give you something to do while you wait for the "earthquake such as was not since men were put upon Earth". So, go ahead and max out your credit cards Kansas City, the end is near - Harold Camping guarantees it! Of course his church is still taking donations, just in case.

Paul Splittorff has Cancer

Former Royals pitcher and current announcer Paul Splittorff has been diagnosed with two forms of cancer. Splittorff, who spent his entire 15 year career with the Royals, has both oral cancer and melanoma. He was admitted to the hospital on monday.

Splittorff is one of the most decorated pitchers in Royals history. Splittorff played for Kansas City from 1970-1984, and holds club records for wins, losses, games started and innings pitched. He finished his career with an impressive 3.81 ERA and was essential to the Royals' rise from an expansion franchise to one of the premier teams of the 80's.

Since retiring, Splittorff has been in the broadcasting booth, and is currently in his 24th season as a color commentator for Fox Sports Midwest.

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Are the Royals Finished?

It looks like the end of the line for the Kansas City Royals. A four game losing streak has lowered Kansas City's record to 20-21, and the Royals are now in third place in the AL Central. It appears that the magic Kansas City had early in the year has run out, and the Royals are still a team of the future.

Monday's disaster against Cleveland was the culmination of poor pitching and a stale offense. Kansas City didn't look a whole lot better in last night's 7-3 loss either. The Royals' pitching staff has been hit by the injury bug, which has forced them to call up more young players and attempt to patch up what was already an average at best rotation. Adding to the Royals' woes is the fact that Kansas City's offense has nearly vanished into thin air suring the team's six game losing streak. When you can't pitch well or get hits, you probably aren't going to win many games.

If the losing continues, the Royals will have no other choice but to groom the team for next year. Kansas City has already called up some of its top prospects, and may bring up several more. At least the team has shown some promise for the future, no matter how the 2011 shapes up.

Injuries Force Royals to Move Duffy Up

Injuries to Royals starters Kyle Davies and Bruce Chen have forced Dayton Moore to call up young gun Danny Duffy. Vin Mazzaro was seen as a possible in the rotation, but after his awful outing on Monday, the team had to look elsewhere. In the midst of a 4 game skid and a possible drop out of the division race, the Royals know something must be done with a starting rotation that is second to last in the American league in ERA.

Davies left in the first inning Monday night and went on the 15 day DL before Mazzaro's meltdown. Bruce Chen has been sidelined since last week with a strain in his back, and likely won't see action at Major League level until early June. That leaves Duffy and fellow rookie Nate Adcock to fill the void. Duffy has a 3-1 record this year at AAA Omaha, with a 3.00 ERA and 43 Strikeouts in 36 innings, he has been regarded as a top pitching prospect since being drafted in the 3rd round in 2007.


Nate Adcock was a Rule 5 draftee in the off season and has been excellent out of the bullpen this year for the Royals compiling a 2.08 ERA in 8 appearances. Adcock will likely get the start on Saturday in Davies's spot in the Rotation.

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Royals Lose In Record-Setting Fashion

Just when things had started looking up for Kansas City, disaster struck. Vin Mazzaro made major league history in the worst way imaginable - giving up 14 runs in less than three innings - and the Royals were mauled by Cleveland 19-1.

No major league pitcher has given up 14 runs in as few of innings as Mazzaro did, which means he now owns a major league record. His horrible performance also cost him a spot on the team, as the Royals sent him back down to the minors after the debacle was over. It is hard to imagine that Mazzaro - who know boasts a 22.74 ERA - will get another major league shot anytime soon.

As bad as Mazzaro was, the Royals coaching staff has to shoulder some blame here. One has to wonder what on earth they were thinking while they stood there and watched the young pitcher get absolutely shelled. Was it to send a message? Did they hope to kill as much of his confidence as they could? The guy gave up ten runs in the fourth inning, so naturally we should bring him back out for the fifth, right?

It is nights like last night and coaching decisions such as leaving in a guy getting tormented that make the Kansas City Royals what they are. Just baffling.

Farm Aid 2011 Will be Held in Kansas City

Representatives from the State of Kansas, Livestrong Sporting Park, and Farm Aid were in Kansas City, KS yesterday to officially announce the 2011 Farm Aid Concert will be held at the venue. For 26 years the Farm Aid organization has been raising money to promote and provide support services for small family farms. Their goal is to see the family farm thrive because they believe the small farm provides better quality food, and promotes the survival of the American small town.

Farm Aid started in 1985, one of several benefit concerts inspired by the epic Live Aid of earlier that year. Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp, and Neil Young started Live Aid and have been going strong ever since. A benefit concert has been held nearly every year since 1985 and the organization has raised more than $39 million according to their website. Dave Matthews has also been very active since 1995 and a member of the Board of Directors since 2001. Farm Aid has been by far the most successful of the benefit concerts in terms of longevity.

This is the first concert scheduled for Livestrong Sporting park. It will seat 25,000 for the event, and tickets go on sale May 20th. You can get tickets before they go on sale to the general public if you become a member of Farm Aid. The cost is a $50 donation to the organization - it is an annual membership. Tickets to the show range from $29-$149 - unfortunately you have to use Ticketmaster to purchase your tickets.

Monday, May 16, 2011

Suns President Rick Welts Reveals He Is Gay

Phoenix Suns president and CEO Rick Welts has revealed to the public that he is gay. Welts hopes that by coming out, he will help the NBA address a topic it has had trouble approaching in the past.

Welts' admission wasn't much of a surprise to Suns guard Steve Nash, NBA commissioner David Stern, or Phoenix coach Alvin Gentry, who all had ideas about Welts' sexuality but reaffirmed their support for the Suns executive. Welts hopes that by admitting he is gay, he can help breach a wall that has seperated homosexuality and sports.

Welts' revelation may have opened the door for other athletes to address their sexuality. ESPN now has a feature on former Villanova guard Will Sheridan, who also has admitted that he is gay. Other athletes may address the topic in the future after the general positive reception both Welts and Sheridan have received for their bravery.

Sunday, May 15, 2011

Texas A&M To Hire Billy Kennedy

Texas A&M appears close to a deal with current Murray State coach Billy Kennedy. The deal would cap off an already turbulent offseason for coaches in the Big 12.

The league has already seen the return of two coaches who have had previous success in the league. Lon Kruger is taking over at Oklahoma while Billy Gillispie will try to recreate the success he had at Texas A&M at Texas Tech. The coaching turnover seemed finish, until Maryland grabbed Mark Turgeon and the Aggies were left searching for a coach when many of the top candidates were already off the market.

Considering the circumstances, this seems like a no-brainer for Texas A&M. There aren't many top candidates available this late in the offseason, and Kennedy has had a lot of success at Murray State. While it isn't a sexy hire like Kruger at OU or Gillispie at Texas Tech, the Aggies could have done a lot worse.

Friday, May 13, 2011

Eric Hosmer is the Real Deal

Just when it looked like the Royals' season was starting to slip away, Kansas City rebounded to take a series from the Yankees. Rookie phenom Eric Hosmer led the charge in an 11-5 beatdown at Yankee Stadium last night, blasting two homers to give him three for the series.

Hosmer had a lot of hype surrounding him when he was called up to the major leagues, and rightfully so. He was leading the minor leagues in hitting and had been billed as one of Kansas City's top prospects. How quickly he adjusted to the major leagues has many now billing him as the next big thing, and I am one of them. The guy just destroyed the Yankees in one of the biggest and most intimidating stadiums in all of sports. Clearly, he is ready for prime time, and he could be a piece the Royals build around for the next ten years - if Kansas City can hold on to him.

Hosmer's power has already had a positive effect on the rest of Kansas City's lineup. Billy Butler had four hits yesterday, and he other hitters can expect protection as long as Hosmer is blasting home runs. The Royals had a lot of guys who could hit and get on base, and the addition of a power hitter may be what pushes Kansas City's offense from good to great.

The Royals travel to Detroit today to face the Tigers' Justin Verlander, who is fresh off of tossing a no hitter. Should be a great test for Hosmer and the rest of Kansas City's offense.

Royals Win Series in New York for First Time Since 1999


The Royals finished an impressive series win over the Yankees last night in New York marking the first time the Royals had won a series in New York since 1999. This is quite a statement for this young club who have exceeded expectations thus far. Many Royals fans, myself included are simply waiting for the collapse to begin. I thought the 0-6 road trip was the beginning of the end, then I looked at this road trip to NY and Detroit and thought this might be it. Lo and behold, the Royals surprise again. I now am a believer as the Royals simply destroyed the Yankees last night 11-5, and young hope Eric Hosmer had three more hits including a HR for the second straight game.

To give some perspective on how long it's been since the Royals won a series over the Yankees in New York, I thought I would compile a list of how the world was back in 1999.

Elvis Grbac was the Chiefs Quarterback and it had only been 5 years since the Chiefs had won a playoff game. Gunther Cunnigham was their Head Coach.

Norm Stewart had just retired as Mizzou's Basketball coach.

Almost nobody in the US knew who Osama Bin Laden was.

Napster was released to very little fanfare.

Bill Clinton was President of the United States.

Lance Armstrong won his first Tour de France.

The Columbine Massacre occurred in Colorado.

Eric Hosmer was 9 years old.

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Royals Loss to Yankees Shows How Far Team has to Go

The Royals you were expecting this year have surfaced, as Kansas City has regressed back to its 2010 season form. Last night's 3-1 loss to the Yankees was a bad trip down memory lane for Royals fans, and it appears as if this year's magic may be slowly wearing off.

On paper, a two run loss to a dangerous Yankee team doesn't appear that bad. However, it was the way Kansas City lost that was so cringeworthy. Every inning, it seemed that the Royals put men in scoring position and failed to manufacture runs. Melky Cabrera provided Kansas City with its only run, a solo shot in the fourth inning. The bottom of Kansas City's order is what will ultimately hold this team back, proven last night when the Royals 7 through 9 hitters constantly left players on base.

The Royals also made several head-scratching plays that showed this club still has a long way to go. Matt Treanor got picked off in a horrible steal attempt, and Chris Getz was easily thrown out trying to reach second base off a pitch that hit the dirt.

The Royals also announced yesterday that starter Bruce Chen will be placed on the 15 day DL due to a sore side. Kansas City will call up Vin Mazzaro from Omaha to take his place. This could be a big blow as Chen has been the rotation's most consistent pitcher this year. The Royals are still above .500, but the team has a lot of work to do and obstacles to overcome if they want to keep the cinderella story going.

KCI Baby Patdown Picture Becomes International News

This picture, tweeted by local pastor Jacob Jester, has made international news with an appearance on the Drudge Report. Since the story's emergence on Saturday, it has been picked up around the world, including CBS News.

Saturday Afternoon, the 8-month old's stroller set of the alarm at the pre-flight screening area and further pat downs of family members, including the baby were performed. According to the TSA, the family was "very cooperative" with the pat down searches.

This incident comes less than a month after there was an outcry over the TSA search of a six year old in New Orleans, who's parents made a Federal case of a pat down when they should have told their spoiled brat to deal with it. I'm not in favor of pat downs at all, personally I think we should profile, but until this PC crap goes out the window, your bratty kids are going to have to suffer the same indignities as the rest of us. Maybe, God forbid, you can use the experience as a character builder instead of an opportunity to reinforce the general attitude of whinyness in America today. What a nation of pussies we are.

Monday, May 9, 2011

Kanrocksas Music Festival Lineup Tickets Kansas Speedway

Eminem, Muse, The Black Keys, A Perfect Circle, The Flaming Lips, Kid Cudi, D12, Girl Talk, Flogging Molly and more are headed to the Kansas Speedway on August 5th and 6th for the Kanrocksas Music Festival.

I've heard of stupid names before for concerts, Yallapalooza, etc. but Kanrocksas is without a doubt THE dumbest name for an event that I've ever heard.  How in the hell did THAT name get out of the meeting room?  It's like a tribute to illiteracy.  Well, it makes sense since given the bands that will be on stage will certainly draw Kansas City's biggest morons.  If they posted up a police checkpoint at the front gate and checked everyone for outstanding warrants, they would need 50 buses to fit them all in.  This will be the biggest gathering of white trash that Kansas City has ever witnessed in one place.

Kanrocksas is expected to draw near 100,000 attendees and they are providing camping grounds for fans to stay overnight.  This is NOT a good idea.  The kind of people who would want to hear bands like the King of White Trash himself, Eminem, are not the kind of people who will all get out of this alive.  I'm going to guess that there will be at least 3 deaths at Kanrocksas, and at least 1700 babies conceived.  I'm going to take another wild guess that Crystal Meth will be the substance of choice among these well educated and sophisticated fans, giving them the opportunity to stay up for the entire 48 hours of the concert without needing sleep or food.  The last concert that hosted this many white trash attendees was the 2010 Warped Tour where there were only about 2500 people and 1 person still died of dehydration.  This time there will be 100,000 drunk crystal meth heads in the dead heat of August, you do the math.


There is one shining light for Kanrocksas in that it will definitely be a good place to people watch.  There will definitely be some camo shorts, steel toe boots, the over sized man earrings that make the earlobe stretch out (those are so cool), various trashy tattoos, and some classic white trash girls who look really cute.........until they speak, that is.........  think Mallory from Natural Born Killers (pictured right).

Tickets for the Kanrocksas Music Festival are on sale at Ticketmaster as follows:
 
G.A. TICKET, 2-DAY
This is a general admission (G.A) ticket, valid for two-day admission. Two-day G.A. passes are $179 and include free parking and free camping.  This ticket will be $225 on the day of the event.

VIP TICKET, 2-DAY
VIP tickets include the 2 day G.A. admission, plus upgraded VIP parking, exclusive access to the Kanrocksas VIP area, and premium food and beverage purchase options. Two-day G.A. passes are $359 and include upgraded VIP parking and free camping.  This VIP ticket will be $420 on the day of the event.

Royals Drop Home Series to A's - Francis Still Winless

The Royals finally hit a speed bump at home, dropping its latest series to the Oakland A's. Kansas City lost the final game of the series 5-2, dropping its record at the K to 15-8 this year. The Royals are 18-16 overall, and still remain in second place in the AL Central.

Jeff Francis yet again failed to earn a win, and the Royals starter might hit Independance day before he notches a victory at this rate. Francis isn't pitching terribly, and the Royals had an idea of what they were getting with the veteran. The lefty has a career ERA of 4.79 and an overall record of 55-54, and this season his ERA sits at 5.09. The Royals just need Francis to pitch decently and keep them in games, and he was able to do that in his last start. The Royals offense couldn't get anything going against the A's Tyson Ross, who is off to a solid start this season.

Kansas City is off today, and travels to New York to face the Yankees tomorrow. The matchup with the Yankees gives the Royals an opportunity to prove if they are for real or not to the entire nation. Don't hold your breath.

Saturday, May 7, 2011

Royals Fall to A's

The Royals' offense was flying high, and fireworks Friday at the K seemed like a good omen that Kansas City's bats would remain hot. However, Gio Gonzalez had other ideas. The young lefty baffled the Royals all night, and Kansas City fell to Oakland 3-2.

Kansas City wasted a great effort from Sean O'Sullivan, who only gave up three runs in eight innings of work. O'Sullivan gave up all of his runs in the deciding fifth inning, but otherwise was just as good as Gonzalez.

Eric Hosmer made his much anticipated debut to mixed results. He drew two walks and stole a base early, but ended up striking out in his final two plate appearances. Hosmer, who led the minor leagues in hitting, likely needs some time to adjust to major league pitching - and he should eventually provide Kansas City's offense with a boost.

The loss dropped Kansas City to 17-15 on the season, and the Royals currently sit alone in second place in the AL Central - five games behind the surprising Cleveland Indians.

Friday, May 6, 2011

Royals Blast Orioles, Take Series

Kansas City's offense caught fire again last night, as the Royals humiliated the Orioles 9-1. The win gave Kansas City the series, and after losing six straight, the Royals have rebounded to win five of its last six.

Bruce Chen had yet another solid start, and has established himself as Kansas City's top starter this season. Chen improved his record to 4-1 for the season, and the lefty has brought some consistency to a rotation that has been up and down all year. Following the win, the Royals announced that top prospect Eric Hosmer will be called up from the minors, while the struggling Kila Ka'aihue will be demoted to Omaha. Hosmer will join an offense that has been one of the best in the majors this season, and his gaudy minor league stats have shown he is ready to take on the big league.

The Royals have gone 14-6 at home this season, and will look to continue its dominance in Kansas City tonight against Oakland. The Royals will face a talented pitcher in Gio Gonzalez, however the A's offense hasn't been anything to write home about this season. I expect Hosmer to give Kansas City a boost, and the Royals should have no trouble at least taking the series from the A's.

Thursday, May 5, 2011

Missouri's Congressional Redistricting Plan Becomes Law

The Missouri Legislature's redrawing of US Congressional districts in the State have become law with Wednesday's override of Governor Nixon's veto. With it, a number of entertaining developments.

First, a little background. The Missouri Democratic Party as a whole was against the map because it drew out a Democratic Congressman (Russ Carnahan). Missouri's number of Representatives has dropped from 9 to 8, and the new districts create 6 strongly Republican and 2 Democrat districts - formerly there was 6 Rep and 3 Dem. The State's Legislative bodies are strongly Republican, so of course they are going to draw out a Democrat. Well, in doing so, they smartly strengthened their 6 districts and the districts of the two BLACK incumbents, namely the good Reverend Cleaver, and Lacy Clay of St Louis.

Now, enter the politics of race in the Democratic Party. Republicans in the Missouri House needed four Democratic votes to override Nixon's veto. Cleaver and Clay talked four Black State Legislators in their districts into voting for the override and against a majority of their party. Why? Because it would save their black asses if the veto stood and a Federal Court redrew the lines. Cleaver and Clay did all this while not taking Russ Carnahan's calls throughout the process. Carnahan is totally pissed, having confronted both Cleaver and Clay on the floor of the US House allegedly telling Clay "Fuck you, Thanks for the help".

Another sideshow here is the remarks of two of the black Representatives who voted for the override. Ignorant Ghetto Bitch Jamilah Nasheed stated "I'm black before I'm a Democrat" when asked why she backed overriding the Governor's veto, and Kansas City Representative and dumb as a bag of hammers Jonas Hughes stated that his "Congressman (meaning Cleaver) asked him to" vote for the override while holding back tears. What a pussy.

State Politics really are a lot of fun - They jus' keepin' it real!

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Royals Win Fourth Straight, Beat Orioles 6-5

Charlie Sheen would be proud of all the winning going on in Kansas City these days. After sweeping the Minnesota Twins at home for the first time since 1994, the Royals kept the momentum going in a 6-5 win over Baltimore. The victory over the Orioles moves Kansas City's record to 16-13 on the season, and the Royals currently sit comfortably in second place in the struggling AL Central.

Kansas City has participated in several thrilling extra-inning contests this season, and last night's game was yet another nail-biter decided late. Jeff Francoeur ended up being the hero, tying the game with a home run in the sixth inning and hitting a sacrifice fly in tenth that gave the Royals the win. Francoeur is having a strong season, hitting for a .315 average with 7 HRs and 23 RBI. He was a very smart free agent pickup (I guess the Royals were finally due for one) who has helped spark Kansas City's offense while also providing much-needed veteran leadership.

Unfortunately for Kansas City, Jeff Francis continued to struggle. Francis is now winless in his seven starts this season, and has been shelled in his last couple of outings. If the Royals want to keep winning into the summer and make a surprise run at a playoff position, they will need Francis and other starting pitchers to consistently pitch well.

Changes Coming to Hwy 50 in Lee's Summit

Two fatal crashes last fall have led to the Missouri Department of Transportation taking action to improve safety on US 50 in Lee's Summit. Both accidents were of the head-on crossover variety. Soon after, there was a call for the installation of guard cable between the east and westbound lanes.

Steel guard cables are an extremely effective in preventing injuries and fatalities in crossover accidents. They consist of a strong steel cable run between posts to prevent vehicles from crossing the median into oncoming traffic. Rarely does a collision with the cable lead to any injuries, let alone fatalities. They have been used successfully since the 1960's, but their use has really taken off since the mid 90's. Cable barriers are also relatively low cost.

Installation of the barriers in Lee's Summit started on Monday. The left lanes of both directions will be closed during evening hours (after 7PM) while the work is being completed. The cables will be installed in the median of Hwy 50 between I-470 and the 3rd Street Exit. As an additional safety precaution, the speed limit has been lowered on US 50 between 470 and Todd George Rd. The Maximum speed has dropped from 65 to 60 effective Tuesday, May 3rd.

Recent Fatal crashes on KS 10 in Johnson County have led for calls to install the system there as well. KDOT is currently studying the problem at that location.

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Kansas City Museum and Powell Gardens Workshop


Powell Gardens Horticulturist
Leads Gardening Workshop

Tuesday, May 10, 10 am
$10

It's that time of year -- unearth your green thumb and bring it along during our gardening workshop. Anne Wildeboor, horticulturist at Powell Gardens, will discuss which annuals and perennials make good container plantings for our climate in both sun and shade. Wildeboor will also demonstrate the best planting techniques and discuss care and maintenance of your blooms. Register here

The Kansas City Museum's wisteria-lined pergola provides the perfect backdrop for next week's Gardening Workshop.
Learn more


Hop on your motorcycle and enjoy Missouri's scenery with tour leader Michael Bushnell. You'll ride through such historic spots as Fort Osage, Lexington and Lone Jack, Mo. Register here
Hawgs 'n History Inaugural Ride 
Saturday, May 21, 10 am - 2 pm
$25, lunch included

If you're passionate about motorcycles and history, Kansas City Museum has an event just for you. Join our inaugural Hawgs ‘n History ride with local historian and Harley Davidson enthusiast Michael Bushnell.

You'll enjoy a leisurely 100-mile ride through the beautiful Missouri countryside with stops at some of the region’s historically significant spots such as Fort Osage, Lexington, Mo. Civil War battlefield, Lone Jack, Mo. and the historic Rice-Tremonti Home. Sign up today

Discover Scarritt Renaissance Neighborhood with a Walk and Talk
Sunday, May 15, 2 -4 pm
$5, $15 for groups of four

Visit some of Kansas City's most notable architecture within the historic Scarritt Renaissance Neighborhood during the Summer Walk and Talk series. Author and historian Michael Bushnell will lead the walk through Scarritt Renaissance which boasts some of the oldest homes in the city. Register now

Enjoy architecture and history with a Walk and Talk through the Scarritt Renaissance Neighborhood.
Kansas City Museum
3218 Gladstone Blvd. | Kansas City, MO 64123
(816) 483-8300 | kansascitymuseum.org

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