Kansas City Police Vehicles Burglarized

Seven vehicles were burglarized yesterday, including six police vehicles, in the area of east 76th street and Breckenridge Avenue in southeast Kansas City.

Kansas City Police Major Anthony Ell, who lives in the neighborhood in which the vehicles were located, suspects that the thieves were after police radios, bullet-proof vests, uniforms and weapons. The Kansas City police department has not released what was specifically taken from the vehicles. The thieves were able to burglarize the police vehicles by smashing out the windows.

Ell stated that it would be difficult for the thieves to use the stolen radios and computers without the proper police codes. The primary concern for the police department has to be any missing weapons and uniforms, as the thieves can now impersonate an officer.

Four unmarked Kansas City police cars were also burglarized; however the KC Police Department has stated that no weapons were taken from these vehicles. The seventh vehicle that was broken into was a civilian vehicle.

For those that are forced to park their car outside of a garage, this crime spree should serve as a reminder to never leave valuable items in your car overnight. The police department must also bear some responsibility – police cars are stocked with weapons, uniforms and other items that cannot fall into the wrong hands, and officers need to take further measures in regards to securing their vehicles. Police cars will always be a main target of thieves, especially when they parked sitting in a dark neighborhood and unattended.

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Kansas City Police - KCPD's relationship with Kansas City Detectives

Kansas City police and their relationship with Kansas City detectives

Does someone have to be murdered in Kansas City in order for the Kansas City police to turn over any pertinant crime details to the Kansas City detectives? After living here for most of 30 years, my friends and I have been the victims of countless crimes. No big deal for the most part, the occasional robbery, car theft, assault, etc.

Here's the thing:

The police show up, write up a report, and then split.

Is it no longer the job of the Kansas City police department to INVESTIGATE crimes? I mean seriously, I've had fingerprints, shoe prints, tire prints, friggin DNA samples, everything in the book on those who have broken into my house or car and the police just IGNORE this and dismiss the evidence completely.

Ok, so my question is, what level of severity does a crime have to be before the Kansas City police turn over a crime to the Kansas City detectives? Do the KCPD detectives only investigate murders? I understand that the "beat cops" that are on patrol are mostly simpletons and cannot initiate an investigation, but can they at least turn the facts over to the detectives?

A good policeman friend of mine once told me that if I'm ever robbed while at home to "shoot him and drag him in front of your front door". I think that may be my only recourse. Good advice :)

Dan Walsh Shot in Police Standoff - Kansas City News

Photo of the crime scene - NOT a photo of Dan Walsh's home

KCPD Involved in Standoff and Eventually Shooting of Dan Walsh by Kansas City News

Sunday afternoon around 3pm Kansas City Police reported to the home of Dan Walsh in south Kansas City to investigate a situation involving a firearm. When police arrived at the home of Dan Walsh (58), he came outside holding a handgun, fired off a round and then returned inside the home. Police quickly escalated the operation by bringing in several squad cars and some SWAT members armed and taking aim at the man's home. The street was closed down temporarily and the KCPD quickly got into position to fire upon the house if necessary.

After about 20 minutes of trying to reason with the home owner, the man finally emerged from his house again, this time brandishing a rifle. This time the police were shouting at the man to "DROP THE GUN!", when the man didn't comply and instead ran into his neighbor's front yard police opened fire. Police later told the press that Dan had actually pointed his rifle at the policemen. Kansas City police shot 3 times and killed Dan Walsh in the neighbor's yard and he immediately fell to the ground. As Walsh was being loaded into an ambulance police told neighbors that Dan's "injuries were not life threatening", but they obviously knew that they had shot and killed him. According to our interview with close neighbors, he was shot to death immediately in his neighbor's yard, as he fell to ground instantly and did not move at all after he went down.

Dan Walsh was a very inspired man who enjoyed his family and friends and had plans to move to Mexico to enjoy his retirement with his wife. Dan was active on Ebay selling slot cars and had over 8,000 positive feedbacks. In the 80's and 90's Dan remodeled houses and worked on several houses in his neighborhood. Walsh was also an excellent basketball player and all around athlete. He was a devoted father and husband and participated in the Kansas City community in several ways including being a soccer coach for a local sports team. Dan lived life to the fullest every day that he was alive and he will be missed by all.

Dan Walsh shot and killed by police - Kansas City News, official kc news site with breaking stories on The Kansas City Royals, Chiefs, charity events, the 2012 MLB All Star Game, weather, sports, MU, KU, ufo sightings, dui checkpoints, Kansas City neighborhoods, nightlife, concerts, the Sprint Center, the Power and Light District and current Kansas City news articles.

DUI Checkpoints in Kansas City - Blood Test New Law

Dui Checkpoints in Kansas City November 12th, 13th and the New Blood Test Law in Missouri
by Kansas City News

DUI checkpoints will be in full force this weekend, November 12th and 13th as usual in Kansas City and the surrounding suburbs including Lee's Summit, Independence, Overland Park and other areas.

A new law has been passed that states that the police will be able to take a blood sample test from drivers refusing to take a breathalizer test or other DUI checkpoint field sobriety tests.  Before the new law went into effect, police could only obtain blood samples from suspected DUI drivers if they had a warrant.  This is actually not a new Missouri law pertaining to blood tests on DUI suspects, it is actually just a lift on a former prohibition that required Missouri police to obtain a warrant before extracting a blood sample.  This change to the Missouri DUI law came after the Supreme Court ruled that it was legal for police officers to take blood samples on the spot if someone is suspected of a DUI and refuses to take a breathalizer test.

Expect DUI checkpoints this weekend in the following areas:

Anywhere along Ward Parkway but especially around 77th Street.
Anywhere along Southwest Trafficway - anywhere.
75th and Wornall
93rd and Wornall
Noland Road - anywhere

The following is a report that recently came out about DUI checkpoints in and around Kansas City:

If you were driving one of the 18,747 vehicles Kansas City police stopped at drunken-driving checkpoints last year, odds are you weren’t arrested.

 

In fact, only 1.6 percent of those drivers were arrested for being drunk.  Police departments around the Kansas City area and the country spend thousands of dollars a year on DUI checkpoints with similar results. While police defend checkpoints as a great public relations tool against drunken driving, there are better ways to catch drunken drivers, experts say.

 

Take saturation patrols, where police cruise city streets in search of swerving cars that may be driven by drunks. They are cheaper to conduct and more efficient — for each car that police officers stop, they are almost four times as likely to catch a drunk.

 

Five of the larger area police departments stopped 25,510 vehicles at checkpoints last year, but only 2,765 during saturation patrols. Both efforts produced arrests — traffic tickets, but also outstanding warrants, drug violations and alcohol-related offenses such as driving with an open container. In fact, saturation patrols yielded more charges — 3,100 — than the number of cars stopped. The total arrest rate for the checkpoints: 2.8 percent.  And the saturation patrols cost $31.68 per ticket or arrest. The checkpoint price tag? $184.84.

 

Taxpayers question checkpoints’ rate of return. Cliff Jones of Raytown reads about checkpoint results when they’re published in the newspaper and wonders if they are an efficient way to catch drunken drivers.  “I’m not against them at all, but I am for efficiency, and there is a certain amount of manpower that it takes off the street. And it makes you wonder, is there a better way of doing it?” he said.  Police concede that checkpoints don’t catch a lot of drunken drivers. The statistics don’t reflect the lives saved by those who chose a designated driver because they knew a checkpoint awaited them, they say “Regardless of how small the number is, you’re still taking a dangerous driver off the street, and that’s still a person who could have injured an innocent driver during their drinking episode,” said Police Capt. Rich Lockhart of Kansas City.

 

You’re driving home late on a Friday night and you spot a line of cars stopped ahead. The flashing lights, warning signs and the large police command post confirm what you feared: You’ve entered a DUI checkpoint.

 

You might get waved through. Officers — 30 to 40 of them —stop cars in a predetermined pattern, say every car, every third car or every fifth car. When it’s your turn, an officer checks your license, maybe checks your record for outstanding warrants and asks whether you’ve been drinking. An officer leans into your car window with a flashlight that may be equipped with alcohol sensors. If the cop thinks you’re drunk, you’re pulled over for more tests, including a breath analysis.  And here is the problem police grapple with: Traffic deaths caused by drunken drivers haven’t changed much in the past 10 years, both nationally and locally. Kansas has seen some improvement. Missouri’s alcohol fatality rate for every mile driven remains above the national average.

 

Critics such as Sarah Longwell, spokeswoman for the American Beverage Institute, argue that deaths due to drunken drivers dipped more in states that don’t do checkpoints than in states that do conduct DUI checkpoints.  For example, the nation saw a slight decrease in alcohol-related fatal crashes from 2003 to 2004, but 96 percent of the decrease came in the 11 states that do not allow checkpoints but do use saturation patrols, among other efforts, Longwell said.  “Every one of the 11 non-roadblock states saw a decline in alcohol-related fatalities, while almost half of the roadblock states saw an increase in alcohol-related fatalities,” she said. “The number one problem with these checkpoints is that they are costly, and they are not keeping us safe.”

 

Checkpoints fare worst with habitual drunken drivers, critics said.  Problem drunken drivers “just take a different way home,” said Cole Casey, a San Diego attorney with the National College for DUI Defense, which educates attorneys about DUI law and the science of intoxication. That includes “pseudoscientific areas such as field sobriety testing,” according to its Web site.  A 1997 North Carolina study showed that officers failed to catch more than half the drivers passing through a checkpoint with a blood alcohol content higher than .08 percent. After checkpoint officers deemed the drivers sober and let them drive on, researchers interviewed the drivers and took voluntary breath samples.  “People who are repeat drunk drivers are able to get through,” said O’Donnell, the John Jay College professor. “It would be a giant myth that if you are drunk and you are stopped at a checkpoint that you’re going to get arrested. That might come as a surprise.”

 

Critics such as Longwell want to swap DUI checkpoints for saturation patrols.  “If we’re diverting money to checkpoints, that leaves less for saturation patrols, which also can catch speeders and some idiot swerving while on his cell phone,” Longwell said.

 

Unlike checkpoints, saturation patrols are mobile and cover areas a checkpoint can’t, like a busy highway. Officers working a saturation patrol can only stop cars for a reason: weaving, speeding and other traffic violations.

For example, from October 2006 through September 2007, Independence police spent $31,875 on checkpoints, where they stopped 3,091 cars and made 63 drunken-driving arrests and 66 arrests for other violations, including warrants and drug possession. That’s an arrest rate for all violations of about 4.2 percent at a cost of $247.09 for each arrest.  During the same time, they spent $81,878.54 on saturation patrols, where they stopped 2,253 cars and made arrests or wrote tickets for 2,575 violations, including 110 for drunken driving. That’s an arrest rate of 114 percent, at a cost of $31.79 per offense.  A U.S. Department of Transportation report concluded: “If making a large number of (drunken driving) arrests is an objective, (the data) clearly suggests that roving patrols would be the preferred method.”  That’s why some police departments, like the sheriff’s department in Ohio County, W.Va., have stopped doing checkpoints in favor of more saturation patrols.

 

“I’m no big fan of them,” Chief Deputy Pat Butler said about checkpoints. “They’re OK for informational purposes, but I think DUI saturation patrols are much more effective.”  Most DUI arrests are made by officers on routine patrol. But for special drunken-driving enforcement, most Kansas City area police departments use both checkpoints and saturation patrols.  But one, the Lee’s Summit Police Department, is rethinking checkpoints. They are doing more saturation patrols and fewer, smaller checkpoints.  Lee’s Summit officers now participate in the larger checkpoints only while working with the Jackson County Traffic Safety Task Force.  When working on their own, they conduct low-impact checkpoints, a concept that police departments nationwide are beginning to use.  Instead of using 30 to 40 officers, these small-scale roadblocks use about six. The officers set up for a short period of time, maybe 90 minutes, at a specific time and location where they have seen lots of accidents or drunken driving.  “It’s like a precision instrument,” said Capt. Kevin Reaves.

 

A 2005 study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety concluded that these low-impact checkpoints can be conducted safely with as few as three to five officers and for as little as $300 to $400.  The study also showed that they were just as effective as the larger, more costly checkpoints.

 

During a low-impact checkpoint in 2006, Lee’s Summit officers stopped 83 vehicles and had a 7 percent DUI arrest rate, compared with a 1.35 percent arrest rate last year at a large-scale checkpoint that Lee’s Summit conducted with the county traffic task force.  Staffing shortages have made it difficult for Lee’s Summit police to staff a lot of small-scale checkpoints, Reaves said. Sometimes it’s more efficient to organize a large-scale checkpoint using the resources of the county traffic task force, which includes a couple of Lee’s Summit officers.  “You have to look at the allocation of resources,” Reaves said. “We’re not just here to burn money.”

 

Checkpoints vs. saturation patrols - At checkpoints, up to 40 police officers stop cars in a predetermined pattern. Drivers may be asked to submit to tests if they are suspected of drunken driving. In saturation patrols, officers search for cars that appear to be operated by drunken drivers.  Kansas City police will conduct two DUI saturation patrols this holiday weekend as part of a Missouri campaign to stop drunken driving.

Checkpoints in Kansas City - Dui Checkpoints August 20th, 21st

 

Checkpoints in Kansas City - Dui Checkpoints August 20th, 21st Weekend 

Checkpoints for Friday August 20th and Saturday August 21st are going to be in force throughout the Kansas City area.  The city of Kansas City has recently been given a substantial budget increase due to a Federal Dui Checkpoint Multi-Offender Grant that went into effect in July of 2011.  The Kansas City Police Department was given a large budget increase to set up checkpoints in the area to seek out prior dui offenders and drivers driving with suspended licenses.  Obviously this budget increase allowed the police to set up checkpoints pretty much every weekend.

The Kansas City Police have been on the local news stations repeatedly urging Kansas Citians not to drive drunk so it is no secret that they are placing multiple checkpoints around the city and they are not hiding this fact.  It is a really bad time to drink and drive in Kansas City!  Take a cab, phone a friend, stay home and play Madden 2011 or MLB The Show 10 but don't drink and drive around as a dui will really cramp your style.

Common checkpoints in Kansas City occur at 74th and Wornall, ANYWHERE on Ward Parkway but usually where Ward Parkway splits and enters into Kansas around the 77th Street area, avoid Southwest Trafficway at ALL COSTS, and of course anywhere in the suburbs the police are furious.  If you have to have a couple drinks and drive then stick to the highways when possible.

Disclaimer for those who may bitch about comments on this dui checkpoint article: This website and it's contributing writers do not condone or encourage drinking and driving.

Comments? 

Kansas City Police Announce Sobriety Checkpoints For This Weekend

Checkpoints Kansas City - DUI - Sept 24th 25th

When going out on the town this weekend, make sure you save some cash for a cab or strap on some comfortable walking shoes. Driving may be a bad idea, given that the Kansas City Police Department has announced it will be conducting several sobriety checkpoints all weekend long in the Kansas City metro area.

The police are not releasing the times and locations of the checkpoints, however given that 80% of Kansas City roads are closed as usual due to construction, it may be hard to avoid the checkpoints when entering and leaving the downtown area. The police did mention that the checkpoints will occur at areas known for having DUI related crashes or arrests. Signs will be placed in advance of the checkpoints.

Kansas City Police have been able to make several arrests every time checkpoints are set up, however drunken driving arrests have decreased since the police started announcing the sobriety checkpoints in advance. Hopefully this warning scares more people into finding an alternative way home when they have been drinking.

Ward Parkway Mall, The Rise and Fall of an Empire

Ward Parkway Mall - Kansas City News

The Rise and Fall of an Empire, the Tale of The Ward Parkway Mall - Kansas City News

If you had spent your Saturday afternoon eating a delicious "loose-meat" greasy hamburger with curly fries at Nu-Way, then headed over to Aladdin's Castle arcade to play a few games of Sinistar or Punch-Out, then topped it all off with a giant cinnamon roll from TJ Cinnamons, odds are that the year was 1985 and you were at the Ward Parkway Mall.

Malls in the 1980's

You see kids, in the generation before mass communication wireless devices and social networking digital wastelands of useless information that will surely burn everyone's eyes out by the time they turn 50, there were the days of the shopping mall. The shopping mall was an actual physical realm where kids hung out, eating greasy mall food, going to movies and playing video games at these things we called "arcades". Whether you scraped up some quarters from mom and dad's change bowl, or maybe you got up early and mowed the neighbor's lawn, about $10 would set you up for an entire day of goofing off at the mall. In those days kids would spend their entire childhood at the mall, gradually hanging out more and more as you grew older and then eventually, when you turned 15 years old, a lot of them also went to work at the mall. The girls who worked at Russel Stover would get in trouble for spending too much time talking to boys who would stroll past the store, and if you were really lucky one of your friends was a coin operator at the arcade and they could open up the machines and give you free credits.

Typical Scene in a 1980's Mall - Kansas City News

The mall was a very intricate social scene you see, and I guess you could say it was our generation's Facebook. The similarities are uncanny; some of your friends were in there, some of them were not (or offline), there were many products being marketed to you from all sides, you could watch movie clips and for the most part you were just wandering around aimlessly killing time. Remarkable similarity.

For many of us who grew up in Kansas City, the most popular mall was The Ward Parkway Mall, named for the boulevard's namesake, Mr. Hugh Ward. The Ward Parkway Mall is now a clump of stores at 8600 Ward Parkway that include a movie theater that no one goes to, a Trader Joe's that EVERYONE goes to, a 24 hour fitness that some of us should go to more often, a Petsmart, a Target, and some knock off woman's clothing stores that are hideous. The story of the Ward Parkway Mall is laden with carnival rides and bank fraud, a story of a place built to it's summit by two brothers who would eventually end up in prison.

The Ward Parkway Mall is Born

The Ward Parkway Mall was built nearn a piece of land that was formerly an amusement park called "Kiddie-Land" and later purchased by Frank Wizarde alias "Whizzo the Clown" and called Whizzoland for it's final years. As amusement parks are extremely expensive to maintain, especially in cities such as Kansas City that have a winter season, the amusement park had to go. In 1959, the Ward Parkway Mall was erected with a handful of department stores and a grocery store.

Mall Climax, The Kroh Brothers, and Prison

The Ward Parkway Mall was purchased by the John Kroh, Sr., a successful real estate developer.  John Kroh, Sr. would soon retire and turn his company over to his two sons, John Kroh, Jr. and George Kroh. The Kroh brothers would bask in the light that was the flourishing Kansas City social circle of the 1980's. The 1980's in Kansas City were by far the best years this town has ever seen, when it seemed that everything was lined with gold. The Royals won the World Series, the economy was booming along with George Brett's bat, and the Ward Parkway Mall rose to it's pinnacle of success. An upper middle class shopping mall complete with a Woolf Brothers Fine Clothing store, a J.M. Importers, and the St. Louis based 2-level department store, Stix, Baer and Fuller. With the Kroh brothers at the helm, the mall would expand to open a 2 story movie theater, the largest in Kansas City, and a food court (one of the first food courts) complete with the aforementioned Nu-Way Burger. Throw in Aladdin's Castle Arcade, and you've got the hottest spot in the city to hang out.

Then it happened...after balancing over 100 commercial properties in 13 states, The Kroh Brothers were going bankrupt. At one point the brothers were an estimated $261 million dollars in the hole. They began to perform the illegal maneuver of "kiting" checks. A process by which you have two bank accounts with no money in either, then you write a check to a creditor from bank A, then deposit a check into account A from your (empty) account B. There will be a couple of days before bank A realizes that your deposit from bank B is no good and if the scam works, bank A will cover the 1st check that you wrote to the creditor. In the case of the Kroh Brothers, they did this to the tune of about $7 million dollars at a local UMB bank (back then it was called United Missouri Bank). When the smoke cleared, charges were brought, Chapter 11 Bankruptcy was filed, and some prison time was dealt out.

In the end the Ward Parkway Mall was purchased for .24 cents on the dollar, after most of it's tenants vacated. The last days of the Ward Parkway Mall signified the end of the best 10 years that Kansas City had ever seen, or has seen since.

The Ward Parkway Mall Shooting

The Ward Parkway Mall made National news on April 29th, 2007 when CNN broke the story of the Ward Parkway Mall Shooting that left 4 people dead.  David Logsdon of Kansas City, Missouri was a former employee of the Ward Parkway Target in 2006 and according to them he "left on his own accord". He then applied and was turned down for a job as a security guard. Trouble arose when Logsdon's elderly neighbor was found dead in her home and Logsdon was spotted at a gas station driving her car. An officer approached him and he shot the officer in the arm. The officer fired back and blew out a window in his car. Logsdon then drove to the Ward Parkway Mall, parked his car, shot from his car at both cars parked along side him and killed two people. He then went inside the mall and continued to shoot people at random. Police shut the mall down and swarmed inside, chasing Logsdon outside into the parking lot where police shot him to death.

David Logsdon - The Ward Parkway Mall Shooter

David Logsdon was later found to have been partially living in the home of his next door neighbor with her dead body still inside. He had not paid his bills and his water and electricity were shut off. He was using a large plastic container of kitty litter as a toilet police later found in the center of his bathroom. He also used his neighbor's credit card to purchase ammunition for the assault rifle that was used in the shootings. Logsdon's sister told police that her brother was mentally ill and also an alcoholic. Police never officially connected Logsdon with the death of his neighbor although he was a prime suspect.

Ward Parkway Mall by Kansas City News, official kc news site with breaking stories on The Kansas City Royals, Chiefs, charity events, the 2012 MLB All Star Game, weather, sports, MU, KU, ufo sightings, dui checkpoints, Kansas City neighborhoods, nightlife, concerts, the Sprint Center, the Power and Light District and current Kansas City news articles.

Autopsy Reveals That Former Chiefs Linebacker Jovan Belcher Was Legally Drunk

The autopsy of former Chiefs linebacker Jovan Belcher performed by the Jackson County medical examiner has revealed that Belcher was legally drunk when he shot and killed his girlfriend, Kassandra Perkins, before fatally shooting himself in the parking lot outside of the Chiefs practice facility.

Belcher’s blood-alcohol level was .17 just before 8:00 a.m., around the time that he committed suicide in the Chiefs’ parking lot. This level is more than double the legal driving limit in the state of Missouri. Perkins had little to no alcohol in her system when Belcher shot her nine times following a heated argument in the home the couple shared.

What is most disturbing about Belcher’s high blood-alcohol level is that he encountered Kansas City police only a few hours before his murder-suicide. Belcher had been out partying with another woman he had a relationship with, Brittney Glass, before being found in his vehicle outside of Glass’ apartment building by police around 3:00 a.m. Belcher was asleep in his running car when he was awoken by police, who allowed Belcher to go into Glass’ apartment and did not arrest him. The officers claimed they could not smell any alcohol on Belcher.

Belcher would leave Glass’ apartment only a few hours later, returning home legally drunk before the fatal argument started between he and Perkins. Kansas City police were called by Belcher’s mother, Cheryl Shepherd, at 7:52 a.m.

The autopsy on Belcher helps explain what is quite possibly the most disturbing episode ever involving a Kansas City sports team. With a blood-alcohol level of .17 at the time of his death, it is clear that Belcher was heavily intoxicated when he encountered police the night before, although the officers simply allowed him to sleep it off at an apartment belonging to his girlfriend, and couldn’t have known Belcher would wake up a few hours later and drunkenly drive home and confront Perkins.

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School District Loses 3 Cabinet Chiefs in Kansas City

The members of the Kansas City School District are jumping ship as it slowly sinks into the water. It was announced today that Chief of Finance Rebecca Lee-Gwin, Chiefs of Curriculum Mary Esselman and Chief Academic officer MiUndrea Prince are quitting the School Board in the wake of the Kansas City School District losing it's accreditation. For a map of the Kansas City School District see photo.

The panic will probably not end here as there is talk of dissolving the entire school board and installing a state controlled commission. Board member Arthur Benson gave a statement that he believes that the state is undermining the actions that the board has been taking to steer the Kansas City School District back on the right path. Most board members who are jumping ship are headed to Detroit, where they are putting together a state controlled school board to overtake leadership of Michigan schools that are in the dumpster.

The Kansas City School District cannot succeed because it is rooted too deeply in the ghetto, where kids know more about rappers, cell phones, gold chains, tennis shoes, guns and petty larceny than they do about math, science and history. Few to none of the schools located within the Kansas City School District are in good neighborhoods, the last one being Southwest High School, which is located in the semi good neighborhood of Brookside - the only problem is that in the case of Southwest High School, all of the residents of the immediate neighborhood are terrified to send their children to that school and opt to pay premium costs to have their children sent to private schools instead. There is no arguing with the facts, however, and you can't blame the residents of Brookside for avoiding Southwest High like the plague, the police were called to that school over 50 times in just 3 months for violence, arson, and other ghetto thug crimes. I wouldn't send my children anywhere NEAR a Kansas City public school, and the people of Brookside seem to agree.

Education of Kansas City's children starts at home people. If you are feeding your child McDonald's, Pizza Hut and Kentucky Fried Chicken 3 or more times a week for dinner, letting them watch rap videos with Jigs grabbing their nuts and treating women like prostitutes, and having no male role models around them to teach them the value of a hard days work, then your children are probably going to grow up fighting the system and performing poorly in school. Those are the cold hard facts. I'm sure that the parents of children attending Kansas City public schools are whining and complaining like the Democrats always do, that something is wrong with the system and it's the city or the state's fault (another Democrat reasoning), but let us here at Kansas City News wake you up a little bit: If you're child is failing classes at ANY school, it is YOUR fault as a parent. Sit that child down and make sure that they do their homework, it's that simple folks, it really is. Quit blaming the city, state and your country for your own laziness - get off your butt and do something for your children and then maybe the test scores for the city as a whole will improve and the Kansas City School District can regain it's accreditation.

Consider Total Cost When Considering the Kansas City Light Rail

I was perusing some news articles this morning when I read that Kansas City's finest will be hosting some sobriety checkpoints over the weekend. While they obviously will not release the location, they did say that they are to be held in areas known to have rates of DUI-related accidents and arrests. It got me to thinking. I wonder how much it costs to have enough police officers, cars, and equipment on site from 10:00 P.M. to the wee hours of the morning in order to catch drunk drivers. My guess, is it is quite a bit. I wonder how many DUI's could be avoided if Kansas City provided sufficient public transportation.

I don't believe a vast majority of those that have been arrested for DUI wanted to be driving under the influence. I just don't think many of them have much of a choice. Yeah. I know. They could call a cab. The problem is that Kansas City is very spread out as metropolitan areas go. It can cost up to $60.00 or more to take a cab a mere 10 miles in this city. That is, of course, assuming you can find one that will say they will come to get you and then actually show up within 2 hours.

So what is the alternative to the cost of taxi cabs, DUI checkpoints, lawyer's fees, jailing costs, and most importantly, fatalities that could easily be avoided. It's easy. The Light Rail. In 2008, the ever educated voters in the Kansas City metro defeated a proposal to fund the inaugural link of the Light Rail in Kansas City. For most, I believe they didn't want their taxes raised. Others don't like the idea of public transit. Yet others probably don't care about helping out the drunks.

Let's set the record straight. If you have ever visited a real large city, you would know that most every major metropolitan area has some sort of Light Rail. They generally serve many purposes. Obviously, the reason that is near and dear to my heart is keeping drunk drivers off the road. This is easily accomplished in city's with the light rail. You go out and have a good time. You pay a few buck to get on the light rail. You get off the light rail at your desired station. Their is generally a cab or group of cabs to run you home for under $10.00. No DUI, no fatalities, no lawyer fees, and low and behold, the cops in Kansas City could actually focus on crime instead of hunting down drunk drivers.
Don't like that argument? What about the green movement? Check out some facts from the Kansas City Transit Vision.

• Kansas City's labor force loses approximately $570 million in productivity while waiting in traffic.
• 12% of Kansas City area adults do not own a car.
• Rush hour congestion has more than tripled between 1983 and 2003.
• The current transit service meets only half of the demand for people with disabilities.

Just think about the money and emissions that could be saved by the number of people that could enjoy the light rail. Instead of idling in rush hour traffic, you could ride the light rail and continue to be productive, while reducing global warming.

Overall, I think people have been short-sided when considering the proposition of the light rail system in Kansas City. The next time this comes up on the ballot, I would like Kansas City voters to look at the total cost, or savings, of the light rail. Look at the cost savings, the environmental savings, and most important, the savings of lives needlessly taken from us every year. I think if you look at it, the cost is relatively small.

Drivers License Checkpoints in Kansas City

Drivers license checkpoints in Kansas City will begin sometime after 2pm on Thursday, KCMO Police report.

Kansas City Police will begin the new drivers license checkpoints on Thursday, May 13th according to a statement released today.  The checkpoints are a city-wide response to a fatal accident that occurred on 71 highway and Gregory fatally injuring a 12 year old boy.  The driver that caused the accident was driving without a valid drivers license.  KCMO Police report that someone driving without a valid drivers license is 4 times more likely to be involved in a fatal car accident.

Another obvious reason for these checkpoints is to find illegal aliens.  We can't overlook the fact that this might be an ulterior motive for police to uncover illegal aliens in Kansas City as they drive around in their lawn service trucks (or actually their white boss' lawn service truck).  There is already an illegal alien patrol in place although most don't know about it.  If you ever see a large grey SUV type vehicle with a truck pulled over, that's an illegal alien patrol.  I know that they officially call these SUV patrol vehicles something else to make it sound politically correct, but believe me, they're looking for illegal aliens driving around in work trucks.

The new drivers license checkpoints in Kansas City will be a great thing as they will rid our streets of criminals and illegal aliens all in one shot.  Kudos to the Kansas City Police Department!

Man Dies After Police Hit Him With Taser

Travis Maupin Killed by Police Taser - KCMB Kansas City News

Unfortunately, police officers have to use deadly force at times in their job. In the worst situations, an officer may have to open fire on a criminal who attacks police or is threatening the lives of others. Other times, an officer may have to use deadly force with… a taser?

That is the situation that developed in Osawatomie, where a 32 year old man died after police hit him with a taser responding to a domestic disturbance. Travis L. Maupin had locked himself in his home off of Chestnut Avenue around 1:00 a.m. last night when police arrived at the scene in response to a domestic disturbance - Maupin had allegedly strangled a woman in his home. Maupin eventually came out of his home and was willing to talk to the police, however he ran away as paramedics began to check the woman for injuries.

After setting off on foot, the Miami County police officers chased after Maupin and eventually caught up to him. When he resisted the officers, they hit him with a taser. Travis Maupin was quickly rushed to the Miami County Medical Center, and was later pronounced dead.

The Kansas Bureau of Investigation has been asked to look into the death of Maupin, as requested by Osawatomie authorities. The situation is bizarre, as the whole objective of tasers are to restrain people without causing them death or any serious harm. It is entirely possible that Travis Maupin had a preexisting health condition, or was under the influence of a substance that resulted in his death when the taser was used.

The use of tasers by police officers has been a hotly debated topic for several years. Many feel like it offers the police a weapon for potential abuse, and that officers are too willing to use a taser since they know it will not kill the suspect. In the past, there have been examples of police using tasers too quickly or willingly, even on women and children. Others also argue that briefly electrocuting someone is a violation of basic human rights. Maupin’s death will only heighten this debate.

Travis Maupin killed by police taser by KCMB Kansas City News, official kc news site with breaking stories on The Kansas City Royals, Chiefs, charity events, the 2012 MLB All Star Game, weather, sports, MU, KU, ufo sightings, dui checkpoints, Kansas City neighborhoods, nightlife, concerts, the Sprint Center, the Power and Light District and current Kansas City news articles.

Roadblocks, Checkpoints by Kansas City Police for Valid Driver's License Check

Starting May 6th, Kansas City police will set up roadblocks and checkpoints to check drivers for valid driver's licenses.

KCMO police claim that Kansas City drivers who drive without a valid driver's license are 4 times more likely to be involved in or cause a fatal car crash.  This statistic most likely stemmed from a recent incident that claimed the life of a 12 year old boy in a fatal car wreck on 71 highway (the ghetto highway) and Gregory that involved Clayton R. Dunlap and Damian Slayton.  Clayton R. Dunlap was apparantly driving under the influence of PCP as he was speeding westbound on Gregory when he attempted to run a stoplight and struck a line of 5 cars waiting at the light.  The first car that Dunlap struck was a silver volkswagon that held passengers Damian Slayton and his mother Bri Kneisley.  Damian Slayton was fatally injured and pronounced dead at the scene while his mother Bri was rushed to the hospital in critical condition after suffering severe brain damage.  Damian Slayton was said to have been a model student with a bright future who loved to read and make people laugh.  He was a student at Nowlin Middle School.  Clayton Dunlap is being charged with 2nd Degree Murder and 1 count of felony driving according to the State of Missouri Courts.

The City of Kansas City is most likely reacting to this incident by putting up the roadblocks / checkpoints to check for valid driver's licenses.  Clayton Dunlap had a record of 16 violations involving driving while suspended or revoked and Kansas City Police say that he was a high risk driver.  KCMO police will be setting up roadblocks and checkpoints starting May 6th to check for drivers such as Clayton Dunlap driving while suspended or revoked.  Or, as we are hoping, they will find several illegal Mexican yard workers during the search and get them off the road as well.  Definitely start the search in Olathe, as they have the highest percentage of Mexican yard workers driving around clogging up 119th street and 135th street, respectively.

Drivers without valid driver's licenses beware!

If you have specific questions, please post them as a comment - no sign up required - quick commenting - and we will try to answer your questions quickly.  Thank you!



 

KC School District Enrollment Halt Denied by Jackson County Judge

In a court hearing that many agree should not have been held in a Jackson County courtroom today, the 6 school districts who put in a petition to halt the transfer of students from the unaccredited Kansas City School district were denied today as Circuit Judge W. Brent Powell ruled against the temporary halt. Spokesmen from each of the six districts are expecting absolute chaos as thousands of inner city students and parents show up at their doorstep demanding to enroll their students in their accredited schools. The six schools who are expecting the worst at this point are The Center School District (we thought that this WAS a Kansas City School District), The Independence School District, The Blue Springs School District, The Raytown School District and The North Kansas City School District.

Let's just put up the main points in this situation to make it simple:

1. The Kansas City School District failed for a reason. The parents of the students in that district do not care enough about their children's education (the majority, that is - there are some exceptions so don't get all worked up). The fact is, the KC School District FAILED, it had it's chance, and it FAILED, so yes, we can say that the students are undereducated and that blame falls squarely on the parents who did not get involved.

2. The neighboring districts do not want an influx of students from the ghetto mixing in with their students. No one has said it, but believe me, THEY ARE THINKING IT. These students will bring an element of crime, thuggery and failure to these districts, which is not fair. These students couldn't make it work in their own district, so the answer is to abandon ship and go mess up another district? Not a good plan. Stay and fix your own problems. Can't wait to see the first urban mother on the news talking about how the neighboring school districts are "being racist" towards her children. Ah, the race card, it will definitely get played before this is all over. Race has nothing to do with the failure of your children and the society that you have created for them. Get over yourselves and fix your neighborhoods and schools and quit blaming everything on someone else. You got your president, now shut up and start doing some actual WORK.

3. The neighboring districts want their tuition PAID IN FULL, and PAID UP FRONT. It has been predicted by experts that most of these students who attempt to transfer will fail in the new school district and return or drop out within months or even weeks. The schools accepting new students have every right to demand their money up front so that they don't waste countless overhead and man hours preparing for these students, only to have them drop out when they can't keep up. The City of Kansas City wants to pay on a "month to month" basis, kind of like a low rent ghetto apartment complex or a sleazy hotel. That should tell you something right there.

4. The students and parents of the Kansas City School District DON'T NEED TO PANIC! It is ok for your kids to attend and graduate from an unaccredited school. They will still be able to get into the college of their choice on the merit of good SAT scores and academic history. If your student doesn't have a good academic history or cannot score well on the SAT, then they are going to fail anyway - a change of school district is not going to change that - sorry.

Just as a matter of easy transportation math, I would assume that the Center School District would be getting the worst of this influx of students. The Center School District lies closest to the Kansas City School District, and actually has a student body that would closely resemble the students who currently attend the Kansas City School District schools. Urban, low test scoring, police records, history of violence and bad parenting - the Center School District might actually be the best fit for the transferring students. But do they have enough room? Will the students who transfer lower Center School District's overall standing with the state as far as test scores, etc.?

Aside from the suburban school administrator's fears of large numbers of students trying to squeeze into their schools, there is, of course, a matter of money. The neighboring school districts have a policy in place that clearly states that a student wishing to transfer who does not reside in the the district boundaries must pay tuition (in North Kansas City's case around $9500.00), and the fee must be paid UP FRONT. The Kansas City School District has offered to pay around $3700.00 per student on a MONTHLY payment schedule. This is not satisfactory to the neighboring schools and is most likely a reflection on the City of Kansas City's lack of faith in the dropout rate of the students who will attempt to attend schools that are far advanced in education and curriculum, and most of the students who transfer will simply not be able to keep up and will either return to the Kansas City School District or simply drop out.

Here is a great quote from a teacher:

"What makes these school districts different is the level of parental and community support. What makes these schools different is that most of the parents are very involved in our children's lives and education and are actually parenting, raising our children to be productive, law abiding members of society."

And that, my friends sums it up pretty well.

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20s for KC New Charity Project in Kansas City Hands out $20 Bills

A new charity group in Kansas City is doing something that has never been done before in KC. 20s for KC, who are self defined as a "non profit Kansas City stimulus project", are placing $20 bills at random places all over the Kansas City area. This past Friday night the 20s for KC Facebook page reported that it was officially "gas pump night" and they placed several $20 bills on the front of gas pumps all over the city. The $20 bills are easily recognizable as they are in nice bill size white envelopes with a decorative red ribbon and a red stamp that bears the logo of 20s for KC in red. There is nothing in the envelope but a nice crisp $20 and the only form of information at all is the stamp that has the logo and also the website - www.20sforkc.com

We interviewed one of the founders of the project recently and this is what they had to say…

KCMB News: So what do you guys have to gain by doling out $20 bills all over the city?

20s for KC rep: We aren't trying to gain anything financially, or even in terms of advertising. We are affiliated with a local Kansas City radio show called The Sunday Jones Comedy Radio Show and when someone finds one of our $20 bills, IF they go to the website stamped on the envelope, then they are asked to simply tell us where they found the $20 and what they intend to do with it or how they spent it. No strings attached. We then read what people wrote over the air on the show, and we place a virtual "pin" on a map on the website showing where $20s were found.

KCMB News: Do you think that some people will be afraid to open the envelope because of suspicion? Or what if they just throw them in the trash?

20s for KC rep: We did take that into account, and that's just a fact of life in today's society. Paranoia is at an all time high, and we know that some people will probably leave the envelopes right where they are, untouched. We have even taken into account that someone may actually turn one in to the police, haha. That being said, a simple glance at the website at www.20sforkc.com will tell you everything about what we're doing and that there is nothing to be afraid of. And if someone throws one in the trash, I suppose that is a shame but it probably won't be the first time a $20 has ended up in the trash.

KCMB News: Have any of the businesses complained about you guys placing them on their property?

20s for KC rep: Not thus far. We have put a lot of thought into that, avoiding government property etc. and hopefully they will realize that it is probably GOOD for business. I mean if people think that there might be a free $20 bill hanging around their property somewhere then that can only be good for business. Heck, they might even find one themselves, or have one turned in to them by a customer who is confused as to what it might be.

KCMB News: Well this certainly is a first for Kansas City, no one has done anything like this here. We know that comedian Jim Carrey is notorious for hiding $100 bills around, and there is another group that does this around Christmas time in New York. How much feedback are you getting? Are people going to the website and telling their stories?

20s for KC rep: At this time we're getting about 25% feedback on the $20 bills that we have put out so far. That's about what we suspected, we were thinking that if we got 20% that we were doing well.

KCMB News: Thank you for your time and good luck with the new project. We will check back in with you guys in a few months and see how it's going. How long do you plan to continue with the 20s for KC project?

20s for KC rep: No problem. We hope to continue through the duration of the radio show's season which ends the Sunday before the first NFL game.

20s for kc kansas city charity stimulus project hands out free $20 bills hiding around kansas city by KCMB Kansas City News, official kc news site with breaking stories on The Kansas City Royals, Chiefs, charity events, the 2012 MLB All Star Game, weather, sports, MU, KU, ufo sightings, dui checkpoints, Kansas City neighborhoods, nightlife, concerts, the Sprint Center, the Power and Light District and current Kansas City news articles.

DUI Checkpoints Kansas City January 6th, 7th

Kansas City police will set up random DUI Checkpoints in around the Kansas City area on Friday January 6th and Saturday January 7th looking for drunk drivers among other things. As you may have read, the KCPD can now set up road blocks and checkpoints looking for outstanding warrants, illegal immigrants and drivers driving with suspended licenses as well as setting up DUI checkpoints.

On January 6th and 7th, Kansas City Police will set up random DUI checkpoints in the usual areas including:

Anywhere along Ward Parkway, but especially near the 69th Street split where drivers can choose to go into Kansas or continue on in Missouri. Another popular DUI checkpoint location is around the 77 Street area on Ward Parkway just before the stoplight at 79th Street because this is a blind corner. It is best to just avoid Ward Parkway all together on weekend nights when the checkpoints are set up.

As usual, DUI checkpoints will most likely be set up along Wornall Road, near the Waldo and Brookside areas, specifically at the intersection of 77th Street and Wornall where the KCPD usually sets up post.

Other streets to avoid would be ANYWHERE on Southwest Trafficway, and State Line Road where hungry Mission Hills and Prairie Village Police wait to get money from Missouri drivers. If you have Missouri tags, you are twice as likely to get pulled over by a Kansas police officer while driving down State Line, they want to suck money from Missouri drivers and not from their own precious Kansas drivers. Avoid State Line all together this weekend unless you are south of 103rd Street.

Happy safe driving this weekend Kansas City, and watch out for those DUI Checkpoints!

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Overland Park Police Will Conduct Saturation Patrols Tonight

The Overland Park Police Department will be conducting a saturation patrol tonight, looking for people who are driving impaired. This enforcement effort will take place in the Overland Park area from 10 p.m. through 2 a.m.

Overland Park Traffic Safety officers will be patrolling the city looking for drivers who appear to be impaired. Those suspicious drivers that are pulled over by the patrol will be required to perform a series of field sobriety tests. The police officers also plan on keeping an eye out for those under the influence of illegal drugs, or prescription drugs that should not be taken by anyone operating a vehicle.

A saturation patrol is a common police tactic in which a large number of police officers focus on a relatively small geographic area. Multiple agencies often combine and concentrate their resources on one area during these patrols to maximize efficiency. Many police forces have used this tactic following sports events or other occurrences when there is potential for a large number of impaired drivers to be on the road.

Saturation patrols have been an effective tool for reducing drunk-driving incidents in many other communities. Kansas City has had several traffic incidents caused by alcohol over the past several months, so it is no surprise that police have begun cracking down. Many Overland Park residents choose to visit downtown bars and restaurants on the weekends, making the suburb a likely target for police.

The Overland Park police department asks that anyone who sees a driver that appears to be impaired report them by calling dispatch at 913-895-6300.

KCMB Kansas City News, official kc news site with breaking stories on The Kansas City Royals, Chiefs, charity events, the 2012 MLB All Star Game, weather, sports, MU, KU, ufo sightings, dui checkpoints, Kansas City neighborhoods, nightlife, concerts, the Sprint Center, the Power and Light District and current Kansas City news articles.

Jovan Belcher Shooting: 911 Tapes Released, Belcher Spent Night At Other Girlfriend’s Apartment

The Kansas City police have released several of the 911 tapes from the morning of Jovan Belcher’s murder suicide, and a more accurate story of Belcher’s hours before the shooting has emerged.

Belcher’s mother, Cheryl Shepherd, called 911 immediately after Belcher fatally shot his girlfriend, Kasandra Perkins, who was also the mother to the couple’s three-month-old daughter. Perkins was still alive when Shepherd called 911, as Belcher’s mother can be heard pleading with her in the tape to remain alive. Shepherd then told dispatchers that Perkins was bleeding and barely awake, but moved when she spoke to her. By the time paramedics arrived on the scene, Perkins has succumbed to the multiple gunshot wounds.

Another twist in this horrific story is that Belcher had an encounter with police only hours before the shooting took place, at an apartment complex that he noted was the residence “of his girlfriend.” Police responded to a report around 2:50 a.m. of a man sleeping in his car outside the apartment building. Belcher got out of the car when the police approached him, and was cooperative with the officers. He told police that he was there to visit his girlfriend, but she wasn’t home. Belcher then called the woman, thanked the officers, and was let into the apartment complex by the woman. It is unknown at this time who this woman is, as she was not questioned by the police as Belcher was cooperative and did not appear to be any threat at this time.

According to witnesses, Belcher stayed at the apartment until 6:30 a.m., a mere hour and twenty minutes before police were called after he shot Perkins and headed to Arrowhead Stadium to take his own life.

Kansas City News, official kc news site with breaking stories on The Kansas City Royals, Chiefs, charity events, the 2012 MLB All Star Game, weather, sports, MU, KU, ufo sightings, dui checkpoints, Kansas City neighborhoods, nightlife, concerts, the Sprint Center, the Power and Light District and current Kansas City news articles.

Kansas City News Stories

Here are some of today's headlines brought to you by Kansas City News:

Wichita teacher gives her kidney to another teacher at Oak Hills High School in Cincinnati, Ohio. After her kidneys shut down after the birth of her second child, Kelly Shattuck a young math teacher has been searching for a kidney donor for over a year. When Kelly's family and friends turned up no matches, a fellow Oak Hills High School teacher and friend, Debby Glandorf came through. Debby volunteered to be tested and was found to be a match. The two teachers have been friends and church buddies for years and both seem very positive about the situation. Both are to be admitted today for surgery and our hopes and prayers are with them for a successful outcome for both of these courageous women. September 13th, 2011 Kansas City News

Burglar falls asleep while robbing a home in Wichita, Kansas. A homeless man was busy robbing a home in Southwest Wichita on Saturday when he decided he needed a shower and then a little nap. While this is completely understandable for a homeless person, it is not such a great idea if you're also a burglar on the job. The owners of the house came home to find the burglar sleeping in their bed, the burglar quickly tried to put on some clothes that belonged to the man of the house but eventually ended up hiding in the closet where Wichita police found him minutes later. September 13th, 2011 Kansas City News

Kansas City Airport Bomb Scare on the 10th Anniversary of September 11th. Former New York City Police officer, 45 year old Anthony Falco, Jr., was going through security at MCI airport on Sunday morning around 9:30am when airport security asked Mr. Falco if they could open up his carry on bag to search it. Falco told them that they could not search his bag and naturally airport security immediately detained Mr. Falco and found a mysterious device in his carry on bag. It was later determined that the mysterious items found were only spare computer parts and were not bomb related. Terminal B at Southwest Airlines was shut down for several hours while airport security, FBI agents, bomb sniffing dogs and other law enforcement officials redirected passengers waiting to board and go through security, causing several delays in flights on Sunday, September 11th. September 13th, 2011 Kansas City News

Chiefs former offensive lineman Brian Waters signed by the New England Patriots. 34 year old offensive line veteran Brian Waters left the Kansas City Chiefs in the off season, went home to work on his retirement plans and possibly do a little work on his lawn when he got a call from The New England Patriots. Waters was a part of what was arguably the best offensive line in Kansas City Chiefs history during the 90's and early 00's. It was reported that Waters left the Chiefs after butting heads with new head coach Todd Haley. In a recent interview Waters was asked if it was difficult leaving the Chiefs, "not really" was his response. September 13th, 2011 Kansas City News

Fireworks in Overland Park, Leawood, Kansas City Displays

Fireworks displays in Overland Park, Leawood, Kansas City and more for July 3rd and 4th:

Info for 2015 Celebrations

City of Leawood 4th of July Celebration in the Park and Fireworks Display
Once again this year, barring a rain delay like we had last year, the City of Leawood will be holding their annual Celebration in the Park.  There are several events going all day long including a moonwalk, a train ride, face painters, a show by Lynn O'Brien's Cheer and Dance Camp, a concert from Kansas City band The Shanks, and at 9:45pm there will be a fireworks display.  Parking is not allowed in the Leawood Park but parking will be available along Tomahawk Creek Parkway.

Overland Park 4th of July Celebration and Fireworks Display at Corporate Woods
The 4th of July fun starts in Overland Park at Corporate Woods at 4pm with beer, food and live music.  We have a special treat this year as Congressman Kevin Yoder (R) will be opening the fireworks show with a welcome speech.  Yoder was recently elected to Congress - congratulations Kevin!  The more republicans we can pack in there the better, let's get out of this welfare based political path that Obama is trying to lead us down.  There is some old people band playing and then the fireworks begin at 9:30pm!

Riverfest Kansas City Fireworks Display on July 3rd
Can't wait until Monday for fireworks?  No problem, head down to the Richard L. Berkley Riverfront Park for carnival rides, food, drink and live music from Brody Buster and other Kansas City bands.  The festival will be running on July 3rd and July 4th from 1pm - 11pm.  Fireworks will be launched on both Sunday night and on Monday night around 9:30pm.  Fireworks displays will light up the Kansas City skyline!  So if you're in downtown Kansas City, or at The Power and Light District, you will be in for a fiery, booming treat.

Worlds of Fun Fireworks Show July 3rd and 4th
Ugh, our poor sad amusement park, with duct tape on the roller coasters and all, will be holding their annual fireworks display on July 3rd and July 4th at 10pm.  Kansas City needs to build a new amusement park closer to the Southwest side of the city, where the money is, possibly near Stilwell.  Worlds of Fun is jammed so far into white trash-ville, that it is fighting for it's life to stay open each year.

Parkville, Missouri 4th of July Fireworks Festival
Due to flooding, it appears that this year's fireworks display in Parkville will be cancelled.  Hopefully the flood takes the Parkville Police station under water - those guys are complete assholes.  Fuck Parkville anyway.  We're going to be doing a follow up story on the topic of small towns with corrupt police departments soon so come back and see us :)

We will be enjoying the double delight of watching the Overland Park Corporate Woods fireworks show, and then turning our chairs slightly to watch the nearby Leawood fireworks show that immediately follows at 9:45pm from our secret spot that we will not post here.  Happy 4th of July Kansas City!