Cigar Fest and Other Weekend Events Around Kansas City

A Look at Weekend Events Around Kansas City

First Annual Cigar Fest!

Saturday, September 18th from 2-10PM

Beaumont Club

4050 Pennsylvania, KCMO

816-561-2668

Tickets are $55 at the door.

Admission includes 4 hand rolled cigars, 2 drink tickets, and a raffle chance - Raffle prizes include premium cigars, t-shirts, ashtrays. Hooters calender girl Brittney Fultz will be on hand. Music via live DJ, and Master cigar roller Abel Laura (son of Fidel Castro's former personal cigar roller) will be rolling cigars. Event is hosted by the Cigar Rights of America, an organization devoted to protecting the smoking rights of Americans.

Dukes of September

Saturday September 18th 7PM

Starlight Theatre

4600 Starlight Rd, KCMO

816-363-7827

Enjoy the sounds of Blue Eyed Soul at Starlight tonight. Boz Skaggs, Donald Fagan, and Michael McDonald will be performing. Boz Skaggs started his career with Steve Miller before striking out on his own with hits like "Lido Shuffle" and "Lowdown". Donald Fagan enjoyed a lengthy career as songwriter and lead singer of Steely Dan (I'd love to have those MUZAK royalties). Michael McDonald has played with the Doobie Brothers, Steely Dan, and had a very successful solo career with hits such as "I keep Forgettin'" and "You Belong to Me". Tickets still available ranging from $40-$126.

McFadden Brothers

The Blue Room

18th and Vine, KCMO

Kansas City's own Jazz singers and all around entertainers will be performing Saturday night at The Blue Room in the 18th and Vine district - 8PM - admission is $10.

Nikelodeon Storytime Live

Midland Theatre

1228 Main St, KCMO

816-283-9900

For the kiddos, Dora, Kai-lan, and all of their friends from Nick, Jr will perform live Saturday and Sunday. Three shows each day - buy your tickets here. Prices range from $15-$40. Kids as young as 2yrs old will enjoy this show.

Ford CEO Speaks to Businessmen in Kansas City

Ford CEO Speaks to Businessmen in Kansas City

Ford CEO Alan Mullaly visited Kansas City on Thursday to speak to a group of businessmen at the Kansas City Chamber of Commerce. Missouri Governor Jay Nixon introduced him at the event. Some employees of the local Ford plant were nervous about the visit because of rumors abound regarding the moving of Escape production to Louisville next year. But Mullaly would not commit either way to continue production or add new models to the Claycomo Production Facility.

Earlier this summer, Governor Nixon called a special Legislative Session to push through tax incentives for Ford to continue production in the State. That move did not guarantee that Ford would increase production or even keep the facility open. The move was somewhat controversial with some legislators claims that giving a tax break to a company that had billions in profit last year was financially irresponsible. Mullaly would only give lip service as to whether or not Ford was committed to keeping the Claycomo Plant open stating that he was "pleased with the ongoing relationship with the State of Missouri".

After speaking to the Chamber, Mullaly spoke a block away at an event for the Missouri Department of Economic Development. It was good to see the Governor back in Kansas City for the First time since THIS crazy person wanted to stab him.

Michael Vick Gets Shot at Redemption

Few professional athletes, or human beings for that matter, fell harder than Michael Vick did two years ago. Vick, a former number one pick, had enjoyed three pro bowls and had led his Atlanta Falcons to an NFC Title game and what seemed to be a bright future.

Then it happened. Vick, found guilty of soliciting illegal dog fighting at his home, went to jail, and his career was seemingly over. A quarterback who once signed the richest deal in NFL history was seemingly finished, another cautionary tale of an athlete who had everything, and foolishly squandered it all away.

Sports can be funny though. For every nine athletes that go to jail and are never heard from again, there is always that one who makes a comeback. Vick signed with the Eagles to be a decoy type player. Maybe run a little wildcat, line up in the slot. No one thought he would ever be a starting quarterback again.

Fast forward to this season. The Eagles deal long-time starter Donovan McNabb to Washington, Kevin Kolb suffered a concussion and Vick found himself leading a gusty comeback attempt against Green Bay, in which he moved the chains all day with his arm and legs and nearly pulled off the comeback. Vick may never be a long-term starter again, but starting this week, he has a chance at some redemption and an opportunity to prove a nation wrong.

Gays Seek to get on "Kiss Cam"

Baseball can be a slow, boring game. Ok, what am I saying "can be," the games are too long, lack non-stop action found in other sports, and even this guy can be a star player (yes that is a baseball player, not a pie-eating competition champion). Naturally, stadiums have gotten clever at adding events to keep fans interested: prize give-aways, various races and most notably, the kiss-cam. You know you start rooting hard when you see Grandpa and Grandma start making out in front of thousands of people.

Gay activists in St. Louis want in on the fun too, and are now asking Busch Stadium to put them on the kiss cam. Thats right, Ozzie Guillen and his team aren't making the sport gay enough already by kissing at the end of games. To protest, over 200 members from the gay community will be attending a Cardinals game this saturday to try and be heard.

My first thought on this issue was "gay people go to baseball games?!" Next time you are out at a ball park, take a look around the crowd. There aren't exactly a bunch of guys that look like this group are there? You are more likely to see these guys or, if we are lucky, her. The gayest thing a baseball game is when "YMCA" comes on the loudspeakers; where are all these oppressed gays in the stands?

On the issue at hand, I'm all for gays having equal rights, but lets be real. Not everyone shares my viewpoint, especially baseball fans. I'm talking loud, angry, and incredibly drunk baseball fans. Showing guy-on-guy action on the jumbotron is going to lead to some fights and unpleasant situations which could be avoided. Then again, maybe some girl-on-girl action could boost attendance. We know the Royals could certainly benefit from selling some more tickets...

City of Randolph Speed Trap Scrutinized

City of Randolph Speed Trap Scrutinized

Anyone who regularly visits the Ameristar Casino in Kansas City knows that you do not speed through the tiny village of Randolph, MO on Hwy 210. A speed trap has long existed there and is a huge revenue source for the town of roughly 50 people. It is not uncommon for small towns to derive income this way - obviously lacking a strong tax base for revenue. I used to drive Hwy 50 to Warrensburg regularly and remember a speed trap in Lone Jack. Well, for many years, a law has existed in the State of Missouri that limits a municipality's ability to derive income from speeding tickets. In fact, the law states that any revenue over 35% of a town's budget that comes from ticketing on state or US Highways has to be returned to the Missouri budget for education.

State Auditor Susan Montee recently completed an audit on the town and released her findings. The report finds that Randolph does not have a system in place for tracking funds derived from violations given on highways. In addition, the town operated 5 months starting in August of last year without a court clerk. Many duties were not being done, and records were a disaster. The Police Department also does not keep track of tickets issued. The Department was unable to locate 38% of the tickets tested by the Auditor's office.

Not only is the city of Randolph in violation of state law, the shoddy accounting is also makes them ripe for corruption. The Auditor's office has made no allegations of corruption as yet.