Big 12 Preview: League as Wide Open as Ever

With most Big 12 schools starting conference play this next weekend and the non-conference schedules almost wrapped up, the league picture is starting to come into focus. If the non-conference results are any indicator, this could be the most wide open league the Big 12 has seen in its history as a conference.

The conference remains wide open mostly due to the struggles of the league's two perennial top teams, Texas and Oklahoma. Texas struggled all non-conference play, and its problems finally cumulated in a blowout loss to UCLA. Oklahoma, picked by most pundits to win the league, has remained undefeated so far. Despite the perfect record, it has been anything but easy for the Sooners. OU hung on to beat Air Force and then narrowly escaped Cincinnati. None of these teams are that strong, and if there is any year that a team not named Texas or Oklahoma makes a run at a Big 12 title, this could be it.

One team that could push UT and OU is Nebraska. The Huskers finally appear to have a dangerous offense to go with its stout defense now that Taylor Martinez is behind center. However, the team struggled against FCS South Dakota State saturday, and the Huskers have struggled to remain consistent the last several seasons under Bo Pelini. Other teams picked to finish high in the league, such as Missouri, Texas A & M and Texas Tech have all struggled against lesser teams during the non-conference schedule as well. Add these teams to a team like Kansas who lost to an FCS opponent in week one and then beat last year's ACC champion in week two, and it is hard to figure out how the Big 12 play will shape out.

While its hard to pick against Texas and Oklahoma once again being the class of the Big 12, the two juggernauts have looked beatable so far this season. The only problem is, few if any other Big 12 schools seem ready to challenge them. While predicting the league is tough, one thing is for sure: this is the closest from top to bottom the Big 12 has ever been.

American Airlines Overhaul Base at Kansas City International Airport Closes

The long history of American Airlines' overhaul base in Kansas City is over. The last day of operations was Friday September 24th. Aircraft overhaul operations date back to 1956 in Kansas City. Then TWA had a facility at Kansas City's downtown airport. Operations grew to it's height in the early 70's at the newly constructed Kansas City International Airport. Kansas City became a hub for TWA at this time and the overhaul base employed nearly 6,000 people. TWA was the largest private employer in the city. Another casualty in the United States struggling airline industry as operations are consolidated into their Oklahoma Facility.

Even with all the problems the airlines have had since the 80's, the TWA overhaul base was a large employer. At the time American bought TWA in 2001, there were still over 2000 employees at the KCI facility. The September 11, 2001 attacks were the beginning of the end. Though the city and American had hoped to keep the base alive, two years ago it was announced that most operations would move to their Tulsa, OK base effective cutting the Kansas City facility's work force in half. Last October the word would come of yesterday's closure. It seemed inevitable with declining revenues for all airlines. About half of the remaining workers at the facility will retire, the other half have been transferred to other American Facilities.

The challenge now is for Kansas City to generate revenue from the massive building that sits mostly idle now that American is gone. Last month, Frontier Airlines began using some of the space for its maintenance operations, and a small locally based aircraft parts company is hoping to expand and use a significant portion of the space.

Masquerade 2010 - Cerner's First Hand Foundation

Masquerade - Cerner's First Hand Foundation Charity Fundraiser October 30th at The Midland Theater

Masquerade entertainment is presented each year by Adam Blue Productions and this year will feature one of the hottest new 80's bands in Kansas City - Perpetual Change - and will also feature opening act Sean McNown.  Masquerade is one of the most exclusive charity events in Kansas City and ticket prices range from $100 for one ticket to $60,000 for group rates.

Cerner's charity for children "First Hand Foundation" will hold it's annual charity fundraiser this year at The Midland Theater on October 30th.  Our friend Shanna Hilt of the Kansas City Chiefs Cheerleaders is heading up the event (pictured right).

For a great night of dining, cocktails, live music and most importantly donating to a great charity, buy your tickets now for Masquerade 2010 by visiting http://www.firsthandfoundation.org/firsthand/FirstHand_1a.aspx?id=30317

Mexicans in Kansas City - Olathe, Kansas

Mexicans are multiplying in exponential numbers in the Kansas City area.  The average Mexican has 4+ children, over 40% of which are on Obama supported welfare.  Not good.

After a recent visit to the Johnson County DMV it was obvious that the ratio of white people to Mexicans was about 1 white person to every 4 Mexicans (9 Mexicans if you include each Mexican family's 5 children in tow) - this is mostly due to the overwhelming Mexican population in Olathe, Kansas.  We move that Olathe, Kansas be separated into it's own county - certainly not Johnson County - perhaps we could call it MexiOlathe.

Thank God the American Border Patrol are stepping up their game, and we at Kansas City News Official Source are going to keep abreast of the Mexican Border Patrol's captures and arrests.  Mexicans who enter into the United States whether legally or illegally MUST SPEAK ENGLISH.  We're not going to "push 1 for English" anymore.  Sorry Mexicans, your time is up.

Here are some examples of the heroic efforts our American Border Patrols are making to keep Illegal Mexican Immigrants from slithering across our borders.

 El Paso Sector's Operation Hold the Line

El Paso Sector Chief Patrol Agent (and future U.S. congressman) Silvestre Reyes started a program called "Operation Hold the Line". In this program, Border Patrol agents would no longer react to illegal entries resulting in apprehensions, but would instead be forward deployed to the border, immediately detecting any attempted entries or deterring crossing at a more remote location. The idea was that it would be easier to capture illegal entrants in the wide open deserts than through the urban alleyways. Chief Reyes deployed his agents along the Rio Grande River, within eyesight of other agents. The program significantly reduced illegal entries in the urban part of El Paso, however, the operation merely shifted the illegal entries to other areas.

San Diego Sector's Operation Gatekeeper

A Border Patrol Jeep stands watch over the U.S.-Mexico border at San Ysidro, California.

San Diego Sector tried Silvestre Reyes' approach of forward deploying agents to deter illegal entries into the country. Congress authorized the hiring of thousands of new agents, and many were sent to San Diego Sector.  In addition, Congressman Duncan Hunter obtained surplus military landing mats to use as a border fence.  Stadium lighting, ground sensors and infra-red cameras were also placed in the area.  Eventually the primitive landing mat fence was replaced with a modern triple fence line that begins over one hundred yards into the Pacific Ocean at Imperial Beach, CA and ends more than thirteen miles (19 km) inland on Otay Mesa where the mountains begin. Apprehensions decreased dramatically in that area as people crossed in different regions.

Tucson Sector's Operation Safeguard

California was no longer the hotbed of illegal entry and the traffic shifted to Arizona, primarily in Nogales and Douglas.  The Border Patrol instituted the same deterrent strategy it used in San Diego to Arizona.

This is all great news as we should see a gradual decrease in Illegal Mexican Immigrants heading for Kansas City.

Plaza Art Fair Kansas City 2010

Plaza Art Fair Kansas City 2010

For Plaza Art Fair 2011 Go HERE

This weekend kicks off the 79th Plaza Art Fair in Kansas City. The Fair will run from Friday until Sunday with the hours being 5pm - 10pm on Friday, 10am - 10pm on Saturday, 11am - 5pm on Sunday. This year's Plaza Art Fair will feature 240 different artists, 30 plaza restaurants, three live music stages featuring several Kansas City bands, a kids art workshop and the Kemper Street Museum.

Plaza Art Fair Music Line Up / Concert Schedule

Friday, Sept. 24
5 - 6:30 p.m.|Red Guitar - not sure who this is
6:45 - 8:15 p.m.|Michael Beers Band - small wedding band
8:30 – 10 p.m.| Drew - the guitar player from the Jeff Jenkins Band

Saturday, Sept. 25
10-11:30 a.m.|Brian Ruskin Quartet
11:45 a.m.-1:15 p.m.|Lester Estelle & Friends
1:30-3 p.m.|Low Standards
3:15-4:45 p.m.|The Good Foot
5-6:30 p.m.|Shay Estes
6:45-8:15 p.m.|The Nadas
8:30-10 p.m.|Barclay Martin

Sunday, Sept. 26 11 a.m.-12:45 p.m.|Son's of Brasil - Awesome band with Denny Embry on guitar
1-2:45 p.m.|Jillian Riscoe & The 21st Century
3-5 p.m.|Project DNA

Plaza Unplugged StageNichols Road & Central Street, near Starbucks

Friday, Sept. 24
5-6:30 p.m.|Heather Thorton & Hannah Shuler
6:45-8:15 p.m.|Nathan and Roz Duo
8:30-10 p.m.|Lyal Strickland

Saturday, Sept. 25
10 a.m - 11:30 a.m.| Kansas City Symphony Performers
11:45 a.m.-1:15 p.m.|Laura Chalk Duo
1:30-3 p.m.|Casey Todd
3:15-4:45 p.m.|Brendan McNaughton
5-6:30 p.m.|Silver Soul Delight
6:45-8:15 p.m.|Kirsten Paludan
8:30-10 p.m.|Sean McNown

Sunday, Sept. 26
11 a.m.-12:15 p.m.|Shanice & Maurice Hayes
12:30-1:45 p.m.|Jim & Karla of the Rain Dogs
2-3:15 p.m.|Jason Kayne Duo
3:30-5 p.m.|Terry Wright

Ward Parkway Live!Ward Parkway & Pennsylvania, near Plaza III

Friday, Sept. 24
5-7:30 p.m.|90 Minutes
8-10 p.m.|The Shanks

Saturday, Sept. 25
10 a.m.-12:30 p.m.|Menage of Twang
1-3:30 p.m.|Samantha Fish
4-7p.m.|Flannigans
8-10 p.m.|Lipriddle

Sunday, Sept. 26
11 a.m.-1:30 p.m.|Az One
2-5 p.m.|Magnetics

Along with the art and the music at The Plaza Art Fair Kansas City 2010, there will be plenty of restaurants doing happy hour!