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.

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!

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.

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