Fireworks Display Overland Park Leawood by Kansas City News

The skies will be POPPIN' on Wednesday night, as the 4th of July fireworks in Overland Park, Leawood and Kansas City explode into the night at various different fireworks displays in Kansas City, Overland Park, Leawood and there will even be some great 4th of July events at The Kansas City Zoo during the day.

Visit 2013 Fireworks Displays

We will start with the daytime activities for the 4th of July in Kansas City:

Red, White and ZOO!
You can kick off your 4th of July celebration early at The Kansas City Zoo. On July 4, admission is free for all active and retired military personnel with a valid ID. Families of active and retired military personnel will receive $1 off the regular Zoo admission fee. Come visit Nikita the polar bear as he backflips in his cold water pool, or see our African plains exhibit from a new angle when you take our Sky Safari! With more than 1000 animals and 200 acres of land, the Zoo offers ample opportunities to create unforgettable holiday memories. The Kansas City Zoo will be open regular business hours on the 4th of July so bring the kids and come on out!

The City of Overland Park Fireworks Display - Star Spangled Spectacular
Overland Park will kick the 4th of July festivities off with their fabulous fireworks display at 9:30pm. The day begins at 4pm at Corporate Woods in Overland Park, Kansas with food, beverages, beer and activities for the kids. After that they will have a US Citizen's Naturalization Ceremony.  We're not sure what the purpose of that will be, but we're going to have to assume that it has to do with the increasing number of immigrants in the Olathe area in Johnson County. This ceremony seems a little "forced" if you ask us. But then again, all you have to do is visit your nearest Johnson County DMV and you will understand what the reasoning behind this "ceremony" might be - mostly because you will have to PUSH 1 FOR ENGLISH on the computer screen when you sign in.  It is appalling that the City of Overland Park would force everyone who came out to see the fireworks display to witness this Naturalization Ceremony, especially on our Nation's birthday. Congressman Kevin Yoder (R) will also make an appearance and do the official welcome.

The City of Leawood Fireworks Display and 4th of July Activities
The City of Leawood and their marvelous fireworks display will immediately follow the Overland Park fireworks display at 9:45pm. There will be plenty for all to do at the 2012 Leawood Fireworks Display as the gates will open at 5pm and will feature activities and food vendors for the kids and parents alike. At 7:30pm they will feature live music by Kansas City band The Shanks, produced by Adam Blue Productions. Please be aware that the Leawood City Park will be closed to all traffic for the entire day of the 4th of July, and that there will be a shuttle that will transport folks to the festivities from parking lots along Tomahawk Creek Parkway.

Go to 2022 Corporate Woods Star Spangled Spectacular Info

4th of July fireworks displays in Leawood, Overland Park, 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.

Billy Butler Named To 2012 MLB All Star Roster

Billy Butler won’t have to travel very far to attend his first MLB All Star game. The Royals DH was named to the American League squad for the 2012 MLB All Star game held in Kansas City.

Butler has been the Royals’ best offensive weapon this season, and is a big reason why KC is 35-42 and only a couple of games out of first place. Butler currently has a .297 average with 16 HR and 48 RBI for the season, and he has consistently provided the Royals with clutch hitting late in games. Butler is the only Royals player to make the team, despite strong seasons from players such as Jonathan Broxton, Mike Moustakas and Alcides Escobar.

Broxton still has an opportunity to play for the AL Central, although his fate is in the hands of the fans. Broxton is one of this year’s Final Vote candidates for the AL, joined by Yu Darvish, Jason Hammel, Jake Peavy and Ernesto Frieri.

Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton received 11,073,744 votes, easily breaking the previous record of votes for a player that was held by Jose Bautista. Giants catcher Buster Posey received the most NL votes with 7,621,370.

Butler’s AL teammates also include C Mike Napoli, 1B Prince Fielder, 2B Robinson Cano, 3B Adrian Beltre, S Derek Jeter and DH David Ortiz as the starters. Apart from Ortiz, Adam Dunn of the White Sox is the other AL Designated Hitter on the All Star roster.

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.

Jon Hamm Confirms Appearance In 2012 MLB All Star Legends and Celebrity Softball Game

Jon Hamm has confirmed that he will be appearing in the 2012 MLB All Star Legends and Celebrity Softball game. The "Mad Men" star will be joined by other hollywood celebrities such as David Cook and Haley Reinhart from "American Idol."

The 2012 MLB All Star Legends and Celebrity Softball Game’s lineup has also been announced, and Royals’ fans will have an opportunity to see many past Kansas City greats take the field. Former players such as George Brett, Bo Jackson and Mike Sweeney will be among the many stars that will be on hand for the game. The game will take place on July 8th, and will be televised on July 9th following the Home Run Derby.

This year’s game is also scheduled to include Ernie Banks, George Brett, Joe Carter, Andre Dawson, Rollie Fingers, Rickey Henderson, Bo Jackson, Mike Piazza, Ozzie Smith, Mike Sweeney and Dave Winfield. For the first time, the game will feature six innings.

Tickets for Taco Bell All-Star Sunday can be purchased via 1-888-FanFest, online at www.allstargame.com, the websites of all 30 MLB Clubs, and at the Kauffman Stadium box office.

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.

Who Will Represent The Royals In The 2012 MLB All Star Game?

The 2012 MLB All Star Game is approaching, and online voting for MLB fans ends tonight at midnight. Royals fans will have to wait several days to find out which Kansas City player will be representing the team in the All Star Game, although there are two strong possibilities as to who will get the Royals’ All Star selection.

Billy Butler has made a strong case to be selected as Kansas City’s All Star. The 26-year-old slugger has hit for a .296 average this season, with 15 homers and 46 RBI. Not only has Butler been Kansas City’s most consistent offensive player, he has several clutch home runs that have helped the Royals win some close games. Without Butler’s performance at the plate, it is safe to say that Kansas City would not be sitting at 34-39 on the season and only a couple of games out of first. Despite another solid year, Butler may get passed over in favor of designated hitters like David Ortiz, and his position is loaded with players with similar, if not better, numbers.

Another possibility is Jonathan Broxton, who has slowly turned into one of the better closers in the American League this season. Broxton boasts a 1.52 ERA and 19 saves this season, and is another reason why the Royals are still in contention midway through the season. Due to the number of pitchers selected, Broxton has to be the favorite to grab Kansas City’s All Star spot.

Fresh off an impressive sweep of the Rays, the Royals will begin a series in Minnesota tomorrow against the Twins. Minnesota is one of the worst teams in baseball, and the Royals have a great opportunity to bring their record closer to .500 on the season.

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College Football Playoff System Approved

College football will finally have a playoff. A four-team playoff has been formally approved by a presidential oversight committee, which will begin in 2014 and continue through the 2025 season.

The four teams who will participate in the playoff will be chosen by a committee. The semifinals will be held at current bowl sites, while the national championship game will be awarded to the highest bidder. The national championship will be managed by the conferences and will not be branded as a bowl game. There will be three contract bowls as well - the Champions Bowl (a partnership between the Big 12 and SEC), the Rose Bowl (a partnership between the Big Ten and Pac 12) and a bowl to be determined for the ACC, which will likely continue its partnership with the Orange Bowl. Three other bowls will be called “access bowls” and have yet to be determined. This will force the Sugar Bowl and Fiesta Bowl to become bidders.

This new system may force the Big East out of the postseason, as its champion no longer has a guaranteed spot in a major bowl. The Big East has traditionally been the weakest of the automatic qualifying conferences, and now that they have lost their best program to the Big 12, this decision makes sense. The Mountain West Conference will also likely not be a factor in the major bowls due to these agreements.

One major issue with this new playoff format is how the teams will be selected. College basketball uses a committee to select its entrants into the NCAA tournament, but this has often lead to controversy and criticism. The new playoff system is a step in the right direction, but there will certainly still be teams that feel like they have unjustifiably been left out. It will be interesting to see if any criteria are announced in regards to how the committee will select the four playoff teams.

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.