Archives: April 2009

News

KCPD commissioners want an explanation from Blue Cross

Carolyn Szczepanski,

Members of the Kansas City Board of Police Commissioners were contrite yesterday morning, admitting that they swallowed some barely believable numbers without any question. “I’m a little bit embarrassed at the decision we made,” Commissioner Karl Zobrist said. Earlier this month, the commissioners were told that cutting domestic partner benefits would save KCPD more than $421,000 on annual health insurance…
News

Phelps suicide watch canceled

Justin Kendall,

After reading way too much into this field report on the official blog of Topkea’s Westboro Baptist Church, several bloggers — here, here and here — wondered if the Phelps family should be placed on suicide watch, wondering if they were a glass of Kool Aid or a set of matching Nikes away from their eternal reward. Uh, no. “I…
News

James French will finish his beer when he’s damn well ready

Justin Kendall,

James E. French told police that he led them on a wild police chase — blowing through red lights and narrowly avoiding oncoming traffic — so he could take his cousins, ages 7 and 10, home. Jackson County prosecutors charged 23-year-old French today with resisting arrest, two counts of endangering the welfare of a child and driving with a revoked…

News

Spoiler alert! Tonight’s KCTV-5 investigation’s really disgusting conclusion

Justin Kendall,

%{}% KCTV Channel 5’s scary voice is back promoting this super-pervy story from last night. Our favorite Jedi Knight, Ash-har Quraishi, discovers that a former emergency room nurse at North Kansas City Hospital allegedly got way too handsy with sedated patients. A couple of anonymous women are accusing William S. Price of sexually assaulting them while they were sedated in…
News

Truckers ain’t scared of no swine flu

Nadia Pflaum,

Forty-six percent of truckers who voted in a poll on Land Line Magazine’s website say that they aren’t at all worried about swine flu, having clicked on the tab that says, “It’s going to take more than a germ to bring me down.” Thirty-two percent say they’re “somewhat worried, but not using any more Germ-X than usual,” and 22 percent…
Dining, Food & Drink

The Bacone! Plus: There’s a BaconCamp?

Owen Morris,

I present to you the Bacon Explosion’s rightful heir. the Bacone! The Bacone is a cone made from (what else?) bacon and filled with scrambled eggs, cheese and sausage gravy and topped with a homemade biscuit. It’s like an entire Old Country Buffet plate wrapped up into a cone! The Bacone was entered into what is the greatest contest of…

Music

Blow the whistle! It’s Too $hort’s birthday!

Nadia Pflaum,

Oakland rapper Todd Anthony Shaw, aka Too $hort, turns 43 today. Just think: 29 years ago, he first got his, well, let him tell it: What’s his favorite word? BIRTHDAY! Categories: Music Tags: birthdays, hip-hop, rap, Too $hort, Too Short
News

Koster investigating Craigslist

Justin Kendall,

Craigslist is now in Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster’s sights. Koster is investigating Craigslist (along with several other attorneys general) and wants to meet with reps from the online swap meet in the next couple of weeks, KSHB Channel 41 reports. Not many more details on what Koster wants to talk with Craigslist but this might have something to do…
A&E, Dining

Gates Barbecue and strenuous dancing — what could go wrong?

Owen Morris,

Do burnt ends get your toes tapping? Spare ribs make you pirouette? Hot beef on bun get your feet en pointe? Normally, I don’t feel like moving after eating barbecue, much less dancing. But then, I’m not a member of the Wylliams/Henry Contemporary Dance Company of UMKC. For its spring lineup, the troupe is presenting a new piece called the…
A&E, Dining

George Riedel tonight at the American Restaurant

Owen Morris,

Among wine connoisseurs — the kind of people who drop more than $50 on a bottle of wine not because it costs a lot but because it’s good — drinking out of normal wineglasses just won’t do. As most casual drinkers are aware, white wine is usually poured into a cylindrical glass, whereas red wine needs a rounder vessel. (Quick…
News

Joe Po unveils Zack Greinke SI cover

Justin Kendall,

Kansas City Star columnist Joe Posnanski previews his Sports Illustrated cover story on Royals pitcher Zack Greinke with a first look at the cover. Love the tease: “He’s been a phenom and a bust. He’s walked away and come back. He’s been a starter and a reliever, a genius and a flake and he’s only 25, right now … The…
Dining, Food & Drink

$5 is the new black

Owen Morris,

First it was Subway with its $5 foot-longs and annoying jingles to match. Then Quizno’s followed with a copycat $5 menu before getting even more aggressive with a $4 sub. After that, the floodgates opened and Boston Market and Shoney’s tried $5 specials. Now T.G.I. Friday’s joins the list. For the 31 days of May, 16 sandwiches and salads at…
Music

Concert Review: Franz Ferdinand at the Beaumont

Jason Harper,

Apparently, Franz Ferdinand pretty much took over Westport yesterday. It started early, with a KRBZ 96.5 FM-sponsored “Kegs and Eggs” acoustic show at the Firefly. According to reports, people began waiting outside at 6 a.m. or earlier. I’m not sure when they began letting folks inside, but they had to turn some away. The lucky ones got to nosh on…
News, Politics

Senate to vote on Sebelius confirmation

Justin Kendall,

Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius is on the verge of getting this swine flu problem dumped in her lap — unless anti-abortion activists and Sarah Palin’s peeps get their way (they’ve already failed once). A majority of the U.S. Senate is expected to vote to confirm Sebelius as secretary of Health and Human Services this afternoon. That hasn’t stopped Sarah Palin’s…