Sports

Watch it or not, you pay for sports on cable TV

As live sports programming (like the NBA playoffs featuring LeBron James, above) becomes more coveted by advertisers, ESPN and other networks are bidding in the billions to secure broadcast rights. And those costs — ESPN charges TV providers more than $5 per month per subscriber, making it by far the most expensive basic cable channel — get passed to the consumer, whether they like sports or not. Some have called it a sports tax on their cable bill.

National News

A long-ago war, a missing plane and an enduring mystery

Maj. Derrell Jeffords bounced his roaring Spooky 21 down and off the runway at Da Nang Air Base in Vietnam. It was just before 7:30 a.m., on Christmas Eve 1965. The big camouflaged belly of his twin-prop AC-47 was easily visible against a blue sky as he banked west.

The cargo plane-turned-gunship was on its way to Laos; its mission was top secret.

Chiefs

Throwing to the tight end is back in Chiefs’ offense under Andy Reid

The Chiefs have revealed plenty of two-tight end formations during their offseason program and spent plenty of time at least trying to throw the ball to both of their new tight ends, Anthony Fasano and Travis Kelce. The signs are everywhere that the tight end as a pass receiver is back in the Chiefs offense under new coach Andy Reid.

Top photos and video

Editor's Picks

Ball Star

Royals fan races onto field and (momentarily) eludes capture with fancy footwork

Check out this video of a fan dashing onto the field at Kauffman Stadium during the Royals’ 5-4 loss to the Angels on Thursday night. He eludes a police officer with a slide across the pitcher’s mound and steals the rosin bag. He ran off, but eventually was caught.

Community Faces

Blue Star Awards Ceremony

Nominees for best in high school musical theater from schools around the area walked the red carpet Thursday evening at Starlight Theater. Taylor Louderman, Broadway actress who is scheduled to star in “Footloose” at Starlight in August, was guest award presenter.

Front Page

Boy Scouts approve plan to accept openly gay boys

The Boy Scouts of America threw open its ranks Thursday to gay Scouts but not gay Scout leaders — a fiercely contested compromise that some warned could fracture the organization and lead to mass defections of members and donors. Of the roughly 1,400 voting members of the BSA's National Council who cast ballots, 61 percent supported the proposal. The policy change takes effect Jan. 1.

The Kansas City Star Magazine

Bread-baking brings kneaded therapy

Baking bread is at once invigorating and soothing. You can take out aggression on dough, hurl it at the counter from a foot high and punch it with your fists if you want. You can’t hurt it. Or you can find a gentle reverie in the dough, squeeze its cool pillowy sides with your finger and rock the heels of your hands lazily back and forth in the center. The main thing is to find a rhythm and just keep going.

MOVIE REVIEW

‘Epic’ isn’t epic, but it is gorgeous | 3 stars

The action sequences are frequent and exceptional, from zooming aerial battles to comedic chases involving Bomba’s three-legged pet pug. It’s also one of the year’s most visually distinctive movies. All this is thrilling enough to divert viewers from the formulaic elements.