http://www.kansascity.com/171/index.xml News, sports and entertainment from The Kansas City Star en-us Copyright 2012Kansas City Star Django Projects 60 Fri, 10 Feb 2012 18:32:12 CST http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss McClatchy Interactive's PubSys 1.1.fi feedback@kansascity.com (Feedback) http://joco913.com/news/three-kansas-students-advance-in-spelling-bees/ http://joco913.com/news/three-kansas-students-advance-in-spelling-bees/#storylink=rss Fri, 10 Feb 2012 00:00 CST KANSAS Three students advance in spelling beesThree excellent spellers are moving on to represent the Kansas side of the metropolitan area after winning their local spelling bees. Vanya Shivashankar of Regency Place Elementary in Olathe will make her second trip to the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D. 938630 http://midwestdemocracy.com/articles/sending-respects-dennis-moore/ http://midwestdemocracy.com/articles/sending-respects-dennis-moore/#storylink=rss Fri, 10 Feb 2012 00:00 CST Here's how. 938634 http://midwestdemocracy.com/articles/mccaskill-draws-some-republican-supporters/ http://midwestdemocracy.com/articles/mccaskill-draws-some-republican-supporters/#storylink=rss Fri, 10 Feb 2012 00:00 CST Kansas City business leaders, one a former Kit Bond aide, are behind the embattled Democrat 938634 http://midwestdemocracy.com/articles/rex-sinquefield-draws-sharp-rebuke-missouri-teachers-union/ http://midwestdemocracy.com/articles/rex-sinquefield-draws-sharp-rebuke-missouri-teachers-union/#storylink=rss Fri, 10 Feb 2012 00:00 CST HANCOCK: Missouri NEA slams Sinquefield's comments regarding the KKK. 938634 http://midwestdemocracy.com/articles/new-rules-requires-insurance-companies-not-religious-organizations-provide-contraceptives/ http://midwestdemocracy.com/articles/new-rules-requires-insurance-companies-not-religious-organizations-provide-contraceptives/#storylink=rss Fri, 10 Feb 2012 00:00 CST White House releases statement on HHS rule change 938634 http://midwestdemocracy.com/articles/sly-james-pinpoints-kcs-biggest-challenge/ http://midwestdemocracy.com/articles/sly-james-pinpoints-kcs-biggest-challenge/#storylink=rss Fri, 10 Feb 2012 00:00 CST Horsley: KC doesn't have sufficient people or tax base 938634 http://midwestdemocracy.com/articles/obama-discuss-contraceptive-rule-1115-morning/ http://midwestdemocracy.com/articles/obama-discuss-contraceptive-rule-1115-morning/#storylink=rss Fri, 10 Feb 2012 00:00 CST Controversy continues to swirl around HHS decision, but what will change isn't clear 938634 http://midwestdemocracy.com/articles/supporters-of-missouri-sales-tax-plan-committed-to-november-vote/ http://midwestdemocracy.com/articles/supporters-of-missouri-sales-tax-plan-committed-to-november-vote/#storylink=rss Fri, 10 Feb 2012 00:00 CST JEFFERSON CITY | A group wanting to replace Missouri's income tax with a higher and broader sales tax said Thursday that it is committed to getting the initiative on the November ballot, but declined to say how many millions of dollars it is willing to spend to try to persuade voters to support it. 938634 http://midwestdemocracy.com/articles/governor-tolls-on-i-70-in-missori-shold-require-voter-approval/ http://midwestdemocracy.com/articles/governor-tolls-on-i-70-in-missori-shold-require-voter-approval/#storylink=rss Fri, 10 Feb 2012 00:00 CST JEFFERSON CITY | Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon said Thursday that before any toll booths could open on Interstate 70, voters first should agree to the idea. The governor did not say whether he supports putting tolls on one of the state's most important highways. 938634 http://midwestdemocracy.com/articles/mccaskill-introducing-line-item-veto-bill/ http://midwestdemocracy.com/articles/mccaskill-introducing-line-item-veto-bill/#storylink=rss Fri, 10 Feb 2012 00:00 CST WASHINGTON | Sen. Claire McCaskill plans on Friday to introduce a companion bill to legislation passed by the U.S. House of Representatives that would give President Barack Obama -- and future presidents -- line-item veto power. 938634 http://midwestdemocracy.com/articles/shakeup-hartzler-office/ http://midwestdemocracy.com/articles/shakeup-hartzler-office/#storylink=rss Thu, 09 Feb 2012 00:00 CST Freshman congresswoman may be changing staff 938634 http://midwestdemocracy.com/articles/school-board-green-talks-permanent-job/ http://midwestdemocracy.com/articles/school-board-green-talks-permanent-job/#storylink=rss Thu, 09 Feb 2012 00:00 CST Interim super may get tough job -- but residence is an issue 938634 http://midwestdemocracy.com/articles/workplace-discrimination-voter-id-bills-clear-missouri-house/ http://midwestdemocracy.com/articles/workplace-discrimination-voter-id-bills-clear-missouri-house/#storylink=rss Thu, 09 Feb 2012 00:00 CST HANCOCK: A pair of controversial bills that were vetoed last year by Gov. Jay Nixon once again cleared the Missouri House Thursday. 938634 http://midwestdemocracy.com/articles/romney-wrong-skip-missouri-blunt-says/ http://midwestdemocracy.com/articles/romney-wrong-skip-missouri-blunt-says/#storylink=rss Thu, 09 Feb 2012 00:00 CST "I wish they'd have tried harder in Missouri," the Romney-supporting senator says 938634 http://midwestdemocracy.com/articles/kansas-city-overland-park-chambers-weigh-tax-plan/ http://midwestdemocracy.com/articles/kansas-city-overland-park-chambers-weigh-tax-plan/#storylink=rss Thu, 09 Feb 2012 00:00 CST Cooper: Business groups raise red flags with Browback proposal 938634 http://midwestdemocracy.com/articles/no-compromise-hhs-contraceptive-rule-blunt-says/ http://midwestdemocracy.com/articles/no-compromise-hhs-contraceptive-rule-blunt-says/#storylink=rss Thu, 09 Feb 2012 00:00 CST GOP senator offers bill protecting "right of conscience" for religious, secular employers 938634 http://midwestdemocracy.com/articles/chief-warns-cutbacks-could-hurt-firefighting-efforts-in-kc/ http://midwestdemocracy.com/articles/chief-warns-cutbacks-could-hurt-firefighting-efforts-in-kc/#storylink=rss Thu, 09 Feb 2012 00:00 CST City Manager Troy Schulte has recommended cutting 105 firefighters, saying that Kansas City has far fewer fires now and can save $7.5 million without compromising public safety. Such a reduction would force the Fire Department to change deployments and force reductions to its pumpers, Fire Chief Smokey Dyer said Wednesday. 938634 http://midwestdemocracy.com/articles/former-us-rep-dennis-moore-has-alzheimers/ http://midwestdemocracy.com/articles/former-us-rep-dennis-moore-has-alzheimers/#storylink=rss Wed, 08 Feb 2012 00:00 CST Former Kansas congressman Dennis Moore revealed today that he has Alzheimer's disease. In an interview with the Kansas City Star, Moore, 66, said he received the final diagnosis in June. 938634 http://joco913.com/news/913-snapshot-migraine-relief-chiropractic-center/ http://joco913.com/news/913-snapshot-migraine-relief-chiropractic-center/#storylink=rss Wed, 08 Feb 2012 00:00 CST "Chiropractic care changed my life," says Dan Sallee, who credits a chiropractor with relieving his childhood migraine headaches. Now Sallee, a newly graduated chiropractor, has his own Migraine Relief Chiropractic Center, which he opened in south Overland Park since last spring. 938634 http://midwestdemocracy.com/articles/moore-has-alzheimers-disease/ http://midwestdemocracy.com/articles/moore-has-alzheimers-disease/#storylink=rss Wed, 08 Feb 2012 00:00 CST Former Kansas congressman says he'll work to bring attention to the ailment 938634 http://midwestdemocracy.com/articles/fop-not-board-city-health-plan/ http://midwestdemocracy.com/articles/fop-not-board-city-health-plan/#storylink=rss Wed, 08 Feb 2012 00:00 CST Horsley: FOP says Not So Fast on health insurance accord 938634 http://midwestdemocracy.com/articles/bloomberg-sebelius-led-argument-contraceptive-requirement/ http://midwestdemocracy.com/articles/bloomberg-sebelius-led-argument-contraceptive-requirement/#storylink=rss Wed, 08 Feb 2012 00:00 CST Website says former Kansas governor, a Catholic, wanted religious organizations to pay for contraceptive coverage 938634 http://midwestdemocracy.com/articles/kansas-city-girls-death-inspires-new-legislation/ http://midwestdemocracy.com/articles/kansas-city-girls-death-inspires-new-legislation/#storylink=rss Wed, 08 Feb 2012 00:00 CST HANCOCK: Called "Blair's Law," the bill aims to prohibit negligent discharge of firearms within city limits. 938634 http://midwestdemocracy.com/articles/slate-writer-weigel-still-hasnt-received-memo/ http://midwestdemocracy.com/articles/slate-writer-weigel-still-hasnt-received-memo/#storylink=rss Wed, 08 Feb 2012 00:00 CST Columnist notes Missouri's non-binding primary, forgets non-binding caucuses 938634 http://joco913.com/news/johnson-county-leads-the-metro-areas-economy/ http://joco913.com/news/johnson-county-leads-the-metro-areas-economy/#storylink=rss Wed, 08 Feb 2012 00:00 CST Johnson County's economy in 2010 was as bad as we have ever experienced, but now there is reason to be optimistic. That is according to Doug Davidson, president of the Johnson County Economic Research Institute, where Davidson has been an economist for 22 years. 938634 http://midwestdemocracy.com/articles/no-excuses-santorum-crushes-opposition-missouri-primary/ http://midwestdemocracy.com/articles/no-excuses-santorum-crushes-opposition-missouri-primary/#storylink=rss Wed, 08 Feb 2012 00:00 CST Helling: It was non-binding, almost no one campaigned here, and almost no one voted. Missouri is still huge for the former senator 938634 http://joco913.com/news/the-arts-thrive-in-unexpected-places/ http://joco913.com/news/the-arts-thrive-in-unexpected-places/#storylink=rss Tue, 07 Feb 2012 00:00 CST The arts scene in Johnson County is both emerging and surging. It is occurring quietly in tiny and private suburban corners, like basement studios, and on a large, public scale, as evidenced by the growth of venues like the Epsten Gallery, part of the Kansas City Jewish Museum of Contemporary Art and Village Shalom, and of the Nerman, whose collection recently grew to 1,000 pieces. 938634 http://midwestdemocracy.com/articles/santorum-apparent-winner-missouri/ http://midwestdemocracy.com/articles/santorum-apparent-winner-missouri/#storylink=rss Tue, 07 Feb 2012 00:00 CST Networks projecting former Pennsylvania senator as winner in non-binding primary 938634 http://joco913.com/news/fence-along-trail-to-be-replaced/ http://joco913.com/news/fence-along-trail-to-be-replaced/#storylink=rss Tue, 07 Feb 2012 00:00 CST The Prairie Village Council agreed to double the cost of a controversial $20,000 fence by removing it and replacing it with a round rail fence with a chain-link supplement. The council on Monday night voted 6-4 to spend $20,000 for the removal and new fence. 938634 http://midwestdemocracy.com/articles/nixon-adds-40-million-proposed-higher-education-budget/ http://midwestdemocracy.com/articles/nixon-adds-40-million-proposed-higher-education-budget/#storylink=rss Tue, 07 Feb 2012 00:00 CST HANCOCK: Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon announced Tuesday that he has amended his proposed 2013 budget to add $40 million in funding for Missouri's public colleges and universities. 938634 http://joco913.com/news/fresh-takes-on-old-finds-at-vintage-market/ http://joco913.com/news/fresh-takes-on-old-finds-at-vintage-market/#storylink=rss Tue, 07 Feb 2012 00:00 CST If new spins on old stuff are your cup of tea, Vintage Market South deserves a drop-in. On a recent stop, a Mason jar chandelier suspended from a wagon-wheel-like apparatus made by one of the 50 or so vendors illuminated a corner. 938634