Kansas City Star: News

Tax the bad habits, not the good

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

Here’s one to ponder: Should yoga practiced in a health club be taxed as a service, while yoga done in a studio get a free pass as a spiritual, healing act? Many yoga devotees are claiming “yes.”

Remember Bobby Greenlease; murderers of children deserve no pity

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

There is no fit place in this world for the serial rapist or for the murderers of children. For offenders in the first category, it is unreasonable that society should be asked to accept any penalty less than confinement for life with no possibility of parole.

In Senate race, can Tiahrt catch Moran?

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

See Jerry Moran run. See Jerry Moran run fast.

Saxophonist builds a reputation on the music scene

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

Saxophonist Darryl Terrell is earning a reputation around Kansas City as a crowd-pleasing horn player. He plays regularly at the Kansas City Blues & Jazz Juke House, 1700 E. 18th St. He also has a CD out, “The Sax Fiend,” released last year. Terrell plays soprano, tenor, alto and baritone saxophones.

Anniversary of ‘In Cold Blood' killings brings memories from a relative of the Clutter family

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

Sixteen-year-old Diana Selsor had just come back from a beach party and was home alone in Palatka, Fla., that Sunday afternoon. So it was she, not her parents, who opened the shocking note police had left with a neighbor. “It said, ‘Four members of the Clutter family killed in Holcomb, Kansas.’ There was a number to call.”

Donation drive hopes to collect 7,000 diapers for needy families

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

Angi Hejduk has taken a common dilemma of parenting and created a nonprofit program that has helped more than 600 area youths already this year. And this week the Give What You Got program is launching a donation drive called Happy Bottoms in hopes of collecting 7,000 diapers in seven days.

TWA/American Airlines overhaul base through the years

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 07:15 CDT

Protest at Power & Light District

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 19:14 CST

Nebraska 31, Kansas 17

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 18:59 CST

Student with Down Syndrome inducted into National Honor Society

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 21:01 CST

The new Dunkin' Donuts in Overland Park

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 20:59 CST

Wine Tasting at Red X

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:00 CST

Shawnee Veterans Day Salute

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:00 CST

Elks Veterans Dinner

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 00:00 CST

Brookridge Elementary Veterans Day Ceremony

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 00:00 CST

Korean War Veterans Memorial

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 00:00 CST

Demonstrators protest what they call Power & Light District discrimination

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

Kansas City’s Power & Light District drew a crowd Saturday — across the street. A couple of hundred people gathered to protest what they view as the entertainment district’s discriminatory policies, specifically a dress code that some see as a means to keep out minorities.

Soccer teams for homeless people make a difference

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

Kevin Polk, the goalie for the North Texas Stars soccer team, never played soccer growing up. But there is one thing that more than qualifies him for the position. He’s been homeless for the last two years.

The Watchdog | If you see a traffic problem, call the police

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

The problem Jim White of Pleasant Hill is frustrated by people who drive on westbound Volker Boulevard in Kansas City and try to make left turns onto some streets, even though signs say that isn’t allowed during rush hour.

Tribute | Roger N. Mercer was meticulous in every way

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

Who: Roger N. Mercer, 86, of Shawnee. When and how he died: Oct. 4, of natural causes.

Union concerns resolved at Claycomo plant, Ford says

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

Ford Motor Co. said Saturday that union concerns over working conditions at its Kansas City assembly plant had been resolved even as workers moved ahead with a planned strike authorization vote. Ford spokeswoman Marcey Evans said officials from the automaker and United Auto Workers Local 249 reached an agreement late Friday on issues related to the workload at the Claycomo plant.

Family wanted | Phillip, 9; Stephen, 7; Hannah, 4

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

This terrific threesome wants to be adopted together. Phillip, 9, loves riding his bike, playing video games and going swimming. His favorite class in school is art.

History of Kansas takes shape on 10-piece mural

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

HAYS, Kan. | Figures from the past like George Custer and Walter P. Chrysler depict Ellis County, while sites such as Castle Rock and Cottonwood Ranch highlight western Kansas. When it’s all said and done, 300 or more famous figures, important industries and inventions, historic trails and railroads, and anything else essential to Kansas will be included on the history mural.

Firefighter hurt in KCK blaze

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

A Kansas City, Kan., firefighter suffered burns to his wrist Saturday afternoon while fighting a fire in the 2800 block of South 28th Street. He was treated at the scene, then taken to a hospital. Firefighters were hampered by an accumulation of household goods and other items in the structure, officials said.

Civil-rights panel hears issues within KC schools

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

Any examination of the civil rights of children growing up in the Kansas City School District needs to recognize a changed education landscape, several speakers said Saturday. Charter schools are growing. So is the percentage of Latino students in the city.

Cedar Creek: Choices include models, spec homes and homesites

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

Homebuyers have the luxury of choice when considering a new home within the rolling 4,500 acres of Cedar Creek, a resortlike Olathe community comprised of 15 neighborhoods. Furnished models, nearly completed speculative homes and homesites ready to accommodate custom-built homes are available in several Cedar Creek neighborhoods, presenting an array of price points and proximity to various community amenities. “It has never been more affordable to build your dream home in Cedar Creek,” said Ken Rosberg, president of Cedar Creek Realty.

Ironworker left legacy on KC's buildings

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

Ryan Goodman’s mark on Kansas City lies beneath the facades of some of the most important new buildings in town. When an aerial lift tumbled to the ground this week at 16th Street and Broadway, so did a third-generation ironworker whose hands helped connect the steel that holds up the Sprint Center, Bartle Hall ballroom and others.

One corner adds to debate over red-light cameras

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

Karen McDonald was surprised when the red-light camera violation notice arrived in the mail. It wouldn’t be like her, she thought, to roll through a right turn on red. But when she watched the video on her computer, it appeared clear. “Oh, my God, I did do that,” she recalled. She appeared guilty of failing to stop while turning right off Northwest 68th Street at U.S. 169.

Man accused of sex assault on young relative

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

The husband of a Kansas City woman found dead on Thursday was charged Friday with sexually assaulting a female relative several years ago. Jackson County prosecutors charged Hussein A. Ahmed, 27, with one count of attempted statutory rape and one count of statutory rape of a person younger than 14. One charge stems from 2004 and the other from 2007, according to court records.

Almost two dozen jobs eliminated at St. Luke's Hospital

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

St. Luke’s Hospital continued to downsize its staff this week, eliminating 23 managerial and support staff jobs on Thursday. Last month, the hospital cut 300 patient care technician positions. It has since rehired 250 of the employees as lower-paid nursing assistants.

Ground broken for KC Ballet's new home

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 15:49 CST

“Future Home of the Kansas City Ballet” proclaimed the sign posted just above a window with several broken panes. Friday marked the groundbreaking to remake a red-brick building at 500 W. Pershing Road, west of Union Station, into the new 60,000-square-foot home of Kansas City’s professional ballet company.

Minister quits Power & Light board

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

A prominent black clergyman on Friday announced his resignation from an advisory board with the Power & Light District, accusing the entertainment area of ongoing racism. The Rev. Mark Tolbert said he would instead form a group of black clergy to put pressure on the Cordish Co., the district’s developer, to end alleged discrimination against minorities with its dress code.

Retired truck driver from Great Bend, Kan., snags big Powerball prize — $96.6 million

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

TOPEKA | Who says Friday the 13th is unlucky? Not for the newest millionaire in Kansas — a retired truck driver from Great Bend and the biggest winner in the history of the Kansas Lottery.

Car thief snared after his two stolen vehicles collide

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

Things went badly Friday morning for an overachieving car thief, police said. The man was driving a stolen pickup truck and towing a stolen Monte Carlo, police said. As a Shawnee officer watched, the two vehicles collided on 47th Street just east of Kansas 7. The tow chain had wrapped around the pickup’s rear axle.

In breif | Inmate sentenced for 2003 killing

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

KANSAS CITY | Inmate sentenced in 2003 killing A Kansas City man pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 10 years in prison Friday for fatally shooting a man in 2003 at age 14. Terry L. Hutton, 21, already is serving 30 years for shooting two girls, ages 15 and 2, also in 2003. Both survived, but the toddler suffered a permanent brain injury.

Inmate was a bogus lawyer

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

ST. LOUIS | During a brief and entirely bogus law career, former Missouri inmate Jeffrey Tedrick stole $22,690 from several “clients” and spoiled the appeals of a convicted killer, he admitted in court this week. Tedrick, 46, had told fellow prisoners that he was a disbarred corporate lawyer from the Longhorn Steakhouse chain who had been convicted in a gambling case and would regain his license upon release.

Lottery numbers for Friday, November 13

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

Friday’s winning numbers: •Missouri Pick 3

FBI received letter warning that Roeder was threat to Tiller

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

The month before Wichita abortion doctor George Tiller was gunned down, the FBI received a letter warning authorities that Scott Roeder was a threat to Tiller and other abortion providers, agency officials said Friday. The letter, written in April and sent anonymously to the Kansas City FBI office, said that Roeder “has the potential to be a domestic terrorist” and that “given the right opportunity he would do physical harm to Dr. Tiller and any other abortionist he would come across.”

Giving to KU Athletics experiences a surge

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

LAWRENCE | Although private giving to the University of Kansas remains strong, the pace of giving to athletics has increased more dramatically than giving to academics. Since the year ending June 30, 2000, annual giving to KU Athletics has increased more than 300 percent, from $7.5 million to $31.3 million in the year ending June 30.

KC sees huge surge in deaths from drunken driving

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

Ralph and Debra Sutton left a New Year’s church party and stopped at a Kansas City intersection — unaware that the first few minutes of 2009 would be their last. A drunken driver accelerated recklessly behind them, oblivious to the red light. His car slammed into the Suttons’ car, which burst into flames. Everything inside burned.

Other endeavors must renew the Kansas City spirit

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

If losing nearly 500 high-paying jobs wasn’t painful enough, the news last month out of Dallas punched another hole in Kansas City’s long-suffering industrial identity. American Airlines’ decision to vacate the Northland overhaul base lays to rest the final legacy of Trans World Airlines, our largest private employer a generation ago.

Amid K-State football revival, questions swirl about buyout

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

MANHATTAN, Kan. | This renaissance of Kansas State football should be the stuff of fairy tales. An unpopular head coach is fired, a legend returns from retirement, and 12 months later the program finds itself reconnecting with a spectacular past. The team lost to Missouri on Saturday, but it could capture the Big 12 North championship for the first time since 2003, a feat few thought possible entering the season.

Adults with autism inspire worries and action

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

Each year, tens of thousands of children diagnosed with autism, from mild to severe, enter adulthood and leave the safe confines of schools and their services behind. Every day, their parents, such as Jennifer Smith-Currier of Gardner, worry what will become of them.

Another Mohler family member charged in child-abuse case

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

On Thursday, the brother of the alleged ringleader of a bizarre child sex ring said he found the alleged acts of his relatives — if true — unspeakable and repulsive. On Friday, he found himself charged in the same case.

Finally, Palin tells her side of the story

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

She thinks Katie Couric was “badgering” and biased. She is convinced that aides to Sen. John McCain kept her too “bottled up.”

Sixth man arrested in child-rape inquiry

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

Hours after a father and his four middle-aged sons shuffled into court Thursday, a sixth man was arrested in connection with an expanding child sexual abuse investigation. More alleged victims also have been identified since the case went public, according to the Missouri Highway Patrol.

Rising to the occasion again: Student with Down syndrome inducted into National Honor Society at Blue Valley North

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

Sarah Sherman is no more special than any of the 141 other students inducted Thursday night into Blue Valley North High School’s chapter of the National Honor Society. Her 3.75 grade-point average is high, yes, but they all have at least the required 3.5. Every one of the students worked hard to pull the grades while participating in school activities and logging at least 40 hours of community service.

U.S. moves to seize four mosques and skyscraper linked to Iran

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

NEW YORK | Federal prosecutors took steps Thursday to seize four U.S. mosques and a Fifth Avenue skyscraper owned by a nonprofit Muslim organization long suspected of being secretly controlled by the Iranian government. In what could prove to be one of the biggest counterterrorism seizures in U.S. history, prosecutors filed a civil complaint in federal court against the Alavi Foundation, seeking the forfeiture of more than $500 million in assets.

Child sex abuse allegations may turn into a murder case

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

They said they were just little girls trying to bury their horror in jars around the farm. They wanted somebody to know what happened to them. So, according to authorities, the sisters wrote notes about the years of sexual abuse at the hands of older relatives and hid them in the earth.

Civic report card sizes up five years of progress in Kansas City area

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

The Kansas City area has a good tailwind in developing “world class” life science assets, but unlike most major U.S. cities, it lacks a major research university. And “pockets of parochialism and suspicion” still anchor down the area. Such are the high and low points noted in a new civic report card.

Fort Hood has rekindled veterans' wartime pain

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

He says he killed a human being on his 27th birthday. His words are louder than the clatter of customers on this Veterans Day at Panera Bread in Oak Park Mall.

Kansas native's heroic response helped save lives at Fort Hood

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

Army Spc. Francisco De la Serna has always been somewhat of a wild card, unpredictable even to his close-knit family. But nothing prepared his relatives for the mention that President Barack Obama gave him at this week’s memorial for the shooting victims at Fort Hood.

Lift accident kills one worker, injures another at performing arts center construction site

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

Construction at Kansas City’s new performing arts center is on hold today while officials investigate an accident that killed one worker and injured another Tuesday.

Obama pays tribute to the stories of the Fort Hood victims:

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

FORT HOOD, Texas | President Barack Obama told a sea of mourners Tuesday that the lives of 13 people who died at the hands of a gunman here last week affirm the nation’s “core values” in a time of war and selfishness. “In an age of selfishness, they embody responsibility,” Obama said at a memorial service attended by several thousand soldiers and civilians. “In an era of division, they call upon us to come together. In a time of cynicism, they remind us of who we are as Americans.”

Lunch programs tell tale of need for suburban kids

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

The smiling faces of children at Bonjour Elementary in Lenexa seem much the same from year to year — bright and eager to learn. But beneath those innocent smiles, Principal Alejandro Schlagel understands there’s a deeper truth. More of his students are poorer in a suburban community considered by many to be economically affluent.

Lack of power lines a blow to wind energy

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

Driving through western Kansas, you’ll see hundreds of whirling wind turbines. But you won’t see lots of people — or high-voltage power lines. And that is the big obstacle to realizing the wind-energy potential of Kansas and the Midwest: You can put up all the towers and turbines you like, but without more transmission lines, the added electricity won’t get to the cities that could use it.

Sprint to cut 2,000 to 2,500 jobs

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

Most of the nationwide job cuts — expected to save about $350 million in labor costs — will take place by Dec. 31, Sprint Nextel Chief Executive Dan Hesse said in a memo sent Monday to employees.

The latest website builder economy packages launched by the EasySiteBuild.com

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 17:05 CST

United States of America. November 15, 2009. EasySiteBuild.com announces its renewed Website Builder economy packages to provide an Easy Website Builder services at surprisingly affordable costs. Our economy packages have been categorized into two sections- lite pack and value pack each with varying features and affordability. read more

Urgent help needed from our community

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 12:46 CST

On Saturday November 28,2009 we will be feeding and clothing kansas citys poor and homeless at the Park Reserve Condos parking lot 31 and Batimore. It is the only location big enough to do the job we could find, considering we expect thousands of the poor and homeless to show up to get materials to help them survive this winter. read more

Language is the key to communication and Spanish is one such key!!

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 10:26 CST

USA, November 2009 - Language is the only means of communication where you can converse with your loved ones near and far away, not only with the people you know but also those who are of importance to you. They may be your colleagues, friends, mates or even professional people you deal with. Language is especially needed when you want to converse with people out of your own country. And the best way to do so is to learn the language and master it, so that there is no difficulty in the required conversation. Lingobasics is one such place where you can learn the required languages according to your need and learn it from scratch. Spanish is one of the very popular languages spoken all over the world. Learn Spanish words forming the basics, which when mastered, one could go on to learn Spanish phrases. Learn Spanish fast and move on to mastering the art of the language. read more

Trademarkia launches question-and-answer page for customer help

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 08:02 CST

The rising Self Service Trademark site out of Silicon Valley has just launched an in depth Help section to assist customers in the online legal process. The Help section contains search and browse features for answers. However, the most attractive feature is the community feature where customers can type in their own questions and have them answered by actual Patent and Trademark Attorneys. This free two way communication between customers and actual attorneys fosters a community of trust and accurate information. Questions about Trademarks, domains, and logos are all open to answers from Trademarkia Attorneys. Trademarkia offers this unparalleled service at absolutely no charge. read more

Unified Government to pay $499,000 to settle police lawsuit

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

Wyandotte County’s Unified Government will pay almost a half million dollars to settle a Kansas City, Kan., police misconduct lawsuit related to a disturbance at a teen’s birthday party. Seven family members and two friends at the November 2005 party received half of the $499,000 settlement Saturday. They will get the rest next year, lawyers said.