Virgie Dillard, the 70-year-old owner of Missouri Office Systems and Supplies, is in hot water for allegedly selling counterfeit electronics to a customer most people would rather not mess with: the U.S. Army.
Dillard and her employee Roland Evans were brought up on federal charges today. They're accused of selling about $2.8 million worth of sham computer equipment to the Army Recreation Machine Program.
Evans was arrested today and made his initial appearance; Dillard is expected to surrender to authorities soon.
The Kansas City metro has plenty of historic drive-in restaurants: the beloved local Winstead's (opened in 1940), Mug's Up Root Beer Drive-In (1957), Harold's Drive-In (1958), The Humdinger (1962), and the drive-in that may be the oldest of them all, the cozy diner at 1320 S. 4th Street in Leavenworth called Homer's. It started as a root beer stand - with male carhops wearing long-sleeved shirts and ties - in 1931. The current location was opened in 1938.
Unlike modern drive-ins, Homer's doesn't have a drive-through window. Unlike Mugs Up, there are no carhops. And if Harold's and the Humdinger are old-fashioned drive-ins that require patrons park their automobiles and actually go into the building - Homer's has a sort of car service.
A grand jury indictment issued at federal court in Kansas City details allegations of a nasty crime in Independence where a black family had its house set on fire by racist neighbors.
It's a story from June 26, 2008, that, if true, summons memories of a much earlier and far less progressive time in this country's civil rights attitude.
Victoria Cheek-Herrera, 33, is accused of drawing a swastika, coupled with the words "white power," on the driveway of the house that Larry Davis and Stacey Little rented in Independence with their children.
Cheek-Herrera and an unnamed conspirator then got their hands on some gasoline from a juvenile and used it to make a Molotov cocktail. The indictment says they then tossed the bomb against the side of the residence, setting it on fire.
If you slumming it at bars in Waldo tonight, you might can come away with a little valuable information about your ability to drive after a few cocktails. The Kansas City Police Department is hosting a "Know Your Limits" event tonight at Tanner's Bar and Grill (7425 Broadway). You can have a few drinks and KCPD officers will give you a breathalyzer if you want. The police will not issue citations based on blood alcohol content. Turning it into a contest with your buddies is not encouraged, though.
The department says the event is "Purely educational, to help prevent drunk driving. No tickets will be issued based on the results. Information on how alcohol affects individuals will be available." And phone numbers for cab companies will be distributed. A few things to keep in mind: Don't be belligerent; cops aren't giving tickets based on BAC alone. Also, if you blow a high number, it's definitely a good idea to use the cab company information the friendly officers give you. In related news, KCPD announced there will be a DUI checkpoint in Kansas City over the weekend.
Earlier this year, Potbelly received approval from the Overland Park City Council to build a location at 6751 College Boulevard. The Chicago-based chain has more than 260 sub shops in 17 States. The hours are expected to be from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
Plenty of local residents think that Kansas City International Airport is fabulously convenient, especially compared to larger airports.
Research firm J.D. Power & Associates agreed - at least they did in 2010 when they festooned KCI with their highest ranking for passenger satisfaction among medium-sized airports, in part due to its convenience at the check-in counter and security checkpoints.
Why then, do local officials take such a dim view of KCI's accessibility?
"Fly out mid-morning," suggests Kansas City aviation director Mark VanLoh. "That's the best time to go. But for the business travelers who have to go early, they know the delays and confusion we have."
The song was "Kickstand," a minute-and-a-half-long punk-ish screamer from Soundgarden's 1994 album Superunknown, a tune apparently recorded in one take to capture the spontaneity from a band otherwise known for layered, complex songwriting.
But while the Astros can revel in capturing the series in an otherwise abysmal season, there may be another reason the Houston team is struggling to draw fans (there were 12,092 fans in attendance last Monday night). CNNSI.com has the story of an Aramark vendor who was fired from his post at Minute Maid Stadium after video of him taking his snow cone tray, which still had snow cones in it (not that it's any better if it's empty) into a bathroom stall and setting it on the floor during the first game of the series against the Royals, was sent to a Houston news station. The video is in the link. It's not graphic, and yet it's still stomach-churning.
Kansas City is home tonight against the Los Angeles Angels. The game starts at 7:10 p.m. and Royals' fans can move on to more civilized dining options like the batting helmet full of nachos.
Homer's Drive-In: the oldest drive-through in the metro
Soundgarden's sludgy sound, last night at The Midland (review)
KCPD will breathalyze patrons at Tanner's tonight
Kansas City is not a top-five beer city
Potbelly Sandwich Shop opens June 4 on the Plaza
Federal prosecutors allege racially motivated house torching in Independence
So is Kansas City International a convenient airport or not?
Why you shouldn't eat the snow cones at Minute Maid Park