Update (3:41 p.m. July 30): Platte County prosecutor Eric Zahnd announced charges today against two people in Spencer Crosthwait's death. Stephen L. Ellis and Justin L. Dougan, both 19 and from Kansas City, have been charged with second-degree murder. Zahnd alleges that Ellis was the driver and Dougan was the gunman. They face life in prison if convicted. A third person in the car hasn't been charged but is in custody. Dougan also faces a charge of armed criminal action, and Ellis was also charged with unlawful use of a weapon. Both are in Platte County jail on $250,000 bond.
It's been a rough couple years for Kansas City and arbitrary rankings. If we go mostly by Men's Health surveys - and we have no reason to question those -- we're just a clan of fat sacks so lonely we have nothing to do besides stab one another and give strangers chlamydia. Thank god San Antonio's around to make us look good.
Finally there's a top 10 ray of light. Kiplinger has put Kansas City on a list of 10 Great Cities for Young Adults. We owe it all to our ruinous downtown investments and the brand new light rail.
Wait, what?
| Caliente Grill is closed |
Fans of both closed restaurants like to point out that this location -- hard to see from 39th Street -- isn't so terrific. Then again, the uninspiring Chinese buffet across the parking lot always seems to be busy.
The Old 97's are a band I've been a fan of for years; yet, it seems that every attempt to see them has been thwarted by finances or previous engagements.
Last night, at the Crossroads, I was finally able to see the poppy alt-country act in person for the first time. Thankfully, it was completely worth the wait. The weather was gorgeous, and I've never seen a band fronted by a man so enthusiastic.
Lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Rhett Miller is the epitome of unmitigated joy when he's on stage. It seemed that the pleasure which Miller derived from performing was just pure happiness that he spread to the crowd. Throughout the band's entire set, Miller was bouncing, bopping, and dancing at the microphone.
The Kansas City Chiefs today pulled the blanket off of a nine-foot Lamar Hunt statue. Bronze Lamar is looking north, much as he did 47 years ago, when he moved the Dallas Texans to KC.
Hunt's family and linebackerish NFL commissioner Roger Goodell were on hand for the unveiling. Politicians, former players and Red Coaters cheered and aahed in recognition as they gazed upon the statue, which presents Hunt wearing his late-period nerd glasses and a shirt with rolled-up sleeves.
Update (1:28 p.m. July 30): Kansas City blogger Shea Sylvia is taking some lumps for her blog/Guardian article about being stalked on Foursquare. More than lumps, really. Yesterday, she blogged that she'd received "a graphic, detailed account of how this
person would like to brutally rape and then kill me." Scary stuff. She wrote that she filed a police report.
Not that anyone here needs a reminder, but the Internet is cruel and vile place.
Public beaches at the Lake of the Ozarks and Wakonda State Park are closed this weekend because of elevated E. coli levels. If Mark Twain State Park were open (it's closed due to high water), its beaches would also be closed for high concentrations of poo-borne bacteria.
Coincidentally -- except it's not -- Attorney General Chris Koster announced this week that he'll hold a two-day symposium on the Lake of the Ozarks' water-quality issues on August 17 and 18 at Tan-Tar-A Resort. It's open to the public. Let's talk about poop!
In case you've been living under some sort of social-media-free rock, the Pitch is putting on a local music showcase of mammoth proportions on August 5 called the Pitch Music Showcase, and you best be there. We've got 35-plus bands and DJs descending upon Westport, and you can catch as many as physically possible for the low price of six bucks.
Check the lineup -- if you haven't already -- so you can map out what killer local bands you want to spend your Thursday night boozing with.
We've got the lineup after the jump.
Team hotels in plaza or elsewhere?? Any insight?
I'd give anything for that cocktail, hold the tail.
I'm sorry, but I can't get into a sport that allows a 0-0 tie to…
BORING.
Agree w/Abe, mint remains the one to beat. I'll be interested to see how the…
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