Kansas City News Blog

Keara Bono

​Yesterday's massacre at Fort Hood was a nightmare scenario. A fellow soldier allegedly turns on his own, killing 13 and wounding 31.

One of the injured was Keara Bono of Olathe. The 21-year-old was reportedly shot in the shoulder.

The Kansas City Star has a chilling story about Keara Bono's experience.

Her family said she was on the phone with her husband, Joey Torkelson, when the shooting started. He heard shots, and then screams, and then the phone went dead.

Thankfully for the Bono family, Keara Bono is expected to make a full recovery.

Erik R. Zimmerman

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James P. Reardon

​Three people have been charged with kidnapping Carol Thomas.

Excelsior Springs police say 23-year-old James P. Reardon, 21-year-old Jennifer L. Saling and 29-year-old Erik R. Zimmerman have been charged with felony kidnapping in Clay County.

Bond is set at $1 million each.

Witnesses told police that Thomas, 23, was beaten, thrown in a trunk and kidnapped by three men on Wednesday night.

Jennifer L. Saling

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Carol Thomas

​A red Grand AM that authorities believe was used in the kidnapping was found torched near Lawson -- about 20, 25 minutes away from Excelsior Springs.

Thomas' body was found yesterday in rural Ray County.

These appear to be Zimmerman's Facebook and MySpace pages. His last login was October 11. His mood is set to "frusterated" and his page is headlined with this: "Things have got 2 change before i snap-out and get real stupid." His profile says he's a "proud parent," and there are several photos of a toddler.

This appears to be Saling's MySpace page.

If you have a tip, call police at 816-630-2000 or the TIPS Hotline at Edit Entry - Plog | Movable Type Enterprise816-474-8477.

Jill Conaghan

​A Johnson County judge denied bond yesterday for Jill Conaghan, the 19-year-old woman charged with involuntary manslaughter and driving under the influence in connection with the hit-and-run death of an Overland Park woman.

The Kansas City Star reports that the judge refused to lower Conaghan's bond due to her history of drug abuse. The judge even said her abuse of drugs left him "genuinely concerned about public safety."

Meanwhile, Conaghan's defense attorneys argued in favor of allowing her to finish an out-of-state, drug-treatment program.

Arnoldo Bazan

​Two allegedly vengeful former employees are accused of poisoning the salsa at Mi Ranchito in Lenexa.

Husband-and-wife duo Arnoldo Bazan, 30, and Yini De La Torre, 19, are accused of mixing a Methomyl-based pesticide into salsa and serving it to customers at Mi Ranchito's Lenexa location.

Court documents allege that Bazan and De La Torre plotted to poison Mi Ranchito's customers, hoping to hurt the restaurant's business as well as hoping the blame would fall on the restaurant's owner.

Bazan allegedly wanted revenge after losing his job -- he worked at the Olathe Mi Ranchito until June 27 --  and his vehicle.

Prosecutors allege threats against the owner were issued through Mi Ranchito's Web site. That is, unless Bazan's vehicle was returned. Wonder how authorities ever figured this one out?

J.D. Bell (center) and kin the night they were allegedly denied admittance to Mosaic

​Debate about the Power & Light District's controversial dress code is moving from City Hall to the Jackson County courthouse.

Standing near the entrance to the KC Live! block, members of an extended African-American family described the discrimination they felt they encountered on a visit to the downtown entertainment district in August. The family is represented by superlawyer Arthur Benson, who says venues inside the district monitor racial composition in an effort to prevent the clientele mix from getting "too dark."

On Tuesday, Benson sent a letter to the Missouri Commission on Human Rights on behalf of Khiana Leapheart, a 34-year-old Kansas City, Missouri, resident. The letter states that Leapheart and six relatives celebrating a family reunion were prevented from entering Mosaic Lounge because the much-debated dress code was unfairly enforced.

A member of Leapheart's party, J.D. Bell III, said today that a door attendant at Mosaic asked him to tuck in his shirt. Bell says he complied but was still denied entrance, even as similarly dressed whites were allowed in the club. 

Carol Thomas

​KMBC Channel 9 is reporting that a body has been found, and authorities believe it's missing woman Carol Thomas.

Fox 4 says it has confirmed that Thomas was killed, and her body was found in rural Ray County. Fox 4 also reports that three men have been arrested in connection with Thomas' disappearance.

No word on a cause of death.

Excelsior Springs police have scheduled a 3 p.m. press conference to discuss the Thomas case.

Witnesses told police that the 23-year-old was beaten, thrown in a trunk and kidnapped by three white men on Wednesday night.

KMBC reported that police found the red Grand AM that they believe was involved in the kidnapping "deliberately torched" near Lawson -- about 20, 25 minutes away from Excelsior Springs -- but no human remains were in the wreckage. 

Watch KMBC's report. It's freaky with a witness recalling a man asking about Thomas and flicking a taser.

If you've seen Thomas, call police at 816-630-2000 or the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-8477.

​Another KCTV 5 exclusive: dash cam video of Lansing police chasing and arresting a man dressed as a zombie.

The chase started in a cemetery (of course). The guy dressed as a zombie allegedly sped off but police caught up with him and arrested him on suspicion of DUI, reckless driving, attempting to elude police and speeding, KCTV 5 reports.

Annoyingly, KCTV 5 never named the guy behind the makeup, just referring to him as the "zombie."

Another zombie myth shattered. They CAN drive cars.

Via Crime Scene KC.

Carol Thomas

​Several TV news stations are reporting that Carol Thomas was kidnapped in Excelsior Springs Wednesday night.

Witnesses told police that the 23-year-old was beaten, thrown in a trunk and kidnapped by three white men, according to KMBC Channel 9.

Thomas' description: white female, 5-foot-5-inches tall, 145 pounds, brown hair, wearing a black hooded sweatshirt and blue jeans.

KMBC also reports that police found the red Grand AM that they believe was involved in the kidnapping "deliberately torched" near Lawson -- about 20, 25 minutes away from Excelsior Springs -- but no human remains were in the wreckage. 

Watch KMBC's report. It's freaky with a witness recalling a man asking about Thomas and flicking a taser.

If you've seen Thomas, call police at 816-630-2000 or the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-8477.

​When the U.S. Chamber of Commerce came out against federal legislation aimed at slowing global warming, Apple kicked its membership and Nike resigned its position on the board.

But Partners for Livable Communities, a national smart growth and sustainable development advocacy group, suggested this week that local chambers aren't nearly so backwards when it comes to protecting the climate. A new report from the Washington, D.C., based group argues:

There is a powerful -- and perhaps unexpected -- player in the green arena that is leading the charge in cutting emissions and conserving energy while boosting regional economies: the business community. ... The ingenuity and forward thinking exemplified by the chambers highlighted here are the first bold steps toward a more sustainable and robust American economy.

One of the 11 highlighted groups, from around the country, is here in Kansas City.

​Everybody loves a new drug. Especially a legal one. Even Huey Lewis.

K2 -- synthetic pot -- isn't new, just new to us. Did I mention that it's legal?

The Kansas City Star made itself useful and gave a free ad to a Lawrence shop selling the stuff:

The Sacred Journey, a botanical store in Lawrence, sells bags of K2 for $15 to $30. A store manager declined to comment, but an employee said K2 should be burnt as incense and isn't meant to be smoked. A competing brand is marketed online as "plant food."

But you smokers of the chronic better hurry (and stock up). Kansas state Rep. Peggy Mast is ready to play party pooper (every party has one), talking about making the stuff illegal.

Oh yeah, and K2 hasn't really been studied. So smoke at your own risk.

Jill Conaghan

​Jill Theresa Conaghan was arrested Tuesday for suspicion of involuntary manslaughter and drunken driving in connection with the hit-and-run death of an Overland Park woman who was killed while tending to her garden.

Police also suspect Conaghan, 19, of leaving the scene of an accident, minor in possession of alcohol and driving on the sidewalk.

The Johnson County District Attorney has not yet charged Conaghan.

In July, 70-year-old Sandra Carocari was working in her garden when she was struck by a van. The van's driver fled the scene -- in the 9800 block of West 99th Terrace -- but later returned and admitted hitting Carocari.

Conaghan is being held on $100,000 bond. Her arraignment is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. today.

Update (10:25 a.m. Wednesday, November 4): The Johnson County District Attorney's Office just released the charges against Conagahan. Pretty much everything that was expected: involuntary manslaughter, failure to stop at an accident resulting in death, improper driving on a laned road, driving on a sidewalk, and three counts of consumption of liquor by a minor.

Although the DA's Office says the minor in possession charges are for three incidents -- July 30, August 24 and September 23 -- after Carocari's death.

​KCTV 5 is claiming an exclusive on the arrest of a Johnson County assistant district attorney.

Roger Nordeen was arrested for shoplifting about $40 worth of liquid bandages and deodorant from a Price Chopper grocery store, KCTV reported.

Nordeen is a long-time member of the DA's Office.

​Voters renewed the COMBAT anti-drug sales tax yesterday by a large margin: more than 71 percent of the vote.

But let's be clear about the "overwhelming" support for the tax; less than seven percent of Kansas City's registered voters actually went to the polls (according to The Kansas City Star's report today).

All the glossy mailers and yard signs helped pass the tax, but having an apathetic electorate also didn't hurt.

​Last night, the local chapter of Kansas City NORML -- the local chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws -- had scheduled a meeting at the Westport Coffee House to make protest signs against COMBAT, a tortured acronym describing a self-imposed tax that targets drug enforcement within the Jackson County.

JaCo voters will decide today whether to re-up. So KC NORML was preparing for today's all day anti-anti-drug tax demonstration at 420 N.W. R D Mize Rd., Blue Springs.

Wow, 420. Amazing coincidence!

I made a few passes at the coffeehouse during the appointed hours last night , but only student-types clack-clacking away on laptops were in the shop. Which is too bad: I was looking forward to writing a "what is the opposition doing?" story on the eve of the vote, and organizations like NORML have been successful in keeping marijuana reform-type news in the national media.

When today's protest is over, and the KC NORMLs leave sustained protest for a more, um, relaxed state -- no wait, when the smoke clears from the after-protest -- we'll hear what Jackson County voters decided on the issue.

What, you thought this blog post would end without the obligatory joke?

The real Sarah Palin

​The unfunny Sarah Palin is coming to Salina, Kansas.

The "rogue" Republican is scheduled to be the keynote speaker at the Salina Area Chamber of Commerce's annual banquet on February 5, according to the Associated Press.

A couple of weeks ago, Palin announced a December 2 speaking engagement -- talking about "patriotism, citizenship and civic engagement," don'tcha know -- at the College of the Ozarks, a private Christian school in southwest Missouri.

The speaking engagements come after the former governor of Alaska talks to Oprah on November 16 (and the release of her book a day later).

Of course, this is just an excuse to post more videos of Tina Fey playing Palin.

​It didn't take long for eBay to pull the last two auctions aimed at raising money for the legal defense of Scott Roeder, the man accused of killing Wichita abortion provider George Tiller.

The online auction house removed several auctions for Roeder early Monday, including one for a pencil sketch of Biblical character David holding the decapitated head of Goliath, whose forehead read "Tiller" and corpse read "Child murdering industry."

But two auctions -- one for a "prolife Bible" that belonged to Shelley Shannon, a convicted clinic arsonist who shot and wounded Tiller in 1993, and a Catechism from anti-abortion activist Michael Bray and signed by members of the militant anti-abortion group the Army of God -- lasted into late Monday afternoon before eBay pulled them.

I watched both items top $50.

MoDOT

Pete Rahn: Mad governing skills

​Governing magazine looks at Missouri and sees competence.

Pete Rahn, the state's transportation director, has made the magazine's list of Public Officials of the Year. Kansas City Mayor Mark Funkhouser made the list in 2003, when he was city auditor.

Rahn received praise for the Department of Transportation's reconstruction of a 10-mile stretch of Interstate 64. MoDOT shut down five-mile segments instead of going the orange-barrel route. The project will be completed in less time and for less money than was anticipated originally.

Interstate 64 doesn't do us a lot of good, but Kansas City residents can see Rahn's influence in MoDOT's use of social media. The Christopher S. Bond bridge project is on Facebook. "You have to over-inform the public," Rahn told Governing.

If a combination of national crisis and personal character define a transformational president, Barack Obama is squandering his historic circumstances by being, well, too nice.

That was the mostly disappointed analysis from three political and media experts who visited Kansas City for the Harry S. Truman Library Institute's third annual "Forum on the Presidency." At last night's discussion about "Presidential Leadership in Transformational Times," Robert Kuttner best summed up the panel's perspective.

Photo by Nicole Reinertson

from left: Timothy Naftali, Robert Kuttner, Arianna Huffington, Joseph Nye

​"He'll be either the next [Herbert] Hoover or the next [Franklin D.] Roosevelt because of the crises he faces," said the author, columnist and co-founder of The American Prospect.

At this point, Kuttner and his fellow panelists aren't convinced Obama will be the latter.

​
Two auctions are ongoing to raise money for Scott Roeder, the man charged with killing Wichita abortion provider George Tiller. Earlier today, we noted Talking Points Memo's awesome coverage of the auctions to raise money for Roeder (although the items had been removed by the time we checked for them).

After 10 bids, a "prolife Bible" that belonged to Shelley Shannon -- the convicted clinic arsonist who shot and wounded Tiller in 1993 -- is up to $51. The Bible's description reads:

Don't believe me. Believe God. This is the King James Version Bible owned by S.h.e.l.l.y S.h.a.n.n.o.n until she sent it to me about 10 years ago when she was transferred from state to federal prison. I have highlighted many verses in it which prolifers cite to show that conception is "when life begins", at least in God's opinion.

The description also cites the Bible's glorification of violence.

There is real disagreement between God and America's police and courts. It is not over whether vio-lence is sometimes just-ified, but it is over when it is just-ified.

The listing also references Roeder by name, saying Roeder's attorney will employ "the Ne-cess-ity De-fense."

Also listed is a Catechism from anti-abortion activist Michael Bray and signed by members of the militant anti-abortion group the Army of God. After two bids, the Catechism is up to $15.50.

The items were listed by "freespeech4america."

Talking Points Memo has an enumeration of violations for the previous items pulled by eBay. They also have a statement from eBay.

Today, eBay removed several listings on our site that violated several of our policies including our offensive materials' policy. This policy prohibits items that promote or glorify hatred, violence, racial, sexual, or religious intolerance, or promote organizations with such views.

​
The auction to raise money for legal defense of Scott Roeder, the man charged with killing Wichita abortion doctor George Tiller, reportedly went live Sunday night.

KCTV 5 reported that up for auction was a Bible from Shelley Shannon, the convicted clinic bomber/arsonist who shot and wounded Tiller in 1993, and a Catechism signed by Michael Bray.

But the best coverage is from Talking Points Memo, which features a slideshow of the auction items, including the above signed pencil sketch autographed by Roeder.

Talking Points Memo says Roeder wrote this item description for the set of drawings, which had one bid of $50:

His name is Jason Dubrowski and is one of the best artists I've seen in here. The drawing of the man and woman at Tiller's tombstone was done in response to the opinion page depiction which I included. The drawing of the field of babies tombstones with the newspaper headline comments of Obama was done after a Christian newsletter printed this illustration which a lady in Valley Center sent to me. The David and Goliath depiction was my idea. I hope they help get the message out there.

On the David and Goliath sketch, Roeder wrote: "To all you precious prolifers, Thank you for your support!"

The seller of the auction items is "mission.of.life," Talking Points reports.

As of 10:30 a.m. Monday, the only item up for auction by mission.of.life was an "abortion is murder" bumper sticker. Starting bid is $5.

Talking Points Memo had links (here and here) to the auctions, but they now bring up this message:

This listing (200401118000) has been removed, or this item is not available

​The lunch bunch in Olathe will need to find a new place to get a $5 footlong.

FBI agents engaged in a gunfight with a man in the parking lot outside of a Subway at 151st and Ridgeview last night.

The man -- wanted for aggravated assault -- was shot and taken to a hospital in critical condition, Fox 4 reports.

Check Fox 4's video (and the screenshot at the right). Note the truck and Corvette riddled with bullets. Ouch.

The chiefs didn't lose Sunday. They also didn't play. Mercifully for us and them. But the Larry Johnson news didn't stop over the weekend. The Chiefs and LJ agreed on a settlement figure the troubled running back will give up during his suspension: $300,000.

So LJ can keep bragging about having money -- but not for long if the Chiefs dump him. Arrowhead Pride compiled a couple of news reports (here and here) surveying NFL general managers, and none seem interested in a back that's nearly 30 and good for about 2-yards a carry.

Arrowhead Pride also dug up this video of LJ mocking ex-Chiefs coach Herm Edwards.



Once this whole football thing flames out, King Pink should try out for one of KC's improv groups.

Also this weekend, six people had really bad Friday nights/Saturday mornings. Four people were shot outside of Independence's Do Drop In early Sunday.

Congressman Todd Tiahrt's hair may be facing an ethics probe.

Stay far away from Weatherby Lake -- unless you like E. coli.

Kansas City's bus service will be in deep shit in five years.

Bad weekend for Kansas' college football teams. Texas Tech "decleated" the Jayhawks (check the video), and Oklahoma held off the pesky Kansas State Wildcats. Missouri rolled Colorado, jumping back in the Big 12 North race.

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We're here. Thanks to those who love us and hate us for coming back for more.

Schroeder had provided security for Dr. George Tiller

​The Wichita Eagle reports that authorities in Newton, Kansas, are investigating the "very suspicious" death of Richard Schroeder, a retired former U.S. marshal.

Schroeder's wife discovered him lying in their driveway with head injuries this morning; he was later pronounced dead at a hospital.

According to the Eagle:

During his career as a U.S. marshal, Schroeder provided court-ordered protection for abortion provider George Tiller during 1991's "Summer of Mercy" anti-abortion protests.

For a significant part of Schroeder's career -- first as a marshal and later as a private detective -- he helped provide security for Tiller, a nationally known later-term abortion provider and perennial focus of anti-abortion protests and threats. Tiller was fatally shot at his Wichita church this summer.

Schroeder, who lived in Newton, also has operated a private investigation business in the Wichita area.

The full story is here.

Update (5:55 p.m.): Thanks to commenter The DLC for pointing out that the Eagle is now reporting that authorities say Schroeder died of natural causes. The link above now takes readers to the Eagle's updated story.

​For the last four days, a multi-jurisdictional police dragnet has resulted in 110 arrests relating to prostitution, according to Sgt. Brad Dumit of KCPD's Vice Squad.

"It's everything," he tells us. "We're going after johns, girls, guys, in-calls, out-calls, we're going to them, they're coming to us, in streets, apartments on the Kansas side and Missouri side."

Dumit says local and state law enforcement agencies have been working together and sharing information about human trafficking. In addition to arresting prostitutes and their patrons, police have taken "four or five" pimps into custody after longer term investigations.

Check back for more details on Monday.

KMBC Channel 9 reports that an officer with the Kansas City police was shot in the leg around 6:30 a.m. today while making an arrest near 11th and Troost.


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KMBC reports that the officer was making an arrest when a gun fell out of the suspect's pocket and discharged, hitting the officer. The officer was reportedly taken to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Still waiting for an official dispatch from the KCPD. I'll let you know when I hear something.

Update (8:56 a.m. Friday, October, 30): The KCPD says the injured officer was a detective working at the Greyhound bus station. The detective tried to stop a suspicious acting man. There was a struggle and that's when the gun discharged, striking the detective in the leg. Police arrested the suspect and found two guns on him.

​The Kansas City Police Department is reportedly planning a DUI checkpoint for sometime between Friday and Sunday.

Your guess is as good as mine on which night and where.

So watch yourselves.

Pete Newman

​The Springfield News-Leader reports that Pete Newman was tossed in jail for showing up late to his bond hearing today.

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Thanks to former reporter/editor Randy Turner and his blog The Turner Report, I've been following the case of Pete Newman, the former Kanakuk Kamp director accused of sexually abusing teenage boys.

Actually, Kanakuk is a Christian sports camp.

As we mentioned earlier, Turner noted Newman's scheduled court appearance for this morning.

An arrest warrant was issued for Newman today during his bond hearing.

The Turner Report says Newman no-showed the hearing and his bond was increased to $100,000. It's all on Casenet (just enter Newman's name or the case number, 09AF-CR02097).

U.S. Department of Justice

This is what $207 million in drug money looks like

​Given that the campaign to renew the COMBAT tax is in full swing, we figured it was time to look at the numbers. Ready? Here's the breakdown of how $10,487,768 of your tax dollars -- 2009's COMBAT anti-drug tax fund -- was doled out among local agencies.

(The agencies are categorized by the COMBAT goal they serve: Prevention, Treatment, D.A.R.E. and Law Enforcement. There's a 2009 grant match for which some agencies also qualified.)

​My colleague Jason Harper over on the Wayward Blog has an update on the death of Anne Winter, who owned and operated the Recycled Sounds record store for 18 years, until it closed in 2006.

Winter committed suicide last Thursday in her home. She was 45.

Harper notes that some locals have anonymously set up a donation site at AnnieWinter.org to raise money for Winter's two children.

They write:

Anne's journey has ended. But the journey for her young children, and for those generously taking responsibility for them and forced to take responsibility for the catastrophe left in the wake of our collective loss has just begun. Their grief will not end. It will only subside until it doesn't interfere with everyday living. Please find it in your heart to contribute what you can to ameliorate some of this long, protracted burden -- financial and otherwise.

Harper reports that the folks behind the site are trying to get nonprofit status for the fund.

For more about the impact Winter's death has had on the community, read Harper's column in this week's Pitch and check out Travis Fox's comic strip about Winter's generosity toward local artists and activists.

Over the weekend came news about of security guards at Gerry's Sliver Slipper getting in a gunfight with a drive-by shooter.

No one was injured -- this time.


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This latest shootout brings back memories of a shooting last year at the strip club located at
4704 Independence Ave.

The Kansas City Star reported last night that Kenneth L. Frazier pleaded guilty to felon in possession of a firearm charges; Frazier, who was working as a DJ at the Silver Slipper, allegedly shot a man outside the club.

The Silver Slipper's issues have carried over to this year.