I’m getting Married in the Mornin, Ding-Dong the Bells are Gonna Ring!

We all probably remember that song from the Lerner & Lowe musical My Fair Lady when the father goes out with his single buddies the night prior to his pending nuptials, celebrating the last rites of his life as a single man. Well, tonight is that night for Kansas City Missouri Police Chief Jim Corwin. No word on whether he’ll “pull out the stopper” and “have a whopper” (per the musical again) or who the designated driver will be given the complete lack of “professional courtesy” shown other KCPD officer(s) recently pinched for DUI.
One thing this lil pooch DOES know is that the chief is tyin the knot once again tomorrow (Saturday June 27th) at a super private ceremony at his home. The service will be followed by a reception and BBQ at the present Corwin home (the one he didn’t lose in the divorce) somewhere up north.
Note to potential wedding crashers and angry ex-spouses though – there will probably be enough police brass (present and retired) at this little party to kill a whale. Our sources indicate that the Chief is marrying the former Patty Ryan (Fialka) who, interestingly, divorced her husband in 2006. Corwin’s first wife Glenda filed for divorce very early in 2007 according to court records. That whole affair (ahem) was very quick and very quiet, being finalized in less than 50 days from the date of filing. The future Mrs. Corwin II is a 1974 graduate of Park Hill High School and is heir apparent to the Pizza Shoppe chain, launched in 1969 in Platte Woods MO by her parents.
An interesting side note – It sure looks to this lil pooch like the Chief has an affinity for Lake Waukomis girls, given both his first wife and his second wife spent their formative years there.

RIverdogs - - Mighty MO Claims yet Another Victim

Tis a sad day in the big town for hot dog fans.

Kitchy new dive HotDog joint Riverdogs has officially closed their doors leaving frankfurter afficianados throughout the metro dogless!

The joint opened earlier this year in a tiny building near 1st & Troost in the Missouri River bottoms west of the Paseo Bridge. It was run by long-time Northeast guy and retired K.C. Firefighter John Bruno who served up some of the best Chicago and New York style hot dogs in the city. Lines at lunch often stretched across the street, mostly made up of downtown office workers who made the trip for great tasting fare including a giant pork tender and a pig snout sandwich.

This lil poooch ate there too and each time came away stuffed to the gills and highly satisfied. Bruno sold the restaurant recently however amid problems getting good help. The new owners apparently had the same issues because now there's a big "CLOSED" sign hanging over the ordering window.
Sad, sad sad.

Doing some quick labor math makes me wonder what the problem is getting good help at a place that is open 4 daylight hours a day (10a - 2p) weekdays only. Essentially what could be referred to as bankers hours. Additionally, with an 8-10 item menu that is 75% hotdogs, how tough can this be? I mean really!

Has the economy come that far that people won't work an 8-10 hour day to run their own business? I think that's a much sadder commentary than anything else!

Draw your own conclusions about why, but it certainly sounds to me like the new owners just didn't want to put the effort in to making a go if it despite a strong local following that seemed to be growing larger by the day with literally no paid advertising.
Another great Kansas City dive gone.

Seperated at Birth?

We watched the old Rankin-Bass classic Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer last Christmas and both of us wondered about whether the evil Burgermeister Meisterburger and embattled Co-Mayor Gloria Squitiro were in fact seperated at birth.
You be the judge.

Where's the Outrage?

Since January 1st of this year, moreover since our new President and chief diety was sworn in, gasoline prices have skyrocketed. In January, pump prices in Kansas City bottomed out near $1.35 a gallon with lower prices in some eastern burbs of the city. These days however, prices in the area average $2.50 a gallon, even more on the Kansas side, representing an almost 80% increase in the per gallon price. Industry experts say that's the sharpest increase in history over a 6-month period of time. Other industry analysts are predicting $3.00/gal prices by the July 4th holiday.
But where's the outrage?
Last summer, when gas prices hovered near the $4.00 per gallon mark, the mainstream media decried the evil Dick Cheney and George Bush were busy lining the pockets of their oil company buddies. Business reporters at MSNBC and CNN were quick to jump on the bandwagon, spewing bile about record oil company profits and the evil Republicans who benefit from the "price gouging" at the pump.
All of that media outrage has strangely (well, not so much)disappeared.
Why?
Where's the outrage now?

Well you won't hear about it on CNN or PMS-NBC. ABC won't tell you - especially given they'll be doing the nightly news from the Blue Room of the White House next Wednesday evening. (but they're not in the tank- ohh noooo)

The answer - this administration wants you to suffer at the pump (among other places) so they can jam cafe standards for auto makers down your throat and drive the "unheathy" and evil SUV to extinction. All in the name of their clean earth, environmentalist whacko agenda.

Hang on to your wallets folks - this is just the beginning.

Party Time!! Silver Slipper Reopens Today

After serving a 66 day license suspension for a variety of violations, embattled strip club Gerry's Silver Slipper reopens today.

Club owners denied any wrongdoing in the melee that erupted there in February and were quick to distance themselves from the double homicide that occurred outside the club a couple of weeks later after the club closed for the day.

According to provisions set forth in the suspension, club owners and management will be providing education, instruction and training to employees on city ordinances.

Tractor Parades now Legal in Missouri - THANK GAWD!!!

Hallelujah and saints be praised - tractor parades are now legal in the state of Missouri. Newly elected Governor Jay Nixon this afternoon stood out on the south lawn of the Missouri Capitol next to a 1951 John Deere (made in Waterloo Iowa mind you and owned by a Tipton MO man)and heralded the grand news that - yes indeed folks, tractors can now be driven on Missouri roadways for fundriasing purposes. But only during daylight hours though.

THANK YOU GOD!! Well, and Governor Nixon too. I've got an old Farmall I've been itchin to take to the bowling alley and this is the legislation I've ben waiting for! WOOOHOOO!!!!!
Only God knows how many high-speed tractor chases the Highway Patrol has been involved in over the years. These rogue tractor drivers, I tell ya. My guess is its well in to the...
(crickets)

Wonder if this will spark a new craze of putting neon and ground effects and resinator mufflers on the old Massey-Fergeson!

The bill's passing comes just in the nick of time for the upcoming tractor parade up St. Joe way on June 27th to raise money for MDA or MS or another acronym'd malady.

No word on if DOT helmets will be required of now legal tractor drivers or if tractor drivers just need the standard DeKalb Seed ball-cap to be in compliance.

Funkhouser, Police Fiddle while violence escalates

Rome's burning Mr. Mayor. Gang violence is escelating Mr. Corwin. Are you listening?
This lil pooch would dare say not.
The same day an arrest was made in the March 2009 shooting at a known gang hangout near Scarritt & Jackson, we are treated to more violence brought to you Kansas City's street gangs.
Police were called this evening to a location near 9th & Van Brunt, then chased a perp down near 16th & Cypress. Gang violence? Shots fired? My money's on "yes".
Payback for yesterday's murder of one Josh Sadler, 22 of Kansas City last night near 11th & Belmont?
Hard telling.
One thing is for sure. Neighborhood leaders in Northeast are fed up with the non-reaction from command staff at East Patrol.
On the same evening, neighbors in the 4000 block of Morrell were treated to what can only be defined as a training excercize in firearms training by the local street thugs. According to neighbors there, shots rang out "throughout the night".
One long-time neighbor's reaction: "I'm out of here".
Another vacant house.
Gangs - 1, Peaceful family residents - 0
Long time Sheffield and Indian Mound neighbors are under seige as well.
K.C. PD's response...
Still waiting. The emergency eviction on the criminals was filed how long ago?
(crickets)
Somehow, "I'll get back to you asap" just don't cut it when the lead starts to fly. Sleeping on a mattress on the floor so your out of harms way when the shots go astray seems to be the norm rather than the exception any more.
This lil pooch is stocking up on Kevlar and ammo.
And under this administration, you'd better stock up while you still can.