FUND MY ANGRY MOB - OR ELSE!!!

This lil news-hound just received a "press release" from the Aim4Peace rent-a-mob folks that they'll be holding a press conference this afternoon to support the ongoing city (read TAXPAYER) funding of their protest mentality, scare tactics.
Now we're not sure whether it was a Freudian slip or what, but here's a direct quote from their press release.

"...to take a few minutes, come out & support this inactive to keep the movement alive.

Inactive. That'd be the perfect verb to describe what these sign totin, rented "volunteers" are. "Inactive". Course, when your gravy train is fixin to get derailed, and your very existance is threatened, ya gotta pull out all the stops. Get them buses rollin, get them signs painted, make sure the bull-horn is all charged up - we be fixin to make some noise!!!
Meanwhile - the rest of us with real jobs, who aren't dependent on the taxpayer's doll to pay our freight have better things to do than scream in to bullhorns in front of the TV cameras - especially during business hours.
And when the TV cameras disappear - so will the mobs, the buses, the signs. Its all about The Show with these types. Form over substance.
And for you folks who live in rural areas of incorporated Kansas City, you too have the unique privilege of funding these rented goons too! This despite the fact they won't come to YOUR suburban cul de sac anytime soon - trust me! It ain't about the burbs with these folks.

The best thing the city council can do with this bunch is send em packin, deny their funding, so they'll get real jobs and start paying taxes instead of livin off em.

This lil pooch has a simple solution to the crime problem. CCW.
Hasn't failed yet!

...and the gods of journalism smiled down upon us...

Word on the street, or at least according to John Landsberg over at Bottom Line Communications is that Lewis Duiguid, mr. race baiting, racist ( yes, this lil pooch called him a racist) Star columnist Lewis Duiguid has lost his VP gig, his column (which actually went bye-bye in December) as well as a good percentage of his reportedly six-figure paycheck.
There are Gods in Journalism after all.
The unfortunate part of the deal is that he maintains his position on the Star’s Editorial Board that supposedly “shapes the Star’s view on issues”.
Ahem.
I feel like the kid in the film Animal House when the “Playboy Bunny” landed on his bed and he looks skyward and exclaims: “Thank you God”!
This crack-pot Duiguid is the one who equated anyone – ANYONE who, during last year’s presidential campaign, called the messiah Obama a Socialist was also, by default – a racist.

Duiguid’s new boss will be Miriam Pepper, Vice President of the Editorial Page.

Central Bank Robbed - Suspect Gravely Wounded by Police

Police Officers responded to Central Bank at 2301 Independence Blvd this afternoon after the bank was robbedthe bank late Monday afternoon.

Police sources indicate that a lone gunman entered the bank at approximately 4:30 this afternoon and demanded cash from a teller. The suspect fled on foot with an undisclosed amount of cash. Police officers patroling nearby noticed the suspect and followed him south along Park Avenue toward Olive Park VIllage apartments. Officers noted that the suspect was changing clothes as he fled and at one point actually dropped the backpack that held the stolen cash. Police caught up with the suspect in a parking lot near 8th & Olive where, according to sources he confronted the officers, threatening to kill them. The suspect was shot by officers and transported to an area hospital where he was declared dead. The name of the suspect has not been released at this time. The officers involved are on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.

This is the second time in a week that the main branch of Central Bank has been held up. Last week, a suspect robbed the bank and was apprehended a short time later near Independence & Chestnut.

Bloodletting Commences at Major Daily(s)

According to John Landsberg over at Bottom Line Communnications, some major players have been tapped by the grim reaper's bony hand this morning down at 1729 Grand. (The Star)
Today is Black Monday for the McClatchy owned Star as well as the Olathe Daily News.
As of 8:45 Monday evening, here's at least a partial list of who's getting the axe. So far, it reads like a who's-who of long-time, staffers and columnists.

Eric Palmer, Deputy Business Editor
DeAnn Smith, Investigative Reporter
Rick Alm, Gambling & Tourism Reporter
David Hayes, Technology/Internet Reporter
Malcolm Garcia, Reporter
Don Allmon, IT
Greg Peters, Photo Desk
Katie Middleton, Northland Editor
Jim Pedley, Motor Sports Writer
John Mark Eberhart, Books Editor
Ward Triplett, Wire Editor (credit Pitch)
Robert Folsom, Features Copy Editor
David Boyce, Sports Reporter
Mike Fitzgerald, Asst. Sports Editor
Stephen Winn- Deputy Editorial Page Editor
Trudy Hurley- Editorial Assistant
Kirk Weber- Night City Editor
Dennis Boone- Jackson County Editor
Russ Pulley- Independence Bureau Reporter
Bill Graham, Platte County Reporter/Columnist
Tom Dolphens, Asst. Mng. Editor
Terrel Harris, (Unknown)
Beth Jordan, Copy Editor
Georgann Norton, Copy Editor
Nick Poirier, (Unknown)
Kent Pulliam, Sports Reporter
Samantha Branson, Copy Editor

MADE PART-TIME WITH CUTS IN PAY & BENEFITS
Robert Butler, Movie Critic
Mike Hendricks, Columnist
Steve Penn, Columnist
Carol Powers, Deputy Features Editor
Alice Thorson, Art Critic
Robert Trussell, Theater Critic
Donna Vestal, Business Editor

Originally reported this morning by Bottom Line Communications was that the Olathe Daily News (taken over by McClatchy a few years back) would cease to publish a print product and fold their staff in to the neighborhood news section. However, updated reports indicate that it will now take the place of the Olathe Neighborhood News and will retain Olathe News-only subscribers and be inserted into the Star, taking the place of the Olathe Neighborhood News.
BLC quotes a source close to the carnage as saying: "The Olathe News will be redesigned into a tabloid, but remain independent in look and voice," says the source. "All Olathe News employees--those who are left after layoffs tomorrow---will become Star employees and work within its system to produce The Olathe News.

On the Pacific coast, sources at the Hearst owned Seattle Post Intelligencer announced today that their operation would cease publishing a print product with the March 17, 2009 edition. According to Marketwatch.com who broke the news, it is the largest Hearst owned daily paper to become a web only product.

We'd like to recognize John Landsberg of Bottom Line Communications who has been doing yeoman's work today closely following this sad and developing story. Its not fun watching the slow, painful demise of one of the oldest print news sources in the city and John is covering this professionally and objectively. We'd like to thank him for his work and credit him for our ability to post updated information for our readers.
This lil pooch sez WOOF! That's Bunny-speak for thanks!

Layoffs Hit Paragraph Factory - Again

Things aren't good for the daily rag here in town as about 150 employees got pink slips today. Affected staffers received a form letter from head honcho Mark Zieman thanking them for their sacrifices.
Interestingly, the letter indicated this was the "final stages" of staff reduction. If that sounds familiar, its bacause every blood letting at The Star recently has been their "final stage".

Adding insult to injury - staffers who survived the budget axe are taking a pay cut too. Employees who make in excess of $100-k get whacked by 10%. If you fall under the $100-k ceiling, you get a 5% whack. Guess that's that "spreadin the wealth around" Obama-nomics.
The absolute funniest part of the letter was in the final paragraph. Here's a snippet, courtesy of John Landsberg over at Bottom Line Communications.

[b]Not only have you kept our newspaper safe, you have made heroic progress toward successfully transitioning The Star to a multimedia, multi-platform future.
Even during this difficult time, we remain far and away our region's preeminent source for news and advertising. When the economy recovers we will be well-positioned for future growth.[/b]

Puhlease. I think they pegged the B.S. meter with that one. How bout you! "Heroic"?
SHEESH!!!
"Kept the newspaper SAFE?"
I can hear the death rattle from here!

Shooting Near Gladstone Elementary Results in Death

Kansas City Police Officers on Tuesday morning were investigating a shooting that resulted in the city’s latest homicide. Officers initially responded to a shots fired call near the intersection of Elmwood and Scarritt Avenues Tuesday evening at approximately 10:45 pm. across from Gladstone Elementary School. Sources indicated that a man living at 220 North Elmwood was outside when a disturbance erupted between the resident and a group of black male subjects in a PT Cruiser on the street. Allegedly, the parties began shooting at one another and the subjects in PT Cruiser fled the scene, pursued by the resident and a Hispanic male friend in a black Pontiac.

The suspect’s vehicle was later discovered abandoned in an alley behind the Mark I apartments near Maple Boulevard and Missouri Avenue. One subject, a black male in his 20’s was discovered deceased inside the vehicle from alleged gunshot wounds. The name of the victim has not been released at this time pending notification of relatives. Later in the morning, (above) police investigators marked footprints in the snow through Maple Park with orange cones that led from the area near the abandoned vehicle toward the Riverview housing project. Sources close to the investigation indicated that at least one suspect from the PT cruiser was in custody and Police were questioning other occupants of the car.
The Hispanic male has not been located at this time.

Neighbors living near the house on Elmwood stated that there hadn’t been any problems at the house until last week when thieves tried to steal a number of vehicles in the vicinity of Elmwood and Scarritt. “Maybe they came back to try and finish things up” said one neighbor who wished to remain anonymous.

Police at this hour are continuing their investigation. Watch for updates on this story on our web site and in next week’s print edition.

Suburban Weeklies Slay Major Daily - at least for now

Sources indicate that the daily rag (The Star) is going to the dogs pretty quickly.

John Landsberg over at Bottom Line Communications is reporting that the KCK, Northland (Platte County) and the eastern Jackson County bureaus for the paper will close soon.
No word on the number of impacted employees or when the bureaus will shut their doors.
Time was when the major daily built up its suburban offices specifically to drive the dominant weekly out of business.
So much for that, at least for now.
NPG (formerly Townsend) papers up north are still functioning on all cylinders although down a bit. The Examiner recently suspended printing of its Monday edition and last week indicated it would deliver morning editions only.
Publishing giant, or what's left of them, Gatehouse Media (who also owns The Examiner) ceased printing of the Kansas City Kansan late last year, but upstarts from Parkville have slid in with a new KCK weekly print product.

While some believe the print world is going to the dogs, this lil pooch thinks the time is ripe for local investor types with a nose for local news to pick up some good print products (The Examiner for starters) for pennies on the dollar.
Local news sells locally - in print or otherwise.

Given Gatehouse stock is trading in the 8-10 cent per share area, you could easily pick up The Examiner for, oh, the price of a 72 ElDorado!