Kansas City Late/Early News Links: Fighting For Politics, Baseball & Freedom From COVID

More than anything else about this blog, we enjoy sharing some of the more interesting things we're watching on the Internets. Locally and around the world . . .

Here's a peek at our faves for tonight . . .

Baseball History Redux

Kansas City Monarchs take the field again after 56 years

SHOULD BE A HOLIDAY. SHE'S NOT KIDNGDI CHRISTINA JENKINS AND BRAD KEEN THE FIRST FOLKS TO ERVE TAILGATE AT A NEW CASEY MONARCHS GAME AND BY A LONG SHOT GETTGIN SOME SIX HOURS BEFORE FIRST PITCH. I DIDN'T THINK THERE WAS GONNA BE A SEASON TSHI YEAR.

Smallish Rock Chalk Solution Offered

KU students help build tiny homes for homeless families in Lawrence

DOUGLAS COUNTY, KS (KCTV) -- Despite it being such a different year, many of students at the University of Kansas were able to accomplish incredible things. That includes some students within the School of Architecture, who spent the last twelve months making homes for those in need.

Show-Me No Weed Secrets

Court: Medical marijuana license applications not secret

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) - State regulators cannot keep information from medical marijuana license applications secret, a Missouri appeals court ruled Tuesday. The Western District of the Court of Appeals ruled in a lawsuit filed by a California-based company that was denied an application to cultivate cannabis as part of Missouri's medical marijuana industry.

Celbrate Po-Po Progress

Positive Connections: Kansas women break barriers, blaze path in policing

ARKANSAS, CITY, Kan. (KSNW) - The women within the Arkansas City Police Department are breaking barriers, making up more than 20 percent of the commissioned staff. "It's encouraging to me to see the females go through the ranks and see that it is possible and sex doesn't matter," said Arkansas Police Master Patrol Officer Kelsey [...]

Rehabbing Downtown Grindhouse

B&B Theatres begins work on renovating Main Street cinema

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Summer is the season of blockbusters, and with movie theaters bracing for an attendance surge, and that includes the soon-to-be reopened Main Street cinema, now owned by B&B Theatres. "This is one of many locations that we're adding to the B&B family over the next couple of months, and pretty rapidly growing," said B&B Theatres executive vice president Bobbie Bagby Ford.

Discounting COVID Precautions

Hy-Vee becomes latest major retailer to nix mask mandate

KANSAS CITY (KCTV) -- Hy-Vee has become the latest major store chain to relax its mask mandate, saying vaccinated customers and employees no longer need to wear face coverings at their locations.

Former Prez Confronts New York State Of Mind

New York prosecutor says Trump inquiry now 'criminal'

A spokesman for the state's top prosecutor says the inquiry is "no longer purely civil".

Broadcasting Royal Tirade

Hannity calls out Prince Harry: We don't need First Amendment 'lectures' from you

Fox News host Sean Hannity delivered a scathing monologue after Prince Harry called the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution "bonkers" during a podcast appearance. "I have a message for Harry, who is now attacking one of America's most sacred rights, the freedom of speech under our First Amendment.

Costly COVID Rule Breaking

'Best $500 I ever spent': GOP lawmakers flout mask rules, risk fine on House floor

Several Republican lawmakers, in an act of apparent protest, flouted mask rules on the House floor Tuesday during a voting session and then took a photo in front of the Capitol steps. "Best $500 I ever spent," Rep.

India Plagued Again

India's holiest river is swollen with Covid victims

India's holiest river, the Ganges, has been swollen with bodies in recent days. Hundreds of corpses have been found floating in the river or buried in the sand of its banks. Those who live close to where they have washed up, in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, fear they are Covid-19 victims. India has been overwhelmed by a devastating second wave of the pandemic in recent weeks.

More Deets On COVID Double Down

How contagious is the coronavirus variant from India? What the science shows

Scientists are scrambling to understand what role B.1.617, the variant discovered in India, will play in future surges of Covid-19. The trajectory of the variant, whether it continues spreading at its current pace or slows, will be clearer in the coming weeks.

WHO SEYZ NOT TO WORK LATE?!?

Long working hours are leading to a rise in premature deaths, the W.H.O. says.

Long working hours are leading to hundreds of thousands of deaths per year, according to a new study by the World Health Organization and the International Labour Organization. Working more than 55 hours a week in a paid job resulted in 745,000 deaths in 2016, the study estimated, up from 590,000 in 2000.

Evolution Monument Crumbles Over Time

Galapagos rock formation Darwin's Arch has collapsed

(CNN) - One of the most famous rock formations in the Galapagos Islands has collapsed into the sea. The top of Darwin's Arch, located in the northern part of the archipelago, fell as "a consequence of natural erosion," according to the Ministry of Environment for Ecuador.

Tough Future For Retail

Stock futures are flat ahead of more retail earnings

U.S. stock futures were flat in overnight trading on Tuesday ahead of more retail earnings. Dow futures fell about 40 points. S&P 500 futures gained 0.15% and Nasdaq 100 futures rose 0.1%. On Tuesday, the major averages ended the day in the red after notching gains earlier in the session.

Cyber Snooping On The Troops

Pentagon Plans to Monitor Social Media of Military Personnel for Extremist Content

As part of the Biden administration's crackdown on domestic extremism, the Pentagon plans to launch a pilot program for screening social media content for extremist material, according to internal Defense Department documents reviewed by The Intercept, as well as a source with direct knowledge of the program.

Amazon Talks Tracking

Amazon extends ban on police use of its facial recognition software | Engadget

Two years ago reports revealed that Amazon was providing facial recognition software for use by police departments, even as questions arose about the bias, privacy and potentially life-destroying errors that could result. A year ago Amazon announced a one year moratorium on such use of its Rekognition platform, and now reports that instead of letting the ban expire, Amazon has extended it "until further notice."

Celeb Gossip Exposed

Aubrey O'Day once claimed Kim Kardashian and Travis Barker hooked up

The Kardashians are so close they may have even shared a man. Aubrey O'Day once claimed that Kim Kardashian used to hook up with sister Kourtney Kardashian's now-boyfriend, Travis Barker. The former Danity Kane member's story resurfaced after Barker's ex-wife Shanna Moakler made headlines for claiming the Blink-182 drummer had an affair with Kim that led to their 2008 divorce.

Truckin’ After COVID

Monster Jam returns to GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City in June

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Monster Jam is returning to Kansas City this summer. The motorsports show will take place on June 26 and 27 at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Preferred customers can already purchase tickets online and tickets for Jackson County taxpayers and Chiefs Season Ticket Members go on sale Wednesday.

Cinematic Comeback Double Take

Film industry helps Kansas City rebound from COVID-19 pandemic

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - While movies and TV shows have helped many people get through the past year, the film industry also is helping Kansas City rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic. It was just over a year ago when film sets shut down as the virus continued to spread.

First Responders Second Guess Career

Shortage of paramedics being felt in the Kansas City metro

A shortage of paramedics is being felt in the Kansas City metro.The calls keep coming but finding staff to answer them is more difficult because of the pandemic."Certainly, the challenges of last year were like nothing we'd ever seen," said Matt Mace, fire chief for the Raytown Fire Protection District.Raytown has 12 first responders on duty 24/7.

Winning Royal Quickie Tonight

Bubic shines in Royals' 2-0 win over Brewers

That was a really, really fun baseball game. The Royals beat the Brewers, 2-0, in a game that felt both very short and very long at the same time. The pitching shined, the offense came through late, and we got to see a couple of ejections, which is always fun!

Kansas City Midweek Forecast

Scattered rain showers tonight, more T-storm chances on Wednesday

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And this is the OPEN THREAD for right now.