stjoelive.com | Stories for August 2008

Cardinals cut Rector; other locals make NFL squads

All but one local football standouts survived Saturday's final round of NFL cuts.

BEARCAT NOTES: Osborn's performance lost in loss

Northwest Missouri State's 44-27 season-opening loss against Abilene Christian seemed to overshadow a significant accomplishment by Bearcat quarterback Joel Osborn.

Royals sinking in standings, not attendance

KANSAS CITY - They're headed for their fifth straight last-place finish in the AL Central, they're playing at a dusty construction site and their highest-paid player keeps insulting fans. So home attendance for the Kansas City Royals must be on the rocks, right? Actually, no.

Missouri holds off Illinois challenge

ST. LOUIS - Sean Weatherspoon bailed out a leaky Missouri defense with two takeaways late and Jeremy Maclin had a 99-yard kickoff return and 45-yard punt return before leaving in the fourth quarter with an ankle injury in a the Tigers' 52-42 victory over No. 20 Illinois on Saturday night.

Chiefs trim roster to 53, pick Novak as kicker

KANSAS CITY - The rebuilding Kansas City Chiefs held true to their youth movement on the final cut-down day. Every one of their 12 draft picks remained with the organization after the Chiefs announced 21 players who were cut.

Abilene Christian hammers Northwest in opener

Abilene Christian scored 30 unanswered points on the strength of Billy Malone's right arm Saturday night as the Wildcats defeated third-ranked Northwest Missouri State 44-27 in the season opener for both teams.

Friday's Prep football box scores

Week 1 High School football

Week 1 High School football results

Christian falls to Mound City

After watching his brother scamper into the end zone two times, Gage Rosier was ready for his turn. He didn't have to wait very long, however, as lightning of the Rosier variety struck five times Friday night. Mound City's speedster siblings - senior Cole and junior Gage - torched St. Joseph Christian's defense during a convincing 54-6 season-opening victory at Christian Field.

Bearcats open season against tough foe

MARYVILLE, Mo. - Northwest Missouri State coach Mel Tjeerdsma figures the best defense against the likes of Harlon Hill Trophy favorite Bernard Scott and gun-slinging quarterback Danny Malone just might be an efficient offense. That's a key to winning a 14th consecutive home opener when the third-ranked Bearcats open the season at 6 tonight against No. 8 Abilene Christian.

Maryville surges past Hickman Mills

MARYVILLE, Mo. - Maryville's coaches finally decided to pull some starters with about 4 minutes left Friday night against Hickman Mills. Head coach Chris Holt thought he could finally breathe easily with time ticking away and a 15-point lead. Hickman Mills just kept going but didn't have enough. Maryville held on for a 34-25 win despite two turnovers and a late screen-pass touchdown for Hickman Mills.

LeBlond able to knock off Mid-Buchanan

LeBlond senior scores 2 touchdowns, sparking Eagles' win

A few mental mistakes and Jacob Lilly salvaged Bishop LeBlond's season opener from the clutches of Mid-Buchanan quarterback Drew Gray on Friday night. Lilly's sack of Gray near midfield helped thwart a late, potentially game-winning drive as the Golden Eagles defeated the Dragons 21-15 Friday night at Eagle Field.

Travel Log: Car 1 in the places between here and Aberdeen, S.D.

The trip from St. Joseph to Aberdeen is about eight hours by one car. If you need two vehicles to get there, then you better plan a couple of additional hours into your travel itinerary. Our trip involved three automobiles for good measure, but to accurately tell the story, we need to start with the original.

Travel Log: Car 3 through the nothingness

Car No. 1 the Chrysler 300 wasn't ready Thursday. So we piled into Western's Prize Patrol a cramped Toyota FJ Cruiser escaping the apocalyptic mosquitoes that swarmed by the dozens on athlete and reporter alike during postgame on the field.

Travel Log: Car 2 in scenic Aberdeen, S.D.

Eleven hours after leaving St. Joseph, we rolled into beautiful Aberdeen, riding sweet in our Intrepid, just in time for midnight. The most notable thing about Aberdeen at night are the "casinos" stuffed into seemingly every gas station and bar little rooms with slot machines. It's like midget Vegas, except without the glamor, size or visitors.

GAME BLOG: Western 38, Northern State 27

The Griffons defense came out like a stampede. Western blitzed like crazy and swarmed toward the ball or at least where they thought the ball would be. There were a couple of problems with that approach against Northern State on Thursday night. First, the Griffons didn't tackle all that well when they did get to the ball early the drawback of not doing much live tackling in fall practice to keep everyone healthy. The second downside, which allowed the Wolves to tie this game heading into halftime and keep it close for most of the third quarter, involved the Wolves' rebuttal to Western's overly aggressive mentality.

IHOP locating on North Belt

IHOP submitted plans with the city of St. Joseph this week for a new restaurant at 3804 N. Belt Highway, near Culver's and Fritz's Carwash. The city's building development team is reviewing the plans.

Free fallin'

Arts in St. Joe are on the stage and on display this fall

You may have noticed those bright orange signs proclaiming St. Joseph a 2008 Creative Community when you drive up and down Frederick Avenue. Wanna know how it got that title? Do ya? If you go check out any number of arts events this fall, you'll see why. Whether it's competing conductors, hit musicals, Midwest art or a Stephen King masterpiece being brought to the stage, there's something anyone can appreciate this upcoming fall season besides leaves changing colors, Halloween and new episodes of "Grey's Anatomy."

Holiday music

Annual Krug Park Bash to feature free family entertainment

Don't say there's nothing to do in St. Joseph. Fred Moore, professionally known as DJ Heat, has taken care of that problem - at least for this weekend.

Luck of the Irish

KC Irish Fest kicks off this weekend

St. Patrick's Day is long over, but there's no reason you can't celebrate your Irish heritage all year long. And the KC Irish Fest is just the place to do it.

A blend of technology

The Republic Tigers are seeing success with their aural experience

After a show in Boston one night in May, the members of the Republic Tigers got in their van to travel to New York City for their next performance. They arrived at their destination at 5 a.m. the next morning. The musicians were exhausted, so they decided to park in front of the venue and rest. That venue was the Ed Sullivan Theater. They were the musical guests on "The Late Show with David Letterman." "There we were," Kenn Jankowski, the band's lead vocalist, recalls, "camping out in front of the place like guests normally DON'T do."

That game we play? Is age just a number?

They say age is just a number, but I've always wondered if that was true when it came to dating. In high school, I dated a sophomore when I was a senior and, to be honest, I kind of felt like a child molester every time we kissed. That's part of the reason the relationship only lasted three weeks.

The Shuffle: Another brick in the Wal

The land of CD retailers is becoming increasingly desolate terrain in today's music industry. iPods are the norm, and CDs are slowly but surely going the way of the 8-Track and Betamax, turning compact discs into very fashionable coasters.

This is: James Phalen

What's in that?: Lightning Storm shot at Last Call

Briefs for Aug. 29, 2008

That's cool: Thirsty Light ($9.99)

Calendars for Aug. 29, 2008

Northwest Missouri State 2008 football scouting report

Here is a position-by-position look at the 2008 Northwest Missouri State football program.

Erspamer looks to take charge of Northwest defense

Not so many years ago he was like so many of his Maryville school classmates, his little nose pushed tightly against the chain-link fence as he strained to see "them," to see what was happening on that 100-yard expanse of green that seemed so huge at the time. Now, Myles Burnsides is one of "them." To a new generation of young Northwest Missouri State football fans, Myles Burnsides is a hometown hero.

Council, Cook look to replace Bearcat star Xavier Omon

MARYVILLE, Mo. - No Xavier Omon? No problem. That's the attitude of Northwest Missouri State coach Mel Tjeerdsma, who for the first time in five preseasons faces the prospect of doing battle in the MIAA without his workhorse running back. Omon became a sixth-round draft choice of the Buffalo Bills this spring. Fans may worry. Will it be LaRon Council or Sheldon Cook who replaces Omon in the backfield? Does either have enough experience to get the job done? Are they fast enough? Are they durable enough?

Missouri Western 2008 scouting report

Here's a position-by-position look at Missouri Western's 2008 football program.

Western looks to turn Page on its ground game

No. 25 still lined up in the Missouri Western backfield during fall practice. But it wasn't La'Darrian Page - the dynamic speedster who occupied that jersey last season and was expected to do the same for the next three. Page is gone after one scintillating freshman season at running back because of failing grades. Running back Anthony Easterwood is sporting Page's former No. 25 in practice, while transfer corner Ian Thompson will wear it on game day. Although it doesn't really matter who wears the number, Western will be hard pressed to find another Page - a 5-foot-6 scat back and constant threat to score.

Refining his game

Western's Newhart ready to improve on freshman year

The formations disappear almost as quickly as they are completed on a dry erase board in this windowless, cement block room in the Baker Fitness Center. Missouri Western offensive coordinator Tyler Fenwick scribbles 22 shapes, a few arrows, rattles off a couple of quick questions to his three quarterbacks and then moves on to the next formation.

MIAA could be a conference of all-star QBs in 2008

Record breakers, proven performers and highly prized newcomers will be under center when the MIAA kicks off its football season. Few fans would doubt that the MIAA is a hotbed of capable quarterbacks, from Pittsburg State's accurate Mark Smith to Nebraska-Omaha's versatile Zach Miller. The cache of talent will keep defenses on their toes each week. One of the more notable MIAA newcomers is no stranger to Division II football at all. Nebraska-Omaha's Zach Miller gets to test the waters of a new conference after being named the North Central Conference's most valuable offensive back last season.

The turf's always greener ...

MIAA schools engaged in a fundraising struggle to keep up with each other

The glamour gave way to the process. Members from nine MIAA schools already boxed up their media guides, picked up their token helmets and left the Arrowhead Stadium Club for their respective towns. The conference's staff turned off the big screen projector, took down the MIAA's banner - emblazoned with the league's new logo - and packed up the 2008 championship trophy. The Stadium Club's staff cleared the final remnants of the MIAA's football luncheon - some crumpled up napkins and water glasses. The only remaining signs of the conference's annual media gathering were a lone, red helmet with an O logo on the side, sitting at a table just to the left of the podium - where the MIAA showcased its newest member front and center just an hour earlier. And one last coach sat in the corner, conducting a couple of final interviews in a day filled with too many to keep track of. Welcome to the MIAA, Nebraska-Omaha. Omaha's campus sits in a metro area more than four times bigger than the next largest MIAA city. UNO has the highest enrollment of any MIAA school, and the Mavericks bring their $8.2 million athletic budget - the largest in the conference.

City Game of the Week: Mound City at St. Joseph Christian

Preview information

Prep Football Standings/Schedule, August 29

August 29, standings and schedule

Area Football Capsules, August 29

A look at top regional games

City Football Capsules, August 29

A look at games involving St. Joseph teams

Chiefs' offense finally scores

KANSAS CITY - Brodie Croyle directed two quick touchdown drives against the St. Louis reserves, and the Kansas City offense grabbed some much-needed momentum with a 21-17 victory over the Rams on Thursday night. The only projected Rams starter who did not take the night off in the final preseason game was center Nick Leckey. Everyone else was either a second- or third-teamer as coach Scott Linehan took a long look at players competing for the final roster spots.

News-Press 8-man football Power 5

The teams in the St. Joseph News-Press 8-man Power 5 are not selected on who could beat whom, but who we believe has the best chance to play for a state championship.

Jamboree receives mixed reviews

With extensive changes throughout the event, Benton activities director Mike Ziesel had quite a bit to worry about in the days leading up to Friday's City Football Jamboree. When the final play was whistled dead at Spratt Stadium, however, Ziesel and fellow organizers breathed a satisfying sigh of relief at the conclusion of the city's first preseason jamboree, which featured all four 11-man schools for the first time in more than 20 years.

News-Press 11-man football Power 10

The teams in the St. Joseph News-Press Power 10 are not selected on who could beat whom, but who we believe has the best chance to play for a state championship.

Northwest opens fall sports seasons

MARYVILLE, Mo. - Northwest Missouri State's volleyball team opens the school's 2008 fall sports season today during a busy opening weekend involving three different sports. Volleyball and soccer join the football team in starting their seasons, with only football playing at home.

Craig, Fairfax unite for 1st game since co-op agreement

CRAIG, Mo. - Sixteen football players on one knee listened as coach Josh Petersen chided them for a lackluster practice Wednesday afternoon. After soaking in the words, all sixteen - nine from Craig, seven from Fairfax - put a hand in the middle of a huddle. "One, two, three - TEAM," they shouted in unison. Two days before the cooperating programs' first game, there was still work left to do. But they broke huddle as the Craig Hornets.

Western game notes

Roger Allen was a captain last season, but Missouri Western's coaches didn't let the senior guard make calls on the coin flip. His debut in that role Thursday didn't quite go according to plan at Swisher Field. Northern State won the pregame toss and deferred.

Western romps in football opener

ABERDEEN, S.D. - Yet another yellow flag laid among the feet of Missouri Western's offensive linemen - a painfully familiar sight for the Griffons on Thursday night. At that point in the third quarter, the Griffons already had committed eight penalties - most of the holding variety. So as Western braced for another, Andrew Mead tempered his celebration in the Northern State end zone, waiting for the march off. Instead, the head referee signaled illegal hands to the face on Northern State, the touchdown stood and Western finally created the separation it needed to finish off a 38-27 victory over the Wolves at Swisher Field.

Where in the world is Michael Phelps?

Hint: He's everywhere

Michael Phelps is no longer going for the gold, but don't despair Phelps Phans! There's still plenty of places to see your favorite swimmer.

Week 1 Pick 'em

I didn't want to start off the 2008 season with a MIAA sweep. It seemed too easy, too egocentric, giving the conference you cover the automatic nod over the competition. So I scoured the preseason polls, projections and outlooks to find a MIAA loser for Week 1.

Rangers sweep Royals

KANSAS CITY - Matt Harrison won for the fourth time in August, pitching the Texas Rangers to a 3-2 win over the crumbling Kansas City Royals. The Royals have lost 10 of their last 11 games and 17 of 20, falling to a season-worst 21 games below .500.

Missouri Western football scouting report

Missouri Western at Northern State capsule.

Western soccer plans to build on experience

Necessity turned fall practice into more of an orientation for Missouri Western soccer the past three years. The program, started in 2005, always had more new players than returners, making the first few weeks of August less about honing skills and more about just figuring out how to be a collegiate athlete. In year No. 4, that finally has changed. Coach Jeff Hansen has 14 players returning from a team that went 4-15 last year, modestly winning the most games in the program's brief history. And the five new players have had plenty of help adjusting to college life in St. Joseph, meaning Western's coach got to do just that leading up to the Griffons' season opener Friday at Spratt Stadium.

OPINION: Tough schedule awaits as Griffon football opens season tonight

Last summer, Missouri Western coach Jerry Partridge said he felt 2009 would be the Griffons' year. Then Western went 9-3, came one upset loss at Truman State away from hosting a home playoff game for the first time in the program's history and returned the vast majority of that overacheiving bunch for this season. Even though the MIAA coaches tabbed Western in its customary fifth-place preseason slot, some believe Western is a playoff team this year. Others see the Griffons as a dark-horse candidate to win their first outright MIAA title.

Royals forced to deal with another Guillen tumult

KANSAS CITY - Royals general manager Dayton Moore said he met with Jose Guillen after the outfielder confronted a heckling fan Tuesday night. Guillen had to be restrained by catcher Miguel Olivo, third-base coach Luis Silverio and others when a fan down the right field line harassed him in the fourth inning of a 2-1 loss to the Texas Rangers. "It's an unfortunate situation. It really is," Moore said Wednesday. "Jose has got to remain focused to what happens on the baseball field. It is certainly inappropriate to engage in any conversation with the fans during a game. You need to ignore it and respond in a way that doesn't draw attention to yourself. We'll just continue to work with Jose about managing what he says and how he responds. It is something we continue to manage."

Want to hear some new Metallica?

After tons of hype and releasing dissatisfactory snippets of upcoming tracks, Metallica finally let's listeners hear a full-length song.

Missouri Prep Football Poll

Tuesday's prep sports 8-26-08

City to host high school softball championships

Mike Halloran's brain provided an inkling Thursday of what was to come. After three officials from the Missouri State High School Activities Association visited Heritage Park, Halloran liked St. Joseph's chances to host the State Softball Championships. "We kind of had a plan in mind of what we wanted to do," said the senior recreation supervisor for St. Joseph's Parks and Recreation Department, "and how we wanted to do it and how we wanted to showcase our facility and our town.

Youth gives Western volleyball an infusion of motivation

Season-ending losses usually bring with them plenty of tears and emotion - at least that was always Madison Benton's experience as a volleyball player. But after Missouri Western's 2007 campaign ended with an uninspiring sweep at Washburn, Benton looked around at a locker room full of unmoved Griffons. "A lot of the girls were just ready to be done," Benton said. "There were a lot of blank stares, really no emotion. I haven't been on a team where when you lose, you weren't extremely upset about a loss."

Unfamiliar foe kicks off Bearcats' season

Show business had the paper bag-wearing entertainer, "The Unknown Comedian." On Saturday night, Northwest Missouri State will face "The Unknown Defense" of Abilene Christian, and the Bearcats aren't amused. "We don't know what to expect from them defensively," Northwest coach Mel Tjeerdsma said Tuesday. "We've heard a rumor that they're switching defenses. That's always a danger when you play a new team. You don't know what you're going to get for sure." The Bearcats can't just go to the videotape. All the work in the film room will do little this season, because the Wildcats apparently made wholesale changes since their defense folded late in the season for the second straight campaign. At the end of the 2006 season, the Wildcats lost a 15-point lead in the fourth quarter of a first-round playoff game, falling in overtime to West Texas A&M. Even worse, Abilene Christian lost a 29-point fourth-quarter lead last season as Chadron State staged the greatest comeback in NCAA playoff history to win 76-73 in triple overtime in the second playoff round.

St. Joe set to host softball championships

The Missouri State High School Activities Association voted unanimously today to bring the state championship softball tournament to St. Joseph.

MIAA set to offer free Web casts of games

Missouri Western and Northwest Missouri State fans - or local fans of any MIAA school - will be able to watch games live online this season, and this year the service will be free. The conference announced it will again join forces with Penn Atlantic Inc. to bring fans live Web casts of MIAA events in the 2008-09 season.

Royals still in a spiral

KANSAS CITY - Nelson Cruz had three hits including a three-run homer in his season debut, and the Texas Rangers beat the Kansas City Royals 9-4 Monday night.

Monday's Prep Sports Results

High School Sports for Aug. 25

Kansas Speedway could gain inside track

Casino approval could come with road course on infield

TOPEKA, Kan. - Kansas Speedway said Monday that it would add a road course to its infield if it is awarded the contract to manage the state-owned hotel and casino complex in Wyandotte County. Two weeks ago, the speedway offered to seek a second NASCAR Sprint Cup race if it gets the 15-year casino management contract. The speedway is part of the Kansas Entertainment LLC partnership that's bidding against three others to build and manage a casino in Wyandotte County.

Chiefs reel in Feely to contend for spot

KANSAS CITY - Apparently unsatisfied with both candidates in a summer-long kicking competition, the Kansas City Chiefs signed free agent Jay Feely to a one-year contract Monday.

Griffons prepare to speed things up

Come Thursday night, Missouri Western's offense will be in a little bigger hurry than usual. The Griffons kick off their season at Northern (S.D.) State and also will get their first live game action with the new 40-second play clock. The NCAA went from a 25-second play clock that started on the referee's signal last year to a 40-second clock this season that begins as soon as the ball is whistled dead.

Missouri defense earning its stripes

COLUMBIA, Mo. - Missouri became a Top 10 team last year because of its prolific offense. It expects to stay there with the help of a defense it can become equally proud of. The No. 6 Tigers have all but one starter back on a unit that made significant strides during last year's march to a school-record 12 victories. Entering the opener Saturday night against No. 20 Illinois in St. Louis, they've progressed to the point that at times in practice they've confused their Heisman Trophy-finalist quarterback.

Political talk prevails at weekend party barbecues

Democrats and Republicans talk about health care, oil drilling and race

Labor Day marks the traditional beginning to the fall campaign season. But area Democrats and Republicans couldn't wait this year, holding large gatherings over the weekend to build support a week ahead of the summer-ending holiday. Fellowship and food seemed in ample supply, but political talk prevailed.

Hochevar out for rest of season

KANSAS CITY - Royals pitcher Luke Hochevar is out for the season with a bruised right rib cage.

Teahen's 3 RBIs help Duckworth, Royals win

KANSAS CITY - Brandon Duckworth had an easy time keeping emotions in check during his first major league appearance in almost a year. His body was a different story.

Anticipation high after 12-win year for Missouri

COLUMBIA, Mo. - Missouri football has never been a hotter ticket. The Tigers are coming off a 12-win season and No. 4 ranking, both highs for a school that has annually been a Big 12 also-ran. And they're starting this season a program-best No. 6 in the AP Top 25.

MIAA prepares for rule changes

NCAA modifies play clock, bans horse-collar tackles

Mel Tjeerdsma always appreciated MIAA officials' sense of timing - in that they took their time spotting the ball and starting the 25-second play clock. But in the 2005 national title game against Grand Valley State, the head referee was in quite a hurry by the Northwest Missouri State coach's recollection. "It was like the referee was in a race," Tjeerdsma said.

Chiefs drop 3rd preseason game in lowly fashion

MIAMI - Ted Ginn Jr. took the punt, ran backward, shook off two defenders and jetted up the left sideline. He crossed the goal line and put his fist in the air, waiting for a mob of teammates as the Miami Dolphins' sideline erupted. Forgive them for the preseason celebration. Miami doesn't get many chances to cheer. Ginn had a 59-yard punt return for a touchdown and added three receptions to lead the Dolphins to a 24-0 romp over the Kansas City Chiefs on Saturday night for their second straight exhibition win.

A new, blue low for K.C.

Tigers send reeling Royals to a season-worst 19 games below .500

KANSAS CITY - Zach Miner was more impressed with Miguel Cabrera's home run than his own dominating start. Miner pitched three-hit ball for seven innings, Cabrera hit his third homer in two games to reach 100 RBIs and the Tigers handed the Kansas City Royals their seventh straight loss, 4-0 Saturday night.

JAMBO REVIEW: Lafayette still without 'Moose'

Stripped of his chance to get on the field, Lafayette's Matt Robertson still found a way to get involved at the City Football Jamboree. The Fighting Irish senior and teammate Dan Wilkinson did their best assistant coach impressions at Spratt Stadium - barking out encouragement while roaming the sidelines, binders and play sheets in hand. In the last week of his yearlong transfer suspension, Robertson chomped at the bit all night long and will be eligible to suit up for next week's opener against Kansas City Central.

Royals' top draft pick shows off

KANSAS CITY - After limping home from a 1-8 road trip, the punchless Kansas City Royals stepped onto the field at Kauffman Stadium and caught a glimpse of what they're so desperately lacking. Time after time, 18-year-old Eric Hosmer launched towering line drives in his first swings in a major league park. A week after signing for a $6 million guarantee, the Royals' first-round pick met the Kansas City media Friday and then suited up for batting practice.

Central makes most of reappearance in City Football Jamboree

Ghaali Muhammad looked a little tired before the final snap of Friday's City Football Jamboree. But it didn't change the Central senior's intent. Removing his hands from his knees, Muhammad rolled left behind quarterback Ryan Wallace and waited for the pitch. Muhammad took it and raced up the left sideline at Spratt Stadium, only to meet a wall of Benton defenders at the 15-yard line. The Cardinals held. "I was hoping to get into the end zone, and I should've got into the end zone. Sometimes plays don't work out," said Muhammad, the star of the preseason event including all four St. Joseph 11-man schools for the first time since 1986.

Obama's Heartland Change Tour stops in St. Joseph

Montee focuses on economy at early-morning event

Barack Obama's Heartland Change Tour rolled through St. Joseph Friday morning, an outreach by the Democrat's campaign to address rural issues. State Auditor Susan Montee, a St. Joseph resident and Obama delegate at next week's Democratic National Convention, spoke during the tour stop, hitting themes of the economy, health care, energy and agriculture policies.

That game we play: Standards, or just plain picky?

In all the years I've been dating, I've been single more often than not. One thing my friends and family have often attributed my acute singleness to was the fact that I am so freakin' picky.

Late and great arrivals

Now that the summer concert season is almost over, looking back on it, there were only a few big names to get a lot of people excited. Luckily, based on the upcoming lineup of bands and artists and the re-opening of a popular Kansas City venue, that will be different this fall. Here are a few of the legendary names and big shows coming to the area, along with a new venue that's opened up fall's music possibilities.

Always honest

Ralphie May doesn't pull any punches in his latest stand-up routine

Weighing approximately 400 pounds, Ralphie May gets some looks in public. But when he's on stage with a microÂ-phone, he has everyone's full attention. May brings his act to the Improv Comedy Club in Kansas City this weekend.

A jam for Jordan

Local musician Jerry Maccoux presents 'Tribute to Louis Jordan' this Saturday

He may have passed away more than 30 years ago, but the music of pioneering jazz saxophonist and bandleader Louis Jordan holds a special place in the heart of local musician Jerry Maccoux.

The Shuffle: Regional hippies take a bad hit

We are about ready to put August 2008 in the books. This means that the concert festival season will soon come to a close. But unfortunately, I heard news about a regional music festival that would probably make a few hippies choke on their granola

Movie reviews: 'The Rocker'

Rainn Wilson is an '80s rock has-been with a killer mullet

"The Rocker" might really have rocked if it didn't feel like a cover of a couple of superior comedies.

St. Joe Live Briefs for Aug. 22

They call me "Tater Salad" Ron White, of "Blue Collar Comedy Tour" fame, will perform at 8 p.m. Oct. 23 at the Missouri TheÂ-atre. Ticket sales start today at 9 a.m.

Artist of the Week: The Leo Project

Kansas City quartet The Leo Project went from singer/guiÂ-tarist Tyler Lyon's hard rock side project to one of those regional groups destined for bigger things. The fact that they've opened for metal/ hard rock heavyweights like Slipknot, Breaking Benjamin and Shinedown sure helps.

Drink of the Week: JV Breezer at Magoon's

The JV Breezer is a good summer drink, at least according to Magoon's bartender Jerry Vanderpool. The breezer contains rum - a lot of it, including white rum, spiced rum and Malibu rum. A splash of pineapple and orange juices and grenadine are added, and the kicker is a bit of 151 floated on the top. "This is not for the faint of heart, even though it looks like a girly drink," says Jerry, who created the drink.

No commitments

The Mighty Mighty Bosstones are playing it by ear

After taking a hiatus for about five years, the Mighty Mighty Bosstones reunited in 2007. The band, who is most famous for their hits "Where Did You Go?" and "The Impression That I Get," had several reasons for getting back together and hitting the road.

Chiefs wide receiver Franklin injures knee

KANSAS CITY - Rookie receiver Will Franklin limped off the Kansas City Chiefs practice field Thursday with a right knee injury.

Maier placed on DL with fractures in face

CLEVELAND - Kansas City outfielder Mitch Maier's right eye was swollen shut and his nose still bleeding Thursday, less than 24 hours after being hit in the face with a pitch.

Indians hammer Royals

CLEVELAND - An 18-2 record pitching for any team is impressive.

Lafoon takes over at Southwest Livingston

Lyle Laffoon received a jarring wake-up call Wednesday morning. On the other end of the phone, Southwest Livingston superintendent John Locker presented him with an unusual and desperate plea - coach the Wildcats football team at practice that very afternoon.

Regional shuffle boosts MIAA's playoff chances

Subtract 10, add five and that simple math leaves the MIAA with a higher probability of getting three teams into the Division II playoffs starting this season.

Changes aplenty for annual city event

Since the City Football Jamboree's inception in 1948, one St. Joseph team concluded the event with year-long bragging rights. Not this year - at least not officially.

Love him or hate him, Ryan Seacrest is here to stay.

Which is unfortunate for all those who hate him (like me)

Ryan Seacrest just signed a deal that gives him a job through 2011. Apparently, we're never going to get rid of this guy.

Microsoft is no old fogey

To show how hip and cool they are, Microsoft hires... Jerry Seinfeld

Microsoft if working to show that they're still hip and trendy, but they're choice of Jerry Seinfeld as a spokesman might prove otherwise.

Gutierrez homer helps Tribe past K.C.

CLEVELAND - Franklin Gutierrez's confidence is catching up to his natural ability. Gutierrez hit a three-run homer in a five-run eighth inning and made a diving catch to end the game, as the Cleveland Indians rallied to defeat the Kansas City Royals 8-5 on Wednesday night.

Former Chiefs, Royals stars to appear at East Hills

Chiefs and Royals fans should mark their calendars for Saturday. Legends from both teams will be featured at East Hills Shopping Center's Sports Card & Collectibles Show from Friday to Sunday.

Brinkley's Kearney connection

Long snapper gets shot at Mizzou thanks to recommendation

KANSAS CITY - There Beau Brinkley sat, ready to enjoy a pregame meal prior to Kearney High School's game against Ruskin. Then his throat constricted. His gut clenched. His heart began to pound.

Williams breaks bone in right hand

KANSAS CITY - Linebacker Demorrio Williams will likely miss the final two Kansas City Chiefs preseason games with a broken bone in his right hand but expects to be ready for the Sept. 7 opener at New England.

McBride has big goals for 2nd season

KANSAS CITY - Shades of Jared Allen? Chiefs second-year defensive end Turk McBride has a way to go to make Kansas City fans forget Allen, the 2007 NFL sack leader whom the Chiefs traded to Minnesota in the offseason for draft packs.

Behind almost every sport, there is a movie

Some sports have many excellent movies (boxing and baseball). Other sports, well, not so much (wrestling, tennis and figure skating).

Northwest preseason camp: Dog days

Forget the dog days of summer. For a college football player, these are the dog days of preseason camp. Northwest Missouri State coach Mel Tjeerdsma acknowledges that his players are "probably getting a little tired of practice," but they still have a few more days of drudgery to go before the team switches into game preparation mode.

R.I.P.: LeRoi Moore

A great member of an amazing band passes on

I was saddened to learn that a member of one of the most well-known and well-loved bands of my generation passed away Tuesday. LeRoi Moore, saxophonist for the Dave Matthews Band, died of complications from a June ATV accident. He was 46. In thinking about Moore's death, I couldn't help but reflect on the fact that he was such an important part of a band that opened ears and minds to an expansive musical landscape for myself and many others.

Kansas Speedway unveils its 2009 race schedule

Local NASCAR fans need to mark their calendars: The Kansas Speedway announced its dates for 2009 this week.

Royals sign pitcher Kip Wells

KANSAS CITY - Kip Wells, who started on opening day for Colorado before getting demoted and later cut, signed Tuesday with the Kansas City Royals. The 31-year-old free agent was designated for assignment by the Rockies on Aug. 10.

Tribe tees off on K.C.

Luke Hochevar leaves game in 6th inning with rib-cage injury

CLEVELAND - Grady Sizemore finally got a pitch to his liking and enjoyed the results even more. Sizemore broke out of his slump with a three-run homer, helping the Cleveland Indians beat the Kansas City Royals 9-4 on Tuesday night.

Injuries strike Northwest, Western

Griffons' Glades out for year; Bearcats' Gregg injures leg

Non-contact drills are supposed to sharpen football players skills and reads without risking injury. But two local MIAA starters - Missouri Western's Matt Glades and Northwest Missouri's Brant Gregg - suffered significant injuries in the past week without so much as a tackle taking place.

New Kids On The Block: Greatest Hits

I never listened to New Kids on the Block. But I suppose if you were a pre-teen girl in the late 1980s they would have been the greatest thing since Barbie dolls.

Weekend events make for a political feast

Democrats and Republicans to raise funds, eat barbecue

Political parties in the area have plans for fundraising barbecues this weekend. The menus includes good food and a lot of campaign talk.

Rookie Dantrell Savage impresses Chiefs' coach

KANSAS CITY - The odds were long entering training camp that Dantrell Savage would make the Kansas City Chiefs roster when the season opened, but he has picked up a big fan in head coach Herm Edwards.

Royals thrilled with signing of top draft picks

KANSAS CITY - On a list of good things that happened on Friday for the Kansas City Royals, beating the great Mariano Rivera was only No. 3. The long-woeful Royals and their put-upon fans may look back on Aug. 15, 2008, as one of their best days ever, a 24-hour period that signaled the end of an era, the death of a dark and dreary time.

Royals fall in 13th to Yankees

NEW YORK - Brett Gardner didn't feel any pressure stepping to the plate in the 13th inning, the game tied and fans restlessly booing each failure by Alex Rodriguez and the rest of the Yankees' high-powered hitters. Why should he? The way the bullpen was going, it seemed as if New York was going to win eventually.

Chiefs manage little offense against Cardinals

KANSAS CITY - Rookie running back Tim Hightower had a short touchdown run and Matt Leinart shook off a bad start and threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to Steve Breaston, leading the Arizona Cardinals to a 27-17 victory over a punchless Kansas City on Saturday night. Kurt Warner, the 11-year veteran who's trying his best to unseat Leinart as the No. 1 quarterback for the Cardinals (1-1), started the game and hit six of nine passes for 54 yards. He directed a 13-play, 78-yard touchdown drive on his second possession, capped by Hightower's 4-yard touchdown run around right end.

Royals rip Rivera

German scores game-winning run on wild pitch

NEW YORK - Mariano Rivera's first wild pitch of the season allowed the tiebreaking run to score in the ninth inning, and Jason Giambi flied out with the bases loaded to end the Kansas City Royals' 4-3 victory over the fading New York Yankees on Friday night. Mark Teahen hit a two-run double and Kansas City got another solid outing from Gil Meche, who hasn't lost in eight starts since July 2 at Baltimore.

Melville gets $1.25 million bonus

Deadline passes without word from K.C.'s No. 1 pick, Hosmer

KANSAS CITY - Tim Melville, a promising high school pitcher taken in the fourth round of the amateur draft, agreed Friday to a minor league contract with the Kansas City Royals for a $1.25 million signing bonus. As the 11 p.m. deadline approached, the Royals tried to sign their first-round pick, high school third baseman Eric Hosmer, who was the third selection overall.

It's Phelps by slimmest of margins

He matches Spitz's 7 gold medals from single Olympics

BEIJING - Even Michael Phelps couldn't believe his eyes. He said he had to take off his goggles to make sure it was his name, and not Milorad Cavic, next to the No. 1 after a breathtaking finish in the Olympic 100-meter butterfly. Phelps, who was in seventh place at the turn, surged in the final few strokes and somehow managed to out-touch the Serbian-American Cavic by one one-hundredth of a second.

Nurski, Haskell are 1 step away from Masters

The U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship next month will feature some of the best amateur golfers in the nation. And two of them will be from St. Joseph. Both Brad Nurski and Brian Haskell earned spots in the 200-golfer field for the USGA-qualifying event for the Masters.

Chiefs have plenty of personnel questions heading into tonight's matchup

KANSAS CITY - At a time when most NFL teams are making final decisions on their reserves, the Kansas City Chiefs still have several vital starting positions up for grabs. Who'll be their place kicker? Their second wide receiver? Who'll start at linebacker with Derrick Johnson? How will the offensive line finally take shape?

Panera breaks bread

It was hard not to drool at the Panera Bread opening-day festivities this morning. From the second I walked in the door, my senses were overloaded. Not only were there almost wall to wall bagels, pastries, breads and cookies, but the smells of fresh brewed coffee, eggs and whipped frostings were overwhelming.

Style Watch: Nice Vest

We know all fashion trends are repeated at some point in time, but we expected a few more years to go by before this current trend became popular again (if it did at all).

The Shuffle: Paint it black

Even though the year isn't over, there are already plenty of reasons for people to rememÂ-ber 2008 - more than enough for VH1 to devote an hour to its inevitable special "I Love The '00s." I managed to witness a unique moment in our culture in regards to race, and no, it has nothing to do with Barack Obama.

That Game we Play: How to be a good date

The stars have aligned and the gods are smiling upon me, because in the past few weeks I've actually had some good luck in my dating life.

'Tropic Thunder'

Ben Stiller makes fun of Hollywood so you won't have to

The last time Ben Stiller took on the roles of writer, producer, director and star in a film was 2001's "Zoolander," where Stiller satirically skewered the absurdity and pointlessness of the fashion industry. He uses a similar technique to examine movie-making and his own profession and outdoes himself with the action-comedy "Tropic Thunder," which is easily one of the funniest movies you'll see this year.

Darkness on the Edge of Town

They may have formed in a modest-sized college town in Indiana, but the Bloomington-quartet Murder By Death doesn't do anything small.

Cinematic metal

The Filthy Thirds make first St. Joe appearance at Cagney's Saturday

You can hear plenty of both in the songs of Springfield, Mo., metal group The Filthy Thirds when they perform with Cognitive Overload at 10 p.m. Aug. 16 at Cagney's. Cover is $3.

Giving St. Joe a reason to party

Local rapper Geezel is celebrating the release of his new album

As a child, St. Joseph native Ronnie Grant was always around family members who were in to hip-hop. He started learning how to rap when he was about 6 or 7 years old. By the time he was a teenager, he was part of the local rap group Joe Mizzery under the name of Geezel.

All that and the exclamation point

Trails West! 2008 brings diverse entertainment to St. Joe

When planning for this year's festival, the people at Trails West! decided it was best to bring in a wide variety of entertainment to attract people on all three days of the festival.

St. Joe Live Briefs 08/15/08

Bearcats lose linebacker to injury

MARYVILLE, Mo. - Northwest Missouri State's inexperienced linebacking corps took a big blow Wednesday when junior Troy Matthews suffered a torn Achilles' tendon in practice. Matthews had been a projected starter at inside linebacker. He will be scheduled for season-ending surgery.

Royals, top draft pick near negotiating deadline

KANSAS CITY - As negotiations with No. 1 draft pick Eric Hosmer dragged on, the Kansas City Royals appeared headed again for last-minute drama. Looming closer and closer was the 11 p.m. CDT Friday deadline for signing first-round picks, a scenario that's becoming familiar to the Royals and their long-suffering fans. Last year, the Royals did not sign their first-round pick, Mike Moustakas, until minutes before the deadline. Moustakas, selected No. 2 overall, was a power-hitting high school infielder like Hosmer. Also like Hosmer, he's represented by superagent Scott Boras.

Royals blasted by 4 straight home runs

CHICAGO - Jim Thome's long three-run homer started it. Shortly after he returned to the dugout, the parade really got going. Thome, Paul Konerko, Alexei Ramirez and Juan Uribe hit consecutive homers in the sixth inning to tie a major league record and the Chicago White Sox beat the Kansas City Royals 9-2 Thursday, completing a three-game sweep.

Fall 2008: See it, skip it or play the stakes

Many promising titles (including several sequels) are being released this fall, but only some of them will be worth the price of a movie ticket. Don't worry, this is a guide for you. It will tell you which fall movies you should see, which ones to skip and which ones you can watch at your own risk.

Power and light

Kansas City's newest entertainment district brings together the masses

For years, downtown Kansas City was considered less than a destination spot for tourists and Kansas Citians alike. A severe lack of entertainment options meant few headed downtown in the evenings and on the weekends. And then a little thing called the Power and Light District opened, and downtown Kansas City was once again a viable part of the city. "Really, downtown Kansas City has long needed the kind of energy the Power and Light district has brought to us," says Mike Hurd, marketing director for the Downtown Council of Kansas City. "Downtown for years really suffered ... by not having hardly anything to do once it become evening time. Now that's forever changed."

Former Griffon Page to play for Hutchinson

La'Darrian Page will get a chance to torment Kansas collegiate defenses this season after all.

Chiefs trying to sort out their place-kicking prospects

RIVER FALLS, Wis. - Nick Novak and Connor Barth have much in common. They're roommates. They're good friends. They're trying to stomp on each other's dreams.

Missouri Valley chosen as HAAC favorite

Benedictine 4th in preseason poll

KANSAS CITY - Missouri Valley was the last Heart of America Athletic Conference team standing in last year's NAIA Championship Series, and the team still has the conference's respect.

Rucker to have surgery, out 4 to 6 weeks

BEREA, Ohio - Cleveland Browns rookie tight end Martin Rucker will undergo arthroscopic surgery on his knee and miss four to six weeks. Rucker, the former Missouri standout and Benton High School graduate, twisted his knee during practice Monday.

ChiSox whitewash Kansas City

CHICAGO - Javier Vazquez threw eight scoreless innings, and Jermaine Dye hit a two-run homer to lead the Chicago White Sox to a 9-0 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Tuesday night. Vazquez (9-10) matched his season-high with 10 strikeouts, gave up five hits and walked one to win for the second time in nine starts. Vazquez hadn't won at home since beating Pittsburgh on June 17, and was 1-5 since, with the victory coming against the Royals on Aug. 1.

Bearcats earn No. 3 ranking

Northwest Missouri State is ranked No. 3 in the American Football Coaches Association Division II Coaches Poll released Tuesday. Defending champion Valdosta State is No. 1, garnering 17 of the 26 first-place votes cast.

Western football practice report

Minor injuries sidelined three Western wide receivers Tuesday, but quarterback Drew Newhart and company didn't seem to mind.

GOING CAMPING: Plattsburg

As Plattsburg's players started to relax toward the end of their second practice Monday night, first-year coach Andy McNeeley tried to find a motivator. "Forty-two points per game last year in districts?" the 29-year-old bellowed as the first-team defense worked against a second-team offense. "You're on a three-game losing streak. It's unacceptable."

Jimmy John's to open ... soon

Jimmy John's will bring its gourmet sandwiches to The Belt sometime in the next week. Maybe. I just don't know for sure. I know what you're thinking. "Wow, the reporter is so lazy that he didn't even track down the date for the restaurant's opening."

Hoof & Horn will rebuild

The Hoof & Horn Steak House will start to rebuild this week. "It's been a rough year," said Roy Swope, owner and operator of the restaurant. "We finally got the finances put together. It's a relief we finally got the process over."

Royals' Greinke drops appeal, starts serving suspension

KANSAS CITY - Royals right-hander Zack Greinke decided to drop his appeal of a five-game suspension, which he began serving Sunday. Greinke was given the suspension for hitting Nick Swisher of the Chicago White Sox with a pitch in the seventh inning on Aug. 3. Two innings earlier, both dugouts were warned after Royals catcher Miguel Olivo charged the mound in response to being hit by a pitch from D.J. Carrasco.

Royals avoid sweep by Twins

KANSAS CITY - Tony Pena Jr. has played sparingly since losing his starting shortstop job to rookie Mike Aviles in June, but he delivered in a big way Sunday. Pena Jr. broke out of a slump at just the right time, driving in Mark Teahen with the winning run in the 12th inning to give the Kansas City Royals a 5-4 victory over the Minnesota Twins. Pena, who had only two at-bats in August, didn't enter the game until the eighth inning as a pinch runner. He snapped an 0-for-17 drought with a one-out single in the 10th, then followed Teahen's double with another base hit in the 12th.

Nurski charges on to another City Golf Championship

Brian Haskell's chip on the first green rolled gracefully into cup for a birdie. A signal of intent from the five-time champion? Perhaps. But Brad Nurski held the lead and responded to each of Haskell's challenges on the front side Sunday afternoon at St. Joseph Country Club. With a five-shot lead entering the third and final round of the City Golf Championship, Haskell twice trimmed the lead to three on the front nine, but Nurski held all the answers.

A song and a service

Sharon T. Bryant's music and dedication helps troops

In the opening seconds of Sharon Bryant's song "A Mother's Heart," over subdued keyboards and the explosive sounds of battle, a narration tells her struggle. "This is the story of a boy, serving his country and fighting for his life. And I worry. And I wait." Ms. Bryant's song, one of several the St. Joseph songwriter has recorded as a Christian artist, reflects her concern for the safety of her son, Spc. Joel C. Bryant, as he fights in Iraq for the U.S. Army. She had even more reason to worry after hearing the panic in her son's voice when he described his first IED (Improvised Explosive Device) attack. His convoy was hit, and a soldier in his platoon was killed. Another member of his platoon attempted to cover up the soldier's body and took a great deal of shrapnel in the process.

Royals' 2B might be out for season

Grudzielanek tore ligament in right ankle

KANSAS CITY - Royals second baseman Mark Grudzielanek may be out for the season after a MRI revealed a torn deltoid ligament in his right ankle.

Former MIAA standouts contribute for NFL teams

A pair of local college players got involved for the respective NFL teams during Saturday's preseason games.

Minnesota tops Royals again at the 'K'

KANSAS CITY - Francisco Liriano had his second straight strong start since being recalled from the minors, Delmon Young hit a two-run homer and the Minnesota Twins beat the Kansas City Royals 7-3 on Saturday night. The win, combined with the White Sox's loss to Boston, moved the Twins a half-game ahead of Chicago in the American League Central.

Chiefs rookies catch on quickly

Former Mizzou WR Franklin among crop of proming wideouts

RIVER FALLS, Wis. - One of the Chiefs' goals for their preseason opener in Chicago was to have a younger receiver make a big play or two and separate himself from the pack. They got an unexpected bounty instead when Will Franklin, Maurice Price and Jeff Webb all were major contributors to Thursday night's 24-20 win over the Bears.

Haskell, company can't keep pace

Nurski looks for 2nd straight city championship

With nine pars on his scorecard at the turn, Brian Haskell felt as if he needed nine birdies on the backside. The five-time city champion managed four in his final nine holes at Fairview Golf Course - plus one bogey - but even with nine birdies, it would've barely been enough to better Brad Nurski.

St. Joseph's Snethen coaching U.S. weightlifting team in Beijing

The Olympics always are a spectacle, and St. Joseph's Dennis Snethen is in the middle of it all. "Kobe Bryant was next door to me last night," the head coach of the U.S. Olympic weightlifting team said. "I've sat next to tennis star (Rafael) Nadal and ate with basketball star Dirk Nowitzki."

3D archery competition hits the spot

With little or no breeze and temperatures stretching into the mid-90s - not to mention a heat index of more than 100 degrees - 88 archers took to the wooded trails of Pigeon Hill Conservation Area for the St. Joe Bowhunters 3D Shoot of the Season.

Local anglers get opportunity to qualify for Cabela's national catfishing classic tournament

While it doesn't appear the Cabela's King Kat Trail will be making up the local tournament that was cancelled due to flooding earlier this year, there still is a last chance opportunity for local anglers to participate and possibly qualify for the Cabela's King Kat Classic.

Northwest's new DNA

"DNA" isn't a biology lesson around Northwest Missouri State. Instead, it's a life lesson. Those three letters appear on the backs of T-shirts worn by coaches and players alike, and have become the motto for this season's Bearcats, who are trying to get back to the national championship game in Florence, Ala., for a fourth straight year.

Twins silence Royals' offense

KANSAS CITY - Kevin Slowey limited Kansas City to one run on seven hits in six innings, Joe Mauer drove in two runs and the Minnesota Twins took advantage of eight walks to beat the Royals 4-1 on Friday night. Slowey (8-8) did not walk a batter and struck out two in 5 2-3 innings. It was the 16th time in 29 career starts that he has not allowed a walk. He is averaging 1.3 walks per nine innings this season.

Northwest takes look at younger players

MARYVILLE, Mo. - The adrenaline rush has subsided. But Northwest Missouri State still got a lot accomplished Friday morning during its second preseason football workout at Bearcat Stadium. "We were probably a little tired, or maybe the excitement wasn't quite as much there, but I felt like we got a lot done," Northwest coach Mel Tjeerdsma said following a morning workout in helmets and shorts.

Familiar faces duel at city golf championship

Mark Korell spent part of his summer carrying Brad Nurski's bag, trying to help Nurski qualify for the U.S. Open. Korell will have his friend's golf bag in the cart again today at Fairview Golf Course. Just not for the same reason. Both shot 3-under 68s during the first round of the City Golf Championship on Friday afternoon at Moila Country Club. They enter the second round at Fairview tied for the lead and in the final group.

Call this number for the Homestead Preservation Credit

People calling to find out about the Homestead Preservation Credit have been getting frustrated. We ran a brief notice about the credit in Wednesday's paper, along with a phone number to call the Missouri Department of Revenue for more information. The number led callers to an automatic answering system, then put them on hold while customer service representatives were busy. I called the number several times and never got through to talk to a person.

Aaron Parks - "Invisible Cinema"

Good instrumental jazz is like watching a movie. The story line, plot and climax all takes place between your ears. With rhythmic and harmonic colorings and textures, it creates subconscious visual images. Piano licks become raindrops. A guitar solo evokes a lonely highway. The melody itself becomes a musical journey with the artist as tour guide.

They love the '80s

How Blue Oyster Culture Club became one of St. Joe's biggest bands

There is a band in St. Joe that regularly plays to hundreds of people and breaks attendance records at local bars. And they've done it by playing... the Bangles and Paula Abdul? Seriously? Yeah, that's Blue Oyster Culture Club for ya. The '80s tribute band has become one of St. Joe's most popular bands by satisfying a craving for the music of the "Me" decade with the cheesy wardrobe to match. You'll get a chance to see them when they perform at 9 p.m. Aug. 9 at the First Ward House for $5.

Ol' dirty blues

Mo City Jumpers play the blues without a lead guitar

Most people have seen blues bands play; the drums, the thumping bass, the lead guitar's chords lamenting the pain of its player. Well, you won't be seeing that when blues band Mo City Jumpers plays at Magoon's Saturday. Rather than a lead guitar, the band's sound revolves around a piano. Bass player and lead singer Mark Montgomery - who's joined by pianist Jim Bisman and drummer Marc Caplan - said the focus on the piano is a nod to the band's Kansas City roots.

Cast your ballot

St. Joseph Museum drums up support for election exhibit

Barack, you're the man. At least according to the "voters" who visit the St. Joseph Museum's "Buttons, Banners and Flags: Electioneering in America" exhibit.

A new forum, a new therapy

Rogue Wave is touring with Jack Johnson, connecting with audiences

After losing his job in the dot-com bust, Zach Rogue (whose real last name is Schwartz) was searching for something new. So he formed a band with four other musicians from the Bay Area and they called themselves Rogue Wave. After releasing two albums in 2004 and 2005, the band's most recent album, "Asleep at Heaven's Gate," has put Rogue Wave in the limelight. Their songs have been featured in shows such as "Heroes" and "Nip/Tuck" and commercials for the Microsoft Zune, and the band has even found themselves opening for major indie acts Death Cab for Cutie and, most recently, Jack Johnson.

This is: "Chemo" by Joe Straub

Review: Pineapple Express

Seth Rogen and James Franco run for their lives while getting high, a lot

So far, the Judd Apatow franchise of movies has produced a string of hits, with "Knocked Up," "Superbad" and "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" raking in the box office dough and producing a string of often-repeated one-liners. "Pineapple Express," which was produced by Apatow and co-written by Seth Rogen, will likely bring in the same amount of money the other movies did, but it's unlikely it will bring the same amount of laughs.

What's in that: Transformer at Legends

Eats: Sandwich at Marek's is unsinkable

Walt Marek Catering and Deli is well known among local foodies, but easily missed if you are new to town. The family-owned business is hidden away among rows of small homes in on the South Side of St. Joseph off of U.S. Highway 59 (Lake Avenue). You'll find it on Virginia Street in what was originally a neighborhood grocery store. The building dates back to 1919 when it was owned by John and Frances Marek, the grandparents of the current owners, Walt and his sister, Elizabeth. Their parents, Walter and Mary Alice, started the deli in 1982.

That game we play: The online dating dilemma

In my first year of dating in St. Joe, I reached a stage that all singles feel at some time, though few want to admit it: desperation. OK, so maybe it wasn't so much desperation as a combination of deep loneliness and boredom from going home to an empty apartment day after day. In any case, this prompted me to do something I had never done before, something I had never even considered doing before: online dating.

The Shuffle: If it ain't broke, remake it... badly

Sometimes, I feel like I have been a fan of movies for so long that it wouldn't surprise me to hear I was born with a ticket stub in my hand. And growing up, my parents made sure to introduce me to a few classics.

That's cool: Amazon Kindle

Briefs for Aug. 8, 2008

Calendars for Aug. 8, 2008

PLACE IN THE SUN: Royals find a shortstop in Mike Aviles

KANSAS CITY - Is anyone having a greater summer than Mike Aviles? All that's happened to Kansas City's new shortstop since the weather turned warm is the realization of a lifelong dream, sudden celebrity, the promise of wealth and an affirmative answer when he asked his girlfriend to please be his bride.

Nurski starts today's City Golf Championship as favorite

With the City Golf Championship starting today at Moila Country Club, defending champion Brad Nurski knows what he wants to do with the par-71 course. "Moila's probably my worst course," the three-time champion said. "Get that out of the way hopefully with a lead, and go back to the home golf course at Fairview and hang on at Country Club, hopefully."

Northwest opens practice on pleasant day

MARYVILLE, Mo. - A light cloud cover helped keep temperatures unseasonably cool at Bearcat Stadium on Thursday morning - a nearly perfect start to a surprisingly good first practice for defending NCAA Division II football runner-up Northwest Missouri State.

Western opens practice looking for linebackers

Jacob Schoonover traded in his helmet for a visor this year. So instead of taking verbal abuse and sweating through fall practice drills, the former Missouri Western linebacker got to do some shouting and directing of his own Thursday as the Griffons opened fall practice. He preferred it the other way.

Chiefs open preseason with win

CHICAGO - Larry Johnson was having so much fun he didn't want to leave the field. Considering how much time he missed, who could blame him? Johnson showed glimpses of his old self, and Brodie Croyle hinted at what might be. Back from a broken foot, Johnson ran for a touchdown on the opening drive and Croyle made the most of limited time to lead the Kansas City Chiefs to a 24-20 victory over the Chicago Bears in the preseason opener Thursday night.

"Big man" at Northwest practice

With the return of Northwest Missouri State's student-athletes to campus this week for preseason workouts, it's time to find out who will be the BMOC that's "Big Man on Campus," if you haven't heard the aged expression for 2008. Junior defensive end Sean Paddock has to rank as one of them. Coach Mel Tjeerdsma makes no bones about Paddock's worth on a defensive line that was riddled by graduation.

Top 10 greatest movie villains of all-time

With movie fans everywhere buzzing about Heath Ledger's Joker, I decided it was time to name the ten greatest villains in movie history.

Something for everyone

From arts and music to history and heritage, area festivals have a little bit of everything

It's no secret that St. Joe is a town that loves its festivals. Trails West! is just around the corner, and the South Side Fall Festival isn't too far behind. But if you're still looking to get your festival fix in between the two, there's plenty of other festivals to explore in Missouri.

Nebraska-Omaha tops MIAA preseason soccer poll

KANSAS CITY - The newest member of the league, the Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks, have been selected as the team to beat in the 2008 Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association women's soccer season, according to the coaches preseason poll.

Knuckleballer buckles Royals

KANSAS CITY - Jacoby Ellsbury hit a three-run homer and Tim Wakefield's baffling knuckleball shut down Kansas City on four hits through six innings, helping the Boston Red Sox to an 8-2 victory over the Royals on Wednesday night.

Tour of Missouri completes field

KANSAS CITY - Team Garmin-Chipotle of the United States and Team Liquigas of Italy - two top-performing entrants from the recently completed Tour de France - head a list of 13 teams that have been added for the seven-day Tour of Missouri world-class cycling event, which begins in St. Joseph on Sept. 8.

Red Sox stop Royals

KANSAS CITY - Jason Bay had four hits and two RBIs and Josh Beckett pitched effectively into the seventh inning to help the Boston Red Sox beat the Kansas City Royals 8-2 on Tuesday night. Beckett, 0-3 with a 5.31 earned run average while allowing 29 hits in 20 1-3 innings in his previous three starts, held the Royals to four hits and two runs in 6 2-3 innings. He struck out seven and walked two.

Former Bearcat makes leap to New York Giants

ALBANY, N.Y. - It seems as if every day in training camp a Giants quarterback drops back to pass, finds an open target and releases the ball only to have it knocked to the ground by Dave Tollefson. The second-year defensive end has shown a knack for batting down those passes at the line of scrimmage. Any technique to that? "You just have to have timing, man," Tollefson said. "There ain't no magic trick or nothing. You just kind of jump up and hope for the best." Funny, because that's similar to the way Tollefson wound up on the Giants, wound up in the Super Bowl, and is now on the verge of becoming an instrumental piece in the Michael Strahan Replacement Plan. Picked up off the Raiders' practice squad early last season, Tollefson didn't suit up for a game until Week 12 against the Vikings. Eventually, though, he started playing a larger role in the defense, especially as Strahan started to miss snaps with a groin injury. He made instrumental plays in playoff wins over Tampa Bay and Dallas and has blossomed to the point where younger players have turned to him for advice during this training camp.

Olivo, Grienke get 5-game suspensions

NEW YORK - Kansas City catcher Miguel Olivo and pitcher Zack Greinke were suspended for five games Tuesday for their actions during a weekend game with the Chicago White Sox. White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen was suspended two games and Royals manager Trey Hillman was given one game. All four penalties also included fines. Olivo and Greinke appealed their suspensions, which were to begin with Tuesday night's game against Boston. They can continue to play until the appeal process is complete.

MIAA media day: Optimism reigns

Optimism is high, at least for a few more weeks, around the MIAA football world. Coaches, fans and players got their first rush of excitement Monday when the conference's annual football media day was held at the Arrowhead Club in Kansas City's Arrowhead Stadium.

My Top 5 Sci-Fi television shows

You could say that I'm a sci-fi lover. If you asked my wife, she would disagree and say that I'm a sci-fi nut. And after reading The Boston Globe's Top 50 Science Fiction Television Shows I thought I would share what some of my favorite sci-fi shows are.

Ranking the media guides

There will be plenty of time during the next four months to rank far more meaningful categories, but we're still two days away from Missouri Western and Northwest Missouri State beginning their fall practices. So with little new information to provide between the lines and a stack of mint-condition media guides sitting on my desk from the MIAA's football luncheon, I figured why not rank the schools' preseason information offerings?

Hoof & Horn may reopen

Roy Swope's hopes to reopen the Hoof & Horn Steakhouse are still alive. "We are just awaiting the final piece to the puzzle," he said. "It's always been the intention (to reopen) ... but we just kept running into stumbling blocks."

Cassandra Wilson - Loverly

Cassandra Wilson is what I want a female jazz vocalist to sound like. Her deep, husky voice just seems right for a jazz chanteuse doing a late night set in a smoky nightclub.

Chiefs' Dorsey expected to miss 1 week with sprain

RIVER FALLS, Wis. - The Kansas City Chiefs say rookie defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey should miss about a week after spraining his left knee in practice during the weekend.

Tour of Missouri field grows more competitive

The Tour of Missouri fleshed out its field of competitors on Monday. Columbia and Toyota-United - two of the world's top teams - already were announced as part of the race, which will take place Sept. 8 to 14 and starts in St. Joseph. But on Monday, the remaining 13 teams were announced, and it includes Garmin-Chipotle and Liquigas - top performers at this year's Tour de France.

Mizzou gets off to sweltering start

Tigers begin practice in scorching heat

COLUMBIA, Mo. - Quarterback Chase Daniel said it was one of the hottest practices he'd ever participated in. Strong safety William Moore called it "crazy hot." The encore for Missouri's historic 12-win season began with the first workout Monday afternoon, held in sweltering heat. Players tried their best to ignore the 95-degree heat and high humidity that combined for a 109-degree heat index with zero shade.

Royals sweat out a win

Red Sox make late push before Soria slams the door for 32nd save

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Gil Meche won his fourth straight start and Alex Gordon homered to help the surging Kansas City Royals hold off the Boston Red Sox 4-3 on Monday night. Joakim Soria allowed a run in the ninth before Sean Casey flied out with runners at second and third to end it.

Colts' Robinson catching on

Former Western TE makes splash in Canton

The NFL kicked off the exhibition schedule Sunday night in Canton, Ohio, with its annual Hall of Fame game, and a former Missouri Western tight end played a prominent role in the proceedings on NBC. Gijon Robinson, who played for Western from 2003-07, caught four passes for 49 yards for the Colts, who lost 30-16 to Washington.

Expect a shake-up in MIAA's elite

Take last year's standings. Copy them onto a blank sheet of paper. That's generally the way the MIAA preseason coaches poll works - other than moving Missouri Western to fifth no matter how high the Griffons finished the previous season.

New season brings few changes in MIAA poll

Coaches tab Bearcats No. 1, Western 5th

KANSAS CITY - Northwest Missouri State got the respect it probably expected as the defending conference champion and national runner-up. Conference newcomer Nebraska-Omaha got more respect than its coach anticipated. And Missouri Western found itself in a very familiar place on Monday as the MIAA released its annual preseason coaches football poll.

MIAA Media Day: Reid Kirby's honesty and the new kids on the block

They shouldn't line up against each other this season, but Northwest's Reid Kirby and Western's Roger Allen should be mentioned together as two of the top offensive linemen in the MIAA, and possibly Division II. I asked Kirby who was better Monday at the MIAA's foobtall media luncheon. He replied: "I'm going to have to say Roger Allen. He is ranked higher on some message board, according to my mom. According to my mother, Roger Allen is better than me. I am OK with it."

MIAA Media Day: Close quarters

Monday was probably the last time in 2008 this particular group of players will be in such close proximity without trying to inflict some sort of physical punishment on one another. The MIAA hosted its annual football media day at the Arrowhead Stadium club, and the seating arrangements placed some notable rivals at adjacent tables. Emporia-Washburn, Northwest-Western, Northwest-Pitt, Pitt-Missouri Southern ate lunch next to each other, laughed cordially at Central Missouri broadcaster Shawn Jones' attempts at humor and applauded politely after Mel Tjeerdsma's speech that this upcoming season being the best year of the senior players' lives.

Chiefs tackle could be out for rest of training camp

RIVER FALLS, Wis. - Branden Albert, Kansas City's rookie left tackle, may miss the rest of training camp with what the team is calling a sprained foot. If the first-round pick out of Virginia does have to sit out the next few weeks, it could be a blow. He's learning the left tackle position after playing guard in college.

Chiefs' Emmitt Thomas finally gets his due

Super Bowl-era quarterback inducted into Hall of Fame

CANTON, Ohio - The Hall of Fame induction ceremony turned Hog wild Saturday. Darrell Green and Art Monk walked across the stage waving their arms and urged thousands of Washington Redskins fans to give them one more salute. Emmitt Thomas, the former Chiefs player and Redskins coach, simply waved back. And they applauded the three other inductees without Washington ties - Fred Dean, Andre Tippett and Gary Zimmerman - because they understood they would have been a good fit with the Redskins' blue-collar players.

Royals hammer White Sox

Butler, Guillen homer

KANSAS CITY - Mark Buehrle picked a terrible time for a wretched start. His Chicago teammates hit four home runs, twice going back-to-back on a muggy, sweltering Saturday afternoon. But the Kansas City Royals rapped out 19 hits and went deep three times themselves in a come-from-behind 9-7 victory. "Buehrle's a great pitcher," said Billy Butler. "More times than not he's had our number. To get on a guy like that, it just shows it was our day at the plate."

Put Me In, Coach: Cool moment in hockey rink comes with regret

SHAWNEE, Kan. - I might as well just come clean right now. I stole the puck from a 5 year old. It's not something I'm proud of. Looking back, it was probably the wrong move. But the puck was loose and the goal open. So with Herm Edwards' immortal "play to win the game" rant ringing in my ears, I swiped the puck from a mite player and headed up ice - guilt setting in about the blue line. At that point a high school player, who was essentially serving as a chaperone for this impromptu scrimmage, easily stopped my half-hearted wrist shot in front of the goal and sent the puck the other way.

Put Me In, Coach: Online extra

"You'd get killed," Lee Jordan said with a laugh. Jordan -- my tour guide through the ice hockey edition of Put Me In, Coach -- had high praise for my shot and general coordination after running me through practice at the Ice Sports Arena in Shawnee, Kan., last week.

Griffey drives in 2 runs during White Sox debut

KANSAS CITY - The Kid isn't a kid anymore. The Chicago White Sox are still glad to have him. Ken Griffey Jr. drove in two runs in his debut with Chicago and Javier Vazquez won for the first time in seven starts, lifting the White Sox to a 4-2 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Friday night.

Tracy Hoza completes Bearcat soccer roster

MARYVILLE, Mo. - Northwest Missouri State soccer coach Tracy Hoza has announced seven players she expects to be added to her opening day roster.

Boat owners spared a wave of bureaucracy

Recreational boaters and anglers can breathe a sigh of relief after President Bush gave his approval to the Clean Boating Act of 2008 (S 2766) last week. This legislation protects more than 17 million recreational boat owners in the United States from having to deal with federal and or state regulations never intended for them in the first place.

The 'lure' of love

Crawfords cast a new light

While most husbands and wives hope for a romantic evening away from the kids on "date nights," Holly Crawford ended her evening with something more. Holly discovered a new outdoor obsession which would allow her to spend more time with her husband and eventually her whole family, doing something they all enjoy.

Mustangs new owner a lifelong baseball fanatic

Gerson walked on for Tulane before entering business world

Phil Welch Stadium is 500 miles and a world away from the bustling Chicago Board of Trade, where Dan Gerson toiled for nearly 18 years as a commodity trader. But Gerson - a self-confessed baseball fanatic - wouldn't trade his latest opportunity for the world.

Barnes makes up ground in latest survey

Poll shows 6th District race tightening

Democrat Kay Barnes has closed the lead held by incumbent Republican Sam Graves in the Missouri 6th District congressional race, according to a survey released Friday.

Eleven days of excitement

The Missouri State Fair brings 'MO' fun for everyone, along with more fried-food-on-a-stick than you can shake a corndog at

With four free stages, races, rides, rodeos, tractor pulls, cowboys, comedians, scientists, high-flying trapeze artists, women exploding out of cannons and a guy named Shooter, there is too much going on at the Missouri State Fair in Sedalia to include it all here. But that doesn't mean we won't try.

St. Joe Live Singer/Songwrite Showcase

Acoustic guitarists gathered at the Acoustic Lounge on Saturday, July 22nd to show of their talent at the St. Joe Live Singer/Songwriter Showcase.

Powering down

St. Joe metal group Full Power plays final show Saturday

For its first official show back in 1990 at the Hickory Auction Building in St. Joe, Full Power plastered fliers around town that asked a simple question: "Do You Like Heavy Metal?"

A natural fit

Jewel shows off her country side

It could have been the whole being the daughter of an Alaskan singer/songwriter cowboy thing, but people probably suspected that Jewel had a country album in her somewhere. Her label, Atlantic Records, knew it too. But even after all the Grammys, the millions of records sold, six albums and 13 years as a successful artist, it was a struggle for Jewel to express a country side in her songs. "Some of them were too country and would have stood out. Some of them I was able to sneak on," Jewel says. "I never thought I would have to get off my label and make this big declaration."

A phantom with humor

Musical spoof to be performed at the Missouri Theater this weekend

A phantom will be haunting the Missouri Theater this weekend, but you'll feel more like laughing than screaming. In fact, you'll want to bring the kids. At 7 p.m. on Aug. 2 and 2 p.m. on Aug. 3, Creative Arts Productions (CAP) will present a comedy spoof of the classic mystery "Phantom of the Opera."

Eats: Get your Boogaloo on

You can dance the boogaloo, but in St. Joseph, you'll want to eat there. Boogaloo's Bar-B-Que is the real deal when it comes to tender slabs of babyback ribs, barbecued brisket and piled-high shredded pork sandwiches. Owner Wilbur May makes everything fresh at the restaurant, including a slightly spicy barbecue sauce. He also serves Kansas City Masterpiece on the side for those who like it sweet. But you really don't need any sauce on the baby back ribs, thanks to Wibur's special (and top secret) rub.

This is ... Amenazar Thrush

What's in that?: Uncle D's Nutz

That game we play: What's your type?

It's a question all singles get: So, what's your type? Whether it be from a potential date trying to feel you out or a well-meaning friend who wants to set you up with her "really nice" cousin, everyone wants to know exactly what type of person you are looking for. I personally don't know what my type is. I had a type, long ago, when I was first in college. I liked the cocky, pretty-boy frat type, and I met a lot of them my freshman year. Problem was, none of the cocky, pretty-boy frat types lasted long.

Briefs for Aug. 1, 2008

Style watch: Hippie headbands

Stories for August 2008

Saturday, August 30

Week 1 High School football

Friday, August 29