The Kansas City Star

3/11/2010: FRONT PAGE: 26 SCHOOLS WILL CLOSE

vote that mirrored the overall vote. Most of the board members called on the public to rally behind the district, rebuking occasional scattered outcries from a mostly orderly crowd. Simmons noted that the vote split largely along racial lines, with...

3/11/2010: FRONT PAGE: Federal grand jury quizzes ex-speaker

Former Missouri House speaker Rod Jetton confronted a federal grand jury face to face and without a lawyer Wednesday amid signs that a federal investigation into strip-club legislation was ending. Following his more than one-hour testimony, Jetton...

3/11/2010: FRONT PAGE: Indictment recalls days of KC mob

After a month of guilty pleas by six lesser players, a long-awaited federal indictment unsealed Wednesday accused four men of operating a multimillion-dollar Internet gambling scheme. Prosecutors declined to put an “organized crime” label on the case,...

3/11/2010: FRONT PAGE: TOMORROW IN THE STAR:

‘GREEN ZONE' TAKES US ON A CONSPIRACY THEORY-FILLED TRIP TO BAGHDAD

3/11/2010: FRONT PAGE: Medal finally goes to WWII ‘fly girls'

They flew planes during World War II but weren't considered “real” military pilots. No flags were draped over their coffins if they died on duty. And when their service ended, they had to pay their own bus fare home. These aviators — all women — got...

3/11/2010: NATION WATCH: 1. PELOSI SAYS HEALTH CARE AGREEMENT IS CLOSE

Democrats claimed momentum Wednesday in their drive to enact the sweeping health care legislation. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said that after days of secretive talks, key Democrats were “pretty close” to accord.

3/11/2010: NATION WATCH: 2. HOUSE REJECTS CALL FOR WITHDRAWAL

The House rejected an effort by anti-war lawmakers to force a withdrawal of all U.S. troops from Afghanistan by the end of the year. The outcome of the vote, 356-65 against the resolution, was never in doubt. But the debate gave anti-war lawmakers a...

3/11/2010: NATION WATCH: 3. HOUSE LEADERS PRESS EARMARK MORATORIUM

House Democratic leaders said they would no longer dole out budget “earmarks” to profit-making companies, wiping out one of the most lucrative and controversial means of awarding no-bid contracts to private firms. Meanwhile, House Republican leaders,...

3/11/2010: NATION WATCH: 4. JUDGE'S ORDER BENEFITS ACORN

A New York City federal judge who found it unconstitutional that the government tried to cut funding to the activist group ACORN has ordered the government to make it clear the funding isn't blocked.

3/11/2010: NATION WATCH: 5. ‘LOST BOYS' ACTOR COREY HAIM DIES AT 38

Corey Haim, a 1980s teen heartthrob for his roles in “Lucas” and “The Lost Boys” whose career was blighted by drug abuse, has died. He was 38. A pending autopsy will determine the cause of death.

3/11/2010: NATION WATCH: READERS' REPRESENTATIVE

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3/11/2010: NATION WATCH: READERS' REPRESENTATIVE

For comments about fairness and accuracy in news coverage, contact Derek Donovan, readers' representative. Send e-mail to readerrep@kcstar.com or call 816-234-4487 weekdays between 8:30 a.m. and noon.

3/11/2010: NATION WATCH: A CARETAKER BY DAY …

PColleen LaRose spent long days caring for her boyfriend's father in an apartment in Pennsburg, Pa., a small town north of Philadelphia. But online, federal authorities say, the devoted caretaker developed an alter ego, refashioning herself as “Jihad...

3/11/2010: NATION WATCH: Kansas City teachers

A story Wednesday gave incorrect information regarding the status of Kansas City School District teachers. The story should have said principals filed requests that the contracts of 75 teachers not be renewed. Official notices have not been sent to...

3/11/2010: NATION WATCH: Snake Saturday Parade

A story in Wednesday's Northland Neighborhood News should have said the Snake Saturday Parade this weekend in North Kansas City would have about 75 floats.

3/11/2010: NATION WATCH: PUBLISHERʼS NOTICE

March 11, 2010 Vol. 130 No. 175 THE KANSAS CITY STAR 290-240 (ISSN 0745-1067) The Kansas City Star is published daily. Subscriptions to The Kansas City Star are available either by home delivery or by mail. By home delivery, 7 issues per week or 6...

3/11/2010: NATION WATCH: ‘Finger Lady' tells fast-food crime details

She cooked it. Say what you will about the half-baked scam perpetrated by Anna Ayala at a San Jose Wendy's five years ago. The finger she supposedly discovered in her chili was mediumwell done. And no one would know that better than Ayala. “I cooked...

3/11/2010: LOCAL: HELP PREVENT RED JEEP MOMENTS

Raise your hand if you were riveted to the red Jeep this week, glued to the tube as it raced over lawns, crashed through fences, police in hot pursuit. My hand is up. Maybe you clicked on a crime blog today (I'm guilty again). Or like being entertained...

3/11/2010: LOCAL: A TALE OF TWO TAX HIKES

Four-year-old Benjamin Glaze of Hays, Kan., chatted Wednesday with Baby Jay, a University of Kansas mascot, at Children's Mercy Hospital. Baby Jay's visit to the hospital was in conjunction with the Big 12 basketball tournament. TKansas lawmakers...

3/11/2010: LOCAL: KC joins crowd wooing Google

Kansas City is joining an already crowded list that wants to go Google. City Council members and administrators announced Wednesday that they plan to submit a proposal this month to convince the search engine behemoth that it should show off the...

3/11/2010: LOCAL |: American Royal's president quits

Jim McNair is resigning as president and CEO of the American Royal Association, the Royal's board of directors announced Wednesday. McNair will continue in his current position until the Royal names a new CEO. “Jim's service and dedication to the...

3/11/2010: LOCAL |: Argument precedes hit-and-run

A man was critically injured about 7 p.m. Wednesday when a woman he was arguing with ran over him with her Jeep Wrangler and left the scene just west of 77th Terrace and Main Street. The woman, 49, was arguing with a 56-year-old man who was hanging...

3/11/2010: LOCAL |: Waldo-area rape inquiry grows

Police now have received 733 tips and dedicated 21 detectives plus six sergeants to catching the so-called Waldo rapist, believed responsible for five attacks since September. The inquiry is now so large that it's been moved from the sex crimes unit...

3/11/2010: LOCAL |: Homicide victim is identified

Police identified a man found dead with apparent gunshot wounds as Hassan Abbas, 32. Abbas, who was from Sudan, was a student at Metropolitan Community College-Maple Woods, according to police. A roommate found him about 7:15 p.m. Tuesday inside the...

3/11/2010: LOCAL |: Son says mom burned him

Helen E. Settles, 41, of Kansas City, has been accused of using an iron to burn her 18-year-old son, who has severe mental disabilities. She is charged with armed criminal action and first-degree domestic assault that caused serious physical...

3/11/2010: LOCAL |: LOTTERIES

Wednesday's winning numbers: Missouri Pick 3 Midday: 2-0-9 Evening: 5-5-0 Missouri Pick 4 Midday: 4-5-2-2 Evening: 6-5-9-3 Missouri Show Me Cash 3-6-11-21-37. No winner of the $50,000 jackpot. Missouri Lotto: 11-19-24-3334-39. No winner of the $3.6...

3/11/2010: LOCAL |: Two in Jeep chase charged

Wyandotte County prosecutors on Wednesday charged two people related to a high-speed police chase of a stolen Jeep on Monday. Jeffrey M. Haywood, 39, of Independence, is charged with felony eluding police, felony theft, misdemeanor theft and...

3/11/2010: LOCAL |: in church arson 12 years

A federal judge on Wednesday sentenced a former church music director to more than 12 years for setting fire to a Leavenworth church. Carva Lee White, 46, of Kansas City, pleaded guilty to mail fraud and arson in an attempt to commit mail fraud. He...

3/11/2010: LOCAL |: Kidnapping case brings 25-year term

A county judge has sentenced Joshua Maudlin of Independence to 25 years in a kidnapping and rape case that unfolded on both sides of the state line. Maudlin, 34, pleaded guilty previously to kidnapping, sodomizing and raping a woman in February 2007...

3/11/2010: SOBERING RESULTS BUSINESS: Quarterly profits of $107.9 million were down13% from a year ago for Brown-Forman, the maker of Jack Daniel's whiskey and Korbel champagne. Sales rose 10%, but higher expenses pulled earnings down.

674.93 RUSSELL 2000 +5.30 3.72 10-YEAR T-NOTE +.02

3/11/2010: SOBERING RESULTS BUSINESS: PUSHING TO END GENDER GAP AT THE TOP

Twenty by fifteen. It sounds like the size of a small conference room, but the numbers represent a different kind of dimension at the Central Exchange. The Kansas City women's networking and leadership organization is measuring the business community's...

3/11/2010: SOBERING RESULTS BUSINESS: SENATE VOTES TO EXTEND PARTS OF STIMULUS PLAN

The Senate voted Wednesday for a $137.9 billion package extending parts of last year's economic stimulus measure, including help for the jobless and money to help states pay for health care for the poor. The rare 62-36 bipartisan vote saw six...

3/11/2010: SOBERING RESULTS BUSINESS: STATE JOBLESS RATES

Unemployment rose in 30 states in January, the Labor Department said Wednesday, evidence that jobs remain scarce in most regions. That's a little better than December, when 43 states reported higher jobless rates, but worse than November, when rates...

3/11/2010: SOBERING RESULTS BUSINESS: Union Station's new tenants OK'd

An office relocation plan for Union Station that's intended to shore up the historic building's finances along with its bistate reputation is now official. Two of the region's premier civic organizations, the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce...

3/11/2010: SOBERING RESULTS BUSINESS: CONFLICTING FIGURES

consecutive month of year-over-year increases in foreclosure activity. In Kansas, the foreclosure rate in February was 12.15 percent higher than the previous month, with 794 properties affected. But year-over-year in February, the rate was down 32...

3/11/2010: BUSINESS |: STARWATCH CONSUMER

Calorie counters Panera Bread customers around the country soon will be able to tally calories for their smokehouse turkey panini and broccoli cheddar soup with just a glance at the menu board. Panera announced Wednesday it will be the first...

3/11/2010: BUSINESS |: Palm Inc. teeters in crowded market

Last year, Palm thought it had all the pieces for a turnaround in the market it pioneered: A new CEO known for making the iPod a household name, a sleek new smart phone called the Pre and fresh, intuitive operating software. Instead, the firm — a...

3/11/2010: BUSINESS |: Light trading keeps market in a lull

Scant buying lifted stocks for a second day Wednesday after the government reported a drop in companies' inventories. The Dow Jones industrials rose 3 points as the market remained in a lull that began Monday. Many investors stayed on the sidelines...

3/11/2010: BUSINESS |: NEW-LOOK LYCEUM

Daniel Pink, author of “A Whole New Mind and Drive,” will lead the afternoon session of this year's Leadership Lyceum, the annual daylong forum sponsored by the Central Exchange. The women's leadership group has revamped the event in its eighth year to...

3/11/2010: BUSINESS |: Banking giant drops one fee on overdrafts

Consumers have demonstrated a willingness to pay Bank of America overdrafts for covering the customers soon won't face mortgage and the car payment, overdraft fees on their debit said Greg McBride, who folcards — because they won't be lows the banking...

3/11/2010: BUSINESS |: IN BRIEF

New boss Denise Kruse, formerly executive vice president leading Right Management's Heartland region, has become president of Kansas City-based Adams-Gabbert & Associates. Adams-Gabbert founder Jo Anne Gabbert said Kruse's 25 years of management and...

3/11/2010: FROM THE COVER |: Synthetic marijuana is outlawed

Kansas is now the first state in the nation to ban the sale and possession of synthetic marijuana. Gov. Mark Parkinson on Wednesday signed legislation outlawing the substance, which is sold commercially under the brand name K2. It contains chemicals...

3/11/2010: FROM THE COVER |: BOARDMEMBERSWHOVOTEDFORTHEPLAN

“We need a radical plan to right what's wrong educationally in our district. We hired the superintendent to do that and we all know that it's coming.” “I understand the anguish. … This is the most painful vote I ever cast. We have to quit talking about...

3/11/2010: FROM THE COVER |: BOARDMEMBERSWHOVOTEDNO

“It pains me to my heart that the nine members of the board have not met with the superintendent — our employee — on the largest (closing plan) that affects 18,000 kids.” “Please stay with us. Stay with us and walk this road together. This happened....

3/11/2010: FROM THE COVER |: STILL ON THE LIST

Board member Ray Wilson proposed removing these buildings from the closing list. His motion failed on a 5-4 vote. Westport High ACE Sixth-Grade Center and ACE Lower Campus Kansas City Middle School of the Arts Lincoln College Prep middle...

3/11/2010: FROM THE COVER |: NOT-GUILTY PLEA IN ASSAULT CASE

Rod Jetton also was due in court on Wednesday in Scott County, Mo., where he faced a felony assault charge in an unrelated case stemming from a sexual encounter. His attorney in that case, Stephen Wilson, entered a plea of not guilty on Jetton's behalf...

3/11/2010: LOCAL |: Garden project funding in limbo

Kansas City Community Gardens was not recommended for this year's community development block grant funding, but it may still be funded in the general Kansas City budget. The City Council's Housing Committee endorsed a plan Wednesday to allocate about...

3/11/2010: LOCAL |: Two boys left on school bus

Independence School District officials continue to investigate how a driver left two Sugar Creek Elementary School students on a district school bus Monday afternoon. Officials are studying a videotape of the bus interior to determine how the...

3/11/2010: LOCAL |: KC ponders higher user fees for convention center events

User fees for auto and boat shows and other convention center events would increase, under an ordinance endorsed Wednesday by a Kansas City Council committee. The Finance and Audit Committee supported increasing the fees at Bartle Hall and Municipal...

3/11/2010: LOCAL |: REMEMBRANCES

Davoren (Kevin); sons Russell Boyer, Garry Boyer (Brenda), Larry Boyer (Dana), Scott Boyer; 11 grandchildren, and several great grandchildren. He is also survived by his sister Vicki Nagel (Brian). Stanley was in the automobile industry for over 30...

3/11/2010: REMEMBRANCES: An architect with spirit

Who: Frank Grimaldi of Kansas City. Died: Jan. 29, of complications from a stroke. Age: 85. Known for: A life spent in architecture, designing religious structures, particularly for the Roman Catholic Church. Name sound familiar?: Grimaldi was a steady...

3/11/2010: OPINION: Restricting speech threatens democracy

There's a certain justice in the fact that during the same week the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, D.C., agreed to hear a case involving Kansas hatemonger Fred Phelps, the first gay couples were legally married in that city. Phelps' case will be...

3/11/2010: OPINION: Better choices, better care

Looking for a car? Even the casual consumer can find reams of information about makes, models and performance. Looking for a doctor? That's trickier. Patients generally rely on word-of-mouth recommendations. Data are hard to find. Consumers in the...

3/11/2010: OPINION: HOW TO REACH US

TO SEND LETTERS: Send letters of up to 150 words to Letters, The Kansas City Star, 1729 Grand Blvd., Kansas City, MO 64108. Or e-mail letters@ kcstar.com or fax to 816234-4940. E-mail is preferred. AS I SEE IT: The Star welcomes essays of up to 600...

3/11/2010: OPINION: ANYTHING'S STILL POSSIBLE IN MAYOR'S RACE NEXT YEAR

Ayear from now, the two finalists for mayor of Kansas City will be selling voters on some great ideas to bolster the city's future. Hey, we can dream, right? Long campaigns, attack ads and plenty of political twists and turns are ahead of us before the...

3/11/2010: OPINION: WOMEN'S EQUALITY COULD REMEDY WORLD'S WORST ILLS

In Cameroon, some mothers “iron” their daughters' breasts to delay or prevent them from having sex. The procedure often involves grinding a very hot rock into the chest of the girl, but sometimes kerosene or hot plantain peels will do the trick. The...

3/11/2010: OPINION: FOR NON-MUSLIMS, THE VEIL REMAINS

Iwas tempted to turn my abaya into a black masquerade cloak and sneak into Mecca, just hop over the Tropic of Cancer to the Red Sea and crash the ultimate heaven's gate. Sir Richard Burton, the 19th century British adventurer, translator of “The...

3/11/2010: OPINION: THE KANSAS CITY STAR.

TIM DOTY Vice President, Advertising CHRIS CHRISTIAN Vice President, Audience/Circulation CHRIS PIWOWAREK Vice President, Employee Resources RANDY WATERS Vice President, Production MIRIAM PEPPER Vice President, Editorial Page

3/11/2010: OPINION: BIG BUDGET CUTS HARD TO FIND

Some Kansas legislative leaders are recognizing the need to raise taxes to avoid devastating budget cuts to schools and social services. But school districts are wise to prepare for the worst. USD 259 fears that it might have to cut $25 million from...

3/11/2010: OPINION: EINSTEIN'S MERITS STRICTLY RELATIVE

Even as a new mother, I suspected that the Baby Einstein videos were good only if you needed to stick the baby somewhere to take a shower, that they would not actually make my baby smarter. Still, those videos were dispiriting for me, the first clue...

3/11/2010: WORLD WATCH: Tasmanian devils gain survival hope

The discovery of a genetically distinct colony of Tasmanian devils may save the species from being wiped out by a contagious cancer that has decimated the population, Australian scientists said Wednesday. So far, the colony in northwestern Tasmania...

3/11/2010: WORLD WATCH: MAJOR REVIEW ORDERED

A group of top scientists from around the world will review the research and management practices of the U.N. climate change panel, officials said Wednesday. The effort aims to try to avoid the kinds of errors that have brought the Intergovernmental...

3/11/2010: WORLD WATCH: 1. GATES KEEPS UP PRESSURE ON IRAN

U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates told Saudi leaders Wednesday that the U.S. effort for diplomatic engagement with Iran had come to naught and he asked for the influential kingdom's help to win wide backing for economic penalties against Tehran.

3/11/2010: WORLD WATCH: 2. MUCH OF SOMALIA'S FOOD AID DIVERTED

Up to half the food aid intended for the millions of hungry people in Somalia is being diverted to corrupt contractors, radical Islamic militants and local U.N. workers, according to a U.N. Security Council report.

3/11/2010: WORLD WATCH: 3. BIDEN: PALESTINIANS DESERVE STATE

Vice President Joe Biden's displeasure over an Israeli plan to enlarge an east Jerusalem settlement was on display Wednesday as he warned against actions that “inflame tensions” and reassured his Palestinian hosts that they deserve a sustainable,...

3/11/2010: WORLD WATCH: 4. FIGHTS FLARE IN SOMALI CAPITAL

Fighting between Islamist insurgents and government forces killed at least 17 people in the Somali capital, marking the highest death toll in weeks.

3/11/2010: WORLD WATCH: 5. U.S. AID GROUP ATTACKED IN PAKISTAN

Militants stormed the northwest Pakistan offices of a U.S. Christian aid group, killing six Pakistani workers.

3/11/2010: SPORTS DAILY: More Cy Young stuff

Zack Greinke continues to stifle the opposition with three scoreless innings against the Rockies. He allows just one hit.

3/11/2010: SPORTS DAILY: CLEMENTE GROWS INTO THE PICTURE

MThe fastest man in the building stands still. His eyes close. A smile starts small and now spreads across his face. Beautiful pictures flash behind those eyelids, reminding him why he works so hard at basketball. “It will be close to the ocean,” Denis...

3/11/2010: SPORTS DAILY: Big two aren't as big for KU

Sherron Collins says last year's Big 12 tournament quarterfinal loss to Baylor was a “What happened?” game. A year later, it's pretty easy to see what happened. Collins made six of 20 shots, including four of 12 from threepoint range, and turned the...

3/11/2010: DAILY DEUCE: THE BUZZ

Hunter clarifies his remarks Los Angeles Angels center fielder Torii Hunter insists he meant no harm toward Latino players when he referred to them as “impostors” while discussing the number of black players in the major leagues. His comments were...

3/11/2010: DAILY DEUCE: ON THE AIR

Today's TV | radio BASEBALL BOYS HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL GOLF MEN'S COLLEGE BASKETBALL

3/11/2010: DAILY DEUCE: A nation rests easier

Olympic hero Sidney Crosby's missing stick and glove have been found. As it turns out, the equipment was misplaced, not stolen.

3/11/2010: DAILY DEUCE: A black eye for racing

Thoroughbred breeder Ernie Paragallo was convicted Wednesday of starving and neglecting 177 horses on his New York state farm. He could face up to two years in jail.

3/11/2010: DAILY DEUCE: A COMEBACK WITH A SWITCH

Marion Jones hasn't lost much of her swagger. Jones, a disgraced sprinter once called the world's fastest woman, was introduced Wednesday as the newest member of the WNBA's Tulsa Shock, and she offered no apologies for her steroid use or her time in...

3/11/2010: DAILY DEUCE: Senators seeking details of BCS finances

Two senators from Western states are again asking the Bowl Championship Series for answers — and this time they want to know about money. A letter, signed by Sen. Orrin Hatch, a Utah Republican, and Sen. Max Baucus, a Montana Democrat, was posted...

3/11/2010: DAILY DEUCE: The Star is again honored for sports excellence

For the third time in four years, The Kansas City Star has received sports journalism's highest honor. In annual contest judging by the Associated Press Sports Editors this week in Kissimmee, Fla., Sports Daily won the 2009 Triple Crown — a top 10...

3/11/2010: DAILY DEUCE: Kansas State

Today Friday** Men's basketball Texas Tech, 11:30 a.m.* Nebraska-Texas A&M, 6 p.m.* Women's basketball Today Oklahoma State, 5* Friday** Iowa State, 5* Tickets: 1-800-344-2957 *Big 12 tournament, in Kansas City **if team wins Men's basketball Today...

3/11/2010: DAILY DEUCE: VOICES

TBA Friday ODESSA, 7:05 Saturday ODESSA, 7:05 Sunday at Wichita, 5:05 March 17 at Allen, 7:30 March 19 at Shreveport, 7:05 Tickets: 816-252-7825 ❙ ❙ ❙ ❙ ❙ ❙ ❙Men's basketball NCAA Tournament, TBA Women's basketball Today Texas, 1:30* Friday**...

3/11/2010: DAILY DEUCE: Garciaparra calls it quits

There will be no more Nomar. Six years after he was traded away for the final pieces of Boston's World Series puzzle, Nomar Garciaparra finally got a friendly farewell from the Red Sox. The Rookie of the Year, batting champion and All-Star whose...

3/11/2010: DAILY DEUCE: OTHER NEWS

CRISP INJURED: Athletics center fielder Coco Crisp has a strained left hamstring, and it isn't clear how long he might be sidelined. Crisp, who is being listed as day-to-day, underwent treatment Wednesday on the leg, which he had wrapped. Crisp, who...

3/11/2010: DAILY DEUCE: GAME HIGHLIGHTS

GOOD DAY FOR GRANDERSON: Johnny Damon didn't get to play, but Curtis Granderson made the play of the day in the first meeting between the Yankees and ❙

3/11/2010: DAILY DEUCE: Greinke goes along for the victory ride

One benefit generally afforded to veteran big-leaguers in spring training is that long bus trips are minimized. That explains why the Royals' travel roster for Wednesday's 300-mile round trip — one of two this spring to Tucson — didn't include José...

3/11/2010: DAILY DEUCE: Kansas City signs defensive lineman

Defensive lineman Shaun Smith had the best seasons of his NFL career in 2007 and 2008 playing for the Cleveland Browns, who were then coached by Romeo Crennel. The Chiefs, who agreed to terms of a one-year contract with Smith on Wednesday, are hoping...

3/11/2010: BIG 12 MEN: Anderson upstaged

Big 12 player of the year James Anderson threw down this dunk for Oklahoma State but had just 11 points, well off Keiton Page's surprising 24-point night.

3/11/2010: BIG 12 MEN: NCAA or bust for Huskers

Nebraska is 15-17 after beating Mizzou and can get to .500 with two more wins in Kansas City. But the Huskers have to win the Big 12 title game to stay above .500 and become NIT eligible.

3/11/2010: BIG 12 MEN: Sorrow for Sutton

The game was a beatdown. The mood of the Oklahoma State faithful trended toward exuberant. But even as the Cowboys celebrated their 81-67 victory over rival Oklahoma and dreamed about a deep run in March, there was a sense of loss mixed with the...

3/11/2010: BIG 12 MEN: THE BEST OF...

Best shoes >> Colorado guard Cory Higgins wore a pair of sneakers that looked as if they had been bronzed, but without the stiffness of a precious metal alloy. Higgins' footwear might have predicted a third-place finish for the Buffaloes, but Colorado...

3/11/2010: BIG 12 TOURNAMENT |: Longhorns get physical

How many times will Baylor's Quincy Acy dunk tonight? If it's fewer than 10, Texas will have played better defense against the Bears than it did last Saturday. The Longhorns get another crack at Baylor in tonight's Big 12 tournament quarterfinal after...

3/11/2010: BIG 12 TOURNAMENT |: Blazing Cowboys sock it to Sooners

Oklahoma State coach Travis Ford admits his team was somewhat nervous heading into its Big12 tournament opener Wednesday at the Sprint Center Not only was it the Cowboys' first game of what he hopes will be a successful postseason, but also the...

3/11/2010: BIG 12 TOURNAMENT |: WHO KNEW SAFFORD WAS KEY TO MU SUCCESS?

Iwant my All-Big 12 ballot back. And I will not miss the jersey retirement ceremony. Apparently, a player who averages 8.6 points and 4.1 rebounds has become so vital to Missouri that the Tigers cannot find their way to victory without him. The legend...

3/11/2010: BIG 12 TOURNAMENT |: ABOUT NEBRASKA (15-17):

❙ ❙ Don't for a moment fall into the trap of thinking that Nebraska beat Missouri because the Tigers played badly. The Tigers did. But the Cornhuskers played perhaps their most complete game of a disappointing season. And Nebraska should be bolstered...

3/11/2010: BIG 12 TOURNAMENT |: BOTTOM LINE

It's another game pitting a team that already has made the NCAA Tournament against a Nebraska team that cannot make it without winning four games in four days. A&M should win. But then most thought Missouri would win, too. | Mike DeArmond,...

3/11/2010: BIG 12 TOURNAMENT |: MISSOURI NOTEBOOK

First half Key play: ❙

3/11/2010: BIG 12 TOURNAMENT |: K-State wants to see Sutton's good side

Jamar Samuels tells a great story about K-State teammate Dominique Sutton that starts on a basketball court in Puerto Rico. During a close game against Dayton earlier this season at a tournament in San Juan, Samuels remembers Sutton being so motivated...

3/11/2010: BIG 12 TOURNAMENT |: ABOUT OKLAHOMA STATE (22-9):

The Cowboys were the first team to beat K-State at Bramlage Coliseum this season. In that game, Big 12 player of the year James Anderson scored 30 points.

3/11/2010: BIG 12 TOURNAMENT |: FRONTCOURT

Kansas State: Curtis Kelly has scored 10 or more points in 13 of his last 15 games and is becoming more consistent by the day. Jamar Samuels recently won the league's sixth-man award. Oklahoma State: The Cowboys' are a guard-based bunch, but Marshall...

3/11/2010: BIG 12 TOURNAMENT |: BACKCOURT

Kansas State: Pullen got third-team All-American honors from The Sporting News, and Denis Clemente is regarded as the fastest player in the Big 12. Oklahoma State: What Keiton Page did to Oklahoma was scary. He led all scorers with 24 points. Tack on...

3/11/2010: BIG 12 TOURNAMENT |: COACHING

Kansas State: Frank Martin signed a new contract with the Wildcats and has been as good as any coach around. Oklahoma State: Travis Ford is set to take Oklahoma State to another NCAA Tournament and showed some big-time intensity on Wednesday. ❙ ❙

3/11/2010: BIG 12 TOURNAMENT |: OUTLOOK

Kansas State: The Wildcats need to avoid a third straight loss and protect the high NCAA Tournament seeding it worked all year toward. Oklahoma State: The Cowboys are on a roll right now, and they probably will be loose and ready to go against the...

3/11/2010: BIG 12 TOURNAMENT |: ABOUT KANSAS STATE (24-6):

When asked whom they would like to face, the Wildcats took the unusual approach of picking a team — Oklahoma State. “We owe them one,” Jacob Pullen said.

3/11/2010: BIG 12 TOURNAMENT |: Knight, Musburger have fans talking

Big 12 fans love their hoops. Bob Knight, who spent six-plus seasons as Texas Tech's coach knew this. So did Norby Williamson, who coordinates the talent for Big 12 telecasts as ESPN's executive senior vice president of studio and event...

3/11/2010: COLLEGE BASKETBALL |: The Red Raiders get going

Texas Tech coach Pat Knight knew that he had to be careful. His Red Raiders had lost seven straight entering Wednesday's game against Colorado, and they were trailing the Buffaloes by 10 points after 8 minutes at the Sprint Center. Knight had plenty...

3/11/2010: COLLEGE BASKETBALL |: ABOUT TEXAS TECH (17-14):

❙The Red Raiders had lost seven games in a row before beating Colorado 82-67 on Wednesday in the Big 12 tournament first round. … Tech lost to Kansas 89-63 earlier this season at Allen Fieldhouse. … The Red Raiders started the season 16-9 before...

3/11/2010: COLLEGE BASKETBALL |: FRONTCOURT

Kansas: In the teams' first meeting on Jan. 16, Marcus Morris was just beginning his emergence as a top performer with 20 points and eight rebounds. Cole Aldrich had 14 points and seven rebounds, as KU had 48 rebounds to Tech's 37. Texas Tech: The Red...

3/11/2010: COLLEGE BASKETBALL |: BACKCOURT

Kansas: Sherron Collins had an off shooting night, and the Jayhawks had 18 assists and 17 turnovers against the Red Raiders. Tyshawn Taylor should be of more help to KU than he was back in January, though. Texas Tech: Point guard John Roberson had a...

3/11/2010: COLLEGE BASKETBALL |: COACHING

Kansas: KU coach Bill Self is no stranger to coaching against Bob Knight's motion offense, now employed by Knight's son, Pat, at Tech. Last year's loss to Baylor was a shock, so expect Self to have KU mentally prepared for today's tournament...

3/11/2010: COLLEGE BASKETBALL |: OUTLOOK

Kansas: The Jayhawks don't have much tangible to gain against the Red Raiders but should be motivated to continue their solid play after last week's wins over Kansas State and Missouri. Texas Tech: Tech appears to be a good candidate for an NIT berth,...

3/11/2010: COLLEGE BASKETBALL |: ABOUT KANSAS (29-2):

❙The Jayhawks enter the Big 12 tournament as the No. 1 seed for the seventh time in the 14-year history of the league. … KU has won 10 conference tournament titles. … Since the Big 12's inception in 1996-97, KU is 12-1 in its opening games, the one...

3/11/2010: COLLEGE BASKETBALL |: Hoyas handle South Florida

Georgetown coach John Thompson III has a remarkable knack for making a difficult game sound simple. Take, for instance, his approach to guarding South Florida's Dominique Jones. Jones ripped apart the Hoyas the last time the two teams met and was...

3/11/2010: COLLEGE BASKETBALL |: OTHER LEAGUE TOURNAMENTS

MORE BIG EAST: Luke Harangody had 20 points and 10 rebounds in a healthy performance off the bench in Notre Dame's 68-56 victory over Seton Hall. Harangody, the nation's second-leading scorer, missed five games because of a badly bruised right knee...

3/11/2010: COLLEGE BASKETBALL |: AUTOMATIC BIDS

Conference ❙ ❙ Ivy League Conference Atlantic Sun Ohio Valley Conference Big South Missouri Valley Colonial Athletic Association Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Southern Conference West Coast Conference Summit League Sun Belt Horizon League...

3/11/2010: BIG12 WOMEN: A familiar face

Texas guard Yvonne Anderson, daughter of Missouri men's coach Mike Anderson, scored nine points and four rebounds in Texas' 60-41 victory over the Tigers on March 3.

3/11/2010: BIG12 WOMEN: BIG 12 WOMEN'S BUZZ

Shorthanded Bears miss Griner Baylor freshman center Brittney Griner did not practice at Municipal Auditorium on Wednesday and tonight will serve the second of her two-game suspension for punching Texas Tech's Jordan Barncastle in a game on March...

3/11/2010: BIG12 WOMEN: Texas Tech is moving forward

Texas Tech has its Masked Rider, the mascot for all the teams that represent the university. And now, Texas Tech's women's basketball team has the Masked Raider — forward Jordan Barncastle, who is wearing a mask to protect the broken nose she suffered...

3/11/2010: BIG12 WOMEN: Haiti support

Missouri's Jessra Johnson sported a T-shirt with the flag of Haiti on the front and the words, “I Support Haiti” on the back at practice. “I support everything that they're doing there. I just wear T-shirts to practice, and this is the one I had on...

3/11/2010: BIG12 WOMEN: Jayhawk duo thrown into fire

Perhaps Kansas' women's basketball team can look at a difficult season this way: The “basketball gods” never close one door without opening another. The crushing disappointment of losing preseason Big12 player of the year Danielle McCray and...

3/11/2010: BIG12 WOMEN: Tigers hope for repeat

Missouri forward Amanda Hanneman pointed to the spot on the floor at Municipal Auditorium where she hit the threepointer that sent a Big 12 women's tournament firstround game into overtime in 2008. Then, after Wednesday's practice, the Tigers returned...

3/11/2010: BIG12 WOMEN: KU assistant facing lawsuit

Kansas offensive coordinator Chuck Long, a former head coach at San Diego State, has been sued by Nick Sandford, a former player. Sandford accuses Long of covering up an alleged assault by a teammate in November 2008 that left Sandford with injuries,...

3/11/2010: BIG12 WOMEN: COLLEGE BUZZ

Phillips to leave WIN for KC Patti Phillips, who has led the Women's Intersports Network of Kansas City for the last 10 years, is leaving to become Executive Director of The National Association of Collegiate Women Athletic Administrators. Phillips...

3/11/2010: BIG12 WOMEN: Memphis humiliates Boston

Celtics fans were feeling queasy before Wednesday. Their team has barely been able to stay above .500 since New Year's Day. But no one could imagine the Celtics not answering the bell against Memphis. But Memphis led by 15 after the first quarter, by...

3/11/2010: BIG12 WOMEN: OTHER GAMES

Charlotte 102, at Philadelphia 87 Utah 115, at Detroit 104 At Miami 108, LA Clippers 97 Denver 110, at Minnesota 102 At Oklahoma City 98, New Orleans 83 At Dallas 96, New Jersey 87 At San Antonio 97, New York 87 Toronto at Sacramento, late

3/11/2010: BIG12 WOMEN: HIGHLIGHTS

❙The Thunder's who was an All-American at Texas, scored 29 points, and just missed a triple double: 17 points, eight rebounds and nine assists. scored 33 for the Hornets. had 27 points for the Heat, and former K-State star scored 15 points before...

3/11/2010: BIG12 WOMEN: GMs want to ban hits to head

NHL general managers will recommend a rule change on blind-side hits to the head, looking to protect players and punish those responsible in a game that has become faster and rougher. The unanimous decision Wednesday came at the end of three days of...

3/11/2010: BIG12 WOMEN: WEDNESDAY'S GAMES

At Buffalo 5, Dallas 3 At New Jersey 6, N.Y. Rangers 3 At Washington 4, Carolina 3, OT At Chicago 3, Los Angeles 2, OT Vancouver at Phoenix, late ❙and each had a goal and assist for the Devils.

3/11/2010: BIG12 WOMEN: HIGHLIGHTS

scored on a one-timer from the right circle with 1:40 remaining in overtime for Washington. Rookie defenseman had a goal and three assists for the Sabres. ❙ ❙

3/11/2010: BIG12 WOMEN: IndyCar will get going on streets of Sao Paulo

Coming off a fantastic finish in 2009, the IndyCar Series is trying to build on that excitement this season with a new title sponsor, a new CEO and measures designed to improve racing. The 2009 title was decided in the closing laps of the final race,...

3/11/2010: BIG12 WOMEN: NEWS

❙THRASHERS RECALL CHELIOS: Atlanta has a newcomer in 48-year-old defenseman an 11-time All-Star. Chelios has played more games than any other American-born NHL player, and he joins the Thrashers after getting five goals and 17 assists in 46 games with...

3/11/2010: BIG12 WOMEN: NEWS AND NOTES

Roush OK with NASCAR action Team owner Jack Roush said Wednesday that he's satisfied with the penalty NASCAR levied against driver Carl Edwards for his intentional accident with Brad Keselowski. Edwards was in an early accident with Keselowski in...

3/11/2010: BIG12 WOMEN: TELEVISION TIMES

TELEVISION TIMES Sunday: Formula One Bahrain Grand Prix, 7 a.m., Speed Sunday: IndyCar Sao Paulo Indy 300, 10:30 a.m., Versus Sunday: NHRA Gatornationals, 5 p.m., ESPN2 ❙ ❙ ❙

3/11/2010: DAILY DATA: THE STAR'S RESULTS POLICY AND SPORTS WEB SITE

Results from live events will be printed in The Star, unless they occur too late to meet our deadlines. Please call promptly (816) 234-4355, fax us at (816) 234-4360 or e-mail us at results@kcstar.com to report area scores and summaries. Results that...

3/11/2010: DAILY DATA: BRENT'S BEST BET

Get out the ultralight gear. March is the time to fish for trout. And there is no shortage of places where they're biting. In the Kansas City area, rainbows are being caught at the James A. Reed Memorial Wildlife Area, Shawnee Mission Lake and Heritage...

3/11/2010: DAILY DATA: Missouri

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3/11/2010: DAILY DATA: Kansas

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3/11/2010: HIGH SCHOOLS: O'Hara's first-class seniors

When O'Hara High School girls basketball coach Mary Haggerty walks the halls these days, she is often congratulated. Her players, she noticed, are walking around with a sense of pride, too. And why not? The Celtics have clinched a berth in the Missouri...

3/11/2010: HIGH SCHOOLS: Saints march behind Harden

Dashawn Harden and the St. Thomas Aquinas girls simply weren't ready for the Kansas 5A high school basketball state tournament last year — a fact Bishop Carroll hammered home by issuing the Saints a 70-54 first-round beating. “That loss taught us that...

3/11/2010: HIGH SCHOOLS: Two area teams search for elusive state titles

Redemption is the operative word for the Blue Springs girls and Kearney boys basketball teams this week. Both squads made it to the finals of their respective classes last year, and both teams suffered disappointing double-digit losses. Not...

3/11/2010: HIGH SCHOOLS: Hogan throttles Stockton

Hogan Prep guard Maurice Mason came out of the locker at halftime giggling and smiling. Instead of taking standard jump shots to warm up, he threw up halfcourt shots. Mason, along with the rest of the Rams in their 92-55 win against Stockton on...

3/11/2010: HIGH SCHOOLS: Gryphons fall in final seconds

This Harrisonville High School gymnasium has not been kind to the University Academy Gryphons. Early in the season, the team's leading scorer, sophomore Martez Harrison, broke his hand during a game there and missed several weeks of action. Fast...

3/11/2010: HIGH SCHOOLS |: KC Christian beats Galena

The Kansas City Christian boys edged Galena 44-41 in a tight battle Wednesday in the quarterfinals of the Kansas 3A state tournament in Hutchinson, Kan. Blake Spencer led the Panthers with 14 points and10 rebounds. Lenard Manuel added eight points....

3/11/2010: HIGH SCHOOLS |: Falcons get defensive

Olathe South started Wednesday morning by reliving a narrow escape three months earlier against Blue Valley, a nail-biting win on a last-second layup in preseason tournament action. It was a timely reminder of how dangerous the Falcons' opponent in...

3/11/2010: HIGH SCHOOLS |: Miege flies out of the gates

If the first game of the Kansas 5A basketball tournament was any indication, the Bishop Miege boys haven't just come to win the state title that narrowly escaped their grasp last season — they've come to conquer. The Stags connected on seven of 11...

3/11/2010: HIGH SCHOOLS |: Missouri All-Stars pin loss on Kansas

Missouri dominated Kansas in the 18th Annual Metro Classic Senior All-Star Dual on Wednesday at Kansas City Kansas Community College. The Missouri Senior AllStars won 36-27 and extended their series lead to 11-7. Kansas had won three of the last four...

3/11/2010: HIGH SCHOOLS |: TODAY: GOOD

Cloudy, breezy and colder; few showers 35

3/11/2010: HIGH SCHOOLS |: Temperatures

Continued cloudy and cool Cloudy and cool yet again H H L

3/11/2010: STARGAZING: Tickets for sale, 9 Television, 32 Advice, 34 Birthdays and horoscopes, 35

ON THE COVER: Illustration by HECTOR CASANOVA|THEKANSASCITYSTAR

3/11/2010: STARGAZING: SEEKING SOLACE

doctors have ordered him to rest for six weeks. The 69-year-old tenor was released Sunday from Mount Sinai Hospital in New York.

3/11/2010: THIS WEEKEND IN KC: PAINT THE TOWN GREEN

Ilearned my first year in Kansas City that St. Patrick's Day is big here. It's so big that we have to start early. Saturday is the big day ahead of the big day with the St. Patrick's Day Warm-Up Parade in Brookside, the Snake Saturday Parade in North...

3/11/2010: THIS WEEKEND IN KC: friday

Romance comes with drama. Trust me, I know. “I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change,” a musical about relationships, from first dates through marriage, tells all about it. The show has a local cast and opens at 8 p.m. at the American Heartland Theatre...

3/11/2010: THIS WEEKEND IN KC: saturday and sunday

New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts, a Chinese dance and music company, will stop at the Music Hall, 201 W. 13th St., for two shows. The performances will include soloists, a full orchestra, traditional Chinese instruments and dances that are...

3/11/2010: THIS WEEKEND IN KC: saturday

Two KC acts combine for Wave, a fundraising party featuring performance troupe Quixotic and DJ duo Nomathmatics. The party, which begins at 9 p.m. at the Foundation, 1221 Union Ave., will incorporate dance, film, aerial arts, music, fashion, light...

3/11/2010: COVER STORY: A LASTING EXPERIENCE

TFINN@KCSTAR.COM

3/11/2010: COVER STORY: A LINEUP OF STARS

“Experience Hendrix” comes to the Uptown Theater, 3700 Broadway, on Tuesday. Showtime is 8 p.m. Tickets are $45 to $135 at the box office or www.ticketmaster.com. From the Web site Music Radar.com, via a blog by guitarist Joe Satriani, here's a...

3/11/2010: COVER STORY: CATCH THE BOSSA NOVA RHYTHMS

BThe Kansas City Star efore popular music had its British invasion, there was a Brazilian invasion, with the swaying, seductive sound of bossa nova. Pop music had its Brazilian flirtation, then moved on, but jazz has never looked away. And on the...

3/11/2010: COVER STORY: TICKETS FOR SALE

On sale Friday Mo'nique, April 16, Midland. $39.50-$59.50 Lisa Lampanelli, April 30, Uptown. $36.75 Pink Martini, $29.50-$59.50 June 7, Uptown. On sale Saturday Tech N9ne, Hall. $31 Cross Canadian Ragweed with Kevin Fowler, Stoney LaRue and...

3/11/2010: MOVIES: SLICE OF ‘MOTHERHOOD'

UThe Kansas City Star ma Thurman's face, smeared with children's fingerpaint, stares out with open-mouthed surprise from the DVD cover of “Motherhood.” Looks like a slapsticky take on parenting. But, no. Katherine Dieckmann's film — it never played...

3/11/2010: MOVIES: LIBERALS GET A DOSE OF WICHITA

The Kansas City Star The titles are the same, but don't expect the new documentary “What's the Matter With Kansas?” to be a filmed version of the best-selling book. Author Thomas Frank examined the rise of the Republican Party in Kansas, a state that...

3/11/2010: MOVIES: IT'S HARD WORK TO BE A ‘HARD10'

Orlando Sentinel The very title “She's Out of My League” might scare mere mortals away from wanting to play the “She,” or even from that first meeting with the filmmakers. You can't have an ounce of humility about your looks if you're described in the...

3/11/2010: DINING: SO-SO SUSHI, SO CHIC

AThe Kansas City Star lot of people aren't too keen on the idea of sushi … raw fish? Still, sushi comes imbued with a certain sexiness, an attraction worth getting close to. That seems to be the thought behind RA Sushi Bar and Restaurant, a small...

3/11/2010: DINING: restaurant guide

WHAT MAKES IT SPECIAL? DISHES TO TRY

3/11/2010: DINING: GRAB A BIT OF GREEN

Saturday ❙ ❙ ❙ Westport St. Patrick's Day Run: The 32nd annual run and walk will be at 10 a.m. The 4mile run around midtown is expected to draw 3,500 participants. You can register from noon to 7 p.m. Friday or 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. Saturday. The cost...

3/11/2010: VIDEO GAMES: ‘BAD COMPANY 2' OPENS NEW FRONT

NGame Informer Magazine othing improves competition like a great rivalry. After years as the kingpin of military multiplayer, “Battlefield” creator DICE found its title in jeopardy as first-person shooter fans abandoned PCs in favor of consoles and...

3/11/2010: VIDEO GAMES: “battlefield: bad company 2“

Platform:

3/11/2010: VIDEO GAMES: the details

Concept:

3/11/2010: FINE ARTS: EPIC BALLET TO TAKE THE STAGE

T China rising Special to The Star he late Martha Graham belongs in the same category as Picasso, James Joyce, Frank Lloyd Wright and the other greats of modernism, Emily Behrmann, interim general manager of the Performing Arts Series at Johnson...

3/11/2010: FINE ARTS: STUDENTS' WORK IN THE SPOTLIGHT

The Kansas City Star The Kansas City, Kan., Public Schools' Annual Student Art Exhibit, “Beyond the Classroom,” is the featured attraction of this month's KCK Second Friday Art Walk from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, in downtown Kansas City, Kan. More than 200...

3/11/2010: FINE ARTS: A TALE OF INTRIGUE FOR UNICORN PLAY READING

The Kansas City Star The Unicorn Theatre's new play-reading series continues with “The Underneath” by Susan Soon He Stanton, a native of Hawaii who is pursuing a master of fine arts degree in playwriting from Yale University. The Unicorn program,...

3/11/2010: FINE ARTS: OPERA GOES 20TH CENTURY NEXT SEASON

The New York premieres of Bernstein's “A Quiet Place” and Stephen Schwartz's “Seance on a Wet Afternoon,” the world stage premiere of John Zorn's “La Machine de l'etre” and the U.S. stage premiere of Morton Feldman's “Neither” highlight New York City...

3/11/2010: FINE ARTS: MINNELLI, FIERSTEIN TO HONOR KENNEDY CENTER FOUNDER

Liza Minnelli and Harvey Fierstein will host a tribute to the Kennedy Center's founding chairman, Roger L. Stevens. Plans announced Tuesday for the May 2 gala in Washington, D.C., also will include some of Broadway's biggest stars. President John F....

3/11/2010: FYI: what's working for me …

1. Roger Ebert.

3/11/2010: FYI: … and what's not

1. The FCC.

3/11/2010: FYI: ‘JUSTIFIED' JUST ABOUT PERFECT

AARON@TVBARN.COM Justified” is one of those programs where, when you get done with the three review episodes FX sends you, you're angry because you know FX could've sent more episodes if it wanted to. Here it is, the first great new TV show of 2010,...

3/11/2010: FYI: LOOKING ‘GREEN' IS GOOD

McClatchy Newspapers If you want to attach a name and a face to green living, it would be Deborah Burnes. She believes something as simple as a bar of bath soap shouldn't require a degree in chemistry to figure out what makes the bubbles...

3/11/2010: FYI: BUSINESS OR PLEASURE? AND WHO'S BUYING?

DEAR ABBY: Last week I suggested to a coworker, “Zack,” that I treat him to a beer after work. Before our pints arrived, he disappeared to a corner of the pub to text on his phone, and 10 minutes later his girlfriend showed up. Her being there...

3/11/2010: FYI: THE FUTURE BELONGS TO GOD

DEAR BILLY GRAHAM: Do you think computers will take over the world some day? I admit I don't understand them very much (although I'm learning to use e-mail, which is pretty good for someone in their late 70s!). But they seem to have taken over so much...

3/11/2010: GROW: SEED FOR YOURSELF

3/11/2010: GROW: Evaluating lawn service contract can be challenging task