God Acts

I had this premonition, after all the discussion of Acts of God on Monday at the Planning Commission meeting.  Although fires are a real rarity here...literally years, I had this feeling all the talk would somehow fast forward us to another fire disaster.  Sure enough, as we pulled in the driveway yesterday afternoon(Friday)  we could smell the distinct odor of wood burning.  Almost with the next step the sirens started to wail, drawing closer to the Lake.  From our backyard we could see the white smoke rising from a home, my guess 2nd tier and in the area of 87th Street.  About 15 minutes later the fire appeared to be extinguished.  Last evening we decided to scout the situation but were puzzled as we drove down 87th Street.  No burned out building, no broken windows...nothing but a slight smoky smell in the air...from who knows where.  We stopped one of the local natives who informed us, yes indeed, there had been a fire.  9603 87th Street.  A big green dumpster on the property had caught fire.  God? Nope.

Image via Wikipedia

Took a tour of C-point while we were in the neighborhood, sun going down as we walked to the Pavilion.  We had to walk down the road, it was blocked at the little guard shack, new asphalt patching had been done.   A woman was playing with her kids on the swings...some folks were fishing off the docks.  The doors were up on the new Pavilion, very nice inside.  We walked past the cars as we got back into the van...I noticed there were no WL stickers on the three cars parked there...must have been guests...right?      

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I Clean Up Now, OK?

Image via Wikipedia

Several emails bouncing around reminding the citizenry of the City Cleanup of the right of way...so just in case you missed it or forgot it, as a public service:

• Tomorrow, Saturday,  9:30, meet @ City Hall
• Bring gloves, rakes and your pick-up
• Noon burger/dog fest @  Birmingham Park   

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKD5ONQWp_4

Oddities

Reflecting on the Planning Commission meeting, a couple of thoughts.

Newly minted alderman Folkedahl made the first public comment at the meeting.  He stood to "recuse" himself of participating on the Commission because of his status now as an alderman.  Interesting and odd.  The City Code clearly allows the participation of an alderman on the Commission.  Maybe he hasn't had the chance to read the Code yet, possibly his colleagues or Mayor don't want him to participate...who knows.

Speaking of odd, Mayor Bos has chosen not to particpate on the Commission as well, again, by Code, he is allowed to be a member of the Commission.  All previous mayors within memory, Kendrick, Henderson, York have actively participated on the Commission, Bos sits in the back of the room.  Why?  Your guess is as good as mine.

Ms Hoy, is the only alderman I know who actively communicates with constituents via eamil updates,  kudos for that.  She mentioned in two separate reminders to folks on her email list about the Planning Commission meeting but did not share her vision for changes in Codes, specifically the adoption of PUDS.  Obviously she had specific intentions, her "Dear Commissioners" letter was quite clear.  She didn't share that vision ahead of time...why?  Controversial, yes.  Against the grain, yes.  Popular?  You would have to ask the residents along Roberts Road and West Side Drive in particular.  How do her fellow alderman feel about the subject?  I have to believe Mr DeJong is caught between a rock and a hard place.

Odd.

"I was the Alderman who proposed changes be made to our City Code"

A "Dear Commissioners" letter dropped off at City Hall on Monday afternoon by Mary Hoy.  Under the letterhead, Mary P. Hoy, Ph.D., Educational Consulting  a number of assertions were made.

• "we have a number of older homes located on properties less than 15,000 sq ft."
• "our city has lost 150 people since the 2000 census.  Several of those who moved away may have stayed if there if there were changes in ownership"
• "Many of our former residents, have however, left the lake with much regret because these spacious lawns (referring to lots of 15,000sq ft or more) have required resources of time and energy and perhaps money that they no longer wished to invest maintenance.    
• "We have much undeveloped property in Westridge which might be developed to accommodate the needs of some of our residents and others desiring all that Weatherby Lake provides in ambiance without the burden of maintenance of outside property". 

Her idea/proposal?

• "amending Code to allow developers to present Planned Unit Developments (PUDS) providing maintenance free and/or patio homes".
• "These homes, might not meet current Section 405.120 Setback Requirements".  

Mary and a few others have been in favor of relaxation or revision of the Codes for minimum lot size, home size and setback.  A couple of them were present at the Planning Commission meeting.  Add two disgruntled citizens who didn't like the outcome of a BZA appeal regarding their property.  And a realtor who might profit from a change in the codes.  Voila, you have the critical mass Mary believes is necessary to make wholesale changes to the Codes.  Does her viewpoint represent the will of the majority of the people @ WL?  One of her supporters made that inference at the meeting.  Ms Hoy was not present during the meeting, but Mr Hoy was.  Although saying he wasn't representing his wife...he presented the Hoy party line regarding high nice these PUDS would be, alluding to them being high end.  (Now wait, if people are bailing from WL because they can't afford to mow their grass...how are they going to buy high end property?)  Go figure.  During the discussion one of the commissioners questioned what was to stop these PUDS from spreading throughout the community?  Nothing.  The Planning Commission wasn't buying the notion and in fairly quick order unanimously confirmed they had no interest in changing the current codes.  End of story, right?  Wrong.  Do not expect this issue to go away.  Mary and her crew have been dedicated to this issue...for years and it will resurface again.  A change in commissioners, change in BOA, will accommodate another opportunity.  Maybe even Mayor Hoy.  

   

Acts of God and Other Highly Unusual Activity

Image via Wikipedia

Where do I begin?  After a 3 hour Planning Commission meeting with plenty of over the top hyperbole the evening ended with an 8-0 vote stuffing a Hoy proposal to modify or abandon current City Code to allow Planned Unit Developments (PUDS) in the City.  But I digress.

The first two hours of the meeting were focused on a modification of City Code 405.330, Cessation of Use.  Ostensibly the change of the Code would allow non-conforming (read not to Code) homes that were damaged 55% or more of its reproduction costs.  "The majority of the damage to the structure or building was caused by a fire, act of God, or similar damaging event.  (Frankly, the tornado damage in St Louis looks more like the work of the Devil than a benevolent God, but again, I digress)
(Courts have recognized various events as acts of God—tornadoes, earthquakes, death, extraordinarily high tides, violent winds, and floods. Many insurance policies for property damage exclude from their protection damage caused by acts of God.)

West's Encyclopedia of American Law, edition 2. Copyright 2008 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.

This led to a back in forth discussion with Don Coleman Jr and the City Attorney regarding the definition of an "Act of God", Coleman pressing the question of whether a "City sewer backing up in the basement" was an Act of God.  That ended by Attorney  John advising Mr Coleman to secure an attorney, that City Attorney was representing the City.

Comments from the audience strayed often into the whole concept of non-conforming property and the ability (and right) of the property owners to rebuild on or beyond the current footprint no matter the conditions or situation.  Although the Chair, Mark Horstman, tried to refocus discussion to the specific proposal for 405.330, comments from the audience went well beyond the scope of the proposal.  In the end the question was called and the vote taken, unanimously, to recommend adoption a new Cessation of Use which allows an owner to rebuild a structure which has a majority of damage caused by a fire or act of God, if within 6 months after said damage a building permit is obtained to rebuild on the same footprint and completed within  the time allowed by the building permit.  This recommendation will presumably be considered for adoption by the BOA at the next BOA meeting, May 3rd. 

Tomorrow's Post-Mary Drops the Bomb 

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Please come and share your vision for the future

That's what alderman Mary says in an Easter evening email, trying to whip up interest in her latest pet project, changing City codes, at tonight's Planning Commission meeting (6PM).  She ignores a simple fact, current codes accommodate consideration of non-conforming homes and properties through the building permit and BZA processes.  Granting blanket "grandfather" status and exemption from the current processes makes no sense.  It would not allow what is currently in place, a case by case examination of the need and rationale for a variance in particular situations.  The meeting to be held this evening has been prompted by what?  A vision of the future?  Really?  Our community is unique, let's keep it that way.

More Stuff

Image by Scott Ableman via Flickr

New City Trash Contract

• Allied Waste will pay a quarterly franchise fee of 3% (really, this means you)
• Allied Waste will propose a profit sharing approach on recycled materials

Services provided free of charge to the City:

• 3 yard container @ City Hall
• 6 yard container @ CC
• 6 yard container @ C Point
• Trash and yard services to 8 parks and 19 lake access areas (seasonal & occasional)
• 1 40 yard container for one City spring clean up event
• 3 40 yard containers for one City fall clean up event

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Scope of Trash Services

Image via Wikipedia

Here is the scoop on the just awarded Trash Contract for a three year period beginning on or before August 1st of this year:
Winning bidder: Allied Waste of Kansas City (current provider)

Trash: $30 per quarter (all fees escalate in year 2 and 3 of contract)
Recycle: $6 per quarter
A new 95 gallon Trash cart and a new 65 gallon Recycle cart will be provided to all residents.  All recycled materials can be placed in the Recycle cart (co-mingled) with the exception of glass which is not allowed.

Yard Waste: $10 a month by subscription basis, 10 bags per week, in paper bags only.  Tree limbs bundled in 4 ft sections not to exceed 50 lbs.  Yard waste must be set on the opposite side of Trash/Recycle.

Bulky Items:  Must be called in by the resident to schedule a time for pick up.  Pricing will be based on a per item cost
Other Stuff tomorrow

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TidBits

Any WLIC member can request to be placed on the list to receive Board meeting minutes, I highly recommend you ask the office to put you on the list.  I could not attend this week's WLIC Board meeting, but the minutes approved from March at the meeting have already been sent.  Here is a sample of the minutes:

and

and

  

Vacant

It could be worse, right?  Yesterday's KC Star had a piece on the growing number of vacant (and/or abandoned) properties, in some cases up to 25% in some zip codes.  KCMO has hired an experienced attorney with real estate experience to give some teeth to a new ordinance that allows the city to be more aggressive in dealing with the problem.
On our street and extension (Potomac and Pleasant Ford) there are three problem properties, all uninhabited.  Like the saying goes, out of sight, out of mind.

Exception, Not The Rule?

Is the white pick-up truck, noted yesterday, an exception to an otherwise pristine community?  Nope.  Plenty of examples of unlicensed trailers in the right of way/boats in the right of way and even a couple more unlicensed/no sticker vehicles in driveways...all you have to do is look...but apparently no one is looking...unless you are a prospective home buyer.  Deal breaker?  Maybe not unless it is in your neighborhood.

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No Plates, No Sticker

While some of the aldermen and mayor want to change existing ordinances (see yesterday's post), there is an apparent lack of interest in enforcing some on the books.  The mess on Pleasant Ford finally got cleaned up (how did that happen?) after months of festering.  Here is another example.  This pickup truck is on Westside Drive.  City right of way is usually considered to be from the utilities to the road (your results may vary).  As you can see, it is partially in the right of way,  no plate in the front (okay, it could be plated in KS, I didn't look at the back).  There is no current city sticker.  Yard waste has been accumulating in the bed of the truck.  How long has the truck been there?  To my recollection before the snow started to fly...let's just say months.  Where is it exactly?.  About five doors down from alderman DeJong, or put another way, between Alderman Hoy and DeJong.    

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UnPlanning Commission

The Official Unofficial Minutes of the WL BOA
April 12

From Mary's BOA notes (the bold print was included by Mary):
"Of great importance is a Public Hearing on April 25th (Monday) at 6:00 with the Planning Commission at
City Hall to discuss proposed amendments to the 15,000 sq ft. minimum for rebuilding on existing properties in Weatherby Lake.  If this affects or has affected you please come and present your feelings about this important issue."

Curious how this meeting came to be...not by the Planning Commission as a whole or any member of the planning commission but rather Mary herself.  If you weren't aware of this you might be swayed by her determination that this was of "great importance".  The current building codes seem to be working just fine and for those who need or want exceptions the Board of Zoning Adjustment considers each petition, case by case.  So what's the deal?

And You Think You Have Problems

http://autos.yahoo.com/articles/autos_content_landing_pages/1770/10-worst-neighborhoods-for-car-theft/

Mayor Invites You to a Picnic

No, not Jerry.  Sly.  If you work in KCMO or own a business there you might as well go and see your E-tax working for you...although the disclaimer is most of the funds from the picnic are private...reading between the lines not all the funds for the picnic are private = taxpayer $.  Oh, no free lunch here, unless you are a city worker.  $10 isn't bad for an event @ Starlight that includes BBQ

Mayor-Elect to host inaugural picnic at Starlight Theatre

City of Kansas City, Mo., Mayor-Elect Sly James has announced plans to forgo the traditional black-tie ball and instead host a picnic for his inaugural celebration. The picnic will take place on Saturday, May 7 from 1-4 p.m. at Starlight Theatre, 4600 Starlight Road.

"I want to begin my term as mayor by thanking the thousands of men and women who serve our city and are constantly asked to do more with less," James said. "We have a lot to do in the next four years, and I am committed to working together and being inclusive as we move our city forward - my inaugural celebration will be no different."

Approximately 3,000 tickets will be made available to City employees and the general public to attend the event. Approximately 2,000 tickets will be reserved for City employees interested in attending. Additional tickets will be sold for $10 each through Starlight Theatre. Attendees must have a ticket for entry into the event.

Traditional picnic and barbeque food will be served free-of-charge to ticketed guests and the band Full Blast will provide live music from the Starlight stage.

The overall cost of the inaugural picnic will be less than $50,000, with a majority of the budget underwritten by private donations. An inaugural fund, TogetherKC, has been set up at the Mid America Regional Council (MARC) to collect those contributions.

Interested City employees who wish to attend the inaugural picnic should contact their supervisor or department head to reserve a ticket beginningMonday, April 18. Information regarding other details, such as parking, will be provided to ticketed guests.

Non-City employees who wish to purchase tickets may do so beginning April 21 through Starlight Theatre at 816-363-7827 or in person at the box office. Tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

More information about the inaugural picnic is available at www.togetherkc.com.
.

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Be Prepared

Image via Wikipedia

The Official Unofficial Minutes of the WL BOA
April 12

"Be prepared".  That's Mary's advice to residents when it comes to a sewer rate increase as noted in her recent BOA notes.  KCMO recently jacked sewer rates by 14%...you wouldn't know this because the Mayor and BOA have once again decided to allow the increase to come out of the current fund balance.  It  wasn't all that long ago that Jerry was remarking about the reduced state of the sewer fund.  Why would they not pass along the rate increase to residents now?  Mary says it will happen next year and you should "be prepared".

P.S.  Today's KC Star (front page) announces the KCPL rate increase approved for May...5.23%.

The TrashMan Cometh

The Official Unofficial Minutes of the WL BOA
April 12

I beg your forgiveness, I was called away on a business trip and not available for the BOA...however, I am able to provide bits and pieces by those who did attend.

Image via Wikipedia

Big Changes Coming for Trash/Recycling/Yard Waste...
The BOA approved a new contract with Allied Waste which will dramatically change the face of garbage in the City.  More details to follow but:

• On or before August 1st you will be provided a  wheeled 95 gallon bin and a wheeled 65 gallon bin, 95 for garbage, 65 for recycling...yes, curbside is coming to WL.  (the receptacles @ City Hall and CC will disappear.  (Mixed emotions on that one but clearly some folks/idiots ruined it by leaving their stuff stacked outside the bins when they were full...some say that was due to out-of-towners, not so sure, we have our own quota of idiots)
• Yard waste will be on a subscription basis (as it is now) with Allied...but the total bags/bundles will go from 12 to 10.
• The BOA predicts a 25% cost saving on your trash bill (I haven't checked the math)
• The contract is for three years.
• The big difference in total pricing in the end was Allied not tacking on a "fuel surcharge" where the other bidder, Diffenbaugh, did have that feature on their bid.  Not sure that was a great move on Allied's part, but I have to say I do like the service we have been getting from Allied.
• I do not know the arrangements for large items, more garbage than 95 gallons, etc...hope to get a copy of the contract after signed by both parties.

Remains to be seen if the availability of a recycling bin will actually promote recycling...hopefully it will.  Our house has been pretty good on recycling the past three years, but it still requires a habit...a habit a majority of Weatherbeans have not adopted...now there will be no excuse...right?  

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The Dredge Report, 4

Black Gold

BOA Tonight

A bit off cycle because of last week's conflict with the election (well, okay, not that much of a conflict, the polls closed @ 7PM and the BOA starts @ 7PM).  Mary in her email mentions the possibility of a "short meeting"

Agenda Items include:

• Confirming election results
• Swear in Hoy & Folkedahl
• Vote for Mayor Pro Tem
• Mayor's Communication, Barry Road update, water district 6 meeting, Airport meeting, electronic newsletter, directions to Grass Pad and Hawthorne, Committee nominations, Planning Commission hearing on the 25th, and trash contract. 

Smooth Sailing?

A little bit of a brouhaha brewing between WLIC and WLYC regarding The Dredge and potential effects on the upcoming Regatta (May 20-21) and the race calendar.  Based on the emails going back and forth there might have been more/better communication between the two organizations.  Email from Joe (Ennett-WLIC Prez) to Patty (Parker-WLYC Commodore) on the 29th rehashed some of the info from a previous WLIC blurb about The Dredge.  Joe mentions a discussion with Ray Staton on 28th of the possibility of relocating the "pipes" to the east side on the weekends (I like this idea...because it is not on the west side...Solomon would probably keep them in the middle).  This give me cause to wonder how much advance discussion was had between the two organizations.  Not that The Dredge was a secret, discussions have been ongoing with the Board for a long time.  And I believe some of the Board members are also WLYC members...so where the disconnect is puzzling.

Apparently the pipes will be sunk for the two days of the Regatta and dredging will not take place.

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Hoy Beats Write In With Ease

Image by Getty Images via @daylife

KCStar does not want to waste news print on reporting uncontested races, so I did your work by viewing the on line results from Platte County Board of Elections.  Ms Hoy garnered 150 votes to 11 for Write In.  For those who love statistics that is 93.17% to 6.83%.  The Board does not publish who the Write In votes are for, your guess is as good as mine.  Could have been my endorsement of Steve Clark (IT  WAS AN APRIL FOOLS JOKE) or just a few malcontents who voted for anybody but Mary.

Dave Folkedahl on the East side received 120 votes with a more respectful 2 Write In votes.  I suspect that might have been Bubba and Mrs Bubba voting for each other...they can be delusional at times.

Image via Wikipedia

If you do the math from my post yesterday, there were 306 votes for the bond issue and for some reason only 283 for Aldermen.    As always, these results are unofficial until they can be certified.  Both Mr Folkedahl and Ms Hoy will be anointed at the next BOA, April 12th, 7PM, WL City Hall.

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WL Results for School Board & Bond Issue

A reader passed this along:
Weatherby Lake Results

School Board

Kendrick - 146

Bolin - 137

Lee - 134

Seufert - 106

Atchison - 99

Turley - 81

Thompson - 73

Blackman - 23

Burr - 127

Cox - 120

Sanchez - 66

McCance - 3

Bonds 241/65 - Yes

Sanchez and Kendrick Out

Park Hill School Board results show incumbent Sanchez losing to David Cox for the 1 year term.  Burr was a distant third.  The three year term winners were incumbent Bolin, joined by Boon Lee and Rick Turley.  Pauli Kendrick, an appointed incumbent, finished in fifth, not within striking distance of Turley.  Two incumbents out, why?  I am sure some of the speculation will point to the open affiliation with Democratic politics for the two...in a County that gave Democrats a severe beating this past fall.  Sanchez has been a bit combative, as reported by the Luminary, maybe that was a factor.  In any event the makeup of the Board is changing, I would have to believe for the good.  Voters handed the Board a whopping $49.5 million in passing the new "not tax increase bond issue".  We'll have to see if the Board can be a steward of the money and spend it wisely.

KCMO voters overwhelmingly passed the continuation of the E-tax...so those of you who work or own businesses in KCMO will have to pay that 1% off the top, until the next challenge in 5 years..  You really didn't think they would let you off the hook...did you?

Here Fishy, Fishy

Image by Jean-François Chénier via Flickr

WL Fishing Club beware, it's official (according to KC Star page 9, Business Section, April 5).  The #1 Most Dangerous US Job is...Fishermen.  WL fisherpersons have even a higher bar now that "The Kraken" (see a previous post) is patrolling the lake on behalf of the WLIC.  Even worse, "The Pipe" stands to catch some unsuspecting early morning/late evening fisherperson (spell check just doesn't like the way I spell fisherperson I like my way better).  It could be The Most Deadly Catch.  Trash and recycling workers are #7 on the list, at least give them a wave and a smile on their route this Friday.

Tomorrow:  WLYC Regatta moved to Houston Lake because of The Dredge.

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When A Sun Roof Isn't Optional

You might have missed this, hit home for me as I did a MCI/STL/TUL/STL/MCI run this past week on Southwest.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/southwest-grounds-about-80-planes-after-fuselage-hole-forces-ariz-emergency-landing/2011/04/01/AFHbv5JC_story.html?nl_headlines

Image via Wikipedia

Vote Tomorrow

I'm voting for Todd Burr, School Board, One Year Term

Janice Bolin and Boon Lee for Three Year Terms...still undecided about the third vote.

If I lived in KCMO I would definitely vote against the E-Tax, I  imagine folks who live in WL who work and/or own businesses in KCMO would do the same.  Will be very interesting with major implications...either way.

The Dredge Report, 3

$$$$ DO NOT BOAT OVER THE PIPE $$$$

That's the header for the email sent to WLIC members on April 1st (no it's not a gag, nor was the RoboJoe phone call).  "The pipe" is visible from our backyard as it runs the course of the lake, it could make a night cruise interesting if you are so inclined while dredging operations are in progress.  You break it, you bought it is the tone set by the email for members who breach the pipe.  Look for the yellow buoys for spots to cross the lake.  I do believe the part about "The Kraken"  being employed to enforce the no cruise zone is spurious.

Image via Wikipedia

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hq8EGbz4Puw&feature=related

Expectation is for the lake level to lower by a foot and a half during the operation with the project finishing up"by the end of May".

Not In My Front Yard

How would you like this mess across the street from you...for over a month?  What about previous incidents regarding lack of mowing (within ordinance) and yard waste bags in the front yard for over three months?  Where is this property you ask?  8003 NW Pleasant Ford.  Phew, you say, I live on the East side.  Not so fast.  What if you are a prospective home buyer and you see a property like this...what does it say about the community, no matter what side of the lake you might live on.  What does it say about code enforcement and the engagement of the mayor, aldermen, police?
I spoke with a neighbor near this mess yesterday, she sees it every time she goes out the door.  What would Jerry, Vic or Mary do if they saw this across the street from them?  The neighbor, by the way, has complained to the Police about these issues.  Not much happening.

This isn't an isolated incident,  you can see other situations that have been festering in the city.  Complacency? Benign neglect?  You make the call.

Steve Clark For West Side Alderperson

Image via Wikipedia

Just got off the phone with Steve, he is intending to launch an "all in" write in campaign starting immediately for next Tuesday's election.  We've been friends for some time so I heartily endorse Steve, I do think it is time for Change.  I am a lifelong Democrat, and though I know this is a non-partisan election I am calling for all my Democratic WL citizens to write in "Steve Clark" for West side alderperson.

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Happy April Fools Day!

A Cold Day In...

Image by Getty Images via @daylife

The K.  Mboy and me took the last parental guided field trip of his pre-college years yesterday @ Opening Day.
We began our foray with lunch @ KC Sushi (you have to go) with happy hour prices on the sushi.  Then it was off to our grueling day at the K.  
Field trip subjects included marketing, statistics, food prep and nutrition and an observational study of the effects of alcohol on cognition, yours truly being the subject and Mboy being the control.  (Ok, it wasn't much alcohol, who could afford to buy that much beer?).  By sheer coincidence we noticed many other fathers and sons conducting field trips as well...whodathunk?

We closed out the season last year and marveled at the new K as we began this season full of hope for our Royal boys.  Close but no cigar as Mr Gordon was out on strikes with the possibility of winning the game...there is no joy in Mudville.  Bright note, MU product Aaron Crow made a great major league pitching debut.  Now if only that B2 would have targeted the LA dugout...    

Image by Armchair Aviator via Flickr