|
||||||||||||
|
|
|
Kansas City News Today Kansas City Front Page is a weekly news publication, with daily updates, spotlighting attractions, events, business and hospitality in Kansas City. |
KANSAS CITY NEWS TODAY - Monday, May 12, 2008 Last Known American WWI Veteran to Visit National World War I Museum KANSAS CITY, (kansascityfrontpage.com), May 12, 2008 - Frank Woodruff Buckles, the last known surviving American veteran who fought in World War I, will be an honored guest at the National World War I Museum in Kansas City throughout Memorial Day Weekend. This will be the first time that a soldier from the Great War has toured the National Museum since it opened in 2006. The 107-year-old veteran will participate in several events. Along with touring the National World War I Museum, he will be honored at the Museum's Memorial Day Ceremony. "Visiting the National World War I Museum and coming home to Missouri is one of the highlights of papa's year," said Buckles' daughter, who will accompany her father on the trip. Buckles was born in Harrison County, Missouri in 1901. He served in the United States Army from 1917-1919 and attained the rank of Corporal. He enlisted on August 14, 1917 as an underage but enthusiastic recruit. He trained in Kansas at Ft. Riley and in December 1917 he and 102 men of the 1st Ft. Riley Casual Detachment sailed to Europe. The men traveled from Hoboken, New Jersey to Europe on the HMS "Carpathia," the vessel famous for rescuing the survivors of the "Titanic" in 1912. As a doughboy, Buckles drove motorcycle sidecars and ambulances in England and France. After the Armistice, he was with a POW Escort Company returning prisoners to Germany. He returned to the United States on the USS "Bogahontis" and was discharged at Camp Pike, Arkansas on November 12, 1919. The National World War I Museum, officially designated by the U.S. Congress, is the only American museum solely dedicated to preserving the objects, history and personal experiences of a war whose impact still echoes today. The Museum was designed by Ralph Appelbaum Associates, one of the pre-eminent museum exhibit designers in the world today. The culmination of a $102 million project, the Museum opened to great national fanfare and critical acclaim on December 2, 2006. New Missouri Record for Average Gas and Diesel Prices KANSAS CITY, (kansascityfrontpage.com), May 12, 2008 - It turns out that fuel price records - like all other records - are made to be broken. Even as survey results from Monday, May 5, indicated new Missouri record average prices for gas and diesel fuels, many Missourians have already seen local prices go even higher, according to the Missouri Department of Natural Resources' Energy Center. Surveys taken of service stations throughout Missouri found an average price of $3.44 per gallon, a record that was up 8 percent from a month ago and 17 percent from a year ago, according to the Energy Center's biweekly Energy Bulletin. Diesel fuel users were also looking at record high prices on Monday, with the state average for diesel reaching $4.07, an increase of 5 percent over last month and 47 percent over the same time last year. Record fuels prices are a reflection of record crude oil prices. Crude oil prices broke a new record Wednesday with futures for June delivery on the New York Mercantile Exchange settling at $123.53 per barrel, up 11 percent over last month and 101 percent over the same period in 2007. Civil War Re-Enactment Returns to Kansas City KANSAS CITY, (kansascityfrontpage.com), May 12, 2008 - Almost 150 years after its resolution, the Civil War returns to Kansas City this May with Stand of Colors, the largest Civil War re-enactment the area has ever seen. Situated between pro and anti-slavery forces, the Kansas City area was ground zero for the Civil War in the West. Several Civil War battles took place in and around KC-including the Battle of Westport, a crucial turning point in the war. Kansas City's connection to the Civil War is the subject of these two marquee events. Stand of Colors, May 17-18 in Jerry Smith Park Attracting history and military enthusiasts from across the country, Kansas City will host the largest re-enactment of Civil War battles ever held in the metro area. Stand of Colors will recreate the Civil War's 1864 campaigns and battles, including the Kansas/Missouri border wars and the pivotal Battle of Westport. Referred by historians as the "Gettysburg of the West," the Battle of Westport was the largest Civil War conflict west of the Mississippi River. Almost 15,000 spectators are expected to attend the two-day event in Jerry Smith Park (139th & Holmes in Kansas City, Mo.). In addition to battle re-enactments, the Stand of Colors cast of 1,200 will perform battlefield concerts, cooking demonstrations, camp tours, a grand ball, fashion shows and other living history demonstrations. Tickets can be purchased at local Price Chopper grocery stores and cost $15 for adults and $5 for children under 10. Free parking and shuttle service are available at the Bannister Mall complex at 95th & I-435. Stand of Colors is sponsored by the North/South Alliance and is presented by the Downtown Kansas City Missouri Rotary Club. For more information, visit www.standofcolors.org. Bill Makes it Easier to Save for College JEFFERSON CITY, (kansascityfrontpage.com), May 11, 2008 - State Treasurer Sarah Steelman applauded action by the Missouri legislature this week which would make all married couples in Missouri who file jointly eligible for an up to $16,000 deduction for contributions to a college savings plan. Steelman has worked for the change since the beginning of her administration. As Treasurer, she oversees the Missouri MOST college savings plan, recognized as one of the best plans in the nation- after Steelman revamped the program. "This is great news for Missouri families. Nothing is more important than the future of our kids, and this is big help for Missourians to save for college," said Steelman. The deductibility provision was part of HCS/SB 863 which Steelman said was a good overall bill to assist families in savings for higher education. Steelman had special praise for the hard work of Senator Scott Rupp and State Representative Scott Muschaney in getting the provision passed. The bill now goes to the Governor.   The Kansas City Front Page is owned and maintained by the Moore Design Group for the sole purpose of disseminating news and information about the Metropolitan Kansas City area. Text or graphics may not be copied, rewritten or distributed in any manner whatsoever without written permission. For more information, contact editor@slfp.com All rights reserved world wide © 2007 - 2008 Moore Design Group. |
   |
