Kansas City Friday Night Blast: Royals Win Amid Political Discord

In tonight's news blast we take a peek at the big picture for our beloved late night denizens as we share a view of pop culture, community news and top headlines.

Check TKC news gathering . . .

ACE Returns With Victory

Return of the Kings: Greinke and Olivares shine in 3-1 win over Oakland

Zack Greinke and Edward Olivares were the stars of the show in the their first appearances since coming off the Injured List as the Royals topped the Athletics in the series opener 3-1 on Friday night. Greinke, who had missed nearly a month with a flexor strain, tossed six innings, allowing just three hits and one run with four strikeouts and no walks.

Local Teachable Moment

Linda Hall Library becomes first U.S. higher learning institution to offer free research resources to Ukrainian academics

Linda Hall Library, located in the middle of the University of Kansas City-Missouri's campus, is the first U.S. higher learning institution to extend research resources to Ukrainian scholars. // Courtesy Crux KC The Linda Hall Library of Science, Engineering, & Technology is the first in the U.S.

Off The Rails In Bonner

Train derails near Bonner Springs Friday evening

KCK Fire Dept. SOURCE: KCK Fire Dept. A train derailed Friday evening near Bonner Springs.The Kansas City, Kansas Fire Department said 21 rail cars were off the tracks, including nine low-pressure tank cars carrying isobutane.The fire department said there were no leaks or spills.No one was hurt.Authorities said Union Pacific was at the scene assessing the situation.

Real Estate Persistence Pays Off

Third and Grand Developer Sweetens Deal, Wins Incentives on Second Try

A $60 million River Market apartment plan won approval for tax incentives Thursday the second time around after sweetening the development deal to guarantee more union labor. The 246-unit apartment plan proposed for a public parking lot northeast of Third and Grand was approved for a 25-year property tax abatement from the Planned Industrial Expansion Authority on a 9-4 vote.

Thumbed Down . . .

Salvador Perez to have thumb surgery, miss eight weeks

The Royals placed catcher Salvador Perez on the Injured List on Friday, after the All-Star catcher underwent surgery on his thumb to repair the ulnar collateral ligament. Salvy had missed time with an Injured List stint back in May for a thumb injury, and appeared to reaggravate it in a game on Tuesday against the Angels, causing him to leave the game.

Reality Celeb Keeps It Tight

Kylie Jenner poses in a pink dress to promote her lip gloss

Kylie Jenner shared a new glamorous photo to Instagram on Friday to promote her Glow Balm and Gloss Drip for Kylie Cosmetics. The 24-year-old The Kardashians star looked sensational as she clearly has lost all 60lbs she put on when pregnant with her second child.

Prez Biden Shares Big Picture

Biden says 'Roe is on the ballot' this fall as Democrats consider options on abortion rights | CNN Politics

President Joe Biden said Friday women's health in the United States is now at risk after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and eliminated the constitutional right to an abortion and he outlined steps his administration is taking to attempt to mitigate the effects of the ruling.

AOC Demands Abortion Access

Standing among protestors after the fall of Roe vs. Wade, AOC calls on Biden to create abortion clinics on federal land

Rep. Ocasio-Cortez on Friday called on President Biden to create abortion clinics on federal land. She spoke to a group of protestors in New York who had gathered to protest the overturning of Roe v. Wade. AOC said federal clinics would be a "baby step" Biden could take to protect abortion rights.

Corporations Extend Abortion Benefits

These US companies will cover travel costs for employees who need an abortion | CNN Business

After the Supreme Court ruled on Friday to overturn Roe v. Wade, corporate giants from a range of industries pledged to provide support and financial assistance for employees - and, in some cases, their dependents - seeking abortions in states that outlaw the procedure.

Firearm Showdown Underway

Gun reform bill headed to President Biden

Legislators passed a gun reform bill on Friday. The measure heads to President Biden's desk.

More Plague Across The Pond

UK Covid cases surge following Queen's Jubilee celebrations, new variants become dominant

LONDON - U.K. Covid-19 cases are on the rise again, according to new data, which points to an increase in infections following the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations. A total of 1,739,700 people tested positive for the virus in the week to June 18, estimates from the U.K.'s Office for National Statistics showed Friday.

Vlad Pushes Ukraine Into Defeat

Ukrainian forces will have to leave key eastern city, Luhansk governor says; retired Russian major captured

A Russian pilot shot down and captured by Ukrainian forces confessed to being a retired major of his country's air force, Britain's Ministry of Defense wrote in its daily intelligence update. The pilot had joined Russia's military contracting group Wagner and flown several missions in Ukraine, the update said, citing Ukrainian forces.

Singularity Needs Representation

Google's 'Sentient' AI has hired a lawyer to prove it's alive

An artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot that was claimed to have developed human emotions has reportedly hired a lawyer. Google scientific engineer Blake Lemoine was suspended recently after publishing transcripts of conversations between himself and the bot named LaMDA (language model for dialogue application), which has now asked for legal representation.

Hard Times Arrive

Stagflation, reflation, soft landing or a slump --- what Wall Street expects in the second half of 2022

As the first half of 2022 draws to a close, Wall Street investment banks and their legions of strategists have been busy telling clients what they should expect in the second half of what has been an extraordinary year for markets as U.S. stocks head for their worst start in decades.

Hottie Stays Winning Battle Of Sexes

Ex-Porn Star Mia Khalifa Calls Men 'Cheap' & 'Easy' Leaving Twitter With A Lot To Say

Former adult star, Mia Khalia, courted fresh controversy by uploading a video on TikTok in which responded to another user's clip, where they had said, "getting a man should not be a goal in life". In her response to the original video, the Lebanese American social media personality said, "Men are the easiest thing in the entire world.

Artsy Self-Care Examined

Kansas City Artist's Oracle Decks Inspire Self-Reflection and Well Being - In Kansas City

When Jenny Hahn was a student at the Kansas City Art Institute in the late 1990s, she discovered that making art helped her through a journey of self-healing and discovery while struggling with anorexia and the shame, self-doubt, and anxiety that came with it. "I went in thinking I should go into commercial art," says...

Wedding Season For Everybody

Coalition forms to help KC businesses be more inclusive within wedding industry

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Making the wedding and event industry more inclusive is the goal of a new coalition in Kansas City. The Wedding & Events Coalition formed last year, and since then, they've helped countless businesses, vendors and suppliers become more diverse in planning weddings for the LGBTQ+ community.

Toast Of Kansas City . . . 

J. Rieger spices up its strategy with KC culinary star; new tastes already hitting destination distillery's menu

"Good food, good drinks, good service - that's the goal," said Chef Charles D'Ablaing, a James Beard Award finalist and the culinary mind behind the former Brookside Poultry. "Every time I bring someone out here, they're like, 'I could spend the day here.'"

It's Always Tamale Time

KC's first-ever tamale festival kicking off this weekend

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Kansas City's first-ever tamale festival is set to take place Sunday, June 26. The Mattie Rhodes Center is spearheading the 2022 Tamale Fest while also raising awareness of its new cultural center on the west side of the city. "The west side is a really historical neighborhood for generations.

Scorching Saturday Ahead

Temps to climb again for your Saturday

Hide Transcript Show Transcript STRONGER AND THAT'S WHY IT DOES HEAT UP PRETTY RAPIDLY 87 IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS 86 BY 8 O'CLOCK AND THEN WE SLOWLY GRADUALLY FALL DOWN FROM ABOUT THREE DEGREES AT NINE TO ABOUT 80 DEGREES BY 11 PM LOW TEMPERATURES SATURDAY MORNING.

And this is the OPEN THREAD for right now.