Country Club Plaza

Two Are Charged In Murder Of UMKC Student

Dan Verbeck — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 22:07:50 +0000

A bond of half a million dollars is holding each of two men charged today in the murder of a University of Missouri-Kansas City student at a near-campus house just south of Country Club Plaza.

Allegations point to a robbery gone awry.

20-year-old Alonzo Ruff and 21-year-old Anthony Williams were looking for a place to rob March 21st, according to court documents.

They allegedly picked the house near 49^th and Brookside Boulevard because one of the men charged had once smoked marijuana there.

Contractor Dug Without Permission Before Deadly Blast

Dan Verbeck — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 22:17:10 +0000

A trenching contractor that purportedly cut a gas line before last week’s deadly Country Club Plaza explosion had not been allowed to dig in the area.

JJ's Staff, Regulars Turn To Each Other In Wake Of Fire

Elana Gordon — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 17:16:18 +0000

Judging by the lineup at the bar a few blocks from JJ’s last night, you might think you were at the longtime establishment. A lot of employees and regulars met up at Coal Vines on the Plaza, including James Potter.

Gas Leaks: What You Need To Know

Laura Ziegler — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 09:58:56 +0000

Tuesday evening’s tragic explosion and fire on the Country Club Plaza in Kansas City may have some asking basic questions about gas leaks.

Here’s a brief primer:

How do I know if I have a gas leak?

If it’s a natural gas leak, you will smell it.

It’s an unpleasant smell, like rotten eggs.

Natural gas goes through a lot of processing before it can be used as fuel.

After all the other chemicals are taken out, what’s left is methane.

A Timeline Of The Explosion

Laura Spencer — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 23:20:38 +0000

The circumstances surrounding Tuesday's natural gas explosion just west of the Country Club Plaza - that killed one person, injured more than a dozen, and destroyed JJ's restaurant - were discussed in an afternoon press conference.

Local Hospitals Provide Injury Updates On Plaza Explosion

Elana Gordon and Laura Spencer — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 22:09:28 +0000

Ambulances on Tuesday night traveled with nine people injured in the explosion and fire on the Country Club Plaza to area hospitals, including St. Luke's and University of Kansas Hospital. Six injured patients walked themselves in. Officials today provided an update on the six victims still hospitalized.

'Miraculous': Employees Cleared Restaurant Of Patrons Before Blast

Peggy Lowe — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 22:09:19 +0000

The best eye-witnesses to the explosion at JJ’s yesterday were also the people who were in the most danger – the restaurant’s workers. Bartenders, busboys, a hostess and others were the last ones out of that burning building.

Blame Elusive In Plaza Blast

Frank Morris — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 20:46:10 +0000

Workers using heavy equipment to install fiber-optic cable hit a gas main hours before the blast. According to the Kansas City Business Journal, gas company workers showed up about 20 minutes later.

They were still on site later when firefighters responded to the leak, about 45 minutes before the explosion.

Body Found In Rubble At JJ's

Maria Carter, Laura Spencer and Elana Gordon — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 16:44:41 +0000

At a press conference this morning, officials say they found a body in the rubble of the site of former JJ's restaurant on the Country Club Plaza. No positive identification has been made yet.

Search Continues For Missing JJ's Employee

Maria Carter — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 16:04:52 +0000

One person still remains unaccounted for after last night's fire and explosion at JJ's restaurant on the Country Club Plaza.

Explosion At JJ's Thundered Through Plaza

Dan Verbeck — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 15:42:43 +0000

At least one explosion thundered through the west edge of the County Club Plaza district just after 6 p.m. Tuesday, sending more than a dozen people to hospitals. Some are critically injured. There was ample evidence pointing to natural gas as cause.

Fire Hits Plaza Business

Frank Morris, Steve Bell, Elana Gordon and Emilie Mutert — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 01:05:39 +0000

A fire caused by an apparent gas explosion near JJ's Restaurant on the Country Club Plaza has sent at least 14 people to area hospitals with injuries, some of them critical. The fire started around 6:00 Tuesday evening.

Update 7:07 PM. Residents from a nearby apartment building were evacuated. Some are reporting that there was a strong smell of gas earlier in the afternoon. One resident of the nearby building also told reporters someone was operating a backhoe in the area earlier in the afternoon.

Corner To Corner Pt. I - The Plaza

Jabulani Leffall, Matthew Long-Middleton and Jeffrey Harvey — Wed, 02 Jan 2013 22:16:05 +0000

Getting to know Kansas City, one neighborhood at a time.

Local Father-Daughter Duo Shines On A National Stage

Susan B. Wilson — Mon, 16 Jul 2012 20:47:14 +0000

Kansas City’s own father-daughter singing duo, Maurice and Shanice Hayes, are competing in NBC’s national talent competition, America’s Got Talent, for a $1 million prize.

Plaza Lease Cements Long Term Ties

Dan Verbeck — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 21:45:21 +0000

There is no guarantee of additional jobs, but owners of the Country Club Plaza District are assured the largest tenant of the Valencia Place Office Tower will be in the picture until February 2030.