RAP STAR WIZ KHALIFA HEADLINES THE 2012 DANCEFESTOPIA EVENT. By Mass Appeal News

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (MassAppealNews.com) – Party people, in a couple weeks, the Mass Appeal Network will make the trek downtown to provide exclusive coverage of Dancefestopia, Kansas City’s first annual high energy music festival. The two-day event is satiated with a slew of ‘Top 40′ artists and electronic DJs.

Dancefestopia will be held at the Richard L. Berkley Riverfront Park on June 1st and 2nd. To purchase tickets, to see a list of artists and to find out showtimes, simply CLICK HERE.

On the slate are acclaimed artists Wiz Khalifa, Flo Rida, Nina Sky, 3OH!3, Matisyahu, Dev, New Boyz, Morgan Page, Yelawolf, 2 Live Crew, Breathe Carolina, Outasight, Yolanda Be Cool, Matt Darey, Filo and Peri, Hyper Crush, XV, Jump Smokers, Iggy Azalea, Irv Da Phenom, Secret Panda Society, Lenny Mink plus 30 More!!!

Once again, get your tickets for Dancefestopia!

NAACP CALLS ON GOVERNOR BROWNBACK TO VETO TAX LEGISLATION. NAACP Wire Reports

TOPEKA – It has long been a part of the NAACP’s mission to advocate for economic equality for all people.  This past week, the Kansas House passed tax legislation that creates barriers for achieving that part of our mission. The reported cost of the legislation would reach into the billions by 2017.

If the Governor of Kansas signs this bill, as he has indicated he is poised to do, residents of the Sunflower state would see over 20 tax credits eliminated. These credits include those for adoption, costs associated with day care, and the food sales tax that reduces the economic burden felt by many struggling Kansans.

Facing such an enormous budget deficit, state legislators will undoubtedly be forced to make drastic cuts across the board.  We anticipate further cuts to education, transportation, social services, and more. While the people who feel the adverse cuts of these programs will see their tax burden increase, the wealthiest among us may actually see their fiscal contribution to society lessen.

This hardly resembles economic justice.

“The Kansas NAACP is concerned with the forecasted economic outlook of our state. Governor Brownback is set to sign tax legislation that may bankrupt our state. It ensures that those who currently possess wealth hang on to it; while those currently living in poverty remain in its wretched cycle.

‘Right now 25% of blacks currently live in poverty, compared with 10% of whites in Kansas. African Americans also face an unemployment rate that is more than double that of Caucasians in our state.  Poverty is not an acceptable standard of living for any person, of any race – but it is unarguably one that hits blacks in our state at alarming levels.

We will not sit silently while so many people continue to suffer the devastating effects that come with simply being poor,” stated Glenda Overstreet, President of the Kansas NAACP.

The Kansas NAACP calls upon Governor Brownback to veto this legislation and is confident that our state legislators are capable of working together to pass a reasonable alternative.

POP STAR DONNA SUMMER IS DEAD AFTER FIGHT WITH CANCER. By Mary Jane Collins

MIAMI (MassAppealNews.com) – TMZ reports that acclaimed singer Donna Summer, 63, died in Florida on Thursday morning (May 17) after a fierce bout with lung cancer. Her death was later confirmed by family members. The disco star reportedly tried to hide her sickness from the public while she worked on a new album.

Sources who saw Summer a few weeks ago proclaimed she “didn’t seem too bad.” Her condition, of course, was much worse than she led on. Summer, known worldwide as the ‘Queen of Disco,’ was a five-time Grammy winner. She rose to stardom in the 1970s with such hits as “Last Dance,” “Hot Stuff,” and “Bad Girls.”

Summer, whose real name is LaDonna Gaines, was the first artist to have three consecutive double albums reach number one on the U.S. Billboard chart. She leaves behind two grown daughters (Brooklyn and Amanda), her husband (songwriter Bruce Charles Sudano) and another daughter from a previous marriage (Mimi). The Disco Queen will be missed.

Mary ‘Jane’ Collins is a hip hop artist and media personality in Kansas City. She also hosts a daily internet radio show to discuss pressing issues associated with the music industry. To learn more about Mary Jane, please visit her blog by clicking here.

DETROIT (AP) — Popular Detroit pastor and gospel singer Marvin Winans was assaulted and carjacked Wednesday afternoon at a gas station on the city’s west side. The attack happened about 3:20 p.m., and the suspects fled with an unknown amount of cash and Winans’ SUV, police said.

Marvin Winans was assaulted, robbed and carjacked in Detroit

Winans, 54, told WXYZ-TV that four or five young men followed him from inside the gas station and attacked him while he gassed up his vehicle. Winans said he didn’t believe he was seriously hurt, but planned to seek medical attention. He said his attackers appeared to be among 10 young men he passed by inside the station, and he warily watched them as he pumped gas.

“I’m just saddened that it has come to this,” Winans said. “This kind of nonsense just has to stop. It’s just the savageness of what’s happening in the street.”

He also believes his attackers didn’t recognize him. Winans is pastor of the 4,500-member Perfecting Church on Detroit’s east side. In February, he gave singer Whitney Houston’s eulogy.

“And if they did, it didn’t make much difference,” said Winans, who has been active in civic issues, including taking a stand against the proliferation of strip clubs in Detroit’s neighborhoods.

Basketball Wives 4 is a reality TV show on VH1. To view episode 13, click the play arrow.

MANY TEENAGERS IN KANSAS CITY SAY THERE IS NOTHING FUN TO DO. By Lynn Horsley

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (MidwestDemocracy.com) – Teens in Kansas City are bored and they just don’t think there are enough fun things to do in this town. That’s the conclusion of a survey released Tuesday. Of course, it only confirms what many adults have thought for years.

But the survey — which for the first time reached out to hundreds of Kansas City teenagers — can now be used to help convince city officials and corporate funders that more needs to be done.

“The most frequent cause of problems associated with flash mobs or other acts of group violence reported by youth was youth boredom,” said the report, released to the Board of Parks and Recreation Commissioners.

The youths who participated in focus groups and in an online survey revealed a craving for more safe, fun activities such as movies, bowling alleys and venues for sports and talent shows. Some cited a lack of transportation as an obstacle, as well as a prevailing feeling that no place is safe.

“There ain’t nowhere you can go without having to worry about somebody getting pissed, somebody shooting, or somebody just trippin’ for no reason,” one participant said.

To read this article in its entirety, please visit MidwestDemocracy.com

KANSAS CITY MAYOR SLY JAMES SCALES BACK PLAN TO RAISE TAXES. By Lynn Horsley

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KansasCity.com) – Kansas City Mayor Sly James is backing off his proposal for a property tax increase for infrastructure but still wants to pursue a half-cent sales tax increase for parks. James said Wednesday that he was changing his proposal for the August ballot in response to concerns raised by constituents and business leaders.

“What we’re trying to do is find the best possible package,” James said in an interview. “Frankly, this stuff is pretty damn complicated, and if we want to try to do it right, we’ve got a whole lot of moving pieces.”

The new plan will be debated by a City Council panel at 8:45 a.m. Thursday. The council must pass ballot language by May 24 to qualify for the Aug. 7 ballot.

To read this article in its entirety, please visit KansasCity.com

KANSAS CITY POLICE ARE INVESTIGATING BURNED WOMAN AS HOMICIDE. Police Wire Reports

KANSAS CITY, M0. – Police are still attempting to identify the body that was found burned at about 6:30 p.m. Monday, May 14, in a parking lot at 19th and Brooklyn. Investigation has revealed she is a black female with a small build, 5′2″ to 5′6″ tall with short, dyed-red hair. She was missing some front teeth, and some other teeth had been chipped.

She’d had at least one child and had under-gone a tubal ligation surgery. She also was wearing red nail polish. If you know the victim or know someone who fits the description and has gone missing recently, please call the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-8477 (TIPS).

23-YEAR-OLD YELAKAL ALEMU HAS BEEN MISSING SINCE LAST FRIDAY. By Wayne Hodges

LAWRENCE, Kan. (MassAppealNews.com) – The past few days, family and friends of 23-year-old Yelakal “Kal” Alemu have rallied together in Olathe, Kan. with hopes of finding the University of Kansas student who has been missing since Friday.

23-year-old Yelekal Alemu has been missing since last Friday

Kal, who attended KU until December 2011 but didn’t finish, is a 2007 graduate of Olathe South High School. He commuted to Lawrence from Olathe the first three years of school before taking residence there in his fourth.

After Kal failed to return home on Saturday for a family reunion, his mother (Helen Alemu) grew a little uneasy before calling the authorities.

Later that night, after a lengthy search, Lawrence police officers found Kal’s light green Toyota Yaris abandoned in a rural part of Douglas County, just southeast of Lawrence.

“Please anybody who knows about Kal let us know a little hint,” said Helen to Fox 4 News. “I want him to be alive where ever he’s at. I just want to hear that he’s okay, that’s only my goal.”

Police are using K-9s as part of their team but so far haven’t found any clues.

Yelakal stands 5 feet 10 inches and he weighs 170 lbs. He has short hair, a full beard and was last seen wearing the striped shirt shown in the image above.

If you know anything, please contact the Lawrence Police Department at 785-832-7509 or the Douglas County Crime Stoppers Tips Hotline at 843-TIPS.