Month: April 2014

Steineger family estate sale offers rare items

One-of-a-kind antiques from Europe and the Middle East are the focus of an estate sale May 1 through 3 at the home of the late Sen. Jack Steineger.

Steineger, a lifelong Wyandotte County resident and long-time state senator, served in the U.S. Foreign Service and was stationed overseas immediately following World War II. He and his wife, Margaret, collected a treasure trove of beautiful and rare furnishings during their seven years in Europe and the Middle East. Steineger died in 2012, and the family home and acreage is also for sale.

Steineger collected avidly upon his return to the United States, and items for sale reflect his astute eye for beautiful, unique pieces, many of which are unusual American antiques. In addition, the Steinegers inherited from three relatives many antiques that are included in the sale.

Included in the sale are beautiful European paintings, china imported from England, European linens, hand-made American quilts, needlepoint chairs, a rare “drum” table with revolving shelf, inlaid wood tables, two antique American sofas, a clawfoot dining table, two imported English buffets, two American china cabinets, a library of more than 1,500 books, assorted kitchenware and furnishings, everyday linens and a rare Lipp and Sons baby grand piano imported from Germany.

The estate sale is being held by Dolly Wittman, Caring Transitions. Sale hours are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday, May 1. The sale continues May 2 (11 a.m. to 5 p.m.) and May 3 (10 a.m. to 3 p.m.) at the Steineger house, 6400 Valley View Road, Kansas City, Kan. Hours and details are available on Wittman’s website at www.caringtransitions.net/kansascity.

A moving sale at the adjacent home of Steineger’s son, former Sen. Chris Steineger and his wife, Shari Wilson, will be held at the same dates and times.  Information is available at http://www.estatesales.net/estate-sales/KS/Kansas-City/66111/619437.

The property, encompassing a two-story, four-bedroom house with pool, outbuildings, and approximately ten acres of land (including four buildable lots), will be listed for sale. Three adjoining houses on the estate, including a guest house, a rental house and a rental duplex, are also for sale. The agent for the properties is Thom Knowles, Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate, 816-589-1957.

Bike trail proposed for Fairfax area

The proposed hiking and biking path at the Fairfax levee that advanced Monday night is on the lower right of this map, from point A to D to E and back again to A.

Unified Government commissioners on Monday night looked over some options for a hiking and biking trail at the levee in the Fairfax industrial area of Kansas City, Kan.

Commissioners on the Public Works and Safety Standing Committee voted unanimously to advance one of the options for further consideration. The proposed trail would have to go through some other steps, including the Planning Commission, before receiving final approval.

The option that received preliminary approval Monday would be a short trail that would run along the lower shelf area of the Fairfax levee. The path would start on the Levee Road from the former Lady Baltimore site, down a riverside ramp to extend about 1,000 feet. It then returns to the Lady Baltimore site.

Public Works Director Bob Roddy explained to the committee that this option, which he recommended, would be a good start for the hiking and biking trail. If it works out, it’s possible the trail could be expanded in future years, he said.

Steve Dailey, of the Fairfax Drainage District board, said a lot of time had been devoted to giving levee tours so that different options for the trail could be developed.

Roddy said that the Fairfax Drainage District is a unique levee system, built out of sand. He said it requires a unique operational understanding to make sure its integrity is not breached. The option that was chosen will not interfere with the drainage district operations and will not compromise security on the upper level, according to Roddy.

The trail will be made from asphalt chips or crushed limestone, and will not be paved, he said. He expected its cost to be low.

Bonner Springs student named a winner in math competition

A Bonner Springs student was on a University of Kansas team that took second place in the ninth Kansas Collegiate Math Competition.

The competition was held March 29 at Emporia State University.

Second-place team members were Bridget Davis, a senior in computer science and mathematics from Bonner Springs, Ryan Endres, a senior in aerospace engineering from Lenexa, and Grace Garrison, a senior in aerospace engineering from Shawnee.

Students work individually for three hours on five challenging math problems, which are then graded by coaches. The competition was part of the annual meeting of the Kansas section of the Mathematical Association of America.