Verruckt water slide to open Thursday in KCK

Views of demonstrations of the new Verruckt water slide at the Schlitterbahn on Wednesday, July 9, in Kansas City, Kan. The new ride opens to the public on Thursday, July 10. (Photo by William Crum)

Jeff Henry, one of the owners of Schlitterbahn, designed the new Verruckt water slide. (Photo by William Crum)

by William Crum

It finally happened, the world’s largest waterslide called Verruckt, which means insane, will open tomorrow. After many months of testing the slide finally will be open.

Today, there was a preview of the slide and everyone who rode the slide said it was awesome, including Kansas City, Kan., Mayor Mark Holland.

“I’m a roller coaster fan and I thoroughly enjoyed the new waterslide,” Holland said. “It will take your breath away. I didn’t have any trouble going up the stairs, because I use the stairs whenever I can at the City Hall.”

Jeff Henry, one of the owners of Schlitterbahn, said, “When I designed this waterslide I wanted it to be the best waterslide that was ever made.”

Jamie Haggerty, who works for the Board of Public Utilities at the Muncie water plant, said it was amazing. “It will truly take your breath away,” he said. Jamie is a three-year veteran at the Muncie water station. He lives close and has watched the water slide being built.

“I cannot wait until it was done,” he said.

Another Wyandotte County resident, Philip Brown, who is an engineer at the water department, said it was awesome.

In the future, I, like a lot of residents in Wyandotte County plan to try the new waterslide myself.

Tomorrow will be the first day that the slide is open to the public. The lines for the ride will probably be long, so definitely go early. The park is at 94th and State Avenue in Kansas City, Kan.

On Wednesday, the Schlitterbahn website said it is a soft opening and the hours may vary. Another page on the Schlitterbahn website said the Verruckt plans to open around noon each day beginning Thursday, July 10. The park opens at 10 a.m. and closes at 8 p.m. in July. Admission price listed on the website starts at $36.99 for adults and $28.99 for children 3-11 years old. For more information on when the Schlitterbahn Waterpark will be open go to the website, www.schlitterbahn.com.

Mayor Mark Holland went on the world’s tallest slide today at the Schlitterbahn Waterpark in Kansas City, Kan. He said, “It will take your breath away.” (Photo by William Crum)

Jamie Haggerty and Marie Townsend of the Board of Public Utilities tried out the new Verruckt water slide on Wednesday at Schlitterbahn. (Photo by William Crum)

Phil Brown, an engineer at the Board of Public Utilities, said the new Verruckt water slide was “awesome.” (Photo by William Crum)

Views of demonstrations of the new Verruckt water slide at the Schlitterbahn on Wednesday, July 9, in Kansas City, Kan. The new ride opens to the public on Thursday, July 10. (Photo by William Crum)

Views of demonstrations of the new Verruckt water slide at the Schlitterbahn on Wednesday, July 9, in Kansas City, Kan. The new ride opens to the public on Thursday, July 10. (Photo by William Crum)

Views of demonstrations of the new Verruckt water slide at the Schlitterbahn on Wednesday, July 9, in Kansas City, Kan. The new ride opens to the public on Thursday, July 10. (Photo by William Crum)

Views of demonstrations of the new Verruckt water slide at the Schlitterbahn on Wednesday, July 9, in Kansas City, Kan. The new ride opens to the public on Thursday, July 10. (Photo by William Crum)

Goalkeeper Kronberg injured, expected to miss 8 weeks

Sporting Kansas City goalkeeper Eric Kronberg fractured the fourth metacarpal bone on his left hand during training on Wednesday at the Swope Soccer Village, according to a Sporting KC news release.

Surgery is not required and Kronberg is expected to miss approximately eight weeks due to the injury, a spokesman said.

Kronberg, 31, has started all 17 MLS matches for Sporting Kansas City during the 2014 season and leads Major League Soccer with seven shutouts and a 0.88 goals against average. The reigning MLS Player of the Month, Kronberg currently ranks third at his position in MLS All-Star fan voting behind only World Cup participants Nick Rimando (USA) and Julio Cesar (Brazil).

Sporting Kansas City selected Kronberg in the fourth round of the 2006 MLS SuperDraft out of the University of California. Now in his ninth professional season, Kronberg is the club’s longest-tenured player and has remained with his current club longer than any active MLS goalkeeper. Only one player (Davy Arnaud) in club history has been with the team for more than nine seasons and only three other active MLS players have longer tenures with their teams: Logan Pause (12), Landon Donovan (10) and Gonzalo Segares (10).

The club also announced on Wednesday that goalkeeper Jon Kempin has been recalled from his loan to USL PRO affiliate OKC Energy FC. The Leawood, Kan., native has five shutouts and 37 saves with a 1.38 goals against average in 13 games played during OKC Energy FC’s inaugural season.

The 21-year-old goalkeeper was Sporting Kansas City’s first Homegrown player upon signing in 2010 at age 17 and is now in his fifth professional season. Kempin made his competitive debut for Sporting KC during the 2012 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup and made 34 saves in nine games while on loan with USL PRO champions Orlando City SC in 2013.

Kempin was a member of the U.S. Soccer Under-17 Residency Program at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida and has extensive experience for the United States at the Youth National Team level. He most recently joined the United States Under-21 Men’s National Team in April and has also trained with the U.S. Under-23 Men’s National Team.
Kempin joins Andy Gruenebaum as the two available goalkeepers for manager Peter Vermes during Kronberg’s absence. Gruenebaum played his first eight professional seasons with the Columbus Crew before joining Sporting Kansas City prior to the 2014 season. The Overland Park, Kan., native started both matches for Sporting Kansas City in the 2014 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.

– Story from Sporting KC

Leavenworth man charged with gun, drug charges in Bonner Springs

Gun and drug charges were filed by the U.S. attorney’s office in connection with an incident in Bonner Springs.

Dacco Shane Muth, 27, Leavenworth, Kan., is charged with one count of unlawful possession of a firearm following a felony conviction, one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of unlawful possession of a sawed off shotgun. The crimes are alleged to have occurred March 15, 2014, in Bonner Springs, Kan.

If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on each of the firearms charges and a maximum penalty of 20 years and a fine up to $1 million on the drug charge.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Bonner Springs Police Department investigated. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Tomasic is prosecuting.