Month: August 2014

Wyandotte County unemployment rate highest in Kansas

Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kan., continued to have the highest unemployment rate in the state of Kansas during July 2014.

According to statistics released this week from the Kansas Department of Labor, the Wyandotte County unemployment rate for July was 8.8 percent, as compared to 7.8 percent in June and 9.2 percent one year ago.

The Kansas City, Kan., unemployment rate was 8.9 percent in July, compared to 7.9 percent in June and 9.4 percent one year ago.

The number of unemployed persons reported in Wyandotte County during July by the Kansas Department of Labor was 6,343.

The state of Kansas had a seasonally adjusted unemployment rate of 4.9 percent during July. It was down from 5.6 percent one year ago, according to state Labor Department officials.

According to the Kansas Department of Labor, the state gained 13,500 private sector jobs, seasonally adjusted, since last year, and 13,800 nonfarm jobs.

Since last month, the state gained 900 seasonally adjusted private sector jobs and 2,100 seasonally adjusted nonfarm jobs, a slight increase over last month, according to the state Department of Labor.

“Several signs demonstrate continuing strength in the Kansas economy. We continue to see private sector job growth and low unemployment with the number of Kansans working at one of the highest levels in state history,” said Lana Gordon, Kansas secretary of labor, in a news release.

Sporting KC plays tonight in Nicaragua

Sporting Kansas City opens the club’s 2014-15 CONCACAF Champions League campaign in Nicaragua for the second consecutive year matching up against Real Esteli FC.

The group stage match is set to kickoff at 9 p.m. Tuesday and will be available on FOX Soccer Plus, FOX Sports Go and FOX Soccer 2Go.

Sporting KC defeated Real Esteli FC 2-0 at Estadio Independencia a year ago with goals from Ike Opara and Dom Dwyer. Dwyer is second in Major League Soccer for goals scored this season with 16, including two in Sporting KC’s 4-1 victory against Toronto FC last weekend.

Joining Sporting KC and Real Esteli in Group 2 is Costa Rican side Deportiva Saprissa. Esteli hosted Saprissa earlier this month and the two clubs played to a 1-1 draw in Nicaragua.

Real Esteli has won each of the last seven Apertura (fall) and Clausura (spring) titles in the Nicaraguan Primera Division and are the only team to represent Nicaragua in the CCL. Esteli is tied for first place in the Primera Division’s Apertura season with a 3-0-0 record. However, the home side is seeking its first win all-time in a CONCACAF competition. The club is 0-29-7 in CONCACAF matches since 1991 and 0-4-3 at home during that timeframe.

Since 2011, Sporting KC is one of two American teams with at least two major trophies (2012 U.S. Open Cup, 2013 MLS Cup) and the only MLS team with two conference regular season titles (2011, 2012).

With 10 games remaining in the 2014 MLS regular season, Sporting KC is in first place in the Supporters’ Shield standings with a 12-6-6 record and 42 points.

Sporting KC finished atop Group 2 in the 2013-14 edition of the tournament with a 2-0-2 record before falling 5-2 on aggregate in the quarterfinals to reigning champions Cruz Azul.

The CONCACAF Champions League features the top club teams from across North America, Central America, and the Caribbean. The winner of the tournament earns a berth in the 2015 FIFA Club World Cup.

The tournament started in 1962 and was originally called the CONCACAF Champions Cup before switching to the current format in 2008 (and now called the CONCACAF Champions League).

Johnny’s Tavern will hold watch parties. Fans can follow the match online at SportingKC.com/GameOn or via Twitter @SKCGameday.

– Story from Sporting KC

Big first inning leads T-Bones to victory

Kansas City scored five runs with two outs in the first inning as the T-Bones went on to beat Amarillo 8-4 at CommunityAmerica Ballpark on Monday night in Kansas City, Kan.

Amarillo starter Clayton Tanner (2-3) collected two quick outs before allowing singles to Matt Padgett, Ray Sadler and Nick Schwaner, which loaded the bases.

Tanner then walked Bryan Sabatella, forcing in a run, and allowed a single to Robby Kuzdale that scored Sadler and Schwaner. Brian Erie, who came into the game hitting .375 with runners in scoring position and two outs, and then shot a single up the middle that scored two more and pushed the Kansas City lead to 5-0.

The Sox, meanwhile, had trouble figuring out Kansas City starter Jared Messer. Making just his third professional start, Messer didn’t allow a base runner to reach third base for the first five innings of play.

Amarillo finally got something going in the sixth. Trailing 6-0, Ransom LaLonde led off the inning with a single and came around to score when Derek Perren knocked an RBI single into center field. Andres Rodriguez later doubled, scoring Perren and cutting the Kansas City lead to 6-2.

Kansas City reclaimed its six-run lead almost immediately, however, scoring two runs in the bottom of the sixth.

With the bases loaded and nobody out, Danny Richar drew a walk, forcing in a run. Matt Padgett then grounded into a double play, but managed to push across another run and increase the Kansas City lead to 8-2.

Messer (4-2) went on to toss 7 1/3 innings, allowing four runs on 10 hits while striking out seven, as he picked up his first win at CommunityAmerica Ballpark. Tanner took the loss.

With the win, the T-Bones move to 39-47 on the season, while the Sox fall to 30-54. Kansas City continues its three game series with Amarillo Tuesday night at 7:05 p.m. Tickets are available by calling the Providence Medical Center Box Office at CommunityAmerica Ballpark at 913-328-5618.

Box score: http://www.pointstreak.com/baseball/boxscoretext.html?gameid=178170
– Story from T-Bones