Month: August 2014

Three injured when ejected from vehicle at I-435 and I-70

Three persons were ejected from a Mercedes sport utility vehicle at 4:13 p.m. Aug. 17 on a ramp from southbound I-435 to eastbound I-70 in Wyandotte County.

The Mercedes and a Hyundai car were on the ramp from southbound I-435 to eastbound I-70 when the Mercedes changed lanes to the left, striking the Hyundai in the passenger side, according to the Kansas Highway Patrol trooper’s report.

The trooper’s report stated that both vehicles spun out of control, leaving the road to the right.

The Mercedes overturned multiple times, ejecting three of the four occupants, the report stated. The Hyundai came to rest in the right ditch.

Two children and the driver of the Mercedes were ejected, according to the trooper’s report. They were not wearing safety restraints.

The driver was a 38-year-old woman from Kansas City, Mo. The two children who were ejected were girls who were age 11 and age 2, the report stated. They were taken to hospitals.

A 48-year-old male passenger from Kansas City, Kan., also was injured. He was not thrown from the vehicle, and he was not wearing a safety restraint, the report stated.

The driver of the Hyundai, a 33-year-old woman from Overland Park, Kan., was not injured. She was wearing a safety restraint.

Elementary school lunch menus

Kansas City, Kan., Public Schools
Monday, Aug. 18
Chicken nuggets, dinner roll, tossed salad, grape tomatoes, tropical fruit and milk. Alternate entrees: Chef’s salad, fruit chef’s salad, or yogurt and muffin basket.

Tuesday, Aug. 19
Super nachos, refried beans, peas, mandarin oranges and milk. Alternate entrees: Chef’s salad, fruit chef’s salad, or yogurt and muffin basket.

Wednesday, Aug. 20
Cheese breadsticks with marinara sauce, garden salad, corn, pear and milk. Alternate entrees: Chef’s salad, fruit chef’s salad, or yogurt and muffin basket.

Thursday, Aug. 21
Pulled pork sandwich, tater tots, baked beans, banana and milk. Alternate entrees: Chef’s salad, fruit chef’s salad, or yogurt and muffin basket.

Friday, Aug. 22
Hot dog on a bun, baby carrots, pineapple, green beans and milk. Alaternate entrees: Chef’s salad, fruit chef’s salad, or yogurt and muffin basket.

Turner Public Schools
Monday, Aug. 18
Turkey sticks, gravy, bread sticks.

Tuesday, Aug. 19
Crispy chicken on bun. Fresh-baked cookie.

Wednesday, Aug. 20
Burrito, beef-bean-cheese-rice. Snack chips.

Thursday, Aug. 21
Chicken nuggets, sauce. Cornbread.

Friday, Aug. 22
Pizza, cheese and pepperoni.

Turner additional lunch entrée choices: Yogurt platter, peanut butter and jelly platter. Fruit and veggie bar offered daily.

Piper Public Schools
Monday, Aug. 18
Chicken and waffles; three-cheese grilled cheese, cherry tomatoes, corn, broccoli, melon, mandarin oranges; turkey chef salad, corn, melon, mandarin oranges, and blueberry fruit muffin.

Tuesday, Aug. 19
Super nachos; chicken nuggets, garden salad, bean bake, pineapple, banana; taco chef salad, bean bake, pineapple, banana and tortilla chips.

Wednesday, Aug. 20
Chicken patty-grilled chicken; roast turkey, mashed potatoes with gravy, carrots, watermelon, applesauce, hot roll; chicken Caesar chef salad, carrots, watermelon, applesauce, hot roll and crackers.

Thursday, Aug. 21
Barbecued rib on bun; chicken and cheese quesadilla, oven fries, cheesy cauliflower popcorn, grapes, orange pineapple mix; Italian chef salad, peas, grapes, orange pineapple mix, Italian bread.

Friday, Aug. 22
Corn dog; barbecued chicken on bun, carrots with dip, green beans, Caesar side salad, apple, fruit; popcorn chicken salad, carrots with dip, apple, fruit and fruit streusel muffin.

Bonner Springs-Edwardsville Public Schools
Monday, Aug. 18
Chicken and waffles; three-cheese grilled cheese, cherry tomatoes, corn, broccoli, melon, mandarin oranges; turkey chef salad, corn, melon, mandarin oranges, blueberry fruit muffin.
Tuesday, Aug. 19
Super nachos; chicken nuggets, garden salad, bean bake, pineapple, banana; taco chef salad, bean bake, pineapple, banana and tortilla chips.
Wednesday, Aug. 20
Chicken patty-grilled chicken; roast turkey, mashed potatoes with gravy, carrots, watermelon, applesauce, hot roll; chicken Caesar chef salad, carrots, watermelon, applesauce, hot roll and crackers.
Thursday, Aug. 21
Barbecued rib on bun; chicken and cheese quesadilla, oven fries, cheesy cauliflower popcorn, grapes, orange pineapple mix; Italian chef salad, grapes, orange pineapple mix, Italian bread.
Friday, Aug. 22
Canadian bacon pizza; corn dog, carrots with dip, green beans, Caesar side salad, apple, fruit; popcorn chicken salad, carrots with dip, apple, fruit and fruit streusel muffin.

All menus from all districts subject to change.

Review: Young woman faces difficult decision in ‘Echoes of Octavia’

Zora, left, played by Aishah Harvey, with Roscoe, played by Granville T. O’Neal. (Photo courtesy of Melting Pot Theater Co.)
Zora, left, played by Aishah Harvey, with Roscoe, played by Granville T. O’Neal. (Photo courtesy of Melting Pot Theater Co.)

by William Crum

“Echoes of Octavia,” a play that was written by the legendary Michelle T. Johnson, a resident of Wyandotte County, is a huge success.

Michelle has written a number of plays, however, this is her best play ever. Her talents are truly superior. This compelling story is about a young lady by the name of Zora, played by Aishah Harvey, who has to make a very critical decision in her life.

As the story unfolds, the audience finds out that Octavia was Zora’s mother, who died from cancer. Zora is faced with the decision to stay with the family restaurant or to accept a scholarship to Stanford University to do research. This decision is faced with the help of her father Roscoe, played by Granville T. O’Neal, a retired Kansas City, Kan., firefighter. It is one of his best roles ever.

Milo, Zora’s boyfriend, was played by Petey McGee. Other roles include Nelly, played by Sherri Roulette-Mosley; Jessie, a young waitress, played by Alisha Espinosa; and Professor Lane, played by Donovan McClendon.

Zora is faced with a major decision in her life, whether she should go and leave the family business which is highly successful or pursue her true dream of doing research at Stanford University in California. Professor Lane informs Zora that she would get a scholarship to do the research; however, she is torn with the decision whether to stay with the family restaurant business or go to Stanford.

All of the actors did a fantastic job telling this heartwarming story; they knew their characters very well.

At the end of the play the decision has been made, with the help of her stepmother Nelly and her father Roscoe. Jessie, the server, and Professor Lane, college mentor, also help.

The acting in “Echoes of Octavia” is superior, and the technical support team also did a great job. It is a well-written play that you will want to see. The set design and lighting also were done well.

The director, Harvey Williams, did a fantastic job with the assistance of Wyandotte County resident, Lynn King, assistant director, who many know from her performances and direction of plays in the Kansas City area. She is also a middle school theater instructor at Pembroke High School.

I tip my hat to Michelle T. Johnson who wrote the play, to Harvey Williams and Lynn King, who directed the play, to the cast and the production staff as well.

Show times are 7:30 p.m. Thursday to Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m. at the Just Off-Broadway Theater, at 3051 Central, in Kansas City, Mo. The show runs through Aug. 24. For ticket information, call 816-226-8087 or go to the website www.kcmeltingpot.com.