November 2014 – Page 55 – Welcome to Wyandotte Daily!

With snow on the way Saturday, winter weather advisory issued for area

Snow is expected to accumulate this weekend, according to the National Weather Service.

The weather service has issued a winter weather advisory Saturday for this region, including Wyandotte County.

Snow will overspread the area after daybreak Saturday, according to the weather service, with snow gradually tapering off by late afternoon and early evening. Accumulations of 2 to 4 inches are expected for much of the area before snow comes to an end Saturday evening.

The winter weather advisory is in effect from 6 a.m. Saturday to midnight Saturday.

The weather service said accumulating snow and reduced visibility will result in hazardous travel across the region through much of the area. Motorists should be prepared for slippery roads and limited visibility. There will be dangerous road conditions.

Friday’s weather will be mostly sunny with a high near 31. The winds are calm in the morning, and may grow to 5 mph in the afternoon. Tonight, the skies will be partly cloudy with a low of 20.

Saturday’s high will be near 31, with a 90 percent chance of snow.

Saturday night, there is a chance of flurries before midnight. The low will be around 15. Winds will be 6 to 11 mph after midnight.

Sunday’s temperatures will reach a high of 27, with northwest wind of 7 to 10 mph.

Sunday night, it will be mostly clear, with a low around 16.

Monday, the high will be near 24; Tuesday, near 25; Wednesday, near 40; and Thursday, near 44.

Local organizations to assist in open enrollment in the Health Insurance Marketplace

Organizations in the Greater Kansas City area, including the Rosedale Development Association and Enroll Wyandotte, will hold special events on Saturday, Nov. 15, to kick off the first day of open enrollment this year in the federal Health Insurance Marketplace.

The organizations will hold public education events, open houses and free health fairs to inform uninsured and underinsured residents about coverage options available for 2015.

Federal navigators and certified application counselors will staff the events to answer questions about health insurance, set up appointments and provide application assistance to individuals seeking to enroll in the marketplace.

The events in Wyandotte County include:

9 a.m.–1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 15:

– Rosedale Development Association, 1403 Southwest Blvd, Kansas City, Kan., 913-677-5097

1–5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 15:
– Enroll Wyandotte, South Branch Library, 3104 Strong Ave., Kansas City, Kan., 913-735-9008

– Enroll Wyandotte, West Branch Library, 1737 N. 82nd St., Kansas City, Kan., 913-735-9008

Created by the Affordable Care Act, the Health Insurance Marketplace is a federally operated insurance marketplace online at www.healthcare.gov. The open enrollment period for 2015 coverage begins Nov. 15 and ends Feb. 15. In order for coverage to be effective Jan. 1, persons must enroll by Dec. 15.

For more information about public enrollment events taking place in the metro area, or to find a trained counselor in the area, call United Way 2-1-1 or visit www.CoverKC.org.

In the event of inclement weather, call first to see if the event still will be held.

Wyandotte County has its first same-sex marriage license

Wyandotte County District Court today issued a same-sex marriage license.

The license was issued this afternoon, according to court administrator Bill Burns.

He said a same-sex couple came in today and asked for a marriage license, and a waiver of the three-day waiting period.

Burns said the courts are currently giving couples applications, and then the chief judge is acting on them to decide if they should wait three days or receive a waiver.

In this afternoon’s application, a waiver was approved by the chief judge, according to Burns.

After the couple gets the license, they still have to find someone to perform the ceremony, he added.

It has been a confusing time for the local courts, Burns agreed, as challenges to the Kansas same-sex marriage ban have been in several courts, including the federal and state courts. At the time this license was issued today, Burns said he had not heard the state’s high court would be taking up the case again Monday.

Yesterday, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected a stay on Kansas issuing marriage licenses. A federal district court judge has found that the Kansas ban on same-sex marriages is unconstitutional according to the U.S. constitution.

The Kansas attorney general’s office is still pursuing a defense of the Kansas constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriages. This afternoon, the Kansas Supreme Court announced it would begin deliberating at 8 a.m. Monday, Nov. 17, on the original mandamus action that had been filed with the court on the topic of same-sex marriage licenses.