A public safety community forum has been scheduled for 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 21, at the Blue Dog Community Center, 1300 Meadowlark Lane, Kansas City, Kan.
The purpose of the free public event is to encourage and promote a stronger police and community relationship, with a goal of inspiring youth to choose a career in public safety.
The sponsors of the event are the Kansas City, Kan., Police Department, KC Blue Dogs and the Kansas Black Chamber of Commerce.
Speakers will include Kansas City, Kan., Police Chief Terry Zeigler and Alvin Sykes, human rights activist.
The moderator will be Christal Watson, president of the Kansas Black Chamber of Commerce.
Everyone is invited to the event, according to organizers.
Forecasters expect a quiet weather week, with an above-normal temperatures day on Tuesday.
The next expected precipitation in the forecast is for Sunday, when it may rain or snow, according to the National Weather Service.
According to the National Weather Service, Tuesday’s high will be near 53. There will be a west northwest wind of 7 to 13 mph with gusts as high as 20 mph.
Wednesday will be a little cooler, with a high near 45. On Thursday, the high will be near 40. Friday, the temperature rises a little, with a high near 49.
Saturday’s forecast is mostly sunny with a high near 49.
Sunday, there is a 30 percent chance of rain and snow, with a high near 47. Sunday night, the low will be around 28.
Students participated in today’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration at the Reardon Civic Center, Kansas City, Kan.. (Staff photo by Mary Rupert) by Mary Rupert
More than 1,000 people attending the Kansas City, Kan., Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration today heard a message that “the pendulum has swung back.”
The Rev. Forrest Harris Sr. of Nashville, Tenn., guest speaker, told the audience that there was a pendulum that swings throughout time, and that the nation now “has chosen chaos over community.”
“The love ethic of Jesus marvelously exemplified in the life of Martin Luther King Jr. is a cosmic pendulum from Moses to Elijah to Jesus,” Harris, president of American Bible College in Nashville, said.
In the last century, God’s cosmic pendulum gave voice to Martin Luther King Jr., and his message of freedom, justice and love, he said. Now, the pendulum is swinging back to that message.
Harris urged not nostalgia for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, but rediscovery.
“Religion and moral truth must always be rediscovered,” Harris said.
Harris also referred to a current movement in the nation in the wake of the several incidents last year, including at Ferguson, Mo., and other incidents.
“A whole lot of people can’t breathe today. The poor can’t breathe. The diseased can’t breathe. I don’t know why people are fighting the Affordable Health Care Act, because folks can’t breathe,” Harris said.
The theme of today’s King Day celebration in Kansas City, Kan., was “Hands Up for Peace; Hands Up for Justice; Hands Up for God.”
Before Harris’ address, Kansas City, Kan., Mayor Mark Holland told the audience at the Reardon Civic Center that Kansas City, Kan., is reviewing diversity in hiring and recruiting, especially among its public safety officers.
He said the diversity review effort started nine months before incidents in Ferguson, Mo. He invited the public to attend a 7 p.m. Feb. 5 meeting at City Hall to make comments on the diversity plan.
“I intend Kansas City, Kan., to lead the region in the deployment of body cameras,” Mayor Holland said today.
It is no small expense, but the wearing of body cameras by police officers can help protect public safety, he believes. It will probably take a year to get ready for this program, he added.
A motorcade for hunger was held before the King Day Celebration today. Food was collected for the needy.
Also, voter registration booths and health insurance signups were available at the King Day Celebration, along with free smoke detectors given to residents.
A number of scholarships also were presented at the King Day event, with a collection going toward the scholarships.
Among the groups performing at this event were the Greater Pentecostal Temple’s Praise Dance Team, the Greater Pentecostal Temple’s Men of Worship, the Martin Luther King Mass Choir under the direction of Alicia Saunders, and Creative Movement Praise Dancers, V. Lindsay SDA School.
Students participated in today’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration at the Reardon Civic Center, Kansas City, Kan. (Staff photo by Mary Rupert) Students participated in today’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration at the Reardon Civic Center, Kansas City, Kan. (Staff photo by Mary Rupert) The Rev. Forrest Harris Sr., president of the American Bible College, Nashville, Tenn., was the guest speaker at today’s King Day celebration in Kansas City, Kan. (Staff photo by Mary Rupert) Students participated in today’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration at the Reardon Civic Center, Kansas City, Kan. (Staff photo) More than 1,000 people attended the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration in Kansas City, Kan. (Staff photo by Mary Rupert) More than 1,000 people attended the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration in Kansas City, Kan. (Staff photo) The Rev. C.L. Bachus, pastor of Mount Zion Baptist Church, presided at the King Day celebration today in Kansas City, Kan. (Staff photo by Mary Rupert) Mayor Mark Holland today said that efforts are ongoing to increase diversity in public safety positions in Kansas City, Kan., and he announced that he would be in favor of body cameras for police officers. (Staff photo) Monsignor Michael Mullen, pastor of St. Patrick Catholic Church, offered an invocation at the King Day celebration today. (Staff photo by Mary Rupert) Students receiving scholarships were recognized at the King Day celebration today. (Staff photo) The Martin Luther King Mass Choir under the direction of Alicia Saunders performed at the King Day celebration today. (Staff photo) Tyrieke Robinson, who is in the Kansas City, Kan., Fire Academy, staffed a booth today at the King Day celebration. Smoke detectors were given away. (Staff photo by Mary Rupert) Staffing a booth for health insurance signups were Elnora Jefferson, right, and Wander Robinson-Owens. (Staff photo by Mary Rupert) Barbara Ikerd, left, chapter secretary of the Kansas City, Kan., NAACP, staffed a voter registration booth at today’s King Day celebration. (Staff photo by Mary Rupert) Also providing voter information and voter registration for Kansas and Missouri was the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Mu Omega Chapter, from right to left, Sequita Richardson, Meredyth Vick, Ellen Jones, Debra Johnson, Josea Tyler, Grace Boswell, Menneka Scott, Lori Smith and Tanesha Hopson. (Staff photo by Mary Rupert) Food was collected for the hungry at today’s King Day celebration. (Staff photo) Many vehicles participated in a motorcade for hunger today in Kansas City, Kan., as part of the King Day celebration. (Staff photo)
