Month: February 2015

Master Gardeners plan presentation on container gardening Thursday

The Wyandotte County Extension Master Gardeners are planning a presentation about container gardens from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 5, at the Wyandotte County Extension Office, 1208 N. 79th St., Kansas City, Kan.

Do you yearn to grow yummy, nutritious food for your family, but have no yard? Or maybe you just want your herbs and salad makings closer to the kitchen. A container garden, placed in full sun, can fulfill the mutual needs of plants and gardeners. Fortunately, plant breeders have heeded the call for porch and deck garden solutions by developing vegetables, flowers and even shrubs and trees that flourish in a small space.

This presentation by Lenora Larson and sponsored by the Wyandotte County Extension Master Gardeners reviews the basics of container gardening, then applies those principles to vegetable growing. PowerPoint photographs will illustrate the science-based techniques and a handout will provide further information and resources.

A Marais des Cygnes Extension Master Gardener, Lenora Larson grows most of her food on her 27-acre property, Long Lips Farm, in rural Paola. She is a proud “science geek” with a degree in microbiology from Michigan State University, a career in molecular biology and a life-long interest in gardening and cooking.

Registration is not required. There is no admission fee for active Master Gardeners, $5 per person payable at the door, for all others attending. Admission fees help support the local Master Gardener program.

The presentation will be conducted in the Sunflower Room, Wyandotte County Extension Office, 1208 N. 79th St., Kansas City Kan., (west across 79th Street from the State Avenue Kmart). For more information, call 913-299-9300.

Those attending are welcome to bring their lunch to this event.

Public meeting to be held Feb. 10 on Share-A-Fare changes

A public meeting will be held Feb. 10 in Kansas City, Kan., on proposed changes to the Share-A-Fare paratransit service.

Anyone interested may attend the meeting from noon to 2 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 10, at the Unified Government Transit MetroCenter at 47th and State Avenue, Kansas City, Kan.

The meeting is sponsored by the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority. Several other meetings are scheduled the week of Feb. 9 in other areas of Greater Kansas City.

The meetings will consist of a 30-40-minute presentation followed by an opportunity for questions and comments. During the two-hour meetings, the presentation will be repeated at the beginning of the second hour.

The Share-A-Fare program gives door-to-door public transportation to riders who qualify for the service. These may include elderly and disabled individuals. The paratransit service is for people with disabilities who cannot fully use the fixed-route public transportation system.

KCATA has contracted with MTM Inc. to manage the application processing for paratransit operations. In response to public meetings last year, KCATA has designed a more thorough application instead of establishing in-person interviews for determining eligibility for paratransit service, according to the ATA. The process should ensure the most appropriate mode of transportation for all, with fairness and compliance with ADA regulations, the ATA stated.

Customers who are unable to attend a public forum can also submit comments on the proposed changes through:
• Online Form: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/shareafare
• Mail: KCATA, Share-A-Fare, 1200 E. 18th St., Kansas City, MO 64108
• Phone: 816-346-0295 (leave comment on prerecorded line)
• Email: [email protected]

For more information about the proposed paratransit application and an opportunity to comment online, visit www.kcata.org.

Library launches online book club

Residents now can participate in a library book club without even leaving home – especially great for those bad weather days and for those persons whose schedules require them to be working or in school when other book clubs meet.

The Kansas City, Kan., Public Library has launched its first-ever completely online book club this week. Participants will not even have to go to a library building.

Designed for book lovers who want to enjoy the books and discuss at their own pace, the book club will be solely hosted on the library’s eCommunity site and have no scheduled meetings, according to a library spokesperson.

It will feature video introductions to the books, interactive elements, and easy online commenting. All books will be available for instant download as audiobooks through the eCommunity site, according to library officials.

“We picked titles that are not only great reads, but would be available for members when they needed them, with no wait,” said Carmen Hannon-Patton, book club host. “With the at-your-own-pace nature of the book club, it was important for us that it be instantly accessible, convenient, and appealing to digital users. This is a book club for people who love to read great stories, but might not have the time or ability to wait for a book to come in and then meet in-person. This way, they can participate on their own terms.”

The library also carries print copies and one ebook copy for most of the books.

Named Youngbloods, the book club will feature popular and engrossing young adult (YA) titles that are sure to appeal to adult readers.

“YA is becoming more and more popular with adults,” Hannon-Patton said. “I love YA. If it’s dystopian or a paranormal romance, I am there! We picked a variety of titles – fantasy, realistic, romance, adventure – that are great for all readers and sure to spawn wonderful discussions. I can’t wait to hear what our members have to say about the books.”

A new title will be announced each month. The first pick will be “The Raven Boys” by Maggie Stiefvater: For as long as she can remember, Blue Sargent has been warned that she will cause her true love to die. Despite being surrounded by a family of psychics, she never thought this would really be a problem. That is, until she meets Gansey and his group of private school friends – the Raven Boys. The boys are on a quest to discover and waken the mythical Welsh sleeping king, Glendower. Blue is drawn to Gansey and the other boys in a way she can’t quite explain. As her life becomes more and more caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she’s not so sure of anything anymore. If you knew someone’s future, would you tell him?

To join Youngbloods, visit http://ecommunity.kckp.org/youngbloods.html. For more information, email [email protected] or call 913-279-2106.

In a separate program, the Kansas City, Kan., Public Library now is providing residents with the Facebook book club selection, “The End of Power” by Moises Naim, as an audiobook through the library’s eCommunity. To check out “The End of Power,” visit http://ecommunity.kckpl.org. It can be downloaded to your device instantly with no long hold lines. Just use the eCard or regular library card to check it out and start listening immediately.