April 2015 – Page 53 – Welcome to Wyandotte Daily!

Forecast says rainy season to continue

There is a chance of light showers in today’s forecast, according to the National Weather Service.

Scattered showers will track across the area today with only light amounts of precipitation, the weather service said.

There is a slight chance for thunderstorms across eastern Kansas and far western Missouri on Thursday with better chances across the entire area on Friday, according to the weather service. No heavy rain or strong thunderstorms are expected with this activity.

Today’s high will be near 62, with an east southeast wind of 8 to 13 mph. Less than a tenth of an inch of rain is expected to fall, the weather service said.

For tonight, there is a 10 percent chance of showers before 7 p.m., according to the weather service. The low will be 52.

Thursday, there is a 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, the weather service said. The high will be near 74.

Thursday night, a 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms is in the forecast, with a low of 57, according to the weather service.

Friday, there is a 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, with a high near 72, the weather service said. Friday night, the chance of showers and thunderstorms continues, with a 40 percent possibility of rain, according to the weather service. The low will be 56.

Saturday, expect a 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, with a high near 69, the weather service said. Saturday night’s forecast is a 60 percent chance of showers with a low of 53, according to the weather service.

Sunday, there is a 60 percent chance of showers with a high near 65, the weather service said. Sunday night, the chance of rain is 40 percent with a low of 46, according to the weather service.

Citizens Academy learns about adult and juvenile detention

The Citizens Academy learned about the Wyandotte County Jail, including the control center, at its meeting Tuesday night. (Photo by William Crum)

by William Crum
Week two: The Citizens Academy learned about the adult detention and juvenile detention facilities from Jeffrey Fewell, warden, and Major James Eickhoff.

The Wyandotte County Jail has a lot of inmates, both adult and juvenile, according to a current count. As of April they are up to 435, which is 12 more than they had in February 2015.

Sheriff Ash first gave a presentation on what it takes for someone to work in the jail. It is a very lengthy process, with candidates taking a written test, going through a criminal check, a psychological evaluation and then interviews with some members of the staff, he said.

After that they go through an eight-week training class, plus they go with another jailer who is experienced. This person is called a jail training officer. Then finally the new employees are allowed to be on their own, Sheriff Ash said.

The participants were also informed about the budget and what it cost to run and operate a jail of this magnitude.

Currently they have 87 deputies assigned and have 83 percent that are currently on duty. They have the adult detention, which mainly deals with security, and within the jail they have first-time offenders, DWI offenders and others who are waiting for trial or are pending to go to state or federal penal institutions.

On the juvenile side, there are treatment programs such as counseling, education, and other facilities. There is a big difference between the two, Fewell said.

After the presentation the participants took a tour of the facilities. They saw the total operations of the jail itself, on the adult side and the juvenile side as well. After the tour and presentation the Sheriff and staff answered questions from the participants about the jail and what it costs to operate it.

The Citizens Academy learned about the Wyandotte County Jail at its meeting Tuesday night. (Photo by William Crum)

The Citizens Academy learned about the Wyandotte County Jail, including about a padded cell, at its meeting Tuesday night. (Photo by William Crum)

CertainTeed to expand plant in KCK, according to announcement

CertainTeed Corporation will expand its manufacturing facility in Kansas City, Kansas, by creating more than 70 new jobs at its Kansas City, Kan., location during the next three years, according to a news release on the Kansas Department of Commerce website.

The building materials company has begun the process of re-engineering its K2 furnace and its related production lines at its Kansas City, Kan., plant with subsequent production of fiberglass insulation products slated to begin during the second quarter of 2015, according to the news release.

“As demand for insulation products has increased, CertainTeed and our parent company, Saint-Gobain, remain optimistic about the pace and future progress of the economic recovery,” said Greg Silvestri, president of CertainTeed Insulation. “We have every confidence that investing over $30 million to re-engineer the K2 furnace and restart its related production lines will give us greater flexibility in providing our customers with better service and the mix of high quality fiber glass insulation products to support their growing business needs.”

“It’s great news that CertainTeed has decided to expand its operations in Kansas City,” said Kansas Commerce Secretary Pat George. “The company’s investment and plans to create good jobs in Kansas are signs of our state’s strong business environment.”

Headquartered in Valley Forge, Pa., CertainTeed is a leading manufacturer of building materials including roofing, siding, trim, fence, railing, decking, insulation, gypsum and ceiling products. CertainTeed has approximately 6,000 employees and 65 facilities throughout the United States and Canada, and is a subsidiary of Saint-Gobain, the world’s largest building materials company.

“CertainTeed has a long history in Kansas City, Kansas, and we are excited about this new investment and job creation,” said Greg Kindle, president of the Wyandotte Economic Development Council, in the news release. “This is another positive sign of growth in the community and for the insulation business as a whole.”