Severe weather possible today

National Weather Service graphic
National Weather Service graphic

Severe weather will be possible today and tonight across much of the area, according to the National Weather Service.

There is a dense fog advisory now in effect until 11 a.m. on Wednesday in the region, weather service said.

Residents are advised to slow down, use their headlights, and leave plenty of distance ahead of them in the fog.

Strong storms are possible this morning with large hail threatening, the weather service said. Most of the morning risk has already left the area.

Another round of severe storms is expected this afternoon, after 5 p.m., with a threat for large hail, damaging winds and isolated tornadoes, especially for areas along and south of a line from the northern Kansas City metro area to Kirksville, Mo., according to the weather service.

Additional strong to severe storms are possible early Thursday afternoon, the weather service said.

Today’s high will be near 78. An east wind of 7 to 15 mph will become south in the afternoon, according to the weather service. Winds could gust as high as 22 mph. The chance of rain is 60 percent. Between a quarter and half-inch is possible, the weather service said.

Tonight, showers and thunderstorms are possible mainly before 1 a.m. The low will be 62, with a south wind of 14 to 17 mph and gusts as high as 26 mph, according to the weather service. The chance of rain is 80 percent.

On Thursday, there is a chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1 p.m., then a slight chance of showers, according to the weather service. The high will be near 69. A south southwest wind of 13 to 18 mph will become west northwest in the afternoon, the weather service said, with wind gusts of up to 28 mph. The chance of rain is 40 percent.

National Weather Service graphic
National Weather Service graphic

Bynum says she’s looking forward to community progress

Melissa Bynum
Melissa Bynum

by Mary Rupert
Commissioner-elect Melissa Bynum tonight said she was “absolutely delighted” to win the 1st District, at large, Unified Government Commission seat.

“We really look forward to moving this community forward and continuing this fantastic progress we’ve seen for 18 years now,” Bynum said in a phone interview from her campaign party at Breit’s in Kansas City, Kan.

Bynum, the executive director of the Shepherd’s Center, and Mark Gilstrap, a retired UG deputy revenue director, ran county-wide for the 1st District, at large, seat. The election returns are unofficial until they are certified at a later date.

Bynum said it appeared Nathan Barnes’ write-in campaign had some effect in this contest. Barnes ran a write-in campaign for this office, and according to the unofficial election returns, there were 798 write-in votes. The write-ins were not attributed to a particular candidate. Bynum had 52 percent of the vote, with 5,408 votes to Gilstrap’s 4,128, a 1,280-vote margin.

“I was extremely focused throughout this process,” Bynum said about the campaign. She said she knew she had to talk to voters and get her message out, and worked every day to do that.

“People don’t really respond well to negative campaigning and I’m not a negative person, so that was not part of my tactics,” she said. “We just tried to stay on focus and get the job done, and I think we did that.”

Bynum said she anticipates that some of her first projects in office will be to work on the UG budget, since the budget process is already underway.

“Looking for efficiencies and ways to provide tax relief are No. 1 priorities,” she said.

Bynum wins 1st District, at large, UG seat

Melissa Bynum won the Unified Government commission, 1st District at large, seat with 52 percent of the vote on Tuesday night.

Bynum had 5,408 votes to Mark Gilstrap’s 4,128 votes. Nathan Barnes mounted a write-in campaign. Write-in votes totaled 798.

These are unofficial complete general election results. Final results will be certified and provisional votes will be considered at a Board of Canvassers meeting.

The Board of Public Utilities, position 3 at large, contest was close, with Norman Scott over Chris McCord, 4,253 to 4,156.

For UG Commission, 4th District, challenger Harold Johnson won over incumbent Commissioner Tarence Maddox, 653 to 512.

There was a 15.28 percent voter turnout, as 10,853 voters cast ballots.

Wyandotte County unofficial election results

Partial, early results
(Official final results will be determined after the Board of Canvassers meets to consider provisional ballots and certify the election results.)

Unified Government Commissioner, 1st District at large
Melissa Brune Bynum 5408
Mark Gilstrap 4128
Write-in votes 798

Unified Government Commissioner, 4th District

Harold Johnson 653
Tarence L. Maddox 512

Board of Public Utilities, Position 3 at large
Chris McCord 4156
Norman D. Scott 4253

Board of Public Utilities, District 1
Robert “Bob” Milan Sr. 2134
Freddy Wilson Jr. 1228

Kansas City Kansas Community College
Member, Board of Trustees
(Four elected)
Donald Ash 5953
Ray Daniels 5709
Mary Ann Flunder 5994
Clyde A. Townsend 5846
Victor B. Trammell 3094

Kansas City, Kan., School Board
(Four elected)
George Breidenthal 3079
Irene Caudillo 1997
Korri Hall-Thompson 1284
Janey M. Humphries 1505
Brenda C. Jones 3022
Gloria A. Willis 3466
Valdenia C. Winn 2906
Maria Cecilia Ysaac 2039

Piper School Board
(Four elected)
Cory Appl 486
Tom Beebe 657
Ashley Biondi 933
Neal Palmer 660
Lisa K. Sullivan 672
Jeb Vader 953

Piper School Board
Unexpired term
(One elected)
Steve Buff 602
Desiree Fergus 700

Turner School Board

(Four elected)
Becky Billigmeier 458
Douglas Lockwood 426
Theresa Tillery 473
Sherry Watkins-Alvey 533

Turner School Board, unexpired term
Jeff Davidson 590

Bonner Springs School Board
(Four elected)
Olliea Jarrett 763
Timothy G. McGinnis, 824
David J. Pierce 816
Patricia E. Welicky 730

Bonner Springs Mayor
Jeff Harrington 690
Write-in votes 36

Bonner Springs City Council, Ward 1
Jack Knight 84
Mike Thomopson 130

Bonner Springs City Council, Ward II
Dani Gurley 79
Racheal Haas 61

Bonner Springs City Council, Ward III
Jordan M. Mackey 74
Robert W. Reeves 111

Bonner Springs City Council, Ward IV
Eric Freeman 82
Mark Kipp 180

Edwardsville Council at large
(Three elected)
Chuck Adams 229
Craig Crider 198
Terence P. Dunn 193
Garrett Mellott 183
Chuck Stites 316

Mayor of Lake Quivira
(Wyandotte County votes)
Michael Olson 7
Leon M. Rieke 5
(Johnson County votes)
Michael Olson 229
Leon M. Rieke 154

Lake Quivira Council at large
(Three elected)
(Wyandotte County votes)
Ben C. Kalny 11
Bruce Rimbo 9
Dave White 9
(Johnson County votes)
Ben C. Kalny 328
Dave White 314
Bruce Rimbo 286

Johnson County Water District No. 1
Position 6
(Wyandotte County votes)
Joe H. Vaughan 3
Dennis Wilson 3
(Johnson County votes)
Dennis Wilson 11,240
Joe H. Vaughan 10,465

Johnson County Water District No. 1
Position 7
(Wyandotte County votes)
Arthena Easterwood 2
H. Richard “Dick” Noon 4

H. Richard “Dick” Noon 12,021
Arthena Easterwood 8,301