GM CEO Mary Barra visited the Kansas City, Kan., Fairfax plant today to celebrate the 500 millionth GM vehicle produced company-wide. (Staff photo) Top GM officials visit KCK to celebrate 500 millionth car
General Motors officials visited the Fairfax GM plant on Monday to announce the corporation’s 500 millionth car, plus a new $174 million investment in the Fairfax plant. That is a lot of money for anyone to know what to do with, even if you are a business. Even for anyone to look into how to invest 100k, that is a lot of money. When it comes to money, there are lot of aspects you need to think about. Are you planning on saving at least half of it? Have you decided it is time to buy a new house for your parents? How about saving for your kids’ future? Whatever you do decide to use the money for, make sure it is for the right reasons, as money can come and go pretty quickly.
At the celebration Monday in Kansas City, Kan., GM CEO Mary Barra and GM North America and Global Chevrolet President Alan Batey surprised Trent Brining, an Iraqi war veteran from Overland Park, with a key to his own 2016 Chevy Malibu. The company will start production of the midsize sedan later this year.
Brining is a retired Army corporal and Purple Heart recipient who was seriously injured in 2005 after being struck by a rocket propelled grenade while patrolling a suburb of Baghdad.
Batey said GM will invest $174 million in the Fairfax plant for new equipment and technology to support production of the 2016 Malibu and improve customer satisfaction. One enhancement – a “Shake and Rattle” booth – simulates any road condition a customer might experience – and identifies sources of noise so they can be fixed.
The 2016 Chevy Malibu (GM photo)
The 2016 Malibu, according to GM, will be lighter, leaner and longer. It will be more efficient and has advanced safety features, according to information from GM. It will have more rear legroom, and a hybrid powertrain will be available to get better fuel economy. The new Malibu also will have Teen Driver, a system that will help parents view on a display how their teenager drove the vehicle.
The GM Fairfax plant, open since 1945, employs about 3,500 persons. The plant makes the Chevy Malibu and the Buick LaCrosse. The plant’s economic impact, according to GM statistics, is $432 million in benefits and wages; $14.6 million in state and local payroll taxes; $8.4 million in property taxes; $19.5 million in utilities; and $450,000 in local charitable contributions.
Just two years ago, GM announced a $600 million new paint shop and press upgrade at the Fairfax plant. Officials visited with GM CEO Mary Barra, right, during Monday’s visit to the Fairfax plant in Kansas City, Kan. From left were U.S. Rep. Kevin Yoder, Gov. Sam Brownback, Mayor Mark Holland, and U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran. (Staff photo) VIPs posed for media interviews today at the GM Fairfax plant. From left, Mayor Mark Holland, Gov. Sam Brownback, U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, GM CEO Mary Barra, Jorge Rodriguez, shop chairperson, U.S. Rep. Kevin Yoder, Vicki Hale, president, UAW 31, Bill Kulhanek, Fairfax plant manager (partly hidden) and Alan Batey, GM North America and Global Chevrolet president. (Staff photo) Alan Batey, GM North America and Global Chevrolet president, said GM will invest $174 million in the Fairfax plant for new equipment and technology to support production of the 2016 Malibu and improve customer satisfaction. (Staff photo) Trent Brining, center, an Iraqi war veteran, was presented with the key to a new 2016 Chevy Malibu by GM officials on Monday at the Fairfax plant in Kansas City, Kan. On the right was GM CEO Mary Barra and on the left was GM North America and Global Chevrolet President Alan Batey. (Staff photo) A large crowd of GM employees was present for today’s announcement at the GM Fairfax plant. (Staff photo) From left, Gov. Sam Brownback, Mayor Mark Holland and U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran at today’s GM Fairfax announcement. (Staff photo) Taking the spotlight in the shadows of a 1965 Chevrolet Malibu SuperSport were plant manager Bill Kulhanek and Shop Chairperson Jorge Rodriguez, who opened the news conference celebrating GM’s 500 millionth vehicle. (Staff photo) Large screens enabled the large crowd of special guests and plant workers to see and hear General Motors CEO Mary Barra. In the foreground is America Sign Language interpreter Kalena Summers, who provided translations for the hearing impaired. (Staff photo) U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran spoke at today’s announcement at the GM Fairfax plant. (Staff photo) U.S. Rep. Kevin Yoder spoke at today’s announcement at the GM Fairfax plant in Kansas City, Kan. (Staff photo) Gov. Sam Brownback spoke at today’s announcement at the GM Fairfax plant in Kansas City, Kan. (Staff photo) Mayor Mark Holland spoke at today’s announcement at the Fairfax GM plant in Kansas City, Kan. (Staff photo) Representing the Unified Government of Kansas City, Kan., and Wyandotte County at today’s GM Fairfax plant announcement were, left to right, Commissioner Mike Kane, Mayor Mark Holland, Commissioner Gayle Townsend and Commissioner Brian McKiernan. (Staff photo)
A season-long trend of failing to close out games reared its ugly head one last time for Kansas City Kansas Community College in Region VI baseball playoff action.
A 13-7 winner over Butler County in the opener of a best-of-three series at El Dorado Saturday, the Blue Devils could not hold a 7-3 lead in the ninth inning and an 8-7 lead in the 10th inning as the Grizzlies twice rallied for a 9-8 win.
Forced into a third game Sunday, the Blue Devils spotted Butler a 4-0 lead in the first inning and never could catch up, losing 6-2. The loss closed out the Blue Devils’ season at 33-25.
KCKCC jumped off to a 4-0 lead in the first inning of the opener on singles by Tanner Foerschler, Daniel LaMunyon, Sam Baxter, Eli Lovell and Landon Mason. Travis Stroup’s solo homer in the third made it 5-0 only to have Butler get even with five runs in the bottom of the third.
KCKCC made the most of four bases on balls to regain the lead 7-5 in the fifth and then put the game out of reach on a 2-run single by Baxter and a 2-run double by Lovell in a 5-run ninth inning.
Baxter finished with three hits and Foerschler, Stroup, Lovell, Mason and Tyler Raymond two each in a 14-hit assault. Working in relief of starter Jonathan May, Preston Bailey got the win, allowing five hits and two runs in 5.1 innings.
KCKCC jumped off to a 4-0 first inning lead in Saturday’s second game on a single by Thrower and run-scoring doubles by Stroup, LaMunyon and Lovell and then opened its lead to 7-3 in the top of the ninth on a 2-run home run by Stroup.
However, the Grizzlies took advantage of four walks and three hits to tie the game with four runs in the bottom of the ninth.
The Blue Devils regained the lead 8-7 in the top of the 10th on Thrower’s run-scoring single following a leadoff single by Mason but left the bases loaded.
Butler then won it in the bottom of the inning, scoring the tying and winning runs on four straight walks after a leadoff single and double.
Tyler Dunn allowed six hits and three runs over the first six innings before giving way to four relievers. Stroup, Thrower and LaMunyon had two hits each and Foerschler and Lovell doubles in KCKCC’s 9-hit attack.
Butler used the long ball to win the pivotal third game 6-2. Cory Slater had the big blast, a 3-run shot in the first inning off starter Ross Perez in the first to give the Grizzlies a 4-0 lead.
Dalton Kincaid worked the final 7.1 innings, allowing seven hits including home runs to Slater and Ty Redington in the seventh and eighth innings.
KCKCC collected 11 hits but the Blue Devils left 17 runners on base including the bases loaded three times.
The Blue Devils’ only two runs came in the fourth on a hit batsman, singles by Thrower and Foeschler and Lovell’s ground ball. Thrower had three singles, Raymond a double and single and Mason a double to lead KCKCC.
Alan Hoskins is the sports information director for KCKCC.
The Mass Street Soda Co., based in Lawrence, Kan., is expanding this summer to the Legends Outlets with KC Soda Co.
According to a spokesman, the shop will offer sodas, floats and ice creams. It will offer more than 1,300 premium craft sodas from independent brewers across the nation and worldwide, the spokesman said.
The new soda shop will open sometime in June and will be located in a 1,328-square-foot space below Dave and Buster’s at The Legends Outlets, according to the spokesman.
The owners and founders of the soda shop are Matt Baysinger and Lucas Thompson.
At the shop’s opening, they will launch a craft soda brand to be called KC Soda, the spokesman said. There are three locally brewed KC Soda flavors planned, including cream soda, a root beer with a special kick such as cinnamon, and a peach soda using Kansas and Missouri peaches, according to the spokesman.
