Month: June 2015

Lanes on I-435 southbound reduced because of pavement problems

Southbound I-435 before and over the Waldron Road bridge over the Missouri River on the Missouri side has been reduced to one open lane, the far left lane is closed, as of 3:30 p.m. Thursday.

Emergency pavement repair work is being done because of pavement blowout.

This bridge is located just north of the Missouri River Bridge and crosses over Waldron (River) Road and railroad tracks. It is just north of Wyandotte County.

Currently the far left lane is closed, leaving one open lane on southbound I-435 over the bridge. Crews are assessing the damage to determine the necessary repairs that will need to be made.

Area under severe thunderstorm watch

Wyandotte County is under a slight risk of severe weather for Thursday afternoon and night. (National Weather Service graphic)
Wyandotte County is under a slight risk of severe weather for Thursday afternoon and night. (National Weather Service graphic)

The Kansas City, Kan., area is under a severe thunderstorm watch from 5:20 p.m. Thursday until midnight, according to the National Weather Service.

Thunderstorms may redevelop today, with strong to severe storms possible, the weather service said.

Moderate to heavy rainfall, causing localized flooding, is possible, with gusty to damaging winds, hail, dangerous cloud-to-ground lightning, and a slight risk for tornado development, according to the weather service.

Temperatures were 91 degrees at 5 p.m. Thursday, with a heat index of 97.

For more weather information, visit www.weather.gov.

Recipe: Start off the summer with healthy iced tea

by Chrishonda Brown

So you want to keep your family healthy and hydrated this summer, but what options do you have besides sugary juices and just plain water?

Go for tea. Tea is kid-friendly and loaded with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.

The vitamin D promotes strong bones, essential for the whole family. Plus, tea also contains amino acids that build muscle, skin and hair.

Tea has natural fluoride, which helps prevent cavities. Coupled with tea’s calcium and magnesium, this zero-calorie drink is a great choice for your teeth.

Tea is a very versatile drink. Try freezing it into ice pops. Simply cover your filled ice cube tray with plastic wrap, poke some small holes and insert the popsicle sticks. Add pieces of fresh or canned fruit for even more flavor.

A glass of tea is a great way to start off your summer. And if no one’s said it yet, Happy Iced Tea Month.

Chrishonda Brown, M.S. in kinesiology, is a guest columnist for Kansas State Research and Extension, Wyandotte County. For more recipes visit www.kidsacooking.org Like the Facebook page at www.facebook.com/KSREWyco and follow on Twitter @WyCoSnapEd.

Tropical Green Tea Cooler
Makes: Eight 1-cup servings
4 cups water
1 20-ounce can pineapple in juice
1 15-ounce can diced mangos, drained
1 green tea bag (plain or fruit flavored)
Directions:
Combine water, pineapple and mangos in blender.
Blend until smooth.
Pour into pitcher and add tea bag.
Leave tea bag in pitcher and chill in refrigerator overnight.
Pour into glasses and enjoy!
Nutritional information for each serving: 60 calories, <1g total fat, 0g saturated fat, 0g trans fat, 0mg cholesterol, 15g carbohydrates, 1.5g fiber, 12.3g sugars, 5mg sodium, 0.5g protein, 6% Vitamin A, 73% Vitamin C, 2% calcium, 1% iron.