Month: June 2015

Fireworks stands open today in KCK

Fireworks stands, such as this one near 74th and State Avenue, opened today in Kansas City, Kan.
Fireworks stands, such as this one near 74th and State Avenue, opened today in Kansas City, Kan.

by Mary Rupert

Fireworks stands opened today in Kansas City, Kan.

Residents of Kansas City, Kan., may shoot certain approved fireworks from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. July 2 to 4.

Assistant Fire Chief John W. Zimbelman, interim public information officer, said it is important that parents and adults supervise children who are around fireworks.

“People need to be careful, especially with children and supervising,” Zimbelman said. He said that kids should not shoot fireworks, that adults should be the ones to do it.

Fireworks may be discharged between 9 a.m. and 11 p.m. from July 2 through July 4 only, according to the local ordinance on fireworks.

This year, there are 47 fireworks stands operating throughout Kansas City, Kan., Zimbelman said.

It is not legal to discharge guns in Kansas City, Kan., to celebrate the holiday, even though there are some laws that permit carrying guns, according to officials. It is illegal to fire a gun in the city.

This year, the free fireworks show for residents at Pierson Park in Turner will not take place, according to the parks department. The show was canceled because the company that formerly did the show is not currently operating, according to the parks department, and no one else would do it for the same amount of money.

The T-Bones are listed on the promotions schedule as having fireworks displays after the home games, which start at 7:05 p.m. July 3 and July 4 at CommunityAmerica Ballpark in Kansas City, Kan. The July 4 fireworks display should be a large display, Zimbelman said.

For those shooting fireworks at home, fireworks such as bottle rockets, sky rockets, missile-type rockets, luminaries and lanterns, and unapproved fireworks such as M-80s are not allowed in Kansas City, Kan., according to the UG ordinance. Only consumer-grade fireworks that are on the approved list may be discharged, Zimbelman said.

The UG’s fireworks ordinance is at https://www.municode.com/library/ks/wyandotte_county_-_unified_government/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=CH15FIPRPR. It outlines the specific fireworks that are approved, and those that are not approved. There are no changes to the ordinance this year that apply to residents.

The ordinance specifies that fireworks may be sold only between June 29 and July 4.

The Bonner Springs and Edwardsville fireworks ordinances closely follow the Kansas City, Kan., ordinance, Zimbelman said.

Supreme Court sides with Kansas against EPA regulations

The U.S. Supreme Court today struck down federal Environmental Protection Agency regulations that would have driven up costs to Kansas electricity ratepayers, Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt said.

The court sided with Kansas and 20 other states, agreeing that it is “appropriate and necessary” for the EPA to consider costs when it issues regulations on power plant emissions.

“Today’s ruling is a big win for anyone who pays for electricity,” Schmidt said. “In my view, the Supreme Court did the right thing by concluding that the law requires EPA to take into account the cost of the new regulations it is proposing. In the real world, cost matters.”

The decision reversed a ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, which upheld the EPA’s regulations.

The case stemmed from a 2011 EPA rule for electric utilities, known as the “Mercury and Air Toxics Standards” or “MATS.” The rule sought to impose stringent limits on certain emissions from power plants that would have required the installation of costly new equipment. The emission limits in the final rule, along with short deadlines for compliance, presented significant challenges for owners and operators of existing coal- and oil-fired electric utility units and presented a barrier to the construction of new coal-fired generators. By the EPA’s own estimate, implementation of this rule would have cost electric utilities – and ultimately, electricity ratepayers – $9.6 billion per year.

Kansas was one of the 21 state plaintiffs in the case who brought the successful challenge to the EPA action. The case was Michigan v. Environmental Protection Agency.

Three options for storm debris disposal

From the Unified Government:

Residents who are still cleaning up after the storm have three options to dispose of storm-related debris.

Public Works received more than 100 calls for service with 35 of those calls being considered emergency related. There were approximately 35 streets closed as a result of fallen trees and debris. As of today, all of those streets have been cleared for traffic.

• Transport the waste to the Deffenbaugh Landfill (at no cost to KCK residents). Show driver’s license or other valid ID proving you live in Wyandotte County.

• Take debris to the Yard Waste Drop Off site located at 3241 Park Drive, Kansas City, Kan. 66102 which will be open:
This week, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday; and from noon to 4 p.m. Friday, July 3.
The week of July 6, it will be open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

• The Public Works crews will be making a sweep through the city to pick up storm debris. None of the storm debris collected by public works will be taken to a landfill.

Those with questions may call the UG’s 311 Call Center.