Month: July 2015

Several Wyandotte County students named to honor roll at KU

Several undergraduate students from Wyandotte County at the University of Kansas were named to the honor roll for the spring 2015 semester.

The students were from KU’s Lawrence campus and the schools of Health Professions and Nursing in Kansas City, Kan.

Some schools honor the top 10 percent of students enrolled, some establish a minimum grade-point average and others raise the minimum GPA for each year students are in school. Students must complete a minimum number of credit hours to be considered for the honor roll.

The students on the honor roll from Wyandotte County, according to KU, include:

Melanie Bergstrom, Bonner Springs, School of Health Professions;

Kyle Chadwick, Bonner Springs, School of Nursing;

Sean Ellington, Bonner Springs, School of Business;

Alyson Espy, Bonner Springs, School of Education;

Caitlin Hilliard, Bonner Springs, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences;

Morgan Kleoppel, Bonner Springs, School of Business;

Sandra Petrosino, Bonner Springs, School of Social Welfare;

Courtney Poe, Bonner Springs, School of Education;

Sara Rehm, Bonner Springs, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences;

Andrew Stueckemann, Bonner Springs, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences;

Evan Theno, Bonner Springs, School of Education;

Chad Uhl, Bonner Springs, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and School of Engineering;

Rachel Van Fleet, Bonner Springs, School of Business;

Garret Kahle, Basehor, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences;

Suhaib Bajwa, Edwardsville, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences;

Wendy DeLeon, Edwardsville, School of Health Professions;

Asha Musau, Edwardsville, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences;

Courtney Wheeler, Edwardsville, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and School of Education;

Mousa Alabbad, Kansas City, Kan., College of Liberal Arts and Sciences;

Sarah Alhafed, Kansas City, Kan., School of Health Professions;

Ashley Arnett, Kansas City, Kan., School of the Arts;

Marlio Avalos-Rodriguez, Kansas City, Kan., School of Health Professions;

Ibrahima Bah, Kansas City, Kan., School of Business;

Brittany Baumli, Kansas City, Kan., College of Liberal Arts and Sciences;

Kash Brown, Kansas City, Kan., School of Nursing;

Brian Callahan, Kansas City, Kan., School of Nursing;

Rachel Carver, Kansas City, Kan., School of the Arts;

Mollie Chapin-Patch, Kansas City, Kan., College of Liberal Arts and Sciences;

Tristan Coker, Kansas City, Kan., College of Liberal Arts and Sciences;

Arthur Collins, Kansas City, Kan., College of Liberal Arts and Sciences;

Shannon Daze, Kansas City, Kan., College of Liberal Arts and Sciences;

Dawn Dorsett, Kansas City, Kan., College of Liberal Arts and Sciences;

Denae Douglas, Kansas City, Kan., School of Engineering;

Bertha Esparza, Kansas City, Kan., School of Nursing;

Alex Flores, Kansas City, Kan., College of Liberal Arts and Sciences;

Adam Fly, Kansas City, Kan., School of Nursing;

Susanna Greusel, Kansas City, Kan., School of Nursing;

Sidney Hagge, Kansas City, Kan., School of Education;

Rebecca Harris, Kansas City, Kan., College of Liberal Arts and Sciences;

Ashley Hart, Kansas City, Kan., College of Liberal Arts and Sciences;

Humberto Hernandez, Kansas City, Kan., School of Business;

Armita Hosseinzadeh‐Seisan, Kansas City, Kan., College of Liberal Arts and Sciences;

Christopher Huey, Kansas City, Kan., School of Education;

Carolina Jimenez-Garcia, Kansas City, Kan., College of Liberal Arts and Sciences;

Andrea Johnson, Kansas City, Kan., College of Liberal Arts and Sciences;

Darius Johnson, Kansas City, Kan., School of Business;

Grace Lamberton, Kansas City, Kan., School of Social Welfare;

Sang Lau, Kansas City, Kan., College of Liberal Arts and Sciences;

Tac Lau, Kansas City, Kan., School of Engineering;

Tang Lee, Kansas City, Kan., College of Liberal Arts and Sciences;

Alva Locke, Kansas City, Kan., School of Health Professions;

Chloe Lockman, Kansas City, Kan., School of Architecture, Design and Planning;

Cameron Long, Kansas City, Kan., College of Liberal Arts and Sciences;

Sydney Mansaw, Kansas City, Kan., College of Liberal Arts and Sciences;

Anissa Martinez, Kansas City, Kan., College of Liberal Arts and Sciences;

Lyndsey Martini, Kansas City, Kan., School of Health Professions;

Christian Mata, Kansas City, Kan., School of Education;

Jordan Milan, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences;

Isaac Nevarez, Kansas City, Kan., College of Liberal Arts and Sciences;

Oscar Orozco, Kansas City, Kan., School of Social Welfare;

Marcus Robinson, Kansas City, Kan., College of Liberal Arts and Sciences;

Zakk Roy, Kansas City, Kan., School of Engineering;

John Russell, Kansas City, Kan., School of Engineering;

Tadd Schneider, Kansas City, Kan., College of Liberal Arts and Sciences;

Michelle Selbe, Kansas City, Kan., School of Education;

Gordon Sheldon, Kansas City, Kan., College of Liberal Arts and Sciences;

Shelby Slater, Kansas City, Kan., College of Liberal Arts and Sciences;

Erica Smith, Kansas City, Kan., School of Social Welfare;

Brian Soria, Kansas City, Kan., School of Nursing;

Krista Sturm, Kansas City, Kan., College of Liberal Arts and Sciences;

Laura Suarez, Kansas City, Kan., School of the Arts;

Dihan Thilakaratne, Kansas City, Kan., College of Liberal Arts and Sciences;

Shayne Thoman, Kansas City, Kan., College of Liberal Arts and Sciences;

Carlie Thomas, Kansas City, Kan., School of Education;

Samara Tortolero, Kansas City, Kan., College of Liberal Arts and Sciences;

Olivia Vaca, Kansas City, Kan., College of Liberal Arts and Sciences;

Jared Vogel, Kansas City, Kan., School of Engineering;

Melinda Vongphrachanh, Kansas City, Kan., School of Pharmacy;

Mai Vue, Kansas City, Kan., School of Health Professions;

Jackson Wagner, Kansas City, Kan., School of Business;

Stacie Yang, Kansas City, Kan., School of Health Professions;

Tyler Yoder, Kansas City, Kan. School of Engineering;

Nicholas Yu, Kansas City, Kan., School of Health Professions;

Carley Zwart, Kansas City, Kan., College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

Cooling centers open this afternoon

Several cooling centers will be open in Wyandotte County this afternoon, as the National Weather Service has issued an excessive heat warning.

The heat index could rise above 110 degrees today, according to the weather service.

The YMCAs in Greater Kansas City have announced all YMCA centers will be open as cooling centers from 1 to 4 p.m. today, July 13.

Those who go to the YMCAs are asked to bring a photo ID and check in at the Y’s welcome center when they arrive. Children 15 and younger must be accompanied by an adult. Activities will vary; call ahead to see what is available.

There are three YMCA centers in Wyandotte County: 8th Street Family YMCA, 900 N. 8th St.; Providence YMCA-Ball Family Center, 8601 Parallel Parkway; and Bonner Springs Family YMCA, 2251 S. 138th St., Bonner Springs.

For more information, see KansasCityYMCA.org.

The Salvation Army, 6723 State Ave., also will be open as a cooling shelter today. The center is a cooling shelter while the excessive heat warning from the National Weather Service is in effect.

The Salvation Army will be open from 8 a.m. to at least 5 p.m. weekdays when the excessive heat warning is in effect, and until the warning is canceled. Cold drinks and light snacks will be provided to anyone seeking shelter from the hot weather.

A list of other cooling centers in Wyandotte County follows. Call first to check on what is available and to see if there have been any changes.

Kansas City, Kan., Public Libraries

– Main Branch, 625 Minnesota Ave., 8:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.
– South Branch, 3104 Strong Ave., 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.
– West Wyandotte Branch Library, 1737 N. 82nd St., 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.
– Turner Community Library, 831 S. 55th St., 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, closed Sunday.

Bonner Springs-Edwardsville

– Bonner Springs City Library, 201 N. Nettleton, Bonner Springs, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.
– Bonner Springs Community Center, 200 E. 3rd St., 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Unified Government Parks and Recreation and other

– Eisenhower Community Center, 2901 N. 72nd, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday.
– Joe E. Amayo Argentine Community Center, 2801 Metropolitan, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday.
– Armourdale Community Center, 730 Osage, 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday.
– Turner Recreation Commission, 831 S. 55th St., 8 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, closed Sunday.
– Kansas City, Kan., City Hall lobby, 701 N. 7th St., 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
– Willa Gill Center, 645 Nebraska, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday, Sunday and holidays.
– Wyandotte Towers high rise, cafeteria area, 915 Washington Blvd., 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily.
– Juniper Gardens Community Center, 1980 N. 2nd St., 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily.
– Mt. Carmel Church of God in Christ, south wing, 2025 N. 12th St., 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
– Salvation Army, 6723 State Ave., 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

NCLR outlines strategies to expand Medicaid

by Mike Sherry, Heartland Health Monitor

Advocates for expanding Medicaid coverage to more low-income Americans must refine their strategies to win over lawmakers in states such as Missouri and Kansas, which have resisted efforts to loosen eligibility requirements.

That was the message Saturday during a panel discussion at the National Council of La Raza annual conference at the Kansas City, Mo., Convention Center.

“I would say it is going to take more than what we have been doing,” said Laura Guerra-Cardus, associate director of the Children’s Defense Fund in Texas.

Also on the panel were Joan Alker, executive director of the Georgetown University Center for Children and Families, and Jared Nordlund, a senior strategist with National Council of La Raza in Florida.

The panelists agreed that get-out-the-vote efforts should be part of a Medicaid expansion campaign aimed especially at Latinos, a growing demographic group.

“I really can’t think of any community that is better poised to raise this issue,” Alker said. “You will make a difference – no question.”

According to figures presented at the discussion, nearly half the 4.3 million Americans who would gain coverage if Medicaid were expanded nationwide live in Florida or Texas. About 40 percent of the uninsured population in those two states are Latinos. Twenty-nine states and the District of Columbia so far have expanded Medicaid.

Under the Affordable Care Act, the federal government pays the full cost of expanding Medicaid through 2016 in states that increase income eligibility to 138 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL). After 2016, the federal share phases down to 90 percent.

In Missouri, a parent in a low-income family can make no more than 18 percent of the FPL to be eligible for Medicaid. The comparable figure in Kansas is 33 percent.

Nearly 210,000 residents in Missouri and Kansas combined would gain coverage if those two states expanded Medicaid, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation.

Founded in 1968, La Raza is the largest national Hispanic civil rights advocacy organization in the United States. It has nearly 300 affiliated community-based organizations.

Nordlund said La Raza in Florida has developed a detailed campaign strategy focusing on key lawmakers to pressure them into voting in favor of Medicaid expansion. He said a key win this year was getting one of its three targets to vote for Medicaid expansion.

“Our goal is that, if we can hopefully create enough action in the district, that they actually will hopefully vote our way,” Nordlund said. “If they don’t, we can always hold them accountable in the upcoming election.”
Highlighting personal stories of people who fall in the Medicaid coverage gap also is critical, Guerra-Cardus said.

“This is a very human issue, and stories help bring this out,” she said.
Saturday was the opening day of the four-day annual conference, which drew approximately 5,000 registrants.

An accompanying family expo, which is free and open to the public, is expected to draw as many as 24,000 attendees during the conference. The expo includes health screenings and more than 100 exhibitors.

The nonprofit KHI News Service is an editorially independent initiative of the Kansas Health Institute and a partner in the Heartland Health Monitor reporting collaboration. All stories and photos may be republished at no cost with proper attribution and a link back to KHI.org when a story is reposted online.

– See more at http://www.khi.org/news/article/la-raza-outlines-strategies-to-expand-medicaid#sthash.XH7xHKuX.dpuf