Month: August 2015

Innovation Summit to be Oct. 2 at KCKCC

by Kelly Rogge

Inventors, entrepreneurs and anyone who has a creative idea may still register to pitch an idea at Kansas City Kansas Community College’s 2015 Innovation Summit.

The 4th annual Innovation Summit is from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 2 at KCKCC’s Thomas R. Burke Technical Education Center, 6565 State Ave.

At the Pitch Competition, entrepreneurs will pitch their ideas in front of judges including venture capitalists, investors, other entrepreneurs, business leaders and the community. Participants will compete in one of two divisions – Concept-Idea and Revenue Generating.

Additionally, this year, the competition will have a national platform. Friends, family and investors from around the nation can view a video of the pitch and cast their votes online. This provides a wider viewing audience for the product or service participants are presenting at the competition.

Those attending the event and listening to the pitches will each receive the same amount of Innovation Summit Currency to give to their favorite ideas. Attendees will have 90 minutes to tour the room and visit with each pitch person/entrepreneur in order to learn any additional information to make their Innovation Summit Currency investment.

At the end of the event, organizers will count the Innovation Summit Currency for each entrepreneur, which will play a part in determining who moves onto the final round to pitch in front of the judges. Participants are competing for a chance to win a share of $10,000.

Once registration is complete, staff at KCKCC’s Center of Workforce Development and Entrepreneurship will help participants in preparing their pitch. Submissions for entry into the Pitch Competition must be received by Sept. 13.

To register for the 2015 Innovation Summit or for more information, visit the Innovation Summit’s website at www.innovationsummitkc.com. Information is also available by contacting Alicia Hooks at 913-288-7388 or by email at [email protected].

Kelly Rogge is the public information supervisor at KCKCC.

BPU to meet Wednesday

The Board of Public Utilities will meet at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 12, for a work session at the BPU offices, 540 Minnesota Ave., Kansas City, Kan.

On the agenda for the work session are a general manager update and board update; an excess liability insurance overview; and an Oracle-Fusion update.

On the agenda for the regular session are the visitors’ time; second-quarter financial report; board comments and general manager comments.

T-Bones drop series in extra innings

After a rough loss Sunday night, the Kansas City T-Bones lost the final game of a three-game series, 5-3, against the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks in 11 innings Monday night at CommunityAmerica Ballpark in Kansas City, Kan.

With the loss, and after losing three-of-five games against Joplin, the T-Bones have lost consecutive series for the first time since early June.

Fargo steadily tacked three runs to the board over six innings.

Kansas City’s offense, which was being stymied by Fargo starter Tyler Alexander for 5 2/3 innings, answered in the bottom of the sixth. With two outs in the inning, Nate Tenbrink walked, and then advanced to third on Jake Blackwood’s double to deep left. The next batter, Adam Bailey, launched a three-run home run to right field that tied the game, 3-3.

It remained tied until the top of the 11th. Playing with the International Tiebreaker Rule, which has a runner at second at the start of an inning, the RedHawks scored two runs in the top of the 11th.

Joe Dunigan, who was the runner at second, scored on a throwing error by Kansas City second baseman Brent Peterson, who was trying to get a force at second on a grounder by Charlie Valerio. Fargo added its second run when, on a double play attempt, Peterson made a wild throw that went by Kansas City first baseman Jake Blackwood and allowed Taylor Oldham to score from second base.

In the bottom of the 11th, the T-Bones had runners at the corners with one out, but Brian Erie struck out and Peterson flied out, ending the game.

Fargo got on the board first in the second inning on a solo home run by Dunigan against T-Bones starter Dustin Loggins. The second and third of Fargo’s runs came as Zach Penprase, who walked, scored on a fielder’s choice in the fifth, and Dunigan scored on Valerio’s ground out to shortstop in the sixth.

Loggins allowed three runs on five hits, including a home run, and walked three, while striking out three in 5 innings pitched.

Alexander went 8 2/3 innings for Fargo, allowing three runs on five hits, walking one and striking out 10. He threw 143 pitches.

The T-Bones (39-32) are scheduled to begin a seven-game road trip beginning Tuesday at Lincoln (28-45). All of the action can be heard on 1660-AM in Kansas City or online at tbonesbaseball.com.

The T-Bones will return to CommunityAmerica Ballpark on Aug. 18. Tickets are available by calling the box office at CommunityAmerica Ballpark at 913-328-5618.

– Story from T-Bones