Two holiday lighting ceremonies planned this weekend

Two lighting ceremonies are planned for the community this weekend.

Mayor’s Holiday Tree Lighting ceremony planned Nov. 20

The Mayor’s holiday tree lighting ceremony is planned Friday, Nov. 20, and the Legends Outlets tree lighting ceremony will be Saturday, Nov. 21.

The Mayor’s lighting ceremony, a free event, kicks off in the evening near City Hall at 701 N. 7th St., Kansas City, Kan. Hours of the event are 4 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., with the holiday lights turned on at 7 p.m.

There will be visits with Santa and Mrs. Claus, goodie bags for the first 1,000 kids, holiday movies, free popcorn, crafts and games for kids, local choirs, bands and dance groups, neighborhood group tree contest, a hot air balloon night glow and local food vendors selling refreshments.

Deputy Scott Wood, who was wounded in an armed robbery attempt, and his family will help turn on the lights at the holiday celebration at City Hall.

The Legends Outlets plans its 11th annual Legendary Tree Lighting Ceremony from 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 21, at The Legends, I-70 and I-435 in Kansas City, Kan.  (File photo)
The Legends Outlets plans its 11th annual Legendary Tree Lighting Ceremony from 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 21, at The Legends, I-70 and I-435 in Kansas City, Kan. (File photo)

Legends tree lighting ceremony to be Nov. 21

The Legends Outlets plans its 11th annual Legendary Tree Lighting Ceremony from 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 21, at The Legends, I-70 and I-435 in Kansas City, Kan.

The lighting ceremony will be at the center courtyard fountain in front of the Legends 14 movie theaters.

A 45-foot holiday tree will be lit, and there will be holiday music, synchronized lights, and an appearance by Santa Claus. There will be prize giveaways.

The tree is decorated with LED lighting. A second holiday tree, also synchronized to music, will be located near Helzberg Diamonds Outlet at the Legends Outlets. Festive decorations will light up throughout the shopping center during the ceremony and continue through the entire holiday season.

Parker 3D, an international, holiday design company based in Scotch Plains, N.J., is the producer of the holiday lighting show.

This year’s official lighting ceremony emcees are KSHB 41 evening personalities, the husband-and-wife anchor team of Rhiannon Ally and Mike Marusarz. Rhiannon and Mike will take center stage at 6 p.m. to kick off the ceremony, introduce the musicians, give away prizes and assist Santa Claus in leading the countdown to the tree lighting.

Local musicians from various bands will perform classic holiday music leading up to the tree lighting countdown from 6 to 7:30 p.m.

The Legends Outlets is holding a photo contest, starting at the lighting ceremony on Nov. 21 and for 25 days afterward. Shoppers can take pictures in front of the 45-foot tree and post them to Instagram, using the hashtag #LegendsHoliday. Legends Outlets will track the posts and award prizes throughout the contest, including a $500 Legends Outlets gift card as the grand prize to be announced Dec. 16. More information is at Legends Outlets on Instagram at @LegendsOutlets.

No. 20-ranked KCKCC women cruise to eighth straight win

by Alan Hoskins

Kansas City Kansas Community College’s unbeaten women continued to roll along unchecked Monday as they raced to a 96-41 win over Missouri Valley JV.

The 20th ranked Lady Blue Devils will try to make it nine in a row Friday against William Penn’s JV in Oskaloosa, Iowa, before returning home Tuesday to entertain Westminster JV at 7 p.m.

For the second straight game, five Blue Devils scored in double figures and two more added eight points each as KCKCC surged to a 31-9 first quarter lead and 53-27 halftime bulge on 52.6 percent shooting and 29-16 rebound superiority.

“I liked how we came out with a lot of energy and effort from the very start of the game and set the tone,” said KCKCC coach Joe McKinstry. “The balance across the stat sheet shows how talented a group this is and the fact that we got off to a fast start is reflective of how they continue to come out focused at the start of each game.”

Cheyenne North, who had nine points, 10 rebounds and five assists by halftime, led KCKCC with 18 points, 14 rebounds and six assists for her fourth double double in five contests.

Erin Anderson added 15 points, Destiny Vincent 14, Brie Tauai 12, Valencia Scott 11 and Sierra Roberts and Aricca Daye eight each. Brooklyn Wagler, who had six points, was second in rebounding with nine.

Alan Hoskins is the sports information director at KCKCC.

I-70 closed at Goodland

I-70 has been closed at Goodland, Kan., to the Colorado border because of winter weather conditions, according to KDOT. (KanDrive photo)
I-70 has been closed at Goodland, Kan., to the Colorado border because of winter weather conditions, according to KDOT. (KanDrive photo)

11:30 a.m. update: U.S. 36 from St. Francis to the Colorado border has been closed as of 11:30 a.m. because of winter weather conditions, a KDOT spokesman said.

I-70 closed at Goodland

On the west side of Kansas, I-70 has been closed at Goodland because of winter weather conditions, according to the Kansas Department of Transportation.

I-70 from Goodland, Kan., west to the Kansas-Colorado border was closed at 10 a.m., according to the spokesman.

For up-to-date information on road closures and road conditions, call 511 in Kansas or 866-511-5368 outside Kansas, or check travel information online at www.kandrive.org or http://511mm.ksdot.org on your mobile device.