National Weather Service graphic
No rain is in today’s forecast from the National Weather Service.
The area will be drying out after thunderstorms earlier this week gave it more than the usual amount of rain, estimated at more than 4 inches. Look for more storms on Friday afternoon through Sunday, however, when another inch of rain may fall.
Today’s high will be near 66, with partly sunny skies, the weather service said. A west wind will be 8 to 10 mph.
There is a 20 percent chance of showers after 4 a.m. Friday, the weather service said. Tonight’s low will be around 47, with a north northeast wind of 7 mph.
On Friday, there is a 40 percent chance of showers and storms after 7 a.m., according to the weather service. An east wind of 7 to 11 mph is predicted. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch are expected.
Friday night, there is an 80 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, according to the weather service. The low will be around 56, with an east wind of 9 to 13 mph. Between a half and three-quarters of an inch of rain is possible.
Saturday’s forecast is a 60 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, with a high near 67, the weather service said. Between a tenth and a quarter-inch of rain is expected.
Saturday night, there is a 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, with a low of 47, according to the weather service. Less than a tenth of an inch of rain is expected.
Sunday, there is a 30 percent chance of showers, according to the weather service. The high will be near 59. Sunday night, the low will be around 46.
Unified Government Commissioners are expected to vote on The Woodlands’ special use permit at the 7 p.m. meeting April 27 at City Hall, lobby level, Commissioners Chambers, 701 N. 7th St., Kansas City, Kan.
The permit is a key to The Woodlands’ horse track reopening with slots at 97th and Leavenworth Road in Kansas City, Kan. The track has been closed since 2008.
Seven hundred fifty slot machines may be added to race horse gambling at the track if it is approved. Developers said they would invest $70 million in renovating or rebuilding The Woodlands.
If the permit is approved by the UG Commission, The Woodlands’ owner, Phil Ruffin, who is a Las Vegas casino owner, plans to either renovate or rebuild the horse track building.
The special use permit was approved at a Planning Commission meeting on an 8-2 vote on April 11, and 14 stipulations were added to the permit, in addition to the previous three stipulations. The stipulations concerned traffic, stormwater, lighting and noise, a development agreement, prevailing wage, and other items.
The UG planning staff concurs with the decision of the Planning Commission, according to the agenda, and recommends approval, with the stipulations.
The special use permit has been opposed by the nearby Hollywood Casino at Kansas Speedway and a group called Protect the Partnership. According to some comments at a public meeting earlier this month, some of those who oppose it want a development agreement to be signed between the UG and The Woodlands before the special use permit is approved. Opponents said they wanted the horse track to make bigger contributions to the community, including more charitable contributions, and donations to all of Wyandotte County school districts, not just property tax to one district. Others wanted more development at The Woodlands to make it a larger tourism magnet. About 31 people opposed it at the Planning Commission meeting.
The Woodlands had some supporters at the Planning Commission meeting and also had a large turnout, estimated at more than 100, at an earlier neighborhood meeting. Supporters include the Leavenworth Road Association, some persons who enjoyed visiting The Woodlands in the past, and also some persons who were associated with the race horse industry.
A bill is in the Kansas Legislature that would allow the horse track owners to receive a higher percentage of the proceeds than the current law. The current law says horse track owners would pay 40 percent of the slots proceeds to the state, as compared to 22 percent of gaming revenues that casinos pay to the state.
Many other planning and zoning items are on Thursday night’s agenda.
A special meeting at 5 p.m. on the fifth floor of City Hall will discuss a United Healthcare report and a Fire Department update.
To see the agenda for the 7 p.m. meeting, visit http://wycokck.boardsync.com/Web/UserControls/DocPreview.aspx?p=1&aoid=231
Le-Bray Lankford, left, a Kansas City Kansas Community College student, talked with Bridgette Allen, right, of Mosaic at the Workplace Kansas City Job Fair April 27 at the KCKCC field house. (Staff photo by Mary Rupert) by Mary Rupert
Vickie Juarez of Kansas City, Kan., has been unemployed for a couple of months and is looking to get back to work in customer service or at a hospital.
She was at today’s Workplace Kansas City Job Fair at Kansas City Kansas Community College field house at 7250 State Ave., where more than 73 employers had booths. She talked to employers, and visited at the Kansas National Guard booth.
Also looking for work was Man S. Cing, a Wyandotte County resident, who was looking for a temporary job today. She has studied to be an administrative office professional.
Cing visited with Jennifer Lightsey of Aerotek about job openings.
Le-Bray Lankford, a Kansas City Kansas Community College student, is almost ready to graduate and was attending the job fair this morning.
He talked with Bridgette Allen, a human resources generalist with Mosaic, which provides services for people with intellectual disabilities. They were looking for people to provide services for the day activities program.
Lankford said he would like to own his own business. He said he has a business started for the disabled, and he thought talking with Mosaic might help him in his business.
Kansas City, Kan., has the highest unemployment rate of all the largest cities in Kansas, with 5.7 percent unemployment, representing 3,949 people in Kansas City, Kan., who are unemployed, according to the March figures from the state Department of Labor.
There are job openings in Wyandotte County, and job fairs are trying to match the jobs with the potential employees.
By mid-morning April 27 about 100 prospective job seekers visited the Job Fair, said Marisa Gray, director of workforce development at KCKCC. Parking was full in the field house parking lot and spilled into nearby parking lots.
Gray said special attention was given to veterans today. There was a section where veterans could receive appropriate interview clothing, she said.
About 30 veterans attended the first 30 minutes of the event, she said, and the first hour was devoted exclusively to veterans.
Also, there were special efforts to help students who were first-time job seekers. Students were able to do job interviews on the spot with some employers, she said. A Workforce Development mobile unit was on the scene to help job seekers. There also was an effort to walk new job applicants through applications, Gray added.
This year, Gray offered a bonus for employers who offered jobs on the spot – entry into a drawing for a steak dinner.
There was a lot of interest from employers this year. Booth space ran out this year at the field house and some employers had to be turned away this year, she added.
Gray offered some advice for job seekers. It’s important to check out where they want to work and make sure it’s a good match, she said. Then, make sure the job seeker’s resume talks about who they are and what they can bring to the company, she said.
KCKCC will hold another job fair in about a year, and there are other job fairs planned in metropolitan Kansas City until then. An upcoming job fair, sponsored by Rep. Kevin Yoder, R-3rd Dist., will be from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday, May 4, at the Ball Conference Center, 21350 W. 153rd St., Olathe, Kan. Man S. Cing, left, visited with Jennifer Lightsey of Aerotek about job openings at the Workplace Kansas City Job Fair April 27 at KCKCC. (Staff photo by Mary Rupert)
Vickie Juarez, right, of Kansas City, Kan., visited with Sgt. 1st Class Charles Farrison at the Kansas National Guard booth April 27 at the Workplace Kansas City Job Fair at KCKCC. (Staff photo by Mary Rupert) About 73 employers had booths at the Workplace Kansas City Job Fair April 27 at KCKCC. (Staff photo by Mary Rupert)
