Month: April 2016

4th in tough Jayhawk, KCKCC golfers eye return to national

Colton Allen, a KCKCC sophomore from Shawnee Mission Northwest, earned honorable mention on the 2016 All-Jayhawk Conference golf team. (KCKCC photo)
Colton Allen, a KCKCC sophomore from Shawnee Mission Northwest, earned honorable mention on the 2016 All-Jayhawk Conference golf team. (KCKCC photo)

by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC

Focus now shifts to a return to the NJCAA Division II national tournament for Kansas City Kansas Community College’s golf team after a fourth place finish in the Jayhawk Conference championship at Sand Creek Station in Newton Monday and Tuesday.

Fifth in last year’s NJCAA national tournament, the Blue Devils will compete in regional qualifying at Sycamore Ridge in Spring Hill May 4-5 for a spot in this year’s national to be played in Swan Lake, Ind., May 23-28.

KCKCC’s fourth place came in the closest finish in conference history between three NJCAA Division I powers loaded with international players. Dodge City’s 12 over par 876 won it by two shots over Hutchinson and three over Garden City. KCKCC nipped Barton 918-919 for fourth followed by Coffeyville (947) and Allen County (968).

“We shot 291 in the second round which was pretty good for us and we were still only fourth behind Dodge (284), Hutch (290) and Garden City (290),” said KCKCC coach Gary Shrader. Freshman Jeremy Dunham had a 4-under par 68 the second round while Colton Allen and Dalton Ayres added 74’s and Zach Spencer 75

A sophomore from Shawnee Mission Northwest, Colton Allen earned honorable mention on the All-Jayhawk Conference team based on points accumulated during the season.

All four Blue Devils finished in the top 30 in the championship tourney. Dunham tied for eighth (80-68-79-227); Ayres shared 15th place (77-74-76-227); Spencer was 21st (72-75-83-230); and Allen tied for 30th (83-74-80-237). KCKCC’s fifth player, Matt Thayne, was 41st (80-81-92).

The final 36 holes were played in an all-day rain.

“Walking those muddy fairways took a big toll the last 18 holes,” Shrader said. “The kids said their legs were hurting so bad on the way home. But we did well against the other Division II teams and are looking forward to the regional.”

Friday forecast: Today’s high near 71

Starting with some fog and clouds, skies on Friday will gradually clear and the temperature will reach a high of about 71, according to the National Weather Service.

A north wind of 6 to 9 mph is in today’s forecast. The weather service says increasing temperatures are expected heading into the weekend as winds change from the north to the south.

There is a chance of cold core (or “cold air”) funnels developing this afternoon in the region due to unstable conditions and preexisting rotation through the depth of the atmosphere. These funnels very rarely form into very weak tornadoes, but can extend well over halfway to the surface.

Storm chances will return by late Sunday afternoon and evening, according to the weather service. A few of these storms could be strong.

More widespread storm chances are expected Tuesday into Wednesday, the weather service said.

Tonight, it will be mostly clear, with a low of 52, according to the weather service. A north northeast wind around 6 mph will become southeast after midnight.

Saturday, it will be sunny with a high near 77, the weather service said. A south wind of 6 to 14 mph will gust as high as 20 mph.

Saturday night, it will be mostly clear with a low of 61, according to the weather service. A south wind of 11 to 13 mph will gust as high as 18 mph.

Sunday, there will be a 30 percent chance of showers and storms after 1 p.m., according to the weather service. The high will be near 79. A south wind of 13 to 21 mph will gust as high as 29 mph.

Sunday night, there is a 60 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. The low will be around 61.

Monday, expect a 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, with a high near 77, according to the weather service.

Restaurant owner indicted for cocaine conspiracy, illegal firearms

The owner of Danny’s Big Easy Cajun restaurant in Kansas City, Mo., was indicted by a federal grand jury today on additional drug-trafficking and firearms charges.

Paul Danny Gosserand, 57, of Kansas City, Kan., was charged in a three-count superseding indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo. The indictment was announced by Tammy Dickinson, U.S. attorney for the Western District of Missouri.

Today’s indictment retains the original charge of conspiracy to distribute five kilograms or more of powder cocaine in May 2011. Gosserand is also charged with possessing cocaine with the intent to distribute and with possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime. Gosserand allegedly was in possession of a Sears Roebuck and Co. 16-gauge bolt action shotgun with no serial number and a North American Arms .22-caliber long rifle revolver on May 18, 2011.

Dickinson cautioned that the charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stefan C. Hughes. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration.