Month: May 2016

Jahren Barrow first KCKCC NCAA Division I soccer commitment

With head coach Ruben Rodriguez, left, and assistant Burke Slusher as witnesses, sophomore Jahren Barrow became the first Kansas City Kansas Community College soccer player to commit to an NCAA Division I college, Presbyterian College in Clinton, Mo. (KCKCC photo by Alan Hoskins)
With head coach Ruben Rodriguez, left, and assistant Burke Slusher as witnesses, sophomore Jahren Barrow became the first Kansas City Kansas Community College soccer player to commit to an NCAA Division I college, Presbyterian College in Clinton, Mo. (KCKCC photo by Alan Hoskins)

by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC

Jahren Barrow will continue his soccer career at Presbyterian College, the first Kansas City Kansas Community College soccer player to commit to an NCAA Division I college or university.

A member of the Big South Conference in Clinton, S.C., Presbyterian was founded in 1880 and has competed in men’s soccer since 1977.

“I had offers from two other schools in New York including one Division I and was planning on going to school there but Presbyterian felt like a better fit,” said Barrow, a two-year starter at KCKCC and an All-Jayhawk Conference selection. As centerback, Barrow anchored the Blue Devil defense and was team captain.

“A team leader,” said KCKCC head coach Ruben Rodriguez. “He has a boisterous personality and plays aggressively. But I’m just as proud of the fact that he has done well in school. A mature young man, he has done an outstanding job academically.”

“Division I athletic ability with Division I strength and speed, he also has excellent game recognition,” added assistant coach Burke Slusher. In addition to playing soccer, Barrow was a resident assistant in the on-campus housing.

Barrow was born in New York but moved to England at age 5.

“My mother is British,” said Barrow, who played high school soccer in Nottingham, England. “I was supposed to come to play for Maple Woods but my mom wouldn’t let me; she made me stay and study in England one more year.”

Barrow said his decision to come to KCKCC was something of a “spur of the moment, last minute” decision after being contacted through a recruiting agent.

“I knew a couple of other players who were coming here, Harry Williams and Bradley Tshibangu,” he said.

The decision, Barrow said, was “definitely a good one. It has allowed me to get me halfway to a bachelor’s degree, an opportunity to attend a four-year college and hopefully to open doors to play professionally. Who knows?” Barrow will receive his associate degree later this month.

Barrow is hopeful of stepping into the starting lineup at Presbyterian.

“They are in a building process with a whole new coaching staff, a whole new team and a bright new future,” Barrow said. “But there will be competition (for playing time). They want to push you a little bit farther ahead.”

Budget discussion canceled on today’s UG Commission special session meeting

A special session item on discussing budget expenditures has been pulled from today’s 5 p.m. Unified Government Commission meeting agenda, according to the UG clerk’s office.

While the special session will still be held, according to the amended agenda, the UG Commission will recess into a closed, executive session to discuss litigation, and the discussion about capital maintenance improvement projects will be held at a later date.

Today’s CMIP discussion was scheduled to be a continuation of last Thursday’s special session discussion on the same topic.

The UG staff and commission are currently setting budget priorities for large capital expenditures, and deciding how to fund them. Topics such as setting priorities for projects, finding savings in existing expenses, whether to fund them with cash or debt, finding new revenue or increasing the mill levy are under discussion.

At last Thursday’s special session, the staff outlined some preliminary proposed CMIP budget initiatives:
– Less debt, more cash funded projects
– New projects
– Neighborhood street resurfacing
– Community planning projects, master plan projects
– ADA playground
– Fire station construction
– Juvenile facility/jail improvements
– K-32 quiet zone project

At last week’s special session, Commissioner Ann Murguia wanted to know if there was a policy that determined which projects were expedited, and which ones were not.

Commissioner Mike Kane, at that meeting, wanted to know why the fire station in Piper was on 2017’s list and not earlier, and UG officials said planning and land acquisition is needed first. Plus there is a committee working on a plan on how to phase those items in, UG staff stated. Kane asked to be part of the committee that is considering those decisions.

Mayor Mark Holland at the May 5 meeting said the UG cannot build fire stations until it puts efficiencies in place. There have been some cuts recommended by the recent consultant’s study of the Fire Department. There are groups working on the contract now, and later parts of the study are expected to be implemented. He said preferably there should be two stations built in 2017, with specific locations not yet determined. If the commission doesn’t approve the fire study, the UG won’t be building the stations, he added.

Commissioner Murguia at the May 5 meeting said she didn’t think the fire station out west should be dependent upon the fire study, and it should be built regardless of what happens to the rest. Commissioner Hal Walker at that meeting said the fire station in Piper was promised when the area was annexed, and the same thing in Turner was promised when annexed in 1966, and the UG still has the two old township fire stations. Commissioner Walker said the $4 million fire station has got to go somewhere out west, and it was promised.

They are expected to continue their discussion at a later date. While preliminary goals and priorities are being established, final decisions are not made until the budget is passed in the summer.

Video of the May 5 special session (more than 1.5 hours long) is online at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2lIhPU-Xnjk.

American Royal Barbecue to be at Kansas Speedway this fall

The American Royal Barbecue will be moving to the Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, Kan., this fall, according to an announcement today.

The American Royal Barbecue will be held Oct. 26-30 this year at the Speedway.

An event that began 36 years ago, the American Royal Barbecue was held for many years at the American Royal complex in the West Bottoms of Kansas City, Mo. Last year it moved to Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo., where it had more than 600 teams and almost 50,000 people attending.

American Royal officials said a move to the Kansas Speedway was necessary because of the American Royal’s fall scheduling conflicts at the Truman Sports Complex in Kansas City, Mo., according to a news release from the American Royal.

“The future is bright – and smoke filled – for the World Series of Barbecue,” said Angie Stanland, chairman of the Board of Directors for the American Royal, in a news release. “The American Royal appreciates the partnerships with Arrowhead and now our new partners with the Kansas Speedway.”

Kansas City Chiefs President Mark Donovan said, in the news release, “The 2015 World Series of BBQ was an incredible partnership with Arrowhead and the American Royal. We will continue to partner and support the event with the hope of bringing it back to Arrowhead in the near future.”

Kansas Speedway President Pat Warren said he welcomes the chance to host one of Kansas City’s great annual festivals.

“Every year, people from around the city and around the country circle this event on their calendar,” Warren said. “We’re looking forward to showing all the contestants and fans a great time at our unique venue. Welcome to Kansas Speedway!”

Gov. Sam Brownback’s statement: “We are pleased to welcome the world’s largest barbecue competition in the world to one of the best venues in the region,” Gov. Brownback said. “Competitors and guests will enjoy the hospitality of our state as the 2016 American Royal Barbecue competition comes to the Kansas Speedway in October.”

Kelly Hale, spokeswoman for the Kansas Speedway, said if the event brings in the same number of attendees this fall it could become the second largest event at the Kansas Speedway, after the NASCAR races. The Speedway holds two NASCAR weekend racing events each year.

The Kansas Speedway also is the host for Bikers for Babies, the University of Kansas Hospital Treads and Threads, and multiple walks for charity, including Down Syndrome, she said. There is also the Richard Petty Driving Experience at the Speedway, and buildings often are rented out to various groups in the area.

This fall’s Kansas Speedway race date is Oct. 14-16, two weeks before the American Royal Barbecue is scheduled, she added.