Rain, snow in forecast

Look for snow on Wednesday

Today’s forecast from the National Weather Service is mostly sunny with a high of 47.

Look for rain and possible snow on Monday night in parts of the region, according to the weather service. Accumulating snow is possible on Wednesday, the weather service said.

Tonight, the low will be around 30, with a north northeast wind of 5 mph becoming calm in the evening, the weather service said.

Saturday, the forecast is a 20 percent chance of rain after noon, with a high near 43, the weather service said.

Saturday night, there is a 60 percent chance of rain, mainly after midnight, with a low of 37, the weather service said. An east wind of 5 mph will become light and variable.

Sunday, it will be cloudy through mid-morning, then gradually clearing, with a high of 49, according to the weather service. A south southwest wind of 6 mph will become west in the afternoon.

Sunday night, the low will be around 33.

On Monday, there will be a high near 47 with partly sunny skies, according to the weather service.

Monday night, there is a 30 percent chance of rain before midnight, with a low of 33, the weather service said.

Tuesday, there will be a high near 40 with mostly cloudy skies, according to the weather service. Tuesday night’s low will be around 23.

Temperatures will then drop to freezing during the daytime.

Wednesday, there is a 50 percent chance of snow, with a high near 32, the weather service said.

Wednesday night, it will be partly cloudy with a low of 15, according to the weather service.

Thursday’s high will be near 28, with mostly sunny skies, the weather service said.

New juvenile detention facility moves ahead

A new juvenile detention facility received financing approval at a Unified Government Commission meeting on Dec. 1.

The $19.8 million juvenile facility was part of a big package of bonds passed Thursday for UG projects and equipment.

Improvements to the existing adult jail totaling $2.42 million also were approved.

After receiving approval at the UG meeting, the items were approved by the Public Building Commission at a meeting after the regular meeting. Public Building Commission revenue bonds will pay for the two projects.

Juvenile complex planning and design were part of the UG’s budget allocation in July 2016.

Several large projects were in a municipal temporary notes and general obligation improvement bond issue that was passed at the 7 p.m. UG meeting. Other items included the K-32 quiet zone project, $2.3 million; Leavenworth Road underground electric line project, $5 million, and a new police tow lot, $5 million. Many other projects, as well as police and fire vehicles, were on the list of items that will be funded by the bond issue. Many had been approved earlier by the UG.

For an earlier story, see https://wyandotteonline.com/study-recommends-separating-juveniles-from-adults-at-county-jail/.

Former UG staff engineer indicted on federal bribery charge

A federal indictment was unsealed today charging a former staff engineer for the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kan., with taking bribes, U.S. Attorney Tom Beall said.

Willie D. Jones Sr., 58, Kansas City, Kan., is charged with three counts of accepting bribes and five counts of money laundering.

The grand jury indictment alleged Jones accepted three bribes — $6,740, $5,530 and $5,100 – from an individual who owned a company that obtained contracts to do street repairs for the Unified Government, according to the U.S. attorney’s office.

It is alleged Jones routed the bribe money through his bank account and an account belonging to Paradise Missionary Baptist Church of Kansas City, where Jones was a minister.

According to the indictment, the UG contracts allegedly were for projects in 2013 at Southwest Boulevard, 55th and Roswell, North 62nd, Booth Street, 86th Street and North 68th Street.

If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in prison and a fine up to $250,000 on each bribery count, and up to 20 years and a fine up to$250,000 on each money laundering count. The FBI investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tris Hunt is prosecuting.