Month: January 2017

Weather forecast: Warm temperatures continue today

National Weather Service graphic

Today’s weather forecast calls for a high of 49, according to the National Weather Service.

Patchy fog is present again this morning, but since temperatures are above freezing, freezing fog is not an issue, the weather service said. Temperatures were 45 degrees at 8 a.m.

Mostly dry conditions with warming temperatures will characterize the weather through the end of the week, according to the weather service.

Today, there is widespread fog mainly before 11 a.m., according to the weather service. There is a 20 percent chance of rain after 5 p.m. The high will be near 49 with a southeast wind of 3 to 5 mph.

Tonight, expect a 20 percent chance of rain before midnight, the weather service said. Areas of fog are possible after midnight, and the low will be around 40 with a calm wind changing to an east wind of 5 mph.

Friday, there is a 20 percent chance of rain before noon, according to the weather service. Areas of fog are possible before noon. The high will be near 55 with an east wind of 3 to 8 mph.

Friday night, expect mostly cloudy skies with a low of 41, the weather service said. The wind will be from the south at 5 to 8 mph.

Saturday will be mostly sunny with a high near 56, and a south southwest wind of 5 to 7 mph, according to the weather service.

Saturday night, the low will be about 36, with mostly cloudy skies, the weather service said.

Sunday, it will be partly sunny with a high near 48, according to the weather service.

Sunday night, the low will be around 30 with partly cloudy skies, the weather service said.

Monday, skies will be mostly sunny with a high of 48, according to the weather service.

Monday night’s forecast is mostly cloudy with a low of 32, the weather service said.

Tuesday, the high will be 49 with partly sunny skies, according to the weather service.

Tuesday night, the low will be around 31 with mostly cloudy skies, the weather service said.

Wednesday, the forecast is mostly cloudy and a high near 42, according to the weather service.

KCKCC women open Jayhawk play with 78-44 win at Hesston

by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC

Kansas City Kansas Community College women got the 2017 Jayhawk Conference basketball season off to an impressive start Tuesday.

Despite playing their second game in two days and still without leading scorer Brie Tauai, the Lady Blue Devils led virtually from start to finish in a 78-44 win at Hesston.

The Blue Devils, who improved to 11-5, are right back in action today, as host of Washburn’s JVs at 5:30 p.m. and again Saturday when they will entertain Brown Mackie at 2 p.m. Men’s games will follow both days.

For the second game in a row, the Blue Devils got a pair of double-doubles. Brooklyn Wagler led all scorers with 21 points and corralled 10 rebounds for her sixth double-double while Ky’Ana French had her second in two days, scoring 14 points and hauling down 10 rebounds. The Blue Devils also got double digit scoring from Kayla Horn, who had 12 points, and Millie Shade 10. It was Shade’s first game of the new year after missing the first two because of injury.

Rebounding domination and aggressive defensive play enabled the Blue Devils to take control of the contest from the start. Aided by nine rebounds from Kyliea Jarrett, KCKCC controlled the rebounding 45-27 and led by guards Horn and Valencia Scott, forced the Larks into 26 turnovers that led to 26 points. Horn led with five steals while Scott added four and Aeriel Holiday three.

“Very happy with our effort; a great way to start Region play,” said KCKCC coach Joe McKinstry. “Hesston is a much improvedI thought our energy led to our outstanding rebound numbers and to some easy transition baskets and second chance opportunities. On nights when you don’t shoot the ball well (37.0 percent), rebounding and forcing turnovers can make up for your shooting percentage and that’s what happened tonight.

KCKCC trailed only once in the opening minutes on the way to a 19-10 first quarter lead and widened it to 42-20 at halftime.

Kansas House bill would roll back campus firearms law

by Stephen Koranda, Kansas News Service

The debate over allowing concealed guns on college campuses is starting to heat up in the Kansas Statehouse.

A law passed in 2013 will require public universities to allow concealed guns on campus starting this summer. A group of Kansas lawmakers now is pushing a bill that would exempt state universities and colleges from the requirement.

Rep. Stephanie Clayton, an Overland Park Republican, introduced the legislation in the House. She said voters in her Johnson County district don’t want guns on college campuses.

“They worry about the combination of alcohol and guns. They worry about the higher incidence of suicide. They worry about college students possibly making mistakes with guns,” Clayton said. “It does tend to be a more exploratory and reckless time period in early adulthood.”

The 2013 law allows guns in most public buildings, unless the buildings have adequate security such as guards and metal detectors.

Rep. John Whitmer, a Wichita Republican, places long odds on Clayton’s bill passing.

“It’s dead on arrival,” he said. “The original bill passed with veto-proof majorities in both chambers. I’ve talked to my folks, and it’s a Second Amendment issue. It’s a right to bear arms issue.”

Whitmer said constitutional rights don’t end when a person steps onto a college campus, and he doesn’t agree with concerns about safety.

“The folks who legally carry, they’re not the ones you need to be afraid of. Heck, they’re the ones who are going to come to your defense in the case of a campus shooter,” he said.

Gov. Sam Brownback also said he’s not in favor of changing the state’s concealed carry law.

“I believe it’s a right that the individual has and the Constitution upholds that,” Brownback said.

Rep. Stephanie Clayton, an Overland Park Republican, said that expansion of concealed carry means the issue of guns on campus needs another look.

But at this point, Brownback is not closing the door to some kind of compromise that could delay allowing guns on campus or otherwise amend the bill.

“We’ll look at whatever people bring forward in the process. You know I like to let the process play out, but my view of the Second Amendment hasn’t changed,” he said.

There’s an added wrinkle in the debate. When lawmakers originally passed the law that will allow guns on campus, the state had a requirement that people carrying a concealed gun go through training and get a permit. Since then, Kansas lawmaker have put in place so-called constitutional carry, which means almost anyone 21 and older can carry a concealed gun without training or a license.

Clayton said that expansion of concealed carry means the issue of guns on campus needs another look.

“When this was first put into effect, the legislators voted for it with that original concealed carry law in mind, thinking, ‘Well, what kind of harm could this do? Only licensed individuals can carry a concealed weapon anyway,’” she said. “Now, with the implementation of constitutional carry, this needs to have another hearing. The debate needs to be opened on this again.”

The Kansas Board of Regents and universities have taken steps to prepare for concealed carry and comply with the law.

Board of Regents President and CEO Blake Flanders noted that surveys of university employees and students have shown opposition to the policy, but he said it’s too early to know if the regents will advocate for amending the law.

“The board hasn’t decided that, as of yet. The board’s decision was to implement the current law. We need to meet as a board and determine which path is best forward,” Flanders said.

Stephen Koranda is Statehouse reporter for Kansas Public Radio, a partner in the Kansas News Service. Kansas News Service stories and photos may be republished at no cost with proper attribution and a link back to kcur.org.
See more at http://kcur.org/post/kansas-house-bill-would-roll-back-campus-firearms-law.