Month: May 2017

Several development projects on Thursday’s UG Commission agenda

Holliday Drive, Leavenworth Road, and Village East bond plan are among the issues on the May 11 UG agenda.

Several items are on the Unified Government Commission’s agenda for the 7 p.m. May 11 meeting at City Hall, Commission Chambers, lobby level, 701 N. 7th St., Kansas City, Kansas.

The items include:

• A resolution to set a public hearing for the Argentine fast-food project near 18th and Metropolitan. The public hearing would have comments on creation of a community improvement district for the $3.3 million proposal. The proposal would use federal grant funds, TIF, CID and urban gap fund incentives to finance project costs. If approved, the public hearing would be June 15.

• Leavenworth Road project, with underground utilities: A resolution to allow a survey of Leavenworth Road between 38th and 63rd streets, to identify property to be acquired for the project, and to submit an ordinance authorizing use of eminent domain for the road improvement project.

• De-annexation: The exclusion of three parcels of land from the Kansas City, Kansas, boundaries, allowing it later to be annexed by Lake Quivira city, and a portion of Holliday Drive running through those parcels to be excluded. A public hearing would be set on the issue.

• A resolution to set a public hearing for amendments to the Village East STAR bond districts. A public hearing would be held June 15 if this is approved. Two project areas are being considered. These areas are generally east of I-435, between Parallel Parkway and State Avenue, and were formerly part of the Schlitterbahn property.

• Recommendation: An area from 18th Street to I-70, Central Avenue to Grandview Boulevard, would be developed as a Neighborhood Revitalization Strategy Area and submitted to HUD as part of the revised Five-Year Consolidated Plan. This is part of the UG’s SOAR program to reduce blight.

• An application for a $1.5 million Teen Pregnancy Prevention Grant is being submitted to the federal government, in the Sexual Health Adolescent Relationship Program.

• An ordinance would amend and update codes regarding the Tree Board’s duties, trees allowed in the public right-of-way, and insurance requirements for tree tri,mers.

• A resolution would reappoint Katherine Briney as county appraiser.

Several Land Bank items also are on the agenda:
Transfers to Land Bank:
• 1718 S. 17th St. from Board of County Commissioners, request from owner of multiple properties in area
• 7219R Kaw Dr. from UG of WyCo/KCK, transfer for potential sale
• 7239R Kaw Dr. from UG of WyCo/KCK transfer for potential sale
•
Applications:
• 1031 Haskell Ave. – Pablo Perez, yard extension
• 268 N. 35th St. – Rosa Jasso, yard extension
• 1936 S. 41st St. – Greg Bequette, property acquisition
• 1930 S. 41st St. – Greg Bequette, property acquisition
• 1929 S. 42nd St. – Greg Bequette, property acquisition
• 1919 S. 42nd St. -Greg Bequette, property acquisition
• 1931 S. 41st St. – Greg Bequette, property acquisition
• 1915 S. 41st St. – Greg Bequette, property acquisition
• 1420 Tauromee Ave. – CHWC, Inc., single family construction
The Land Bank Advisory Board voted to forward the applications for final approval.

Transfers from Land Bank:
• 645 Minnesota Ave. to UG
• 655 Minnesota Ave. to UG
• 907 N. 7th St. Tfwy. to UG
• 905 N. 7th St. Tfwy. to UG
Properties transferred from Land Bank to UG for filing of plat.

Donation to Land Bank:

• 3127 Wavery Ave. from Thomas Devick

For more information about the May 11 meeting, the agenda is online at www.wycokck.org.

T-Bones start exhibition opener with a bang

The Kansas City T-Bones opened the 2017 exhibition schedule in efficient fashion, scoring a run in each of the first three innings and then turning the offense on in a five run fifth to roll to a 15-1 win over the Lees Summit Monarchs Tuesday night at CommunityAmerica Ballpark in Kansas City, Kansas.

The T-Bones jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the home half of the first with Marcus Lemon driving in Omar Garcia with a bases-clearing triple off Monarchs starter David Collins. In the next inning, the T-Bones added another run with a solo homerun to left field from Daniel Rockett, and it was 2-0.

Omar Garcia singled off Fernando Esquivel to start the bottom of the third inning and stole second on the next pitch home. Marcus Lemon then singled to put runners at the corners for Donald Lutz. The former Cincinnati Red brought home Garcia with a sacrifice fly, and the score was 3-0.

Right hander Calvin Drummond got the start for Kansas City and worked two scoreless innings for the T-Bones, surrendering no hits and adding three strike outs. Rich Mascheri took over for Drummond in the third and worked a scoreless inning for Kansas City.

The Monarchs got a run back in the top of the fourth and were looking for more with the bases loaded, but T-Bones lefty Mascheri was able to retire Sherman Thomas Jr. on a fly out to shallow center to keep the game 3-1 Kansas City.

For the third time in the game, Omar Garcia reached on a single off of Monarchs reliever Jason Beeding to lead off the bottom of the fifth for Kansas City.

Marcus Lemon then followed with his third hit in three trips—a single to right to put runners at first and second for the T-Bones Kevin Keyes. Garcia and Lemon each moved up a base on a double steal on the first pitch home to Keyes. The Austin, Texas native then hit the next pitch out of the park over the mini monster in left for a three-run blast to make it 6-1 T-Bones.

Kansas City was not done in the fifth as they scored two more on a sac fly from Brett Wiley and another run on an error by the Monarchs, which gave the T-Bones a comfortable 8-1 advantage.

The bats would plate two more in the sixth and seventh and three more in the eighth to finish the night as 15-1 winners in a 19-hit barrage at the plate. Omar Garcia went 5-for 6, scoring five runs in the leadoff spot, while Marcus Lemon added four hits, going 4-for-6 and scoring two runs. Daniel Rockett had two doubles to go along with his homerun for Kansas City.

Chris Perry worked a scoreless fifth and sixth inning for Kansas City, giving up just one hit before being relieved by Anthony Usui in the seventh; Usui also kept the Monarchs off the scoreboard in his one inning of work. The Kansas City pen tossed an inning of scoreless relief from Aaron Brooks and Cody Winiarski to close out the game.

The Monarchs are the reigning National Adult Baseball Association World Series Champions and are managed by former T-Bones great Jon Krysa. The Missouri native pitched in a franchise-high 90 games from 2003 to 2007 and ranks second in all-time in wins with 30.

The T-Bones are scheduled to play the second game of the exhibition season Wednesday night at 7:05 at CommunityAmercia Ballpark against the American Association division rival Gary SouthShore RailCats. Tickets are available online or by calling 913-328-5618 or by visiting in person the Providence Medical Center Box Office.

The T-Bones will open the 2017 regular season at home on May 19 against Lincoln.

– Story from T-Bones

National Weather Service issues weather advisory for Wyandotte County

The National Weather Service has issued a significant weather advisory for Wyandotte County until 2:30 p.m. today.

Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near DeSoto, moving northeast at 45 mph, at about 1:56 p.m., the weather service said.

Wind gusts up to 50 mph will be possible with this storm.

Bonner Springs, Kansas City, Kansas, Edwardsville and nearby areas are in the path of this storm, according to the weather service. The storm area also includes south central Leavenworth and northern Johnson counties.

Frequent cloud-to-ground lightning is occurring with this storm, the weather service said. Lightning may strike 10 miles away from a storm. Residents are advised to seek a safe shelter inside a building or vehicle.

The storm may intensify, the weather service said. Monitor radio, television, weather radios and the weather service website for additional information and possible warnings.

To report severe weather, contact your nearest law enforcement agency. They will relay your report to the National Weather Service office in Pleasant Hill, Mo.

For more information, see www.weather.gov.