Month: July 2017

KCKCC ‘wall of candidates’ encourages students to vote

Gary Bradley-Lopez, president of the Student Senate at KCKCC, is encouraging students to get involved and vote in this year’s elections. (Staff photo by Mary Rupert)

Today is voter registration deadline for primary election

Candidate forum planned tonight

by Mary Rupert

Students and employees at Kansas City Kansas Community College are seeing a “wall of candidates” in the lower Jewell building on campus at 7250 State Ave.

On the wall are photos and information about the candidates who are seeking office in the primary election on Aug. 1, according to Gary Bradley-Lopez, KCKCC student president. Candidates for mayor, Unified Government Commission, sheriff, Board of Public Utilities, KCKCC Board of Trustees, school boards and other offices are listed.

Bradley-Lopez said the “wall of candidates” is sponsored by the Student Senate and the Student Activities office at KCKCC. Students may pass by the wall on the way to the deli or the library.

He said the main purpose in putting this display about candidates together was to make students aware.

“A lot of students feel that their vote does not matter, and they feel like politics is just ‘poli-tricks,’ where the political system has no engagement with the people,” Bradley-Lopez said. “One thing they don’t know is a lot of times local elections are the biggest elections, because that’s actually what helps the people, and our votes do matter there.

“That’s how we want students to feel,” he said. “Your votes do matter here.”

Bradley-Lopez said that Tracy Reed, student activities secretary, did a lot of the work and posted all the information about the candidates on the wall.

Bradley-Lopez said he is considering a future in politics, including a run one year in the future for the UG Commission, and is planning to major in theater.

Voter registration deadline today

Bradley-Lopez noted that today, July 11, is the voter registration deadline for the primary election. Those who are not already registered to vote for the primary may register until 5 p.m. today at the Wyandotte County election office, 850 State Ave., Kansas City, Kansas. The KCKCC display also has printed forms for voter registration available. More information on registration is at http://www.wycokck.org/Election.aspx.

Voter registration also is online at https://www.kdor.ks.gov/Apps/VoterReg/Default.aspx. Those who have not previously registered to vote in Kansas will need a birth certificate or other accepted identification.

Advance voting begins on July 12, and more information on it is available on the election commissioner’s website.

Candidate forums planned

Tuesday, July 11, also is the date of a Unity with a Purpose candidate forum for mayor and sheriff candidates from 6 to 9 p.m. at the First Baptist Church, 500 Nebraska Ave., Kansas City, Kansas. It is open to the public.

Another candidate forum is scheduled Tuesday and Wednesday, July 18 and 19, at the upper Jewell building at KCKCC, 7250 State Ave. The forum will begin at 6 p.m. The forum is sponsored by Business West, Central Avenue Betterment Association and the Historic Northeast-Midtown Association. There are plans to show the forum on the KCKCC cable channel before the primary.

Bradley-Lopez said the KCKCC Student Senate also will be holding a forum after the primary for the general election candidates.

Police identify three who died in accident at 63rd and Rowland

Three persons who died as a result of their injuries in an accident at 12:53 a.m. Sunday, July 9, at the 6300 block of Rowland have been identified, according to police.

Two of the victims died at the scene of the accident. They were identified as Hayden Gottman, 20, a resident of Lenexa, Kansas, and Joshua Lindsey, 18, a resident of Overland Park, Kansas, a police spokesman said.

A third occupant of the vehicle died later from his injuries at a hospital. He was identified as Cameron T. Shafer, 20, a resident of Kansas City, Kansas, police said.

A fourth occupant of the vehicle was in critical condition at a hospital, according to police.

Police responded to the accident scene on Sunday and found a green Toyota truck that collided with a tree, a spokesman said.

An initial investigation showed that the Toyota was stolen and was occupied multiple times, according to police. It was traveling southbound on North 63rd Street when it collided with a tree, police stated.

Two of the persons in the truck were dead when officers arrived, the spokesman stated. An occupant of the stolen vehicle then stole the vehicle of a good Samaritan who attempted to assist the persons in the wrecked vehicle, police said.

Heat advisory issued today

Hazardous heat is expected Tuesday and Wednesday. A heat advisory is in effect through 7 p.m. Wednesday. Residents are urged to take precautions to avoid heat illness. (National Weather Service graphic)

Today, temperatures in Wyandotte County may reach a high of 95, with a heat index as high as 103, according to the National Weather Service. A heat advisory is in effect through 7 p.m. Wednesday.

A prolonged heat spell is expected through at least Wednesday, with afternoon highs in the lower to middle 90s and heat index values between 100 and 107 in the region, the weather service said.

A cold front is expected to move into the region Thursday and Friday, providing some relief from the heat, according to the weather service.

Thunderstorms will be possible along and ahead of the front late Wednesday into Friday, according to the forecast. The threat for strong or severe storms appears fairly low at this time, but the storms will produce rain, and local flooding is possible, the weather service said.

Residents are advised to wear lightweight and loose-fitting clothing today, drink plenty of fluids, stay out of the sun and check on relatives and neighbors, according to the weather service. Those who work or spend time outside should take extra precautions and reschedule strenuous activities to early morning or evening when possible.

The Salvation Army at 6723 State Ave., Kansas City, Kansas, is opening its facility as a cooling shelter between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. today.

Today’s forecast is sunny, with a high near 95 and a heat index as high as 103, the weather service said. A south wind of 10 to 14 mph will gust as high as 20 mph.

Tonight, expect mostly clear skies with a low of 77, and a south wind of 8 to 13 mph, according to the weather service.

Wednesday, it will be sunny with a high near 96, and a heat index as high as 104, the weather service said. There will be a south southwest wind of 8 to 10 mph.

Wednesday night, expect a low of 75 with a south wind of 8 mph, according to the weather service.

Thursday, there is a 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1 p.m., with a high near 92, the weather service said, and a southeast wind of 3 to 5 mph. Less than a tenth of an inch of rain is expected.

Thursday night, there is a 60 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1 a.m., according to the weather service. The low will be around 73 with new rainfall amounts between a quarter and half-inch of rain.

Friday, there will be a 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1 p.m., with a high near 88, the weather service said.

Friday night, it will be partly cloudy with a low of 71, according to the weather service.

Saturday, there will be mostly sunny skies with a high near 91, the weather service said.

Saturday night, the low will be around 69 with mostly clear skies, according to the weather service.

Sunday, it will be sunny with a high near 90, the weather service said.

Sunday night, skies will be mostly clear with a low of 70, according to the weather service.

Monday, it will be sunny with a high near 91, the weather service said.

For more weather information, visit www.weather.gov.