Month: August 2017

KCK tourism officials preparing for solar eclipse

A solar eclipse will be visible from Kansas City, Kansas, on Aug. 21, and several special events are planned for it. Special eclipse glasses, ISO 12312-2 compliant, are needed for viewing, according to NASA. (Artist’s rendition, copyright 2017, not actual solar viewing glasses)

When it comes to the solar eclipse on Aug. 21, Kansas City, Kansas, is on the edge of a 70-mile band cutting through the nation from Oregon to South Carolina.

Parts of Wyandotte County are in the total eclipse path, according to maps published by NASA, but they are on the edge of the total eclipse area.

Parts of Kansas City, Kansas, could receive 23 seconds of “totality” – the phrase being used for a total solar eclipse – as compared to 2 minutes or more for Atchison, Kan., and St. Joseph, Mo.

In Kansas City, Kansas, the time of the total eclipse is projected at 1:08 p.m., according to information from NASA. The partial eclipse starts around 11:41 a.m.

Despite that it is an event lasting less than a minute here, the solar eclipse could be this summer’s big event. The next solar eclipse in Kansas will be in 2045, according to local officials.

A map of the total solar eclipse path, from Oregon to South Carolina. The eclipse will still be visible outside of this pathway, as a partial eclipse. (Map courtesy of NASA)

Maila Yang, marketing and communications manager for the Kansas City, Kansas, Convention and Visitors Bureau, said she has seen a lot of interest in the eclipse here. She started hearing about the solar eclipse and planning for it two years ago. Smaller towns may have longer periods of totality, but many of them do not have adequate hotel space for travelers who want to see it.

“Knowing we only had 23 seconds, we knew the majority of people who were coming were looking for longer totality places first,” Yang said on Monday. “Now we’re hearing that Atchison, all those places, are so busy, they may not make it to those places.”

Kansas City, Kansas, and Wyandotte County have had some bookings in hotels for people attracted here by the solar eclipse, she said, with the CVB working with them. Some people will be staying in hotels here and driving to other towns to see a longer eclipse view.

The CVB also is working with hotels to provide solar eclipse viewing glasses, she added. Those who view the eclipse must use special glasses to protect their eyes. It’s not safe to use regular sunglasses to look at the eclipse, according to NASA information.

“We encourage them to come in earlier, get their plans settled and then, we have all the shopping and dining and attractions here, kind of make a long weekend out of it,” Yang said.

Yang said Kansas City, Kansas, has had a great tourism season so far this year, and this adds to it.

While there may be an influx of tourists traveling to cities along the solar eclipse path, it’s also an opportunity for area residents to enjoy the once-in-a-lifetime event, she said.

The total solar eclipse path cuts across northeast Kansas, including Wyandotte County. (Map courtesy of NASA)

Solar eclipse viewing parties in Wyandotte County

There are several viewing parties planned here for the community and tourists.

• The T-Bones’ solar eclipse viewing party will be from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Aug. 21 at CommunityAmerica Ballpark in Kansas City, Kansas. This is a free event, open to the public. The first 200 people in attendance will receive complimentary tickets for the Aug. 21 evening T-Bones baseball game. Food will be available for purchase, and free solar eclipse glasses will be available for viewing. For more information, call 913-328-2255, or visit www.tbonesbaseball.com.

• Rowe Ridge Vineyard and Winery viewing party will take place from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the deck of the winery, with a glass of wine, sangria or wine slush available for purchase. Pizza also will be available for purchase. Reservations are necessary. For more information about this event, which has a cost, call 913-721-9776 or visit www.roweridge.com.

• Solar Eclipse Zip Tour at Zip KC will offer a hike and zip or tower tour during the eclipse. There will be a catered lunch, and those participating will receive free eclipse viewing glasses. Space is very limited for this event, and those interested in it may call 913-214-9478 or visit www.zipkc.com.

Free certified eclipse shades will be distributed by the KCK CVB through hotels and attractions, until the glasses run out, according to the CVB. All guests checking in at a hotel in Kansas City, Kansas, on Sunday, Aug. 20, will receive complimentary solar eclipse glasses.

Attractions in Kansas City, Kansas, that will hand out eclipse glasses to ticket holders and guests, and the dates, include: Schlitterbahn Waterpark, Aug. 19 and 20; Kansas City T-Bones, Aug. 19 and 20; Sporting KC, Aug. 19; Cabela’s, Aug. 21; Richard Petty Driving Experience, Aug. 19 and 20; all Wyandotte County museums, Aug. 19 and 20; Rowe Ridge Vineyard and Winery, Aug. 21; Legends Outlets Kansas City, management or security office, Aug. 19-21.

A complimentary pair of glasses also may be picked up by visitors at the CVB office during business hours, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, at 755 Minnesota Ave., Kansas City, Kansas. The CVB has its own eclipse website page at www.VisitKansasCityKS.com/solareclipse2017.

NASA has provided a lot of information about the upcoming eclipse on its website at https://eclipse2017.nasa.gov/. (Graphic courtesy of NASA)

Staying home?

Staying home and looking at the solar eclipse in Wyandotte County? If the NASA map is correct, some locations toward the northern part of the county may see a 100 percent total eclipse, while others south of the line that goes diagonally through Wyandotte County may see, for example, a 99.9 percent eclipse. The southern half of Wyandotte County Lake at 91st and Leavenworth Road is not in the totality area, while the northern half is, according to the map.

According to the NASA map, Sumner Academy, Kaw Point Park, Kansas City, Kansas, City Hall, and the Main Kansas City, Kansas, Public Library at 625 Minnesota Ave., are among the locations that will be in the totality area. While these are only projections, NASA says the map is more accurate this year than ever before. (https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2017/nasa-moon-data-provides-more-accurate-2017-eclipse-path)

Check your own home, work or school location by enlarging the NASA eclipse map at https://eclipse2017.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/interactive_map/index.html.

The Kansas City, Kansas, Public Library branches have programs planned on Aug. 21, with other eclipse educational programs scheduled during the week before it, according to the library calendar, and for more information, visit http://kckpl.evanced.info/eventcalendar.asp?ln=ALL.

The Bonner Springs City Library also has an eclipse program planned Aug. 21, with a program in advance scheduled on Aug. 16. For more information, see http://bonnerlibrary.org/darkness-at-mid-day/ and http://bonnerlibrary.org/solar-eclipse-viewing/.

Law enforcement officials are discouraging residents from driving and stopping on the side of a highway to view the eclipse.
How to make your own eclipse viewer. (Graphic courtesy of NASA)
Another simple eclipse viewer. (Graphic courtesy of NASA)

Back-to-school bash rescheduled Aug. 12 at Legends Outlets

The Legends Outlets’ Back-to-School Bash, postponed because of the weather on Aug. 5, has been rescheduled for Saturday, Aug. 12.

The Back-to-School Bash on Saturday, Aug. 12, will feature the YMCA of Greater Kansas City and United Way of Wyandotte County.

In addition to special back-to-school savings and all-day shopping, the event will feature games and activities, healthy snacks, prize giveaways, community appearances and entertainment including a mascot dance-off, Sporting Kansas City autograph signing and family-friendly concert featuring Mr. Stinky Feet.

Throughout the day, guests can also participate in Legends Outlets’ Back-to-School Clothing Drive benefitting the United Way of Wyandotte County for the chance to win a $500 Legends Outlets gift card.

The event is from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 12, at The Legends Outlets, 1843 Village West Parkway, Kansas City, Kansas. It is free and open to the public.

YMCA schedule

From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., there will be YMCA games and activities planned throughout The Legends Outlets.

Join the 8th Street Family YMCA, Providence YMCA-Ball Family Center, Bonner Springs Family YMCA and partner organizations including 12345 Fit-Tastic, Healthy Communities Wyandotte, Harvester’s, Wyandotte County Health Department, University of Kansas, and Midwest Dairy Council for fun activities that encourage healthy living. Activities include but are not limited to:

• Zumba, Pound and Boot Camp classes with a live DJ
• Face painting
• Water relay course
• Obstacle course races
• Coloring activity
• University of Kansas smoothie bike stations
• Harvester’s healthy meals
• T-Bones’ mascot Sizzle
• Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department mascot Leo the Lion
• Kansas City, Kansas, Fire Department

Legends Outlets prize giveaways

Prize giveaways will be held from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday in the Legends Civic Courtyard Fountain.

Guests may visit the Legends Outlets marketing table in the center courtyard to register for the chance to win various prizes throughout the day. Prize winners will be randomly selected every hour and notified via the telephone number they used to register. All prize winners will have until 7 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 12, to claim their prize at the Legends Outlets marketing table.

Back-to-school clothing drive

A clothing drive will be held from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 12, at The Legends Outlets Civic Courtyard Fountain and at participating retailers.

The United Way of Wyandotte County will be on-site collecting donations for its Back-to-School Clothing Drive. Donation items must be new and may include all sizes and styles of khaki pants, jeans, polo shirts, short and long-sleeved T-shirts, socks, underwear and shoes. Shoppers can visit Legends Outlets’ participating retailers to purchase needed items for the clothing drive.

•Donations will be collected at the United Way table in the center courtyard, as well as participating retailers, until 3 p.m. Shoppers ages 16 and older who purchase and donate at least one item to a participating retailer or the United Way table will receive one entry into the grand prize drawing for a $500 Legends Outlets gift card. The winner will be announced after the Legends Live concert at 7 p.m. Shopper does not have to be present to win. For more details about the Back-to-School Clothing Drive, visit: http://bit.ly/BTSClothingDrive.

Legends Live Concert, Mr. Stinky Feet and The Hiccups

A Legends Live concert will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 12, at The Legends Outlets Civic Courtyard Fountain.

As the final Legends Live concert of the summer, award-winning kid rocker Jim “Mr. Stinky Feet” Cosgrove and his band, The Hiccups, are scheduled to perform family-friendly music and favorite children’s songs in the center courtyard.

KCK school district receives ‘best practice’ award for nutrition program

Josh Mathiasmeier, second from left, the Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools nutritional service director, accepted a best practices award at a Kansas State Board of Education meeting recently. At the left is Jim Porter, chairman of the State Board of Education; with Janet Waugh, State Board of Education District 1 representative; and Randy Watson, right, State Department of Education commissioner. (Submitted photo)

The Kansas City, Kansas, Public Schools Nutritional Service Department has received a “best practice” award for its child nutrition program.

The Kansans CAN 2016-17 Best Practice Award was presented during the Aug. 8 State Board of Education meeting in Topeka, according to a news release from the Kansas City, Kansas, Public Schools.

“This was a great honor for our Nutritional Services Department team,” Nutritional Services Director Josh Mathiasmeier said in the news release “We are always looking for ways to improve service excellence to the students and the Wyandotte County community,” he said.

A mobile food truck from the Nutritional Services Department is one reason for the honor. A bookmobile that was not in service was converted into a mobile food truck to serve summer meals throughout the community. Funding and resources came from a partnership with Healthy Communities Wyandotte and Cities Combating Hunger Through After School and Summer Meal Programs.

Delivering more than 73,000 meals during the summer, the mobile food truck made its debut June 5, 2017. According to a spokesman, there are plans for the mobile food truck to increase delivery of after-school meals, beginning with this fall’s school year.

Besides adding the mobile food truck, the school district added meals for adults who accompanied children to the summer food service program sites this summer. The school district joined with Humana Inc. and the Community Health Council of Wyandotte County in this program.

– Information from Kansas City, Kansas, Public Schools