Month: January 2018

UG committees scheduled to meet tonight

Two Unified Government committee meetings are scheduled tonight.

The Public Works and Safety Committee will meet at 5 p.m. Monday, Jan. 29, at the fifth floor meeting room, City Hall, 701 N. 7th St., Kansas City, Kansas.

The Administration and Human Services Committee meeting will follow at the same location.

On the agenda for the Public Works meeting:

• A resolution authorizing the UG to make an agreement with the Fairfax Drainage District to provide adequate sewer services for industrial growth in the Fairfax District, to be effective last year, and authorizing the UG to reimburse the district $197,700 for sewer services.

• A revision to the UG’s Franchise Ordinance to require franchise agreements with those who are providing or facilitating service within the UG. The franchisee would indemnify the UG, meet insurance and bond requirements, install excess conduit for future UG infrastructure needs, and pay the UG a franchise fee for use of right-of-way.

• A report on mowing, in the S.O.A.R. anti-blight program. The UG has increased its mowing significantly since 2015, according to the report.

On the agenda for the Administration and Human Services Committee:

• A report on the UG’s open data efforts and goals for 2018.

• Approval of a report from the planning department that would help property owners reduce their risk of future flooding by understanding flood risk, flood sources and resources for mitigation.

• An amendment to an ordinance that would state where mobile grocery stores may operate without a special use permit. Under the proposed amendment, a special use permit would not be required for a mobile grocery market that complies with certain regulations. A mobile market would not be allowed to operate within 500 feet of a public entrance of an established business offering similar products during the hours that the business is open to the public, according to one new amendment. There is also a new definition of mobile market in the proposed ordinance amendment.

• A presentation on the continued paratransit ridership demands also is scheduled.

Three double-doubles let KCKCC rout Hesston, 99-65

KCKCC freshman forward Kisi Young split two defenders to score two of her game-high 21 points in the Lady Blue Devils’ 99-63 win over Hesston Saturday. (KCKCC photo by Alan Hoskins)

by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC

Any fears of a hangover from a disappointing loss in opening Jayhawk Conference basketball play Wednesday quickly vanished for Kansas City Kansas Community College’s women’s Saturday.

In fact, the Lady Blue Devils took out any frustrations with one of their best performances of the season, a 99-63 conquest of Hesston College.

The win evened KCKCC’s Region VI record at 1-1 and 17-5 overall heading into a road game at Fort Scott Wednesday. Fort Scott is also 1-1 in league play after forcing No. 7 Labette to the final wire in a 68-64 loss Saturday.

Led by three rebounding assassins, the Lady Blue Devils overwhelmed Hesston (10-10) on the boards by pulling down 65 rebounds, 38 more than the Lady Larks’ 27 and included 24 off the offensive boards.

Combined, Nija Collier, Kisi Young and Lillie Moore scored 58 points, claimed 38 rebounds and were 24-of-33 from the field for 72.7 percent.

Each finished with a double-double, the second such achievement this season. In alphabetical order, Collier had 18 points (8-of-13) and 15 rebounds off the bench; Moore had 19 points (7-of-9) and 13 rebounds; and Young 21 points (9-of-11) and 10 rebounds.

The board dominance produced more than half their points in the paint – a season high 54 which might be a school record if such records were available.

“Our forwards were the difference and continue to be our playmakers,” KCKCC coach Joe McKinstry said. “This was a good win against a hard-playing Hesston team.”

Perimeter scoring came from a new source. At 5-4 the shortest Blue Devil, Shawnee Mission Northwest freshman Gena Ojeda was 4-of-6 from 3-point for a career high 12 points along with four rebounds in her best effort. Lizzie Stark added six points and Alix Wilson and Caitlyn Stewart directed the offense with seven assists each.

KCKCC never trailed, opening a 23-17 first quarter lead and stretching it to 45-33 at the half.

Not coincidentally, the shooting got better each quarter as the Blue Devils continually pounded the ball inside for close range shots. After shooting 42.1 percent the first quarter, the Blue Devils increased it to .500, .545 and .579 the final three periods in finishing at 51.3 percent overall – far more than enough to offset 22 turnovers, six more than Hesston.

“I thought we came out after halftime and did a much better job of implementing the things we talked about in practice the last couple of days,” McKinstry said. “We’ve got a tough road ahead so hopefully we can take today’s success and continue to build on it.”

After Wednesday’s road test at Fort Scott, the Blue Devils come home Saturday to play host to No. 3 ranked and unbeaten Highland at 2 and 4 p.m. Highland was the host of No. 3 Johnson County Saturday in the most heralded game of the season and the Scotties turned the game into a rout, winning 108-65.

KCKCC’s Lillie Moore got an easy layup thanks to a perfectly thrown lead pass by teammate Alix Wilson (23), one of seven assists by Wilson in the Blue Devils’ 99-63 win over Hesston. (KCKCC photo by Alan Hoskins)
All eyes – and cameras – were focused on KCKCC forward Gena Ojeda as she put up one of her four 3-point field goals (a career high) in the Blue Devils’ 99-63 Region VI win over Hesston Saturday. (KCKCC photo by Alan Hoskins)

Cold weather today, mostly dry this week

The wind chill reading at 9 a.m. in Wyandotte County was about 4 degrees, according to the National Weather Service. (National Weather Service graphic)

Wind chills will remain in the single digits to lower teens through mid-morning, according to the National Weather Service.

Today’s high will be 31 with a north northwest wind of 5 to 8 mph, the weather service said.

Light snow is possible Wednesday night into Thursday south of I-70, according to the weather service. Not much accumulation is expected and the potential for any measurable snow is decreasing.

A better chance for snow will be on Saturday, but the precipitation types and accumulation amounts are uncertain at this time, the weather service said.

Tonight, expect a low of 21 with a north wind of 5 mph, becoming calm in the evening.

Tuesday, it will be mostly sunny with a high near 47, the weather service said. A south wind of 5 to10 mph will increase to 15 to 20 mph in the afternoon, with gusts as high as 30 mph.

Tuesday night, the low will be around 38, with a south southwest wind of 11 to 18 mph, gusting as high as 34 mph, according to the weather service.

Wednesday, the high will be near 53 with mostly sunny skies and a southwest wind of 5 to 9 mph becoming north northwest in the afternoon, the weather service said.

Wednesday night, there will be a 20 percent chance of rain showers before 3 a.m., then a slight chance of rain and snow showers between 3 a.m. and 5 a.m., then a slight chance of snow showers after 5 a.m., according to the weather service. The low will be around 31.

Thursday, the high will be near 36 with partly sunny skies, the weather service said.

Thursday night, the low will be around 18 with partly cloudy skies, according to the weather service.

Friday, the high will be near 37 with partly sunny skies, the weather service said.

Friday night, the low will be around 27, according to the weather service.

Saturday, there will be a high near 46 with a 30 percent chance of showers, the weather service said.

Saturday night, the chance of rain and snow showers is 40 percent with a low of 21, according to the weather service.

Sunday, the high will be near 32 with partly sunny skies, the weather service said.