Dense freezing fog this morning could lead to slick roads in some areas this morning, according to the National Weather Service.
Conditions will be worse to the east of the Kansas City area.
Minor snow accumulations, generally less than half an inch, are possible with a storm system that will move through the area during the day Thursday, the weather service said.
Today, it will be partly sunny with a high near 51, the weather service said, and a south southeast wind of 7 to 13 mph.
Tonight, there will be increasing clouds, with a low of 40 and a south wind of 10 to 13 mph, according to the weather service.
Wednesday, the high will be 55 with mostly cloudy skies, the weather service said. A south wind of 5 to 15 mph will gust as high as 31 mph.
Wednesday night, there will be a 50 percent chance of showers before 7 p.m., then a chance of drizzle between 7 p.m. and midnight, followed by a chance of rain after midnight, according to the weather service. It will be mostly cloudy, with a low of 32. A south wind of 13 to 17 mph will become west after midnight. Winds may gust as high as 25 mph. Less than a tenth of an inch of precipitation is expected.
Thursday, rain is likely before 7 a.m., then sleet is likely between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m., then snow likely after 8 a.m., the weather service said. It will be cloudy with a high near 32. It also will be breezy, with a north northwest wind of 13 to 22 mph, gusting as high as 31 mph. The chance of precipitation is 60 percent. New snow and sleet accumulation of less than a half-inch is possible.
Thursday night, the low will be around 10 with partly cloudy skies, according to the weather service. It will be blustery.
Friday, the high will be near 27 with mostly sunny skies, the weather service said.
Friday night, there is a 30 percent chance of snow before 7 p.m., then a chance of snow showers between 7 p.m. and midnight, according to the weather service. The low will be around 11.
Saturday, the high will be near 19 with partly sunny skies, the weather service said.
Saturday night, the low will be around 5, according to the weather service.
Sunday, the high will be near 24 with partly sunny skies, the weather service.
Sunday night, the low will be around 10, according to the weather service.
Monday, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the skies will be mostly sunny, with a high near 26, the weather service said.
David Alvey, left, was sworn in as mayor on Monday, Jan. 8, at Memorial Hall, by his sister, Judge Constance Alvey, right. (Photo by Mary Rupert)
by Mary Rupert
New Mayor David Alvey took the oath of office Monday evening, Jan. 8, at Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Kansas, with a promise to “make good on your trust.”
“I want to say thanks to so many friends and supporters who have given me their trust. I promise to make good on your trust,” Alvey said.
He also referred to his supporters walking door-to-door for about 30 weekends in a row during the campaign.
“I love this city and I love this county, and I am honored to be your CEO. All I want to say is ‘Let’s go, Wyandotte,’ “ Alvey said.
Mayor Alvey was sworn in by his sister, Judge Constance Alvey.
New Mayor David Alvey addressed the audience after taking his oath of office on Monday evening. (Photo by Mary Rupert)
Also participating in today’s inauguration ceremony were daughters Juliana Alvey, who sang the National Anthem, and Mariana Alvey, who played “Amazing Grace” on the violin.
David Alvey served on the Board of Public Utilities before running for mayor. Before becoming mayor, he was the assistant principal for faculty formation at Rockhurst High School.
Juliana Alvey, daughter of Mayor David Alvey, sang the National Anthem Monday evening at the inaugural ceremonies at Memorial Hall. (Photo by Mary Rupert)Mariana Alvey, daughter of Mayor David ALvey, played “Amazing Grace” on the violin during the inaugural ceremonies Monday evening at Memorial Hall. (Photo by Mary Rupert)
About 200 persons, including family and friends of those who were sworn in, attended the inaugural ceremony.
A new commissioner, Tom Burroughs, who is also a state representative, was sworn in Monday night.
UG Commissioner Tom Burroughs, left, was sworn in by Donald Taylor, judge pro tem, right, at inaugural ceremonies Monday evening at Memorial Hall. (Photo by Mary Rupert)
“I want to be a leader that this community can be proud of,” Burroughs said. He also expressed his thanks to firefighters and public safety officers.
“You have my utmost respect, and my partnership and leadership,” he said.
He also said to the commission and Mayor Alvey that “I stand ready to partner with those dedicated to moving our community forward.”
“To my fellow commissioners, I offer this: my trust, not my distrust; my leadership, not gamesmanship; civility, not divisiveness,” Burroughs said. “I love my community, I plan on staying in my community, I love the Dotte. It has called me to serve,” he said.
New UG Commissioner Tom Burroughs addressed the audience after being sworn in Monday night. “To my fellow commissioners, I offer this: my trust, not my distrust; my leadership, not gamesmanship; civility, not divisiveness,” Burroughs said. (Photo by Mary Rupert)
“The future is ours to embrace, and I plan on doing just that,” Burroughs said. He was sworn in by Donald Taylor, judge pro tem.
Sheriff Don Ash, left, was sworn in by Judge Wayne Lampson on Monday evening at Memorial Hall. His family surrounded him. (Photo by Mary Rupert)
Sheriff Don Ash, elected to a third term, said it was a historic moment for Wyandotte County, because he was the first sheriff to be elected to three terms.
“The people have spoken, so we intend to serve them and not let them down,” Ash said. He was sworn in by Chief Judge Wayne Lampson of the Wyandotte County District Court.
Ash read a quote from the sheriff in 1998, and said that some conditions were the same as then. Some of those concerns were staffing shortages, the inability to attract qualified applicants, and staff turnover. Ash said he was committed to working with the UG to resolve these issues.
Sheriff Don Ash said he is the first sheriff in Wyandotte County’s history to have been elected to three terms. (Photo by Mary Rupert)
UG Commissioner Gayle Townsend, who was re-elected, was sworn in by Bridgette Cobbins, UG clerk. Townsend expressed appreciation to supporters, UG employees and many others.
Commissioner Gayle Townsend, left, was sworn in on Monday evening by Bridgette Cobbins, UG clerk, right. (Photo by Mary Rupert)
“I pledge to work with Mayor Alvey,” Townsend said.
“The faces may have changed, but the game is the same,” she quoted from a movie. “That is for all of us to do the best we can to represent the good people of Wyandotte County.”
Commissioner Mike Kane, left, elected to a fourth term, told the audience he wasn’t going to change. He was going to be consistent. He was sworn in by Judge Aaron Roberts, right. (Photo by Mary Rupert)
Commissioner Mike Kane, sworn in by Judge Aaron Roberts, said he appreciated the opportunity to serve a fourth term.
“I’m not going to change,” Kane told the audience. “I’m Mike Kane, I’m this way 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and I’m consistent.”
He said he has been consistent for 12 years and plans to be consistent in the future.
“My dad told me to stand up for what you believe in, and believe what you stand up for,” Kane said.
The voters have spoken, according to Kane. Twenty four percent of the people voted in the mayor’s race and other contests, he said, and voted for Alvey, Burroughs and Kane.
“They have spoke, please listen and let’s do our jobs,” Kane said.
Commissioner Jim Walters, left, sworn in by Bridgette Cobbins, UG clerk, right, said the commission will work on leveraging its successes this term. (Photo by Mary Rupert)
Commissioner Jim Walters, who was sworn in by Cobbins, discussed some successes for the UG. He was re-elected to a second term.
Some of those include increasing the population in Wyandotte County, and increasing the investment in different parts of Wyandotte County, including east and west.
He said the UG has started investing in neighborhoods through its SOAR (anti-blight) program. The UG still has opportunities to reduce the mill levy, he said.
When some organizations achieve success, they tend to pause and lose momentum, he said, while others leverage success, creating greater opportunities and achievements. “That’s the direction this commission wants to go, that’s certainly the direction I think they should go,” he said.
Commissioner Jane Philbrook, left, was sworn in by Judge Bill Klapper, right, at the inaugural ceremonies Monday evening at Memorial Hall. (Photo by Mary Rupert)
Commissioner Jane Philbrook, sworn in by Judge Bill Klapper, brought some supporters with her to the podium. She is serving a second term.
“My support people help me do my job,” she said. She also mentioned she is looking forward to working with the new faces in the local government.
Commissioner Jane Philbrook, second from left, introduced some of her supporters to the audience on Monday evening. (Photo by Mary Rupert)
“We have a phenomenal commission. There’s nobody on this commission that doesn’t care,” she said. She added they can work together to accomplish even more things than previously.
“One thing I learned immediately, is the people who work for the city are the unsung heroes,” Philbrook said. “I have to thank them a lot.”
The Rev. Robert Milan Jr., pastor of Greater Faith Missionary Baptist Church, gave the invocation at the inaugural ceremonies Monday evening. (Photo by Mary Rupert)
The evening’s invocation was by the Rev. Robert Milan Jr., pastor of Greater Faith Missionary Baptist Church; with the closing prayer by the Rev. Vincent Giacabazi of Rockhurst High School.
The Rev. Vincent Giacabazi of Rockhurst High School gave the closing prayer at Monday’s inaugural event. (Photo by Mary Rupert)
A reception was held in the Memorial Hall lobby after the inauguration.
Several officials were on the stage at Memorial Hall for inauguration ceremonies Monday evening. (Staff photo)A color guard from the Wyandotte County Sheriff’s Office and the Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department presented the flag at the inauguration ceremony Monday evening at Memorial Hall. (Photo by Mary Rupert)A reception was held after the inaugural ceremonies Monday evening in the lobby area of Memorial Hall. (Photo by Mary Rupert)Bob Milan Sr., a long-time member of the Board of Public Utilities, visited with residents during the reception in the lobby of Memorial Hall. (Photo by Mary Rupert)
Bill Murray, right, visited with the local Dirt Dandies team during a visit to the Kansas City area. The local team is included in a documentary that is now showing on Facebook. (Photo courtesy of Kansas RBI) The Dirt Dandies are featured in a documentary currently on Facebook. (Photo courtesy of Kansas RBI)
by Mary Rupert
It was like a dream come true for young athletes here who met with movie star Bill Murray and were featured in a documentary, “Extra Innings.”
Cle Ross, Kansas RBI executive director, said the Murray Brothers, Brian and Bill Murray, came to the Kansas City area to do a series, which is now running on Facebook.
They contacted the Kansas City Royals, looking for a team in the area to feature, and the Royals recommended the Dirt Dandies from Kansas RBI.
The series, about 10 episodes in all, visited several cities, with Kansas City as the final stop, Ross said.
“We were featured in last Monday’s episode,” Ross said. Also, the team will be in the last episode, as well.
The last episode will include a visit by Bill Murray, who owns the St. Paul Saints, at a Kansas City T-Bones game, Ross said.
The Murrays invited the entire youth team to the game, including a meal for the kids and coaches, to watch the St. Paul Saints play the T-Bones.
“Our kids got to go on the field, and were on the Jumbotron,” Ross said. “Bill Murray came and sat with the boys during the game.”
Ross said the Royals had been aware of the Kansas RBI’s success, with the Dirt Dandies ranked as one of the top teams in the nation.
“It was a reward to our kids to be part of something special, especially when they worked so hard,” Ross said.
Ross said the documentary was a mixture of educational points as well as comedy.
“That was the cool part, that the kids had a chance to learn as well as to have fun,” Ross said.
To see more about Bill Murray and the local team, visit https://www.facebook.com/billbrianextrainnings/videos/1570512526331894/.
