Month: February 2018

Want to play baseball for the T-Bones? Open tryouts to be May 5

The Kansas City T-Bones will hold open tryouts for the 2018 season on Saturday, May 5, starting at noon sharp at T-Bones Stadium in Kansas City, Kansas.

T-Bones manager Joe Calfapietra will conduct the tryout, along with members of the T-Bones coaching staff, former professional players and college coaches.

“Early Bird” registration, which ends on Feb. 15, is $65 per player. Pre-registration from Feb. 16-April 14 is $90 per player. On-site registration, which begins at 11 a.m., is $105 per player.

The coaching staff will evaluate players for a possible roster spot with the T-Bones, or to recommend for other professional teams. Tryouts may consist of the following:
Position Players- Timed 60-yard dash (speed graded), Fielding (throwing and defense graded), and Hitting. Pitchers- Throw Bullpen, may consist of live game situations (control, velocity, and command graded)
**Bring any equipment (gloves, baseball attire, catcher’s gear, etc)**

“I always look forward to seeing talent that might have gotten overlooked,” Calfapietra said. “I know there is a tremendous talent pool in the Midwest and I can’t wait to tap into it.”

In 2016, pitcher Travis Garcia signed out of the open tryout, joining other former T-Bones, including Beau Stoker, Kyle Dahman and Drew Graham, who were signed following the tryout.

“We have had some great luck in the past finding players that made a difference on our club,” said T-Bones vice president and general manager Chris Browne. “Eric Vega is a player that shined in our early years, and he remains a great story for KCK.”

In case of rain or inclement weather, tryouts may be moved indoors on May 5 or rescheduled for Sunday, May 6. Check www.tbonesbaseball.com, Kansas City T-Bones Facebook page, and @tbonesbaseball on Twitter for updates. There will be no refunds, according to the T-Bones.

To register for the 2018 Kansas City T-Bones open tryout, or for additional information, contact Kacy Muller at 913-328-5618 or [email protected].

– Story from T-Bones

Kansas bill would make bong residue no more serious than weed possession

by Celia Llopis-Jepsen, Kansas News Service

Kansas lawmakers may once have thought stiffer penalties for marijuana made sense, but in recent years crowded prisons forced them to take another look.

One of the changes, made in 2016, reduced the crime of being caught with marijuana a second time from a felony to a misdemeanor.

But on Tuesday, the Kansas Sentencing Commission said that change overlooked state law that still keeps harsher penalties on the books for getting caught with pot residue than for possession of marijuana.

Scott Schultz, the commission’s executive director, said that “seemed inequitable.”

“It only seemed natural or made common sense that those penalties should be the same,” he said.

The situation arose because Kansas state law has separate language for tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, and marijuana possession. THC is the primary compound in marijuana that makes people high. Traces can be found on drug paraphernalia, or it can exist independently of marijuana in lab-derived versions.

The only objections to the sentencing commission’s proposal came from citizens or organizations who want lawmakers to go further. A resident of Inman, Kansas, asked the panel to decriminalize marijuana.

The ACLU of Kansas, meanwhile, wants lawmakers to clarify whether they intend cannabidiol, or CBD, oil to be considered marijuana and therefore illegal.

CBD is a substance that can be extracted from marijuana separate from the THC that makes people high. Some people say it helps treat seizures and pain, and it is allowed for medical purposes in some states where marijuana is illegal. Companies are seeking FDA approval for drugs containing CBD, but no such drugs have been approved so far.

Late last month, the Kansas attorney general’s office said under current Kansas law, it believes CBD counts as marijuana and is illegal regardless of whether it contains THC.

The ACLU wants lawmakers to weigh in because the attorney general’s opinion isn’t binding on law enforcement agencies, creating a risk that CBD will be treated as legal in some parts of the state and illegal in others.

The ACLU favors allowing CBD for medical uses.

Celia Llopis-Jepsen is a reporter for the Kansas News Service, a collaboration of KCUR, Kansas Public Radio, KMUW and High Plains Public Radio covering health, education and politics. You can reach her on Twitter @Celia_LJ. Kansas News Service stories and photos may be republished at no cost with proper attribution and a link back to the original post.

See more at http://kcur.org/post/kansas-bill-make-bong-residue-no-more-serious-weed-possession.

KCKCC honors 90 student-athletes for academic success

Ninety Kansas City Kansas Community College student-athletes and Spirit Squad members were honored for carrying grade point averages of 3.0 or better at Academic Achievement Night Wednesday. (KCKCC photo by Alan Hoskins)
KCKCC acting president Dr. Jackie Vietti and Board of Trustees chairman Rosalyn Brown, right, headed a line of trustees and administrators congratulating Lady Blue Devil softball player Aspen Salinas and 89 other student-athletes at Academic Achievement Night. (KCKCC photo by Alan Hoskins)

by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC

Ninety Kansas City Kansas Community College student-athletes and cheerleaders were recognized for their success in the classroom at the College’s Annual Academic Achievement Night Wednesday.

Dr. Jackie Vietti, KCKCC acting president, was joined by KCKCC trustees Rosalyn Brown, Linda Sutton, Janice McIntyre, Don Ash and Dr. Ray Daniels in congratulating the honorees. KCKCC administrators Dr. Ed Kramer, interim vice president of academic affairs; Dr. Defina Wilson, vice president of student affairs; Shawn Derritt, dean of student services; and athletic director Tony Tompkins also took part in the recognition.

The student-athletes and Spirit Squad members recognized for carrying a grade point average of 3.0 or better:

BASEBALL – Ethan Baltz, Tyler Pittman, Zachary Watson, Kemper Bednar, Connor White, Brandon Green, Julius King, Max Koeppe, Orlando Ortiz, Rorey Combs, Tucker Foerschler, Adam North, Hunter Paxton, Victor Gotay, Jacob Jackson, Carlos Soto, Brandon Still, Billy Kelley.

MEN’s BASKETBALL – Josiah Laws, Malcolm Tate, Solomon Thomas, Trevon Jefferson, DuVonte Beard.

WOMEN’s BASKETBALL – Lizzie Stark, Kisi Young, Alixandria Wilson, Caroline Hoppock, Camryn Swanson, Gena Ojeda.

GOLF – Robert Armstrong, Jack Flynn, Trevor Bauer, Timothy Wheaton.

MEN’S SOCCER – Matheus Nunes, Carlos Nunez-Dena, Hector Valles, Philip Parmour, Ethan Pfeifer, Reed Axthelm, Guilherme Grave, Frano Buhovac, Gustavo Palmieri, Jackson Jones, Ricardo Gonzalez.

WOMEN’s SOCCER – Mike’e O’Dell, Trinity Rosberg, Itzel Almanza, Serena Ortiz, Ana Suarez, Carmen Rush, Jessica Hill, Shayla Lee, Marisol Rangel, Shaytel Nieto, Madison Plake.

SOFTBALL – Sidney Duval, Paige Hererra, Aspen Salinas, Haley Luna, Brittney Beck, Gracie Gentry, Kaylee Arnzen, Parish Forshey, Kaelyn Davis, Dawsyn Long, Faith Maslak, Jennifer Mullins, Lincoln Schwisow, Shannon Brown, Shannon Greene, Hanna Hurt, Logan Tucker.

VOLLEYBALL – Paige Dresslaer, Yvette Tamez, Jaylie Thornton, Amanda Dickie, Alissia Nevarez, Kelli Sleefe, Erin Reilly, Morgan Schwarz.

SPIRIT SQUAD – Michayla Mikesic, McKayla Ogden, Ian Smith, Mamryee Gordon, Isaah Jeffries, Abby Valasquez, Dreu Demvy, Rhianna Davis and Lante Harrison.