Storytime offered at library
A new storytime for children will be held from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Saturday, April 7, at the West Wyandotte Library, 1737 N. 82nd, Kansas City, Kansas. The program will be music, dancing, yoga, songs and a craft. The program is for ages 3 to 6.
Family storytime planned
A family storytime is planned from 10:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. Saturday, April 7, in the youth services craft room at the Main Kansas City, Kansas, Public Library, 625 Minnesota Ave., Kansas City, Kansas. The program is for children ages 2 to 6. Participants will read stories, dance and sing.
Spanish singing lessons offered
Spanish singing lessons will be offered from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Saturday, April 7, at Conference Room B, South Branch Library, 3104 Strong Ave., Kansas City, Kansas. The program is for children.
Grinter Friends taco dinner to be April 7
Grinter Place Friends will hold a Tacos N More fund-raising dinner from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. April 7 at the Grinter Barn, 1400 S. 78th St., Kansas City, Kansas. Tacos, nachos, dinners, drinks and dessert will be available for purchase. A meal of two tacos, refried beans, rice, chips and a drink will be $6.50. A meal of three tacos, refried beans, rice, chips and a drink will be $8. Individual tacos will be $2 each, and nachos will be $1.50 each. Dessert will be available for $1.50. There also will be a raffle for a cooler full of barbecue, with three gift cards from local barbecue restaurants, with a $350 value. Tickets are $1 each or 6 for $5. For more information, call 913-334-2500.
A head-first slide by KCKCC sophomore outfielder Josh Schumacher beat the tag of Fort Scott third baseman Cole Solomon on the triple that set up the tying run in the seventh inning of a 5-4 win Thursday. (KCKCC photo by Alan Hoskins)
by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC
Kansas City Kansas Community College took on one of the Jayhawk Conference’s best Thursday and came away with a pair of come-from-behind wins.
The 7-5, 5-4 sweep of Fort Scott knocked the Greyhounds (17-5) out of a first-place tie with Cowley County (19-3) and tightened KCKCC’s hold on fourth place.
The Blue Devils are 13-9 and just a game back of third place Johnson County (14-8) heading into two games at Fort Scott Saturday. KCKCC then returns home Tuesday to play host to Baker University junior varsity in a doubleheader and fifth place Neosho County (11-11) on Thursday. Both twin bills start at 1 p.m.
The Blue Devils trailed 5-2 in the opener before scoring twice in the fifth and three times in the sixth behind the hitting of Kevin Santiago, Brandon Still and Josh Schumacher.
A single by Schumacher, a triple by Santiago and a Still double cut the Blue Devil deficit to 5-4 in the fifth.
Aided by a pair of walks, KCKCC tied the game 5-5 in the sixth on a sacrifice fly by Tyler Pittman and after a Santiago single, Still scored the game-winners with a two-run double.
Still drove in four runs with a double and single; Santiago finished with a single, double and triple; Rorey Combs tripled and singled; and Schumacher singled twice for all of KCKCC’s nine hits.
Sophomore Cole Gacke survived three home runs in running his record to 6-1 in the 7-inning opener.
After KCKCC had taken a 2-1 lead in the third on a single by Schumacher, double by Santiago and a Still sacrifice fly, Gacke gave up a solo home run to Sean Moore in the fourth, a solo shot by Ben McConnell and a two-run blast by Andrew Morrow in the fifth. Gacke walked two and struck out seven including three in the seventh.
“A gutsy performance by Cole,” KCKCC coach Matt Goldbeck said. “He didn’t have his best stuff but he always competes and gives us a chance. Fort Scott has the best hitting team in the conference but our offense just kept answering when they scored. A big hit by Brandon Still and then for Cole to strike out the side in the seventh just shows what kind of competitor he is and how bad he wanted it.”
Late-inning triples by Schumacher and Combs rallied the Blue Devils to their 5-4 nightcap win. Trailing 4-3 in the seventh, Schumacher tripled to left-center with his fourth hit of the game and scored the tying run on Pittman’s sacrifice fly off Fort Scott relief ace Kobie Schmitt.
Combs then tripled to right-center with one out in the eighth and scored the game-winner on an errant throw on a pickoff attempt at third.
Julian Rivera got the win but only after another standout starting performance by freshman Orlando Ortiz, who allowed just two hits and struck out 13 in 6 1/3 innings. It was the third straight game Ortiz has struck out 10 or more.
After giving up two runs in the first on two walks, a hit batsman and the Greyhounds’ only two hits, Ortiz allowed just three base-runners – all on walks – the next five innings.
Oritz left after walking two with one out in the seventh with a 3-2 lead only to have Morrow deliver a two-run triple to right off Rivera with two out. Rivera also gave up a leadoff double in the eighth but then retired six of the next seven hitters.
“To hold Fort Scott to two hits through 6 1/3 innings was outstanding,” Goldbeck said. “Orlando’s Achilles heel was the seven walks, three of which scored. Julian struck out four and other than leaving one pitch up, he was very good. Schumacher had another good game with four hits and Rorey again had the late inning heroics with the triple and scoring the lead run.”
KCKCC scored single runs in the first on a double by Schumacher, bunt single by Pittman and a Santiago ground ball; in the fourth on a single by Brigham Mooney and a double by Gavin Gifford; and in the fifth on a Schumacher single and Santiago double.
After a one-out triple, KCKCC baseball coach Matt Goldbeck waved a sliding Rorey Combs toward home plate with the winning run in the eighth inning as an errant throw eluded Fort Scott third baseman Cole Solomon (2) in the Blue Devils 5-4 win Thursday. (KCKCC photo by Alan Hoskins)
RideKC Freedom-on-Demand paratransit services is expanding into Wyandotte County. (Staff photo)
by Mary Rupert
Foster Grandparents today applauded the announcement that RideKC Freedom-on-Demand paratransit services is expanding here.
Several Foster Grandparents were in the audience as Kansas City Area Transportation Authority and Unified Government officials made the announcement at the Indian Springs Transit Center, 47th and State Avenue, Kansas City, Kansas.
About 20 of the program’s Foster Grandparents who need paratransit transportation had been unable to get to their jobs recently in the Kansas City, Kansas, schools. In all, there are about 96 Foster Grandparents in the program.
“This is exciting news,” said Shelia Freeman, Foster Grandparents program coordinator in Kansas City, Kansas. “A month ago we didn’t know what to do to get them to their schools.”
The Foster Grandparents were formerly riding the UG’s paratransit and senior service vehicles, but when there were maintenance problems with the vehicles in January, the Foster Grandparents lost their rides to school. Several Foster Grandparents had appeared at a UG meeting Jan. 29 to talk about the cancellation of paratransit trips.
Officials today described this as a step forward for those who need paratransit services.
“This is about finally leveling the playing field,” said Robbie Makinen, president and CEO of the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority, at today’s announcement. “We have taken down the barriers.”
Robbie Makinen, president and CEO of the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority, said the expansion of the RideKC Freedom-on-Demand paratransit service will level the playing field for those with disabilities. (Staff photo)
The service eliminates the barriers of time and space, and also allows people to cross county lines and state lines, he said.
No longer do people have to schedule a ride 24 hours in advance, but now they can just contact it on demand, much in the same way as they may call or text for an Uber ride. He said persons may download a RideKC Freedom app, and can get a ride. If persons don’t have a smart phone, they can make a phone call. The service can be used to go on shopping trips, to doctor’s appointments and other trips. There is a charge for each ride.
“You may not use public transit but you can be sure you depend on those who do,” Makinen said. “It’s a big deal.”
He said the program started last May in Kansas City, Missouri, and during the past month it provided about 7,700 rides through the paratransit service. It has made almost 60,000 trips to date.
Usually a large part of the transit service budget goes toward paratransit service, Makinen said. With the ATA it is 16 to 18 percent. He said they were able to bring the cost down while offering a premium service.
The ATA’s partnership with the UG has been huge, he said, including this paratransit service and also job access services to reach jobs.
Makinen credited UG Commissioner Melissa Bynum and Mayor David Alvey for working together with ATA officials on this effort.
Mayor Alvey said this is proof that the KCATA is fulfilling its mission to connect people to opportunities.
Mayor David Alvey said today that the KCATA is connecting people to opportunities. (Staff photo)
“If we need any evidence at all, this is proof positive that the passion of this organization is played out today, because we’re identifying those who have the greatest need for public transit, and we’re providing them the service as they need it,” Mayor Alvey said. “Not as we think they need to access it, not as we think we can afford, but they have found an affordable way to solve the problems of the people who most needed it. This is really what government should be about, understanding the needs of individuals, how they live, their experience, and finding ways to meet that.”
Commissioner Bynum, who also serves on the KCATA board, gave credit to Justus Welker, UG transit director, for working with the KCATA to solve this problem. Bynum was instrumental in advocating for the Foster Grandparents who needed the paratransit services.
Commissioner Melissa Bynum, left, was instrumental, along with Mayor Alvey, in getting paratransit services for people in Wyandotte County. At the right in this photo is Robbie Makinen of the KCATA. (Staff photo)
The RideKC Freedom-on-Demand paratransit service now serves serveral counties in Greater Kansas City.The RideKC Freedom-on-Demand announcement was held at the Indian Springs transit center. (Staff photo)Foster Grandparents attending today’s announcement, in the front row, wore red shirts as they posed for a picture with officials. (Staff photo)
