Month: July 2018

Quindaro bill passes House

A Quindaro townsite preservation bill has passed the U.S. House of Representatives.

According to a news release from U.S. Rep. Kevin Yoder, R-3rd Dist., who sponsored the bill, this is an effort to elevate and preserve the Quindaro townsite, a significant archaeological site, in a way that is consistent with its historical and cultural importance.

Founded in 1857 by abolitionists, Quindaro was a thriving pre-Civil War town on the Missouri River, in what is now part of Kansas City, Kansas.

Quindaro was an important stop on the Underground Railroad, according to historians.

The Quindaro Townsite National Commemorative Site Act, House Resolution 5613, sponsored by Rep. Yoder, would make Quindaro a National Commemorative Site, with hopes for new opportunities for investment and preservation.
The bill has five sponsors, including U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver II, D-Missouri.

Rep. Yoder’s statement on the passage of the bill:

“Today, the House of Representatives has an opportunity to grant long overdue recognition to a historic site in Kansas City, Kansas that has its roots in our nation’s struggle for freedom and equality. The Quindaro Townsite National Commemorative Site Act is my bill to confer an important new designation to a piece of history that has unfortunately been overlooked on the federal level for far too long.

“Many local stakeholders have worked hard for decades to preserve Quindaro. Now, we have an opportunity to bring meaningful federal support to those who have dedicated their lives to this effort.

“National Commemorative Site designation will be a crucial step toward spreading the story of Quindaro beyond the city limits of Kansas City to people around the nation. Quindaro’s legacy – of people who were willing to lay down their lives in the name of freedom – is the legacy of America. By preserving what remains of this town, we take a small but meaningful step toward preserving every good and noble thing that our great nation stands for.”

The next step for this effort is in the U.S. Senate, where Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kansas, is sponsoring a companion bill.

Several planning and zoning items on Thursday’s UG agenda

Planning and zoning items are on Thursday night’s Unified Government Commission meeting agenda.

The meeting will be at 7 p.m. Thursday, July 26, at the Commission Chambers, lobby level, City Hall, 701 N. 7th St., Kansas City, Kansas.

Also on Thursday, there is a budget workshop scheduled at 5 p.m. in the fifth floor meeting room at City Hall. After the budget workshop, the UG Commission will go into a closed executive session on the ninth floor to discuss labor.

Possible discussion topics at the 5 p.m. July 26 budget workshop are economic development, the State Avenue corridor, K-32, Rosedale Master Plan, Northeast Master Plan, department special funds, Neighborhood Business Revitalization funding and Livable Neighborhoods.

At the 7 p.m. UG Commission meeting, items on the agenda include a resolution to adopt 11 budgetary and financial policies, an amendment to the Rosedale Master Plan to include the 47th Avenue Complete Street Plan, plus an ordinance affirming approval of the amendment to the Rosedale Master Plan.

Also on the 7 p.m. agenda:

• 952 Kansas Ave., change of zone from commercial district to light industrial and industrial park district for a private storage facility, Ronald D. Jury Revocable Trust.

• 2903 Shearer Road, renewal of a special use permit to park a work vehicle in a driveway.

• 452 S. 26th St., special use permit for the temporary use of land for a modular office trailer, Sunflower Tow Service.

• 2330 State Line Road, special use permit to sell semi-trailers, All American Trailer.

• 2101 W. 43rd Ave., special use permit for a temporary storage container for Crosswind Fellowship Church.

• 609 and 631 Central Ave., vacation of an alley between the two addresses, Rezek Muslet with Muslet LLC.

• 4807 N. 124th Court, vacation of utility easements, Accu-Surv Survey Co.

• 608 N. 18th, preliminary plan review for a building addition and parking, Donnelly College.

• 4141 and 4244 N. 67th St., an ordinance rezoning property from single-family district to agriculture district.

• 5015 Gibbs Road, an ordinance rezoning property from planned limited business district to planned commercial district.

• 10700 Lathrop, change of zone from agriculture district to Traditional Neighborhood Design district for a mixed residential development, Prairie Fire Development Group.

• 812 S. 12th St., special use permit for a restaurant-drinking establishment with live entertainment, Manhattan Bar and Grill, recommended for denial.

• 3200 N. 10th St., preliminary and final plan review for a church, retreat area, garden and small scale animal husbandry, St. Luke’s Lutheran Church.

Also on the 7 p.m. agenda are several Land Bank items:

Applications for yard extension, unless specified otherwise:
740 Simpson Ave. – Antonio Mesa, Jr.
1047 Ella Ave. – Maria Hernandez
710 S. 8th St. – Jesus Serrano
804 N. 20th St. – Misael Carreon
131 S. 14th St. – Rosario Martinez
4335 Parallel Pkwy. – Estralita Justice
340 Franklin Ave. – Nicole Skinner
2024 Quindaro Blvd. – Larry Watkins
1935 N. 14th St. – Dion Groves
1939 N. 14th St. – Dion Groves, for property acquisition
1937 N. 14th St. – Dion Groves, for property acquisition
1931 N. 25th St. – Elmer Moreira
1927 N. 25th St. – Elmer Moreira, for property acquisition
1855 R N. 9th St. – D & M Enterprise, LLC, for property acquisition
3113 W. 43rd Ave. – Drew Woolery, for new construction

Transfer from the Land Bank:
2714 Webster Ave. – Habitat for Humanity of Kansas City
2718 Webster Ave. – Habitat for Humanity of Kansas City
2736 Cleveland Ave. – Habitat for Humanity of Kansas City
(Habitat has requested parcels for future builds.)
847 Everett Ave. – Boulevard Lofts, LP
851 Everett Ave. – Boulevard Lofts, LP
829 Everett Ave. – Boulevard Lofts, LP
821 Everett Ave. – Boulevard Lofts, LP
819 Everett Ave. – Boulevard Lofts, LP
830 Washington Ave. – Boulevard Lofts, LP
1304 H N. 8th St. – Boulevard Lofts, LP
846 Everett Ave. – Boulevard Lofts, LP
844 H Everett Ave. – Boulevard Lofts, LP
842 Everett Ave. – Boulevard Lofts, LP
840 Everett Ave. – Boulevard Lofts, LP
836 Everett Ave. – Boulevard Lofts, LP
824 Everett Ave. – Boulevard Lofts, LP
(Properties will be part of a future development project.)

Donations to the Land Bank:
117 Quindaro Blvd. – Walnut Blvd. Missionary Baptist Church
119 Quindaro Blvd. – Walnut Blvd. Missionary Baptist Church
207 Quindaro Blvd. – Alyce Barnett
(Applicants have indicated that they are unable to keep up properties to UG standards.)

Transfers of property from Tax Sale No. 340 (04/26/18). This is property that did not sell at the tax sale and is now being placed into the Land Bank:
There are 241 properties on the tax sale list. The list is on page 572 of the agenda at https://wycokck.civicclerk.com/web/UserControls/DocPreview.aspx?p=1&aoid=1452.

Big fourth inning powers T-Bones to 6-3 win over Saltdogs

It may be the dog days of summer, but it wasn’t the Lincoln Saltdogs’ day as the T-Bones welcomed them to Kansas City by handing them a loss on Tuesday night.

The T-Bones defeated the Saltdogs 6–3 at home for an upbeat opening to their second series in their lengthy homestand at T-Bones Stadium in Kansas City, Kansas.

The T-Bones started strong in the field, with the T-Bones’ fielding and pitching keeping the Saltdogs from getting past second base all the way until the sixth inning.

It was a scoreless battle for the first three innings, until the T-Bones blew it wide open in the fourth, making it all the way through their batting order and tying a season high for hits in an inning.

To start the fourth inning, Mason Davis hit a double to left field. Todd Cunningham followed that with a single that had him racing to first base just in time to put runners at first and third.

Colin Walsh came up to bat next and hit a ball right past the shortstop, giving Davis time to score one for the T-Bones and resulting in a 1-0 lead.

The inning still wasn’t over as Noah Perio Jr. came up to bat and hit a single that sent Todd Cunningham home and doubled the T-Bones’ lead at 2-0.

Adrian Nieto was then hit by a pitch from starter Joe Bircher to load the bases. New T-Bones player Alay Lago then drove in a run with an infield single and was followed by Dexter Kjerstad who hit a sacrifice fly to center to score another run to give KC a 4-0 lead. Keith Curcio drove in the fifth run in the inning for a 5-1 T-Bones advantage.

The Saltdogs weren’t able to answer in the fifth as pitcher Adam Bleday took over for the T-Bones.

A single for Perio Jr. and a double for Nieto put Kansas City back in a threatening position, but they couldn’t score as Lago flied out to center field for the third out.

Pasquale Mazzoccoli came in to pitch for the T-Bones in the sixth and walked the bases load.

The Saltdogs came back and scored a run on an RBI single from Randolph Oduber.

Another pitching change for the T-Bones brought Kevin Hill, who came in to try and stop the Saltdogs. Lincoln was able to score one more on a sacrifice fly from Dan Johnson before they were stopped by a diving catch from Kjerstad for the third out, making the score T-Bones 5 – Saltdogs 3.

After stretching it out and switching pitchers for Nick Lee in the seventh, the T-Bones struck back with Todd Cunningham hitting a solo home run for the T-Bones’ only run of the inning.

The eighth and ninth innings were quick work for the T-Bones’ defense, with Marcus Crescentini striking out one in the eighth and relief pitcher Cody Winiarski striking out the last batter for the win Kansas City 6 – Lincoln 3.

Aquino (1-0) picked up the win while Bircher (3-5) was charged with the loss. Winiarski picked up his sixth save as Kansas City moved to (40-21) while Lincoln dropped to (30-30).

The T-Bones will face the Saltdogs again at 7:05 p.m. Wednesday as they look to get their 41st win of the season. It will be National Hot Dog Day, with 50-cent hot dogs all night.

The game can be heard on the T-Bones Broadcast Network on MixLR at http://mixlr.com/t-bones-baseball/.

Individual tickets, season, group, mini-plans and nightly party suites are on sale and can be purchased by visiting the box office at T-Bones Stadium, calling the box office at 913-328-5618, or www.tbonesbaseball.com. Box office hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday-Friday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.

– Story from T-Bones