Month: October 2018

Questions and answers about voter registration in Wyandotte County

Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018, and voter registration closes soon. Here are some questions and answers with Election Commissioner Bruce Newby about voter registration in Wyandotte County.

Question: Do you have any general information on voter registration for the Wyandotte Daily?

Answer: The deadline to apply for voter registration is Tuesday, Oct. 16th. Applications must be received or postmarked by the deadline. Additional details are found on our website at www.wycovotes.org

Question: Where and how can people register, and how is voter registration going in Wyandotte County?

Answer: A citizen with a Kansas Driver’s License or Nondriver’s Identification Card may register to vote online. A citizen can also download the voter registration application from our website, fill it out, sign it and mail, fax or email the application to the Election Office. Our email address is election@wycokck.org.

In-person voter registration is available at 15 locations in the county. I have attached the list of voter registration locations. (The list is at the bottom of this story.)

Voter registration for the August primary was 80,897. The number of registered voters has increased since then to 82,400.

Question: Do you have a statement about a voter letter that went out to some Wyandotte County residents about sending in their information for mail-in ballots – a letter that wasn’t sent out by the election commissioner’s office?

Answer: Many voters have received an application to vote by mail from an out-of-state entity, the Voter Participation Center. Many voters have used the application to apply using the form provided. However, voters are cautioned to be sure that they are sending their application to the Wyandotte County Election Office. We have evidence that some voters have received the application but also received an envelope addressed to a different Kansas county election officer.

This letter has also been confusing to our voters who are permanent advance voters as well as many who had already applied for a mail ballot. If a voter has already applied or is on the permanent list, they do not need to apply again.

On a positive note, the application has been submitted by many voters in the past few days.

To date, there are 5,960 voters who have applied to receive a ballot by mail. We encourage all voters who have applied for a ballot by mail to vote by mail. Please do not also try to vote in person during early voting or on Election Day. It is illegal to vote or attempt to vote more than once.

VOTER REGISTRATION

DOWNTOWN LOCATIONS

Unified Government Clerk’s Office, Municipal Office Bldg – Room 323 (City Hall)
701 N. 7th St., RM 323
Kansas City, KS 66101

Kansas City Kansas Main Public Library (Information Desk)
625 Minnesota Ave.
Kansas City, KS 66101

El Centro Inc.
650 Minnesota Ave.
Kansas City, KS 66101

Wyandotte County Election Office
850 State Ave.
Kansas City, KS 66101

CENTRAL LOCATIONS

Donnelly College – (Student Services Office)
608 N. 18th St.
Kansas City, KS 66102

ROSEDALE LOCATIONS

Rosedale Development Association
1403 Southwest Blvd.
Kansas City, KS 66103

ARGENTINE LOCATIONS

South Branch Library
3104 Strong Ave.
Kansas City, KS 66106

ARMOURDALE LOCATIONS

Armourdale Renewal Association
Armourdale Recreation Center
730 Osage Ave.
Kansas City, KS 66105

WEST LOCATIONS

Neighborhood Resource Center
4953 State Ave.
Kansas City, KS 66102

K C K Community College (Jewell Student Center, Lower Level)
7250 State Ave.
Kansas City, KS 66112

Wyandotte West Branch Library (Circulation)
1737 N. 82nd St.
Kansas City, KS 66112

PIPER LOCATIONS

Piper U S D #203 (District Office)
3130 N. 122nd St.
Kansas City, KS 66109

EDWARDSVILLE LOCATIONS

City Clerk’s Office (Edwardsville City Hall)
690 S. 4th St.
Edwardsville, KS 66111

BONNER SPRINGS LOCATIONS

City Clerk’s Office (Bonner Springs City Hall)
205 E. 2nd St.
Bonner Springs, KS 66012

Bonner Springs City Library (check-out desk)
201 N. Nettleton
Bonner Springs. KS 66012

Alcott plans Second Saturday art event

The Alcott Arts Center, 180 S. 18th St., Kansas City, Kansas, will sponsor its Second Saturday art event from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 13.

Bishop Ward High School students will display art exhibits in the Mashburn and Harrison galleries at the Alcott Arts Center, said Chris Green, Alcott executive director.

The theme of the show is “Breaking Traditions,” and it will join science, visual and performing arts.

Besides art and photography exhibits, there will be Day of the Dead altars created by the Honors Spanish 3 students at the high school, she said.

A Ceramics 1 class at Bishop Ward made animals and animal totems that will be on display.

Even the microbiology and honors biology classes contributed works of what cells look like under the microscope.

“They also did a painting, where they had to calculate the viscosity of the paint before they poured it out,” Green said. She added she was impressed with the controlled pour painting.

A reception will begin at 6:30 p.m. for the student artists, she added. The event is open to the public.

During the event, the Bishop Ward pep band will be performing outdoors, weather-permitting, she said. A solo monologue also is planned.

Green said the Alcott Arts Center also is preparing for its annual Halloween event at the Alcott from 5 to 8 p.m. Oct. 31. The theme this year is the “Wizard of Oz.”

The Alcott parking lot on Oct. 31 will be decorated with scenes from the “Wizard of Oz,” she said, and volunteers will be in costume there. Visitors will walk through the gates, follow a yellow brick road and see the scenes, she said.

Artist Darryl Woods will be there and will have posters for children to select, she said. Also, Sheryl Nance-Durst will volunteer her time to do face-painting.

The Unified Government’s lead paint program will be staffing a booth portraying the house that fell on the witch, she said. Information will be handed out about the lead paint program.

Children will receive a bag of candy at the event, she said.

“We are still seeking sponsors, partners and donors for Halloween, and we still need candy,” Green said. Candy can be donated, and monetary donations to the event also will be accepted. Volunteers also are needed, and people may call 913-233-2787 or email chris1@alcottartscenter.org for more information.

The Alcott Arts Center is not yet ADA accessible. For more information, visit https://www.alcottartscenter.org/ or call 913-233-2787.

Rosedale Development Association receives Thrive award

The Rosedale Development Association received the Organization with the Greatest Impact award at the Thrive program Thursday night sponsored by the Kansas City Local Initiative Support Corp. (LISC).

The LISC Thrive awards program was held at the Scottish Rite Temple, Kansas City, Missouri. Thrive is an annual awards ceremony that recognizes achievements in community development.

Other organizations and individuals honored at Thrive were Habitat for Humanity’s Home Preservation Program, Broderick Crawford, Diosselyn Tot, Avenue of Life’s Impact Wednesday, of Kansas City, Kansas; Ajamu Webster and Kennedy Johnson of Kansas City, Missouri.

The Organization with the Greatest Impact award was given to an organization that has demonstrated a persistent and effective commitment to and impact on a neighborhood for at least 10 years.

According to agency officials, the RDA was started as the Rosedale Community Council in 1945, and addressed neighborhood blight, business development, crime, zoning and flood control. The organization became the Rosedale Development Association in 1978, and is now celebrating its 40th year. Today, RDA continues to work with residents, businesses and institutions to develop the Rosedale community.

RDA has worked with LISC grants to repaint a mural on Mission Road, work on a water fountain in Fisher Park and help build a playground at Fisher Park, said Erin Stryka, executive director of RDA.

“LISC does a lot of amazing stuff in Kansas City,” Stryka said. “Their investment in communities has made a great difference in Rosedale for years.”

According to an RDA news release, the organization approaches programs and services from a whole community perspective, seeing neighbors as experts on their assets as well as needs.

One neighbor, Peggy Bell, lives at the nearby Rosedale Towers and often participates in the Fisher Park Walking Club. Bell says of RDA’s mission, “Rosedale is a better place to live than any other… a thriving Rosedale community is one in which all members engage with one another and treat each other well… [I want] to live in a place where no one has to struggle alone and where people feel safe and connected.”

Also at the Thrive Awards, Broderick Crawford was recognized as a community leader and volunteer who has assisted and improved the lives of those who are less fortunate.

Crawford has worked to restore the environment in northeast Kansas City, Kansas, including the Jersey Creek Trail Renovation and Expansion Project.

He has worked extensively on community projects with the NBC Community Development Corp.

Also recognized at the Thrive Awards as a youth leader was Diosselyn Tot, a Wyandotte County resident and graduate of Sumner Academy and the University of Kansas.

According to the Thrive award, she uses her experience and passion in community building and engagement to lead environmental, art and entrepreneurial projects.

Some of her projects included an integrated voter engagement program, a know-your-rights workshop and art squad. She is a co-founder of Urbanworks, an organization that supports activities and projects that address neighborhood concerns.

The Thrive Innovation Award was given to Avenue of Life’s Impact Wednesday, an approach to solving homelessness in Wyandotte County that combines collaboration, wrap-around services and comprehensive case management at one location.