January 2019 – Page 37 – Welcome to Wyandotte Daily!

Residents urged to be prepared with winter storm approaching

With a winter storm system in the forecast tonight and Saturday for Wyandotte County, with from three to five inches of snow possible, residents are urged to be prepared.

The Kansas Division of Emergency Management is activating the State Emergency Operations Center in Topeka to an enhanced steady state, a partial level, to monitor weather conditions and stand by to receive any requests for state assistance.

Gov. Laura Kelly has issued a state of disaster emergency declaration for Kansas on Friday afternoon. It authorizes state resources and personnel to be used to assist with response and recovery operations in affected counties.

“I encourage all Kansans to stay warm and safe during the projected snow storm in the coming days,” Gov. Kelly said in a news release. “Stay off the roads if possible and be mindful of emergency response personnel working hard to keep our citizens safe.”

The Kansas National Guard has Stranded Motorists Assistance Response Teams in three locations in northeast Kansas because of the projected snowfall and strong northerly winds. These units will have the ability to assist local public safety agencies to reach stranded motorists if local resources are exceeded.

“Kansans are urged to change or delay their travel plans in these areas until the storm moves through,” said Jonathan York, Response and Recovery Branch director. “If you plan to travel, use caution and make sure your car emergency kit is stocked.”

The storm is expected to begin around 6 p.m. Friday in Wyandotte County, and the area is under a winter weather advisory until 3 p.m. Saturday.

The temperature was in the mid-30s at 4 p.m. in Wyandotte County, but is expected to fall to 19 tonight and to 8 degrees on Saturday night, according to the National Weather Service.

In advance of the snowstorm the Kansas Highway Patrol will be towing away abandoned vehicles on state-maintained highways in the Kansas City area this evening to help with snow removal efforts.

The Unified Government here also has snow removal policies, online at https://www.wycokck.org/Street/Snow.aspx. The UG policy encourages residents to move vehicles off the street in order to help with snow plowing.

Residents also were advised by state emergency officials to keep cats and dogs inside in warmer temperatures.

Winter road conditions are accessible by dialing 5-1-1 from a mobile phone anywhere in Kansas; outside Kansas call 1-866-511-5368 (KDOT). Road conditions may also be viewed on the Kansas Department of Transportation web site at http://kandrive.org.

If you must travel, be sure your car’s gas tank is full and you have an emergency kit. Vehicle emergency kits should include blankets, flashlights, batteries, a cell phone charger, hand-warmers, high-energy food snacks, bottled water, necessary medications, a snow shovel, flares and other emergency supplies. Make sure your cell phone is charged and someone is aware of your itinerary, including expected time of arrival.

For a complete list of items for an emergency kit, go to www.ready.gov.

Overland Park man charged in government contract fraud scheme

Troy L. Bechtel, 49, of Overland Park, Kansas, is charged in a federal indictment with two counts of major program fraud against the United States and two counts of lying to federal investigators, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.

The indictment alleges that from August 2009 to April 2013 Bechtel aided and abetted other persons unlawfully to obtain more than $12.7 million from a contract with the Department of Defense.

The indictment alleges Bechtel and other persons falsely represented that United Medical Design Builders, LLC, of Merriam, Kansas, was controlled by co-defendant Joseph David Dial Jr., a disabled veteran of the U.S. Army.

In fact, UMDB was a pass-through company that Dial did not control. The company received a contract through the Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business program that was awarded by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for the design and construction of healthcare facilities at Langley AFB, Andrews AFB, Hanscom AFB and McGuire AFB.

The indictment alleges Bechtel ran the daily operations for UMDB and made project decisions without reporting to or consulting with Dial. Dial was rarely in the office. He also signed a blank sheet of paper that was scanned for use on official letters and correspondence.

Co-defendant Dial pleaded guilty to one count of major program fraud and one count of wire fraud. He is set for sentencing Jan. 28.

If convicted, Bechtel faces up to 10 years in federal prison on each count of defrauding the government and up to five years on each count of lying to investigators, as well as fines and forfeiture judgment representing the amount of proceeds obtained by committing the offenses set out in the indictment.

Investigative agencies include the Small Business Administration – Officer of Inspector General, General Services Administration – Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service and the Army CID Major Procurement Fraud Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tris Hunt is prosecuting.

Blue Devils cruise 65-43; Park JV to visit at 4 p.m. Friday

Sophomore Malcolm Tate maneuvered between two Saint Mary defenders for a layup attempt in KCKCC’s 65-43 win over the Spires Thursday. (KCKCC photo by Alan Hoskins)

by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC

Kansas City Kansas Community College’s Blue Devils will try to make it three wins in a row Friday after cruising to a 65-43 win over Saint Mary junior varsity Thursday.

The Blue Devils will close out non-conference play Friday when they play host to Park University junior varsity in a 4 p.m. tipoff, a game that was originally scheduled for 8 p.m. but moved up because of possible inclement weather.

The Blue Devils never trailed after the opening minute against Saint Mary.

Led by freshman Calvin Slaughter and sophomore Malcolm Tate, the Blue Devils surged to a 34-17 halftime lead. Slaughter scored 11 points and DuVonte’ Beard 8 and both were 4-for-6 from the field. Closest the Spires could get in the second half was 41-33 before the Blue Devils pulled away.

A 6-2 guard from Macon, Georgia, Slaughter led all scorers with 15 points while Beard was 6-of-8 from the field in netting 12 points.

Sophomore Arother Ratliff and freshmen Kelyn Bolton and Cody Dortch each added seven points, Taylor Turner six and Jonathan Richmond five.

A freshman from Shawnee Mission East, Bolton also had a big night for assists, handing out a season high eight. Slaughter and Dortch added three apiece as the Blue Devils assisted on 16 of 27 field goals.

The Blue Devils won the rebound battle 44-25 with Daiyon Taylor and Slaughter pulling down six each and Bolton, Ratliff and Beard five apiece.

“Happy to win two in a row for the first time this season,” KCKCC coach Kelley Newton said. “We had too many turnovers. Just five at halftime but 10 the second half. The second half we were able to get some easy buckets in transition which was good but with the conference season opening next week we just have to get better.”

KCKCC plays host to Labette in the Blue Devils Jayhawk Conference opener at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday. In other openers, Highland plays at Johnson County and Fort Scott at Hesston.