Month: February 2019

KCKCC named 2019 Military Friendly School

by Kelly Rogge, KCKCC

VIQTORY has released its 2019 Military Friendly Schools List and Kansas City Kansas Community College has once again been recognized for its continued focus on veterans.

Awarded to the top colleges, universities and trade schools in the country, the Military Friendly Schools designation is used to show which educational institutions are doing the most to embrace military students and to dedicate resources to ensure their success in the classroom and after graduation.

The Military Friendly designation provides service members transparent, data-driven ratings about post-military education and career opportunities.

KCKCC is one of 13 schools in Kansas to receive the designation. Others include Butler Community College, Benedictine College, Cowley College, Friends University, Newman University, Salina Area Technical College, Coffeyville Community College, Washburn University, Labette Community College, Baker University, Kansas State University and the University of Kansas. The University of Missouri and Park University, both in Missouri, were also included on the 2019 list.

“The survey shows that KCKCC is committed to serving our military and veteran student population,” said Wade Abel, director of military and veteran student services at KCKCC. “It shows that we are ensuring they have the resources needed to be successful here at KCKCC and when they leave.”

KCKCC opened its new Veterans Center in September 2018 as a way to better serve the nearly 20,000 veterans in Wyandotte and Leavenworth counties. The center provides active duty military, veterans and military dependents with the resources, tools and services needed to help them achieve educational success. Since opening, the Veterans Center has served more than 600 military and veteran students.

“Students use the resources available to them at the center,” Abel said. “These resources include information on applying for and using VA benefits, certification of classes taken using benefits and use of the study area and computer lab.”

The methodology used for making the Military Friendly Schools list has changed the student veteran landscape to one much more transparent and has played a significant role in capturing and advancing best practices to support military students across the country.

The school survey, methodology, criteria and weightings are developed by Viqtory with the input from the Military Friendly Advisory Council made up of independent leaders in the higher education and military recruitment community. The survey is administered for free and is open to all post-secondary schools who wish to participate. Criteria for consideration can be found on the Military Friendly® Schools website www.militaryfriendly.com.

For more information about KCKCC’s commitment to attracting and supporting military students, visit the KCKCC website at www.kckcc.edu or call the Veterans Center at 913-228-7593.

DA to seek death penalty for killing of two sheriff’s deputies

Antoine R. Fielder

District Attorney Mark Dupree Sr. has announced he will seek the death penalty for Antoine Ramon Fielder, who is accused of the murder of two sheriff’s deputies in Wyandotte County.

A spokesman for the district attorney said today that the district attorney has filed a notice of intent to seek the death penalty in the case.

Fielder, 30, is charged with capital murder in the deaths of Wyandotte County sheriff’s deputies Patrick Rohrer and Theresa King. They were on duty, transporting Fielder back to the jail in June 2018 when they were overpowered and killed.

Families of the victims have hired private attorneys to assist with the case.

Fielder was listed on the jail records as having been charged previously with battery, murder, robbery and assault.

A hearing was scheduled this morning in the current case.

Temperatures may reach 48 today

The temperature may reach a high of 48 today in Wyandotte County, according to the National Weather Service.

The warming trend will continue into and through the weekend with 50 to 60 degrees possible by Sunday, the weather service said.

Patchy fog and light rain and drizzle will be possible Friday and Saturday, then a chance for light snow returns by Tuesday, according to the weather service.

The temperature was 22 degrees with a wind chill of 13 at 8 a.m. Friday.
Skies will be mostly sunny today with a high near 48 and a calm wind becoming south 5 to 8 mph in the afternoon, the weather service said.

Tonight, there is a 20 percent chance of rain after midnight, with a low around 38 and a south wind of 7 mph, according to the weather service.

Saturday, there is a 20 percent chance of rain before noon, with patchy fog after noon, the weather service said. The high will be near 56 with a south wind of 7 to 11 mph.

Saturday night, there is a 20 percent chance of rain after midnight, with patchy fog, and a low around 50, according to the weather service. A south southwest wind will be around 11 mph, gusting as high as 20 mph.

Sunday, it will be mostly cloudy with a high near 62 and a south wind of 9 to 14 mph, gusting as high as 23 mph, the weather service said.

Sunday night, there is a 20 percent chance of rain after midnight, with a low of 48, according to the weather service.

Monday, it will be sunny with a high near 50, the weather service said.

Monday night, it will be partly cloudy, with a low of 26, according to the weather service.

Tuesday, there is a 40 percent chance of snow before noon, with a high near 37, the weather service said.

Tuesday night, it will be mostly cloudy with a low of 27, according to the weather service.

Wednesday, there is a 30 percent chance of snow, with a high near 34, the weather service said.

Wednesday night, there is a 30 percent chance of snow, with a low of 15, according to the weather service.

Thursday, there is a 30 percent chance of snow, with a high near 27, the weather service said.