Month: April 2019

Blue Devil softball improves to 27-13 with sweep at Park

by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC

The winningest team in the Jayhawk Conference put two more victories in the season’s record book Tuesday.

With 8-7 and 4-1 wins over Park University junior varsity in Parkville, Kansas City Kansas Community College boosted its season’s record to 27-13.

No other team in the conference has more than 20 wins on the season. At 8-4 in the conference, KCKCC is tied for third with Highland. Johnson County is first at 11-1 with Labette second at 9-3.

The Blue Devils are right back in action Thursday, as hosts of Coffeyville at 2 and 4 p.m. in the next-to-last home conference doubleheader and then go to first place Johnson County Saturday

Trailing 7-6 in the top of the seventh inning of the opener, the Blue Devils tied the game on doubles by Alexis Rymer and Alaina Howe and then went ahead to stay on a Jennica Messer single, her third hit of the day and third run batted in. Howe also had three hits and Rymer two.

Rymer put the Blue Devils ahead 2-0 in the first on a two-run triple following a walk and a single by Shay Grosstephan and they added two more runs in the second on hits by Howe and Messer.

Mackenzie Pinkerton got the pitching win, retiring the side in order in the bottom of the seventh after KCKCC had taken its 8-7 lead.

Pinkerton (11-7) allowed three runs and seven hits after coming on in relief of Grosstephan with one out in a 4-run Park third inning. Pinkerton struck out four and walked two while Grosstephan gave up four runs on six hits in 2 1/3 innings.

Faith Maslak (6-2) pitched a nifty 4-hitter in the 4-1 second game win, scattering seven hits while striking out one and walking one. The lone run came in the fourth inning on a two-out double.

The Blue Devils took a 2-0 lead in the first on singles by Devin Purcell, Grosstephan and Rymer and added a pair of runs in the fifth aided by three walks and a passed ball. Purcell had two hits while Rymer drove in two runs.

Wyandotte County under wind advisory today

A wind advisory has been issued for Wyandotte County today, according to the National Weather Service. (National Weather Service graphic)

Wyandotte County is under a wind advisory from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday, April 11, according to the National Weather Service.

Strong winds will develop across the region, and in Wyandotte County, will be 18 to 25 mph gusting as high as 46 mph, the weather service said.

The strong winds today mean there is elevated fire weather, according to the weather service.

Motorists, especially those driving high-profile vehicles and trailers, should use caution, the weather service said.

Open burning has been suspended Thursday in Kansas City, Kansas. Anyone who wants to apply for an open burning permit for Friday or other days should visit a fire station.

Saturday night through Sunday, moderate rainfall is in the forecast. A quarter to half-inch of rain is possible Saturday night in Wyandotte County, according to the weather service. The total here could be a half-inch to 1 inch of rain over the weekend.

Flooding concerns will return on the Missouri River at the end of next week, according to the weather service.

A frost or freeze will be possible on Friday and Saturday morning, the weather service said.

Today, it will be mostly sunny with a high near 58 and a southwest wind of 18 to 25 mph, gusting as high as 46 mph, the weather service said.

Tonight, the low will be around 34 with partly cloudy skies. A west wind of 15 to 21 mph will gust as high as 34 mph, according to the weather service.

Friday, it will be sunny with a high near 53 and a west wind of 14 to 18 mph, gusting as high as 30 mph, the weather service said.

Friday night, it will be partly cloudy with a low of 35 and a west wind of 5 to 9 mph becoming light and variable after midnight, according to the weather service.

Saturday, it will be mostly sunny, with a high near 55 and a north northeast wind of 5 to 8 mph, the weather service said.

Saturday night, there is a 70 percent chance of showers, mainly after 1 a.m., with a low of 37, according to the weather service. Between a quarter and half-inch of rain is possible.

Sunday, there is a 40 percent chance of showers before 1 p.m., with a high near 53, the weather service said.

Sunday night, it will be mostly clear, with a low of 38, according to the weather service.

Monday, it will be sunny, with a high near 69, the weather service said.

Monday night, it will be partly cloudy, with a low of 56, according to the weather service.

Tuesday, it will be partly sunny with a high near 72, the weather service said.

Tuesday night, there is a 40 percent chance of showers with a low of 53, according to the weather service.

Wednesday, there is a 50 percent chance of showers, with a high of 64, the weather service said.

Rain on Saturday night and Sunday may result in a total of a half-inch to 1 inch here, according to the National Weather Service. (National Weather Service graphic)
Frost is possible in some areas on Friday morning and Saturday morning. The low tonight will be 34 and the low on Friday night will be about 35. (National Weather Service graphic)

Public hearing set Thursday for redevelopment plan for downtown grocery store area

A public hearing is scheduled Thursday, April 11, on an ordinance adopting a redevelopment district plan for the downtown grocery area.

The public hearing will be at the Unified Government Commission meeting at 7 p.m. Thursday, April 11, in the Commission Chambers, lobby level, City Hall, 701 N. 7th St., Kansas City, Kansas.

Also on the agenda is the creation of two Kansas nonprofit corporations, to be controlled by the UG, that will assist in applying for new markets tax credit financing for the new grocery store and redevelopment district.

Also on the agenda is a resolution authorizing issuing of municipal temporary notes for $7.48 million for the Kaw River Bank stabilization project at Turkey Creek. This location where stabilization of the wing wall is needed is not far from 7th Street, on the south side, according to a previous UG meeting.

Another ordinance authorizes refunding general obligation bonds at $11,090,000.

Also on the agenda:
• An ordinance allowing legal proceedings to acquire property for the Piper Creek regional improvements Phase 1 project. The project authorizes gravity sewers to flow down the side of streams from Pump Station 67 and proposed new developments to a new regional pump station to be west of North 131st and south of Leavenworth Road. From that location, a new force main will run down Leavenworth Road, along existing Pump Station 63 force main to discharge in Conner Creek.

• An ordinance authorizing the issuing of up to $4 million in industrial revenue bonds to benefit PHVIF Kansas City, involving the renovation of the Hilton Garden Inn at 620 Minnesota Ave. Funds could be used for construction materials, furniture, fixtures and equipment for renovations.

• Extending the existing hold on Land Bank properties within the Northeast Master Plan area for 120 days.

• Declaring April as Fair Housing Month.

• Appointment of Christina VanCleave to the Advisory Commission on Human Relations and Disability Issues.
• Appointment of Stacy Purvis to the Self-Supporting Municipal Improvement District.

The UG Commission also will meet in a special session at 5 p.m. April 11 in the fifth floor conference room, City Hall, for a presentation on the inclusive play project.