November 2019 – Page 15 – Welcome to Wyandotte Daily!

How to get your vehicle ready for winter

Many people are taking advantage of the weather right now to install holiday lights, but while you’re deciding between clear or colorful – now is also the time to winterize your vehicle before severe winter weather returns.

Last year was on one of the most active winter seasons the Kansas-Missouri bi-state area has seen in many years. While the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) and the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) continue to stay alert and prepare to deal with snow and ice on area highways, the departments are working together to urge motorists to take care and do their part as well.

• Pack an emergency car kit:
Motorists should be prepared in case they are stranded. A winter emergency car kit could contain a flashlight with extra batteries, jumper cables, general first aid kit, tire chains, blanket, extra clothes, non-clumping kitty litter for traction, flares or reflective triangles, cell phone with extra batteries, drinking water, non-perishable food items, window washer solvent, ice scraper, snow brush and shovel.

• Check the tires:
Tires should always be inflated to their specified poundage and have enough tread to handle all road conditions. To check tire tread, insert a quarter into the tire tread upside down, with Washington’s head going in first. If the top of his head is visible at any point around the tire, you need new tires.

• Check the windshield wipers, fluid, and defroster:
Make sure wipers and the defroster are in good working order. Verify that windshield washer fluid reservoirs are filled with no-freeze washer fluid.

• Check the battery:
At 32 degrees, a car battery is 35 percent weaker than at warmer temperatures. At zero degrees, a car’s battery loses approximately 60 percent of its strength. A battery load test performed by a qualified technician will determine a battery’s strength for winter starts.

• Check the engine coolant system:
Antifreeze is important because it is used to cool the car’s engine, as well as protect it from freezing in cold weather.

Randy Johnson, KC Scout manager, said, “We urge motorists to prepare themselves for winter weather now. Winter is right around the corner and ensuring your vehicle is ready and packed with an emergency car kit could save your life.”

For more information on KDOT news, projects, and events, visit http://www.ksdot.org/divoperat/district1.asp. Follow us on Twitter at @KansasCityKDOT and on Facebook at @NEKansasKDOT. KDOT maintains about 2,000 miles of state roadway in three counties in the Kansas City metro.

Metropolitan holds off late KCKCC charge in 77-75 heartbreaker

KCKCC trainer Jordan Williams applied an ice pack to the leg of Sevon Witt after he crashed hard to the floor at Penn Valley Wednesday. Averaging 22.2 points and 11.6 rebounds, Witt missed the final 34 minutes in KCKCC’s 77-75 loss. (KCKCC photo by Alan Hoskins)

by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC

Over the years, Kansas City Kansas and Metropolitan Community Colleges have staged some of the wildest and most memorable finishes ever and Wednesday’s clash at Penn Valley was no different.

Despite playing the final 34 minutes without their biggest offensive weapon, the Blue Devils took the Wolves right down to the final second before dropping a 77-75 heartbreaker.

Trailing by as many as 10 points in the second half, the Blue Devils tied the game for the fifth time 66-66 with 5:19 left – but never could get the lead down the stretch. Two Kelechi Asuzu field goals put Metropolitan in front 70-66 but a Robert Rhodes rebound goal and a 3-pointer by Deron McDaniel kept KCKCC close at 72-71.

The Wolves twice rebuilt leads of 76-71 and 77-73 but a field goal by McDaniel and two Jermaine Yarbough free throws cut the KCKCC deficit to 77-75 with 23.5 seconds remaining. Given a chance for a win or tie when Metropolitan’s Alex Herndon missed a free throw with 18.6 seconds left, a pass deflection kept the Blue Devils from getting off a final shot.

“We set up to get a play in the post but couldn’t get the pass in,” KCKCC coach Brandon Burgette said.

The big comeback came with leading scorer and rebounder Sevon Witt on the bench with a leg injury suffered when he crashed hard on the floor and slid 20 feet to a back wall in attempting to block a breakaway shot with 14:19 left in the first half. Witt came into the game averaging a double-double with 22.2 points and 11.6 rebounds a game. He had started the game with two field goals including a thunderous dunk and a blocked shot.

“A big factor,” Burgette said. “Losing 22 points and 11 rebounds was a real big factor.”

Yarbough, Rhodes and McDaniel picked up much of the KCKCC offense after the injury. Yarbough had a near double-double with 15 points and 9 rebounds; Rhodes was 8-of-12 with four rebounds and a career high 16 points; and McDaniel scored 14 points including four (4-of-9) of KCKCC’s seven 3-pointers. Jalen Daniels added eight points, Ezekiel Lopes six and Calvin Slaughter five.

KCKCC had an edge in both shooting and rebounding. The Blue Devils were 31-of-65 for 47.7 percent from the field to .423 (30-of-71) for Metropolitan, and had a 37-32 edge on the boards.

“Overall, I think we played better,” Burgette said. “We just have to improve defensively. We’re not stopping people from scoring. And they got a lot of offensive rebounds which they converted into 13 second chance points.”

The Blue Devils (1-6) are right back on the road Friday when they play at Southwestern in Creston, Iowa. KCKCC also will compete in the Mineral Area Classic in Park Hills, Missouri, during Thanksgiving Week, facing Highland (Illinois) on Friday and Mineral Area on Saturday.

“We have a lot of basketball left; we just have to keep playing,” Burgette said.

KCKCC sophomore Cody Dortch ran into a sizeable roadblock in Metropolitan’s Arinze Mgbermena in the Blue Devils’ 77-75 loss Wednesday. KCKCC’s Tim Barbieri readied for a rebound. (KCKCC photo by Alan Hoskins)

Students from Turner schools participate in ‘Nutcracker’ ballet

by William Crum

Soon the holiday season will be here. This is where family and friends get together and traditions are made.

One tradition in my home as I grew up was going to the Kansas City Ballet’s “Nutcracker” performance. Did you know there are kids that live here and are in the “Nutcracker” ballet? Students from the Turner School District, through a community engagement and education program, participate in the ballet.

How it works is a teacher from the Kansas City Ballet comes to the school and teaches ballet. One school that participates is Oak Grove Elementary. By having this outreach program, students learn better. They seem more relaxed, said James Polk, principal of Oak Grove Elementary.

Currently some schools in the Turner district participate in this program sponsored by the Kansas City Ballet.

A teacher from the ballet goes to the school and teaches a class in the gym once a week. Students are observed by the teacher with a watchful eye. Those students who show desire and perseverance are invited into the scholarship program. Statistics show that schools that have programs like this have students who are more relaxed and attentive in school. Plus, they have a tendency to be able to cope with life a lot easier.

Rowan Bouray is a student who has a scholarship from the Kansas City Ballet. She has performed in the “Nutcracker” for the last two years. This year she will be a soldier in the performance.

When asked how she feels when she dances in the ballet, Rowan, who is shy, lit up with happiness.

“It makes me happy inside,” she said. “I feel like an angel.”

Rowan is a student at Turner Elementary, a future ballerina in the making.

There are others like Rowan who come from the Turner School District.

“I really enjoy working with the Turner School District,” said April Berry, outreach director for the Kansas City Ballet, adding that she was looking forward to working with them for years to come.

Besides the “Nutcracker,” the students may participate later in “Swan Lake.”

The “Nutcracker” opens on Dec. 5. For ticket information, visit https://kcballet.org/events/the-nutcracker/ or call 816-931-8993.