Month: January 2020

‪Weather cancellations announced

KCK schools cancel after-school activities

All after-school activities have been canceled for Friday, Jan. 10, for the Kansas City, Kansas, Public Schools, because of the forecasted inclement weather.

Also, Kidzone has been canceled for Friday, Jan. 10, and there will be no transportation for students to Kidzones sites, according to the district.

Piper schools cancel after-school activities

The Piper School District also has canceled after-school activities on Friday, and some activities on Saturday. For a list of the activities, see https://www.facebook.com/Piperusd203/ .

Turner school district changes some activities

The Turner school district has moved up some playing times of athletic events on Friday, including a varsity girls basketball game at 4 p.m. and varsity boys basketball at 5:30 p.m. at Leavenworth.

All Saturday athletic events for the Turner district have been canceled. Check back for updates on events at the Turner USD #202 page on Facebook.

Bonner Springs postponing sports events

The Bonner Springs-Edwardsville school district, along with many other schools, is postponing athletic games scheduled tonight. The Bonner Springs basketball games have been rescheduled to Tuesday, Jan. 28. A home wrestling tournament and an away powerlifting meet this weekend have been canceled.

KCKCC weather cancellation

KCKCC has closed all locations on Saturday because of anticipated inclement weather. All day and evening events will be canceled.

Because of threatening weather conditions, games in the 2020 KCKCC Classic Saturday have been canceled. However, today’s games between Fort Scott and Metropolitan Community College (5:30 p.m.) and KCKCC and On Point Hoops Academy (7:30 p.m.) will be played as scheduled. No decision has been made if KCKCC’s scheduled games with Metropolitan Saturday will be rescheduled.

Children’s Mercy closing Urgent Care locations at 5 p.m.

Children’s Mercy has announced that all three Kansas City area Children’s Mercy Urgent Care locations will close at 5 p.m. Friday because of the winter storm warning.

All three Children’s Mercy Urgent Care locations in the Kansas City area also will be closed Saturday because of the weather.

Avoid travel

The Unified Government, in its social media posts, is urging residents to avoid travel during the winter storm. The storm warning is in effect from 6 p.m. Friday to 6 p.m. Saturday, and the storm may include ice, sleet and snow.

RideKC may adjust for winter storm

RideKC, the public bus service, stated that the forecasted snow and ice may affect service on Friday and Saturday. There could be the potential for service suspensions. Customers of the paratransit service may want to consider rescheduling nonessential trips. For more information, visit https://ridekc.org/bulletins/weather-status-january-10-11 . Schedule changes will be posted at www.ridekc.org.

KCK libraries closed Saturday

The Kansas City, Kansas, Public Libraries will be closed Saturday because of the weather. All locations will be closed.

Spirit AeroSystems to lay off 2,800 workers in Wichita amid 737 Max shutdown

by Nadya Faulx and Tom Shine, Kansas News Service

Spirit AeroSystems announced Friday that it will lay off 2,800 employees at its plant in Wichita as the shutdown of the Boeing 737 Max program drags on.

The move comes just weeks after Boeing ordered Spirit to halt all deliveries of 737 Max components. Spirit produces about 70 percent of the jet at its facility in south Wichita, including the fuselage. The program accounts for half of the company’s annual revenue.

“The difficult decision announced today is a necessary step given the uncertainty related to both the timing for resuming 737 MAX production and the overall production levels that can be expected following the production suspension,” Spirit CEO Tom Gentile said in a statement.

The company says employees will receive compensation during the required 60-day notice period. Employees will begin leaving on Jan. 22.

Further workforce reductions are possible in the future, Spirit said in a news release.

Spirit earlier this week said it was seeking voluntary layoffs. The company employs about 13,000 people in Wichita, making it the city’s largest private employer.

Gov. Laura Kelly has previously offered help to Spirit employees, including possibly using the state’s fund for unemployment benefits to pay part of the salaries of Spirit workers, so that they could remain in their jobs.

The company said it reduced the number of layoffs by moving some 737 Max employees to other programs. It said it plans to hold job fairs with other aerospace companies to help laid-off employees find work.

Spirit also announced smaller layoffs later this month at its two facilities in Oklahoma.

The problems at Spirit and Boeing also are affecting more than 40 aerospace companies in south-central Kansas that provide parts and services for the 737 Max.

The 737 Max was grounded last March following two fatal crashes overseas. The FAA has not indicated when the jet might be cleared to return to service.

U.S. Senator Jerry Moran, who toured a Spirit supplier in Wichita on Thursday, said he is continuing to urge the FAA to return the 737 Max to service as soon as the jet is found to be safe. He also said he has been in contact with President Donald Trump.

“And so the message is: Sooner rather than later, please get these planes flying,” Moran said.

Gentile, Spirit’s CEO, said in the statement that when production levels of the 737 Max “increase sufficiently in the future, we look forward to recalling employees impacted by today’s announcement.”

When that will be is uncertain. When Boeing resumes production, it is likely to be at a slower rate than before the plane was grounded, Spirit said in a news release.

Spirit said it has more than 100 737 Max structures in storage at its facilities. In addition, Boeing has several hundred 737 Max airplanes built but not yet delivered to its customers.

Kansas News Service stories and photos may be republished at no cost with proper attribution and a link back to kcur.org.
See more at https://www.kcur.org/post/spirit-aerosystems-lay-2800-workers-amid-737-max-shutdown

Help available on heating bills for low-income families

Heating your home during the winter months can create a financial burden. In an effort to help keep Kansans warm this winter, the Kansas Department for Children and Families has begun accepting applications for its Low- Income Energy Assistance Program (LIEAP).

“Winters in Kansas have the likelihood of bringing frigid temperatures, and we want to ensure families don’t suffer from the cold due to financial concerns,” DCF Secretary Laura Howard said in a news release. “Our staff is prepared to begin processing LIEAP applications, so families have warm homes this winter season.”

LIEAP provides an annual benefit to help qualifying households pay winter heating bills. Persons with disabilities, older adults and families with children are the primary groups assisted.

In 2019, about 33,000 households received an average benefit of $576.

To qualify, applicants must be responsible for direct payment of their heating bills. Income eligibility requirements are set at 130 percent of the federal poverty level. The level of benefit varies according to household income, number of people living in the home, type of residence, type of heating fuel and utility rates.

Applicants need to have made payments on their heating bill two out of the last three months, according to the DCF news release. Those payments must be equal to or exceed $80 or the total balance due on their energy bills, whichever is less.

Applications for the program have been mailed to households that received energy assistance last year. LIEAP applications are also available at local DCF offices and through partnering agencies. They can be requested by calling 1-800-432-0043. To apply online, visit https://cssp.kees.ks.gov/apspssp/sspNonMed.portal. For more information, visit www.lieap.dcf.ks.gov.

Applications will be accepted now through March 31. Income eligibility determination:

Persons Living at the Address – Maximum Gross Monthly Income
1 – $1,354
2 – $1,832
3 – $2,311
4 – $2,790
5 – $3,269
6 – $3,748
7 – $4,227
8 – $4,705
9 – $5,184

10 – $5,663
11 – $6,142
12 – $6,621
+1 – $479 for each additional person

Funding for the Low-Income Energy Assistance program is provided by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Community Service through the Federal Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program.