A Blue Springs, Missouri, man died in a traffic accident at 6:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 6, on eastbound I-670, just west of Genessee Street, according to a Kansas Highway Patrol crash report.
The location was in Kansas City, Kansas, the trooper’s report stated.
A 2014 BMW and a 2010 Freightliner semi were eastbound on I-670, the report stated.
The semi slowed to a stop for traffic ahead, and the BMW did not slow, striking the rear of the semi, according to the trooper’s report.
The driver of the BMW, James Harry Williams, 69, of Blue Springs, Missouri, was taken to a Missouri hospital, where he died, according to the report. He had not been wearing a safety restraint, according to the trooper’s report.
The driver of the Freightliner, a 35-year-old Kansas City, Kansas, man, was taken to the hospital with a suspected minor injury, according to the trooper’s report.
Kansas City Kansas Community College will start the second half of the 2019-2020 women’s basketball season ranked No. 2 in NJCAA Division II when the Lady Blue Devils play host to Southeast Nebraska Thursday at 4 p.m.
No. 1 Kirkwood (15-1), the only team to defeat KCKCC, remained No. 1 despite suffering its first loss at the hands of Illinois Central 80-74 Dec. 30. Lincoln Land is No. 3 followed by two Jayhawk Conference rivals, No. 4 Johnson County (14-1) and No. 5 Highland (13-0).
“For a young and inexperienced group, to be 14-1 playing a good competitive schedule and traveling as much as we have, I’m really proud of them for the position they’ve put themselves in,” fifth-year coach Joe McKinstry said. “Our first semester record does not reflect the ups and downs that this group has had to overcome and I think that speaks to their talent and ability as a group.”
Indeed, the Blue Devils played the first half of the season with only one returning member of the 2019 national championship team, 5-6 guard Brodi Byrd. They’ve also battled through several injuries and in fact, had only eight healthy players in their last game against Southeast Illinois in St. Louis.
The key to KCKCC’s first half success has been balance. Seven different players have led the scoring and eight have either led or shared the lead in rebounding. Even more impressive, 10 Blue Devils are averaging 5.8 points a game or better.
Kamryn Estell, a 6-1 forward from Belton and the Blue Devils’ lone 6-footer, leads offensively. Second in the Jayhawk Conference in scoring at 14.5, she’s also fifth in rebounds (8.3) and fourth in field goal accuracy (.546). Byrd at 11.2 points and Anija Frazier, who is averaging 13.8 points and 6.0 rebounds after missing the first 11 games, are the other Blue Devils in double figures.
Five guards are bunched closely led by 5-7 Aliyah Myers, who is averaging 8.9 points, followed 5-6 Tiaira Earnest, 6.9; 5-5 Adoreya Williams, 6.7; 5-6 Jada Mayberry, 6.6; and 5-5 Destiny Zamudio, 6.3; and 5-11 forward Mercer Roberts, 5.8 and 6.4 rebounds.
Despite the lack of size, the Blue Devils are outrebounding foes by nearly four a game thanks to contributions from guards Earnest (4.3), Byrd (4.2), Mayberry (4.1) and Myers (3.9). Byrd and Myers lead in assists with 2.7 per game. Averaging 78.9 points a game, the Blue Devils are giving up 62.7 points per contest.
In addition to playing host to Southeast Nebraska Thursday, the Blue Devils entertain Metropolitan Saturday at 6 p.m. and they finish non-conference play with three games on the road before the conference opener at Labette Jan. 22.
“I think that game on Jan. 22 will tell us if we’re a contender or not,” McKinstry said. “Right now we’re nowhere near where we need to be and we haven’t shown what we’re capable of on a consistent level. But that’s a good thing as long as we understand and accept the responsibility that we can be better. We have five games to work out some kinks and get ourselves back in shape before we start right off with a very tough road game at Labette. Win or lose there, we’ll find out if we’re really here to play for something meaningful at the end of the season.”
A large change in temperatures is in the forecast from Thursday through Saturday, as a storm system moves into the Wyandotte County area, according to the National Weather Service. Temperatures will drop on Friday, and then drop again on Saturday, with freezing rain and snow in the forecast. (National Weather Service graphic)Rain, freezing rain and snow is possible on Friday evening, with snow in the forecast for Saturday. (National Weather Service graphic)
Wednesday began with a 32-degree temperature and a 22-degree wind chill reading at 9 a.m., but the weather should warm up to about 51 degrees later today, according to the National Weather Service forecast..
There is an elevated fire risk today, with winds gusting up to 26 mph, the weather service said.
The next chance for precipitation will be on Thursday when showers and a few thunderstorms will be possible, according to the weather service. Severe weather is not expected.
Temperatures will rise to about 60 degrees on Thursday before dropping to a high of about 46 on Friday. Temperatures continue dropping on Saturday, when the high will be about 23 degrees.
Rain on Friday is expected to change over to freezing rain Friday night into Saturday morning, the weather service said. By mid-morning Saturday, light snow is expected across the outlook area.
Today, it will be sunny with a high near 51 and a southeast wind of 13 to 15 mph, gusting as high as 26 mph, the weather service said.
Tonight, it will be partly cloudy, with a low of 45, according to the weather service. It will be breezy, with a south wind of 13 to 22 mph, gusting to 34 mph.
Thursday, there is a 30 percent chance of showers or drizzle before noon, then a chance of showers after noon, the weather service said. The high will be near 60, with a south southwest wind of 18 to 23 mph decreasing to 8 to 13 mph in the afternoon. Winds may gust as high as 36 mph. Less than a tenth of an inch of precipitation is expected.
Thursday night, there is a 50 percent chance of showers before midnight, then a chance of rain after midnight, according to the weather service. The low will be around 39. The wind will be calm. Less than a tenth of an inch of precipitation is expected.
Friday, there is a 90 percent chance of rain, with a high near 46, the weather service said. A light northeast wind will become north northeast 6 to 11 mph in the morning. Winds may gust as high as 25 mph. Between a quarter and half-inch of rain is possible.
Friday night, there is a 70 percent chance of rain, possibly mixed with freezing rain before 11 p.m., then freezing rain is likely, possibly with snow, according to the weather service. The low will be around 20. Between a tenth and quarter-inch of precipitation is possible.
Saturday, there is a 30 percent chance of snow before noon, with a high near 23, the weather service said.
Saturday night, it will be mostly clear, with a low of 17, according to the weather service.
Sunday, it will be mostly sunny, with a high near 42, the weather service said.
Sunday night, it will be mostly cloudy, with a low of 27, according to the weather service.
Monday, it will be partly sunny, with a high near 45, the weather service said.
Monday night, it will be mostly cloudy, with a low of 29, according to the weather service.
Tuesday, it will be partly sunny, with a high near 45, the weather service said.
