Month: February 2020

Police notes

Suspect apprehended after stolen vehicle runs off road


 Officers located a stolen auto about 12:14 a.m. Feb. 1 in the 7400 block of State Avenue, according to a social media post by the Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department. The officers tried to stop the vehicle and a pursuit was initiated.

The vehicle ran off the road, and the suspect was later taken into custody, according to the report.

Shooting at house reported


 A shooting into an occupied house was reported at 1:35 a.m. Feb. 1, according to a social media report by the Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department.

The victims were home when a suspect shot at their house, the report stated. A juvenile victim was inside. There were no reported injuries, police stated.

Shooting reported on Walker Avenue


 A shooting was reported at 2:40 p.m. Feb. 1 in the 1700 block of Walker Avenue, according to a Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department post on social media.

A victim was outside when a suspect pulled up next to the victim and shot multiple rounds toward the victim. The suspect left and the victim had no reported injuries, according to the report.

Aggravated assault reported on Silver Avenue


 An aggravated assault was reported at 5:40 p.m. Feb. 1 in the 2200 blok of Silver Avenue, according to a social media post by the Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department.

During an altercation, a suspect pulled a gun out of a vehicle and pointed it at the victi, according to the report. The victim ran away and the suspect fled, the report stated.

Windows of business broken out


 A suspect was intoxicated on illegal drugs and broke out two windows of a business in the 400 block of North 10th Street at 5:40 p.m. Feb. 1, according to a social media post by the Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department.

The suspect was taken into custody, the report stated.

Ground broken for Turner Diagonal project

Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly spoke at a groundbreaking ceremony Friday morning, Jan. 31, for a new interchange at I-70 and the Turner Diagonal. Others on the podium were, left to right, Kansas Department of Transportation Secretary Julie Lorenz, U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, U.S. Department of Transportation representative Sean Poole, Mayor David Alvey and Brent Miles of NorthPoint Development. (Photo by Murrel Bland)

by Murrel Bland

Brent Miles used a baseball analogy to sum up the development that has been and will be done along the Turner Diagonal.

The Amazon fulfillment warehouse was a homerun; the new interchange is a grand slam.

Miles, the chief marketing officer for NorthPoint Development, spoke at groundbreaking ceremonies on a chilly Friday morning, Jan. 31, just north of the Kansas Department of Transportation building on I-70 near the Turner Diagonal in Kansas City, Kansas.

NorthPoint developed the land where an Amazon warehouse is. The rugged landscape, often described as ideal for goats, was NorthPoint’s first venture along the Diagonal. Miles admitted that when Amazon first approached NorthPoint about buying the property, it refused to sell. But after reconsidering, NorthPoint sold to investors who built the Amazon warehouse.

But Amazon was only the beginning. NorthPoint and Miles could envision more warehouses during the next several years. However, before these warehouses could become a reality, the access to I-70 had to be improved. That would cost an estimated $30 million.

The key to that financing would be obtaining money from the U.S. Department of Transportation for $13.8 million. That was announced by U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao late last year. Other funds will come from the Kansas Department of Transportation, the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas, and NorthPoint. Construction on the road project is expected to be completed late this year.

The federal money is being awarded through a BUILD grant — that stands for “Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development.” A modern divergent diamond interchange will replace the existing outmoded infrastructure.

Speaking at the groundbreaking were Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly, Kansas City, Kansas, Mayor David Alvey, Kansas Secretary of Transportation Julie Lorenz, U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, Sean Poole representing the U.S. Department of Transportation, and Miles.

NorthPoint plans to build the Turner Commerce Center in seven phases. It is estimated to cost $155 million and create about 2,000 new jobs. It is estimated that 65,000 vehicles pass by the site daily. It is a two-day drive for about 85 percent of the population of the United States.

Murrel Bland is the former editor of The Wyandotte West and The Piper Press. He is the executive director of Business West.

Highland women outlast KCKCC for 48th straight home win

by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC

The Ben Allen Fieldhouse at Highland Community College continued to be a House of Horrors for Kansas City Kansas Community College’s women’s basketball.

Breaking open a tight contest in the final quarter Saturday, the No. 3 ranked and unbeaten Scotties (18-0) pulled away for a 93-73 win. It was Highland’s 48th home win in a row.

It was the sixth straight KCKCC loss at Highland dating back to a 54-53 win in 2015. Included in that streak were losses by KCKCC’s two national championship teams, 82-71 in 2016 and 94-88 last year in a game marred by 104 free throws.

The loss, only the third in 24 games, dropped the Lady Blue Devils (2-2) two games back of the Scotties (4-0) in Jayhawk Conference play heading into a home contest with No. 5 ranked Johnson County Wednesday at 5:30 p.m.

“For the third time in as many losses, the final score doesn’t really reflect how good a game this was,” KCKCC coach Joe McKinstry saod. “Our girls came out with great energy. I felt like we were ready to compete. We did a lot of things real well and I was very pleased, especially for three quarters. But Highland is a very hard place to play. They haven’t won 48 straight home games for no reason.”

The Blue Devils led Highland 21-16 after one quarter and trailed only 52-50 with 5:01 left in the third quarter before Highland opened a 69-61three quarter lead and then broke the game wide open by scoring the first 10 points of the fourth period for an insurmountable 79-61 bulge.

The Scotties used torrid shooting to break the game open, knocking down 20 of 32 second-half shots for 62.5 percent.

Erin Randle, a two-time KJCCC player of the week, scored 25 points on 11-of-14 shooting and grabbed 11 rebounds – both game highs – to lead Highland, Khaliah Hines added 18 points while the Jayhawk’s leading scorer, Tiana Gipson, had 13.

Four Blue Devils scored in double figures. Aliyah Myers had 14 points including 10 of 12 free throws while Kamryn Estell added 13, Brodi Byrd 12 and Tiaira Earnest 11. Estell had seven rebounds and Byrd and Myers six each for the Blue Devils, who lost the battle of the boards 43-38.

Despite converting just 8-of-33 shots for 24.2 percent, the Blue Devils only trailed 39-34 at the half and pulled even 39-39 early in the third quarter. However, they couldn’t overcome 11 second-half turnovers (20 total) and Highland’s hot shooting the final two quarters.

“I thought we shot ourselves in the foot a few times,” McKinstry said. “We handled their press very well, specifically Adoreya Williams and Destiny Zamudio. They did a great job with that. Highland had some girls who stepped up and made big jump shots and free throws that we were hoping they wouldn’t make. So hats off to them.”

For the second straight year, the game was marred by fouls – 58 total. KCKCC capitalized on 33 Highland fouls by making 30 of 40 free throws while the Scotties were 24-of-35 on 25 KCKCC fouls. However, only Byrd and two Scotties fouled out.

Nearly 100 KCKCC student-athletes will be recognized during Academic Achievement Night ceremonies between the women’s and men’s games against Johnson County Wednesday. JCCC defeated Hesston 83-36 Saturday while Labette was beating Fort Scott 88-41.