Month: May 2020

Ramp closures planned at Turner Diagonal on Wednesday and Thursday

Some ramps are scheduled to be closed on Wednesday and Thursday at the Turner Diagonal. (KDOT map)

Numerous ramps are scheduled to be closed at the Turner Diagonal in Wyandotte County on Wednesday, May 6, and Thursday, May 7, according to the Kansas Department of Transportation.

Traffic on all these projects will be diverted using mobile lane closures, signs and traffic cones, according to a KDOT spokesman.

For grading work, the closures include:

• The ramp from northbound Turner Diagonal to westbound I-70 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday, May 6.
\
• The ramps from eastbound I-70 to northbound and southbound Turner Diagonal, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Wednesday, May 6 and Thursday, May 7.

To remove the high mast tower, the closures include:

• The ramps from northbound and southbound Turner Diagonal to eastbound I-70.

• The ramp from westbound I-70 to southbound Turner Diagonal.

Work will occur on from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday, May 7.

The KDOT spokesman urged all motorists to be alert and obey the warning signs when approaching and driving through a highway work zone. To stay aware of all road construction projects across Kansas go to www.kandrive.org or call 5-1-1. Motorists are asked to drive safely and always wear their seat belt, the spokesman said.

UG Health Department reports several COVID-19 outbreaks

The Unified Government Health Department has reported several COVID-19 outbreaks in Wyandotte County.

Long term care facilities

There are currently three confirmed outbreaks of COVID-19 at long-term care facilities in Wyandotte County, according to the Unified Government Public Health Department (UGPHD).

A spokesman stated the Health Department is in regular communication with each of these facilities. UGPHD staff is providing testing, PPE (personal protective equipment), and guidance on infection control steps, according to a spokesman.

All of the facilities are implementing measures to better understand the spread of the virus in their facilities and how to more effectively protect staff and residents, such as testing residents and staff and following public health guidance on quarantine and isolation, according to a spokesman.

Life Care Center of Kansas City

After seeing several positive cases, Life Care Center tested all residents and staff as a precaution, a UG Health Department spokesman stated. Testing supplies were provided by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE).

Test results came in over the weekend, bringing the total number of positive cases to 37 (30 residents and seven employees). In addition, four residents at this facility have passed away due to COVID-19.

Delaware Highlands Assisted Living

Delaware Highlands has now tested all residents and staff at their facility twice, with the most recent round of testing occurring last week. No additional positives were found during the most recent round of testing, according to the spokesman.

The total number of positives remains at 18 (16 residents and two employees). There have been no COVID-19-related deaths linked to this outbreak.

Riverbend Post-Acute Rehabilitation

Riverbend remains the largest outbreak in Wyandotte County, with the number of positive cases at 132 (105 residents and 27 employees), according to the spokesman.

There have been 36 deaths among residents, and three residents are currently hospitalized.

In response to outbreaks at long-term care facilities and the increased risk for COVID-19 in these settings, a Long-Term Care Facility Advisory Group has been formed, the Health Department stated.

The advisory group is chaired by Dr. Jessica Kalender-Rich, a board-certified geriatric medicine specialist and head of geriatric nedicine for the University of Kansas Health System. Members include physicians, government officials, experienced providers from long-term care nursing facilities, and emergency management professionals.

The advisory group has already produced a detailed guidance document that can be used by facilities hoping to reduce the risk of COVID-19 outbreaks in long-term care facilities.

Additionally, Dr. Jessica Kalender-Rich, UGPHD Chief Medical Officer Dr. Allen Greiner, and UGPHD Deputy Medical Officer Dr. Erin Corriveau have reached out to every long-term care and assisted living facility in Wyandotte County to talk to their leadership and provide support and guidance, the spokesman stated.

Other outbreaks

There has been a large increase in the number of positive cases in Wyandotte County, in part due to testing residents linked to outbreaks, according to the spokesman.

A prime example is an outbreak linked to Triumph Foods, located in St. Joseph, Missouri, which employs people from throughout the metro area.

Over the weekend, 78 Wyandotte County residents who work at Triumph Foods were confirmed positive for COVID-19, according to the spokesman. Though the outbreak is located in Missouri, the positive cases are “counted” in the county in which people reside.

The UGPHD also continues to investigate several other outbreaks at businesses and organizations within Wyandotte County, the spokesman stated. Outbreaks of five or more cases are now shown on the new COVID-19 hub.

Outbreak data on COVID-19 hub

The latest numbers and additional information on outbreaks in Wyandotte County on the Unified Government’s new COVID hub. The hub includes an interactive map of outbreak locations, as well as additional information on the public health response to outbreaks.

To view the new data hub, visit wycokck.org/COVID-19 and click on the “COVID hub” tab. For general COVID-19 information and questions, dial 3-1-1.

  • Information from the UG Health Department

Domino’s to provide free pizzas on Wednesday in Power and Light District in partnership with Sporting Serves

Domino’s will provide 250 free pizzas to individuals and families affected by COVID-19 Wednesday, May 6, in partnership with Sporting Serves, a new philanthropic platform.

Domino’s will distribute 250 large pizzas to citizens Wednesday afternoon at No Other Pub in the Kansas City Power and Light District, Kansas City, Missouri.

There will be online registration for the pizzas beginning at 8 a.m. Wednesday at https://sportingkc.formstack.com/forms/dominos_community_kitchen. The first 250 will be registered for a pizza.

Then, Domino’s pizzas can be picked up at curbside from noon to 2 p.m. outside No Other Pub, near the intersection of 14th and Grand Boulevard in Kansas City, Missouri.

Individuals must register in advance to get a specific pickup time. No registrations will be accepted in person.

Sporting Serves is a way for Sporting Kansas City to provide relief to residents across Greater Kansas City, a spokesman stated. Through Sporting Serves, Sporting Kansas City and the Victory Project, the club’s charitable arm, will join several community partners to serve Kansas Citians through a variety of programs, including multiple initiatives launched in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Wednesday’s initiative aligns with Domino’s “Feed the Need” program, in which 65 Domino’s stores across Greater Kansas City, Topeka, Wichita and St. Joseph will donate 13,000 pizzas within their local communities, including hospitals, medical offices, health departments and grocery stores.

Sporting Serves was established last month in conjunction with the launch of Sporting Community Kitchen, a coordinated effort between Sporting Kansas City, City Foods & Events and Operation BBQ Relief that provides 1,000 free hot meals every weekday to citizens throughout the metropolitan area.

Those who are picking up pizzas will present their email confirmation to pick up the pizza. They will arrive during their designated time at curbside. Individuals will remain in their vehicles, where they will be met by Sporting’s staff and will present their email confirmation to receive their pizza.

In recent weeks, the Victory Project has donated surgical masks and non-latex gloves to doctors and nurses working at Children’s Mercy Hospital, according to a spokesman. Additionally, Sporting KC associates are assisting in sorting and delivering PPE to emergency managers in rural communities in Kansas and Missouri to help protect first responders, health care professionals and long-term care facility personnel. Sporting’s training facility is being used as the location for sorting and repacking of the PPE before delivery.

  • Story from Sporting KC communications