Ramp and lane closures are scheduled in Wyandotte County on Friday and Saturday. (KDOT map)
Numerous ramps and lanes are scheduled to be closed in Wyandotte County on Friday, May 1, and Saturday, May 2, according to the Kansas Department of Transportation.
Traffic on all these projects will be diverted using mobile lane closures, signage and traffic cones, according to a KDOT spokesman
For pavement grinding and road sealing, closures include:
The two right lanes on southbound I-635 from 48th Street to K-32.
The on and off ramps on southbound I-635 from eastbound and westbound State Avenue.
The ramp from southbound I-635 to westbound I-70.
The on and off ramps to southbound I-635 from K-32.
These will be closed from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and 6 p.m. to 5 a.m. on May 1 and 2. Ramps will be open from 3:30 p.m. to 6 p.m.
For pavement grinding, closures include:
The right two lanes on northbound I-635 from K-32 to I-70.
The on-off ramps from northbound I-635 to K-32. These will be closed from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. on May 2.
For grading work, the closure includes:
The ramps from northbound and southbound Turner Diagonal to westbound I-70. The ramp will be closed from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. on May 2.
For guardrail maintenance, the closure includes:
Southbound 18th Street-U.S. 69 will be closed from Kansas Avenue to the Kansas River. The lane will be closed from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. May 1.
For pavement markings, closures include:
The two left lanes on eastbound I-70 from 78th Street to the Turner Diagonal.
The ramps from 78th Street to eastbound I-70.
Eastbound I-70 to southbound and northbound Turner Diagonal.
Southbound and northbound Turner Diagonal to eastbound I-70. These will be closed from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on May 2.
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 were asked to drive safely and always wear their seat belts.
The number of positive COVID-19 cases increased by 35 on Friday morning. The number of death sand patients hospitalized remained the same. (From UG COVID-19 webpage)A graph showed the number of COVID-19 cases in Wyandotte County. (From UG COVID-19 webpage)
In a joint news conference on Friday morning in Kansas City, Kansas, three counties’ executives announced that May 10 would be the last day of the stay-at-home order here, with reopening on May 11.
Wyandotte, Johnson and Jackson counties combined for the joint announcement today at Memorial Hall. Officials present included KCK Mayor David Alvey, Johnson County Chairman Ed Eilert and Jackson County Executive Frank White Jr. They were three of the Core4 communities that came together for the original stay-home announcement.
The May 10 date is subject to change, according to local health officials, depending on how well the area does with indicators such as cases, hospitalizations, deaths and disease prevalence in the community.
On Friday, Wyandotte County reported a total of 709 positive COVID-19 cases, with 55 deaths and 34 hospitalizations, according to the UG COVID-19 webpage. It was an increase of 35 cases from Thursday. There was no change in deaths and hospitalizations from Thursday.
Wyandotte County announced some of the details of its plans during a Unified Government meeting on Thursday night. In general, officials said that the stay-at-home rules currently in place through May 10 would be similar to the state’s stay-at-home rules in effect through May 3. The governor has lifted this order effective midnight May 3, and the Wyandotte County stay-at-home rule will go into effect then.
Dr. Allen Greiner, chief medical officer of Wyandotte County, said at the news conference on Friday that the health officials believe they have passed the peak of the curve of deaths and hospitalizations here, although they know the disease will continue. They will move forward with caution after they stop the stay-at-home order, he said.
He added Wyandotte County was hit hardest by COVID-19 in the metro area and they are working hard to protect the vulnerable here.
As there are no vaccines yet for COVID-19, they need to expand testing so they can find individuals who are positive and need to quarantine, to avoid another spike in the health care system. It’s possible that if the transmission of disease worsens, they will have to backtrack to stay-at-home orders in the future, he added.
Data and contact tracing will be crucial in the future, he said.
The reopening plan, after the stay-at-home order expires May 10, has been divided into three zones, red, yellow and green, each lasting a full 14 days, he said. Before the community moves forward to the next step, there will need to be health data in place showing that progress is being made.
Social distancing and personal hygiene still will be necessary, with fewer restrictions as the numbers decrease over time.
Mayor Alvey said he believes they are winning the battle against COVID-19, but it is highly transmissible.
According to Dr. Greiner, there are some differences in the counties’ plans regarding specifics.
In religious services, the Wyandotte County plan mostly focuses on distancing and the number of people present in the size of the building, he said.
When Wyandotte County advances to the “red zone,” under this plan, the parking lot and remote services are still encouraged. Under that phase, services including weddings and funerals could have 10 percent of the building’s capacity inside, according to the ReStart WyCo plan. Six-foot distancing would be required, except for immediate household members. “Avoid close personal greetings or communion” is in all the guidelines from stay-at-home and “red zone” through the “green zone.”
Mayor Alvey said in the ReStart WyCo plan, there are specific directives regarding long-term health care facilities, with guidelines on disinfecting, personal protective equipment and contact tracing.
The ReStart WyCo plan, for example, stated that people in nursing homes must dine in their rooms only during the stay-at-home order, and also during the next stage, the “red zone.” They must maintain social distancing as much as possible, and common areas of their nursing homes are closed. There are other guidelines on cleanliness, wearing protective gear and screening workers at the entrance daily for symptoms.
In Wyandotte County, under the ReStart WyCo plan, entertainment venues, community centers and museums would stay closed in the stay-at-home and “red zone” phases. The “yellow zone” would limit gatherings to no larger than 25 percent of building occupancy capacity, and the “green zone” states that gatherings would not be larger than 50 percent of the building occupancy capacity.
Mass sporting events in Wyandotte County, such as the Kansas Speedway and Sporting Kansas City, are not allowed under the Wyandotte County “stay-at-home” order, according to the ReStart WyCo plan. In the “red zone,” professional sporting events could be held without fans or attendance, with social distancing as much as possible. The “yellow zone” would allow attendance of no larger than 25 percent maximum event space capacity, and the attendance in the “green zone” would not be larger than 50 percent maximum event capacity.
Education continues with remote or distance learning in the “stay at home” and “red zones,” with more guidance to be issued in the future from the UG Health Department, according to the written plan.
Restaurants and bars continue under the no inside dining rule during the “stay-at-home” and “red zones.” Telephone or online orders may be filled at curbside, for carryout or for delivery. Hotels and motels do not operate under the “stay-at-home” order, according to the ReStart WyCo plan. In the “red zone,” hotels and motels could operate up to 25 percent capacity. Dine-in services returns in the “yellow zone,” at 25 percent capacity, with only immediate family members dining out together.
For manufacturing and business offices, only essential businesses operate in the “stay at home” order. In the “red zone,” they may open, but employees are encouraged to work from home when possible, and social distancing should be maintained.
For retail businesses, essential businesses only operate in the “stay-at-home” order. In the “red zone,” customers order online and pick up at curbside or have them delivered. In the “yellow zone,” stores would try to decrease traffic and crowding by modifying hours, gating customers, appointment-based shopping and online services.
According to the Wyandotte County plan, all essential businesses that were defined in the state of Kansas “stay at home” guidelines will remain as essential businesses in the ReStart WyCo plan.
Kansas City, Missouri, Mayor Quinton Lucas, representing the fourth part of the Core4 group, was not present at today’s news conference, having already announced on Wednesday that Kansas City, Missouri, would have a soft opening on May 6 for some businesses, and an opening date of May 15. It has a “10-10-10” rule, where no more than 10 people are allowed in an establishment at one time, or 10 percent of building occupancy, with contact information taken of everyone on the premises more than 10 minutes. Restaurants would not open until May 15 in Kansas City, Missouri, with additional guidelines.
To see other counties’ plans for reopening, visit their webpages.
Students and faculty from Kansas City Kansas Community College’s Jazz Studies program have received six honors in DownBeat Magazine’s 2020 Student Music Awards.
DownBeat has the widest circulation of any jazz magazine in the United States and has been recognizing student achievement at the middle school, high school and collegiate levels with the Student Music Awards since 1978.
The Standard Vocal Jazz Ensemble, directed by KCKCC Associate Professor of Music John Stafford II, was named both the Community College Winner in the category of Blues-Rock-Pop Group and a Community College Co-Winner in the Large Vocal Jazz Ensemble category.
Additionally, singer Noah Haskin was recognized as an Outstanding Scat Soloist for his solo on Standard’s recording of Justin Binek’s original composition “Reparations.” Singer-saxophonist Adam Bender received a Community College Outstanding Performance award in the Vocal Jazz Soloist Category.
Finally, KCKCC Assistant Professor of Music Justin Binek directed the 2019 Oklahoma Choral Directors Association All-State Jazz Chorus, which received an Outstanding Performance award in the Honors Vocal Jazz Ensemble category and featured singer Sarah Teel, who received Outstanding Soloist recognition for her work in the ensemble.
This continues a remarkable run of recognition for KCKCC from DownBeat, as the school’s students and faculty have now been the recipients of 14 “DeeBees” in the past four years. The Standard received Community College Outstanding Performance awards in the Large Vocal Jazz Ensemble category in 2017 and 2019 and in the Blues-Rock-Pop Group category in 2019.
Singer/guitarist Michael Schley received Outstanding Soloist recognition on The Standard’s 2019 recording of “Afro Blue,” arranged by Justin Binek. Instrumentally, the RSS Trio, featuring drummer Antonio Reyes, organist Mark Slimm and Schley, received a 2019 Community College Outstanding Performance for Small Jazz Combo. And in the Audio Engineering categories, Brady Rose was named the 2018 Community College Winner and received the 2019 Community College Outstanding Performance for Engineered Studio Recording, while Jordan Lankhorst received a 2017 Community College Outstanding Performance for Live Studio Recording.
“KCKCC’s Jazz Studies Program has a great history of producing outstanding musicians year after year, and this year is no exception,” Dr. Greg Mosier, KCKCC president. “I am extremely proud of the accomplishments of our students and faculty. It shows that with hard work, dedication and commitment anything is possible, even breaking the record books again with six DownBeat Magazine awards.”
This recognition of a single community college by DownBeat is extraordinary. In 2019, with the exception of KCKCC, no other community college in the country received more than three Student Music Awards, which is the most that any community college had received in a single year for several years prior.
“Our students and faculty are incredibly humbled by this honor,” Stafford said. “We take pride in our students’ work ethic and performance practice. Being recognized for creating music that is original and artistic is a joy for us, and greatly appreciated.”
These six Student Music awards are the culmination of an academic year in which the KCKCC Music and Audio Engineering Programs have repeatedly received national recognition. The Standard gave a main-stage performance at the American Choral Directors Association-Southwestern Division (SWACDA) Conference, and Professors Jim Mair (Instrumental Music Program Director), John Stafford II (Choral Music Program Director), Dr. Ian Corbett (Audio Engineering Program Director) and Dr. Justin Binek (Music Theory/Jazz Studies) have traveled extensively both nationally and internationally as performers, teachers, adjudicators and clinicians.
“It’s an honor for a school to receive even one SMA from DownBeat,” Binek said. “To receive six in one year and 11 in the past two is a testament to the wonderful students in our program and to the team of world-class faculty who are teaching and mentoring them.”
