Month: January 2021

COVID-19 case numbers updated

The seven-day rollimg average of COVID-19 cases in Wyandotte County. (From UG Health Department COVID-19 webpage)

Wyandotte County reported an increase of 41 COVID-19 cases on Sunday, Jan. 24, according to the Unified Government’s COVID-19 webpage. There were a cumulative 16,549 cases. There was a cumulative total of 220 deaths, no change since Saturday.

The Mid-America Regional Council’s COVID-19 dashboard reported 143,062 cumulative COVID-19 cases on Saturday. There were 1,744 cumulative deaths, and 130 was the daily average of new hospitalizations.

The state of Kansas reported 266,653 COVID-19 cases statewide on Friday, an increase of 3,241 cases since Wednesday, according to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. There were an additional 23 deaths reported, with a cumulative total of 3,598.

The Johns Hopkins University COVID-19 dashboard on Sunday night reported 25,124,064 total cumulative cases in the United States, with 419,204 total deaths nationwide.

COVID-19 related inmate death reported

The Kansas Department of Corrections reported that an El Dorado Correctional Facility resident who died Thursday, Jan. 21, had tested positive for COVID-19.

It was the second COVID-19 death at te El Dorado facility, and the 14th resident death related to COVID-19 for the Kansas Department of Corrections.

The resident rested positive for the virus on Dec. 26 and was transferred to a hospital on Jan. 11. He was a 60-year-old male. He was serving a 25 years to life sentence for first-degree murder. He had been in prison since May 1999.

Free COVID-19 testing available Monday

Free COVID-19 tests will be offered from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. Monday, Jan. 25, at Oak Ridge Baptist Church, 9301 Parallel Parkway, Kansas City, Kansas.

The tests are through Vibrant Health and the Wyandotte County Health Equity Task Force. Any changes to the schedule will be posted at https://www.facebook.com/UGHealthDept.

COVID-19 tests will be available Monday, Jan. 25, at the Pierson Community Center parking lot, 1800 S. 55th St., Kansas City, Kansas. Hours are subject to change depending on the weather and other factors. These tests are through WellHealth Management. For more information and to schedule a test, visit www.GoGetTested.com/Kansas.

The Unified Government Health Department’s COVID-19 test site at the former Kmart building at 78th and State will be open on Monday, Jan. 25, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The UG Health Department recently added flu testing to the COVID-19 test at the Kmart building. Only one swab is used for the two tests. The Health Department estimates a two- to three-day wait for COVID-19 results. For the flu, the department only contacts people if it is positive.

Tests from the Health Department are free for those who live or work in Wyandotte County. The tests are nasopharyngeal swab tests. The Health Department no longer uses saliva tests.

The tests are open to asymptomatic people as well as those who have symptoms or have been exposed to COVID-19. Check with the UG Health Department’s Facebook page to see if there have been any changes in the schedule. Bring something that shows that you live or work in Wyandotte County, such as a utility bill.

Wyandotte County residents who are interested in getting a COVID-19 vaccine may fill out a survey form at the UG Health Department at https://us.openforms.com/Form/2f2bcc68-3b6a-450b-9007-d39819db6572. Residents will be contacted to make an appointment when vaccine becomes available.


Testing sites are at https://wyandotte-county-covid-19-hub-unifiedgov.hub.arcgis.com/pages/what-to-do-if-you-think-you-have-covid-19.


For more information about the testing site at the former Kmart location, visit https://alpha.wycokck.org/files/assets/public/health/documents/covid/10092020_newtestingsitewyco.pdf.


The new health order on hours for bars and restaurants is at https://alpha.wycokck.org/files/assets/public/health/documents/localhealthofficerorder011221.pdf.


Information about the new health order on extended hours for bars and restaurants is at https://alpha.wycokck.org/files/assets/public/health/documents/covid/01112021ugissuesnewbarrestaurantorder.pdf.


The school health order is online at https://alpha.wycokck.org/files/assets/public/health/documents/covid/localhealthofficerschoolorder01042021.pdf.


A letter explaining the school health order is online at https://alpha.wycokck.org/files/assets/public/health/documents/covid/schoolletter_01052021_english.pdf.


To see information about the UG giving vaccines to health care workers, visit https://wyandotteonline.com/ug-to-start-giving-covid-19-vaccines-to-health-department-and-ems-personnel-next-week/.


The KDHE vaccine report is at https://www.kansasvaccine.gov/DocumentCenter/View/123/Vaccine-Historical-Document-12121?bidId=


Cards and letters of encouragement for caregivers at KU Health System may be sent to Share Joy, care of Patient Relations, 4000 Cambridge St., Mailstop 1021, Kansas City, Kansas, 66160. Emails can be sent to [email protected].


Wyandotte County is under a mandatory mask and social distancing order.


The UG COVID-19 webpage is at https://alpha.wycokck.org/Coronavirus-COVID-19-Information.


The KDHE’s COVID-19 webpage is at https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/.


The KC Region COVID-19 Hub dashboard is at https://marc2.org/covidhub/.


The Wyandotte County page on the Johns Hopkins COVID-19 website is at https://bao.arcgis.com/covid-19/jhu/county/20209.html.

Halftime wake-up call rallies Blue Devils to 74-66 road win

byAlan Hoskins, KCKCC sports information

Kansas City Kansas Community College got a much-needed halftime wake up-call on the way to a come-from-behind 74-66 win over Central Community College Saturday in Columbus, Nebraska.

Down by as many as 13 points early, the Blue Devils trailed 43-32 heading into halftime.

“We got off to a slow start after the long bus ride and were down 11 with three players with three fouls,” KCKCC coach Brandon Burgette said. “Even as bad as our first half was, we were just a few possessions away. But we weren’t playing up to our potential and we called that to their attention at halftime.”

What Burgette said worked. The Blue Devils scored the first 10 points of the second half to cut their deficit to 43-42 and set off a furious race to the finish. KCKCC built a 63-67 lead with 7:50 left, wiping out a one-point CCC lead with a 3-pointer by Deron McDaniel and two Caleb Jones layups.

The Raiders went back ahead 66-63 with 3:12 left – but didn’t score again as the Blue Devils scored the last 11 points. Field goals by Trey Bates and Robert Rhodes put KCKCC in front 67-66 with 1:55 left and McDaniel’s 3-pointer and two free throws in the final minute clinched the win.

McDaniel, who was good on five of eight 3-point attempts, had 17 points and Jones 16 on 7-of-8 shooting to lead the way. Bates and DeAngelo Bell added 11 points each and Shayon Janboo 9 on 3-of-3 3-point attempts. Rhodes had 10 rebounds and Jones five although the Blue Devils lost the rebounding battle 35-27.

However, KCKCC forced 16 turnovers while committing 10 and shot well – 10-of-24 from 3-point for 41.7 percent and 12-of-14 free throws (.857) in finishing 26-of-57 (.456) overall. Meanwhile, the Raiders were 23-of-58 (.397) and just 11-of-19 from the foul line.

“Caleb Jones stepped up the second half and Zach Nelson and McDaniel gave us huge spot minutes off the bench,” Burgette said. “And we got some stops to score on the other end and put more pressure on them to keep the ball out of the paint. CCC is a good team with guards who can jump up and make shots. There are a couple of things we have to tune up before conference play but we did a good job dominating the second half.”

The Blue Devils open at home Monday, as hosts of Link Year Prep at 7 p.m., and are home again Thursday against Park University junior varsity in a 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. doubleheader.

Two fires reported in KCK

Two fires were reported on Sunday.

A house fire was reported at 11:52 a.m. Sunday at 5129 Harmony Drive, according to a social media post by the Kansas City, Kansas, Fire Department.

Early reports were that there was a fire in the chimney inside the wall, and fire crews checked for extension of the fire. The fire was brought under control early.

Another fire was reported at 1:56 p.m. Sunday at 3114 S. 39th St., according to a Fire Department social media post.