National Weather Service graphicWyandotte County is in an area of slight risk for severe storms on Thursday. (National Weather Service graphic)
The weather will be a little warmer today, according to the National Weather Service forecast.
Increasing heat and humidity will lead to the chance of thunderstorms late tonight into Thursday, the weather service said. The heat index could rise to 100 on Thursday.
On Thursday, multiple rounds of showers and thunderstorms are expected throughout the day, with heavy rain possible Thursday night, the weather service said.
Wyandotte County is in an area of slight risk with storms in the afternoon and evening that may produce strong winds, locally heavy rainfall, large hail and possibly an isolated tornado, according to the weather service.
Today, it will be mostly sunny, with a high near 90 and a south wind of 14 mph, gusting as high as 24 mph, the weather service said.
Tonight, there is a 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 4 a.m., with a low of 73, according to the weather service. A south wind of 11 to 14 mph will gust as high as 23 mph.
Thursday, there is a 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 7 a.m., the weather service said. The high will be near 92, with a heat index as high as 100. A south wind of 11 to 16 mph will gust up to 25 mph. Less than a tenth of an inch of rain is forecast.
Thursday night, there is a 60 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1 a.m., according to the weather service. The low will be around 78. A south southwest wind of 11 to 13 mph will gust as high as 24 mph. Between a half and three-quarters of an inch of rain is possible.
Friday, there is a 70 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1 p.m., the weather service said. The high will be near 92 with a south southwest wind of 9 to 11 mph gusting as high as 21 mph. Between a quarter and half-inch of rain is possible.
Friday night, there is a 70 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, with a low of 72, according to the weather service. New rainfall amounts between three-quarters and an inch are possible.
Saturday, there is a 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, with a high near 82, the weather service said.
Saturday night, there is a 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1 a.m., with a low of 66, according to the weather service.
Sunday, it will be mostly sunny, with a high near 84, the weather service said.
Sunday night, it will be partly cloudy, with a low of 66, according to the weather service.
Monday, it will be mostly sunny, with a high near 86, the weather service said.
Monday night, it will be partly cloudy, with a low of 66, according to the weather service.
Tuesday, it will be mostly sunny, with a high near 87, the weather service said.
COVID-19 variants could be on the rise in the future, according to the Tuesday morning media update at the University of Kansas Health System.
Already, the Delta variant is affecting Missouri outbreaks, and health officials are worried about a third wave, as in Britain and India.
“We don’t want to see a third wave,” Dr. Steve Stites, chief medical officer at KU Health System, said. But they are concerned these outbreaks could turn into a third wave.
A rise in southwestern and northwestern Missouri has been seen recently, where the rate of new COVID-19 cases per capita is the highest in the country, he said. It’s all about the counties where people are not getting vaccinated, he said.
The Delta strain is predicted to become the dominant strain in the coming weeks in the United States, and it is affecting outbreaks in Missouri, he said.
“If you’re not vaccinated, the variants are here, trouble is at your doorstep,” he said.
No one wants to see a third wave, but this is beginning to look like a third wave, and it will affect those who are unvaccinated, Dr. Stites said, adding that is what happened in Britain and India.
People who are vaccinated can still get sick with COVID-19, it’s just that they are not likely to be severely sick or hospitalized with it, according to Dr. Stites.
Amanda Cackler, director of quality and safety at KU Health System, said having underlying chronic illnesses is even more of a reason to get the vaccine, protecting yourself and others.
She said COVID-19 numbers at KU Health System went down to about 10 a few weeks ago, but now have gone back up again, to around 14 active COVID-19 patients Tuesday, and a total of 25 COVID-19 patients at the hospital.
Dr. Stites said three factors – opening up society, seeing the rise of a new variant, with some people still unvaccinated – are concerning. They are still not sure whether people who have had COVID-19 naturally are protected against the variants, he added. COVID-19 vaccines are highly effective against the Delta strain and variants, he said.
Also at the Tuesday morning update, they heard about Scouts in Gladstone and Liberty who helped distribute personal protective equipment to their communities, working with Heart to Heart International.
UG Health Department offers free vaccines, prizes, gifts
Starting Tuesday, June 22, the Unified Government Health Department launched the #IHelpedConquerCOVID incentive program to encourage Wyandotte County residents to get vaccinated or tested. People who live in Wyandotte County and who get vaccinated at any UG Health Department vaccine clinic can receive an immediate gift to take home, or be entered to win a larger prize.
“We want to provide another reason for people to consider getting vaccinated or getting tested now,” said Nicole Garner, Health Department planning and operations manager. “We know not everyone is excited about the idea of getting vaccinated. For some people, maybe they have had bad experiences in healthcare settings before that make them not so eager to come in. For others, the possibility of side effects like headache or fatigue make them put off getting vaccinated. This is a way to encourage folks to consider making time to come in now, and thanking them for helping protect our community. Getting vaccinated helps protect you, but it also helps protect everyone around you. And testing is still important as well to help monitor and control the spread of COVID in our community.”
Current gifts and prizes available – while supplies last
Incentives for vaccinations Beginning June 22, people who live in Wyandotte County who get vaccinated by the UG Health Department can receive one of the following:
• People age 12-17 can walk away with one of the following: o Silver season pass to Worlds of Fun and Oceans of Fun, or, o Dinner for four and game passes for Dave & Buster’s .
• People age 18 and older can get entered for: o A chance to win a $500 Visa gift card – three winning entries will be drawn each day that the UG Health Department vaccinations are operating.
Incentives for COVID-19 testing also available
Also beginning June 22, people who live in Wyandotte County who come in to a UG Health Department site for a COVID-19 test will receive a $25 Visa gift card (one gift card per person, while supplies last). People coming in to get vaccinated may get tested at the same time and receive a gift both for their test and their vaccination. The UG Health Department primarily provides COVID-19 saliva tests (“spit tests” with no swab) but also has nasopharyngeal tests available (swab at the back of the nose/throat) for people who cannot produce enough saliva for the spit test.
Anyone age 12 and older who lives in Wyandotte County is eligible to get vaccinated and receive a gift. People of all ages who live in Wyandotte County are eligible to get tested and receive a gift. Minors should be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
Additional give-aways this summer
The UG Health Department is kicking off the #IHelpedConquerCOVID program with the prizes shown above, and will be offering different gifts and prizes in the coming months for people who live in Wyandotte County who choose to get vaccinated or tested.
There will be updates on available give-aways on the UG Health Department’s Facebook and Twitter (@UGHealthDept) or at WycoVaccines.org.
UG Health Department vaccine clinic hours
The UG Health Department mass vaccination site hours will be changing in July. Based on what the UG Health Department is seeing with vaccination activity in Wyandotte County, the UG Health Department has decided to reduce to one stationary vaccination site (Kmart location) and to continue with a heavy focus on mobile vaccinations around the community.
Hours now through July 2:
• Kmart site (7836 State Ave, Kansas City, Kansas) o Tuesday and Wednesday, 11 a.m. – 7 p.m. – vaccine and testing incentives available.
• Armory site (100 S. 20th St, Kansas City, Kansas) o Thursday and Friday, 11 a.m. – 7 p.m. – vaccine and testing incentives available.
o Saturday, June 26, 9 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. This is the last Saturday vaccination clinic at the Armory. The Johnson and Johnson vaccine will be provided on Saturday, and is authorized for people ages 18 and older. Saturday clinics are provided in partnership with Donnelly College.
Hours beginning the week of July 5:
• Kmart site (7836 State Ave, Kansas City, Kansas) o Wednesday through Friday, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. – vaccine and testing incentives available.
• Closed: Armory site (100 S. 20th St, Kansas City, Kansas
Mobile vaccines can still be requested online at WycoVaccines.org or by calling 3-1-1 (913-573-5311).
Other sites available for vaccinations
Vaccinations at KU Health System are open to the public. Current patients may use MyChart to make an appointment. Others may call 913-588-1227 or visit kansashealthsystem.com/vaccine to make an appointment to get vaccinated. KU Health System currently is vaccinating residents of Kansas and Missouri who are 12 or older, by appointment only. Those under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian throughout the appointment.
There are also pharmacies giving free COVID-19 vaccinations in Wyandotte County by appointment, when available. These include Price Chopper and Hen House pharmacies, which are now also accepting walk-in vaccinations or appointments, and are starting vaccinations for age 12 and up at those pharmacies that are giving Pfizer vaccine (see https://www.ballsfoodspharmacy.com/).
CVS has announced walk-in appointments for COVID-19 vaccine at some of its stores. Those interested in getting a vaccination at a CVS pharmacy are asked to visit a CVS website in order to make sure there is vaccine available. The website is at www.cvs.com/. Walgreens and Walmart also were listed on www.vaccines.gov as giving vaccinations.
Other pharmacies and sites giving vaccines are listed at www.vaccines.gov. The website also tells whether vaccines are in stock at the locations.
Case numbers reported
There were 14 active COVID-19 patients on Tuesday morning at the University of Kansas Health System, a decrease of three from Monday, according to Amanda Cackler, director of quality and safety at the University of Kansas Health System, Eleven other COVID-19 patients were still hospitalized but were out of the acute phase, an increase of four from Monday. There were a total of 25 COVID patients, an increase of one from Monday. Only two of the 14 patients were fully vaccinated, one who had multiple chronic conditions of heart and lung disease and some history of cancer, while the other was actively on chemotherapy.
Wyandotte County reported an increase of six COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, June 22, for a cumulative 18,990 cases, according to the Unified Government Health Department’s COVID-19 webpage. There was a cumulative total of 299 deaths reported, no change.
The Mid-America Regional Council’s COVID-19 dashboard reported 176,418 cumulative COVID-19 cases on Tuesday in the Kansas City region. The daily average of new hospitalizations was 51. There were 2,525 cumulative deaths.
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment reported 316,695 cumulative COVID-19 cases in Kansas on Monday, June 21, an increase of 156 cases since Friday. There was a total of 5,129 cumulative deaths reported statewide. There was a cumulative 10,980 hospitalizations, an increase of 21 since Friday. According to KDHE figures, Johnson County had a cumulative 59,604 COVID-19 cases on Monday, June 21, an increase of 54 since Friday. Sedgwick County had a cumulative 57,780 COVID-19 cases on Monday, June 21, an increase of 48.
The Johns Hopkins University COVID-19 dashboard on Tuesday night reported 33,565,289 cumulative COVID-19 cases in the United States, with 602,462 total deaths reported nationwide. There were 12,388 new cases nationwide and 268 new deaths nationwide. States with high numbers of new cases were California, 1,452; Illinois, 809; North Carolina, 776; Texas, 755; and Louisiana, 686. Countries with high numbers of new cases were India, 42,640; Brazil, 38,903; Colombia, 23,239; Russia, 17,114; and U.S., 12,388, according to Johns Hopkins information.
Free testing available
Besides Health Department sites, free COVID-19 testing is available at several locations in Wyandotte County.
The Board of Public Utilities, in a unanimous vote at a special Zoom meeting Tuesday night, June 22, approved a one-month moratorium on residential utility disconnections.
Board member Jeff Bryant made the motion for the moratorium, and it was seconded by Rose Mulvany Henry. Bryant said he would like the board to review the decision at the BPU’s second meeting in July to determine whether an extension would be granted then.
General Manager Bill Johnson said the moratorium on residential disconnections will go into effect on Wednesday, June 23. It will be in effect through the end of July.
The BPU at its June 16 Zoom meeting heard from activists with Build Power MoKan urging another moratorium on electric shutoffs. The group has appeared at BPU meetings for some months, making comments during the public comment segment.
On June 16, the activists said there had been thousands of BPU customers disconnected since the earlier moratorium ended this spring. At the Tuesday, June 22, meeting BPU staff did not have the total number of disconnections since April available at the meeting.
Board members asked for the number of customers disconnected because of inability to pay their bills, as there also may have been other disconnections because customers were moving.
Board members were seeking more information from the staff about the number of people with delinquent bills and the number of people affected by disconnections.
Since it appears that the state’s utility and rental assistance program, Kansas Emergency Rental Assistance (KERA), only covers renters and not homeowners, board members said they also were concerned about homeowners who may have trouble paying their utility bills. KERA is a program started this spring at the state level after receiving federal funds.
Lori Austin, chief financial officer for the BPU, said in answer to a question from board member Ryan Eidson that the BPU was owed about $825,000 in accounts that are more than 61 days overdue. Some of those customers have made payment arrangements with the BPU, she said. The overdue accounts figure is down from April, at the end of the last moratorium.
Board member Mulvany Henry said she had thought about this utility moratorium issue almost constantly since their June 16 meeting.
The BPU board has it in their control to do something in the community for those who need help, she said.
Bryant said he had thought long and hard since the board’s June 16 meeting, and had consulted with some of the ratepayers in his district.
“There’s an overwhelming need in our community,” Bryant said.
He added his fear is that the 348 applications to KERA from Wyandotte County are just the tip of the iceberg, and many BPU customers don’t understand the program is available, or have other hurdles that make it difficult to apply.
The state has been struggling with implementation of the management of the program, he said.
Board member Mary Gonzales said it’s likely there are many people who are struggling and could be eligible for KERA assistance, but are probably not applying.
She asked if some additional information about the KERA program can be placed on the BPU’s website, so that more people could see how to apply for it. Eidson also asked for more information to be placed on the website in a prominent place and made available to customers.
BPU chief communications officer David Mehlhaff said he would be working on that soon. He also said the information about KERA is contained in news releases that are already posted on the BPU’s website. The BPU has previously posted some KERA information on its social media pages. He said he has been working on the BPU printed newsletter that will be sent out to each residence soon, including information about KERA, which will be available for those who don’t have the internet.
Johnetta Hinson, executive director of customer service at the BPU, said more than 400 KERA applications have been made from Wyandotte County. Currently, more than 50 payments have been made from KERA to BPU totaling about $38,000, she said.
Bob Milan Sr., board president, was in favor of the 30-day moratorium, but he also pointed out that bills may just continue to accumulate when there is a moratorium. The bills are just due later, when they may be larger and it may be harder to pay them, unless assistance is received.
What they’re doing is just prolonging the agony, Milan remarked. Somewhere along the line it has to come to an end, he added.
The BPU encourages customers who have trouble paying their bills to call the customer service department and arrange a payment plan.
Milan said ratepayers are paying for services that they use before the bill was received. Customers have already received around a month’s service before their payment is due, he said. In that sense, the customer already is using the service for free until their bill is paid, he said.
When the BPU confirms that a KERA application has been completed, it puts the customer’s account on hold and does not turn off the electricity, according to BPU officials.
After a payment is made or the customer is denied by KERA, then the hold is taken off the customer’s account, according to officials.
Some customers, however, are unaware that an assistance program exists or do not understand how it works, according to activists at earlier meetings.
At earlier meetings, the utility heard reports that there had been delays in processing the applications with the new program. Also, activists said some members of the community needed assistance in filling out the form, and some did not have access to the internet to file the form.
While local nonprofit agencies have lent a hand in helping applicants, the local agencies are not receiving reimbursement from federal funds for this assistance, according to information presented at earlier BPU meetings.
Johnson said he would like to ask officials in charge of KERA if there was any way to provide assistance to local agencies, such as the United Way, that are helping with the applications. The BPU has a meeting scheduled with those officials in early July, he said. In Missouri, utility assistance funds were distributed to cities and counties, and then given to nonprofit agencies to distribute, he said.
Last winter, before this latest federal program, some utility assistance funding went through the Unified Government, and then to agencies, he said.
Mulvany Henry suggested asking the UG for additional help, and said she would speak to other UG elected officials.
Hinson said there were five criteria listed on the KERA website to qualify for assistance.
Those included: the tenant rents his or her home; the tenant’s 2020 household income did not exceed 80 percent of the area’s median income; at least one member of the tenant’s household is experiencing documented financial hardship as a result of the COVID pandemic, such as loss of employment, reduction in household income or significant COVID-related expenses such as medical bills; at least one member of the tenant’s household is uncertain where he or she will stay or may become homeless without housing assistance; and the applicant can provide valid proof of identification.
