Month: June 2021

KCK teen dies from crash injuries

A teen has died as a result of injuries sustained in a wreck on Monday. Police and utility workers surveyed the crash scene on Memorial Day, May 31, near 75th Place and State Avenue. (Photo from Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department)

A Kansas City, Kansas, teen has died from injuries she sustained at a crash on Memorial Day near 75th and State Avenue, according to police.

A spokesman stated that Chelsey Updike, 16, died on Wednesday from injuries she received on Monday. She was a passenger in one of the vehicles.

Two other teens are still hospitalized in serious condition, and one other teen has been released, the spokesman stated. Two adults are hospitalized, and are expected to recover.

Officers responded to the accident around 3:45 a.m. Monday, according to the spokesman.

The initial investigation indicated that a vehicle containing four teens was traveling westbound on State Avenue at a high rate of speed when it struck an eastbound vehicle trying to make a left turn at the traffic light at North 75th Place. The vehicle also struck a utility pole.

Five of the six victims were thrown from the vehicles, while one required extrication, the police spokesman stated.

East and westbound lanes of State Avenue were closed for hours.

The Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department’s Traffic Investigation Unit is investigating. Anyone with information is asked to call the TIPS hotline at 816-474-TIPS.

Kansas Speedway offers laps around the track to those who get vaccinated or tested at event

The Kansas Speedway is offering an incentive to those who get vaccinated or tested at special clinics on Friday and Saturday – laps around the track.

The track, which holds NASCAR racing in Kansas City, Kansas, will be the site of the Race to End COVID-19 with clinics scheduled from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, June 4, and 11 am. to 4 p.m. Saturday, June 5. Participants will enter on France Family Drive, near the Sporting KC stadium across from Nebraska Furniture Mart.

Everyone who is eligible can drive a vehicle two laps around the track. Cars have to be driven no faster than highway speed limits, according to organizers.

It is a free event, with vaccinations and testing for free. Pre-registration is not required. People will be registered at the site. There will be a 15-minute observation or waiting time after the vaccination.

Those wishing to save time can print out registration forms online at www.KansasSpeedway.com/RaceToEndCOVID and fill them out ahead of time. Johnson and Johnson and Pfizer vaccines will be available.

Legal drivers age 16 and older who get tested or vaccinated at this event will be offered the chance to drive their car or truck on the track. Certain types of vehicles, such as motorcycles, recreational vehicles, and semis are not allowed.

Cars going around the track will be single file behind a pace car, and no passing will be allowed. All vehicles must have a valid license plate and all drivers going around the track must have a valid driver’s license, vehicle registration and proof of insurance.

All drivers must be over 16. Those who are under 18 must have a valid driver’s license and be accompanied by a parent or guardian who signs a release form. Unsafe vehicles will not be allowed on the racetrack.

Any passengers who want to go around the track in the vehicle must also be tested or vaccinated at the event.

The Kansas Speedway is the host of the event in partnership with Wyandotte County Unified Government, University of Kansas Health System, Kansas Department of Health and Environment, and Kansas Division of Emergency Management.

Individuals who are tested or vaccinated will be entered into a free raffle drawing, which is separate from the laps around the track. Prizes include a set of two tickets to the Oct. 24, 2021, NASCAR Cup Series Race; a set of four tickets to the Oct. 24, 2021, NASCAR Cup Series Race; and gift cards for the NASCAR Racing Experience Ride Along.

For more information, visit www.KansasSpeedway.com/RaceToEndCOVID.

Rep. Davids visits El Centro, discusses effect of federal funding on families

U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, right, recently visited El Centro to see the effect of federal funding on the agency’s facilities and on families they serve. (Submitted photo)

U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, D-3rd Dist., visited El Centro recently to see the effect of federal funding on the agency’s facilities and on families they serve.

El Centro has a community center and bilingual pre-kindergarten academy serving the Hispanic community in the area.

According to Rep. Davids, organizations like El Centro area critical to the growth and prosperity of communities, and even at limited capacity are working hard to support local families.

Rep. Davids supported the CARES Act, which provided funding for El Centro to weather the pandemic last year, and the American Rescue Plan, which has allocated more than $347 million in flexible funding for Kansas child care centers to purchase personal protective equipment, retaining staff and subsidizing costs for low-income families. Both relief funds also included the paycheck protection program, which allowed El Centro and other organizations and businesses to keep their doors open through the pandemic.

“Kansas is getting back on track thanks to the historic American Rescue Plan, but recovery takes time, and we need to keep up the momentum on vaccinations and continue getting targeted relief to those who need it,” Rep. Davids said. “With more child care centers and schools like El Centro staying open thanks to this funding, more Kansas families are able to safely return to work. I was grateful to hear from El Centro’s staff today, particularly about the toll this pandemic has taken on educators, and I look forward to continuing to support their essential work however I can.”

Additionally, the American Rescue Plan gives families with children a tax cut by expanding the Child Tax Credit and introducing monthly payments, which will start arriving in bank accounts as soon as next month.

In a report released last month, Rep. Davids announced that over 77% of children in the Third District will benefit from the expanded credit – that’s over 150,000 local kids whose families will be receiving additional resources each month to put towards their care. For many of the families who use El Centro’s services, this is a critical lifeline that will help them cover costs and ensure their children have opportunities to learn, grow, and thrive, according to Rep. Davids’ spokesman.