Month: August 2021

Monarchs set franchise win record

The Monarchs’ Ryan Grotjohn rounded the bases on Sunday, Aug. 29, against the Houston Apollos. (Photo by John Ellis, Kansas City Monarchs)
The Monarchs’ Ryan Grotjohn and Morgan McCullough in baseball action against the Houston Apollos on Sunday, Aug. 29. (Photo by John Ellis, Kansas City Monarchs)

The Kansas City Monarchs (63-30) wrapped up the home portion of their season with a 2-0 win over the Houston Apollos (15-77) Sunday to grab its franchise-record 63rd win with seven games remaining in the season.

The win also tied an American Association mark for home wins in a season at 44.

In a pitcher’s duel, the Monarchs battery of arms spread out seven hits across the nine innings, never getting into more trouble than runners on the corners with one out in the ninth. They stranded eight Apollos.

Newcomer Carson LaRue threw the first three innings before being relieved by Brock Gilliam. Dalbert Siri, Carlos Diaz and Jameson McGrane were each called upon to pitch an inning to hold down the Apollos.

Houston starter Auggie Martinez worked a perfect 5.1 innings before Ryan Grotjohn ripped a sixth-inning triple. The next batter, Darnell Sweeney, stuck a single in front of the right fielder to bring Grotjohn home to put the Monarchs on the board.

Sweeney raced home from second on a failed inning-ending double-play, where Ibandel Isabel beat the throw to first to make it 2-0.

The Monarchs have no more regular-season home games, but as the South Division champions, they will have home games in the postseason.

The remaining road games can be heard on the Monarchs Broadcast Network with the pre-game beginning 30 minutes prior to first pitch and the video stream airing on aabaseball.tv.

The Monarchs will play the Canaries at 7:05 p.m. Monday, Aug. 30, at Sioux Falls Stadium.

Tickets to Monarchs games can be purchased by calling 913-328-5618 or by visiting MonarchsBaseball.com.

  • by Nathan Enserro, Kansas City Monarchs

Community Blood Center declares blood emergency

The blood shortage has reached emergency levels here, according to the Community Blood Center.

Although there has been a chronic blood shortage since the onset of the pandemic, the local supply has dropped to a less than three-day supply of readily available blood, according to a spokesman. Fears of the COVID-19 Delta variant were responsible for a greater drop in donations, according to blood center officials.

Health officials at the University of Kansas Health System said Monday morning that the blood shortage was “incredibly concerning for emergency rooms.”

“We are deeply worried by the recent drop in donations — at this concerning time it’s critical that healthy donors continue to come forward to help their neighbors,” said Patsy Shipley, executive director of Community Blood Center. “We thought we’d see our local blood supply recover with the return of school blood drives in the fall, but fears surrounding the Delta variant are presenting significant obstacles. A robust blood supply is essential for our healthcare system to function and we must do everything we can to strengthen it at this time of uncertainty.”

According to a spokesman, donating blood is safe and it only takes one hour. Extra precautions are being taken to help prevent the person-to-person spread of COVID-19.

All donors and CBC staff are required to wear a mask and staff are rpacticing health self-assessments before presenting at work.

People are not eligible to donate if they’re experiencing a cold, sore throat, respiration infection or flu-like symptoms.

The CBC has several donor centers in the Kansas City area, including in Kansas City, Missouri, and in Johnson County.

There are also several blood drives scheduled in Wyandotte County. They include:

• Frontier Justice, 10000 France Family Drive, Kansas City, Kansas, will have a blood drive from noon to 6 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 1. There will be a donor bus. To make an appointment, visit savealifenow.org or call 816-753-4040.

• Providence YMCA-Ball Family Center, 8601 Parallel Parkway, will have a blood drive from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 1, in the multi-purpose room. To make an appointment, visit savealifenow.org or call 816-753-4040.

• Bonner Springs High School, 100 McDanield St., Bonner Springs, will have a blood drive from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 9, in the gym. To make an appointment, visit savealifenow.org or call 816-753-4040.

• Providence Medical Center, 8929 Parallel Parkway, Kansas City, Kansas, will have a blood drive from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday, Sept. 10, in the auditorium rooms. To make an appointment, visit esavealifenow.org or call 816-753-4040.

• The First Christian Church, Bonner Springs, will hold a Community Blood Center blood drive from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 14, at the church Fellowship Hall, 148 N. Nettleton, Bonner Springs. To make an appointment, visit savealifenow.org or call 816-753-4040.

• The University of Kansas Medical Center, 2146 W. 39th Ave., will hold a blood drive from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 16, in the Health Education Building, Ad Astra, fifth floor, in Kansas City, Kansas. To make an appointment, visit savealifenow.org or call 816-753-4040.

• Christ the King Catholic Church will hold a Community Blood Center blood drive from 12:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, Sept. 17, at Davern Hall, church basement, 3024 N. 53rd. To make an appointment, visit savealifenow.org or call 816-753-4040.

• Kansas City Kansas Community College, 7250 State Ave., will have a blood drive from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 21, in Room 2325, Jewell Center. To make an appointment, visit savealifenow.org or call 816-753-4040.

Additional blood drives in the Kansas City area are listed at savealifenow.org.

Slight chance of rain in forecast

Photo by Mary Rupert

There is a 20 percent chance of rain on Monday and a 30 percent chance of rain on Tuesday in Wyandotte County. (National Weather Service graphic)
There is a 20 percent chance of rain and thunderstorms after 1 p.m. Monday in Wyandotte County. (National Weather Service graphic)

A slight chance of rain is in the forecast for Monday, according to the National Weather Service.

The chances of rain will increase a little on Tuesday to 30 percent, the weather service said.

Temperatures today will be similar to Sunday, with a high near 88, but on Tuesday, temperatures will drop to a high of about 83, according to the weather service. They may be back to the 90s on Friday.

Today, there is a slight, 20 percent, chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1 p.m., the weather service said. The high will be near 88 with a light and variable wind becoming east around 6 mph in the afternoon.

Tonight, there is a 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, according to the weather service. The low will be around 69 with an east wind of 3 to 6 mph.

Tuesday, there is a 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 1 p.m., the weather service said. The high will be near 83 with a light east wind becoming northeast 5 to 9 mph in the afternoon. Less than a tenth of an inch of rain is possible.

Tuesday night, it will be mostly clear, with a low of 67 and an east wind of 3 to 5 mph, according to the weather service.

Wednesday, it will be sunny, with a high near 85 and an east southeast wind of 3 to 8 mph, the weather service said.

Wednesday night, it will be clear, with a low of 66, according to the weather service.

Thursday, it will be sunny, with a high near 89, the weather service said.

Thursday night, it will be partly cloudy, with a low of 68, according to the weather service.

Friday, it will be sunny, with a high near 91, the weather service said.

Friday night, it will be mostly clear, with a low of 70, according to the weather service.

Saturday, it will be sunny, with a high near 90, the weather service said.

Saturday night, it will be mostly clear, with a low of 69, according to the weather service.

Sunday, it will be sunny, with a high near 88, the weather service said.