Month: November 2021

Reed charged in Wyandotte Towers murders

Perez D. Reed, 26, has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder in connection to homicides at Wyandotte Towers in late October.

Wyandotte County District Attorney Mark A. Dupree Sr. filed the murder charges on Thursday, Nov. 18, according to a spokesman.

The case was investigated by the Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department. Reed’s bond was set at $1 million.

According to court documents, Reed is charged with killing Damon Washington Irvin and Rau’daja De’naya Fairrow at Wyandotte Towers.

Reed is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty, according to the district attorney’s office.

UG Commission to meet tonight

Tonight’s Unified Government Commission agenda has several other items on it besides the proposed extension of the indoor mask mandate in Kansas City, Kansas.

The meeting at 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 18, also includes:

• A public hearing on the Neighborhood Stabilization Program closeout. This item was fast-tracked from the Nov. 15 Administration and Human Services Committee meeting.

• A resolution authorizing the assignment and assumption of Village West Apartments, 11024 Delaware Parkway, industrial revenue bond documents from JVM Village West Apartments LLC to Avanti Residential Village West LLC.

• An ordinance to issue up to $3.2 million in industrial revenue bonds for Ecovyst Catalyst Technologies LLC project at 1700 Kansas Ave.

• An ordinance to issue up to $6 million in taxable industrial revenue bonds for Ecovyst Catalyst Technologies LLC project at 1700 Kansas Ave.

• An ordinance to issue up to $29 million in taxable industrial revenue bonds for NP Turner Industrial, Building 2 project at 6825 Orville Ave.

• An ordinance to issue up to $22 million in taxable industrial revenue bonds for NP Turner Industrial, Building 3 project at 6825 Orville Ave.

• The proposed 2022 holiday schedule.

• A plat of the Novak Addition, 9535 State Ave., being developed by Rusty Roberts.

• A plat of the Homefield Camping World, 1201 N. 98th, being developed by HFS KCK LLC.

• A plat of the Schlitterbahn Vacation Village Fifth Plat, 99th and Parallel Parkway, being developed by HFS KCK LLC.

• Land Bank option applications:
New construction, single family homes, six homes:
Alonzo Burton, two homes, 2610 N. Hallock St., 2702 N. Hallock St.
Alonzo Burton, one home, 720 Stewart Ave.
Kallie McLaughlin, one home, 3015 N. Baltimore St., 3020 N. Baltimore St.
Vincent Galicia, one home, 2806 Merriam Lane.
Janet Smith, one home, 3116 S. 36th St., 3124 S. 36th St.

Land Bank property transfer
Yard extension
Jaime Ruiz, 819 S. Valley st.

Also tonight, there is a special session of the UG Commission at 5 p.m. for a commission infrastructure subcommittee report.

The public will be able to watch or listen to the special session and regular meeting on YouTube or UGTV or through Zoom. The public also may view the meeting in person from the lobby of City Hall, 701 N. 7th St., Kansas City, Kansas.

The Zoom links to the special session and regular meeting are listed on the agendas at https://www.wycokck.org/Departments/Clerks-Office/Agendas-Minutes.

Gov. Kelly joins bipartisan coalition urging Congress to strengthen auto supply chain

Gov.Laura Kelly today announced she has joined a bipartisan coalition of governors from across the country urging Congressional leadership to approve full funding of the Creating Helpful Incentives for the Production of Semiconductors (CHIPS) for America Act.

Gov. Kelly, along with Govs. Tony Evers, Wisconsin; Roy Cooper, North Carolina; Andy Beshear, Kentucky; Tom Wolf, Pennsylvania; Kay Ivey, Alabama; J.B. Pritzker, Illinois; Gavin Newsom, California; and Gretchen Whitmer, Michigan, sent a letter to Congress urging swift action to fund the bipartisan program that will turbocharge U.S. production of semiconductors, including the “mature node” chips that are critically important to automakers and parts suppliers, and strengthen the supply chain.

“As the global semiconductor shortage continues to challenge our automotive manufacturing industry and threaten our supply chain, it is critical that Congress take immediate action on the CHIPS Act,” Gov. Kelly said. “I look forward to working with our federal partners – and with my fellow governors – to deliver solutions for our auto manufacturing industry that will secure our supply chain, create jobs, protect our workers, and further strengthen our state’s already booming economy.”

The letter details that supply challenges have idled auto plants across the country, impacting more than 575,000 auto-related jobs.

In Kansas City, Kansas, the General Motors’ plant first shift is working, but the second shift is laid off because of parts shortages.

The bipartisan U.S. Innovation and Competition Act (USICA), already passed by the Senate, included funding for the CHIPS Act re-shoring provisions. It includes $52 billion in incentives to boost domestic semiconductor production and research, $2 billion of which would be dedicated to incentivizing production of the “mature node” semiconductors used by automakers and parts suppliers. These chips are also a key component for other manufacturing sectors, including medical devices, agricultural machinery like farm tractors and combines, as well as radiation-proof chips required by the national defense industrial base.

In the letter, the governors urge the House and Senate to come together to find common ground on the USICA, including full funding for the CHIPS Act..

The governors’ letter is online at https://content.govdelivery.com/attachments/MIEOG/2021/11/09/file_attachments/1991877/Multistate%20Letter%20re%20CHIPS%20Act%20Funding%20-%20Nov%202021.pdf