Month: November 2021

Warming trend begins today

Photo by Mary Rupert

A warming trend begins today, with a high near 55, the National Weather Service said.

Temperatures may reach 69 by Sunday, according to the weather service.

Southerly winds will be breezy this weekend, with gusts up to 25 mph, the weather service said.

Rain is not in the forecast until next Wednesday, according to the weather service.

Today, it will be cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly sunny, with a high near 55, the weather service said. There will be a south southwest wind of 5 to 8 mph.

Tonight, it will be partly cloudy, with a low of 39 and a south wind of 5 to 7 mph, according to the weather service.

Friday, it will be mostly sunny, with a high near 57, the weather service said. A south wind of 7 to 14 mph will gust as high as 22 mph.

Friday night, it will be mostly clear, with a low around 42, according to the weather service. A south southwest wind of 7 to 9 mph will gust as high as 18 mph.

Saturday, it will be sunny, with a high near 67 and a south southwest wind around 7 mph, the weather service said.

Saturday night, it will be mostly clear, with a low of 47, according to the weather service.

Sunday, it will be sunny, with a high near 69, the weather service said.

Sunday night, it will be mostly clear, with a low around 50, according to the weather service.

Monday, it will be sunny, with a high near 68, the weather service said.

Monday night, it will be partly cloudy, with a low of 52, according to the weather service.

Tuesday, it will be partly sunny, with a high near 63, the weather service said.

Tuesday night, it will be mostly cloudy, with a low of 48, according to the weather service.

Wednesday, there is a 30 percent chance of rain, with a high near 60, the weather service said.

BPU resumes utility disconnections

The Kansas City, Kansas, Board of Public Utilities will resume utility disconnections.

The moratorium on disconnections for past due bills ended on Wednesday, Nov. 3.

At the BPU board meeting Nov. 3, Johnetta Hinson, BPU executive director of customer service, said that the BPU would slowly return to normal operations. They will begin a modified collection process starting Nov. 4, she said.

Usually the BPU disconnects from 200 to 250 customers a day, she said. They will start with half that many and slowly ramp it up, she said.

Hinson said customers are encouraged to see if they qualify for utility assistance through the Kansas Emergency Rental Assistance (KERA) program. Other utility assistance could be available through the Low-Income Energy Assistance Program or through social service agencies in Kansas City, Kansas.

Customers also are encouraged to contact BPU customer relations to speak with a customer service representative about utility payment arrangements, she said.

Residents and board members did not discuss extending the moratorium further. According to BPU information, if utilities are disconnected, customers will have to pay the bill and also could be charged a deposit to turn it back on. New customers also pay a customer service fee.

One resident asked if the BPU would add a medical device to its list of approved medical devices for which the electricity would not be turned off. A family member needs the medical device, which runs on electricity, for survival, she said. It was not the first time she made the request. She said her husband’s doctor tried unsuccessfully to have the equipment added to the list.

Her request was supported by activist Beto Lugo-Martinez, executive director of Clean Air Now.

BPU General Manager Bill Johnson said he would have customer service contact the resident with information about how to apply to get the equipment on the approved list. Information about the BPU life support program is at https://www.bpu.com/ForHome/ElectricService/LifeSupportProgram.aspx.

The BPU also has a cold weather rule in its policies that takes effect Nov. 1 through March 31.

However, temperatures have not been cold enough yet for the rule to kick in.

The policy says BPU will not disconnect residential electric customers for nonpayment of bills when the National Weather Service forecasts the temperature will remain at or below 32 degrees Fahrenheit for 24 hours.

So far, temperatures have been freezing a few nights, but rebounding to the 50s during the daytime. Temperatures will reach the 60s this weekend. The long-range forecast calls for near normal temperatures from Nov. 10 to 16.

Customers who have BPU billing or service questions may call 913-573-9190 to speak with a utility representative. 

Identities released of three persons who died at apartments

The Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department today stated that preliminary autopsies of individuals whose deaths were considered suspicious have found that two of the deaths were ruled as homicides, and the third, a natural death.

The three deaths took place in a high-rise building in the 900 block of Washington Boulevard in Kansas City, Kansas.

Police identified the victims on Wednesday.

Damon Irvin, age 35, was discovered dead on Monday by building staff, according to the police spokesman. This death was ruled a homicide, according to the police spokesman.

Rau’Daja Fairrow, age 25, was discovered dead on Tuesday, the police spokesman stated. This death also was ruled a homicide.

The body of Roy Wright, age 66, was discovered on Tuesday, and his death has been ruled as natural, the spokesman stated.

All three individuals were residents of the apartment building, police stated.

The two homicides remain under investigation by the KCKPD Major Case Unit, the spokesman stated. Anyone with information on this case is urged to call the TIPS hotline at 816-474-TIPS, according to police. All tipsters remain anonymous and may qualify for a cash reward, police stated.