Month: January 2022

Chiefs and LISC to give $250,000 grant for artificial turf field at Eisenhower Middle School

The Eisenhower Middle School field, 2901 N. 72nd St., Kansas City, Kansas, has been chosen as the recipient of a $250,000 grant from the Kansas City Chiefs through the National Football League Foundation Grassroots Program, and also through the Local Initiatives Support Corp.

Nationally, the NFL Foundation is giving $6 million in field refurbishment awards this year. According to a spokesman, the field will provide a safe playing surface for more than 2,200 young people and adults.

The NFL Foundation Grassroots Program, a partnership between the NFL Foundation and LISC, has been involved with the construction and renovation of 416 football fields nationwide since 1998.

During that time, the NFL Foundation has given almost $58 million to revitalize playing fields in underserved neighborhoods, according to a spokesman. Fields are newly built or significantly renovated, with improvements such as irrigation systems, lights, bleachers, scoreboards, goal posts nad turf. Grassroots grants are issued once established funding thresholds are reached for each project.

“The Chiefs and the National Football League remain committed to sharing and growing the game of football – especially youth football – throughout the greater Kansas City region,” Chiefs President Mark Donovan said in a news release. “We have remarkable relationships with the NFL Foundation and LISC Greater Kansas City and as a result of another generous Grassroots grant, students at Eisenhower Middle School and Kansas City, Kansas, community members will have access to this new artificial turf field which will serve students and neighbors for many years to come.”

LISC identifies local, nonprofit, community-based agencies that have an interest in building or refurbishing football fields in schools and neighborhood parks. Through the program, local agencies are provided with the necessary financing and technical assistance to improve the quality and safety of fields in their communities. The agencies oversee the construction, maintenance and programming of the fields.

“We are honored to continue our partnership with the Kansas City Chiefs and the NFL Foundation to build vibrant, healthy, equitable communities throughout our region,” said Geoff Jolley, LISC Greater Kansas City executive director. “The Hunt family, members of the Chiefs organization, and their players are dedicated to reinvesting in our neighborhoods and youth. They are champions on and off the field.”

Eisenhower School, in the Kansas City, Kansas, Public Schools district, was the only school in the Greater Kansas City area that will receive a grant through this program this year, according to Abigail Hayo, assistant program officer with LISC. They are not sure yet of the completion date for the new football turf field .

KCK police announce new cold case unit

The Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department will have a new cold case unit, according to an announcement from Police Chief Karl Oakman’s office.

“We have assembled a unit of highly motivated and experienced detectives,” Oakman said in a news release. “Kansas City, Kansas, has roughly 285 unsolved homicides spanning five decades which we believe will benefit from a fresh review, as well as advances in DNA and other forensic testing. The family of these victims deserve justice and closure.”

Capt. Angela Garrison, a 27-year veteran of the department, will lead the unit, made up of three full-time detectives. The team will review all cold cases and then prioritize them based on solvability. Missing person cases where it appears that foul play may have been involved, will also be reviewed.

“I’ve been a detective for 14 years and during that time I have worked a number of cold cases,” Garrison said in the news release. “I can truly say that one of the best experiences of my career has been delivering news to a family that we have a resolution for their loved one’s case. I would love to be able to do that for more families in our community.”

A cold case is an unsolved criminal investigation that remains open pending the discovery of new evidence.

Nancy Chartrand, Police Department public information officer, said in the past in the KCKPD, any homicide or missing person cases have remained open, with no statute of limitations applying to homicide cases. Usually in the past, unless someone came forward to provide new information or new developments came forward, these cases have remained inactive but open status.

The new cold case unit will allow the new team of detectives the opportunity to go back and go through all the cases, she said, and see if there has been anything that has been overlooked. Perhaps there was evidence presented at the time, but because of technology at the time, nothing could be done with it, she said, and now the detectives will be able to look for potential new leads in all the cases.

After the team looks through all the cold cases, it will then prioritize the ones where something could be done, she said, but the team is not focusing on any one case to begin with.

“Sometimes when you solve one case, it may lead to solving another case,” she said. The detectives and captain may see similarities in cases that were not linked before, which could lead them to solve a number of them, she added.

Chartrand said Capt. Garrison, who has 27 years in law enforcement, went to specialized training for this assignment.

Currently, the KCKPD has a solve rate of about 88 or 89 percent, which is much higher than some decades in the past where a lot of cases were not solved, Chartrand said.

Technology has changed over the years, including advances such as DNA and more cameras in the community, that may help solve more cases nowadays than in the past.

Even aside from technology, officers now have more training and skills and may look at cases differently than detectives did 50 years ago, she said.

“I think it’s exciting and we’re cautiously optimistic that we’ll be having good results with this,” she said.

This will be the only cold case unit in the Kansas City metropolitan area, she said, and the three detectives and captain are new positions. There will not be a reduction in other areas for this team, and the positions have been approved by the Unified Government Commission, she added.

As the team here solves cases, it may lead to information that helps solve other cases in the metro area, she said. Only 7 percent of law enforcement agencies in the United States have dedicated cold case units.

The cold case squad was one of Chief Oakman’s priorities when he was interviewed for the position.

Several items on tonight’s UG Commission meeting agenda

The Unified Government Commission will meet at 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 27.

The 7 p.m. meeting includes an update on COVID-19 in Wyandotte County and a recommendation for all residents and visitors to wear masks while in indoor public spaces.

Also on the agenda is a resolution that includes changes to the STAR bond and development agreement for the Homefield development being built in the former Schlitterbahn waterpark area. About $150 million would be issued in STAR bonds, in two parts, the first at $130 million followed by a second at $20 million. The bonds were previously approved at different amounts but there are changes proposed to the amounts and when they will be issued. New projects at the site will include the Margaritaville hotel and resort, and the Perfect Game youth baseball complex.

Many planning and zoning items also are on the 7 p.m. agenda.

Other items on the 7 p.m. agenda include termination of the Turner Logistics Center community improvement district because it has completed its minimum requirements; approval of budget authority for FEMA reimbursable expenses; and several Land Bank items.

At the 5 p.m. meeting, the UG Commission will receive an update on the casino grant process, a presentation on the learn to swim program, and a winter weather update from the Public Works Department.

Other items on the 7 p.m. agenda include:

• 2416 and 2416A S. 51st St., 5115 Gibbs Road and 5125 Gibbs Road, change of zone from single family, limited business sand planned limited business district to planned garden apartment district for Tower View Townhomes.

• 3817 Lust Drive, change of zone from single-family to agriculture district for agriculture purposes.

• 3633, 3703 and 3707 Bell Crossing, 3701, 3702 and 3706 N. 37th St., 3655 Sortor Drive, special use permit to keep livestock (horses on the property), recommended for denial.

• 3801 Lloyd St., special use permit for a short-term rental.

• 3151 W. 45th Ave., special use permit for a short-term rental, AirBNB.

• 6550 Kaw Drive, renewal of a special use permit for live entertainment in conjunction with a drinking establishment, El Parasio Night Club and Restaurant.

• 419 Armstrong Ave., renewal of a home occupation special use permit for a personal trainer business.

• 6261 Leavenworth Road, renewal of a special use permit for a youth residential facility, Avery’s Village.

• 2416 and 2416A S. 51st St., 5115 Gibbs Road and 5125 Gibbs Road, master plan amendment from community commercial and low density residential to medium density residential.

• 4108 Adams St., an ordinance rezoning property from single-family to two-family district.

• 4108 Adams St., an ordinance authorizing a special use permit for a short-term rental.

• 4318 Sortor Drive, an ordinance rezoning property from single-family to agriculture district.

• 731 Tenny Ave., an ordinance rezoning property from single-family to two-family district.

• 3740 N. 35th St., an ordinance rezoning property from single-family to agriculture district.

• 2000 S. 49th St., an ordinance rezoning property from single-family to agriculture district.

• 2601 Ridge Ave., an ordinance authorizing a special use permit for a group home program with gardens and greenhouse for training, Shalom House, and office and gardening space for the New Roots program.

• 7512 Leavenworth Road, an ordinance rezoning property from limited business district to planned commercial district.

• 7512 Leavenworth Road, an ordinance authorizing a special use permit for a used automotive dealership with light repair and maintenance.

• 749 Locust St., an ordinance authorizing a special use permit for a short-term rental.

• Special committee appointments by Mayor Tyrone Garner.

• A resolution amending the two-year meeting calendar for the Unified Government Commission.

• Second plat of Harcros, 51st and Speaker Road, being developed by Harcros Chemicals Inc.

• Plat of Mount Calvary Cemetery subdivision, 38th and State, being developed by Catholic Cemeteries Association of Wyandotte and Johnson County.

• Plat of Crown Royal Addition, 13310 Leavenworth Road, being developed by Crown Royal Investments.

Nominations to boards and commissions, including:

• Joseph Straws, Planning Commission and Board of Zoning Appeals, submitted by Commissioner Andrew Davis;

• Vilmer Alvarado, UG Board of Park Commission, submitted by Commissioner Davis;

• Laura Flores, Wyandotte County Library Board, submitted by Commissioner Davis;

• J’Hlesa (Nikki) Richardson, Law Enforcement Advisory Board, submitted by Commissioner Davis;

• Michael Armstrong, Law Enforcement Advisory Board, submitted by Commissioner Christian Ramirez;

• Darryl Hall, Golf Advisory Board, submitted by Mayor Garner;

• Hank Chamberlin, Landmarks Commission, submitted by Mayor Garner;

• Hazel Davis, Kansas City, Kansas, Housing Authority Board, submitted by Mayor Garner;

• The Rev. Rick Behrens, Law Enforcement Advisory Board, submitted by Mayor Garner;

• Edgar Galicia, Downtown KCK Self Supported Municipal Improvement District, submitted by Mayor Garner;

• Diana Aguirre, Board of Park Commissioners, submitted by Mayor Garner;

• Louise Lynch, Wyandotte-Leavenworth Area Wide Advisory Council on Aging, submitted by Mayor Garner;

• The Rev. Jason Sims, Area Transportation Board, submitted by Mayor Garner;

• Don Jones, Contract Fairness Board, submitted by Mayor Garner;

• Adriana Mendoza, Juvenile Corrections Advisory Board, submitted by Mayor Garner;

• Duane Beth, Planning Commission, Board of Zoning Appeals, submitted by Mayor Garner;

• Jacqueline Brown, Wyandotte County Library Board, submitted by Mayor Garner.

Land Bank items on the agenda:

Land Bank option applications

New construction, single family homes, 18 homes

• 2915 Hiawatha St., Mejia, Edwin Anahun Castellanos, one home addition.

Habitat for Humanity, three single-family homes:
• 1137 Pennsylvania Ave., 1139 Pennsylvania Ave., 1211 Pennsylvania Ave., 1213 Pennsylvania Ave. and 1215 Pennsylvania Ave.

Habitat for Humanity, three single-family homes:
• 704 S. Valley St., 1261 Shawnee Ave. and 1267 Shawnee Ave.

Chris Solutions Construction LLC, two homes
• 820 N. 78th St. and 900 N. 78th St.

Innova Pro Construction and Pillar KC LLC, one home
• 649 Sandusky Ave.

Innova Pro Construction and Pillar KC LLC, one home,
• 914 Argentine Blvd.

Innova Pro Construction and Pillar KC LLC, two homes,
• 719 S. Coy St., and 713 S. 8th St.

Innova Pro Construction and Pillar KC LLC, four homes,
• 1147 Armstrong Ave., 1211 Ann Ave., 1223 Ann Ave., 1235 Ann Ave.

Steven Bashus, one home,
• 1600 S. 86th St.

New construction, commercial, two
• 4815 Parallel Parkway, Chris Solutions Construction LLC
• 632 State Ave. and 1101 N. 7th St., Kansas City Kansas Community College, Downtown Campus

Land Bank property transfers
Yard extension
• 4808 Sortor Dr., Ray Sawyer, unbuildable lot.

The public will be able to observe or listen to the meetings live on YouTube or UGTV cable television, or through Zoom on the internet. The public also may view the meeting from the lobby of the Municipal Office Building, 701 N. 7th St.

For information about how to connect to the meetings or how to speak at a meeting, visit https://www.wycokck.org/Departments/Clerks-Office/Engage-in-Public-Commission-Meeting.