Month: May 2022

Thompson, Bostick shine in rainy extra innings win

by Caleb Grizzle, Monarchs

Gary, Indiana — The Kansas City Monarchs (7-5) won game three of a four series against the Gary SouthShore RailCats (4-8) at U.S. Steel Yard, 6-4 Thursday night.

A 49-minute rain delay produced a sluggish start for both clubs in the first two innings, as each team left runners on base and exchanged unearned runs after a combined four errors in the first two frames.

Casey Gillaspie brought in David Thompson with an RBI single to tie the game in the top of the second to erase the early 1-0 deficit.

David Thompson had a masterful night at the plate for the Monarchs. The KC third sacker led off the top of the fourth inning with a solo home run over the left field fence off RailCats starter Harrison Francis to take a 2-1 lead. The Monarchs tacked on another run to close the fourth on a sacrifice fly by J.C. Escarra, 3-1.

Thompson followed with a massive shot over the left field fence in the fifth inning for his second solo home run of the night once again off Francis, pushing the Monarchs lead to 4-1.

Akeem Bostick received the start and was in control on the mound. Bostick pitched six strong innings, allowing only one earned run, four hits and dealing six strikeouts. The first through the fourth inning was Bostick’s most dominant stretch, retiring 10 consecutive RailCats at the plate.

However, the RailCats rallied back into the game with a run in the fifth inning to cut the lead to 4-2. Bostick departed the game in the seventh and the Monarchs turned to right-hander Brock Gilliam.

With one out, the RailCats loaded the bases off Gilliam. The pen was summoned again with lefty Jacob Lindgren coming into the game. Lindgren hit M.J. Rookard with a pitch to bring in one run.

The RailCats then got a fielder’s choice off the bat of Michael Woodworth, who beat out a double play ball to tie the game at four.

Carlos Vega of the RailCats brought the Monarchs’ offense to a screeching halt, striking out seven batters in only three innings pitched.

The Monarchs’ bullpen carried the game into extra innings, shutting down any hopes of a walk-off finish in the bottom of the ninth with two strikeouts from Brandon Koch (1-0).

The teams went to extra innings the first of the season for both clubs. The American Association new extra inning rules went into effect with Darnell Sweeney, the last out of the ninth, starting the top of the tenth at second base.

Gabby Guerrero moved Sweeney to third on a fielder’s choice for out number one. Matt Adams fielder’s choice scored Sweeney from third as the RailCats could not make the play at the plate in time.

The Monarchs added to the lead with Pete Kozma, driving in the insurance run with a single to right to take a two-run lead.

Jameson McGrane slammed the door shut on the RailCats in the bottom of the tenth with three strikeouts to notch his second save, bringing an end to a long night at U.S. Steel Yard with a final score of 6-4.

The Monarchs will face the RailCats in the final game of the four-game series at 6:45 p.m. Thursday, May 26. The game can be heard on the Monarchs Broadcast Network with the pre-game beginning at 6:20 p.m. and the video stream airing on aabaseball.tv.

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

Kansas man who performed fraudulent autopsies pleads guilty to wire fraud

Shawn Lynn Parcells, 42, faces up to 20 years in prison when he is sentenced on Aug. 25

by Dan Margolies, KCUR and Kansas News Service

A Kansas man who held himself out as a pathologist even though he had no medical degree and duped hundreds of people into paying for autopsy services pleaded guilty on Thursday to wire fraud.

Shawn Lynn Parcells, 42, admitted that he falsely represented his credentials to a Maryland family that had contracted with him for autopsy services and sent them a fraudulent pathology report and cause of death.

Parcells faces up to 20 years in prison. Sentencing has been set for Aug. 25.

A federal grand jury indicted Parcells in November 2020 on 10 counts of wire fraud. Parcells’ admission of guilt was not part of a plea agreement with the government and the other nine counts in the indictment remain pending. But the government is expected to dismiss those counts once Parcells is sentenced.

Parcells’ company, National Autopsy Services, charged clients thousands of dollars up front for pathology reports. At least 375 clients paid him more than $1.1 million in fees between May 2016 and May 2019, according to the indictment.

National Autopsy Services’ website claimed it had locations throughout the United States and several abroad, “giving the impression that NAS was a large business operation when in fact the defendant operated only one morgue facility and a ‘Corporate Office’ in Topeka,” the indictment stated.

At his plea hearing, Parcells’ attorney, David Magariel, related the facts underlying Parcells’ guilty plea. He said the Maryland family of James Welch, who had died in July 2016, found National Autopsy Services through an internet search. It then paid $5,000 to NAS for a pathology and toxicology report, believing that Parcells was a medical doctor and pathologist. Parcells signed the report with a listing of his qualifications, including initials falsely indicating he held a doctoral degree. No pathologists reviewed or signed off on the report.

Magariel said that while Parcells was not pleading guilty to the other counts in the indictment, “we do understand that others had a similar experience, although different as to some particularities.”

“We also agree that there were other cases in which a pathologist was listed on the report, but when interviewed, those pathologists denied involvement with cases on at least some of the reports,” Magariel said.

Last year, a Wabaunsee County jury convicted Parcells of three counts of felony theft and three misdemeanor counts of criminal desecration. He is awaiting sentencing there.

Between 1996 and 2003, Parcells worked in the Jackson County Medical Examiner’s Office. At his plea hearing on Thursday, Parcells told U.S. District Judge Daniel Crabtree that he holds an undergraduate degree in biology from Kansas State University and a master’s degree in human anatomy and physiology from New York Chiropractic College. He admitted that he does not have a medical degree or doctoral degree, as he claimed.

In 2014, he appeared frequently on cable news shows as a supposed expert in the investigation into the fatal police shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri.

A separate civil lawsuit in Shawnee County against Parcells is pending. The lawsuit, brought by Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt, alleges that Parcells misled at least 82 Kansas consumers who contracted with him to perform autopsies that he failed to complete in accordance with Kansas law.

The Kansas News Service is a collaboration of High Plains Public Radio, Kansas Public Radio, KCUR and KMUW focused on health, the social determinants of health and their connection to public policy.
Kansas News Service stories and photos may be republished by news media at no cost with proper attribution and a link to ksnewsservice.org.
See more at https://www.kcur.org/news/2022-05-26/kansas-man-who-performed-fraudulent-autopsies-pleads-guilty-to-wire-fraud.

New PILOT fee classification on Thursday’s UG Commission agenda

A new residential classification for the PILOT fee is on the 7 p.m. agenda for the Thursday, May 26, Unified Government Commission meeting.

Dividing the PILOT (payment in lieu of taxes) fee into a residential and “other” classification would mean the UG Commission in the future could vote to set a lower PILOT rate for residents, if they choose.

The PILOT fee is on the Board of Public Utilities’ customer bills. The PILOT fee is approved by the UG Commission. Funds that are collected go to the UG. To see an earlier story, visit https://wyandotteonline.com/proposal-moves-forward-for-separate-classes-for-pilot-fee/.

Also on the agenda is a proposal to expand the senior utility tax rebate program, expanding it to include all ages. See an earlier story at https://wyandotteonline.com/senior-utility-rebate-program-expansion-proposed/.

An ordinance and resolution to allocate ARPA funds for capital expnses, facilities and park improvements as recommended by the ARPA subcommittee also is on the agenda.

Another item is adoption of the 2018 building and fire codes, with amendments.

An ordinance allowing the UG to survey property for the Armourdale Pump Station rehabilitation project also is on the agenda. The location is north of Central Avenue on North 4th Street. The property could be condemned for the project.

Another item on the agenda is approval of $400,000 in reserve funds to address the tuberculosis outbreak.

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

At the 5 p.m. UG Commission special session, commissioners will hear a presentation on capital maintenance and improvement projects, followed by a budget workshop.

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

• 2724 N. 13th St., change of zone from limited business district to planned general business district to operate a sports bar and grill with event space, Vernon Hopkins. Also, special use permit to operate the sports bar and grill.

• 4639 Parallel Parkway, change of zone from limited business district to planned commercial district for auto repair services, Maricela Zamora. Also, special use permit for auto repair services.

• 4141 Joyce Drive, change of zone from single-family district to agriculture district for agricultural purposes, renewal of special use permit for the temporary use of land for “You Pick Berries,” hold classes, apprentices and a farm stand, Regina Compernolle. Also, renewal of special use permit.

• 557 River Park Drive, change of zone from no zoning to planned general business district to construct the Rock Island Bridge Entertainment Venue at 0 Kansas Ave. Also, special use permit for entertainment venue. Also, preliminary and final plan review for the entertainment venue. Also, Master Plan Amendment from nothing to regional commercial, public-semi-public and park-open space.

• 2002 S. 51st St., special use permit for health clinic serving uninsured and under-insured people, Sharon Lee Family Health Care.

• 2618 S. 48th Terrace, home occupation special use permit to sell novelty toy and gift items, Herr Hut LLC.

• 5520 Inland Drive, special use permit to operate used auto sales business, Emmanuel Igbinosun, recommended for denial.

• 10 S. James St., renewal of special use permit for live entertainment at a community motorcycle garage, Hickory Union Moto.

• 3900 Rainbow Blvd., special use permit to continue live entertainment in conjunction with restaurant and drinking establishment, Tanners Bar and Grill.

• 13024 Leavenworth Road, special use permit to keep 40 chickens, Moe Thu.

• 941 N. 74th Drive, renewal of special use permit for live entertainment in conjunction with restaurant, Mason Jar.

• 205 N. Orchard St., vacation of right-of-way.

• 2140 N. 88th St., preliminary plan review for construction of a new entrance, truck scale and stormwater facilities, Wendell Harkins.

• Historic Westheight Manor, Historic District Designation, from Wood and Everett avenues on the north, North 18th on the east, State Avenue on the South and North 22nd and North 25th on the west.

• 9400 State Ave., ordinance rezoning property from agriculture district to planned commercial district.

• 401 Kansas Ave., ordinance authorizing special use permit for an automotive dealership.

• 5124 Sloan Ave., ordinance authorizing special use permit to keep horses.

• 452 S. 26th St., ordinance authorizing special use permit for heavy automotive-truck repair and used auto sales.

• 7250 State Ave., ordinance authorizing special use permit for continuation f a child care facility on the KCKCC campus.

• 901 Minnesota Ave., ordinance authorizing special use permit for a liquor store and convenience store.

• 403 N. 5th St., ordinance authorizing special use permit for a sports bar and drinking establishment.

• 4309 Rainbow Blvd., ordinance authorizing specialuse permit for a short-term rental.

• 3535 Wood Ave., ordinance authorizing a special use permit for transitional housing for youth.

• 3030 S. 63rd St., ordinance authorizing a special use permit to keep a maximum of 25 fowl.

• 700 Kindelberger Road, ordinance authorizing a special use permit for heavy automotive-truck service, repair and mechanics.

• An ordinance authorizing a special use permit for an outdoor multi-use baseball-softball field complex.

• 1501 N. 90th St., ordinance authorizing a special use permit for an outdoor multi-field baseball-softball complex and concession sales.

• 9020 State Ave., an ordinance authorizing a special use permit for site grading for future parking and baseball fields for Homefield Training Center.

• 9020 State Ave., an ordinance authorizing a special use permit for an indoor and outdoor multi-use sports complex.

• 4601 Rainbow Blvd., change of zone from limited business and single-family districts to planned high-rise apartment district for a multi-family residential apartment complex and parking garage, recommended for denial.

• 14140 State Ave., change of zone from planned commercial district to planned general industrial district for a contactor staging area and heavy equipment storage for Remco Demolition. Also, Master Plan Amendment.

• 322 N. 6th St., special use permit for live entertainment in conjunction with an existing drinking establishment, Blake Lostal.

• Flood Plain annual report, 2022 CRS Community Certifications Report.

• Complete Streets ordinance annual report. Presentation by Public Health’s Infrastructure Action Team.

• Kansas City, Kansas, Landmarks Commission annual report.

• A proclamation declaring May 17 as Wyandotte County Sheriff Department Day.

• A proclamation proclaiming May 21 as The First Baptist Church of Quindaro Educational Scholarship day.

• A proclamation proclaiming June 3 as National Gun Violence Awareness Day.

• A proclamation proclaiming June 10 as MARC 50-Forward Day.

• A proclamation proclaiming the first Saturday in June as Rosedale Family and Friends Day.

• Request for approval of a MARC PSP Grant for a traffic management plan, high accident intersection study and implementation strategy for Rainbow Boulevard Corridor in partnership with neighboring cities.

• Request for state historic preservation fund grant to create a city-wide historic preservation plan.

Several Land Bank items are on the agenda:

Land Bank option applications:
New construction, single-family homes
• 3815 Strong Ave., 3813 H Strong Ave., 1302 S. 38th, Chris Solutions, two homes.
• 1536 S. 49th, Chris Solutions, one home.
• 741 Shawnee Road, Chris Solutions, one home.
• 4015 Coleman Court, Monique Smith, one home.
• 1047 Riverview Ave., Richard Dumas, one home.

New construction, multi-family, 34 units.
• 1305 Ann Ave., 1307 Ann Ave., 1309 H Ann Ave., 1311 Ann Ave., 1315 Ann Ave., 1319 Ann Ave., 1325 Ann Ave., Travis Wilson, 9 or 10-unit townhomes.
• 2110 N. 51st, Raj Bhatia, 24 units.

New construction, commercial, four total.
• 1604 Minnesota Ave., Chris Solutions, co-working office space.
• 3510 Strong Ave., Chris Solutions, co-working office space.
• 6116 State Ave., Chantelle L. Sims, affordable small eat and boutique center.
• 5211 Parallel Parkway, the Dominique Experience Foundation, community center.

Land Bank property transfers
Yard extension
• 2105 R McDowell Lane, Robert Needham.

Property transfers, two.
• 2517 N. 17th St, 2515 N. 17th St., 2213 N. 17th St., OCP Neighborhood Association, park.

• 727 Central Ave., CABA, pocket park.

Vacation right of way.
• 731 H Tenny Ave., Rachel Bichara.

The meeting will be held in the UG Commission Chambers at City Hall, 701 N. 7th St., Kansas City, Kansas. It will be on Zoom, also, and is expected to be on YouTube.

The Zoom link is
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83849121369?pwd=emV6QWoxVE4rVk9SaENtU3BUVldwUT09.

The passcode is 561068.

The public also may connect by phone, with toll-free numbers, 888-475-4499 and 877-853-5257.