Month: May 2022

Sunny skies and dry weather ahead

National Weather Service graphic

Sunny skies and dry weather are ahead on Friday, with a high near 69, the National Weather Service said.

Although starting with a cloudy and rainy day, the light rain should move out Friday morning, according to the weather service.

Then it will be mostly dry through the weekend and next week, the weather service said.

Look for temperatures to rise to 75 on Saturday and 85 on Sunday, then reach the 90s on Monday, according to the weather service.

Today, it will be cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly sunny, with a high near 69, the weather service said. A north wind will be around 7 mph.

Tonight, it will be mostly clear, with a low of 50 and a light adn variable wind, according to the weather service.

Saturday, it will be sunny with a high near 75, the weather service said. A light east southeast wind will become southeast 6 to 13 mph in the morning, and winds may gust up to 21 mph.

Saturday night, it will be partly cloudy, with a low of 60 and a southeast wind of 10 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 24 mph, according to the weather service.

Sunday, there is a 20 percent chance of showers before 1 p.m., with a high near 85, the weather service said. A southeast wind of 14 to 16 mph will gust as high as 28 mph.

Sunday night, it will be mostly clear, with a low of 72, according to the weather service.

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

Monday night, it will be mostly clear, with a low of 73, according to the weather service.

Tuesday, it will be sunny, with a high near 93, the weather service said.

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

Wednesday, it will be mostly sunny, with a high near 92, the weather service said.

Wednesday night, it will be partly cloudy, with a low of 69, according to the weather service.

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

School naming committee gives preliminary nod to ‘Wolves’ for Arrowhead Middle mascot

by Mary Rupert

A Kansas City, Kansas, Public Schools naming committee on Thursday morning gave a preliminary nod to the name “Wolves” for its recommendation for the new mascot of Arrowhead Middle School.

The mascot is in the process of being changed from “Apaches” because of objections of some district patrons.

After it makes its final recommendation, the committee will send the name to the full school board for approval.

There were three finalists for the mascot name, according to Dr. Ralph Teran, chief finance and operating officer for the district. They were Wolves, Blue Jays and Phoenix. Wolves were leading by only five votes over Blue Jays.

Four surveys were included for Arrowhead, including one taken in the school building, one on an online district survey with three choices from the previous March 9 meeting, an incoming sixth-grade survey from feeder schools and a ballot box at the West Wyandotte Library, Dr. Teran said.

The total votes were 370 for Wolves, 365 for Phoenix and 360 for Blue Jays, he said.

Rachel Russell, a board member who was leading the committee on Thursday, said she preferred not to make a school color recommendation for Arrowhead. The school colors previously were blue and yellow, with some support from the building for continuing them, according to Dr. Teran.

Russell said she supported the principal and building choosing their colors. She didn’t want schools to feel they needed to come to the board about school color choice. The renaming committee meeting was on Zoom.

Dr. Stacy Yeager, who serves on the renaming committee, said the board was more focused on renaming schools than on the school colors in its previous school renamings.

The school renaming committee also is in the process of renaming the Fairfax Learning Center.

Dr. Teran said the name that received the most votes was Alfred Fairfax Academy. Other names that were in the running for Fairfax were Charles Langston and Rosa Parks.

Alfred Fairfax, the first African American Kansas state reprsentatie, received the most votes by a wide margin, according to Dr. Teran. In the 1880s, Fairfax sponsored legislation that would ensure equal access to public education for all Kansas children.

Currently, the Fairfax Learning Center is located at the former White Church Elementary School building at 2226 N. 85th St., Kansas City, Kansas. It moved there in 2021.

The next step is for the renaming committee to make a written recommendation to the school board.

At this time, there are plans for additional community response between May 10 and May 31, Russell said. The district will provide opportunities for more community feedback. The renaming could go to the full school board at the March 31 meeting, she said.

Rising costs could require changes in personal budgets

The recent increase in prices for many of Americans’ everyday expenses may motivate a return to simpler living, said Kansas State University family resource management specialist Elizabeth Kiss.

“We need to think about all of our (current) expenses,” Kiss said, “and decide whether this is a good opportunity to get back to basics and identify our foundation. What is it that we absolutely have to spend our money on right now?”


Kiss said all of us have fixed monthly costs, such as housing; and variable costs – such as food and fuel.


“The variable costs are the ones in the short run that we can modify,” she said. “You can decrease your expenses, or you can increase your income – or a combination of both.”


For those who choose to increase their income to make ends meet, Kiss said there are jobs available in the current labor market, “so if it’s to the point where you are thinking of taking on a part-time job – even for a short time – you have the opportunity to do that. But you still need to be working toward longer-term goals.”


Kiss shared some ideas for decreasing costs:


Groceries
With spring and summer, there are greater opportunities to buy from farmer’s markets. “You can get what you want in the quantities you want so that you may have less food waste,” Kiss said. “If you have any wasted food, that’s just money in the garbage can.”


Other opportunities to save include:
• Buy products in bulk, especially non-perishable items.
• Use only as much laundry detergent as required for a load.
• Seek lower-cost substitutes for products you already are buying.


Do it yourself
Save costs by taking on some home projects yourself. Some jobs may not be feasible – plumbing can be beyond a simple fix – “but there are some things you can do,” Kiss said.

“Cook more from scratch, for example. This time of year, people turn to gardening, which can be an opportunity to increase your access to fresh vegetables, herbs and fruits.”


Avoid impulse buying
“Having a list is a very good way to avoid impulse buying at the grocery store,” Kiss said. “With prices being what they are right now, many of us may not have much flexibility for impulse purchases. You really do have to focus on what your needs are. That’s not to say we can’t have some things we want, but plan for those.”


Do the research on larger purchases
Kiss said anticipating a larger purchase may work in your favor. “If you’re anticipating you’re going to have to replace an appliance within the next 3-6 months, now’s a good time to start doing the shopping part of it,” she said.

“Research the prices, brands and models as they are today, so that if I have to do it in a hurry, you know how much you’re likely to spend.”


Prices may increase or decrease in the time you’re doing the research, Kiss said, “but the longer you have to plan for that expenses, the better off you may be.”
Kiss said some homeowners may also be able to save money by asking their insurance agent for a review of coverage.


Combine errands
Kiss suggests saving on gas by planning ahead to run several errands on the same trip. She also suggests driving the speed limit, using cruise control and reducing the use of air conditioning and other vehicle accessories. Keep the vehicle well-maintained, including keeping tires inflated appropriately.

“We have so much abundance in our country, so maybe this is a time that we can think about what abundance means to each of us and what satisfies you versus going over the top,” Kiss said.


More information on managing family finances is available online. Several publications also are available for free from the K-State Research and Extension bookstore. See more at https://www.ksre.k-state.edu/news/stories/2022/04/family-financial-management-increasing-prices.html