Month: June 2022

Beautiful weather today, rain in tonight’s forecast

The forecast calls for beautiful weather today with a high near 82 and calm winds increasing to 6 mph in the afternoon.

Rain and storms are in the forecast for tonight, according to the National Weather Service.

A round of stronger storms is expected after midnight Thursday through 5 a.m. Friday, the weather service said.

There could be pockets of hail, gusting winds and locally heavy rainfall, according to the weather service.

Seasonal temperatures will continue through Saturday. Heat arrives Sunday and Monday, with highs in the 90s, the weather service said. On Monday, the high may be near 96.

Today, it will be mostly sunny, with a high near 82, the weather service said. A calm wind will become south around 6 mph in the afternoon.

Tonight, there is a 70 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, then showers are likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 3 a.m., according to the weather service. The low will be around 63 with a south wind of 6 mph becoming light and variable. Less than a tenth of an inch of rain is possible.

Friday, there is a 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 10 a.m., the weather service said. The high will be near 80, with a calm wind becoming north northwest 5 to 8 mph in the afternoon. Less than a tenth of an inch of rain is in the forecast.

Friday night, it will be mostly cloudy, with a low of 62 and a north wind of 6 mph becoming calm in the evening, according to the weather service.

Saturday, it will be mostly sunny, with a high near 85, the weather service said. A calm wind will become south around 6 mph in the afternoon.

Saturday night, it will be mostly clear, with a low of 68, according to the weather service.

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

Sunday night, it will be partly cloudy, with a low of 75, according to the weather service.

Monday, it will be mostly sunny, with a high near 96, the weather service said.

Monday night, it will be mostly clear, with a low of 79, according to the weather service.

Tuesday, it will be sunny, with a high near 94, the weather service said.

Tuesday night, there is a 30 percent chance of showers, with a low of 72, according to the weather service.

Wednesday, there is a 30 percent chance of showers, with a high near 89, the weather service said.

New organization wants action from Unified Government

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Opinion column

by Murrel Bland

It was part religious revival and another part political rally.

At the end of nearly an hour and one-half of a very well-rehearsed meeting, more than 1,000 members of 17 Wyandotte County churches got what they came for — a commitment from Mayor Tyrone Garner and two Unified Government commissioners.

The group met at Mt. Carmel Church of God in Christ in the Northeast community of Kansas City, Kansas, Tuesday, June 7.

Members of the parishes have formed an organization called Churches United for Justice (CUFJ). The faiths include United Methodist, Baptist, Philadelphia Bible, Peace and Fellowship, Church of Christ and Episcopal. The group’s focus will be on the need for affordable housing and curbing violence.

The Rev. Andy Frazier, pastor of The United Methodist Church, Bonner Springs, made an extensive presentation telling the dark history of “redlining,” a practice eliminating persons in certain neighborhoods from receiving government-backed home loans. This was practiced here and in several other communities in the United States. Frazier said this practice had a far-reaching negative effect on communities including its schools.

Because of this injustice, CUFJ is proposing the creation of the Affordable Housing and Equity Trust Fund. It would be funded by a $25 million fund from the Unified Government of Wyandotte County in Kansas City, Kansas; the source of the federal funds would be stimulus money awarded to local governments because of the COVID pandemic.

The violence issue is very apparent as Wyandotte County has the highest homicide rate in the state of Kansas. CUFJ calls for law enforcement to work with CUFJ in securing a $425,000 grant from the Unified Government to hire a representative of the National Network for Safe Communities. This organization uses programs such as Group Violence Intervention (GVI). When used effectively, such as in Oakland, California, it has reduced the homicide rate by 43 percent.

Mayor Garner and two Unified Government commissioners, Gayle Townsend and Andrew Davis, said they supported the housing and anti-violence programs. But the political reality is that there must be at least three other votes before any proposal is passed.

Certainly CUFJ has done a lot of research. But there are some very practical questions that still linger with any such housing proposal. The first is the issue of skilled labor; right now those who build houses have difficulty in obtaining good help.

Often affordable housing has not been welcome in certain neighborhoods. There is also a Greater Kansas City public policy matter. Are other communities, such as Johnson County, doing what they should to support affordable housing?

CUFJ will meet again on Thursday, Sept. 22, to see if the mayor and Unified Government commissioners have accepted their proposals.

Murrel Bland is the former editor of The Wyandotte West and The Piper Press.

UG Commission to meet Thursday

The Unified Government Commission will meet on Thursday, June 9, in a hybrid meeting at City Hall, 701 N. 7th St., Kansas City, Kansas.

Meetings will begin at 4 p.m. and 7 p.m.

The 7 p.m. Commission meeting will include a presentation on the county administrator’s search process.

In addition, budget revisions of over $50,000 for the new Turner fire station will be on the agenda.

Also on the agenda will be an ordinance to adopt a revised building and safety code; an ordinance to adopt the 2018 life safety code and international fire code; and an ordinance to adopt the 2018 international residential code.

Amendments to the Safe and Welcoming Act, to comply with a new state law, also are on the agenda.

The UG Commission also is slated to hear a presentation on Fire Station 15, which is in the Fairfax area, and an update on the status of grants and the grant process.

On the consent agenda at the 7 p.m. meeting are approval for the KCK Police Department to apply for and accept a law enforcement crime gun intelligence center grant award; approval for the KCK Police Department to apply for and accept funding for 12 patrol officer positions through the COPS Hiring Program; approval for a remote worker policy at the UG; and plats of the Pierson Park Fire Station, Parallel Apartments at 112th and Parallel, Homefield Perfect Game at 90th and Walker and the Homefield Sports Training facility at 94th and State.

Also there will be a time for community members to speak about topics that are under the control of the UG. There is a 2-minute limit on each comment, and a total 45-minute time limit on this segment.

A special session will begin at 4 p.m. in the Commission Chambers to discuss revitalization efforts in the eastern part of Kansas City, Kansas, east of 55th Street.

The public may go to the lobby of City Hall to listen to the meetings.

The meetings also are on Zoom. The Zoom link is
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81349626118?pwd=TlRlRFRFSnU4ZE80d3lab2F0SDIwdz09.
The passcode is 041732

The public also may connect through the telephone, toll-free, 877-853-5257 or 888-475-4499. The webinar ID is 813 4962 6118.

For more information, see https://www.wycokck.org/Engage-With-Us/Calendar-of-Events/Full-Commission-Meeting.