Category: Communities

Downed power lines caused electrical short to home on Leavenworth Road

Downed power lines during a storm this morning caused an electrical short that produced heavy smoke in a wood-framed home on Leavenworth Road.

Fire crews responded at 11:08 a.m. June 5 to a home at 6615 Leavenworth Road, according to a Fire Department spokesman.

They arrived within one minute of the call. Crews saw heavy smoke coming from the home, and found power lines had been brought down by tree limbs during a morning storm, the spokesman said.

The downed power lines caused an electrical short to the home. Crews found fire in the kitchen area that had spread to the attic of the home, the spokesman said.

Everyone was out of the home by the time fire crews arrived, and no one was injured, the spokesman said. BPU was called to shot off power to the home.

The fire investigator responded and indicated that the probable cause of the unintentional fire was a downed tree on electrical lines, according to the Fire Department report. The house sustained damage of $25,000.

The Red Cross was called to assist three adults, according to the spokesman.

Reardon to deliver keynote address


Former Kansas City, Kan., Mayor Joe Reardon is scheduled to deliver the keynote address today at the New York State Second Annual Broadband Summit and Awards Ceremony. Reardon, an attorney with McAnany, Van Cleave and Phillips, was mayor when Kansas City, Kan., was selected as the first Google Fiber city. He currently works to bring the ultra-high-speed Internet connectivity to other communities. His remarks today are expected to provide information about why the high-speed broadband will be critical for cities’ growth.

UG Commission plans three meetings today

The Unified Government Commission is scheduled to meet from 3:30 to 5 p.m. on Thursday, June 5, to discuss Community Development Block Grants.

The meeting will be held at the fifth floor conference room, Suite 515, of City Hall, 701 N. 7th St., Kansas City, Kan.

Another UG Commission special session is scheduled at 5:15 p.m. today in the ninth floor conference room at City Hall. It will be a closed, executive session on labor negotiations.

The regular UG Commission meeting is scheduled at 7 p.m. Thursday, June 5, in the Commission Chambers, lobby level, City Hall.

The agenda for the 7 p.m. regular meeting includes:

– Hollywood Casino charitable grant funds disbursement, with grant awards totaling $492,929.14.
– Request from UG Commissioner Jim Walters that District 7 receive a full funding equal to other districts for Phase II CNIP (community neighborhood improvement projects) funds.
– Ordinance establishing a sanitary sewer buy-in connection fee to partially reimburse the UG for the design and construction cost of sanitary sewer utility improvements south of Leavenworth Road, 115th to 119th streets.
– Approval of a memorandum of understanding with the Board of Public Utilities regarding the operations, construction and maintenance of the traffic signal system.
– Approval of the 2014 capital expenditure program for CommunityAmerica Ballpark.
– Naming the athletic field at 9th and Parallel as Adrion Roberson Athletic Field.
– Appointment of Shafawn Morrison to the Landmarks Commission and reappointment of Eleanor Pitts to the Law Enforcement Advisory Board.
– Resolution adopting a compliance procedure related to securities and continuing disclosure matters for the UG.
– Approval to proceed with a request for proposals for a feasibility study for the development of convention space focusing on the I-435-western Wyandotte and Village West corridor.
– Approval of a short-term special use permit for PrideFest 2014 celebrating the diversity of Lesbian-Gay-Bisexual-Transgender (LGBT) individuals in the cities of Kansas City, Kan., Kansas City, Mo., and surrounding communities. PrideFest would be from June 20-22 at 200 S. James St., Kansas City, Kan.
– Proclamation for Michael James Peterson Day.
More information is at www.wycokck.org.