Category: Communities

Freed after 19 years on death row, former inmate to address topic of death penalty

Curtis McCarty, on death row for 19 years in Oklahoma for a crime he did not commit, will be the guest speaker April 8 at Donnelly College, 608 N. 18th St., Kansas City, Kan.

The event will be held at 6 p.m. Tuesday, April 8, in Donnelly’s Community Event Center.

McCarty spent more than 21 years in prison – including 19 years on death row – before being exonerated in 2007.

McCarty was re-convicted twice and re-sentenced to death three times. It took more than 16 years for McCarty to secure proper DNA testing, and another three years to win a new trial with this evidence.

Since being exonerated, McCarty has been advocating for repeal of the death penalty all over the world. hand the flaws in the death penalty system, and the possibility of a state making the biggest mistake of all: executing an innocent person.

His appearance April 8 is sponsored by Donnelly College and the Archdiocese of Kansas.

The event is free and open to the public.

KCKCC Jazz Band raising money for Cuba trip

by Kelly Rogge

It might be months away, but the Kansas City Kansas Community College Jazz Band is ramping up fundraising efforts for its trip to the 2014 Havana International Jazz Festival later this year.

“This is a bona fide once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for our students,” said Jim Mair, professor of music and director of instrumental studies at KCKCC. “They will see the sights and hear sounds that can only be heard in Cuba. Authentic, non-pretentious and real.”

The KCKCC Jazz Band was invited to perform at the 2014 Havana International Jazz Festival in Havana, Cuba last fall. The festival is Dec. 17 to 22. The band was invited based on its long reputation as one of the premiere community college jazz ensembles in the nation.

The Havana International Jazz Festival started in 1978 when Bobby Carcasses and other Cuban jazz musicians had a concert at the Case de la Cultura de Plaza. The following year, Chucho Valdes, now the president of the festival’s organizing committee, gave another concert. Those yearly concerts morphed into the festival as it is known today.

In addition to attending the festival, the jazz band will have the opportunity to take a guided tour of the UNESCO World Heritage Site and the Havana Historical Centre; tour Cuba’s National Museum of Fine Arts; visit the Institute Superior de Arte, the country’s top art academy; explore Finca Vigia, where Ernest Hemingway lived for more than 20 years; enjoy tap dancing and live jazz music at Pena de Santa Amalia and learn about the Cuban culture. Any U.S. citizen is allowed to travel to the small country with the appropriate license.

Donations are currently being accepted to help the KCKCC Jazz Band with the approximately $60,000 of travel expenses. Checks can be made payable to KCKCC with “Cuba Trip” written in the memo area. These can be given directly to Mair or Patrick McCartney in the KCKCC Endowment Office for a tax write-off option. Other future fundraisers include selling merchandise at the Jazz Summit, church concerts, a big band dance and donations from the monthly Jazz by the Lake event.

The trip is also open to those within the Wyandotte and Kansas City area community. Those who are interested in traveling with the jazz band are responsible for their own expenses and travel costs. Mair said he has received about 20 requests for information from interested community members.

For more information on the KCKCC Jazz Band’s invitation to the 2014 Havana International Jazz Festival and on the group’s fundraising efforts, contact Jim Mair at jmair@kckcc.edu or call 913-288-7149. Community members interested in traveling with the band should contact Bill Yeazel at jyeazel@kckcc.edu.

– Kelly Rogge is the public information supervisor at Kansas City Kansas Community College.

Community calendar

The Wyandotte Daily News is interested in news of your community event in Wyandotte County. Send information to news@wyandottepublishing.com and include your name and phone number.

Police to hold meet-and-greet event April 3
A meet-and-greet event for the South Patrol Division, Kansas City, Kan., Police Department, will be held at 6 p.m. Thursday, April 3, at the Argentine Community Center, 2810 Metropolitan Ave. Residents may attend and meet patrol division officers. The South Patrol Division covers State Line to I-435, south of the Kansas River.

Blood drive to be April 4
A blood drive will be from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. April 4 at Sumner Academy, old gym, 1610 N. 8th, Kansas City, Kan. To register for this Community Blood Center blood drive, visit https://www.esavealifenow.

Created Equal Film Series continues April 4
The Created Equal Film Series – Part II – will continue at 6 p.m. April 4 at the Main Kansas City, Kansas Public Library, 625 Minnesota Ave.  The program will focus on the Freedom Rides of 1961, a pivotal moment in the Civil Rights struggle. There will be a screening of selected scenes from “Freedom Riders” followed by a discussion moderated by Clarence Long, professor of African and African-American studies, and American studies at the University of Kansas. Created Equal is a program of the Gilder Lehrman Institute and the NEH with the Kansas Humanities Council.

Walk MS to be held April 5 at Sporting Park    
Walk MS, a fundraiser for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, will be held April 5 at Sporting Park, Kansas City, Kan.  Registration is at 8 a.m. and the walk starts at 10 a.m.  The walk raises funds for MS research, programs, and services that help people with MS stay active, connect with others and move forward in their lives. For more information about Walk MS, visit http://walk.msmidamerica.org or call 1-800-344-4867.

ServSafe Course to be April 8
A ServSafe Course will be Tuesday, April 8, at K-State Research and Extension, Wyandotte County office, 1216 N. 79th St., Kansas City, Kan. This course is for everyone who handles any type of food service or group meals. Also, it is for those interested in food service employment. The cost is $10, which includes class materials and workbook. The deadline for registration is April 1 because of limited seating and workbooks. Contact Lori Wuellner at 913-299-9300 or email lwuellne@ksu.edu.

Women’s Chamber to meet April 9
The Kansas City, Kan., Women’s Chamber of Commerce will meet from 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 9, for a spring membership event. The event will be held at the Cork House, 509 N. 6th St., Kansas City, Kan. Parking is on the west side of the building.

Police to hold meet-and-greet event April 9
A meet-and-greet event for the Midtown Patrol Division, Kansas City, Kan., Police Department, will be held at 6 p.m. Wednesday, April 9, at the Trinity Community Church, 5010 Parallel Parkway, Kansas City, Kan. Residents may attend and meet patrol division officers. The Midtown Patrol Division covers 29th to 65th streets, Kansas to Missouri rivers.

Fairfax Industrial Association to meet April 10
The Fairfax Industrial Association will meet at 11:15 a.m. Thursday, April 10, at Reddi Services, 603 Funston Road, Kansas City, Kan. The guest speaker will be Chad Meyer, president and chief operating officer of NorthPoint Development, giving an update on progress in Fairfax.

Police to hold meet-and-greet event April 10
A meet-and-greet event for the West Patrol Division, Kansas City, Kan., Police Department, will be held at 6 p.m. Thursday, April 10, at the FOP Hall, 7844 Leavenworth Road, Kansas City, Kan. Residents may attend and meet patrol division officers. The West Patrol Division covers 65th Street west to the county line, Kansas to Missouri rivers.

Safety to be topic of Rosedale meeting April 10
A program on safety will be presented from 6 to 7 p.m. Thursday, April 10, at the Rosedale Development Association meeting, 1401 Southwest Blvd., Kansas City, Kan. Lt. Col Terry Zeigler, assistant chief of police, will give a short presentation on the topic of staying safe in one’s own community. Reservations are being accepted for the program. For more information, call 913-677-5097.

UG scheduled to meet April 10
The Unified Government Commission is scheduled to meet at 7 p.m. Thursday, April 10, at the Commission Chambers, City Hall, lobby level, 701 N. 7th St., Kansas City, Kan. An agenda for the 7 p.m. meeting might be posted at www.wycokck.org.

Town Hall Forum planned April 12
The Kansas City, Kan., Area Chamber of Commerce will hold a Town Hall Forum rom 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at the West Wyandotte Library, 1737 N. 82nd St., Kansas City, Kan. The public will hear an update on legislation and will have the opportunity to meet with members of the Wyandotte County legislative delegation. The program is free and open to the public.

Candlelighting service planned for crime victims April 14
A memorial service and candlelighting is planned at 5 p.m. April 14 at the Forest Grove Baptist Church, 1417 N. 9th St., Kansas City, Kan. A light dinner begins at 5 p.m. followed by the candlelighting at 6 p.m. The Crime Awareness Coordinating Effort is planning this free event, which has several sponsors. For more information, call 913-321-1566 or visit the website at www.friendsofyates.org.

Human Resources Roundtable meeting planned
The Wyandotte County Human Resources Roundtable will hold a meeting from 3:30 to 5 p.m. Thursday, April 17, at Earp Distribution, 2730 S. 98th St., Edwardsville, Kan.  For more information, contact Jay Matlack, business retention and expansion director, 913-748-2273.

Blood drive scheduled April 21
A Red Cross blood drive is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 21 at the Sacred Heart Home Health Care, 7735 Washington Ave., Kansas City, Kan.  To schedule an appointment, visit www.redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED-CROSS.

Women’s Chamber to present social media program April 24
The Kansas City, Kan., Women’s Chamber of Commerce will present a seminar on social media April 24.
The seminar will be held Thursday, April 24, at Dave and Buster’s, 1843 Village West Parkway, Kansas City, Kan. The event starts with registration at 11 a.m., followed by lunch at 11:30 a.m. and the program at 11:45 a.m. Geared toward small businesses and entrepreneurs who are new to social media, the seminar will include information at social media platforms, how to professionally present a business online, what to do and not to do, and how to stay current on social media trends. The featured speakers will be Mary A. Redmond, a professional speaker, negotiations coach and consultant who has been blogging since 2009; Pat Brune, retired from the federal courts and now part of MelKat Creative Consult, which provides social media training to nonprofits; and Joy Richardson, senior director of resource development and community impact for United Way of Wyandotte County, who volunteers as a Facebook administrator for several organizations. Cost of the event is $25 for members, $30 for nonmembers. For more information or to register, visit www.womenschamberkck.org.

Local author to speak April 29
Local author Ruth Campos will give a talk at 6 p.m. April 29 at the South Branch of the Kansas City, Kansas Public Library, 3104 Strong Ave., Kansas City, Kan. She will speak on “My Journey in Faith,” her new book. Campos has roots in the Argentine community of Kansas City, Kan., and is a former teacher at Sumner Academy. Copies of the book will be available for purchase and signing.

Wyandotte County Extension Master Gardeners annual plant sale to be May 2-3
The annual plant sale of the Wyandotte County Master Gardeners will be from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, May 2, and 9 a.m. to noon (or as long as inventory is left) Saturday, May 3, at the Wildcat Room, Wyandotte County Extension office, 1200 N. 79th St., Kansas City, Kan. The Wyandotte County Master Gardeners will offer tomatoes, sweet and hot peppers, eggplant, herbs, and other vegetable and fruit plants started by the members, and collections of perennials, annuals, Kansas native wildflowers and ornamental grasses. New to the sale this year will be succulent plants, gently used books and gardening supplies. Master Gardeners will be on hand to help with selections and answer gardening questions. For information, call 913-299-9300.

Program covers post-harvest handling
A program for gardeners and those who raise food on “Post-Harvest Handling” will take place on May 12 in Kansas City, Kan. The program is sponsored by K-State Research and Extension. For more information, visit www.growinggrocers.org.

African-American Art Festival planned Aug. 9
The MoKan African-American Art Festival will be held from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 9, at Quindaro Park, 35th and Sewell, Kansas City, Kan. Those attending the free event may bring a blanket, enjoy artwork, stilt walkers Gullah basket weathers, African drummers and dancers, food and vendors. For more information about having an art exhibit there or being a vendor, contact 913-788-7330.