Category: Kansas City Kansas

KCK police temporarily suspend pursuits

Kansas City, Kan., Interim Police Chief Ellen Hanson today said that pursuits would be temporarily suspended, except for the pursuit of a felon. (Photo by William Crum)

by William Crum
Kansas City, Kan., Interim Police Chief Ellen Hanson announced today that the police department is temporarily suspending chases, unless it is a chase of a felon.
The policy is suspended while the department studies it, she said.
The announcement came after a 7-year-old girl, Jasmine Rodriguez, was killed at 63rd and Leavenworth Road on Wednesday night. A man who had been pulled over for a traffic stop fled from police, driving north on 63rd Street, failed to stop for a red light and hit a minivan on Leavenworth Road that was carrying the 7-year-old.
Another recent incident involved a chase on Feb. 17, in which an innocent bystander, Graciela Olivas, who was driving in the area of 34th and Shawnee, was killed.

Mayor Mark Holland made a statement today: “Our thoughts and prayers go out to the victims and their family at this tragic time.  I support our police chief and our police department in an aggressive evaluation of both our policy and the implementation of police pursuits.”

See earlier story, https://wyandotteonline.com/child-dies-in-crash-on-leavenworth-road/.

Family Dollar to close 370 stores nationwide

Family Dollar, which has nine stores in Kansas City, Kan., announced today it would close about 370 underperforming stores in the second half of fiscal 2014.

The store has about 8,000 stores in 46 states, according to company information.

Making the announcement today, as the second quarter financial report was released, Family Dollar officials stated that net sales for its stores were down slightly in the second quarter of the year, $2.7 billion as compared to $2.9 billion in 2013.

Company officials cited severe winter weather as part of the reason for slow sales. Also, the 2013 holiday season was described as a “more promotional competitive environment and a more financially constrained consumer.”

Besides closing stores, the company announced it was lowering prices on 1,000 basic items; reducing costs by reducing its workforce; and slowing planned growth of new stores.

Instead of opening 525 new stores as planned in 2015, the store now plans to open 350 to 400 new stores, according to the report. The company’s fiscal report is online at http://corporate.familydollar.com/pages/family-dollar-2q-fy14-earnings.aspx.

 

Sporting KC defender Opara to undergo surgery for season-ending injury

Ike Opara

Sporting Kansas City defender Ike Opara will undergo surgery on April 16 to repair a chondral defect in his right ankle and is expected to miss the remainder of the 2014 season, the club announced on Thursday.

Opara suffered the serious season-ending injury in the 57th minute of Sporting Kansas City’s 3-2 victory at Colorado on March 29 in a collision with Rapids defender Jared Watts.

Opara has made 60 MLS appearances (including postseason) in five professional seasons since being selected No. 3 overall in the 2010 MLS SuperDraft.

Sporting Kansas City acquired Opara prior to the 2013 season and the 25-year-old centerback has played 30 games in all competition for the club over the last two years.

Opara has been a key contributor for teams that have won the NCAA National Championship (Wake Forest, 2007), Supporters’ Shield (San Jose, 2012) and MLS Cup (Sporting Kansas City, 2013).

He represented the United States at the 2009 FIFA Under-20 World Cup and was most recently a member of the U.S. Under-23 Men’s National Team.

Wednesday’s surgery will be performed under the care of orthopedic surgeon Dr. Matthew Kneidel.