Category: KCKCC

Town hall discussion planned tonight on drug overdoses

The Kansas City District Office of the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department will hold a free town hall meeting at 6 p.m. Tuesday, June 28, at the Kansas City Kansas Community College Performing Arts Center, 7250 State Ave.

Since Jan. 1, there have been 70 overdoses and 13 overdose deaths in Kansas City, Kansas, according to a police spokesman.

Since 2018, the number of overdoses has doubled every year. That year, there were only 13 overdoses; last year there were 110. It is a troubling trend being played out across the United States in big cities, as well as small towns and those in between, like KCK, according to a police spokesman.

Counterfeit pills that are made to look exactly like those dispensed from a pharmacy are fueling the increase, according to police. They contain potentially lethal amounts of fentanyl – a drug that is 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine. Many who take the pills are unaware they contain fentanyl.

Once ingested or inhaled, most overdoses occur within seconds to minutes, the spokesman stated. The only way to prevent death is by quickly administering naloxone, known commonly by the name brand, Narcan, according to police.

The DEA selected the Kansas City metropolitan area as one of 11 locations in the U.S. for Operation Engage, a community outreach effort to address this nation-wide threat posed by fentanyl and methamphetamine. This is the first of several upcoming Operation Engage events scheduled for the area.

The event will feature a panel discussion followed by a question-and-answer session with the audience.

Panelists will include DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge, Rogeana Patterson-King; Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department Capt. John Diaz; Libby Davis, a Shawnee mother who lost her 16-year-old son last year to a counterfeit pill; Kansas City, Kansas, Fire Department Battalion Chief Chance Grey and EMT Joshua Magaha; and Megan Fowler, LCSW, director of recovery services for First Call.

  • Story from Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department

KCKCC receives $1.4 million grant to serve local high school students

Kansas City Kansas Community College has been awarded $1.4 million by the U.S. Department of Education to implement the Upward Bound program. The grant begins in fall 2022 and will continue through August 2027.

“Being awarded the Upward Bound grant allows Kansas City Kansas Community College to expand services into schools to help those students who need it the most. These expanded services, built around intensive and intentional academic and student support services, will help increase high school graduation rates and college preparedness,” said Dr. Greg Mosier, president of KCKCC. “The Upward Bound program expands KCKCC’s ability to positively impact workforce needs and educational readiness of underserved students in our community.”

The Upward Bound program serves low-income and potential first-generation college students with the goal of preparing participants for college. Students receive comprehensive academic assistance and overall support for students and families, including advising, tutoring, study skills workshops, test taking support and college and financial aid application assistance.

“The Upward Bound program is an opportunity to prepare students in Wyandotte County for college – students who may not have otherwise even dreamed of what they could do beyond high school,” said Dr. Shawn Derritt, dean of student services at KCKCC. “At KCKCC, we strive to help all of our students succeed and work to provide them with the tools and skills necessary to achieve their goals.”

The grant will support 60 high school students each year from Schlagle and Washington high schools in the Kansas City, Kansas, School District. The focus for these students will be to improve academic performance, graduation rates and college readiness.

  • Story from Kelly Rogge, KCKCC public information manager

KCKCC softball team wins 9-2 in first game of national tournament

by Tyler Scott, KCKCC sports information director

Oxford, Alabama – The Kansas City Kansas Community College softball team pounded its opponent, Triton College, 9-2 in the Blue Devils’ first game of the NJCAA Division II Softball National Tournament.

The No. 9 seed Blue Devils played Tuesday against the No. 8 seed Triton College at Choccolocco Park in Oxford, Alabama.

The Blue Devils are now 44-14 overall on the season.

KCKCC took it to the Trojans early in the game as the Blue Devils started the first inning with two consecutive hits. Triton retired the next two batters, but Maya Sheldon continued the inning for the squad as she hit a double to right-center field – scoring Savannah Maynard and Mckenzie Ogden.

The Blue Devils extended their lead to 4-0 in the third frame, which started with a wild pitch by Triton. Bradi Basler scored on the play, then Lindsey Gettle and Trinity Tauer each worked their way on base with a walk before Triton had to go to the bullpen.

Madison Pope then hit into a fielders choice, scoring McKenna Lester. KCKCC broke the game wide open in the fourth with three runs to take a 7-0 lead.

With the bases loaded, Sheldon earned her second RBI of the game on a single to score Ogden. After a fielder’s choice, Tauer snuck a single into the outfield to bring in another two runs (Sheldon and Lester) taking the big lead. Triton’s offense came alive in the bottom of the fourth, but the Blue Devils only allowed two runs to cross home plate.

Later, with two outs in the sixth inning, Tauer came up big again with another two-run base hit, scoring Sheldon and Lester once again.

“Offense was better than I have seen in a while,” head coach Lana Ross said. “I am very proud of them. We made good adjustments and Maya and Trinity came through with key doubles on two outs.”

Both teams played a scoreless seventh inning as Basler earned the complete game victory, striking out four batters. Ogden, Sheldon and Tauer each had two hits to lead KCKCC, while Tauer added a game-high four RBI.

KCKCC advances to the next round at Choccolocco Park in Oxford, on Wednesday when they face top-seed Des Moines Area College at 2 p.m.

“I studied the Triton hitters so we had a good game plan going in,” Ross said. “Bradi hit her spots and it worked out. Tomorrow is going to be a tough game but that is why we are here. I feel the team is ready and we will see what we can do tomorrow.”