Category: Opinions

Opinion: Don’t give up one of the best things about our community

Window on the West

by Mary Rupert

While I have a great deal of respect for all the experts that did the study of the Kansas City, Kan., Fire Department recently, I just don’t want to give up any fire protection.

Would any amount of money be worth it to give up one of the best things about our community – its good response times to emergencies and its good fire protection? This may be one of the reasons that businesses and residents choose to live here and do business here.

One good point of the study presented last week is the proposal to build two fire stations in western Kansas City, Kan., which doesn’t have enough fire coverage. However, I don’t think that in order to get coverage out west, that coverage on the east side has to be cut.

The argument that we can’t afford better fire service no longer holds water. Currently there is a series of programs happening in this community where residents are being asked how to spend an expected windfall when the bonds at Village West are paid off. Public safety and first responders certainly are a worthy place to put some extra dollars. Perhaps, for future years, the Unified Government should consider increasing a per-ticket tax on sports tickets and hotel rooms for the increased coverage that public safety gives these events. Are there some businesses that would be willing to give a little more for increased fire protection, much in the same way that the Downtown Improvement District charges an increased tax for clean streets and patrols? Or should the UG start using the charitable community contributions from the casino and other institutions here to go toward improving health by helping to fund the ambulance service? We know the state of Kansas has not been sending any extra money to communities lately, but shouldn’t it send some extra funds for fire protection for the University of Kansas Hospital and the medical school there? The same could be said for the federal government buildings in the downtown area.

Commissioners recently pointed out that some segments of the community were apparently left out in the fire study, and it would be a good idea to include businesses, residents and other stakeholders in more discussions about fire protection needs.

I would encourage the UG commissioners to look at the fire stations where consolidation is proposed, to get in their cars and see about how long it takes to get from the new station location to the various parts of the district the station is supposed to cover. Are there major highways separating parts of the district? Then they should consider this question: what if there is a fire at two places in the district at the same time? Find out who would be able to cover the second fire and how long it would take to get there, because one of the effects of consolidating fire stations could be that there is no longer another crew close by.

We recently saw an example of two fires at the same time. Only 11 days ago, on Oct. 8, two fires were reported at the same time on the east side. One was at 930 Central Ave., and the other was near 9th and Armstrong. Fire officials reported that firefighters went to the Central Avenue address at 12:31 p.m., and the total loss was $5,500, according to the report. At the other fire, at 1:17 p.m., the Fire Department reported a slightly delayed response, with crews arriving within 5 minutes because of another fire in the same district at the same time. Two firefighters had minor injuries and the home was a total loss, at $250,000.

There were some questions left unanswered by the fire study released last week, including the number of incidents in each area. Where exactly is the population concentrated here? And it’s not just residential population areas that the stations serve. Which of the fire stations are close to large industries, schools, retail areas or hospitals, and how many people would be put at risk if the fire stations were moved farther away? Those figures may be helpful to commissioners who will make a decision on this issue.

Just because the UG failed to keep its firefighting equipment and stations up to date does not mean that the UG should now do that at the cost of employee positions. If the UG identifies efficiencies for the Fire Department, I would hope the money could be put back into the Fire Department to improve staffing, not cut it, and make sure the city has the best fire coverage possible.

There are good reasons to consider increasing the amount of fire protection in this community.

For the last few years, we have seen an increase in extreme weather in the United States. Firefighters are among the first responders in major disasters, and if there will be an increase in weather-related crises, such as floods, tornadoes and fire danger, then the community needs to be looking at increasing the number of firefighters. Today, we are seeing a “red flag” warning from the National Weather Service that there is an increased risk of fire, and there have been wildfires off of I-435 on the Missouri side of the metropolitan area this morning.

With all the national interest this year in domestic and international terrorism, it is not a good time to cut back on some of our first responders. Certainly, the community does not want to leave its major industrial district and its largest hospital with less protection. Common sense says that it’s time to step up the fire protection of our community.

Traditionally, Kansas City, Kan., has had more than its share of elderly residents, who may need more ambulance service calls than others. It also has several major highways, with frequent crashes requiring emergency medical service. Then there are the older wood-framed houses on the east side and central part of the city, with older electrical systems which might be more prone toward fires.

Maybe you can never be totally prepared for emergencies. But we can certainly try, and we can offer our residents better fire protection than surrounding communities. Put safety first.

To reach Mary Rupert, editor, email [email protected]. Your opinions are welcome through letters to the editor or through comments about the issues.

Opinion: What the Houston Astros’ fans don’t know

Window on the West: Special Royals edition
Opinion column
by Mary Rupert

Having seen quite a few Kansas City Royals games this year on television, I have noticed something about the Royals that many of the fans in Houston, Texas, don’t know.

As an editor who has seen this sort of behavior in many areas, I would call their conduct procrastination. The Royals often wait until the end of the game to seriously rally and win a game. Sometimes they wait until the end of the playoffs, with a do-or-die deadline, until they rally and win.

I can spot this sort of behavior, of course, because I was the same way in college when working on my bachelor’s degree, occasionally waiting until the last minute to finish the work. (I was able to change that behavior, though, in grad school — except for those occasional instances, of course, whereI haven’t changed.)

The Royals have fooled quite a few people already in these playoffs, including some network announcers who thought the Astros would win, and even the governor of Texas, who reportedly tweeted a congratulations to the Astros before the Royals batted in the eighth inning today.

Eventually the Royals won today, 9-6, coming back from a four-run deficit that seemed insurmountable for quite a while. The Royals’ comeback also matched a comeback for Eric Hosmer, who was slumping until today in the playoff games.

I think it’s great that the Royals have the ability and the confidence to come back. Now the Royals return to Kansas City for the fifth game of the playoffs, to be played on Wednesday night. If they procrastinate again, and it works for them, it’s fine with me.

To reach Mary Rupert, editor, email [email protected].

Argentine doughnut shop lands $500,000 federal grant

Window
Opinion column
by Mary Rupert

A $500,000 federal grant will make it possible for Dunkin’ Donuts to open a franchise shop in the Argentine neighborhood of Kansas City, Kan.

The grant to the Argentine Neighborhood Development Association was announced this week. It is through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Community Economic Development office.

The new shop, to be built near 18th Street Expressway and Metropolitan Avenue, is one more advancement for economic development in the Argentine area, where two grocery stores, a dollar store and a new library branch have been built within the past few years.

After an extended effort to get healthy foods to the Argentine area, at first glance, it may seem strange that the Department of Health and Human Services is giving a grant to build a doughnut shop. The Wyandotte Daily asked Ann Brandau Murguia, executive director of ANDA, about it.

“The grant is specifically for economic development, job creation for families,” she said. It targets disadvantaged families in low-income areas. In this case, the grant is for “economic health, not physical health,” she added.

According to the grant announcement, the project will create about 20 jobs.

Murguia said there would be a program to work with physically or mentally challenged low-income persons for these jobs. Also, there could be jobs created for teens and families in a low-income bracket. For example, she said the program could target a 16-year-old youth who could benefit from the job because his family is in a low-income category. The youth could work there, receive management training and be provided with experience that could lead to other job opportunities.

Transportation to and from work is an issue for low-income families, and people who live in the Argentine area would be able to walk to work at the doughnut shop, she said.

She hopes the shop will be completed by next spring. The franchisee will be Jen Benjamin with Verona Key, who have other Dunkin’ Donuts franchises in the Kansas City area, she said.

The top selling item at Dunkin’ Donuts shops, according to Murguia, is coffee.

The food there, depending on the consumer’s choice, is not necessarily bad for health. Murguia pointed out that the doughnut shop offers healthy choices as well as the traditional doughnuts.

Dunkin’ Donuts now offers a healthy menu, with a multigrain bagel, and a whole-wheat bagel. There is also an egg sandwich on a multigrain bagel option, Murguia added. The Dunkin’ Donuts online menu also lists a low-fat “egg white flatbread” option with only 280 calories and an “egg and cheese on English muffin” with only 240 calories.

This will be the second HHS Community Economic Development grant to the Argentine area. One also was received for the Save-A-Lot grocery store.

Murguia credited U.S. Rep. Kevin Yoder’s office as being very helpful with these projects. Rep. Yoder’s office always gives a letter of support for economic development initiatives, she said. “He’s been a great advocate for us.”

Murguia also said the Dunkin’ Donuts store will be the only doughnut shop in the Argentine area. There haven’t been any doughnut shops or bakeries willing to locate there in the past few decades, Murguia said. Finally, the Argentine area will have a place to buy a doughnut or bagel.

To reach Mary Rupert, editor, email [email protected].