Today’s weather: Quiet, upper 80s

National Weather Service graphic

Warm temperatures continue in the forecast for Friday and Saturday, according to the National Weather Service.

Today’s high will be 89, with tonight’s low 63, the weather service said.

On Friday night, for the Kansas Lottery 200 race at Kansas Speedway, the Monarchs game 2 of the playoffs at Legends Field and local high school football games, the Wyandotte County forecast does not show any rain. Temperatures will be around 86 at 6 p.m., dropping to 82 degrees at 8 p.m., according to the forecast.

The next chance for showers and thunderstorms will be Saturday night and the early morning hours of Sunday, and severe weather is not expected, according to the weather service.

The forecast for Saturday, when the Kansas Lottery 300 (2 p.m.) and Kansas Lottery 150 (6 p.m.) races are scheduled at Kansas Speedway, will be a slight chance of rain at 2 p.m., and increasing chances of rain at 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. There is a slight chance of thunderstorms at 7 p.m. Saturday until 3 a.m. Sunday. It will be about 74 degrees at 2 p.m. Saturday, and about 68 degrees at 6 p.m. Saturday.

Cooler, dry weather is expected Sunday afternoon. There is no rain in the forecast for Sunday afternoon, when the Hollywood Casino 400 presented by Barstool Sportsbook, a NASCAR Cup Series race, begins at 2 p.m. at Kansas Speedway. The temperature at 2 p.m. is expected to be about 72, according to the weather service. The temperature at noon, when the pre-race concert is scheduled, is expected to be about 68.

Today, it will be sunny, with a high near 89 and a south wind of 3 to 7 mph, the weather service said.

Tonight, it will be mostly clear, with a low of 63 and a south southeast wind of 5 to 7 mph becoming northwest after midnight.

Saturday, there is a 40 percent chance of showers, mainly after 4 p.m., the weather service said. The high will be near 78 with a north wind of 7 to 16 mph. Less than a tenth of an inch of precipitation is expected.

Saturday night, there is a 60 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 7 p.m., then showers and possibly a thunderstorm between 7 p.m. and 4 a.m., then showers likely after 4 a.m., according to the weather service. The low will be around 57 with a north wind of 8 to 15 mph, gusting as high as 21 mph. Between a quarter and half-inch of rain is possible.

Sunday, it will be sunny, with a high near 75 and a north wind of 7 to 11 mph, gusting as high as 21 mph, the weather service said.

Sunday night, it will be clear, with a low of 52, according to the weather service.

Monday, it will be sunny, with a high near 81, the weather service said.

Monday night, it will be clear, with a low of 54, according to the weather service.

Tuesday, it will be sunny, with a high near 86, the weather service said.

Tuesday night, it will be mostly clear, with a low of 62, according to the weather service.

Wednesday, it will be sunny, with a high near 89, the weather service said.

Wednesday night, it will be partly cloudy, with a low of 66, according to the weather service.

Thursday, it will be mostly sunny, with a high near 89, the weather service said.

KCK police officer charged with felony

Wyandotte County District Attorney Mark Dupree said today that felony charges have been filed against a Kansas City, Kansas, police officer.

Officer Deotis Brown was charged in a domestic violence case involving physical violence with an adult romantic partner, according to Dupree. Aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and aggravated witness intimidation were the charges filed.

Charges first were filed in Jackson County, Missouri, on Saturday, he said. These include three counts involving a domestic incident.

Then after the witness came forward about another incident in February in Wyandotte County, charges were filed Thursday in Wyandotte County, according to Dupree.

The officer has been placed on suspension without pay, according to Chief Karl Oakman. He will be suspended without pay pending the outcome of the trial or the process. If he is convicted, he will be terminated, Chief Oakman said.

Dupree said domestic violence is a real concern. Sometimes victims are afraid to come forward. He encouraged victims to come forward and get help before it’s too late.

Chief Oakman said as with any crime, no one is above the law and everyone will be held accountable. Also, officers could be victims of crime and there is an opportunity for them to come forward as well, he said. He said the police department is reaching out to do what it can to help alleviate this type of violence in the community.

Thirty-four percent of the homicides in Wyandotte County this year were domestic-related, Chief Oakman said.

Brown has been employed with the Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department since 2017. Bond was set at $40,000 in the Wyandotte County case, Dupree said.

Hall dominates as Monarchs win first post-season game

Matt Hall and the Kansas City Monarchs celebrated a 5-2 win over the Lincoln Saltdogs on Wednesday night, Sept. 7, at Haymarket Park in Lincoln, Nebraska. (Photo from Lincoln Saltdogs)
Mallex Smith and the Kansas City Monarchs celebrated a 5-2 win over the Lincoln Saltdogs on Wednesday night, Sept. 7, at Haymarket Park in Lincoln, Nebraska. (Photo from Lincoln Saltdogs)

by Dan Vaughan Jr., Monarchs

Lincoln, Nebraska —Matt Hall took the ball for the Kansas City Monarchs (1-0) in game one of the West Division Series Wednesday and showed why he was named the starting pitcher on the American Association Post Season All-Star team.

Hall (1-0) tossed seven innings of one-hit shutout baseball as the Monarchs beat the Lincoln Saltdogs (0-1) 5-2 Wednesday night at Haymarket Park in Lincoln.

With the win the Monarchs need one more win in the best of three-game series to move on to the West Division Championship Series.

The Monarchs got on the board in the first inning with two outs on a solo home run from Ryan Grotjohn off Lincoln ace Greg Minier for a 1-0 lead. From there Minier (0-1) scattered four hits until the seventh.

The Saltdogs got a lead-off single from Justin Byrd to start the game, but that was the only hit Hall allowed the rest of the way. After a two-out walk in the third inning, Hall retired the next 13 batters and left the game after seven. The left-hander struck out eight in seven innings.

In the seventh the Monarchs finally got to Minier. With one out, Jan Hernandez and Casey Gillaspie drew walks. Gio Brusa hit a smash to the keystone corner that turned into an infield single to load the way stations for Kansas City.

Pete Kozma hit another smash to third that ricocheted into foul territory and down the left field line for a double to score two runs. With runners at second and third Lincoln went to right-hander Matt Cronin to take over for Minier.

The Monarchs picked up a run on a passed ball on Skyler Weber and their fifth run on an RBI single from Mallex Smith to give the Monarchs a 5-0 cushion.

Brian Glowicki worked around two base runners in the top of the eighth inning to keep the game 5-0. Jameson McGrane came into the game in the bottom of the ninth. The right-hander allowed a lead-off single to Justin Byrd, but struck out Rayder Ascanio for out number one. The Saltdogs loaded the bases on a single from Ryan Long and walk for Jason Rogers. Former Sioux City Explorer Nate Samson knocked in two runs on a single to right to cut the lead to 5-2.

The Monarchs went to the pen and brought Alex Valdez into the game with the tying run at the plate. Valdez struck out Josh Altman and got a ground ball to short from Wellington Dotel to force out Sampson at second, preserve the win and pick up his first save of the post season.

The Monarchs will be off on Thursday as the series shifts to Kansas City, Kansas.

Kansas City was the only team of the four road teams to win its first-round game Wednesday night. The win was the 39th win in franchise history in the post season.

The Monarchs will play the second game of the playoff series against the Lincoln Saltdogs at 6:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 9, at Legends Field in Kansas City, Kansas.

The game can be heard on the Monarchs Broadcast Network with the pre-game beginning at 6 p.m. and the video stream airing on aa baseball.tv.

Tickets to Monarchs playoff games can be purchased by calling 913-328-5618 or by visiting monarchsbaseball.com.