by Kelly Rogge, KCKCC
Victory Media’s 2017 Military Friendly Schools List has once again recognized Kansas City Kansas Community College for its continued focus on veterans.
Awarded to the top 15 percent of colleges, universities and trade schools in the country, the Military Friendly Schools designation is used to show which educational institutions are doing the most to embrace military students and to dedicate resources to ensure their success in the classroom and after graduation. This is the sixth consecutive year that KCKCC has received the designation.
“This designation re-enforces that collectively as a college we continue to strive to serve our military-affiliated population and do it well,” said Summer Bond, coordinator and veterans certifying official at KCKCC.
Military Friendly provides service members transparent, data-driven ratings about post-military education and career opportunities. KCKCC is one of 39 schools in Kansas to receive the designation. Others include Ottawa University, Emporia State University, Johnson County Community College, the University of Saint Mary, Kansas State University and the University of Kansas. Metropolitan Community College-Kansas City and Park University, both in Missouri were also included on the 2017 list.
KCKCC currently enrolls 592 military-affiliated students. This number is expected to increase as more veterans complete their service and seek higher education opportunities.
The methodology used for making the Military Friendly Schools list has changed the student veteran landscape to one much more transparent and has played a significant role in capturing and advancing best practices to support military students across the country. The school survey, methodology, criteria and weightings are developed with the assistance of an independent Academic Advisory Board comprised of educators from schools across the country. The survey is administered for free and is open to all post-secondary schools who wish to participate. Criteria for consideration can be found on the Military Friendly Schools website, www.militaryfriendly.com.
The survey captures more than 50 leading practices in supporting military students and is available free of charge to the more than 8,000 schools approved for Post-9/11 GI Bill funding.
For more information about KCKCC’s commitment to attracting and supporting military students, visit the KCKCC website at www.kckcc.edu or call 913-334-1100.
Kelly Rogge is the public information supervisor at KCKCC.
The Unified Government Commission tonight is scheduled to consider a bond sale that will fund several large projects, including a new juvenile corrections facility, and several planning and zoning items.
Besides the 7 p.m. meeting tonight at City Hall, Commission Chambers, there are two special sessions scheduled tonight for the UG Commission.
At 5 p.m. tonight, the UG Commission will meet with state legislators in the fifth floor conference room at City Hall to discuss the legislative agenda.
After the 7 p.m., meeting the UG Public Building Commission is scheduled to meet in the Commission Chambers to consider issuing municipal bonds for various capital projects.
Among the many large projects contained within the bond issue at the 7 p.m. meeting are a juvenile facility, $19.8 million; adult jail facility improvements, $2.42 million; the K-32 quiet zone, $2.3 million; Leavenworth Road underground electric line project, $5 million; and a new police tow lot, $5 million.
Also on tonight’s agenda, the UG Commission will consider amending the cash investment policy, amending the master equipment lease purchase agreement, issuing 46 million in industrial revenue bonds for the Dairy Farmers of America building, authorizing an ordinance for the Leavenworth Road project from 38th to 63rd Street, and adopting the state legislative program.
Also on the agenda will be a presentation about a home rule ordinance authorizing the issuance of $5.4 million in bonds to demolish existing buildings on the Indian Springs economic development project site. Buildings at Indian Springs were demolished in the past year.
The proposed Indian Springs ordinance also would authorize the UG to levy a tax and expend funds for economic development.
Also on the agenda are the sale of Delaware Park on North 74th Drive, which has not been used as a park, issuing bonds under home rule, and several Land Bank items.
The charter resolution to issue bonds includes highways and streets, storm sewers and stormwater structures, and Public Building Commission projects. Projects listed in it include the K-32 quiet zone improvements after a charter resolution takes effect; Public Building Commission projects; and lease purchase financing.
The projects authorized in 2017 by this resolution, according to the UG agenda, include some new projects along with some old projects. They include 11th Street bridge over Jersey Creek, $520,000; 12th-10th Street bikeway, $400,000; 29th and Ohio storm sewer improvements, $950,000; 51st north of Cleveland, reinforced concrete box replacement; 55th Street bridges over Nearman Creek, $1.6 million; 82nd and Tauromee storm sewer reconstruction, $4.3 million; ADA modifications for UG facilities in previous years, $1.2 million; ADA modifications for UG facilities in 2017, $175,000; ADA pedestrian ramp improvements from 2014, $600,000; ADA pedestrian ramp improvements from 2015, $100,000; ADA pedestrian ramp improvements from 2016, $800,000; ADA pedestrian ramp improvements for 2017, $800,000; animal control facility ventilation, $360,000; arterial-collector street resurfacing in 2016, $800,000; arterial-collector street resurfacing for 2017, $800,000; center city area traffic signal system, $2.25 million; Central Avenue and 18th Street intersection, $480,000; Central Avenue rehabilitation I-70 to 18th Street intersection, $1.5 million; CID dump station improvements or relocation, $1 million; elevator upgrades city 2014-2015, $320,000; elevator upgrade city, 2016, $100,000; elevator upgrades city, 2017, $100,000; emergency bridge repair 2015, North 61st over I-70, $100,000; emergency bridge repair, 2017, $300,000; emergency bridge repair, 2017, $300,000; facilities parking maintenance and repair, 2015, at 7th and Armstrong, $750,000; facility parking maintenance and repair 2016, downtown, $350,000; facilities parking maintenance and repair, 2017, downtown, $350,000; Fairfax industrial area improvements 2015, $100,000; Fairfax industrial area improvements 2016, $100,000; Fairfax industrial area improvements, 2017, $100,000; fire station, northwest area of the city, $4 million; Hutton Road, Cleveland to Leavenworth Road, $2.58 million, 2015; information management systems upgrade, $750,000; industrial district rehab 2016, Fairfax, Cambridge Circle and Kansas Avenue area, $250,000; industrial district rehab, 2017, $500,000, Fairfax; juvenile facility, Public Building Commission, $19.8 million; adult jail facility improvements, $2.42 million; K-32 quiet zone, $2.3 million; Kaw Point connector trail, $760,000; Kaw Point solids dewatering rehabilitation, $12 million; KDOT message board, $205,000; Leavenworth Road, 63rd to 38th Street, storm water improvements, $500,000; Leavenworth Road, 64th to 38th Street, underground electric line project, $5 million; Leavenworth Road, 63rd to 38th Street, road improvements, $7.3 million; Leavenworth Road, 72nd and 55th Street intersections, $3.8 million; Memorial Hall, heating and cooling systems, $2.7 million; Merriam Lane improvements, County Line Road to 24th Street, $3.6 million; Metropolitan Avenue TIF, La Plaza, $3.6 million; Midtown redevelopment TIF, $67 million; Missouri River-Jersey Creek Trail, 5th Street phase, $470,000; neighborhood street repairs 2014, $275,000; neighborhood street repairs, 2015, $100,000; neighborhood street repairs, 2016, $200,000; neighborhood street resurfacing, 2016, $1.9 million; neighborhood street resurfacing 2017, $1.8 million; new boilers, City Hall, $750,000; North 34th Street box culvert, $380,000; Pierson Lake dam study and repair, $535,000; Wastewater Treatment Plant 20 repair and improvements, $1.5 million; new police tow lot, $5 million; priority bridge repair, 32nd near Wood, $450,000; traffic signal replacements, 2016, $360,000; priority traffic signal replacement, 2017, $830,000; demolition and removal of pump station on West 43rd and construction of sanitary sewer main,, $5.7 million; pump station improvement projects for 2017, $1 million; pump station design and construction, $5.5 million; Reardon Center parking lot improvements, $425,000; relocation of sewer office and facilities, $5 million; Riverview Avenue Bridge at Turner Diagonal replacement with new intersection, amended project, $8.8 million; roof replacement, City Hall, $1.2 million, earlier project; Route 107 bus stop and station upgrade, $760,000, earlier project; railroad crossing improvements, 2016, $150,000; Safe Routes to School group D, $570,000; Safe Routes to School, Group E, $290,000; South Patrol police facility, $1.85 million; State Avenue resurfacing at Village West, $350,000, earlier project; Stonehaven Storm Sewer, $400,000, earlier project; Stream Bank Stabilization improvements, $100,000; Edison Friendship Heights, to be determined; Turkey Creek, $15.2 million, earlier project; White Oaks capacity, 82nd and Haskell Avenue, $730,000, earlier project; Wolcott expansion, $22.2 million, new wastewater treatment plant; Wyandotte County Lake waterline study and repair, $1.2 million, earlier project; Wyandotte County Lake draw down tower repair, $350,000, earlier project; equipment lease financing, 2016-2017, several items including trucks, fire equipment, 20 police vehicles, sheriff equipment, public works equipment, $1.3 million in new voting machines, buses for aging department, and other items.
A number of planning and zoning items also are on the agenda.
They include:
– Special use permit for an auto repair and tire service shop, 5830 Leavenworth Road, Monica Olmedo-Lambert.
– Special use permit for an event hall at 711, 713 and 715 Osage Ave.
– Special use permit for used auto sales at 1604 N. 3rd St., Ilkhom Saidov with Frank Motors Inc.
– Special use permit for drinking establishment and restaurant at 812 S. 12th St., Theresa Marie Garcia.
– Renewal of home occupation special use permit, for beauty shop at 5044 Powell Ave., Alma Barajas.
– Special use permit for installation of two concrete pits and sampling of a variety of pipes to use for training at 8535 Riverview Ave., submitted by Kansas Gas Service.
– Renewal of a special use permit for auto salvage and retail sales at 1142 S. 12th St., Pick-N-Pull Auto Dismantlers.
– Renewal of a special use permit for an office trailer at 6721 Kansas Ave., International Food Products.
– Renewal of a special use permit to keep three horses at 1715 S. 94th St., Keith Orr.
– Special use permit for a café and lounge at 2820 W. 47th Ave., River Quay Enterprises.
– Special use permit for a kennel for five dogs at 7922 Yecker Ave., Elvin Griffin.
– Vacation of utility easements at 3742 N. 112th Court, Byron Ayala.
– Vacation of utility easements at 1601 N. 98th St., Boyer KCK Medical Office.
– Rosedale Master Plan, amendments to Rosedale Land Use Plan.
– An ordinance rezoning property at 3835 N. 67th St. from single family district to agriculture district.
– An ordinance rezoning property at 3440 Rainbow Blvd. from planned limited business district to planned general business district.
– An ordinance affirming the approval of the 2016 K-32 Tri-City Multimodal Redevelopment plan.
– Special use permit application for tire sales and auto repair at 1066 Merriam Lane, Todd Rickels.
– Special use permit for a foster home for up to seven children at 2607 N. Hallock St., Chenika Bray and Lisa Littlejohn.
– Several Land Bank items are on the agenda.
The agenda is online at www.wycokck.org.
National Weather Service graphic
A big cooldown is expected late next week, as Canadian high pressure will settle south across the Great Plains and Midwest, according to the National Weather Service.
This weekend, a weak storm system may bring light rain and maybe a few snowflakes to the area on Saturday night, the weather service said. There will be no snow accumulation.
The big cooldown late next week is not expected to include any hazardous weather, at this time, the weather service added.
Today’s forecast is sunny with a high of 44, according to the weather service, and a west northwest wind of 5 to 9 mph becoming light west in the afternoon.
Tonight, it will be mostly clear, with a low of 28, the weather service said, and a light and variable wind.
Friday, it will be mostly sunny with a high near 47, according to the weather service, and a light north wind.
Friday night, expect mostly cloudy skies with a low of 30, the weather service said, and a light north northeast wind.
Saturday, it will be mostly cloudy with a high near 43, according to the weather service, and a calm wind becoming east southeast around 5 mph.
Saturday night, there is a 40 percent chance of rain, according to the weather service. The low will be 36. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch are possible.
Sunday, it will be mostly sunny with a high near 49, the weather service said.
Sunday night, the low will be 33 with mostly clear skies, according to the weather service.
Monday, it will be partly sunny with a high near 67, the weather service said.
Monday night, there is a 30 percent chance of rain, with a low of 38, according to the weather service.
Tuesday’s high will be near 50, and Tuesday night’s low will be around 36, according to the weather service.
Wednesday, there is a 40 percent chance of rain and snow, with a high near 40, the weather service said.
