The Wyandotte Daily news is interested in news of your community event in Wyandotte County. Send information to news@wyandottedaily.com and include your name and phone number. Please send in planned events about a week before the event if possible. In the event of inclement weather, call to see if the event is still planned.
Holiday schedule for Keeler Women’s Center
The Keeler Women’s Center, 2220 Central Ave., will be closed Friday, Dec. 22, through Jan. 1, 2018. The center will reopen Jan. 2.
KCK libraries will have holiday schedules
The Kansas City, Kansas, Public Libraries will be closed for the holidays from Sunday, Dec. 24, to Tuesday, Dec. 26, and from Dec. 31 to Jan. 1, for the winter holidays. Additionally, the West Wyandotte Library will be closed Jan. 2 to 7 for renovations. For upcoming events at the library, visit http://kckpl.librarymarket.com/.
NAACP to meet Jan. 2
The Kansas City, Kansas, Branch NAACP will meet on Tuesday, Jan. 2, at the Bethany Medical building, 21 N. 12th St., second floor meeting room. An executive meeting will begin at 6 p.m., followed by a general membership meeting at 7 p.m. Members will hear Terrell Dyer and Aaron Marks of Project RALLY (Respect, Accountability, Love, Leadership, Youth). They will share their gardening experience and express appreciation for the KCK NAACP’s support. All members are encouraged to attend. For more information, call 913-281-7100.
BPU to meet Jan. 3
The Kansas City, Kansas, Board of Public Utilities will meet for a regular session at 6 p.m. Jan. 3 at the BPU headquarters, 540 Minnesota Ave., Kansas City, Kansas. Before the 6 p.m. meeting there will be a swearing-in ceremony of BPU board members Mary Gonzales, Tom Groneman and Ryan Eidson. A reception for them will follow the board meeting.. On the agenda for the 6 p.m. meeting are a preliminary report on the customer survey; board comments; and general manager comments.
UG Ethics Commission to meet Jan. 4
The Unified Government Ethics Commission is scheduled to meet at 4 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 4. The meeting will take place on the second floor of the Wyandotte County Courthouse, Division 18, in the old county commissioners’ chambers, 710 N. 7th, Kansas City, Kansas.
Special UG session to be Jan. 4 on firefighters’ trading report
A special Unified Government Commission meeting has been called for 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 4, on the end-of-the-year fire trading report, according to a notice from the UG. The meeting will be held in the Commission Chambers, lobby level, City Hall, 701 N. 7th St., Kansas City, Kansas. The meeting was called by Mayor Mark Holland.
Health class planned for older adults
The “Stay Strong, Stay Healthy” class will begin Jan. 9, meeting twice a week for an hour on Tuesdays and Thursdays at the K-State Research and Extension office, 1200 N. 79th St., Kansas City, Kansas. The class is for older adults and focuses on improving their health and well-being. The goal is to provide a safe, structured and effective strength training class for older adults. The eight-week exercise program will include warm-up exercises, easy strengthening exercises, with or without weights and cool-down stretches. Participants will learn exercises to improve strength, balance and flexibility. After the program ends, participants may continue in the comfort of their homes or with a group. Memberships are not required, no special clothes or equipment is required, and weights are provided. Level 1 of the class will be from 11 a.m. to noon, while Level 2 will be from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. Some paperwork and forms are required. There is a $20 fee per person. The registration deadline is Jan. 2. For more information about the class and registration, call 913-299-9300 or email lwuellne@ksu.edu.
Presentation planned on native plant gardens Jan. 11
A presentation on native plant gardens will take place from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 11, at the Sunflower Room, Wyandotte County Extension Office, 1208 N. 79th St., Kansas City, Kansas. “Go Native! Using Native Plants in Your Landscape” will be presented by Lenora Larson, a Marais des Cygnes, Kan., Extension Master Gardener and member of local chapters of the Idalia Butterfly Society and Kansas Native Plant Society. Her presentation will dispel myths about native plant gardens and will focus on how to install or convert to a native landscape that pleases the plants, the gardener and the neighbors. The presentation is sponsored by the Wyandotte County Extension Master Gardeners. Those attending may bring their lunch. The fee for the program is $5. There is no fee for active certified Extension Master Gardeners. Registration is not required. For more information, call 913-299-9300.
Bomber history project to be topic at Fairfax meeting Jan. 11
The Fairfax Industrial Association will meet for a luncheon from 11:15 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 11, at Central Solutions, 401 Funston Road, Kansas City, Kansas.
Dan Desko, with the B-25 bomber history project, will speak on the history of the B-25 bomber, which was built in Fairfax. Tickets to the luncheon are $20 for members and $25 for nonmembers. Reservations may be made by 3 p.m. Jan. 9 to Melissa Clark at execdir@fiakck.org.
UG may meet Jan. 11
The Unified Government Commission may meet at 7 p.m. Jan. 11 at the Commission Chambers, lobby level, City Hall, 701 N. 7th St., Kansas City, Kansas. An agenda may be posted at www.wycokck.org.
Rally planned Jan. 13 on expanding KanCare
A rally on expanding KanCare is planned from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 13, at Donnelly College, 608 N. 18th St., Kansas City, Kansas. It is sponsored by the Alliance for a Healthy Kansas, which is planning rallies across Kansas that will discuss what KanCare expansion would mean to Kansas. KanCare is the state’s Medicaid program. For more information, and to make reservations, visit http://www.expandkancare.com/event/expand-kancare-rally-kck/.
King Day celebration to be Jan. 15
“Continuing through Love and Peace in Times Like These” will be the theme of the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday celebration Monday, Jan. 15, at the Reardon Center, Kansas City, Kansas. Pre-service events start at 10:45 a.m. with the formal program beginning at 11 a.m. The Rev. Dr. Calvin O. Butts III of New York, N.Y., is the featured speaker. He is the pastor of the Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem. He and his church are active in civil rights, social justice and economic development. Since 1999 he has served as president of the State University of New York at Old Westbury. The event Jan. 15 will begin with a Motorcade for Hunger at 9 a.m. at Mount Zion Baptist Church parking lot, 4th and Richmond, leaving at 10 a.m. and arriving at the Reardon Center. Persons are encouraged to donate canned goods. Scholarships will be awarded at the event. For information on choir rehearsals dates and times contact Alicia Saunders at saundersong@aol.com.
Eagle Days to be Jan. 20-21
The 17th annual Eagle Days will be held Jan. 20 and 21 at the Mr. and Mrs. F.L. Schlagle Library, 4051 West Drive, in Wyandotte County Lake Park, 91st and Leavenworth Road. Hours will be 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Jan. 20 and noon to 4 p.m. Jan. 21. The event is free and open to the public. It is for all ages. The event will take place simultaneously at the Davis Hall at Wyandotte County Lake, as well as the Schlagle Library. The American bald eagle and birds of prey will be on exhibit at the event. Operation Wildlife will give presentations on live birds of prey at both locations. There will be a children’s craft area at the library, a binocular checkout and a spotting scope station to view migrating birds that visit Wyandotte County Lake in the winter. For more information, visit http://kckpl.librarymarket.com/17th-annual-eagle-days-0.
Wyandotte County Museum
For information about the Wyandotte County Museum, 631 N. 126th St., Bonner Springs, call 913-573-5002 or visit https://www.facebook.com/wycomuseum/.
Strawberry Hill Museum
For information about The Strawberry Hill Museum, 720 N. 4th St., Kansas City, Kansas, call 913-371-3264 or visit www.strawberryhillmuseum.org.
Grinter Place Museum
The Grinter Place State Historic Site, 1420 S. 78th St., Kansas City, Kan., is one of the oldest homes in the area, built in 1857. For more information about hours and days it is open, call 913-299-0373 or visit http://www.kshs.org/p/grinter-place-plan-your-visit/15857.
Old Quindaro Museum
The Old Quindaro Museum is at 3432 N. 29th St., Kansas City, Kan. For more information about the museum, call 816-820-3615 or visit https://www.facebook.com/ccoqmuseum/.
Kansas City, Kansas, has named Kevin Shirley as its interim fire chief.
According to an announcement today from the Unified Government’s public relations office, former Deputy Chief Shirley has been appointed interim fire chief effective Jan. 2.
He will serve in the role for six months during the search for a new fire chief, according to the announcement. The appointment was made by UG Administrator Doug Bach.
Chief John Paul Jones retired in December after serving about 10 years as chief, and more than 30 years total with the department.
Shirley joined the Fire Department in 1987, according to the announcement, serving as firefighter, driver, captain, battalion chief and senior deputy chief before retiring in 2014.
“It is a great honor to be given the opportunity to work with the great men and women of the KCK Fire Department,” Shirley said in a news release. “It is my desire to continue the progress the Fire Department has made.”
Bach said he is lucky and pleased to bring Shirley back to the KCK Fire Department as interim chief.
“Kevin was a highly respected commander and firefighter for our Department and is still a great member of our community. His leadership style and knowledge of fire operations will be a perfect fit for our community for the next several months,” Bach said.
– Story from UG public relations office
Temperatures are falling to dangerous lows in Wyandotte County and the surrounding area. (National Weather Service graphic)
Dangerously cold temperatures have descended on Wyandotte County.
The temperature at 11 a.m. Saturday was 14 degrees, with a wind chill of zero, according to the National Weather Service.
Wyandotte County is under a wind chill advisory from 6 p.m. Dec. 30 until Jan. 1. A wind chill warning will be in effect from midnight Sunday night to noon Monday. Another wind chill advisory will then take effect from noon Monday to noon Tuesday.
The weather service said the cold wind chills will cause frostbite and hypothermia symptoms in as little as 30 minutes. Staying indoors is recommended. If going outside, persons need appropriate clothing and an emergency kit with blankets in their vehicles.
Temperatures will fall into the single digits and wind chill values will plummet from zero to 19 below zero, with the colder wind chills along the Iowa and Missouri border, according to the weather service.
Sunday, temperatures will continue to fall with lows ranging from single digits to 10 below zero near Iowa. Winds will pick up Sunday, dropping wind chill values down to between 10 and 25 below zero with all of the area being under wind chill advisories.
The coldest push of cold air will come New Year’s Eve into New Year’s Day with temperatures dropping between 5 and 20 below early Monday morning and wind chills between 20 and 35 below zero. These wind chill temperatures are extremely dangerous, as frostbite and hypothermia can occur within minutes, the weather service said.
Outside activities should be avoided, according to the weather service. Anyone outside should dress in layers, covering all exposed skin, and they should make sure that other people know their whereabouts.
Today’s Wyandotte County forecast: Mostly sunny and cold, with a high near 11 and wind chill values between minus 5 and zero, the weather service said. The north wind will be 8 to 10 mph.
Tonight, the low will be around minus 1, with wind chill values between minus 4 and minus 13, according to the weather service. A northeast wind will be 8 to 10 mph.
Sunday, it will be mostly sunny and cold, with a high near 5, the weather service said, and a wind chill value of between minus 10 and minus 16. There will be a north wind of 6 to 9 mph.
Sunday night, New Year’s Eve, it will be mostly clear, with a low of minus 9 and wind chill values of between minus 12 and minus 21, according to the weather service. There will be a north wind of 6 to 9 mph.
New Year’s Day, it will be sunny and cold, with a high near 6, the weather service said. There will be a north northwest wind of 5 to 7 mph.
On Monday night, the low will be around minus 9, according to the weather service.
Tuesday, it will be sunny with a high near 18, the weather service said.
Tuesday night, it will be mostly clear with a low of 12, according to the weather service.
Wednesday, it will be mostly sunny with a high near 23, the weather service said.
Wednesday night, the low will be around 4 with mostly clear skies, according to the weather service.
Thursday, it will be mostly sunny with a high near 23, the weather service said.
Wind chill values could fall to minus 19 on New Year’s Eve in Wyandotte County. (National Weather Service graphic) On midnight New Year’s Eve, temperatures could be about minus 3, according to the National Weather Service. (National Weather Service graphic)
