The Kansas City Royals are in the playoffs and intend to take the crown. They’re even finding support among the youngest of fans.
Newborns in the Mother-Baby unit at The University of Kansas Hospital in Kansas City, Kan., are sporting pink and blue Royals caps. Employees and parents are both rooting for the Royals as they make their first post-season appearance, in 29 years, Tuesday night in a Wild Card game at Kauffman Stadium.
“We encourage employees to wear a sea of blue tomorrow and show their support as the Royals take on the Oakland A’s,” Bob Page, president and CEO, said.
Newborns Olivia Campos and Christoph Xavier Rose both seemed to enjoy their caps making their parents all the more proud to be Royals fans.
The hospital is in its fourth year as the official health care provider to the major league club.
To see a KU Hospital video on the newborns, visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fU1KlUMxikM
– Story and video from KU Hospital
by Mary Rupert
Prescription drug takeback day on Saturday was successful, with about 500 pounds of medications taken to sites for disposal.
Andrica Wilcoxen, Division of Student Services outreach and prevention coordinator at Kansas City Kansas Community College, said the event held Saturday involved law enforcement in Wyandotte and Leavenworth counties as well as local pharmacies. Ten local pharmacies and the Argentine Library participated in the event, she said.
Wilcoxen said the event has been held for the past four years and has been successful in getting unused, expired medications out of cabinets and potentially off the streets.
“The federal government saw it was working and passed a law saying pharmacies are required to have some kind of ongoing takeback,” Wilcoxen said.
However, no protocol was specified in how that would happen, and so there is currently an effort to create a protocol for Wyandotte County, she said.
Wilcoxen said she believes it is important to clean out old medications from cabinets, and she also discourages people from throwing old medicines in the trash or flushing them down the toilet.
Typically, some people put old medications in used coffee grounds and throw it away, causing it to disintegrate. But it still goes into the ground and eventually back into the environment, she said.
She also has talked with a person involved with water systems in another county who said that the practice of flushing away old medicines is affecting the water supply. It will affect people in the future, she added.
Those methods of disposal are not effective, and neither is just keeping the expired medication in the medicine cabinet, she added.
“I would hate to be that person who had it in my cabinet because I neglected to take inventory,” Wilcoxen said. “Now my child is at risk or my child’s friend is at risk.”
She added she has heard that people may be breaking into homes, not for a flat-screen television, but for medications that they might be able to sell for $80 per gram, more than what they could get for television sets.
She said that people who still have medications in their cabinets that they need to dispose of should visit the website DEA.gov to get accurate information on how to properly dispose of them.
In conjunction with the drug takeback day, those who brought back medications for disposal were given Vials for Life, a container that included a paper that persons may fill out with their information and medications, then put back into the vial and leave in their refrigerator.
Then emergency medical workers could later find the information about what medications a patient is taking if they are called to the home. Livable Neighborhoods and Shepherd’s Center were partners in the Vials for Life program, she said.
The Kansas City, Kan., Board of Education honored four students of the month at the Sept. 23 meeting. The students include, back row, left to right, Eric Santa Cruz from Harmon High School; Kasandra Guerra from Rosedale Middle School; and front row, left to right, Airen Lee from Earl Watson Jr. Early Childhood Center and Sergio Fierro-Neri from New Stanley Elementary School. (Photo from Kansas City, Kan., Public Schools)
Four students of the month were honored at the Sept. 23 meeting of the Kansas City, Kan., Board of Education.
The students:
Airen Lee, pre-kindergarten
Earl Watson Jr. Early Childhood Center
Nominated by Amy Neal, preschool teacher
“Airen has made a great turnaround already this year! She comes right in and manages all transitions. Airen is engaging with peers in a very loving manner, often even offering hugs! Airen has moved from a student who required intensive teacher support to one who is modeling appropriate behavior to other peers. We are all so proud of all of her accomplishments. Yah Airen!” Sincerely, Amy Neal, teacher
Sergio Fierro-Neri, 5th grade
New Stanley Elementary School
Nominated by Brandy Treaster, April Hoffman, Mike Jordan and Cindy Moore, teachers of the fifth grade team
“Sergio is an incredibly hard worker who stays focused on his learning at all times. He follows directions and stays on task without any reminders. He is also a mathematical wiz who solves problems quickly and accurately. We have truly enjoyed working with Sergio so far this year!” Sincerely, Brandy Treaster, April Hoffman, Mike Jordan and Cindy Moore, teachers of the fifth grade team
Kasandra Guerra, 7th grade
Rosedale Middle School
Nominated by Megan Green, teacher
“Kasandra is always on task, polite, and kind to her peers. She is a model student and can always be seen making good choices in class and around the school. Kasandra is a pleasure in class. She is the kind of student I hope my daughter will be as a 7th grader.” Sincerely, Megan Green, teacher
Eric Santa Cruz, 12th grade
Harmon High School
Nominated by Steve Howard, teacher and coach
“Eric is a dedicated, hard-working young man that will be in a leadership role within Harmon this, his senior year. I have been fortunate to work with Eric in cross country track and student council. He not only encourages his teammates, but also goes out and wishes his competitors good luck in their race. Eric has been one of the most devoted young men I have ever coached. He always has a positive, upbeat attitude and will be successful in all his endeavors.” Sincerely, Steve Howard, teacher
– Story and photo from Kansas City, Kan., Public Schools
