The Kansas City Kansan

KCKCC players receive post-season honors

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 20:25:08 +0000

By ALAN HOSKINS, Kansan Contributor

Three record-setting Kansas City Kansas Community College basketball players have earned second team All-Jayhawk East Conference recognition for their play in 2009-10.

Sophomore Derick Denny and freshman Dennis Tinnon were named to the Jayhawk East men’s second team while freshman Alyssa Rushton was named to the women’s All-East unit.

A 6-4 sophomore guard from Green Bay, Wis., Denny finished his two-year career as the all-time leader in three-point goals (227) and three-point shooting percentage (.454) and second in free throw percentage (.844) and three-point goals in a single season (119).

The Jayhawk leader in three-point goals both as a freshman and sophomore, he also led the conference in three-point percentage and was ninth in scoring (16.2).

A 6-7 forward also from Green Bay, Tinnon led the Jayhawk Conference in field goal accuracy (.640) and finished third in rebounding (10.65). Averaging a double-double with 13.8 points and 10.65 rebounds, his 14 double-doubles are believed to be the most ever at KCKCC.

He also ranks second in rebounds for a single game (21), third in field goal percentage and sixth in rebounds for a single season.

A 5-10 guard from Rochester, Minn., Rushton led the Jayhawk Conference in free throw percentage (.850), was second in three-point percentage (.404) and tied for eighth in three-point field goals with 65.

The Lady Blue Devils leading scorer at 13.3, her .403 three-point percentage is second all-time and her .850 free throw percentage is second only to teammate Michelle Selbe (.902).

Satoria Bell of Labette was named the East’s Most Valuable Player with Johnson County’s Ben Conrad Coach of the Year and Taylor Bird Freshman of the Year. Bell was joined on the All-East first team by Sadie Webb, Independence; Kellindra Zackery, Labette; Bjonee Reaves, Neosho; Gianna Woods, Cowley; and Melissa Nelson, Johnson County.

Antione Lundy of Neosho was voted Most Valuable men’s player; Tommy DeSalme of Cowley Coach of the Year; and Tyrus McGee of Cowley, Freshman of the Year. Lundy and McGee were joined on the first team by Andra Bailey, Allen County; Jarmar Gulley, Highland; and David Luster, Johnson County.

Coronado debate team winning big

Nick Sloan — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 17:42:20 +0000

A group of seventh graders at Coronado Middle School are making waves on the debate scene in Kansas City.

Debate students at Coronado Middle School are winning big this school year in various debate events held across the metro area.

In the City Championship earlier this month, two separate teams from Cornado Middle School advanced to the event held by Debate Kansas City, an organization that encourages students to take part in debate.

Along with the team success, individual students Aviance Battles and Angelica Strong earned individual honors.

Michelle Hogue, who's the debate coach at the school and a science teacher, said practice has been key.

"It's not a 'sit down and shut up' type of environment," she said. "We like to have fun and we practice what we do."

Students at Coronado and other schools across the metro area take part in city competitions in "policy debate" and "student congress." Among the issues the students debate include community schools and education.

"They have to research the issues," Hogue said. "They are so good. They just have this natural ability to perform well."

The Coronado students are among the youngest debaters in the city – most of their competition is exclusively eighth-graders.

But Battles and Strong apparently don't care about the age difference too much.

"When I first heard of debate, I had a different way of looking at it," she said. "Now I love doing it and giving speeches."

For Strong, debate has been a learning experience.

"I like that we keep up with current events," she said. "We've been learning more and more about the world. We practice a lot on the issues so we know what we're talking about."

For Debate KC Director Gabe Cook, hearing Battles, Strong and the other students at Coronado probably validates what he's trying to push at the school level.

The organization has grown from just a handful of schools to about 40 schools. At starting off with just two middle schools, Debate KC has expanded to 20 middle schools this year.

But Cook said the best benefit for students participating in debate is for the students themselves.

"Students who participate in debate are three times more likely to graduate from high school," Cook said, referring to a recent study on the issue. "It makes you more prepared for college and it helps with critical thinking."

A number of students on the team are on Debate KC's power rankings. Cook said the middle school team at Coronado was at the top of the power rankings at the time of these interviews.

Other schools in Kansas City, Kan., that take part in Debate KC include: Sumner Academy, Northwest Middle School, Eisenhower Middle School, F.L Schlagle Middle School, Rosedale Mildde School, Washington High School, Turner High School and Wyandotte High School.

Village West businesses to help raise funds for American Red Cross

Nick Sloan — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 15:51:04 +0000

A number of businesses at Village West will provide a helping hand to the American Red Cross this month.

A select number of businesses will donate a portion of their sales to the local chapter.

Businesses taking part include:

• Los Cabos: The Kansas City, Kan., Chamber of Commerce will hold its Business After Hours event on Wednesday, March 24 from 5-7 p.m.

• Culver's: All day on Thursday, March 25, the business will donate 10 percent of their sales to the American Red Cross. Culver's will also host a blood drive on Saturday, March 27.

• Palmer's Candies and Ice Cream: 10 percent of sales on March 30 will be donated to the American Red Cross.

• Mr. Goodcent's (in Bonner Springs): 10 percent of sales on March 30 will be donated

• Applebee's: 10 percent of "select sales" will be donated to the local Red Cross on April 1.

Ward to host Hall of Fame induction next Saturday

Nick Sloan — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 14:30:15 +0000

(From BIshop Ward High School)

The Bishop Ward High School Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and Dinner will be on March 27 at 5:30 p.m. at Bishop Ward, 708 N. 18th St.

This event will celebrate the accomplishments of five extraordinary individuals who in their own way represent the legacy and tradition of Bishop Ward.

Bob ’69 and Denise ’71 Beaman are the co-chairs of this elegant event. The evening begins with cocktails at 5:30 p.m. followed by the Induction Ceremony at 6:30 p.m. and dinner at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets are $125 per person or $1,000 per table of 8 guests.

You can make your reservations now for this special evening. Sponsorship levels also are available to honor our five distinguished inductees.

To learn more about sponsorships or make a reservation, visit cyclonecountry.org or contact Amy Nelson in the Development Office at 913.371.6901 or at anelson@wardhigh.org.

2010 Bishop Ward Hall of Fame Class

Monsignor Michael Mullen ’54, Alumnus of the Year

BeaMarie (Mejia) Mayer ’67, Don Denney ’70 Spirit of Bishop Ward Award

Dr. Andy Harding ’81, Athletic Achievement Award

Ed Dwight ’51, Fine Arts Distinguished Achievement Award

Donald E. Wolf, Father Raymond J. Davern Community Service Award

INDUCTEE BIOS

Mon. Michael Mullen, a 1954 alumnus, is receiving the Alumnus of the Year Award. Mon. Mullen is the pastor of St. Patrick Catholic Church and is a member of the Bishop Ward Board of Trustees. He has served as a priest almost 48 years, serving as a pastor, seminary educator, and director of seminarians.

BeaMarie Mayer, a 1967 alumna, is receiving the Don Denney ’70 Spirit of Bishop Ward Award. Mayer is self employed as a human resources and finance consultant. She is a member of the Bishop Ward Board of Trustees. She has previously served on several local boards, including MANA of Kansas City, Cabot Westside Health Center and YWCA of Kansas City.

Dr. Andy Harding, a 1981 alumnus, is receiving the Athletic Achievement Award. He played Center for the K-State football team from 1981-1985 and was selected for the 1985 Academic All Big Eight. He is the owner of Chiropractic Healing Center.

Ed Dwight, a 1951 alumnus, is receiving the Fine Arts Distinguished Achievement Award. He is a nationally-renowned sculptor and most recently created a sculpture of the inauguration of President Barack Obama. Dwight was also the first African American astronaut and author of his autobiography, “Soaring on the Wings of a Dream.”

Don Wolf is receiving the Father Raymond J. Davern Community Service Award. He is the lead photographer of De Cloud Studios. Wolf is a supporter of St. Theresa’s Orphanage in Croatia and several Catholic schools and parishes in Wyandotte County.

POLICE BEAT: Woman robbed of $150

Nick Sloan — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 23:42:05 +0000

A woman was robbed at gun-point last night on the 1300 Block of Central Avenue.

A thief used a handgun to rob the woman at around 7:30 p.m. last night. No one was seriously injured in the case. A witness was on the scene as well.

A case of aggravated assault and aggravated robbery were reported.

View Larger Map

Caminos: Mama’s Santos - Introduction

Rudy Padilla — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 21:27:38 +0000

From the Arizona Daily Star: Carmen Duarte is a native Tucsonan. She graduated from St. John the Evangelist Elementary School, Pueblo High School and Pima Community College.

She received her bachelor’s degree in journalism, with a minor in political science from the University of Arizona in 1980. She began working for the Arizona Daily Star in January 1981 and has covered numerous beats, including immigration, crime, education, social services and federal courts. Duarte also has done feature writing and traveled extensively in Mexico covering stories for the Star.

In 1994, the Arizona Press Club honored her with its Distinguished Service Award.
Writing “Mama’s Santos” was a year-long labor of love and familial devotion for reporter Carmen Duarte. It began as a simple idea – to illustrate the personal side of Arizona’s cotton industry by approaching it from the viewpoint of Carmen’s mother, Leonarda “Nala” Bejarano Duarte, who had labored in the cotton fields for much of her 83 years in Arizona and New Mexico.

When Carmen wrote that initial, short story for the Star’s annual listing of the area’s largest employers, the Star 200, it became clear to Carmen and to her editors that a larger story remained to be told.

And so Carmen directed her reporting and writing skills to a subject that is unusual for a journalist – her own family. The result was “Mama’s Santos: An Arizona Life,” which ran in 36 installments in the Arizona Daily Star.

It is a story of one woman’s courage, fortitude and faith. It is the story of Carmen’s familia and, as many readers have written to tell us, it is the story of many families who came to this harsh corner of a country full of promise and rich in resources.

It is a tale of the obstacles they met on the path to that promise, the natural ones of flood, fire and disease; the societal ones of discrimination, economic inequality, even revolution and war. It is the story of “Nala,” who found in her mother’s tale a source of strength and a renewal of faith in the future.

Chapter 1: Field of Death

Mama is preparing to die. This is nothing new. She started to make these preparations when I was in the fourth grade, 34 years ago. Recently, she had me take her to the Jesus, Mary and Joseph Store on South 12th Avenue, where we picked out the rosary with the shimmering crystal beads she is to be buried with.

While there, she also bought a picture of St. Therese, the Little Flower of Jesus, in a wooden frame, to add to her collection of santos.

She ordered another santo – St. Teresa of Avila – that must be shipped from Spain. St. Teresa won’t arrive for months. Apparently, Mama is not thinking of dying anytime soon.
In September, Mama celebrated her 83rd birthday with a visit to the Desert Diamond Casino, where she lost money, but I came home $500 richer. Mama is in relatively good health and she doesn’t complain about being tired, but she has lived a long, hard life.

And she is ready to die. Lately, she has begun praying that god will take her instead of my 13-year-old cousin, Brittany, who has thyroid cancer. She has her burial gown – a red-and-green replica of the clothing worn in depictions of la Virgen de Guadalupe, Mexico’s most revered Blessed Mother, the symbol of its war for independence from Spain. My cousin Mary Flora sewed the gown to Mama’s specifications.

This dressing up of the dead in the imitation of santos, the Christ Child and apparitions of the Blessed Mother is a disappearing tradition among Mexican Roman Catholics. Not many in our family have done it, and Mama will probably be the last.

My grandma Dolores was buried in a white gown and blue robe, modeled on the images you see of Mary, the mother of Jesus, as the Immaculate Conception. My uncle José Téllez of Safford was buried in his pajamas. Uncle Joe was a mail carrier and a plumber. He would spend a full day delivering the mail and then head off to fix somebody’s leaky pipes in the evening.

When he finally arrived home, he would bathe, put on his pajamas and luxuriate in the home and good life that his hard work had built for him and his family. He now wears his pajamas in eternity – in a better place. We don’t just believe that in our family. We know it. So when my mother contemplates death, she does so almost wistfully. She will go to a place where existence is not so hard, where you don’t have to struggle to feed your family.
It is a place where there are no family squabbles and there is no tragedy. It is a place where she will finally meet her beloved santos and her God. But before she goes, I want you to know about my mama, who frankly doesn’t understand why anyone would be interested in reading about her.
She finds nothing unusual or heroic about a life picking cotton and cleaning miners’ dormitories and hotel rooms so her children, nieces, nephews and anyone else who needed her help would have a better life than hers. I do find that heroic. I hope you will, too.

I’ll begin at the beginning, in 1916, in a field along the Gila River, where Arizona meets New Mexico. This particular field shaped Mama’s life before she was born. It is appropriately a field that has witnessed the blending of three cultures – the ancient one, the Spanish/Mexican one and the North American.

Mama is a U.S. citizen, born here. But her people are from Mexico. She is a mix of the Spanish and indigenous cultures of this region. She prefers to speak Spanish. Her paternal grandfather, we believe, was Apache.

This field, now planted with pecan trees, was originally farmed by the Mogollon who, like the neighboring Hohokam, disappeared more than 1,000 years ago. This field belonged to Mexico until 1848, but in reality it belonged to no one.

When my family first came here in the 1870s, the area was shared, tenuously, with the Apaches. This river, which flowed muddy, turbulent and undammed in the middle of the monsoon in the summer of 1916, was the border between Mexico and the United States until 1854. But lines on a map mean less here than cultural traditions and family stories. Lines between past and present are also unimportant.

My Mama’s story is the story of her parents and their parents. It is my story and the story of my nieces who live with me and Mama and my brother. It is a story of my four cousins Mama raised and the numerous nieces and nephews she loved and guided when they called upon her It is about familia and the importance of family.

And, most of all, it is about Mama’s love – that wonderful emotional glue that keeps us together, no matter what. She taught us to be faithful to one another and to have faith in God. So I will draw no lines between the natural world and the religious, or supernatural, one. These lines, too, don’t exist for my family.

My Mama talks to her santos. She prays for miracles and has witnessed some. My uncle Johnny saw la Virgen de Guadalupe while surrounded by German troops in a foxhole during World War II. My cousins, the Ruiz family in Phoenix, talk to la Virgen regularly.

La Virgen has appeared to Estela Ruiz. She and her husband, Reyes, and their sons have turned their home in South Phoenix into a shrine. The shrine has become a site of international pilgrimage and doing her work has become their life. So – no lines.

I will let my mother tell this story, as much as possible, and in order to understand it you will have to get rid of some of your preconceptions. In the literature of Spanish-speaking people, there is a tradition called magical realism. It recognizes that what is real is often quite different from what is true in a literal sense. This is the real story of my mother and my family.

If, at times, it does not ring true to you, you must remember how it begins, in a field along the Gila River, in a place with no physical boundaries, to a family that recognizes no lines between cultures, no lines between past and present, no lines between the natural and the supernatural.

It begins with a bolt of lightning. (To be continued next month).

Rudy Padilla is a columnist for the Kansan and can be contacted at opkansas@swbell.net

Men who operated drug trafficking ring in KCK sentenced

Nick Sloan — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 20:27:34 +0000

Secundino Aria-Garcia and Sergio Mosqueda-Hernandez were sentenced today for their involvement in a drug trafficking ring that resulted in the sell of over $1 million in methamphetamine.

Both pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Aria-Garcia also admitted to purchasing the drug in large quantities and later sold it to dealers in the Kansas City area.

Aria-Garcia was sentenced to 210 months in prison, while Mosqueda-Hernandez was senteced to 121 months. Both will serve the time in federal prison.

Additional defendants involved in the ring:

• Guadalupe Ruiz, sentenced to 120 months in federal prison.

• Robyn Woods, sentenced to 60 months.

• Marcicela Naranjo, sentenced to 70 months.

• Marisela Ruiz, sentenced to 108 months.

• Francisco Armondo Lopez-Montejano, sentenced to 70 months.

• Baltazar Quiroz, set for sentencing March 23, 2010.

• Betty Sue Marcos, set for sentencing March 30, 2010.

• Vincent Ray Marez, set for sentencing March 18, 2010.

• Baynard Jack Sitlington, set for sentencing 6, 2010.

• Hector Eduardo Garcia-Gallardo, set for sentencing May 4, 2010.

• Jesus Munoz, set for sentencing April 27, 2010.

• Araceli Lozano-Miranda, set for sentencing April 27, 2010.

• Carlos Dozal-Alvarez, set for sentencing April 27, 2010.

• Javier Dozal, set for sentencing April 27, 2010.

• Fabiola Uribe, set for sentencing April 27, 2010.

• Steven Luttrell, set for sentencing April 27, 2010.

• Hugo Chavez-Cadenas, set for sentencing April 13, 2010.

• Luis Lozano-Miranda, set for sentencing April 27, 2010.

• Jose Jimenez-Alvarez, set for sentencing April 27, 2010.

• Francisco Javier Ruiz-Najera, set for sentencing April 13, 2010.

• Uriel Lopez-Montejano, set for sentencing April 13, 2010.

• Jorge Carrillo-Chavez, set for sentencing April 6, 2010.

• Kurtis Wall, set for sentencing April 6,2010.

M.E. Pearson fifth graders win robotics event

Susan Enloe — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 19:58:31 +0000

The M.E. Pearson 5th-grade Lego Robotics team presented their first place trophy to the Kansas City, Kansas Board of Education on Tuesday, March 9.

The team, made up of nine fifth grade students, competed against 68 other 5th-8th grade teams in this year’s First Lego League Tournament in Lee’s Summit, MO. They placed first in the category of “Creative Presentation”.

Team members are (L-R) Donny Randolf, Nestor Hernandez, Pedro Troncoso, Alonso Muneton, Elizabeth Santillan, Mariana Santos, Michel Arroyo. Members of the team not pictured are Ariana Morales and Hector Flores. Their teacher is Britt Pumphrey.

Photo #1: Team photo - students are l-r as listed above.

Photo #2: Britt Pumphrey (correct spelling) addresses the board.

Photo #3: Nestor Hernandez shows Assistant Superintendent Dr. Cynthia
Lane the team's first place trophy.

T-Bones sign Nationals prospect

Nick Sloan — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 17:54:29 +0000

The Kansas City T-Bones have signed rookie pitcher Steven Stewart to a contract for the 2010 season.

Stewart, 23, spent two seasons in the Washington Nationals organization. He was originally signed as a non-drafted free agent in 2008.

During his career with the organization, he posted a 3.64 ERA, holding opponents to a .249 average.

“Steven is a right-hander that puts good sink on the baseball,” said Tim Doherty, manager of the T-Bones. “He will add depth to the backend of our bullpen.”

Celebrating Red Cross month

Diane Hentges — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 16:30:17 +0000

Our local the American Red Cross, Wyandotte County Chapter came into being back in 1917, during World War I. In fact, nationally during a four year period, 1914 to 1918; the Red Cross grew from 107 local chapters to 3,864 chapters.

Throughout the years our local chapter has been there when we need them. They are there to teach, to respond to disasters, to organize blood drives, install smoke detectors and help keep military families in touch.

A big part of the Red Cross program is responding to disasters, local fires, floods, tornados, and more broad scale disasters like 911, Katrina, the west coast forest fires and international disasters like earthquakes in Haiti and Chile. When fire ignites in your neighborhood, a Red Cross volunteer is there to help the victims of that fire.

They help the victims find shelter and see that the they have the essentials like clothing, personal care items, needed medications and food.

In the aftermath of national disasters like major hurricanes or forest fires, our local Red Cross sends Disaster Actions Teams to help out overtaxed local efforts. The Red Cross is able to respond because of volunteers.

Disaster Action Teams (DAT) are every day people who say yes to the challenge of helping their neighbor. Don’t wait until disaster strikes to become a volunteer. DAT volunteers need to receive specialized training so that they are “prepared” when disaster does strike.

“Be Red Cross Ready” is the motto of the Red Cross. It takes volunteers to help make this happen. This readiness is accomplished through a variety of classes offered by staff and volunteers of the Red Cross.

Classes like basic first aid, CPR, accident prevention, fire safety, babysitting, pet first aid, lifeguard training, basic infection control (a.k.a good hand washing) are offered to schools, groups, business, individuals throughout the community. Volunteer instructors do receive Red Cross training.

The Red Cross, like all non-profits relies on volunteers to help with day to day operations. The phone needs to be answered, paperwork needs to be done, papers need to be copied and filed, educational packets assembled to name just a few of the many tasks that are waiting for the right volunteer.

In the age of technology help with data entry is always welcomed. The Red Cross has vehicles that need to be readied to respond and need to be maintained, another task for right volunteer.

In addition, the Red Cross relies on volunteers to help with the fund raising efforts that support these vital programs. Fund raising events succeed because of volunteers.

The Heroes for the American Red Cross or the Ride for the Red are a few examples of annual events to help raise dollars for the important work of the Red Cross that are successful because of volunteers.

Lastly, the Red Cross relies on a dedicated group of volunteers to govern the organization, the board of directors. This group of volunteers meets regularly to help keep the organization on course.

The Board is composed of involved and concerns members of our community who believe that we all need to be “Red Cross Ready.”

If you want more information on any one of the many volunteer opportunities available through the American Red Cross, the Wyandotte County Chapter call Jason at 913-321-6314 or check out their web site at www.kck.redcross.org.