1. society
2. unrest and war

VOL 18 No. 10
PRSRT STD
U.S POSTAGE
PAID
KCMO
PERMIT NO. 990
We Salute Our Veterans Past and Present
Saludamos a Nuestros Veteranos del Pasado y Presente
13 de Noviembre, 2014 * Periódico Bilingüe Kansas City
Your latino connection since 1996
www.kchispanicnews.com
Tú conexión latina desde 1996
Stand Down
Contreras recalls military
helps veterans service in Vietnam
Stand Down ayuda Contreras recuerda el servicio
militar en Vietnam
a veteranos
The veterans are thankful to the community and the organizations
that come and help out at the Stand Down. They collected clothing
and food to hand out to veterans.
Los veteranos están agradecidos con la comunidad y las organizaciones que
asistieron y ayudaron a llevar acabo el Stand Down. Ellos recogieron ropa y
alimentos para repartir a los veteranos.
by Debra DeCoster
traduce Gemma Tornero
A
rt
Fillmore
and
Bob
Waechter
served
their
country during the Vietnam
War. Both carry scars from
battle and of rejection by their fellow
countrymen.
People did not welcome them
home with parades, ribbons, or
thanks for a job well done. Instead
in some instances people spat at
them and called them baby killers.
Many veterans, instead of being
proud of their military service, they
were quick to hide the fact that they
served in Vietnam.
Fillmore served in Vietnam in
1969 and 1970 in the Army.
VOLUNTEERS LEND ... / PAGE 3
A
rt Fillmore y Bob Waechter
sirvieron a su país durante
la guerra de Vietnam.
Ambos llevan las cicatrices
de la batalla y del rechazo por parte
de sus compatriotas.
La gente no les dio la bienvenida
a casa con desfiles, listones, o
las gracias por un trabajo bien
hecho. En cambio, en algunos
casos las personas les escupieron
y los llamaron asesinos de bebés.
Muchos veteranos, en vez de estar
orgullosos de su servicio militar, se
apresuraron a ocultar el hecho de
que se sirvieron en Vietnam.
Kansas City native Daniel Contreras to this day still has a difficult time understanding why there were
no hero’s welcome mat for him and the thousands of men and women that served during the Vietnam
War. Many died and others were injured in the line of duty. Contreras feels the Vietnam solders are the
forgotten heroes of past wars.
Daniel Contreras quien nacio en Kansas City para hoy día, todavía le es difícil entender por qué no había ninguna alfombra de
bienvenida como héroe para él y para los miles de hombres y mujeres que sirvieron durante la guerra de Vietnam. Muchos murieron,
y otros resultaron heridos en el cumplimiento del deber. Contreras siente que los soldados de Vietnam son los héroes olvidados de las
guerras pasadas.
by Jerry LaMartina and Joe Arce
traduce Gemma Tornero
D
D
aniel Contreras isn’t looking for pity. He’s
looking for recognition – for himself and his
fellow Vietnam veterans.
As Nov. 11 – Veterans Day – approached
this year, Contreras reflected on his experiences in
Vietnam and after he returned home to Kansas City.
He was drafted in 1969 at age 19 and spent a year
stationed at the 91st Evacuation Hospital in Chu Lai.
“When I was released, they gave you a little check,”
he told Kansas City Hispanic News. “You wear your
uniform. I remember landing at the old (downtown)
airport. It was about 11 p.m., and there wasn’t a soul
out there but me.”
(del centro de la ciudad) aeropuerto. Eran alrededor de
‘WE JUST TRY ... / PAGE 2
‘SOLO TRATAMOS DE ... / PÁGINA 2
LOS VOLUNTARIOS ... / PÁGINA 3
John Quiñones celebrates
with Mattie Rhodes Center
John Quiñones celebra con el Centro Mattie Rhodes
FYI
aniel Contreras no está en busca de lástima. Él
está buscando el reconocimiento - para él y sus
compañeros veteranos de Vietnam.
Mientras se acercaba el 11 de noviembre - Día
de los Veteranos - este año, Contreras reflexionó sobre
sus experiencias en Vietnam y lo que sucedió después
de su regresó a casa en Kansas City. Él fue seleccionado
en 1969 a los 19 años y pasó un año estacionado en el
Hospital de Evacuación 91º, en Chu Lai.
“Cuando me liberaron, ellos me dieron un cheque
pequeño”, dijo a Kansas City Hispano News. “Usted usa
su uniforme. Recuerdo haber aterrizado en el antiguo
MCC and SURHC
awarded MoWIN
partnership award
by Debra DeCoster and
Joe Arce
T
he Mattie Rhodes Center has
been helping families and
individuals in need for 120
years. The founder, Mattie
Rhodes, dedicated her life to helping
people in her community. She was
19 years old when she passed away
from typhoid fever, but upon her
death she left $500 to her friends
requesting that her work continue.
In the early years, the center
provided day care for children
of working mothers and basic
QUIÑONES’ UPBRING ... / PAGE 7
traduce Gemma Tornero
Quiñones’ message in his speech. Education helped feed his love
for broadcast journalism and enabled him to use the camera and
his skills to “give voice to people who don’t have a voice,” said
Quiñones.
Quiñones da mensajes en su discurso. La educación ayudo a alimentar su amor por
el periodismo televisivo y le permitió utilizar la cámara y sus habilidades para “dar
voz a las personas que no tienen voz”, dijo Quiñones.
NEWSROOM: (816)472.5246
|
FAX: (816) 931.6397
|
E
l Centro Mattie Rhodes
ha estado ayudando a
las familias y personas en
necesidad por 120 años. La
fundadora, Mattie Rhodes, dedicó
su vida a ayudar a la gente en su
comunidad. Ella tenía 19 años
cuando murió de fiebre tifoidea,
pero, ante su muerte, dejó $500
dólares a sus amigos solicitando
que su trabajo continuara.
KCHISPANICNEWS.com
Metropolitan Community College Chancellor Mark James,
MoHealthWins program director Dr. Manuel Solano and
Samuel U. Rogers Health Center Chief Financial Officer Bob
Theis accepted the award in Branson, Missouri during the
Missouri Community College Association Annual Convention.
QUIÑONES SE FORMO ... / PÁGINA 7
|
E-MAIL: [email protected]
See Page 6 for complete story.
| 2918 Southwest Blvd.
Kansas City, MO 64108
NOVIEMBRE 13 DEL 2014 I KCHispanicNews.com
‘We just try to survive and go on with life’
CONT./PAGE 1
Contreras
didn’t
expect
a welcome when his plane
landed in Kansas City from
Seattle.
“I figured I’d take a taxi to the
Westside and then contact my
family,” he said. “I felt it was an
unpopular war, and it was.”
Vietnam vets who returned
home were sometimes spat on
and called baby killers, he said.
“I didn’t want to go,”
Contreras said. “You had to
go or face the consequences –
maybe be arrested and put in
jail.”
Veterans Day seems to focus
on veterans of wars other than
Vietnam, he said.
“All I see is the Iraq and
Afghanistan troops,” Contreras
said. “They’re the heroes.
They’re getting all the praise
and glory. And what about us,
the Vietnam veterans? We just
seemed to be left out or talked
bad about. We’re the ones
who are either mentally gone
or alcoholics or homeless. We
just seem to be getting all the
bad rap.”
Lloyd Blair, VFW veterans
service officer in Kansas City
and a Marine veteran who
saw action in Iraq in 2003 and
2004, agreed that Vietnam
vets haven’t gotten the respect
and care they deserve.
“A lot of Vietnam veterans
when they got home were spit
on – literally and figuratively
– really not taken care of
by the American people like
they should have been,” Blair
told Hispanic News. “It’s a
180-degree difference (from
veterans of other wars). They
were kind of shuffled to the
back. … People need to
understand Vietnam vets. The
stories they tell might seem farfetched, but they’re not.”
Contreras said he’d never
been invited to take part in a
Veterans Day celebration.
The Army did invite him to
travel, though, 45 years ago.
He did basic training at Fort
Leonard Wood in the Missouri
Ozarks and then was assigned
to Fort Sill in Lawton, Okla.
Then he was sent to Oakland,
Calif., and then on to Chu Lai.
He said that, once he knew
he was headed for Vietnam,
“All you want to do is say, ‘Let’s
go; let’s do it.’” The sooner you
went, the sooner you could
start counting the days until
you could come back home, he
said.
Contreras recalled seeing
Vietnam for the first time.
“Once you know you’re
flying over the country, you
look down and see bombs and
fire,” he said. “The odor over
there – it doesn’t smell like this
country.”
A lot of vets don’t want to
discuss what they saw, he said.
“It’s just bad memories, so
you don’t want to talk about
it,” he said. “A lot of veterans
come back with PTSD (posttraumatic stress disorder). … The
VA hospitals and doctors were
having so much trouble with that,
they put a label on it.”
Contreras also had problems
of that sort when he got back
home. He’d seen friends and
others horribly wounded and
killed.
“The wounded and the
burn victims were (evacuated)
in helicopters and put in
the hospital there,” he said.
“They came in wounded, shot,
burned, no limbs. We had to
provide for whatever their care
was. You could always tell the
ones who weren’t going to
make it. You had to see that all
the time. When I first saw it, it
just terrified me.”
The wounded would stay at
the hospital for a week or two
and then were sent to Germany
or Japan for further medical
treatment before they were sent
home, he said.
“In Vietnam, I suffered rocket
attacks and rifle attacks,” he
said. “I lived through a typhoon
and a monsoon.”
The war’s casualties also
included Vietnamese women
who’d had children with
American soldiers, and the
children themselves.
“If a Vietnamese woman
got pregnant by a soldier,
the families would throw out
the woman or the child,”
Contreras said. “The chaplain
where I was assigned asked
for volunteers. It’s not even
on record that I went on five
missions to help save orphaned
children that were discarded
from their families and were
half American. Somebody had
to take care of them.”
The chaplain would organize
the missions, Contreras would
gather supplies, “and we’d go
out to look for these children.”
“I felt bad that these kids
were being thrown out of their
own families,” he said. (There
were) Catholic orphanages that
would take them in. Nobody
knows this, and nobody seems
to care.”
Several things have kept
Contreras going all these
years, he said.
“If you’ve got the foundation
of a family, you’ve got to say,
‘I’m going to do it for my family,
my kids, my grandchildren,’” he
said. “Occasionally, I run into
some of my old buddies that I
grew up on the Westside with
that I know were over there. A
lot of them keep to themselves.”
One thing Contreras is bitter
about is that Vietnam “was a
war that we could’ve won but
we didn’t want to win, and a
lot of veterans died.”
“We risked our lives,” he
said. “I lost some of my friends
over there. We just try to survive
and go on with life.”
Contreras
acknowledged
that his life probably would
have been a lot different if he
hadn’t served in the military.
“I think for the most part it
can make you a better man if
you just accept it and just go
with the mentality,” he said.
“Do your job, do your time,
and do what you have to do,
and make the best of it.”
Contreras is a musician, and
that has also helped him keep
going.
“I always played music with
a lot of groups,” he said. “A
lot of times you do it for free.
I’m fine with that. Right now,
music for us is a part-time thing,
a hobby. At one time I played
music full time.”
Contreras once played with
a mariachi band that backed
up Linda Ronstadt at a show
in Washington, D.C., and he
has played at presidential
inaugurations.
“I was one of the first
Mexican-Americans on the
Westside to play country music.
I’ve played all the honky tonks
in Kansas City.”
In the end, Vietnam vets
“just want to be recognized,”
Contreras said.
A variety of events were
held in the Kansas City area
on Veterans Day. The National
World War I Museum at
Liberty Memorial offered free
admission and hosted a variety
of events, including: a Disabled
American Veterans/Red Racks
Donation Drive to gather
clothing, shoes, household
items and children’s toys for
veterans;
“living
history”
volunteers who shared stories
of the World War I era; a
ceremony attended by elected
officials with a keynote address
from Pulitzer Prize-winning
biographer A. Scott Berg;
and dedication of more than
100 “Walk of Honor” bricks
in a ceremony that included
patriotic songs by U.S Army
Chorale member and Iraq
veteran Ron Guiterrez.
Argosy
Casino
Kansas
City offered free buffets for
veterans, and Bob Evans
Farms
restaurants
offered
free hotcakes for them. And
Sports Clips Haircuts offered
$1 haircuts to support “Help
A Hero” scholarships for
veterans.
historias que cuentan puede
parecer descabelladas, pero
no lo son”.
Contreras dijo que nunca
había sido invitado a participar
en una celebración del Día de
los Veteranos.
El Ejército lo invitó a viajar,
sin embargo, hace 45 años. Él
realizó el entrenamiento básico
en Fort Leonard Wood en el
Ozarks de Missouri y luego fue
asignado a Fort Sill en Lawton,
Oklahoma.
Posteriormente
fue enviado a Oakland,
California., y luego a Chu Lai.
Dijo que, una vez que supo
que se dirigiría a Vietnam,
“Todo lo que uno quiere hacer
es decir: ‘Vamos a ir; vamos a
hacerlo’”. Entre más pronto se
iba uno, más pronto se podían
empezar a contar los días para
que pudiera uno volver a casa,
dijo.
Contreras recordó ver a
Vietnam por primera vez.
“Una vez que usted sabe
que está volando sobre el país,
usted mira hacia abajo y ve las
bombas y el fuego”, dijo. “El
olor de allá - no huele como a
este país”.
Una gran cantidad de
veteranos no quieren hablar de
lo que vieron, dijo.
“Son sólo malos recuerdos,
es por lo que uno no quiere
hablar de ello”, dijo. “Una
gran cantidad de veteranos
regresan con TEPT (trastorno
de
estrés
postraumático).
Los hospitales y médicos de
veteranos estaban teniendo
muchos problemas con eso, le
pusieron un a etiqueta a eso”.
Contreras
también
tuvo
problemas de ese tipo de
trastorno cuando regreso a
casa. Había visto a amigos y
a otros horriblemente heridos y
muertos.
“Los heridos y las víctimas de
quemaduras fueron evacuados
en helicópteros y llevados
al hospital”, dijo. “Entraban
heridos,
de
disparos,
quemados, sin extremidades.
Tuvimos que hacer lo necesario
para su atención. Siempre se
podía ver a los que no iban a
sobrevivir. Usted veía eso todo
el tiempo. Cuando lo vi por
primera vez, simplemente me
aterrorizó”.
Los heridos se quedaban en
el hospital por una semana
o dos y luego eran enviados
a Alemania o Japón para el
tratamiento médico adicional
antes de que fueran enviados
a sus casas, dijo.
“En Vietnam, sufrí ataques
de cohetes y ataques de fusil”,
dijo. “Yo viví un tifón y un
monzón”.
Las víctimas de la guerra,
también
incluían
mujeres
vietnamitas,
que
habían
tenido hijos con soldados
estadounidenses, y a los
propios niños.
“Si una mujer vietnamita
quedaba embarazada por
un soldado, las rechazaban
a la mujer o al niño”, dijo
Contreras. “El capellán donde
me asignaron pidió voluntarios.
Ni siquiera hay constancia
de que fui en cinco misiones
para ayudar a salvar a los
niños huérfanos que fueron
desechados por sus familias y
eran mitad norteamericanos.
Alguien tenía que cuidar de
ellos”.
El capellán organizaba las
misiones, Contreras reunía los
suministros, “e íbamos a buscar
a estos niños”.
“Me sentí mal de que
estos niños estaban siendo
expulsados por sus propias
familias”, dijo. Había orfanatos
católicos que los recibieron.
Nadie sabe esto, y a nadie
parece importarle“.
Hay varias cosas que han
mantenido a Contreras de pie
estos años, dijo.
“Si usted tiene la fundación
de una familia, tienes que
decir: ‘Yo voy a hacerlo por mi
familia, mis hijos, mis nietos’”,
dijo. “De vez en cuando, me
encuentro con algunos de mis
viejos amigos con los que me
crié en el Westside y que yo sé
estaban allá. Muchos de ellos
son reservados”.
Una cosa por la que
Contreras esta resentido es de
que Vietnam “fue una guerra
que podríamos haber ganado,
pero no quisimos ganar, y una
gran cantidad de veteranos
murieron”.
“Arriesgamos
nuestras
vidas”, dijo. “Perdí a algunos
de mis amigos allá. Nosotros
sólo tratamos de sobrevivir y
seguir con la vida”.
Contreras reconoció que su
vida probablemente habría
sido muy diferente si no hubiera
servido en el ejército.
“Creo que en la mayoría de
los casos puede hacerte un
hombre mejor si simplemente
lo aceptas y vas con la
mentalidad”, dijo. “Haz tu
trabajo, tu tiempo,
lo que
tienes que hacer, y hacer lo
mejor de eso”.
Contreras es un músico, y
eso también le ha ayudado a
seguir adelante.
“Yo siempre toqué música con
una gran cantidad de grupos”,
dijo. “Una gran cantidad
de veces lo haces de forma
gratuita. Estoy bien con eso. En
este momento, la música para
nosotros es una cosa de medio
tiempo, un hobby. Hubo un
tiempo en que toqué música a
tiempo completo”.
Contreras toco una vez con
una banda de mariachi que
acompaño a Linda Ronstadt en
un show en Washington, DC, y
él ha tocado en inauguraciones
presidenciales.
Daniel Contreras said, “If a Vietnamese woman got
pregnant by a soldier, the families would throw out the
woman or the child. The chaplain where I was assigned
asked for volunteers. It’s not even on record that I
went on five missions to help save orphaned children
that were discarded from their families and were half
American. Somebody had to take care of them.”
Daniel Contreras dijo: “Si una mujer vietnamita se quedaba
embarazada por un soldado, las familias abandonaban la mujer
o el niño. El capellán donde me asignaron pidió voluntarios. Ni
siquiera hay constancia de que estuve en cinco misiones para ayudar
a salvar los niños huérfanos que fueron desechados de sus familias y
la mitad eran américanos. Alguien tenía que cuidar de ellos“.
‘Sólo tratamos de sobrevivir y seguir con la vida’
CONT./PÁGINA 1
las 11 pm y no había ni un
alma por ahí, solamente yo”.
Contreras no esperaba una
bienvenida cuando su avión
aterrizó en Kansas City desde
Seattle.
“Me imaginé que tomaría un
taxi hasta el Westside y luego
me pondría en contacto con mi
familia”, dijo. “Sentí que era
una guerra impopular, y así
fue.”
Los veteranos de Vietnam que
regresaron a casa a veces eran
repudiados y fueron llamados
asesinos de bebés, dijo.
“Yo no quería ir”, dijo
Contreras. “Tenías que ir o
enfrentar las consecuencias
-quizás ser arrestados y puestos
en la cárcel”.
El Día de los Veteranos
parece centrarse en los
veteranos de las guerras pero
no en la de Vietnam, dijo.
“Todo lo que veo es a las
tropas de Irak y Afganistán”,
dijo Contreras. “Ellos son los
héroes. Ellos tienen toda la
alabanza y gloria. ¿Y que hay
de nosotros, los veteranos de
Vietnam? Simplemente parece
que nos dejan afuera o hablan
mal de nosotros. Nosotros
somos los que, o bien estamos
mal mentalmente, o somos
alcohólicos o personas sin
hogar. Simplemente parecen
que estamos recibiendo toda la
mala reputación”.
Lloyd Blair, oficial de servicio
de veteranos VFW en la ciudad
de Kansas y un veterano
marino que vio acción en
Irak, en 2003 y 2004, esta de
acuerdo en que los veteranos
de Vietnam no han recibido
el respeto y cuidado que se
merecen.
“A muchos de los veteranos
de Vietnam, cuando llegaron
a casa se les escupió - literal
y figurativamente - realmente
no han sido cuidados por
el
pueblo
estadounidense
como debería haber sido”,
Blair dijo a Hispanic News.
“Es una diferencia de 180
grados (entre los veteranos
de otras guerras). Es como si
los hubieran mandado a la
parte posterior de la fila. La
gente necesita comprender a
los veteranos de Vietnam. Las
TU CONEXIÓN LATINA DESDE 1996
“Yo fui uno de los primeros
mexicanos-americanos
en
el Westside en tocar música
country. He tocado todas las
honky tonks (música) en Kansas
City”.
Al final, los veteranos de
Vietnam “sólo quieren ser
reconocidos”, dijo Contreras.
Una variedad de eventos
se llevaron a cabo en el área
de Kansas City, el Día de los
Veteranos. El Museo Nacional
de la Primera Guerra Mundial
en el Liberty Memorial ofreció
entrada gratuita y fue anfitrión
de una variedad de eventos,
incluyendo: una Campaña de
Donación Bastidores Rojos /
Veteranos
Estadounidenses
Discapacitados para reunir
ropa,
zapatos,
artículos
para el hogar y juguetes de
niños para los veteranos; los
voluntarios que son “historia
viva” compartieron historias de
la época de la Primera Guerra
Mundial; un acto al que
asistieron funcionarios electos
con un discurso de apertura del
ganador del premio Pulitzer,
el biógrafo A. Scott Berg;
y la dedicación de más de
100 ladrillos del “Camino de
Honor”, en una ceremonia que
incluyó canciones patrióticas
por integrantes del Coro
Ejército de Estados Unidos
y el veterano de Irak, Ron
Gutiérrez.
Argosy Casino Kansas City
ofreció bufés gratis para los
veteranos, y los restaurantes
Bob Evans Farms ofrecieron
panques gratis para ellos. Y
Sports Clips Haircuts ofreció
cortes de pelo a $1 dólar para
apoyar las becas para los
veteranos “Ayuda a un héroe”.
A Thank You
letter to our Veteran’s
Dear Friend,
“A nation reveals itself not only by the men
it produces, but also by the men it honors, the
men it remembers,” President John F. Kennedy
once said. This Veteran’s Day, we once again
reveal the character of this great nation by
pausing to honor and remember the tremendous
courage and sacrifice of those who have served
in our armed forces.
The freedoms we enjoy here at home are
made possible by the men and women who
volunteer to put themselves in harm’s way to
defend liberty. They have kept their commitment
to us; I believe we must keep our commitment
to them. Those individuals who selflessly serve
our country in the military have earned the right
to quality care, and their families deserve the
peace of mind in knowing they will get it. We
must ensure that caring for our veterans is a top
priority.
I am proud to have voted for the Veterans’
Access to Care Act, earlier this year. This
legislation, which the president signed into law,
allows veterans who live over 40 miles from a
VA facility or have experienced extensive wait
times to choose a non-VA hospital. This means
it will be easier for veterans living in northern
Missouri to access quality care from a hospital
or clinic in their area in a timely manner. The
free market reforms in this bill give veterans the
ability to choose private hospitals if needed.
As Americans, we have a duty to remember
and care for all of those who have served this
country and carried the banner of freedom.
I hope that you will join me in pausing to
remember all of those that have served and
sacrificed for this great country.
Sincerely,
Congressman Sam Graves
6th District of Missouri
YOUR LATINO CONNECTION SINCE 1996
KCHispanicNews.com I NOVIEMBRE 13 DEL 2014
Volunteers lend a hand to Vets
CONT./PAGE 1
Upon his return to the United
States, he said, “It was an
out right rejection by our
community. We never wore
our uniforms because people
would disrespect us for having
served. People can disrespect
the war, but they must respect
the warrior,” said Fillmore.
Both men worked hard to
channel their war experiences
into a positive, productive
life where they gave back to
fellow veterans.
Fillmore
approached
Waechter 23 years ago about
holding a Kansas City Stand
Down for veterans. During
war, Stand Down means a
brief break from the fighting.
Troops get needed rest, hot
meals, showers, relief of battle
fatigue, piece of mind and
fellowship.
They wanted to give the
veterans who are living on
the street an opportunity to
take a break from the streets
and receive food, clothing for
winter and health care.
Over the last several years,
they have seen about 600
veterans come through the
doors of Memorial Hall in
Kansas City, Kansas for the
services offered at the annual
Stand Down. They have 500
volunteers who come to work
with the veterans each year.
Both men are thankful
to the community and the
organizations that come and
help out at the Stand Down.
They collect clothing and food
to be handed out and a long
list of service organizations
come to help veterans receive
a number of services such
as legal services, taxes,
housing and utility assistance,
family counseling, substance
abuse, and educational and
employment opportunities.
Waechter was in the
Marines and was in Vietnam
in the 60’s. He considered
himself blessed after the war.
He enrolled in the University of
Tennessee in 1969 and then
transferred to Memphis State
and received his Bachelor of
Science degree in 1973.
“The lesson I learned from
Vietnam is how precious life
is. That was the biggest take
away for me how precious
and fragile life is, whether it
is my life, someone else life
or the enemies life.
They
are still human beings,” said
Waechter.
He grew up in a small
community and was active in
his church. He never thought
that he was different than
anyone else. He served his
country when his country
called him.
“I could not forget the
war. I could not forget the
experiences that I had over
there and what I went through
and the people I knew and
lost. I was lucky that I was able
to go to college and channel
that energy into something
productive,” he said.
When Vietnam veterans
returned to the United States,
there was no term or diagnosis
of
Post-Traumatic
Stress
Disorder (PTSD). No one at
the Veterans Administration
(VA) had experience with
that during the Vietnam era.
Waechter recalls a time when
he went to the VA to talk
to them about his recurring
nightmares.
“I told them that I kept
thinking about Vietnam or
having images from my
experiences in the war and
they just said you are obviously
crazy,” he said.
Coming to Kansas City after
college graduation, Waechter
landed a job at a Kansas City
Veteran Center. The center
was set up to help Vietnam
Vets readjust after their war
experience.
“It was a great job to be
around other vets and to be
around people who cared
about veterans. Being told
that I was crazy at the VA was
a motivator for me to help
other vets. I recognized that
other vets did not get treated
well when they came home.
They are very misunderstood
and judged. I wanted to do
what I could to help them but
not an in your face kind of
way,” he explained.
Fillmore also suffered from
PTSD after returning from
Vietnam. At the time of his
service, there was no place he
could turn to for help.
“I had nightmares every
night. I fought it but I just
had to live through them. I
was fortunate I had a good
family. They helped me out.
The experiences in Vietnam
haunt you and you can’t make
people understand that it
doesn’t go away,” he said.
After serving his time in
the Army, he went into law
school. He spent the next 15
years never talking to another
veteran about what happened
in Vietnam.
The scars of the war linger
in physical ways. Veterans
are suffering health issues
from their exposure to Agent
Orange and Napalm. Fillmore
has recently lost the feeling
in the bottom of his feet. His
doctor has diagnosed him
with a condition that is caused
by exposure to Agent Orange.
“For a lot of these veterans,
this Stand Down could change
their life in a day. The clothing
and the food will sustain them
for a day, but the services here
that are offered to them can
sustain them for a life time,”
said Fillmore.
Steve White served in Vietnam
in the Army’s 101st Airborne
in 1969. He didn’t feel good
about his service for his country
because as he put it, “they
wouldn’t let us do our job.”
He is a member of the
Combat Vets; a group of
veterans who were in combat
overseas and ride motorcycles.
They volunteer at Veteran
events to help out in any way
they are needed. At the Stand
Down he was a member of the
security team.
After
returning
from
Vietnam, he worked to finish
his education and sometimes
held down two to three jobs.
Los voluntarios prestan una mano a los veteranos
CONT./PÁGINA 1
Fillmore sirvió en Vietnam en
1969, y 1970 en el ejército. Ante
su regreso a Estados Unidos, dijo:
“Fue un rechazo directo por nuestra
comunidad. Nunca llevábamos
nuestros uniformes porque la gente
nos faltaba el respeto por haber
servido. La gente puede faltarle el
respeto a la guerra, pero deben
respetar al guerrero”, dijo Fillmore.
Ambos hombres trabajaron duro
para canalizar sus experiencias
de la guerra en una vida positiva,
productiva, donde contribuyeron a
sus compañeros veteranos.
Fillmore se acercó a Waechter
hace 23 años para hablar
acerca de la celebración para los
veteranos, Stand Down Kansas
City. Durante la guerra, Stand
Down significa un breve descanso
de la lucha. Las tropas reciben
el descanso necesario, comidas
calientes, duchas, alivio de la
fatiga de batalla, tranquilidad y
compañerismo.
Ellos querían dar a los veteranos
que viven en la calle la oportunidad
de tomar un descanso de las calles
y recibir comida, ropa para el
invierno y atención médica.
En los últimos años, han visto
cerca de 600 veteranos que pasan
a través de las puertas del Memorial
Hall en Kansas City, Kansas, para
los servicios que se ofrecen en el
Stand Down anual. Ellos cuentan
con 500 voluntarios que vienen a
trabajar con los veteranos cada año.
Ambos
hombres
están
agradecidos con la comunidad y
las organizaciones que vienen y
ayudan durante el Stand Down.
Ellos recogen ropa y alimentos
para ser distribuidos, y una larga
lista de organizaciones de servicio
vienen a ayudar a los veteranos,
para que reciban una serie de
servicios, tales como asesorías
legales, impuestos, vivienda y
asistencia de servicios públicos,
orientación familiar, abuso de
sustancias, y oportunidades de
educación y empleo.
Waechter estaba en la Infantería
de Marina y estuvo en Vietnam
en los años 60. Se consideraba
bendecido después de la guerra.
Se matriculó en la Universidad de
Tennessee, en 1969, y luego fue
trasladado a la Universidad del
Estado de Memphis y recibió su
licenciatura en ciencias, en 1973.
“La lección que aprendí de
Vietnam es lo preciosa que es la
vida. Ese fue el mayor rescate
para mí, lo frágil y preciosa que
es la vida, ya sea mi vida, la
vida de alguien más o la vida del
enemigo. Ellos siguen siendo seres
humanos”, dijo Waechter.
Él creció en una pequeña
comunidad y era activo en su
iglesia. Nunca pensó que era
TU CONEXIÓN LATINA DESDE 1996
diferente a los demás. Él sirvió a su
país cuando su país lo llamó.
“No podía olvidar la guerra.
No podía olvidar las experiencias
que tuve por allá y lo que pasé y
las personas que conocía y a las
que perdí. Tuve la suerte de que
yo fui capaz de ir a la universidad
y canalizar esa energía en algo
productivo”, dijo.
Cuando los veteranos de Vietnam
regresaron a los Estados Unidos,
no había término o diagnóstico del
Trastorno de Estrés Postraumático
(TEPT por sus siglas en inglés). No
había nadie en la Administración
de Veteranos (VA por sus siglas en
inglés) que tuviera esa experiencia
durante la era de Vietnam.
Waechter recuerda un tiempo,
cuando iba a la VA para hablar
con ellos acerca de sus recurrentes
pesadillas.
“Yo les dije que me quedé
pensando en Vietnam o tenía
imágenes de mis experiencias en
la guerra y me decían usted esta
obviamente loco”, dijo.
Al venir a Kansas City, después
de la graduación de la universidad,
Waechter consiguió un trabajo
en un Centro de Veteranos de
Kansas City. El centro se creó
para ayudar a los veteranos de
Vietnam a reajustarse después de
su experiencia de guerra.
“Era un trabajo grandioso,
el estar con otros veteranos y
estar rodeado de gente que se
preocupaba por los veteranos.
El haberme dicho que yo estaba
loco en la VA fue un motivador
para mí, para ayudar a otros
veteranos. Me di cuenta que otros
veteranos no habían sido tratados
bien cuando llegaron a casa. Son
muy mal entendidos y juzgados. Yo
quería hacer lo que pudiera para
ayudarlos, pero no de una manera
de ¡toma¡”, explicó.
Fillmore también sufría de
trastorno de estrés postraumático
después de regresar de Vietnam.
En el momento de su servicio, no
había un lugar al que pudiera
recurrir en busca de ayuda.
“Tuve pesadillas todas las noches.
Luché, pero yo simplemente tenía
que vivir a través de eso. Tuve la
suerte de que tenía una buena
familia. Ellos me ayudaron a salir
adelante. Las experiencias en
Vietnam te persiguen y no se puede
hacer que la gente entienda que no
desaparecen”, dijo.
Después de servir su tiempo en
el ejército, entró en la escuela de
leyes. Pasó los siguientes 15 años
sin hablar, nunca, con otro veterano
de lo que pasó en Vietnam.
Las cicatrices de la guerra
permanecen en formas físicas.
Los veteranos están sufriendo
problemas de salud ante su
exposición al Agente Naranja
y Napalm. Fillmore ha perdido
recientemente la sensación en
la parte inferior de sus pies. Su
médico le ha diagnosticado una
condición que es causada por la
exposición al Agente Naranja.
“Para muchos de estos veteranos,
éste Stand Down podría cambiar
su vida durante un día. La ropa y
la comida los van reconfortar por
un día, pero los servicios que se
ofrecen aquí les puede ayudar
durante un tiempo de su vida”, dijo
Fillmore.
Steve White, sirvió en Vietnam
en la Aerotransportada del Ejército
101ª, en 1969. No se sentía bien
acerca de su servicio para su país,
porque, como él mismo dijo, “ellos
no nos dejaban hacer nuestro
trabajo”.
Él es miembro de los Veteranos
de Combate; un grupo de
veteranos que estuvieron en
combate en el extranjero y usaban
motocicletas. Ellos se ofrecieron
como voluntarios en eventos de
Veteranos para ayudar al equipo
en todo lo que se necesita. En el
Stand Down él fue integrante del
equipo de seguridad.
Después de regresar de Vietnam,
él trabajó para terminar su
educación y, a veces tenía dos o
tres puestos de trabajo.
“Nos enviaron allí para hacer
algo y sentimos que estábamos
haciendo nuestro trabajo, que
era defender nuestra constitución
y nuestro país, lo que todos estos
chicos han hecho”, dijo White.
A pesar de la falta de un regreso
a casa acogedor, Waechter
siente que el dolor se alivio un
poco cuando las donaciones de
la comunidad construyeron el
Memorial de Veteranos de Vietnam,
en Kansas City, Missouri.
“Eso fue mi bienvenido a casa,
mi agradecimiento. Amo a mi
país pero no he perdonado a mi
país por lo que le han hecho a
los veteranos que regresaban de
Vietnam. Aprecio la efusión de
la comunidad para honrar a los
veteranos con el monumento”, dijo
Waechter.
Después de cada Stand Down,
Fillmore espera que los hombres
y las mujeres que trabajan como
voluntarios se den cuenta, de que,
cuando el país necesitaba a los
soldados para ir a la guerra, dieron
un paso adelante y respondieron al
llamado.
“Ahora nos necesitan y es hora
de hacer nuestra parte. Ellos han
cumplido con su parte del trato,
ahora es el momento para que
cumplamos nuestra parte del trato.
Entendemos cómo llegaron aquí y
queremos ayudarlos a ellos, porque
se lo merecen”, dijo Fillmore.
Over the last several years, they have seen about
600 veterans come through the doors of Memorial
Hall in Kansas City, Kansas for the services offered at
the annual Stand Down. They have 500 volunteers
who come to work with the veterans each year.
En los últimos años, que han visto cerca de 600 veteranos vienen
a través de las puertas del Memorial Hall en Kansas City, Kansas
para los servicios que se ofrecen en el stand anual de Down.
Tienen 500 voluntarios que vienen a trabajar con los veteranos
cada año.
“We were sent there to do
something and we felt we
were doing our job, which
was defending our constitution
and our country, which all of
these guys have done,” said
White.
Despite the lack of a
welcoming
homecoming,
Waechter feels the pain
ease a little when community
donations built the Vietnam
Veterans Memorial in Kansas
City, Missouri.
“That was my welcome
home, my thank you. I love
my country but I haven’t
forgiven my country for what
they have done to the veterans
returning from Vietnam. I do
appreciate the outpouring
of the community to honor
vets with the memorial,” said
Waechter.
After each Stand Down,
Fillmore hopes that the men
and women that volunteer
realize that when the country
needed the soldiers to go
to war, they stepped up and
answered the call.
“Now they need us and it is
our time to do our part. They
have fulfilled their half of the
bargain, now it is time for us
to fulfill our half of the bargain.
We understand how they got
here and we want to help
them because they deserve it,”
said Fillmore.
“COUNTING OR GUESSING
HISPANIC VOTES”
by Raoul Lowery Contreras
Subject: How many and how Hispanics
voted in the history making election of
November 4.
It is hard to estimate how many
Hispanics voted and that can only
be quantified by analyzing votes in
100 percent Hispanic precincts and
comparing those percentages to actual
exit polling taken immediately after
voting. The further away from 100
percent Hispanic precincts, the less
confidence in numbers.
Problem - Hispanics with Anglo or Asian
names that result from intermarriages of
Hispanic women and Anglo or Asian
named spouses.
Pew Research’s Hispanic Trends has
studied Hispanic intermarriage and
concludes that one-in-four Hispanic
women marry “out” of their ethnic group
regardless of national origin. Literally
thousands of Hispanics with Anglo/
Asian names proliferate their Hispanic
mothers marry Anglo/Asian named men
every year. Those studies also indicate that these
women and their spouses have higher
incomes than the community norm; higher
incomes generally mean better education
and better neighborhoods than, say, the
poverty-ridden Rio Grande Valley.
The situation creates a rift among
political observers and pollsters.
The “rift” includes these problems:
Those economically and educationally
better off Hispanics that live in suburbs
tend to be under-surveyed and undercounted than Hispanics that live in urban
areas, barrios and in rural concentrations;
i.e. the Rio Grande Valley of Texas.
Better off Hispanics vote in greater
percentages and frequency than those
in poverty areas. Combining those
attributes with Anglo/Asian names,
there is a built-in under-sampling – bias
-- regardless of the methodology used by
pollster.
Some pollsters suggest that if any
Hispanics are not interviewed in Spanish,
the results are faulty.
Some pollsters declare that the existing
national sample – exit polls – aren’t
accurate for several reasons; (A) the
sample is too small, (B) interviews are not
done in Spanish, (C) poverty areas are
ignored (such as the Rio Grande Valley).
This rift has become public because
a University of Washington professor –
Matt Baretto – has gathered colleagues
into a polling firm (Latino Decisions)
that disputes the figures on Hispanic
voting done by Edison Research that
does Election Day exit polling for a
conglomerate media group consisting
of the Associated Press, NBC, Fox, ABC
and CNN.
Baretto and his people regularly object
to exit polling results.
For example: Edison announced that
in the November 4th election 63 percent
of Hispanic voters voted for Democrats
and 35 percent voted Republican. Matt
Baretto disputes those percentages.
Edison also announced that Texas
Governor-elect Gregg Abbott (R) scored
44 percent of the Hispanic vote. Edison
reported that Kansas Governor Sam
Brownback (R) received 47 percent of the
Hispanic vote and in Georgia, Governor
Nathan Deal also scored 47 percent of
the Hispanic vote.
Barreto’s Latino Decisions disputes
those percentages. He says that
his organization interviewed 4200
Hispanics in English or Spanish for 5
days leading up to the election.
He claims his organization found
Governor Brownback only had 31
percent support, 16 points below Edison’s
Election Day exit polling; In the Georgia
governor race, Baretto claims his survey
found only 27 percent Hispanic support,
20 points below Edison’s findings on
Election Day.
Barreto also declares that “educated”
Hispanics are over sampled by Edison
and that Edison did not survey in the
Rio Grande Valley, one of the country’s
poorest areas. How much of the Valley
turned out to vote on November 4th? 10
percent?
It doesn’t matter much because
Republican Governor-Elect Abbott won
44 percent of the Texas Hispanic vote
and U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R) scored
48 percent of the Hispanic vote.
Back to Georgia, Atlanta’s “11Alive”
TV station sponsored surveys (Survey
USA) for the Governor and Senate races
that started in April. The April poll showed Deal with 38
percent Hispanic support. The August poll
showed Deal with 43 percent Hispanic
support. The September 19 poll showed
Deal with 40 percent Hispanic support.
September’s second poll showed Deal
with 40 percent Hispanic support and
U.S. Senator-elect Republican David
Perdue with 44 percent Hispanic support
while his Democrat opponent had 32
percent support.
Barreto and colleague Gary Segura
challenged “11Alive” Survey USA’s
polling as “wildly incorrect speculation.” The actual results: Governor Nathan
Deal scored 47 percent Hispanic support
substantially higher than he polled in
“11Alive’s” polling over 6 months. Senator-elect Perdue scored 42 percent
Hispanic support.
In Colorado, Republican Cory Gardner
defeated Incumbent Democratic Senator
Mark Udall in 20 of the 21 counties with
substantial Hispanic voting populations.
In Florida, Republican Governor Rick
Scott won 46 percent of the Cuban
American vote which coincides with the
60,000 votes he won the state by.
Latino Decisions wrongly polls Spanishsurnamed people before they vote; a
reverse “Bradley Effect” of voters lying to
pollsters seems at work here along with a
large number of Anglo/Asian surnames.
Surprise! Republicans ran higher than
their polling with Hispanics on November
4. We know that because the Exit Polls
told us so.
Now, about 2016…
Contreras formerly wrote for the New
America News Service of the New York
Times
YOUR LATINO CONNECTION SINCE 1996
NOVIEMBRE 13 DEL 2014 I KCHispanicNews.com
Kansas City, MO - Show
Me KC Schools kicks off
its second year of helping
Kansas City families find the
right school for their children
with a School Swap parent
event on November 19, when
parents from 19 Kansas City
schools will be available
to answer questions from
prospective parents whose
children will be eligible to
enter kindergarten next year.
Event: Show Me KC
School’s
School
Swap
Date: Wednesday, November
19, 2014, 6:00 p.m. – 8:00
p.m.
Location: Bluford Library,
3050
Prospect
Avenue,
Kansas City, MO
Choosing a kindergarten
can be a daunting task for
families exploring the options
of district public, private,
parochial,
and
charter
schools.
The
upcoming
School Swap will be an
administrator-free
event,
instead offering parents an
opportunity to learn about
many of local schools through
one-on-one
conversations
with fellow parents, many
who have recently navigated
the kindergarten choices
themselves.
Show Me KC Schools’
Executive Director, Tricia
Johnson, says, “Finding the
right kindergarten can be
stressful for parents. In fact,
the average kindergartner
has over 30 elementary
school
options
within
Kansas City Public Schools’
boundaries.
The
School
Swap
encourages
open
dialogue between current
and prospective families,
Show me KC schools to Volunteer tax
preparers needed
hold parent-to-parent
in Jackson County
giving parents a better idea
of what school would truly be
the right fit for their child.”
Parents from the following
schools within will be
available
for
questions
during the two-hour event:
Academy
for
Integrated
Arts. Academie Lafayette,
The Barstow School, Border
Star Montessori, Citizens of
the World Charter Schools,
Crossroads
Academy,
Foreign Language Academy,
Hale
Cook,
Hogan
Preparatory
Academy,
Hope Leadership Academy,
KIPP: Endeavor Academy,
Lee A. Tolbert Community
Academy,
Notre
Dame
de Sion, St. Elizabeth, St.
Paul’s Episcopal Day School,
St. Peter’s, Scuola Vita
Nuova, University Academy,
Whitefield Academy.
Since its introduction in
2013, the non-profit Show
Me KC Schools has focused
on providing school-search
resources to parents new to
the area as well as parents
who wish to remain in Kansas
City, Missouri, when their
children reach school age.
Kelly Cantwell, a Brookside
parent, used Show Me KC
Schools resources last fall
to search school choices for
her 5-year-old son, Emerson,
says,
“Having
recently
moved here from Chicago,
the Show Me KC Schools
website was an invaluable
resource to us in finding
the right elementary school
for our son. It can be a
daunting task to a parent, so
we’re really thankful for the
breadth of information and
data Show Me KC Schools
provided to us.”
In addition to parentfocused events like the
upcoming School Swap,
Show Me KC Schools helps
families learn about every
K-12 public, private, and
charter school option within
the Kansas City Public
School boundaries through
its online school resource,
w w w. s h o w m e k c s c h o o l s .
org.
The
site
includes
information
about
each
school’s mission statement,
test scores, demographic
data, enrollment deadlines,
and contact information. The
website also provides news
links to relevant educational
articles, calendars of parent
events and programs and
original content, such as
book reviews and articles by
local community leaders.
The resource is currently
undergoing
a
site-wide
upgrade, through the pro
bono efforts of website
professionals affiliated with
the group WordPressKC and
their Gives Back program.
The enhanced site will
include a comparison tool
that will allow parents to
single out schools for sideby-side evaluations, a district
map with additional features
to help parents locate the
type of school they’re seeking
for their children, and a
map with early childhood
programs in the district, a
feature frequently requested
by area parents.
Karissa Skirmont, member
of
WordPressKC,
says,
“With more than 80 schools
in Kansas City, it has to
be very confusing to try to
choose the right one. I am
proud that Show Me KC
Schools was chosen as the
first WordPressKC Gives
Back
non-profit
project,
which will better enable them
to give families the tools
and information they need
to make a well informed
decision for their child.”
Other events for 2015
are currently being planned
through Show Me KC
Schools’
ParentConnect
Series, created to encourage
meaningful
conversations
among local parents on
school-related issues, such
as the importance of early
childhood development, new
school options in Kansas
City, and college readiness.
Show Me KC Schools,
a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with
a mission to help Kansas
City parents find the right
school for their children,
launched on October 31,
2013. The website, http://
www.showmekcshools.org,
provides an individual profile
for every district, private,
parochial, and charter school
serving families living within
the Kansas City Public School
boundaries.
For more than a generation
families have been leaving
Kansas City after reaching
the conclusion that the right
school option does not exist
for their children. Show Me
KC Schools believes that
great school options are
available to local families,
and that these options
will only increase as more
parents dedicate themselves
to finding the right school,
right here in the heart of
Kansas City.
ST. LOUIS – Volunteers are needed by AARP-MO who
partners with the Internal Revenue Service to provide
free face-to-face tax preparation and electronic filing for
qualified taxpayers.
The IRS-sponsored Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE)
Program offers free tax help to taxpayers with priority
assistance to people who are 60 and older, specializing
in questions about pensions and retirement-related issues
unique to seniors. As part of the TCE Program, AARP offers
the Tax-Aide counseling program during the filing season. The IRS-certified volunteers who provide tax counseling
are often retired individuals associated with non-profit
organizations that receive grants from the IRS.
“Last filing season, IRS-certified volunteers in Missouri
prepared almost 69,000 federal tax returns for almost $71
million in federal refunds,” said IRS spokesman Michael
Devine. “They also prepared more than 81,000 Missouri
state tax returns.” In addition to AARP, The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance
(VITA) program offers free tax help to people who generally
make $53,000 or less, persons with disabilities, the
elderly and limited English speaking taxpayers who need
assistance in preparing their own tax returns.
Accounting experience is not required, but volunteers will
need basic computer skills to complete the IRS Volunteer
Program e-learning course. Volunteers are asked to give
at least four hours per week. For more information about being a volunteer in 2015,
contact Wendell Shaffer with AARP-MO at 816-616-6650.
“The IRS and its partners are once again looking for
volunteers that are interested in taking a little time to learn
about taxes and then helping others by preparing federal
income tax returns for free,” said Devine. More information about the IRS volunteer tax preparation
programs is available at www.IRS.gov, keywords Tax
Volunteer.
Source IRS
To advertise in our classified
section please call:
(816) 472.5246
OPENING
FOR SALES
PERSON
KC Hispanic
News Newspaper
is seeking a Sales
Person to join our
sales team.
This person must have
advertising experience
in the metro and
within the Latino
market. Bi-lingual is a
major Plus *
Commission Driven
Possible to work from
home if you are the
right person
Contact Joe Arce @
816-506-1421
Email resume
to joearce@
kchispanicnews.com
EOE
PUBLISHER/PRESIDENT
(Editor/Presidente)
Jose “Joe” Arce
VICE PRESIDENT
(Vicepresidente)
Ramona Arce
EDITOR
(Editor)
Jose Faus
REPORTERS/WRITERS
(Reporteros/Periodistas)
Debra DeCoster, Jose Faus,
Jerry LaMartina
DESIGN/LAYOUT
(Diseño Editorial/Diagramación)
Janneth-B Rodríguez
Gemma Tornero
SPANISH TRANSLATION
(Traducción a español)
Gemma Tornero
STUDENT INTERN
(Becario)
Jose Muñiz
Armando Noel Baquedano
KCHN is a weekly publication of Arce Communications
Inc. who bears no responsibility for accuracy or
content advertisements. All rights reserverd. Arce
Communications Inc does not guarantee the absence
of error and every attempt will be made to remedy in
KCHN at our next edition.
KCHN es una publicacion semanal de Arce
Communications Inc. quienes no se hacen responsables
por la presición o contenido de los anuncios. Todos los
derechos reservados. Arce Communications Inc. no
garantiza la ausencia de errores en KCHN los cuales seran
corregidos en nuestra siguiente edición.
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KCHispanicNews.com
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TU CONEXIÓN LATINA DESDE 1996
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Bid Date & Time: December 2nd @ 2PM
Send bids to Foley Company @
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NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING REGARDING
THE GRAND RESERVE
TAX INCREMENT FINANCING PLAN
Pursuant to RSMo 99.825, and in accordance with RSMo 99.830, notice
is hereby given by way of certified mail to inform you about a public
hearing that will be held by the Tax Increment Financing Commission of
Kansas City, Missouri (the “Commission”), commencing at 10:30 a.m.,
Wednesday, December 10, 2014, at the Commission Offices, located at
1100 Walnut, Fourth Floor, Kansas City, Missouri, regarding the Grand
Reserve Tax Increment Financing Plan (the “Plan”).
The proposed Plan provides for the historic rehabilitation of the former
Federal Reserve Bank properties for use as a suites-style hotel, off-street
parking and certain on-site and off-site infrastructure improvements.
The Redevelopment Area is generally bounded by E. 9th Street on the
north, McGee Street on the east, E. 10th Street on the south, and Grand
Boulevard on the west in Kansas City, Jackson County, Missouri
The Plan, as proposed, may be reviewed by any interested party on or
after December 3, 2014 between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. at
the Commission Offices.
Pursuant to RSMo Section 99.830.2(3), all interested parties will be given
an opportunity to be heard at the public hearing. Upon conclusion of the
public hearing, all testimony and discussion will be concluded.
Heather Brown, Executive Director
Tax Increment Financing Commission of Kansas City, Missouri
1100 Walnut, Suite 1700
Kansas City, Missouri 64106
TU CONEXIÓN LATINA DESDE 1996
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING REGARDING
THE THIRD AMENDMENT OF THE
DOWNTOWN LIBRARY
TAX INCREMENT FINANCING PLAN
Pursuant to RSMo 99.825, and in accordance with RSMo 99.830, notice is
hereby given by way of certified mail to inform you about a public hearing
that will be held by the Tax Increment Financing Commission of Kansas
City, Missouri (the “Commission”), commencing at 10:00 a.m., Wednesday,
December 10, 2014, at the Commission Offices, located at 1100 Walnut,
Fourth Floor, Kansas City, Missouri, regarding the Downtown Library Tax
Increment Financing Plan (the “Plan”).
The proposed Third Amendment of the Plan provides for the identification
of certain parking structure, infrastructure and public improvements and
related budget amendments.
The Redevelopment Area is generally bounded by W. 9th Street on the
north, Main Street on the east, E. 12th Street on the south, and Wyandotte
Street on the west in Kansas City, Jackson County, Missouri
The Plan, as proposed, may be reviewed by any interested party on or
after December 3, 2014 between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. at
the Commission Offices.
Pursuant to RSMo Section 99.830.2(3), all interested parties will be given
an opportunity to be heard at the public hearing. Upon conclusion of the
public hearing, all testimony and discussion will be concluded.
Heather Brown, Executive Director
Tax Increment Financing Commission of Kansas City, Missouri
1100 Walnut, Suite 1700
Kansas City, Missouri 64106
YOUR LATINO CONNECTION SINCE 1996
NOVIEMBRE 13 DEL 2014 I KCHispanicNews.com
D E P O R T E S
JOSE
FAUS
Chiefs have an identity
and it’s a winning one
I
t’s been a hard slog, no
easy matter to be sure,
but the Chiefs have
clawed and fought their
way back to a sterling 6-3
record. Unlike last year
when the teams’ gaudy 9-0
record concealed a lot of
weaknesses that eventually
led to them losing five of
their next seven games,
this year’s team holds a lot
of promise.
Take
the
injury
department.
Another
key piece of the Chiefs’
unit took a hit as
Cyrus
Gray,
special teams’
standout and
supporting
running
b a c k ,
suffered
a season
e n d i n g
ACl injury.
Tight
end
Demetrius
Harris is likely
out for the
year following
a broken foot.
Any other year this
would lead many fans to
wring their hands, hold
their heads in their hands
and curse the Gods for
their fate. Add Gray to the
series of players that have
been sidelined this year
and you would not blame
fans to think that the year
is a wash.
That is the funny thing
about this team. If one
player goes down another
one steps up. It is the
formula you want to have
in a winning team. It is
the grit and determination
and
overcompensation
that create champions. I
know they have not won
anything until they win the
division and win a playoff
game or two or three, but
there is no doubt this team
has something going for
it. Call it Kismet Karma or
any other word beginning
in K that you can find.
Now we do have to be
realistic about the team.
The Chiefs’ offense gave up
a ghastly six quarterback
sacks against arguably
one of the best defensive
front seven
in the
NFL.
Still, at some
points the starters looked
woefully outmatched. The
Chiefs are a physical team
but this Buffalo Bills team
knocked the offensive line
around. The
Bills were able to gain
yardage
against
the
Chiefs, they were just not
able to generate points or
separate.
The Seattle Seahawks
have a punishing running
back in Marshawn Lynch
and their running game
gained an astonishing 350
yards on the ground last
week against a faltering
Giant’s team. Lynch scored
four touchdowns to go
along with 140 yards. But
Seattle quarterback Russell
Wilson was not far behind
with 107 yards. The Chiefs
will have to be stiff against
the run if they hope to win
this game.
An
interesting
comparison is that the
Seahawks
lead
the
NFL with 14 rushing
touchdowns. The Chiefs
are second with 13.
Through nine games the
Chiefs have not allowed
a rushing touchdown. You
can bet this is a streak that
the Seahawks would like
to take down much as they
would like to win back their
crown as loudest stadium
in the world.
The Chiefs have won six
of their last seven
games and are in
second place in
the division at
6-3 behind the
Denver Broncos
at 7-2. In ESPN’s
power rankings,
the
Chiefs
are
listed at number ten and
this weekend’s opponent,
defending world champion
Seattle Seahawks are 9
with the same 6-3 record
as the Chiefs. Something’s
got to give.
The good thing is that
the Chiefs have a lot to
play for. If the season
ended today, the Chiefs
would be the fifth seeded
in the playoffs and have
a road game against the
Cleveland Browns in the
first round.
This team is not quite the
cardiac Chiefs but they
sure do know how to keep
you interested.
SAMUEL U. ROGERS HEALTH CENTER AND
FYI METROPOLITAN COMMUNITY COLLEGE
RECEIVE MoWINS PARTNERSHIP AWARD
S
amuel U. Rogers
Health
Center
(SURHC)
and
Metropolitan
Community College (MCC)
have been awarded the
Missouri
Community
College
Association’s
MoWINs
Partnership
Award at a ceremony
in
Branson,
Missouri,
on November 6, 2014.
The award was given
in recognition of the
organizations’ partnership
to maximize the impact
of the MoHealthWINs
program.
MoHealthWINs is part
of a statewide grant
funded
by
the
U.S.
Department of Labor and
administered by MCCA.
The
state’s
community
colleges received nearly
$15 million to train
Missourians for work in the
health services and health
sciences industry.
MCC
leaders
have
worked closely with the
Health Center to provide
students with opportunities
to get real-world, hands-
on experience working
in a health care setting.
SURHC staff have also
helped
MCC
develop
and design curriculum to
ensure that students leave
the program with the skills
and knowledge they will
need to succeed.
Metropolitan Community
College Chancellor Mark
James
said
“Missouri
community colleges are
continuing to work closely
with
state
workforce
leaders to ensure that our
students graduate ready
and able to succeed in
today’s
economy,
by
focusing on those fields
poised for growth. This has
been a great opportunity
and partnership for the
Kansas City area,
“We’re honored to receive
this special award,” said
Hilda Fuentes, SURHC’s
CEO.
“Our partnership
working with MCC has
been mutually beneficial.
The health sector of our
economy
continues
to
grow and it’s important
to have a knowledgeable,
Hilda Fuentes, SURHC’s CEO.
competent
workforce,
which speaks to the work
MCC has been doing in
this regard. We’re happy
to play in a role in this
educational process.”
Last year, SURHC served
over 22,000 patients at
its 7 locations, providing
quality,
affordable
comprehensive
primary
medical,
dental
and
behavioral health care
services for patients of
every age.
Source MCC and Samuel
U. Rogers Health Center
Why your kid shouldn’t be
guzzling ‘energy’ drinks
Vitamins & Minerals are Safer and
More Effective than Artificial Stimulants
Anxiety, hypertension, elevated heart
rates, interrupted sleep patterns and
headaches are just some of the side
effects commonly associated with energy
drinks, and those problems are more
pronounced in children, according to a
recent University of Miami study.
But that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
These drinks have also been linked to
heart palpitations, strokes and sudden
death.
The term “energy” drink is an unfortunate
misnomer, says food science expert
Budge Collinson. They don’t give your
body energy; they stimulate you with brief
jolts of caffeine and unregulated herbal
stimulants, he says.
“Soccer moms and dads buy these
‘stimulant’ drinks for their kids before
matches because both kids and parents
want that competitive advantage,” says
Collinson, founder of Infusion Sciences
and creator Youth Infusion, an effervescent,
natural multivitamin beverage that helps
people maintain consistent and healthy
higher energy levels. “For a few moments, you’ll get that
spike, but it’s a short-term experience with
a heavy long-term toll.”
So, what are some ways kids can get a
healthy energy boost? Collinson offers the
following tips.
• Go for a speedy bike ride together,
take a brisk walk or hold foot-races in the
yard. Numerous studies demonstrate the
power of vigorous exercise in boosting
energy. Exercise pumps more oxygen –
pure, healthy fuel -- into the bloodstream
and to the brain and muscles for a shortterm energy boost. Exercising regularly
will increase lung capacity, so the body
will get more oxygen on a sustained level
for the long term. Exercise also releases
endorphins, the body’s natural feel-good
chemical, which makes us feel happy.
And happy people are energized people.
• Seek nutrition from a variety of
sources. As humans, we need more than
40 different vitamins and minerals to
keep our bodies functioning optimally.
Since there is no single food that contains
them all, it is important for children and
adults to eat a variety, including as many
different vegetables and fruits as possible.
Adding a daily multivitamin supplement
with essentials such as CoQ10, arginine,
theanine, resveratrol and magnesium can
help ensure bodies young and old are
running at top speed.
• Drink plenty of water – the natural
energy drink. Even mild dehydration can
leave children (and adults) feeling listless,
so encourage children to make a habit
of drinking plenty of water. Kids need
more water than adults because they
expend more energy, and they may not
recognize when they’re slightly thirsty.
Parents, too, often don’t recognize the
signs of dehydration; a national survey
of more than 800 parents of kids ages of
one month to 10 years found that more
than half feel they don’t know enough
about dehydration. A quick, light pinch of
the skin on the child’s hand or arm is an
easy check. If the skin is slow to resume a
smooth appearance, the child is likely at
least mildly dehydrated.
For more information go to
www.drinkyouthinfusion.com.
Llame para anunciarse en nuestra
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CHIPS & SALSA
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Chips & Guacamole $15.99
TU CONEXIÓN LATINA DESDE 1996
YOUR LATINO CONNECTION SINCE 1996
KCHispanicNews.com I NOVIEMBRE 13 DEL 2014
Quiñones’ upbring was in the
barrio of St. Antonio, Texas
John Quiñones said, “The more I read about Mattie Rhodes, the more I stand in awe
of the work that you are doing for families and children. … It is wonderful to be here
celebrating an institution that helps individuals every day.”
John Quiñones dijo: “Cuanto más leía sobre Mattie Rhodes, más me asombraba del trabajo que están
haciendo por las familias y los niños. ... Es maravilloso estar aquí celebrando una institución que ayuda
a las personas todos los días.”
CONT./PAGE 1
necessities for poor families.
During the Great Depression,
the Mattie Rhodes Memorial
Society operated a settlement
house for children, single
mothers, homeless individuals
and the elderly.
Today, the Mattie Rhodes
Center is more than a service
provider; they have also
taken on the role of advocate,
giving a voice to those that
struggle in the community.
“We are celebrating 120
years of a legacy that reached
beyond what Rhodes could
have imagined. Her story
teaches us a great lesson in
the potential that we all have
in our community,” said John
Fierro, CEO and president of
the Mattie Rhodes Center.
Serving
as
keynote
speaker for Mattie Rhodes’
anniversary celebration was
John Quñones, ABC News
correspondent and host of the
television show “Primetime:
What Would You Do? He has
also published a book called
‘Heroes Among Us.’ The book
weaves the stories of people
who have had the courage
to stand up for themselves or
others around them. He shows
that through the slightest good
deed, each one of us harbors
a hero within.
As he learned about Mattie
Rhodes and the Mattie Rhodes
Center, he saw a hero inside
the young teenage girl who
had the courage to stand up
and care for the less fortunate.
Quiñones told the crowd
supporting the center, “The
more I read about Mattie
Rhodes, the more I stand
in awe of the work that you
are doing for families and
children. … It is wonderful
to be here celebrating
an institution that helps
individuals every day.
In his remarks Fierro said
that the organization looks
for ways they can embody
the original spirit of Mattie
Rhodes and how they can
continue her legacy of helping
others.
The center reaches about
10,000 people annually
through
their
family
services,
mental
health
counseling, domestic violence
intervention,
substance
abuse preventive treatment
and education and support
groups.
They also focus on the
youth and young adults in
the community by offering
programs that are designed
to
enhance
personal,
interpersonal, artistic and
educational
achievement
through In-School Intervention
programs, youth development
and young adult supportive
living programs.
The Mattie Rhodes Art
Center was established in the
late 1980s and the Mattie
Rhodes Art Gallery was
opened in 1999.
Reaching out and giving
someone a helping hand
can make a difference in that
person’s life.
Encouraging
the youth of the community to
stay in school and get their
high school diploma and go
onto college are essential
lessons to help people rise
above the poverty line.
Quiñones
echoed
that
message in his speech.
Education helped feed his
love for broadcast journalism
and enabled him to use the
camera and his skills to “give
voice to people who don’t
have a voice.”
He grew up in the barrio
in San Antonio, Texas in the
early 50’s. “We were poor.
My father was a janitor, my
mom cleaned houses and I use
to shine shoes on Guadalupe
Street in San Antonio,” he
said.
His father was laid off
from his job when he was
13 years old. His family
joined a caravan of migrant
farmworkers and journeyed
to Traverse City, Michigan to
harvest cherries.
“We
journeyed
1,600
miles to pick cherries. It was
75 cents a bucket and it took
me two hours to fill that darn
bucket,” he laughed.
Later in the summer, they
followed the migrant workers
to Toledo, Ohio to pick
tomatoes. “I would pick 100
bushels a day for 35 cents a
bushel. My dad would pick
150 bushels a day. I learned
during those days about the
family coming together with
hard work.”
While working in the fields,
his dad asked him if he
wanted to do that for the rest
of his life, or would he want
to go to college. Looking at
the long row of tomato plants,
he knew he didn’t want to
work in the field all of his life.
As he began to look at
a future in college, the first
obstacle he had to overcome
was getting someone to help
him with information on
taking the SAT test and how
to apply for college.
His high school counselor
discouraged
him
from
considering college.
“They saw me as another
Latino in a school were 99
percent of the kids were
Hispanic and had no hope
of making it. When I would
ask the counselors about
college, they would say that
is wonderful John but you
need to do wood working
or mechanical. They judged
me because of the color of
my skin. My parents were
the only ones that believed in
me,” he said.
He credits a federal antipoverty program, Upward
Bound, which prepared innercity high school students for
college, as the catalyst that
saved his life and helped him
achieve his goal.
“There wouldn’t be a John
Quiñones on television if it
wasn’t for Upward Bound.
They saw something in me
and gave me a helping hand.
Thank God there was the
Upward Bound program,” he
said.
In closing, he told supporters
of Mattie Rhodes to continue
to give families, youth and
individuals the helping hand
they need to succeed.
“This organization is doing
a fantastic job and you
are helping them with your
donations and your hard work
for the center. Keep it up and
don’t slow down because they
need you desperately,” he said.
Quiñones se formo en un barrio de San Antonio, Texas
CONT./PÁGINA 1
En los primeros años, el
centro proporcionó servicios
de guardería para hijos
de madres trabajadoras y
ayuda a necesidades básicas
para las familias pobres.
Durante la Gran Depresión,
la Sociedad Mattie Rhodes
Memorial operó una casa
de residencia para niños,
madres solteras, personas sin
hogar y personas mayores.
Hoy en día, el Centro
Mattie Rhodes es más que
un proveedor de servicios;
ellos también han asumido
el papel de defensor, dando
voz a los que luchan en la
comunidad.
“Estamos celebrando 120
años de un legado que va
más allá de lo que Rhodes
podría haber imaginado. Su
historia nos enseña una gran
lección acerca del potencial
que todos tenemos en nuestra
comunidad”, dijo John Fierro,
director general y presidente
del Centro Mattie Rhodes.
Presentándose como orador
principal de Mattie Rhodes,
durante la celebración del
aniversario,
estuvo
John
Quiñones, corresponsal de
ABC News y presentador
del programa de televisión
‘Primetime: What Would
You Do?’. Él también ha
publicado un libro llamado
‘Héroes entre nosotros’. El
libro entreteje las historias
de personas que han tenido
el coraje de ponerse de pie
por sí mismos u otros a su
alrededor. El autor muestra
que a través de la más
mínima buena acción, cada
uno de nosotros alberga un
héroe dentro.
Cuando supo de Mattie
Rhodes y el Centro Mattie
Rhodes, él vio a un
héroe dentro de la joven
adolescente,
quien
tuvo
el coraje de ponerse de
pie y cuidar a los menos
afortunados.
Quiñones dijo a la multitud
que apoya al centro, “Cuanto
más leía sobre Mattie Rhodes,
más me quedé asombrado
del trabajo que ustedes está
haciendo para las familias
y los niños. Es maravilloso
estar aquí celebrando a una
institución que ayuda a las
personas todos los días.
En sus palabras, Fierro
dijo, que la organización
busca formas en que pueden
encarnar el espíritu original
de Mattie Rhodes y cómo
pueden continuar con su
legado de ayudar a los
demás.
TU CONEXIÓN LATINA DESDE 1996
El centro llega a cerca
de 10 mil personas al año,
a través de sus servicios a
la familia, consejería de
salud mental, intervención
de
violencia
doméstica,
tratamiento preventivo de
abuso de sustancias y grupos
educativos y de apoyo.
También se centran en los
jóvenes y adultos jóvenes en
la comunidad, ofreciendo
programas
que
están
diseñados para mejorar el
logro personal, interpersonal,
artístico y educativo a través
de programas de intervención
en la escuela, desarrollo de la
juventud y los programas de
apoyo de vida al adulto joven.
El Centro de Arte de Mattie
Rhodes se estableció a finales
de 1980 y la Galería de
Arte de Mattie Rhodes fue
inaugurada en 1999.
El acercarse y darle a
alguien una mano de ayuda
puede marcar la diferencia
en la vida de esa persona.
Alentar
a
los
jóvenes
de la comunidad, para
permanecer en la escuela
y obtener su diploma de
escuela preparatoria e ir a
la universidad, son lecciones
esenciales para ayudar a las
personas a que sobresalgan
de la línea de pobreza.
Quiñones hizo eco de ese
mensaje en su discurso. La
educación le ha ayudado
a alimentar su amor por el
periodismo televisivo y le
permitió utilizar la cámara
y sus habilidades para “dar
voz a las personas que no
tienen voz”.
Se crió en el barrio de San
Antonio, Texas en la década
de los 50.
“Éramos
pobres.
Mi
padre era conserje, mi
madre limpiaba casas y yo
boleaba zapatos en la Calle
Guadalupe en San Antonio”,
dijo.
Cuando él tenía 13 años
de edad, su padre fue
despedido de su trabajo.
Su familia se unió a una
caravana de trabajadores
agrícolas migrantes y viajó a
Traverse City, Michigan, para
la cosecha de cerezas.
“Viajamos 1600 millas
para recoger cerezas. Eran
75 centavos por cubeta
(balde) y me tomaba dos
horas para llenar esa maldita
cubeta”, se rió.
Más tarde, en el verano,
siguieron a los trabajadores
migrantes a Toledo, Ohio,
para
recoger
tomates.
“Yo recogía 100 fanegas
(medida anglosajona) al día
a 35 centavos de dólar por
fanega. Mi padre recogía
150 fanegas al día. Aprendí,
durante esos días, acerca de
la familia que se une con el
trabajo duro”.
Mientras trabajaba en los
campos, su padre le preguntó
si quería hacer eso por el
resto de su vida, o si iba a
querer ir a la universidad.
Viendo a la larga hilera de
plantas de tomate, sabía
que no quería trabajar en el
campo toda su vida.
Cuando empezó a mirar a
un futuro en la universidad,
el primer obstáculo que tuvo
que superar, fue conseguir
a alguien que le ayudara
con información sobre cómo
tomar el examen SAT y cómo
aplicar para la universidad.
Su consejero de la escuela
preparatoria le disuadió de
considerar la universidad.
“Ellos me veían como
otro latino en una escuela
donde el 99% de los jóvenes
eran hispanos y no tenían
esperanza de tener éxito.
Cuando iba a preguntar a
los consejeros acerca de la
universidad, ellos decían,
es maravilloso John pero
hay que hacer trabajo de
carpintería o mecánica. Me
juzgaban por el color de
mi piel. Mis padres eran los
únicos que creyeron en mí”,
dijo.
Él le da crédito a un
programa
federal
antipobreza, Upward Bound,
que
preparaba
a
los
estudiantes de preparatoria
de zonas marginales para
la universidad, como el
catalizador que le salvó la
vida y le ayudó a alcanzar su
meta.
“No habría un John
Quiñones en la televisión si
no fuera por Upward Bound.
Vieron algo en mí y me
echaron una mano. Gracias
a Dios existía el programa de
Upward Bound”, dijo.
Para terminar, le dijo a los
partidarios de Mattie Rhodes,
a seguir dando a las familias,
los jóvenes y las personas la
mano de ayuda que necesitan
para triunfar.
“Esta organización está
haciendo un trabajo fantástico
y ustedes están ayudando
con sus donaciones y su
trabajo duro para el centro.
Sigan así y no disminuyan el
esfuerzo, porque los necesitan
desesperadamente”, dijo.
YOUR LATINO CONNECTION SINCE 1996
NOVIEMBRE 13 DEL 2014 I KCHispanicNews.com
Olivia Raya’s legacy will live on through an endowment
T
his past Saturday surrounded by the Raya family, Rockhurst
University student Andrea Villanueva (center) was introduced as
this year’s Olivia Raya scholarship recipient. Slyvia Raya told
the large crowd they helped in raising thousands of dollars over
the last 8 years in her daughter’s name, and she and her family were
blessed by so many wonderful people who gave of their time, money
and in-kind gifts over the years. Even though this was the last year of
fundraising efforts, she feels her daughter’s legacy will live on with
the young women who have received the scholarship over the years.
The scholarship will continue to help other students for years to come
through the Olivia Raya Foundation endowment.
TU CONEXIÓN LATINA DESDE 1996
YOUR LATINO CONNECTION SINCE 1996