General News in the 316

[SubGod22]

I hadn't heard about this

KFDI - Holocaust Memorial planned for Wichita

Plans are moving ahead for a Holocaust Memorial in Wichita. A citizens group has been working to raise funds for the memorial that will be placed near the Veterans Memorial Park west of downtown Wichita.

The project has been approved by the city’s Park Board and the City Council has approved an agreement for maintenance of the memorial.

Architect Matthew Cunningham designed the memorial and presented information to the City Council on its design. The memorial will educate visitors about World War II, the Holocaust and the Kansas soldiers who helped to liberate the concentration camps. Cunningham said General Dwight D. Eisenhower will be recognized in the memorial. He said there will be six plaques in the memorial, including a dedication plaque. Lighting will also be provided for the memorial.

[SubGod22]

Some positive Boeing/Spirit news for a change.

WBJ - Big week for Boeing defense contracts should mean more work for Spirit AeroSystems

Boeing's struggling defense and space segment has snagged more than $4 billion in contract modifications on a pair of programs involving significant contributions from Wichita's Spirit AeroSystems.

Last week, Boeing announced it received a $2.4 billion award to build 15 additional KC-46A Pegasus tankers for the U.S. Air Force. The same day, the Department of Defense said the aerospace giant had received a $1.7 billion award from the U.S. Navy for seven P-8A Poseidon maritime surveillance aircraft.

Spirit, Boeing's largest supplier, builds the forward fuselage, fixed leading edge and strut and nacelle components on the KC-46A. Meanwhile, the P-8A Poseidon is a variant of the Boeing 737, of which Spirit builds 70% of the structure, including the aircraft’s full fuselage.

Boeing said it now has 168 KC-46A tankers under contract. Since 2019, the company has delivered 89 of the aircraft to the U.S. Air Force and four to Japan.

"We appreciate our continued partnership with the U.S. Air Force," said Lynn Fox, Boeing vice president and KC-46 program manager, in a news release. "This is another big milestone for our team, and we look forward to delivering the world’s most advanced multi-mission aerial refuelers for years to come."

These contracts aren't set to conclude until summer/fall of '28.

[SubGod22]

Always like to see Wichita companies growing and expanding.

WBJ - Mid-Continent Instruments and Avionics names new president, other execs

A growing Wichita aviation subcontractor has announced a new president and a slate of other leadership changes that the company says will position it to expand global market share and support increased customer demand.

Mid-Continent Instruments and Avionics announced Monday it has promoted Matthew Harrah, who was hired in 2020 as senior vice president of technology and products, to the role of president at both Mid-Continent and its True Blue Power division.

Todd Winter — who had been serving since 2000 as both president and chief executive officer of Mid-Continent and held the same titles at True Blue Power after it was formed in 2010 — will remain CEO.

“We are making the right moves at the right time to support our customers,” Winter said in a news release. “The high demand for our products penetrates all sectors of aerospace and aviation... Our unrivaled dedication to meeting the challenge of technology can only be realized by a superior leadership team.”

Mid-Continent, which employs about 180 people in Wichita, manufactures and repairs instruments for the aerospace industry.

Sounds like they have a pretty good presence in the international market and are currently expanding their presence at Jabara.

[SubGod22]

Eagle - Baseball legend Ozzie Smith coming to Wichita for NBC World Series Hall of Fame event

Hall of Fame shortstop Ozzie Smith is coming to Wichita as the keynote speaker at the 2025 National Baseball Congress Hall of Fame induction ceremony.

Before he was known as “The Wizard” and became an all-time great with the St. Louis Cardinals, Smith played in the NBC World Series in 1976 with the Clarinda A’s. He is a 1992 inductee into the NBC World Series Hall of Fame.

Smith will share his insights and stories from his legendary career, offering attendees a unique opportunity to hear from one of the game’s most iconic figures. Tickets are available for $150 through nbcbaseball.com.

The 2025 class of inductees are David Benson, Alex Gordon and Phil Stephenson. The ceremony is slated for Thursday, Jan. 30, at B-29 Doc Hangar in Wichita.

Gordon, who was a three-time MLB All-Star and won eight Gold Glove awards during his career, was a key player for the Kansas City Royals during their run to the 2015 World Series. He was named the NBC Graduate of the Year in 2013 and played for the Beatrice Bruins in the 2002 NBC World Series.

[SubGod22]

KSN - KDOT to give update of Passenger Rail Development plan

The Kansas Department of Transportation will soon give an update on the development plan for restoring passenger rail service to other parts of the state.

Amtrak’s Heartland Flyer connects Ft. Worth, Texas, to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. KDOT is exploring options to extend the service from Oklahoma City to Arkansas City and Wichita to Newton, where passengers could connect to the Southwest Chief, which connects Chicago, Illinois, and Los Angeles, California.

A live virtual meeting will take place Wednesday, Dec. 11, from 1 to 2 p.m. CST. It will then be available 24/7 as a virtual open house until Jan. 1, 2025.

The virtual meeting will be hosted via Zoom. KDOT will give a real-time presentation, followed by a question-and-answer session, during which participants can ask questions or provide comments, and KDOT will respond. You can join the meeting on Dec. 11 by clicking here.

For more information about expanded passenger rail service in Kansas, visit ksdot.gov/passrail/.

The proposed times the train would be in the area suck, based on what I remember, but this could still be a good option at times for some. And you never know if the times may eventually be altered down the road.

Either way, something worth keeping an eye on.

[Veritas]

Hopefully, we can pick up some of the spare change.

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/24/business/washington-curtails-intel-grant.html