Memorial Day events, forecast, closings and tips for the Wichita area

A year after the coronavirus pandemic forced the cancellation of Memorial Day events, several Wichita area groups are hosting in-person ceremonies honoring veterans who sacrificed their lives.

Here are some of the planned observances in Kansas and the Wichita area. Events are on Monday, unless otherwise noted. There will be speeches, music and flyovers, weather permitting.

Information on Memorial Day events can be submitted to The Wichita Eagle via email at online@wichitaeagle.com.

Wichita

IAMAW District Lodge #70, I-235 and South Meridian — The United Way of The Plains invites people to be part of “Flags of Freedom,” a two-week display of American flags transforming the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers into a sea of red, white and blue. The display started May 16 and runs through Memorial Day. Flag dedications to honor or memorialize a service member are $30, available online at unitedwayplains.org/flagsoffreedom. Names and branches of service will be listed in a full page ad in the Sunday print newspaper of The Wichita Eagle. The deadline is Friday.

Lakeview Cemetery and Funeral Home, 12100 E. 13th St. North, 10 a.m. — Chief Master Sgt. Nina Murphy is the guest speaker, with a fallen soldier tribute by Tornado Alley Young Marines and a folding of the flag by BSA Troop 733. There will be music and refreshments.

Resthaven Mortuary & Cemetery, 11800 W. Highway 54, 11 a.m. — Featured speakers including Rep. Ron Estes and Col. Phil Heseltine, wing commander of the 931st Air Refueling Wing at McConnell Air Force Base. A flyover will be performed by the Jayhawk Wing of the Commemorative Air Force.

Veterans Memorial Park, 339 N. Veterans Parkway, 11 a.m. — Services will include a flag-lined entry sidewalk to the park’s Flag Pavilion, speeches, invocation, color guard, 21-gun salute and the playing of “Taps.”

Greenwood Cemetery, 6231 W. 47th St. South, 11 a.m. — A walk-a-bout program will have attendees “walk a block, a mile or just stand still” while watching the Tornado Alley Young Marines and American Legion honor veterans.

Winfield

Kansas Veterans’ Cemetery, 1208 N. College, 10 a.m. — Guest speaker will be retired Air Force pilot Maj. Joseph Lee Dudgeon, with music performed by the Winfield Municipal Band. The Commemorative Air Force Jayhawk Wing will perform a fly-over with a vintage World War II aircraft, weather permitting, during the posting of the colors, made possible by local veterans of VFW Post 3544 and American Legion Post 10.

“This year to honor the Kansas men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom names will be attached to 83 carnations and placed in their honor,” officials said. “We will be asking 83 people attending the ceremony to participate by placing those carnations.”

Due to the pandemic, benches will not be provided. People are asked to bring lawn chairs. Face masks and social distancing are encouraged.

Kansas National Guard

Soldiers and Airmen of the Kansas National Guard will support several Memorial Day ceremonies.

El Dorado, Sunset Lawns Cemetery, 1705–1745 W. Sunset Rd., 11 a.m. Sunday — Guest speaker will be Lt. Col. Dave Carpenter, commander, 177th Information Aggressor Squadron, 184th Wing.

Clifton, Berner Memorial Park, 10 a.m. — The guest speaker will be 2nd Lt. Emmitt Forbush, 997th Brigade Support Battalion.

Manhattan, Kansas Veterans Cemetery, 5181 Wildcat Creek Road, 11 a.m. — The guest speaker will be Maj. Grant Watson, 130th Field Artillery Brigade.

Topeka, Memorial Park Cemetery, Sixth & Gage, 10 a.m. — The guest speaker will be Col. Matt Oleen, chief of staff, Kansas Army National Guard.

Topeka, Mount Hope Cemetery, 17th & Fairlawn, at 11 a.m. — The guest speaker will be Col. Matt Oleen, chief of staff, Kansas Army National Guard.

Topeka, Combat Air Museum, Topeka Regional Airport, 7016 SE Forbes Ave., 2 p.m. — The guest speaker will be Sgt. Maj. Jeremy Byers, 2nd Battalion, 235th Regiment.

Hesston

Hesston Cemetery, 500 W. Dutch Avenue, 11 a.m. — Vietnam War veteran Neil McChesney will be the master of ceremony, with an address given by state Sen. Carolyn McGinn. Ken Schwanke and the Hesston Boy Scouts will post the flag, while the color guard will be from the McPherson VFW Auxiliary #2715. Names of veterans who have died in the past year will be read as scouts lay a floral tribute. Invocation and benediction will be led by Rev. Bryce Hanson of United Methodist Church. Attendees, who are asked to bring lawn chairs, may participate in singing “God Bless America.”

In case of inclement weather, services will be held at the Hesston City Shop.

Weather Forecast

The National Weather Service office in Wichita predicts a rainy Memorial Day with showers and thunderstorms. Daytime Monday has an 80% chance of precipitation and a high near 69 in the city, according to the forecast as of Thursday.

Travel

AAA Travel predicts a “significant rebound” in Memorial Day weekend travel this year. The region that includes Kansas is expected to return to 82% of pre-pandemic travelers, which would be a 56% increase from 2020 numbers.

“As more people get the COVID-19 vaccine and consumer confidence grows, Americans are demonstrating a strong desire to travel this Memorial Day,” said Paula Twidale, senior vice president of AAA Travel, in a statement. “This pent-up demand will result in a significant increase in Memorial Day travel, which is a strong indicator for summer, though we must all remember to continue taking important safety precautions.”

Gas prices are expected to be the most expensive since 2014. The nationwide average is $3.04 per gallon, as of Thursday, according to AAA. The Kansas average is $2.83, which is the seventh-lowest in the country. Gas prices are increasing in part due to higher demand, though supply issues have also affected the price at the pump.

Safety

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has loosened its coronavirus pandemic guidance.

Fully-vaccinated people no longer need to wear a mask or physically distance in any setting, except where required by law. Fully-vaccinated people may also travel within the U.S. without needing to get tested for COVID-19 before or after the trip, and there is no need to self-quarantine after traveling.

Prevention measures are still recommended for unvaccinated people, including those who have not completed the two-week period since the final shot in the vaccine series.

Drowning is the leading cause of unintentional death in children aged 1-4 years old, and the National Drowning Prevention Alliance establish a “Check Your Pool Gate Month” campaign kicking-off Memorial Day weekend. The initiative was created to remind pool owners of the vital need to ensure pool fences, gates, latches and hinges are secure and in top working order.

Additional information on pool and swimming safety is available online at us.ddtech.com/pages/pool-safety-compliance.

With cookouts and outdoor grilling featured at some Memorial Day celebrations, and a possible increase in at-home barbecuing during the pandemic, the National Fire Protection Association reminds people of safety tips for grilling. Every year, fire departments nationwide respond to about 10,600 home fires involving grills, hibachis or barbecues, according to NFPA data.

The association said that leading causes of grill fires include failing to clean the grill, the heat source being located too close to combustible materials, leaving equipment unattended and leaks or breaks in the grill or fuel source.

Fire-safety tips are available online at www.nfpa.org/Public-Education/Fire-causes-and-risks/Seasonal-fire-causes/Grilling.

Closings

Several City of Wichita facilities will be closed or have special hours in observance of the holiday weekend.

Closed Saturday: CityArts and Mid-America All-Indian Museum.

Closed Sunday: Wichita Public Library locations and CityArts.

Closed Monday: City Hall, neighborhood resource centers, Transit administrative offices, Wichita Public Library locations, Park & Recreation centers, Century II administrative offices, Wichita TIX box office, Wichita Art Museum, CityArts, Great Plains Nature Center, Environmental Health office, WATER Center and Brooks Landfill. There will be no Wichita Transit or Paratransit service on Monday, May 31.

O.J. Watson Park will be open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. with rides from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Monday, May 31.

This story was originally published May 27, 2021 at 12:49 PM.