Staff in Shawnee Mission schools will be getting bluetooth-enabled badges next spring that will allow them to press a button and immediately call for help in emergencies. The school board unanimously approved a five-year contract with Atlanta-based Centegix to supply the alert badges and train staff to use them. The alert system, “has been attributed to saving lives not only in the most tragic of scenarios but also in some of what can be described as daily issues,” said Superintendent Michael Schumacher in recommending the purchase on Monday. The district will pay $2.6 million to cover the installation, training and connectivity [...]

Community gathering space was the operative phrase earlier this week as Leawood City Council members reviewed five potential ideas for what to do with the city’s original city hall and fire station. Councilmembers heard the presentations during a special work session that included: park green space, an event space, gallery space for local artists, a splash pad and a demonstration garden and museum space. All of the ideas had some aspect of community gathering elements at their hearts because, the presenters said, that type of space is virtually nonexistent in Leawood. Source: Johnson County Post

Prairie Village police officers may soon get new body cameras, in-car cameras, tasers and more. The Prairie Village City Council during its council committee of the whole session on Monday voted 10-0 to refer a $3.6 million, 10-year contract with Axon for police equipment to the full city council for consideration. Councilmembers Dave Robinson and Ian Graves were absent from Monday’s meeting. Source: Johnson County Post

A local partnership that has involvement on both sides of the state line is requesting $20 million from the federal government to fund a trail connection that would include the site of now-demolished industrial site in southern Johnson County. The city of Overland Park, the Johnson County Park and Recreation District, Jackson County Parks and Recreation on the Missouri side and the nonprofit Heartland Conservation Alliance have teamed up to request a Federal Community Change Grant for the project. If awarded the full amount, the trail connection would complete a 14-mile linkage that would cross into Missouri and also increase “access [...]