Splash pads and pickleball courts may be on their way to south Olathe. During its meeting earlier this month, the Olathe Planning Commission unanimously recommended rezoning for a new recreational area on the property of Living Hope Church of the Nazarene, 18550 W. 175th St. The church’s plans envision a playground, splash pad, four pickleball courts, walking trails, canopies and parking for church congregation activities, all on the northwest corner of West 175th Street and South Ridgeview Road. Once complete, the area would be open to the public but owned by Living Hope Church. The city staff’s report on the proposal states, “This project helps meet several goals of the City’s Parks and Recreation Master Plan including improving the City’s parks and recreation provisions for the surrounding areas and addressing a gap in recreational fields such as pickleball courts and splash pads.”
Source: Johnson County Post

Since beginning as a one-truck, volunteer-run department in 1924, the Shawnee Fire Department has lived by the philosophy of always evolving and adapting — whether it’s during an escalating emergency or expanding to meet the needs of a growing city. “To look at where we came, from an all-volunteer (group) to a combination department…I mean, (it’s) leaps and bounds,” said Deputy Chief Corey Sands, a 27-year veteran of the department. “I can’t imagine where we’re going to go in that much time moving forward.”
Source: Johnson County Post

The city of Prairie Village is poised to increase police officer salaries in two phases over the next 18 months in an effort aimed at retaining, recruiting and competing more with other Johnson County police departments. At Monday’s city council meeting, City Administrator Wes Jordan said the Prairie Village Police Department is at “a critical crossroads,” with 12 vacant positions, including three traffic and three patrol officers.
Source: Johnson County Post