A proposal to designate part of the grounds of Leawood City Hall as a veterans memorial plaza got a favorable reaction from city councilmembers last week as they met in a special work session. A temporary committee that had been meeting since November recommended the city hall location near the entrance flagpoles and the bubbling rock fountain because that area would require only minimal upgrades and because it already has space for gatherings. Councilmember Debra Filla said the location seems to be a good fit. “It’s that ‘Eureka’ moment of doing it right here in the courtyard which is a beautiful [...]

Overland Park will require all vehicles parked at public electric vehicle charging stations to be actively plugged into the charger. Earlier this week, the Overland Park City Council voted 10-0 to approve the new ordinance in the city’s traffic code. Earlier this year, Overland Park started solidifying its electric vehicle plans by adopting its 95-page ​​Electric Vehicle Readiness Plan. That plan fell short of formalizing any policy decisions, but it laid out recommendations aimed at helping the city “implement a thoughtful strategy identifying needs and best practices” for EVs. It also suggested departments in which Overland Park could potentially expand its [...]

A district-wide ban on smartphones in the Shawnee Mission School District will be considered as part of the district’s five-year strategic plan, administrators said Monday. The idea is listed under the technology category of the plan, which was presented to the board at its regular meeting. The item concerned creating a development guide to age-appropriate use of technology including “personal devices.” Although it did not specify smartphones, incoming superintendent Michael Schumacher acknowledged a ban on cell phones during school hours would be first on the list of things to consider as the school year begins in August. Schumacher also stressed that [...]