Olathe residents Sheryl and Gary Evert were among thousands of Kansans struggling to pay their rent during the COVID-19 pandemic. They eventually sought assistance under the Kansas Emergency Rental Assistance program authorized by Congress and financed through federal coronavirus relief legislation. Under KERA, the Kansas Housing Resource Corporation, or KHRC, has granted $41.5 million in rental, utility and internet assistance to 7,800 eligible households across the state since March. “My wife Sheryl and I are in our 70s, and before we received our KERA funding, life was really stressful,” Gary Evert said. “We didn’t know when we would be able to pay our landlord, but we remained patient.”
Source: Derby Informer | Area

After a year off, the Rose Hill Fall Festival is set to make its return Oct 8-10, 2021, and according to festival chair Lovina Finders the community is more than ready for it. “This is probably the most excited the town’s been about it,” Finders said. “Last year was the first one since the ’70s that we’ve missed. We’ve had a tornado, we’ve had a snowstorm, we’ve had 90-degree weather; we’ve never cancelled until last year.” While there will be a handful of traditional activities like the parade, craft fair and family-friendly fun (i.e., turtle races, pony rides, petting zoo, etc.), a new year will bring new events.
Source: Derby Informer | Area

A railroad crossing safety improvement project will close K-55 at Belle Plaine for up to five days starting Oct. 4. The project involves installing a non-traversable median at the crossing on the west side of Belle Plaine. … The new median will be designed to prevent someone from driving around crossing bars at the crossing. The modification will allow trains not to blow their horns as they approach the crossing, part of the new “quiet zone” being implemented in Belle Plaine.
Source: Derby Informer | Area