The morning after a massive rain-wrapped tornado tore through northeast Kansas, friends, coworkers and strangers banded together to help pick up the pieces. The daylight Wednesday morning revealed just how much devastation was done by the tornado that ripped through the south side of the Lawrence area Tuesday night. Hundred-year-old trees were uprooted, street signs were knocked over and the powerlines that weren’t toppled were tilted. It was nearly impossible to know the origin of the debris scattered across fields and in trees and ponds. The tornado that arrived southwest of Lawrence, spun its way to Linwood and then into the [...]

The new Lenexa City Center Library will open to the public at 1 p.m. on June 2, when the ribbon cutting will take place. The $21.1 million library, at 8778 Penrose Lane, will be one of six library branches that will be open on Sundays. Activities will include building tours and a chance to see work of public art by children’s book illustrator Stephen T. Johnson. The library replaces services previously offered at the now-closed Lackman branch. (Read more: KC Star Local News)

A tornado caused wide-spread damage after hitting Lawrence, Linwood, Bonner Springs in Kansas and Clay County in Missouri. (Read more: KC Star Local News)

After a tornado ripped through northeastern Kansas Tuesday evening, at least a dozen people were reported injured in Douglas County, several homes were damaged and more than 13,000 were without power. In Lawrence police reported large trees down, along with power lines and debris along roads on the southeastern edge of the city. Sgt. Kristen Channel of the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office said there were injuries reported in Douglas County from the tornado, but as of Tuesday evening could not say how many or severe they were. “We know some have gone to Lawrence Memorial Hospital and we do know that [...]

Some opponents of a downtown Overland Park mural project may have decried its bold, bright colors and multiracial themes as contrary to the community’s history. But the city Planning Commission signaled Monday that it was time to embrace new traditions. Planning commissioners paved the way for the city’s first major multi-mural project when they approved zoning exemptions for the outside of four buildings. “I see a lot of rejuvenation with downtown Overland Park, which is great, and I think this adds to that,” commissioner Kip Strauss said. “It creates its own new history.” The murals, part of a downtown art project [...]

A friend from Overland Park was telling Amy Holdman recently about driving her daughter across the state line to go to a tanning salon, because Kansas bans anyone under 18 from those businesses. The friend had apparently forgotten that Holdman, a skin cancer survivor, had testified for the Kansas law. “I was like, are you kidding me? You’re telling ME this story,” Holdman said with a laugh. If the American Cancer Society and survivors like Holdman have their way, teens soon won’t be able to just cross the state line to tan. Missouri legislators are considering two bills like the one [...]

Putting together an ordinance to control recreational drone use is still on Prairie Village’s agenda — but just barely. The council voted 6-5 Monday night in favor of continuing its discussions on an ordinance that some members felt would be difficult to enforce. The idea is to address the worries of residents like Kate Faerber, who was disturbed by a drone flying low over people in her yard. “I think drones sound like a really fun idea, but … there’s a potential for harm and danger,” Faerber said. The council’s majority vote to continue talking about the ordinance comes with concerns [...]

Something was very wrong in De Soto, and Kevin Honomichl knew it. Then came the incident that drove the point home. His son was collaborating with classmates on a team project, but the kids couldn’t meet just anywhere in De Soto. So Honomichl hauled the boy to McDonald’s, one place in town where everyone could tap into the internet at once. Honomichl lives south of Kansas 10, an area of De Soto that has lacked land-based internet service of any kind. Businesses simply haven’t found it profitable to serve that part of town. Internet options are better in other parts of [...]

Stuart Hall is still livid over the Kansas City pothole that ate his car — blew two tires, bent one rim — and left him with a $410 bill, towing not included. “I’m still pissed,” he said. That was over a pothole not from today, with thousands of them in the wake of a harsh winter still pockmarking roads from Liberty to Olathe, turning the Kansas City area’s streetscape lunar. It’s from six years back, when a crater-like pothole opened at Brookside Boulevard and 50th Street, rattling the bones of his then wife, Christina, along with the undercarriage of their Mazda [...]

The Olathe City Council on Tuesday held a public hearing on whether to create a tax increment financing district to financially help the developers of the former Great Mall of the Great Plains site. The council did not vote on creating the district, but two residents voiced concerns with the city providing such a large amount of public incentives for one project. “We’re giving them lots of money,” said resident Adam Mickelson. “It’s a lot of give and no guaranteed return.” The developers and city business leaders have lauded the project as a way to add new entertainment and retail uses [...]