Shawnee Mission Post – Community news and events for northeast Johnson County

The Shawnee Mission Board of Education will need to decide by next month whether to put a new bond issue before area voters this fall — a move that, if approved, would allow the reallocation of some expenses and open up funding to hire dozens of additional secondary teachers, a key step to addressing the workload issues that dominated this year’s contentious contract negotiations. But the move would require a tax increase for district patrons, and wouldn’t lead to substantial workload reductions for a couple of years. Superintendent Mike Fulton on Monday presented the board with the results of a study [...]

ohnson County voters in November will decide whether they want to end the last vestiges of the county’s dry liquor laws and allow businesses to sell alcoholic drinks without also having to sell food. The county commission unanimously voted to put a ballot question in the general election that will lift a three-decade restriction – a move much sought by the new micro-brewers who have begun to open around the county. Brewery owners have been on a campaign since last year to get the law changed that requires them to make at least 30% of their gross sales in food in [...]

During a pandemic, local news coverage means more than keeping tabs on the city council or high school sports. The stories published in a newspaper, broadcast on a network TV affiliate or aired on the radio bring critical information about the public health crisis to communities. People count on reporters in their town or region to let them know about the latest spread of disease, about what’s safe and what’s not — especially in small meatpacking towns that have become coronavirus hot spots. “They’re doing the best they can,” said Angela Labrier, who turns to the Fox News Channel and The [...]

Businesses throughout the city, like Sandhills Brewing in downtown, will have until Sept. 1 to pay business license fees. The Mission city council on Wednesday evening approved a resolution to extend the due date for business license fees from July 1 to Sept. 1, in an effort to help businesses during the coronavirus pandemic. City staff has been working on business license renewals with a focus on creating an online form and payment methods to reduce human interactions, City Administrator Laura Smith said. As staff worked on this, Smith said an extension seemed to be a reasonable way to offer businesses [...]

Leawood restaurants now have an easier path to adding outdoor seating as they reopen for dine-in service amid loosening restrictions on businesses in Johnson County and the state of Kansas during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Leawood City Council this week unanimously authorized City Administrator Scott Lambers to temporarily issue expedited permits for the city’s restaurants to add outdoor seating, bypassing the normal planning process. At the council’s Monday meeting, Lambers proposed using the permits because “all the reports on the restaurants that are trying to reopen is that the indoor space requirements are basically a killer.” “They have to really judge [...]

The partnering cities unanimously agreed that it was in the best interest of public health and safety to cancel the 2020 fireworks display. The cities of Roeland Park, Fairway and Westwood on Wednesday morning announced the cancellation of the joint, annual Fourth of July fireworks display due to the coronavirus pandemic. City officials from all three cities and various departments — administration, public safety, public works and public relations — as well as Bishop Miege High School staff met virtually on May 7 to discuss whether or not to host the annual event. Originally scheduled for July 3 at Bishop Miege, [...]

The Roeland Park city council Monday evening approved a resolution setting a 2025 goal to reduce the city’s carbon emissions by 28%, in addition to a solar-ready ordinance. Roeland Park’s 28% reduction goal and date complies with Paris Climate Agreement recommendations, and the city intends to achieve its goal by implementing suggested strategies from Dynamhex — the company tracking the city’s carbon emissions — and the Climate Action KC Playbook. Mayor Mike Kelly, Climate Action KC leader, said he appreciated the council’s unanimous approval of the resolution. “I’m excited for all the great co-benefits that will come with [lowering the city’s [...]

The city of Shawnee was awarded $168,955 in federal funds to mitigate the growing impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. City leaders Tuesday debated how they wanted to spend the funds — whether to support small businesses or public service providers — but ultimately went with city staff’s recommendation to allocate $56,955 toward public service provider assistance and the remaining $112,000 toward business assistance. The council also supported matching the federal funding with city dollars. The federal funding comes from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), which made available $5 billion in Community Development Block Grant Coronavirus funds. [...]

While Chely Scarbrough signed up to work as an election judge in Kansas City this year, she isn’t crazy about the prospect of being in close contact with people in the midst of uncertainty over the COVID-19 virus. “I am worried,” Scarbrough said. “I haven’t been able to hug or kiss my grandson since all this started.” Still, she plans to report for duty for the June 2 municipal election in Missouri. Scarbrough also intends to work Aug. 4 when Missouri holds its primary election, and Nov. 3 when Missourians vote for offices as essential as governor and U.S. president. “I’ll [...]

JCCC began informing faculty this week that the college is preparing for a fall semester where instruction will be delivered primarily online, though campus will be open and many hands-on classes will be delivered in person. Johnson County Community College administrators this week began informing faculty that they are planning for a fall semester where instruction will be delivered primarily online, though campus will be open and several hands-on classes will be taught in person. Associate Vice President of Strategic Communications Chris Gray said plans for delivering courses while reducing unnecessary in-person contact were still in their formative stages, but that [...]