Arts & Culture

5 giant steel poppies at Overland Park Arboretum are late artist’s “monument to kindness”

Kaylie McLaughlin -

For Julie and Hal Hanson, the new “Growing Kindness” sculpture at the Overland Park Arboretum isn’t just about honoring their son Jeff, but about honoring the values he stood for. The $1.1 million sculpture, officially dedicated last week, is comprised of five stainless steel poppies that vary in height from...

Parents launch ‘Save East Antioch’ campaign after Shawnee Mission proposes closing OP school by 2031

New Overland Park eatery will offer both Vietnamese pho and Cajun seafood boils

Anthropologie coming to Overland Park’s Bluhawk development

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The Latest

Mission Hills attorney gets 5 years in prison for fatal wrong-way DUI crash

Woman avoids attempted murder charge as part of plea deal in deadly Olathe shooting

‘Botched’ renderings and ChaptGPT mix-up nearly derail Leawood council’s vote on 135th Street apartments

FEATURED STORIES

Want to know who’s funding Johnson County campaigns? You’ll now have to file an open records request

People hoping to look up who’s donating to candidates for city and Johnson County government will find that information harder to get this year,...

Kansas’ new by-right housing law forcing NEJC cities to revisit zoning — whether they like it or not

Two years after Prairie Village’s housing debate was effectively put to rest, a new state law is forcing the city to delve back into...

JoCo’s 2 biggest cities reluctantly put new 25-foot Halo Act on the books. What does it do?

Could someone standing in their own front yard be charged with violating Kansas' Halo Act if a police officer was conducting a traffic stop...

Family of man killed by Lenexa Police files wrongful death lawsuit against city, officers

The estate of a 25-year-old man killed by Lenexa Police last summer has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the city and several officers. On...

Taylor-Made Team Real Estate Spotlight

FOOD & DRINK

No quarter life crisis for this downtown Overland Park coffee shop

PaPPo’s hops state line to open its first JoCo pizzeria in Overland Park

Sully’s Pub in downtown Mission didn’t close. It got a facelift for its 15th birthday

Pizza Tascio opens first Olathe pizzeria — with a third JoCo location still to come

LOCAL BUSINESS

LEGO opens new store at Leawood’s Town Center Crossing

Local boutique marketplace debuting in old Rock & Brews space in Prairiefire

Cosmetics shop Miss A opening new Oak Park Mall store

New pet shop in Overland Park grooms dogs one at a time, no kennels

Black Friday Outlet, ‘treasure’ trove for discount enthusiasts, opens in Shawnee

Community Calendar 🗓️

Best bets for fun and engagement in Johnson County and (slightly) beyond!

Johnson County News by City 🏘️

OVERLAND PARK NEWS

With money leftover, Overland Park will reopen property tax relief program. Do you qualify?

These 3 Johnson County libraries will close this fall for repairs

Man who murdered JoCo social worker in 2004 found dead in prison, day after killing’s anniversary

SHAWNEE NEWS

Man struck by vehicle while crossing Nieman Road in Shawnee

Shawnee man on sex offender registry sentenced for 2nd child sexual abuse material case

Smoke in the streets, litter in yards, stress on vets and pets — Shawnee has had enough of fireworks

LENEXA NEWS

Man charged for 2021 Lenexa burglary spree that impacted dozens of vehicles

Gardner shuts off Flock license plate cameras amid growing privacy concerns

Lenexa city manager announces retirement after nearly 30 years of service to the city

OLATHE NEWS

What the first day of school looked like in the Olathe School District

Packed chambers, a protest petition and months of debate — Starfish Project finally has a new home in Olathe

Olathe voting on adopting Kansas’ controversial 25-foot Halo Act into city code

LEAWOOD NEWS

Rusting pipes, outdated police tech drive Leawood to consider higher sales tax

Fifth-gen firefighter named Leawood’s new fire chief

Leawood PD urges extra care in school zones after boy on scooter hit by SUV

PRAIRIE VILLAGE NEWS

Prairie Village’s popular fixture French Market is expanding — Here’s when and why

Healthy eatery Flower Child opens first Johnson County location in Prairie Village

Owner of dog that killed Yorkshire terrier in Prairie Village attack comes forward, police say

NORTHEAST JOCO NEWS

Trader Joe’s announces Sept. 2 opening date for new Merriam location

This JoCo man helps long-term animal shelter dogs find their forever homes

A year after his firing, archdiocese bars ex-Bishop Miege president from working with minors

Latest Obituaries

Gerald Huldreich Nickel

Richard Ray Stovall

Mary Evelyn Lopez

Marian Faye (Hamacher) Buchanan

Patricia Kaye (Fennell) Dietrich

K-12 EDUCATION

Shawnee Mission families report significant delays with new busing service Zum in first week of school

PHOTOS: Spring Hill students are back at school this week

What the first day of school looked like at one Shawnee Mission elementary

4 JoCo school districts hire law firm as fight over special education funding ramps up

Kansas’ new cellphone ban is now in effect. Here’s how each JoCo district is handling it