Welcome to Tuesday, Shawnee Mission!
☀️ Today’s forecast: Sunny again. High: 59. Low: 49.
🚨 One thing to know today
A Kansas House committee approved a bill Monday that would make it easier for municipalities to remove racist and exclusionary language from housing documents.
In doing so, the committee also removed a controversial provision of the bill that would have nullified local cities’ non-discrimination ordinances.
The committee’s vote was first reported by the Kansas Reflector.
On one hand, some Johnson County cities — including Roeland Park and Overland Park — support the bill’s main thrust: to pave the way for finally getting rid of racist language in local housing deeds and homeowners’ association covenants that aim to prevent Black and Jewish home buyers from owning property.
Such restrictions are now legally unenforceable, but local officials and advocates have lobbied for their removal, calling them a painful vestige of racism from Johnson County’s past.
But, in turn, both Roeland Park and Overland Park testified in opposition to a provision in the same bill that would have stricken local cities’ and counties’ non-discrimination ordinances and barred local governments from having non-discrimination ordinances that are tighter than the state’s, which currently does not include sexual orientation and gender identity.
In 2014, Roeland Park became the first Johnson County city to adopt a local ordinance barring discrimination in housing, employment and public accommodation on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.
Nearly all other Johnson County cities eventually followed and now have non-discrimination measures that include sexual orientation and gender identity on their books.
During committee testimony, some critics of the bill’s provision called it a “Trojan horse” pitting Black and Jewish people against LGBTQ Kansans.
The bill eventually passed out of the House Local Government Committee on Monday without the non-discrimination ordinance provision.
🗓 Public meetings Tuesday
- Prairie Village City Council, 6 p.m. [View agenda]
- Lenexa City Council, 7 p.m. [View agenda]
🚀 Post’s top Monday stories
- Kate Smith Soirée opens bakery in downtown Overland Park
- 🍺 Limitless Brewing’s new Lenexa taproom is now open
- JoCo Notes: Overland Park man sentenced to life in prison for teen’s murder
- Lenexa church has served 10,000 curbside meals since 2020 — and wants to keep going
- Cause of Overland Park house fire under investigation
📰 Other local news
- A dump truck driver was hospitalized with suspected minor injuries after the truck he was driving crashed on the westbound ramp from I-435 onto K-10 Highway in Lenexa Monday morning. [Kansas Highway Patrol]
- A bill proposed in the Kansas House would require Kansas schools to be in session for a minimum of 195 eight-hour school days per year, up from the current requirement of 186 days for most students. [KCTV]
- A man is in custody following an hours-long standoff at a Mission apartment Sunday that ended with no reported injuries. [KSHB]
🐦 Notable tweets
It was indeed an unseasonably warm and sunny day in Johnson County Monday.
It’s a beautiful day in Johnson County ☀️ pic.twitter.com/HhxfGL7Qa1
— Johnson County, Kan. (@jocogov) February 20, 2023
Seniors and low-income residents can apply for scholarships and other assistance to help pay for classes and passes at the Merriam Community Center.
🏋️ Eligible seniors 60+ wanting a Fit Class Pass can now apply for a scholarship – and only pay $5 per month!
🏊♀️ Low-income MCC members can get up to $240 of assistance per calendar year to purchase a monthly Fit Class Pass.
Apply online today or at the MCC Welcome Desk! pic.twitter.com/5li3RBKsoC
— City of Merriam, Kan (@MerriamKS) February 20, 2023
And the holiday lights at Kansas City’s Country Club Plaza were turned off last night, ending their extended seasonal run. Until Thanksgiving …
The Evergy Plaza Lights turn off tonight, ending their extended season. We hope you've enjoyed this gift to you, Kansas City, which we gave as a part of our Centennial Celebration.
Make sure you follow us to learn more ways we're celebrating.
https://t.co/oZLbGcFBd7 pic.twitter.com/m6N3kZSx8d— Country Club Plaza (@ThePlazaKC) February 19, 2023
📸 A thousand words
A dog enjoys the unseasonably warm February weather and sun by playing fetch at Little Mill Creek Park in Lenexa Monday afternoon. Photo credit Kaylie McLaughlin
