It’s Wednesday, Shawnee Mission!
☀️ Today’s forecast: Sunny and clear. High: 59. Low: 40
? One thing to know today
More than half a dozen Johnson County companies and organizations, including two local school districts, a recognizable family-owned grocery chain and county government itself, made Forbes’ annual list of “Best Midsize Employers” in the U.S.
The list of 500 employers is based on tens of thousands of surveys with employees across the country, rating companies with 1,000 to 5,000 employees.
Overall, it includes employers from nine industries, including local governmental entities and private companies.
Here are the Johnson County-based employers that made the list and where they finished:
- Olathe Public Schools (12th)
- Blue Valley Public Schools (62nd)
- NetSmart, health IT firm in Overland Park (225th)
- SelectQuote Inc., insurer in Overland Park (284th)
- Johnson County government (408th)
- Cosentino’s, grocery store chain in Prairie Village (475th)
- Hostess Brands Inc., snack company in Lenexa (487th)
? Post’s top Tuesday stories
- Plan to remake downtown Shawnee retail strip pulls off narrow win
- Need to digitize old family photos and home movies? JoCo Library now has a solution
- JoCo Notes: Wrong-way crash survivor faces ‘long recovery’
- Tensions emerge over Shawnee’s ‘parks and pipes’ sales tax renewal
- New rankings say Overland Park is most ‘pickleball-obsessed’ city in U.S.
? Other local news
- Michelle Tapko, a sixth grade teacher at Roesland Elementary in Roeland Park, was one of two Johnson County educators named finalists for the Kansas Teacher of the Year award. [Kansas Department of Education]
- Local nonprofit SevenDays will host two events in April, a Kindness Breakfast at United Methodist Church of the Resurrection on April 5, and a Kindness Walk at the same location on April 16. [Kansas City Star]
- The Johnson County Mental Health Center hosted a screening at Johnson County Community College of the one-hour documentary “Angst,” which features interviews with young people dealing with anxiety and depression. [JCMHC]
? Notable tweets
Overland Park Mayor Curt Skoog will deliver his annual State of the City address next month.
Mayor Curt Skoog presents his annual State of the City on Tuesday, April 25 at the Aspiria Auditorium. During his address, the Mayor will highlight OP’s priorities for the future.
Registration to attend is due by Tuesday, April 18. Sign up to now at https://t.co/MmnjFOcHhh. pic.twitter.com/pIMds40K6j
— City of Overland Park, Kansas (@opcares) March 28, 2023
Take a listen from the Shawnee Mission Northwest band.
SMNW band inspires crowd at SMSD Symphonic Band Festival @smnw_office pic.twitter.com/prtcuhSpI9
— SMNW Athletics (@SMNWAthletics) March 29, 2023
A busy road at a key stretch in Overland Park will be closed for the next few weeks.
⚠️ Road Closure Alert! ⚠️
All lanes of 103rd Street will be closed east of Metcalf to all traffic beginning Monday, April 3 until late May.
Stay up to date on road closures in Overland Park at https://t.co/kIn66fD4jf. pic.twitter.com/CUnoPWAGdI
— City of Overland Park, Kansas (@opcares) March 29, 2023
? A thousand words
Tuesday was a great day to get some “Inspiration,” (as this public art piece is called) at Tomahawk Park in Leawood. Photo credit Lucie Krisman.
