Howdy, Johnson County! Twice a month, we share a collection of some of the happy news that came into our inboxes and across our social media feeds.
How to tell us your good news
If you have good news too, we’d like you to share that with us. You can do so in a number of ways. You can:
- Email us at stories@johnsoncountypost.com.
- Send us messages on Facebook or on X (formerly Twitter).
- Or comment at the bottom of this post.
And now, onto our latest roundup of good news!
Theatre in the Park named top arts org of the year
Johnson County Park and Recreation District’s outdoor Theatre in the Park was recently named the “Arts Organization of the Year” in 2025 by the Kansas Arts Commission.
The top honor recognizes the outdoor theater’s more than 55-year stretch of artistic excellence, community engagement and commitment to making theater accessible to everyone, according to the park district.
“This award belongs to our entire community,” said Tim Bair, producing artistic director of Theatre in the Park. “It’s a celebration of everyone — on stage, behind the scenes, and in the audience — who believes in the power of the arts to connect and uplift.”
Gardner water plant operator wins top award
Tye Gordon of Gardner recently won the Municipal Water Operations Specialist of the Year award at the Kansas Rural Water Association Conference & Exhibition.
“Tye’s co-workers know they can count on him and agree he is a huge asset to the city,” the Kansas Rural Water Association reported in a news release. “Tye makes everyone around him better, as an Operator, he is one of the best!”
OP soccer player inducted into 2025 Sporting Legends
Sporting Kansas City announced today that MLS Cup champion, World Cup veteran and hometown hero Matt Besler has been selected as the newest member of Sporting Legends.
Besler — a Kansas City native who grew up in Overland Park, Kansas — becomes the 14th club icon to join Sporting Legends, an initiative launched in 2013 that tributes all-time greats while providing a platform for inductees to engage with supporters and the Kansas City community, according to Sporting Kansas City.
SMNW senior earns full-ride scholarship for Wichita State
Erica Thompson was recently named one of 14 graduating students in Kansas to be awarded a full-ride Rudd Scholarship to attend Wichita State University.
Here’s a link to the complete list of scholars.
MidAmerica Rehab hospital names new CEO
Earlier this spring, MidAmerica Rehabilitation Hospital officially named Britni Green as the Overland Park hospital’s new chief executive officer.
“It is an honor to be selected as MidAmerica’s CEO,” said Green via a news release. “I’m excited to step into this new role and continue serving our patients with high-quality, compassionate care.”
MidAmerica Rehabilitation Hospital has been serving patients since 1997, according to the news release. The hospital holds The Joint Commission’s Disease-Specific Certification in Stroke, Spinal Cord, Brain Injury, Amputee and Parkinson’s Disease Rehabilitation.
WaterOne reaches lifetime donation goal
WaterOne recently reached its lifetime goal of donating $100,000 of water to people.
The water district celebrated the achievement with its annual Tower 2 Tower 5K.
