Hey, Johnson County! Twice a month, the Post shares a collection of some of the good news that entered our inboxes or popped up on our social media pages.
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And now, here’s a look at the latest roundup of good news!
14 local small businesses get Chamber microgrants
The Overland Park Chamber of Commerce and the Economic Development Council have awarded microgrants of up to $3,000 for development and expansion for local businesses with fewer than 25 full-time employees.
“Entrepreneurs often just need a small boost at the right time to unlock their next stage of growth. That’s exactly what this micro-grant program is intended to do,” said Libbey Tucker, the chamber’s vice president for economic development, in a news release.
Selected businesses this year are:
- Crafted Fair Trade in downtown Overland Park
- Discourse Brewing in Windmill Square
- Frogmouth Insect Farm in northern Overland Park
- Functional Health KC, LLC, off of Metcalf Avenue and 91st Street
- Heartstrings Community Foundation in Olathe
- KDGS Works Inc. on College Boulevard
- La Mega KC in the Louisburg Square Shopping Center
- Overland Park Community Church preschool, off of Metcalf and 148th Street
- Rachael Rutter DeKoning, LCMFT, in northern Overland Park
- Spartan Home Improvement LLC, in central Overland Park
- Sugahrush Berries at Oak Park Mall
- The Culinary Center of Kansas City in downtown Overland Park
- The Upper Crust in downtown Overland Park
- Vintage 78 Wine Bar LLC in downtown Overland Park
The money for the grants was raised in part through the Chamber’s Opportunity NOW initiative.
Two JoCo students win Congressional art contest
Two students from Johnson County have taken home wins in U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids’ 2026 U.S. Congressional art contest.
Olivia Wang, a Blue Valley High School junior, won the contest with her artwork entitled “NOT a Collage: My Pieces.” This is the second time Wang has won the contest.
Additionally, Shawnee Mission South junior Sawyer Peralta’s piece, called “The Coin Toss,” took second place.
“Each year, I’m blown away by the creativity, talent, and perspective of students across our community,” Davids said in a news release.
Olathe Police recognized with national school officer award
The Olathe Police Department was selected as a recipient of the Model School Resource Officer Agency Award, alongside 10 other U.S. law enforcement agencies, this year.
The award is given by the National Association of School Resource Officers to recognize exemplary training, policy and standards for school resource officers, as well as creativity and innovation.
“We are proud of our School Resource Officers who dedicate their time to mentor our youth and work to maintain a safe learning environment in partnership with the Olathe School District,” said Police Chief Mike Butaud on social media. “Receiving national recognition as a ‘Model Agency’ reflects our commitment of professional service to the school community and the City of Olathe.”
Olathe Police and other award recipients will be formally recognized during a June ceremony at the National School Safety Conference in Nevada.
In 2022, Olathe East School Resource Officer Erik Clark received the Award of Valor from NASRO after he was shot by an armed student in the school’s office and rendered first aid to an assistant principal who was also shot in the incident.
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