It’s out with the old paper notices and on with new digital notifications at the Johnson County and Olathe library systems.
In an effort to reduce costs and save taxpayers money, library patrons will receive notices by e-mail and telephone for overdue materials, materials on hold and bills. The end of printed mail notices will become effective Dec. 31.
The situation at Mission Valley Middle School in Prairie Village is getting tense between the principal, Susie Ostmeyer, and students supporting fired science teacher Ryan Haraughty.
Students are placing sticky-notes with the letter “H” on walls and in classrooms around the school and plan to keep it up for the rest of the year, according to students.
It’s their way of continuing a protest without picketing outside the school. Ostmeyer has instructed the staff to remove them immediately.
Many students continue to wear homemade “H” badges on their clothes and carry their homemade signs of support into classrooms.
By JOHN MILBURN
Associated Press Writer
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Estimates for Kansas tax collections for the remainder of the state’s fiscal year are cut by $235 million as forecasters see continued weakness in the economy.
The reductions Thursday mean Kansas government will have 4.2 percent fewer tax dollars to finance services than previously estimated in April. Kansas began its fiscal year July 1.
Gov. Mark Parkinson says the news is a challenge, but manageable. He renewed his promise to legislators that he will balance the state budget by the time the 2010 session begins in January.
The Johnson County district attorney reaffirmed today an earlier opinion that found no violation of the open meetings law during a closed meeting of the county’s community college board.
Steve HoweThe board’s executive session was held in February to evaluate the performance of college President Terry Calaway.
At the end of the session, Calaway presented the board with a document outlining 64 potential budget cuts being considered by administrators.
Steve Howe, district attorney, pointed out that the document was handed out five minutes before the end of the session and that it was not discussed by the board. Calaway was responding to an earlier request by Benjamin Hodge, a former college trustee, to address his concerns that the upcoming budget might require a tax increase.
The Kansas Press Association asked Johnson County District Attorney Steve Howe today to review an opinion he issued this summer on a potential violation of the state’s open meetings law.
Benjamin HodgeBenjamin Hodge, a former trustee at the Johnson County Community College, asked Howe earlier this year to issue an opinion on whether the law was violated when Terry Calaway, JCCC president, shared a long list of possible budget cuts with the college’s board of trustees in a closed session to evaluate his performance as president.
For long-time Johnson County residents, the name Larry Winn is synonymous with area politics.
Larry Winn IIILarry Winn Jr. of Overland Park served in the Congress for 18 years, ending his congressional career in early January, 1985.
His son, Larry Winn III, has worked behind the scenes in politics and civic affairs for years and is currently serving as president of the Shawnee Mission Board of Education.
By JIM SULLINGER
The Kansas City Star
A group of protesters opposed to an upcoming deer harvest tried to stop people from entering Shawnee Mission Park about 5 p.m. Sunday.
Animal rights advocate provides example of coming deer harvestYes, it's the severed head of a deer.
Jason Miller, an animal rights activist, got the deer head from a meat processor and brought it to Shawnee Mission Park today.
He wanted to graphically demonstate what is about to happen to 75 percent of a herd of deer in Shawnee Mission Park that is estimated to be about 700.
Sharpshooters will begin controlled shooting of the deer next month to reduce a population that park officials say is out of control.
Miller placed the deer head in a basket and left it on the counter of the park district's headquarters.
It was later taken away by park police.
Miller referred to the deer head as Victoria and said that if the "planned slaughter" goes forward, "I (Victoria) will be the future face of Shawnee Mission Park, which would in turn come to be known as Death Park."
U.S. Senate hopefuls Jerry Moran and Todd Tiahrt will meet with fellow Republicans Saturday in Overland Park.
Event hosts note this is the two candidates' first joint appearance in the state's largest county.
It'll happen at 5:30 p.m. Saturday at the Quivira Park Shelter, 11901 Quivira Road (east side of Quivira just south of 119th Street).
The event is billed as the 3rd Annual Republican Round-up.
A slew of other Republicans also will be there, including Kevin Yoder, Helen Van Etten, Kris Kobach, J.R. Claeys and Patricia Lightner.
Steve RoseThe man who spews opinions like Billy Butler sprays hits is running for Congress.
Johnson County Sun publisher Steve Rose, a Republican, told The Star Wednesday that he's in the race for the 3rd District seat that incumbent Democrat Dennis Moore has held for six terms.
Rose, 61, acknowledged that he had endorsed Moore repeatedly over the years in his Sun column. But Rose said Moore had changed.
“I think that under the current administration it’s a much further left government,” Rose said. “And Dennis Moore is voting with them. I think he’s left the mainstream of his constituency.”
Moore has been criticized this year for backing cap-and-trade legislation and the stimulus and bailout packages. He favors health care reform, including the public option.
Reducing the deer population at Shawnee Mission Park has been highly controversial.
SM Park deerLittle noticed, however, has been Olathe's annual permit to allow bow hunting of deer on heavily-wooded property owned by Bob Fry, a Johnson County orthodontist, and Trish Hood near 127th and Pflumm streets.
The council renewed a special permit Tuesday for a deer harvest on a 6-1 vote. Councilwoman Marge Vogt was the lone dissenter.
From Hawver's Capitol Flash:
Louis “Dutch” Meyers, 81, Overland Park, died Friday at his home.
He was the husband of former State Sen. (1972-1984) and U.S. Rep. (1984-1996) Jan Meyers, R-Overland Park.
Visitation will be from 1 to 2 p.m. Saturday at Asbury United Methodist Church, 5400 W. 75th, Prairie Village. A memorial service will follow at the same place at 2 p.m.
Johnson County Commissioner Ed Eilert has been rumored for months as wanting to run for chairman of the county commission.
Ed EilertHe confirmed today that he is a candidate for county government’s top elective position, which is currently held by Commission Chairwoman Annabeth Surbaugh.
Eilert won his 4th District commission seat in 2006 after serving 24 years as Overland Park mayor. In that same election, Surbaugh won a second, four-year term as county chairwoman.
On the agenda for this year’s Kansas Legislature were bills limiting the ability of a city to annex large areas of rural land_ aka Overland Park’s grab of 8.5 square miles last year.
One version passed the Senate and House but was vetoed by Gov. Mark Parkinson. It would have prohibited cities from absorbing tracts of more than 65 acres unless the landowners agree.
The city of Overland Park was opposed to the bill as well as the Overland Park Chamber of Commerce. The chamber recently released its report on how area legislators voted on this bill and others and whether they supported or opposed the chamber's position.
Terry Goodman, an Overland Park city councilman, said today he's considering a campaign next year for the 3rd Congressional District seat currently held by Democrat Dennis Moore of Lenexa.
Terry Goodman"I'm taking a look at it," said Goodman, 62, a Republican.
He has served on the city council for nine years and has lived in Overland Park for more than 35 years.
Goodman served eight years on the Johnson County Library Board of Directors and served as its chairman three times.
He is a past member of the Board of Directors for the Mid-America Regional Council where he served on the Budget and Personnel Committee.
Goodman is a current member of the Board of Directors for the Volunteer Center of Johnson County.
Hannes Zacharias, Johnson County’s deputy manager, was promoted today by county commissioners to the top job of county manager ending a seven-month search.
Hannes ZachariasZacharias, 55, will oversee the day-to-day operations of county government with more than 3,600 employees and a budget of more than $700 million annually. He has served as acting manager since the retirement in May of former county manager Mike Press. He will reports to the seven-member commission.
The vote to hire Zacharias, who lives in Lenexa, wasn’t unanimous. Commission David Lindstrom voted against the appointment but made it clear he was protesting the search process, which he called disappointing, and not the selection. As soon as commissioners learned that Press was leaving, they hired The PAR Group to do a national search for a replacement.
A new animal-rights group is pledging to defend the deer in Shawnee Mission Park.
Park deerJason Miller, founder of a new animal rights group called the Bite Club of KC, recently asked to meet with the staff of the Johnson County Park and Recreation District to discuss their concerns. (http://biteclubkc.wordpress.com/)
Miller said that request was turned down.
So, he and his group plan to show up at the next park board meeting Aug. 19 and present those concerns during the public comment portion of the meeting.
The Johnson County district attorney found no violations of the Kansas open meetings law following complaints by a former trustee of Johnson County Community College.
Benjamin HodgeSteve HoweThat opinion was issued Wednesday by District Attorney Steve Howe after Benjamin Hodge, whose four-year term as a college trustee ended last month, alleged two instances in which he said college trustees may have violated the law. College officials were notified of the opinion today.
Hodge, a former state lawmaker, worried that the law may have been broken when a letter to The Star signed by four of six trustees was circulated.
A beerless Theatre in the ParkHow about a nice brew while you’re sitting in a comfortable lawn chair watching a performance of “Oklahoma” or “My Fair Lady” on a moonlit summer night?
If you’re at Shawnee Mission Park’s Theatre in the Park, you’re out of luck. Beer is prohibited at the park except for designated areas like the golf course.
The Johnson County Community College has recorded its highest summer enrollment ever_ a 9.7 percent increase over last year.
More than 10,000 students are taking summer classes compared to 9,141 enrolled last summer. Classes began June 1.
