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Safe Kids Johnson County Free Car Seat Safety Check

Post date: 05/09/2013 - 9:41pm

No appointment needed! Friday, May 10, 2013 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at McCarthy Chevrolet (inside Service Department), 675 N. Rawhide, Olathe, KS 66061

Safety specialists will examine child car seats at the event for proper use, installation, age/size appropriateness, and also alert parents to any recalled products. Please allow 30 minutes for child’s seat check (30 minutes per seat). This event is a great way for parents to make sure their children are buckled up right.

Of those kids who are buckled up, four out of five are not restrained properly or their safety seat is incorrectly installed. Child car seats are extremely effective when accurately used and installed, reducing the risk of death by 71 percent for infants and 54 percent for toddlers.

For more information about car seat safety checks call Safe Kids Johnson County at: 913-477-8312.

Vaccines offer travelers protection from illness

Post date: 05/09/2013 - 9:05am

Traveling abroad this summer? If so, you may need a vaccination before you leave. Vaccines are recommended to protect travelers from illnesses present in other parts of the world and to prevent the importation of infectious diseases across international borders. Which vaccinations you need depends on a number of factors including your destination, whether you will be spending time in rural areas, the season of the year you are traveling, your age, health status, and previous immunizations.

We recommend getting travel vaccinations at least two weeks (4-6 weeks is ideal) before your trip to allow time for the vaccines to take effect. Contact the Johnson County Department of Health and Environment (JCDHE) at 913-826-1261 for further information.

If your travel plans will take you to more than one country during a single trip, be sure to let us know. Long-term travelers, such as those who plan to work or study abroad, may also need additional vaccinations as required by their employer or school.

JCDHE offers several travel vaccines, including Yellow Fever, at competitive prices. All vaccines are given on a walk-basis.

Share you thoughts and help Johnson County Library plan for the future

Post date: 05/06/2013 - 11:45am

The Johnson County Library wants to hear from community residents as it prepares for the future and has set up an interactive web site where individuals may provide ideas and thoughts, and monitor other community input.

Please take a few minutes to help the Library shape its next strategic plan by sharing your vision, read what community members are saying, and join the Library Conversation. Visit www.jocolibraryconversation.com and get involved with the process and share your thoughts.

Meet the Authors of "Ticked" Jim Fussell and Jeff Matovic at Blue Valley Library on May 8

Post date: 05/06/2013 - 10:42am

Kansas City Star’s Jim Fussell will talk with Jeff Matovic about their new book Ticked: A Medical Miracle, a Friendship and the Weird World of Tourette Syndrome on Wednesday, May 8, at the Blue Valley Library, 9000 W. 151st St., Overland Park, Ks.

When Jeff Matovic burst into the office of Dr. Robert Maciunas, he had very few options left. Matovic had suffered for years from Tourette Syndrome, his full-body spasms and outbursts getting progressively worse, to the point that he saw suicide as a viable option. Drugs, physical therapy, prayer — nothing was working. But Dr. Maciunas was a pioneer in deep brain stimulation (DBS), a new therapy that had worked to correct other brain disorders. Could it fix Matovic’s Tourette’s? All Matovic had to do was convince Dr. Maciunas that he was a perfect candidate for the procedure. That, and have several electrical leads — a "brain pacemaker" — implanted into his skull.

Author Jim Fussell is uniquely qualified to tell Matovic’s story — he suffers from Tourette Syndrome as well. Fussell’s job as a feature writer for the Kansas City Star brought him in contact with Oprah Winfrey, who first told him about Jeff Matovic, the "Miracle Man." As Fussell learned about Matovic’s remarkable journey, he vowed to seek him out. This is their story.

No registration required, For more information call (913) 826-4600.

Donate gently used books and AV materials for Johnson County Library June book sale

Post date: 05/01/2013 - 5:07pm

The Johnson County Library will hold the 2013 Annual Sizzlin’ Summer Used Book Sale in cooperation with Friends of the Library from June 5-8 at Metcalf South Shopping Center, 9635 Metcalf, Overland Park, KS.

In addition to materials retired from the Library’s collection, donated items from the public will also be offered for sale. The Friends of the Library are accepting the following donated items in good condition:

• Hardback and paperback books for adults and children
• Fiction and nonfiction books
• Coffee table type books on any subject
• Movies and instructional videos on VHS and DVD
• Music CDs and audiobooks
• Textbooks, business and computer books
• Cookbooks, craft books, repair manuals, pattern books
• Reference sets, blank journals, ephemera, sheet music
• LP records (must be delivered directly to book processing facility)

The following items are not accepted:
• Books that are damaged, moldy, discolored, smelly or have missing pages
• Magazines and newspapers
• Music cassettes
• Encyclopedias over 10 years old

For larger donations (more than one bag) please call (913) 492-4791 to set up a drop-off time for your items at the book processing facility. (Address and driving directions will be provided.)

Individual items or a single sack of items may also be donated at the following library locations during regular hours:
• Antioch Neighborhood Library, 8700 Shawnee Mission Pkwy., Merriam
• Blue Valley Neighborhood Library, 9000 W. 151st St., Overland Park
• Cedar Roe Neighborhood Library, 5120 Cedar, Roeland Park
• Central Resource Library, 9875 W. 87th St., Overland Park
• Corinth Library, 8100 Mission Road, Prairie Village
• Gardner Neighborhood Library, 137 E. Shawnee St., Gardner
• Lackman Neighborhood Library, 15345 W. 87th St. Pkwy, Lenexa
• Leawood Pioneer Neighborhood Library, 4700 Town Center Dr., Leawood
• Oak Park Neighborhood Library, 9500 Bluejacket, Overland Park
• Shawnee Neighborhood Library, 13811 Johnson Drive, Shawnee

In addition to book sales, the Johnson County Library and Friends of the Library operate two used book stores which are open year round, one at the Antioch Library and one at the Blue Valley Library. Proceeds from the sale of used books and other materials help to the support the Library.

Founded in 1956, the Friends of the Johnson County Library has provided 60 years of support to the Johnson County Library. For more information on book sales, donations or to join the Friends, visit www.jocolibrary.org/friends.
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May 17 Walk Kansas Celebration Caps Fitness Challenge

Post date: 04/30/2013 - 1:18pm

Johnson County participants in the eight-week Walk Kansas fitness challenge are invited to join the fun at the Walk Kansas Wrap Up Celebration, Friday, May 17, at the Johnson County K-State Research and Extension office, 11811 S. Sunset Drive, Suite 1060. Walk Kansas teams are encouraged to drop in between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. to pick up their team certificates and sample healthy snacks provided by the Johnson County Extension Master Food Volunteers. Team captains should RSVP with the count for their entire team, or if they are unable to attend. Please RSVP by Monday, May 13 to Nichole Brown, Dept. of Health and Environment, Nicole.Brown@jocogov.org

This year's celebration theme is Super Food Power Snacks! Activities will include:

Super Food Power Snack Samples
Recipes
Door Prizes
Health and Environment Booth

Don’t miss out on the fun! We hope to see you there!

WIC Community Garden Kickoff, May 10th at 11 a.m.

Post date: 04/26/2013 - 12:10pm

Johnson County is supporting a new community garden that will grow fresh produce for the Kansas WIC (Women, Infants and Children) clients. The goal of the WIC Community Garden is to educate, empower and feed the clients in the Kansas WIC program, creating a healthier community. A kickoff event to celebrate the garden project is scheduled for Friday, May 10th at 11:00 a.m. at the garden located at 11875 S. Sunset Drive, Olathe, KS 66061. Bring your gloves.

VIDEO: WIC Community Garden

WIC is a nutrition program that provides nutrition and health education, healthy food and other services to Kansas families who qualify. WIC’s goal is to help keep pregnant and breastfeeding women, new moms, and kids under age 5 healthy. The addition of a community garden will further support the commitment of Johnson County Government to improving access to healthy foods in our community.

Volunteers are welcome to participate in this exciting and beneficial community garden. They can sign up by contacting the volunteer coordinator at gardencoordinator@jocogov.org. For more information visit http://jcdhe.jocogov.org/health/wic/garden.

Mission Public Health Clinic Closed for Remodeling through July 2013

Post date: 04/26/2013 - 12:28pm

Our Mission public health clinic and offices are getting a makeover this spring. The Mission office (6000 Lamar Ave.) is closed for most services through July 2013. The WIC (Women, Infants and Children) program will continue to operate out of the Mission location in a temporary office during the remodel. Follow the signs to the temporary office. You can schedule a WIC appointment in Mission by calling (913) 826-1302.

Immunizations, family planning and STD testing are available at the Olathe office (11875 S. Sunset Dr., Suite 300) during the remodel. During this transition you can count on us to provide the same great service you’re used to. Click here for walk-in hours.

Library Foundation Seeks Pinnacle Award Nominations

Post date: 04/23/2013 - 2:52pm

The Johnson County Library Foundation is seeking public nominations for the 2013 Pinnacle Awards. The Pinnacle Award recognizes Excellence in: the Arts; Advocacy and Public Engagement; Business and Entrepreneurship; and Literacy and Education. Honorees have demonstrated excellence in their professional field or philanthropic pursuits.
Nominations may be submitted by the public through the Foundation’s website, www.jocolibraryfoundation.org. The deadline for nominations is Thursday, July 11, 2011. Foundation staff is available to assist nominators in completing the online nomination form. For assistance, please call (913) 826-4720.
“For more than 60 years the Johnson County Library has provided services that help make this a wonderful place to live – a well-educated and engaged citizenry, innovative economic growth and dynamic cultural opportunities. The Pinnacle Award seeks to recognize individuals who work every day to improve our community in these elements of public life,” said Susan Mong, Executive Director of the Johnson County Library Foundation.
Category descriptions for the 2013 Pinnacle Awards are:
Excellence in the Arts
Presented to an individual whose work as either a visual or performance artist or writer has had a significant influence on the cultural well-being of our community.
Excellence in Advocacy and Public Engagement
Presented to a recognized leader who has made substantial philanthropic or public contributions to our community's improvement and development.
Excellence in Business and Entrepreneurship
Presented to a business person who has demonstrated innovation, an exceptional entrepreneurial talent and spirit, and contributed dynamic growth and economic well-being to our community.
Excellence in Literacy and Education
Presented to an individual who has demonstrated a sustained commitment, either professionally or as a volunteer, to serving the causes of literacy or life-long learning in our community.
Pinnacle Award winners will be honored at the 2013 Pinnacle Award Recognition Dinner on Thursday, Oct. 17, 2013; 7:00 p.m., at the Regnier Center, Johnson County Community College, Overland Park, Kan. For information on Pinnacle event tickets and sponsorships, call (913) 826-4720.
“We encourage everyone to honor those people in their community who are making a real impact in these four categories by submitting a nomination today,” Mong said.
2012 Pinnacle Award honorees
Chuck Haddix, Kansas City, Missouri – Excellence in the Arts
Janis McMillen, Overland Park – Excellence in Advocacy & Public Engagement
Joel Wiggins, Lenexa – Excellence in Business & Entrepreneurship
Stacy Jones, Overland Park – Excellence in Business & Entrepreneurship
Ron Gier, Leawood – Excellence in Literacy & Education
About the Johnson County Library Foundation
The Johnson County Library Foundation's mission is to build an endowment for the Library's collection and secure support for life-long learning programs offered at Johnson County Library. The organization, established in 1998, supports collection enrichment, early literacy programs, youth homework assistance, youth-at-risk programs, civic engagement, and library programming.

Johnson County event showcases Smart Justice

Post date: 04/18/2013 - 3:26pm

Johnson County is celebrating National County Government Month by inviting the public to learn more about local criminal justice programs and public safety services.

The free event, “Smart Justice: Creating Safer Communities,” will be held from 9 to 11 a.m., Saturday, April 27, at the Youth and Family Services Center, 920 West Spruce, Olathe.

County entities, including Community Corrections, Sheriff’s Office, Courts Services, and Mental Health’s Regional Prevention Center, will set up displays featuring their contributions to a safer community.

The event features opportunities for individuals and families to:

Try on electronic monitoring equipment, aka ankle transmitter, used by the House Arrest Program of the Corrections Department to see how it works and what it’s used for;
Participate as a young juror in Youth Court, a program offered by Court Services, a division of Johnson County District Courts; and,
Tour the mobile Command Center, sit on a motorcycle, or see the inside a patrol car of the Sheriff’s Office.

“This year’s theme fits naturally with so many County programs and services that are designed to protect our homes and neighborhoods, and to help redirect troubled lives with positive outcomes,” County Manager Hannes Zacharias said. “We try to make the most of any opportunity to tell people about the good things we’re doing to make Johnson County a safe and just place to call home.”

Exhibits at 24 presentation tables will offer information about a wide range of programs, such as:

Ongoing efforts by the Corrections Department involving both adult and juvenile offenders, including House Arrest, Adult Residential Center, and Intensive Supervision.
Criminal Justice Advisory Council will highlight two projects – Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative and the Justice Reinvestment Initiative. Both projects are aimed to form recommendations for safe alternatives to incarceration.
Strengthening the Families Program designed for high-risk families by offering life skills training in behavior modification and effective parenting techniques by working with both children and parents; and,
Regional Prevention Center services to help prevent youth substance abuse and other problem behaviors.
Youth Court, a voluntary alternative, seeking to reduce the number of youth entering the District Court system by providing early intervention to youth who are truant or commit first-time minor offenses.

Working demonstrations are planned, highlighting My Resource Connection, a free service by County Government to connect individuals needing assistance with resources that can help meet their needs, and the Justice Information Management System, or JIMS, a public website to access public documents filed in the District Court system.

Refreshments will be served.

The event comes on the heels of unveiling special artwork through the end of April with a “Smart Justice” theme. The art was created by six artists from Johnson County Developmental Supports. The display is located in the Board of County Commissioners’ Hearing Room on the third floor of the Johnson County Administration Building, 111 South Cherry Street, in downtown Olathe.

For more information about Smart Justice activities and Johnson County Government, visit online at www.jocogov.org or call Nancy Mays, director of Public Affairs and Communications at the County Manager’s Office, at (913) 715-0730 or email at Nancy.Mays@jocogov.org. You can also follow Johnson County on Facebook at www.facebook.com/JohnsonCountyGovernment and on Twitter @JoCoKsGovt.

Got Drugs?

Post date: 04/18/2013 - 1:05pm

Do you have old medicine in your home? Want to get rid of it? The Johnson County Sheriff’s Office, Price Chopper and Hen House Markets have just the place for you! April 27 from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. residents can drop off unused, unneeded or expired prescription medicine at several locations throughout Johnson County. These locations are part of a cooperative effort between the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office, DEA, local police departments, Price Chopper and Hen House Markets.

In addition, in partnership with the Regional Prevention Center, The Johnson County Sheriff’s Office now has a permanent Prescription Drug Take Back Drop Box location at the Courthouse in Olathe, 125 N. Cherry. This location is open 24 hours per day, seven days per week.

Sheriff Frank Denning said, “"The abuse of prescription drugs continues to be of great concern to the Johnson County community. The Drug Take Back program and our partnership with Price Chopper and Hen House Markets provide a safe and simple way for the community to help us fight prescription drug abuse”

“We are proud to support the Johnson County Sherriff’s Office in this important initiative,” said Mike Halliwell, Director of Pharmacy for Ball’s Food Stores. “Our customers’ safety and well-being is extremely important to our Pharmacy team and we encourage our customers to take advantage of this opportunity.”

Tablets, capsules, and all other solid dosage forms will be collected at all locations. Sharps and syringes will be accepted at all participating Hen House and Price Chopper locations listed.

Prescription Drug Take Back locations for Johnson County:

Johnson County Courthouse
125 N. Cherry St, Olathe

Price Chopper
1665 w. 151st St., Olathe

Hen House # 32
13600 S. Blackbob, Olathe

Price Chopper
830 E. Main St., Gardner

Price Chopper
22350 S. Harrison St., Spring Hill
Price Chopper
7418 W. 119th St., Overland Park
Price Chopper
7201 W. 151st St., Overland Park
Price Chopper
11700 W. 135th St., Overland Park
Price Chopper
7000 W. 75th St., Overland Park
Hen House
6900 W. 135th St., Overland Park
Hen House
2724 W. 53rd St., Fairway
Hen House
5800 Antioch Rd., Merriam
Price Chopper
4950 Roe Blvd., Roeland Park
Price Chopper
13351 Mission Rd., Leawood
Price Chopper
12010 W. 63rd St., Shawnee

Meet baseball legend Frank White at Johnson County Library on April 27

Post date: 04/12/2013 - 5:05pm

Johnson County Library will host a program with baseball legend and author Frank White on Saturday, April 27 at 2:00 p.m.at the Central Resource Library, 9875 W. 87th Street, Overland Park. Copies of his book, One Man’s Dream: My Town, My Team, My Time will be available for purchase and signing

Frank White, Jr. was born in 1950 in Mississippi. His major league baseball career spanned for nearly three decades with the Kansas City Royals as a player, coach and commentator. In 1980 he was the most valuable player of the American League Championship Series. White was a five-time All Star and won the Gold Glove Award eight times.

For more information, visit www.jocolibrary.org or call (913) 826-4600. Interpretive services and other accommodations for those with special needs are available by contacting Library staff at least one week in advance of the program.

Johnson County Library and Friends group announce 2013 bookmark contest winners

Post date: 04/12/2013 - 5:13pm

The Johnson County Library and the Friends of the Johnson County Library are pleased to announce the winners of the 2013 National Library Week Bookmark Design Contest. Winners from each category are listed below:

• Preschool-Kindergarten:, Ethan Youono, 6, Olathe, KS
• Grades 1-2: Eleanor Glenn, 7, Overland Park, KS
• Grades 3-4: Tristen Bogart, 8, DeSoto, KS; Joy Haney, 8, Gardner, KS
• Grades 5-6: Melina Peshoff, 11, Leawood, KS; Than Than Nguyen, 11, Overland Park, KS;
• Grades 7-8: Jamey Albert, 13, Leawood, KS; Allison Stewart, 13, Lenexa, KS
• Grades 9-12: Camille O’Leary, 16, Mission, KS
• Adults, ages 18 and up: Krista Gordon, Leawood, KS

The ten winning bookmarks were selected from over 600 entries received. Each of the 2013 design contest winners will receive a $25 cash prize, gift certificates to the Friends of the Library used book stores, and copies of their bookmarks at the awards ceremony during the April 17 Library Board Meeting held at 4:00 p.m. at the Central Resource Library, 9875 W. 85th St., Overland Park, KS.

The 2013 winning designs have been printed onto bookmarks and will be available at all Johnson County Library locations and can be viewed at www.jocolibrary.org/bookmarks after the April 17 presentation. For more information call (913) 826-4301.

Johnson County website receives 2013 Sunny Award

Post date: 04/01/2013 - 10:49am

Johnson County’s main website (www.jocogov.org) has received its third consecutive “Sunny Award” in three years for transparency from the Sunshine Review, a non-profit organization dedicated to state and local government openness.

In 2013, the county achieved the top A+ Sunny Award for transparency after earning an A rating in 2012 and an A- award in 2011. Out of more than 6,000 government websites in all 50 states reviewed by the Sunshine Review, only 247 of them received a Sunny Award, or an A grade, this year. The websites included both local governments and school districts.

“Transparency has always been a priority of County Government, our residents expect and deserve it,” County Manager Hannes Zacharias said Friday, March 29, in announcing the award. “It is heartening to be recognized again by the Sunshine Review for our ongoing efforts in informing, educating, and serving our citizens online.”

Johnson County was one of only three county websites in the state of Kansas to win a 2013 award. Sedgwick and Wyandotte counties both received A- awards. Eleven awards were presented in Kansas, including websites for the cities of Overland Park, Shawnee, Lawrence, and Wichita, all A+ recipients; and Topeka, Bel Aire, Wichita School District, and Kansas City, Kansas, all A- winners.

The annual Sunny Awards honor the best and most transparent state and local government websites in America. Grading takes into account the proactive disclosure of information regarding budgets, meetings, elected and administrative officials, permits and zoning, audits, contracts, lobbying, public records, and taxes, as well as the ease of use and availability of information.

“The Sunny Awards recognize governments that make transparency a priority. The winners of the Sunny Awards are cities, counties, and school districts that proactively share the public information that empowers citizens and keeps government accountable to the people,” Michael Barnhart, president of Sunshine Review, said.

The Sunshine Review is a non-profit organization that collaborates with individuals and organizations across America to promote state and local government transparency.

More information is available by contacting Gerald Hay, public information officer for the County Manager’s Office, at (913) 715-0736 or gerald.hay@jocogov.org.

Frost and Friends program at Johnson County Library

Post date: 03/21/2013 - 4:23pm

The Johnson County Library will host a poet event like no other featuring the Barn Players of Mission, Kansas on Sunday, March 24 at 2 p.m. at the Central Resource Library, 9875 W. 87th St, Overland Park. Frost and Friends is a free matinee of an original production of dramatized readings including beloved poets Robert Frost, Carl Sandburg, Virginia Woolf, Emily Dickinson and Dorothy Parker, complete with musical accompaniment.

The event is provided by Actor’s Choice, an elite group of Senior Barn Players, and followed by an interactive discussion with the director. The event is free and open to the public.

For more information, call (913) 826-4600. No registration required.

Library reinstates Wednesday evening hours at all locations; Fridays at Cedar Roe Library

Post date: 03/21/2013 - 4:37pm

In January 2012, hours of operation at Johnson County Library locations were cut as a result of budget constraints and staff shortages due to the loss of 29 library staff members who opted for the voluntary retirement incentive offered by Johnson County government. The Leawood, Oak Park and Lackman Neighborhood Libraries were closed on Sundays. The Cedar Roe Neighborhood Library was closed on Fridays and with reduced Saturday hours. All library locations, closed at 5:00 p.m. on Wednesdays.

In the 2013 budget the Library is able to hire back ten staff positions and reinstate some of the hours that were cut. Effective March 20, 2013, libraries will regain Wednesday evening hours and Cedar Roe Library will now be open again on Fridays.

The new hours of operation effective March 20 can be found at www.jocolibrary.org/locations.

New service sends emergency messages to residents

Post date: 03/04/2013 - 12:15pm

Area residents can now receive direct messages about impending emergencies in Johnson County with the launch of NotifyJoCo, a free, mass communications system that sends alerts about incidents from evacuations to water outages, via phone, text or email.

The system, which is free to the public, is an unprecedented effort between Johnson County, Water One, and the cities of Lenexa, Mission Hills, Olathe, Overland Park, Prairie Village and Shawnee.

As part of Severe Weather Awareness Week, a test of the NotifyJoCo system will be conducted at 10 a.m., Tuesday, March 5. A test message will be sent to approximately 140,000 residents and businesses in Johnson County who have published phone numbers. Anyone who lives, works, or plays in Johnson County is encouraged to go to www.NotifyJoCo.org to set up their free NotifyJoCo account and personalize their contact preferences. Account holders can identify multiple locations they want to receive emergency messages about and can sign up to receive emails, texts, or phone calls on multiple devices.

"We are collaborating to implement a shared mass notification system that will provide quick and reliable emergency notifications to our citizens and businesses. We want to ensure our residents are informed before, during and after significant events, such as these major snow storms we are experiencing, and that we do our part to protect the lives and property of our communities," said Ellen Wernicke, Deputy Director, Johnson County Emergency Communications Center.

Here’s how to use the system:

Go to www.NotifyJoCo.org to register personal contact preferences as well as locations. (For example, cities you work, or live in, or the area of your child’s school.)
Residents who do not have internet access may call 913.826.5555 to register their information.
All information provided will be kept confidential and only used to contact citizens about emergencies and topics in which they have expressed interest. Only authorized county and city officials will send messages.

Information will be available through County and participating municipal offices and online at www.NotifyJoCo.org . Look for Miles the Martian (mascot for NotifyJoCo).

In the near future, participating agencies will provide additional opt-in community-based notifications such as pool closures, road construction or meeting notices, which will allow citizens to receive information about the topics they care about in their community.

[Media drop box address: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/nsnuk9qboez9hpx/eIdg096PBC

Media Contacts

Johnson County - Nancy Mays, Communications Director, 913.715.0730, nancy.mays@jocogov.org

WaterOne – Mandy Cawby, Communications Manager, 913.895.5546, mcawby@waterone.org

Lenexa – Jessica Johnson, Communications Manager, 913.477.7556, jjohnson@lenexa.com

Mission Hills – Courtney Christensen, City Administrator, 913.362.9620, cchristensen@missionhillsks.gov

Olathe – Erin Vader, Communications & Public Engagement Manager, 913.971.8612, esvader@olatheks.org

Overland Park – Sean Reilly, Communications Manager, 913.895.6109, sean.reilly@opkansas.org

Prairie Village – Jeanne Koontz, Deputy City Clerk/Public Information Officer, 913.385.4662, jkoontz@pvkansas.com

Shawnee – Vicki Charlesworth, Deputy City Manager, 913.742.6242, vcharlesworth@cityofshawnee.org

Johnson County Sheriff’s Office – Deputy Tom Erickson, Public Information, 913-791-5802, tom.erickson@jocogov.org

Low cost trees available from the Kansas Forest Service

Post date: 02/11/2013 - 5:59pm

The Kansas Forest Service is taking orders for low-cost tree seedlings offered through their conservation tree planting program. Orders will be taken through May 6. Landowners are encouraged to place their orders as early as possible to ensure they get the plants they want. The price is $20 per bundle for 25 of a single variety. Special bundles packaged to attract songbirds, quail, pheasant and wildlife are also available.

Approved uses for the plants include:

habitat creation for game birds, song birds and wildlife;
barriers to reduce noise pollution;
home and/or livestock windbreaks;
living snow fences;
Christmas tree plantations;
firewood lots;
ugly view screens; and
property line marking.

The program offers one- to two-year-old species, which are selected for hardiness in the central high plains. The seedlings are mostly 12- to 18-inch tall container-grown stock, depending on the species. Trees should be monitored and watered throughout the year to insure survival. Protective tubes are available for purchase to protect new plantings from rabbits.

Order forms and more information are available at any Kansas State University Research and Extension county or district office. In Johnson County, forms can be downloaded at www.johnson.ksu.edu, or by contacting Rick Miller, county agriculture agent, at 913-715-7000.

Registration deadline for Walk Kansas is March 8

Post date: 02/06/2013 - 11:49am

If you wanted to walk across the state of Kansas you would face a 423 mile journey. Many Walk Kansas teams reach that marker within the first weeks of Kansas State University’s state-wide, eight-week fitness program. If you’d like to join this year's fun the registration deadline for signing up a team is March 8.

Walk Kansas is a team-based program that helps participants lead a healthier life by encouraging more activity, better nutrition choices and learning positive ways to deal with stress. This year’s challenge runs from March 17 to May 11.

Pick Your Teams
Co-workers, family members, friends and neighbors form teams of six and track daily minutes of physical activity and food choices during the eight-week challenge. Part of the fun is picking a team name and team captain. Bipedaling Bibliophiles, Holy Walkamolies, and Walken to Get More Cowbell (a clever homage to Christopher Walken and his epic SNL sketch) are just some of the wickedly clever names Johnson County teams chose last year to express their team spirit.

Participants track their minutes of activity and fruits and vegetables consumed each day, then report these weekly to their team captain. Team captains then report their teams’ totals to the state each Monday.

What Kinds of Activities Count
Walking is not the only activity that counts. Any activity that is moderate or vigorous for at least 10 consecutive minutes counts. Strength and flexibility exercises such as yoga, tai chi, working with resistance bands, and strength training can be included in your exercise totals. Gardening can also be an active exercise. Anyone who has lugged bags of compost, raked leaves or dug gardens can attest to the activities energizing effect on heart and lungs. While Walk Kansas is not a competition, teams can track their progress at www.walkkansas.org

Who Can Participate
Anyone wanting to participate should:

gather a team of six members,
choose a team name and captain, and
contact their local K-State Research and Extension office for registration information.

Participation is free for Johnson County employees, and $5 for non-employees. In Johnson County, information is available at www.johnson.ksu.edu/walkkansas, or call 913-715-7000.

Library program features Israeli Photojournalist

Post date: 02/01/2013 - 6:04pm

The Johnson County Library will host Gil Cohen-Magen, an Israeli photojournalist, whose photographs have graced the front pages of some of the world's leading newspapers and magazines. He will deliver his provocative lecture Shooting Under Fire at the Corinth Library, 8100 Mission Rd., Prairie Village, KS on Wednesday, Feb. 6, 2013 at 3 p.m.

Cohen-Magen will discuss the challenges that he faced as a photographer with the international news agency Reuters as well as journalistic reporting and ethics. With a portfolio that ranges from the most violent scenes of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, to the closed world of ultra-Orthodox Hassidim, Cohen-Magen has captured the many faces of the Holy Land through his lens.

Since 2001, Gil has been working on a series of photo essays on the ultra-Orthodox Jewish communities in Jerusalem. Gil has been given exclusive access to observe and photograph the religious and cultural rites of these closed communities, ceremonies that have never been photographed before and have never been shown to the outside world.

A graduate of the Hadassah College of Jerusalem's Photography program, Cohen-Magen spent 10 years working with the Reuters news agency. One of his photographs was selected as one of the top 100 photographs of the decade. Cohen-Magen has exhibited his photographs in United States, Europe and in Israel.

Born in 1971, Cohen-Magen lives in the city of Modiin, Israel. He is also the author of Hassidic Courts, which contains exclusive images of the Hassidic communities in Israel.

Free and open to the public. For more information, call (913) 826-4600. No registration required. ###

County offers mobile optimized website for maps and information

Post date: 01/30/2013 - 11:45am

Johnson County has taken the next steps in the continuing effort to make County Government accessible to residents anywhere, anytime on their mobile devices and cell phones.

The accessibility is through a new mobile optimized website for location maps and information. It is designed for viewing on mobile and handheld devices. The service is provided by the Automated Information Mapping Services Division of the Department of Innovation and Technology.

The site can be viewed by accessing the “Location Maps & Info” widget in the upper right of the county's homepage at www.jocogov.org using a mobile device (e.g. iPad, iPhone, Android phone, etc.) or by going directly to the website at http://ims.jocogov.org/locationservices using a mobile device.

The page is better designed to display on smaller handheld devices, optimized to load faster, and takes advantage of the ability to geolocate using the devices built-in GPS and wireless locating services. This additional support adds to the functionality of the existing Location Maps & Info site built for traditional web browsers.

More information is available by calling 715-1600.

Free tax preparation available starting January 26/ Prepararacion de Impuestos Gratis

Post date: 01/08/2013 - 5:13pm

Johnson County K-State Research and Extension is again partnering with the KC CASH Coalition to house a Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) site in the Sunset Drive Office Building, 11811 S. Sunset Drive, in Olathe. VITA sites provide safe, accessible locations for taxpayers to get assistance in preparing their state and federal income tax returns. There is no charge to have returns completed and e-filed.

When? January 26 – April 13
The Sunset Drive VITA site will be open Thursday afternoons and Saturday mornings, beginning Saturday, January 26 and will run until April 13.

Hours of operation:

Thursdays: 1 p.m. – 4:45 p.m.

Saturdays: 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

No appointment is necessary. Returns are completed on a first come, first served basis. Spanish language assistance is also available. Servicio Disponible en Espanol

Who’s Eligible
The maximum income for eligibility is $50,000.

What to Bring With You

photo identification,
social security cards for each member of the household and
your income information (such as your W-2’s and 1099’s)
last year’s tax return
your bank routing number and account number (to take advantage of direct deposit for any refunds.) Bring your checkbook!

New for 2013 — Assisted Self Preparation
Computers will be available for participants to use to complete their own returns using My Free Taxes software. A software coach will be available to answer questions about the software.

This service is available to participants

earning $57,000 or less,
who don’t have access to a computer or the Internet, and
are able to enter the data themselves.

All VITA tax preparers are trained to become fully certified before completing returns. Preparers are volunteers and receive no compensation for their service.

For further information, contact Valeria Edwards at the Johnson County Extension office at 913-715-7000 or visit www.johnson.ksu.edu

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K-State Research and Extension is committed to making its services, activities, and programs accessible to all participants.
If you have special requirements due to a physical, vision, or hearing disability, please contact Johnson County Extension at 913.715.7000.
K-State Research and Extension is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Library to Host Community Conversation on the Sandy Hook School Shooting Tragedy

Post date: 01/04/2013 - 3:38pm

All around our country there are conversations taking place about the Sandy Hook tragedy. What caused it? What should our responses be? How do we ensure safe schools?

Join with other members of the community for a conversation on these issues at the Central Resource Library, 9875 W. 87th St., Overland Park, on Thursday, January 10, at 7 p.m. All perspectives and views are welcome and the conversations will be moderated by trained, neutral, facilitators.

The Library wants to provide a safe space for the hard conversations about Sandy Hook tragedy that are being had in communities across the country. The Library does not have the answers, but is committed to providing resources and information from all sides to members of the community who want to stop feeling helpless in the face of this tragedy.

No registration required. For more information call (913) 826-4600 or visit www.jocolibrary.org/sandyhook.

Library programs are free and open to the public. Interpretive services and other accommodations for those with special needs are available by contacting Library staff at least one week in advance of the program.


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Free eBooks now available at Johnson County Library and Olathe Public Library

Post date: 01/03/2013 - 11:56am

The Johnson County Library and Olathe Public Library now have eBooks in their collections of materials available for library users. Patrons may check out or request eBook titles online at www.jocolibrary.org/eBooks or via Olathe Public Library at www.olathe.lib.ks.us/digitalmedia with a valid Johnson County or Olathe Library card and PIN.

“The Johnson County Library is very excited to provide eBooks to the community,” said Sean Casserley, County Librarian. “Our library users have been asking for eBooks for quite some time, and we are happy to provide reading materials in this format for those with eReaders, iPads, Android devices, PCs and smartphones. We think this free service will be very popular. The Library will be purchasing more eBook titles as they become available and will continue to grow this part of the library’s collection.”

Olathe Public Library Director Emily Baker added, “Olathe Public Library welcomes the addition of popular eBooks to its collection. We are pleased to join with Johnson County Library in offering many new eBooks to our customers.”

eBooks may be checked out for up to 14 days and since they are automatically checked in, there are no overdue notices or fines. The libraries have several thousand titles in both fiction and nonfiction for adults, teens and kids including best sellers, cookbooks, travel, mystery, science-fiction and sine children’s eBooks with professional narration and interactive videos in full color.

For additional information on eBooks, compatibility with devices or patron classes, visit or call the libraries at www.jocolibrary.org/eBooks, (913) 826-4600 or www.olathe.lib.ks.us/digitalmedia or (913) 971-6888.
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Johnson County plans receptions for outgoing, incoming officials

Post date: 01/02/2013 - 11:03am

A farewell reception is scheduled on Thursday, Jan. 10, in honor of Johnson County’s Third District Commissioner David Lindstrom and Sixth District Commissioner Calvin Hayden, who are leaving their elected office with the start of the New Year.

The public event will take place from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Room 200 located on the Lower Level of the Johnson County Administration Building, 111 South Cherry Street, in downtown Olathe.

Lindstrom is leaving the Board of County Commissioners after serving 10 years. Hayden has served for the past four years.

The public inaugural ceremony for newly-elected commissioners Steve Klika, representing the Third District, and John Toplikar, representing the Sixth District, and re-elected Second District Commissioner Jim Allen is planned at 10 a.m. Monday, Jan. 14, in the Board’s Hearing Room located on the third floor of the Administration Building.

Toplikar is returning to the Board after serving the Sixth District from 2003 to 2009. It’s the first term for Klika while Allen is beginning his second term on the Board. All will serve four-year terms.

Sheriff Frank Denning and District Attorney Steve Howe, both re-elected in the 2012 General Elections, will also take the oath of office at the ceremony. Their new terms will expire in January 2017.

As part of the proceedings, each new and re-elected official will be introduced by a person of his choosing and will then be given an opportunity to offer brief remarks. A reception follows the ceremony.

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