The Johnson County Library will hold the 2013 Annual Sizzlin’ Summer Used Book Sale in cooperation with Friends of the Library at Metcalf South Shopping Center, 9635 Metcalf, Overland Park, KS, June 5-8. It will be a great opportunity to stock up on gently used books and audiovisual materials for all ages and interests at bargain prices. Most items are priced from 50 cents to $3.00.

Sale dates and hours will be:
Wednesday, June 5, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Thursday, June 6, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Friday, June 7, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Saturday, June 8, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

A “Friends of Library Member Only” Preview Sale will be held on Tuesday, June 4, from 6 to 9 p.m. which requires a current Friends of the Library membership card that may be purchased at the sale that night or at the Friends Used Book Stores located at Antioch and Blue Valley Neighborhood libraries (individual for $20; family membership for $25).
According to Marsha Bennett, Community Relations Coordinator for Johnson County Library, this is the 25th year for the library’s popular annual summer used book sale. “There is a huge selection of materials again this year,” Bennett stated. “There is definitely something for every age and interest.  We estimate there will be approximately 100,000 gently used items.
According to Bennett, this is a great community recycling event and fundraiser for the Library. “Not only are items weeded from the library’s collection taken to the sale, but donations from the community make up about 60% of the items offered at the sale,” Bennett said. “Books and audiovisual materials are sorted by categories so people can easily find their area of interest or favorite authors. There are hardbacks, paperbacks, fiction and nonfiction, children’s books, as well as some audiovisual materials. And the prices are very reasonable.”
Prices for the sale are: Adult paperbacks $1.00, Adult hardbacks $2.00, Audiovisual materials 50 cents to $3.00, Youth paperbacks 50 cents and Youth hardbacks $1.00. A Collectibles Room includes vintage, collectibles, art and coffee table books, books sets, autographed copies and ephemera, all individually priced. Cash and credit cards will be accepted.
Proceeds from the used book sale benefit the Johnson County Library. To join the Friends, visit www.jocolibrary.org/friends , call (913) 826-4301, or pick up membership information at any Johnson County Library location.                              #  #  #

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.

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.

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!
 

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.

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. 

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’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.

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.

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.

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. ###

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

1. photo identification,
2. social security cards for each member of the household and
3. your income information (such as your W-2’s and 1099’s)
4. last year’s tax return
5. 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.