‘He cares deeply about the city of Lenexa.’ Travis Vaughn new Fire Department chief

Travis Vaughn named fire chief in Lenexa

Travis Vaughn is succeeding Lonny Owens as the chief of the Lenexa Fire Department, as of Dec. 21. The appointment follows Owens’ retirement.

Vaughn has worked 25 years in the department, which has more than 90 employees. He began as a firefight and advanced to captain, battalion chief of operations, battalion chief of emergency medical services, division chief of administration and deputy chief.

“I have great confidence that Travis will excel in this new role,” Lenexa City Manager Beccy Yocham said in a news release. “He cares deeply about the city of Lenexa and will do an exceptional job leading this important department that provides vital services for our community.”

Vaughn has studied fire administration from Columbia Southern University in Alabama. He is a graduate of the Los Angeles Fire Department Leadership Academy and the U.S. Fire Administration Executive Fire Officer program. He is also a graduate of the Kansas Certified Public Manager program.

Vaughn was deployed to Greensburg, Kan., after a tornado devastated that town.

Olathe schools acquiring new safety system

Three Olathe district schools are trying out a security system provided by the Raptor Visitor Management System.

Canyon Creek Elementary, Frontier Trail Middle School and Olathe East High School began the pilot program mid-November in anticipation of a districtwide rollout in the spring.

This system, funded by a state grant and used only during the school day, is designed to help track visitors, contractors and volunteers in district buildings.

As they do now, visitors will show their government-issued ID at the front door before entering the front office. Those who wish to go beyond the front office will be asked to show their ID again so it can be scanned or manually entered into the Raptor system, which checks their identities against a collection of registries established by Kansas to identify sexual offenders.

Once the visitor has been cleared, a printed visitor badge will be issued with the individual’s photo, date and purpose/destination for the visit.

Data from the ID scans will not be shared with any outside agency, the district said. Anyone who forgets to bring an ID will be asked to enter his or her name and address into the system.

“Part of keeping students and faculty safe is knowing precisely who is in our buildings at all times,” Olathe Public Schools Manager of Safety Services Rick Castillo said in a news release. “Raptor provides a formal process that will allow us to extend our current best practices for safety.”

Journalism teacher earns national honor

Becky Tate, who teaches journalism at Shawnee Mission North High School, has been named national Yearbook Advisor of the Year by the Journalism Education Association. Tate, a Shawnee Mission North graduate, has taught at her alma mater for 30 years.

To be considered for the award, applicants must first apply for and be recognized as a special and then distinguished teacher. Her husband C. Dow Tate, journalism teacher at Shawnee Mission East High School, and Susan Massy, journalism teacher at Shawnee Mission Northwest and 1999 national winner, advised her during the process.

“Don’t ever give up,” Massy told student journalists at the award announcement. “Becky Tate is an outstanding example of what you can achieve when you persevere and follow your dreams.”

Program addresses problem gambling

The Johnson County Mental Health Center has launched a treatment program that addresses difficulties patients encounter with gaming activities like casino gambling, bingo and online poker.

“JCMHC’s program will be unique in its ability to bring together treatments for a mental health challenge, a substance abuse issue and problem gambling, all in the same place,” said Keith Davenport, a spokesman for the mental health center. “Private practices may only treat one at a time, causing individuals to have to seek treatment in multiple places.”

In 2018, Kansas Problem Gambling Services reported that of the 112 individuals enrolled in problem gambling treatment, 57% revealed psychological issues and 20% had thought of suicide. More than half also had a substance abuse disorder, anxiety disorder or affective disorder, and 25% displayed a personality disorder.

The program, funded by a state grant and credentialed by Beacon Health and Kansas Department of Aging and Disability Services, is open at no cost to any qualifying mental health center client. Call 913-826-4200 to learn more.

Anyone needing mental health services can attend an open-access walk-in clinic starting at 9 a.m. each weekday. People will be connected wither to care at the mental health center or to a community partner.

Safe Kids Kansas honors Charlie’s House

Charlie’s House, a child safety program born from the death of a little boy who was found under a tipped-over dresser that was only 30 inches tall, has earned the Outstanding Partnership for Child Safety award.from Safe Kids Kansas.

With the help of others, Brett and Jenny Horn founded what’s now called Charlie’s House after the death in 2007 of their son, 2-year-old Charlie Horn. Their goal was to reduce the number of unintentional injuries to children in and around the home.

The organization collaborated with Safe Kids Johnson County to raise money and build a safety demonstration home. A temporary home opened in Johnson County, and a permanent Charlie’s House will open in 2020 at 2425 Campbell St., near the Kansas City Health Department and Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City.

Safe Kids Johnson County nominated Charlie’s House for the award.

More Ring safety discounts available in Leawood

After its Dec. 11 kick-off event, the city of Leawood had money left to continue accepting applications for $100 discounts on the purchase of certain Ring safety systems.

Requests from Leawood residents will be accepted through Jan. 31 or until all subsidy vouchers are claimed. All purchases must be made by Feb. 15.

Under the initiative, Leawood provides $50 for the subsidy and Ring kicks in the other half. Go to leawood.org and find the application link under the “Ring Subsidy Update” posting.

Recycle that Christmas tree

Discarded natural Christmas trees will be accepted at four Johnson County Park and Recreation District locations from Dec. 26 through Jan. 31:

▪ The Sunflower access point of Big Bull Creek Park at 20245 Sunflower Road in Edgerton.

▪ The Theatre in the Park parking lot in Shawnee Mission Park with an entrance at 7710 Renner Road in Shawnee, which is separate from the park’s main entrance.

▪ The Heritage Park Marina parking lot, 16050 Pflumm Road in Olathe.

▪ The north side of the parking lot at the marina at Kill Creek Park, 11670 Homestead Lane in Olathe.

Trees, which need to be free of decorations, will be collected at no charge during the regular winter park hours of 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., except at Shawnee Mission Park, which opens at 6 a.m.

In 2018, the county recycled more than 4,000 trees. Some are mulched for use on trails and in landscaping while others are used to improve fish habitat in district lakes.

Many cities in Johnson County have tree disposal plans as well. Check your city’s website.

This story was originally published December 24, 2019 at 12:00 AM with the headline "‘He cares deeply about the city of Lenexa.’ Travis Vaughn new Fire Department chief."