Grant money aimed at transportation for the most vulnerable Johnson County residents

Johnson County Transit has received more than $1 million in state money to, among other things, find ways to get the neediest residents to the critical places they need to go.

The one-time grant of $1,027,278 comes from the Kansas Department of Transportation. It will support two equipment purchases as well as four pilot programs designed to help the county’s most vulnerable residents:

▪ Expansion of the county’s ride-hailing microtransit service area to include places with a higher prevalence of older adults and people dealing with tight budgets or a disability.

▪ On-demand transportation for health care systems so patients can keep regular medical appointments and avoid emergency rooms as much as possible.

▪ An effort aimed at expanding access to prenatal services for teenage and low-income mothers.

▪ An initiative with health care systems to identify patients who need transportation to food pantries.

The county is providing just under $103,000 in matching money for the grant, which also is paying for software to track the results of the pilot programs plus passenger-counting equipment that will tell transit planners where people get on and off the county’s regular bus routes.

Evening COVID tests available

Johnson County has expanded coronavirus testing opportunities to include evening appointments.

Drive-thru tests will be available from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 3 to 7 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays at the Olathe Health Services Building, 11875 S. Sunset Drive.

The free tests are being offered to people 16 and up who live or work in Johnson County and to children ages 5 to 15 who are county residents, whether they have symptoms or not. The testing is done only by appointment and only if tests are not available from the patient’s primary health care provider.

Lenexa moves forward on homeless shelter rules

On Aug. 25, the Lenexa City Council will get a look at proposed regulations for homeless shelters in the city.

The meeting will start at 7 p.m. at City Hall, where the city staff will present the proposal and get feedback from council members and the public. No formal action will be taken.

More information about the proposals will be posted at lenexa.com around Aug. 20. Written comments can be sent to Magi Tilton at mtilton@lenexa.com.

Lenexa embarked on the rule-setting process after the Shawnee Mission Unitarian Universalist Church asked last fall to open a cold-weather homeless shelter at 9400 Pflumm Road. The city initially refused, but a lawsuit resulted in an agreement for the shelter to open temporarily.

The dispute exposed an omission in the zoning code, which didn’t address homeless shelters.

Cops on alert for impaired drivers

Many law enforcement agencies will be stepping up drunken-driving enforcement during the statewide “You Drink. You Drive. You Lose” campaign scheduled through Labor Day.

The city of Merriam says that during the campaign, its officers are especially alert to weaving, speed changes, unsafe lane changes and other signs that a driver might be impaired. The annual campaign is sponsored by the Kansas Department of Transportation.

Old tires make new tables, benches and mulch

They may not know it, but visitors to Spring Hill’s newest parks can sit at or walk on materials made from old tires.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment awarded the city $4,103 for 10 benches and four picnic tables plus $5,825 for mulch — made of waste tire material — that were installed at Veterans Park and Melvin Murry Dog Park.

Spring Hill matched the money dollar for dollar.

Cities, counties and schools can apply each year to the department’s Waste Tire Program, which this year awarded about $468,000 to more than 40 organizations.

Mask-making group makes an impact

Masks of Mercy is donating more than 3,000 homemade masks to the Olathe Public Schools which will be given to students who otherwise wouldn’t have a face covering to reduce the spread of the new coronavirus.

The Olathe-based group consists of hundreds of volunteers who since last March have sewn more than 20,000 fabric masks and created more than 500 3D-printed masks with filters. The masks also have been sent to hospitals, churches, Ride KC, the city of Olathe and a host of other organizations — in this area and as far away as the Navajo Nation.

Exhibit focuses on amusement parks

Just when the coronavirus is making it difficult to go on summer vacation, the Johnson County Museum is opening a temporary exhibit about amusement parks and their role in summertime entertainment.

“Coney Island — Visions of an American Dreamland” will open Aug. 31 and continue through Oct. 17 at the museum, 8788 Metcalf Ave. in Overland Park.

The exhibit is included with regular museum admission rates of $6 for adults, $5 for seniors, $4 for children ages 1 to 18, and free for children under a year old. The museum is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday, with limited attendance and a midday cleaning designed to limit the spread of the virus.

This story was originally published August 18, 2020 at 10:17 PM with the headline "Grant money aimed at transportation for the most vulnerable Johnson County residents."