Construction workers discovered this gem while demolishing Irene B. French center

Construction workers found an unexpected treasure while knocking down the Irene B. French Community Center in Merriam.

The oldest part of the building was a school dating to 1911, and workers found a time capsule inside the cornerstone placed that year.

The contents included a “Laws Relating to the Common Schools of Kansas” pamphlet from 1909, a list of those present when the cornerstone was set, and the signatures of students and other Merriam residents, including descendants of the city’s founder, David Gee Campbell, who settled the area in 1864. (Merriam was originally called Campbellton but later renamed for a railroad official.)

The city said it plans to determine how best to showcase the time capsule artifacts. The cornerstone also is being preserved.

Denton Excavating was hired to raze the French center — named for a former mayor — after Merriam opened its new community center this summer in Vavra Park.

Deputy honored for heroism

Johnson County Sheriff’s Deputy Mark Davis has received one of six 2020 Transportation Safety Awards from the Kansas Department of Transportation.

While off-duty, according to a KDOT news release, Davis saw a vehicle stalled on train tracks as a train was approaching. When he and a bystander could not move the vehicle, he told the driver to leave the vehicle. When the driver refused, Davis pulled the person from the vehicle only seconds before the train crashed into it.

The incident occurred last fall as Davis was leaving the Olathe Central Booking Facility in downtown Olathe after his shift at the jail ended.

The awards will be presented at a conference in April. Davis received one of four Hero Awards, given to individuals who risked their lives for someone else in a safety-related incident.

Receiving People Saving People Awards are Cherie Sage, state director of Safe Kids Kansas, and the Riley County Police Department, which worked with Kansas State University to create a traffic enforcement campaign based on procedural justice emphasizing fairness and respect.

Prairie Village OKs backyard chickens

For those who want the freshest eggs possible, backyard chickens are now legal in Prairie Village.

The City Council took final action on the matter in mid-August when it revised zoning regulations that previously prohibited chickens on residential lots. Among the new rules, which took effect Aug. 25:

▪ Only hens are permitted, not roosters — and only if allowed by the homes association.

▪ A maximum of six chickens 16 weeks or older can be on any one lot, or one clutch of (eight) chicks, no matter how many dwellings are on the lot.

▪ Chickens must be in a coop or chicken tractor at all times, providing at least 12 square feet per chicken up to a maximum of 84 square feet. The housing must be in the backyard, at least 10 feet from the property line and 25 feet from nearby houses, churches or businesses.

▪ No profit-making operations are allowed.

For more information, and to read the full ordinance, go to pvkansas.com/chickens.

Overland Park cancels Fall Festival

Another major festival has fallen victim to the new coronavirus: Overland Park’s Fall Festival, which usually brings thousands of residents to the downtown area in late September.

“Public health and safety are a priority for the city,” Overland Park said in a news release.

However, the Overland Park Farmers’ Market will continue to operate downtown on Saturdays through early December at the Matt Ross Community Center, 8101 Marty St.

Medical dispatchers join CPR training program

A patient suffering cardiac arrest will probably die within 10 minutes unless someone can perform cardio-pulmonary resuscitation to get the heart beating again. That’s why fire and ambulance dispatchers guide 911 callers on how to do CPR until first responders arrive.

This summer, the Johnson County dispatch center — known formally as Johnson County Emergency Management and Communications — became the first call center in Kansas to adopt an enhanced training program developed by the American Heart Association and others.

Thirty employees are enrolled in RQI-T, Resuscitation Quality Improvement Telecommunicator, which provides simulations and other training techniques to dispatchers on a regular basis.

“The program will help elevate the effectiveness of high-quality telephone CPR instructions conveyed to bystanders, empowering them as the first link in the chain of survival to help save more lives,” Ellen Wernicke, director at the dispatch center, said in a news release.

The program also analyzes all cardiac arrest calls to identify areas of improvement.

Leawood explores beekeeping

From time to time, the city of Leawood receives inquiries from residents interested in keeping beehives on their property. Now the city is moving forward on rules to allow it.

The City Council last month directed the staff to research what neighboring cities do and develop a proposal.

City Attorney Patty Bennett said the proposed ordinance would likely go before the Leawood Planning Commission late this year or early next before being considered by City Council.

Overland Park, Prairie Village, Lenexa and Olathe already allow beekeeping.

Wi-Fi for students at Spring Hill Civic Center

The city of Spring Hill is offering its Civic Center to students in need of high-speed internet to complete their class work now that COVID-19 has curtailed learning in schools.

The Spring Hill School District started its academic year on Aug. 26 with elementary students in the classroom but secondary students learning remotely. However, some families have chosen remote learning for the entire semester.

The Civic Center, at 401 N. Madison St., is offering work space and Wi-Fi access for up to 15 students at a time from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays. Work spaces will be arranged for social distancing, and masks will be required. Students should bring fully-charged devices because outlets are limited.

The city has applied for funding for hotspots and work space partitions that, if approved, would enable the center to serve 30 to 35 students.

Reservations are recommended. To make one, contact Gabi Kempfat 913-592-3664 or email reservations@springhillks.gov.

Thompson Park dedicated

Overland Park recently dedicated the refurbished Thompson Park, which opened last spring in the downtown area.

The property, formerly known as Santa Fe Commons Park, was renamed in honor of Frank and Evangeline Thompson, who donated $1 million for the renovation.

“When I came to Overland Park, it was a whole new deal,” Frank Thompson, a retired car dealer, said at the Aug. 25 ceremony. “All of the sudden I found I was working just as hard, but business, easier; people, nicer.”

Improvements at the park include a new performance stage, a playground and splash pad, updated shelters and outdoor seating with Wi-Fi.

This story was originally published August 28, 2020 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Construction workers discovered this gem while demolishing Irene B. French center."