We use cookies to analyze user behavior in order to constantly improve the website for you. Learn more Lee's Summit, Missouri--(Newsfile Corp. - May 5, 2025) - Mint Dental has recently launched its new 20/20 Referral Program, designed to reward both existing and new patients for their support. This innovative initiative aims to encourage patients to refer others to the clinic for general dentistry services fostering stronger community ties and building lasting relationships with patients.Through the 20/20 Referral Program both referring patients and those referred will receive Amazon gift cards as a token of appreciation Unlike most referral programs that reward only the referrer Mint Dental's program benefits both current and new patients equally The program is also unique in that there is no limit to the number of referrals a patient can make allowing patients to continue sharing their positive experiences with others and receive rewards over time Mint Dental Announces Launch of 20/20 Referral Program for New and Returning Patients To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10740/250753_b98dc0f0b486785b_001full.jpg The 20/20 Referral Program is part of Mint Dental's broader mission to enhance the patient experience and promote community growth the clinic is able to extend its reach while maintaining its commitment to providing personalized To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10740/250753_b98dc0f0b486785b_002full.jpg Mint Dental has made participating in the program quick Referrals can be made online or in person at any of the clinic's locations A knowledgeable team is also available to assist with any questions and guide patients through the simple process Mint Dental continues to demonstrate its dedication to fostering trust and long-term relationships with the local community Mint Dental is a trusted dental practice located in Lee's Summit providing comprehensive dental care for individuals and families in the local community The clinic is dedicated to creating a welcoming environment where patients receive high-quality care tailored to their individual needs Mint Dental focuses on building lasting relationships with patients by offering a personalized experience in a compassionate Media Contact:Company Name: Mint DentalContact Person: Joe DobbinsPhone: (816) 525-5414Address: 600 NW Murray Rd #304City: Lee's SummitState: MissouriPostal Code: 64081Country: United StatesWebsite: https://www.mintdentalkc.com/location/lees-summit-mo To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/250753 SOURCE: GetFeatured Sign Up Company Profile Advertising Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application Jody's vibrant spirit and unwavering love for her family and community defined her life.  Jody's journey in the world was marked by her deep commitment to the arts and her profound ability to touch the lives of those around her a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the visual arts she utilized her leadership skills and creative talents to inspire others and foster a rich cultural environment in her community.  Jody’s artistic prowess extended beyond her professional life; she was also a remarkably talented painter she filled her life and the lives of those around her with creativity and warmth Her artistic spirit was matched only by her dedication as a family member and community member Jody embraced volunteer roles of PTA President playing an active role in their lives and making a positive impact on the lives of countless others and a fierceness that was admired by all around her.  Initially meeting Daren at their ‘first real job’ in high school through college graduations at Mizzou and then starting their marriage in Tulsa they built a foundation as a couple and grew together Her greatest joys were her son Adam and her daughter Emma Nothing made her happier than to spend time with them and continue to be amazed at the extraordinary people they had become titling themselves as the ‘Fab 4’ in their shared text group for communication using that group often to stay connected and share the day’s events The best of times were when the four of them were together she created treasured moments that would be remembered forever They shared their joys and experiences through her Instagram page "EmptyNesterSaturday," a platform where they documented their adventures and deepened their bond as a couple reveling in the beauty of their community together Jody is survived by her loving and devoted husband Sam Tatum (wife Olivia and daughter Merit) Each of them will forever reflect the memories of Jody’s loving the depth of her unyielding passion and support and a steadfast belief in the power of community.  Jody will be remembered for her unwavering devotion to her family and her genuine efforts to create a nurturing and inspiring environment for all Her legacy will continue to live on in the hearts of those she touched reminding us that true artistry lies not just in skillful expression but in the loving connections we build with one another A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date.  family suggest contributions to be made to: Sarah Cannon Cancer Research at https://sarahcannon.com/about/sarah-cannon-fund.dot Summit Art at https://summitart.org/donate/ This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors — People living in the Winterset Park neighborhood in Lee's Summit still haven't repaired damage to their backyard fences after a chaotic police chase Court documents reveal the chase started in Kansas City who is now charged with first-degree robbery was selling marijuana before the chase began Witnesses told police a woman and a teenager were smoking marijuana with Rodriquez He allegedly wouldn't let them leave until they paid him for the marijuana Someone who knew the pair came to give them $50 Rodriquez allegedly robbed the man and got into a 90-mph chase with police The chase ended with a foot pursuit and damage to property in Winterset Park Emilia Mense-Caby's mother-in-law contacted KSHB 41's Alyssa Jackson for answers on police pursuit practices but a chase through people's backyards is insane to me," she said "We shouldn't also fear the police response to that crime." Police Department and the Lee's Summit Police Department have similar pursuit procedures KCPD policy states that not pursuing is sometimes the safest action they must determine that the suspect is an immediate danger to others Lee's Summit Police Department policy states officers must have a reasonable belief that a violent Mense-Caby still wants stricter parameters in residential neighborhoods but we shouldn't also fear the police response to that crime." Matt Thompson went from a calm evening with his family to telling his wife and toddler to lock themselves in the bathroom Thompson said he and his family have only lived in the neighborhood for a few years He described the situation as random and once-in-a-lifetime Rodriquez ran the vehicle into Thompson's retaining wall before trying to get away on foot and damaging his fence but it would be nice if it could help me back Thompson is among neighbors who think police did what they had to do "I feel like when it comes to an armed robbery police have to do what they can to make sure the person isn’t continuing to do this and have more violence in the community," Thompson said he's figuring out repairs because he said insurance isn't offering much financial assistance The City of Lee's Summit has a claims process residents can go through for damage repair but a spokesperson could not share information on the types of claims they accept because of varying circumstances Residents can fill out an application here KSHB 41 reporter Alyssa Jackson covers portions of Johnson County, including Overland Park, Prairie Village and Leawood. Share your story idea with Alyssa Report a typo Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInLEE’S SUMMIT (KCTV) - Lee’s Summit police have been outside a home near NE Todd George and NE Langford Roads well into the night Wednesday awaiting a second search warrant to discover how a couple inside ended up dead Lee’s Summit, Missouri, Police Department Sgt Chris Depue said police received information at 5 a.m which initiated a call to check on the well-being of the man and woman They had a lot to piece together before they arrived at the home on Churchill Street at 8 a.m Depue said officers knocked on the door but got no answer They didn’t have enough evidence to force entry When they received the warrant and went inside The warrant they obtained did not include permission to gather evidence so they exited soon after to apply for a search warrant that would allow them to examine the home more thoroughly Neighbors told KCTV5 the man and woman have lived there for approximately six years with their 17-year-old son Police said the son was not at the home but has been accounted for “Neighbors need to know that there is no threat to the general public,” Depue said Right now it’s just a matter of us processing and concluding our investigation.” police had not yet entered the home to gather evidence — A specialty turf equipment company in Lee’s Summit filed a WARN Notice on Wednesday Briggs & Stratton - Billy Goat Facilities plans to lay off 90 employees as of July 2 Located at 1803 Southwest Jefferson St., the facility has served as the “premier manufacturer of specialty turf products with a reputation for innovation, productivity and quality," per the Billy Goat website The website explained the company started as a subsidiary of Clipper Manufacturing in 1967 before going independent in 1969 the company was acquired by Briggs & Stratton The notice stated the workforce reduction was due to closure Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInKANSAS CITY (KCTV) - A Lee’s Summit man has been arrested and charged after he allegedly attacked his hospital roommate as he slept and stomped on his head Jackson County, Missouri, Circuit Court records filed on Wednesday has been charged in connection with the attack of a hospital patient A probable cause statement filed by the Kansas City Police Department revealed that just before 11:40 p.m law enforcement officials were called to the Research Psychiatric Center at 2323 E with reports of an incident that involved Lockett and another patient Witnesses reported Lockett had gone into their room while the victim was asleep threw him on the ground and stomped on his head multiple times The victim told first responders he had been transferred to the hospital earlier that day and only knew he shared the room with another patient He stated that he woke up and realized he had been attacked Hospital staff revealed he had suffered an orbital fracture two nosebone fractures and multiple lacerations Lockett has been charged with assault in the first degree A hearing has not yet been scheduled in the case Lockett remains behind bars with no bond listed — A 42-year-old man is in custody after he broke into a Lee's Summit family's home and made it into a 9-year-old girl's bedroom late Wednesday night the father in the house heard a noise just before 11 p.m standing at the edge of his daughter's bed The father later told police that he grabbed McDowell and struck him several times while his wife called police The father was able to hold McDowell while police arrived in the 1100 block of SE 11th Street Officers quickly entered and took McDowell into custody without further incident The suspect reported minor injuries and was treated and released from an area hospital The investigation revealed the man entered by breaking in a back door at the home after trying and failing to break into other homes in the neighborhood Officers also found several images of apparent child porn on the suspect's cell phone police described McDowell's speech as rapid and potentially under the influence Prosecutors charged McDowell with felony first-degree burglary and two counts of possession of child pornography Prosecutors requested McDowell be held on an $80,000 bond Crime Stoppers could offer you a cash reward (KCTV) - A juvenile is in custody after a husband and wife were found killed in their Lee’s Summit home The Lee’s Summit, Missouri, Police Department announced on Thursday morning, April 10, that a case that started as a death investigation is now being considered a double homicide Law enforcement officials said that around 5 a.m investigators received a request to check the welfare of two individuals and detectives were led to a home on Churchill Street near Woods Chapel and Langsford Road just east of 291 A search warrant had to be granted for them to enter where they eventually found the man and woman deceased They were identified on Friday morning as 37-year-old Nancy Ricker and 39-year-old Jesse Ricker Law enforcement officials said the first warrant did not include permission to gather evidence from the home so a second search warrant had to be executed Once that warrant was issued around 9:30 p.m. investigators were able to examine the scene the Rickers also lived in the home with a 17-year-old son Police told KCTV5 that the son was not there but had been accounted for and this is really out of the norm,” said Hannah Maricle “There’s some things that happen down here with police Investigators worked through the night to gather evidence and process the scene “It just made me sick to my stomach,” neighbor Therese Sullivan said “Yesterday was kind of shocking to see the police presence that we had all the way up and down the street.” The feeling of shock reverberated throughout the community “It was just really shocking because nothing really happens down here,” Maricle continued and we’ve met him a couple of times - at least the man - and it’s been friendly we were just kind of really shocked and surprised.” Maricle said the incident makes her think a little differently about her neighborhood I really need to keep her safe and think about where I walk around too in the neighborhood,‘” she noted The name of the juvenile in custody have yet to be released Ash Wednesday services at all Resurrection locations will be held on schedule today Scheduled programming has resumed for Thursday It looks like nothing was found at this location Looking for a place to connect or serve? Can’t find something? Let us help Website Privacy & Content Rights April 11 | Police have identified the victims as 37-year-old Nancy Ricker and 39-year-old Jesse Ricker A police spokesperson did not have any new information regarding the juvenile suspect in custody ORIGINAL REPORT | Police in Lee’s Summit say they have arrested a juvenile in connection to a double homicide Wednesday night Officers were originally called to a residence Wednesday in the 100 block of NE Churchill Street, where they set up a death investigation scene A police spokesperson said officers requested a secondary search warrant to enter the home and gather evidence Police received that search warrant around 9:30 p.m Wednesday and entered the home to continue their investigation police reclassified the incident as a double homicide The nature of the deaths and the identities of the victims have not been released This is a developing story and may be updated KSHB 41 reporter La’Nita Brooks covers stories providing solutions and offering discussions on topics of crime and violence. Share your story idea with La’Nita The 2nd Annual Running of the Beds took over Summit Church in Lee’s Summit on Saturday The race was a friendly competition supporting a great cause: Flourish Furniture Bank Kansas City’s only nonprofit furniture bank Twelve teams strapped in and transformed ordinary beds into extravagant racing machines “Nothing could go wrong racing beds on wheels executive director of Flourish Furniture Bank We really came out here for the charitable aspect of the event,” said Eric Brewer from Superior Moving Services From pirate-themed beds to race car designs teams went all out elevating the experience while others are just here for the fun,” Cox said But amidst the spirited competition lay a serious purpose The event raised over $50,000 to help families in need something Brewer highlighted as incredibly important “There are not a lot of people who look out for the little guy anymore,” he said “To see someone come through and furnish a full home for anyone in trouble is just spectacular.” The event also served as a celebration and thank you to all of the partners that Flourish works with "Many families struggle to find stable housing and we partner with over 80 agencies that serve those in need including domestic violence shelters and organizations supporting veterans and youth aging out of the foster care system," Cox said As the beds crossed the finish line amid cheers and applause it was clear that the event not only delivered a day full of fun but also a meaningful impact on the Kansas City community “We’re able to provide them an entire moving truck filled with furniture and home essentials for their living room it’s the first bed they ever had in their entire life.” Flourish will be able to furnish homes for 1,500 families — The Lee's Summit Housing Authority (LSHA) is down to one full-time employee The only permanent staff member is a maintenance employee The three-person administrative staff was fired after an internal investigation Department of Housing and Urban Development's Office of Inspector General is investigating fraud potentially linked to the previous employees The last executive director resigned in October. The entire board of commissioners resigned a month later KSHB 41 has done stories on the dysfunction at the agency The struggles for tenants to get their concerns addressed during the agency's challenges are why Sandra Esry is trying to bring residents together "Instead of one or five people being brave enough to go up there and complain about the conditions here and lack of help there a public housing community overseen by the housing authority Tenants have complained about the lack of maintenance and poor conditions of the homes for years Esry has been researching how to form a Lee Haven resident council for a month The council is an official tenant-led organization that can be a bridge between residents and leadership at a housing authority The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has bylaws and a comprehensive process tenants must follow Esry thought it was long overdue for an effort like this Maintenance is still putting out fires where it can We're living in our homes falling down around us and scared to death to say anything," Esry said Esry started a Facebook page for the council she is trying to form and plans to go door-to-door to ask tenants for their support She remains the executive director of the Independence Housing Authority (IHA) while temporarily working for LSHA Bartlett has seen residents organize in the same way so they know what the issues are and what’s going right and wrong," she said "It gives them the ability to meet with management and staff in an organized way Bartlett has been the interim for LSHA for about a month Her staff from IHA are helping her run the Lee's Summit agency They were shocked by the workload they inherited "It was definitely a lot more than we expected," Bartlett said At LSHA's board of commissioners meeting on Wednesday tenants complained about their March rent payments not being processed who recently started assisting Lee's Summit said they will try to process the payments within two weeks It's on a list of many tasks they are focusing on HUD's Office of Inspector General was also present at the meeting They would not confirm or deny a fraud investigation with KSHB 41's Alyssa Jackson the HUD Office of Inspector General does not confirm or deny the existence or non-existence of investigations That’s not to say that there is or isn’t one in this instance but rather that this is not the type of information that we provide." Job positions for the fired LSHA employees have been posted "The biggest thing is to be patient – Rome wasn't built in a day kinda thing," Bartlett said As tenants in the housing authority hope for their issues and concerns to be fixed with new leadership "Those people will carry the voice of 50 units," she said FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports Lee's Summit police are investigating a double homicide on Churchill Street; a person of interest was arrested and remains in custody Lee's Summit police are investigating a double homicide on Churchill Street; a person of interest was arrested and remains in custody The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has released the preliminary report of its investigation into a gas explosion that killed a 5-year-old boy and seriously injured his father and sister in Lexington A Kansas City firefighter's death is reflective of a shocking national trend of violence against health care workers Jackson County could start licensing tow companies It's a FOX4 follow up to our coverage of predatory tow companies taking advantage of unsuspecting drivers The NTSB has released its preliminary investigation into a gas explosion last month that killed a 5-year-old boy in Lexington The suspect involved in the shooting of two Pettis County Missouri deputies is now facing federal gun charges The KHP said two cars were involved in the crash; eight people were killed The North Kansas City School District held an open house at Winwood Elementary on Sunday so community members could say a final farewell before it closes at the end of the school year Participating businesses donated 10% of all sales Saturday to the scholarship fund in honor of fallen KCFD firefighter-paramedic Graham Hoffman dozens of inspiring athletes competed in the third annual Special Olympics Missouri vs Kansas Powerlifting competition at The Strong Barbell Club in Overland Park The family that brought a taste of Northern Thai cuisine to Kansas City will be parting ways with the restaurant Families of students at Pleasant Lea Elementary School received a letter notifying them of an incident on Friday morning Lee este reporte en español Melanie Olson-Cox loves to talk to her three children in the Lee’s Summit School District about what they’re reading She keeps an eye on their reading material she joined a district committee to review books that people asked to be removed from the district’s shelves the majority of them for high school readers Olson-Cox said most of the dozens of challenged library materials stayed “I think that's an age group that understands their rights as a reader and can manage their access to those materials,” Olson-Cox said “But it's great to have conversations with your kids.” But some Lee’s Summit Board of Education members said they’ve heard from parents concerned about what content their children can access in school libraries. At a November meeting they requested district librarians look into ways parents could have more control over what their children check out Starting this month, parents can place their student on a restricted checkout status Parents can call their school’s librarian and list up to 20 titles that their student won’t be able to check out the district’s coordinator of library and media services said the process was the best option to meet those concerns “It is our mission to make sure that our students and our staff have access to information and to library instruction and we also want to empower them to be readers and critical thinkers,” Taylor said “We are dedicated to making sure that mission happens but also meet the needs that were requested from community members and from our board.” Taylor said the move won’t change the library checkout process much She said parents have always had the option to ask school librarians to keep certain titles from their student a self-checkout option meant students could circumvent that process students on the restricted list need to check out with a librarian and their parents will receive an email every evening listing what they checked out Students also won’t have access to the online library through district devices librarians' jobs will largely stay the same She said they’ve always had conversations with families about what students are checking out “We want them to read along with their students whether that be reading a book to them when they're in elementary school or reading the same copy of a book that an older child might bring home,” Taylor said Olson-Cox said she doesn’t see it as a change but as making families more aware of the existing process and integrating it with existing software they use to check on students’ classes and grades A district spokesperson said it already has the software for the updated process Olson-Cox said she thinks the district’s librarians are highly trained to decide what materials they should offer in their libraries but appreciated the district for finding a solution for parents dissatisfied with the current review system – though she’s not sure families will use it “If you're already involved in your students' education and you're paying attention to what's going on I'm not sure I felt the need to restrict materials,” Olson-Cox said “But it's always good to be aware of what they're reading.” The Lee’s Summit School District spent thousands of dollars in 2023 reviewing books challenged by a group of five community members and one parent Olson-Cox said some of them did not have students in the district or had not read the book they complained about A bill in the Missouri Legislature would require people who challenge material in public libraries or public schools to sign an affidavit affirming that they have read the entirety of the challenged material and live in the taxing district where they filed a complaint Other legislation would ban material considered explicit from digital libraries Parents would also be able to sue school staff The Lee’s Summit School District retained most of its challenged books, but some parents worry more conservative members joining the school board last year mean future attempts to remove books could be more successful said she thinks the new process is unnecessary “This seems like a move to pander to very extreme outspoken stakeholders who actually don't even have kids in the district aren't even (Lee’s Summit School District) taxpayers to make decisions that shape the student and parent experience in this district,” Gregory said At a November meeting with Lee’s Summit School Board members school librarians said they received 89 formal reconsideration requests in the 2022-23 school year but none of them came from parents whose children had checked out a book According to school district documents it didn’t receive any requests in the 2023-24 school year Some board members still requested that librarians explore ways for parents to be more involved in the checkout process Board member Heather Eslick said no one intends to ban books but review committees chose to retain books she doesn’t believe are appropriate said he’s heard from parents who are concerned about what their children can access at school “I don't think that parent A should tell parent B's children what books they can read,” Haley said “But I think parent A has every right to regulate what their children are exposed to and I think we need to have a solution that accommodates that.” Gregory doesn’t see many parents opting into the new restriction process similar to the one that made the original book challenges She thinks the ideal process would look like the one already in place And if I see my daughter with any sort of book I'm glad that she's reading,” Gregory said I trust that it's on grade level and that it belongs in the library.” but one Lee’s Summit dentist is tackling a much bigger issue — the gap in dental care for veterans Marco Gargano has traded combat boots for a white coat “To serve the people who have served our country,” said Gargano Gargano has seen firsthand how dental health often falls through the cracks A report from CareQuest Oral Health and the AIDPH found that 60% of veterans struggle with dental health and 85% of those on VA insurance don’t qualify for dental coverage “To see our military community who don't have access to a dentist besides the treatment that they're receiving through the Army and the type of care that they need that was really eye opening for me,” said Gargano Gargano now offers free dental care to veterans “We really fight tooth and nail here to create access to care for our patients,” said Gargano One of those patients is Army veteran Clifford Jones Gargano emphasizes the serious health risks linked to poor oral care — including heart disease “What we’re doing here isn’t just cosmetic,” said Gargano people that have been around me for a long time and stuff that's the first thing they spot,” said Jones Aspen Dental offices, including those in Kansas City, host days of service where veterans can receive free dental care and connect with providers who understand their needs. For more information, visit their website. KSHB 41 reporter Olivia Acree covers portions of Johnson County, Kansas. Share your story idea with Olivia LEE'S SUMMIT, Mo. — For a decade, the city of Lee’s Summit considered how it could spruce up its already award-winning downtown following the passing of a 2013 bond issue. Today, the project, Green Street The city broke ground on the blighted plot of land near City Hall in 2024 The Downtown Market Plaza Master Plan encompasses several amenities but the construction that can be seen right now is for the Green Street Market RELATED | Downtown Market Plaza being built in Lee’s Summit and people have planned and reinvested in our downtown for decades,” said Mayor Bill Baird and to see it go up and know that it's going to be done in six months … we're going to be out there enjoying this wonderful experience.” The market building is the future home of the Downtown Lee’s Summit Farmers Market It is an indoor space that can be used year-round when the nearly 50 market vendors are not set up Next to it will be the lawn under the canopy; an outdoor artificial turf space with a performance venue The Green Street Grove is considered the gateway into the space and will be filled with commissioned art and annual festivals “I think that everybody's just excited that it's coming together so quickly as well because "But this is one that we got our ducks in a row and we've been meeting most of our timelines." Baird said the overall goal is to be “the most welcoming intimate setting” for residents and tourists to enjoy grants and money the city has saved up over the years the $44 million project should be ready by June 2025 There are other components, like a hotel and restaurant Baird said the city will shift focus to after the public spaces are complete KSHB 41 reporter Claire Bradshaw covers eastern Jackson County, including Blue Springs and Independence. Share your story idea with Claire — There was just enough snow for sledding Wednesday in south Lee’s Summit school-age children enjoyed a traditional snow day “We get school off and we don’t have to learn and we can play in the snow all day and go sledding,” said Hadley Different sledders at the Raintree Lake Dam offered different snow-day joys said she appreciates that “I get to stay home and cuddle my dog all day said her favorite part of snow days is that “you get to drink hot chocolate and watch movies all day long.” these days off school come with a tradeoff Summit Christian may have to adjust its school calendar or add make-up days in late May depending on how many more school days are called off this winter Presleigh said she’s not OK with that tradeoff She prefers summer and would rather go swimming The Lee’s Summit R-7 School District is already tacking on days at the end of the year — and it may happen again Thursday The district has already shifted its last day from May 23 “I would rather go to school tomorrow because I don’t want it to get too close to my birthday,” said Alex A lot of districts in the Kansas City area have already used seven AMI and/or snow days and there could be more to come including Thursday morning depending on how cold it is so the last day of school could remain in flux for a little while KSHB 41 reporter Tod Palmer covers sports business and eastern Jackson County. Share your story idea with Tod (KCTV) - A Lee’s Summit home was nearly destroyed after an ember in the chimney is believed to have sparked an inferno on the roof The Lee’s Summit, Missouri, Fire Department says that around 10:15 a.m emergency crews were called to the area of SE Princeton Pl Dispatch said the caller reported the resident noticed smoke in an upstairs bedroom after they extinguished a blaze in the downstairs fireplace Further investigation revealed the enclosed chimney had caught fire above the roof Everyone inside was able to safely escape the burning home they said they found flames bursting from the roof of a 2-store single-family home smoke alarms sounded as light smoke invaded the living area Crews indicated that they opened the ceiling in an upstairs bedroom to find smoke and fire in the attic as well Crews were able to distinguish the fires in the attic and on the roof as the inferno was brought under control by 10:45 a.m Fire officials noted that the blaze caused significant damage to the attic part of the roof and the enclosed fireplace flue above the roofline It is believed that the fire started where the enclosed fireplace flue meets the roof and may have been caused by an ember from an earlier fire in the fireplace — The Lee's Summit School District Board of Education unanimously approved a no tax rate increase bond issue for the April 8 The district hopes to use the $225 million bond issue to fund building improvements and maintenance and equipment needs That includes the construction of new buildings for Hazel Grove and Greenwood elementaries renovations for Pleasant Lea Middle School and Miller Park Center and maintenance and repairs throughout the district The board also approved a special resolution to address declining enrollment at Lee's Summit Elementary and Westview Elementary schools by consolidating both attendance areas in a renovated building on the Westview campus The board's resolution stipulates that before any consolidation plan or separate renovations at each school can proceed a district-wide elementary enrollment evaluation must be conducted and a strategic plan to address shifting student populations must be developed by a committee of district stakeholders and approved by the board The resolution comes after months of concerns from families who were concerned about the impact the proposal to consolidate the two schools could have District leaders have cited a decline in enrollment in both schools as one of the reasons why they want to consolidate the schools Parents previously told KSHB 41 News they were frustrated with what they called a lack of transparency in the process the parent of a future Lee's Summit Elementary student "We move from out of state specifically to downtown Lee's Summit — one of the biggest things when we were looking to come back to Kansas City was school districts hereafter "the Board," values the input of our local community the Board acknowledges the community concern regarding the lack of transparency and community involvement leading up to the administration’s 2025 Bond recommendations for elementary building consolidation Development of the plan will include collaboration from parents The deadline to register to vote in the April election is March 12 The Lee’s Summit City Council met January 21 to discuss these issues Lee’s Summit CrossingCity Council received an update and status report on Lee’s Summit Crossing a proposed project on 185+ acres at Missouri Routes 150 and 291 multi-phase project will include a variety of commercial and residential options including townhomes and villas for rent The developer is currently exploring the possibility of developing 60 acres into single-family homes The developer is actively working to bring Look’s Marketplace and UnderPar Life to the development Look’s Marketplace would include a restaurant UnderPar Life is a golf venue that caters to the avid golfer Chapter 100 Request for the MontageA public hearing was held for a Chapter 100 economic development incentive request for the Montage project which is part of Lee’s Summit Crossing The 112 townhomes and 114 courtyard villas will be developed on 54 acres The developers seek $1.2 million in incentives through sales and use tax exemption on construction materials City Council gave initial approval and moved to second reading an ordinance approving the Chapter 100 plan for the Montage Project Ward and Persels Roads OrdinanceCity Council gave initial approval to an ordinance declaring the necessity of acquiring certain land for public use and temporary construction easements for roadway additional infrastructure facilities and other public improvements associated with the proposed Ward Road and Persels Road Intersection Project The City has acquired the necessary interests in 15 of 18 of the properties to complete this project The ordinance authorizes the City to institute condemnation proceedings if such interests in land cannot be acquired by purchase through good faith negotiations As approved under the 2017 CIP sales tax renewal the Ward Road and Persels Road Intersection Project would enhance safety and traffic operations through the Ward Road and Persels Road intersection by consolidating the two intersections of Persels Road into one The north T intersection of Persels Road at Ward Road will be shifted to realign with the south T intersection In addition to realigning the split intersections the Rock Island Trail will have a permanent crossing at Ward Road eliminating the unnecessary risk due to the proximity of multiple intersections The Persels Road crossing is anticipated to be safer as it will be across a roadway with a lower volume than today Olive and Orchard Improvements ProjectAn ordinance approving the real estate sale agreement between the City and Sexton Properties for the purchase of property located at 315 NW Olive St for the Olive and Orchard Project was given initial approval and moved to second reading The Olive and Orchard project improvements include roadway reconstruction to a two-lane section with continuous sidewalk on one side of the road an enclosed storm drainage system and a dry detention basin Other improvements include curb and gutter new waterline infrastructure and associated utility relocations The City anticipates these improvements will support the City’s Livable Street Policy and Greenway Master Plan The project goals are mitigation of structural flooding and improved safety and operations This site is currently experiencing issues — The city of Lee’s Summit will close an intersection leading into downtown as it begins the Southwest Third Street improvement project The intersection at SW Third Street and SW Jefferson Street closes from Feb A detour is available to downtown via SW Second Street to SW Market Street Local businesses will also be accessible while work is ongoing The improvement project focuses on accessibility and infrastructure updates to the corridor from Blue Parkway to Jefferson Street There will be added pedestrian and bicycling features by continuing the sidewalks into downtown constructing a multi-use path and new street lights The improvements are exciting for the owners of the Historic Browning Bed and Breakfast Cynthia and Kevin Samsel said they see a bigger potential for more people to stay with them who are riding the Amtrak or biking the Katy Trail because of the bike lanes "I'm just looking forward to having it completed so we can spruce up the front of the house," Cynthia said "One of the things is people do race by Third Street Seems so that the new design will slow traffic down." Kevin said the changes will just enhance the city's charm “It’s going to extend the charm and the character of the downtown all the way past our house and down the road,” Kevin said storm drainage and water line infrastructure Utility relocation has been ongoing for the last two years the promised improvements keep her optimistic “We really look forward to an improved Third Street stretch from 50 Highway all the way to downtown," Adee said "Downtown is such a desirable location for people to go that seeing our businesses on the way will be really beneficial to all of us And with new sidewalks and street lights and unification of the area it's going to benefit us in the long run." Next door to Adee’s salon are new businesses Serenitea and The Paperback Bakery said her shop picked its location because of the proximity to downtown “I feel like the city is putting their arms around us and are including us as part of the plans," Byer said they're including this part of Third Street in that so in the long term it might be a headache for people getting here." The city’s website states work will run from February to November 2025 The project is budgeted for $7.95 million and is funded by the 1/2 cent sales tax That sales tax was approved by voters in 2017 to continue for another 15 years and allow money to be allocated for infrastructure projects such as this LEE'S SUMMIT, Mo — In the past several months, the Lee's Summit Housing Authority (LSHA) has been subject of a federal audit conducted by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) There have been accusations of former staff members shredding sensitive documents and complaints from property owners about late housing assistance payments Now, the housing authority is in the middle of a wave of resignations from the top down. The executive director left in September While the city of Lee's Summit has no oversight of the housing authority since it is a federal agency Lee's Summit Mayor Bill Baird accepted all of the resignations in a closed session Tuesday night It's unclear why their decisions were all made at once KSHB 41 attempted to contact all of the board members. Only one volunteer shared what led to their departure "I appreciate their service — some of them had been on the board for decades," Baird said "They just were in a tough situation and it was time for a reset and we're gonna reset." is unable to serve because she is not a resident of Lee's Summit "I'm working really hard to get them in a position to be taken care of," Baird said Tenants in the city's public housing have said they went to board members and a revolving door of executive directors for years about unhealthy living conditions and a lack of accountability Many of tenants felt ignored by leadership They placed some blame on the mayor who appoints the board I don't have regrets,' because its just the opposite I go over and over and over — 'Did I do it the right way The mayor said the city is currently waiting for results of an on-site compliance audit at the housing authority conducted by HUD in October "We want to know what has happened," Baird said "We don't have the ability to go in and look at their records; we don't have any oversight or any jurisdiction A HUD spokesperson shared a statement with KSHB 41 about any investigations or reviews into LSHA "We are working to ensure all of the families we serve have access to the quality From rooting out discrimination in housing to ensuring our nation's public housing stock are safe HUD is working with the Lee's Summit Housing Authority to make sure these residents are well-served," the spokesperson said in a statement he acknowledged the housing authority has been on the city's radar for the past year "We do CDBG [Community Development Block Grant] funds and we were trying to get compliance," Baird said but we couldn't fund their next request because we couldn't get compliance but we had money for repairs and renovations." The city of Lee's Summit posted the vacant board positions here The mayor said they are searching for experienced applicants who live in the city They prefer applicants with government experience experience hiring an executive director for a nonprofit and people who care about affordable housing The new board members will be responsible for hiring a new executive director to replace the interim Baird hopes the process will be complete by the end of the year Editor's Note: This story has been updated with information that a person appointed to the board is not eligible to serve due to residency requirements KSHB 41 reporter Alyssa Jackson covers portions of Johnson County, including neighborhoods in Overland Park, Shawnee and Mission. Share your story idea with Alyssa parents and community members in Lee's Summit demanded answers on a recommended closure of Lee's Summit Elementary School A few hundred people gathered in the Lee's Summit Elementary gym for the parent-teacher association meeting "The LSR-7 District CFMP Executive Summary does not state anywhere in the document about closures and consolidations," said Valerie Salazar Following a 20 minute presentation from the assistant superintendent of the Lee's Summit School District the floor opened for questions from the public Many were concerned about transparency in the district office "Westview and Lee's summit elementary have been declining for quite some time," said Dr "They're both in the 200 range — Lee’s Summit Elementary may drop below 200." administration outlined the project's decision making process following a year-long comprehensive facilities master planning process The district and its citizens advisory committee (CAC) will narrow the plan for a proposed $225 million bond issue slated for a vote in April 2025 LSR-7 admin told KSHB 41 the bond measure would not affect tax payer's wallets "We have three choices — we can do nothing and then as the building continues to climb we're going to have to pull staff out and put them in other parts of our district and that means class sizes will go up and the services go down," Buck said "We can do nothing for now but in a year make this decision then we won't have one building big enough to take all the families at one spot instead of splitting up among multiple schools or we do this now to upgrade and expand Westview Elementary to take on both populations." The largest component of consolidating the schools is enrollment According to the district's presentation Tuesday night Westview and Lee's Summit Elementary have seen a 10% decline in enrollment from 2023-2025 LSR-7 leaders claim consolidating the two schools would create greater academic achievement among it's student body and we don't want to split the community," Buck said Salazar told KSHB 41's Claire Bradshaw district administrators did not warn or consult with PTA leaders ahead of its recommended closure Lee's Summit School District offereed one-on-one interview with local media partners with Buck ahead of the PTA meeting KSHB 41 asked why the PTA was involved in the conversation "It went straight to citizens' advisory committee and they made decisions of recommending it to the board," Buck said "We decided to add extra steps last week and the week prior to engage staff and community." KSHB 41 asked if the administration's decision would be final and if families could change the decision of its recommendation Buck explained he and other administrators would stay as long as possible to answer questions during or after the Tuesday PTA meeting Steve Shelton did not veer from their talking points leading to several outbursts from the crowd The two consistently reassured family member that students are their number one priority Many questions from the audience stemmed over the abrupt nature of the school district's decision "I'm trying to be as transparent and forthright as possible about a very difficult decision," Buck said 19 - CAC Meeting; will finalize recommendation for the use of funds for the bond 5 - LSR7 Board of Education work session meeting; CAC final recommendation will be presented to the members of the Board of Education 19 - LSR7 Board of Education meeting (final decision on use of funds for the bond issue will be voted on) April 2025 - General Election anticipated to include the LSR7 bond issues The district says it will not sell Lee's Summit Elementary and plans to re-purpose the site LSR7 anticipates two outcomes: close Lee's Summit Elementary in the future and redistributing families between multiple attendance areas or reducing staff which would increase class sizes and reduce services students would attend school at Westview Elementary in 2028; teachers and staff would go with the students with a few staff members being placed around the district as a job opening becomes available KSHB 41 reporter Ryan Gamboa covers Miami County in Kansas and Cass County in Missouri. Share your story idea with Ryan — A Lee’s Summit West High School teacher is in custody after being charged with child pornography Federal prosecutors Friday announced charges of possession and distribution of child pornography against Seth Brummond According to court documents filed in support of the charges from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that a Kik Messager App user - later identified as Brummond had uploaded photos and videos of child pornography to the service Lee’s Summit police used previous records to tie the address of the computer associated with uploads with Brummond they filed for emergency disclosure requests of user information from AT&T and Google detectives staked out outside of Brummond’s Greenwood Officers conducted a traffic stop and took Brummond into custody Brummond allegedly admitted to using Kik for several years but only in recent months used it for child pornography He allegedly confirmed to detectives that he knew what he was doing “was immoral and wrong to view and share them.” the Lee’s Summit R-7 School District said they were aware of the charges facing Brummond and said he had been placed on administrative leave The district said they do not believe that any district students were part of the charges against Brummond though encouraged parents and guardians to contact police if they have any concerns “These charges are serious and we are being fully responsive to this situation,” the district said in the statement “Our focus right now is supporting the well-being of students who may be distressed by this news with counseling and community resources in addition to making plans to ensure that learning is not disrupted when students return from winter break.” The Lee’s Summit City Council met January 14 to discuss these issues Religious Freedom Day ProclamationMayor Baird issued a proclamation declaring Jan celebrating the right to religious freedom for all citizens and Missouri constitutions affirm the right to freely exercise religious faith or nonreligious beliefs in public without depriving of other rights and privileges protects and encourages all residents of diverse backgrounds to hold and support a pluralistic society strengthening society and fostering a culture of tolerance and peace PRI Property StatusCity Council received an update from the City about the status of the Suburban Land Reserve for the development of 4,203 acres owned by Property Reserve the property investment arm of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints The 1,064 acres north of Northeast Colbern Road and east of Interstate 470 highway are designed to have commercials The 3,141-acre property southwest of Downtown Lee’s Summit is designed for commercial has 1,002 acres on the market and will have six parks Property Reserve plans to release land in five-year tranches which Suburban Land Reserve will sell to developers The size of the tranches will depend on the market and infrastructure improvements The next steps are to continue to develop land use plans evaluate financing scenarios and develop an infrastructure financing plan Parks & Recreation Project UpdatesThe Parks Board presented Lee’s Summit Parks and Recreation (LSPR) project updates to City Council LSPR invested $740,000 in neighborhood park renovations and $540,000 in playground surface replacement for $1.3 million in park improvements Some highlighted upcoming projects include a park at the Resource Recovery Park Longview Master Plan and pickleball complex The park at the Resource Recovery Park will be located at the former landfill and is planned to have a welcome center The next steps for the project are formalizing an agreement with the City funding the project and planning phase one A master plan is being developed for 13 acres acquired from the Metropolitan Community Colleges/Longview The master plan includes the first phase development of 8-12 pickleball courts with lighting a plaza area with shade structures and seating and site furnishings planned to be built in the summer or fall of 2025 Future development at Longview includes a large playground food truck area and ADA parking improvements Next steps include gathering feedback from local pickleball player groups Parks and Recreation plans to develop the Bailey Farm Park and Nature Center on land donated by the Bailey family on Ranson Road in 2000 the park has a community garden with 48 plots constructed in 2016 The Bailey Farm Park Master Plan includes the development of a visitor center an incubator space to showcase farming techniques Next steps include $7.5 million in funding through a CIP through fiscal year 2028 updates to the master plan and designs in 2025 LSPR is seeking a partner or donation to realize the full project scope and plans The Safety Town project would be an indoor and outdoor venue teaching life safety skills for children Safety activities would include pedestrian The project has $1 million in funding for fiscal year 2026 and will begin site selection and planning in spring 2025 Council Vacancy Fulfillment ProcessThe council discussed the process the Council Rules Committee recommended to fill the open District 4 seat qualified residents of District 4 who have an interest in filling the vacant seat can apply by visiting the City Clerk’s Office in City Hall during business hours 11 for candidates moving forward in the process The public can submit questions for the candidates to answer during the forum by emailing the City Clerk’s Office A list of applicants will be maintained on the City’s website the council approved a resolution establishing the procedure for appointing a new council member following a vacancy on the city council Lee’s Summit R-7 libraries roll out unique program that balances censorship concerns amid book challenges In trying to strike a balance between the rights of parents and censorship the Lee’s Summit R-7 School District has come up with a unique solution — one that provides a new option for parents who want control over what their kids check out but without removing books altogether there's going to be two sides,” Amy Taylor the Lee’s Summit district’s coordinator of library and media services Taylor has worked in the district for 31 years including the last three in her current role She’s also been a teacher and school librarian with a passion for the power and importance of reading “We want to build people who love reading and we also want to build people who are critical thinkers and that are prepared to succeed But the district hasn’t been immune from nationwide culture wars targeting library materials which helped prompt the district to find a middle ground that stops short of banning books “Parents have always been able to call and ask that we or and talk with the librarians about if they want certain books to be restricted from their students,” Taylor said What we've done now is we've formalized the process.” Even though the number of challenged books dropped to zero last school year the Lee’s Summit school board discussed the issue at a work session in November and found a way to adjust its checkout process parents are able to opt into a system that allows them to place up to 20 books on a restricted list when they (the student) go to the self checkout they can't self checkout any longer,” Taylor said “They'll have to go to the library desk and ask either the library clerk or the librarian to check out for them.” Parents also will receive an email when books are checked out Taylor doesn’t mind when parents take an interest in what their children read “We have always encouraged parents to have conversations with their students about what it is they're reading,” she said “When their little ones come home with a book from the library we really want them to dig into their backpack and pull out the book and read it with them When their teens and their young adults come home we would love for them to read the book alongside them and have conversations about what it is that they're reading it's always been a push that parents are involved I think it's part of the growth of a reader.” the process to limit the books their kids can access starts with a call to the school’s library “We want to make sure parents are aware of exactly how that system works and make sure they're aware of exactly what they're asking for so we ask that parents call their librarian,” Taylor said we didn't have anybody that had moved their child to restricted status.” it’s a compromise the district is happy to offer — and one that’s believed to be unique to the Kansas City area