— Panera Bread notified state and local leaders last week it plans to close its distribution facility in Lenexa by late May In a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification filed on Friday The closure of the plant will leave 59 people unemployed “All affected employees have been notified in writing of the permanent facility closure and of the termination of their employment effective May 21 “Panera is offering all affected employees a severance package as well as outplacement services.” A request for comment from company officials over the weekend wasn’t immediately returned as of late Monday morning Report a typo — The Lenexa Police Department is dealing with a mail theft scheme the department has never seen before It started with the seemingly mundane task of dropping off mail at the post office and ended up with more than $2 million in fraudulent public information officer with the Lenexa Police Department That was not the case for about 40 Lenexa residents who dropped off checks at the outdoor post office mailbox on Monrovia and later found out they were stolen so we're talking not only Lenexa but 10 agencies in Johnson County who have seen similar crimes," Chavez said VOICE FOR EVERYONE | Share your voice with KSHB 41’s Sarah Plake "No one's any the wiser until they hear from their mortgage company and say KSHB 41 News obtained some of the Lenexa theft reports which gave us more insight into how the suspects are carrying out the crimes 16 stated the victim put her check in the outdoor mailbox and discovered someone intercepted it and cashed it at another bank for $5,000 Another woman's name was written on the check 17 said the victim was notified that an unknown person was attempting to cash an IRS check that he'd previously dropped off at the mailbox Another report from January said a woman mailed out a $4,200 check to the county to pay her taxes RELATED | Lenexa police say thieves used stolen checks from USPS mailboxes in $500K fraud which were stolen and "used to forge fraudulent checks to steal money from the victim's bank accounts." That victim suffered a $15,000 loss Chavez said Lenexa victims are out $500,000 "I can't say I've seen this particular trend come and go in my 20-plus years here," Chavez said I can't say that we've seen it to this scope." Chavez said Lenexa police haven't heard of any thefts in the last month since they put extra patrols around the post office He said detectives are working with other police departments to check surveillance and compare patterns One of Overland Park's post offices covered its outdoor mailbox in tape and posted a sign telling customers to use the indoor box Police are working in conjunction with the United States Postal Service and the FBI A USPS regional representative told KSHB 41 they've determined the suspects are using stolen keys and counterfeit keys to get into the mailboxes USPS is in the middle of a nationwide effort to replace locks and mailboxes The police offer these tips to help safeguard your money: Allen took on the role of Vice President and Chief Financial Officer on Dec He most recently served as Director of Finance for AdventHealth Shawnee Mission and previously served as the Director of Finance for AdventHealth South Overland Park and AdventHealth Ottawa "This is a well-deserved promotion for Rodney," says Sissel Jacob president and chief executive officer of AdventHealth Lenexa City Center "He has been successful in each of his leadership roles in the AdventHealth Mid-America Region by combining business acumen with a servant-leader heart." Allen holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Michigan - Flint and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Andrews University He is also a graduate of Leadership Overland Park through the Overland Park Chamber of Commerce Noland assumed the role of Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer on Jan after serving as Assistant Chief Nursing Officer for AdventHealth Shawnee Mission With more than 25 years of healthcare experience including 15 years serving as a nurse executive Noland obtained Board-certification in Nurse Executive Advanced and became a Certified Patient Safety Professional and Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality all contributing to her success as a leader and relational leader with a proven track record of transforming healthcare environments into positive workplaces where team members thrive,” said Jacob having shared her expertise on topics such as employee engagement and improving patient experience at various conferences and institutions.” Teresa holds a Master of Business Administration in Healthcare Management and a Master of Nursing Allen and Noland are among a few of the many hires that have recently occurred at AdventHealth Lenexa City Center the first being the appointment of Jacob to the role of President and Chief Executive Officer in July 2024 Our website uses cookies. Please review our privacy policy to find out more about the cookies we use Browsing our website means you accept these terms — Stephen Kaspar is one step closer to legalizing pet raccoons in Kansas after testifying before the state legislature last month has been fascinated with raccoons since he made a papier-mâché version as a little boy He carried it with him through the years until it was lost during his adulthood the hands… It’s always been one of those little creatures that I’m like this is the coolest thing ever,” Kaspar said “I want people to know they are not these disease aggressive balls of fur that run around your yard Kaspar has been channeling his paternal instincts when caring for his backyard raccoons It all started when he left out some marshmallows for them to eat so his indoor cats had something to watch it has become routine for Kaspar to step outside He brings the treats and the raccoons bring their appetite “I would caution people that want to just go out and start throwing marshmallows at raccoons There is a process — it’s about trust,” Kaspar explained That process and trust led Kaspar to the Kansas Legislature He testified in support of House Bill 2297 Joe Seiwert in order to legalize pet raccoons in the state HB 2297 requires a permit from the Kansas Animal Health Commissioner Owners must take an educational course on raccoon care vaccinate their raccoons for rabies and consent to yearly inspections It also outlines the necessary fees so that the state would not immediately go in deficit by bringing this program to Kansas: “My bill actually is not for wild raccoons “I put these safe-guards in place that you had to jump through a lot of hoops.”But Kathleen Savaiano with the Missouri Department of Conservation believes domestication of wild animals takes hundreds of years “It is not something that through the evolution of breeding that you’re going to breed out the wildness,” Savaiano said And they are not seeing the animal for [what] it truly is — that wild animal that has a purpose out in nature,” Savaiano said The Kansas Department of Health and Environment sent KSHB 41 a long statement outlining its concerns HB 2297 is sitting in the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee it is in limbo until the legislative adjournment in May “There’s so much misinformation from diseases and rabies and temperament and it’s baffling to me how misunderstood they are,” Kaspar said KSHB 41 anchor/reporter JuYeon Kim covers agricultural issues and the fentanyl crisis. Share your story idea with JuYeon Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInLENEXA the Lenexa Police Department reported the deaths of two women as a suspected homicide According to a release, officers were called to a residence in the 15400 block of W. 90th Street around 5 a.m They intended to perform a welfare check on the residents after they received information that someone may have been shot they found two adult women who were both dead from apparent gunshot wounds LPD believes they are related to each other He is an adult man who is also believed to be related to the women Lenexa Master Police Officer Danny Chavez said the city has historically seen very low homicide totals the other being a fatal DUI crash in mid-January Chavez said the department is investigating four calls for service that were made from the home since Sunday “The circumstances and individual that precipitated the initial call that led us to the welfare check is still under investigation at this time,” he stated Editor’s note: This is a breaking news story More information will be released as it becomes available — Police agencies across the Kansas City area say they are continuing to investigate thefts from USPS mailboxes suspects steal mail from USPS mailboxes — including those at USPS branches — looking for checks they can “wash” and then change the amount and the payee Last week police in Lenexa estimated thieves have used washed checks to generate $500,000 worth of fraudulent checks Earlier this year, Overland Park police and the United States Postal Inspection Service launched an investigation after stolen mail from USPS mailboxes was reported outside the USPS branch in downtown Overland Park An Overland Park police spokesperson told KSHB 41 News Tuesday that although the number of stealing reports has slowed in recent weeks Police suggest that people sending checks through the mail write their checks using a gel pen that makes it more difficult to “wash” the checks Residents are also encouraged not to use outdoor USPS mailboxes after hours and on weekends or to consider electronic forms of payment instead Crime Stoppers could offer you a cash reward (KCTV) - A double shooting in Lenexa has left one person dead and another person hospitalized Wednesday afternoon The Lenexa Police Department said it happened at an apartment in the 7600 block of Halsey That location is The Meadows Apartment Homes One person is dead and another person was transported via ambulance to an area hospital A Lenexa Police spokesperson confirmed officers were dispatched to the area at 4 p.m “At this time we do not have anyone in custody and are still investigating the circumstances,” police said at 5 p.m Police said parking lots for the apartment complex are closed Lenexa Police said a man who was taken to the hospital was conscious and standing on his own when he met police in the parking lot Authorities said it appeared the man was shot in the head The woman who died was found inside the apartment Police said they have not ruled out an attempted murder-suicide as they investigate the shooting Lenexa Police said Wednesday night they are working to determine the relationship between the two individuals KSHB 41 reporter Olivia Acree covers portions of Johnson County, Kansas. Share your story idea with Olivia Lenexa is asking voters to approve the renewal of a 3/8 cent sales tax that was originally approved in 2008 providing funding for a variety of city projects the funds have been used for several significant projects park developments and the construction of the Lenexa Rec Center in 2017 these essential projects will lose funding after 2028 To ensure there’s time to plan in case the tax fails the city is putting the measure on the ballot early "Forty percent of this funding is paid for by visitors to Lenexa," said Mayor Julie Sayers "Anyone who visits Lenexa for tourism purposes or works here a $30 gas purchase would incur only an 11-cent tax while a $75 grocery bill would see a 28-cent tax Mayor Sayers said the value residents get from the tax — funding projects such as trails recreational facilities and road improvements — is greatly appreciated “We certainly understand that every penny is precious these days,” Sayers said we feel is a balanced way to fund these things that Lenexa has really seem[ed] to get a lot of value back for.” Ballots for the vote will be mailed to all registered Lenexa voters on Wednesday ballots must be returned to the Johnson County Election Office or placed in a drop box by April 1 police he shot and killed his aunt and mother Tuesday in their Lenexa home is charged in Johnson County Court with two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of his mother Howard went into a Liberty Walgreens store Tuesday with blood on his clothes and told two pharmacists he needed to turn himself in to the police told police he shot his aunt because she had evicted him from his Lenexa house Lenexa Police officers went to a house about 5 a.m Wednesday in the 15400 block of West 90th Street and found Howard dead on the living room floor The also found Austin dead on a living room couch A relative of Joyce Austin called Lenexa police Wednesday morning to find out if his mother was dead He told police he knew Howard had a rifle and handgun in the house Howard said his mother grabbed his neck and pushed him Valerie Howard told police Howard was violent toward her in 2021 and that she and Austin locked themselves in their rooms as much as possible Howard was in the Clay County Jail Tuesday night No word on when he will be returned to Johnson County to face the murder charges a Canadian-based provider of flexible packaging told local and state officials last week it plans to lay off up to 65 employees at its facility in Lenexa In a WARN Notice filed Wednesday company officials said the company plans to permanently lay off between 45 to 65 employees at its plant at 10810 Mid America Drive in Lenexa the company plans to keep the facility open the company wrote in the filing that 159 employees worked at the facility KSHB 41 News has reached out to the company for comment This story will be updated if one is received KANSAS CITY, Mo. — KC Bier Co. is expanding to Lenexa in what will be "one of the largest and most authentic Bavarian-style Biergartens" in the United States, the company announced The popular Kansas City German-style brewery said the new location will open near 98th Street and Ridgeview Road Beer enthusiasts can expect a large Bierhalle a covered patio and a Biergarten with a children's play area The Biergarten will also include an amphitheater and an off-leash dog zone The menu at the Lenexa location will include a mix of American items like pizza and popular German street foods like Döner Kebab said it expects the location to open in early 2026 Johnson County women-owned bakery The Pantry is closing Sunday But The Pantry’s co-owner, baker and chef, Deepal Patel, said it is only temporary.  She is shutting down retail and wholesale operations to focus on finding a bigger Johnson County spot, hopefully close to her current location, and then oversee the build-out for the new bakery. “We are just ready to get more space and we would really like to own the real estate. It’s time to level up,” she said. View this post on Instagram A post shared by European Style Baked Treats in KC (@thepantrykc) Patel grew up in Wales and earned a degree in genetics at Purdue University in 2010.  But then she started taking cake decorating class with girlfriends at a local community college in the United Kingdom I just spent more and more time doing it and had less and less interest in the research I was doing,” she said Patel earned a degree from the New England Culinary Institute in Vermont in 2015 and worked at famed The Little Nell luxury 5-Star hotel in Aspen Then she was recruited to be the executive pastry chef at Crown Center hotels and restaurants.  She later partnered with a fellow hotel employee to open The Pantry (7760 Quivira Rd Her partner is still involved but now lives in Colorado The Pantry expanded by taking over the back half of a neighboring business But there is still not enough space for the growing business The retail bakery offers such items as breakfast burritos, frittatas, crossandwiches (bacon, cheddar and a fried egg on a toasted all-butter croissant), scones, cinnamon rolls, muffins, cruffins, cookies, cheesecake and more including custom designed cakes (Kansas City magazine wrote about Patel’s scones and clotted cream for our Breakfast feature in 2022) It is only open to the public from 8 am to 3 pm offering fan favorites and new creations.  “The goal is always to introduce Kansas City to British classics,” Patel said “We sell more scones than anything else – very tender definitely not cakey and served with clotted cream prepared in-house.” The Pantry focuses on wholesale accounts during the week Patel said: “We’re grateful for the support you’ve shown us during our time at our current location: 7 amazing years and we can’t wait to share our new chapter with you!” Kansas City magazine keeps readers updated on the latest news in twice-weekly newsletter.  Dish brings you food news and our critic picks.  The Loop offers exclusive news reports and our curated events picks It is often said that there is no middle ground.. These prominent golden-agers talk about lifelong achievements KC restauranteurs and husband and wife duo Pam and Ted.. we help our readers celebrate our city’s triumphs tend to its faults and revel in the things that make it unique — The Lenexa Police Department is investigating a fatal crash that occurred at the intersection of West 89th Terrace and Park Street late Friday night officers responded to the scene of a reported injury crash officers found two vehicles involved in the collision Both vehicles had come to rest off the roadway in a nearby yard Two women were in the Ford; neither sustained injuries The Ford driver was taken into custody at the scene on suspicion of driving under the influence She has been identified as Amy Dawn Crouch Crouch has been charged by the Johnson County District Attorney's Office with second-degree murder The Toyota RAV4 was occupied by a woman who was pronounced dead at the scene A preliminary investigation showed that the Toyota was traveling northbound on Park Street when the Ford —  The Lenexa City Council voted Tuesday night to approve a request to increase the occupancy of a homeless shelter in the city from 30 to 50 people Council members voted 6-2 to approve the ordinance the group that runs the overnight shelter at Shawnee Mission Unitarian Universalist Church asked the city for an increase in the number of people they can serve The shelter agreed to modify the number of staff and volunteers who must be in the shelter during its operating hours The newly adopted ordinance also includes penalties for shelters that are found to go over capacity limits The Lenexa city members voted in September 2024 to turn down a special permit to convert the La Quinta Inn just off Interstate 35 and West 95th Street into a homeless shelter The shelter would have been run by reStart and motel converted to 50 non-congregate shelter units 25 transitional housing units and would have offered support services (KCTV) - A Lenexa man is facing first-degree murder charges after two of his family members and a neighbor’s dog were found fatally wounded after an overnight standoff The Lenexa, Kansas, Police Department says that around 8:20 p.m emergency crews were called to a home with reports of an armed disturbance Negotiators were called as standoff operations began investigators said negotiators were still at the scene attempting to speak with the man who barricaded himself in the home the Lenexa Tactical Team said members were able to make their way inside the home where they found Todd M He was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment law enforcement officials said they also found two other deceased individuals - Sheila and Tyler Donovan The neighbor’s dog was also found to have been fatally shot during the course of the night District Attorney’s Office said Donovan has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder as well as cruelty to animals The County Attorney’s Office has requested a bond of $2 million A court appearance has been set for Monday — The Overland Park and Lenexa fire departments partnered Wednesday morning to knock down a blaze near 108th and Bradshaw Firefighters noted light smoke from the split-level While firefighters got to work on the kitchen fire it was confirmed the occupant of the home had self-evacuated The resident was “transported to an area hospital in good condition with some smoke inhalation,” per an OPFD spokesperson The fire was extinguished in about 10 minutes and the cause of the fire remains under investigation is leaving the Lenexa Public Market to open in the Crossroads.  Cosmo will officially close in the Lenexa market on April 19. A press release teases a Crossroads move but gives no specific details as to the location or opening date.  “To bridge the transition for staff and guests, Cosmo Burger will offer pop-up lunch service at its Waldo location inside Dodson’s Bar & Commons (7438 Wornall Rd, KCMO) beginning April 20,” the press release states. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Cosmo Burger (@cosmoburger_kc) A recent Instagram post in collaboration with Centric Construction details the renovations taking place for the new locale. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Centric (@centric.build) “We are currently working on the roof and adding insulation to make sure everything meets code Materials for the storefront have been measured and ordered and we can’t wait to see the exterior take shape we’re making good progress on the walls so stay tuned for more sneak peeks of this exciting project,” the post states Stay updated on the transition and announcements by following @cosmoburger_kc on Instagram 28 | Police in Lenexa Friday released the name of a woman who was shot and killed Wednesday in an apartment Police say 22-year-old Sadie "Cayden" Riedel died Wednesday An adult male who was found suffering from a gunshot wound to the head remains in serious condition Police say Riedel and the male were known to each other and lived together at the apartment Police say they are not looking for any other involved parties ORIGINAL REPORT | One person is dead and another is critically injured after a shooting inside an apartment Wednesday in Lenexa Police said the shooting happened about 4 p.m where The Meadows Apartment Homes are located The injured person was transported by ambulance to a local hospital Police said the person was conscious and walking around when police contacted him A preliminary investigation led officers to an apartment in the complex Detectives are investigating the relationship between the man and woman This is a developing story and will be updated After almost a year of discussions at both the county and city level the Lenexa City Council voted on Tuesday to deny a special use permit for a proposed Johnson County homeless shelter off Interstate 35 A more than six-hour council meeting that stretched past midnight ended with a majority of the governing body agreeing that plans for the shelter, also known as the Homeless Services Center were too flawed to approve a permit needed for it to operate “I think it creates more of a downside than upside,” Councilmember Chris Herron said Councilmembers Melanie Arroyo and Courtney Eiterich cast the two votes in favor of approving the permit In late 2023, Johnson County commissioners approved a plan to use $6 million of federal coronavirus relief funds to buy the 2.6-acre property at Interstate 35 and 95th Street where there is currently at La Quinta Inn and Suites and an adjacent former Denny’s restaurant Additional costs for due diligence and repairs raised the price tag to an estimated $10.5 million The county’s plan was to turn the hotel into a living space for unhoused people so they could get the services they need to be able to get back into the workforce but a necessary step was for the city of Lenexa to approve a special use permit to allow the site to be used for the purposes of the shelter ReStart Inc., a Kansas City Missouri-based nonprofit whose mission is to end homelessness was tapped to operate the shelter and eventually would have taken ownership of the property the shelter would have provided 50 units for single adults who are unhoused on a referral basis for stays that would range from 30 to 90 days Another 25 units were proposed for transitional potentially longer-term housing needs of up to 24 months for which the clients would pay rent based on income including representatives from The Good Faith Network viewed the federal money as a rare chance to address homelessness without using city tax money a founder of the Good Faith Network and lead pastor at Restoration Church in Olathe said in an interview with the Johnson County Post prior to the meeting in reference to the coronavirus relief funds which must be allocated by the end of this year “This is a once-in-a-lifetime kind of situation where we have some money to throw into this as a county that isn’t going to come directly from Johnson County property taxes,” he said that approved annual shares of funding to help the shelter pay for initial operating costs It would have also relied on private donations and grants to meet expenses city staff recommended the project be denied for several reasons The new shelter plus the already existing Project 1020, which operates during the winter months out of the Shawnee Mission Unitarian Universalist Church a few blocks away from the La Quinta hotel could concentrate negative impacts on that area and cause it to become a “homeless services hub” for the entire county staff said in their report to the planning commission A police department assessment concluded that the new shelter would strain its resources requiring almost $600,000 annually to hire two additional full-time officers and a co-responder Staff also argued that the shelter was likely to attract loitering panhandling and unsanitary conditions that could contribute to blight and prompt calls for service The center could attract unscheduled drop-offs even though it is slated to take clients by referral only leaving those dropped off with few options but to linger in the neighborhood remained in flux because of the abbreviated timeline the use as a shelter would be inconsistent with a key redevelopment area along Quivira Road The site is within a tax increment financing district set up to combat blight and has already attracted new businesses Johnson County commissioners and religious leaders lobbied the council to approve the permit religious leaders from the Good Faith Network held a prayer vigil outside of Lenexa City Hall to show their support for the proposed shelter the past couple of months have been stressful and exhausting as they said they tried to correct what they saw as disinformation and offensive characterizations of the homeless as well as local officials who supported the project “The resistance to this project at this point has been shameful but the way these folks are going about it drawings to stir up anti-immigrant sentiment and misleading people and stoking fear almost every councilmember noted offensive messages and cartoons they had received “The political cartoons that are out there about elected officials who give up their time and their energy to spend on this hours and hours and hours is also really embarrassing,” Eiterich said the council listened to public comments from Lenexa residents as well as people from around Johnson County and the greater Kansas City area A majority of the opinions expressed were in support of the shelter coming from members of The Good Faith Network as well as advocates for unhoused people and former and current homeless shelter staff from around Kansas City Speakers repeatedly mentioned the unprecedented and time-limited nature of the federal funding as well as their desire for Lenexa to be a progressive city ‘What are you doing about homelessness?’ What’s your answer going to be?,” Barbara Isaacson the county’s answer has been to criminalize or hospitalize the homeless Providing a year-round [shelter] with intensive supportive services is a proven solution Those opposed to the shelter who spoke Tuesday worried that it would bring more homeless people to the area and if the shelter was full “(ReStart) supports a way to end homelessness this property will attract and increase homelessness concentrated in an area already,” Theresa Murphy “Lenexa is being asked to bear the brunt of this project Several people also mentioned that while Johnson County commissioners approved this project they didn’t attend the council or planning commission meetings why is [Chair] Mike Kelly and Commissioner Jeff Meyers not here tonight in support (of it)?” Mike Feller about what they say as inconsistencies with the submitted project Councilmember Chelsea Williamson brought up reStart Inc.’s past financial struggles which Boyer rebutted was happening shortly before she was hired and she helped correct Herron took issue with the additional taxpayer funds city staff could be needed to hire three officers even expressed doubt about the plan to fund the shelter’s annual expenses with the help of local cities’ per-capita contributions especially since three of Johnson County’s biggest cities — Overland Park Olathe and Shawnee — had not yet to commit to chipping in money “We have to go into this trying to make good decisions for our public dollars but also not put ourselves in a situation where Lenexa and its taxpayers are picking up the bill for anything that might happen,” Eiterich said A majority of council supported denying the permitWhile each council member prefaced their vote by thanking the audience and acknowledging a need for providing shelter to the homeless It didn’t make sense to replace a hotel that’s currently operating with a shelter that won’t contribute to the city’s tax base and they’re the fifth highest generator of our transient guest tax,” he said Divided between the desire to address homelessness and the submitted plan Williamson said she wasn’t sold on the shelter “I feel like this is more of a just a diversion Band-Aid that just shelters them for a few months,” she said “I just don’t feel like we’re going to offer enough to really help them the project brought up too many questions and not enough answers I don’t think any of us have any of the answers Councilmember Melanie Arroyo expressed disappointment in the way homeless people had been characterized during debate over the shelter not only in e-mails and political cartoons “(An) issue that the city unfortunately overlooked is that unhoused individuals with weak health die in the streets or county every year because of lack of services “Approving the application for the shelter will save lives and therefore denying it would actually hurt people’s health.” While Eiterich viewed the plan as flawed and in need of fixes she also said something needs to happen now to address homelessness And so I will support this tonight,” she said “I believe that while there are flaws and holes in this particular plan and I don’t want to be on the wrong side of it.” Bill Nicks and Williamson voted against the permit all of the parties involved will have to go back to the drawing board In a letter sent to the city before Tuesday’s vote, reStart officials said there appeared to have been solid support from city officials during the run-up to the city’s planning commission meeting in August and that the staff recommendation to deny the permit was “inappropriate and unfair.” the council convened behind closed doors for a 45-minute executive session to discuss reStart’s letter City Manager Beccy Yocham responded to some of the letter’s claims we asked questions … But one thing we did not ever do during the pre-application process was to indicate staff support of this application,” she said said the company will look to make sure everything was done by the rules “We wouldn’t be doing our jobs as advocates of this work if we don’t look to dig deeper into it to see What will happen to the federal money remains to be seen the COVID-19 relief funds left to the county must be obligated by Dec 31 of this year and spent by the end of 2026 That leaves a small window of time for homeless shelter advocates to find a new project that could fund “We still have some time here,” Boyer said “We’ve been thinking in our mind some plans B I think there will still be some opportunities to allocate that at least to some sort of housing response to the exact people that this center would have targeted So we look forward to continuing to engage in those conversations.” Mayor Julie Sayers said the city hopes this discussion will open up a larger dialogue across Johnson County to help find suitable places to house people without homes “We welcome the opportunity to share what we have learned over the past five years and apply that knowledge as a participant in a countywide collaborative approach to finding appropriate solutions,” she said we will be at the table any time a discussion is taking place about a broader countywide solution.” This story was originally published by the Johnson County Post. Get the best experience and stay connected to your community with our Spectrum News app. Learn More Sharice Davids toured SOR Controls in Lenexa on Tuesday SOR Controls is a Kansas Manufacturing Solutions (KMS) client KMS helps small and mid-sized manufacturers across the state of Kansas stay competitive and develop leaders Davids met with workers to promote her Defend American Manufacturing Act which would be a long-term plan to support federal funding The Trump administration recently cut MEP (Manufacturing Extension Partnership) funding The funding will last until the end of the year raising questions about jobs at KMS and many manufacturing sites Davids hopes the Defend American Manufacturing Act will continue job growth and meet economic needs of manufacturing for years to come Davids notes that this federal program pays for itself as it has untold benefits for a growing market share and the wealth of expertise that Kansas Manufacturing Solutions offers The announcement that funding will end at year’s end will affect not only manufacturing but also communities.  “The uncertainty of the administration’s tariff policy approach has been at times irresponsible and reckless This level of uncertainty and chaos it’s not good for business it’s not good for communities,” Davids said.  CEO Tiffany Stovall of Kansas Manufacturing Solutions wants people to know that 98% of U.S manufacturers are small to medium-sized businesses and that funding cuts will hinder their sustainability and growth While that is intended to bring back manufacturing to the United States they all don’t know how to navigate this changing tariff climate They need support from the MEP Program more than ever,” Stovall said.