Shawnee Mission board members make rounds on local media to defend three-year unilateral contract. Current and former board presidents Heather Ousley and Brad Stratton have been making the rounds on local media outlets to defend the board of education’s decision to issue a three-year unilateral contract for Shawnee Mission teachers. Ousley appeared with Kansas City Star editorial page staffers Dave Helling and Michael Ryan on the newspaper’s Facebook page Thursday. The following day, Ousley and Stratton went on KCUR’s Up to Date with Steve Kraske.

Lenexa purchasing 5 new police vehicles, specialized tactical vehicle for public safety. The Lenexa city council on Feb. 4 unanimously agreed to purchase a specialized tactical vehicle and five new police vehicles for the city’s police department. The specialized tactical vehicle cost about $170,000, and the five new vehicles cost about $167,000.