April 12th was the date for University of Central Missouri’s President’s Gala, “The Arts are the Future,” which was a virtual event this year. Jeanette Prenger and Debby Ballard were the honorary co-chairmen, with Bryan Busby serving as the emcee. Guests enjoyed performances by students and faculty that were recorded in Helzberg Hall at the […]

Weston Wood Thompson was born on March 29th. This darling baby boy is the son of Chandler Bramanti Thompson and Justin Ross Thompson of Leawood, Kansas. He weighed eight pounds, two ounces, and was 21 inches long. Weston has dark brown hair and blue eyes. His doting grandparents are Lisa and Kenneth Block of Mission […]

The National World War I Museum and Memorial is very grateful for the Aces volunteers. Each member of this remarkable and dedicated crew has donated more than 500 hours (in 2019 and again in 2020) of community service to the Museum and Memorial. They help support the organization’s mission by making sure guests have a memorable and wonderful experience at the […]

Fresh, elegant, sophisticated, and graceful – Paros Estiatorio, the new Greek-influenced neighbor in Mission Farms is just the vacation we haven’t been able to take and just the fare we didn’t know was missing from South Kansas City until we tasted it… and experienced it. Brought to life by Kozeta (Cozy) Kreka (she also owns […]

Many times, numbers speak with as much authority as words do. In the case of domestic violence, the numbers paint a frightening, if not more frightening, picture than the actual words which describe this trauma. One-in-three women and one-in-four men have experienced domestic violence.  There are 342 beds in our city for emergency shelter, and […]

Mr. and Mrs. William Perry Brandt of Our Town are pleased to announce the engagement of their daughter, Elizabeth Hundley Brandt, to Robert Walker Harbison II, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Keith Siegel Harbison of St. Louis, Missouri. The bride-to-be is the granddaughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. Hugh Almeron Sprague III and […]

Benedictine College’s virtual 2021 Scholarship Ball was a huge success. The event set a record for fundraising, and guests tuned in from across the United States and around the world to watch the fun. The program included performances by the Raven Regiment Marching Band, stories from featured students, and inspiring messages from Benedictine College President […]

I remember when I was pregnant with my first child, people would warn me that our dogs would absolutely move down the love line. As a lifelong animal lover, I would deny this theory over and over again and insist our pups would continue on as royalty. Today, approximately four years into the parenting vs […]

We ran into John Keeling and his work quite by kismet. (By the way – the word kismet is taken from Turkish and Arabic origin – qisma, meaning lot or portion, which extrapolates out to “fate” as in, our portion of luck came due on an ordinary Autumn weekend in Overland Park.) During the fall […]

“I have found that when you are deeply troubled, there are things you get from the silent devoted companionship of a dog that you can get from no other source.” – Doris Day    Companionship is the simple, defining factor of the special relationship between humans and dogs; it is the act of just being […]

A celebration of the remarkable pets of Our Town.  Sponsored by:       Cooper * The Silvey Family   Dobby and Haley Bowman Photo Credit: Nicole Bissey   Captain and Lillie * Lauren Fredrickson and Aaron Schmeltz   Dobby * Haley Bowman Photo Credit: Nicole Bissey   Dobby and Hank Bowman Photo Credit: Nicole […]

HALO’s Virtual ArtReach Auction, “The Main Event,” was held on February 26th. The evening featured the premiere of the HALO documentary short film, live entertainment, silent and live auctions, and Special Guest Oprah Winfrey, who interviewed HALO youth, Marjai. Proceeds support the organization’s mission to end childhood homelessness.   Meilene Robinette, Chelsea Tapken, Carly Schultze, […]

The Beta Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority and The Ivy Community Service and Education Foundation hosted the 68th Debutante Ball on February 26th. The theme for the virtual event was “A Celebration of Grandeur and Grace.” Twyla Woods-Buford, the midwestern regional director, gave a special greeting. Kimberlyn Jones choreographed the waltz for the […]

Throughout history, stories have been told through poetry. My first introduction to these wonderful tales was through The Odyssey as I first delved into Greek mythology. After digging into other epic poems, the ability for stories to shape their culture became increasingly apparent. These works are kinetic and often times visceral with words that have […]

The University Academy Foundation, (formerly known as Friends of University Academy), is hosting its 2021 Spring Event on June 3rd at the UA Stadium. The plans call for family-friendly fun, complete with entertainment, games, and refreshments. Proceeds will help fund educational programs and opportunities that support college readiness, college completion, and career success for UA […]

Giles Pendleton Cain began writing for The Independent in 1911. His column focused on the theater. It was originally titled “Little Stories of Plays and Players,” later shortened to “Concerning Plays and Players” and finally to “Plays and Players.” He would also write other columns, such as “Petticoat Lane Levities” and “This, That and the […]

Kathy and Gary Bussing make a fantastic philanthropic couple, and Jackson County CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) is very grateful to them for their time and talent. These longtime supporters have donated their efforts to the organization for the last 13 years. Kathy is a volunteer and former board member who has advocated for more […]

Molly Krause works as a tax manager for CBIZ. In her free time, Molly is a dedicated volunteer at Junior Achievement. She serves as a Future Women’s Leadership Forum mentor and is a member of the Young Professionals advisory board. In her role on the advisory board, Molly strives to involve other young professionals in […]

Of course, we are all aware of times when rebranding didn’t work. Coca Cola comes to mind first. The new Coke was the new disaster. No one wanted it, protests happened, surely some jobs were lost, and it finally went away. The Gap rebranded the logo of the clothing retailer during a holiday season… confusion […]

Some restaurants require diving in with both feet – or hands, as it might be in this case. Eating Ethiopian food is an intensely interactive activity, a community experience, and really something everyone should try – at least once! My world-traveler husband was much better prepared than I for our journey to Ethiopia via Downtown […]

Save the date for Johnson County Library Foundation’s virtual 2021 Library Lets Loose celebration on September 18th. The free, family-friendly event will benefit lifelong learning resources in our community. Join Honorary Hosts Denise and Rick Mills for the festive event, which also coincides with the organization’s 25th anniversary. Also featured in the March 20, 2021 […]