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 […]

I can Harry Houdini our home and my life to trick anyone into thinking I’ve got it together.  Spilled milk? Throw a blanket over it! Kids toys? Toss them downstairs. Counter clutter? Shove it in a drawer.  At the surface our house seems orderly and tidy, but don’t you dare open a drawer or closet.  […]

To describe Tanya Hartman is to find words in the softest, most respectful, deepest, safe place in the heart. This gem of an artist, teacher, mentor, and human being is an angel among us, and she is creating every single day. Tanya is true to her background, her family, and her passion every single day. While […]

Randy Pope and Walter Porter were the co-chairmen, and Chanie and Tom Mitchell and Drs. Susan and Greg Sweat served as the honorary co-chairmen of The Hands and Hearts Auxiliary of Children’s Mercy’s Red Hot Night, “Virtually Over the Rainbow.” The 17th annual event, a benefit for the new Children’s Mercy Research Institute, was held […]

Dr. Morgan Elizabeth Gonder and Dr. Robert Wayne Weidling were married on September 26th. The bride is the daughter of Andrea and Gil Gonder of Loch Lloyd, Missouri. Her groom is the son of Vicky and William Weidling of Wilmington, Illinois. Morgan’s grandparents are Anne and Howard Elsberry of Leawood, Kansas, the late Norma Bossaler, […]

It’s really quite simple. Homelessness is defined as the lack of permanent housing. That means no roof, no electricity, no running water, no heat, no security, no place to put the keys – because no keys exist. The condition of homelessness has been a challenge throughout Kansas City’s history. The onset of a pandemic has […]

Elaine Ung York Lipsun and James Anderson Egerstrom were joined in matrimony on October 24th on the island of Maui in Wailea, Hawaii. The bride is the daughter of Elizabeth Ung York Lipsun and Antonio Yee Lipsun of Alhambra, California. Elaine is the granddaughter of the late May Lee Ng and Tony Ung York, and […]

“A woman with a voice is, by definition, a strong woman.” – Melinda Gates Throughout the world there are incredible women doing remarkable things. With International Women’s Day taking place on March 8th, I wanted to recommend a few memoirs and biographies by or about women from around the world. These are just a few […]

“Dan Cupid pranced merrily this summer, positive his persuasive powers would tie a nuptial knot of importance to Kansas City, a union of big business and much musical ability,” our scribe wrote, back in September 1929. The duo in the limelight were Margaret Jane Armstrong, a coloratura soprano, and Thomas Johnson Strickler, World War I […]

The 15th Annual Dancing With The Kansas City Stars!, a benefit for Cristo Rey Kansas City, will be held on June 26th at the Sheraton Kansas City Hotel at Crown Center. The Airline History Museum was the setting to announce seven stars, Nick Durand, Phil Glynn, Mike Jackson, Mary Haggerty Kroening, Kate O’Keefe, Julie Towner, […]

University Academy is forever grateful to Melynn Sight. Several years ago, Melynn inquired about volunteering at UA. She had a desire to educate children about bullying. Out of her passion were born two projects: Step Up Sisterhood and Stand Up Brotherhood, two anti-bullying groups in University Academy’s fourth grade. Since then, a new group, the […]

Olathe Medical Center is very grateful for Doris Chrisenbery, who has been volunteering there since 2011. She brings warmth and cheer to the lobby of the hospital and the cancer center every week, as she greets people. Doris serves on the ambassador finance committee, preparing the annual budget. She also volunteers at special events and […]

Beginners, be not afraid! Neophytes, knowledge is everything! Bravely go where others have tread and embrace the new, the tasty, the vegan. The land of all things vegan doesn’t mean that beef must be banished, it just means that eating a plant-based meal or two can be pleasant, nay – delicious! For those committed to […]

Mr. and Mrs. Douglas Arthur Schneweis of Shawnee, Kansas, are pleased to announce the engagement of their daughter, Abby Lynne Schneweis, to Richard Andrew Launder, the son of Mrs. David Branson Launder, Sr., of Prairie Village, Kansas, and the late Mr. Launder. The bride-to-be is the granddaughter of Mr. and Mrs. Larry Dean Johnson and […]

“My story is not unique or unusual. It’s about falling to depths never expected. It’s about all hope being gone,” said Jamie Boyle, CEO and president of Welcome House. Jamie talks the talk and walks the walk, every single day: the walk of sobriety, the walk of redemption, the walk of hope being right around […]