Woman-led

Toll project won’t just make Kansas’ most dangerous roadway safer, Davids says; it’ll be smarter

OVERLAND PARK — Two new express lanes along U.S. 69 in south Johnson County are expected to boost businesses, consumers, economic development and tourism as Kansas continues to grow and global events like the 2026 World Cup are added to the region’s roster, said Sharice Davids. “It’s all connected — our entire state,” said U.S….

Shop Local KC moving its flagship maker store to Brookside, expects flower business to bloom

Shop Local KC is closing its flagship Midtown location as it prepares to open a new storefront in Brookside Sept. 1, according to owner Katie Mabry Van Dieren. The retail gift and flower shop plans to depart its original location at 3630 Main St. as the building developer, Exact Partners, seeks to use the space…

Bottom line, their ‘Grief Forecast’ calculates how much ignoring employees’ loss will cost a company

An Overland Park-based HRtech startup has added new tools to its B2B software platform that equips corporate leaders with the necessary knowledge to support grieving employees. This summer, Workplace Healing launched its Grief Forecast, a free resource that calculates how much a company will lose from its annual bottom line by not properly supporting employees…

Sunflower fest opens at KC Wine Co as popular pumpkin patch grows into year-round destination

Transforming from a Jurassic farm to a winter wonderland, the green thumbs at KC Pumpkin Patch have grown their niche as a year-round destination in rural southwest Johnson County. Next set to bloom: a sunflower-rich selfie oasis on the prairie (with wine). “We loved having folks come for the fall [pumpkin patch] season, but people…

Hemp could be the next superfood: How one state-backed company is connecting farmers to retailers now

Startland News’ Startup Road Trip series explores innovative and uncommon ideas finding success in rural America and Midwestern startup hubs outside the Kansas City metro.  AUGUSTA, Kansas — A Kansas company specializing in agricultural and industrial hemp hopes that a collaborative, educational approach in a burgeoning industry will benefit farmers, the environment, and end users…