Good morning, Olathe.

On Thursday, developers held a groundbreaking for Halo Ridge, an ultra-accessible entertainment district at the southwest corner of 119th Street and Renner Boulevard.

Backed by the Hunt family, the 64-acre project features an amusement park, sports arena, and medical facility and is set to open in early 2027.

U.S. News and World Report ranked Olathe, Overland Park and Shawnee among the nation's 250 best places to live, with Olathe topping Kansas at 79th overall.

Median income and short commutes helped earn the high ranking (criteria include affordability, job market and quality of life).

Earlier this week, Amazon’s Prime Air drones began deliveries in the Kansas City metro as Shawnee resident Harley Huggins shared a video of a drone dropping off a package in his front yard (the drones carry packages in closed compartments for select items).

Local voters in Olathe will soon decide on a consolidation plan for school buildings after closures in Hickman Mills and Leavenworth—driven by a national drop in birth rates and a nearly 7% projected decline in Kansas student enrollment.

Experts say the move may allow districts to focus resources on improving curriculum.

The Olathe school district is planning school closures and consolidations as declining enrollment forces changes over the next 15 years — a task force will review options soon with final decisions expected in January, and a bond proposal for facility upgrades is on the ballot until March 3.

Introduce a Girl To Engineering Day 2026

8 a.m. – 5 p.m. — Bartle Hall — Free entry — Explore engineering through hands-on activities and engaging discussions with women engineers.