Stay cool, Blue Valley!
☀️ Today’s forecast: Sunny and still hot, with a slight chance for rain. High: 94. Low: 72.
🚨 One thing to know today
Three Republican candidates now appear to be in the running to challenge Democratic U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids in 2024.
On Tuesday, Johnson County oncologist Prasanth Reddy formally launched his bid for Congress.
“As an immigrant, I’ve lived the American dream, and I’ve spent my life trying to give back to the country that gave me everything,” Reddy said in a statement. ““Right now, our country is at a breaking point, and there’s no time to sit on the sidelines.”
Reddy, an Indian-American who is currently an executive with Labcorp and an officer in the Air Force Reserve, emphasized the need to lower crime, secure the southern U.S. border and ensure that “parents have a voice” in their children’s education.
Meanwhile, small business owner Karen Crnkovich is also running as a Republican.
On her campaign website, Crnkovich emphasizes border security, support for small businesses and fiscal responsibility.
“We need thoughtful leaders in Congress who truly understand the problems plaguing our families, towns, and nation,” she said in a recent statement. “We need job creators and problem solvers who are committed to addressing main street issues.”
Multiple media outlets report a third GOP contender, Jonathon Westbrook, is also planning to run.
Westbrook is a former Kansas City, Kansas, police officer, a one-time White House Fellow and the current treasurer of the Kansas Black Republican Council.
Davids has won Kansas’ Third Congressional District in three straight elections, all by double digit margins over her Republican rivals.
In a statement, Davids’ campaign said any Republican challenger should be pressed on their stance on abortion.
“The Republicans are in a race to the right to find the most extreme, anti-abortion candidate despite Kansans’ overwhelming support of reproductive rights as shown in the anti-abortion amendment vote last year and in the November election. Any Republican candidate that can’t definitively say they voted against the dangerous anti-abortion amendment vote last year … will have to answer for their radical and out of step position,” the statement said.
🗓 Public meetings Thursday
- Johnson County Library Board, 4 p.m. [More info]
🚀 Post’s top Wednesday stories
- 40-acre Metcalf Village project would remake this south Overland Park site
- Commission OKs revised Schlagel Farms plan in south Overland Park
- What Leawood drivers can expect as Mission Road gets overhauled
- Blue Valley school board candidates split into 2 slates
- Argument ends in shootings that injure 2 teens in Overland Park
📰 Other local news
- Report names Overland Park as the best city in which to rent in U.S. Personal finance website WalletHub’s new national rankings put Overland Park at the top, given high marks for relative affordability and quality of life. [WIBW]
- Kansas Supreme Court gives Overland Park attorney probation. Christopher Barnds, founder and managing partner of Barnds Law LLC, was accused of making threats against the spouses or former spouses of his clients in several family law cases. [Kansas City Business Journal]
- Overland Park woman shot inadvertently while lying on couch. Mary Schulte’s downstairs neighbor at an apartment complex accidentally discharged his firearm, and the bullet went through the ceiling, striking Schulte in the stomach. [Fox 4]
📸 A thousand words
A scene from a “bubble party” put on by Blue Valley Rec. Stay cool out there. Photo via Instagram.
