The Shawnee Dispatch / Caroline Boyer

Caroline is a Lenexa native and a 1999 graduate of Shawnee Mission Northwest High School. She then attended the University of Kansas, where she worked for the University Daily Kansan and interned with the Lawrence Journal-World. She graduated from the William Allen White School of Journalism in May 2003 and joined the Shawnee Dispatch in September 2003. Caroline briefly worked for the Bonner Springs Chieftain, from January through August of 2004, before returning to the Dispatch as the city reporter. She and her husband moved to Shawnee in November 2007. Send e-mail to Caroline at cboyer@shawneedispatch.com.

Recent stories

Concerns rise over construction of interchange at K-7, Johnson Drive: Interchange work worries group of businesses; By Caroline Boyer; March 10, 2010; Accessibility will be severely limited once construction of a new interchange starts, so businesses near the intersection of Kansas Highway 7 and Johnson Drive are asking for the state’s help.
Ward IV: Incumbent urges Council to be wise on incentives: By Caroline Boyer; 12:01 a.m., March 10, 2010 Updated 10:41 a.m.; While financial incentives will be necessary to increase development in the city, Michelle Distler says the city will need to be cautious when handing them out.
Ward IV: Challenger shines positive light: By Caroline Boyer; March 10, 2010; To bring more businesses and developments to the city, Shawnee City Council candidate Lori Barngrover says Shawnee needs to project a positive image.
Unusual tradition sprouts fronm St. Patrick’s Day: By Caroline Boyer; March 10, 2010; St. Patrick’s Day has an unusual symbol for one Shawnee bar and restaurant. As the day of Shawnee’s annual St. Patrick’s Day parade approaches, always staged the Sunday immediately preceding the holiday, Jake’s Place, 12001 Johnson Drive, becomes populated by ducks — though they are rubber or plush, rather than the live variety.
Honor Flights offered for WWII veterans: By Caroline Boyer; March 10, 2010; Gary Swanson hopes that as many World War II veterans as possible have a chance to visit the Washington, D.C., memorial built to honor them.
Ward III primary survivors ready to square off April 6: By Caroline Boyer; March 10, 2010; Both surprised that the incumbent in their race will not go on to the general election, Ward III Shawnee City Council candidates Dennis Kissinger and Jeff Vaught are now planning their next steps.
KDOT suspends $86 million in planned projects: By Caroline Boyer; March 5, 2010; The Kansas Department of Transportation announced today that with $257 million in cuts to the State Highway Fund, $86 million in projects it had planned for this year have been suspended.
City prepares for next phase of trail: By Caroline Boyer; March 3, 2010; Work on the first phase of a new recreational trail continues in western Shawnee, and the city hopes to complete the second phase by the end of this year.
Ward I: Incumbent ready to fill big box stores: By Caroline Boyer; March 3, 2010; Looking at Shawnee’s economic development, one of the things that continues to worry Shawnee City Council member Dan Pflumm, is the open space created by former grocery stores.
Morris pushes involvement: By Caroline Boyer; March 3, 2010; With years of community service and activism all around Shawnee under his belt, David Morris says he’s ready to step into an even bigger leadership position as a Shawnee City Council member.

Full story list

Recent photos

Interested parties gather during an open house last month around a chart showing phases of construction of a new interchange at Kansas Highway 7 and Johnson Drive. This past week, representatives from businesses in the area met with transportation officials to express their concern about access issues during the construction.

Janine Linnell holds the duck that got her duck collection started at Jake’s Place, 12001 Johnson Drive, which is decorated with more than 200 rubber and plush ducks to help promote sales of tickets for the Great Duck Race that follows Shawnee’s annual St. Patrick’s Day parade.

The “Kansans Tell Their Stories” exhibit is now making its Shawnee stop on its statewide tour and will be in the foyer at City Hall, 11100 Johnson Drive, through April 23. The exhibit includes several boards with information the humanities council has gathered in the past five years through various projects.

Glee Freeman, who turned 80 last week, has worked at Taco Uno for 15 years.

Clarence Munsch, a representative from George Butler Associates, gestures to a map and explains the construction phasing and traffic flow for the interchange at Johnson Drive and Kansas Highway 7 Thursday at the Kansas Department of Transportation’s open house at Monticello Trails Middle School.

Full photo list

Point of View

Do you think the state should do more to help businesses near K-7 and Johnson Drive as an interchange is constructed?

Given the time the state has had to prepare, I don’t think completing the access road before starting/ closing Johnson Drive is an unreasonable request from these businesses or those of us who patronize them.

— Tiffany Bohm

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