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One Of Kansas City’s Best-Kept Secrets Is A Quiet, Friendly Suburb That Is Perfect For Retirees – Islands

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One Of Kansas City’s Best-Kept Secrets Is A Quiet, Friendly Suburb That Is Perfect For Retirees – Islands






Pity the Sunflower State, often derided as a “flyover state” not worthy of much attention. Nonsense. A road trip through Kansas reveals it’s a wildly underrated gem that offers secret canyons and historic towns. Yet one of the state’s best-kept secrets might be worth visiting a bit longer — perhaps for the rest of one’s post-work life. Not far from Kansas City lies Spring Hill, a quiet, friendly suburb that is perfect for retirees.

The town’s neatest trick lies in its dense offering of modern amenities, without the urban bustle and grind, all while keeping vital small-town rituals front and center. Retirees and residents alike can enjoy a wholesome lifestyle while also hitting the links, going for a swim, and diving into a broad swath of activities meant to maintain health and a sense of community. That includes a bevy of “third places”, community spaces that foster a sense of belonging and connectedness.

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The town’s youth performing arts center bridges a gap between generations. Meanwhile, the Festival Choral Society holds annual Christmas and Spring concerts, with all the usual community-building activities that accompany such organizations. A laundry list of groups, including an arts council and historical society, rounds out plenty of enriching ways to fill a suddenly empty calendar. The Spring Hill Farmers Market, meanwhile, offers a chance to rub elbows with local producers who bring their wares to town every Saturday, from late spring to the beginning of fall. Perhaps most important of all, Spring Hill offers plenty of chances to stay fit and healthy.

Hit the links, take a dip, or just stay active in Spring Hill

Spring Hill has blossomed into an ideal retirement community with plenty of ways to answer the critical question facing anyone who has just ended their career: What next? The suburb offers a smorgasbord of retiree-friendly activities. The Sycamore Ridge public golf course offers the perfect 18-hole diversion for folks enjoying their golden years. Its sand bunkers, surrounding woods, and undulating greens provide the perfect challenging outing on the links, regardless of your handicap. If you’re a well-seasoned golfer, there’s no better way to build community and health than joining one of the golf club’s leagues. Beginners, don’t fret. The club’s private lessons will get your handicap down to something manageable. Not thrilled about spending your retirement golfing? Grab a swim cap instead.

You can’t find a beach anywhere, so Spring Hill effectively built one. The town’s aquatic center offers the perfect antidote to Kansas’s shortcomings as a landlocked state. The center includes over a dozen different water-based features, from aqua-park style water slides to diving boards. The shallow entry at one of the pools may not have sand, but it perfectly mimics the subtle joy of wading into the water. There are also senior-friendly exercise classes, such as River Walking, a low-impact movement that uses the water as resistance. If you’re not feeling up for exertion of any kind, kick back in the lazy river. Let the adjacent park keep the kids or grandkids busy.

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If golf bores you and you would rather stay dry (both fair choices), the Spring Hill Recreation Commission has you covered. From Zumba to yoga, the commission’s calendar is stuffed with adult fitness and recreation opportunities. Cooking classes, field trips, and art classes are just some of the other non-exercise activities available.

Planning a trip to Spring Hill

Whether you’re visiting Spring Hill to consider a permanent move or just stopping by for a weekend, you’ll want a car to get around. Those coming in from farther afield can use the closest major transit hub, Kansas City International Airport, which is less than an hour from Spring Hill. After landing, be sure to spend a few hours in Kansas City itself, which is considered the barbecue capital of the world. Then, on the drive down, make a pitstop at Overland Park, an under-the-radar artsy city with outdoor fun and downtown amenities.

Those looking to retire to Spring Hill have several retirement communities and facilities to choose from. The nearby Benton House of Olathe, for example, offers a mix of active social and physical activities while emphasizing building routines to maintain and improve mental health. Colonial Oaks, another assisted living facility in Spring Hill, offers a similar collection of activities and services. Those with deeper pockets may be able to buy a home in Spring Hill, with median home values of $323,300.

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While there’s no ideal time to retire to Spring Hill (those maths are sort of set in stone), you do have an ideal time to visit. The town’s annual Fall Festival, held in late September, features a parade, live shows, and local vendors selling their crafts and food. It all culminates in a music festival, then a Chili Cookoff. Conversely, you can visit during the fall festival’s sibling, Daffodil Days, which coincides with Arbor Day in April. A celebratory environment blossoms with music, games, and a chainsaw wood carver, among other attractions. It’s the perfect outing for a retiree and visiting family members.





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Kansas City man sentenced for cocaine trafficking, possession of illegal firearm

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Kansas City man sentenced for cocaine trafficking, possession of illegal firearm


KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) – A Kansas City man was sentenced in federal court for his role in a drug trafficking conspiracy and possession of an illegal firearm.

According to the United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri, 22-year-old Antoine R. Gillum was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison without parole.

His sentencing stems from a June 2024 incident in a metro gas station. KCPD investigators contacted Gillum inside and found that he had discarded a 9 mm pistol in an aisle between the merchandise. He also discarded a pill bottle containing multiple illegal substances: cocaine base, oxycodone/acetaminophen and oxycodone.

Officers searched the vehicle Gillum had arrived in and found approximately 32 grams of cocaine base.

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On May 6, 2025, Gillum pleaded guilty to one count each of possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Jennings. It’s a part of ‘Operation Take Back America,’ a nationwide Department of Justice initiative to eliminate cartels and transnational criminal organizations.

No further information has been released.



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Deadly 4-car crash kills 2 people, injures others in Kansas City

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Deadly 4-car crash kills 2 people, injures others in Kansas City


KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) – A crash near a busy highway killed two people and injured two others.

Emergency crews responded to the crash at U.S. 71 Highway and Meyer Boulevard around 12:40 p.m. on Monday, March 2.

When crews arrived they determined four cars were involved in the crash.

Police are investigating how the crash happened.

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Homegrown Jayhawk stars ready to shine at Big 12 Tournament in Kansas City

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Homegrown Jayhawk stars ready to shine at Big 12 Tournament in Kansas City


LAWRENCE, Kan. (KCTV) – As Kansas women’s basketball prepares to enter the postseason at the Big 12 Tournament in Kansas City, they’ll be led by two Overland Park natives who have been two of the most electrifying players to watch in the country this year.

Junior guard S’Mya Nichols and freshman forward Jaliya Davis have played integral roles in the recent growth of the program. Both cite the desire to help grow the Jayhawks into something special as reasons for committing there.

“Where we wanted to take Kansas women’s basketball, I wanted to be a part of that growing evolution,” Nichols told KCTV5.

“We [my family] were also really big Jayhawk fans. We came to a lot of games,” Davis said about her childhood.

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The two were both 5-star recruits in high school, and their commitments marked historic recruiting victories for the KU women’s basketball program.

First came Nichols in the Class of 2023, picking KU over Tennessee and Oklahoma.

“I genuinely wanted to go to Kansas,” she said.

Then Davis became the highest-rated player to ever commit to KU as part of the Class of 2025.

“When you go back to S’Mya Nichols being a local, Kansas City, Overland Park product, a nationally respected player, Jaliya was really the next one that was very important for the Jayhawks to keep home,” said head coach Brandon Schneider.

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Now as a junior, Nichols has established herself as one of the most consistent scorers and physical guards in the nation.

But it’s the Shawnee Mission West’s alum’s leadership that defines her legacy in Lawrence.

“The team leader, the quarterback,” Coach Schneider described Nichols. “I think oftentimes the player that everybody looks up to off the court.”

“I mean it means everything. Knowing that I’m important to the team, and that they see me as that as well,” said Nichols with a smile.

Both Nichols and Davis were recruited by the Jayhawks for years, going all the way back to seventh grade.

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“Well, we offered her in middle school,’ Coach Schneider said with a laugh about Davis.

“Oh he put in a lot of work,” laughed Davis. “I mean, obviously, seventh grade, that’s a long time.”

It was that dedication from Coach Schneider that led her to choose the Jayhawks over Texas, South Carolina, Baylor, and Oklahoma – where he dad played ball.

“I think it really was the relationship we had and grew. He was always there, every single one of my games,” Davis said about Schneider.

After just one practice as teammates, Nichols voiced a big belief about Davis into existence – and it’s probably going to come true.

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The Jayhawks are the 11-seed in the Big 12 Tournament, and will face 14-seed UCF in the first round on Wednesday at 8:00 p.m.(KCTV5)

“I saw her first practice, and I sent her a text, and I’m like ‘I think you can win Freshman of the Year’, and I still stand by that,”

Davis is averaging 21.0 points per game, and has been named the Big 12 Freshman of the Week for eight weeks in a row. That sets a power conference all-time record.

“I think it’s really cool. I mean obviously it’s a team effort, they’re always looking for me,” Davis said about her historic accomplishment.

“Just a phenomenal stretch of basketball for her, and so well deserving,” said Coach Schneider.

Now these two homegrown stars are at the forefront of a late-season push to earn a bid to the NCAA Tournament. Right now, CBS Sports bracketology has them as a ‘First Four Out’ team.

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But a few wins in the Big 12 Tournament could certainly help seal their invite to the big dance.

“Obviously we’re not in the position that we were hoping to be in, but I think we can make the most out of it, and get to where we want to be,” Davis said about the opportunity at hand in the Big 12 Tournament in Kansas City.

The Overland Park kids are especially fired up about starting the postseason in their own backyard.

“I have a big support system. So I bet my family will take a big chunk of that area during that tournament,” Davis laughed.

“I remember being younger, and the College Basketball Experience is right next door. So I felt like at one moment that was the big stage, when I got to play my little AAU tournaments in there. And then all of a sudden I’m literally in T-Mobile Center on the actual big stage, so it’s pretty cool,” said Nichols.

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The Jayhawks are the 11-seed in the Big 12 Tournament, and will face 14-seed UCF in the first round on Wednesday at 8:00 p.m.



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