In the News

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has allocated $23.9 million in federal funds for the long-anticipated Upper Turkey Creek levee project, a major step in combating flooding issues that have bedeviled the city and downtown Merriam businesses for decades.

Why it matters: The Army Corps funding is part of a broader effort to remove downtown Merriam — including residences and businesses — from the floodplain.

More federal funding has been secured to help lift downtown Merriam out of a floodplain.

Monday, Kansas 3rd Congressional District Rep. Sharice Davids announced $23.9 million will be allocated to the Upper Turkey Creek Flood Mitigation project.

"Certainty, safety, and opportunity: that's what this project signifies. And with this new investment from the bipartisan infrastructure law, we will be able to take action on plans to lift downtown Merriam out of the floodplain and protect hundreds of homes and businesses from flooding," Davids said.

Kansans who have been victims of pandemic relief-related fraud, including some Johnson Countians, may soon have a longer window in which to potentially seek justice.

What happened: On Wednesday, the U.S. House of Representatives passed two bills co-sponsored by Democratic Rep. Sharice Davids that extend the statute of limitations on two particular types of pandemic-era fraud cases.

Kansas Governor Laura Kelly has called on the U.S. Senate to pass a bill proposed by Senator Jerry Moran to better care for veterans exposed to deadly toxins during their military service.

The Kansas delegation in the U.S. House voted for bipartisan bills extending the statute of limitations to 10 years for prosecution of fraud in a pair of COVID-19 relief programs providing business loans.

Democratic Rep. Sharice Davids and Republican Reps. Ron Estes, Jake LaTurner and Tracey Mann voted Wednesday for legislation designed to give law enforcement more time to investigate illegal activity in the Paycheck Protection Program and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan program.

Lawmakers on Capitol Hill are stepping up efforts to redeem billions in fraudulent small business loans.

The Small Business Administration says tens of thousands of fraudulent loans were taken out over the course of the pandemic. Kansas Democratic Rep. Sharice Davids said there were several victims in her district alone.

"We saw a number of folks who had their identities stolen. We saw fraudulent actors take out loans that were for businesses that didn't exist," said Davids.

Sharice Davids, Democrat and Kansas' Third District Representative for the U.S. House, visited southwest Johnson County Tuesday, May 24 to discuss recent federal and local investment in Johnson County infrastructure and shipping opportunities.

She toured Logistics Park and took a brief ride on the short-line railroad at NewCentury AirCenter.

Davids said infrastructure and shipping opportunities in Johnson County are part of a multilayered effort to strengthen domestic supply chains.

More than a dozen newly graduated Johnson County high schoolers are headed into the first steps of military service.

Making it official: In a celebratory sendoff event hosted by U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids Wednesday, 15 local students received certificates for their appointments to a U.S. service academy or academy prep program, including 6 from the Shawnee Mission area.

The process: Rep. Davids nominated 28 students for appointments and 15 met the final criteria from a reviewing panel and their respective academies.