May 7, 2021 – Leawood, Kan. – Today, Torch.AI, a leading global artificial intelligence (AI) firm that uses machine learning to enable massively scaled, ultra-high performance data processing, announced plans to make a significant and sustained economic investment in the Kansas City region, committing to creating nearly 500 full-time jobs over five years as part of a $27 million tax …

The picture of a post-COVID world won’t be in focus until well after the pandemic ends.  John Sweeney, Sales Manager for Reece Commercial, provides a look at the future of the commercial real estate market: “I don’t know.”  That is the answer my peers (and I) have for people outside the commercial real-estate industry asking what the future holds for …

As part of the December 2020 COVID relief legislation, Congress approved $15 billion in grants to shuttered venues, to be administered by the SBA’s Office of Disaster Assistance. You can learn more details about the program here: https://www.sba.gov/funding-programs/loans/coronavirus-relief-options/shuttered-venue-operators-grant#section-header-6 SBA is in the process of setting up the grant program and is not yet accepting applications. Top priority will go to those …

The SBA has announced that the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) reopens, Monday January 11.The $284 billion allocated from the Covid Relief Bill gives those that weren’t approved or did not participate in the first iteration of PPP another chance to apply, and allows businesses that have exhausted previous PPP money, and have been significantly impacted by the pandemic, to apply …

With Covid-19 cases nearly doubling in Johnson County over the past two weeks, a new Public Health Order has been issued aimed at slowing the spread of the virus.  The order went into effect on Monday, November 16 at 12:01am and remains in place until January 31, 2021 unless amended, revoked or replaced. The main provisions of the Order relate to the …

At the October 13 Leawood Planning Commission meeting, several ordinance and plan changes were discussed that would change some of the procedures for review and approval of changes to store “trade dress” (facades) and signage in retail centers.   The discussion specifically related to plans submitted for modernizing the tenant storefront guidelines for signage and trade dress at Town Center …

The Enterprise Center in Johnson County (ECJC) has been selected by Johnson County Government to be the lead agency to distribute the recently announced direct grants to small business program.  This grant program is designed to address the economic hardships that Johnson County small businesses are experiencing amid the COVID-19 pandemic.  The program is open to all Johnson County small …

Money.com – the digital destination for personal finance and news – has announced its annual ranking of the Best Places to Live in the United States, and Leawood, KS, is included in the Top 50. Money.com looked at 50 towns and cities with a population of at least 25,000 where the economy, job growth, and housing market remained strong despite …

Governor announced a second round of CARES Act funding applications to open August 19 at 12:00 p.m. Businesses can apply for a total of more than $130 million in grants to serve those most affected by the pandemic and for companies that can expand broadband access in the state. Information on SPARK economic development and connectivity grant programs can now …

The City Council’s Governing Body met on Monday, June 1. Among the agenda items discussed was the City’s decision not to hold it’s annual fireworks display on the 4th. “This was clearly a tough decision for the Council. Traditionally the City has offered shuttle busses from the offices along Tomahawk Creek Parkway into the park. Trying to maintain any semblance …