The Shawnee Pulse

This month on the Shawnee Pulse, we're taking you to court! We sit down with Judge Karen Torline who serves as the City of Shawnee as municipal judge. We'll talk about her start as a prosecutor for Johnson County before coming to Shawnee, before eventually becoming judge.

Plus, we talk about her School Supplies for Fines program, designed to help students in Shawnee and people with eligible infractions to save some money by donatin...

Shawnee's Parks and Recreation Director Tonya Lecuru returns to the podcast! July is Parks and Rec Month across the country and right here in your Hometown with Heart. Tonya talks about the newly renovated Garrett Park, the department's upcoming reaccreditation through CAPRA, and the importance of Parks and Rec month.

Plus, Kate Kinkaid is here to talk all the special events during July spread across the entire Shawnee community fr...

Every single day, the City of Shawnee partners with the Shawnee Chamber of Commerce to build a strong economic base for the city, liaison with existing companies, attract new businesses, and bring new residents, events, and the community closer together.

The President and CEO of the Chamber of Commerce, Ann Smith-Tate, joins us for the May episode of the Shawnee Pulse as we talk about what brought her to Shawnee, and how the busine...

There's a lot that goes into making the City of Shawnee a great place to live and raise a family. Part of that work is the responsibility of the Codes Enforcement team in the Community Development Department. From trash on properties to even, yes, the height of grass, they keep an eye out for issues and work with residents and property owners to address them before issues turn into problems.

Codes Enforcement Supervisor Kevin Messi...

On Saturday, March 7 the Shawnee Parks and Recreation crew cut the ribbon to officially re-open Garrett Park following a $3.8 million renovation made possible by the City's Parks & Pipes sales tax. The extensive project replaced the park's main play structure, added the City's first dedicated outdoor pickleball courts, and a masterful tribute to the park's namesake and a huge piece of Shawnee's history.

Manager of Parks and Fac...

Everyday, the City of Shawnee relies on hundreds of employees to make it run. From police officers and firefighters, and from Public Works crews to the Parks and Rec department, a lot that makes Shawnee a great hometown is thanks to the hard work of the staff.

As the lead recruiter when comes to finding the right people to join Team Shawnee, Kellie Little talks to hundreds of applicants every single year. On this month's edition of...

Shawnee is finally experiencing winter weather, but when Kevin Taylor, Director of Field Operations for the Public Works Department, sat down to talk to the Shawnee Pulse, the mercury was topping 60 degrees! During the winter months, though, Kevin is always watching the weather since he oversees Shawnee's fleet of 22 snowplows and all the drivers behind the wheel.

Kevin takes us through his career in public works, how snow operatio...

For the final episode of 2025, Shawnee's City Manager Paul Kramer stops by to share his journey through the ranks of municipal government that brought him to Shawnee, plus he looks back at the year that was and looks ahead to 2026 and what's on the horizon for the City.

A special thanks to everyone who joined us for the first year of the Shawnee Pulse. We'll be back in 2026 with more conversations, more insights, and more guests to...

The Mayor's Christmas Tree Fund has been a holiday-season fixture in Shawnee for more than a decade, raising hundreds of thousands of dollars for non-profit organizations in the City. This year, Mayor Mickey Sandifer selected Shawnee Community Services as the sole beneficiary of the fundraiser and they have a specific need your donations will help fund. 

We talk to David Aramovich and Craig Gibson from the Shawnee Community Se...

This month, we talk with Elizabeth Griffith, the Volunteer Coordinator the City of Shawnee. She connects residents and companies who want to help out with residents who need assistance. From small, house-hold maintenance to snow shoveling, the programs she administers helps hundreds of residents each year in Shawnee.

She'll tell us how the programs originally started with help from the community and how they've grown over the years...

Seven days a week, Co-Responders from the Johnson County Mental Health Department team up with the Shawnee Police Department to assist residents in crisis by responding the scene when a mental health call comes in to 911. That's just the beginning of the work they do to help people in the community.

This week, we're talking to Jen Melby, Co-Responder Team Leader, and Haley Carrillo, Co-Responder, about the history of the Co-Respond...

Every single day of the year, firefighters staff each of Shawnee's four fire stations ready to respond to calls 24 hours a day. This week, we sit down with Deputy Fire Chief Ryan Pyle, a 27-year veteran of the Shawnee Fire Department, who started as a volunteer. 

He's seen the department evolve to meet the growing and changing needs of Shawnee. We talk his career path through the ranks, how the department looks different today...

Join us for a trip back in time, sort of. For this episode of The Shawnee Pulse, we're chatting with Charlie Pautler and Hannah Howard from Shawnee Town 1929. We talk about the museum's own history of how it started and when the City of Shawnee took over management, along with the time period the staff and volunteers work to tell and keep alive in the heart of the City.

Plus, we talk the final events that will happen at Shawnee Tow...

Election season is right around the corner and we're talking to our first guest from outside the City of Shawnee. Johnson County Election Commissioner Fred Sherman joins us to talk about how he landed the job, what his team does leading up to Election Day, and what you can expect on Tuesday, November 4, 2025.

Plus, we have a complete rundown of all the important Election season dates including the deadline to register to vote (or u...

Just like you have a budget, whether it be for weekly groceries, monthly entertainment, or buying a new car, the City of Shawnee does, too. When you're talking about all the services the City provides, there's a lot of work that goes into preparing that budget and making sure it covers all the bases for the residents of Shawnee.

Finance Director Sean Rocco joins us for this special edition of the Shawnee Pulse to talk about the bud...

This month, we're chatting with Shawnee Police Chief Sam Larson and getting you ready for National Night Out on Tuesday, August 5 at the Thomas A. Soetaert Aquatic Center. Chief Larson is talking about his career in law enforcement, starting as a patrol officer and working his way up the ranks all the way to the leader of the Shawnee Police Department. 

He'll take us through his time in uniform and the changes he's seen workin...

July is National Parks and Recreation month and what better way to celebrate than a conversation with Tonya Lecuru, Parks and Rec Director for the City of Shawnee. Kate Kinkaid also joins us for the entire conversation as we talk everything the Parks and Rec team does to care for more than 1,000 acres of parkland, two aquatic centers, the Civic Centre, and provide hundreds of programs every year in Shawnee. Find out what free event...

It's National Public Works Week, kicking off a full week of recognizing and honoring all the hard work and accomplishments of Public Works crews around the country and right here in our Hometown with Heart. 

We thought who better to talk all things Public Works than the department director, Kevin Manning! He chats about all the work accomplished by the City's third largest department to keep roads in good condition, stormwater...

One of our favorite events of the summer is just one month away! Assistant City Manager Lauren Grashoff joins us this month to talk Moonlight Market. Find out how this exclusive Shawnee event got its start in the summer of 2021 and what you can expect for the event during summer 2025. From a larger variety of vendors to new look along Johnson Drive, there's a lot to be excited about for this season of Moonlight Market.

Make you pla...