Beth Lipoff

3 days ago | thepitchkc.com | Beth Lipoff

If you want to get crafty but don't have a big supply budget or a lot of experience, the Magpie Creative Reuse Collective might be the place for you. The nonprofit specializes in pairing education with redistributing all kinds of materials. "We teach classes that take the material we have available and in the class, people learn one way of upcycling or downcycling. We also teach repair, and we want to do more of that in the future," Magpie Director of Education Keli Campbell says.

5 days ago | thepitchkc.com | Beth Lipoff

For his latest theater turn, Nathan Darrow is taking great joy in a being part of what he calls "a fable of Broadway." Darrow will play inveterate gambler Sky Masterson in Music Theater Heritage's production of Guys and Dolls, running June 5 to 29 at Crown Center. "It's like he's a person who really thinks he has his life organized in way that he's happy with and that he can sustain, and, of course, like in any great drama, that character is going to be tested," Darrow says.

2 weeks ago | kansascity.com | Beth Lipoff

With the weather getting warmer by the day, it's time to think of where you'll be going to cool off this summer. In Olathe, there are a lot of choices for aquatics. Jack Sparks, aquatics director for the city, said Black Bob Bay's water park typically draws the biggest crowds with its lazy river, rock wall and high dive. The water slides are also popular. Lake Olathe has one feature in particular that Sparks considers special.

2 weeks ago | kansascity.com | Beth Lipoff

Artist Aztec Palmer's garden sphere is called Tipsy Tripsy. All the spheres will be on display in and around Antioch Park's rose garden until November. Special to The Star If you're visiting Antioch Park in Merriam anytime soon, your eye will likely gravitate to several beautifully decorated concrete globes. They're part of a joint effort from the county's public art program and artists who are part of Johnson County Developmental Supports (JCDS).

3 weeks ago | kansascity.com | Beth Lipoff

Managing stormwater is about more than just ditches, and it's easy for Johnson County residents to get involved with their own properties. Contain the Rain, a countywide program, helps with the costs and guides people to find sustainable solutions that also reduce water pollution. That might mean installing native trees or plants in the yard, planting a rain garden or using a rain barrel.