𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐊𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐚𝐬 𝐂𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐡𝐨𝐭 𝐨𝐟𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬! 🔥

Today we’re talking about a famous UMKC alumni, the oldest person to hike Mt. Everest, and Overland Park being one of the top 10 places to live in the U.S.

1️⃣The 2026 UMKC Conservatory Alumni Achievement Award was presented to acclaimed choreographer and dancer Kameron N. Saunders (B.F.A.) in a ceremony last Friday. He was one of the 15 individuals honored at the 2026 UMKC Alumni Awards which celebrates graduates' professional and community contributions, with proceeds supporting student completion grants. Congratulations, Kam!

2️⃣ An 82-year-old Olathe man is officially the oldest person to hike to Mt. Everest’s base camp. Dave McClung had hiked in every continent in the world before taking on the eight-day, record-breaking trek last fall. How does he do it? He believes there’s a mental component to growing older. “If a person decides they’re old and going to sit in a rocking chair, sure enough, they’re going to be.” What’s next in his adventures remains to be seen, but for now he continues climbing the hill off Black Bob Road each morning alongside his wife, Linda. 

3️⃣ A new study shows that you’re in a pretty good spot if you live in Overland Park, KS. Livability.com created a list of its 100 best places to live in the U.S. for 2026, using the following categories to measure cities’ overall health: economy, housing, amenities, environment, safety, health, education and transportation. Overland Park came in at number eight, receiving a Livscore of 801 out of 1000. While OP was the only local city in the top 10, Wichita, Columbia and St. Louis also made the list.