Sunday, December 26, 2010

We will open the book.
Its pages are blank.
We are going to put words on them ourselves.
The book is called Opportunity
and its first chapter is New Year's Day.
~Edith Lovejoy Pierce
To all the readers, bloggers and supporters of the Raytown Report.
Happy New Year!
Raytown Police Department PRESS RELEASE Subject: Raytown Robbery Date: 12/28/2010 On 12/28/2010 at 8:27 AM Raytown Officers were dispatched to an alarm at Check Into Cash in the 6100 block of Raytown Trafficway. Upon their arrival it was learned that a robbery had occurred and the suspect, armed with a handgun, had fled on foot from the rear of the business. The suspect was seen by a Raytown officer as the suspect walked from the rear of the business complex and into the parking lot. The officer followed the suspect in his patrol car onto Arlington where the suspect began to run from the officer. The suspect ran west across Arlington in the 6100 block in front of the officer. As the suspect ran in front of the officer’s car, the suspect fired two shots at the officer. The officer, who was still in his patrol car, was not hit by the rounds. The suspect fled north and west through the neighboring yards. The suspect ran back south to the driveway of a residence in the 6100 block of Arlington where he attempted to hide in the bed of a pickup truck that was parked in the driveway. Officers searching the area saw the suspect in the bed of the truck. The suspect was confronted by the officers and ordered to show his hands. The suspect refused to obey the officers’ commands and ducked back down in the bed of the truck. The officers then heard a single gunshot. Upon approaching the truck it was discovered that the suspect suffered from a self inflicted gunshot wound. Raytown Emergency Medical Services was called to the scene and the suspect was pronounced dead at the scene. No one else was injured. The suspect was identified as Te’Ardan Keith Andrew Hill, a 22 year black male. A Quick Look at City Elections by Greg Walters Raytown City Elections may not be until early April. But already every position up for election has at least one candidate filed. As expected, nearly all of the incumbents have filed for re-election. The lone exception is Ward 3 Alderman Charlotte Melson. Ms. Melson was rumored to be considering a run for Mayor. In fact, there were a few posts on the Raytown Report that hinted at such expectations. As of yet there has not been any official announcement from Melson. A race has already developed for the office of Mayor. Ward 4 Alderman Bill VanBuskirk has stepped up to challenge incumbent David Bower for the city’s top job. The two candidates have differing philosophies of how government should function on the local level. If they remain the only two candidates filed it will make for an interesting race. The only other race to draw competition at this point is the one in Ward 2. Incumbent Jim Aziere has already drawn two opponents, Robbie Tubbs and John Jacob. So far, the most active candidates to date have been Bower and Tubbs. Bower is known to have held some “neighborhood meetings” and to have met with political consultant Jeff Roe for advice on how to get re-elected. Tubbs announced her candidacy with a flurry of press releases to local news media. City Hall veterans say that the filing this year is a little heavier than in years past. A pattern is usually set with incumbents filing early. Activity begins to pick up again as the filing deadline nears. Filing for public office in Raytown closes on January 14, 2011. Oh, Is There an Election Coming Up? We had planned to give a complete run down of all the different public offices held in Raytown this week but found that some public entities are not as forthcoming with who has filed as others. To her credit, Raytown City Clerk Teresa Newton has posted filings for city office on the city’s webpage. However, (working) links for nominating petitions and a list of telephone numbers for more information would be a nice addition to the page. One of our news gatherers went by the Raytown School District to personally pick up a list of candidates only to find the building locked up for Christmas break. There was no posting on the door saying when the offices would re-open. Neither the Raytown Fire District or the Jackson County Water Supply District (No. 2) have yet to post any information about the different positions up for election this year. For a complete listing of the offices open for election and of those who have filed, use this link Raytown Public Office Filing Information. Salamander Story Update Last week the Raytown Report ran a story from the Salamander regarding the Kansas City Earnings Tax. (to read the orginal story use this link The Salamander Returns and scroll down to the story) Part of the story suggested that readers “check out” the salaries of Kansas City, Missouri employees at City Hall. This morning a post was received (anonymously, of course!) at the Raytown Report linking a site that lists the salaries of those working at City Hall in Kansas City. To use the search engine go to the column that asks for positions. Click on it. A drop down list will pop up to identify the different salaried position in Kansas City government. Use this link: City Hall Salaries - Kansas City Thank You Readers! The Raytown Report passed a milestone this past week when I surpassed last year’s total number of hits. These “hits” are the number of times readers visit the Raytown Report. It is the accepted way of telling how effective a website is in getting its message out. For inquiring minds, the numbers are: 2009 – 30,139 2010 – 30,988 At the Raytown Report we only count “unique visitors” in our stats. Those numbers reflect a combination of first time visitors and returning visitors. As opposed to “page loads” which can artificially inflate the number of visitors to a website. We appreciate the support shown our site by readers and especially those who share by posting their thoughts on the “blog” portion of the website. Talk About Leaving a Bad Taste In Your Mouth by Jenn Walters A few weeks ago, I had an odd thing happen to me. It was a regular Thursday night. Because Friday is my day off from my marathon training, Thursday night equals wine with dinner, so I was imbibing. I poured myself a glass of my fave aforementioned house wine (aka Yellowtail Chardonnay) to go along with my grilled chicken breast with roasted asparagus (the hubby cooked dinner; it was awesome), took a sip and was puzzled. The wine tasted metallic, kinda tinny. I took another drink (not the brightest moment for me). Same taste. Husband took a sip, he said it tasted fine. Weird. Then I tried the chicken. Tasted delicious. Then the asparagus. Somewhat metallic. Back to the chardonnay. Definitely like sucking on a penny. Upset at my ruined meal—by fault of my possibly faulty tastebuds—I went to bed slightly hungry that night. Hoping that the next day it would disappear on its own, and I wouldn’t have to Google “metallic taste” and learn that I was dying of some bizarre condition, probably the culmination of drinking too much cheap wine over the years or ingesting too many GU Chomps during my training runs, resulting in severe electrolyte abundance. Sad to say, the sucking-on-a-penny taste was back when I ate breakfast that next day, and it was the nastiest when eating my usually delicious Greek yogurt. Drat. “I’m dying,” I thought. I went to Google to confirm. Yep, like I thought, I was an arthritic, depressed, alcoholic with a bad case of gingivitis and lead poisoning, and on the verge of heart failure. What would I tell my family? And Erin? And then I thought, “Wait a minute. I don’t have a metallic taste in my mouth ALL THE TIME. Just when I eat. And all of these symptoms are for a metallic taste all the time.” Back to Google I went, asking the world wide web what a “metallic taste when eating” meant. And lo and behold I had my answer. In fact, I found pages and pages of people with the same unappetizing problem. What was to blame? Rancid pine nuts. Small, innocent, somewhat cute and really tasty (pesto!) pine nuts had done me wrong. Little bastards. Aptly referred to as “pine mouth,” the rare phenomenon only lasts a few days or weeks, but, let me tell you, it sucks. Mine lasted a full seven days. A whole week where dairy disgusted me (yogurt was the worst). I had to declare a “break” from wine (not a break-up, a break), and the only foods that appealed to me were salty “hit you over the head with flavor and fat” foods. Not great for the ole fit bottom. And the oddest thing is that the metallic taste doesn’t develop until a few days after you eat the bad pine nuts. In my case, earlier in the week, I had made a quinoa dish sprinkled with them after Erin raved about the high-protein grain. It was a full three days before the “pine mouth” set in. Sick. The pine nuts I had used in the dish were bought just a few days prior to the quinoa-pine nut cooking, and they were well ahead of their “best before” date. According to all of the online research I’ve done, it seems that pine nuts aren’t the most stable of the nuts (ha) and new shipping practices from overseas may play a role. I’m sure you can guess that my bag of (not cheap!) pine nuts immediately went in the trash. And I don’t think I’ll be cooking or eating them any time soon. (Pesto, I love you, but I think I’ll sub walnuts for your usual pine nuts going forward.) One thing is certain though: I’m happy to be alive and glad I’m not an arthritic, depressed, alcoholic with a bad case of gingivitis and lead poisoning on the verge of heart failure! Jenn Walters and Erin Whitehead jointly publish Fit Bottomed Girls. To read more of their thoughts on lifestyle choices and fitness go to Fit Bottomed Girls LINKS TO OTHER RAYTOWN NEWS SOURCES . . . To catch up on O'Hara Sports use this link O'Hara High School To catch up on Raytown South Sports use this link Raytown South High School To catch up on Raytown High Sports use this link Raytown High School To catch up on the Raytown Police Blog go to Raytown Police Blog To view Raytown Crime Statistics go to Raids on Line

31 comments:

Anonymous said...

If you're going to call people names Andy it is, at the very least, polite to spell them. It's fascist.

Also, memo to the Salamander. The Star lists everybody's city salaries here. Have at it.

Thanks Greg and Merry Christmas.

Andy Whiteman said...

Greg thanks for all the work you put into this blog and gathering information.

I believe the School District posted their Holiday closing in the legal notice which was too small to read but I agree they should have posted it on the door. Obviously they assume people know schools take a long Holiday but they don't dare call it "Christmas break" as they did in the past. They can't acknowledge Jesus Christ.

This should be a heated election but I really doubt if the voters will make the effort to vote. I will vote even though I am moving because I still care because I will still own property here until I am gone and it gets sold.

2:50 PM, Thanks for the spelling tip. That is the way I spell fascist. Must have been a typo. If I entered it in the morning, it was on IE8 which has no spell check.

I hope everyone enjoyed their Holiday (whatever that unnamed holiday was). I noticed our city crews out treating the streets on the Holiday eve. I appreciate their dedication to the people of this city to be away from their families and/or religious observance.

Andy Whiteman

Anonymous said...

Here is what Festivus is all about.

Festivus is a secular holiday celebrated on December 23 as "another way" to celebrate the holiday season without participating in its pressures and commercialism. It was created by writer Dan O'Keefe and introduced into popular culture by his son Daniel, a screenwriter for the TV show Seinfeld, as part of a comical storyline on the show. The holiday's celebration, as shown on Seinfeld, includes an unadorned aluminum "Festivus pole," practices such as the "Airing of Grievances" and "Feats of Strength," and the labelling of easily explainable events as "Festivus miracles".

Instead of being a fuddy duddy old-timer and having a holiday lighting ceremony of holiday trees and holiday lights, etc., etc., etc.

Mayor Bower could have an aluminum pole erected in the green space.

He and his Council could sit in a circle around the Festivus Pole.

Since Alderman Jim Aziere and Alderman Joe Creamer like to hear themselves talk the most at meetings they could lead off the "airing of grivances".

In Seinfeld the Contest of Strenght was a wresting match. That does not sound too appealing for our Board of Aldermen.

This could be followed by the Festivus Miracle.

How about the defeat of every incumbent office holder in Raytown?

I am beginning to like this secular holiday stuff. Thanks for showing us the way Mayor Dave!

Andy Whiteman said...

An aluminum pole is a hazard since it will attract lightning. (A thunderstorm is forcast Friday.) This action would make the Board of Aldermen appear to be fools.

It is not a good idea to defeat every incumbent. There are good incumbents who are doing a good job and should be reelefcted wile there are some who should be defeated. But how do you defeat an incumbent if he/she is the only candidate? The people have no choice.

Andy Whiteman

Anonymous said...

I work for the City of Raytown and I hope my pay is not put out on the web, I really don't want my friends to find out what I make. People would ask me why I went to college.

Andy Whiteman said...

6:53PM, I understand your desire for privacy but due to the Freedom of Information Act, it is available to anyone who requests it. I didn't waste my time going to college because I didn't have a career goal that required college. In fact, I had no career goal. My HS economics teacher told me I shouldn't go to college. I went for 1-1/2 years to satisfy my mother. When I was offered a job, I quit college.

My wife went to college because her parents wanted her to. It was a waste of time and money. All that a college degree would get her is $7.35 an hour working at a California State park. (pack then $7.35 was way above the minimum wage but still not enough.) Her degree was outdoor recreation and music appreciation. Her degree was useless except to please her parents. BTW: she had a tennis scholarship and swam on the men's swim team because she swam too good to be on the women's team.

Andy Whiteman

Anonymous said...

Ichecked out some of the salaries in Kansas City. I haven't gone through all of the positions yet, but so far I count 22 that are making more than $100,000 a year!

If you are so highly educated maybe you should quit working for Raytown and go to work there. Or go into the private sector and make the really big money.

Anonymous said...

Just goes to show that more money paid does not mean a better job performed. Look at the mess Kansas City is in.Would you want your city government to be run like it is there.

Pat Casady said...

It would appear you are not a department head.
They make too much for the job they do. However
if you are a hired hand that works for the city
I want to thank you. I know the pay isn't all that
good but, most of us understand that.
It's hard for all of us to understand how our city
can give away so much taxpayer dollars and then
cry no money to do repairs and overlays, then turn
around and loan $800,000.00 to a developer to bring
in yet another grocery store to a town that already
has too many grocery stores.
Then to cut budgets for police and services is a slap
in the face to the people that actually do work for
the taxpayers of Raytown.
Maybe with the upcoming election we will see new people
that will, like yourself, work for the people and city instead
of big retail stores. Just think of all the taxpayer money
that has been paid to pay the Wal-Mart bonds. Over 1.8
million dollars. That's a lot of street repairs, new police
officers and other public services.
Raytown is becoming the highest taxed small town in the area
but, we have nothing to show for it. Other towns that are
raising their taxes can see where their tax dollars are going.
New streets and sidewalks, more safety by hiring more police and
cleaner downtowns. What have we got? We have a tax income sucking big box on 350hwy!

Anonymous said...

I think we may have found where they can make up the Earnings Tax if it is eliminated by the voters next April.

Look to KC's bloated payroll.

Andy Whiteman said...

I don't consider Aldi's to be a grocery store, at least NOT a fully stocked grocery store. Aldi has a very slim selection but low prices. Produce is wrapped so you can't select what you want. Meat is bulk packed similiar to Walmart. The frozen selection is very limited. I go over to 75th and Wornall to buy a few select items such as generic Gator Aide which I give to my mail carriers, UPS, and Fedex drivers in the summer. It costs a little more than 1/2 price there compared to regular grocery store prices.

Since Aldi can't compete with the selection in Hy-Vee and Apple Market, I con't consider them to be a grocery store. I have the same feelings about Save-A-Lot which is run like Aldi.

Pat, I agree with you about wasted taxpayer dollars and loaning large sums of public money to businesses. I wonder if the 1% sales tax will retire the Aldi's loan? I doubt they will collect that much. In order to change things people will have to get off their duffs to get out and vote. I doubt that will ever happen in a city election.

Andy Whiteman

Pat Casady said...

Andy,
The higher sales tax that is collected by Wal-Mart was supposed to
pay the bond debts.....it hasn't the people of Raytown have had to
pay it. I don't think the sales tax increase at the Aldi's will
pay back the loan either. I don't understand why or how our elected
officials can think that that they are doing right by and for the
taxpayers of this town.
The Wal-Mart deal has cost the people of Raytown well over a million
and a half of their taxed dollars because of a asinine deal our so called
representatives made. Then what do they do? They turn around and do it again with Aldi's!
Most people learn from their mistakes. Not our leaders. That is why it is
so important to back the good elected people and to find replacements for
the uncaring, taxpayer money wasting, giveaway artists we have at City Hall now.
Unfortunately, I like you believe nothing will change. I have been in Raytown
for over thirty years and I have never seen a big turnout for any election.
I here a lot of complaining about the way this town is going but, nobody
will take take the time to vote out the people that are hurting this town.
It's been heartbreaking to watch what has happened to the neighborhoods,
downtown and our city in general. Nobody want's to stand up for what the people want or need.

Anonymous said...

Wowser...checking out the 2010 Tax Levy Rates (http://www.jacksongov.org/content/3310/3324/4251/default.aspx)
What I find so interesting is the Raytown C2 Levy RISE...we now have the highest Tax Levy for schools in Jackson County, just slightly higher then Hickman Mills.
I remember a few weeks back I received a high gloss advertisement promoting the school district. I believe the Education System is the next thing that needs a COMPLETE OVERHAUL of..in some ways I cannot call it an education system, more like a daycare system, which I am fed up paying for.
Yet ANOTHER reason to dump Raytown...

Andy Whiteman said...

Obvoiusly our BOA is following the example of Dictator O'bummer: Spend money, create debt, higher taxes, it is good of the economy! These people are phools. Remember Regannomics? Now we have O'Bombanomics! These phools know nothing about economics or what is good for the people.

Andy Whiteman

Anonymous said...

Greg, After having read about our current mayor and how he is having neighborhood coffees and seeking advice from Jeff Roe on how to win the campagin, this has me doing some thinking. If the mayor feels he needs to be re elected can't he win on what he has done for the city. Why get a consultant involved. And what has he done for the city? No codes enforcement, no street lights, no real police protection(I blame this on the chief of police) higher taxes and no real city services. If you want codes to fix a situation you have to call in the party yourself. Sounds a chicken stuff to me. For me it is time for a change.

Anonymous said...

Pat,

You are so right in your analysis. They are literally robbing accounts for street maintenance and police protection to create a bunch of new buildings so they can say how much "progress" they have made.

The sad thing is that I don't think most of those on the City Council are even aware of the damage they are doing to the future of Raytown.

The debt obligtions they are piling up does not rest, take a day off or slow down. The only real beneficiary are the developers and the corporate store owners who fill the working jobs with minimum wage jobs.

Let's face it. Going to work for Walmart or Aldi's is not what one considers a wise career move!

Anonymous said...

At least we wont have to foot the bill for a prisoner for life as the situation was taken care of with minimal cost to the taxpayers.

Anonymous said...

I have known Mayor Bower since I first saw him on TV during Planning and Zoning meetings and during his time as Mayor. I will tell each and everyone of you on this blog that Mayor Bower is doing a great job as Mayor considering the many, many issues that he must manage and attempt to keep everyone happy. No one is perfect, but Mayor Bower keeps moving forward despite the cheap shots that angry citizens, angry bloggers and just plain mean people that continue to hurl insults at him and cityhall while hiding behind anonymous identities. Personally, I don't know why anyone would want such a thankless job where no one is happy and everyone has got a gripe. Mayor Bower, you have done an excellent job with the tools and resources you have available. I thank you for your servie to Raytown.

Andy Whiteman said...

4:05AM, I was trying to figure your post out all day. I assume you are making reference to the crime report of the robbery/suicide?

Anonymous said...

To those who have not heard Raytown is loosing another business.

Today, December 31, 2010 will be the last day Berbiglia’s will have a store in Raytown.

The underling issue to close the store was that it was no longer profitable to keep it open. If you are a loyal customer you can find there nearest location in the Brookside area off 63rd Street. I understand the property has been sold and a new business will be coming sometime in the future, but my source was not sure of who that is.

As a taxpayer of Raytown, I hope this doesn’t mean that we the taxpayers of Raytown will be forking over tax dollars to some developer. The good tax paying citizens of Raytown cannot afford to bank roll these private businesses. I don’t believe the private business what to be subject to public review of their policies and operations for accepting tax payers money, which needs to be the case anything tax dollars are used to fund private business.

Anonymous said...

Misguided loyalties. Very poor decision making. No, Mayor Bower is not doing a good job. He is burying Raytown in tons of debt that is already having ill effects.

Driven down your street lately. The roadway looks a little shabby, doesn't it?

That's because Bower and his followers have decided it is more important to pave Walmart's parking lot with your tax dollars than to re-surface your streets.

Oh, sure, we will have a new surface of pitch and gravel. But it looks like hell, is unsafe if you are on anything with less than four wheels and lasts only a fraction of the time the new concrete used on the Walmart Parking lot will last.

Got some bad apples in your neighborhood that will not clean up their property.

Don't expect any help in enforcement of city codes from Bower or his buddies on the City Council.

That would be mean. And the Mayor does not want to look mean in an election year!

Want a street light at that dark intersection in your neighborhood?
Forget it. "We don't have the money" is the cry from the city council in unison. But wait, we do have the money for new lights at HyVee and Walmart and I am sure the new Aldi's going in. How so, simple enough, Bower and his friends on the City Council voted to give these fine establishments new taxes of up to 1% to pay EXCLUSIVELY for it. It is called a Community Improvement District (CID).

That's right folks! You are paying for their new lights evertyime you shop there. So, we have the money for their lights, and you get to pay for it.

Remember the new police tax we passed last year. Call the P.D. and ask for the Chief of Police. Ask him how far BELOW the number of officers on the street he is operating with.

Another broken promise from City Hall.

Please don't tell us what a fine job the Mayor is doing. He has sold us out for corporate America.

He has broken his promises to the taxpayers. So has his city council. They ALL need to go.

Anonymous said...

Yes I was making reference to the guy who robbed the business. Minimal cost to the taxpayers. Just police and ems costs probably. No court costs, no costs for jail or prison. Republicans should like that.

Losing Berbiglia is no big deal. There are way too many booze places out here anyway. Plus they helped contribute with others to my grandfathers early death, and another incident where a woman was in a hurry to get home with all the booze before the big game started over ten years ago only to ram into my vehicle broadside, totalling it out.
I sure wont miss it at all. Drive to Brookside and get your booze.

Happy New Year!!!!

Andy Whiteman said...

Sorry to see any business go, but maybe people in Raytown don't drink enough to keep them in business.

10:37 PM and 9:06 AM, why don't you sign your names to give more credibility to your opinions?

Andy Whiteman

Frank Potter said...

speaking of business closings look
like KC auction at 350 hwy. & woodson is closed.There lot is almost
empty & a Block sign is on the property.
Framk Potter

Greg Walters said...

Andy,

I can understand why people are reluctant to sign their blogs.

I am sure your remember last November when the city removed political yard signs that were in the right of way.

Guess what. Over thirty of mine were removed. They were not in the right of way. They were well back on the street. I "visited" City Hall about this -- and was told they were sorry and that they would return the signs.

Three were returned (one without the wires that hold it up)

I went up to the Public Works Garage to pick up the rest of them the very next morning. Darn the bad luck! The trash service had just picked them up half an hour earlier!

I checked with other politicians who were running at the time. None of them had as many signs picked up as mine.

It could be a coincidence (I personally do not believe in them) but it could also be that there was some payback by some of the folks who run our city.

Let's face it. This website and blog is not on the Mayor's or the most of the City Council's "favorites" list.

That is why people would be reluctant to sign their name.

Anonymous said...

Greg,

I was just up to city hall yesterday and according to Robert filing does not close until
Jan. 18th. Just thought I'ed let all of those other candidates that have not filed yet they still have time.

Andy Whiteman said...

Greg,

I can understand why people are reluctant to sign their names. I feel it gives an endorsement or faults of a candidate more credibility.

I remember when I brought up the city's not enforcing illegally posted signs at the BOA, Mahesh stated that first the owner has to be notified before codes removes them. What happened to that requirement? Or does it depend on whose sign it is? I think you should have presented the city a bill for theft and destruction of property.

True some people can sure be hateful. I don't know what happened to common decency.

If I find fault with the Mayor or an Alderman, I will email them personally. If still unsatisfied, I will air it at the BOA. I suggest that others do likewise.

Andy Whiteman

Anonymous said...

Want proof of the deplorable shape of Raytown's streets. Go drive on them.

Happy New Year!!!

Andy Whiteman said...

12:15AM, Better yet, walk them. You will have a better view and when you twist or sprain your ankle obviously something is wrong. We don't need proof. The tie wearing chairwarmers, who don't live in Raytown, need to get out and see it for themselves. I think Andy Noll should get out and WALK the entire city covering one neighborhood a week. He may actually see a problem. The same applies to the mayor. Each alderperson should walk his/her neighboorhood. Not only will they see dilapidated and unsafe streets but code violations as well.

I wish everyone a Happy New Year!

Andy Whiteman

Anonymous said...

Andy, is right about walking the streets. You see a lot more than just driving them. You see all the trash in the yards, the peeling paint, the overgrown shrubs, the potholes, well I think you get the picture. Raytown has become a trashy little community, with high taxes and no services. All of this falls on your out of town department heads and city administrator THEY DON'T CARE, because they aren't living in this filth. My advice is sell your house or business and get out before it gets worse. Also vote out all the incumbents at city hall this April. I really don't believe that the board of aldermen and mayor could get any worse.

Andy Whiteman said...

8:24AM, Great idea but who will buy my house? Homes in Raytown are very slow to sell. It may be the condition of the streets or it may be the outrageous taxes that scare people off. Remember 75% of the property taxes goes to the Dysfunctional School District.

Andy Whiteman