So much of the news is depressing if not down right frightening these days. Use the following two links to see stories of success against may seem like impossible odds.
-- BREAKING NEWS --
Apparent drive-by shooting kills
beloved Raytown man By CHRISTINE VENDEL OF THE KANSAS CITY STAR
William Cranfill
looked out his window Sunday morning and saw his neighbor, Harry M. Stone,
walking down the street.
Cranfill saw
Stone nearly every morning, either walking his dog, Max, or going for a jog. He
didn’t know it was the last time he’d see Stone alive.
Stone, 60, was
killed in an apparent drive-by shooting near 67th Street and Blue Ridge
Boulevard, less than a mile and a half from his Raytown home. Police found him
collapsed in the grass near the street after a witness reported the shooting
about 7:20 a.m. He died later at a hospital. READ
MORE
Man Shot, Sent to Hospital By Laura McCallister, KCTV
Man Shot, Sent to Hospital By Laura McCallister, KCTV
A person is
recovering in the hospital after an early morning shooting.
Raytown Police
were called to 66th Street and Hardy Avenue a little past midnight Saturday
after neighbors reported hearing the sound of gunfire.
When police
arrived, they saw people run inside a home and a Dodge Stratus hurriedly
leaving the area.
Police attempted
to stop the Dodge which fled from police and a car chase ensued. During the
chase, police said an unknown young black man, about 6' tall, wearing a white
shirt and black shorts jumped out of the vehicle and ran from police near 66th
Street and Maywood Avenue. READ MORE
So,
What is “Plan B”? BY GREG WALTERS
The recent
decision by the Raytown Board of Aldermen to change the management of Super
Splash to a private firm may or may not be a good decision. The information
provided by the Park Board and the Raytown Board of Aldermen is, to say the
least, minimal.
From the
discussion at the last Council meeting here is what we do know:
The Aquatic
Director of the Raytown Park Department resigned his position. Surprisingly,
there was absolutely no discussion as what brought about such a quick decision.
Normally, exit interviews would provide some light on to this subject. As it
stands, the public is left completely in the dark as to what exactly happened.
One question,
asked by Ward 3 Alderman Charlotte Melson, made a lot of sense. She asked, “what
is plan B”. Park Board Director Kevin Boji’s answer that there was no plan B is
an unacceptable reply and the Board should have been given some options.
To his credit,
Mayor Bower, though not too forcefully, suggested that the Board could carry the
item over to another meeting for a final decision. None of the Board picked up
on the suggestion and the Mayor did not expand on the thought.
After some
lengthy discussion the Board did what is becoming expected of them. The
followed the direction of the appointed city staff.
Was it the right
decision? Time will tell.
The downside is
that the pool will run at a greater deficit than it did last year (and that is
based on the Park Board’s own figures!). Our elected officials should be more
forthcoming in exactly what is happening on these matters. . . particularly
when the decision the may costs the taxpayers more money.
Fit
Bottomed Girls
Jenn
vs. the Sidewalk BY JENN
For
this edition of Question of the Week, each FBG is recounting her most
embarrassing moment when it comes to working out. Buckle up…these should be
fun! I like to tell myself that my most embarrassing fitness moment isn’t
exactly unique. That every runner trips—HARD—at one time or another during
training. After all, when... Continue
reading
More Than Just a Photograph . . .
To post a comment on this blog click
on the word comments on the line directly below
this sentence.
More Than Just a Photograph . . .
31 comments:
It sounds like the cart is driving the horse! I have only read about the Super Splash issue since I wasn't at the meeting but I really wonder who is running this city? It sounds as if the staff is in charge.
I feel that a staff member who presents Option A with no other plan in an attempt to force the BOA into a corner, should be fired. I feel an investigation is in order to determine conflicts of interest (if any).
The BOA should have postponed the issue and directed staff to present more options.
Andy Whiteman
Off course our elected officals took the word of our city department heads.
After all why wouldn't they being our elected offical repeatedly remind us of what professionals we have at city hall.
Some where in it all they (our elected officals) have forgoten they are elected by us and should question the recomendations of the department heads. The same heads who if they are as professional as our elected officals want us to believe should always have a plan "B".
It is apparent at the end of the day our elected officals whouldn't know what a well educated professional was if they were to meet one.
Being none of our departement heads want or will move into the city limits I must assume none are professionally concerned about the city they represent and pays them.
The department heads were hired to manage. Now they are managing the BOA. These actions remind me of a short story I read in junior high where robots designed to work for and to serve people developed a mind of their own and took over the world!
It is stupid and dangerous to allow City Staff to dictate to the BOA. I advocate firing this type of "manager."
Andy Whiteman
These so called "Professionals" are merely individuals, same as you and I, who need a job and will work for whoever pays them the price they think they deserve, or can get. The very fact that they choose not to live in Raytown shows that they really do not have Raytown's best interest at heart. It is only a paycheck to them. So when they make recommendations to the Board, they are talking out the side of their mouth, in a let's see what happens if we try this approach. They do not care if it costs the City more money, it's not their money to be concerned about. Keep the 3rd party con$ultant$ out of Raytown and let current staff run SuperSplash. They deserve the opportunity for their years of working here.
I hope the Mayor, BOA, Department Heads and all others read this blog. We are taking Raytown back!!!
More shooting and murders in Raytown. I guess the Police better purchase more Ford Excursions and attend more lake-side conferences to deal with this problem.
With the additional shooting in Raytown will our elected City Marshall give us a status on what action the police are taking or as normal will he behiding up at city hall and let someone else address those who elected him.
It is time the Board of Alderman hire a professional to run the police department who talks with the public and address those criminals who decide to call Raytown home
Bower likes to complain about this blog when he is on one of his rages.
He always takes the position that the things on here are so negative and do not paint a positive image of Raytown.
Bower should instead be asking why are we are seeing an increase in crime and is there any truth to all the studies that show an increase in crime is directly related to letting property maintenance issue go unaddressed as you cannot get any more of a negative image of Raytown than all of the local television stations broadcasting live from the corner of 67th and Blue Ridge Blvd about the drive by shooting.
Bower might fool a lot of you that he is not responsible for the down fall of Raytown, but too many of us have spoken to him about proactively enforcing code violations, which he is fully against or as we can now see a FOOL against!
It is time to step up and cleanup our city instead of being the town bully!
Of course the posts on this blog are negative! What is happening in Raytown that is positive except the BOA is being run by staff and taxpayers are paying businesses to open in Raytown?
Oh, by the way, Raytown gets free air time on TV after each shooting or other crime!
Andy Whiteman
Every single problem in this town we
all love is a direct result of City Hall.
IF, codes were enforced like they
were designed they could force out some
of the bad people that have moved into
our neighborhoods. Good people take pride
in in their homes, keep them cleaned up.
For too many years now hired department
heads from out of town, have run this town
and the elected people that are supposed to be
working for the people have been so
neglectful in doing their jobs our
neighborhoods and downtown areas have
gone downhill.
To Anonymous 11:27 & 3:53,
I know the police are working 24-7
on this shooting. Our metro squad
is working around the clock to find
any and all leads that will help catch
this low-life killer.
I for one am proud of our Police Department.
If you want to rag on someone, rag on
City Hall. The Police want to do their jobs!
Pat I will rag on the police. I drove around the city on a Saturday night for about two (2) hours and did not see ONE policeman. I drove main and side streets. For police to be visable is so very important. Maybe it would be a good idea if the chief got some of those chair warmers in the department out on the streets for a while. Pat I respect you but the fact is you dont live here and you dont know everything that goes on here. Have a good day
8:26AM, I have seen police officers on the street and I wasn't even looking for them. Everyime I go in my car, I usually see at least one officer.
I think something may have happened Saturday evening because an officer passed me on Raytown Rd with red lights at a high rate of speed. I never heard a siren until he/she was past me. Thank may account for your not observing an officer.
I agree Police visability is a good idea, but do you really think that will stop a criminal? The last murder sounds like sociopaths who would kill anyone. I doubt a police officer being nearby would have detered the crime.
It is my opinion that if an officer was stationed at each corner, there would still be crime.
I suggest that each tie wearing chairwarmer at City Hall from the City Administrator down be assigned an area of the city and required to do a foot patrol of the assigned area so that the entire area is covered at least once a year. That would make it mor likely that code violations as well as city maintenance issues swould be addressed. If a chair warmer trips on a hole or crack in the street, falls and tears his suit, I am sure it will be addressed.
Andy Whiteman
The issue with the Raytown police department is it is top heavy.
Back in the 80's wise members of the Board of Alderman worked several years to get the top cut back so we had more officers on the street and less keeping city hall occupied.
We can see by once again having a top heavy police department that the ability to think and act responsible are lacking from our current Board of Alderman.
It is no surprise our city is in the mess it is in.
Because Raytown is a 4th class city, the city can only do what the state will allow them do. We as citizens we need to get behind a charter so that we have a right to recall anyone in an elected position that is not doing thier jobs.
In the charter the police chief/marshall(by the way, Marshall is the correct term)need to be an appointed position. If He/she is not doing his/her job then they could be fired and that not going to happen without a charter. Our current Chief makes to much money to ever step down because the citizens want a change.
Let's work together to tell our Alderman that we want a Charter. just in case you don't know, a charter has to be approved by the BOA before it will ever be put on the ballot. If they say no then you already know who needs to go in the next election don't you.
Yeah sure, tell our Aldermen that WE want a charter. How many times did that fail?
I don't know about Raytown, but when I dispatched a sheriff's office it was customary for upper management to be on patrol and answering calls. There have been times I called RPD and have spoken via their cells with management who were on patrol. It is incorrect to assume they are sitting at City Hall.
Back to 8:26 AM, Saturday evening when you claimed you saw no officers in a 2 hour period, they had a shooting in progress. It was reported in the Raytown Times as well as other media. I am sure they were involved with that incident and not on general patrol, but I feel equally sure that if you or anyone called with an emergency, there would be a quick response. BTW: Why were you driving around 2 hours looking for an officer? I have better things to do. If I want an officer, I have a phone number on speed dial.
I have the utmost respect for our Police Department. Of all the cities I have lived, Raytown has the best Police Department.
Andy Whiteman
Pat,
I have to agree with the other blog, you do not live in Raytown, so count your blessings.
The citizens of Raytown deserve better in police protection, especially for the high taxes paid.
The current Police Chief, or Marshall, was elected during the Sue Frank days. Then, Mayor Sue Frank endorsed Lynch because he was a friend of her and her husband, Ted Bowman, who at the time was a sgt detective in the Raytown Police Dept. This alone, is a conflict of interest, and abuse of power by the Mayor, but that's another story, abeit similar to the Walmart SNAFU, which began under her watch as well.
Lynch should never had been endorsed by the Mayor with a husband in PD. However, crooked politics prevailed and Lynch was elected Police Chief, and Sue Frank's husband was promoted again and again to the lofty rank of Captain. Soon after, the public safety sales tax was passed by the voters (under false promises) and PD got their big raises and fancy new Ford Excursions, and sport cars and other quirks, all in the name of public safety and misleading the voters into believing that PD is a professionally ran department.
PD Management is only concerned with how much money they can make, while abusing their position of authority, only to better themselves- Similar to the chair warmer department heads who choose not to live within the city boundaries.
Raytown is going to hell in a hand basket and city hall has no one who is accountable for the failures of police protection, code enforcement and lack of leadership by allowing department heads and city administrator to live in other (safer) communities.
I suppose increase taxes will be needed to continue this charade until we are as crime ridden as Kansas City and the values of our homes are worth nothing.
Oh wait, we're already there...
Is there a reward for information leading to the murderer of Harry Stone? Maybe that will help bring some one forward to identify the pig that killed him.
Talking about the police SUV that was to be used when they had stand offs or emergencies in other cities or our own. I was at Westlake on Saturday and there in the parking lot sat the big ass Suv with no emergency at Westlake. That my folks is why we needed a charter so the police would have to be accountable for their actions. As it is now they can and do whatever they damn well please. So suck up, you who voted no charter you did this so quit crying. We kept it simple and look what we have
OK, I don't live here.
For thirty years I lived in an area of
Kansas City, but, my children went to
Raytown schools and graduated from them.
I have owned a business in Raytown for over
thirty three years. So I'm getting pretty
tired of hearing I don't live here so I
can't possibly know what is going on
in this town. I'm especially getting tired of
reading comments to me from Anonymous writers.
For all I know they could live in Kansas.
Let's say the Police Dept. moves the "top Heavy"
people on to the street. You Anonymous writers
would probably complain about them having to
buy more cars.
My point is this, Raytown's police, men and women,
are good hard working officers. They are there
for you when you need them. Unlike some anonymous
writers that would rather put them down.
In City Hall this town is run by elected officials
that don't even have to have a high school
diploma. They are telling the Police Department
how they should be run and always threatening
their retirement fund. Not only that, they
don't have to have a business degree and they
try to tell business owners what is best for
them. This is also the reason Wal-Mart shafted
them and the taxpayers out of millions of dollars!
If the people in City Hall take credit for
the good things happening in Raytown they
certainly should take blame for it's downhill
fall too. They should also try to fix mistakes too!
6:33 AM, I don't know of there is a reward for info on the murder of Harry Stone or not? Why does there have to be a reward? Rewards have been offered in other cases with no info coming forward. IF I knew the identity of a felon, I would report them reward or not.
On the other hand, maybe you have a point since the murder was commited by scum bags so maybe another scum bad would step forward to get the reward.
Andy Whiteman
We don't need a chart to address the issue with our City Marshall the state already has that covered if our professionals at city hall would just take the time to read the state laws.
This doesn't mean I don't think we need a chart as I agree we do. It is just to address the issue with the City Marshall we don't need one.
We just need a Board of Alderman who can do the right thing!
Andy,
I just want to say "WHAT!"
1st - who did you talk to?
2nd - what rank do you consider top?
3rd - If they where on a cell phone how do you know they were on the street and not at home in front of the televission?
There are many of us who don't live in a CAVE and therefore from observation do have the right to say for we have not seen any ranking officers, those above Sgt out on patrol.
Being that you appear to be a creator of the night you might have been at Hy-Vee at night and seen a LT, but he is working security for Hy-Vee and not for you and me.
This is on top of the fact our department doesn't need all the Corp if we are going to have Sgt
11:22 AM, You have to be joking if you think the Socialist Fascist Fief of Raytown will comply with State or Federal laws!!! They seem to think that they are above the law. I wonder why I have heard more than once that the the city was involved in a Federal Lawsuit?
11:29 AM, It was several years ago that I spoke with a Lt. on his cell. It was about lunchtime and I heard him at a drive in paying for his lunch with the speaker in the background. I suggested that he not drive and talk on his cell.
I know that officers on duty at Hy-Vee are off duty and paid by Hy-Vee as are any other officers seen in businesses.
How do you know the rank of an officer who is driving in a car unless he gets out and you identify him? Are you aware that there are unmarked cars for management officers to go out in? Even if they don't do regular patrols, there are times they must be in the field.
I still wonder who has time to go looking for officers who are on patrol and what rank they are? I have better things to do with my time. I rarely go any distance from home but generally see a patrol car go down the street once or twice a day.
Our officers have a dangerous job of responsibility and I will state again as I have stated to the BOA that they are underpaid!
Andy Whiteman
We have plenty of police cars so quit trying to protect them. As for their retirement no one is trying to take it from them just trying to make sure it is sustainable. You dont know it all. And for your information I do live in Raytown.
I've lived in Raytown for 11 years. I see police patrolling almost every time I leave home and see them drive by my house on 75th Street regularly. I have called the police a few times through the years and the response times have always been excellent and the officers professional and courteous.
I have the same comment as 12:27 PM except I am in a different part of town. I am surprised that I received really prompt responses on matters that were NOT emergencies.
Mayor Sly wants a street repair sales tax in KCMO. Do they intend to do as Raytown did by collecting the tax and not doing the repairs? Boy did we get scammed! We thought it was for street repairs but it was really a Transportation Sales Tax that went to public transit as well as retiring past debt. What a rip off!
Andy Whiteman
You are so right about the transportation tax. Close to $100,000 goes to maintain a bus system in Raytown that is a joke. The main reason they keep those tiny buses is so that Walmart shoppers can connect with the Metro bus service serving west of KC. It is supposed to haul shoppers to Walmart on 350 Highway. It is part of the deal city hall made to get Walmart to build on 350 Highway. Now you know what is really important to city hall. It is not our streets. It is not our code enforcement. it is taking care of Walmart.
Who rides the bus? Seems like a waste of $$$$$$$ to me! It runs only very limited hours during part of the day serving very few people and is basically useless. Maybe there is some benefit in getting people to Walmart?
I have ridden the bus in other cities and found the service is not when I want to go making it almost useless Most systems have service only during the day which may be OK for day people. After my head injury, my doctor wanted me to ride the bus to work which was over a 3 hour ride with no return trip because I got off work after the bus in that area stoped running. I had a free bus pass in San Diego county and rode the bus to the Post Office to pick up my mail. There was a 45 minute wait for the return trip. Since I could walk home sooner than the bus would come, the bus was useless.
If someone rides the bus here, where does it take them? To another bus that may take hours to get to their desination. But the bus is available only during limited day hours. If Raytown wants to attract businesses and customers for business, public transportation must operate 24/7.
If Raytown is going to have useless bus service it should be funded entirely by the actual users and not the taxpayers. It doesn't make sense to be paying for other people's transportation. I pay the cost of maintaining my car and insurance without taxpayer assistance. There is no logical reason for taxpayers to support a bus service that is not available 24/7 to ALL of the people.
Andy Whiteman
Andy,
Have you ever thought I might work for the city and therefore know who is where and when.
Pat,
Have you ever thought I might work for the city and therefore know that if I want to keep my job I cannot identify myself.
1:22 PM, I don't assume anything but I was also thinking, "I don't hang out a city hall just to see who is there." You could have stated you work for the city. Why don't you pick a handle that won't identify you so you will be recognized as the same poster. "Anonymous" could by anyone out of many posters. A handle would give come continuity to your posts. It would be your identity just like someone who uses his name.
You write with intelligence which indicates to me you are underpaid as a city worker. I favor raising the real workers' wages to a living wage. Living in Raytown isn't cheap. That is one of several reasons that I am moving.
Andy Whiteman
To any "Anonymous" writer,
I don't care if you work for the city
or not. In this country we have a right
to voice our opinion. Freedom of speech.
Don't you think I am worried about my business?
Don't you think I worried about being coded out
of business in Raytown for what I write?
If you work for this city and they fire you
for voicing your opinion then this city
isn't worth our support. Just like if this
city can't take criticism, this is the American
way or life. Thousands of men and women have died
for the rights you and I share today. Don't let
a small town government scare you into hiding.
I know a few great lawyers that would love
to take on a case like that.
Pat, I totally agree with your comment(May 21, 2012 7:41 AM) about freedom of speech, but anonymous would have a difficult time proving his case if he was discriminated against or fired. I wrote letters to the editor and my previous employer put them into my Personnel folder with a note, "Do not reinstate this person." This was hidden from me when I viewed my OPF but I discovered it years later when I was denied employment. Who knows what others may do?
Andy Whiteman
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