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| BY GREG WALTERS |
I
wanted my readers to be among the first to know that I have filed for the
office of Alderman on the Raytown City Council.
It
has been ten years since I have held public office (not counting this recent
nine month stint on the Raytown Charter Commission) and believe I can be of
some help in guiding our city’s future.
Being
old fashioned, I opted to use the petition route to qualify my candidacy with
the City of Raytown. Raytown allows for candidates to pay a filing fee (which
is what most do) or to collect signatures to be placed on the ballot.*
So,
last Friday morning, armed with six pages of signatures – 50 are required, I turned
in 55 – I filed for Alderman.
One
thing I learned in gathering those signatures is that while many of my old
friends and acquaintances still live here, many are gone. They have either left
the Raytown area, or, sad to say, in some cases, moved on from this life to the
next.
That
being the case, I find I am in a race in which I will be meeting new people
and, hopefully building new bridges of trust for the April 7th
Election.
If
you live in Ward 1, I look forward to meeting you personally as I take my
campaign door to door.
*Editor’s
note: The proposed Charter eliminates candidate filing fees.
EXCLUSIVE RAYTOWN REPORT STORY
Whiskey Barrel Story
Elisa
Breitenbach, co-owner of “Doughboys”, located in the Woodson Village Shopping Center, has
posted a firsthand account of the Whiskey Barrel Robbery. We confirmed with Elisa her source for the story.
Paul
and I are well aware that many people want to know what happened the night of
January 2nd at the Whiskey Barrel. We had contacted the Raytown
Police and were told the crime was under investigation and could not make an official comment.
Elisa’s
report is a firsthand account from one of the owner/victims of the Whiskey
Barrel, Connie Maxwell.
Whiskey Barrel Robbery BY ELISA BREITENBACH
It happened January 2nd on a Friday night at 8:30 PM
Connie was told "Give me all your money b**ch!!!
She said "Are you kidding?"
She saw the gun. Then she was hit with a fist in the face. She went down.
At the very same time Mike jumped up he saw the guy jump up off the ground and hit his mother.
Mike said "Do you want a piece of this!"
He grabbed for his gun in his pocket.
The second guy shot his gun at Mike. Mike went down in a pool of blood!
Connie jumped up yelling for Mike. Both guys had ran out.
Connie called 911.
She said "Are you kidding?"
She saw the gun. Then she was hit with a fist in the face. She went down.
At the very same time Mike jumped up he saw the guy jump up off the ground and hit his mother.
Mike said "Do you want a piece of this!"
He grabbed for his gun in his pocket.
The second guy shot his gun at Mike. Mike went down in a pool of blood!
Connie jumped up yelling for Mike. Both guys had ran out.
Connie called 911.
The rest was a Miracle. Mike was in ICU for days.
The Doctor calls Mike a Miracle! He told Connie he must of had a band of Angels around him.
The ICU Unit calls Mike a "Hero" for saving his mother. Many of them had been given gift cards for Christmas. They gave them all to him.
This is not a Rumor!!! We need each of you talking about this crime.
This is Raytown, it's our hometown that we need to help protect!!!
Silence is Deadly we must let each store owner and family in and around Raytown know about this crime.
The Doctor calls Mike a Miracle! He told Connie he must of had a band of Angels around him.
The ICU Unit calls Mike a "Hero" for saving his mother. Many of them had been given gift cards for Christmas. They gave them all to him.
This is not a Rumor!!! We need each of you talking about this crime.
This is Raytown, it's our hometown that we need to help protect!!!
Silence is Deadly we must let each store owner and family in and around Raytown know about this crime.
BY PAUL LIVIUS
The
Raytown Report is making a number of “first announcements” this week. Greg’s
candidacy for Alderman is one. Another is the detailed report from Elisa
Breitenbach about the Whiskey Barrel robbery.
Just
as important is this final announcement.
We
are pleased to be the first news source in Raytown to endorse the proposed
Charter to be voted on by the public on the April 7th
Election.
Greg
was one of the ten members of the Commission who endorsed the final document
last Wednesday night at City Hall. He told me “we have put together a very good
Charter with a strong foundation that will empower Raytowners with a new form
of government”.
The
Charter Commission is to be congratulated on putting together a very flexible
and workable Charter for Raytown. An example is a last minute change that gave
the Board of Aldermen the ability to create a one-time extension period of six
months for applicants for the position of City Administrator to make a move to
Raytown.
This
change also illustrates the power given to the people of Raytown. The only way
the extension could be increased after that point would be through direct voter
approval as a ballot measure.
The
Charter Commission has finished its work. Now, it is the voters turn. Please
take the time to read the Charter and familiarize yourself with it. To view the
completed Charter use the following link.
USE
THIS LINK . . . Final Charter Document
Paul’s
Rant BY PAUL LIVIUS
“Gloom
and Doom” was the way one Charter Commissioner characterized the opposition of
three members of the Commission when they voted against approval of the final Charter.
The remark was in response to the dire warnings of Charter Commissioners Jim
Aziere, Charlotte Melson and Mary Jane VanBuskirk.
The
trio of naysayers had voiced their belief that a requirement that the City
Administrator be required to live within the city limits would run off
qualified applicants. One commissioner went so far to say a qualified applicant
couldn’t find decent housing in this town.
To
which I say – hogwash!
I
did a quick check of surrounding communities and found that Raytown is the ONLY
city that currently does not require its City Administrator to live within city
limits. As for the housing stock in Raytown, there are many nice homes in
Raytown. If the cost of housing is the criteria, there are plenty expensieve
homes in Raytown as well.
I
am beginning to wonder the motive behind the opposition of two of the “no
voting” members of the Commission.
Commissioner
Jim Aziere was one of only two Commissioners to vote against the Charter in
2005. Charlotte Melson was not on the Commission but did oppose the Charter as
a member of the Raytown Board of Alderman in 2005.
The
2014/2015 Charter is very different from the 2005 Charter. The 2005 Charter
required ALL department heads to live within city limits. This Charter only
requires the City Administrator to do so.
This
Charter, particularly in the area of taxation has given the people of Raytown
the right to petition their government to lower taxes. A power that was not
included in the 2005 document.
There
are many other examples of positive changes in the Charter. A section that
forbids the creation of an Earnings Tax on Raytowners is one. A section that
protects dedicated sales tax dollars from being used to fund tax abatement
schemes is another.
As
Greg told me when I was writing this story. “We have put together a good
Charter for Raytown. I hope the voters see fit to approve it.”
QUOTE OF THE WEEK . . . The best definition of double-speak is given in a demonstration of how it works. Consider the following quote from Jonah Goldberg of the American Enterprise Institute:
FIT BOTTOMED EATS
13 Healthy Super
QUOTE OF THE WEEK . . . The best definition of double-speak is given in a demonstration of how it works. Consider the following quote from Jonah Goldberg of the American Enterprise Institute:
“The Administration has ‘created or saved’ millions of jobs. For what
it is worth, I ‘do or save’ 500 push-ups every morning.”
FIT BOTTOMED EATS
Bowl Recipes
The Super Bowl is just weeks away!
And while we can't guarantee that your team will win --- or, really, that the
game will be great at all --- what we … Read More
CLOSED
The
list of candidates for City,
School Board and Fire District has grown since the New Year began.
Filing closes for all offices next Tuesday, January 20th at 5:00 p.m.
RAYTOWN CITY OFFICES FOUR YEAR TERM
Mayor
Pat Ertz
Michael
McDonough
Alderman
Ward I
Joe Creamer
Karen Black
Greg Walters
Alderman Ward 2
Jim Aziere
Chris Rathbone
Steve Guenther
Joe Creamer
Karen Black
Greg Walters
Alderman Ward 2
Jim Aziere
Chris Rathbone
Steve Guenther
Alderman
Ward 3
Mark Moore
Ryan Myers
Sterling Brown
Alderman Ward 4
Ryan Myers
Sterling Brown
Alderman Ward 4
Mary Jane VanBuskirk
Steve Meyers
Alderman Ward 5
Steve Meyers
Alderman Ward 5
Barry
Park
Eric Teeman
Eric Teeman
City
Collector
Kathie Schutte
RAYTOWN
SCHOOL BOARD THREE YEAR TERM
Kristie Lynn
Collins-Delarber
Amy Beth
Tittle
Thomas Granger Estlund
RAYTOWN FIRE BOARD SIX YEAR TERM
Thomas Granger Estlund
RAYTOWN FIRE BOARD SIX YEAR TERM
Richard
Tush
To leave a comment use this link POST A COMMENT
33 comments:
First off , I would like to wish Greg Walters the best
Of luck in his run for Ward 1 Alderman.
Jim Aziere, Charlotte Melson and Mary Jane VanBuskirk
should be ashamed of themselves. After the people
have shown how much they were against our
city Administrator not living here, they still when against
the peoples wishes. Mrs. VanBuskikk may not be an
alderman, yet, but her husband is and all are yes men and women
for this administration whom has shown time after time
it doesn’t care what the people want.
Please don’t vote for Jim Aziere or Mrs. VanBuskirk!
We need elected officials that care for the people
and what they want. We don’t need these kind of
people as our representatives.
I've known Steve Meyers for several years. I'm voting for him. He is a successful businessman that lives and works in Raytown. He will listen to what the people want, and do his best to support them. He will work with the other Aldermen to move Raytown forward.
Yeah, Steve knows there are a lot of nice houses in Raytown. Unlike Van Buskirk, Melson, and Aziere.
Steve Myers would be an excellant choice for Ward 4. He will not be bought by anyone at City Hall. Mrs. VanBuskirk is far to negitive and we don't need her.
Greg, I am glad to see that you are running this time. I think that you may this time have a calming effect on the board if you are elected. It would be nice to see Crteamer GONE.
Please tell me, over in KS a gun shop owner was sho and killedt by 4 punks and it was all over the news from that moment. True they caught all 4 within hours.
The Raytown robbery and what could have been a death the same as in KS. has apparently been silenced by the police dept. or maybe the mayor. I admit I do not like the publicity that this would cause but the people need to know. It is just one more reason that I carry nearly every place I go.
Also Aziere, Melson and Van Buskirk should all be ashamed of them selves. It is a shame that every person does not get all they want every-time. They should have gone home crying like some spoiled baby.
Paul, Maybe you should have sent text messages to the Mayor and Aldermen as well as the CA and Public Works director. Maybe it takes a text to get attention. I have said for over 13 years that these meetings are really held in secret unless one attends because many don't have or can't afford CATV. I do agree that ALL CATV companies should offer a City Channel, not just the one selected by the city. Allowing only one is discrimination and favoritism.
Andy,
All cable providers have the government channel. That's Federal law. However. each city has to have the equipment for the cable company to broadcast the meeting. When the BOA was talking about putting out the money for the Chamber renovations, Mayor Bower said the Board needed to look at using other providers to broadcast the meetings since so many residents didn't use Comcast anymore. Let's see how long it takes the Board to act on that. Maybe after the old guard is gone in April something will finally be done.
Johnny - The old guard is fading away. Melson and Lightfoot aren't running. With a lot of hard work, Creamer, Aziere and Ertz will be defeated. That leaves Van Buskirk and Mock in 2 years. Personally, I don't mind Steve Mock. At least he gets off his behind and goes out into the community. Remember, he's the one who puts the Christmas decorations on the 63rd Street bridge. No body else does it. Sometimes he votes wrong, but I think he at least tries. If I lived in his district, I'd vote for him. But nobody else.
My Vote is for Pat Ertz for Mayor.
He is a very respectful person who knows business and politics.
In the man for the Mayor's position.
I am sure that Pat Ertz is a nice man but that is not the bench mark for a Mayor, we may not have the best of choices but Mike M. is the best for a person that is not tied to the establishment. I remember last year when the board voted on the Wal_Mart and 8 out of the 10 said that they had not as yet made a decision, they the 8 all lied as they had no trouble voting right of way for it. We do not need one of those to be mayor.
Matter of fact you may just be Pat Ertz.
Ertz is in the Mayor's hip pocket. If you want a person with a huge ego, who thinks the City Administrator was worth a $30,000 raise and doesn't make him live here, then you have the right guy. Hope the rest of the town has more common sense.
Thank You Greg!!! Thanks for sharing my firsthand account of Connie & Mike's nightmare at the Whiskey Barrel. Thanks also for running for Ward 1 Alderman. You have my total support. Crime is a problem all across the U.S. Some think that people should not talk about it or even worst not even be informed about it. Raytown has The Raytown Report to help keep Raytown residents informed on what is going on in their city. Thanks to you & Paul. Keep up the GREAT work guys! The Raytown Charter also has our support. We will all be glad when election day is over for us. Greg thanks for giving us a voice and a place we can all blog and talk.
Elisa Breitenbach
What happened to Lisa Emerson in Ward 3?
Cities website does not have Sterling Brown for Ward 3 any reason why?
Maybe some one that is well versed in our form of government in Raytown can answer this question. We have a mayor a city manager a public information officer and a chief of police.
Now when we have a shooting in one of our business we would expect that it would be public record.
I would think that the PI officer would be able to have this information unless the mayor or the city manager stops her.
Does the chief of police receive his orders from the mayor or the city manager.
Who does run the city??
Does anyone else understand what I think is going on here, or do we just not worry about it?
I was told by the KC TV NEWS DESK "To our knowledge, no such incident occurred at the Whiskey Barrel. Raytown On Line came to the donut shop today and told me Randy from The Raytown Times was told they would not give him any information about the crime. This was a public crime. The information is public information but somehow Raytown is not allowing it to be public. I am not able to put any comments on the city Facebook page but anyone who reads this can. Please be asking for this public information. All of our small shops need your voice. Why is Raytown covering up this story? We pay our taxes. We bring people from all over the metro to do business here in Raytown. We want answers. One of us was shot in public. Why are you covering it up. If this was a city official we would all know about this crime. We want answers. This crime happened January 2, 2014 come on.
Elisa Breitenbach
Elisa, I can understand your frustration. However, there is no a single police department who will give out pertinent information about an ongoing investigation. There is too much of a chance it will cause problems at trial. It could be that the police won't tell the city, therefore the city can't comment.
All that can be done is for Connie and Mike to tell their story to a news station themselves. It won't and can't come from official sources.
Well put Vicky!
On a Raytown website the writer being a friend of Connie's had just seen her for the first time on jan 19 and claimed Connie did it want it on the news because her parents watch the news and they had yet to tell them about the attempted robbery.
Peter
Vicky you can bet it would not work this way if this was someone in the police department that was shot.
Well Peter at least we heard a good excuse for a a change.
This one I can believe as the other is trash.
A lady was robbed at Oak Park Mall about 4:30 yesterday and it is all over the news even to the fact it was several black young people.
Some of you may have been here when the Caylors were murdered. It was all over the news. There was a prayer vigil held in front of the Bible store. We didn't hear a word from the police department until an arrest had been made. Even then, the only official information was the man's name at the time of the arrest. More information became available from the press after the man was arraigned and the courts put the facts in the public record. When the Raytown police make an arrest in the Whiskey Barrel shooting, I'm sure the same scenario will take place. We just have to be patient. Remember, it took the Raytown police almost 2 months to catch the Caylor killers. Give them some time on this, too.
I remember The Caylors and the murder. Terrible thing to happen. Yes it was an on going investigation. At the time it seemed it took forever because we all were so anxious for the perp to be caught
Perter
Got a stumper question . If a friend was in a traumatic incident and said they did not want it on the news then why would a friend call the news
I decided to drop out of the race for Ward 3 Alderman due to Mark Moore's filing for the same office. I have full confidence in his judgement, believing that if he were to win, he would make the right decisions for the right reasons on behalf of the people of our ward. I wish him the best in his race.
I remember the Caylor murders as well. Mr. and Mrs. Caylor were murdered by a young man they had been helping. Neither of them told the news media of what was going on. How could they? They were dead. But still the public found out. How did the public find out? Through the police department.
I won't throw stones at the p.d. on this one. There may be very good reasons for them not to go public with what they have.
Think of other murders in Raytown's recent past. The man on 67th Street who was murdered while walking his dog. His family publicized the murder and are workiing hard to find who is guilty. Should the same be true this time?
6:42pm I am sure the owners of whiskey barrel will tell the public when and what they wish to tell. If and until then I will keep them in my thoughts and prayers and respect their decision .
The nude red man on 67th and his family's decision to publicize it is their choice
As is Connie and Mikes choice. But it is their choice. Let them make their choice without being admonished. They have already been through enough
Email received from the Raytown Police Department:
Investigation into Liquor Store Robbery Continues
by harperdyon
Press Release
For Release: 01-22-2015
Prepared By: Sgt. D. Harper
Investigation into Liquor Store Robbery Continues
Raytown, MO – Raytown Police continue to investigate the robbery of a liquor store in the 6500 block of Raytown Road, which occurred on 01-02-2015. Two black males entered the store, demanded money and one of the males struck a female employee, which knocked her down. One of the males displayed a gun. When a male employee attempted to activate the alarm, he fell to the ground. The two suspects left the store. The male employee was transported to an area hospital for treatment to a wound to his head.
The male employee initially told the responding officers that he thought he tripped, causing him to strike his head, however, it was later discovered that he had most likely suffered a grazing gunshot wound to his head. He was treated at the hospital and has since been released.
The male suspects are described as being about 6’ tall, thin build, wearing dark clothing.
Raytown Police investigators believe that the liquor store robbery suspects may have been involved in other crimes, and have been diligently working with other law enforcement agencies to bring this case to a successful conclusion, which has restricted the release of information until today. We thank our community members that have remained patient through this process. The investigation into this robbery is ongoing, so in order to preserve the integrity of the investigation, and potentially others, no other information will be released at this time.
Anyone with information about this robbery, or any other crime, is asked to call the TIPS Hotline at (816) 474-TIPS (8477).
#15-0016
harperdyon | January 22, 2015 at 18:25 | Categories: Press Releases | URL: http://wp.me/p1q1Br-1N2
The Whiskey Barrel would like to thank everyone who came out last night. They both want you to know how much they both feel blessed by all the Raytown support! It truly is times like this you come to understand the true meaning of life.
The new hours will be 2:00-8:00 P.M. Please try & understand they don't want to talk to the media. Connie's parents are pushing 90. They don't want them to know what happened but they do want Raytown & all our families to know.
I am sure it was hard to reopen. Everyday each of us make a choice in life. We can stand up face the day with a smile & be thankful like Connie & her son Mike or choose a path of bitterness & hate. May life always teach us how life is a blessing even in the dark times thanks to dear old & new friends all around us.
Please like & share this wonderful news!
Only one person has claimed to contact a tv station in this matter; don't think others will.
The police version is a tad different than what was previously published .
Glad people are rallying around them!!!
Salon 1101 had their open sign up today!! Yea for them and Welcome!! Glad you are here
I'm always on the lookout for a good salon. Where is Salon 1101?
Thanks
Salon 1101 is on raytown rd across from the library on the south west corner.
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