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Park Board Meeting Report 

BY GREG WALTERS

The Raytown Park Board held a rare Public meeting for homeowners living near Colman Park to hear concerns on recent gun violence at Colman Park.at 2 a.m. on June 9 a large crowd of gun wielding individuals in cars fired an estimated 200 rounds of gunshot into the air from over 60 vehicles driving in a long procession through Colman Park 2:00 a.m. in the morning.

Raytown Parks and Recreation Parks Director, Dave Turner, told attendees at the meeting the Park Board has decided to make security changes at Colman to tackle the uptick of trouble at one of Raytown’s most popular parks.

Lane Street is a two lane street with a north/south trajectory in Colman Park. It is the only park in Raytown that has two entrances. The hilly straight away attracts individuals who have used the public street at Colman Park as a race track and a place for side showsTurner told those in attendance that they have installed speed bumps on the north end of Lane Street and intend to install on the south end as well. Homeowners living near the park agree the installation   of speed bumps has effectively stopped the reckless driving.

Turner also spoke of plans to install monitors in shelter houses that would turn electricity to shelter house off when sound levels reach an unacceptable decibel level. A date for installation has yet to be set. Neighbors within two city blocks of the park say they are unable to enjoy their own back yards because of the excessive noise from disc jockeys and loud music coming from the park.

Turner said plans were in place to use private security patrols at Colman Park on weekends during summer months. Those in attendance at the meeting were pleased with the planned changes in security at the park. Though many of them repeatedly told the Park Board the real solution would be to gate the park and close it down during curfew hours on a year round basis.

How We See It . . .

BY PAUL LIVIUS

Monday night’s public meeting of the Raytown Park Board was an interesting study of Democracy in action. In many ways it harkens back to the old days in small communities of Town Hall Meetings. Everyone from the public had a chance to speak. Other than a few words from the Chairman of the Meeting, acting President Robbie Tubbs, none of the Park Board members joined in the discussion.

Recognition is due Park Board Director Dave Turner, who did an excellent job of laying the improvements the Park Department has already begun putting into action.

Ward 1 Alderman Greg Walters and a neighbor of the park, Jim DeLong, also deserve to be recognized for very effectively bringing the meeting to the Public’s attention. The fact that a good sized crowd of people came and expressed their thoughts publicly clearly shows the meeting was a success.

Also in attendance at the meeting were Ward 2 Alderman Loretha Hayden, Police Chief Bob Kuehl and City Administrator and City Administrator Diane Egger. Jim DeLong, whose property abuts the park, was key in distributing literature to neighborhoods with news of the Park Board Public Meeting.  

Approximately two dozen speakers addressed the Park Board. Alderman Walters and Park Board Director Dave Turner were the only city officials who spoke at the meeting.

Walters told the Park Board, “Had locked gates been in place at Colman Park on June 9th, there would not have been any gunfire that morning.

It is interesting to note that no one disagreed with his comment.

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. . . BREAKING NEWS . . .

Multiple gun shots fired at Colman Park

At approximately 2:00 a.m. on Monday morning neighborhoods surrounding Colman Park were awakened by multiple gun shots.

After meeting with the Park Board Director and numerous Raytown homeowners surrounding the park we have decided to release the information we have gathered.

Neighbors surrounding Colman Park lit up the Police Dispatcher screens early Monday morning with reports of heavy gunfire of multiple calibers strength fired at the Park.

Neighbors of the Park told the Raytown Report they were awakened by the gunfire. Many feared the worst. In the last six years there have been two murders at Colman Park.

Video recorded by surveillance cameras at Colman Park showed approximately 60 vehicles entered the park between 1:30 and 2:00 o’clock after midnight.

At approximately 2:00 a.m. hundreds of gunshots were fired into the air on west side of the park. Shortly afterward, most of those firing the shots left the scene.

The Raytown Police arrived to investigate. To our knowledge there have not been any arrests for firing, or, firing shots in the air. Both activities which are against City Ordinances and State Law in Missouri, commonly known as Blair's Law, named after the tragic killing of a girl due to celebraitly gunfire a Fourth of July Holiday..

The next morning, Park employees, on their routine of cleaning the park found numerous spent cartridge shells in the park.

Jim DeLong, a neighbor of Colman Park since 1983, summed up  his thoughts on the situation.

“Those people brought weapons of mass destruction into our back yards. This is a direct threat to everyone’s public safety and property. The City has a responsibility to maintain safety in our neighborhoods.

City Hall and especially the Police, need to step up and enforce the laws already on the books.

One simple solution is to lock the park down, and, if needed, man it with security or police to guarantee this nightmare does not happen again.

Anything less is not acceptable and puts Raytown citizens at risk. It is clear that ignoring working towards a solution is not option.”

The following comments from Facebook sources were shared with us by one of our regular readers.

STEPHANIE HOLLO wrote on Raytown Unleashed . . . I agree with this statement our house faces where they hang out (by the trees). it was more than one gun and lots of cars. Police showed up FAST. Not sure how to secure our parks better as nothing good happens at 2am!

RHAYA MITCHELL wrote . . . I thought I was trippin! I knew I heard gunshots and what sounded like someone returning fire.

PAM PERKINS ANNEN wrote . . . I heard it too. 2:00 a.m.

JUSTIN PICOLET wrote . . . Heard a second round of gunfire about 20 minutes later, then another round of shots close to 3:00 a.m. I was able to capture the gunshots closer to Blue Ridge and 63rd Street.

ANONYMOUS wrote . . . There was more than one officer. Less than 5 minutes after it was called in, two police cars showed up, with several additional police cars following close behind.

It seems that this park has become a gathering place for people after 11pm. I’m concerned that there could be another murder there if there’s nothing done.

There’s a Park Board meeting next Monday at 7 pm. It’s been moved to City Hall so there’s more room for the public to attend. I’m hoping to hear some positive plans to stop this destructive behavior.

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To quote Max Smart

of "Get Smart" fame

"Missed us by that much!"

Photos are of two tornados in the Raytown area

taken last Tuesday afternoon. One near the Truman Sports Complex and another southeast of Raytown.  

Our Memorial Day Tribute

Memorial Day's origins can be traced back to the Civil War  which resulted in the deaths of over 600,000 soldiers. To honor the fallen, communities began decorating their graves with flowers, and the practice became increasingly common. The first Memorial Day was observed on May 30, 1868. At that time it was called "Decoration Day". As time went on Memorial Day became a Holiday for all those who served our country in the armed services.

Shoes on the Danube

America is not the only country to honor their dead. "Shoes on the Danube Bank" gives remembrance to 3,500 people who were shot on the bank of the Danube River in Budapest, Hungary during World War II. The victims were told to remove their shoes. They were then shot. Their bodies thrown into the Danube so the tide would carry them away. The shoes, which were valuable items in World War II, were gathered up and sold. 

The sculptor created sixty pairs of period-appropriate shoes out of iron. The shoes are attached to the stone embankment. Behind them lies a 40-meter-long, 70 cm high stone bench. At three points are cast iron signs, with the following text in Hungarian, English, and Hebrew: "To the memory of the victims shot into the Danube by Arrow Cross militiamen in 1944–1945. Erected 16 April 2005."