Years ago I came across the following video of an upset victory by a British track star named Steve Jones. It is by far, the most inspiring short video of a sporting event I have ever seen. The video is only 2:45 minutes long but well worth every second of watching.

What makes this epic sport video special is the commentary by English Sports Announcer David Coleman. His commentary is so crisp and on spot that you feel as if you are running along side Steve Jones as he makes an astounding comeback to win the 10,000 meter event.

Recognition is also due whoever did the work editing the video you are a about to see. He is a master at his craft.. 

USE THE FOLLOWING LINK TO VIEW THE VIDEO . . .

ttps://share.google/6wzm8YvJgNb4dkLbQ

INTRODUCTION BY 
PAUL LIVIUS 

The Paul

Livius Report

Early this week we received the following comment for publication on what we call the "Back pages", (aka, The Comment Section of the Raytown Report. 

We received the following comment earlier this week in our "comments" section of the Raytown Report. The message was unsigned. All the same, there is no doubt that author has been watching the story unfolding at the Bowen Apartments and the ongoing debate over Latrice Thomas and the Mayor's failed attempt to dismiss Ward 3 Alderwoman Latrice Thomas from public office. 

This comment is a "keeper" . . .  well written and to the point. We have reproduced the comment here on our front page. The writer's final point that the longer the situation exists, the worse Raytown looks. It is hard not to agree. It also emphasizes the need for the Board of Aldermen to become more active in standing up for residents of Raytown.

The writer also took on the Mayor's attempts to oust Latrice Thomas from the seat she won last April to serve as Alderman in Ward 3.

Both situations are controversial and a black eye to Raytown's reputation.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR
RECEIVED NOVEMBER 17, 2025

I just watched the public comments section of the meeting in question. I'm disappointed but not surprised. This isn't the first time our mayor has squelched the public comments portion of a meeting. If our elected officials can't make time to listen to their constituents.

I read about the Latrice Thomas situation earlier this year. The mayor has decided that it's ok to punish the people in her ward who voted for her. If she was not qualified to hold office, it should have been made clear before the election. From here it sounds like someone at the election board dropped the ball. If that's true, it still seems that Mr. Malloy has a valid point. I'm not a lawyer, but it's counter-intuitive that the Mayor should have the right to dismiss an alderman based on what appears to be a clerical error.

The Bowen Towers living conditions should be dealt with. I haven't seen the conditions with my own eyes so I'm hesitant to make judgements, but I tend to believe the residents. What I have seen is that landlords are given a pass when it comes to maintaining rental properties. I'm interested to know how much revenue is generated from the fines charged to property owners who are not willing to maintain their properties. Many of these "owners" aren't individuals - they are corporations. If Raytown allows the current practices to continue unchecked, they're making a mistake. I guess I'd also be interested to know if anyone is being paid to look the other way."

I'm sure this isn't something that's going to be solved in a short time, but the longer the situation exists, the worse Raytown looks. Shameful

If our elected officials can't make time to listen to their constituents, then they should resign.

INTRODUCTION BY GREG WALTERS

The second story in this week's Raytown Report was written by Morris Melloy. Mr. Melloy publishes a local Facebook Page named "Raytown Community Awareness.

He has in the past shared some of my editorial on his web page. 

Since I agree with him 100% on
the topic he had written I
thought, why not?

Morris and I do not always see eye to eye on issues in Raytown. However, in this one we are in 100% agreement. So please take a few minutes on a topic that has been simmering at City Hall since last April when the Mayor attempted to remove Latrice Thomas from her position of Ward 3 Alderman. A seat she won in a three way race for Aldermen in which she defeated the incumbent Ryan Myers. 

A Call to Action
BY MORRIS MELLOY

Raytown Residents Meeting to Discuss Alternatives to Unnecessary Litigation.

Sunday, November 23, 2025, several residents will meet to discuss issues in Raytown in particular the City Clerk and Mayor unilaterally removing an elected official from office without due process.

This meeting is the continuation of a forum for Raytown residents to express their voice on matters within our community and stop the injustices within our community. Most importantly, the meeting is to discuss what we can do to prevent the unnecessary expenditure of our tax dollars with litigation as has been suggested by one Aldermen.

Quite simply, the City of Raytown is governed by its own statutes and applicable statues of the State of Missouri. The Aldermen, Mayor, City Attorney and it the City Clerk have been provided, on multiple occasions, documentation of violations of the codes that apply, yet question have not been address and the answer has not been provided. It is time for us to find a way to regain the governance of our city and residents through our elected officials, versus unilateral decisions by the Mayor and City Clerk.

Join us to try to find a way to not expend unnecessary taxpayer money on litigation.

Midcontinent Library 

6131 Raytown Road

Raytown, MO 64133

3:00 PM

USE THIS LINK TO Comment AND VIEW COMMENTS

BY GREG WALTERS

Bowen Apartment
Residents voice
complaints to the
Mayor and Board
of Aldermen

At last Tuesday night’s regular meeting of the Raytown Board of Aldermen a group of approximately 30 individuals gave testimony supporting their complaints regarding living conditions at Bowen Apartments. 

Raytown City Administrator Diane Egger gave the Board a report outlining what steps they have taken through the City Codes Enforcement Department to address the situation. 

Three Bowen Apartment residents shared their testimony in written form regarding living conditions at the Apartments. The following letters are their complaints now formally filed with Raytown City Hall.

MR. JOE MOUNT WROTE:

My name is Joe Mount and I live at Bowen Tower Apartments in Raytown. I am one of the leaders of the Bowen Tower Tenant Union. Bowen Tower has been my home for seven years. I joined with my neighbors on October 1^st to launch a rent strike after living with unsafe conditions for many years. 

Every time I think about our decision to go on rent strike, I think about my neighbor Paul.

We are friends. He always calls me Army and I call him Navy because we are both veterans.

Our landlord illegally evicted Paul for protesting about flooding and mold in his apartment that almost killed Paul’s wife.

Our rent strike is not just about unjustified rent increases and unsafe conditions. It is about dignity. My neighbors and I are prepared to end our strike at any time. We just need the landlord, Charles Hill to meet with us.

Bowen Tower owner Charles Hill of Alta/CGHS Real Estate is an out-of-state landlord from Los Angeles, California. On August 1^st he committed to negotiate with the Bowen Tower Tenant Union. But he has since refused to follow through on that commitment.

Instead of negotiating, Hill responded by mass filing of eviction notices of 27 tenants of Bowen Apartments. He has also issued five lease non-renewals. This California landlord wants to force tenants like me from our home for his own profit. As a retired truck driver and veteran, I get by each month on social security and my veterans benefits. Where are veterans like me supposed to go? Would you allow your parents to be treated this way?

I ask the Mayor and members of the Board of Aldermen to stand with us.

Our union has requested a meeting with the Mayor and Board. A meeting they have not yet agreed to take. We are here to ask you to meet with us and publicly call on our landlord Charles Hill to fulfill his commitment to negotiate with our union.

ELIJAH BRINK WROTE:

I am here tonight to ask the Mayor and Board of Aldermen to support our “Bowen Tower Tenant Union” at Bowen Tower. My father and I own the Raytown Pool Hall, a local business that has been in my family for over 50 years. We are hardworking people who care about our neighbors, our community, and our city.

My neighbors and I at Bowen Towner made the decision to go on rent strike October 1^st after our California-based landlord, Charles Hill of Alta/CGHS Real Estate failed to follow through on his commitment to meet and negotiate with our union.

We have been forced to endure broken elevators, flooding, bed bug infestations, mold and the loss of hot water, heat, air conditioning and gas. Mr. Hill raised our rent this past year by 15%. We simply want what everyone wants – a safe, healthy, and affordable place to call home.

Bowen Tower is my home. Raytown is my home. It is where I grew up. It is where I want to continue my family’s legacy at the Raytown Pool Hall.

We are here tonight to call on the Mayor and Board of Aldermen to stand with us. We ask ask you to meet with our union and agree to send a letter to Charles Hill demanding to do what he promised . . . Come to the table and negotiate with our union.

DOROTHY COLLINS WROTE:

My name is Dorothy Collins and I am a leader of the Bowen Tower Tenant Union.

I am here tonight to ask your help to bring our landlord, Charles Hill of Alta/CGMS Real Estate to the table to meet with us at Bowen Tower.

We have endured unlivable conditions at Bowen Tower. I have mold, no heat, water leaking into my apartment from the ceiling, bed bugs, an air conditioner and an oven that do not work.

My apartment flooded and left mold throughout my unit.

My son and I are sick from these conditions. We deserve to have a safe and healthy home. I ask you to do inspections at Bowen Tower and call on our landlord, Charles Hill, to meet and negotiate with our union.

We encourage our readers to view the following video of last night’s meeting of the Raytown Board of Aldermen.
USE THIS LINK TO VIEW Bowen Apartment Meeting                         

USE THIS LINK TO Comment AND VIEW COMMENTS

BY GREG WALTERS

A Solution to
Neighborhood
Speeding.

On the night of June 9th at 2:00 a.m. in the morning 100 cars slowly drove into Colman Park located at 59th Street and Lane Street. At 2:00 a.m. occupants of the vehicles pulled out their weapons and began firing weapons from pistols, shotguns and  to high powered rifles (some with "bump" stocks) into the night sky. 

The salvo continued for ten minutes. It ended when the Raytown Police arrived. Those firing their weapons fled immediately.

At this point you may be wondering what does this have to do with "Neighborhood Speeding"?

The answer is simple.

The solution engineered by Park Board Director Dave Turner and set into motion by the Raytown Park Board has ended the dangerously lawless behavior at Colman Park in the wake of what took place on June 9th.

Three sets of speed bumps were installed on Lane Street, which stretches the length of the 13 acres that comprise Colman Park.

ONE OF THREE SPEED "BUMPS" INSTALLED AT COLMAN PARK

What happened next has proven to be a pleasant surprise.

It turns out those who like to speed through residential parks in their favorite toy, in this case their cars, do not like speed bumps. Here is why speed bumps make it impossible to hold drag races on Lane Street through Colman Park.Speed bumps shorten the unimpeded driving space to an area too small to conduct "side shows". Driving over the speed bumps at high speeds can literally destroy the front steering of a motor vehicle. Riding a motorcycle at high speed over speed bumps is not a good idea either. More import there has been a return of young families, walkers with and without their dogs on the walking trails in the park. The number of people playing pickle ball, tennis and softball has increased.Which begs the question . . . if speed bumps can have such a positive effect at a city park. Can the same speed bumps speed bumps (or humps) be used to slow down speeders on our neighborhood streets?

Our answer is Yes

All Raytown need do is follow the lead of surrounding cities like Lee's Summit and Kansas City to see how successful such a Traffic Calming Program can be.

First, a distinction needs to be made as what we are talking about.

A proposal I intend to bring to the Board of Alderman at City Hall would be to offer neighborhoods a program of installing "speed humps" in residential areas plagued by speeding and dangerous driving practices. 

Colman Park uses "speed bumps", which works perfectly for the problems the Park had.

Speed humps (as the pictures below show) have a less radical incline for residential streets than the speed bumps used at Colman Park. 

Speed humps have a "calming" effect on traffic. This "traffic calming" works at slowing down speeders. It works in Lee's Summit. It works in Kansas City.

The genius of speed humps is that they work ALL THE TIME. You do not need police personnel to enforce the speeding because speed humps are self-enforcing. They literally teach drivers with an ongoing experience to slow down and follow traffic laws.

USE THIS LINK TO Comment AND VIEW COMMENTS

Paul’s Rant! BY PAUL LIVIUS

An interesting exchange between two Aldermen at the last meeting of the Board deserves some attention. So without any further ado, we will get straight to the chase!

Park Board Director Dave Turner had just finished a report on the construction of a new skate board park at Kenagy Park. The current skate board park is over 20 years old has reached that point of "it can't be repaired any longer".

In his report, Turner said the cost of the project is under budget. But, since it is a grant, the city is not required to return the extra funds.

Ward 1 Alderman Greg Walters suggested a good use of the funds would be to install fencing on the southern most tennis court at Colman Park with fencing for Pickle Ball use. The Park Department has already striped the tennis courts for Pickle Ball.

Walters said, "The balls used in Pickle Ball are made of hard plastic. Though light in weight, they are very sturdy.

When a ball leaves a court into an adjacent court it could create a trip hazard for a player in another game on a different court. 

Pickle Ball is not a "contact sport". However, it most certainly is competitive. As in most sports, the players are concentrating on the game. A ball rolling from one court to another could be the prelude to a disaster."

After Walters finished his comments Alderwoman Bonnaye Mims asked for the floor. She said, "I am confused, I thought we were talking about a skate board park, not pickleball".

To which Greg replied . . . "We were talking about both".

Well said, Mr. Walters!

SPEED HUMP IN KANSAS CITY ONE
HALF A CITY BLOCK EAST OF
62ND TERRACE AND WOODSON ROAD

On another topic

I did some digging on the topic of speed humps and came up with some interesting facts. 

Kansas City has gone big into using speed humps to slow down speeders in many residential neighborhoods. This year the City of Kansas City is on track to install and additional 120 speed humps on residential streets. Since beginning the program five years ago Kansas City has installed close to 500 speed humps in residential neighborhoods in their city.

And that number does not include areas like Brookside, a residential neighborhood just south of the Country Club Plaza. Kansas City installed speed humps as long ago as the turn of the century (25 years ago!). 

Lee's Summit has also embraced a policy of installing speed humps in both new and established neighborhoods throughout their city.

The reason this path has been taken is because speed humps work. The Board of Aldermen would be wise to take a serious look at starting a program for Raytown.

This illustrates that speed humps are effective and popular. There is not a valid reason for not using this same traffic calming method in Raytown. 

THE PHOTO ABOVE IS OF THE FOURTH
 SPEED BUMP ON THE TWO MILE STRETCH
THAT BEGINS AT 62ND TERRACE AND
 WOODSON ROAD AND ENDS AT
LITTLE BLUE ROAD.

If you run into one of your elected officials do you and your neighbors a favor. Ask them to please support any initiative that would bring the safety of speed humps to our neighborhoods.

By the way, anyone wanting to check out some speed humps near Raytown can view them just east of Woodson Road and 62nd Terrrace. Just take a left turn on 63rd and Woodson. Then a right turn on 62nd Terrace. You will be entering Kansas City almost immediately. The street is approximately two miles long and has four speed humps on it. 

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