This year began promisingly enough with a Superbowl win for the Kansas City Chiefs but rumblings of a new virus sweeping a city in China soon became the headline of 2020, a headline that has overshadowed all others and changed life all over the world. In this issue, the Citizen looks back at 2020, and hopes for a better 2021.
JANUARY
Jan. 1 – The Nursing Home Squad founded by Chandra Bradley spreads Christmas cheer to Platte City nursing home residents; Involuntary murder charges were filed against Josha Stucky in the November 2019 death of the Parkville Price Chopper store manager, Tony Silvey, during an altercation following a shoplifting; Platte County Middle School student Brett Hollandsworth, 13, died after a seizure.
Parkville’s Bill Grigsby statue sported the appropriate gear last January prior to the Chiefs’ big win.
Jan. 8 – Long time Platte City mayor Frank Offutt announced he would not seek re-election to office after more than 30 years of service to the city as an alderman and mayor; The Platte County Economic Development Council awarded its annual business excellence honors; Former Platte County sheriff Tom Thomas died at his home in Kearney. Thomas served from 1969 until his retirement in 1996; Medical marijuana testing facility applications were approved for locations in Platte City and in Kansas City North near KCI Airport.
Jan. 15 – The Parkville Board of Aldermen approved its own medical marijuana ordinances, paving the way for those businesses within the city limits; The Platte County Commission-appointed tax advisory committee failed to meet due to lack of quorum, after the meeting was moved without notifying the members of the committee; Platte City floats the idea of placing a city use tax measure before voters in April; The Missouri Department of Transportation announced a weekend closure of Interstate 29 to allow demolition of the Highway 116 bridge at Faucett. The bridge was replaced with a new structure within months.
Jan. 22 – Waves of winter storms pummel the Kansas City area, causing traffic problems and an airplane to slide off the runway at KCI Airport; Christina Costanza was charged after leading a pursuit that began in Riverside and progressed into North Kansas City and then south across the Missouri River; Licensing for medical marijuana manufacturing facilities was approved in Dearborn and Weston.
Jan. 29 – Park University president Dr. Greg Gunderson spoke out against medical marijuana sales near the Parkville university at a meeting of the city’s board of aldermen; Platte City’s Cake Guy opened for business on Platte City Main Street; Terry Michael, Zac Wegner and Joshua Hulett were inducted into the Pirates Hall of Fame; Dispensary licenses were approved by the state for businesses in Parkville and Riverside; The City of Platte City’s Board of Aldermen approved a use tax measure for the April election ballot.
FEBRUARY
Feb. 5 – Kansas City came together to celebrate the Chiefs historic win in Miami, Fla.; Muddy River Tactical opened for business in downtown Platte City; Troy Enderle was captured and charged after leading Platte City police on a foot pursuit; A Winchester, Kan. man died in a crash at the dangerous Highway 45 intersection with the Hwy. 45 Spur.
Feb. 12 – Letti Strait was found guilty of the 2007 murder of her ex-husband in Riverside; Parkville mayor Nan Johnston delivered a hopeful state-of-the-city address at the Platte County Community Center South; After two months of talks, the Weston Independence Day celebration – which was later to be canceled due to COVID-19 – was approved to continue; Platte County commissioners extended the warranty on the county’s emergency radio system.
Feb. 19 – Kansas City resident Darius Miller was charged with murder following a shooting off Northwest 64th Street in Kansas City North; Lake Waukomis ends contract for police services with Platte Woods, contracts Platte County Sheriff’s Office instead; Kansas City Chiefs safety Tyrann Mathieu signed autographs in Zona Rosa Town Center; Platte City business Opus group focuses on planning.
Feb. 26 – The Platte County sales tax committee, appointed in 2019 by the county commission, approved a parks sales tax renewal and a new law enforcement tax to send to commissioners for possible placement on a future election ballot; A Platte City police officer was injured in an altercation with a combative suspect in a drunk driving incident; Brock Dover was hired as the new principal at West Platte High School, set to replace the retiring Dr. Vince Matlick; former county prosecutor Joe Vanover and retired Kansas City planner David Park filed to run for election to the Platte County Commission.
MARCH
March 4 – Parkville mayor Nan Johnston was fined for campaign finance violations while city critics call for her resignation; Aaron Bremer is charged after leading police on a pursuit in a stolen car; The Kansas City Police Department returned savings bonds stolen in 2016 to an 84-year-old Platte County woman; the Platte County Democratic Central Committee hosted a panel discussion of local journalists to discuss how news is consumed today.
March 11 – A string of natural cover fires kept local fire districts busy; Local families alleged abuse and neglect of residents at Platte City’s Hillview Nursing Home; Platte County school districts released their pandemic plans, with most preparing to go on spring break and never coming back into session for the school year; County resident Jason Maki sues the City of Parkville for alleged violations of the Missouri Sunshine Law.
March 18 – The Platte County Health Department closed restaurant dining rooms and non-essential businesses in a bid to slow down the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic; Businesses around the county close to slow the spread, as do the Platte County Courthouse and Administration Center; The health department and its director Mary Jo Vernon announce the county will follow the guidance of the Centers for Disease Control and World Health Organization; A naked Leavenworth, Kan. man calling himself “God” pleaded not guilty to assault and drug charges after it took five officers to subdue him at the Platte City Super 8 Motel.
Members of the mission group from Platte Woods United Methodist Church had to plan a hasty return from Guatemala when that country closed its borders in March.
March 25 – Platte County commissioner Dagmar Wood and Park Hill School Board member Todd Fane launched a drive to collect masks and other medical supplies for first responders, St. Luke’s and North Kansas City hospitals; The first two positive COVID-19 cases were reported in Platte County; The Citizen was impacted by the pandemic with the partial closure of the office to the public.
APRIL
April 1 – The Platte County Health Department reported 12 cases of COVID-19 identified in Platte County; Wexford Place, other Platte County nursing homes close to visitors due to pandemic; the City of Weston hired city collector and assistant city clerk Tami Weaver to replace retiring long-time city clerk Kim Kirby.
April 8 – Even before the pandemic closed businesses, Platte County’s sales tax reports were down more than 10 percent, according to county numbers; Pets such as those of the Friends of Parkville Animal Shelter remained in need of good homes during the pandemic; Clout Public Affairs was hired by the Platte County commissioners to handle campaigning for the upcoming parks and law enforcement sales tax ballot initiatives; Holladay Distillery in Weston started production of hand sanitizer.
April 15 – Teenage participants on a mission trip with Platte Woods United Methodist Church returned to the United States after a week stranded in Guatemala due to the pandemic; Platte County Senior Services and Platte County Senior Fund continued to offer services during the pandemic; Smithville’s Full Features moved forward with expansion at its facility; A homicide investigation kicked off in Riverside after a Kansas City man was found dead in a wooded area.
April 22 – The Platte County Commission publicly questioned the Platte County Health Department’s stay-at-home order, challenging the health department’s authority over a public health emergency; The Platte County Health Department launched an online COVID screening tool and started drive-thru testing sites; The Centers for Disease Control reverse course and recommend people wear masks in public; Local school districts extend their virtual education plans as Missouri Gov. Mike Parson orders all schools closed for the remainder of the school year.
April 29 – The Platte County Health Department loosened some portions of its stay-at-home order in the wake of push back from the commissioners and the community; Platte County R-3 graduates Brianna and Cameron Corwin work on the front lines at the University of Kansas Medical Center; Nodaway Valley Bank opens a Platte City location; Air traffic at KCI Airport dropped 50 percent in March.
MAY
May 6 – Platte Countians prepare for a socially-distanced Mother’s Day while in-person high school graduation ceremonies are postponed; The Platte County Commission and the Platte County Health Department remained at odds over COVID-19 public health orders; An outbreak of COVID was discovered at a Riverside nursing home; Platte City launches a community foundation to help residents in need of assistance in paying utility bills, among other needs.
May 13 – A proposal for backyard chickens in the City of Weston again failed to gather support from the board of aldermen; The Platte County Health Department allowed restaurants outside of the City of Kansas City to re-open their dining rooms, with restrictions in place; The Riverside Board of Aldermen discuss how to best assist businesses with re-opening plans.
David Royer, a Platte City soldier on the way home from Fort Leavenworth saved lives by stopping an active shooter on the Centennial Bridge on Wednesday, May 27. Royer is pictured with his fiancee Haley Siela.
May 20 – The Federal Bureau of Investigations joins the agencies looking into a racially-motivated incident wherein a Zoom call of incoming Platte County R-3 principal Dr. Keith Jones with students was hijacked; A meeting of the Platte County Health Department Board of Trustees was rescheduled at the last minute due to concerns about a social media campaign urging protesters to flood the meeting; Platte County commissioners discussed the possible uses for the $12 million in federal CARES Act funding the county received from the state; Hillcrest Platte County and other charities continued to help the community during the pandemic.
May 27 – The public showed up in force to protest what they felt was overreach by the Platte County Health Department, prompting the meeting to be rescheduled to an online format; Platte County commissioners approved two sales tax measures for the August election ballot; April municipal elections postponed due to the pandemic were rescheduled for June 2, with Tony Paolillo and David Sharp seeking to take the mayor seat in Platte City.
JUNE
June 3 – The quick actions of Master Sergeant David Royer saved lives on the Centennial bridge when he ran down and pinned an active shooter with his vehicle; The Platte County Health Department began the phased recovery plan allowing for some gatherings; Convicted murderer Letti Stait received a life sentence after she was found guilty of her ex-husband’s murder; Tony Paolillo was elected mayor of Platte City during the delayed election.
June 10 – Platte County commissioners launched a small business grant program funded through federal CARES Act funds; The Missouri National Guard conducted a drive-through COVID testing clinic in Platte City; Platte County school districts were approved by the health department to move forward with in-person summer school programs in July; The Parkville Board of Aldermen re-issued NID bonds, which officials say will save taxpayers $1.3 million.
June 17 – The Parkville Unity March took place with the participation of the Platte County Sheriff’s Office and Parkville police and city officials; A lawsuit stemming from a whistleblower complaint was filed against the mayor and chief of police in Platte Woods; EH Young Riverfront Park in Riverside was re-opened after an extensive renovation project; The fate of the Platte County Fair was still up in the air as fair board officials had yet to decide if the longest-running fair west of the Mississippi River.
June 24 – The Platte County Steam Engine Show canceled its August event due to the pandemic; Platte County native Brent Lager fights for Kansas City causes via the non-profit Uncover KC; Mid-Continent Public Library’s Boardwalk branch closed due to a positive case at the library; County commissioners move ahead with an amended CARES business grant program after a conference call with state officials.
Check next week’s Citizen for July through the end of 2020 in the first issue of 2021.
The Missouri National Guard conducted a COVID-19 testing clinic at the Platte City Middle School in June.