This year provided a lot of changes in Platte County, starting with a change of editor/publisher at the paper. Shiloh Springs Golf Course was finally sold, plans for a new QuikTrip in Platte City became a reality, a Missouri governor resigned, there was a quadruple murder/suicide near Parkville, Park Hill High School won its first ever state soccer championship and state champions were abound in athletics across the board from wrestling to track and field.

In the political field, Frank Offutt won re-election as Platte City’s mayor, while the Platte County Commission got rid of one headache — Shiloh Springs Golf Course in Platte City — while still tangling with the headache of Zona Rosa Town Center.

Here is a recap of news that happened between January through June.

January

A young child was shot in a trailer in Ferrelview. Later in the year, fund-raisers were held for the Platte County student to help get a wheelchair ramp for the residence.

McDonald’s in Platte City celebrated its grand re-opening with a ribbon cutting ceremony. The owner of the franchise is Jim Wagy, a Park Hill graduate. Jan. 10 became McDonald’s Day in Platte City.

Plan was announced to close part of the Buck O’Neil Bridge for repairs. The cost would be $7 millions and it was slated to be closed until early December.

Park Hill quarterback Billy Maples was named the MVP of the Blue-Gray All-American Game in Dallas.

Harley-Davidson announced it would close locations, including the one located in Kansas City that had 748 employees, with layoffs starting in the summer. The official closure will occur in 2019.

Aushena Warren was charged with murdering her son in 2017, drowning him in the bathtub. She later attempted suicide at the Kit Bond Bridge, but was rescued after the fall.

Gov. Eric Greitens comes to Riverisde to talk about tax cuts.

Platte County High School student Luke Hogue was killed in a car crash.

February

The late Landon Jaros becomes the youngest inductee into the Platte County High School Hall of Fame on Feb. 2. The 4-year-old died of leukemia in 2016.

Platte County Economic Development council chariman and longtime Park booster Ed Bradley died.

By a 8-5 vote, the Kansas City council passed a memorandum of understanding to start the process for a $1 billion new single-terminal airport in Kansas City International Airport.

Park professor Syed Jamal was taken into custody by ICE fro his home in Kansas.

Park Hill sent five players to Division I football schools: Ronnie Bell, Randen Plattner, Devin Haney, Billy Maples and DJ Johnson. Ali Walls signed to play soccer at Drake.

At Park Hill South, Division I bound athletes included Annika Welty (Creighton volleyball), Paige Reikhof (Kansas swimming), Emma Roth (Missouri track and field/cross country) and Ben Baecker (South Alabama football), part of a signing group of 13 on Feb. 8.

Shiloh Springs Golf Course was sold by the Platte County Commissioners to GreatLife KC for $610,000.

A hostage situation at Argosy Casino resulted in the arrest of Bobby Dennison, who is charged with kidnapping, tampering with a motor vehicle and resisting arrest. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison in June.

Platte County’s Cody Phippen won his third straight title, while teammate Sage Smart won a state championship as well at the MSHSAA State Wrestling Championships. The Pirates were third as a team.

Park Hill’s Josh Steele won a Class 4 championship at the state finals, while the Trojans took second in Class 4.

Paige Riekhof took second in two events at the MSHSAA Swimming State Championships and Park Hill South took seventh in Class 2.

Park Hill South’s Alecia Westbrok scored her 1,000 point in a win vs. St. Joseph Central.

U.S. Bank in Edgerton was robbed. The suspect was caught at intersection of Interstate 70/29 in Jackson County.

Hopewell and Walden was chosen as the names for the new schools in the Park Hill School District.

Ferrelview named Kevin LaBranche as the interim police chief for the suspended Daniel Clayton.

March

Ferrelview chairman of the board of trustee, Theresa Wilson, was arrested on a misdemeanor charge of assault for allegedly pushing a pregnant woman. A citizen asked for her resignation at the board meeting that followed, but she said she wasn’t going to resign.

In another Ferrelview incident, Russell Wilson, another board member and husband of Theres, admitted in a board meeting to telling the water supervisor to not turn off his family’s water despite not paying the bill on time.

Brian Koral was hired to be the new city administrator in Riverside, coming over from Atoka, Tenn.

Park Hill boys basketball team won a district championship, while Platte County boys and Park Hill girls fall in district title games.

Charges were filed against Carl D. Braddock, 64, of Geneva, Neb., in the death of West Platte coach Nate Danneman in April 2017.

South Dakota’s Chris Nilsen, a Park Hill graduate, was the NCAA Division I runner-up in the indoor track and field pole vault event.

A building permit was issued to QuikTrip for constructing a new gas station in Platte City. The project has been talked about since 2016.

Students at Platte County, Park Hill and Park Hill South schools participate in the National School Walkout, in protest of the shooting incident in Parkland, Fla.

Park professor Syed Jamal, who was an ICE prisoner in the Platte County Detention Center, was released from custody.

Holladay Distillery in Weston released its latest Royals 360 Vodka flavor.

The Platte City Taco Bell/Pizza Hut closed for renovation and when it reopened, the Pizza Hut Express portion was gone.

Compass Elementary wins state archery championship

April

Frank Offutt wins re-election as mayor of Platte City.

A special election was held in Dearborn after Breanna Cheadle and Don Swanstone tied for a spot on the board of aldermen. Cheadle won the special election.

Park Hill graduate Landry Shamet declares for the NBA Draft after an All-American season at Wichita State.

Park Hill superintendent Dr. Jeanette Cowherd’s contract was extended to 2021.

Four former area high school wrestlers, Ke’Shawn Hayes, Canten Marriott, Matthew Schmitt and John Erneste, qualified for the NCAA Division I wrestling championships.

Park Hill product Aaron Ashby threw two no-hitters for Crowder College’s baseball team.

Ferrelview’s board of trustee chairman Theresa Wilson pleaded not guilty to assault charges and later resigned as the head of the board. Phil Gilliam was named the new chairperson and a vote was taken to reinstate suspended police chief Daniel Clayton.

A ribbon cutting was held for the opening of L.C.’s Hamburgers in Platte City and April 16 was named L.C.’s Day in the city.

First Federal and NASB Bank by NW Barry Road and Interstate 29 were robbed six days apart by a suspect with a similar description.

Park University becomes the official higher eduction provider of the Kansas City Chiefs.

The KCI Airport project grew from 35 to 39 gates, which put a delay in the financial agreement.

There was a possible measles exposure at KCI Expo Center in Platte County.

The first-ever Nate Danneman Relays were held at West Platte High School. The track meet honored the late coach.

Platte County baseball coach Rob Davenport was placed on leave and would later resign.

In more sports signings, Park Hill South’s Malik Stevenson signed to play baseball at Division I Southern, while Platte County’s Caden DeLay signed to swim at South Dakota.

May

Wells Banks held a ribbon cutting ceremony for its new location at 1100 Branch Street.

The Buck O’Neil Bridge southbound lanes closed for construction, causing many Northlanders to find a new way downtown.

Park University announced the addition of beach volleyball.

Local business owner Russel Fisk was found dead in a car crash at NW Barry Road and N. Marston Ave. He was shot by an illegal immigrant, Arnold Pompa-Rascon, who had been deported four times.

Park Hill South’s boy tennis team won its first district title since 2011.

Two World War I veterans with Platte County ties received military headstones at the Camden Point Community Cemetery.

The West Platte girls track and field team won the Class 1 championship.

The Missouri Supreme Court reprimanded Platte County prosecuting attorney Eric Zahnd for professional conduct.

Gov. Eric Greitens resigned on May 29 and Lt. Gov. Mike Parson would ascend to the role.

The Platte County boys 4x800 and the Park Hill girls 4x400 were state champions at the state track meet.

June

Platte County R-3 School District sold the East Platte Elementary property

Casey’s General Store in Platte City was robbed at Leavenworth, Kan., resident Andrea Williams was charged.

Democrat Lauren Arthur wins a special election for the Missouri Senate 17th district, which represents portions of the R-3 school district.

The Park Hill girls soccer team wins the Class 4 championship with a 3-2 victory against Lee’s Summit West at Swope Park in Kansas City.

Park Hill’s Taiya Shelby signs to run track and field at Vanderbilt.

Park Hill graduate Aaron Ashby was a fourth-round draft pick by the Milwaukee Brewers in the MLB Draft.

Girls wrestling was added as a MSHSAA sport starting in the 2018-19 school year.

Douglas Pauling killed his mom, step-dad and mother of his daughter in the Thousand Oaks subdivision in Platte County on June 10, before killing himself.

Park Hill graduate Chris Nilsen wins the NCAA Division I outdoor track and field championship in the pole vault.

Construction started on the new QuikTrip in Platte City.

Farley resident Gary O’Neal was inducted in the Greater Kansas City Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame.

Park Hill graduate Landry Shamet was taken 26th overall in the NBA Draft by the Philadelphia 76ers.

Coty Borst was charged with murder in Houston Lake.

Ferrelview board member Russell Wilson is charged with felony stealing and corruption.

Collin Brougham became the second-ever all-state baseball player from Park Hill South.