Jim Weinberg Part II Page 4
Game Day Snacks Page 7
KCP&L to Expand Network Page 8
Free complimentary copy January 30, 2015 • Volume 2, No. 18
www.raytowneagle.com • 75¢
Breaking News – Read All About It! By Lisa Bankston Reporter There is a new “NEWZROOM” right here in Raytown. (Yes, it is spelled correctly.) The new Newzroom Cafe is located at 6020 Blue Ridge Blvd. right across the street from Raytown High School. The
owners are Marvin and Michelle Russell who purchased the darling brick building on the corner a few years ago with dreams of opening a restaurant there someday. Well, their “someday” is finally here. The Russell’s have lived in Raytown, and their children and grandchildren still live here and attend Raytown schools. Marvin retired from the KCMO police department in 2013 and Michelle worked in public relations. He loves to cook and comes from a family in the catering business. She loves the arts and entertainment world and especially mass media thus the name of the cafe. There is a huge mural on one wall with local and world newscasters on it, three large TV’s in the room and even one of their daughters is currently studying broadcasting at college. Unlike a sports bar, these televisions will always be set to various news stations and their cafe motto is “get comfortable.” The Newzroom is only open to the public for breakfast and lunch but the cafe is available for pri-
vate parties, civic meetings and for social or community events at night. Michelle wants to eventually host small musical groups, poetry reads, one act plays, other speech/theatre and media events at the cafe. Michelle told me they own a portable stage and made sure there could be “theatre seat-
8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Saturday. The cafe is closed on Sunday. The Russell’s invite the Raytown and Raytown South High School visual art, theatre, music and media department teachers to contact them if interested in partnering for an evening event at the Newzroom. They also want to get involved with the local Raytown Arts Council and community organizations. Their phone
ing” in the cafe for these types of occasions. The Newzroom Cafe has a two-page reasonably priced and wide variety breakfast menu but their specialty item is the Chicken & Waffle platter - something local workers have already discovered! The lunch specialty is the NewZroom Cajun Burger! Plus, every Wednesday is Taco Lunch Day. They are open 6:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Monday through Friday and
Ode To Lee Gray, Editor And Publisher Of The Raytown Post Former editor and Publisher of the Raytown Post, Oren Lee Gray, passed away on Friday, January 23, 2015. Lee had inoperable cancer and chose to leave without fanfare. His family had a private memorial. Lee moved to Raytown in 1986 to become editor of the Raytown Post that had its start in 1975. In 1987, he bought the Post as owner of Gray Union Publishing and successfully ran “The People’s Paper” for 24 years until 2001when he decided to retire. He sold the Post to Rebel Publishing which folded just a few years later. Few can say they’ve had as much impact on Raytown as Lee did during the years he ran the Raytown Post. Lee was smart and funny, more a philosopher and writer. He was an enigma - a cad, feminist, philosopher and political hack. With his long, curly hair, informal attire and sandals, he did not appear to be a publisher but he was genuine. He
never failed to print a Letter to the Editor, told plenty of human interest stories, published all the community news, covered Raytown and O’Hara high school sports and events and informed us of the goings on at city hall, often with an edgy quip. And he never feared taking on civic leaders when he believed something was not right. His issues were peppered with quotes from famous people and included his own “Editorial Briefs.” His editorial column was titled “Gray Matter & Monkey Business” and
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numbers are 816-492-5360 or 816308-5250 and they are currently working on their new website. Please stop by the Newzroom Cafe for breakfast or lunch and give Marvin and Michelle Russell a neighborly Raytown welcome and remember: live locally. Think locally. Think Raytown first!
Shelton Named Associate Superintendent
The Raytown School District is pleased to announce the hiring of Dr. Steve Shelton as the Associate Superintendent of Operations. Shelton will replace Brian Blankenship who suddenly passed away in 2014. Shelton has served in the Raytown School District for the past twelve years in a variety of capacities, including Raytown High School principal, Assistant Superintendent of Secondary Education, and most recently Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources. “I am very excited to continue to serve the district in this new capacity,” Shelton said. “Having lived and worked in Raytown for more than 12 years, I know what a wonderful staff and students we have.” Shelton earned his Bachelors in Biology Education from Ottawa University and was recently named to the university’s Hall of Fame. He earned his Masters from Emporia State University in School Leadership, and his Doctorate in Educational Leadership and Policy Study from the University of Kansas. “We are pleased to have Dr. Shelton in a new role,” Superintendent of Schools Dr. Allan Markley said. “He is familiar with our staff and community and I look forward to working with him on the operations side of the district.” Shelton is a Past President of the Raytown Rotary Club and has served as Secretary of the Raytown Educational Foundation.