Free complimentary copy July 22, 2016 • Volume 3, No. 39
www.raytowneagle.com • 75¢
Raytown students to launch spacecraft in spring 2017 By Kris Collins Science, technology, engineering, arts and math students may not be dragging their feet back to school but rather running considering a new student-lead project set to begin this fall: a low-orbit satellite launch. On the eve of the 47th anniversary of the Neil Armstrong’s first step onto the moon’s surface, Raytown C-2 School District Superintendent Alan Markley debuted the project, Raytown Mission to Space: IGNITE Satellite Program. “Basically, we’re going to be creating a low-orbit satellite, so we’re going to design it, put all the ingredients in it and choose what it relays back to us,” said Jacob Pryor, a Raytown High School senior recruited for the program. “We’re all iffy on how we’re going to do it yet because we haven’t worked out the details ourselves, but it’s definitely going to be well worth it.”
Through a partnership with Interorbital Systems, students from Raytown High School and Raytown South High School will research, design, and build a satellite. The cherry on top of the ninemonth project will be the satellite launch off the coast of California on Interorbital’s Neptune Rocket. The idea for the launch came from the district’s technology department, which started the IGNITE (inspiring, growing, and nurturing imagination in technology education) program to give students hands-on experience in STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) disciplines. “This project is one we want the community to follow closely,” Markley said. “Students will share updates, images and videos available through our district website and our social media outlets. We also hope to stream the launch live.” Students will be using the
City holds 5-year Raytown Live TIF “hearing”
Photo by Kris Collins (Front row, from left) Raytown South High School sophomore Jacob Dobb; Raju Nichols, sophomore at Raytown South High School; (back row, from left) Jacob Pryor, Raytown High School senior; Joshua Blew, Raytown South High School sophomore; and Raytown High School senior Spencer Bryant were some of the students recruited for the IGNITE Satellite Program.
hashtag #RaytownInSpace for posts associated with the project. Melissa Tebbenkamp, the districts’ director of instructional
technology, said 12 students were recruited for the program at the close of the school year in May. She
Space continued on page 2
Morgana’s Gluten Free Bakery opens By Kris Collins Morgana’s Gluten Free Bakery in downtown Raytown had its soft opening Wednesday after 20 years in the making. Well, not quite. Owner Morgana Burke first started experimenting with glutenfree recipes 20 years ago by circumstance, and for the past four years she has been turning her avocation into something more. “Last year I did a lot of vendor events and I did the Lee’s Summit Farmers Market, as well,” she said. “I was getting enough business that it was too much for my small kitchen.” In February, she moved her business to 9711 E. 63rd St. in downtown Raytown and began
Photo by Kris Collins Morgana Burke and her son, Nick Burke, inside Morgana’s Gluten Free Bakery on opening day.
making interior upgrades with her son, Nick Burke. In fact, everything but the plumbing and electrical was built by the mother-son team. Burke said she plans to host a grand opening in the coming weeks. For now, the bakery will serve cupcakes, cookies, pies, bread and biscuits from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesdays, Thursday and Fridays, and from 1 to 8 p.m. on Wednesdays. Morgana Burke said the bakery also offers vegan products and can fill orders for specialty diets to accommodate those with allergies. Morgana’s Gluten Free Bakery may be reached at 816-313-5113. More information may be found online at http://MorganasKC.com.
Bakery continued on page 8
By Kris Collins The Raytown Board of Aldermen held a statutorily required 5-year public hearing for the Raytown Live Tax Increment Finance District on Tuesday evening at City Hall. The public hearing did not include a formal presentation after figures: as expected. The board instead asked questions of Ruben Pate, a representative of the developer, Block & Company, Inc., based on financial and project information in the board packet submitted by Block. Pate said, as the president of construction for Block & Company, he did not have answers to many financial questions. Specifically, Alderman Jason Greene questioned the lowered property values of undeveloped land in the district. Greene claimed one piece of property value had decreased by hundreds of thousands of dollars. The Raytown-Brooking Eagle could not corroborate that claim by press time. However, The Eagle is aware of other, lesser decreases in property values for parcels within the same development area. Alderman Eric Teeman expressed his sharp disappointment in the performance of the TIF. Raytown is “bleeding dry from that project,” he said. Teeman cemented his point by saying he was glad Block & Company was not profitable in the development and hurting alongside the city. The hearing came to a close after an hour-and-forty-five minutes. The Eagle was not able to compile a full report by press time. Check next week’s edition for full coverage.
Downtown car show raises funds for Dream Factory
By Kris Collins Though not heavily advertised, a car show drew a crowd this past Sunday in downtown Raytown on the newly improved 63rd Street. Jason Von Woods, owner of Ragin Pinstripping and Sign Writing, and Jim Clark, owner of Raytown Shoe Repair, organized the event. Von Woods, president of Raging Rats Car Club of Kansas City, said this is the second such event that has been organized following a renewed desire from gearheads in the metro area to gather around, talk about and admire cars since a similar event regularly held in Independence ended. Approximately 100 cars were on display for the event. Apart from the enjoyment one gets from a summer day spent examining works of art disguised as cars and the boon heavy foot traffic brings downtown businesses, the event benefitted Dream Factory of Kansas City, a national organization that fulfills the dreams of seriously ill children. “Every dime we raise goes straight to charity,” Von Woods said. “Every time we do a show, all the funds go to a charity.” The event raised $2,045 for Dream Factory. Von Woods said
he hopes to hold car cruises in downtown Raytown regularly, but not just for car lovers. “That’s kind of the goal, to end up having it go down 63rd and have all the businesses involved and start bringing money in to the downtown area,” he said. “There’s so many car guys out here in Raytown and they all want the cruise (car show) back. It’s just where everyone brings their cars out and hangs out.” More information about the car club may be found at https://www. facebook.com/RaginRatscckc.
Photos courtesy Pete Loughlin From left, Ralph and Elaine Apel and Ralph Turec, of Dream Factory of Kansas City, at the car show this past weekend taking donation as the charity beneficiary of the show.
Throngs of people gathered in downtown Raytown this past Sunday for a car show organized by Ragin Rats Car Club of Kansas City.
Raytown Debater Recognized Page 2
Make-ahead meals: Steak burritos Page 9
Vendor Of The Week Page 10