Free complimentary copy September 18, 2015 • Volume 2, No. 47
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Route 350, Raytown Road improvements slated for 2016 By Diane Krizek The city of Raytown and the Missouri Department of Transportation hosted an open house Sept. 16 from 4 to 7 p.m. at the meeting room at Extreme Grand Prix Family Fun Center to get the public’s input on the preliminary plans for improvements on Missouri Route 350. Attendees received a handout providing an overview of the improvements and a comment card to solicit feedback. The city, MoDOT and a transportation consultant team led by CDM Smith have been analyzing the flow of traffic and safety issues of the Missouri Route 350 and Raytown Road intersections. “Merging of the split Route 350 envisioned by the economic development study of 2012 proved to be too expensive to be feasible,” said Mark Sommerhauser, MoDOT project manager However, with traffic study results, the team was able to create preliminary plans to address safety issues and improve traffic flow along east and westbound Route 350 at Walmart Drive and Raytown Road and the access to 75th Street from eastbound Route 350 to Raytown Road. The project is already fully funded, 80 percent from federal highway grants and 20 percent from the city. The team is slating the project for construction in 2016, and when it starts and completes depends on the construction company contracted for the work. The improvements provide for fivefoot sidewalks for pedestrians along Raytown Road and Route 350. A new 10-foot trail is planned to run along eastbound Route 350 from Overton Avenue
to Walmart Drive. Drainage improvements are planned throughout the project area, including enclosed storm sewers. Intersection movements will be potentially improved with dual left-turn lanes from Raytown Road to east and westbound Route 350 and from Walmart
drive to westbound Route 350. A new left turn movement would be added from eastbound Route 350 to Raytown Road via a continuous third lane along eastbound Route 350 to Walmart Drive. The left-turn cut through from eastbound Route 350 across Raytown Road to 75th Street would be eliminated, as
well as the direct access to Raytown Road from 75th Street on the west side of Route 350. The access across westbound Route 350 from 75th Street on the east side of Route 350 would be eliminated, along with the traffic signal, and replaced with a right-in, right-out con-
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Jackson Co. exec takes leave of absence, appoints interim exec By Kris Collins Jackson County Executive Mike Sanders took a temporary leave of absence Monday and appointed Jackson County Chief Administrative Officer Mary Lou Brown as acting county executive. Jackson County Clerk Mary Jo Spino read the executive order from Sanders at the Sept. 14 meeting. Sanders released a statement via Jackson County Communications Director Mark Siettmann Wednesday morning. “I want to thank all those in the community who reached out to offer their
Mike Sanders
condolences on the passing of my father,” Sanders said. “As I have said before, he was the reason I got involved in public service. Both in the weeks leading up to his death, and in the weeks following, I have chosen to spend as much time as possible with my family, who have been the greatest comfort of all. “In my absence county business still goes on, and items need to be signed. That was the sole reason for the very simple and purely technical executive order issued last week. I understand that previous county executives have taken similar steps. “I will return to county business on
Monday, September 21. “Thank you, again, to those who have been supportive and encouraging in this difficult time.” Article III of the county’s charter, which outlines duties and responsibilities of the county executive, makes no mention of temporary leaves of office and only lays out proceedings for interim appointments when a county executive vacates or is removed from office. The charter does not explicitly give authority to an interim executive during the term of a sitting elected executive, and county attorneys reportedly question the validity of Brown’s signature.
One killed in Raytown parking lot shooting
Photo courtesy of Raytown Police Department A still image from the surveillance video of a car that fled the scene of a homicide at 66th Terrace and Raytown Road Sept. 10.
Photo by Kris Collins Raytown police block off the parking lot of Ma Ma China at approximately 6 p.m. Sept. 10 after a reported shooting.
By Kris Collins
cers arrived on scene, Dean was found lying in the parking lot with an apparent gunshot wound. He was transported to an area hospital where he was pronounced dead shortly after. Police believe there were groups of people that met in the parking lot that evening for what investigators believe was some sort of criminal enterprise. After some talking and visits back and forth between the various cars, the business ended abruptly with Dean being shot by someone from one of the other
One person was shot and killed in a parking lot at 66th Terrace and Raytown Road at approximately 6 p.m. Sept. 10. The Raytown Police Department identified the man the next day as 31-year-old Danny L. Dean, of Kansas City, Kansas. An officer in civilian clothes radioed patrol cars to respond after the officer heard gun shots, according to the Raytown Police Department. Shortly after,
dispatchers received calls reporting gunfire in the parking lot. At approximately 6:30 p.m. several police cars were parked in the parking lot of Ma Ma China and the parking lot was roped off by police. Several police cars were also blocking the southbound lanes of Raytown Road a few blocks north of Ma Ma China. The officer who initially radioed other police units witnessed a light grey or silver car with a “boxy” rear end fleeing the scene. The vehicle was last seen heading east on 67th Street. When offi-
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cars. Police have the car in which Dean arrived and have identified those that arrived in it. Another car was seen leaving the scene of the incident and was captured in surveillance video police released Friday. It was reportedly occupied by at least three or more people. Witnesses told police all of the parties involved appeared to be black males and females in their 20s. Anyone with information about the incident, or any other crime is asked to call the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS (8477).
Raytown students and toddler victims of triple homicide Kansas City Police are investigating a triple homicide that took place at approximately 9:30 p.m. Sept. 8 in the 5900 block of E. 84th Street. The victim’s have been identified as 18-year-old Shannon Rollins, 17-year-old Bianca R. Fletcher, and their 11-month old son, Jayden. Rollins was a student at Raytown High School until 2013 but did not graduate and would’ve turned 19 this month. Fletcher was a senior at Raytown South High School. Rollins worked for cleaning service, A Green Way, and was reportedly well liked by his co-workers. He was working on his GED but was an avid dancer who recently performed with Tech N9ne and was part of dance group called #FindOut. Raytown school district has provided additional counseling at both high schools because the Rollins and Fletcher had so many friends who are grieving their loss. Fletcher’s brother found the victims. When officers arrived on scene the victims were deceased, according to police. There is no suspect description at this time. Police are asking anyone with information about the homicide to call the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-8477 (TIPS).
Mayor to create joint committee to address stormwater, parks funding By Kris Collins After a two-hour discussion on the future of the 1/8-cent sales tax revenue for parks and stormwater, the Raytown Board of Aldermen decided a joint committee of aldermen and Raytown Parks Board members should be formed to find a long-term solution to how the revenue should be used in the future. The tax, which has generated approximately $227,968 for the parks department this fiscal year, was approved by voters in 2003 to exclusively fund parks. In 2010, the tax was up for renewal and the ballot language was amended by the Board of Aldermen to include stormwater as one of the potential uses for the revenue. However, no split in revenue was laid out in the ballot language. The city, before the tax was approved in 2003, subsidized the park fund with more than $200,000 annually. At the meeting Tuesday night Administrator Mahesh Sharma said the practice was not sustainable. The Board of Aldermen and the Raytown Parks Board have each held lengthy discussions, and a joint meeting, to address the issue since it was first brought up in August by Alderwoman Karen Black. The main driving force being the formation of the joint committee is a time shortage, as the city department heads are in the process of penning the 20152016 budget so it can be adopted by Oct. 31. said the 2014-2015 budget, by state statute, would be used for the upcoming fiscal year if the board failed to approve a budget by Oct. 31. “It would be a mess,” Sharma said. Alderman Josh Greene introduced the idea of forming a committee early on in the regular board
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