Excelsior Springs Standard Archive

excelsior springs standard, excelsior springs, missouri

Serving Excelsior Springs since 1889

July 20, 2010

Community News | Sports | Opinion | Close Window

Council OKs engineering for shelter

By Eric Copeland
Managing Editor

A new animal shelter came one step closer to reality Monday night, as the Excelsior Springs City Council endorsed a recommendation to fund engineering services for the new facility.

The Excelsior Springs Capital Improvements Authority had originally set aside $15,000 for a needs assessment for the building, but city staff decided they knew what they needed and that money could be better spent toward engineering. The authority agreed, adding another $25,000 to the amount to bring the total to a maximum of $40,000.

While the council didn’t balk Monday night at the amount—they voted 4-0 to approve the total, with Councilman Ken Fousek listening in by telephone but not allowed to vote—they did express some surprise that a new animal shelter is expected to cost between $350,000 and $380,000.

During an earlier meeting, Councilman Sonny Parker had asked Police Chief John McGovern if the police department had considered a Morton building instead of a stick-built facility, but Monday McGovern said a Morton building would actually be more expensive.

He had contacted the Morton company and learned that several years ago a building similar to the one proposed would have cost $376,000 even before a kennel was added. Today, the cost for the same building would top the half-million-dollar mark, he said.

McGovern noted that the existing animal shelter is inadequate for the number of animals that need to be housed, and the runs aren’t sanitary, making parvovirus a frequently-recurring problem. In addition, the location of the animal shelter along Lake Maurer Road is somewhat secluded, which brings up safety and security issues for both the animals and the animal control officers.

The new facility would be built on city-owned land along Marietta Street, near the public works complex.

Still, the price tag for the overall project led some on the council to question the cost.

“It’s more than I imagined,” Councilman Jim Nelson noted.

“It’s more than I expected,” McGovern agreed.

However, Nelson said that clearly something needed to be done. According to McGovern, the Department of Agriculture has indicated that the present facility will not be able to pass inspections for much longer, and could be shut down if action isn’t taken. That could lead to costs for local authorities to contract with outside agencies for the housing of impounded animals.

Nelson suggested that perhaps pet license fees could be increased to help offset the cost of the new facility, but Mayor Carolyn Schutte said she preferred an alternative plan that would increase the fines levied against pet owners who failed to license their animals, or who had more than the two dogs and two cats allowed under city ordinances. This, she said, would avoid penalizing responsible pet owners.

However, Schutte’s question over whether Clay County might become involved in the process was met with doubt. Lt. Clint Reno said there was a chance the city could charge a fee to house animals from other jurisdictions, but that might require an even larger and more expensive facility than is planned. The proposed shelter, which will be designed by Williams Spurgeon Kuhl and Freshnock, would be designed for future expansion.

Retired USAF pilot to speak at ES museum

Excelsior Springs pilot Gene Lavine, who has logged more than 10,500 hours in the air, will speak at 1 p.m. this Saturday, July 24, at the Excelsior Springs Musuem & Archives, 101 E. Broadway. Lavine, a 23-year veteran of the United States Air Force, will be appearing in conjunction with the museum’s national traveling exhibit “Heroes of the Sky: Adventures in Early Flight, 1903 to 1939.”

Lavine, who describes himself not as a hero but simply as a “lover of airplanes, “ is a retired U.S. Air Force Lieutenant Colonel who holds a Ph.D. in psychology and still actively flies. The 73-year-old Lavine has been a Federal Aviation Administration pilot examiner and accident investigator and flown in more than 90 makes and models of airplanes from a Piper J3 Cub to supersonic fighters. Some of the memorable aircraft he has piloted include a replica of Charles Lindbergh’s Spirit of St Louis (a Ryan NYP), a Ford Tri-Motor and the Goodyear Blimp. “Of all the planes I’ve flown, I think I’m the proudest of being able to put the Ford Tri-Motor in my log book,” Lavine said.

Lavine, who has logged more than 4,000 hours in flight instruction, also holds an Airline Transport Pilot certificate, the highest rating a pilot can hold.

While overseeing national air shows, Lavine worked with pioneering aviator Gen. Chuck Yeager and one of the most famed aerobatic pilots of all time, Robert Hoover. Lavine started building model airplanes at the age of 7 and took his first flight lesson at 15.

“I also love flying radio controlled airplanes of which I currently have seven, from 27 percent to 37 percent scale,” he said. Lavine and his wife, Judy, have seven children and are members of Barbee Memorial Presbyterian Church.

‘Meet Me in St. Louis’ to debut

Excelsior Springs Community Theatre is busy rehearsing for their first “traveling” show, “Meet Me in St. Louis.”

The musical, based on the Judy Garland film about the 1904 World’s Fair, features a 12-piece orchestra. Performances are scheduled for 7:30 p.m. July 30-31, as well as 2 p.m. Aug. 1, at the Performing Arts Center at Excelsior Springs; at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 6-7 at the Farris Theatre in Richmond; and at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 13-14 at the Liberty Performing Arts Theatre.

Tickets cost $10 each or $7 each for parties of 12 or more, and can be purchased at (816) 824-6177 or esctheatre.org.

Police seek ‘most wanted’

The Excelsior Springs Police Department is trying to locate a “most wanted” subject.

Thomas J. Holder, 35, is 5’11” tall, 135 lbs., with brown hair, blue eyes and multiple tattoos. He was last known to reside in the 500 block of Summit Street and may be driving an older blue Lincoln Continental with rust.

He is wanted on a Clay County warrant for sale of narcotics and delivery of methamphetamine, with a $75,000 bond. Anyone with info may call 630-2000 or 637-TIPS.

Local woman hurt in crash

An Excelsior Springs woman was seriously injured in a one-vehicle crash in Ray County early last Thursday morning.

Jamie J. Russell, 19, Excelsior Springs, was a passenger in a 1994 Ford driven by 19-year-old Billy G. Chaney, Rayville.

According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the vehicle was westbound on Missouri 10 approximately half a mile north of Route C at 1:40 a.m. Thursday when it traveled off the right side of the roadway, striking an embankment and overturning.

Neither Chaney nor Russell wore a seat belt. Russell was ejected from the vehicle. She was taken to a hospital by Ray County Ambulance, while Chaney sustained moderate injuries and was taken to a hospital by private vehicle.

An investigation continues, and charges may still be pending.

Food distribution event part of annual Good Sam fundraiser

As part of the Good Samaritan Center’s Christmas in July event, a month-long drive that helps the center provide food for those in the community, there will be a food distribution event this weekend.
Harvesters will be located in the school district’s parking lot on Broadway across from the Good Samaritan Center on Saturday, July 24.
The event will begin with a prayer service at 7:45 a.m. on Saturday, July 24, with the truck arriving at 8 a.m.
Rock Falls Baptist Church will be providing refreshments and activities during the event.
Volunteers from area churches will be setting up tables and arranging the food distribution along with providing music during the event.
Volunteers are needed to help with the distribution and clean-up for one-hour shifts from 7-11 a.m.
As part of the drive the center is looking for donations of hygienic items such as laundry detergent, toilet paper, tissues, diapers (all sizes) and dish soap.
Though donations of all forms are appreciated, monetary donations are also very beneficial, said Martha Buckman, pantry and social services program director.
Anyone that would like to donate items to the drive can between 8-11 a.m. on Saturday, July 24, during the event.
Families who plan to attend the food distribution should bring boxes or bags to be filled and take home.
Anyone interested in volunteering should call (816) 630-2718, ext 26 or ext. 23.
Anyone who would like to donate to the center’s pantry should call (816) 630-2718, ext. 28.
Another upcoming Good Samaritan event is the Spirit of Giving Luncheon, which will be at noon on Wednesday, July 28, at the Elms Resort and Spa.
The luncheon is for those who wish to show support to the volunteers of the center and the center itself.

Farris Theatre announces 2010-2011 concert season

The Farris Theatre in Richmond announce this upcoming concert year’s performers.
The season line-up features Walkenhorst and Porter, Bobby Flores, Ragtop Rodeo and The Hootin’ Annies.
Walkenhorst & Porter open the season Oct. 9.
A Norborne native, Bob Walkenhorst is famous for his pop recordings with The Rainmakers.
Bobby Flores follows Nov. 20. A Grammy Award winning artist, Flores is an instrumentalist and vocalist who’s bringing his fiddle and guitar to the Farris stage.
In Richmond, Flores will be joined by Harry Ritchie and Let it Swing. Special guest Mary Lou Baker will also perform.
Ragtop Rodeo warms up the stage Jan. 29, 2011. Ragtop Rodeo, a new southern rock sensation features lead vocalist Caroline Kovas on guitar and keyboard.
The Hootin’ Annies round out the season April 9, 2011. The Hootin’ Annies count among their members Mary (Allen) Bliefnick, formerly of Richmond.
Playing “a blend of bluegrass and old-timey music,” the five-piece ensemble bills itself as “gritty, not pretty.
The concerts are all set for Saturday evenings, with the Walkenhorst and Flores shows beginning at 7:30 p.m., Ragtop Rodeo beginning at 8 p.m. and The Hootin’ Annies beginning at 7 p.m.
Season tickets are now available at the discounted price of $36 for all four shows, Seidel said.
When season ticket sales end, single tickets for individual performances will be available for $10 per show.
For tickets, contact the Farris Theatre at 301 W. Main, Richmond, call (816) 776-6684 or go to www.farristheatre.com.

The unbeaten fall at Tiger Stadium

By DUSTIN CARROLL
Sports Writer

“Any given Saturday,” said Coach Robert Webb of the Midwest Titans after falling to the Columbia Falcons 26-12 on Saturday.

The phrase is uttered in all of football, and whether it is said as any given Sunday or any given Saturday the fact remains the same, any team can defeat any other team, anything is possible. The Titans showed that for the first five games of the season they were the team that could defeat anyone. Whether it be on the Titans home field here in Excelsior or on the opponents home turf, they were the team to beat. On Saturday, the team that looked as though they couldn’t be stopped hit a roadblock.

“We need to take this as a loss and move on,” said Coach Webb. “We just came out sluggish.”

It was a tough day to be on the field, even if you were on the winning team. With temperatures topping the 100’s on the field, it was a tough day to focus and Coach Webb admitted this was probably a big factor in his team’s performance. But Webb also went on to say that he reminded his team that they were not the only ones fighting through the heat, the Panthers were as well. Knowing that the other team is feeling the effects of mother nature isn’t enough sometimes and those effects were obvious.

With the heat pounding down on them, the Titans and Panthers began to pound away at each other as the two very similar teams exchanged scores. It was a track meet between the two teams, with each team having some of the best speed in the league. As the game went on, each team was looking to their defenses to make the game changing play that would push their team over the top. The Titans looked toward their secondary, led by Desmond Jamison who leads the team and the conference with nine interceptions, including the two that he had on Saturday, while the Panthers looked towards their defensive line which is made up of two players with NFL experience. In the end it was the plays that happened in the secondary on both sides of the ball as well as the pressure of the Panthers defensive line that made the difference in the game.

With dropped passes from the Titans and a couple of deep passes from the Panthers, Columbia took the first ever win from Tiger Stadium against the Titans. But that one win may be the last an opponent sees this season against the Titans as Coach Webb plans to make some necessary adjustments to the team over the week. Adjustments that he says will put the Titans back in the winners column very soon.

“We will put on a better show for the community of Excelsior Springs,” said Webb when talking about this Saturday’s game against Manhattan. “This will be a very short losing streak.”

The Titans will look to snap their one game losing streak this Saturday as they take on the Manhattan Spartans at 7 p.m. at Tiger Stadium. The Titans, who defeated the Spartans the last time the two teams met, hold the third overall spot in the conference and sit in fourth in the league with four games remaining in the regular season.

We're still waiting for community center in ES

Does anyone—specifically, anyone in a leadership position in Excelsior Springs—know what’s going on with regard to a new community center?

The last anyone heard, the company helping us to write a new comprehensive master plan had identified a site bounded on three sides by U.S. 69, Wornall Road and N. Jesse James Road as a prime location for such a facility. However, others familiar with that site noted that rock at that location would make a construction project of that size quite problematic.

These things happened months ago. Since then, we’ve heard nothing except vague reassurances that a new community center is still on the radar screen.

We understand residents’ frustrations. We’ve been talking about this project for well over a decade, and so far not a single shovelful of dirt has been turned.

We also understand the city’s side of things. The facility we expect people are anticipating would likely cost millions of dollars, and a bond issue or other funding mechanism would be necessary—and taxpayers, of course, would be footing the bill. In these economic times, it might be a tough sell.

Or it might not be. This has been discussed for long enough that we might be ready to act on it. But we just don’t know, because there’s been no ballot issue to gauge the public’s interest.

We’d like to see (or at least hear about) some progress.

In defense of our town

By ERIC COPELANE
Managing Editor

On Sunday, I found myself faced with an unpleasant reality.

On Facebook, another user (one with whom I was unfamiliar) said he was glad he had moved out of Excelsior Springs and into Kansas City. Then he proceeded to call Excelsior Springs a dirtbag town, populated by dirtbags.

I don’t know about you, but I find it hard to take that kind of thing lying down. Yes, we have our problems—the same as any other community—but my family, friends, neighbors and co-workers are definitely NOT dirtbags. And my town is not a dirtbag town.

I may be speaking too quickly, though. A few of you reading this (I hope it’s no more than a few) may be of the same mind. Perhaps you’ve moved away as well, believing that the grass is greener somewhere else. Or maybe you’re one of those people who live here but spend your time elsewhere—or maybe you know some of these people who apparently have given us a reputation that, in my opinion, we don’t deserve.

I’d like to ask you, the readers, to bear with me as I defend our town and join me in trying to make a difference.

To be fair, this guy wasn’t the first person to express an opinion like this in a place where I could read it. I won’t mention his name because it’s really not relevant to this conversation, except as a jumping-off point.

Those of you who regularly read my column know that my parents moved here during the early 1970s, when I was a very young child. I was schooled here, met my wife here, traveled away for college, then came back to raise my own family here. I’ve never seriously thought about living anywhere else.

I’m not blind. I see the problems, but I also see the silver lining in the clouds—as well as the potential our town holds. In 1989, there was very little to draw anyone downtown, and even less to keep them here. There was some development on the west side, but in many ways we were stagnant.

In 20-ish years, a lot has changed. And even more is getting ready to change.

I also hear disparaging words from those who have been around Excelsior Springs for much longer than I have. They remember the bustling days of the ‘40s and ‘50s, when the sidewalks were packed with locals and visitors. They yearn for those days, and see today’s Excelsior Springs as a mere ghost of that glorious past.

Well, to take the other side of the argument for a moment, those days are unlikely to come back. Ever. The same is true of anywhere, whether it’s Liberty, Kansas City, New York City or Tokyo. Times have changed, the world has moved on.

We may not be able to recapture those glory days, but we can make new glory days. Some of you have already begun to do so. They’ve opened up new businesses downtown, and built and opened new businesses elsewhere in the community. They’re offering something new and fresh, and they haven’t let any “bad reputation” slow them down.

And that’s where the challenge comes in. I can’t tell you how many steadfast residents of Excelsior Springs readily admit that they haven’t been downtown in years. This is understandable if you live in Atlanta, Phoenix or another major metropolitan area where your downtown may be many miles away. In a community the size of Excelsior Springs, though, I still find it to be a little shocking — and dismaying, as well. If it’s been six months or more since you’ve been downtown, you haven’t really been downtown. Choose an afternoon when shops are open (Saturdays are great, but other days are good, too), and spend a little time browsing. Bring a friend or two, also — someone who also hasn’t been downtown in a while. Get out to the other corners of the community, too, and check out what they have to offer. I promise you won’t be disappointed, and if just a portion of those who don’t regularly shop here were to make the effort, it would greatly help the businesses that are trying to change the face of our community.

Another little nugget of wisdom—this one also seen on Facebook—comes to mind: Instead of worrying about how much greener the grass on the other side of the fence is, you should work to make your own grass greener.