Sunday, August 31, 2008

Zip Code Question Finally Put to Rest

The United States Postal Service has spoken. Raytown will continue to have more than one zip code. In a letter to Raytown’s Ward Four Adlerman Pat Ertz, Timothy Dwyer, Manager of Operation Programs Support, wrote: “Based on the information provided, we were unable to identify any operational needs, substantial savings, or service improvements that would support the need for ZIP Code realignment.” The letter puts to rest a minor issue that has had amazingly long legs in the Raytown political theatre. The scope of the matter is emphasized by the list of individuals copied in the correspondence. Not only were the Mayor and Board of Aldermen addressed, but also Congressman Emanuel Cleaver and a host of U.S. Postal authorities. The question of one zip code for Raytown came to life over ten years ago when then Mayor Sue pledged to have the city’s zip code changed to one number. Beyond announcement to the local news media, it is not known if she made any official effort to make the change a reality. In recent years support for the change has waned on the official level. When Alderman Ertz brought the item to the Board for discussion, Alderman Christine White and Alderman Greg Walters spoke of the unnecessary hardship such a change would place on local businesses, utilities and homeowners having to throw out stationary and business forms. Raytown Dispatch Tribune Ends Publication NPG Newspapers, the St. Joseph-based owners of the Raytown Dispatch Tribune, have decided to cease publication of the local Raytown weekly. In recent years, NPG Newspapers, has made significant purchase of newspapers in the Kansas City metropolitan area. They purchased Townshend Communications (former owner of the Raytown Dispatch) Tribune and the Sun Newspapers. Sun Newspapers was merged with other publications in Kansas City North. Some have said that the Tribune closing down is a sign of worsening economic times in the area. That may or not be true. But is it any more of any indicator than when NPG merged its Sun holdings in the Northland? Or, is it more of a statement of where the public goes for its news information. More and more, the electronic media, television, radio and internet are cutting deeply into the base of print media as a news source. Radio talk shows can be listened to while driving your car, working or playing. The internet offers more on point discussions than a newspaper can ever begin to publish. News channels, which used be a twice nightly affair, are now 24 hour operations. In that regard, the Dispatch Tribune closing is simply re-affirmation of what is happening across the country.


mr. whig said...

The RT's problem probably was that it didn't make a big enough profit for its corporate masters. Sort of what the Star is going through: it still makes money but has a lot of deadbeat brothers in Florida and California to support.

Anonymous said...

As usual the people who know nothing are the experts on this blog site.

Andy Whiteman said...

Unfortunately Zip Codes do not follow geo-political bounaries. Zip Codes denote the particular Post Office Station or Branch that serves the area.

In many areas the PO Branch has the name of one city and serves parts of both or even more. That is the way both of Raytown's branches are set up.

I receive a lot of mail adddressed Kansas City because computers recognize 64133 as KCMO. This concerns me because I wonder if the City of Raytown is collecting the sales tax or if it is going to KCMO? Sometimes the computer will ask me if I am in Raytown or KCMO but usually they don't. I have the came concern if Raytown is receiving the franchise taxes. I know due to company error my franchise tax on my cell phone was going to Aurora, CO and the sales tax went to Colorado! I mentioned to Jeremy that me might want to audit this, but he didn't seem concerned. I know franchise tax is pretty big and we are talking $$$$$$$! If someone moves here and changes their address, that does not automatically change the service location or any of the taxes. That is why my taxes weht to Colorado.

Cingular wouldn't refund because there wasn't much difference, but they should have taken it back from Aurora and paid it to Raytown.

Andy Whiteman

Anonymous said...

What a disappointment Pat Ertz has become. No one that I know was asking for a single zip code for Raytown. Now go waste your time on trying to revive fireworks sales. Something else that is being introduced for the "special interests" in our town.
Who knows how many hours of city resources that he WASTED on these trivial endeavors? Pat has become "one of them". By this I mean he has turned out to be as worthless as his counterpart, Barb Schlapia. We all know that she has problems that we can't even talk about on this blog. Only hope that Mr. Ertz doesn't sink to the low that she has.

Anonymous said...

With the Tribune pulling out of Raytown, I tend to agree with Mr. Gray's comments. It truly says something about our dying community, that many are not ready to admit. What other business will be next?

Anonymous said...

Lee Gray here...

Greg...I can see your point but the economics of buying newsprint, ink, labor and gasoline for delivery of a newspaper are REAL ECONOMIC ISSUES affecting newspapers.

Your point is more about relevance. And corporate newspapers generally provide fluff, seek advertisers as their main purpose, and therefore are NOT RELEVANT.

All the other media you mention has a credibility problem with me. The one-sided radio windbags, the anonymous know-it-all bloggers and internet pundits, etc. have little value in the marketplace of ideas.

In public venues, I still see people carrying with them and reading NEWSPAPERS. Seldom do I see someone reading a laptop. But, again, newspapers' problem is they have no relevant news value in them. The same is true of most Internet offerings.

It used to be that a community had institutions that showed the town's viability. Local churches, local banks, local newspapers, etc. Now the banks are owned elsewhere...the newspapers are owned elsewhere (that is the case with the Tribune and the Post)...and the churches have large out-of-town memberships (FBC).

Where your point about newspaper mergers is concerned, that's always been done. The Dispatch-Tribune was merged with the Raytown Times when Jim Wolfe sold it to Howard Townsend.

In your printing business, you face cost increases just as newspapers have. Paper, ink, labor, etc. You also face a loss of traditional jobs (letterhead, business envelopes, etc.) because anyone with office software can produce what he used to pay a printer for.

So my point is: It's just not as simple as the Internet killing off newspapers. Newspapers have killed themselves off because they've sold out (corporate ownership) and lost their purpose --- to inform, entertain and persuade.

Lee Gray

Andy Whiteman said...

Lee, I have seen on various sources that newspapers may quit printing due to economic reasons but will be sold on the internet. In the future you may see people reading newspapers on laptops or PCs. The subscriptions will be internet subscriptions. Personally, I prefer to hold a copy of my paper. I sometimes have to print an internet newspaper article.

Many print papers are also sold as internet subscriptions. I read the free portion of the Albuquerque Journal; however they have the option of subscribing to both print and internet editions or the internet edition only. If you check the net, you can read many paper that way. They used to be free, but many have lost subscriptions due to free internet so they are charging people to read on the net.

As for the single Zip code, it is not trivial. There is a loss of tax revenue (sales and franchise) because Raytown is not identified. I don't know where it is really going (maybe KCMO?)

I DO REMEMBER READING (I think in the Post) that Sue Frank worked out an agreement with the Post Office where Raytown addresses will be identified as RAYTOWN rather than KCMO in the Post Office data base. That should help tax collections but the PO Boxes are still coded as KCMO so I doubt if Raytown receives these taxes.

As a former Post Office Employee, I will tell you that Zip Codes are assigned to particular Post Office area for delivery purposes and NOT to specific cities as we would like. That would be to expensive to the Post Office having to change the stations carriers deliver out of. A single Zip Code would give Raytown one Post Office (not 2) while it would force the carriers who deliver parts of Indpeendence and KCMO to move to other stations and Zip Code changes for those areas also. It isn't feasable for the PO to do that. But from what I read, Sue has corrected much of the tax collection issue.

It is just as logical to forbid the Raytown School District from serving KCMO and Independence because that area is not in Raytown!

Andy Whiteman

Greg Walters said...


I agree that many of the sources are very one-sided. Talk Radio is most certainly conservative territory. The national media, from my point of view, has a liberal bent. And, you are correct about the dubious sources on the internet.

However, newspapers also do more than report the news. Their social comment through editorials, etc. has become less important because of the exposure from the other sources -- radio, television, internet.

This is especially true when newspapers attempt to hide the news -- good examples, the Kansas City Star sat on a story about "Bodies Revealed" at Union Station that cast doubt on the validity of the statement that all the people used in the exhibit did so voluntarily.

On the national level, it was the additional pressure from right wing radio broadcasters and sources on the web that forced the recent exposure of John Edwards.

It makes a difference. The Dems went so far as to uninvite him to the National Convention.

Even here in Raytown, it was a post on this blog by an anonymous source that exposed former City Administrator Michael Miller search for jobs in Alaska -- less than a year after he told the Board of Adldermen he planned to stay for at least four years.

At work I often check the web headlines on CNN to see what is happening in the world. Quicker than a newspaper, and, unlike the radio, at my convenience.

No doubt the Tribune's plug was pulled for economic reasons. Fewer advertisers, a reflection of fewer stores to shop in, do make a sad statement for Raytown.

Again, it appears we are pretty much in agreement. Who would have thought?

Anonymous said...

Really! Can the end of the world be far behind?

Anonymous said...

Has American society gone completely brain dead? There are all the goofy TV anchors in New Orleans to cover the hurricane after the mayor of New Orleans makes the residents leave. Does anyone else see something major stupid in this? And then you have the Republicans praising Gov. Palin for a having a pregnant unwed daughter. Maybe that's what is wrong with Raytown. Too many republican officeholders.

Pat Casady said...

I hate to say it but papers are becoming a thing of the past.
Neither of the Raytown papers would actually print the news
items of Raytown. None would say an unkind word about
City Hall, no matter how many bad decisions and stupid ideas
came out of the mouths of some of our elected officials.
Which in my opinion is why this town is in the shape it is in.
If the papers would have told it like it is or was, the elected officials would have given some thought about what they were doing.

A few people write on this blog about how we fellow writers don't know what we are talking about. The thing is they may be right
up to a point.
Without a paper that will write about what was actually happening
in City Hall, both good and bad, we can only assume what we here
is correct. Most of the time there is truth to rumor.

We all know City Hall will never admit to making a mistake. That's a sad fact. Nor will any elected official admit to the same. We should have been able to read about this kind of thing in the local papers.
It was never to be. If there was any real reporting going on with either paper, do you think the people of Raytown would nave given an OK for giving away all their hard earned tax money in T.I.F's? I doubt it.
Has anyone ever read in either paper how a city employee was trying to run businesses out of town? Up until recently nobody ever read about the way some codes were being enforced on some and not others.
Nobody has ever read, in either paper, about the 350hwy. rule of NO
metal buildings on that stretch of highway. That is why Bordner Roofing and the people that bought the old Toyota building had to stucco their buildings. Then a long comes the school and builds onw of the biggest metal building in Raytown. Still no word in the papers.

What's the point of buying a paper if you already know what is in it.
If a paper has it's lips placed firmly on the back side of City Hall it's not worth buying.

Anonymous said...

Speaking of newspapers, sorry to see the Tribune go, because the Post has become the most nothing newspaper around. It just hasn't been the same since Lee Gray left. That guy that bought it from him just kissed Frank and Wenson's backside and people got tired of hearing it, so their circulation has sank to near nothing. This new bunch is not much better. It hasn't been thrown in our neighborhood for over two years, and it's sure not worth subscribing to. Wonder how long Mr. Ivy can continue to prop this loser up.

Anonymous said...

This is so interesting.

If you pick up the last issue of the Dispatch Tribune and turn to the advertising section you will see an ad placed by the City of Raytown. The ad asks for bids to tear down the old first baptist church.

It says that the estimated cost is 1.5 million dollars.

It also says that once the church is down the property can ONLY be used for green space. Which I guess means a city park.

The city spent over half a million dollars to buy the church in the first place.

That means the city is spending 2 million dollars to create a small park in what was once downtown raytown!

Anonymous said...

The mystery continues about Public Water District #2. When asked for a list of current board members that are elected by the public an individual was given a hand written list with no addresses, phone numbers, or terms of office. Wonder Why? Something to hide maybe?

Anonymous said...

Do you have a name to this city employee who is running small businesses out of town.

Anonymous said...

It's probably you looking for a way to sue.

Anonymous said...

sorry but you are wrong on that one, I am just another small business who doesnt want this person to try to run me out next. It just seems like alot of names are mentioned so why not that one so we citizens and business owners can watch out for this person

As I see it.... said...

As I See It.....

The latest newspaper is going the same way a lot of other things in our community and country...
Mr. Gray's comments speak of it if you step back and listen to what he is saying (intentionally or unintentionally), that is the paper (or put in any company or industry name here) has lost its relevancy or in other words ability to deliver what the consumer or customer wants. Instead (for example), a few at the AP have decided what is news worthy at the National Level, they write & force feed those who choose to consume this (after awhile habits are hard to break), with enough reinforcement of the message everyone believes & is content.
Companies/Countries & Communities have shown that the closer they are to the consumer/customer or resident, provide whatever the the 2c's & 1 r mentioned as what they really want, the closer & happier all involved are.
Now the question is, What is Raytown doing to become closer to delivering what the Residents want?

Anonymous said...

Well it certainly isn't fixing the streets.


Anonymous said...

Or enforcing codes in our neighborhoods. Come to think of it just what are we getting for our tax dollars?

Pat Casady said...

To, As I see it,
Most of Raytown's elected officials are not interested in what the residents
or business owners want or need. This is obvious because they won't even
fix the streets the people voted the half cent tax increase for. However they
will build the parking lot and much more for the big store on 350 hwy. with
the very same money voted for and will be paid for by the people.
I guess if the taxpayers of Raytown want to drive on nice smooth new street
surface they will have to go shopping, that is if it ever gets built.

I tried to look up public servant but I didn't have any luck. I did find the definition
of, to serve. Among many examples was an interesting one, "to hold office."
I believe that would be an elected official and a supposed public servant.

My question is, when was the last time, other than when election time was near,
have any of your alderman come calling on you. Maybe to see what you thought
of how they were doing? Hasn't happened and never will!
In fairness I have to say I have talked to Greg Walters, (Greg is not my alderman
but has done much more than either of our wards alderman) and Mayor Bower
on several occasions. Both have been easy to talk to and seem like they
really care.
As much as most of us hate surveys and studies, there should be one more.
Maybe the most important of them all. Every resident and business owner should
be given a survey sheet with questions to evaluate their elected officials.

Andy Whiteman said...

Anon 10:40 AM, What codes? I have been told on at least 2 ocassions that codes aren't enforced as written, They are enforced according to what the codes officer decides the intent of the code is.

In other words code enforcement is selective enforcement as well as arbitrary and capricious. That is why I call this the Fascist Fief of Raytown. City Hall does what it damn well pleases including not repairing streets with tax money the voters approved for that purpose.

Andy Whiteman

Anonymous said...

Pat you're of the generation to have had the same mother I did. And my momma said: Talk is cheap; Hell is paved with good intentions; Put your money where your mouth is and a whole lot more common sense wisdom. While you may be able to talk to an alderman and the mayor and feel good that they listen that still doesn't pave a street, enforce a code or anything else. (See Hell is paved with good intentions.) Also the elected officials should put OUR MONEY where THEIR MOUTHS are. That would mean the city voted sales tax for streets going for asphalt not to bail out a million dollar mistake by the former finance director or for Wal-Mart parking lots and bus stops. As momma would say, Less talk and more action.

Pat Casady said...

I read in the post and for the first time ever, they mentioned the loss
of city income from the WM deal on 350hwy. While I applaud Ben Felder for the article,
and I know Ben is fairly new to town, but the deal went down many years ago.
He also mentioned "This isn't time for grandstanding, petty disputes, or much
time complaining on the blogs. This is time to dig in and get some work done.....
and no one is off the hook."
As I wrote before, if the Post and the Tribune had reported what the deal was
before it was made. The people of Raytown would have or should have screamed
at the top of their lungs to their city elected officials a huge NO!, and would
not be "on the hook" in the first place.
So now he suggests, we are all supposed to "pull together and do our part to pull this sleepy
little burb into the 21st Century." To make up the lost city income?
I ask how? Give them more tax increases to cover their bad decisions?
The people gave them a tax increase for better streets it hasn't happened and
won't. We can't trust the city with any more taxpayer money. They might just give it away again.

Anonymous said...

Obviously the guy is an idiot or a liar. Obviously the only reason he brought up the city's loss via Wal-Mart is because of what's been written on this blog. And obviously he doesn't know this town or its people because we don't listen to goofballs tell us we're on the hook and shouldn't complain and on and on and on. Most surprising is that someone actually saw a Post since they apparently don't have many printed and a paltry paid circulation of a few hundred. From what Pat writes here, the Post guy is just another City Hall a-- kisser.

The Oracle said...

The Salamander got it exactly right the other day.

City Hall conducts business in a manner which can only be described as bizarre.

Where else will you find a town which spends $650,000.00 buying a
deserted church; then prides itself in wasting 1,539,000.00 to tear the building down?

The $1.5+ million figure is right. It is taken directly from a city
application of Federal and State funds to accomplish the destruction of what could easily have become a landmark.

Sadly, when the city bought the Baptist Church, it was a viable
structure. Because of neglect by the city, under the tutelage of a
non-caring mayor, it is now “A dilapidated structure, in violation of the city’s building ordinance…” (Quote from city’s fund application).

The building is now a wreck because of neglect by its owner, the city.

Turning over to city employees for their paint ball games and for
training of dogs are just two of the factors which hastened demise of the entire plant.

Add this to the foregoing: for years we have been hearing rhetoric about using land which houses the complex for municipal building projects. The fact is the city will not be able to do one single thing to improve the
property. The government monies designate the land a “green space”.

For five years we have been told the changeover was delayed, awaiting Federal environmental studies, meetings, more studies, etc.

Were we being told the truth? Read the following and judge for yourself.

It is copied “word for word” from the city’s Request for Release of Funds:

“The city has determined that the project will have no significant
impact on the human environment. Therefore, an Environmental Impact
Statement under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) is not required.”

You can read the entire application if you wish. It is on page 9 of the Raytown Tribune’s swan song edition.

Anonymous said...

The Baptist church was purchased to get a developer to build a retail business district on that spot. It was suppose to be premium property according to Curt Wilson and developers who would fight to get it that is the reason that it was purchased. As we all know that did not happen.

Now as I understand it it can only be used to build a park. What a waste. We would be better off to keep the building and spend the money to renovate it. It's not to late. Yes, it does needs to be handicap accessable and the asbetos may need to be removed but it is better than losing 1 millions dollars. The asbetos only needs to be removed if it needs to be disturbed and there could be a lot the building that does not need to be changed. That building would be perfect for a community center.

WE could still have a building that would be of benefit to the community and we would not lost 2 million dollars. I know for a fact that no one at city hall has ever tried to find out what it would cost to rehab. that building. They just wanted to get a builder to accept the expense of raising the buliding to build the retail development. Once again that did not happen and will never happen. No developer with a lick of sense would do that. So instead of spending that money at least find out what it would take to rehab. It, it can't be 1 million dollars. On the outside chance that it does cost that much the city will have something other than a park for it's people.

We now have a mayor who is an Architect he should be able to design something that would not cost 1 million dollars. Someone needs to put him to work on that. They may have to go back and ask again for different grant money that would pay for that rehabing. At least we would have something when it is done instead of lossing another million dollar on top of what we have already paid for the church.

Anonymous said...

I know this idea with the old First Baptist church probably wouldn't work, but it sure would make the city and school district LOTS AND LOTS of money, so they could waste more of it and not raise taxes; turn it into a land casino with a water "moat" around it! Fill it with penny and nickel slots and a couple of eating places, and watch the senior citizens and residents flock to it! It would keep more money in Raytown!

Anonymous said...

I think the 1968 radicals during the riots had a better idea via their slogan: Burn Baby Burn!

Anonymous said...

I have great news for the people of Raytown. The man that use to operate the Red Mule restaurant on 40 highway has opened a restaurant in the ole Santa Fe Inn location on Blue Ridge. Yes the food is fantastic and the price is reasonable. Oh I know it is not in Raytown so Raytown will reap nothing from it as far as tax money, but if you want great food go there and I promise you will not be disappointed.

Andy Whiteman said...

Sounds like it is worth a try. It doesn't have to be in Raytown to service Raytowners since many of us go elsewhere to eat anyway. I don't know where this is. Do you have an address?

Andy Whiteman

Anonymous said...

All of a sudden the Post is sampling again. It showed up in the driveway Friday and Bob Phillips even had a truthful statement in his column when he said "It's no secret that the Post has been struggling for advertisers." Imagine it would when a Wednesday paper gets tossed on Friday which takes two days off the advertisers' week. Bet it did that estate sale that started on Thursday a lot of good being delivered on Friday.
More consultant money is being spent to put the chamber, city and school district together to form a $200K budget for business development. Well there goes another $80K that wouldn't be used to resurface streets and $120K that wouldn't education kids or bring in new business from the chamber's share. Spend your way out of indebtedness is like drilling your way to energy self sufficency.

Anonymous said...

There these idiots go again wasting our tax dollars on a budget for business development. If they would just clean up our town,invest in fixing the infrastructure and get the idiots in codes to work with small business, the businesses will come. To Mayor Bower and all of his cronies, just keep it up and you're going to drive ALL the good people to Lee's Summit. Most of them are there already. Then what are you going to do with all the empty houses?

Anonymous said...

Gary Knabe can buy all the empty houses up he is one of the biggest slum landlords Raytown has.

Andy Whiteman said...

I think a Friday delivery is good for a FREE sample of the Post. What do you expect for FREE? Anyone who wants a timely delivery needs to SUBSCRIBE to the Post. I subscribed when the Post stopped free delivery several years ago.

I am sorry to see the Tribune go even though I rarely received it. The economic problem with the Tribune was they were a free trashed paper with little subscriber base. I call it a trashed paper because it was delivered like trash. It was thrown onto the driveway or in the gutter. Walking the neighborhood, I saw many copies sitting as litter for several weeks because no one picked it up so it looked like litter. There was a problem with corner houses because most people go out the FRONT door to pick up the Red Star or to go for a walk. The Tribune in the front yard and not the gutter would get some attention. The tribune in the driveway (or driveway gutter) is never seen unless someone uses their car which in my case may range from once a week to once a month. Who wants to stop their car and get out just to pick up papers that have been sitting there longer than a week? The delivery of the Tribune left a lot to be desired and received numerous complaints from me. The USPS requires a certain paid circulation to receive a 2nd class mailing permit which qualifies it as a Legal newspaper where legal notices may be published. One of the bloggers claimed the Tribune had a 2nd Class permit but I really doubt that due to lack of paid circulation.

The Post mentioned a new Mexican restrauant on 350 HWY near the Radio Shack and across from Arbys. Since I plan my trips to include several stops I stopped a Las Campas for dinner last night. The food was good and the prices reasonable.

Andy Whiteman

Andy Whiteman said...

PS. If Gary Knabe wants to contact me, my house will be for sale after I move out which will be about a year after I find and buy another house.

Andy Whiteman

Anonymous said...

First let me address Anon Setember 1 10:14- You are not here in Louisiana and your views of the media and Gov are wrong. There are still hundreds of thousands without power.
The Gov. speaks to the people of Louisiana each morning, at noon and nightly. He gives reports on the power restoration, where the red cross is and updates on Fema. He has done a great job of keeping the people of Louisiana safe and informed. FEMA has not been able to supply enough ice or water, the power companies cannot seem to get the power on at several nursing homes. This is not his fault, he actually has called all of it inadequte.
The media is keeping the public aware of what stores have power so people can buy food and water and ice. So what you are seeing is national news not local news.
There was good reason the people left New Orleans. The damage from the storm was massive in places. As people return to their homes, many return to a dark house and no way to keep cool, find ice, food and water.
Let me give the Hammond Walmart some Kudos. First before the storm they were the only gas station that did not raise their price on gas. After the storm they dropped their gas prices as other raised their prices.
Ice is in great need here, Walmart gave 4,000 bags of ice away to those who needed it. They even delivered ice to the nursing homes without power.
Now I know that does not change the fact that the City of Raytown has given away tax dollars to Walmart, but the local Walmart here has stepped up to help.
I would have to agree with those who say Raytown is dying. It is. As you look at the economy of Missouri and compare it to other states around the country, you become aware that Missouri is struggling econonmically. It is a fact. Look around at the job market.
For those who are interested in seeing minor damage of the storm go here find pic and then the album hurricane.

Also to Anon Setember 1 10:14, if you want to contiune to talk about how things are in Louisiana, we will be happy to bring you down here with us and let you experenice it first hand. You can ride around and try to find water and ice with us, you can experenice life without power and water with 95 to 100 degree temp. You can expereince trying to get updates where you can about what is open and closed, because you only have enough gas to get to one place. So come on down here, because you will also experince something, you do not see in Raytown much - People helping People. If you look at the pictures you will see a burned house. People not the fire department went inside to try to get whatever they could save, they tried to fight the fire without any help and they offered a place to stay to the victims, someone even gave them a trailor to stay in. No one here is sitting at there computer posting their opinions on things they have no idea about, they are out trying to survive and helping each other. Again, come on down and see life from a totally different perceptive.
Rebecca and Joye

Anonymous said...

Once again Mr. Whiteman shows his ignorance of the facts. The Tribune had a 2nd class mail permit because it had the required paid subscribers and many times more than the Post had. The Post's "free paper" isn't worth the effort it takes to pick it up and throw it in the trash. But you keep spending your money for it and keep appearing before the BOA. We feel sorry for you but if you enjoy futility more power to you.

Anonymous said...

I'm Sept 1 10:14 and I can't figure out what prompted your rant over my brief comments about cable TV being in New Orleans when residents were told to leave. My guess is that you two are EMS from Raytown. Obviously you don't know much about Raytown because people helping others has been very common here. There was a group for a few years that specifically targeted help for elderly and poor homeowners. I'm sure from the tone of your comments that you are the only heroes Raytown has ever had.

Anonymous said...

By the way I don't think Gov. Palin is the governor of Louisiana. Read more careful before going off.

Anonymous said...

Gov Palin is the Gov of Alaska get it right.

Anonymous said...

September 1 10:14 We are not EMS we are here because our family is here. We came here to take care of our family. Louisiana is our home. Gov Jenco is a republican. He has done a great job here. So be careful what you lump in your rant. We know what we know because we are in the middle of it all. You on the other hand are far away from what is happening here and have now real idea about the needs of the peopel here in Louisiana. Doing something once a year or every two years is not good enough. Here the people are cooking in the thier peronal homes to feed the people who came here to get the power up. This happend here on a daily basis. Does it happen there in Raytown. If so let me know where and when.

Anonymous said...

Guess you missed the 2000 ice storm in Raytown. I cooked on my outside grill and took food to the neighbors when we were without power for a week. I have family members who went to New Orleans to help after Katrina. So if you're looking for a "look at me" contest, you can have the honors. I can name lots of places and experiences in life that I've seen first hand and you haven't. But again you're the heroes.

Anonymous said...

Yes, I was there for the 2000 ice storm. No it is not a contest. You are the one who posted - Does anyone else see something major stupid in this? in reference to the reporters, I just wanted you to know YOU DID NOT KNOW WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT!!! and still don't. And again, you should go on down to Louisiana if Ike goes that way. My family has a big house and I am sure they would let you stay with them.

Yes, most people left New Orleans - the key word MOST and they wanted to get home as soon as the could. During the ice storm, we were all able to stay in our homes, we did not have to worry about someone coming into our homes and taking everything you have or sitting around in a hotel or shelter wondering if you had anything left.

There are people still in Raytown from New Orleans who lost everything they had. I see them at the Post Office on 63rd St all the time. Why don't you look around for the them, they have a Louisiana License Plate and ask them how major stupid having all of the reporters in New Orleans were.

We both could go on and on, but in the end you still will not know what you are talking about and you will continue to make assumptions that are incorrect, so as they say in the south - GOD BLESS YOUR LITTLE HEART!!

Anonymous said...

What the ....?????

Andy Whiteman said...

It would be nice is Anonymous in Louisana had signed his/her name. I believe what you are saying, but reports with signatures give more credibility to the anomyous writers. On 2nd thought maybe you don't want people to know you are out of town, so maybe you will sign your name when you get back. If Raytown ever suffers a diasaster, I hope volunteers like you appear to help. Yes, the ice storm of 2000 was bad. It was unsafe to leave the house and Hank Dogg wouldn't go out to go to the bathroom for over a day. I don't know how he held it.

Andy Whiteman

Anonymous said...

Yet again Mr. Whiteman they did sign their names: Rebecca and Joey. They are too much fun. Everyone knows the Redneck comedian's "bless your heart" means something much different. So rather than blessing my heart, Thelma and Louise, welcome me to Wee-see-anna. I'm bringing a hundred pound bag of grits and fifty pounds of ocra. I don't need an address as I'll just look for an ante-bellum doublewide. Think if you've got Louisiana license plates for over six months you are in violation of Missouri state law. Same applies with driver's license. Oh and don't forget that Missouri is also a southern state. Gotta go my crayfish are frying.

Anonymous said...

Rebecca and Joye were the two that tried to start a "complaint free Raytown". Guess since they are in Louisiana they can complain all they want.

Okay - you are superheroes for going to Louisiana and helping those in need. Is that what you want to hear?

A comment about journalists putting themselves in danger after New Orleans was evacuated did not call for such a tirade.

Anonymous said...

It is nothing about being a superhero or complainting, but when someone does not know what they are talking about they need to shut up. We were here because of a death in the family and sick parents. Now again, my folks have a big house and I have two other houses, so anyone of you blogers are more than welcome to go down before friday and you can see what it is like. Or better yet wait and you can get in the contaflow and maybe run out of gas and experience life in one of the shelters.

If you knew very much you would know that one local news channel was broadcasting on directTV all over the United States, so that the people who left could be informed.

These people have spend more money on hotel rooms and food than most of you spend in month or on your vacations.

As for as the folks having Louisiana licenses plates, yet again you have shown how uninformed you are. These people still vote in the La elections and the requirements for licensing etc were waived for them.

I don't have a problem with someone expressing their opinions, but when it is not based on truth and fact then I have a problem and will make sure the record is set straight.

You guys attack any and everything. The new fire stations, but if you are in need you expect them to be there within minutes. You say you want new business, but you attack new businesses that comes into Raytown. You say you want change in Raytown, but you do nothing to being about change expect post to this blog - like any elected official expect Greg pays any attention to what you say. They all think you are . . .. . . !!

You are mad about the Walmart, which you should be, but you still shop at Walmart or Sam's. You are mad about the new HyVee, but you will shop there, because it will be clean for at least a little while.

At least some of you know what southern grandmothers said to their ignorant children. BLESS YOU LITTLE HEARTS!!

Anonymous said...

And bless yo' little pointy hooded heads!

Anonymous said...

I'm not sure who the attacker is and who the attackee is.

One comment made about how someone thought it wasn't smart for all the news people to stay in a potential dangerous situation and Joy goes off.

Stay there in the Bayou and keep your Funky Monkey with you.


Andy Whiteman said...

Anon 1:19PM, Thank you for pointing out the writers' names. I happen to be disabled and didn't see it because there wasn't a space between the text and the signature as in "Mamaste" just above this.

Would someone explain what "bless your little hearts" really means. I am kind of dumb on these hiden meanings?

I am glad that someone who is there is posting the truth as they see it.

Andy Whiteman

Andy Whiteman said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Ellie said...

Good post.