Last week, I was driving home from church music practice at around 8:30 in the evening when I came upon three kids in the middle of a country road. I was out near Boardman, heading toward 175th and had just turned the corner at the Katy Trail parking lot. You might know what I’m talking about if you live in that area.
One kid was on what looked like some kind of motorized bike, and the other two were on scooters or bikes; I can’t really remember. The interaction went so fast.
They looked like they were having a great time dominating the roadway, kind of like a scene out of a movie. I would have thought it was a sweet sight, but instead it almost gave me a heart attack. I mean, if they were nearer the corner I just turned, even at the 20 to 25 MPH I was going, I probably would have hit them.
So, I did what apparently happens when you reach a certain age and become the random lady yelling things out her car window. I slowed down and rolled down my window.| “Where are your helmets?” I yelled, knowing that it probably wouldn’t have any effect, but you never know.
One of the boys, who looked about 10ish, answered with the confidence of a man who had carefully reviewed the statistics. “I’ve been riding for six years, and nothing has happened.” Well. Six years. I didn’t realize I was dealing with a veteran.
I told him, “It only takes one time, and you are seriously hurt, and it affects the rest of your life. And there I was, officially becoming one of those adults I probably rolled my eyes at when I was a kid.
But I’ve thought about that conversation several times since. Because technically, the kid had a point. Nothing had happened.
That’s one of the great things about being 10. Your personal historical record is fairly short, and six years without incident seems like compelling evidence that you’ve got this whole thing figured out.
Then something happened that made his comment stick with me. I have CrimeRadar on my phone, and on Aug. 31, I saw that emergency crews were called to McDonald’s on State Route 7 for a reported vehicle-versus-child incident. According to publicly available dispatch information, the child had been riding a bicycle. I don’t know if it was an e-bike, but there is a rumor that it was. But that isn’t the point, so I will continue. The child was reported alert and conscious and was transported to Cass Regional Medical Center. I think there was a nosebleed involved, but I would have to go back and read the report.
That alone probably wouldn’t have kept the event whirling around in my head, but on Aug. 8, a 7-year-old Pleasant Hill boy was struck by a vehicle while riding his bicycle on Locust Street just east of Armstrong Street.
According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the boy entered the path of an eastbound vehicle and was struck. The Highway Patrol classified his injuries as serious, and he was transported to Children’s Mercy Hospital. Pleasant Hill police later told KMBC his injuries were non-life-threatening.
Two kids on bikes struck by vehicles in 23 days. That doesn’t mean Pleasant Hill suddenly has a bicycle problem. Two accidents don’t make a trend, and the circumstances surrounding the two incidents were different. But it did make me think about those kids again.
“I’ve been riding for six years, and nothing has happened.” The funny thing is, I’m not sure we ever completely outgrow that logic. We just get better at disguising it.
We drive a little faster than we probably should because we’ve driven that road a thousand times. We glance down at our phones because it’ll only take a second. Maybe we don’t quite come to a complete stop because nobody is ever at that intersection anyway. We back out of a parking space assuming we saw everything the first time we looked.
Nothing happened yesterday. Nothing happened the day before. Nothing has happened in six years. Maybe the difference between being 10 and being an adult isn’t that we’ve stopped believing we’re invincible. We’ve just accumulated a lot more evidence to support our case.
Until we don’t. And maybe that’s why my little roadside conversation has stayed with me. I don’t want kids to be afraid to ride their bikes. Quite the opposite.
Some of the best parts of being a kid happen on bicycles and scooters, roaming around on a summer evening with your friends, believing you have absolutely nowhere you need to be and all night to get there. I hope kids still get to have that.
There was something almost wonderful about the absolute certainty in that boy’s answer to me. Six years. Nothing has happened. Case closed.
But there’s something a 10-year-old can’t possibly know yet that those of us who have been around a little longer do. Sometimes nothing happening doesn’t mean what we think it means.
Sometimes we were careful. Sometimes somebody else was careful. And sometimes we just got lucky. I hope that boy someday tells somebody: “I’ve been riding for 66 years, and nothing has happened.” And I hope he’s still just as confident.
Although I wouldn’t mind if, somewhere along the way, he decided that crazy lady yelling out her car window might have had a point. It only takes one time. Wear the helmet, or at least ride where cars can see you. And drivers, drive slowly past the curb by the Katy Trail Parking lot; kids on bikes think nothing will happen.
Historic downtown Pleasant Hill is taking on a new shape. And part of the shape it taking off at 132 First Street.
There was a time when downtown was simply where you went to buy what you needed. Today, its’ old storefronts are filling with boutiques, services, and small businesses that are giving people new reasons to come downtown. But one of the newer shops on First Street came together a little differently.
More than 20 area makers have their work inside Nook & Needle. Most are from Pleasant Hill. Individually, many probably wouldn’t have enough merchandise or time to run an entire downtown store. Together, they do. And that is really the story of Nook & Needle.
“It’s very much a small-town store,” said Kathy Alexander, one of the people behind the shop. “It’s always going to be a small-town store, but that’s what makes it fun.”
It Started With Some Yarn
Kathy Alexander at the shop (photo/Connie Whitlock)
Long before there was a storefront, Alexander had a crochet hook. She had always been crafty. Her grandmother did hand cross-stitch, and her mother taught her to knit when she was young. But when Alexander moved to Pleasant Hill about 15 years ago, she was looking for a way to meet people. She found a way and it was at the Pleasant Hill library.
“I could learn how to crochet,” she remembered thinking. So she did. She took a crochet class at the library and it stuck. These days, people who know Alexander are accustomed to seeing her with a yarn bag at football games, volleyball games and other activities involving her children. “I spend 10 to 20 hours a week sitting at kid activities,” she said. “I can bring my yarn bag.” Eventually, some of what came out of that yarn bag made its way to the farmers market.
Last summer, Alexander sold her creations there when she began talking about something bigger: “The dream would be to have something like a brick-and-mortar downtown,” she said. It was a nice idea. But opening an entire store to sell one person’s crochet work didn’t make much sense. Then an opportunity came along that would eventually change the question from How could I open a store? to What if a bunch of us did it together?
A store shelf filled with creations (photo/Connie Whitlock)
A Pop-Up Becomes Something More
Building owner Jennifer Sexton-Rugh was renting the front portion of her First Street building for pop-up shops. Alexander decided to try it. But she didn’t do it alone. She recruited two women she knew through the farmers market: Stephanie Rourke, who makes candles and other scented products, and Andrea Andrews of A Pleasant Bakery, known for her cookies and cinnamon rolls. “And the three of us just went for it,” Alexander said.
They opened a temporary shop during November and December and returned for another pop-up around Valentine’s Day. It worked. Then Sexton-Rugh presented them with a much bigger opportunity. The back portion of the building went unused. Instead of continuing to operate from the small front room, what if they took over the entire space and turned it into a boutique?
Nook and Needle store front (photo/Connie Whitlock)
It was the kind of opportunity Alexander had dreamed about. There was just one problem. Three makers wouldn’t fill an entire store. And Alexander, Rourke, and the others didn’t have endless time to devote to running one. They had jobs, children, families and responsibilities outside the shop. Taking over the larger space would mean finding more merchandise, more help and more people willing to take a chance on the idea. So they went looking for other makers. And they found them.
Their answer to Sexton-Rugh’s offer eventually came down to a simple question. “Why not?” Walls came down after Easter. Furniture went in. New makers began filling the expanded space. By Mother’s Day, Nook & Needle had grown from a temporary pop-up into something much closer to the dream Alexander had talked about at the farmers market. Except now, it wasn’t just her dream.
One Store, More Than 20 Makers
Walk into Nook & Needle today, and you’ll find the work of more than 20 creators, most of them from Pleasant Hill. But you won’t find 20 individual booths. That is intentional. “We’re not a vendor mart,” Alexander said.
Instead, the merchandise is mixed throughout the store to create one cohesive shop. One maker isn’t confined to a five-foot section with their name above it. Products can move around the store, makers can bring in new creations, and they can take inventory with them to markets and other events. What they make is just as varied.
Nook and Needle store (photo/Connie Whitlock)
Some sew, some crochet, some paint and others work with leather, beads or clay. They make candles, soaps, jewelry, food products, coffee, local farm goods, and creations that don’t fit neatly into any particular category. Even the three crocheters represented in the store don’t necessarily make the same things. Alexander pointed to the work of Sarah Davis Henson, who specializes in detailed flower and lace crochet.
KJ and Co. brings clay work, cups and other creations. Local farm businesses, including Redeemed Acres and Hanner House, bring products such as tallow, jams and dry baking goods. The store carries painted pieces and bookmarks by Laura Long, leather goods from Haven Hides, sewn creations, jewelry and bead work, local honey, coffee, candles, soaps, and an assortment that keeps changing as makers come up with something new.
Alexander had once wondered whether they would find enough creators to fill the larger store. That isn’t much of a concern anymore.
Meet the Person Who Made It
Perhaps the best explanation of what Alexander wants Nook & Needle to be is on little signs scattered throughout the store. They’re called “Meet the Maker.” Rather than only telling shoppers how much something costs, the signs introduce them to the person who made it. They tell a little about the maker, what he or she creates, and the connection to Pleasant Hill. “The goal is to spotlight the makers,” Alexander said. “It’s all about the makers and the creations that they make.”
Meet the Maker signs that are all over the store (photo/Connie Whitlock)
Many of those makers also accept custom orders, so the signs include information about how customers can reach them. It changes the experience of picking something up from a shelf. That crocheted piece didn’t arrive in a warehouse shipment. Neither did the painting, wallet, or candle sitting beside it. Someone made it. And there’s a good chance that someone lives nearby.
Some of the entrepreneurs are especially nearby; they still live with their parents. Alexander’s son, entering fifth grade, runs Chunky Monkey and uses a 3D printer to make his creations. Rourke’s daughter, also entering fifth grade, has her own slime business. Their work sits alongside the adults’. For Alexander, that’s part of the point.
Fun creation (photo/Connie Whitlock)
The Makers Also Run the Store
Another piece of the Nook & Needle model is something shoppers might never realize. The makers don’t just supply what’s on the shelves. They help keep the doors open. Because many of them have full-time jobs and families, the makers volunteer to take turns working in the shop. Once again, something that would be difficult for one person becomes possible when the work is shared.
Alexander particularly credits Rourke with helping turn the original idea into a functioning business. “Stephanie is my partner in crime.” The store carries “If it weren’t for her, we wouldn’t be here.” And collaboration doesn’t stop with the Alexander, her husband and children make furniture, build shelving and move everything into the store. “It’s very much a team effort and a family affair,” she said. “I couldn’t do it without my husband, without my kids.” The family atmosphere has found its way into the shop itself.
There is merchandise for children and babies, young makers have a place alongside the adults, and there’s even a small “duck hunt” to occupy children while their parents shop. Nook & Needle is also becoming a place where people can learn to make things themselves. The store hosts monthly maker classes. Previous offerings have included a coffee class and a paint-your-pet event, with candle making and hand-knitted scarves among the classes planned.
A place to learn to create (photo/Connie Whitlock)
Building Something Downtown
After all the work it took to open the doors, Alexander knows another challenge remains: getting people to discover the store. Building a customer base takes time. But she said one surprise of opening downtown has been the support they’ve received from the businesses already there.
Rather than simply viewing a new shop as another competitor, established downtown business owners have offered advice and shared what they’ve learned. “They all want the same thing,” Alexander said. “We all want downtown Pleasant Hill to be successful.” Maybe that is why Nook & Needle fits so naturally into the changing face of downtown Pleasant Hill. Its story is really one of people doing together what would have been difficult to do alone.
Looking down First Street shops from Nook and Needle (photo/Connie Whitlock)
A building owner provided an opportunity. Three makers tried a pop-up. When a larger space became available, they found more makers. Families built shelves and moved furniture. Creators filled those shelves and now take turns keeping the store open.
Individually, most of the makers inside Nook & Needle probably wouldn’t have opened a storefront on First Street. Together, they’ve filled one. And for Alexander, what began 15 years ago with a trip to the Pleasant Hill library to learn how to crochet eventually led to a yarn bag, a farmers market table, a pop-up shop and, finally, that downtown storefront she once wondered about. Only it turned out to be bigger than one maker’s dream. It took a whole group of them to make it happen.
More Than a Trophy: Pleasant Hill Dancers Bring Home National Titles — and an Award for Kindness (more photos added)
Nestled in a strip mall on the north side of Pleasant Hill is a dance school that most people who frequent El Puerto or Pizza Hut might notice is busy with dancers coming and going. Teaching inside is a dance instructor with a seasoned career, a passion for dance, and a desire to share her skills. Her name is Richelle Sauceda-Lyon, and she owns Pleasant Hill Dance Academy and recently, she led her students to victory.
PHDA Production Number 1st Overall National Champions Pictured Top Row: Myla Neuhauser, Ava Hustad, Katelyn Leyda, Ela Martinez, Riley Grace, Rylee Corder, Addison Sims, Olivia Schroer, Campbell Huke, Lauren Logan Second Row: Hafley Morgan, Lennon Walter, Kayla Massey, Laikyn Grimmett, Parker Polletta, Falon Tyler, Lucca McMullen, Sophia Hansen, Dawson Welch Third Row: Brinley Crume, Carlee Tinoco, Sophia Slaughter, Lillian Sims Bottom Row: Evie Dechman, Mae Morgan, Haddie Milburn, Charleigh Tschanz, Isla McMullen, Kenzie Dettman, Kayden Rieder, Willa Brooks, Lorelai Casey, Ellie Devine (photo/Courtesy of PHDA)
All thirty-four of the schools competitive dancers traveled to Lawrence, Kansas over the summer for the P3 Talent Competition Nationals, and they didn’t come home empty-handed. The Tiny Team, Mini Team, Large Group, and Production Team all took first place, making them national champions.
Along with the trophies and banners, however, came another award. It wasn’t for technique, choreography, or a first-place finish. The entire studio was recognized with the Kindness and Entertainment Award. That award also included an opportunity for the dancers to travel to Disney, perform in a parade, and take dance classes.
We’ll come back to that award, because to understand why a dance studio would be recognized for kindness at a national competition, you first have to know a little bit about the woman teaching inside it.
Sauceda-Lyon’s dance story began when she was five years old, when her mother, Debbie Sauceda, put her in dance class. She had a teacher with high expectations, and by the time Richelle was around 12, she had already made a pretty big life decision, dancing was going to be her profession.
She remembers her instructor being strict, but this Pleasant Hill dance teacher said one of the best lessons her dance instructor taught her had very little to do with dance steps. Her instructor taught her how to hear the word “no.” That’s an important lesson for a child who plans to make a living in the arts. Sauceda-Lyon learned early that auditions don’t always result in jobs, that talent doesn’t guarantee a yes, and that rejection is simply part of the business. Her teacher even encouraged students to audition when they were young so they could learn how to handle it.
There was another obstacle in Sauceda-Lyon’s way that had nothing to do with talent. For part of Richelle’s childhood, her mother was a single mother, and paying for dance lessons wasn’t always easy. The teacher knew the family’s circumstances and apparently also saw something worth nurturing in the young dancer. She offered Debbie a deal: if she would clean the dance studio, her daughter could continue taking lessons.
So her mother cleaned and the little girl whose mother cleaned a dance studio to keep her dancing eventually became good enough that job opportunities started arriving before she had even finished high school. Richelle Sauceda-Lyon was ready to go. Her mother wasn’t.
Richelle’s mother insisted that she finish high school before taking off to pursue a professional dancing career. The rising dancer wasn’t particularly happy about the decision at the time, but her mother figured that if someone wanted to hire her then, someone would still want to hire her six months later. Mom turned out to be right.
After graduating from high school, this talented dancer began the dancing career she had planned since her youth. She danced professionally on cruise ships and worked in Las Vegas, and learned that finding the right jobs sometimes meant knowing when to say no herself.
Las Vegas presented some interesting choices. Richelle wanted to dance professionally, but she also wanted to be comfortable with the shows. She recalled turning down an opportunity because she wanted to dance in shows that she was comfortable her family attending.
Some of you might remember the Shoji Tabuchi shows in Branson. If you saw one, you might have been watching Pleasant Hill’s future dance teacher on stage. She also performed at Dixie Stampede. But the cruise ships kept drawing her back. Eventually, she became a dance captain with her own cabin and porthole and traveled to six continents while dancing for Celebrity and Princess Cruises.
Debbie Sauceda and Richelle Sauceda-Lyon (photo/Connie Whitlock)
Time to settle down
By the time she was about 27, Sauceda-Lyon was ready to settle down. She was living in Branson, getting married, and knew her years of traveling and performing professionally were coming to an end. She was also ready to do something she had wanted to do for a long time, open her own dance school.
Sauceda-Lyon had grown up around North Kansas City, and her husband was originally from Nebraska. After returning to the Kansas City area, she taught at a dance studio in Lee’s Summit while the couple began looking for a house. Then their Realtor suggested Pleasant Hill. They really didn’t know much about the city. They came out anyway, found a house and, as Sauceda-Lyon put it, “fell in love with the town.”
The timing also seemed right for opening her studio. She had heard the existing dance studio in Pleasant Hill was being sold and thought it was closing. She soon discovered after opening her dance school that it had simply changed hands. Instead of one replacing the other, both remained, and both have continued to thrive.
Once this Pleasant Hill dance instructor decided to open Pleasant Hill Dance Academy, she called her mother, who was still living in Branson. It was time. Debbie Sauceda came back to help her daughter get the studio started.
Sauceda-Lyon said she intentionally tries to keep dance affordable because she knows firsthand that a child can have talent, determination and a desire to dance without necessarily having a family budget that makes it easy.
Maybe that’s also part of why the word “family” comes up so often when mother and daughter, Richelle and Debbie, talk about Pleasant Hill Dance Academy. Take the Tiny Team. These were some of the academy’s youngest dancers, and for some, it was their first year of dance. They went to nationals and came home champions. But this dance teacher was just as quick to talk about what happened away from the stage.
The children became friends. There were play dates. The parents became close. Families began watching out for one another’s children, and the kids began watching out for each other. “Everybody looks after each other,” Sauceda-Lyon said. That attitude doesn’t stop when they walk into a competition, either.
Competitive dance is exactly what the name implies. Everyone wants to do well. There are scores, placements, and trophies, and months of rehearsals can come down to just a few minutes under the stage lights. But Richelle Sauceda-Lyon doesn’t want competition to mean that someone else becomes the enemy.
Her dancers cheer for dancers from other studios. They applaud them. Sometimes, when another group comes offstage, the Pleasant Hill dancers put their hands together overhead to form a tunnel for the other dancers to run through. Inside her own studio, this dance teacher expects the same kind of behavior.
Pleasant Hill Dance Academy dance room (photo/Connie Whitlock)
Bringing professional experience home
Of course, being nice doesn’t win national dance championships by itself. Behind the friendliness is some serious dance training, and Richelle Sauceda-Lyon brings something to her students that can’t really be learned from a textbook. She has lived the career that some of them may dream about having someday.
Years later, that little girl owns the studio, tries to keep dance affordable for other families, tells her students not to tear each other down, and teaches them to applaud the very people they’re competing against. And somebody at nationals noticed. “It’s even better to produce good people than good dancers,” Sauceda-Lyon said. This summer, she got a little evidence that she’s doing both.
Entertainment and Kindness Award Pictured: Ava Martinez, Erin Dechman, Richelle Sauceda-Lyon, Debbie Sauceda, Jesselynn Divish (photo/courtesy of PHDA)Tiny Team 1st Place National Champions Pictured: Ellie Devine, Evie Dechman, Charleigh Tschanz, Haddie Milburn, Isla McMullen (photo/courtesy of PHDA)Mini Team 1st Place National Champions Pictured: Top Row: Mae Morgan, Lorelai Casey, Kenzie Dettman Bottom Row: Willa Brooks (photo/courtesy of PHDA)Last Picture ending in 006 (in black) Hip Hop 1st Overall National Champions Pictured: Kayla Massey, Riley Grace, Addison Sims, Parker Polletta, Campbell Huke, Falon Tyler, Laikyn Grimmett, Ela Martinez, Dawson Welch, Katelyn Leyda, Lauren Logan, Lennon Walter (photo/courtesy of PHDA)
A Show of Hands Changes the Veterans Parkway Parking Debate
A plan to improve traffic flow and safety on Veterans Parkway turned into a lengthy discussion Monday night, with business owners and residents making it pretty clear that parallel parking isn’t high on their wish list for downtown Pleasant Hill.
The Pleasant Hill City Council reviewed two possible plans for Veterans Parkway, focusing on the area around the post office, where traffic can get tight when cars are parked on both sides of the street.
City staff said Allstate Consultants had been asked to review the area and develop a plan to improve traffic flow, make it safer for pedestrians and, if possible, add parking.
Right now, the project includes 58 parking spaces in the area.
The engineers’ original proposal would actually increase that number to 61. But there’s a catch: much of the angled parking on the east side of Veterans Parkway would become parallel parking.
The proposal calls for 20 parallel spaces on the east side, while keeping 10 angled spaces on the west side. Parking would also change on Locust and Commercial streets. Commercial Street near the police department would become one-way, allowing parking on both sides.
The city also had an alternative plan on the table. That plan would leave the angled parking on the east side of Veterans Parkway and instead remove parallel parking on the other side near the post office. Under that plan, the city would basically break even, keeping about the same 58 spaces it has now.
And that’s where the conversation really got started.
It’s not really about three parking spaces
At first glance, changing a street to gain three parking spaces may not sound like much of a trade.
But city officials explained that the three additional spaces aren’t really the main reason for the project.
The bigger problem is the squeeze in front of the post office. With cars currently parked the way they are, two vehicles traveling in opposite directions can have a hard time getting through at the same time.
“The situation with it is so that way we can get two cars to actually go down that road at the same time,” public works director Tony Bakken explained.
There is another piece to the puzzle. Veterans Parkway is connected to Missouri’s Business Route 7. The city has also looked at traffic coming down Cedar Street, turning onto Veterans Parkway, continuing to Commercial Street and then returning to Highway 58. That brought up another downtown problem: big trucks.
There was quite a bit of discussion about tractor-trailers and vehicles pulling long trailers trying to make some of the turns downtown. A proposed stop sign would also have to be moved farther into the intersection, which raised questions about whether those larger vehicles could safely make the turn.
But what about the businesses?
Once the floor was opened for public comment, the conversation quickly turned from how many parking spaces there are to where those parking spaces are. That’s an important difference if you own a business on Veterans Parkway.
Resident Jean Pinkston, who said she works at the thrift store, told the Council that many of the store’s customers are older. Some use walkers and canes, and she worried about asking those customers to parallel park or park farther away and walk to the store. “I just can’t see that,” she said.
However, there is a safety argument for parallel parking. Bakken pointed out that drivers backing out of angled spaces have limited visibility. With parallel parking, drivers have a better view of traffic when they pull away from the curb.
Alyn Brown, who gave a business address on Veterans Parkway, said he supports revitalization but that the people he has talked to along Veterans Parkway aren’t in favor of the proposed change.
He said his business has between 15,000 and 20,000 foot-traffic come through in a year, and most of those customers park either in front of his business or the business next door. That’s where the parking-space numbers can be a little deceiving.
The city may gain three spaces overall, but some of those spaces would be farther away on Commercial Street. Brown pointed out that doesn’t necessarily help someone buying something heavy and then having to carry it a couple of blocks.
Citizens also questioned whether parallel parking might create a different kind of bottleneck as drivers stop in the roadway and try to maneuver into a parking space.
How good are you at parallel parking?
Resident, J.R. Brown probably summed up what quite a few people in the room were thinking. After hearing concerns about older drivers having trouble parallel parking, Brown pointed out that age might not have much to do with it. “I’m 40 years old. My wife’s 42, I have a 16-year-old daughter, and none of us are any good at parallel parking,” Brown said.
That led to an impromptu poll of the room asking people to raise their hands if they were good at parallel parking. Someone joked that they were much better at it now that they had a camera.
Julie Brown also brought up People’s Theater and its customers. She said moving parking farther down Commercial Street wouldn’t work well for some of the theater’s older patrons. She also raised another interesting point: opening Veterans Parkway up more could make traffic move faster, which could create its own safety problems for people getting in and out of cars or families with small children.
Watching the post office
Local Attorney Ed Clemens came to the meeting with a little homework of his own. Clemmons said he talked with the post office and learned there are 188 active post office boxes there. He also spent part of the morning watching traffic.
From about 8:10 to 9 a.m., Clemmons counted 40 vehicles traveling north and 68 traveling south on the road. But he noticed more than cars. He watched people park across from the post office and walk across Veterans Parkway. One woman got a young baby out of her vehicle and carried the child across the street.
“There’s no crosswalks there,” Clemmons said. “They’re walking across that traffic all the time.” Clemmons suggested the city consider something a little less permanent: restrict parking on one side of the street during certain daytime hours and open those spaces back up in the evenings.
That could potentially help daytime traffic while still allowing the spaces to be used when People’s Theater has a performance or when something else is happening downtown.
He also encouraged the city to find a way to keep large trucks that are simply passing through Pleasant Hill out of downtown while still allowing trucks making local deliveries. For Clemmons, the biggest issue came down to one word. “Safety.”
So what happens now?
After hearing from the public, it became pretty obvious that the original proposal wasn’t going very far. One council member said, “I’m not in favor of parallel parking on Veterans Parkway.” Another followed with, “I’m not going to vote for it either.” But that didn’t mean everyone was ready to approve the alternative plan either.
Questions remained about the stop sign, trucks, traffic flow, and whether making several changes at once could create problems nobody had anticipated.
Eventually, the Council appeared to agree that the original parallel-parking concept was a “non-starter.” Rather than move forward with either proposal as presented, the conversation turned to sending the issue back for another look.
Council members suggested other possibilities, including different signage, alternatives to the stop sign, and even restricting parking to certain hours of the day.
The problem still needs solving.
City staff reminded the Council that the engineers didn’t come up with the plan out of nowhere. A previous Council asked staff and engineers to find a way to improve traffic flow and safety in the area, and the plan presented Monday night was the engineers’ recommendation.
So Veterans Parkway may still look different in the future. It just probably won’t include a long stretch of new parallel parking.
What the Hill? – A Dolly Night No One Could Have Planned
I don’t know if you’ve ever planned an event only to have everything go completely sideways.
Another event planner could schedule something bigger and better right next door. Maybe the rain comes and washes the whole thing out. Everything that could go wrong does.
Whatever your event-planning story is, I’m willing to bet it can’t quite compare to what the Pleasant Hill Historic District found itself facing this week.
But instead of looking at it as everything going wrong, they decided to look at it a little differently.
Let me tell you the story.
Someone downtown had a fun idea: Why not create a night for shopping, getting the ladies together, and celebrating all things Dolly Parton?
Throw on a big blonde wig. Dig out something sparkly. Grab your besties and prance down First Street on a Thursday night. Shop the downtown stores, find a few things to bring home, laugh a lot, and meet a few new friends along the way.
It was a really fun idea.
And then came a twist nobody could have planned for.
Just two days before the event, Dolly Parton passed away.
Suddenly, an evening planned as a playful celebration of Dolly felt very different.
What do you do?
Cancel it? Change the theme? Pretend the timing isn’t a little surreal?
The downtown group regrouped, and somewhere in the middle of all that shock came another thought.
Maybe this night was supposed to happen after all.
There could be something strangely fitting about a group of people already planning to gather in downtown Pleasant Hill to celebrate Dolly Parton just days after the world lost her. What had started as a fun night of wigs, shopping and girlfriends could now be something more.
A tribute.
So that’s exactly what they decided to make it.
On Thursday, August 27, from 5 to 8 p.m., downtown Pleasant Hill will still be filled with Dolly. There can still be big hair, sparkles, shopping and plenty of fun. But now there will also be a chance to remember the woman who inspired it all in the first place.
PHHD didn’t plan a memorial.
They planned a party.
Circumstances gave that party a whole new meaning.
Reflections on A (Sometimes Absurd) Life – Has Anyone Seen My Bridge?
Neighborhood Facebook pages are wild landscapes. You’re basically in a group text with random people who you know only by virtue of living near each other. Some of them are friends, some mere acquaintances, and some will remain strangers to you for decades.
But you can never leave the page. If you leave the neighborhood page, you won’t know what that big boom was, what “they’re” building next to the liquor store, whose power is out – even though it’s a beautiful sunny day with a pleasant south breeze, that the pig is out on the road so you need to watch for it on the way to work (“the” pig, not “a” pig – it’s the same pig every time), or whose peacock is wandering through your yard.
Well, to be fair, in this town, whatever “they’re” building next to the liquor store is probably another liquor store; so, you don’t really need to stay in the group for that information.
There are several personalities on the neighborhood Facebook page, but they fall into 4 basic categories: the Speculators, the Wanderers, the Know-It-Alls, and the Rabble Rousers. (A popular pillar of the community recently called me a Rabble Rouser. Her exact words were, “You’re Mary Tanck??? The Rabble Rouser??? I love you!” Apparently, Rabble Rousers aren’t often this strikingly good looking, so she was taken aback.)
The categories are dynamic; today’s Wanderer can be tomorrow’s Know-It-All. In my case, today’s Know-It-All is probably going to be tomorrow’s Rabble Rouser.
The Speculators are going to weigh in on every post no matter that they have no idea what is going on.
Post: Did anyone hear that loud boom???? What was it?
The Speculator will inevitably respond with some non-sense such as: I heard from a reliable source that the Green Bridge collapsed. [plot twist: the source is definitely unreliable.]
Now, here is where the Wanderer will pipe up: It will always be the Silver Bridge to me!
At which point, the discussion will go off the rails until the Know-It-All comes into the room and explains that the loud boom was dynamite from the quarry and he happens to know this because once, after a loud boom, a crack developed in his basement wall and an inspector told him it was due to the dynamite blasts of the quarry. This is when another Know-It-All will begin arguing with him over whether that is possible.
The Rabble Rouser will chime in with something witty: I heard the Green Bridge with Silver Pinstripes was dynamited onto someone’s basement.
My neighborhood page is located outside city limits, so it features a lot of loose livestock. And lost cats. Not to be insensitive, but let’s be honest. Cats don’t get lost; they just find a living situation with fancier food than what you were offering. (Sometimes they get stolen by your boujie neighbor who feeds them fancy food to lure them in – you know who you are.)
There was one memorable post where an entire bridge washed up into someone’s yard, and he was trying to figure out who owned the bridge. That was exciting.
About 68% of our posts are about the power going out or service interruptions from the local internet company. Recently, wearing my Rabble Rouser hat, I made a post sharing a letter that Mark Twain wrote to his power company in 1891. (I would reprint it here, but it’s not fitting for a family publication.) Anyway, 2 hours after I posted that along with some Rabble-Rousing commentary about our local power company, the power went out. It was, as you can imagine, a beautiful sunny day with a pleasant southern breeze.
Come to think of it, we haven’t seen any posts about “the” pig lately. I hope he is alright; alternatively, I hope he was delicious.
In closing, I urge you to find joy today. Might I recommend posting a non-sense Rabble-Rousing post on your local neighborhood Facebook page and seeing where it leads?
Pleasant Hill’s rules on where a marijuana dispensary can operate came before the City Council for discussion after city staff said the current restrictions have made it difficult to find a location for a potential dispensary within city limits.
No change was made Monday night, and council members ultimately did not direct staff to draft a new ordinance.
Under Pleasant Hill’s current ordinance, a marijuana facility must be at least 1,000 feet from an elementary or secondary school, state-licensed child day-care center, church and residentially zoned property.
The map below illustrates the current 1,000-foot separation requirement, shown in blue, formarijuana facilities along the Highway 7 corridor. For comparison, the 100-foot separationrequirement for liquor sales is shown in orange.(photo/Pleasant Hill agenda)
According to a memorandum prepared by Assistant City Administrator Nici Wilson and Development Coordinator Missy Gentry, staff has been working with a potential business interested in opening a dispensary in Pleasant Hill. During that process, staff found that the 1,000-foot restrictions leave few potential locations, particularly along the Highway 7 corridor.
City staff presented several options for council consideration: reducing the distance to 700 feet, 500 feet, or 100 feet.
Staff also compared Pleasant Hill’s regulations with surrounding communities. Belton requires 500 feet of separation from schools, day-care centers and churches, while Raymore also uses 500 feet and requires 100 feet from residential property. Harrisonville and Lee’s Summit maintain 1,000-foot requirements.
Option 2 – 500-Foot Separation, Reduce the required separation distance from 1,000 feet to 500 feet from an elementary orsecondary school, state-licensed child day-care center, or church.The 500-foot area is shown in green on the accompanying map. This option would provide thegreatest increase in potential locations and would be consistent with the separation distancecurrently used by Belton and Raymore.Option 3 – 100-Foot SeparationReduce the required separation distance and make it consistent with the separation distance ofalcohol sales. This is shown in orange on the first map.(photo/Pleasant Hill agenda)
Pleasant Hill currently requires 1,000 feet from schools, daycares, churches, and residentially zoned property.
City officials emphasized that the maps provided to council were intended as general illustrations. Actual distances for a proposed dispensary would have to be calculated under state law and along the lawful pedestrian route between properties, rather than simply drawing a radius around a location.
The discussion also brought up another possibility: the council would not necessarily have to apply the same distance to every type of property. Staff told council members they could establish different requirements for schools, churches, day-care centers and residential areas.
One council member expressed reluctance to reduce the separation from schools, day cares and churches but appeared more open to reconsidering the 1,000-foot residential restriction.
The potential financial impact also came up in the discussion. Staff said the city could potentially receive an estimated $150,000 annually in sales tax revenue from a dispensary. Pleasant Hill voters previously approved an additional 3 percent local sales tax on recreational marijuana, which would be collected in addition to the city’s existing sales tax.
But several council members and residents questioned whether potential revenue should be the deciding factor. “I think part of the question is that we can’t look at it just dollars and cents as to what it can bring us, even though I think the potential is phenomenal,” Councilwoman Pat Niner said. “I think we have to look at, what do we want Pleasant Hill to be known for? What does it do for Pleasant Hill? Does it increase our value?”
At the same time, council members acknowledged that marijuana is already legal in Missouri and that a dispensary could locate in Pleasant Hill under the existing ordinance if a property meeting all of the requirements can be found. “If somebody finds a location that meets that criteria, it’s coming,” Niner said.
The potential operators attending the meeting told the council they currently have dispensary locations in Cass County. They said their businesses have not created problems for local police departments and pointed to extensive state security requirements, including surveillance cameras covering the buildings and surrounding areas.
They also told the council they are considering a couple of possible Pleasant Hill locations, including the former A-1 Liquor location and another site by the Creamery.
The discussion drew opposition from several members of the public. Attorney Ed Clemmons, who said he has spent approximately 14 or 15 years working as a defense attorney with Cass County Drug Court, urged the council not to make marijuana more accessible. He said marijuana was frequently the first drug used by people he had encountered through drug court and argued that the city should not make changes that could make access easier for young people.
The potential tax revenue also prompted local lawyer Ed Clemons to put the numbers into perspective. With staff estimating that a dispensary could generate approximately $150,000 a year in city sales tax revenue, Clemons calculated how much marijuana would have to be sold to produce that amount. “$2.6 million. Wow. If I did it right … $2.6 million in one year of marijuana sold in the city,” he said. The figure represents estimated marijuana sales, not tax revenue, and Clemons’ calculation underscored the volume of sales that would be needed to generate the projected $150,000 for the city.
Local Attorney Ed Clemmons speaks before city council Monday evening. (photo/Connie Whitlock)
J.R. Brown, who said he represented the pastoral staff of Echo Church and spoke in agreement with several other area pastors, urged the council to retain the existing restrictions. He said, “Reducing the distance requirement could eventually allow dispensaries to become just as concentrated as our liquor stores… potentially putting one in every strip mall along 7 Highway.”
Local Minister, J.R. Brown speaks before council. (photo/J.R. Brown)
Another resident spoke emotionally about watching someone close to him struggle with marijuana use and mental health issues.
“I respectfully request that the council consider what this does to the kids of our small town,” he said.
He acknowledged marijuana can have medicinal uses but questioned whether the financial benefit justified changing Pleasant Hill’s restrictions. “Is this about the people, or is this about the money?” he asked.
Another resident told the council she had dealt with a son’s drug problem when he was a teenager and had lost three people to drug overdoses in the past year and a half. She said she did not support bringing a dispensary into Pleasant Hill.
A member of Echo Church also spoke against loosening the restrictions, arguing that Pleasant Hill should think carefully about what kind of community it wants to be and whether treating marijuana dispensaries similarly to liquor stores would be good for the city.
Council members, however, also heard that dispensaries are heavily regulated by the state. When asked whether a dispensary would create an additional burden for the Pleasant Hill Police Department, Chief Kleyh’s response was that there was not expected to be a significant impact. State requirements govern much of the sale, manufacture, distribution, and security of marijuana facilities, while the city would enforce its own ordinances along with applicable state law.
By the end of the discussion, there did not appear to be enough support on the council to direct staff to prepare an ordinance reducing the distances. When staff asked whether council wanted an ordinance drafted and brought back for consideration, the immediate response was, “Not at this point.” Councilwoman Niner summed up the difficulty of the issue by saying they were in a “conundrum.” “I know it’s here. I know it’s coming,” the council member said, while returning to the question of what Pleasant Hill wants to be as a community. The council member also acknowledged the city’s need to expand its revenue base but concluded, “I’m not ready to make that change.”
For now, Pleasant Hill’s existing 1,000-foot restrictions remain in place.
Historic Preservation Approves Demolition of Tucker Hotel
Pleasant Hill Historic Preservation (Photo/Carla Murray)
The future of one of Pleasant Hill’s historic downtown buildings was decided Thursday night when the Pleasant Hill Historic Preservation approved a request allowing the owners of the Tucker Hotel to demolish the building at 306 Cedar Street.
The decision follows renewed concern about the building after a portion of its parapet recently fell inward. But structural concerns surrounding the Tucker Hotel date back years.
A structural engineering report commissioned by the City of Pleasant Hill in 2023 documented significant deterioration throughout the building. Allstate Consultants LLC inspected the property on Aug. 2, 2023, and issued its final report Oct. 5. Among 23 observations, engineers documented deteriorating brick and mortar, movement in exterior walls, moisture problems, damaged floor and roof framing and evidence of previous insect damage.
The most serious warnings involved the building’s parapets. Engineers described the west parapet as “unstable and vulnerable to imminent collapse” and the east parapet as “unstable and susceptible to collapse.” In the report’s conclusion, engineers stated that both parapets “had failed.”
That assessment came nearly three years before the recent parapet failure brought the condition of the building back into public focus. The report also noted that concerns predated the 2023 inspection. According to information provided to Allstate, another engineer had conducted a cursory evaluation for the City in 2020 and identified concerns with the property.
Thursday night’s decision brings those years of structural concerns together with another difficult issue for Pleasant Hill: historic preservation. The Tucker Hotel is part of the city’s historic downtown, and demolition means the loss of a building that cannot be replaced. But commissioners were also faced with documented structural problems and the realities of the building’s current condition.
With the Historic Preservation Commission’s approval, the owners can now move forward with demolition.
Pleasant Hill Library Opens New StoryWalk on Library Grounds
The Pleasant Hill Library added a new way for families to enjoy books, one that takes the story beyond the library shelves and out onto the library grounds.
On Wednesday, Aug. 19, community members gathered at the Pleasant Hill branch of the Cass County Public Library for the grand opening and ribbon cutting of its new StoryWalk, a project nearly three years in the making.
The StoryWalk allows children and families to read a book while walking along a path outdoors. Pages of a children’s book are displayed at stops along the way, encouraging visitors to move from one page to the next as they make their way through the story
(photo/Connie Whitlock)
“We’ve been waiting for this moment for a long time,” Cass County Public Library Director Robin Hudson told those gathered for the celebration.
Hudson thanked the organizations that helped make the project possible. The Cass County Public Library Foundation provided funding that allowed the engineering design for the project to be created, while the Goppert Foundation funded the pathway and permanent StoryWalk signs.
“This, as you can see, is permanent,” Hudson said. “So we will be able to switch out the stories.”
Pleasant Hill Branch Manager Scott Pagel told the crowd the idea went back to around December 2023, when they first began talking about bringing a permanent StoryWalk to Pleasant Hill. “It’s taken some time, but it’s amazing,” Pagel said. “And it’s here.”
The grand opening brought together many of the people and organizations that supported the project. Among those attending were members of the Cass County Public Library Board of Trustees and Library Foundation, representatives of the Goppert Foundation and Goppert Bank, Pleasant Hill Mayor Don Donovan, Police Chief Dennis Kleyh, representatives of the Pleasant Hill Chamber of Commerce, library staff and many members of the community.
Librarian, Laura Long, Cass County Public Library Board Vice President. Diana Larson, Cass County Public Library Director, Robin Hudson, Cass County Public Library Board Treasurer, Sherri Peters (photo/Connie Whitlock)
Pagel also recognized several people who helped bring the project together, including library staff who worked on installing the posts and preparing the area. And the work isn’t necessarily finished. Plans include additional landscaping around the StoryWalk in the coming months and years, helping turn the library grounds into more of a park-like setting for the community. “We hope this is a place that y’all can enjoy for a very, very long time,” Pagel said.
While the StoryWalk itself is permanent, the stories won’t be. Pagel said the library is considering changing the featured book every two or three months, although staff will see what works best as the community begins using it. That means families can come back again and again and find something new to read.
The project adds another dimension to what the Pleasant Hill Library offers the community. Instead of choosing between spending time outside or settling down with a good book, families can now do both.
Assistant Director of Cass County Public Library, Leigh Hallenberg, Pleasant Hill Branch Manager, Scott Page, Chief of Police, Dennis Kleyh, Chamber of Commerce, Tina Stidham, Erin Carnes, and Trevor Nading (photo/Connie Whitlock)
For parents and grandparents, it provides another free activity to enjoy with children. Families can make the StoryWalk part of a trip to the library or make the walk itself the destination.
It also continues the Pleasant Hill branch’s growing role as more than simply a place to check out books. The library has become a gathering place for programs, activities and community events, and the StoryWalk now extends some of that activity beyond the building’s walls.
After the remarks Wednesday, supporters and community members gathered around the new StoryWalk for the official ribbon cutting. There was the usual maneuvering to get everyone into the photograph, including a call for the mayor to join the group. Then came the moment everyone had gathered for. “Here we go.”
StoryWalk sign (photo/Connie Whitlock)
The ribbon was cut, followed almost immediately by a voice from the crowd: “That’s awesome.” It was a short ceremony for something designed to remain on the library grounds for years to come.
The stories will change. The landscaping will grow. Children who visit today will get older, and new families will discover it. But after nearly three years of imagining, planning, and work, Pleasant Hill now has one more place to read, walk, explore, and spend time together, one page and one step at a time.
Reflections on A (Sometimes Absurd) Life – Fancy Corn – Dreams and Heartbreak
You might be wondering where I have been, lo, these past 2.7 weeks. Or maybe you haven’t. I’m going to tell you regardless. I’ve been going bankrupt.
There’s just something about gardening that brings out the financially irresponsible side of me. Every year I tell myself it will be different this time. I will exercise self-control in the garden department. And I did alright this year. Until late June.
It all started when I planted zinnias on the same hill upon which I always plant zinnias. I’m basically a semi-professional zinnia grower. However, the weather worked diligently against me on that hill. I wasn’t incredibly worried about it since I have two others that are growing beautifully. Along about June, though, I decided that maybe I should till the poorly growing zinnias under and plant various colors of corn to use during Decorative Gourd Season.
I checked the Farmers’ Almanac and discovered that I still had 2 weeks to get corn in the ground for a fall harvest. I presented the idea to my husband, who looked incredulous and asked, “You’re only going to plant decorative corn, what’s the point in that???” I pretended that he had, obviously, misunderstood and replied that, no, only about a third would be decorative and the rest would be sweet corn. Then I added that only a small portion of the colored corn would be decorative, I was going to use most of it to make beautiful and delicious cornmeal. He nodded as if this were a perfectly reasonable task I had set for myself. Or, more likely, he wasn’t truly listening.
Have I ever made cornmeal before? No. Have I ever before expressed a remote interest in making cornmeal? No. Do I own a corn mill or know how to prepare corn for milling? No and no. Have I ever even used cornmeal in my culinary adventures? Also no. I don’t like grits and I use a certain “famous” cornbread mix from the grocery store. None of that was going to stop me from living my fancy cornmeal fantasies though.
Because it’s easier to give me whatever mildly unhinged thing I want, Mr. Tanck agreed to my plan, re-tilled the hill, amended the soil, laid out a grid, and built a corn planter so we wouldn’t have to bend over to plant the seeds. We were smug about our fancy new 300 square foot corn farm. I couldn’t wait to use my pretty blue and pink corn for Decorative Gourd Season. I envisioned Better Homes and Gardens calling to photograph my front porch for the cover of their Decorative Gourd Season issue.
Mr. Tanck took charge of the watering, but soon tired of hauling water to the hill. He decided we needed a spigot on site. However, the water line is on the other side of the driveway; so, he called a boring company to drill a line for us then installed a spigot. Looking back, I recognize that moment as being when the expense began to spiral out of control.
Our 300 square foot decorative corn farm was getting fancier by the day. We were certain it would be the talk of Cass County.
And it was definitely the talk of Cass County.
At least it was if you only include the population of deer in that survey. Deer soon found our corn patch and ate enough leaves to send us a warning. The only thing for it was to install an electric fence.
Now we’re fighting rain and heat and pestilence – just as my childhood hero, Laura Ingalls, did. Sometimes I even take a hoe out to the garden and stand there for the authentic feel of battling the elements for my corn. I let the sun beat down on me and stare into the distance as though it is just my hoe and me against the whole natural world…
Anyway, our production cost, assuming a 70% success rate, is approximately $28.50 per ear of corn. We hope to remain under $32 per ear at the end of the season. In short, I think you can see that it is taking a lot of hard work and dedication to grow such expensive fancy corn. Not just anyone could do it.
Parallel Parking Downtown? Pleasant Hill Council Wants to Hear From Residents
A proposal to improve traffic flow through downtown Pleasant Hill could bring noticeable changes downtown. Public Works Director, Tony Bakken, proposed changed to Veterans Parkway, including parallel parking in front of the post office.
Tony Bakken giving proposal for parallel parking on Veterans Parkway (photo/Connie Whitlock)
While council members generally agreed that something needs to be done about congestion in the area, the possibility of replacing angled parking with parallel parking raised enough questions that the council decided it wants to hear from the public before moving forward.
“You guys have all seen where the bottlenecks happen,” city staff told the council during the presentation. “We end up with almost a one-way traffic through in front of the post office in that area.”
According to the presentation, discussions about improving traffic on Veterans Parkway date back to 2023. Council discussed the issue but it never moved forward. The city has been working with Allstate Consultants on a plan.
The current proposal would convert the angled parking on the east side of Veterans Parkway to parallel parking. According to the city, doing that would create approximately 8 additional feet of travel width and help eliminate the bottleneck near the post office. The project would involve more than changing parking spaces.
Plans also call for ADA sidewalk improvements and a crosswalk at Locust Street and Veterans Parkway. Commercial Street near the existing parking area would become one-way, with additional angled parking added there.
The intersection of Cedar Street and Veterans Parkway would also change from its current three-way stop configuration to a four-way stop.
Another proposed change would address the sometimes confusing intersection near Broadway Street/Depot Drive and Veterans Parkway. The existing stop sign would be moved back, and another stop sign would be added on Veterans Parkway, creating a three-way stop.
City staff said the change could make the intersection safer and make it clearer which driver has the right-of-way. Council members appeared particularly interested in whether improving traffic flow would come at the expense of downtown parking.
According to the city’s preliminary calculations, the overall project would actually result in a net gain of one parking space after additional spaces planned elsewhere are taken into account.
Still, not everyone was comfortable with where those spaces would be located. “I hate losing parking spots right by the post office,” one council member said.
That concern quickly turned into a broader discussion about parallel parking and whether it could pose difficulties for older residents and others who aren’t comfortable maneuvering into a parallel parking space. One council member questioned whether some elderly residents would be able to parallel park near the post office and nearby businesses. Another acknowledged that concern, saying a downtown building owner had raised essentially the same issue earlier that day.
The trade-off, city staff explained, is safety and traffic flow. The angled parking currently narrows the roadway, making it difficult for two vehicles to pass. Large vehicles parked in the area can also make visibility difficult. “It’s very, very, very congested in that area,” one council member said.
The city isn’t proposing to eliminate angled parking throughout downtown. Angle parking would remain on the west side of Veterans Parkway and in other nearby areas. “I mean, it’s going to be an adjustment. It’s going to be a change,” Bakken told the council. But the recommendation, they said, is intended to “open this flow of traffic and make it safer.”
Council members also discussed alternatives, including whether angled parking could remain on the east side while parking on another portion of the street was eliminated instead. That possibility will likely receive another look. “I think it’s close, but I think there’s things we have to look at,” councilman Patterson said.
Another was more specific. “I’m just not sold on parallel parking from the post office,” the council member said, using the example of a grandmother who might want to visit the post office but would not be comfortable parallel parking.
Someone else pointed out the other side of that argument: backing out of an angled parking space when visibility is limited can create its own safety concern.
The discussion ultimately came back to something council members agreed they wanted before making the change: input from the people who use the area.
The council voted to table the Veterans Parkway parking plan until its next meeting so the public has an opportunity to comment.
The delay could push the project into the later part of the fall. City staff had hoped to coordinate the work with planned microsurfacing and striping on Veterans Parkway, Commercial Street, portions of Locust and Highland, and First and Second streets.
And before that happens, the City Council wants to know what Pleasant Hill residents think.
The council did pass the stop signs but are waiting on the parking proposal.
Meet Community Betterment: The Organization Behind Decades of Pleasant Hill Projects
The Depot. Soccer. Trails at the city lake. The caboose. Christmas carriage rides.
They are all familiar pieces of Pleasant Hill, and some have been around long enough that most of us probably don’t give much thought to how they got here. They are just part of our town.
For more than three decades, the Community Betterment Association of Pleasant Hill has been working, sometimes taking on projects itself and other times helping someone find a way to make an idea happen. During a recent work session with the Pleasant Hill City Council, members shared some of those stories and also discussed something that may be even more important now: who will carry that work forward.
The roots of Community Betterment go back to the late 1980s and early 1990s, according to longtime member Randy Miller, who shared some of the organization’s early history with the council. The organization received its federal tax-exempt status in 1994, meaning Community Betterment has now been operating as a nonprofit for more than 30 years. “It’s not something that just happens,” Community Betterment Vice President Myra Doehla said of improving a community. “It’s hard work.”
1990: Pleasant Hill Mayor Terry Wilson hands the keys to the Depot to Community Betterment President Bill Miller (center) and treasurer Pat Bates (left). (photo/Pleasant Hill Times)
One of the earliest and most visible examples was the Depot. Miller said his father was involved in efforts to save the Depot when the railroad no longer wanted the building, and it could have been lost. The organization raised money, but much of what happened next came down to people willing to work.
Miller said gifted students from Pleasant Hill Middle School helped with the design of Depot Park, while volunteers helped construct improvements. Local residents helped build a fence between the depot and the tracks. “It was truly grassroots economic development,” Miller said.
Randy Miller at the work session for Community Betterment (photo/Connie Whitlock)
That happened again when Pleasant Hill children wanted to play soccer. “The kids wanted to play soccer,” Miller said. At the time, it wasn’t a city recreation program. Local people wanted to create one, but they needed a nonprofit organization that could collect money and help get things started. Community Betterment already had that structure and became the umbrella organization while volunteers built the program.
A similar thing happened when residents wanted trails at the city lake and when another group wanted to restore Pleasant Hill’s caboose. People had the ideas and were willing to work. Community Betterment helped give them a way to do it. “There’s just a number of things that we have used that 501(c)(3) for through the years,” Miller told the council.
But some of the organization’s work is much harder to see. Around 2010, local leaders learned there were Pleasant Hill children who were nutritionally at risk, Myra Doehla said. The community wanted something similar to the Harvesters backpack program, which provides food for children to take home when they aren’t at school.
There was a problem. According to Doehla, Pleasant Hill didn’t meet the requirements for Harvesters to operate the program here at the time. The Pleasant Hill Optimist Club’s response was pretty simple. “Fine, we’ll do it ourselves,” Doehla recalled. And they did. The Optimist Club operated the program while Community Betterment provided the nonprofit structure that helped with donations and purchasing food. “That was what it was about because it really adds up when you’re buying thousands of dollars worth of food,” Doehla said.
She said the local effort continued for somewhere around eight to 10 years before Harvesters eventually became involved. It’s one of those stories that probably happened without most of Pleasant Hill ever knowing much about it.
Then there are the stories that have become part of the personality of Pleasant Hill. Years ago, the community wanted to offer horse-drawn carriage rides at Christmas. Miller said they initially hired someone from Holden to bring a horse and carriage to town. “It was just super expensive,” he said. “We could not afford it.” So Miller and Mark Randall came up with another idea. They would just buy a carriage.
“We put up our own money,” Miller said. They paid about $850 for it and then went back to Community Betterment hoping the organization would reimburse them. Miller joked about going back “on bended knee” to ask for the money. Community Betterment agreed. “And the rest is history,” Miller said. Decades later, the carriage rides are still part of Christmas in Pleasant Hill.
Community Betterment is also a property manager in Pleasant Hill. Doehla told the council that the organization rents space in the historic Depot as well as the old Booth library building, with rental income helping support Community Betterment’s work in the community.
Depot (photo/Community Betterment Presentation)Vice President Myra Doehla at the work session for Community Betterment (photo/Connie Whitlock)
The Depot has had an interesting role in Pleasant Hill’s downtown through the years. Miller said that when downtown had far more empty storefronts, the Depot spaces were intended in part to give new small businesses an affordable place to get started. “It started out as an incubator for a new small business,” Miller said. The idea was that a business could begin in the Depot, establish itself, and eventually move into a larger downtown location.
Today, downtown Pleasant Hill looks much different, but Community Betterment continues to manage the spaces. Doehla called the Depot “a wonderful, wonderful spot,” although she acknowledged that its age creates limitations on the types of businesses the building can accommodate.
The income from renting the Depot and old library building gives Community Betterment another way to continue supporting projects and ideas in Pleasant Hill. Those projects are part of the organization’s past and present. The question now is what its future will look like.
The people who helped build many of these projects aren’t getting younger, and Doehla was open with the council about the need for someone else to eventually take their place. “When we’re done, there has to be somebody to step in,” she said. “Or else guess what happens? You’re dead in the water, and we’re done.” Finding the next generation isn’t necessarily easy.
People are busy. They are working, raising children, caring for their parents, going to ball games, and trying to fit everything else into their lives. But Doehla said helping your community doesn’t mean you have to do everything. “You don’t have to do lots,” she said. “All you have to do is have something you are passionate about and get involved.”
Community Betterment board member Kylie Baker sees getting younger residents involved as an important part of the organization’s future. “We want younger citizens to be involved to one day pass down the torch,” Baker told the council. That may be the larger story behind more than 30 years of Community Betterment.
“Community Betterment is about bringing people together to turn community ideas into lasting improvements,” Baker said. More than 30 years later, many of those improvements are still here. Some have become so familiar that we probably don’t even think about the people who made them happen.
The question now is who will come up with the next idea and who will care enough about Pleasant Hill to help make it happen. The People Behind the Projects: Community Betterment Looks to the Next Generation.
Current board for Community Betterment:
President: Terry Wilson, Pleasant Hill Historical Society Vice President: Myra Doehla, Pleasant Hill Optimist Club Treasurer: Amy Johnson, City of Pleasant Hill Secretary: Martha Drasny, Pleasant Hill Historic District Suzanne Brenneman, Pleasant Hill School District Kylie Baker, City of Pleasant Hill Mark Guffey, citizen Randy Miller, citizen Tina Stidham, Pleasant Hill Chamber of Commerce
Things to Do in Pleasant Hill: Movies, Farm Fun, Gardening, Rodeo and Live Music
There are still plenty of reasons to get out of the house in Pleasant Hill this week. A movie classic is coming to the big screen, families can spend an afternoon exploring a local farm school, gardeners can learn a few tricks about their irises, and next weekend brings both rodeo action and live music to town.
The week kicks off Friday, Aug. 7, at the historic Peoples Theater with a free showing of Field of Dreams. Sponsored by the Republican Club of Pleasant Hill, the summer movie night is an opportunity to see the 1989 baseball favorite on the big screen. Doors open at 6 p.m., with the movie beginning at 7 p.m. Hot dogs, popcorn and other concessions will be available, and organizers are encouraging moviegoers to arrive early. The Peoples Theater is located at 110 Veterans Parkway.
On Sunday, Aug. 9, families can trade the movie theater for the outdoors during the THF Farm School Open House & Discovery Day. From 1 to 5 p.m., visitors can explore the urban farm at 905 Lexington Road, meet rabbits, quail and farm kittens, and get a look at the school’s nature-based approach to learning.
The afternoon will include sample curriculum, nature journals and student projects, along with tours of the farm school and its future outdoor learning spaces. Children can participate in a nature craft while parents learn more about programs available for ages 3 through 18. Homemade lemonade and herbal tea will also be served. The event is free, and families are encouraged to RSVP through the Facebook event so organizers can prepare enough refreshments and craft supplies. Questions can be directed to Brianne Orr at 816-258-9007.
Gardeners get their turn the following weekend when Paula’s Petals Greenhouse & Floral offers its free All About Iris class on both Friday, Aug. 14, and Saturday, Aug. 15. The approximately one-hour class begins at 8 a.m. each day and will cover planting and growing irises as well as the proper way to dig and divide established plants.
The classes will be held at Paula’s Petals, 33607 E. 199th St., using the second entrance off the main road. Registration is encouraged. For more information, contact Paula McCloskey at 816-929-0522.
By Saturday evening, Aug. 15, things get a little louder. Midwest Roughstock returns to the Cass County Fairgrounds at 7 p.m. as part of its 2026 We’re Back Tour. The evening will feature rodeo action along with vendors, food and family entertainment.
For those who would rather spend Saturday night listening to music, Brass Rewind will be performing at the Big Creek Opry at the Peoples Theater in downtown Pleasant Hill.
And those aren’t the only things happening around town. Regular activities continue throughout the month, including Wing Hill Wine Co.’s free wine tastings, the VFW Post 3118 Community Breakfast, Pleasant Hill Cruise Nights, Grace Place Diaper Day, the Pleasant Hill Farmers Market and Super Seniors.
Whether your idea of a good weekend involves popcorn and a movie, getting your hands in the dirt, visiting a farm, watching a rodeo or listening to live music, there’s something happening close to home.
More events and updated information can be found on PHMOmag’s Things to Do page. As always, check with individual organizers before heading out in case dates, times or other details change.
KCBS is looking to Certify Judges in Pleasant Hill
If you’ve ever sat down to a plate of barbecue and had strong opinions about the chicken, ribs, pork or brisket, there’s a class coming to Pleasant Hill that might be right up your alley.
And yes, becoming an official barbecue judge is a real thing.
Pleasant Hill will host a Kansas City Barbeque Society Certified Barbeque Judge class on Saturday, Aug. 22, at the Methodist church on Lexington Road. The goal is to get more local residents certified and ready to help judge KCBS-sanctioned competitions ,including one held right here in Pleasant Hill each fall.
Pleasant Hill is home to one of the largest KCBS-sanctioned backyard barbecue competitions, and organizers would like to see more Pleasant Hillers sitting at the judging tables.
Bunny Tuttle and her granddaughter Mika recently created a fun video to help spread the word about the upcoming class and show people what becoming a certified barbecue judge is all about.
During the class, participants learn how KCBS competitions are judged, including how to evaluate four of barbecue’s biggest categories: chicken, ribs, pork and brisket.
Once certified, judges aren’t limited to Pleasant Hill. KCBS-sanctioned competitions are held around the world, and certified judges can sign up for opportunities to judge them. Certification doesn’t guarantee you’ll be selected for every contest, but it gives you the credentials needed to apply to judge KCBS events wherever they’re held.
The Certified Barbeque Judge class costs $125.
For those interested in taking their involvement a step further, a Table Captain class will be offered immediately following the judging class. Table captains help manage the judging table and the competition judging process. The cost to take both classes is $200.
Participants must first be members of the Kansas City Barbeque Society. Membership is $50 and can be obtained through KCBS.
Registration for the Pleasant Hill classes is available through Downtown Pleasant Hill by selecting the ticket option.
So, if you love barbecue, want to learn what separates good competition barbecue from award-winning barbecue, and wouldn’t mind having an official reason to eat chicken, ribs, pork and brisket, Pleasant Hill is looking for you.
The ultimate goal is simple: when barbecue teams roll into Pleasant Hill this fall, organizers want plenty of hometown judges ready to take their seats at the table.
Portion of Tucker Building Parapet Falls; City Barricades Area as Engineer Review Is Planned
On August 5th, barricades went up around what Pleasant Hill knows as the old Tucker Hotel building on Cedar, and engineers are expected on site on August 6 at 12:30 P.M. According to Mayor Don Donovan, a resident raised concerns about potential danger due to visible damage to the exterior of the structure.
The old Tucker Hotel (photo/Connie Whitlock)Side of the building (photo/Connie Whitlock)
One of the new owners of the property, Jarrod Gravatt, said that they were aware of the problems with the historic building and had repairs scheduled for September. “Yes, disappointing, but it was a known problem,” Gravatt told PHMOmag. “I have it scheduled to be fixed in September, but working on moving that up to ASAP.”
According to Gravatt, a contractor has already been selected for the repair work, and he hopes exterior work can begin as early as next week. The alley and the front of the building have been blocked as engineers arrive, and the blockades may remain while repairs are underway.
He said he has engineering reports dating to 2025 that identified the possibility of problems with the parapets.
Gravatt provided PHMOmag with photographs of the parapet’s condition approximately a month ago, compared with its current condition. He said he had previously been told the parapet had looked the same for about three years.
Top of the old Tucker Hotel (photo/Jarrod Gravatt)Top of the old Tucker Hotel (photo/Jarrod Gavatt)
The food pantry has been serving the public at the old Tucker building and will have to find another home while work is being done. “We are working with the city to see what locations they can run the food pantry in the interim, possibly Memorial Building, but just spit balling today,” Gravatt said.
Gravatt said he does not currently believe there is a danger to the public based on what he has observed. Still, an engineer’s assessment will provide additional information about the condition of the structure.
If you happened into our local Library Saturday night expecting whispers and shelves of books, you were in for a surprise. There were bartenders with tuxedo shirts and black ties serving mocktails, piano music filling the room, and residents laughing together over Legos, crafts, movies, and conversation. It was almost like it had become a third place.
Have you ever heard of third place? It’s the idea that home is the first place, work is the second, and a third place is where people gather to connect—a coffee shop, a pub, or another welcoming space where connection happens naturally, and people become friends. At least that’s how I have always imagined it.
Tim Long bartender and Laura Long, librarian and bartender
As I sat at the piano, playing cocktail or mocktail music, I found myself looking around the room. People weren’t in a hurry, and they lingered as they visited and seemed to have a really good time. Everyone was catching up with friends they hadn’t seen in weeks. A few people even stopped to chat with me between songs. I met a gentleman from the VFW, reconnected with a resident I hadn’t seen in a while, and even watched a few people bust a move as they passed the piano.
Connie Whitlock keyboards(photo/selfie)
It struck me that no one seemed to be there because they had to be. Don’t you hate it when you have to be somewhere? But when you just want to be somewhere, and there is no pressure, you walk casually in knowing you can stay for as long or as short as you want. That’s third place. Plus there was no admission ticket, no agenda, and no pressure to buy anything. It was just, hey, let’s check out cocktail night at the library.
Admit it, you probably spend most of your days moving from home to work and back home again. We spend our money online, watch movies at home, and text instead of talking. It’s easier to stay digitally connected and miss out on opportunities for personal connections. That’s why places like the library matter.
The Cass County library invited the public to slow down, browse a bookshelf, watch a classic movie, build something with Legos, sip a mocktail, listen to a little music, and maybe just strike up a conversation with someone you might never have met otherwise.
(photo/Connie Whitlock)(photo/Connie Whitlock)
Community doesn’t just happen. Someone has to dream up the idea, decorate the room, mix the drinks, arrange the activities, invite the musicians, and open the doors. Events like this are the result of people who believe that bringing neighbors together is worth the effort. I am thankful for the staff at our library for their ideas and hard work.
Librarians Rhonda Kasper, Jeanette Baker, and Lisa Thomas, and Branch Manager, Scott Pagel (photo/Connie Whitlock)
As the event came to a close, I gathered my music and felt the night was extraordinarily impactful. I learned that libraries are about more than just books. They are also about bringing the community together. I encourage you to stop by the Pleasant Hill library, check out a good book, their calendar of events, stay a while, and even have a good conversation. You might discover that our library can become a third place for you, too.
Things to Do This Week in Pleasant Hill: Ribbon Cutting, Live Music, Farm Fun, and a Free Movie
If you’re looking for something to do around Pleasant Hill over the next week, you’ll find plenty of opportunities to get out into the community. From celebrating a new business and enjoying live gospel music to exploring a unique farm school and ending the week with a classic movie, there’s something for nearly every age and interest.
The week begins Thursday morning, July 30, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrating the opening of AuBurn Pharmacy. Hosted by the Pleasant Hill Chamber of Commerce, the ceremony begins at 8:45 a.m. at 1905 N. State Route 7. The community is invited to welcome the pharmacy to Pleasant Hill and meet the team during this special event.
On Friday evening, July 31, Big Creek Baptist Church will host an evening of gospel music featuring award-winning Oklahoma duo Blake & Jenna Bolerjack. The concert begins at 6:30 p.m. at 1517 State Route 7 and also includes special guests Phil & Pam Morgan. Admission is free, although a love offering will be accepted. Following the concert, everyone is invited to stay for an ice cream social. No tickets are required.
The first week of August offers even more opportunities to get involved.
Adults looking for a relaxed afternoon can stop by the Cass County Library – Pleasant Hill Branch on Wednesday, August 5, for the Board and Card Society. Beginning at 2 p.m., participants can enjoy friendly competition while learning or playing the featured game, Splendor. New players are always welcome.
Families interested in alternative education are invited to the THF Farm School Open House on Thursday, August 6, from 5 to 8 p.m. at 905 Lexington Road. Visitors can meet the farm’s rabbits, quail, and kittens, tour the learning spaces, enjoy homemade refreshments, create a nature craft and learn more about educational programs serving children from 18 months through 18 years of age. Admission is free, and organizers ask guests to RSVP via the Facebook event so they can prepare enough refreshments and craft supplies. https://www.facebook.com/rareheirloomfarm
The week wraps up Friday, August 7, as the People’s Theater Summer Movie Series comes to a close with a free showing of the beloved baseball classic Field of Dreams. Sponsored by the Republican Club of Pleasant Hill, the film celebrates family, hope, and America’s pastime. Admission is free, making it a great opportunity to gather friends and family for one last summer movie night at one of Pleasant Hill’s historic landmarks.
Whether you’re celebrating a new local business, enjoying live music, discovering a new educational opportunity, or relaxing with a classic movie, Pleasant Hill offers plenty of reasons to get out and enjoy your community this week.
The Pleasant Hill City Council will hold a Strategic Planning Retreat Work Session on Thursday, July 30, beginning at 8:30 A.M. at the Pleasant Hill Police Department Training Facility, 305 Pine St.
According to the published agenda, the work session will include a Strategic Planning Session facilitated by EverStrive Solutions, a public-sector consulting firm that works with local governments, nonprofits, professional associations, and regional organizations on strategic planning, leadership development, and organizational improvement. The firm was founded in 2024 by former local government executives Meredith Hauck and Lauren Palmer.
The meeting is open to the public.
Reflections on A (Sometimes Absurd) Life – It’s Hot; Eat a Tomato
I was technically asked to be the humor columnist for PHMO Magazine; but it is far too hot for non-sense and, frankly, none of you are doing anything particularly funny.
You know what it’s not too hot for? Tomato sandwiches.
Everyone – especially Southerners – has an opinion on making the perfect tomato sandwich. Everyone has an opinion on everything these days. Some people use white bread, butter, and a tomato slice. Those people are wrong and I judge them harshly. My grandma was in the white bread, Hellman’s, salt, and tomato camp. I like to keep it pure: a slice of fresh sourdough with a thick salted slice of tomato on top. Wait a few minutes while the salt works its magic and the tomato juices seep down to fill all the crevices of that bread.
You should always show a tomato sandwich the respect it deserves; it must be served on a real plate with a glass of cold sweet tea. In a pinch, a cold Coca-Cola, in a glass, is also acceptable. Under no circumstances should one serve a summer cocktail or, heaven forbid, Pepsi with a tomato sandwich. In fact, if someone ever brings me a Pepsi with my tomato sandwich, I will immediately call the police.
I said what I said. If you disagree, feel free to hash it out amongst yourselves on our friendly local Facebook discussion page. You know the one.
Side note: Can you imagine how that call would go?
911 Dispatcher: 911, what’s your emergency?
Me: Someone brought me Pepsi with my tomato sandwich.
911 Dispatcher: [immediately radios the chief] Chief! End the stand-off, we have a real emergency!
Chief: Fellas, we gotta go! Let this guy stay barricaded in his house if he wants to! We have real crime to solve!
To make a short story long, that would be a nightmare for everyone. Don’t do it.
And, now, back to my titillating reflections on tomato sandwiches …
A few years ago, I was reading a Rick Bragg column in which he talked about tomato sandwiches. He likes Wonderbread, Duke’s, and tomato with salt and pepper, if I recall. Anyway, I was reading his column and craving a tomato sandwich with one of those cravings that come from deep within your hippocampus, the kind that won’t go away without either consumption of the sandwich or extensive therapy; the problem was that it was also March. I kept telling myself, “Self, you know you absolutely cannot eat a tomato sandwich in March. It is a crime against nature. It’s just not right.”
Sadly for me, the part of myself that wanted that tomato sandwich was weak and only able to hold out for 29.6 hours. I bought a grocery store tomato. Let me tell you, a tomato sandwich in July is proof God loves us and wants us to be happy. A tomato sandwich in March reminds us to stay humble about it. This is not a joke. The sandwich was dreadful; all these years later, I still have nightmares about it.
If you’ve never had a tomato sandwich, go make one. Choose joy, my friends, choose joy. Choose a recipe listed above – except butter, don’t choose butter. If you don’t grow tomatoes at home, head out to our Pleasant Hill Farmer’s Market and one of our local vendors will gladly hook you up.
And if you ever, and I do mean ever, eat a tomato sandwich in March served with Pepsi, don’t tell me. It’s too hot to recover from the horror of it.
Your Guide to the August 4 Primary Election: What Pleasant Hill Area Voters Will Decide
When Cass County voters head to the polls on Tuesday, Aug. 4, they will be choosing more than just party nominees. This year’s Primary Election includes federal and state races, county offices, judicial positions, constitutional amendments, and local ballot questions. While not every voter will see every race, most Pleasant Hill residents living in Cass County will vote on many of the same issues.
Missouri is an open primary state. That means voters may choose which party’s ballot they wish to receive when they check in at their polling place. However, voters may only vote one party’s ballot. Regardless of which party ballot they choose, every voter will also vote on the constitutional amendments and any county or local questions that apply to their district.
United States Representative
Pleasant Hill is located within Missouri’s Fourth Congressional District. Republican voters will choose between incumbent Mark Alford, Heather Shelton and Scott Vincent Vera. Democratic voters will choose among Jordan Herrera, Wayne Russell, Hartzell Gray III, G. Rick, Jeanette Cass, Ashleigh Rogers and Randy Miller. Libertarian voters will have Thomas Holbrook on their ballot.
Members of the U.S. House of Representatives serve two-year terms and represent their congressional district in Washington, D.C., voting on federal legislation, spending bills and issues affecting their constituents.
Missouri State Auditor
One statewide race likely to draw local attention is for Missouri State Auditor. The Auditor serves as Missouri’s independent financial watchdog, conducting financial and performance audits of state agencies and, under certain circumstances, cities, counties, school districts and other political subdivisions. For Pleasant Hill residents, the office has become especially familiar because of the ongoing audit of the City of Pleasant Hill.
Republican voters will choose between incumbent Scott Fitzpatrick and Gerald “Jerry” Wistrand Jr. Democratic voters will choose between Quentin Wilson and Gregory Upchurch. Libertarian voters will vote for Dustin Coffell.
Missouri House of Representatives
Depending on where they live, Cass County voters may also vote in one of several Missouri House districts.
Republican voters in District 55 will choose between William “Bill” Irwin and Michael Davis. Republican voters in District 56 will choose between Steve Baker and Michael Davis, while Democratic voters in that district will vote for Jon Pennell. In District 62, Republican voters will choose Sherri Gallick, while Democratic voters will choose between Staci Czar and Mitch Mullvain. Democratic voters in District 82 will vote for Liz Davenport.
Because legislative districts cross city and county boundaries, not every Pleasant Hill voter will receive the same legislative race.
Cass County Offices
With the exception of a handful of races, many county offices on the Cass County ballot are uncontested, meaning the August primary will be decided primarily by congressional, legislative, statewide, and constitutional amendment races.
Republican voters will nominate Bob Huston for Presiding Commissioner, Kathy Lambertz for County Clerk, Kim York for Circuit Clerk, Mike Medsker for Recorder of Deeds, Ben Butler for Prosecuting Attorney, Chris Molendorp for Collector of Revenue and Jack Bondon for County Auditor.
Democratic voters will nominate Art Ruiz for Recorder of Deeds.
The ballot also includes judicial races for Associate Circuit Judge in Divisions 3, 4, 5 and 6, with James G. Eftink, Derek Spencer, Tiffany Tschudi, Christopher Edward Benjamin and Jason M. Howell appearing on the ballot.
Constitutional Amendments
Every Missouri voter will decide four proposed constitutional amendments.
Amendment 1 would renew Missouri’s existing one-tenth of one percent sales tax for another ten years. The tax supports Missouri State Parks, historic sites and soil and water conservation programs. According to the ballot language, the existing tax generates approximately $140 million each year.
Amendment 2 would require Missouri charter counties to elect their county assessor rather than appoint one.
Amendment 4 would change Missouri’s initiative petition process by requiring future citizen-proposed constitutional amendments to receive both a statewide majority vote and majority approval in each congressional district before taking effect. It would also require the full text of initiative petitions to be available to voters.
Amendment 5 would establish constitutional requirements for phasing out Missouri’s individual income tax under certain revenue conditions while placing limits on future sales and use tax increases related to that phase-out.
Cass County Ballot Question
All Cass County voters will decide whether to approve a one-quarter of one percent countywide sales tax dedicated to road and bridge improvements while eliminating the county’s current special road and bridge property tax levy.
If approved, road and bridge funding would shift from a property tax to a countywide sales tax.
Local Ballot Questions
Some voters will also see additional questions depending on where they live.
Residents within the East Lynne Gunn City Fire Protection District will vote on whether to expand the district’s Board of Directors from three members to five members.
Voters in Lee’s Summit will decide whether to approve a one-quarter cent sales tax dedicated to stormwater management and flood mitigation.
Kansas City voters will also consider several bond issues and an economic development sales tax question, although those questions do not apply to most Pleasant Hill residents.
Before You Vote
Polls will be open from 6 a.m. until 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 4. Missouri voters must present an acceptable form of photo identification before receiving a ballot.
Over the coming days, PHMOmag will take a closer look at several of these races and ballot questions, including the candidates for Missouri State Auditor and the four constitutional amendments, to help readers make informed decisions before Election Day.
What the Hill? – More Than a Movie: Finding Community at Pleasant Hill’s People’s Theater
Last June, some of my friends heard that Back to the Future was showing at the historic People’s Theater downtown Pleasant Hill and invited me to come along. For those of us who were teenagers in the 1980s, that movie wasn’t just an average movie; it was one you would go back to see several times. Many of us probably still have a DVD tucked away in a cabinet somewhere because some movies are too good to get rid of, even in the age of streaming.
As if showing a classic movie wasn’t enough, admission was free. Popcorn was free. They even had candy. Honestly, how could you pass that up?
Connie Whitlock, Laura Long, and Cheryl Orr (photo/Connie Whitlock)
So, we gathered a few friends and headed downtown. The theater was nearly full, and from the moment we walked in, it felt like something special. Owner Jennifer Sexton-Rugh greeted everyone with a smile while serving popcorn, and the excitement in the room was contagious. It was wonderful to see so many people enjoying not only a classic film but also one of Pleasant Hill’s historic treasures.
Jennifer Sexton-Rugh serving up popcorn (photo/Connie Whitlock)
As we watched the movie, I couldn’t help but think about all the people who had gone before and had watched movies from where I was sitting. Long before streaming services and even before television, the local theater was where people gathered for entertainment, newsreels, and a bit of relaxation. Sitting there watching Back to the Future again, I just imagined what it was like through the years in that theater.
The Pleasant Hill Republican Club sponsored the evening’s movie. To be honest, I hadn’t even noticed who the sponsor was before we arrived. I saw Back to the Future, “Free Admission,” and decided I was in.
While my friends and I were sitting near the back because we always thought those were the best seats, a man introduced himself as a candidate for the judge’s seat. I laughed and told him I had never met someone running for judge before. We had a nice conversation, and I appreciated finally putting a face with a name that would eventually appear on a ballot.
One of the things I enjoyed most was watching the kids experience the movie probably for the first time. It was fun hearing them laugh at scenes that we have loved for more than 30 years. Meanwhile, many of the adults couldn’t help but quietly recite some of the classic lines before the actors did. By the time the credits rolled, the audience applauded as though they had just watched a live performance. It reminded me that watching a movie together is a completely different experience from watching one alone at home.
The evening was so amazing that we returned in July for The Sandlot. “You’re killing me, Smalls!” echoed through the theater, definitely bringing laughter and nostalgia. During intermission, I wandered over to get some candy and met another candidate running for the same judgeship. We had a great conversation, and once again I left feeling a little more informed than when I arrived.
Packed House at the movie Sandlot (Photo/Connie Whitlock)
Regardless of your political views, it was refreshing to see local candidates out meeting people in such a casual setting. It also gave me the chance to learn that the Pleasant Hill Republican Club operates as a Facebook page that keeps the community informed about its interests.
The next classic movie on the schedule is Field of Dreams on August 7th. If you’ve never experienced one of these evenings at the People’s Theater, I encourage you to go. Yes, you’ll enjoy the movie, but you’ll also experience something that’s becoming harder to find these days: a room full of neighbors laughing together, sharing memories, and simply enjoying an evening in one of Pleasant Hill’s most treasured landmarks.
Reflections on a (sometimes absurd) Life – How One Big Boy Is Bringing America Together
I took my son to see the Big Boy 4014 steam train yesterday and it was an incredible experience. Not because we got to see a one-of-a-kind train, although that was pretty cool; it was because of the America that showed up to celebrate a simple pleasure in life. It was an America that I think a lot of us worry we have lost.
Hundreds of people showed up to see this piece of history – I saw small babies as well as elderly folks and every age in between. I did not see a single instance of anyone being anything but impeccably polite, kind, and excited.
While the crowd waited for the train to arrive, there was a woman behind me talking to a couple from Florida. They were comparing autumns and tornado versus hurricane season. It was a pleasant conversation about their lives. No one brought up politics. Just three strangers waiting for a huge steam train and getting to know one another.
(photo/Mary Tanck)
There were several times that I saw a group trying to take a selfie with the train in the background and another person stepped in to ask if they could take the photo so everyone would be in it.
I heard people introducing themselves to those around them and sharing the excitement of seeing the train. Train enthusiasts excitedly talked about the mechanics and history of the train and shared their love of trains with the more casual observers around them.
I met a neighbor who I previously didn’t know and who happens to be friends with my cousin. We had a fun discussion about our respective businesses and where we’ve actually crossed paths in town. He offered to take a picture of my son and me.
(photo/Mary Tanck)
When the train steamed into the station, people of all ages cheered. When the train left the station, people of all ages waved to the engineer – wishing him and his crew a safe journey. It sounds corny outside of the moment, but it was truly touching to see people of all ages excited to see a train come in with its steam billowing and then wave happily as it once again built up steam and left the station, bell ringing, whistle blowing, and steam billowing.
As we left, I heard more than one person say to another, “It was really nice to meet you, [insert name].” I know it sounds unbelievable, but people were warmly calling their new friends by name.
Between all the cars, construction on 58, and 7 being closed, traffic was a nightmare getting out, but I didn’t see a single driver acting like a jerk. Almost everyone was letting someone in front of them. No one seemed frustrated, just content at having been a part of such a delightful, nostalgic afternoon.
What I did not hear was anyone asking, “Where do you stand politically?” Neither before they began enjoying conversations with those standing near them, nor before letting them go ahead in traffic.
What I saw yesterday was the best of America. Don’t get tunnel vision thinking political infighting and social media comment sections represent us as a country. From the very youngest to the very oldest, we are more than that. We are better than that.
The crowd that showed up for Big Boy 4014 is who we are as a nation. It was a wonderful experience and I’m thankful to have had the opportunity to share it with my son.
From the Stage to a Vineyard: This is Your Week in Pleasant Hill
There are many opportunities to enjoy your week, from live theater and local crafts to a summer festival at the library and a Chamber ribbon-cutting. Whether you’re looking for family entertainment, being creative, or a chance to support local organizations, this is your week in Pleasant Hill.
This weekend begins on Friday, July 24, as the Pleasant Hill Theatre Guild presents The Addams Family Musical at 7:00 p.m. at Pleasant Hill United Methodist Church, 1300 Lexington Road. Featuring everyone’s favorite kooky family, the musical will be a fun-filled evening filled with memorable songs, humor, and plenty of laughs.
The fun continues on Saturday, July 25, with more opportunities to attend The Addams Family Musical at 2:00 p.m.and 7:00 p.m., giving attendees two chances to catch the show. Also on Saturday evening, adults are invited to the Summer Library Festival for Adults from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at the Cass County Library – Pleasant Hill Branch. The after-hours event offers a relaxing atmosphere, creative activities, and opportunities to enjoy the library in a unique adults-only setting.
If you’re looking for a way to spend Sunday afternoon, Musket Cellars & Vineyard will host its Doorleaner Craft & Sip event on Sunday, July 26, from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. You can create a custom summer-themed door leaner while enjoying a glass of wine in a relaxed vineyard setting. The $50 registration includes a 4-foot-by-9.5-inch door leaner, stencil, painting supplies, instruction, and one glass of Musket wine. No experience is necessary, making it fun for both beginners and experienced crafters.
Looking ahead to next week, community members are invited to celebrate the official opening of AuBurn Pharmacy during a Pleasant Hill Chamber of Commerce Ribbon Cutting on Thursday, July 30, at 8:45 a.m. The cutting will take place at 1905 N. State Route 7, and the community is encouraged to attend as Pleasant Hill welcomes a new local business.
Also, for this week’s featured events, several opportunities continue regularly throughout Pleasant Hill. Wing Hill Wine Co. has complimentary wine tastings every Thursday from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., the Pleasant Hill Farmers Marketwelcomes shoppers every Saturday morning from 9:00 a.m. to noon at the corner of Second Street and Highway 58, Community Breakfast at VFW Post 3118 is held on the third Saturday of each month, Pleasant Hill Cruise Nights fills downtown with classic cars on the third Friday of each month from May through October, and Grace Place Diaper Dayprovides monthly diaper assistance to families on the second Saturday of each month at Pleasant Hill United Methodist Church. More details on these events are always happening on PHMOmag.com/thingstodo.
As always, event details can change, so attendees are encouraged to verify information with the event organizers before heading out. Have an upcoming community event? PHMOmag welcomes submissions from local organizations, businesses, churches, schools, and community groups to help keep Pleasant Hill informed about what’s happening around town.
Our goal is to provide the community with accurate and reliable information about upcoming events in Pleasant Hill. To keep the weekly event listing focused on submitted events, comments will be disabled on the “Things to Do in Pleasant Hill” post.
Eligible Events
The following types of public events are eligible for inclusion:
Festivals and fairs
Concerts and performances
Classes and workshops
Fundraisers
Church activities
School events
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Other gatherings that are open to the public and of community interest
Submission Deadline
Event submissions must be received by Tuesday at 11:59 p.m. each week to be considered for that week’s event listing.Please submit all event information or cancellations by email to:phmomag@gmail.com
Submit an Event
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Please include the following information:
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July is Heating Up with the Cass County Fair and Community Events
The Cass County Fair, Pleasant Hill Cruise Nights, and performances by the Pleasant Hill Theatre Guild are among the major events in Pleasant Hill and Cass County from July 14 to 26. The Cass County Fair, the biggest attraction of the season, returns to Pleasant Hill Fairgrounds July 14–19 with six days of family entertainment, agricultural traditions, exhibits, competitions, food, music, and community celebrations. Featured events at the fair include the Power Wheels Race at 5:30 p.m. on July 15, live music from Mudflap Mafia at 9 p.m. on July 16, the Art & Photo Show at 1 p.m. on July 17, the Cass County Fair Parade at 9 a.m. on July 18, and the Super Farmer Competition at 4 p.m. later that afternoon. Fairgoers can also enjoy livestock exhibits, carnival rides, food vendors, and activities throughout the week. Check out the full details and schedule at www.casscountyfairmo.com.
Also on July 16, Wing Hill Wine Co., located at 115 Wyoming Street, will host a free wine tasting from 4 to 8 p.m., offering visitors an opportunity to sample wines and spend an evening in downtown Pleasant Hill. The following evening, July 18, Pleasant Hill Cruise Nights returns to downtown from 10 AM to 2 PM. Classic cars, trucks, and hot rods will line the streets as residents and visitors gather for one of the community’s favorite summer traditions. Cruise Nights takes place on the third Friday of each month from May through October.
Saturday, July 18, begins with the Community Breakfast at VFW Post 3118 from 7 to 10 a.m. Donations from the breakfast support veteran and community programs through the sponsorship of Yennie & Jones Insurance Agency.
On July 21, the Pleasant Hill Chamber of Commerce will hold its monthly luncheon at the Memorial Building, with networking for businesses and guest speakers. That same afternoon, the Cass County Library’s Pleasant Hill Branch will host Homeschool Parents Chat from 2 to 3 p.m. The informal gathering gives homeschooling families an opportunity to connect, share ideas, and learn from one another’s educational experiences.
The week continues on July 23 with another free wine tasting at Wing Hill Wine Co. from 4 to 8 p.m. Later that evening, Fleming Floral Station, located at 801 Cedar Street, will host a Tie Dye Beach Towels workshop from 6 to 8 p.m. Led by Dani and Justine of A2 Designs, participants will create custom beach towels while enjoying wine and snacks. The event is designed for friends, families, and anyone looking for a creative night out. The cost is $30 for one towel or $50 for two towels, and advance registration is recommended due to limited space.
The Pleasant Hill Theatre Guild will take center stage July 24 and 25 with performances of The Addams Family Musical at Pleasant Hill United Methodist Church, 1300 Lexington Road. Performances are scheduled for 7 p.m. on Friday, July 24, and at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Saturday, July 25. The production brings the beloved and delightfully unusual Addams Family characters to life through music, comedy, and family-friendly entertainment.
Saturday, July 25, the Pleasant Hill Farmers Market will be from 9 a.m. until noon. That evening, the Cass County Library’s Pleasant Hill Branch will host its Summer Library Festival for Adults from 5 to 9 p.m. The special after-hours event is designed exclusively for adults and offers a relaxed environment to enjoy library activities, creative projects, live music, and meet new friends.
The final event in this stretch of summer activities takes place July 26 at Musket Cellars & Vineyard in Pleasant Hill. From 2 to 4 p.m., guests can participate in a Doorleaner Craft & Sip workshop, creating a custom summer-themed door leaner while enjoying a glass of wine. The $50 registration fee includes the door leaner, stencil, painting supplies, instruction, and one glass of Musket wine. Participants may choose from several summer-themed designs or create their own project.
Are you looking for family-friendly entertainment, live music, local shopping, creative workshops, and community gatherings? The next two weeks offer plenty of events to enjoy in Pleasant Hill.
Pleasant Hill Considers Future of Local 911 Dispatch Services
PLEASANT HILL – After years of discussion, city officials are once again weighing whether 911 dispatch services should remain local or be transferred to Cass County.
During a July 2024 City Council meeting, city leaders discussed concerns about the future of Pleasant Hill’s Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP), the countywide CentralSquare dispatch project, and the possibility that regional emergency communications systems could eventually lead to consolidation of dispatch services. At the meeting, officials debated whether the city should act proactively or wait until circumstances forced a decision.
Today, staffing shortages, rising technology costs, and recruitment challenges have brought that conversation back to the forefront.
Police Chief Dennis Kleyh told city leaders that Pleasant Hill’s dispatch center has operated since approximately 1972 or 1973. While dispatchers have successfully served the community for decades, Kleyh said emergency communications technology has changed dramatically, particularly over the last several years.
Pleasant Hill’s dispatch operation is part of a larger network that includes the Cass County Emergency Services Board (ESB), Motorola communications systems, Mid-America Regional Council resources, and multiple public safety agencies throughout Cass County, according to Kleyh. Agencies pay fees to participate in shared systems, and the implementation of the CentralSquare platform in 2023 created new opportunities for agencies to share information.
Kleyh said operating a modern dispatch center has become increasingly complex. He said, “The new system is robust, and no one is an IT guy, but it needs to be updated”
The Chief also said staffing has become one of the city’s biggest challenges.
Officials reported that dispatch staffing has been inconsistent since at least 2013 and has remained particularly difficult since 2018. The city is currently down one dispatcher and expects to be down two positions by October.
Kleyh said that training a new dispatcher takes three to four months, and turnover has resulted in approximately 700 hours of overtime annually. Officers have sometimes been required to assist with dispatch-related duties while supervisors manage training demands, schedule changes, and vacancies.
Kleyh said Pleasant Hill remains the lowest-paying dispatch agency in Cass County, making recruitment and retention difficult.
City Administrator Kristen Dorman estimates that the current dispatch operation costs approximately $420,000 annually, or about $56 per call. Under the proposal being considered, Pleasant Hill would contract with Cass County for dispatch services. Dorman said it will be a base fee plus $12 per call, totaling just under $110k.
“Nothing is going to be perfect,” Dorman said, but she said that contracting with the county could reduce costs, ease staffing pressures, and lower liability. Records functions would remain in Pleasant Hill.
Council members raised concerns about maintaining a local presence if dispatch operations move to the county. “I want someone there,” Councilman Patterson said. Council member Elliott agreed.
Officials discussed options that could include installing a direct phone in the police department lobby connected to county dispatch.
Another factor in the discussion is that fire dispatching has not been handled locally since 2007. Fire calls are already being transferred to Cass County for dispatch.
Fire Chief Lopez pointed to examples from other communities that have transitioned to county dispatch services.
Lopez explained that one agency paid approximately $198,000 annually for dispatch services from Lee’s Summit and experienced average dispatch times of about eight minutes from the initial 911 call to dispatch notification. After moving to county dispatch through a sheriff’s office, costs reportedly dropped to about $24,000 while average dispatch times improved to 2 minutes and 13 seconds.
“A lot of technology plays into that,” Lopez said.
Cass County Sheriff Jeff Weber told council members that the county dispatch center maintains a minimum of three dispatchers per shift and often staffs four or five dispatchers during daytime hours.
Cass County dispatch helps other cities through shared emergency communications, fire/EMS dispatching, technology, and mutual aid coordination.
“We pay our people very well. We have been fully staffed for a very long time,” Weber said.
He added that county dispatchers are efficient and noted that “Cass County is a very safe community to live in.”
Questions about dispatch consolidation are not new.
During the July 2024 council discussion regarding the countywide CentralSquare project, former Police Chief Tommy Wright warned that failing to participate in countywide initiatives could potentially jeopardize Pleasant Hill’s ability to maintain its own dispatch center.
“I think there’s a potential that we could lose our dispatch,” Wright told council members.
Former Mayor John King expressed similar concerns.
“If we were ever going to lose our PSAP, I would want to do it under our terms, not being forced to do it,” King said during the 2024 discussion.
King continues to believe consolidation is likely.
“Our 911 PSAP doesn’t belong to us,” King said. “They are controlled by the County 911 ESB Board through the authority of the state.”
The possibility of consolidation has also been studied at the county level. A feasibility study commissioned by the Cass County Emergency Services Board reviewed operations at the county’s five communications centers — Belton, Raymore, Pleasant Hill, Harrisonville, and the Cass County Sheriff’s Office — and evaluated options ranging from greater technology sharing to a fully centralized dispatch operation.
No final decision has been made regarding Pleasant Hill’s dispatch center.
Councilman Pat Niner noted that city leaders have been discussing the issue for years.
“In 2024, we decided to wait until we are forced to make a decision,” Niner said.
For now, Pleasant Hill continues to operate its own dispatch center. However, city leaders acknowledge that staffing shortages, technology demands, and long-term financial pressures have reopened a debate that could shape the future of emergency communications in Pleasant Hill for years to come.
More discussion and a vote will take place in the near future.
Reflections on a (Sometimes Absurd) Life – A Semi-Regular Column by Mary Tanck
Three days ago, Connie Whitlock texted me to say she was looking for a humor columnist for PHMOmag. I responded, “You came to the right place…I’d be delighted!” After all, we engineers aren’t known for anything so much as being hilarious. In retrospect, she may have simply been asking if I knew anyone and was too polite to correct my ill-informed assumption…
Today (by the time you read this, it won’t be today anymore, however, that’s not important), I wandered around the Pleasant Hill Downtown Farmer’s Market looking for someone funny. It was getting hot and, though everyone was pleasant, no one was being funny, so I decided to think smarter and not harder. Who, I asked myself, is the only group of people known for being more hilarious than engineers? The answer was obvious; I needed to visit our local pork supplier. On the way over, I stopped for a cabbage. Not for the purpose of this column, but because I wanted cabbage and sausage for dinner.
I asked our local pig farmer to say something funny. He did not oblige, but he saw my cabbage and informed me that even pigs refuse to eat cabbage. It’s always interesting what you learn when you talk to farmers at your local market. For instance, today I learned that our local pig farmer isn’t very funny in addition to not being a reliable narrator when it comes to telling stories on his pigs. I like him anyway; I purchased some delicious sausage for dinner and left.
On the way home, I passed by the fairgrounds, where setup has begun for the Cass County Fair. I was transported in time to when I was a teenager going to Raytown Roundup Days. The anticipation of that weekend was like nothing else. We imagined ourselves walking hand in hand with our most recent crush – because nothing says “romance” like holding a corn dog in one sweaty hand and a boy’s sweaty hand in the other. The best part was that we couldn’t smell the corn dog over the olfactory pleasantries of a boy dripping in Drakkar Noir and sweat. I don’t remember if I ever went with a crush (I’m sure I did not because I was a dork, unlike how cool I am now), but I remember my cousin eating 6 walking tacos and then throwing up on the Tilt-A-Whirl. Being covered in vomit while twirling at high speeds 15 feet in the air on a ride with structurally suspect connections was a rite of passage for the weaker among us.
People say kids are different these days. I really don’t think they are. One just needs to go to the fair to check out the kids sporting their finest fair couture, moist with sweat and trying to look cool while eating a pile of cheesy curly fries one-handed. The Drakkar Noir has been replaced with Axe body spray, but the excitement we felt in the 90’s is still palpable. And there’s still at least one kid throwing up.
The temptation to stay in the air conditioning and just let the kids enjoy the fair can be great, but I invite you to go to the fair one night and let yourself enjoy some unashamed nostalgia. Maybe buy your spouse a corndog and hold his hand while he sweats and pretends he’s having fun because he knows it makes you happy to take sweaty selfies in front of the Ferris Wheel. Past a certain age, I wouldn’t recommend eating 6 walking tacos and getting on the Til-A-Whirl, though.
What the Hill?: Movies, Markets, Wine, and Fair Week Fun
If you are looking for reasons to get out of the house this July, there are major events coming up that you can attend. From free movies and wine tastings to gardening classes, family activities, and the Cass County Fair 2026, the community calendar is packed, so go get your family and friends and start planning your calendar.
Free Wine
On Thursday evening, July 9, from 4 to 8 p.m., Wing Hill Wine Co. invites residents to slow down and enjoy a complimentary wine tasting at its downtown location at 115 Wyoming Street.
After a relaxing start to the weekend at Wing Hill Wine Co., consider spending more time downtown. This event is not only an opportunity to enjoy wines in a laid-back atmosphere, but also a chance to visit local shops and catch up with friends before the busy weekend begins. Just taking a walk downtown is full of history and relaxation if you stop and sit at the comfy seating on Gray’s Lot.
Remember Sandlot? Well, Experience this Blockbuster Again! It Returns to the Big Screen
On Friday, July 10, at 7 p.m., People’s Theater continues its Summer Movies series with The Sandlot, a film that highlights baseball, friendship, and summer adventures.
Few films capture the spirit of childhood summers quite like this beloved classic. Generations have grown up quoting lines from the movie and cheering on the ragtag group of neighborhood kids who discover that baseball is about much more than winning games.
Admission is free thanks to sponsorship from the Republican Club of Pleasant Hill, making it an affordable family outing and a chance to enjoy a nostalgic favorite in a historic local theater. Be sure to RSVP at https://www.peoplestheatermo.com/.
Saturday Offers Shopping, Charity, and Entertainment
Saturday, July 11, is fully packed with great things to do.
The Pleasant Hill Farmers Market opens on Saturday, July 11, from 9 a.m. to noon at the corner of Second Street and Highway 58. Visitors can browse fresh produce, homemade baked goods, locally produced honey, handcrafted items, plants, and specialty products while supporting area vendors. Remember, the Farmers Market is not open during the Cass County Fair, so get your goods this week.
Farmers’ markets can be more than places to shop. They can be places where friends get together, children enjoy sweet treats, and residents connect directly with the people who grow and make the products they purchase. Gather and help strengthen the local economy while creating a sense of community.
Meanwhile, just down the road, Paula’s Petals will host a free Sansevieria Dividing Class from 9 to 11 a.m. Gardeners of all experience levels can learn how to divide and repot one of the most popular and hardy houseplants around. The class will take place outdoors and offers practical skills participants can take home and use in their own gardens and plant collections. Registration is required. You can text your name to 816-929-0522 or email paulaspetals2022@gmail.com.
Also taking place Saturday morning, July 11, from 9 to 11 a.m., is Grace Place Diaper Day at Pleasant Hill United Methodist Church. Volunteers will provide diaper assistance to local families in need. The monthly outreach program has become an important resource for many area families and demonstrates the community’s commitment to helping neighbors during challenging times.
As the sun sets, families can head to Pleasant Hill First Christian Church for a free outdoor showing of It Takes Two. The movie will begin at dusk on the church lawn at 519 Cedar Street. Guests are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets and settle in for a relaxing summer evening under the stars. Complimentary snacks will be provided, and if the weather becomes an issue, the event will move indoors to the church basement.
Your Guide to the 2026 Cass County Fair: Six Days of Family Fun, Livestock Shows, Rodeos, Music, and More
The 32nd Annual Cass County Fair returns to Pleasant Hill July 14–19, bringing six days of entertainment, agriculture, family activities, exhibits, competitions, and community traditions. While the fair officially opens July 14, youth livestock competitions begin July 10 as 4-H and FFA members from across the region gather to showcase the animals they have spent months raising and preparing.CassCountyFairMO.com
Celebrating Agriculture and Youth Achievement
Agriculture remains at the heart of the Cass County Fair. Livestock events begin July 10 with the Youth Dairy Cattle Show and Youth Beef Cattle Show, followed by dairy goat, meat goat, swine, sheep, rabbit, horse and mule, dog, and poultry competitions throughout the week.
According to fair organizers, exhibitors spend hundreds of hours raising, feeding, caring for, and preparing their animals for competition. The livestock shows offer the public a chance to learn more about agriculture while supporting local youth involved in 4-H and FFA programs.
Additional youth-focused events include the 4-H Public Speaking Contest on July 14, exhibit judging, and the annual Cass County Youth Livestock Sale on July 15.
Grandstand Action Every Night
The fair’s evening entertainment schedule features something different nearly every night.
The action begins Tuesday, July 14, with Motocross Races at the fairgrounds. ATV and UTV races follow on Wednesday, July 15, giving spectators a chance to watch riders compete for top honors.
Thursday, July 16, brings one of the fair’s most popular attractions—the Demolition Derby.
Rodeo fans can enjoy MRCA/URA Adult Rodeo performances on both Friday and Saturday evenings, July 17 and 18. Mutton Busting sign-ups will be held before each rodeo, giving young cowboys and cowgirls a chance to participate in one of the fair’s favorite traditions.
The fair concludes Sunday, July 19, with the MSTPA Truck and Tractor Pull, featuring powerful machines competing in a test of strength and horsepower.
Music Throughout Fair Week
Music will be featured at both the fairgrounds and downtown Pleasant Hill.
On Thursday, July 16, Mudflap Mafia performs at the Miller Entertainment Pavilion from 9 to 11:30 p.m.
Friday evening begins with a Gospel Music Show featuring Reunion Gospel Band at Depot Park from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Later that night, Trevon Dawson takes the stage at the Miller Entertainment Pavilion from 10 p.m. until 1 a.m.
Saturday includes a Variety Music Show at Depot Park from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., followed by an evening performance from Jordan Isackson at the Miller Entertainment Pavilion.
Exhibits Showcase Local Talent
Visitors looking for a quieter fair experience can explore exhibits featuring the work of local residents and 4-H members.
The 4-H Exhibit Hall will be located in the downstairs level of the Memorial Building, while the Quilt Show will be displayed upstairs. The Train Depot will host the Art and Photo Show, Home Economics Show, and Horticulture Show.
Exhibits will be open Friday, July 17, from 1 to 8 p.m. and Saturday, July 18, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Together, the exhibits showcase the creativity, craftsmanship, and talents of people throughout Cass County.
Family Fun for All Ages
Families will find activities throughout fair week.
Opening Ceremonies take place July 14 at 6:30 p.m. at the fairgrounds. Other events include the Power Wheels Race, Bingo, and a new Hot Dog Eating Contest.
Saturday, July 18, is expected to be one of the busiest days of the fair. The day begins with the Knights of Columbus Pancake and Sausage Breakfast at the downtown gazebo from 8 to 10 a.m.
The annual Cass County Fair Parade follows at 9 a.m., along with the Bike Rodeo, Car Show, 4-H Square Dance demonstration, Pet Show, and Super Farmer Competition.
Downtown Pleasant Hill and the fairgrounds will both be buzzing with activity throughout the day.
Carnival Returns
Evans Midland Empire Shows will once again bring its carnival midway to the Cass County Fair.
The carnival will operate Tuesday through Thursday from 6 to 11 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 5 to 11 p.m. The midway will not operate on Sunday.
Guests can purchase ride tickets individually or buy unlimited ride wristbands for $30. Attractions range from family favorites such as the Carousel, Super Slide, Dizzy Dragons, Tea Time, and Ferris Wheel to thrill rides including the Zero Gravity, Cliff Hanger, Downdraft, Ring of Fire, Rock Star, and Scrambler.
With rides, games, lights, food, and entertainment, the carnival remains one of the fair’s most popular attractions.
A Pleasant Hill Tradition
For generations, the Cass County Fair has brought together agriculture, entertainment, and community spirit. Whether visitors come to cheer on livestock exhibitors, enjoy live music, browse exhibits, ride carnival attractions, watch the rodeo, or line the streets for the parade, the fair offers something for every age.
From July 14 through July 19, Pleasant Hill will once again serve as the gathering place for one of Cass County’s most anticipated summer traditions.
Faith and Freedom: Pleasant Hill Marks Independence Day in Prayer
At 8:30 a.m. on Independence Day, community members from several Pleasant Hill churches gathered at HIS Church for a special Prayer Service and Breakfast focused on praying for the nation.
The event, hosted by Pastor Tim Casteel and Executive Pastor Carla Arnold of HIS Church, united the community in worship, prayer, and song with a central emphasis on national prayer.
Carla Arnold, Tim Casteel, and the bassist. (Photo/Connie Whitlock)
The ceremony began when Robert Lowry walked to the front of the stage and presented the American flag, after which the attendees stood and sang the National Anthem. This was a shared patriotic moment that opened the program as attendees gathered in front of the trailer stage.
Neta and Roger Lowry (photo/Connie Whitlock
Phil Morgan delighted the crowd with a heartfelt rendition of “I’m Proud to Be an American,” adapting the lyrics to focus on faith and gratitude to the Lord. Carla Arnold led attendees in several worship songs as she played the piano; Zac Arnold, a bassist and vocalist, assisted; Pastor Casteel helped with vocals; and everyone joined together in praise.
Phil Morgan singing I’m Proud to Be an American (Photo/Connie Whitlock)
J.R. Brown of Echo Church delivered a passionate message of what it will really take to bring America where it needs to be. He then led the group in prayer. He encouraged attendees to seek God’s guidance and blessing for the nation. (J.R. Browns message can be found below this article)
Other pastors were invited to pray: Randy Mosier, Pastor Rocky, Jason Shipley, and Paul Webb.
J.R. Brown giving a message (photo/Connie Whitlock)
Throughout the service, prayers were offered for America, its leaders, first responders, military personnel, and local communities.
As the service began, dark clouds filled the sky, threatening to disrupt the morning. The morning was mild, and a gentle breeze made for a comfortable gathering. As prayers continued, the clouds parted, and sunlight broke through, creating beautiful conditions for the rest of the celebration.
(photo/Connie Whitlock)
Guests enjoyed breakfast after they focused on prayer. Festive elements, like the fireworks tent, complemented the central activity of communal prayer for the nation.
The gathering served as a reminder of the community’s shared faith and its tradition of coming together to pray for the country, local leaders, first responders, and neighbors as America celebrates its 250th year.
The Wonder of America By J.R. Brown
Today, we celebrate more than fireworks and cookouts. It’s more than listening to Lee Greenwood and wearing red, white, and blue. Today, we celebrate the incredible BLESSING of living in the United States of America. America may not be perfect. We’ve made mistakes and faced many challenges. While we may see the consequences of sin throughout our history, and even in our current culture, we still have much to be thankful for as Americans. Psalm 33:12 “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord…” Our greatest blessing has never been our wealth, military, or technology. Our greatest blessing has always been the hand of God upon this nation. This is one of the greatest used verses on patriotic holidays. I want to take a minute and look at this scripture with a little more context. Let us continue reading David’s words in Psalm 33. Psalm 33:12-22 Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people whom he has chosen as his heritage! 13 The Lord looks down from heaven; he sees all the children of man; 14 from where he sits enthroned he looks out on all the inhabitants of the earth, 15 he who fashions the hearts of them all and observes all their deeds. 16 The king is not saved by his great army; a warrior is not delivered by his great strength. 17 The war horse is a false hope for salvation, and by its great might it cannot rescue. 18 Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love, 19 that he may deliver their soul from death and keep them alive in famine. 20 Our soul waits for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. 21 For our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name. 22 Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us, even as we hope in you.
What Made America Wonderful?
America Was Built on Biblical Ideas Our founders were not necessarily all Christians, but they recognized truths that came from God. That every person is created equal. That our rights come from our Creator, not from the government. That freedom carries responsibility. Those ideas have made America a beacon of hope for generations.
America Has Been a Blessing to the World Despite our flaws, God has used America in remarkable ways. Defending freedom around the globe. Leading humanitarian aid after disasters. Sending missionaries to nearly every nation. Advancing medicine, technology, education, and innovation. Jesus said, Matthew 5:16 “Let your light shine before others…” In many ways, throughout her history, America has been a light to the nations.
Will America Stay Wonderful? Greatness is Achieved Through Character History teaches us that nations don’t usually collapse from enemies outside. They decline when they lose: Integrity Faith Family Justice Humility I’m willing to bet every Christian in this room loves our country, but I don’t think a single one of you is ignorant of America’s moral, ethical, and most importantly, spiritual decline. America’s greatest challenge isn’t solved in the white house… or in the houses of Congress. Our greatest need is spiritual renewal. 2 Chronicles 7:14 “If my people… humble themselves and pray…” Revival has always been God’s answer. Closing Notice who God is calling to repentance… MY people. As Christians, we’re called to be grateful citizens and faithful ambassadors of Christ. This starts with repentance. Today: Thank God for America. Celebrate, blow up some fireworks Play your favorite patriotic songs and eat a few hot dogs. But also, take time to stop and pray. Don’t just pray for God to move in our country… pray for the Holy Spirit to move IN YOU. Seek repentance for your own sin before you pray for our political leaders. America is a wonderful nation. But America’s greatest days will never be determined by who’s in the White House. They will be determined by whether God’s people remain faithful to the God who has blessed this land. God bless America—and may America turn and begin to bless God again.
1776 • 1976 • 2026: Three Snapshots of Pleasant Hill
When Pleasant Hill prepared to open its 1976 time capsule during America’s 250th birthday, it gave residents a special chance to think about how much the community has changed—not just since the Bicentennial 50 years ago, but since the country began.
To really understand these changes, it’s helpful to look back to 1776.
When the Declaration of Independence was signed 250 years ago, Pleasant Hill didn’t exist yet. Cass County and even the State of Missouri hadn’t been created. The land that would become Pleasant Hill was a wide frontier where Native American tribes like the Osage lived, hunted, traveled, and traded. The area was full of forests, prairies, creeks, and wildlife. There were no paved roads, railroads, schools, churches, businesses, or towns. Missouri became a state in 1821, and Pleasant Hill wasn’t founded until the 1860s, almost ninety years after the Declaration was signed.
The land where Pleasant Hill sits today was once mostly untouched prairie, with only game trails and Native American paths crossing it. Over the next two hundred years, it became farms, homes, businesses, schools, and, finally, the busy community people know today.
Birds Eye View in 1969
Even in 1976, Pleasant Hill looked very different from how it looks now.
Fifty years ago, about 3,300 people lived in Pleasant Hill, according to census estimates. Now, nearly 9,000 people call it home. Many neighborhoods that are full of families today didn’t exist when the time capsule was sealed. Places that now have homes, parks, schools, and streets used to be open fields and farmland. Over the years, the city kept growing as more families moved in and new developments were built.
Downtown Pleasant Hill would still look familiar to someone from 1976, but it isn’t exactly the same. Many historic buildings remain, reminding people of the city’s past. However, the businesses in those buildings have changed significantly over the years.
Back during the Bicentennial, people in Pleasant Hill shopped at places like Kosky Barber Shop, Lester’s Meat Market, Campbell Drug, Western Auto, Rexall Drug, and Gray’s Hardware. The town had four grocery stores, two hardware stores, a laundromat, and a pool hall that many said was the oldest west of the Mississippi River. facebook.com/phpoolhall There was also a tall traffic-direction pole in the middle of the street downtown on 1st Street and Wyoming, which many longtime residents still remember, though it’s been gone for years.
In the 1970s, Pleasant Hill was mostly self-sufficient. It seemed as if people could buy almost everything they needed without leaving town. One longtime resident joked about Smitty’s Liquor Store, “You just needed to be breathing and have money to buy.”
Travel has changed, too. In 1976, Pleasant Hill felt much farther from Kansas City than it does now. Better highways, more traffic lanes, and regional growth have turned Pleasant Hill into a place where many people commute around the metro area. Highway 291 and U.S. 50 have been widened and improved, and more traffic signals have been added. What used to be a mostly self-contained small town is now much more connected to the larger region.
The city’s growth is especially clear in its schools. Since 1976, the Pleasant Hill R-III School District has built three new campuses to serve more students. Pleasant Hill Intermediate School opened, and the current Pleasant Hill High School, located at 1 Rooster Way, opened as well. Pleasant Hill Primary School was also built to accommodate more students as enrollment increased. The building at 1301 E. Myrtle Street, now Pleasant Hill Middle School, was the high school for many years before it was changed when the new high school opened. Pleasant Hill Elementary School, built in 1970, has been expanded and renovated several times since then.
Pleasant Hill Intermediate School (photo/Pleasant Hill Schools)Pleasant Hill High School (Photo/Pleasant Hill Schools)Pleasant Hill Primary School (photo/Pleasant Hill Schools)
Technology might be the biggest change of all. In 1976, most homes had just one wall phone, and long-distance calls were expensive. People got their news from newspapers, radio, and a few TV stations. Families often watched the news together in the evening because there was no internet, streaming, smartphones, or social media.
Today, people carry more computing power in their pockets than whole buildings did in 1976. News spreads instantly. People pay bills online and order groceries from their phones. You can video conference with your loved ones and friends across the country in seconds. Fifty years ago, most people couldn’t have imagined the pace of communication and information today.
Healthcare, public safety, and city services have changed, too. Today, modern emergency equipment, better roads, more utilities, advanced communication, and improved public buildings serve a population that’s more than twice as big as it was when the capsule was sealed.
Even with all these changes, much about Pleasant Hill feels the same. People still come together for community events, churches are still important in local life, and families still cheer at school sports games. Neighbors still support each other during hard times and celebrations.
When the 1976 time capsule was opened, it was full of water, leaving some people disappointed, but it still revealed more than just old items. It tells the story of a community shaped by a sense of community. It reminds everyone that while each generation faces new challenges and opportunities, some values remain the same.
Time Capsule (photo/City of Pleasant Hill)
The people who filled the capsule in 1976 couldn’t have imagined smartphones, social media, online shopping, or that the population would more than double in fifty years. But they knew Pleasant Hill was worth saving.
As people look back over 250 years of American history, 160 years of Pleasant Hill’s story, and 50 years since the Bicentennial, they may see that, even though buildings, technology, and the population have changed significantly, Pleasant Hill’s spirit has endured. It’s a community proud of its past, looking forward to its future, and shaped by the people who live here.
Historic Tucker Hotel Begins New Chapter in Downtown Pleasant Hill
The Tucker Hotel on Cedar Street is starting a new chapter that combines preserving its history, bringing in new business, and continuing to serve the community in downtown Pleasant Hill.
From left to right, Kristin Gravatt, Kori Graves, Jarrod Gravatt, Jordan Gravatt, Carla Arnold, Marcele McCommon, Cathy Vogel, Neta Lowry, Roger Lowry
Jarrod and Kristin Gravatt have partnered to restore and use the building, while letting the Lay Clergy food pantry stay there under a 10-year lease. This gives the nonprofit more time to serve the community and removes the worry of handling major repairs. Jarrod Gravatt said, “We’re really excited. Really appreciate the Lay Clergy, the leadership, the volunteers, and everything that makes this an amazing nonprofit here.”
The Tucker Hotel, once called the Tucker Inn, stands at 306 Cedar Street and has been a well-known part of downtown Pleasant Hill for years. Built around 1911, this brick building is part of the Pleasant Hill Downtown Historic District.
Many people in Pleasant Hill have personal memories tied to the building. For example, Harold Russell Neill Jr., who lived in Pleasant Hill all his life, was born there on September 19, 1941.
Now, over a hundred years after it was built, the building is taking on a new purpose. Jarrod Gravatt said they will start with fixing the outside, focusing on the parapets and the front wall, which has started to bend. Work inside will come later, and they might use the upstairs for offices or apartments in the future.
Waiting for the ribbon cutting in the front office of the Historic Tucker Hotel. (photo/Connie Whitlock)
Gravatt said he and Kristin view this project as a way to give back to Pleasant Hill.
“We made this our home,” he said. “We love it here. We raise our family here. So really, giving back to our community, that’s the best thing.”
This project also allows the Lay Clergy food pantry to remain open for the next 10 years. The group also runs a thrift store and Meals on Wheels, and helps people with utility bills. Carla Arnold, president of the Lay Clergy and an executive pastor at HIS Church, called the deal “a real blessing,” saying the old building had become too costly for the nonprofit to maintain on its own.
Pleasant Hill food pantry (photo/Connie Whitlock)
For now, the food pantry will keep running as usual, but people will mostly use the side door in the alley. The 10-year lease gives the group time to plan ahead and keep helping local residents.
Kristin Gravatt’s real estate business, Integrity Group Real Estate, and Jarrod Gravatt’s roll-off business, Roll-Off Waste Solutions, will also use some of the space. Even though the Tucker probably won’t be a hotel again, everyone involved agrees that saving and rehabilitating the building is good for downtown.
The Tucker Hotel has played many roles in Pleasant Hill’s history. It has been a landmark, a hotel, a birthplace, and a place for community service. Thanks to this new partnership, it can keep its roots in the town’s past while still helping shape its future.
Independence Day Activities Fill Pleasant Hill’s July 4 Calendar
Pleasant Hill has no shortage of events this week and has plenty of ways to celebrate Independence Day this year, with community events happening all day on July 4.
The holiday weekend kicks off with a free wine tasting at Wing Hill Wine Co., 115 Wyoming Street, on Thursday, July 2. From 4 to 8 p.m., guests can sample wines, enjoy a relaxed evening in downtown Pleasant Hill, and join friends to start the holidays off right.
Pleasant Hill will start off Independence Day with a prayer service and breakfast at HIS Church, starting at 8:30 a.m. Local pastors Tim Casteel, Jason Shipley, J.R. Brown, and Paul Webb will lead prayers, and Phil Morgan with the HIS Church Worship Team will provide special music.
The faithful Farmers market will be open from 9 a.m. to noon at Second Street and Highway 58. Shoppers can find fresh produce, baked goods, handmade items, and other local products while supporting area vendors. The market runs every Saturday through September 26. Make sure you get your weekly farmers market shopping in. They do not plan to be open on Saturday during the Fair.
For those of you who have been waiting 50 years to see the contents of the Time Capsule. Here is your chance! Pleasant Hill’s 1976 Time Capsule at Depot Park. Sealed during the nation’s bicentennial 50 years ago, the capsule will be opened for everyone to see during a special ceremony. The event starts at 9:30 a.m. with welcome remarks, speakers, and a VFW flag presentation. Afterward, community members can view the capsule’s contents from 10 a.m. to noon.
Time Capsule that was excavated downtown Pleasant Hill (photo/City of Pleasant Hill)
You may get a little overheated in the afternoon, so mosy on over to the grand opening of Shear Chill, the new walk-up window at Shear Perfection, 1417 N. Highway 7. The celebration runs from 2:50 p.m. to 11 p.m. and will offer snow cones, dirty sodas, and other cool treats as the community welcomes this new business.
After you are done blowing up fireworks at home, come on down and join the 250-year celebration of our nation at the Cass County Fairgrounds. This year will be a treat for sure! The party begins at 4 p.m. Families can enjoy food trucks, vendors, bounce houses, a beverage tent, and activities for all ages before the fireworks show at dusk.
Evening food options include The Lemonade Drop, Sippin’ Sunshine Lemonade, The Thirsty Tiki & Grindz, Nunez Foods 3, Rockin’ Smash Burgers, Costa Vida, Fern Kee BBQ, Scoop A Doodle Moo, and The Good Stuff Truck.
With patriotic ceremonies, community traditions, local shopping, family fun, and fireworks, July 4 offers plenty of ways for residents and visitors to celebrate Independence Day in Pleasant Hill. Bring a lawn chair and enjoy the show!
Plenty to Do in Pleasant Hill today through Independence Day
As June winds down and the 250-year celebration of our country nears, Pleasant Hill offers an exciting calendar of activities for residents of all ages. Creative library programs, lively community gatherings, wine tastings, opportunities to shop local, and one of the city’s biggest annual celebrations fill the days ahead. There’s no shortage of chances to get outside and enjoy the community.
Thursday, June 25, features two events to start the week. At Pleasant Hill Cass County Library, youth aged 13 to 18 are invited from 2 to 4 p.m. for GoRockGo Rock Painting. By painting rocks for the new StoryWalk®, young people will help decorate the library and join the GoRockGo project, tracking their creations as they travel. Later, from 4 to 8 p.m., Wing Hill Wine Co. hosts its weekly complimentary wine tasting, offering a relaxing evening in downtown Pleasant Hill.
On Saturday, June 27, Pleasant Hill Farmers Market returns as another way to shop local. Open 9 a.m. to noon at Second Street and Highway 58, the market offers fresh produce, baked goods, handmade items, and other local products. The season runs through September, providing many chances to enjoy local flavors.
Golfers have another option on Saturday to support a good cause at the 42nd Annual VFW Post 3118 Golf Tournament, held at Shamrock Hills Golf Club in Lee’s Summit. Registration runs from noon to 1 p.m., followed by a 1 p.m. shotgun start. This three-person scramble offers cash prizes, contests throughout the course, and meals for all participants. All proceeds benefit veterans and the programs supported by VFW Post 3118.
On Monday, June 29, former resident Bradley J. Willis returns to the Cass County Library at 5:30 p.m. to discuss “Adulting for Teens.” The presentation offers practical advice for teens, young adults, and parents navigating adulthood.
Holiday festivities start early on Thursday, July 2, as Wing Hill Wine Co. again offers its free wine tasting from 4 to 8 p.m., giving a relaxed start to the Independence Day weekend.
Saturday, July 4, promises to be one of the busiest days of the summer. The morning begins with a community Prayer Service and Breakfast at HIS Church at 8:30 a.m. Local pastors Tim Casteel of HIS Church, Jason Shipley of Big Creek Baptist Church, J.R. Brown of Echo Church, and Paul Webb of Mission Church will lead prayers as the community celebrates America’s 250th Birthday. Special music will be provided by Phil Morgan and the HIS Church Worship Team.
The Pleasant Hill Farmers Market returns from 9 a.m. to noon, offering locally grown produce, baked goods, handcrafted items, and specialty products ahead of the day’s festivities.
History will take center stage at Depot Park during the 1976 Time Capsule Unveiling. A capsule sealed on July 4, 1976, will be opened for the first time in nearly 50 years. Activities begin at 9:30 a.m. with welcome remarks, guest speakers, and a VFW flag presentation, followed by the public viewing of the capsule’s contents from 10 a.m. until noon.
Later, Shear Perfection celebrates the grand opening of Shear Chill, its new walk-up refreshment window at 1417 N. Highway 7. From 2:50 to 11 p.m., visitors can enjoy snow cones, dirty sodas, and treats while welcoming the newest local business.
The day concludes with Pleasant Hill’s annual Independence Day Celebration at the Cass County Fairgrounds. Festivities begin at 4 p.m. with food trucks, local vendors, bounce houses, family activities, and a beverage tent, followed by fireworks at dusk. Food vendors scheduled to participate include The Lemonade Drop, Sippin’ Sunshine Lemonade, The Thirsty Tiki & Grindz, Nunez Foods 3, Rockin’ Smash Burgers, Costa Vida, Fern Kee BBQ, Scoop A Doodle Moo, and The Good Stuff Truck.
Whether you want to support local businesses, learn, be outdoors, or celebrate with family and friends, Pleasant Hill offers something for everyone this week.
Have an upcoming community event? Submit it to the PHMOmag calendar at PHMOmag.com/thingstodo.
Summer Starts Here: Classic Cars, Community Events, and Family Fun Across Pleasant Hill
Looking for something to do around Pleasant Hill this week? From wine tastings and classic cars to family fishing and hands-on activities, there are plenty of opportunities to get out, meet neighbors, and enjoy the start of summer.
The week begins Thursday, June 18, with a free wine tasting at Wing Hill Wine Co., located at 115 Wyoming Street. From 4 to 8 p.m., visitors can sample a variety of wines while enjoying an evening in downtown Pleasant Hill.
On Friday evening, June 19, downtown will once again fill with classic cars as Pleasant Hill Cruise Nights returns from 5 to 9 p.m. The monthly event brings together car enthusiasts and families for an evening of chrome, horsepower, and community spirit. Cruise Nights takes place on the third Friday of each month from May through October and is sponsored by the Pleasant Hill Historic District and Steve & Anthony’s TLC Auto.
Saturday, June 20, offers several opportunities to get involved in the community. The day begins with the Community Breakfast at VFW Post 3118 from 7 to 10 a.m. Donations from the breakfast help support veterans and community programs, with sponsorship provided by Yennie & Jones Insurance Agency.
Families looking for a fun and affordable summer evening can head to Pleasant Hill First Christian Church on June 19 at 8:30 p.m. for an Outdoor Movie Night featuring It Takes Two (1995). The free event will take place on the church lawn at 519 Cedar Street, with the movie beginning at dusk. Guests are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets and enjoy complimentary snacks while watching the family-friendly film under the stars. If the weather becomes an issue, the movie will be moved indoors to the church basement.
The Pleasant Hill Farmers Market will also be open Saturday morning from 9 a.m. to noon at the corner of 2nd Street and Highway 58. Shoppers can browse fresh produce, baked goods, handcrafted items, and other products from local vendors.
Families with children interested in science won’t want to miss Science City Presents: Flames, Smoke and Sizzle at the Cass County Library’s Pleasant Hill Branch beginning at 10 a.m. The interactive program explores the science of fire, heat, and combustion through demonstrations and experiments, and is recommended for ages 8-13.
On Monday, June 22, families can head outdoors for Family Fishing with the Missouri Department of Conservation at Porter Pond. The event runs from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. and gives participants the chance to learn about fishing while spending time outside with conservation staff and library representatives.
Residents who want to be creative can wrap up the week on Wednesday, June 24, at Fleming Floral Station’s Make Your Own T-Shirt Craft & Sip event. The class runs from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., teaches Cricut basics, and creates a custom t-shirt to take home. Registration is $35 and includes instruction, supplies, snacks, wine, and a relaxed evening of creativity.
Have an upcoming event you’d like the community to know about? Organizations, businesses, churches, schools, and nonprofits can submit their events for inclusion in PHMOmag’s community calendar at phmomag.com/thingstodo.
Community Garden Celebrates New Shelter and Lasting Legacy
Saturday, June 13, was a beautiful morning for an open house at the Community Garden of Pleasant Hill. Located on the corner of Myrtle and Lexington, across from the middle school, the garden was buzzing with activity as board members, supporters, and the mayor gathered to celebrate a new pavilion built in memory of Felicity Bonner Finnerty, who, according to board members, was one of the garden’s original participants.
Finnerty was widely recognized for sharing her horticultural knowledge and helping others learn to garden, as well as for her kindness and generosity. Those gathered agreed she deserved to be honored in this way.
From left to right – Linda Mccurry, Felicity Bonner Finnerty, Vera McCoy (photo/courtesy of Community Garden) from left to right – Tracy Young, Linda Mccurry, Vera McCoy, and Felicity Bonner Finnerty (photo/courtesy of Community Garden)Felicity Bonner Finnerty (photo/courtesy of Community Garden)
New pavilion at the Pleasant Hill Community Garden (photo/Vera McCoy)
Goppert Financial Bank and The Goppert Foundation gifted a $11,500 donation to fund the installation of a pavilion cover, creating a more permanent, comfortable gathering space for workshops, educational programs, and community events.
The group is posed in front of the Pleasant Hill Community Garden sign while presenting a donation check from The Goppert Foundation. From left to right – Vance Martin, Tracy Young, Patty Martin, Vera McCoy, Jenny Gentry from Goppert Bank, Mary Seymour (photo/courtesy of the Community Garden)
The celebration extended beyond the shelter itself. As visitors arrived, they were greeted with food, fresh lemonade, dessert, and plenty of friendly conversation. The new shelter quickly became a gathering place where people sat at picnic tables, enjoying the sunshine and looking out over the growing garden beds.
(photo/Connie Whitlock)
After learning about Finnerty’s legacy, I wanted to understand the community garden itself. While visiting with members of the garden, I learned more about how the project works. Gardeners are given a plot where they can grow whatever they choose and tend it throughout the season. When harvest time arrives, they enjoy the fruits of their labor and often share the excess with others. Produce is regularly donated to the local food pantry, Meals on Wheels, and even the Pleasant Hill Fire Department.
Community Garden (photo/Connie Whitlock)Community Garden (photo/Connie Whitlock)
What stood out was the sense of community. The people involved clearly enjoy working together, sharing knowledge, and welcoming everyone.
The spirit of collaboration stems in part from dedicated leadership. The garden is overseen by a group of gardening volunteers led by President Vera McCoy and Vice President Patty Martin. Treasurer John Livings and Secretary Cindy Rutherford help keep the organization running smoothly, while Vice President of Communications Dani Carr assists with outreach and community engagement.
From left to right – Cindy Rutherford, secretary, Laura Tubbesing, party planner, Traci Young, member, John Livings, treasurer, Dani Carr, vice president of communications, Vera McCoy, president, Don Donovan, mayor, Mary Seymore, member, Jamie Cherry, member, Patty Martin, vice president (photo/Connie Whitlock)
Other members attending the event included Mary Seymour, Jamie Cherry, Tracy Young, and Laura Tubbesing, who also serves as party planner. Each person contributes to making the Community Garden welcoming for gardeners and visitors alike.
Before leaving, I took time to walk around the grounds. The garden features a tool shed, the new pavilion, and a towering flower pot sculpture that adds whimsy to the landscape.
Big watering can at the Community Garden (photo/Connie Whitlock)
I felt like it was the kind of place that invites you to slow down and enjoy the moment. I left the open house with more than a few photos and a new appreciation for what the Community Garden represents: a place where both plants and friendships grow, neighbors connect, and the legacy of Felicity Bonner Finnerty continues to bloom.
(photo/courtesy of Community Garden)(photo/Connie Whitlock)(photo/Connie Whitlock)(photo/Connie Whitlock)(photo/Connie Whitlock)
Small Town Summer: June Events Showcase the Best of Pleasant Hill
An event you do not want to miss is the community celebration honoring the Pleasant Hill Chicks girls’ soccer team following its historic Class 2 State Championship victory. The championship marked the first girls’ soccer state title in school history and gave the community a moment to rally around a group of student-athletes who achieved something truly special. The celebration will take place on June 16 from 5:00 to 5:45 p.m. at the Pleasant Hill High School PAC & Commons. https://phmomag.com/redemption-complete-pleasant-hill-chicks-capture-first-state-soccer-championship/
Community spirit will also be on display through events such as the Community Garden Open House and dedication of the new Memorial Shelter honoring Felicity Bonner Finnerty. The event offers residents an opportunity to gather, reflect, and celebrate a woman remembered for sharing her knowledge, kindness, and love of gardening. The open house will be held on June 13 from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the Community Garden at Lexington and Myrtle. https://www.facebook.com/PleasantHillCommunityGarden/
Other events throughout the week include Grace Place Diaper Day on June 13 from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. at Pleasant Hill United Methodist Church, which gives out diapers to those who need them for their little ones. https://www.facebook.com/pleasanthillbabygrace
Business and civic leaders will also gather on June 16 for the Pleasant Hill Chamber of Commerce Luncheon at the Memorial Building. The monthly gathering provides an opportunity for networking, community updates, and discussion about issues affecting local businesses and organizations. https://www.facebook.com/pleasanthillmochamber
We all help each other in Pleasant Hill and pride ourselves on being compassionate. Both events focus on supporting local families and strengthening community connections.
Summer Traditions Continue
Summer traditions move forward on the local calendar in 2026. The Pleasant Hill Farmers Market will be celebrating World Cup Day on Saturday, June 13, from 9 a.m. to noon at the corner of Second Street and Highway 58 in downtown Pleasant Hill. Support Team USA with a morning of shopping and community. Among the featured vendors will be Carla’s Fried Pie Heaven, offering apple, peach, cherry, and strawberry fried pies. The market also provides residents with fresh produce, baked goods, handmade items, and an opportunity to support local businesses throughout the summer season. https://www.facebook.com/PHHDFarmersMarket
Cruise Nights will again bring classic cars and automotive enthusiasts to downtown Pleasant Hill on June 19 from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. It has become one of the community’s favorite summer events and continues to attract visitors from throughout the region. https://www.facebook.com/PleasantHillCruiseNights
Movie lovers can also enjoy a free showing of Back to the Future on June 12 as the Peoples Theater Summer Movie Series continues. The classic film offers families another opportunity to gather together and enjoy a night at one of Pleasant Hill’s most treasured landmarks. www.peoplestheater.mo
Learning, Creating, and Enjoying the Outdoors
The week also offers numerous opportunities to learn new skills and explore new hobbies. Creative workshops will allow participants to design floral arrangements during Paula’s Petals Floral Arranging Class on June 12 from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. https://www.facebook.com/paulaspetals24
The Cass County Library continues to provide educational and recreational activities for all ages, including the Chess Meetup on June 11 at 2:00 p.m., Science City Presents: Flames, Smoke and Sizzle on June 20 at 10:00 a.m., and GoRockGo: Rock Painting on June 25 from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. for teens. https://www.casscolibrary.org/locations/pleasanthill/
Families can also enjoy Family Fishing with the Missouri Department of Conservation on June 22 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Porter Pond.
For those who simply want to relax and unwind, weekly wine tastings at Wing Hill Wine Co. continue to provide a popular gathering place in downtown Pleasant Hill. Free tastings will be held on June 11, June 18, and June 25 from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100082891884752
As summer settles in, the coming weeks reflect many of the things that make Pleasant Hill special: community celebrations, local traditions, volunteerism, creativity, and opportunities for neighbors to spend time together. Whether you’re attending one event or several, there will be no shortage of ways to enjoy the season and connect with the community.
Pleasant Hill Baby Grace Celebrates 11 Years of Diapers
For 11 years now, a ministry in Pleasant Hill has been helping families by providing them with diapers. This is one of the most basic but costly challenges parents face when raising their young children.
Supported by volunteers from the Pleasant Hill community, Pleasant Hill Baby Grace provides diapers, wipes, diaper cream, and a warm breakfast to families in need on the second Saturday of every month from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the Pleasant Hill United Methodist Church, 1300 Lexington Road.
What began as a simple idea has grown into a ministry that has distributed nearly 250,000 diapers over the past decade. “We strive to close the gap for families who may be having a hard time buying enough diapers for their babies,” said Mary Tanck, ministry leader. “Not having enough clean diapers can lead to a lot of other problems, and we wanted to help where we could.”
According to Tanck, many families struggle with the cost of diapers, particularly during periods of financial hardship. Without enough diapers, parents may be unable to send their children to daycare, which can make it difficult to maintain employment. Extended use of the same diapers can also contribute to diaper rash, urinary tract infections, and other health concerns.
Tanck said the ministry was inspired by a desire to serve local needs. “I’ve always had a heart for local missions,” she said. “When we learned how many families struggle to afford diapers, it seemed like something we could actually do something about.”
According to Tanck, families do not need to provide proof of income or residency or complete any paperwork to receive assistance.
“You just show up,” Tanck said. “We’ll welcome you with open arms, give your baby some diapers, and feed you some breakfast.”
Community support has been a key part of the ministry’s success. Donations of diapers, wipes, and other baby supplies can be dropped off at the church or arranged directly through the organization’s Facebook page.
Over the years, Tanck has watched many children grow from infancy through preschool and kindergarten. “We have families that come for a couple of years, and others that only need help for a month,” she said.
As Pleasant Hill Baby Grace celebrates its 11th anniversary this month, Tanck says the ministry remains focused on meeting needs while providing encouragement and support to local families.
For more information, to volunteer, or to donate supplies, visit www.facebook.com/pleasanthillbabygrace or contact the Pleasant Hill United Methodist Church. Email is: pleasanthill@babygrace.org
State Auditor Launches Audits of Pleasant Hill City
PLEASANT HILL, Mo. — Missouri State Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick has officially launched audits of both the City of Pleasant Hill and the Pleasant Hill Municipal Division, following a citizen petition that gathered enough signatures to require a state audit and a separate request from city and court officials regarding the municipal court.
According to the State Auditor’s Office, the city’s performance audit began after 771 registered voters signed a petition requesting a review. This number exceeded the 673 required under state law. The audit is the first time the City of Pleasant Hill has been audited by the Missouri State Auditor’s Office.
Fitzpatrick, in a statement released Tuesday, said he appreciates the efforts of concerned citizens who gathered 771 signatures to enable the petition audit. He emphasized, “This is a duty we take very seriously, and we will work diligently to review numerous aspects of governmental operations in Pleasant Hill with the goal of helping to make the city more transparent, accountable, and efficient.”
A manager with the State Auditor’s Office, Todd Schuler, appeared before the Pleasant Hill City Council on June 8 to announce the audits and explain the process.
Todd Schuler presenting the audit information to the City Council (photo/Connie Whitlock)
During Monday night’s council meeting, Schuler explained the audit will focus on several key areas of city operations. They will review the city’s internal controls to determine whether they are operating effectively, examine compliance with state and federal laws and city ordinances, evaluate management practices and decisions, and review financial transactions for evidence of fraud, waste, or abuse. He emphasized that the audit is not intended to focus on minor errors, telling council members that auditors are “looking for pervasive issues that affect a large number of people, not just the ticky-tacky error.”
Schuler told council members the audit is expected to take about 9 months to 1 year. The city will be billed for the audit’s actual cost after it is finished. He noted that citizens were informed during the petition process that the estimated cost would range from about $80,000 to $125,000.
In addition to the city audit, the State Auditor’s Office is conducting a separate audit of the Pleasant Hill Municipal Division.
During the council presentation, Schuler said the municipal court review was initiated after receiving information from court and city personnel. He explained that the court audit will be conducted separately from the city audit and will result in its own report.
Fitzpatrick provided details Tuesday on the court audit. “We will look closely at the Pleasant Hill Municipal Court after city officials reported possible financial discrepancies,” Fitzpatrick said. “We are launching a full audit to determine the extent of any irregularities. If we find missing money or possible criminal activity, we will work with law enforcement to hold those responsible accountable.”
Schuler emphasized that information provided to auditors by residents will remain confidential and encouraged citizens with concerns to contact the auditor’s office. He told council members that the office is prohibited from disclosing who submitted information during the audit process.
Schuler said that after the audits are completed, separate reports for the city and the municipal court will be released publicly and posted on the State Auditor’s Office website. Before publication, city officials can review the findings and provide formal responses. These responses will be included in the final reports with the auditor’s conclusions.
Individuals wishing to provide information for consideration during either audit may contact the State Auditor’s Whistleblower Hotline at 800-347-8597, email moaudit@auditor.mo.gov, or submit information through the State Auditor’s website.
Redemption Complete: Pleasant Hill Chicks Capture First State Soccer Championship
For eight years, the Pleasant Hill Chicks have chased a dream.
On Saturday afternoon at the Missouri State High School Girls Soccer Championships, that dream finally became reality.
(photo/Christy Snow)(photo/Christy Snow)
Pleasant Hill defeated Clayton High School 5-0 to claim the program’s first-ever state championship, ending years of near misses and cementing this team’s place in school history.
Senior forward Haley DiMarco delivered one of her most memorable performances, scoring all five goals for the Chicks. But despite her historic day, DiMarco was quick to credit the entire team.
“This wasn’t just me,” she said. “My back line stepped up, we have an amazing goalkeeper, everyone fed me the balls I needed, and I put the goals in.”
Haley DiMarco hugging mom after state championship win. (photo/Christy Snow)
The championship was the culmination of nearly a decade of work for the Pleasant Hill program. The Chicks made their first Final Four appearance in 2019 under former coach Al Iantorno and have now reached the state semifinals seven times in the past eight seasons. Until this year, however, they had never advanced to the championship game.
Riley Hall hugging her father after winning the state championship (photo/Christy Snow)
That changed Friday when Pleasant Hill earned a dramatic 2-1 sudden-death overtime victory over Springfield Catholic in the semifinals.
The reward was a championship showdown with a familiar opponent.
A Chance at Redemption
Clayton ended Pleasant Hill’s season a year ago, defeating the Chicks in a penalty-kick shootout in the state semifinals. For many players, getting another opportunity against the Greyhounds felt like unfinished business.
DiMarco admitted she still remembered a missed opportunity from last year’s loss.
“Last year I missed what I felt like was a very vital shot,” she said. “I shot right at the keeper. This year, I took that to heart. I came out, scored almost immediately, stepped up, took the PK, and in the second half I didn’t let off.”
Playing in her final high school game, DiMarco attacked from the opening whistle and never slowed down, turning years of frustration into five goals and a state title.
“Knowing this was my last game, I just wanted to leave it all out there,” she said.
(photo/Christy Snow)
A Different Team
Throughout the postgame celebration, one theme surfaced again and again.
The difference this season wasn’t necessarily talent. It was mentality.
Whether speaking with coaches or players, everyone pointed to the team’s determination, unity, and willingness to put personal differences aside in pursuit of a common goal.
Kailynn Paschall, who lost a tooth for the second time this year. (photo/Christy Snow)
“Our first two games were a real big struggle, but then we just put our heads into it. We put away distractions, and we just kept going and kept pushing ourselves,” Sophomore Goal Keeper Breauna McCluer said.
McCluer, who recorded a shutout in the championship match and finished the season allowing just 0.66 goals per game, reflected on her own growth.
“Last year I was just a scared little freshman,” she said. “This year I came out of my box, and I’m happy to be here.”
For senior defender Lexi Badger, the team’s mental toughness became its greatest strength.
“We definitely took ‘Count on Me’ to heart, and nobody let anybody down,” Badger said.
Badger embraced a leadership role this season after Pleasant Hill graduated a large senior class a year ago.
“I knew I had to step up and be a leader this year,” she said. “But it wasn’t just me. I couldn’t do it without the rest of my back line. We wouldn’t be here without them.”
The Coach’s Transformation
Players also pointed to another significant change this season: head coach Edson Ortiz.
Now in his fourth season leading the program, Ortiz openly admitted that last year’s semifinal loss changed him as a coach.
“I was very stubborn,” Ortiz said. “I wanted to play my way, and I didn’t adjust.”
He believes that mindset contributed to last season’s heartbreaking defeat.
“I made a decision that was not going to happen to us again. I was never going to put my team in that position again. We were going to do whatever it takes to get the job done,” he said.
Ortiz said he made that decision on the bus ride home after the loss to Clayton.
“Ortiz was completely different this year,” Badger said. “If someone wasn’t doing the job, he would just make a switch. We had one goal and that was to win state. I think he was the turning point to our season this year.”
Kailynn Paschall agreed, saying that he has been amazing this year. “He was always making sure we were pushing ourselves.”
Ortiz believes the change allowed this year’s team to flourish.
“The mental aptitude of this group, their desire, their will,” he said. “They had a different kind of willpower that I hadn’t seen in the past.”
The season didn’t start the way anyone expected. Pleasant Hill opened with a 4-0 home loss, and after graduating 11 talented seniors last year, many observers counted the Chicks out before the season even began.
“I thought we didn’t even have a chance of winning conference,” Kailynn Paschall admitted.
Instead, the Chicks responded by coming together.
“Our team made the decision that we were going to win it,” she said.
Her twin sister, Kaydence, said everyone simply stepped up.
“Everyone had each other’s back, and everyone worked together as a team.”
Making History Together
For DiMarco, the championship also carried personal significance.
For years, she has followed in the footsteps of her older sister, MacKenzie DiMarco, one of the most prolific scorers in Pleasant Hill history. MacKenzie holds the school record with more than 300 career goals, while Haley has surpassed 100 of her own.
Rather than viewing it as pressure, Haley embraced the connection.
“She broke records. We made history,” DiMarco said. “We’re hand-in-hand. She’s my biggest fan.”
While her five goals will dominate the headlines, DiMarco was quick to highlight the contributions of her teammates. She specifically praised Badger’s leadership on the back line and credited sophomore Addie Hull for providing a spark during the semifinal victory.
“She showed me that it wasn’t just our first level that wanted this – it was everyone,” DiMarco said.
As the final whistle sounded and players rushed onto the field to celebrate, the significance of the accomplishment began to sink in.
“I can’t believe we made history,” McCluer said. “We just put it in the books.”
After eight years of chasing the dream, the Pleasant Hill Chicks are finally state champions.
Team Roster:
Pleasant Hill’s roster includes goalkeeper #1 Breauna McCluer. The midfielders are #2 Lily Bouchard, #4 Ansley Nickerson, #9 Rowan Park, #12 Addley Hodson, #15 Laney Sterling, #17 Katelyn Todd, and #26 Kathryn Crawford. The forwards are #3 Haley DiMarco, #6 Kaydence Paschall, #7 Rylee Hull, #8 Kailynn Paschall, #10 Yuliana Vergara, and #13 Adyson Elliott. Defenders include #5 Alexis Badger, #11 Ella Williams, #14 Isabel Hull, #16 Danna Moran Espinoza, #18 Gianna Simons, #21 Natalie Ward, #22 Addison Hull, and #25 Abigail Kaifes. The team is led by Head Coach Edson Ortiz and Assistant Coach Allison Hamilton.
Pleasant Hill Chicks Make School History, Advance to State Championship
The Pleasant Hill Chicks soccer team made history today with a 2-1 sudden-death overtime victory over Springfield Catholic in the semifinal round of the Missouri State High School Girls Soccer Championships.
In a hard-fought match, the Chicks secured the game-winning goal in overtime to earn their first- ever trip to the State Championship game. The historic win marks a major milestone for the program and adds another chapter to an outstanding season.
The Chicks, who now boast an impressive 23-2 record, will return to the field tomorrow at 4:00 p.m. to compete for the state title against Clayton High School. With a championship on the line, Pleasant Hill will be looking to finish an already remarkable season on top.
The entire Pleasant Hill community is invited to rally behind the team as they prepare for the biggest game in school history. Congratulations to the players, coaches, and supporters on this unforgettable achievement, and best of luck to the Chicks as they chase a state championship!
PHMOmag (Pleasant Hill Missouri Magazine) was inspired by Pleasant Hill’s desire to celebrate the people, businesses, organizations, and events that make our community special, while also helping residents stay informed about what is happening in their local government.
When the idea was first suggested, someone recommended starting online to see whether the community would be interested. Eighteen months later, the response has exceeded our expectations. We have seen tremendous interest from readers who want a central place to find local news, stories, events, and information about the community they call home.
As we continue to grow, our goal is to do so organically and remain a true reflection of Pleasant Hill rather than simply copying what other towns are doing. While we may occasionally adopt ideas that have worked well elsewhere, we are committed to building something that is authentic to our community and shaped by the people, traditions, and character that make Pleasant Hill unique.
In the spring of 2026, PHMOmag became a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Currently, our writing team includes myself, Connie Whitlock, Christy Snow and Bunny Tuttle. It has been a privilege and a blessing to serve this community, and we would love to expand our team.
If you have a passion for Pleasant Hill and enjoy writing, we invite you to consider volunteering as a contributor. Whether your interests include local government, schools, community events, business, history, faith, sports, or human-interest stories, we would love to hear from you. To learn more, email us at phmomag@gmail.com.
As our downtown space continues to come together, we also plan to expand our video and podcast offerings. In addition to volunteer writers, we are looking for community members who may be interested in helping with website development, social media, photography, videography, video editing, advertising sales, marketing, and other creative or technical skills that can help strengthen PHMOmag.
PHMOmag belongs to the community it serves. We are grateful for the support we have received and excited to see what we can build together in the years ahead.
Career Day Opens Young Minds to a World of Possibilities
PLEASANT HILL — The halls of the primary school have been buzzing with excitement over the past several weeks as students participated in a variety of hands-on learning activities. One of the highlights was Career Day, an event that brought local businesses and professionals into the school to introduce kindergarten, first and second graders to the many opportunities waiting for them in the world of work.
The event served as the culmination of months of classroom learning about careers and community roles. Throughout the semester, students explored different career paths and learned how school subjects connect to future jobs.
While Career Day may seem early for students in first and second grade, the program is actually tied directly to Missouri curriculum standards. One of the grade-level expectations focuses on helping students develop an understanding of the world of work.
Counselor Eileen Fratzke said the goal is to broaden students’ understanding of careers beyond the most commonly known jobs.
“It’s never too early to start introducing kids to the world of work,” Fratzke said. “The possibilities are endless and I want them to dream big.”
Pleasant Hill’s district-wide “Portrait of a Learner” initiative also played a major role in the event. The portrait emphasizes six important traits students are encouraged to develop: adaptability, communication, critical thinking, empathy, perseverance, responsibility and well-being.
Businesses participating in Career Day were encouraged to incorporate those traits into their presentations while also showing students how reading, writing and math are used in everyday careers.
Fratzke said students often struggle to see how classroom learning applies to real life.
“When a student says they want to be a football player, they usually don’t think they’ll need reading or math,” Fratzke explained. “But football players need math to understand angles and trajectory, and they need reading skills to learn plays.”
Second grade teacher Kaitlin Farr said she appreciates the way Career Day helps students connect classroom learning to the real world.
“It helps students see why the things they’re learning matter,” Farr said.
Students explored six broad career pathways during their studies: helping, fixing and building, health, nature, business and creative careers. Organizers emphasized that each category contains thousands of unique jobs.
For many students, the day helped expand their understanding of what careers exist within those fields.
“I want to be a doctor that helps get babies out,” kindergartner Annalee Alexander said after visiting the health-related presentations.
One of the most popular exhibits featured an X-ray technician who brought X-rays of broken bones for students to examine. Students were fascinated by the images and eager to ask questions.
X-ray Technician (Photo/Christy Snow)
F’real Foods brought shake-making equipment and showed students how science, engineering and research play a role in creating milkshake machines and new flavors.
Steven Casey and Matt Heather with Freal Foods (Photo/Christy Snow)
“If you guys like doing research, you can work for a milkshake company,” Steven Casey of F’real Foods told students.
Country Crossroads Critters, a counseling center, brought miniature ponies and goats used during therapy sessions. Their presentation focused on empathy and emotional wellness.
Country Crossroads Critters (Photo/Christy Snow)
Country Crossroads Critters (Photo/Christy Snow)
Randol Enterprise, a company specializing in stump grinding and cleanup, brought grass seed, topsoil and mulch for students to touch and explore while teaching them about tree removal and landscaping.
(Photo/Christy Snow)
“We’ve been learning about why they remove trees,” second grader Lily Denson said.
The City of Pleasant Hill demonstrated a remote-controlled field painting machine nicknamed “Waylon,” while the Pleasant Hill Police Department showcased its drone technology and discussed safety.
“They lift it up in the sky and try to catch bad guys,” first grader Oakley Simpson said about the drone.
Public Works from the city of Pleasant Hill at career day with the students (Photo/Christy Snow)
Pleasant Hill Police demonstrating drone. (Photo/Christy Snow)
Pleasant Hill Police demonstrating drone (Photo/Christy Snow)
By the end of the day, many students were already imagining future careers for themselves.
“I want to be a storm chaser,” second grader Jackson Clear said after learning about weather safety and emergency preparedness.
Second grader Violeta Castillo said the event helped her think about using her language skills in the future.
“I speak fluent Spanish and I think I would be a good Spanish interpreter,” Castillo said.
For some students, the biggest realization was simply how many possibilities exist.
“I didn’t realize before but there are lots of jobs out there,” second grader Hayes Clevenger said. “You just need to find the one that suits you.”
Court Filings Raise Questions Following Pleasant Hill Memorial Day Shooting
Court records filed months before the Memorial Day shooting at Pleasant Hill’s Price Chopper reveal a timeline of hearings, bond conditions, and repeated court reviews involving Allen T. Prince, including court-ordered restrictions prohibiting him from possessing firearms.
Documents reviewed by PHMOmag show a complaint and probable cause statement were filed Sept. 30, 2025, charging Prince with first-degree harassment after deputies investigated allegations that he threatened someone during a domestic disturbance at a rural Pleasant Hill residence.
According to the probable cause statement previously reviewed by PHMOmag, witnesses alleged Prince threatened to “blow her head off” during an argument inside the home. Deputies later reported locating a loaded Remington 870 shotgun in Prince’s closet after he acknowledged possessing a firearm.
Court records show Prince was initially issued a $10,000 bond warrant on Sept. 30, 2025, with several special conditions attached, including no possession of firearms or deadly weapons, electronic monitoring, and no contact with victims or witnesses. The records show Prince was later arraigned in Cass County court and entered a plea of not guilty.
On Oct. 8, 2025, Judge Jason Howell reduced Prince’s bond to release on recognizance, commonly known as ROR, meaning he could remain free while the case proceeded through court.
However, the court again imposed strict conditions. “Court on its own motion reduces bond to ROR with special conditions: do not possess firearms, have no harmful contact with anyone, obey all laws,” the court record states.
Over the following months, the case continued through multiple case review hearings in Cass County court. Court records show Prince repeatedly appeared with defense attorney Craig Napier, and the case was continued several times into 2026.
Then, on May 26, 2026, the morning after the deadly Memorial Day shooting in Pleasant Hill, prosecutors filed a motion to revoke Prince’s bond in the harassment case. A court entry filed that same day states: “Court finds probable cause of a violation of bond conditions, namely possessing firearms and obeying all laws, and enters a warrant for the arrest of defendant with no bond.”
That filing came the same day Pleasant Hill Police Chief Tommy Wright publicly announced that Prince had been charged in connection with the Price Chopper shooting. During a Tuesday press briefing, Wright said Prince faces one count of first-degree murder, three counts of armed criminal action, and two counts of first-degree assault. Police identified the victim as 45-year-old Amy Coon. Another 16 year old victim was shot and is in the hospital.
Investigators also confirmed during the briefing that authorities believe the rifle used in the Memorial Day shooting belonged to Prince.“We believe it was his gun, yes,” Wright said when asked by reporters whether the weapon belonged to the suspect.
The court filings add another layer to public questions surrounding warning signs, prior court supervision, and how bond restrictions are monitored after a defendant is released pending trial.
The investigation into the Memorial Day shooting remains ongoing.
Charges Filed After Deadly Memorial Day Shooting at Pleasant Hill Price Chopper
Pleasant Hill still carries the weight of a tragedy that cut short the Memorial Day holiday celebrations. Just two days ago, terrified shoppers ran through the parking lot of the Price Chopper on Highway 7 as shots were fired. Emergency sirens filled the air. Families and friends waited anxiously for answers as police flooded the scene.
By Tuesday morning, Pleasant Hill Police Chief Tommy Wright stood before cameras and officially announced what many across the community already feared. “Twenty-seven-year-old Pleasant Hill resident Allen Prince” had been charged with one count of first-degree murder, three counts of armed criminal action, and two counts of first-degree assault, Wright said during a press briefing at City Hall.
Police identified the victim as Amy Coon, 45, who was originally from the Pleasant Hill area and lived near Strasburg. But as investigators discussed charges and evidence, Wright paused to remind the public that, behind the headlines, a family was now grieving the unimaginable. “Amy is not just a victim,” Wright said. “She was a daughter. She was a mother. She was a grandmother. And she was somebody that cared deeply for her family. And her family cared for her.”
A 16-year-old boy was also wounded during the shooting. Police said Tuesday he remained hospitalized in stable condition and was “doing very well, as well as you can be from being shot.”
Prince remained hospitalized Tuesday in critical but stable condition after authorities say he turned the rifle on himself as armed citizens approached him in the parking lot.
In one of the most emotional moments of the briefing, Wright described the actions of two Pleasant Hill men who moved toward danger instead of away from it. “Two gentlemen from the Pleasant Hill area who were armed had the courage to approach this suspect,” Wright said. “I think that it’s a good possibility that they prevented further bloodshed,” Wright said.
Even as investigators continued processing evidence Tuesday, many questions remained unanswered. Police said they had not yet established a motive and were still trying to determine whether the shooting was random or if any connection existed between the victims and the suspect. “This investigation is less than 24 hours old,” Wright said. “So we don’t have a motive.”
It was also confirmed that the weapon used was believed to be Prince’s rifle, and said investigators recovered surveillance video and multiple witness statements from the chaotic scene.
For Pleasant Hill, the violence shattered what had otherwise been an ordinary holiday afternoon. Cars remained stranded in the parking lot for hours Monday night while investigators worked the scene under floodlights.Yet even amid the grief, Wright repeatedly returned to the character of the community itself.“This is an isolated incident,” he said. “The people that live in Pleasant Hill are good people. They’re solid people that care deeply about each other and their community.”
Now, as investigators continue piecing together what led to the shooting, a small town is left mourning a woman remembered by friends and family as a loving mother and grandmother, while trying to make sense of a tragedy that unfolded in the middle of a grocery store parking lot on Memorial Day.
“This Is Not Something That Happens Here”: Pleasant Hill Reels After Price Chopper Shooting
What started as a peaceful, sunny Memorial Day in Pleasant Hill was shattered by violence, leaving the community stunned. Locals shopping for groceries and employees working holiday hours at Cosentino’s Price Chopper were thrown into terror as gunfire erupted in the Price Chopper shopping center parking lot.
At 4:28 p.m., Pleasant Hill Police, firefighters, EMS crews, the Cass County Sheriff’s Office, and the Missouri State Highway Patrol rushed to Cosentino’s Price Chopper on Highway 7 after reports of an active shooter. Emergency vehicles flooded the area as panicked shoppers ran, and nearby businesses secured their entrances. A bystander also posted online about helping victims at the scene.
Former Chief of Police, Tommy Wright, who has been brought back in after recently retiring to assist with investigation. (Photo/Connie Whitlock)
As investigators secured the area Monday evening, officials began releasing the first confirmed details about the shooting. Former Pleasant Hill Police Chief Tommy Wright, whose final day with the department had been only days earlier, returned to assist with the investigation and speak publicly about the incident.
“At about 4:30 today, we received a call of a shooting at the Price Chopper located on Highway 7 in Pleasant Hill,” Wright said during a press conference at 7PM that evening. “Upon arrival, officers found three individuals that had suffered from gunshot wounds. One individual, a 45-year-old female, was deceased at the scene. A second victim, a 17-year-old male, had gunshot injuries and was transported to a local hospital. The third person wounded was the suspect, a 27-year-old local male, who investigators believe suffered a self-inflicted gunshot wound and was also hospitalized.”
Police also confirmed a bolt-action rifle was recovered at the scene. Throughout the press briefing, Wright emphasized how deeply unusual this kind of violence is for Pleasant Hill. “This is not something that happens in Pleasant Hill,” he said. According to Assistant City Administrator Nici Wilson, the community had not experienced a homicide in roughly two decades.
For longtime residents, Monday’s shooting felt intensely personal. Price Chopper is a central gathering place in Pleasant Hill, where neighbors routinely run into one another during everyday errands. “It’s a very sad day here for us and Pleasant Hill,” Wright said. Mayor Don Donovan echoed those emotions. “Obviously, this is a horrible situation,” Donovan said. “It’s not something that we wanted to see in Pleasant Hill.”
As investigators worked late into the evening behind police tape and flashing emergency lights, another side of the story also began unfolding across town. Neighbors stepped forward to help one another.
One of the injured victims has since been identified by family members as Ayden, a 17-year-old grocery store employee. He had been outside in the parking lot collecting shopping carts when gunfire shattered the routine, striking him twice. Family members say Ayden is now fighting for his life in the ICU at Children’s Mercy Kansas City. Though he is stable, relatives say the road ahead will be long and painful, filled with uncertainty.
The family has since launched a GoFundMe campaign to help cover medical expenses, travel costs, and household bills as they remain at Ayden’s bedside. According to relatives, Ayden’s parents are already facing financial hardship. One parent recently lost their job, while the other has been temporarily unable to work following back surgery. The family is raising five children, with three still living at home. “Every contribution, no matter the size, will make a difference,” the family wrote in its public appeal for support.
Residents quickly began rallying around the victims and everyone affected by the shooting. Social media pages shifted from confusion and breaking updates to prayer requests, meal offers, fundraising efforts, and messages of support for victims, employees, first responders, and witnesses.
The emotional impact has also extended far beyond those physically injured. Shoppers and staff huddled inside the store in fear as emergency crews arrived. In response, Country Crossroads Counseling announced Tuesday that its nonprofit outreach program would offer free counseling services to anyone affected by the shooting. “Our hearts are with the Pleasant Hill community today,” the organization said in a public statement.
The counseling center said it would provide free sessions to “anyone who was involved in, impacted by, or witnessed today’s shooting in any way.” “These are the moments we pray never happen,” the statement continued, “but also the reason our programs of the Community Crisis Coalition & Caring for the Courageous were created. No one should have to walk through trauma alone.”
Pleasant Hill schools are also expected to provide counseling resources and support services for students and families impacted by the tragedy.
Police say the investigation remains active and ongoing. Detectives continue reviewing surveillance footage, collecting witness statements, and working to determine a motive behind the shooting. Wright urged residents Monday night not to fuel speculation online while investigators continue piecing together what happened. “Social media is a great thing,” he said, “but oftentimes people spend a lot of time speculating and inserting their own opinions.”
For now, Pleasant Hill remains caught between grief and unanswered questions.
As the investigation continues, one thing is already clear: Memorial Day 2026 will leave a lasting mark on Pleasant Hill, and in the heartbreak, residents are already finding ways to support one another.
“This Is Not Something That Happens Here”: Pleasant Hill Reels After Price Chopper Shooting
What started as a peaceful, sunny Memorial Day in Pleasant Hill was shattered by violence, leaving the community stunned. Locals shopping for groceries and employees working holiday hours at Cosentino’s Price Chopper were thrown into terror as gunfire erupted in the Price Chopper shopping center parking lot.
At 4:28 p.m., Pleasant Hill Police, firefighters, EMS crews, the Cass County Sheriff’s Office, and the Missouri State Highway Patrol rushed to Cosentino’s Price Chopper on Highway 7 after reports of an active shooter. Emergency vehicles flooded the area as panicked shoppers ran and nearby businesses secured their entrances. A bystander also posted online about helping victims at the scene.
Former Chief of Police, Tommy Wright, who has been brought back in after recently retiring to assist with investigation. (Photo/Connie Whitlock)
As investigators secured the area Monday evening, officials began releasing the first confirmed details about the shooting. Former Pleasant Hill Police Chief Tommy Wright, whose final day with the department had been only days earlier, returned to assist with the investigation and speak publicly about the incident.
“At about 4:30 today, we received a call of a shooting at the Price Chopper located on Highway 7 in Pleasant Hill,” Wright said during a press conference at 7PM that evening. “Upon arrival, officers found three individuals that had suffered from gunshot wounds. One individual, a 45-year-old female, was deceased at the scene. A second victim, a 17-year-old male, had gunshot injuries and was transported to a local hospital. The third person wounded was the suspect, a 27-year-old local male, who investigators believe suffered a self-inflicted gunshot wound and was also hospitalized.”
Police also confirmed a bolt-action rifle was recovered at the scene. Throughout the press briefing, Wright emphasized how deeply unusual this kind of violence is for Pleasant Hill. “This is not something that happens in Pleasant Hill,” he said. According to Assistant City Administrator Nici Wilson, the community had not experienced a homicide in roughly two decades.
For longtime residents, Monday’s shooting felt intensely personal. Price Chopper is a central gathering place in Pleasant Hill, where neighbors routinely run into one another during everyday errands. “It’s a very sad day here for us and Pleasant Hill,” Wright said. Mayor Don Donovan echoed those emotions. “Obviously, this is a horrible situation,” Donovan said. “It’s not something that we wanted to see in Pleasant Hill.”
As investigators worked late into the evening behind police tape and flashing emergency lights, another side of the story also began unfolding across town. Neighbors stepped forward to help one another.
One of the injured victims has since been identified by family members as Ayden, a 17-year-old grocery store employee. He had been outside in the parking lot collecting shopping carts when gunfire shattered the routine, striking him twice. Family members say Ayden is now fighting for his life in the ICU at Children’s Mercy Kansas City. Though he is stable, relatives say the road ahead will be long and painful, filled with uncertainty.
The family has since launched a GoFundMe campaign to help cover medical expenses, travel costs, and household bills as they remain at Ayden’s bedside. According to relatives, Ayden’s parents are already facing financial hardship. One parent recently lost their job, while the other has been temporarily unable to work following back surgery. The family is raising five children, with three still living at home. “Every contribution, no matter the size, will make a difference,” the family wrote in its public appeal for support.
Residents quickly began rallying around the victims and everyone affected by the shooting. Social media pages shifted from confusion and breaking updates to prayer requests, meal offers, fundraising efforts, and messages of support for victims, employees, first responders, and witnesses.
The emotional impact has also extended far beyond those physically injured. Shoppers and staff huddled inside the store in fear as emergency crews arrived. In response, Country Crossroads Counseling announced Tuesday that its nonprofit outreach program would offer free counseling services to anyone affected by the shooting. “Our hearts are with the Pleasant Hill community today,” the organization said in a public statement.
The counseling center said it would provide free sessions to “anyone who was involved in, impacted by, or witnessed today’s shooting in any way.” “These are the moments we pray never happen,” the statement continued, “but also the reason our programs of the Community Crisis Coalition & Caring for the Courageous were created. No one should have to walk through trauma alone.”
Pleasant Hill schools are also expected to provide counseling resources and support services for students and families impacted by the tragedy.
Police say the investigation remains active and ongoing. Detectives continue reviewing surveillance footage, collecting witness statements, and working to determine a motive behind the shooting. Wright urged residents Monday night not to fuel speculation online while investigators continue piecing together what happened. “Social media is a great thing,” he said, “but oftentimes people spend a lot of time speculating and inserting their own opinions.”
For now, Pleasant Hill remains caught between grief and unanswered questions.
As the investigation continues, one thing is already clear: Memorial Day 2026 will leave a lasting mark on Pleasant Hill, and in the heartbreak, residents are already finding ways to support one another.
Growing More Than Plants: Pleasant Hill FFA Reaches New Heights
For students in the FFA chapter at Pleasant Hill High School, this year has been about much more than competitions and blue jackets. It has been about growth – in opportunity, in ambition, and quite literally, in the greenhouse.
A major expansion to the school’s greenhouse has transformed the agriculture program and opened doors that students and teachers say once felt out of reach. The greenhouse recently doubled in size, allowing the chapter to expand hands-on science opportunities and competitive training programs in ways they had never experienced before.
“We are able to do a lot more ag science with our improved equipment,” said Tyler Burgin, agriculture teacher and FFA advisor.
Davin Gildsdor, Olivia Wingard, Brett Miller (Agronomy team practicing for State competition) (Photo/Courtesy of FFA Teachers)
Among the newest additions is a cold stratification lab, giving students opportunities to study seed germination and plant science at a much deeper level. The upgraded facilities have already inspired student-led research projects, including one by Maddux Umscheid, who launched a pecan tree lab focused on genetic modification and selective breeding.
“He is trying to get the largest, best-tasting pecans,” Burgin said.
The expanded greenhouse has also allowed students to successfully grow crops that previously struggled in the program – including lavender, something Burgin said had never thrived before the upgrades.
Beyond experimentation, the improvements have dramatically elevated Pleasant Hill’s competition teams.
Before the greenhouse expansion, Burgin said the chapter lacked a large agronomy identification collection, putting the agronomy team at a disadvantage during contests. Now, the team ranks among the top five in the state.
“It’s made our kids more competitive. It’s given them more educational opportunities,” Burgin said.
Students spend nearly three hours a day working in the greenhouse, where the improved climate-control system creates a more productive learning environment year-round.
Those improvements helped lead Pleasant Hill to a historic milestone this year: its first-ever national competition team.
The Nursery Landscape team captured the state championship for the first time in school history before placing sixth nationally. Meanwhile, the Agronomy team turned in one of the best seasons in program history, winning two of five competitions, placing in the top three at the others and finishing 3rd at state competition.
The Ag Mechanics and Nursery Landscape teams also consistently finished among the top five at every contest they entered and the Ag Mechanics team took 5th at state competition.
“We are pushing competition a lot,” Burgin said.
Barnwarming (Photo/Courtesy of FFA Teachers)
National Convention (Photo/Courtesy of FFA Teachers)
FFA competition reach students who may not otherwise get involved during high school.
“FFA is a great way for kids that are not athletes to get involved and fuel their competitive fire,” he said.
Burgin also believes FFA provides opportunities for students who may struggle to find success elsewhere.
“Sometimes FFA is the only place for these types of kids to excel,” he said.
AJ Wingard, agriculture teacher and FFA leader said the organization has a unique ability to welcome students who may struggle to fit into more mainstream activities.
“We are able to take kids who the mainstream refers to as ‘trouble’ and they fit in and find something they love doing in FFA,” she said.
According to Wingard, acceptance is one of the organization’s defining qualities.
“You don’t have to look a certain way or act a certain way. We have a variety of different types of kids,” she said.
Wingard said one of her favorite parts of teaching is watching students with different backgrounds and skill sets succeed together.
“I love that in my classes I see all kinds of kids with all kinds of abilities and they all find a place to be successful,” she said.
One of the chapter’s most involved students, Davin Gilsdorf, said the organization has completely changed who he is.
“The basement is the best place in the district to be,” Gilsdorf said, referring to the agriculture classrooms housed in the lower level of the high school.
He said FFA helped shape him both personally and professionally.
“The person I was in middle school to the person I am now is a whole different ballgame,” Gilsdorf said.
He credits the organization for helping him develop confidence in public speaking, leadership and career preparation.
Gilsdorf also spoke highly of the support he has received from Burgin and Wingard.
“Burgin and AJ are like a second set of parents for me. They’ve done a lot for me,” he said.
Gilsdorf was part of the Nursery Landscape team that advanced to nationals, an experience he described as unforgettable.
“Going to Nationals was the best experience,” Gilsdorf said. “We were really rocking it. It was a good time.”
Through FFA, he said he has met students from all over the country, including friends in California and Oklahoma.
He said one of the strengths of FFA is the wide variety of opportunities available to students. Also stating that if you get involved in FFA, you will find something you enjoy. Wingard
Wingard shared that sentiment, stating, “Whatever you put into FFA, you’re going to get double out of it. There are just so many opportunities, even if you’re just looking for fun.”
Jackson Willig and he was doing a demonstration for Hunter’s First Aid Class (Photo/Courtesy of FFA Teachers)
Gilsdorf’s enthusiasm for the organization is unmistakable.
“It’s the best thing you will ever do, hands down,” he said. “Out of everything I’ve ever done in 17 years, it’s the best thing.”
FFA has deep roots in Pleasant Hill, dating back to the 1936-37 school year. Wingard said FFA has long been a proud tradition in Pleasant Hill.
“Kids are just excited about it,” she said. “We’ve always been strong.”
She believes agriculture classes offer students a different style of learning that allows them to thrive in hands-on, discussion-based environments rather than traditional worksheet-driven classrooms.
The travel opportunities, competitions and friendships are also a major draw for students. Student and FFA member, Dani Swadley, said the competitive and social aspects of FFA are what make the organization special.
“It’s nice being able to compete with other people and meet new people,” she said.
Career readiness has become another major focus for the organization, particularly in promoting trade schools and technical careers.
Each year, the organization hosts a career fair open to every junior and senior in the school. Representatives from technical schools, trade programs and industries attend.
“Getting insights about a technical school is super important,” Burgin said.
Wingard said many students involved in the agriculture department naturally gravitate toward trade schools and technical careers because of the hands-on experiences offered through FFA and agriculture classes.
Gilsdorf credited the career fair with helping him decide on his future career path as an agricultural mechanic.
Burgin also emphasized the growing shortage of agriculture teachers nationwide and said encouraging students to pursue careers in agricultural education is critical for the future of programs like Pleasant Hill’s.
“To keep doing all these things, we have to keep people going into this field,” he said.
Another growing area within the agriculture department is the Food Science Lab, which attracts a different type of student than traditional agriculture classes.
The lab focuses on food analysis, packaging, tenderizers, milling and processed foods, while encouraging students to experiment through hands-on scientific testing.
“Some things turn out really good and some things we take to the trash can,” Wingard said with a laugh.
Students begin by developing hypotheses before testing ingredients and production methods. This year, projects included gelatin caviar and boba experiments.
The chapter’s impact extends well beyond contests and projects. Students also participate in Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) projects, which encourage members to build real-world skills through entrepreneurship, research and work experience.
This year’s SAE projects ranged from growing shiitake mushrooms, selling fresh lamb meat at local farmers markets, smoking meats for custom orders and raising and selling animals.
“There are actually lots of kids selling at the farmer’s market,” Burgin said.
The FFA organization also puts a spotlight on community service. “The service component is a big part of FFA,” Wingard said. “We look for ways for our kids to give back.”
During Thanksgiving and Christmas, students donate and cook turkeys and pork loins for families in need throughout the district. Over spring break, members prepare food bags for students to take home, and during harvest season they deliver “Meals for Farmers” directly to workers in the fields.
Trenten Feist and Grady Alig (Prepping to smoke turkeys for Thanksgiving meals) (Photo/Courtesy of FFA Teachers)
For Pleasant Hill FFA, the greenhouse expansion may have started with new walls and equipment. But the real growth can be seen in the students themselves — in the skills they are building, the careers they are pursuing and the confidence they are gaining along the way.
Wingard said if she could offer one message to students considering agriculture classes or FFA involvement, it would be simple:
“Step out of your box. Take an ag class, explore what’s out there, come to an FFA event and see where it takes you.”
State Audit Petition Moves Forward After Signature Certification, Leadership Dispute Emerges
A citizen-led effort to trigger a state audit of the City of Pleasant Hill is officially moving forward after the required petition signatures were certified by the Cass County Clerk and submitted to the Missouri State Auditor’s Office.
According to organizers involved in the petition effort, 673 valid signatures were required to initiate the audit process. A total of 771 signatures were certified by the Cass County Clerk, allowing the petition to advance.
The petition effort began under the leadership of Pleasant Hill resident Carla Murray, who reportedly worked with the Missouri State Auditor’s Office beginning in July 2025 to vet concerns related to city policies and procedures, before signatures were collected throughout the fall, winter, and spring.
On April 8, John Self traveled to Jefferson City to deliver the signatures to the State Auditor’s Office. Self was a key role in being on the ground, collecting signatures for the effort.
According to information shared by those involved, John Self believed Murray’s personal obligations, including caring for a sick husband and foster children, made it appropriate for him to step in as chief petitioner to help manage the process moving forward. Self’s Official Comment (Also Below Article)
Carla Murray and several other volunteers supporting the audit effort said they did not learn the signatures had been submitted until May 13th. After contacting the Missouri State Auditor’s Office, Murray said she was informed that she was still recognized as the official Chief Petitioner because she had initiated the process with the state. According to Murray, the office told her the designation could only be transferred if she voluntarily relinquished the role to John Self, which she declined to do.
The disagreement has now become public, creating tension among some of the individuals involved in the petition drive. Murray has reportedly expressed frustration over how the signatures were submitted and over claims that she said she was too exhausted to continue in the lead role.
We reached out to Murray for comment, and she said, “I think the disagreement could have been avoided, and it’s unfortunate, but the certification of the petition audit is an important step forward for Pleasant Hill. I continue to strongly believe this process is about creating a stronger foundation for our city’s future by reviewing resident concerns, correcting issues where needed, and helping ensure responsible growth moving forward. I look forward to working with the audit team to help ensure residents’ concerns are heard and addressed throughout the process.
The petition drive has also drawn attention because of Self’s continued involvement in local politics. Self campaigned for Council-at-Large in Pleasant Hill in the spring election.
In a recent public campaign statement, Self described himself as “no politician” and said he is running because he believes there is “a huge disconnect between what the residents of this city say that they want and need, versus what our city government actually does.”
“I believe that the role of Council is to listen to you and put what you say into practice,” Self wrote in his campaign statement.
The Missouri State Auditor’s Office has not yet announced a timeline for completing the audit or which specific city operations may ultimately be reviewed. The audit team leader here, assigned to the audit for Pleasant Hill, has contacted Murray and is now building a team to conduct the audit.
John Self’s Official Statement from his Facebook Page – John Self for Pleasant Hill (unedited)
“This is posted here in regards to chatter happening elsewhere.
I am the one that submitted the Audit petition, and I chose to do it without telling the other people on the Team for a reason. I am hesitant to explain all of it here because it involves revealing the intimate details of other people’s lives, but the whole thing needs to be heard, and I’ll do my best to be respectful of everyone’s positions. I apologize in advance if this is not the right thing to do if I don’t handle this the right way, but it’s my call right now, and I’m making it.
During the course of meeting over a thousand people that supported this Audit, there were a few that chose to cuss us out, lie about our motives, and threaten us. I personally have received statements that ‘They are going to kill you’, which I have not published because they have come from prominent people that are known in this community. I have had people that are against the audit lie about how we approached people about it, they have made up stories and falsified facts, and they have smeared our names and reputations on social media.
We have YEARS of our lives in the audit, and we owe it to every signer to protect their support and their faith in us. When it reached a certain size, I literally carried the audit with me everywhere I went for two months. If you saw me with a lunchbox, that is why. We worried about house fires, tornados, theft, and attacks. There was significant pushback on the audit, and that only occurs when people are threatened, and people are only threatened if they have a reason to be. I guarded the signers’ trust in our team with my life, and with each signature our responsibility to the people of Pleasant Hill increased.
I am trying to walk the line between privacy and transparency here so please bear with me: During the course of collecting signatures, people on our team had family members that were hospitalized with (at the time undiagnosed) illness, who were literally reported on the edge of death. Those same people on our team had multiple small children at home, personal health issues of their own, and were having problems with exhaustion, stress, lack of sleep (small children with high energy), etc.
*I* made the decision to not inform the team that we were submitting signatures, because I did not want the threats, smear campaigns, etc to impact the other team members’ lives when they were balancing small children and the severe illness of the person that was supposed to be helping them with those children. *I* made that decision to protect those people from the garbage we were dealing with, and it is with the deepest regret that I ended up hurting them while trying to protect them. Honestly, had there not been small children in those people’s homes, I would not have kept quiet about submitting the audit, but when it comes to children and threats of harm, I will never take that risk and only God can judge me in that.
Jessie and I discussed how to submit this beforehand, and several times after. Transparency was *always* at the forefront of these discussions. We always were and still are in agreement that it did not feel right. Jessie wanted to tell the team about it, and I requested that she not. She did not do what was easy, but what she did do what she thought was right at the time, and that put her in a place where she was trying to honor my request and protect our friends, versus her standards of transparency. *I* made a decision that had no right answer, Jessie was never comfortable with it, and I am very, very sorry that I put her in that position where people that don’t know her are judging her.
When we dropped the audit off in Jefferson City, we explained to the SAO that the other people involved were having the life issues discussed above and that is why we were dropping off the petition instead. They said it not uncommon to have people submit a petition other than who initiated the process (surprisingly for many of the same reasons), and when I called them yesterday about all of this, they admitted the process was confusing and apologized profusely because it had been poorly explained to us. We received very mixed messages about us being the ‘petition submitters’, compared to the people who ultimately did the hard work on the audit and were the ‘audit petitioners’. (I’m not sure I have those terms correct). I am honestly still confused on it.
Jess has always said that she was uncomfortable with not being open and transparent, and I have always agreed with her but requested that she not say anything until we knew facts. It was a rock and a hard place. We did not know how many of the signatures we submitted would be valid, and we were kept in the dark about how many we even had that were valid for over a month. Literally, other people in Pleasant Hill were notified before we were. With a deadline approaching, we continued to gather signatures and I can tell you that the month between submission and confirmation is ten times more stressful than six months of collecting, canvassing, and wondering. This stress was also something that I had hoped to spare those team members.
I’m not happy about the decision that I made, I’m even more unhappy about putting Jess in the position of having to lie about what *I* chose to do, and I never would have gotten involved with the audit at all if I had thought for a second that it would have cost us the trust and friendships of people that we both value highly.
That said, I made the decision that I thought was right at the time and I made that decision with lots of thought and sleepless nights and I stand by it for the reasons I did it. I never did it to ‘hide’ anything, and Jessie and I knew that once everything was filed, everything would come to light no matter what happened along the way (at the time we had also discussed what would happen to the petition if something were to happen to both of us). So, by filing it as soon as we felt it had a chance, we knew that transparency was assured, even if not in the most desirable manner.
I apologize deeply for the hurt, violation, and alienation that it caused by how I did it, but I will never apologize for trying to protect those I care about and in the end, the whole point of the audit was to protect ALL of the residents of Pleasant Hill, because EVERYONE on this team cares deeply about ALL of you.””
Help for the Basics: The Hygiene Hub Launched in 2026
In communities like Pleasant Hill, it’s easy to assume everyone is doing okay. Residents attend school events, support local businesses, and go about their daily routines, often unaware that some families in the community are quietly struggling to meet basic hygiene needs.
Volunteers and Committee Members, Andrew and Kyra Guyer, and Kris Gray (Photo/Connie Whitlock)
That reality inspired the Community Vision Committee, an outreach group at Pleasant Hill First Christian Church, to launch the Hygiene Hub, a local initiative that officially began accepting hygiene product donations in February 2026.
Hygiene Hub volunteers and Community Vision Committee members Andrew Guyer and his wife, Kyra, said distributions are held on the second Thursday of each month from 10:00 a.m. to noon and again from 4:00 p.m. to 5:45 p.m. at Pleasant Hill First Christian Church.
Volunteer and committee member Kris Gray explained that those picking up items can enter through the side door located in the alley between Cedar and Jeffreys streets. Volunteers have also placed signs outside the church to help guide visitors to the distribution area.
First Christian Church distribution signs (photo/Connie Whitlock)
“Most people know the food pantry, you know. And so we’re focused on hygiene needs,” Andrew Guyer said. While many residents are familiar with food pantries, organizers said hygiene products are often overlooked despite being expensive and necessary household items. Needed items include soap, toothpaste, shampoo, razors, deodorant, feminine hygiene products, and other basic hygiene supplies.
Kris Gray, Kyra, and her husband, Andrew Guyer, are distributing hygiene products. (photo/Connie Whitlock)
According to organizers, donations can be dropped off Monday through Friday during daytime hours at Pleasant Hill First Christian Church using the alleyway entrance between Cedar and Jeffreys streets while Meals on Wheels is operating, typically from 7:30 a.m. to noon. Donations may also be dropped off at the Pleasant Hill Fire Station located at 1300 Richland Parkway.
As donations have increased and community participation has grown, the Hygiene Hub has expanded into categories many people might never think about unless they suddenly need them themselves. Foot powder, athlete’s foot spray, lotion, mouthwash, combs, brushes, wipes, and specialty hygiene items have all become part of the effort.
“One thing we were actually surprised about,” Andrew Guyer explained, “was foot powder and athlete’s foot spray. We had some extras, and a lot of people were marking that one. So we’ve kind of put that on our list to keep stocked.”
Distribution area at the First Christian Church (photo/Connie Whitlock)
The team of volunteers has made it easy for people to come and get what they need. When residents arrive for distribution, they answer a few simple questions about household size and specific needs, and the information is entered in a tablet. Organizers then assemble kits tailored to each family’s makeup.
Kyra Guyer, with a tablet in hand, is ready to help people sort their needs. (photo/Connie Whitlock)
Monthly participation has fluctuated between roughly 28 and 32 households so far. To volunteers, those numbers represent something important: local people quietly carrying burdens that many neighbors never see.
The Hygiene Hub is encouraging churches, organizations, and community members throughout Pleasant Hill to volunteer and support the initiative, which provides hygiene products to residents in need. Those interested in donating, volunteering, or learning more can contact the Hygiene Hub through its Facebook page at Pleasant Hill Hygiene Hub Facebook Page.
Andrew Guyer and Kris Gray are working on packing hygiene products. (photo/Connie Whitlock)
The Community Vision Committee at the First Christian Church on Cedar has organized a variety of local initiatives, including summer movie nights, trunk-or-treat events, and holiday outreach programs. Members described the group as focused on identifying community needs and on building programs to meet them.
In addition to the Hygiene Hub, Community Vision Committee member Kira Guyer also operates a free weekly art outreach program through Pleasant Hill First Christian Church. “I do a free art session every Tuesday,” Guyer said, explaining that the classes are open to teens and adults and are designed to give people an opportunity to explore art in a welcoming environment. Guyer, who described herself as “a local artist now part of the Art League,” said the program includes supplies ranging from pencils and charcoal to watercolor and oil paints. She added, “I love to have art supplies for people who don’t want to buy, but they’re curious about trying.” The sessions are held on Tuesdays from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., and participants can leave projects at the church if they need additional time to complete them.
Organizers emphasized that community involvement will continue to shape the program moving forward. As needs change, the list of requested items evolves. Donations of both standard hygiene products and harder-to-find specialty items help volunteers respond more effectively to the requests they are hearing from local families.
Those interested in helping can donate hygiene supplies at Pleasant Hill First Christian Church during weekday hours. Community members can also follow the Hygiene Hub initiative online for updates about current needs and distributions.
A newly installed sculpture from the Parade of Hearts has been placed in one of the city’s downtown parks, connecting the community to a metro-wide celebration of creativity and giving. Pleasant Hill is now part of a growing regional tradition that blends art, community, and philanthropy. An announcement was made on the city’s social media page, “Pleasant Hill is officially on the heart map! Our Parade of Hearts sculpture was installed today at Wyoming Street Crossing Park. Be sure to plan a visit downtown and see it in person now through August!”
“Let’s Play” Parade of Heart at Wyoming Street Crossing Park (photo/Connie Whitlock)
The sculpture, titled “Let’s Play!”, was created by artist Rachel Black and is designed to bring a sense of cheer to those who encounter it, which aligns with the broader spirit of the Parade of Hearts initiative.
Artist Rachel Black (photo/paradeofhearts.com)
Black’s artistic style reflects a blend of structure and spontaneity. An abstract artist inspired by architecture and texture, she draws influence from the colorful streets of Greece and the organic forms of Antoni Gaudí. Her work also echoes the techniques of artists such as Willem de Kooning, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and Keith Haring. She uses oils, spray paint, stencils, and unconventional tools such as scrapers and rollers. Black creates layered, expressive pieces that emphasize movement and energy.
Her personal story also shapes her artistic voice. As the granddaughter of Holocaust survivors, Black intentionally focuses on themes of lightness and joy.
The Parade of Hearts, which began in 2022, features artist-designed sculptures placed throughout more than 60 communities across the Kansas City metro, including Pleasant Hill. The 2026 collection features a heart-shaped cutout, standing about six feet tall, and is centered around the theme “Hearts of Unity.” Visitors are encouraged to explore the region, using a mobile app to locate sculptures, learn about artists, and check in along the way.
Beyond its artistic impact, the initiative serves a larger purpose, raising millions of dollars for charitable organizations while drawing visitors to participating communities. The Parade of Hearts doesn’t fund just one specific nonprofit; instead, it supports a range of charitable organizations across the Kansas City region. Proceeds from sponsorships and the final auction are distributed to multiple local nonprofits, often focusing on areas like health services, youth programs, community support, and arts initiatives. In addition, many individual sculptures highlight or are connected to specific causes, helping bring visibility and awareness to those organizations throughout the display season.
For Pleasant Hill, the addition of “Let’s Play!” at Wyoming Street Crossing Park not only enhances the downtown experience but also places the city firmly on the regional “heart map.”
Head downtown to Wyoming Street Crossing Park, snap a photo, and share it with the community as a glimpse of the joy you experienced. See more about Parade of Hearts at www.paradeofhearts.com.
Debate Over Downtown Improvements Leads to Delay on Gray’s Lot Electric Proposal
A proposal to add electrical service to the recently installed structures at city-owned Gray’s Lot prompted a broader discussion about the future of the downtown space during the April 27th City Council meeting.
Grays Lot (photo/PHHD Facebook Page)
The request, presented on behalf of the Pleasant Hill Historic District, focused on installing underground electrical lines to the two gazebo-style structures installed last year. The project would allow for lighting, event support, and general use of the space without relying on temporary extension cords.
“This is a simple project,” the presenter Bonnie Chambers explained, describing a short trench from an existing electrical box to the structures, with outlets installed for lighting and other uses.
(What was missed in this article is that PHHD fundraised for the structures along with other beautification in downtown Pleasant Hill and is paying for the electricity to go in. PHHD is an organization that is helping downtown with design, economic vitality, events, and more. They partner with Missouri Mainstreet and fundraise for all projects, including the electric proposal to the city.)
Bonnie Chambers, a rep. from PHHD, proposing electric for downtown structures (photo/Connie Whitlock)
One of the primary concerns raised by Councilwoman Jessica Elliott was whether the project aligns with the original intent of the structures. When first approved, the units were described as temporary and easily removable. Since then, concrete pads have been installed beneath them, and the addition of electrical infrastructure raised questions about whether the space is becoming more permanent than originally planned.
Councilman Patterson motioned to approve, but there was hesitancy to second the motion. It was then opened up to public comments.
Supporters of the request emphasized the impact it could have on downtown’s atmosphere. Lighting the structures, they said, would make the area more inviting for residents and visitors, particularly during events and seasonal activities. The ability to safely power lights, especially during the holidays, was also cited as an improvement.
One public comment suggested formalizing the arrangement through a written agreement that outlines that the Pleasant Hill Historic District (PHHD) would cover maintenance costs and, if the property is ultimately redeveloped, take responsibility for removal. PHHD representatives indicated they were agreeable to that approach, and City Administrator Kristen Dorman recommended holding a meeting to work out the details.
The council decided to move the discussion to the next meeting to allow more time for additional research.
City Begins Community Survey Process with Porchlight Insights
At the April 27 work session, the Pleasant Hill City Council began talks with Porchlight Insights, a consulting firm focused on community data and engagement.
Representative from Porchlight explaining the process of the survey (photo/Connie Whitlock)
The firm will lead a citywide survey designed to gather resident input on priorities, services, and the overall direction of Pleasant Hill. According to Porchlight representatives, the effort is intended to ensure decisions are grounded in measurable community feedback.
“What we want to do here with Pleasant Hill is really get a sense as you’re moving into your new term… what is the community saying?” one representative told the council.
The survey will play a role in the city’s upcoming strategic planning process. Rather than relying solely on internal discussions, the council is looking to collect structured data from residents across the community.
Officials emphasized that the goal is to capture real experiences from those who live and work in Pleasant Hill. “We want to make sure that we are collecting this data, and it represents the voices of the people walking around every day,” the consultant said.
Since Pleasant Hill is a small town, they will open the survey to all residents. The more participation, the better the data. Porchlight noted that responses will be validated to ensure they reflect the community, while still allowing input from those who may live just outside city limits but regularly engage with the city.
The survey will cover a range of topics, including quality of life, trust in local government, and satisfaction with city services such as streets, parks, and public safety. It will also ask residents to help prioritize future investments.
Council members identified infrastructure as a key concern they expect residents to highlight. “That’s going to be mostly public works… streets,” one councilmember said when asked what issues they hear about most often.
Economic development is also expected to be a major theme. Mayor Dan Donovan pointed to the need for growth that supports the city’s long-term financial stability, saying his goal is “to get to build up our economy here so that way, we don’t keep seeing budget issues.”
From left to right – Councilman Patterson, Councilwoman Elliott, Mayor Donovan, and Councilwoman Dummer (photo/Connie Whitlock)
The survey will be distributed through multiple channels, including utility bill inserts, QR codes, social media, and community events. Council members suggested placing materials at high-traffic locations such as the farmers market, parks, and youth sports facilities to increase participation.
The survey is expected to launch this May and remain open for several weeks.
Porchlight emphasized that the survey is only one piece of the decision-making process, but an important one. “It’s not the survey isn’t the end all be all… but it can really help shift across different areas and get a sense,” the consultant explained.
As Pleasant Hill prepares for the next phase of planning, city leaders are making a clear push to gather the community’s thoughts directly to shape the future. https://www.porchlightinsights.com/
April 22, 2026 Release: This Week in Pleasant Hill MO
A complete list of things to do in Pleasant Hill, along with a place to add your event, can be found at www.phmomag.com/thingstodo.
April 23, 2026
Wing Hill Wine Co Free Wine Tasting Location: 115 Wyoming Street Time: 4:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Q&A Session for The Heirloom Farm Micro Farm School and Summer Camps! Location: Pleasant Hill Library Branch Community Room Time: 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM Website: https://the-heirloom-farm.square.site Additional Information: Join this Q&A session to learn more about The Heirloom Farm Micro Farm School and upcoming summer camps. Contact: Brianne Orr – 816-258-9007
Paula’s Petals Tulip Season (April) Time: 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM Location: Paula’s Petals, 33607 E 199th St, Pleasant Hill, MO 64080 (second entrance off main road) Website: www.paulas-petals.com Additional Information: Over 10,000 tulips planted. Bouquets available pre-picked. Walk the gardens, but please do not pick flowers. Vendors welcome—contact Paula for setup.
April 30, 2026
Wing Hill Wine Co Free Wine Tasting Location: 115 Wyoming Street Time: 4:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Chief Tommy Wright Announces Retirement: A Legacy of Service
Pleasant Hill Police Chief Tommy Wright has announced his retirement, effective June 1, 2026, marking the end of a law enforcement career spanning more than three decades and multiple Missouri communities.
During his time in Pleasant Hill, Wright focused on evaluating department operations while strengthening relationships within the department, across City staff, and throughout the community. That connection, he says, is what he will remember most.
“To be honest, it’s the people here,” Chief Tommy Wright said. “This community has been incredibly supportive of the police department. I appreciate the trust they’ve placed in me and the faith they’ve had in me to lead.”
Wright has served as Chief of Police in Pleasant Hill since July 2022. Prior to his time in Pleasant Hill, he spent 19 years with the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, where he rose to the rank of Lieutenant and served as Commander of the Professional Standards/Internal Affairs Division. Over the course of his career, he held a wide range of assignments, including undercover detective, D.A.R.E. officer, neighborhood patrol officer, member of a multi-jurisdictional Drug Task Force, Tactical Team member, and internal investigator. He also served for a decade as a police chief in Trenton and Greenwood.
As he prepares to step away from the role, Wright says retirement won’t mean stepping away from service entirely. He plans to take some time to rest—“maybe do some fishing,” he said—but is also considering future opportunities, such as speaking engagements, personal training, or other roles.
“I think I’ll always be in a space where I want to help people,” he said. “I believe God put me here to do that.”
Wright described himself as a “people person,” noting that the camaraderie within the department and the relationships built over time have been some of the most meaningful aspects of his career.
Over 33 years in law enforcement, he has seen the profession evolve significantly, particularly with the rise of technology.
“When I started in 1992, there weren’t computers in cars or throughout the building,” he said. “Now there’s one in every office. Everything is recorded. Technology has completely changed the way we do business.”
While those changes have brought increased efficiency and accountability, Wright also acknowledged the challenges that come with the profession, including the emotional toll.
“In this line of work, you’re exposed to 800 to 1000 traumatic incidents,” he said. He explained how it takes its toll on mental health.
Reflecting on his career, Wright said the experience has shaped him not only as an officer but also as a person.
“It made me a better person. Earlier on, it was all business. Over time, I’ve come to really appreciate individuals and understand their struggles.”
As his retirement approaches, Wright expressed gratitude for the opportunity to serve.
“I’m thankful I’ve had the opportunity to be here,” he said. “And I’ve been able to build relationships that will last a lifetime.”
The City of Pleasant Hill expressed its appreciation for Wright’s leadership and service and wished him the best in his retirement as he transitions into the next chapter.
You can find Wright’s online podcast on Spotify and YouTube. @Iron-and-Intention
Gratitude and Change Mark Council Transition in Pleasant Hill
Jessica Elliott, Pat Niner, Don Donovan, Dr. Zachary Patterson, Brenda Dummer (Photo/Connie Whitlock)
Monday night’s City Council meeting marked a significant moment of transition for the City of Pleasant Hill, as newly elected officials took their seats following a closely watched and, at times, heated election season. The tone inside City Hall, however, was one of appreciation, professionalism, and a peaceful transfer of leadership.
Mayor John King welcomes newly elected officials. (Photo/Connie Whitlock)
The evening included recognition for those whose terms have come to an end. John King, who served a combined 10 years as both a council member and mayor, was publicly thanked by Pat Niner and presented with a plaque honoring his service to the community. In brief remarks, King reflected on his time in office, saying, “I appreciate everything you guys did—the hard days and the good days. We got a lot of stuff done.” Michelle Newberry of Precinct 22 and Jackie Emo, who was not in attendance, also concluded their service on the council.
Mayor John King and Councilwoman Pat Niner. (Photo/Connie Whitlock)
Stepping into those roles are Jessica Elliott, representing Precinct-22, and Dr. Zachary Patterson as the At-Large councilmember, along with newly elected Mayor Don Donovan. Each was sworn in during the meeting, formally beginning a new chapter in the city’s leadership.
Don DonovanDr. Zachary PattersonJessica Elliott
The transition was also reflected in the council chambers’ physical setup. The room was reconfigured so that city staff now sit directly across from the council, with the public podium positioned between them—an adjustment that subtly underscores a new dynamic in how meetings may be conducted moving forward.
City Staff (Photo/Connie Whitlock)
Pleasant Hill operates under a mayor-council form of government, with a city administrator, Kristen Dorman, overseeing daily operations and placing policy direction and long-term planning squarely in the hands of the elected council. As this new group settles in, key issues remain on the horizon from ongoing development discussions and infrastructure planning to broader questions about the city’s financial future.
In Pleasant Hill, Meals on Wheels is much more than a food delivery service – it is a daily lifeline powered by volunteers, community support, and a deep commitment to caring for neighbors.
Dorothy Salsman delivering meals to Scott Osborn (Photo/Christy Snow) Scott Osborn and Dorothy Salsman (Photo/Christy Snow)
The Pleasant Hill Meals on Wheels program is locally operated by a six-member board under the supervision of the Lay Clergy. Board members don’t just oversee operations; most of them also pitch in with day-to-day tasks to keep the program running smoothly.
The program serves residents who are age 65 and older or who are disabled and unable to prepare their own meals. Each meal costs recipients $4, though that amount covers only a portion of the actual expense. Donations make up the difference, ensuring the program remains accessible to those who need it most.
“We need donations to keep doing what we are doing,” said Board President Jackie Kimrey.
Dorothy delivering to Vi Waggoner (Photo/Christy Snow)
Donations That Make a Difference
Donations come in many forms. While monetary contributions are the most critical – allowing the organization to purchase supplies and food – Meals on Wheels also receives donated items, including food. Wild game is another valued donation, and the organization welcomes more of it.
Local support plays a significant role in sustaining the program. Several Beta Sigma Phi sororities in the area regularly support Meals on Wheels, and community members often designate the organization for memorial or funeral donations.
“We have people come back and give us donations because they appreciate how we took care of their loved ones,” said cook Joyce Ruehter.
A major grant from Turman Heartland has also helped the organization weather difficult times. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Meals on Wheels was losing approximately $1,000 a month. Those “rainy day” funds ultimately kept the program afloat.
Most food is purchased from distributors, with additional support from Price Chopper, which donates day-old bread. The First Christian Church further supports the mission by providing kitchen space and utilities at no cost.
Serving Meals and Connection
Currently, Meals on Wheels serves about 30 people each day. On special bingo and game days, that number increases to around 53 meals served. These events are held at the First Christian Church on Thursday and are supported by a city grant that funds bingo prizes. City employee, Dharma Gilsdorf, volunteers her time each week to call the bingo games.
Game Day at Meals on Wheels (Photo/Christy Snow)
Beyond nutrition, the program provides something equally important: daily human connection. Volunteers delivering meals check in with recipients, and if someone does not answer the door or appears unusually confused, volunteers reach out to the designated emergency contact on file.
Powered by Volunteers
The program depends heavily on its volunteers. About 45 people currently volunteer with Meals on Wheels, including 15 regular drivers, eight kitchen helpers, and approximately 20 substitute drivers who step in when needed.
“We are a very caring, giving organization, and we love doing what we do,” Kimrey said.
Mike Marcella has made Meals on Wheels part of his daily routine. The Independence resident delivers meals in Independence two days a week, Raytown one day, and Pleasant Hill on Mondays. On Fridays, he fills in wherever help is needed. In addition to driving routes, Marcella also serves on the Meals on Wheels board in Independence.
Marcella first got involved after retiring during the COVID-19 pandemic, when many drivers stepped away from volunteering. He started by helping with deliveries in Raytown, but quickly realized he wanted to do more. “One day wasn’t enough,” Marcella said. “I needed more.”
Dorothy delivering to Bob Zang. (Photo/Christy Snow)
Now, his visits often go beyond simply delivering a meal. Sometimes he helps fix a refrigerator, adjust a television, or take care of small household tasks for the people he serves. “It’s an awesome program,” Marcella said. “The people are so appreciative. They love seeing you. It’s just the little things that make a huge difference.”
Two paid cooks – Peggy Keithly and Joyce Ruehter – are at the heart of the kitchen operations. The organization is currently seeking a third cook. While the cooks receive a modest salary, all other roles are volunteer-based. Ruehter emphasized how important the volunteers are to making all this happen and said they can always use more.
Joyce Ruehter and Peggy Keithly preparing meals (photo/Christy Snow)
The cooks begin work at 7 a.m. each day to ensure meals are prepared, packaged, and ready for delivery by 10:30 a.m., with deliveries completed around 11 a.m. The cooks also plan the menus, which are prepared without added salt, and they make sugar-free desserts which are available upon request.
Recipients can choose how many days per week they receive meals, but the schedule must remain consistent week by week. Meals can also be canceled for specific days if recipients are away. Meals are delivered Monday through Friday.
Finding Purpose Through Service
For Ruehter, volunteering with Meals on Wheels became a new sense of purpose after retirement.
“After I retired, I felt lost, like I wasn’t accomplishing anything,” she said.
Ruehter started as a volunteer driver but stepped up when they lost a cook. “Cooking for Meals on Wheels gives me a purpose, and I feel I am providing a home-cooked meal to people who would not get one without our organization.”
She also values the relationships built along the way.
“I really enjoy our volunteers, and I’ve met many people I would not have met outside the kitchen,” Ruehter said.
How to Get Involved
Those interested in receiving meals delivered to their home can call (816) 987-3952 for more information.
Whether through donations, volunteering, or simply checking in on neighbors, Pleasant Hill’s Meals on Wheels program demonstrates how a community can come together – one meal at a time.
Community Betterment Pitches 46 Depot Window Restoration Project
Standing before the council was Randy Miller, representing Community Betterment, the nonprofit organization that leases the historic 1903 train depot. Miller’s message to the council was clear: the depot windows are deteriorating, the repairs are complex, and properly preserving them will require a significant investment.
“I think we would all agree that the historic depot is the centerpiece of downtown,” Miller told the council. “It’s a valuable thing. It was built in 1903.”
Board of Community Betterment Member, Randy Miller
The proposal presented to the council totaled $298,001 for the full replication of historic wood windows. The plan calls for insulated glass, true divided light glazing, and Sapele mahogany, a dense hardwood selected to mirror the strength and appearance of the original timber. The windows would be painted, single-hung, with the lower sash operable.
The full proposal covers 46 total window units at the historic depot. Of those, 12 would be completely new window units, while the remaining openings involve sash replication and restoration of existing frames. When the council discussed the cost of “all 46 windows,” they were referring to the entire building scope, including both floors.
However, an alternate option focusing only on the second-floor units came in at $127,809. The base estimate does not include the disposal of the existing window materials or the abatement of any lead- or asbestos-containing components, a detail that drew concern during discussion.
“The windows themselves are an environmental can of worms,” Miller said. “The paint has lead. The actual caulking that goes around the window itself has asbestos.” Rather than attempting partial repairs, the proposal involves fully replicating the units to match the originals.
“Each piece is CNC routed to look exactly like the original piece,” Miller explained. “They claim that they can get this particular version of mahogany… that is very dense.” He noted that deterioration is most severe upstairs, saying the second-floor windows are essentially gone. If prioritization becomes necessary, he acknowledged that level would likely come first.
City staff identified a Missouri State Parks historic preservation grant that could cover 60 percent of the project cost, leaving the city responsible for a 40 percent match. Community Betterment has already secured a $15,000 grant from Union Pacific to apply toward that match.
Miller recognized the financial reality facing the council. “I spent a long career working with the City of Pleasant Hill, and I know these decisions are very difficult things,” he said.
Council members questioned the cost per window, explored whether historic-profile aluminum alternatives might be less expensive, and asked whether material changes could impact the depot’s contributing status within the historic district. It was also clarified that even if the city pursued the grant, it would not be locked into this contractor; a formal bidding process would still be required.
Resident Carla Murray urged the council to consider less expensive, historically profiled aluminum options. “There are historical options,” Murray said. “One of those options is an aluminum window that is called a historic profile window, and it is made specifically to mimic the old wood windows. They say you can’t tell the difference from the street… I do think it is something you could consider, especially on the second floor.”
The discussion came immediately after a work session that emphasized the city’s tightening financial position. In light of those budget realities and the need for more information, the council chose to table the project for now, signaling a desire for additional options before committing local funds.
Candidates are listed in the order published by the City of Pleasant Hill, Missouri. The responses below are presented exactly as submitted and have not been edited or proofread by PHMOmag.
How long have you lived in Pleasant Hill, and what originally brought you here? I’ve lived in Pleasant Hill on and off for 20 years. I bought my house and became a permanent resident in November of 2023. My son has grown up here along with his dad and their family. We wanted that small town upbringing for him versus my military upbringing of 3 different primary school 4 different middle schools and 4 high schools. My son has had the privilege of attending K-12 here.
What made you decide to run for this position right now? My husband and I are involved in a lot of volunteering around the city. This was just another way I could help out and provide my time in a more meaningful way.
Have you served on any boards, commissions, or volunteer groups in town? If so, which ones and what did you accomplish? “My husband and I were just graciously honored to receive the Citizen of the Year award via the Mayoral Volunteer dinner back in December 2025. The two of us just volunteer where we see help is needed, we’re big on just jumping into the fire without anyone telling us it needs to be done. I’m not affiliated with any group(s). We just show up for our neighbors and friends with small businesses and love watching everyone succeed and if I can help. I am also Senior Vice President of the VFW Auxiliary of VFW Post 3118.
What abilities do you have that you feel will benefit Pleasant Hill in this position? “I bring a combination of lived experience, accountability, and follow through. I have spent years working in complex, emotionally charged situations where listening matters just as much as action. That has trained me to hear concerns fully, ask the right questions, and make decisions based on logic, fairness, and long term impact rather than pressure or ego.
I am organized, persistent, and comfortable taking responsibility. When I commit to something, I see it through. That matters in local government, where trust is built by consistency and results, not promises. I understand budgets, coordination, and the importance of working with people who may not always agree but still deserve respect.
I also bring a strong sense of community connection. I am present. I listen. I advocate. I believe public service should look like kindness paired with accountability. Pleasant Hill deserves leadership that is strong enough to listen, brave enough to act, and willing to do the work even when it is uncomfortable.
Most importantly, I care deeply about this town and the people who live here. I am not seeking a title. I am stepping forward to serve, protect trust, and help Pleasant Hill grow in a way that honors its people and its future.”
What concerns you most about where Pleasant Hill is headed? If you are not concerned, tell us why you think Pleasant Hill is on the right track. My biggest concern is losing focus on long term planning in favor of short term fixes. Pleasant Hill has strong potential, but growth needs to be intentional, transparent, and centered on the people who already call this community home.
What do you do for fun when you’re not working or volunteering? “We’re with our family and friends cooking in the kitchen and watching the next thing streaming.
I enjoy doing mental check-ins with my friends!
My family enjoys visiting the asian markets and farmers market in KCMO.
We golf as a family.
I make art and enjoy creating things.
Reading
Roadtrips
Trying new food!! Huge foodie.
And I volunteer at Wings of Love Bird Sanctuary here in PH every week. It’s my therapy.
What more do you want people to know about you? “I’m just here for you all. I have no agenda. I’ll be demanding transparency and accountability at every turn but I lead with kindness and integrity. I apologize when I’m wrong and I try to always come with solutions instead of more problems.
I’m not smearing my other candidates, if anything I’ve been able to take the time to get to know them individually. And all three of them are wonderful women. We could make some real change if we put all of our minds together to achieve a goal. I wish them luck.
I’m a disabled veteran that sole job is to help and advocate for survivors, both women and men, who have been affected by military sexual trauma through a veteran nonprofit where I’m currently a director. I was BORN to advocate.
I can’t wait to get to listen and hear your concerns and learn where everybody’s mindset is. If chosen i promise that I’m Strong enough to Listen and Brave enough to Act. IGY6. (I got your 6)
How long have you lived in Pleasant Hill, and what originally brought you here? Pleasant Hill has been my home since 1991 when my parents moved our family here from Lee’s Summit. Growing up in this community has been a blessing, and I’m proud my daughter Danielle is being raised here as well. I hope someday she will appreciate the personal small-town community I cherish.
What made you decide to run for this position right now? As a mobile groomer, I’ve had the privilege of building personal relationships with my clients. Through these conversations, I’ve listened to their concerns about our city, which sparked my desire to become more involved in our community. I want to support and be a strong voice for young families and small businesses in Pleasant Hill.
Have you served on any boards, commissions, or volunteer groups in town? If so, which ones and what did you accomplish? I was a board member for the Kansas City Safari Club International as well as the Sables representative. I was part of large frozen meat donations to local food kitchens. We donated medical supplies that traveled with hunters to Africa for local villages. We also supported hunting opportunities for veterans and educational programs centered around the importance of conservation.
What abilities do you have that you feel will benefit Pleasant Hill in this position? I genuinely enjoy talking with people and, more importantly, listening to their concerns with respect. I believe strong communication starts with understanding different perspectives, even when we don’t always agree.
What concerns you most about where Pleasant Hill is headed? If you are not concerned, tell us why you think Pleasant Hill is on the right track.
Concerns: Loss of revenue with descaling state income tax. Resistance to change without losing our small-town feeling. The relationship between the city and residents could be improved with transparency and better communication opportunities. Lack of youth involvement. We are a growing city of young families. Develop a youth advisory board. Educate civic leadership and give our youth a voice.
Pros: As a mom, I love our park and recreational programs. The Cass County Fair can be incredibly valuable to our youth. It’s also a large economic driver for our small town. We have several unique events that other communities don’t have. The safe trick-or-treat and the ATV parade have been my favorites. My friends from out of town often come. We joke it’s my attempt to lure them into moving here. I love what the historic district has done to attract revenue to our downtown small businesses.
What do you do for fun when you’re not working or volunteering? I grew up showing and breeding Golden Retrievers in AKC events. My daughter and I now have English Toy Spaniels. We both enjoy going to shows when we can get away. I try to get a few days in each week with my friends and our kids. My grandpa Hertzog is a huge part of our lives. I can’t get enough of his stories or tricks he plays with Danielle. You can’t get time back, so I try to spend it wisely.
What more do you want people to know about you? I’m a hard worker. Within six months of starting my mobile dog grooming business, I had to stop taking new clients — all while taking care of my daughter by myself. My dad will tell you I talk too much, and honestly that’s not such a bad thing. I’d like to think I’m approachable to anyone. I hope to do what I can to keep my hometown moving in a positive direction.
How long have you lived in Pleasant Hill, and what originally brought you here? I moved to Pleasant Hill in 2008. I moved here prior to my divorce so that my son could go to school here, although if you know me, you know How long have you lived in Pleasant Hill, and what originally brought you here? I moved to Pleasant Hill in 2008. I moved here prior to my divorce so that my son could go to school here, although if you know me, you know that I have always felt that I was meant to be here and as time moves on, that feeling continues to be reaffirmed. I am originally from South Kansas City.
What made you decide to run for this position right now? I am running for City Council to be a voice for the people. I want to make sure decisions made by Council are made responsibly, with input from the public, discernment, and due diligence. I love Pleasant Hill and I want to see it be the best that it can be.
Have you served on any boards, commissions, or volunteer groups in town? If so, which ones and what did you accomplish? Service is something that I care deeply about and something I think is important to teach our children. I have volunteered with the Lay Clergy working on various Christ Serv projects. Christ Serv benefited local residents by doing home repairs for residents in need within the Pleasant Hill community. Projects that I personally worked on were replacing a roof, painting a home, adding a new sidewalk, building a wheelchair accessible ramp, and yard work.
I have participated in organizing a food drive through my church back when we still had Save A Lot for the food pantry, and my son and I have also volunteered at the food pantry. I have been a youth group leader and currently serve on my church board as Deacon Chair for the First Christian Church Disciples of Christ in Pleasant Hill. I fully believe communities are better when we work together and for each other.
What abilities do you have that you feel will benefit Pleasant Hill in this position?
I am the only candidate that has experience with how City Hall works and I have also worked in the financial industry for over 28 years.
I am actively engaged with the public and have talked to hundreds of residents across town, not just within my own social circle about what is important to them within the community.
I have been attending City Council meetings, Work Sessions, and Planning & Zoning meetings for quite some time, and am up to date with current issues being addressed by City Council.
I have a strong sense of financial responsibility. As a single parent, I’ve had to work two jobs at once to make ends meet for my family. I know what it’s like to have to decide between shampoo and food. I know how to live poor and make tough decisions.
I’m invested. I was not born and raised in Pleasant Hill, but I have lived here for almost two decades, raised kids here, it’s my church home, and where my mom came to live before she passed. This is my home and I want to take good care of it.
What concerns you most about where Pleasant Hill is headed? If you are not concerned, tell us why you think Pleasant Hill is on the right track. I have concerns about transparency, from both Council and staff with regard to seeking public engagement and being forthcoming with information. Another area of concern is how we will address critical infrastructure needs without continuing to tax an already overtaxed community. We will need to be very strategic in how we approach this need and how it ties into economic development through the comprehensive plan, which needs to be a main area of focus to sustain Pleasant Hill into the future.
What do you do for fun when you’re not working or volunteering? I try to keep up with my adult children, who are the most amazing humans ever, my other half, and my dogs. I also love music and a great 80’s movie night.
What more do you want people to know about you? I’m not afraid to do what is right — not easy, but right. If you allow me to serve as part of the City Council, I will work to do what is right for you and this town. I will do my best to listen to your needs and concerns and set high standards for our future. I sincerely hope to have your support come April 7th, 2026.
How long have you lived in Pleasant Hill, and what originally brought you here? I was born and raised in Pleasant Hill and am a third-generation resident of the City. I graduated from Pleasant Hill High School in 1985. I have lived in Pleasant Hill my entire life, with the exception of a couple years after high school. I raised my family here, along with my parents and grandparents.
What made you decide to run for this position right now? I live in Precinct 22 and want to be involved to benefit myself and my constituents. I will implement and spearhead an Economic Development Council that will work hand in hand with the City of Pleasant Hill, the Chamber of Commerce leaders, The Pleasant Hill Historic District, developers and business owners. This Council will support existing businesses while attracting growth for Pleasant Hill. The Council will help attract more businesses and bring more jobs to our town.
Have you served on any boards, commissions, or volunteer groups in town? If so, which ones and what did you accomplish? “I am a member of the Pleasant Hill Planning and Zoning Commission. I have served since 2021. I was heavily involved in developing the 2040 Comprehensive Plan and most recently updating the Unified Development Codes.
I served on the 2025 Cass County Fair Queen Committee to help bring this pageant back to the Fair. I obtained sponsorships to fund the contest and provide scholarship money for the winners.
I volunteered with fundraising for the Piccadilly Gala for the Pleasant Hill Historic District in 2023, 2024, 2025.
I volunteered for Design Committee with the Pleasant Hill Historic District, to help bring projects to life to beautify the Downtown in 2023, 2024, 2025.
In Spring of 2019, I dreamed that Pleasant Hill needed a Community Garden. The next day, I contacted Shelby Teufel at the City and started working on a plan, along with the Park Board and the City Council. We identified a City-owned property that would be a perfect fit for the production garden. I started fundraising with local businesses to help fund the project and the Pleasant Hill Community Garden was born. The garden has a minimal membership fee and any excess produce is donated to the Meals on Wheels Program and the Lay Clergy Food Pantry. The garden has been growing and thriving ever since.
In 2019 I was awarded the Pleasant Hill Citizen of the Year.
I was a member of the Pleasant Hill Booster Club from 2006 to 2016 while my kids participated in sports in High School. In 2013-2015 I served as Secretary. During the last 3 years I served, we started the Fan Zone and VIP Seating. Both programs are still being used today to help fund the club.
I am a member of Echo Church since 2013.”
What abilities do you have that you feel will benefit Pleasant Hill in this position? My super power is that I have the ability to jump in and get things done! I am in business for myself and have been for over 25 years. I am a very strong negotiator. I have the ability to problem solve and come up with solutions in a timely manner.
What concerns you most about where Pleasant Hill is headed? If you are not concerned, tell us why you think Pleasant Hill is on the right track. I have been carefully observing City Council for the last several years and monitoring the Council Agenda and recordings since they became available. For the most part, I am pleased with the direction the City is heading. There is minimal crime, low vacancy in commercial space, new growth on the 7 Highway corridor and GREAT things happening in our Downtown Historic District.
What do you do for fun when you’re not working or volunteering? I LOVE to spend time with my family, which is my husband of 30 years, 2 grown children, 1 granddaughter and 3 grand-dogs. I have a lot of friends who I consider my family. I attend an average of 50 concerts each year, both locally or out of state, to see my favorite bands. I love to shop with my granddaughter, spend time at home floating on my raft, and occasionally a great beach!!
What more do you want people to know about you? I have a big heart and would give someone my last dollar if they needed it. I also know how to wallpaper…please don’t tell anyone.
Candidates are listed in the order published by the City of Pleasant Hill, Missouri. The responses below are presented exactly as submitted and have not been edited or proofread by PHMOmag.
Dr. Zachary Patterson, Tyler Young, Mark Crain, John Self
Dr. Zachary Patterson
How long have you lived in Pleasant Hill, and what originally brought you here? I was raised here, graduating from Pleasant Hill High School in 2004. I left for college (2004–2007), then veterinary school (2007–2011). I started my career in Tampa, FL, and then came back here in 2014 to become an owner at Pleasant Hill Animal Clinic.
What made you decide to run for this position right now? I’ve wanted to be on City Council for many years and finally decided to take the leap.
Have you served on any boards, commissions, or volunteer groups in town? If so, which ones and what did you accomplish? I’ve coached youth football, basketball, softball, and baseball. I was also on the original board for Project Lead The Way at Pleasant Hill High School.
What abilities do you have that you feel will benefit Pleasant Hill in this position? My family has deep roots here (4th-generation Pleasant Hill graduate), and I appreciate and understand the history of this town. As a business owner in this town, there’s a perspective I can provide in terms of current businesses and bridging the gap to attract new businesses.
What concerns you most about where Pleasant Hill is headed? If you are not concerned, tell us why you think Pleasant Hill is on the right track. I’m not sure there’s one thing I can say is a far-and-above concern, but I think improving our infrastructure, attracting new businesses, and continuing to invest in projects that benefit the community as a whole are areas to focus on.
What do you do for fun when you’re not working or volunteering? Cooking, travel, fishing, and Chiefs games.
What more do you want people to know about you? I’m extremely accessible and easy to find at my place of work, Pleasant Hill Animal Clinic.
How long have you lived in Pleasant Hill, and what originally brought you here? “I’ve called Pleasant Hill home since 1981. My family lived just outside of town, and many of my earliest memories are shaped by this community and the values it instilled in me.
After graduating high school, I left to attend Northwest Missouri State University. Like many young people, I stepped away to pursue education and opportunity. But Pleasant Hill was always home. When it came time to build a career, start a family, and put down permanent roots, there was never really another option in my mind.
My wife and I chose to raise our family here because of the character of the community, the safety and stability of a small town, and the people who genuinely look out for one another. This is not just where I live. It is where I grew up, where my roots run deep, and where we plan to remain for the rest of our lives.”
What made you decide to run for this position right now? “I truly love this town. It has that rare small-town character where people know each other, take pride in their community, and still believe in pitching in when something needs to be done. I’m encouraged by the direction Pleasant Hill is heading, and I want to see it continue to grow thoughtfully, in a way that preserves the qualities that make it feel like home.
I also believe community engagement should start early. If you care about where you live, you do not wait until something is broken to get involved. My family is planting long-term roots here. We plan to call Pleasant Hill home for the rest of our lives. For me, that means stepping forward, participating in the process, and contributing to the future of the place that has given so much to us, rather than watching from the sidelines.”
Have you served on any boards, commissions, or volunteer groups in town? If so, which ones and what did you accomplish? “Much of my service has been centered around supporting veterans organizations throughout the Kansas City area. That work has primarily involved contributing time, resources, and strategic support to initiatives focused on honoring service members and strengthening veteran communities.
While I have not previously served on a local board or civic commission within Pleasant Hill, that is intentional in the sense that I believe community involvement should be thoughtful and long term. As my family continues to put down permanent roots here, I am increasingly motivated to engage locally in a more formal capacity. I would welcome the opportunity to contribute my experience in business leadership, operations, and strategic planning to support the town’s continued growth and stewardship.”
What abilities do you have that you feel will benefit Pleasant Hill in this position? “I bring a combination of executive leadership experience, operational discipline, and long-term strategic thinking that I believe would serve Pleasant Hill well.
As President and CEO of Allied Brands, I oversee multiple manufacturing and consumer product divisions, including government contracting, domestic production, and national retail distribution. My role requires me to manage complex budgets, negotiate contracts, align diverse teams, and make decisions that balance growth with fiscal responsibility. At its core, my job is about stewardship, accountability, and building systems that work.
I am highly data-driven and process-oriented. I believe in measuring outcomes, setting clear priorities, and making decisions based on facts rather than emotion. Whether evaluating infrastructure investments, public safety funding, or long-term development planning, I approach challenges by asking: What is the objective? What are the trade-offs? What is the measurable return for our community?
Beyond business experience, I bring a strong commitment to service. My work with veterans organizations has reinforced the importance of honoring commitments, respecting institutions, and supporting those who serve. I also bring the perspective of a husband, father, and long-term resident who plans to call Pleasant Hill home for life. That gives me a vested interest in thoughtful growth, responsible governance, and preserving the character that makes this town special.
Ultimately, I see leadership not as control, but as stewardship. My goal would be to listen carefully, engage respectfully, and help guide Pleasant Hill toward sustainable growth while protecting the values that make it home.”
What concerns you most about where Pleasant Hill is headed? If you are not concerned, tell us why you think Pleasant Hill is on the right track. “I am optimistic about Pleasant Hill’s future and appreciate the work that has already been done by those serving our community. At the same time, I believe it is healthy to continually evaluate where we are headed and ensure our policies reflect long-term stability.
One priority for me is making sure Pleasant Hill remains open for business in a way that strengthens our local economy. Attracting responsible employers who want to invest here and hire locally helps broaden our tax base and reduces pressure on residents. Economic development should be thoughtful and strategic, focused on sustainable growth that benefits the entire community.
Growth should also move at a pace that aligns with infrastructure. Roads, utilities, public safety, and schools must be able to support development responsibly. Careful planning protects residents from unintended consequences and preserves the quality of life that makes Pleasant Hill special.
Preserving our identity matters as well. Pleasant Hill’s small-town character and independence are strengths. As we grow, we should be intentional about protecting stable, owner-occupied neighborhoods and ensuring new development complements, rather than overwhelms, our community fabric.
Fiscal stewardship is equally important. Like many communities, Pleasant Hill has faced financial pressures in recent years. My view is that we should remain disciplined in building balanced budgets, evaluating expenditures carefully, and prioritizing investments that provide clear value or respond directly to demonstrated community demand. Where spending has limited impact, we should reassess. Where investment produces measurable return or strengthens core services, we should support it.
I am committed to policies that avoid unnecessary tax increases and do not raise the cost of living for our residents. Families are already navigating higher costs in many areas of life. Local government should focus on efficiency, accountability, and wise stewardship of the resources entrusted to it.
Ultimately, I believe Pleasant Hill is on a strong path. With continued thoughtful planning, pro-business growth, and careful financial management, we can build on that foundation while preserving the character and independence that make this town home.”
What do you do for fun when you’re not working or volunteering? “When I’m not working or volunteering, my favorite role is being a dad. I have two wonderful sons, and much of my free time is spent with them, whether that’s at their activities, exploring something new together, or just enjoying everyday moments as a family.
My wife and I also love traveling throughout the United States. We enjoy experiencing different parts of the country, learning about local history, and seeing how other communities live and grow. It’s something that keeps us curious and connected.
I’m also an outdoorsman at heart. I enjoy fishing, hunting, canoeing, and boating whenever I can. Time outdoors is where I recharge. It’s a chance to slow down, appreciate God’s creation, and spend meaningful time with family and friends.
Those experiences, especially being a husband and father, shape how I think about community and the kind of town I want Pleasant Hill to remain for the next generation.”
What more do you want people to know about you? “I want people to know that I take responsibility seriously. Whether in business, in my family, or in this community, I believe leadership is about stewardship, not status.
I am not interested in politics for its own sake. I care about Pleasant Hill because this is where my family lives, where my children are growing up, and where we plan to spend the rest of our lives. That gives me a long-term perspective. The decisions we make today should make life better not just next year, but ten and twenty years from now.
I believe in listening first. I believe in facts, accountability, and treating people with respect, even when we disagree. I believe growth should be thoughtful, finances should be disciplined, and local government should work for the people who live here.
At the end of the day, I’m a husband, a father, a business operator, and a neighbor. I want Pleasant Hill to remain a place where families can thrive, businesses can succeed, and people feel proud to call it home.”
Mark Crain
How long have you lived in Pleasant Hill, and what originally brought you here? 16 years. My wife lived here when we met.
What made you decide to run for this position right now? I decided to run now because after eight years on the Park Board, we’ve just completed the 2025 Parks projects and have built a strong, experienced board. With major projects finished and solid momentum in place, this felt like the right time to continue providing steady leadership and help guide what comes next for our community.
Have you served on any boards, commissions, or volunteer groups in town? If so, which ones and what did you accomplish? Park Board – President – November 2019 to current – The Prop P Parks projects have been one of our largest projects. Just about two years in committee work and another year of construction to see it all finished for our community has been great.
Pleasant Hill Soccer Association – President, VP, Member – Started with our soccer program in 2015. Became President from 2018–2021, VP from 2022–2024, and currently serve on the board. It has been such a great accomplishment to see our program grow to what it is today. It takes a lot of volunteers to make a soccer season run. I have really enjoyed every part of what our association does.
Cub Scouts and Scouting America BSA – I spent many years with my son in scouting, participating as a scout leader and a board member. While we are not enrolled in scouting any longer, I still attend some of the events and talk to many of the current leaders. The scouting program is special to me as I grew up in scouting and was a summer camp staff member for many years. I often communicate opportunities for the scouting program to be involved in projects in our community.
What abilities do you have that you feel will benefit Pleasant Hill in this position? I bring a strong construction work background that helps protect taxpayer dollars by ensuring projects are planned correctly, priced realistically, and built right the first time. My experience with estimating, contractor coordination, project management, scheduling, and identifying potential issues early helps reduce change orders, delays, and unnecessary expenses.
I’ve also worked closely with city officials, staff, and community groups to coordinate park improvements with a focus on long-term value, durability, and responsible use of public funds. My goal is always to make sure investments are practical, well-managed, and deliver lasting benefits for Pleasant Hill residents.
What concerns you most about where Pleasant Hill is headed? If you are not concerned, tell us why you think Pleasant Hill is on the right track. My biggest concern is making sure Pleasant Hill grows without falling behind on parks, youth sports, and community amenities. As someone with years of civic service, I’ve seen how lack of planning strains fields, facilities, and volunteer programs. I believe Pleasant Hill is on the right track because it invests in long-term planning and community input — but we must stay proactive so growth strengthens, not stresses, the quality of life for families and kids.
What do you do for fun when you’re not working or volunteering? I spend a lot of my free time around soccer, watching my son play and attending Sporting KC and Comets matches. I also enjoy golfing with my son, game nights with family and friends, horseshoes at the city lake, and camping whenever I can fit it in.
What more do you want people to know about you? I’m a hands-on, consistent volunteer who shows up and follows through. I care deeply about parks, youth sports, and community spaces because they shape kids, families, and the character of Pleasant Hill.
I believe in listening first, planning ahead, and doing the work to leave things better than I found them.
How long have you lived in Pleasant Hill, and what originally brought you here? 11 years, and I moved here for small-town living.
What made you decide to run for this position right now? The city council and city hall good ol’ boy network is failing to address resident concerns and people have given up hope in trying to gain transparency or accountability from their elected officials and certain city staff. The governance in this town has not had the long-term vision required of elected officials, and those shortcomings have caught up with us. (I do have high hopes for the new City Administrator, however)
Have you served on any boards, commissions, or volunteer groups in town? If so, which ones and what did you accomplish? I’ve applied for several boards and commissions through the years, and the city is not rotating people on those boards with new people, as they are supposed to do. We have people that have sat on certain boards for DECADES while new people are not brought in.
What abilities do you have that you feel will benefit Pleasant Hill in this position? I actually seek out residents (NOT just my friend circle) and engage them. I have decades of experience in conflict resolution and project planning, and that requires that I look at situations and projects from as many sides as possible when making decisions. This allows me to make better-informed decisions that look at the big picture while I still represent what residents tell me that they want. And I am a PITBULL when it comes to solving problems! I’m not afraid to be accountable, and I’m not ashamed to be transparent.
What concerns you most about where Pleasant Hill is headed? If you are not concerned, tell us why you think Pleasant Hill is on the right track. “Do we really want Pleasant Hill to become another Lee’s Summit or Overland Park? If so, why do we live here, and not there?” “Are the decisions that Council is making in the best interest of the Residents?” The answer to these questions should guide our elected leadership, but instead all they do is ask what the next town over is doing, and do that, when that isn’t the right fit for US.
The people of Pleasant Hill are great, and I feel that a lack of planning, vision, and true oversight is denying the citizens of Pleasant Hill many opportunities and depth as a city.
What do you do for fun when you’re not working or volunteering? I fix problems! I enjoy working on cars and motorcycles, repairing houses, and talking to residents! Currently, I am also collecting signatures for the Audit Petition.
What more do you want people to know about you? That I’m watching, listening, and standing up to address the issues that need it.
Pleasant Hill’s Gabi Marlow Earns Missouri FFA Grant for Ambitious Rabbit Project
Pleasant Hill High School student Gabi Marlow is taking her passion for animals and agriculture to the next level. She was recently awarded a Supervised Agriculture Experience (SAE) grant from the Missouri FFA Foundation to expand her innovative rabbit project. Gabi’s project is both practical and educational. She raises show rabbits, manages breeding programs, and prepares animals for both competition and meat production.
Photo Courtesy of Gabi’s Mother
“I handle breeding, care, recordkeeping, and preparing animals for competition or consumption,” Gabi said. “I show my community how to have a sustainable animal project without needing large amounts of land.” The grant will allow Gabi to expand her herd, build more efficient housing, improve her breeding records, and implement a structured breeding and culling program. Her goal is to combine responsible management, good animal husbandry, and sustainable practices to grow her project for years to come.
Photo Courtesy of Gabi’s Mother
FFA instructors Tyler Burgin and Aj Wingard praised Gabi’s initiative. “Gabi has had lofty goals and plans for her SAE project,” they said. “With this grant from the Missouri FFA Foundation, those goals are much closer to being realized. This investment gives students hands-on entrepreneurial experiences they can carry throughout adulthood.”
Gabi’s story is more than just a student project—it’s a testament to what young people in Pleasant Hill and across Missouri can achieve with hard work, creativity, and support. Her dedication shows that even with limited land and resources, students can run sustainable, impactful agricultural projects while gaining real-world skills.
Photo Courtesy of Gabi’s Mother
All FFA members participate in SAEs, hands-on projects that may involve launching an agribusiness, working in an agricultural field, or conducting research. The SAE grant program helps students who may not have the personal resources to start or grow their projects, providing essential support for their learning and entrepreneurial journeys.
Photo Courtesy of Gabi’s Mother
“To offset costs, I also operate a pet sitting business,” Gabi said. “These responsibilities have taught me organization, networking, and leadership skills.”
With her rabbit project thriving and her ambitions growing, Gabi Marlow is proof that the next generation of Missouri farmers and animal caretakers is not only capable—they’re unstoppable.
Pleasant Hill — This Is YOUR Chance to Ask the Questions We’re hosting upcoming candidate debates for: City Council At-Large — March 8 Mayor — March 15 Council Precinct #22 — March 29
We want your questions for the debates! Submit your questions and topics at the links below. The best questions from residents will be asked LIVE during the debates. This is your opportunity to be heard before you vote. Drop your questions here:
We’re forming a small review committee to sort through your submitted questions alongside Rick Kuenzler of 92.1 Butler and help shape the debate evenings. Stay tuned for streaming locations. You can sign up for our newsletter on PHMOmag.com
Use Tax on Hold — But Likely to Return to a Future Pleasant Hill Ballot
At the January 26 meeting, the council chose to delay the use tax measure and spend more time explaining it to residents before asking for another vote. The decision came after a more detailed discussion on January 12th at a work session about the tax, how it would be used, and any unanswered questions residents may still have.
The proposed use tax would apply to online and out-of-state purchases made by Pleasant Hill residents, for which local sales tax is not currently collected. If you buy something in a Pleasant Hill store, the city collects a 2.75% local sales tax. If you buy that same item online and it’s shipped to your home, the state (4.23%) and the county (about 1.63%) still get their share, but the city does not.
The use tax allows the city of Pleasant Hill to collect 2.75% on purchases made by residents online or out of state. Some would say this is not a tax increase, and others would argue that most online purchases do not include the 2.72 percent at this time, and if the use tax were passed, residents would pay an additional 2.72 percent. The city also argued that, since most commerce is now conducted online rather than in town, it has lost revenue over the years and would like to collect the use tax to support the city budget.
City staff informed council that, based on data from Cass County and the Missouri Department of Revenue, the missing share adds up to about $626,000 per year.
During a January 12 work session, interim City Administrator Nici Wilson pointed to park maintenance as the primary concern. After voters approved Prop P improvements in 2024, the city now faces the ongoing cost of maintaining those upgraded parks. Wilson said current revenue sources aren’t enough to keep the parks at the level residents expect. She also noted the money could support adding a police officer and improving pay to help retain and recruit officers.
But when the public spoke, a different priority emerged: streets and sidewalks.
Several residents said that if the city is asking for new funding, they want to see it clearly directed toward infrastructure rather than park operations.
That led to one of the most profound clarifications of the discussion. Wilson explained that tax revenue is not permanently restricted by law. Even if the city communicates its intent to use the money, a future council or even the current one could legally spend it differently.
Mayor John King added another layer to the conversation. He pointed to proposed changes at the state level, including state efforts to reduce or eliminate parts of the state income tax, eliminate the capital gains tax, and reform property taxes that may limit how local tax revenue grows. He warned that cities like Pleasant Hill could see key revenue streams shrink in the future, making a local use tax more of a financial safety net than a funding bonus.
King also acknowledged that the measure received only about 32% support in the April 2024 election. Cass County results show 1,094 votes were cast on Proposition 4, with 747 voting no and 347 voting yes.
Mayor John King said in a text to PHMOmag, “We need the use tax to be self-sufficient and to improve public safety. Infrastructure should become more proactive, not just reactive, on streets and sidewalks. We use seasonal workers and vendor contracts to help.”
With the April deadline approaching, the council agreed it wasn’t the right time to try again. King also said the city wants to give new City Administrator Kristen Dorman time to get fully up to speed before the issue returns.
Many surrounding areas have already passed a use tax, including Harrisonville and Lee’s Summit.
The use tax isn’t gone. It’s just waiting for a better explanation, and, perhaps, more public trust before it comes back.
Marketplace CID Boundaries Corrected at Jan. 12 Council Meeting
Pleasant Hill City Council members unanimously approved corrections to the legal boundary descriptions of the Pleasant Hill Marketplace Community Improvement District (CID) following a public hearing.
The CID is on a 20-acre property at the northeast corner of MO-7 Highway and East 163rd Street. This property will house a Price Chopper and five retail pad sites totaling roughly 17,650 square feet of additional space for shops, restaurants, or service businesses. The stores that will be going in those retail pad sites are, at this time, unknown.
The property owner, JWW Investment, requested that the acreage be legally corrected.
Interim City Administrator Nici Wilson commented during the meeting, “The initial application that was filed for the Pleasant Hill Marketplace CID inadvertently included the legal description of the entire 200-acre parcel, when it should have just included the 20 acres where the actual Pleasant Hill Marketplace project is going to sit.”
There were no public comments.
Council then unanimously approved Bill No. 26-01, which amends the boundaries of the Pleasant Hill Marketplace CID to reflect the corrected legal description. They also approved Bill No. 26-02, authorizing the mayor to execute an amendment to the Comprehensive Development Incentives Agreement to align with the district’s updated boundaries.
USPS Postmark Change: What Pleasant Hill Residents Should Know
A significant shift was made at the national level at the Post Office that will affect those who use the Post Office here in Pleasant Hill and rely on a time stamp. In late December 2025, the USPS updated its official mailing manual to clarify how postmarks are applied.
This means if you go to the post office and mail a letter on a Monday, it might take a day or two, or who knows with the post office, to be processed and time-stamped. So if you have a deadline with your piece of mail, like taxes, a voting form, or even a bill, you might think you are on time, but officially, your mail may say otherwise.
According to USPS, “while we are not changing our postmarking practices, we have made adjustments to our transportation operations that will result in some mailpieces not arriving at our originating processing facilities on the same day that they are mailed.” Read Full Statement
There are some steps you can take to ensure you are seen as on time. You can go to the post office, ask for a manual postmark at the counter, use certified or registered mail, request a certificate of mailing, mail early, or submit documents electronically.
According to USPS officials, “this clarification just reflects how the system has worked for a long time — machine postmarks show processing time, not mailbox drop-off time. What’s changed is the official wording, and with today’s transportation and processing delays, the gap between when you mail something and when it gets postmarked can be longer than it used to be.”
For those of us in Pleasant Hill, the message is pretty simple: If the date matters, make sure you have proof.
Have you ever needed a last-minute gift for someone special—something thoughtful, something just right—and wished you didn’t have to drive out of town to find it? I know I have. And lucky for all of us, relief is sitting right on 7 Highway.
Stephanie Cline and her pup Millie Photo by Bunny Tuttle
Stephanie Cline knows this town better than most. Born and raised in Pleasant Hill, she and her husband, Kyle, started their married life in Lee’s Summit before quickly realizing they wanted to raise their growing family back home. Twenty-two years later, they’re still here—rooted, involved, and raising three incredible kids. Ayden, their oldest, is now a junior playing baseball at the University of Missouri–St. Louis. Ella, their daughter, is thriving during her freshman year at Lindenwood University. And Hudson, their youngest, is finding his own path as a freshman at Pleasant Hill High School.
And then there’s Jumble & Co.—Stephanie’s warm, welcoming little shop filled with special gifts for the special people in your life… and even a few items perfect for those who are a little harder to shop for.
Shelves of merchandise in the Jumble and Co. Shop Photo by Bunny Tuttle
My daughter was the first to suggest I stop by when I needed a gift. I expected to find a few options. What I didn’t expect was to walk into a treasure chest of local talent. Stephanie currently features products from ten local makers—everything from jewelry and candles to fresh bread, tallow, crafts, and clever creations I didn’t even know our town had to offer. “It is awesome to see everyone’s talents come together to fill this delightful shop with local goodness,” Stephanie said.
Photo by Bunny Tuttle
True to its name, the shop is a genuine jumble of wonderful things. Stephanie never wanted to limit herself to a single category, such as clothing or home décor. “I wanted to have wiggle room to change and flow,” she explained.
Photo by Bunny Tuttle
That flexibility is exactly what you feel when you walk inside. Need a cozy throw pillow? A date-night outfit? Dog treats for your furry best friend? A greeting card? It’s all tucked inside this small-but-mighty space.
Jumble & Co. has that warm, cozy feel that keeps you wandering around to see what’s around the next corner. Stephanie hopes to continue growing the shop and bringing in more local artists and makers who fit her vision. She’s also planning more pop-ups in 2026 to expand her reach.
Community matters deeply to Stephanie and Kyle. They plan to become more involved with Bright Futures, a nonprofit that supports students right here at home. This year, they participated by putting up an angel tree at the Elementary School. Next year, that tree will stand inside Jumble & Co., helping provide coats, meals, and essential support for local kids.
Photo Courtesy of PHHS Schools
Meanwhile, Kyle stays busy running Cline Construction & Roofing, Inc., which has been serving Pleasant Hill since 2007. His work extends far beyond roofing, including home remodels, deck builds, and full barndominiums. When a project requires a specialty trade, he knows exactly who to call.
Image from Cline Construction and Roofing Inc. Facebook page
When the couple finally gets a chance to slip away, they love to travel, often chasing the ocean and new experiences. And if you stop by the shop, you’ll likely be greeted by Millie—their adorable puppy and unofficial mascot of Jumble & Co., ready to welcome customers and steal a few hearts along the way.
Jumble and Company can be found at 1208 N 7 Hwy Unit E, Pleasant Hill, and both companies are on Facebook.
April 7, 2026 General Municipal Election Candidates
This holiday season, a small home on Campbell Street in Pleasant Hill is shining a little brighter — and so are the hearts of many in our community.
Chris and Justine of All Trades – Christmas Lights, a local holiday light installation company, recently hosted an online contest inviting residents to nominate a Pleasant Hill family in need. Their goal was simple and heartfelt: to bring joy, hope, and Christmas spirit to a household that could use a lift.
“All Trades LLC is dedicated to bringing joy and support to families during the holiday season,” the company shared on its Facebook page.
The contest welcomed nominations for families living within Pleasant Hill city limits who have at least one child in the home. This year’s recipients were Mike and Carla Murray, a retired Pleasant Hill couple who are currently fostering two young children.
The Murray family was nominated by a neighbor who recognized both their challenges and their compassion. In recent months, Mike Murray has been hospitalized several times, placing additional strain on the household. Despite these hardships, Carla Murray remains actively involved in the community through Pleasant Hill Downtown LLC and continues to show a strong interest in local government and civic life.
“This is why I love Pleasant Hill. While Mike is still in the hospital and I’m caring for two toddler foster kids, our neighbors and a hometown business stepped in and created a Christmas miracle for our family when we simply couldn’t. That’s what makes our community so special,” said Carla Murray.
For All Trades – Christmas Lights, this marks the second year of their holiday giving initiative.
“This will be our second year helping a family experience the joy of seeing their house shine bright with Christmas cheer, despite any financial challenges they might be facing,” the company shared. “With your nomination, together, we can spread the holiday spirit and gift another family the warmth and joy of the season.”
Thanks to their generosity — and the caring voices of neighbors who spoke up — the Murray home now glows with festive lights, serving as a beautiful reminder of what community truly means in Pleasant Hill.
At the December 22 City Council meeting, anticipation filled the room as council members entered a closed session to vote on Pleasant Hill’s next city administrator. Assistant City Administrator Nici Wilson has been serving in the interim role since Shelby Teufel’s resignation last summer. At the same time, the council worked behind the scenes to identify the right long-term leader.
When the council returned to open session, Mayor John King announced the decision: Kristen Dorman has been selected as Pleasant Hill’s new city administrator.
Dorman is no stranger to the community. According to her LinkedIn profile, she previously served as Pleasant Hill’s assistant city administrator from July 2020 through July 2022. She will transition to the role from her current position as interim city administrator for the nearby city of Warrensburg.
Mayor King hopes to formally introduce Dorman at the January 12 City Council meeting. She is expected to officially begin her duties on January 13, stepping into the role with momentum as the city moves into the new year.
A Record-Breaking Night at the 7th Annual Holiday UTV Parade & Mayor’s Tree Lighting: Dream Maching Motorsports Joins in on the Fun
Pleasant Hill lit up the night in holiday form as families, local businesses, and visitors packed out downtown Pleasant Hill for the 7th Annual Holiday UTV Parade and Mayor’s Tree Lighting. This year marked the biggest parade in the event’s history, and a new sponsor—Dream Machines Motorsports—helped make the festivities even brighter.
A New Sponsor with Community Spirit
Dream Machines Motorsports, based in Kansas City, located off Lee’s Summit Road and 40 Highway, joined the parade fun for the first time.
“We love being part of the community and building our customers and the trust we have with them,” saidAaron Vial of Dream Machines. “This is our customer base, and it’s going to be a great day.”
Their involvement began when Former Mayor Mark Guffey, a dealership customer, invited them to participate.
“It’s a crazy thing—everything in this community is that ‘small world’ saying,” Vial said. “The mayor, (meaning former mayor Mark Guffey) referred customers to us and then asked if we wanted to be a part of the parade. We’d never been involved before. This is our first year.”
Dream Machines brought machines, merchandise, giveaways, and a whole team ready to celebrate with Pleasant Hill. They plan to announce the winner of the UTV giveaway in early 2026, according to a staff member.
Mark Guffey and Aaron VialPhoto by Connie Whitlock
City of Pleasant Hill’s Official Recap
The City of Pleasant Hill shared its gratitude with the community following the record-breaking parade, writing on its Facebook Page:
“Thank you, Pleasant Hill! You helped make the 7th Annual Holiday UTV Parade & Mayor’s Tree Lighting our biggest and brightest celebration yet! We look forward to this event every year, and 2025 did not disappoint.”
This year’s parade starred 172 UTVs, the largest turnout. The City extended a special thank-you to Dream Machines Motorsports for sponsoring the event.
Photo by Connie WhitlockPhoto by Connie Whitlock
UTV Parade Winners
– Mayor’s Choice: #51 (Elf on the Shelf) – Dream Machines Motorsports Choice: #40 – People’s Choice: #56 – Please message us, we have your prize! – 1st Place: #44 (Blow-up Santa with reindeer in front) – 2nd Place: #155 (Multi-colored lights with blow-up Santa and reindeer on top) – 3rd Place: #128
The City also celebrated the many other community moments that filled the evening:
“From incredible dance and choir performances, to serving 5 gallons of hot chocolate and 420 cookies at Cookies with Santa, shopping with 23 local vendors and downtown businesses staying open late, Gray’s Lot festively decorated by the Pleasant Hill Historic District, and three streets lined with holiday-decorated UTVs — this holiday tradition just keeps getting bigger and better.”
The statement concluded with a message that reflects the spirit of Pleasant Hill:
“We’re grateful for a community that shows up with such joy and spirit to celebrate the holiday season. We already can’t wait for next year!”
Pleasant Hill Always Shows Up Big
For Pleasant Hill, the parade was only part of the excitement. The event continued throughout downtown as friends and families enjoyed even more fun.
The event didn’t stop there; Brick & Mirth hosted two buildings full of pop-up shopping, joined by downtown businesses offering books, jewelry, art, clothes, and other giftable treasures. Many took advantage of the opportunity to cross a few names off their Christmas list while supporting local makers and shops.
After shopping, people moseyed down to Gray’s Lot, where fire pits kept the evening warm and inviting. Friends gathered, kids played, and a festive tent with a portable bar welcomed guests who donated drinks or dropped tips in the jar. Thanks, J.W. Hanes, the Pleasant Hill DJ, for the holiday music and for partnering with Tony Bakken to bring the VIP Lounge bar tent. Former Mayor Mark Guffey made sure everyone signed a chair that was going to be auctioned. Fun was had by all well into the evening.
Mark Guffy Photo by Connie WhitlockChair to be auctioned Photo by Connie Whitlock
A Quick Night at City Hall: Audit Concerns, Security Upgrades, Public Comment Policy, and Congrats to Bob White
The city of Pleasant Hill had a quick meeting on Monday, November 24th. The meeting covered a significant security upgrade, heard resident concerns about the cost of a possible state audit, and discussed draft changes to the new public comment policy.
Residents Ask What a State Audit Could Cost the City
Brian “Auggie” Augspurg stepped up to the public comment podium to voice his concerns about the cost of a looming state audit. Residents are collecting signatures for a state audit and are about halfway to their goal. Augspurg commented, “Do you think there’s enough time that the city would be able to start a committee for that, or figure it into your budget for next year? I don’t want to end up with a bill for a couple hundred thousand dollars that we don’t have a lot for. Otherwise, you’re going to have to give up something.”
Brian “Auggie” Augspurg commenting on the audit Photo by Connie Whitlock
Mayor John King responded, saying that it depended largely on the scope of the work and the city’s size. He mentioned two other Missouri communities whose bills were between 100k and 125k. King said, “I also know from conversations with the auditor’s office they’re about a year to 18 months behind before they would even start doing it, and they can take up to six months to decide once they get it. Just because they get an audit doesn’t mean that they will do it.”
Carla Murray, the leading resident for the audit, who was in attendance, had a different understanding of how the audit works. Murray said, “There are differences in what the mayor described and how a petition audit works in the state. But the bottom line is, once the required signatures are gathered and validated, the audit will be scheduled and should begin within a few months.
Council Approves $134,920 Security Package for Police Department and Animal Shelter
A bid award for security and access-control systems at both the Pleasant Hill Police Department and the city’s new animal shelter was a priority at Monday night’s meeting. Interim City Admin Nici Wilson explained that three bids were received.
Still, the lowest-cost vendor could not meet the strict project timelines tied to ongoing construction and bond-funding milestones. She recommended awarding the contract to TSI for $134,920.54, noting that the bid was still about $32,000 under the allocated project budget of $166,000.
Failure to meet construction deadlines, Wilson warned, could expose the city to arbitrage risks related to bond spending schedules.
With no objections from the public or the council, the measure passed unanimously on a roll-call vote.
Interim City Administrator Nici Wilson addressing the council on Security Photo by Connie Whitlock
Draft Public Comment Policy Moves Forward
The city then addressed the draft of the Public Comment Policy. This policy, discussed at a work session last October, is not ready for a vote, according to Interim City Administrator Nici Wilson. She explained that they needed to send it to the lawyers for review and would like council members to review it as well before a vote.
A Light Moment Before Adjournment
Before closing, the council paused to recognize a happy milestone: longtime resident Bob White and his wife recently renewed their vows after 37 years of marriage. In doing so, they corrected a long-standing typo in their original paperwork, which mistakenly read they were wed by the “Justice of the Peach.” The room shared a laugh before the meeting ended.
Bob White at City Council Meeting Photo by Connie Whitlock
The council adjourned shortly afterward, with one official joking that the brisk meeting might have set a new record for efficiency.
Bombshell and Outdoor Couple; The Huerters Make a Big Impact in the Community
Down the main drag of Pleasant Hill, one will pass many thriving businesses. Two of them are owned by a passionate married couple with big dreams. These shops bring fashion flair and mechanical expertise to the community, backed by years of experience and a genuine commitment to serving Pleasant Hill. One of our writers, Bunny Tuttle, had the chance to interview Ryan and Dana Huerter of Pleasant Hill and get a peek into their lives.
Ryan and Dana Huerter Photo courtesy of the Huerters
The duo wed in 2018, each already having raised three children and having blended their lives. Dana Huerter said, “We have successfully supported each other’s individual business dreams while planting deep roots in our community.” Dana Huerter with her company, Bombshell Studio, and Ryan Huerter with Outdoor Power Center. They both serve the community almost side by side along Highway 7.
Dana Huerter’s shop, nestled in the middle of town, is located at Pleasant Hill Plaza, or more precisely at 2001 N. 7 Highway. She has a vision to share her knowledge of fashion, beauty, and comfort with her fellow community members, bringing 35 years of experience in cosmetology, including hair, nails, esthetics, instruction, and more. She is considered an expert in her industry. This fashion entrepreneur has also built a women’s boutique inside the studio, filled with designer and leather bags, shoes, jewelry, couture pieces, and unique West Coast fashions. She also adds for the community, Rooster items that celebrate the high school and Chiefs apparel.
Bombshell Studio Chiefs and Christmas apparel Photo taken by Bunny Tuttle
According to Tuttle, Huerter is very serious about serving her customers well, presents herself professionally in the store, and keeps her shop always looking great, with something new every time she visits. Tuttle said, “What struck me most during my visit was Dana herself. She is friendly, knowledgeable, and genuinely invested in helping people look and feel their best. She keeps the boutique updated with fresh styles and greets guests with easy conversation and a welcoming smile.” Huerter loves being in Pleasant Hill and having a business very near her husband, Ryan Huerter.
Ryan Huerter’s shop, located at 1309 Highway 7, is not far from his wife’s shop and has a history in Pleasant Hill. Many of you reading this now might remember Rick and Pam Jurss, who owned Outdoor Power Center and repaired small engines. Well, Huerter took the baton and expanded the business by leveraging his automotive repair skills while still repairing small engines and handheld equipment, and staying in retail.
Ryan Huerter in his shop Photo courtesy of the Huerters
These are two successful business leaders in our community, but this most certainly isn’t the end of the story or even the best part. We not only have two very competent people serving our community, but we also have a couple with big hearts. These two shine the most outside of business hours.
To mention, they also have a new joint-venture business, Roadahead Auto Sales, which operates out of the Outdoor Power Center. They offer auto sales, inspections, alongside their repair services.
Auto Sales parking lot on 7 Highway Photo courtesy of the Huerters
These two love to give to families and pets in need. Every December, the two inspire their shops to compete in an annual food drive. They even named their teams the Bombshells and the Greasers. Dana Huerter also spearheads the popular Furry Love animal shelter fundraiser. This furbaby mom of three beloved dogs is holding a drawing for a fur coat, with entries based on donations of blankets, pet food, and towels for the local animal shelter.
Dana Huerter with her pooch Photo courtesy of the Huerters
Together, Dana and Ryan Huerter say they aim to embody the best of Pleasant Hill entrepreneurship and want to dedicate themselves to quality service. They echo that they are passionate about their town and want to put family and community first. Outside of work, they enjoy traveling and spending time with their large, blended family, and feel there is no limit to what they can achieve as long as they remain dedicated to their craft and community. You can find both Huerters’ shops at https://www.facebook.com/bombshellstudio and https://www.outdoorpowermo.com/.
Here’s to thriving businesses in town! Follow PHMOmag for closer looks at Pleasant Hill businesses and people.
If Pleasant Hill Had Its Own Hallmark Movie: The Corny Edition
A short story with extra cheese, extra charm, and extra Pleasant Hill.
Holly Hartman didn’t believe in Christmas magic. She barely believed in Christmas parking. But her marketing firm sent her to Pleasant Hill with strict instructions: “Photograph the town. Capture the charm. Don’t fall in love.”
By noon on her first day, she had already failed.
It started at Press Monkey Coffee & Tees, where the barista handed her a peppermint latte with a wink and said, “You’ll want this for courage, trust me.” She wasn’t sure what that meant until she looked outside and saw a grown man from Browns Vintage joyfully zooming down Broadway in a child-sized electric car, honking a tiny horn as if he were late to a very important preschool board meeting.
Holly blinked. Pleasant Hill winked back.
She stepped outside, turning her camera toward Willow Boutique, where a mannequin wearing a sequined holiday dress practically begged her to believe in sparkle again. That was when she bumped—literally—into a flannel-covered wall of muscle.
Except it wasn’t a wall. It was Evan Brooks.
Local contractor. Professional heartthrob. Man who apparently had wood shavings in his beard from renovating the old building next to the Depot.
“I’m so sorry!” Holly sputtered.
“That’s okay,” Evan said with a smile that could thaw the North Pole. “Happens all the time. Pleasant Hill sidewalks get dangerous when Willow puts out the glitter dresses.”
If Holly had been drinking her latte, she would’ve sprayed peppermint foam all over him.
The town kept proving its uniqueness. As they strolled together, Evan showed her Knothole Wood Carving Shop, where the air smelled like Christmas trees and destiny. Holly bought a carved Depot ornament just because Evan said, “Every newcomer needs one.” She pretended that didn’t make her heart do a cartwheel.
Near the Depot, volunteers prepared for the Mayor’s Tree Lighting. Holly turned to ask Evan a question but got distracted by a local Elvis impersonator emerging from Big Creek Café. He adjusted his collar, nodded to the crowd, and crooned, “It’s Christmas time, pretty mama,” to no one in particular.
Holly whispered, “Is that—?”
“Yes,” Evan said. “And yes, he sometimes sings at breakfast.”
Before she could recover, a small tent popped up near the sidewalk, where locals had assembled what could only be called a portable holiday speakeasy. They decorated it with garland and lights, waved in strangers, and insisted everyone “grab a cup and join the season.” Holly had never been hugged by that many people wearing matching flannel before.
The sun dipped, carrying the whole town into soft golden glow. That’s when the UTV parade lined up—UTVs covered in so many lights they looked like Rudolph’s cousins had decided to run for office. Kids squealed, parents cheered, and somewhere behind Holly, Elvis harmonized with a lawn-decoration reindeer.
“This town is unbelievable,” Holly whispered.
Evan grinned. “Stick around. The tree lighting’s when Pleasant Hill turns the cheese up to maximum power.”
He wasn’t kidding.
When the Mayor hit the switch, the Christmas tree didn’t just light up—it exploded in brightness. Lights shimmered across the Depot, across storefronts, across Holly’s face, making her glow like a Hallmark heroine who had finally found her plot twist. Snowflakes drifted down in perfect movie timing. Evan stepped closer. Holly felt every romantic cliché she had ever rolled her eyes at crash directly into her ribcage.
“This place…” she breathed.
“Has that effect,” he said, voice soft as cedar shavings.
And right there—under the sparkle of the Depot lights, with kids cheering, Elvis harmonizing, the Browns Vintage guy rolling by in his tiny car again, and the pop-up tent people clinking holiday cups—Holly realized she was helpless. Pleasant Hill had caught her heart like mistletoe falling from the sky.
Evan reached for her hand, gently, like he didn’t want to scare the moment away.
“Stay awhile?” he asked.
Holly, who didn’t believe in Christmas magic, suddenly believed in every cheesy, predictable holiday miracle ever written.
She squeezed his hand and said the corniest thing she had ever said in her life—
“I think Pleasant Hill might just be… my home for the holidays.”
And from somewhere behind them, Elvis softly sang, “Uh-huh-huuuh… she’s stayin’, baby.”
It was perfect. Ridiculously perfect. Corny enough to butter toast.
One Thanksgiving, years ago, our church’s small group had a friendsgiving. We always enjoyed spending time with this small group. Many wonderful things came out of this time in our lives, including my daughter finding her best friend to grow up with. Another treasure was finding a fantastic cranberry sauce recipe. This group no longer meets, but every year at Thanksgiving, I make this cranberry sauce, and it reminds me of our time together. I am constantly asked for this recipe and will hand it down to you, my PHMOmag friends. Maybe you will think of us when you make this wonderful festive dish.
4 cups fresh cranberries 2 cups of sugar 1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice 1 teaspoon orange zest 2 pears, peeled and cut into small cubes
Combine everything in a saucepan and place on medium heat. Boil for about 10 minutes. Skim foam. Bring to room temperature. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator.
A Busy Night Ahead: Pleasant Hill City Council to Tackle Contracts, Security Upgrades, and Public Engagement Reform on November 24
The Pleasant Hill City Council returns to City Hall on Monday, November 24, 2025, for a full slate of decisions that touch every corner of city operations, from infrastructure to transparency, public safety, and fiscal stewardship. According to the official Notice of Meeting signed by City Clerk Jodie Wasson, the session will bring forward major contract authorizations, a review of security improvement bids for both the Police Department and Animal Shelter, a formal acknowledgment of millions of dollars’ worth of surplus equipment transactions, and continued refinement of a new Public Comment Policy that could reshape how residents interact with their local government.
Approval of Minutes and Consent Agenda
The meeting opens with approval of the agenda and minutes from the November 10 session. These minutes capture significant actions, including the bid award for the Second Street Parking Lot project and the Council’s first structured discussion about updating Pleasant Hill’s public comment rules. That discussion continues this week as the Council works to finalize how community members may address their elected officials.
Surplus Equipment Sales Formally Enter Public Record
One of the most substantial administrative items on Monday evening is the formal acknowledgment of surplus Parks & Facilities equipment sales. Parks Director Jeff Hull documented the sale of numerous items through the Purple Wave Auction platform after they were deemed obsolete or no longer needed for city operations. The transactions totaled $53,350 and involved buyers across multiple states, purchasing everything from mower attachments and aerators to a large 40×60 tent, a mini excavator, and a skid steer. Items that reached the end of their service life will soon return to the Council for replacement authorization via lease. Resolution 25-36 formally acknowledges these sales and incorporates the detailed invoices into the City’s permanent records.
Second Street Parking Lot Contract Moves to Finalization
Another major consent item is the execution of the contract for the 2nd Street Parking Lot Improvements project. After six bids were received and reviewed by Allstate Consultants, G-B Construction, LLC was identified as the lowest responsible bidder. The project, totaling $204,584.25 before a planned change-order deduction, will improve stormwater flow, reduce impervious surface area, and create a structured parking layout with ADA spaces and optional parallel parking. Monday night’s resolution, Bill 25-37, authorizes Interim City Administrator Nici Wilson to sign the contract and officially initiate the project.
Police & Animal Shelter Security Upgrade Contract Up for Vote
When the Council moves into its consideration items, one of the headline decisions will be the approval of Bid No. 09-25 for the Police Department and Animal Shelter Security Package. After evaluating the proposals and conducting pre-bid walkthroughs, the project team recommends awarding the job to TSI Global Companies, LLC for a total cost of $134,920.54. The contract would fund modernized security systems for both facilities, improving access control and safety. Publication affidavits and bid tabulations confirm compliance with state bidding requirements, and Monday’s vote will determine whether the City proceeds with this vendor.
Draft Public Comment Policy Continues Development
The City Council will also continue shaping Pleasant Hill’s evolving Public Comment and Meeting Decorum Policy. The current draft outlines a structured, three-minute comment period at every Council meeting, a requirement for speakers to identify themselves, and clear standards for respectful communication. Written comments would be accepted until noon on the day of a meeting and must comply with decorum rules. The policy will apply to all City boards and commissions, creating uniform expectations for public participation. Monday’s discussion will guide the next revision and determine how the rules will ultimately be adopted and enforced.
Possible Closed Session Under Missouri Statutes
As allowed under state law, the Council may enter closed session to discuss legal matters, real estate, or personnel issues under RSMo 610.021 before concluding the evening’s business.
With major contracts, public safety investments, and public engagement reforms on the table, Monday’s session stands as one of the season’s most impactful, setting the stage for Pleasant Hill’s operational direction heading into 2026.
Remembering Dr. Robert Edward Kennedy: A Legacy Built on Knowledge, Kindness, and Community
The Pleasant Hill Historical Society is mourning the loss of one of its most influential champions, Dr. Robert Edward Kennedy—affectionately known as “Bob”—who passed away on Sunday, November 16. For decades, his name has been synonymous with dedication, curiosity, and a quiet determination that helped shape the preservation of Pleasant Hill’s history.
Bob arrived in Pleasant Hill after a distinguished 35-year career as a mathematician at the University of Central Missouri, where he specialized in number theory and commutative algebra. His love for precision and problem-solving naturally transitioned into the next chapter of his life. Upon retirement, he was recruited by longtime Historical Society leader Mary Margaret Ingels, who recognized Bob as the ideal steward for the Society’s growing collection. She was absolutely correct.
What began as a modest, one-room museum soon became Bob’s mission. He meticulously organized the Society’s holdings, breathing new life and structure into the collection. Additionally, he understood that the stories of Pleasant Hill deserved more space, care, and a fitting home to reflect the city’s rich heritage. With characteristic persistence, Bob tirelessly raised approximately $250,000 for a much-needed expansion. His efforts culminated in the opening of the Society’s new museum facility in 2015, a milestone that would not have been possible without his vision and energy.
Bob went on to serve as curator for an extraordinary 25 years, retiring in November 2024. During his tenure, he became more than just a caretaker of artifacts; he was a keeper of memories, a teacher, a friendly guide, and a guardian of Pleasant Hill’s history. His influence extends well beyond the museum’s walls, evident in every meticulously cataloged item and in every visitor who learned something new thanks to his work.
Dr. Robert Edward Kennedy leaves behind a legacy of scholarship and service. Pleasant Hill is immeasurably better for having known him, and his contributions will continue to shape the community for generations to come.
The Roost: Building Skills, Confidence, and Community One Cookie at a Time
At two of our district’s schools, something special is cooking – literally. Students in the Special Education programs at both the Intermediate and Middle Schools are running thriving school stores as part of a unique program called The Roost.
The Roost stands for Respect, Ownership, Opportunity, Safety, and Trust. These values are at the heart of everything these students do. The Roost is run by students in self-contained classrooms who face behavioral and academic challenges that can make learning in a traditional setting difficult. Through The Roost, they’re finding hands-on ways to build not only academic skills, but also confidence, responsibility, and community connection.
Von Robertson patiently waiting on the muffins to finish cooking for Friday deliveries
Learning Through Service
The school store is part of The Roost’s service learning project, designed to teach students vital life and job skills. The Intermediate School’s store, now in its second year, has inspired a new branch at the Middle School – and both are making a big impact.
The students began by surveying staff to find out what treats and drinks would be most popular. They learned advertising and marketing by designing posters for the teachers’ lounge and creating Google order forms so staff could preorder items.
On the menu? Favorites like cookies, candy, coffee, soda, cinnamon rolls, and even biscuits and gravy. Each week, students take and organize orders, then cook, package, and deliver items around the building every Friday.
During deliveries, they’re learning valuable lessons in professional communication, handling money, and counting back change – all while practicing respectful interactions with adults. They’re also responsible for cleanup after each round of deliveries, including washing dishes, wiping down workspaces, and organizing supplies – reinforcing teamwork and accountability from start to finish.
A Recipe for Growth
The teacher in charge at the Intermediate school, Maleri Shoemaker, shared that the project has made a real difference for her students, both academically and socially.
“One of the hardest things for the kids has been taking money and counting back change,” she explained. “Last year’s group really struggled with it. Now they can confidently go in there, take money, and count back change.”
Dr. Wayne Burke pays Intermediate school student, Von Robertson, for his lunch during the district-wide cookout.
Students have even taken the lead in promoting their business, coming up with their own slogans. The favorite they have been using is “If you need a boost, contact The Roost!”
To celebrate student success, there is an Employee of the Month program to recognize dedication and growth. Last month’s honoree at the Intermediate school, Kian Hadi, was anxious to explain how excited he was, a feeling that’s contagious throughout the team as they take pride in their work.
Other students say the best part of The Roost is seeing the joy it brings to others. Park Jarman, an Intermediate School student, said he enjoys participating because, “On Fridays we make snacks for all the teachers to enjoy for their hard work of teaching.”
Beyond the weekly orders, The Roost team also restocks a snack area in the teachers’ lounge each day. Teachers can leave payment or an IOU in a collection box, and students handle follow-ups themselves, which is another chance for them to practice social and organizational skills in real-world situations.
The Roo Store: A Middle School Spin on The Roost
At the Middle School, students have put their own creative twist on the idea, naming their business The Roo Store. The program was inspired by Shoemaker’s work at the Intermediate School. The Middle School teacher shared, “When I heard about The Roost, I thought our students could really benefit from something like this. We don’t have any vending machines or anything, and I thought our staff would really like it too.”
Park Jarman & Kian Hadi making Friday deliveries
Students are also learning about financial responsibility in a new way. They regularly watch advertisements and compare prices to learn how to shop smart and stretch their budget. The money they earn doesn’t just go back into the business, it also helps them fund fun class activities as a reward for their hard work.
Recently, the Middle School class was honored at a school board meeting for their dedication and growth. To celebrate, the students prepared homemade applesauce to share with the board members. Cooking Up Community
Last year, The Roost team expanded their reach with a district-wide cookout, taking orders from every school and running a drive-through pickup line. The menu featured classic favorites like hot dogs, hamburgers, chips, cookies, and drinks. The event was such a success that it’s coming back this year.
Intermediate school students Von Robertson and Park Jarman man the drive-thru pick-up line during the district-wide cookout.
In addition, they now provide quarterly themed lunches for staff. This quarter’s event was a tailgate theme, featuring nachos, pretzels, and plenty of school spirit. The best part about this program is that the students get to help with every step – from menu planning and food prep to serving and cleanup. More Than a Store
While The Roost and The Roo Store are teaching practical skills like food safety, teamwork, and money management, the biggest lessons are about confidence and connection.
“This is a great way to get kids who struggle socially and emotionally out in real-world situations,” Shoemaker said. “Obviously, our hope is that someday they can be contributing members of our community.”
And that hope is already becoming reality. One student who has participated in the program for both years went from avoiding deliveries to looking forward to them.
“Last year he hated making deliveries,” Shoemaker said. “Now he enjoys it. He has nicknames for the teachers, and he’s always smiling and joking with them. Just in that student alone, we’ve seen huge growth in social skills.”
Another student, Remington Dunlap, added, “It makes me have a smile on my face every day when I deliver to people. It is fun hearing that they like it, and it’s fun seeing the smiles on their faces when we deliver to them.”
Park Jarman cooks sausage for Friday’s favorite biscuits and gravy
The Roost’s Legacy
The Roost – and now The Roo Store – has become more than school stores. They’re symbols of growth, opportunity, and community. These programs give students the chance to learn, lead, and belong. And along the way, they’re proving that with the right support, amazing things can happen.
Pleasant Hill Softball Celebrates All-District, All-Conference, and Academic All-Conference Honors
The Pleasant Hill Chicks softball program is closing out the 2025 season with a long list of achievements, as athletes earned recognition at every major postseason level — All-District, All-Conference, and Academic All-Conference. These honors reflect excellence on the field, consistency throughout conference play, and outstanding performance in the classroom.
image from Chicks Softball Facebook post
Pleasant Hill’s success comes in a year when both the MRVC West Conference and Class 3 District 7 were highly competitive. The Chicks finished the conference season at the top with a 9–1 record and a 20–8 overall finish, a performance that set the stage for numerous postseason awards.
All-District Honors
In one of the toughest districts in Missouri — featuring three Top 10 state-ranked teams — Pleasant Hill earned multiple spots on the Class 3 District 7 All-District Teams. Devyn Younce was named First Team pitcher, JoeE Younce earned First Team catcher, and Natalie Hamilton received First Team infield recognition. On the Second Team, Pleasant Hill was represented by infielders Kori Graves, Paige Cribbs and Juliet Boden, along with outfielders Caroline Kim, Brylee Henson-Dawson and Evie Fiedler. Gracie Deringer was honored at the utility/DP position. These recognitions reflect consistent impact across every area of the lineup.
All-Conference Honors
The Chicks continued their strong presence in MRVC West postseason awards. Joee Younce earned First Team catcher, Devyn Younce was named First Team pitcher, and Juliet Boden and Paige Cribbs were First Team infield selections. On the Second Team, Pleasant Hill was represented by Gracie Deringer at DP, Caroline Kim in the outfield, and Natalie Hamilton in the infield. The conference honors mirror the team’s impressive 9–1 finish and highlight the core contributors who helped lead Pleasant Hill to the top of MRVC West.
Academic All-Conference Honors
Excellence extended into the classroom, where Pleasant Hill recognized several athletes who earned Academic All-Conference, an award requiring both a varsity letter and a cumulative 3.5 GPA. Honorees include Juliet Boden, Lauren Cross, Gracie Deringer, Evie Fiedler, Kori Graves, Caroline Kim, Sadie Lowry, Claire Shimel and JoeE Younce. Their accomplishments show the balance of academics and athletics that continues to define the program.
A Season of Pride for Pleasant Hill
The program’s message to families captured the pride surrounding these achievements. “Congrats to our ladies who received Academic All-Conference and All-Conference Honors! So incredibly proud of their work on and off the field to achieve these awards. Congrats Chicks!!” the announcement read. A similar message celebrated the All-District selections, calling the accomplishments “HUGE” given the level of competition.
image from Chicks Softball Facebook
With recognition at every level — district, conference and academic — the Chicks have showcased the strength and depth of Pleasant Hill softball. Their performance not only reflects individual talent but the hard work, discipline and culture that continue to elevate the program.
Pleasant Hill celebrates every athlete who contributed to this season and looks forward to the continued growth of a program built on commitment, resilience and pride.
Historic District’s Second Street Parking Lot Project Moves Forward After Detailed Council Review
Pleasant Hill’s long-planned improvements to the Second Street public parking lot are finally moving into action, following an in-depth presentation and unanimous approval by the City Council. This project, which has been on the city’s priority list for more than a decade, aims to modernize one of downtown’s most heavily used public spaces by adding safer parking, improving stormwater control, and reducing long-term maintenance issues.
Initially, the city scheduled this project in the 2024 Capital Improvement Plan. However, due to updated timelines and budget rollovers, it is now funded for the 2026 fiscal year. City staff reported that engineers developed three design concepts earlier this year, providing options for layout, grading, and stormwater considerations. After reviewing these concepts in previous meetings, the council selected the fully engineered design, which was then put out for bid.
Bids were posted on October 2nd and opened on October 29th, attracting interest from six contractors. The base bid for the final design came in at $197,425 and includes 50 regular parking stalls and three ADA-compliant spaces. The design also enhances the overall layout of the lot by reshaping the edges, reclaiming areas where cars currently overflow into grassy strips, and restoring those edges to a grassy appearance. Once completed, the project will actually reduce the amount of impervious surface by 1,678 square feet—an important improvement for stormwater management.
Stormwater management was a significant focus of the engineering discussions. Although the current parking lot appears to be gravel, it is situated on a compacted base that behaves like a hard surface, providing minimal direction for stormwater, according to interim City Administrator Nici Wilson. The new plan will regrade the entire lot to direct runoff toward the existing inlet at the southeast corner, improving environmental compliance and preventing water from flowing unpredictably into adjacent areas.
City staff also encouraged the council to consider an alternative addendum for the project, which would include three additional parallel parking spaces along Second Street. Costing $7,580, staff noted that it would be much more efficient to add these spaces while crews and equipment are on site rather than attempting a separate project later at a significantly higher cost. The council agreed and moved forward with that recommendation.
To stay within budget, the city plans to issue a change order immediately after the contract signing to remove the “prime coat” from the project scope, thereby reducing costs by approximately $60,000. Public Works emphasized that removing this layer will not affect the longevity of the asphalt, especially since the pavement will be laid over an aggregate base instead of an asphalt-over-asphalt application, where a prime coat is more necessary.
The city has invested $9,800 in engineering so far and will continue to work with its engineering team for construction oversight once the project begins. After contract approval and issuance of the notice to proceed, construction is expected to start as soon as winter weather allows. Asphalt plants close seasonally, typically reopening when temperatures consistently reach the mid-50s. Therefore, city staff anticipate mobilization around February 1 and active construction beginning in March. The projected completion date is early May 2026. Initially, the city had hoped for a deadline of April 30 to avoid interference with Farmers Market activities, but a more flexible schedule was offered to ensure competitive bids and realistic timelines. If the market uses the lot next year, adjustments may be necessary for the first couple of weeks.
Residents in attendance raised questions about access during the construction period. Councilwoman Brenda Dummer asked about traffic control costs and striping expenses. City staff confirmed that Second Street will remain open throughout the project, with only brief and temporary lane reductions during the mobilization phase. The traffic control costs included in the bid are likely to account for the required signage and safety measures; however, staff will follow up with the contractor for specific details. The paint-striping cost reflects both labor and the technical layout work necessary to ensure proper spacing and alignment.
After discussion, the City Council unanimously voted to award the contract to GB Construction, the lowest responsible bidder. The contractor will soon finalize the agreement, after which the city will issue the notice to proceed and begin preparing for the spring 2026 construction window.
For downtown Pleasant Hill, this project signifies a significant step forward. A properly engineered, stormwater-controlled, ADA-accessible parking lot will support local businesses, improve circulation during community events, and enhance safety for pedestrians and drivers alike. After years of planning, the Second Street lot is finally on track for a much-needed upgrade, and the community can expect to see the benefits take shape as early as next spring.
Key Issues Shaping Pleasant Hill: Infrastructure, Safety, Services, and Community Support
Pleasant Hill’s latest council actions highlight several ongoing community priorities—from sidewalk connectivity and water system upgrades to public safety concerns and preparations for the 2026 pool season. Rather than focusing on the procedural details of the meeting, here’s a deeper look at the topics themselves and what they mean for residents.
Supporting Local Families: Midwest Rolling Thunder Boot Drive
A familiar fundraiser returns this fall as Midwest Rolling Thunder prepares for its annual Boot Drive, an effort that raises money for local families in need. The event, held at Myrtle and Highway 7, continues to receive the city’s full support. Its consistency over the years reflects Pleasant Hill’s strong network of nonprofits and community groups working to close gaps for residents who need assistance.
Sidewalk connectivity along Lexington Road has been a community goal for years, especially for residents who walk or cycle along the corridor. After Pleasant Hill narrowly missed out on construction funding through the TAP program, the city is now pursuing a TEAP engineering study to strengthen future applications.
The study comes with an 80/20 cost share—$12,000 in federal support and a $3,000 local match—and is intended to produce the detailed design work needed to compete more effectively for future grants. Questions remain about whether engineering would be covered in future TAP awards, but the city is pushing ahead to make the project more shovel-ready.
For residents, this move signals progress toward safer pedestrian access, better school-route infrastructure, and potentially reduced traffic conflicts in an area that continues to see growth.
Pool Management in 2026: Higher Standards for Water Quality
As the city looks ahead to next summer, the Park Board has recommended continuing with a contracted pool management company while tightening oversight. The emphasis for 2026 is improved water chemistry management, beyond basic daily pH checks.
Parks & Facilities Director Jeff Hull noted that weekly calcium testing could help prevent long-term structural wear and ensure water remains safe for swimmers. Staff will explore multiple management companies and refine contract language so that the city can more actively verify maintenance practices. For families who rely on the pool each summer, these adjustments aim to deliver a cleaner, safer, and better-maintained facility.
Major Water Infrastructure Needs
Pleasant Hill’s water system continues to age, and Public Works laid out a clear list of priority upgrades for the coming year. Key needs include rehabilitation of the water tower and ground reservoir, redesigning the Timber Pump Station to handle modern VFD pumps, rebuilding the city’s pressure-reducing valves, strengthening the valve-exercising program, and improving the distribution system through SIPP lining, replacements, and new loops.
These improvements are essential for long-term stability—ensuring reliable pressure, cleaner water, and fewer costly emergency repairs. For a growing community, investing in foundational utilities is critical to supporting future development and maintaining service quality.
Safety and Communication Concerns
Two quality-of-life issues surfaced through council discussion. First, Councilwoman Pat Niner noted increasing concerns about children on micro-bikes and scooters riding at unsafe speeds around town. The issue is becoming more visible, prompting conversations about education, enforcement, or potential ordinances to keep both riders and drivers safe.
Second, Councilwoman Michelle Newberry relayed resident feedback about inconsistent posting of meeting agendas. City staff will now begin building a formal policy to ensure agendas are posted in a timely, predictable way—an important step for transparency and public engagement. Better communication means more residents can stay informed and participate in local government.
City Lake Services and Community Support During Hardship
The city also approved continued service from PWDS #12 at Pleasant Hill City Lake through mid-May 2026, maintaining stability for residents who rely on that utility service.
Additionally, the mayor and staff discussed preparations to assist residents affected by the federal government shutdown. As disruptions continue to ripple through the community, the city is planning how to connect individuals with resources, guidance, and support programs.
Looking Ahead
From infrastructure and safety to community services and long-term planning, Pleasant Hill’s current priorities reflect both immediate needs and forward-looking goals. Whether improving water quality at the pool, preparing for sidewalk development, or upgrading vital utilities, each issue ties back to quality of life for residents.
PHMOmag will continue covering these topics closely as plans develop, funding is pursued, and the community weighs in on what matters most.
Pleasant Hill Fire Chief Mark Lopez Talks Recent House Fires, Lithium Battery Risks, and Seasonal Safety
Pleasant Hill Fire Chief Mark Lopez has seen a busy few weeks. With three recent structure fires in and around Pleasant Hill — two inside the city limits and one on BB Highway — residents have been asking what’s happening and how to stay safe. During an interview at the Pleasant Hill Fire Protection District headquarters, Chief Lopez sat down with PHMOmag to discuss the causes behind these fires, the growing threat posed by lithium-ion batteries, and what every homeowner should do as the seasons change.
Chief Lopez has been with the Pleasant Hill Fire Protection District for five years and oversees a department of approximately thirty-five personnel. Most are full-time, although some part-time staff members remain, including Captain Scott Rutherford, who has served the district for over thirty years. Lopez said the mix of full-time and part-time firefighters brings diverse experience to the department, especially from those who also work in other districts across the region.
Two of the recent house fires occurred inside Pleasant Hill city limits within a ten-day span. Lopez explained that each had different causes, but one is still under investigation. While he could not share specific details, he confirmed the department believes that the fire was intentionally set. The deputy chief of fire operations, Chief Bridges, is conducting the investigation. No charges have been filed at this time.
Another recent fire involved a growing concern across the nation: lithium-ion batteries. According to Lopez, the homeowner had purchased an aftermarket replacement battery for a tool, a common practice when the original battery fails. He explained that many of these knockoff batteries are manufactured overseas without regulation. When they malfunction, they can overheat, explode, and ignite anything in their vicinity.
In this case, the homeowner had at least taken the precaution of charging the battery outdoors. Even so, the battery caught fire and ignited the back of the house. The blaze occurred around 11:30 p.m., and the homeowners were awakened by the sound of glass breaking from the heat. Initially thinking it might be an intruder, they called 911. Responding police officers quickly realized a fire was underway. Firefighters arrived and made what Lopez described as a great stop, keeping the damage from becoming catastrophic.
The third fire, on BB Highway, happened at an unoccupied, recently renovated home whose owners live overseas. The home was destroyed, leaving only remnants such as a toilet and a fireplace. Lopez said the cause was likely electrical, since the house still had full service but was unattended. The new tenants were scheduled to move in on the following Monday.
Lopez said these situations demonstrate the devastating impact of fire, whether in urban or rural areas. The Pleasant Hill Fire Protection District covers 101 square miles, including large rural stretches where early detection is unlikely. When homes are empty or fires start overnight, destruction can happen quickly.
Lopez also discussed the dangers of outdoor fires as the seasons shift. Even after recent rain, much of the region remains dry, and deck materials or porch wood can easily catch fire if a recreational fire is not entirely extinguished. He advised residents to call the fire station whenever they are unsure about burn conditions. The department posts warnings online, but calling directly provides the most precise guidance. Staff will ask what a resident is burning and whether the area is cleared and safe. Weather conditions — exceptionally high winds — play a significant role.
October is Fire Prevention Month, and Lopez emphasized the importance of working smoke detectors. He said the department recommends placing small kitchen fire extinguishers in easily accessible spots, such as on the garage wall just outside the kitchen door. Many people hide extinguishers under the sink, which often requires reaching through the fire to retrieve them. He taught the PASS method: pull the pin, aim at the base of the fire, squeeze the handle, and sweep the extinguisher back and forth.
Kitchen fires remain one of the leading causes of house fires in the United States. Lopez said many people have never used an extinguisher and may freeze in an emergency. The department recently trained nearly 100 staff members from Cass County Public Library branches on the use of fire extinguishers, emphasizing that libraries and other paper-intensive buildings are at a high risk of fire.
As temperatures drop, another seasonal hazard emerges: overloaded electrical circuits. Lopez warned that portable heaters should always be plugged directly into a wall outlet, never into an extension cord. If a resident smells burning, hears crackling, or notices any signs of an electrical problem, they should call 911 immediately. He emphasized that calling the fire department incurs no cost, and early intervention can prevent significant damage.
For elderly residents or anyone who cannot safely maintain their smoke detectors, the department is available to assist. Through a partnership with the American Red Cross, Pleasant Hill Fire installs one free smoke detector in any home in the district. They will also replace batteries for residents who are unable to reach their detectors. Chief Lopez encouraged anyone needing assistance to call the department’s non-emergency number at 816-540-9108.
Lopez said the department is proud to serve Pleasant Hill and encourages the community to reach out with any safety concerns, especially as weather conditions shift and fire risks change. Whether it is a question about burning brush, concerns about electrical smells, or help installing a smoke detector, he emphasized that prevention is far better than response.
“We would much rather put safety equipment in your home than be there putting out a fire,” he said.
PHMOmag thanks Chief Lopez and the Pleasant Hill Fire Protection District for their service and for taking the time to share vital information with the community.
Pleasant Hill Businesses Join Together for Safe Trick or Treat Tonight
Pleasant Hill’s annual Safe Trick or Treat, hosted by the Pleasant Hill Chamber of Commerce, will take place today, October 31, from 4 to 6 p.m. Downtown Pleasant Hill and several 7 Highway businesses will be handing out treats to local kids for a fun and safe Halloween evening.
Downtown participants include Bale & Ash Cigar Lounge, Ballypeddler Vintage & More, Big Creek Café, Brick & Mirth, Browns Vintage & Variety, City Hall, Cub Scouts Pack #300, Eva Moore’s Performing Arts Center, First Christian Church, Flemming Floral, G7 Construction, Grace Family Fellowship, Heathers Custom Sewing, Historical Society, Katie Moore Photography, KCAC Heating & Cooling, KC Vintage Realty, Kohler Pool & Landscape Construction, MO-KAN Liquidators, New Edge Partners, Optimist Club of Pleasant Hill, Pleasant Hill Police Department, Pleasant Hill Pool Hall, Pleasant Hill School District, Press Monkey Studio, Primerica – Ashley Struzik, R&S Creative, Retro on the Rails, Salon Chalet, Sweet Expressions, The Knot Hole, Nook & Needle, VFW and Pleasant Hill Fire Department at the Gazebo, Vault 126, Willow Boutique, and WingHill Wine Co.
Businesses along 7 Highway include 5 Star Tire & Automotive, Anytime Fitness, Bristol Manor, Broadway Village Apartments, Casey’s, Cass County Library, P Hill Vape & More, Clayton Fleeman – American Family Insurance, Community Bank of Pleasant Hill, Cosentino’s Price Chopper, Dollar Tree, Ed Clemmons Law Office, Edward Jones, El Puerto, ETC, Goppert Financial Bank, Great American Bank, Guido’s Pizza Place, Hairstyles Unlimited, HIS Church, Jumble & Company, Land Real Estate, Long’s BBQ, Maria Gale Seamstress, McDonald’s, Meridian Tax & Accounting, Napa Auto Parts, Omar’s Famous Popcorn, Outdoor Power Center, P. Hill Vape & More, Pizza Hut, Pleasant Hill Animal Clinic, Pleasant Hill Chiropractic, Pleasant Hill Creamery, Pleasant Hill Dance Academy, Pleasant Hill Drug, Pleasant Hill Health & Rehab, Pleasant Hill Martial Arts LLC, Pleasant Hill Nutrition, Pleasant Hill Pet & Livestock, Prodigy Fire Solutions, Reece & Nichols Shewmaker, Royal Contracting Solutions, SERC Physical Therapy, Shear Perfection, Stanley–Edenburn Funeral Home, Temp Stop, Toby’s Barber Shop, W Insurance Group, Waters Hardware, Xolo, and Yennie & Jones.
Families are encouraged to stop by both downtown and 7 Highway locations for candy, community spirit, and Halloween fun. If your business is not listed and you’d like to participate, please reach out to be added.
Pleasant Hill City Council Convenes for Rescheduled Meeting
Lexington Road sidewalk study, pool management contract, and community fundraisers among key items discussed
After a short delay earlier in the week, the Pleasant Hill City Council reconvened on Thursday, October 30, 2025, for a rescheduled meeting at City Hall. The original session, planned for Monday, was postponed due to illness and scheduling conflicts that left the council without a quorum. By Thursday evening, the full council was present and ready to proceed with a comprehensive agenda of city business.
Routine Business and Financial Updates
The meeting opened with the approval of minutes from the October 13 session, during which the council finalized the city’s new Design and Construction Manual and received a detailed recap of the 2025 Cass County Fair.
Two monthly financial reports were reviewed, which showed the city’s revenues and expenditures for July and August 2025. Pleasant Hill remains financially stable across major funds, with revenues pacing as expected for the midpoint of the fiscal year.
Two budget amendments were also adopted: – Budget Amendment 2026-04 transfers $10,105 from the General Fund Balance to fund the city’s participation in the Mid-America Regional Council Household Hazardous Waste Program for 2026. – Budget Amendment 2026-05 authorizes $10,583 from the Special Events Fund to pay the interest portion of the city’s 2025 Certificate of Participation (COP) loan tied to new fairground bleachers.
Rolling Thunder Boot Drive Approved
The council approved a special events application from Midwest Rolling Thunder, a local nonprofit organization that raises funds for families in need. The organization will host its annual Boot Drive on Saturday, November 1, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the intersection of Myrtle and Highway 7. Volunteers will collect donations from the community through passing motorists. Staff noted that the event has been held safely and successfully for several years, and approval was granted again without opposition.
Lexington Road Sidewalk Study Moves Forward
A major focus of the meeting was Bill No. 25-35, authorizing the mayor to sign a contract with the Missouri Highway and Transportation Commission to fund the Lexington Road Sidewalk Study.
The project is supported by a Transportation Engineering Assistance Program (TEAP) Grant, which aims to evaluate pedestrian safety and plan for a continuous sidewalk route along Lexington Road between College Hill and 163rd Street. The proposed path would link neighborhoods, schools, and the recreation complex while offering a safer alternative to Highway 7 for pedestrians and students.
The study is a 80/20 cost-share, with $12,000 in federal funds and a $3,000 city match, and will be conducted by Allstate Consultants. Work is scheduled for completion by summer 2026. Interim City Administrator Nici Wilson noted that completing the study positions Pleasant Hill more competitively for future sidewalk construction grants.
Pool Management and Maintenance Oversight
The Park Board presented its 2026 Pool Management Recommendation, advising the city to continue contracting with Midwest Pool Management, which has operated the municipal pool for the past three seasons.
Director of Parks and Facilities Jeff Hull explained that in-house management would require adding a full-time Aquatics Manager and handling all lifeguard training and scheduling internally. Contracted management provides access to a larger staffing pool and certified supervision.
While the costs are comparable — roughly $166,670 under the 2024 contract versus $146,000–$198,000 for in-house management — the Park Board emphasized that a management company offers more reliability and less risk. However, the recommendation includes stronger oversight by city staff to ensure proper chemical application and maintenance of the facility. City employees who recently earned Aquatics Facility Operations (AFO) certification will perform periodic testing and monitoring throughout the season.
Departmental Update and Closed Session
The Public Works Department offered its monthly update before the council entered closed session to discuss legal, personnel, and contract matters as permitted under Missouri Revised Statute 610.021. No formal action was announced following the closed portion of the meeting.
Looking Ahead
Thursday’s meeting concluded after approximately two hours, with all agenda items having been completed. Council will meet again in November to continue year-end business and begin early discussions on 2026 budget priorities.
When the Cards Don’t Load: Pleasant Hill’s Food Pantries Step Up as SNAP Funding Freezes
PLEASANT HILL, Mo. — For hundreds of Pleasant Hill residents who depend on monthly food-stamp benefits, the first week of November is usually predictable. The Missouri Department of Social Services loads Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards in waves, and groceries appear in shopping carts across town — from Price Chopper to Dollar General.
But this month, those cards may go quiet.
Because of the ongoing federal government shutdown, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service has paused the release of federal funds for November SNAP (food-stamp) benefits. Missouri’s Department of Social Services confirmed that the state is unable to issue new benefits until funding is restored. As the courts and the administration battle out the decision of where money will go, SNAP benefits are very vulnerable.
“Your November SNAP benefits may be delayed or may not be provided at all,” the department stated on its website.
That announcement sent ripples through Pleasant Hill, where an estimated 250 to 350 residents rely on SNAP each month — fewer than some communities.
Local Help — Right Here in Town
As word spread, Pleasant Hill’s Lay Clergy Thrift Store & Food Pantry, located at 100 Veterans Parkway, remains open for those in need. The pantry, a ministry of the Pleasant Hill Lay Clergy Council, offers emergency groceries year-round.
“We’re open every Thursday from 10 a.m. to 12 noon and again from 4 to 5:45 p.m., and we’re prepared to help anyone who comes to the pantry,” said Jean Pinkston with the Lay Clergy Food Pantry. “As we get ready to hand out Christmas food boxes, we’re asking for help restocking our shelves.”
The pantry has just released a list of items needed to restock shelves for the holiday season. (See end of article for list of items) The pantry is open to anyone living within the Pleasant Hill R-III School District. If you have not visited before, please bring a utility bill (such as water or electric) or any other piece of mail that shows your address within the district. A driver’s license is also helpful for verification.
County and Regional Support
For residents unable to get to town, Cass County’s Family Resource Center in Belton offers mobile deliveries, and Shepherd’s Staff Food Pantry in Harrisonville runs a drive-through pantry twice a month. Both organizations say they’re coordinating with area pantries to avoid duplication and cover more families.
Cass County, which had about 4,900 SNAP recipients last year, is preparing for what officials called “a challenging few weeks.”
WIC Still Operating — For Now
While SNAP benefits are temporarily frozen, Missouri’s WIC (Women, Infants & Children) program remains active for now.
State health officials advise that families should continue using their WIC cards and attending scheduled appointments until further notice.
Missouri WIC, which supports nearly 98,000 mothers and young children statewide, is funded differently from SNAP. It operates on annual federal grants rather than monthly appropriations, giving it a short-term cushion of leftover and contingency funds.
That cushion won’t last forever. Governor Mike Kehoe has warned that if the shutdown continues, the program could run short of money “in the coming weeks.”
For Pleasant Hill families, that means WIC formula, cereal, milk, eggs, and produce are still covered — for now. The Cass County Health Department in Harrisonville (212 E Mechanic St., 816-380-8425) continues to process appointments and renewals.
If the shutdown extends into December, residents should monitor updates from mydss.mo.gov and health.mo.gov/living/families/wic to confirm when new funds are available.
Cass County Food Pantry Network
The following list of local and regional pantries is compiled from publicly available online sources, including Harvesters, church websites, and food-assistance directories. Hours, eligibility requirements, and contact information are subject to change — residents are encouraged to call ahead to verify before visiting.
Pleasant Hill: Lay Clergy Food Pantry — 100 Veterans Parkway • (816) 987-3600 • Thursday 10 a.m.–12 p.m. & 4–5:45 p.m. (ID and utility bill may be required) Grace & Truth Baptist Church — Cass County Fairgrounds • 308 W Commercial St. • Fourth Saturday 7–9 a.m. Manna Fellowship Church (The Porch) — 17324 State Route 291 • Thursday 3–6 p.m. (proof of residency required)
Nearby Options: Bridge Over Troubled Water — 6909 E 163rd St., Belton • Monday–Thursday 9:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m. (by appointment) Heart-n-Hand Ministries — 200 B St., Belton • Tuesday 3:30–5:30 p.m. • Friday 9 a.m.–12 p.m. (call ahead) Shepherd’s Staff Pantry — 1311 Sanders St., Harrisonville • Friday 2–5:30 p.m. (closed fifth Fridays) First Baptist Church Peculiar — 216 E Broadway • Second Saturday 8:30 a.m. Belton New Horizons Church — 17200 Chestnut Dr. • Third Saturday 12 p.m. Rock Brook Church — 1715 E 173rd St. • Fourth Saturday 12:30 p.m.
For updated listings, mobile distributions, and “Free Little Pantry” locations, visit harvesters.org/gethelp or check the Cass County Coalition’s printed guide (January 2024 edition).
Food Pantry Needs — Lay Clergy Food Pantry
Canned Fruit Canned Beans Canned Pasta Soup Canned Vegetables Canned Corn Canned Green Beans Peanut Butter Tuna Crackers Pasta Sides Ramen Noodles Hamburger Helper Boxed Potatoes Macaroni and Cheese Canned Pasta Sauce Spaghetti or Noodles Juice Boxed Cereal
A Town That Looks Out for Its Own
Pleasant Hill has faced shortages before — ice storms, power outages, pandemic disruptions — but the rhythm is familiar: when the federal safety net shakes, the community steps in. Churches, volunteers, and neighbors continue to fill the gap, one grocery bag at a time.
Pleasant Hill Marketplace Moves Toward Construction Start
PLEASANT HILL, Mo. — After much anticipation, the long-awaited Pleasant Hill Marketplace is officially entering its construction phase. The development anchored by a new Cosentino’s Price Chopper grocery store reached a significant milestone in mid-September when the Pleasant Hill Board of Zoning Adjustments approved the final variance required for the project to proceed.
Final City Approvals in Place
On September 15, 2025, the Board of Zoning Adjustments approved the developer’s request to modify the width of access drives from E. 163rd Street and interior circulation drives within the site. The approval cleared the last local hurdle, and the official notice was issued the following day, September 16, giving the developers the green light to begin site work.
According to Interim City Administrator Nici Wilson, crews are expected to start work within the next few weeks, marking the first visible signs of progress at the site.
Awaiting Final State Permit
Before construction can officially begin, the development team must receive one final approval — a permit from the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (DNR) for the project’s water line extension. Once issued, the contractor can fully mobilize and start work on-site.
Development Details
First introduced in July 2024, the Pleasant Hill Marketplace represents one of the city’s largest commercial investments in recent years. The project will include a 60,000-square-foot Price Chopper grocery store and several smaller retail pad sites near the intersection of MO-7 Highway and E. 163rd Street.
The city previously approved the comprehensive development agreement, which outlines infrastructure improvements, incentive structures, and long-term site development plans. According to Wilson, the site plan for the grocery store has been fully approved, while the final building plan is expected to be submitted this fall. Plans for the additional retail pads will follow in sequence.
Looking Ahead
City officials anticipate that the Pleasant Hill Marketplace will attract additional retail and dining options as development progresses. However, no other businesses for the smaller retail pads have been announced yet.
According to official filings, the Pleasant Hill Marketplace Community Improvement District (CID) establishes a special 1% sales tax that applies only to the Marketplace site. PHMOmag is awaiting more details on the CID and how it will work. CID info from minutes:
Pleasant Hill has a long and storied history with things that go bump in the night; nearly every resident can recount some strange happening. It’s not surprising, really, given that the area was a hotbed of Civil War guerrilla warfare and a rehoming location for families displaced by Order Number 11. Many of the families who reside in Pleasant Hill today can trace their lineage back to those tumultuous times.
My husband and I moved to Pleasant Hill in 2002; I grew up in the Greenwood / Lee’s Summit area and don’t have historical familial roots in Pleasant Hill. Or I didn’t, until my husband’s grandfather passed away in 2006. The family chose to purchase his plot in the Pleasant Hill Cemetery on 7 Highway.
Two weeks after Grandpa Tanck passed away, my brother-in-law, Kevin D. Tanck, was killed in a motorcycle accident on Coal Mine Road in Kansas City. The day he died was one of those unseasonably warm days we get in Missouri at the end of January. You know the ones, that little peek of spring when the thermometer hits 70 degrees and the sun is teasing us with its warm rays. Those days when anyone with a soul that needs refreshing goes outside to stand barefoot in the spongy yard, maybe sniff some cold, moist dirt, and soak up the sun’s warm caresses while pretending we don’t know this means a cold front will soon be moving in.
My in-laws made the heartbreaking decision to lay Kevin’s 21-year-old body to rest next to his grandfather in the Pleasant Hill Cemetery on a cold, dreary day in February. On a day when the sun’s caresses weren’t tender at all, and what portion of sun wasn’t covered by the clouds had its warmth driven away by a biting wind, a day meant for mourning the loss of a man taken too soon. It was a day that left no mourner gathered at the Pleasant Hill Cemetery with peace…
Around 2009, I had my nearly 2-year-old daughter with me on a bright, cold, early-February day when I decided to stop and put greenery on Kevin’s grave. I pulled my truck over on the cemetery road and parked across from his headstone as a motorcycle came down the drive directly towards me. It was an old-style Harley Davidson – the kind with one round headlight, and I took a moment to appreciate the beauty of the machine. I always liked those old Harley-Davidsons with their graceful curves and thrumming power. I wondered at the type of man who would be riding a motorcycle in such cold weather and thought that he must be very dedicated to his hobby.
I looked in the back seat for only a moment to check that my daughter was still asleep, snuggled in her car seat, and when I looked up, the motorcycle was gone.
It had completely vanished.
The only way to exit the cemetery, going in the direction that the motorcycle was going, was to drive directly past me on the road or drive through the burial plots. I looked behind me on the road, but it was deserted. I looked ahead of me, thinking maybe he had stopped, but only an empty road greeted my disbelieving eyes. Obviously, there wasn’t a motorcycle screaming across the burial plots. To this day, I believe that rider was an apparition of my brother-in-law coming to check up on his little niece.
Raise a Glass! — It’s Brewfest Time in Pleasant Hill
PLEASANT HILL, Mo. — If you love a good beer, a good laugh, and a good time, downtown Pleasant Hill is the place to be on Saturday, October 25. The second annual Homebrew Competition is back, ready to pour — at Gray’s Lot, 106 S. 1st Street, from 12 to 3 p.m.
This isn’t your average beer tent. You’ll be sampling one-of-a-kind craft brews all made by local homebrewers who’ve spent weeks perfecting their recipes. Each ticket gets you a souvenir tasting glass, pretzels to keep you steady, and the power to vote for the People’s Choice Award.
“We wanted to keep this tradition alive and make it something everyone looks forward to every fall,” said Lisa Christiancy of the Pleasant Hill Historic District. “It’s got that Oktoberfest feel — local brews, good food, great people. You really can’t beat it.”
Seven homebrewers are set to compete, each bringing two of their best creations for judging. According to Christiancy, “There will be a mix of classic and creative flavors – and a few surprises.”
There’s no pretension here, just good beer and bragging rights on the line. Official judges will pick their favorites, brewers will crown a winner among their peers, and you get to decide who takes home the People’s Choice trophy.
And because no good beer should go without good food, the Pleasant Hill VFW will be cooking up tacos and snacks for donations, the perfect combo for a cold pour.
Add in free yard games and a roped-off beer garden, and you’ve got the makings of a perfect Saturday afternoon with the guys and the gals.
Drink Local, Support Local
Proceeds from ticket and T-shirt sales are reinvested in the community, funding beautification projects and downtown improvements. Christiancy said the goal is to make downtown not just a place to shop, but a place to hang out.
“When people come downtown and leave feeling connected and proud of their community — that’s the win,” she said.
PLEASANT HILL, Mo. — The Cass County Fair honored longtime educator and community advocate Susan Mills-Gray as the 2025 Grand Marshal, recognizing her decades of service to families, youth, and agriculture across Missouri.
Susan Mills-Gray
During the Oct. 13 City Council meeting, Interim City Administrator Nici Wilson opened the Fair recap by noting that this year’s honoree reflected the event’s purpose.
“This year’s Cass County Fair Grand Marshal was Susan Mills-Gray,” Wilson said. “When you read that definition of a county fair — celebrating community, agriculture and service — it’s easy to see why Susan rose to the top of the list to be honored as the Grand Marshal.”
Wilson told the Council that Mills-Gray “has called Cass County home for 31 years” and retired from the University of Missouri in 2021 after a distinguished career that began in 1983. “She served as an off-campus faculty member until 2013 and later as an on-campus professor and administrator until her retirement,” Wilson said.
From 1988 to 2013, Mills-Gray worked from the MU Extension Cass County office, where she “played a key role in numerous health-impact projects and community nutrition initiatives.” She was also a frequent guest on Kansas City television stations, “sharing her expertise on nutrition and wellness.”
Among her many accomplishments, Wilson highlighted Mills-Gray’s leadership in local public-health efforts.
“Susan co-led the community effort that opened the Cass County Dental Clinic in 2011 and then helped guide its expansion to a second location in 2015,” Wilson said. “She also represented southern Cass County on the Health Board Foundation’s Community Board and currently serves as treasurer for the Cass Regional Hospital Foundation.”
Wilson added that Mills-Gray “is a lifelong supporter of 4-H,” noting that she “was a 4-H member in her youth and has continued to give back as a project leader, Clover Kid leader and financial supporter of the annual 4-H Green Book Awards.”
“It was really great to get to know her,” Wilson said. “I’ve known Susan a long time, but to share her excitement and be a part of our event all week long was really special.”
Mills-Gray and her husband Bill live southwest of Harrisonville on their family farm. Her selection as Grand Marshal, Wilson said, symbolized the fair’s mission — to honor leadership, learning, and service rooted in Cass County’s rural heritage.
PLEASANT HILL, Mo. — A growing number of Pleasant Hill residents are seeking a state performance audit by the Missouri State Auditor’s Office, citing concerns about transparency, policy consistency, and long-term planning within city operations.
A citizen-led initiative organized by Carla Murray is responding to concerns about whether Pleasant Hill’s governance systems are keeping up with the city’s growth and its responsibilities as a Special Charter City.
Murray, who is no stranger to controversy, is actively involved in community affairs.
“We’re proud of our history and the way our city has developed,” Murray stated. “However, like any organization, there comes a time when we need to pause and ensure we are operating as efficiently and transparently as possible. A state audit is a useful tool to help us achieve that.”
Concerns Presented to the State Auditor
In their formal request, residents outlined six primary areas they believe warrant a closer look:
— Procurement transparency — sealed bids and vendor renewals not publicly released after selection.
— Financial management — frequent budget amendments and projects initiated without proper approval.
— Conflicts of interest — contracts or city property management involving personal ties to officials.
— Strategic planning — limited connection between the city’s comprehensive plan and infrastructure spending.
— Ordinance enforcement — inconsistent application of city codes.
— Board oversight — term limits, appointments, and voting procedures not consistently followed.
The residents’ letter and accompanying documents were reviewed during a three-hour meeting with representatives from the State Auditor’s Office. It was determined that there is sufficient reason to pursue a further examination.
If approved, the audit will assess financial practices, compliance with policies, and management oversight. The goal is to identify both strengths and areas that need improvement.
Mayor King Responds
Mayor John King said he understands residents’ desire for transparency but emphasized that the audit should be viewed as an operational review, not an investigation.
“They will find recommendations to do things how they feel is more efficient,” King said. “It isn’t a deep dive on ‘finding a money trail.’ It is basically a review of processes and policies. It literally is exactly what our auditor just did.”
Pleasant Hill already undergoes an annual audit by an independent CPA firm, as required by law. The proposed state performance audit would go further — reviewing management procedures, policy enforcement, and governance practices across departments.
Cost and Purpose
According to the Missouri State Auditor’s Office, a city audit typically costs between $85,000 and $125,000. Some say that it can go higher. Murray noted that this represents less than one percent of Pleasant Hill’s $26.8 million annual budget and could be partially offset by administrative savings.
“The cost is an investment in accountability,” Murray said. “This isn’t about criticism. It’s about confirming what’s working and fixing what’s not.”
Many residents have expressed concerns that the funds could be used for other more beneficial projects and that the city does not require another audit.
Next Steps
To move forward, the petition must collect verified signatures from 15% of registered voters within city limits — about 673 signatures, based on the last gubernatorial election.
Once verified, the State Auditor’s Office would initiate the review and release a public report with findings and recommendations.
Supporters emphasize that the effort is nonpartisan and focused on good governance rather than politics.
“Any findings or recommendations that come from this process will help Pleasant Hill build a stronger foundation — one that represents all residents,” Murray said.
Some city leaders and residents disagree, believing it is a waste of funds.
PLEASANT HILL, Mo. — The Cass County Fair closed its 2025 season with strong attendance, record volunteer participation, and a positive financial balance, according to a recap presented to the Pleasant Hill City Council on Monday night.
Grand Marshal Mrs. Susan Mills-Gray
City staff reported total revenues of $273,982 and expenses of $268,335, leaving a net gain of $5,650 after paying the first installment on the new bleachers at the fairgrounds. The presentation covered attendance, partnerships, advertising reach, and plans for next year’s event.
“This year’s fair was hot — but it was successful,” Interim City Administrator Nici Wilson told council members. “We had great turnout, tremendous volunteer support, and ended the year in the black.”
Attendance and Events
The week-long fair drew an estimated 15,351 people to the Pleasant Hill fairgrounds between July 13 and 20. The rodeo topped the attendance charts with 3,539 visitors, followed by the demolition derby at 3,210. The tractor pull, motocross, and ATV races combined for nearly 4,100 more, while the carnival midway brought in 4,525.
Despite extreme heat that pushed daytime temperatures into the 90s, attendance held steady compared with previous years. “The crowd was a little lighter during the afternoons, but our evening events were packed,” Wilson said.
Revenue and Expenses
The fair’s largest income sources were main event ticket sales, which totaled $121,575, and beverage sales at $50,172. Sponsorships generated $42,450, while carnival proceeds—reflecting the city’s 25% share—yielded an additional $31,670.
Livestock shows more than doubled their previous year’s performance, generating $15,435 compared to $6,914 in 2024. Vendor and concession fees added another $10,370, and special events such as the Queen Pageant and Bike Rodeo contributed smaller amounts.
Wilson noted that 2025 was the first year the city made a partial payment toward the new bleachers, with full annual payments of about $38,000 scheduled to begin in 2026. “Even with that payment, we came out ahead,” she said.
The Special Events Fund (Fund 65), which manages fair revenue, will carry forward an estimated $95,000 balance into the next fiscal year. City staff plan to maintain at least one full year of debt service in the fund as a reserve.
Volunteer Effort and Partnerships
More than 200 volunteers contributed over 3,000 hours to this year’s fair, handling everything from set-up and cleanup to ticketing and parking.
A major highlight was the involvement of Ray-Pec LEAD Center students, who provided construction and maintenance assistance as part of their technical training program. Seventy-five students and four instructors participated, completing electrical, carpentry, and HVAC work.
Midwest Lumber donated more than $10,000 in materials, while additional equipment support was provided by HERC, Murphy Tractor, Ag Power, KC Bobcat, Waste N’ Away, and Griggs Bros. Construction. Staff estimated these in-kind contributions saved the fair more than $50,000 in costs.
“Every year, the fair gets a little better because of these partnerships,” Wilson said. “Our volunteers, students, and local businesses make it happen.”
Livestock and Exhibits
The fair’s traditional competitions saw healthy participation across categories. Livestock shows included 849 entries, while art and photography attracted 195 submissions. The home economics division drew 71, the horticulture had 204, and the quilt show featured 61 entries. The car show displayed 115 vehicles, and the annual parade featured 50 floats and marching units.
The Queen Pageant returned after a one-year hiatus with 19 contestants across three age divisions. Tyne Wilson was crowned Cass County Fair Queen and later represented the county at the Missouri State Fair, earning third runner-up and winning the interview competition.
Marketing and Outreach
This year’s marketing campaign used both radio and digital platforms to extend the fair’s reach. Advertising through KBEQ 104.3 and KFKF 94.1 generated more than 313 radio spots, and new streaming audio ads produced an estimated 1.18 million impressions.
On social media, the fair’s Facebook page reached more than 111,000 users, with 506,000 post views and 30,900 page visits—all achieved without paid promotion.
“The numbers show people are engaging with the fair beyond just showing up,” Wilson said. “They’re following online, sharing photos, and staying connected to the community year-round.”
Looking Ahead
With one of its strongest volunteer showings and a balanced budget, city leaders called the 2025 Cass County Fair a success both financially and operationally. Staff said planning for 2026 is already underway, with early discussions focused on expanding shade structures and improving on-site drainage.
“The fair continues to be one of the best examples of community collaboration in Pleasant Hill,” Wilson said. “We’re proud of what we accomplished this year and excited for what’s ahead.”
The council received the report and took no further action.
Pleasant Hill Renews Hazardous Waste Agreement for 2026
PLEASANT HILL, Mo. — The Pleasant Hill City Council on Monday approved an agreement with the Mid-America Regional Council (MARC) to continue the city’s participation in the Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) program for 2026.
The annual agreement will cost the city $10,104.96, which is calculated at $1.14 per capita based on Pleasant Hill’s 2024 population estimate. The renewal ensures residents will have access to safe, year-round disposal for paint, motor oil, lawn chemicals, batteries, and other hazardous household materials.
“This program gives our residents access to regional collection sites and mobile events,” Interim City Administrator Nici Wilson said during the meeting. “Because this program operates on a calendar year, and our city budget runs from April through March, we’ll need to bring back a budget amendment to align the funding.”
The city has partnered with MARC’s regional HHW network for more than a decade. The program offers permanent drop-off facilities in Lee’s Summit and Kansas City, Missouri, as well as rotating collection events in Cass County and surrounding areas. Residents can dispose of accepted materials at no charge by showing proof of Pleasant Hill residency.
Wilson said continuing the partnership remains one of the most cost-effective environmental services available to smaller cities. The regional model allows municipalities to share costs while ensuring compliance with state and federal environmental standards.
According to MARC’s 2024 annual report, the HHW program diverted nearly one million pounds of hazardous materials from local landfills and waterways across the Kansas City region. The program is funded jointly through city participation fees and managed under the MARC Solid Waste Management District.
Mayor John King supported the renewal, emphasizing the program’s environmental benefits. “This is one of those services people don’t always think about, but it has a big impact,” King said. “It keeps paint, chemicals, and motor oil out of our sewers and streams. I’m glad to see we’re continuing it.”
City staff said details about 2026 collection dates will be posted once MARC finalizes the regional schedule. In the meantime, residents can visit www.recyclespot.org for year-round drop-off information and a full list of accepted materials.
The council approved the agreement unanimously.
Ghosts of 115 Wyoming Street: My Encounters with the Unseen
It all began that first Christmas, before we had even opened to the public. I wanted to bring some holiday cheer to the upstairs windows, so I placed large blow-up Christmas bulbs in the right window. But something—or someone—wasn’t having it.
Each morning, I’d find the bulbs knocked over. I assumed I hadn’t secured them well enough, so I tried again. And again. But after the third time, one bulb was not just toppled—it was completely deflated. That’s when I felt it: the unmistakable sensation of being watched.
I stood in the room and spoke aloud, “Thank you for letting me decorate the windows. I won’t put any more decorations in this window.” Strangely, the left window’s decorations remained untouched. They didn’t block the view of the street below.
Later, when PMS Ghosthunters investigated the building, they captured an image of a man standing in that very window, gazing down the street. His name, they said, was Wyatt Guthrie. He had appeared to them and shared his name. Wyatt, it seemed, had claimed that window as his own.
The 2023 Last Encounter
In 2023, we hosted an official ghost-hunting event upstairs with PMS Ghosthunters. The spirits were electric—literally. Machines lit up like a disco, and during filming, hundreds of orbs danced around me like bubbles from a machine. It was joyful, surreal, and powerful. That night was my final encounter before we sold the building later that year.
Robert and I had discussed the sale inside the building, and we sensed the spirits already knew. There was a clear feeling that they enjoyed having us there, and we worried they might be upset. I spoke to them gently, reassuring them:
“It’s okay. Your space is safe. Whatever happens, know that Robert made sure this building will remain strong for another 100 years.”
It felt like they understood. That final night was not just a farewell—it was a moment of mutual respect and gratitude between the living and the unseen.
The Patio Lights
One night after closing, Robert called me in a panic. The security cameras showed lights flashing all over the outdoor patio. He was convinced people with flashlights were trying to break in.
I had just left and hadn’t seen a soul. I checked the cameras myself—and there they were. Dozens of light orbs, swirling and dancing across the patio. The police arrived and found no intruders, no reflections, and no signs of tampering. Everything was locked up tight. The lights? Gone. But the mystery remained.
Downstairs: The Playful Protector
Inside the restaurant, I had a special spirit who seemed to know me well. He would call me by name—”Julie”—in a voice that was clear and familiar. I never felt afraid of him. In fact, he felt protective, even playful.
One night, I was finishing up in the washroom when I heard six loud thuds—boom, boom, boom. I rushed out to find six wine bottles rolling down the middle of the restaurant floor like bowling balls. They had been securely placed in the top rack. I scolded him gently,
“I do not appreciate you moving my wines and rolling them down the floor. I just put these up and I don’t have time for this tonight.”
After that, he stuck to calling my name. I’d respond with a smile, “Stop doing that, I’m busy.” He followed me often, and each time, I’d say, “Thank you for keeping me safe.”
A Final Goodbye
Selling the building was bittersweet. It had been more than a place of business—it was a space filled with memories, laughter, and the quiet presence of those who came before us.
The spirits at 115 Wyoming Street were never threatening. They were guardians, pranksters, and silent companions. I believe they knew we were leaving, and I hope they felt the love and respect we had for their home.
As I walked away for the last time, I whispered one final thank you—for the protection, the surprises, and the stories I’ll carry with me forever.
Author’s Note
I’ve shared these stories not to convince anyone of the supernatural, but to honor the experiences that shaped my time at 115 Wyoming Street.
Whether you believe in spirits or not, I hope this glimpse into my encounters reminds you that some places hold more than just history—they hold energy, emotion, and connection.
For me, this building was alive in more ways than one. And I’m grateful for every moment I spent within its walls.
Pleasant Hill Ghost Tour Draws Sellout Crowd, Unearths History and Hauntings Downtown
When the sun sets over downtown Pleasant Hill, the old buildings along Wyoming Street take on a life of their own. The creak of floorboards, the faint echo of footsteps, the whisper of a long-forgotten name — they’re all part of the city’s living history. And this fall, that history came alive in a way Pleasant Hill has never seen before.
A Walk Through Time
On October 11, 2025, Downtown Pleasant Hill, Inc. hosted its first-ever Walking Ghost Tour, in partnership with Dark Realm Paranormal – KC. The event ran from 8 to 11 p.m., guiding visitors through a moonlit exploration of the town’s most storied locations.
Participants followed lanterns through the heart of downtown — from the Missouri Pacific Depot to the old Times Building — where historians and paranormal investigators shared chilling tales pulled straight from the Pleasant Hill Times archives.
The night began at the Depot, where one of Pleasant Hill’s most tragic stories took place more than a century ago. On February 20, 1915, a gunfight erupted between Town Marshal Jos. Adams, Night Policeman Clarence Poindexter, and two men accused of fitting the description of the “Richardson Robbers.” By the end of the shootout, Adams and Poindexter were dead. The suspects, W.F. Williams and E.F. Ryan, were captured — though one would later be lynched by a mob from the Bell tower behind City Hall. The Times headline from February 26, 1915, summed it up best:
“The ferocity with which the two men fought, however, satisfies the police that these two men were guilty of something…”
Standing near the old train depot, guests could almost hear the echoes of that fateful day.
Ghosts Beneath the Streetlights
From there, the tour wound its way to the Lumberyard, Gazebo Park, and 115 Wyoming Street — each stop carrying stories layered with smoke, sorrow, and laughter. The Lumberyard was once home to a wagon shop, a power plant, and the Benson grain elevator. The park, once a saloon corner, is said to be haunted by the spirit of Bill Allen Kennedy, a gambler whose mother ran a boarding house on the site.
And then came 115 Wyoming — the heart of Pleasant Hill’s haunted lore.
Inside that building, the former owner, Julie McBride, experienced things she could never quite explain. Her stories were compiled in a piece titled “My Encounters With the Unseen,” which quickly became the talk of the tour.
“It all began that first Christmas,” she wrote. “I placed large blow-up Christmas bulbs in the upstairs window, but each morning I’d find them knocked over. One morning, one bulb was completely deflated. That’s when I felt it — the unmistakable sensation of being watched.”
Later, paranormal investigators captured the image of a man standing in that same upstairs window, gazing down at the street below. They said his name was Wyatt Guthrie. Since then, the window has remained his.
Light, Laughter, and the Unseen
McBride’s encounters didn’t end there. Cameras once caught orbs dancing across her patio — “like bubbles from a machine,” she said — while a spirit she called The Playful Protector roamed the restaurant below.
“He would call me by name — ‘Julie’ — in a voice that was clear and familiar,” she recalled. “I never felt afraid of him. In fact, he felt protective, even playful.”
When McBride sold the building in 2023, she felt the spirits knew it was time.
“That final night was not just a farewell,” she wrote. “It was a moment of mutual respect and gratitude between the living and the unseen.”
Keeping the Past Alive
For the volunteers of Downtown Pleasant Hill, Inc., this ghost tour wasn’t just about scares — it was about history. Proceeds from the event will help fund local improvement projects, including a new crosswalk near the fairgrounds.
“This was our way to celebrate Pleasant Hill’s stories,” said organizer Brenda, who also works with Dark Paranormal KC. “Some of them are funny, some are tragic, and some still walk among us. But they’re all part of what makes this town special.”
The Spirit of a Town
As the night drew to a close, the streets quieted again, leaving only the hum of the lampposts and the whisper of autumn leaves.
The tour may have ended, but the stories linger in the Depot’s brick walls, in the laughter echoing from Gazebo Park, and in the soft glow of that second-story window at 115 Wyoming Street, where Wyatt Guthrie still keeps watch.
“Whether you believe in spirits or not,” McBride wrote, “some places hold more than just history — they hold energy, emotion, and connection.”
And on that cool October night, Pleasant Hill proved that its history is very much alive.
Pleasant Hill City Council to Review Hazardous Waste Program and Construction Standards at October 13 Meeting
The Pleasant Hill City Council will meet Monday at 6:00 p.m. in Council Chambers at 203 Paul Street to consider several important measures related to environmental services and future development standards.
Among the items on the agenda are Resolution No. 25-33, authorizing the city’s continued participation in the Regional Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Program, and Bill No. 25-34, an ordinance to adopt the City of Pleasant Hill Design and Construction Manual into municipal code. The meeting will also feature a recap of the 2025 Cass County Fair and may conclude with a closed session for discussions related to legal, real estate, personnel, and contracts, as permitted under Missouri’s Sunshine Law.
Resolution No. 25-33 seeks approval for Pleasant Hill to renew its membership in the Mid-America Regional Council Solid Waste Management District’s Household Hazardous Waste Collection Program for 2026. The agreement gives Pleasant Hill residents year-round access to safe disposal options for materials such as paint, automotive fluids, batteries, and cleaning products. These services are provided through permanent facilities in Kansas City and Lee’s Summit, as well as through regional mobile collection events.
The annual participation fee is $10,104.96, based on a per capita rate of $1.14 applied to Pleasant Hill’s 2024 population estimate of 8,864 residents. Interim City Administrator Nici Wilson noted that the HHW program has been well utilized in the past, with local collection events serving more than 100 vehicles and collecting tens of thousands of pounds of materials, much of it paint. City staff recommends approval of the resolution, citing the convenience and environmental benefits of continued participation in the regional program.
Bill No. 25-34 – Adoption of the City Design and Construction Manual
Bill No. 25-34 would adopt Appendix C: The City of Pleasant Hill Design and Construction Manual into the city’s code of ordinances. The manual establishes technical standards for infrastructure design and construction, including streets, sidewalks, stormwater systems, sanitary sewers, and water lines. Its purpose is to ensure safety, consistency, and quality in both public and private development projects within city limits.
The manual was developed in coordination with Allstate Consultants, the Public Works Department, and the city’s legal counsel. It complements Pleasant Hill’s 2025 Unified Development Code and 2040 Comprehensive Master Plan. The document also grants the city the authority to update engineering standards administratively in the future, with City Council approval required for any major changes. Public Works Director Tony Bakken and Development Director Missy Gentry are expected to present the item, and staff have recommended its approval.
Other Agenda Items
The meeting will also include a recap of the 2025 Cass County Fair and consideration of the consent agenda, which includes approval of minutes from the September 22, 2025, meeting. That earlier session featured an audit presentation, a new Park Board appointment, and action on the city’s 2025 street overlay projects.
Closed Session
Following the open session, the Council may move into closed session to discuss legal, real estate, personnel, or contract matters under state statute.
Meeting Details
The meeting begins at 6:00 p.m. on Monday, October 13, 2025, at the Council Chambers, 203 Paul Street (Cedar Street entrance). Residents requiring accommodations, such as large-print materials, hearing assistance, or interpretation, are asked to contact City Hall at 816-540-3135 at least 48 hours prior to the meeting. www.pleasanthill.com
Goppert Financial Bank Receives Approval for New ATM Sign at Historic Paul Street Building
PLEASANT HILL, Mo. — October 6, 2025 The Pleasant Hill Historic Preservation Commission met Monday evening to review a single application for a Certificate of Appropriateness concerning the Goppert Financial Bank property located at 203 Paul Street. The proposal, submitted by Jenny Gentry on behalf of the bank, sought permission to install a new illuminated sign as part of ongoing improvements to the building’s drive-through area.
A Modern Landmark in the Downtown Historic District
Built in 1959 for Pleasant Hill Bank, the structure is a defining example of mid-century Modern Movement architecture. The low, horizontal brick building features its original aluminum window system, a wraparound display window on the corner, and distinctive can-light sconces. Although considered non-contributing within the National Register Historic District, the property retains much of its original design integrity, including the drive-through canopy on its west side.
Details of the Application
The request, filed as COA 2025-08, called for a 24-inch by 36-inch white acrylic illuminated sign mounted on black scroll brackets to the column of the existing drive-through canopy. In addition to the sign, the bank plans several maintenance upgrades: repainting the canopy black, replacing a light fixture, repairing the drive-through surface, and installing a new ATM unit. The existing “Auto Bank” lettering will remain on the south end of the canopy.
Currently, a temporary metal yard sign marks the ATM area; the proposed fixture will provide a more permanent and historically compatible solution.
Commission Action and Staff Recommendation
Development Coordinator Missy Gentry presented the application and recommended approval, noting that the proposed sign was consistent in scale and character with the building’s design and use. The Commission agreed, voting to approve the application as submitted.
Continuing Care for Downtown’s Architectural Heritage
The 203 Paul Street property represents the post-war modernization phase that shaped downtown Pleasant Hill’s commercial landscape. The Commission’s approval reflects its ongoing effort to balance historic preservation with the practical needs of active businesses operating in the district.
Big Creek BBQ Bash: A Sizzling Celebration of Smoke, Flavor & Community Spirit
Grand Champion: Electro-Que-Ted, Reserve Grand Champion: HessHog4, People’s Choice Champion: HessHog4
The scent of smoked meats, the rhythm of live music, and the laughter of families filled the air at the Cass County Fairgrounds on October 3rd and 4th, as the 2nd Annual Big Creek BBQ Bash was again a great success. What began as a grassroots celebration of barbecue has quickly evolved into one of the region’s most anticipated fall events, bringing together pitmasters, performers, vendors, and the public for a weekend of unforgettable fun.
This beloved event is organized by Downtown Pleasant Hill, Inc., a community-led 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to promoting local projects and events that foster community unity and economic growth. Their commitment to creating meaningful, inclusive experiences was on full display throughout the weekend.
Friday Night: Wings, Music & Marketplace Magic
The Bash kicked off Friday evening with a People’s Choice Wing Competition, where 13 teams served up their best wing recipes to a hungry crowd. The twist? The public was the judge. And they came hungry. Wings sold out fast, proving just how popular this flavorful showdown has become.
Beyond the competition, the fairgrounds transformed into a bustling marketplace. Local food vendors and crafters showcased their creations, offering everything from custom T-shirts and 3D-printed gifts to homemade pickles, artisan BBQ sauces, jewelry, and fresh-baked breads. The beer tent was well-stocked, and the sangria wine slushies were a hit with attendees looking to cool off and kick back.
As the sun set, the energy soared with a free concert by Hunter Mounce and Band, whose soulful country-rock sound had the crowd dancing into the night.
Saturday: Competition, Culture & Community
Saturday was all about the smoke and the sizzle. The KCBS-sanctioned Backyard BBQ competition featured 23 teams battling it out in the Chicken and Ribs categories, with competitors rolling in from Missouri, Tennessee, Kansas, Illinois, Indiana, and Florida. With over $2,700 in prize money on the line, the stakes were high—and the flavors even higher.
While the pitmasters focused on perfecting their entries for the Kansas City Barbeque Society judges, the crowd was treated to dynamic performances by EMPAC and PHDA dance teams. These talented local groups brought high-energy routines and vibrant stage presence, adding a cultural flair to the day’s festivities. Their continued partnership with the BBQ Bash is a cherished tradition that brings heart and hometown pride to the event.
Hunter Mounce performing on the Fair Grounds stage
And the Winners Are…
The awards ceremony was a glittering celebration, thanks to the spirited presence of the PHHS Dance Team, who welcomed winners to the stage with cheers and sparkle.
Grand Champion: Electro-Que-Ted Reserve Grand Champion: HessHog4 People’s Choice Champion: HessHog4
These teams brought their A-game, and their victories were well-earned in a field of fierce competitors.
Looking Ahead: A Vision for a Fall Festival
Organizers are already dreaming big for 2026. The goal? To grow the Big Creek BBQ Bash into a full-scale Fall Festival weekend, complete with expanded entertainment, more vendors, and even greater community involvement.
“We’re incredibly grateful to all the sponsors, volunteers, and partners who make this event possible,” said BBQ Bash organizers. “It’s more than just barbecue—it’s about bringing the community together, celebrating music, food, local talent, and creating lasting memories.”
For more information, photos, sponsors, and updates on next year’s event, visit downtownpleasanthill.org.
The inaugural Longest Table: A Farm-to-Table Dinner in Pleasant Hill’s Historic District was nothing short of magical. The event was filled with neighbors, family, and friends, and the weather seemed to sprinkle a touch of fairy dust across the day. Sunshine and a gentle breeze set the stage, while the smell of barbecue drifted down First Street, mingling with the sound of friendly chatter as everyone feasted on local fare.
From Vision to Reality
The idea was championed by Julie Brown, who dreamed of Pleasant Hill hosting its own community feast, a gathering that would honor the growers, bakers, and makers behind the Farmers Market. Her vision became reality with one very long table stretching down 1st Street, where neighbors sat shoulder to shoulder in fellowship.
A Feast of Local Flavor
The menu was a showcase of Cass County’s best. Guests enjoyed brisket and pulled pork prepared by Fern Kee BBQ and Marcus & Millie’s Catering, paired with creamy mac and cheese, a vibrant vegetable medley, and sourdough rolls fresh from The Starlin Farmstand. Dessert was a sweet collaboration between Rolling Pin Bakery, Redeemed Acres, and A Pleasant Bakery. Children had their own plates of hot dogs, mac and cheese, and dessert, while tea, lemonade, water, and fresh-roasted coffee from Skyline Coffee rounded out the evening. Alcohol was also available for purchase by Brick and Mirth. Every dish told the story of the people who make Pleasant Hill’s Farmers Market so special.
Taylor Kirch of Fern KeeMarcus Williams of Marcus and Millie’s CateringGreg Jacobson
The Market as a Family
More than just a meal, the Longest Table celebrated the Farmers Market itself, which has become the beating heart of Pleasant Hill. For the past two years, vendors have shown remarkable dedication, staying for the full twenty-six-week summer season. What began as individual small businesses has grown into a supportive family and an incubator for entrepreneurship.
“The connections that are made are incredible. You get to see people having babies and teaching them how to be entrepreneurs. It’s amazing to watch the kids become mini entrepreneurs and learn life lessons.” — Martha Drasny, PHHD President
Voices from the Table
Attendees shared a similar sense of gratitude and joy.
“What an absolutely incredible evening at The Longest Table: A Farm to Table Dinner in Pleasant Hill Historic District! A stunning farm-to-table meal, all local food and vendors, and the table stretching down First Street—it was breathtaking. The food was insanely delicious, but even more special was sitting shoulder to shoulder with neighbors, sharing stories and conversations that brought us closer together. The blessing over the meal set the tone beautifully—it truly felt like a community united under God’s goodness. It was such a powerful picture of biblical community, gathering at one long table in unity.” — Candace Evans, Attendee
The Pleasant Hill Historic District organization shared its own joy:
“Today was one of our favorite days. Our hearts and bellies are full after our first The Longest Table: A Farm to Table Dinner! This meal was by the community, for the community. Thanks each and every one of you for making it so special. Michael Edwards Photography—your photos never disappoint! Thank you for capturing this memory for us!”
A Tradition Begins
While other towns have long embraced “dinner on the street” traditions — Columbia, Missouri’s Longest Table, Springfield’s Dinner on the Street, and Iowa City’s civic-focused version — Pleasant Hill’s event is unique. It celebrates not just food and fellowship, but the success of a Farmers Market that has become a true incubator for small businesses and a gathering place for neighbors.
And this is just the beginning. The Longest Table isn’t limited by space; as interest grows, so can the table, stretching further down the street each year. With this first sold-out event a success, organizers plan to make it an annual tradition, ensuring that every fall Pleasant Hill gathers to celebrate the harvest, the community, and the spirit of connection.
More Than a Meal
In the end, the evening wasn’t just about the food. It was about sitting shoulder to shoulder, breaking bread, and remembering what small-town life is all about.
Council Covers Finances, Infrastructure, Parks, and Volunteers – The Hill Report Podcast
Pleasant Hill’s City Council had a full agenda Monday night, tackling issues that ranged from the city’s financial health to potholes, parks, and the volunteers who keep local boards running.
Strong Audit Results
The evening began with the annual audit presented by CliftonLarsonAllen LLP. The audit provided an overview of the city’s overall financial health rather than a detailed examination of individual departments or spending decisions. The report indicated that Pleasant Hill’s finances remain stable.
The General Fund balance increased by nearly half a million dollars this year, leaving the city with over ten months’ worth of reserves, which is significantly above the recommended minimum of three months for municipalities. Auditor Doug Host highlighted these positive results, stating, “Your fund balance in the general fund is still strong.”
While total fund balances rose by more than $7 million, most of this increase is due to unspent 2024 bond proceeds. Overall, revenues and expenses were nearly balanced, finishing the fiscal year just $11,000 apart.
A Fee Waiver Debate
The Pleasant Hill Historic District requested that the $225 rental fee for the Memorial Building be waived as a backup site for its Farm-to-Table dinner. The group already had approval to close First Street for the event.
Historic District representative Martha Dransny explained the request: “…more than likely, we won’t need it… But as per… what’s been happening with other nonprofits… we thought we would ask for consistency.”
Council approved a 50 percent waiver, but only if the building is actually used.
Volunteers Recognized
The council also turned its attention to city boards and commissions. Jeremy Howell was appointed to the Park Board from a pool of 12 applicants, bringing with him years of experience coaching youth sports.
Several members were reappointed to new three-year terms: Mark Crain, who first joined the Park Board in 2018; Jeremy Merz, who has served since 2020; and Trisha Bach, who was appointed earlier this year. Mark Guffey was also renewed for another term on the Community Betterment Association.
While the council praised the dedication of its volunteers, city officials also noted that service carries responsibility, and attendance issues will be addressed with members who are often absent.
Some members of city boards have now logged nearly two decades of service, including Chris Livingston on Planning and Zoning and Jeff Wilson on the Historic Preservation Commission. Their longevity may reflect the commitment many bring to these often overlooked roles. Others criticize that the boards need newer members.
Dogwood Energy Agreement
A key topic of discussion during the night focused on the Dogwood Energy Facility. Dogwood plans to construct a private force main—essentially a pipe that will connect to the Pleasant Hill sewer system and transport wastewater to the Middle Big Creek Interceptor near 175th Street. Since the Middle Big Creek Interceptor does not accept direct industrial customers, Pleasant Hill will act as Dogwood’s retail provider.
To facilitate this arrangement, the council approved Bill No. 25-32, which establishes a new billing category for high-volume, sewer-only industrial customers. Under this new rate structure, Dogwood will pay a flat monthly fee of $1,110, plus $5.44 for every thousand gallons of wastewater discharged.
A representative from Dogwood Energy informed the council that initial flow rates would be approximately 80 gallons per minute, eventually increasing to 300 gallons per minute once the Middle Big Creek system expands. Construction of the new pipeline is expected to be completed by July 2026.
Streets Get Attention
Pleasant Hill approved this year’s asphalt overlay program, budgeting $472,082.64 to resurface several streets. Instead of seeking a separate bid, the city contracted under Jackson County’s cooperative agreement with Superior Bowen, which provides lower unit costs by pooling projects.
The work will include Wright Street from Strictus to Bermuda, Ridge Tree Drive and Lane, including the Owen Drive intersection, and two sections of Lexington Avenue. Public Works Director Tony Bakken said these areas were chosen because they have required repeated patching.
During public comment, Precinct 22 resident Jessica Elliott called for greater focus on older neighborhoods. “I don’t know if anybody else has driven around Precinct 22, but the streets are literally falling apart,” she said. Staff responded that older areas remain a priority, but water and sewer projects must be coordinated before overlays can move forward.
Pool Operations Considered
The future of Pleasant Hill’s city pool remains undecided. Council discussed whether to continue outsourcing management to Midwest Pool Management or to bring the operation back in-house.
Councilwoman Niner expressed support for contracting: “I like contracting it out… we’ve never been in a situation where we couldn’t open the pool because of lifeguard staff. Correct?”
Interim City Administrator Nici Wilson acknowledged a different concern: “We had some complaints… we don’t get enough hours to make it worth our while, which is a valid point.”
No decision was made, but the Park Board will revisit the issue in October.
Tackling Vandalism in Parks
Vandalism in Pleasant Hill’s parks also prompted discussion.
Wilson said staff are actively exploring options: “We are looking at proposals now and should have something to bring back to you soon.”
Mayor King voiced his frustration: “I hate to even think that we’re at this point, but we are.”
Councilwoman Emo agreed, warning, “If we don’t get something in place, we’re just going to keep fixing the same stuff over and over.”
The council expressed support for adding cameras in city parks but did not take a vote.
Other Updates
A few other updates rounded out the evening. The Price Chopper Marketplace site plan is now fully approved, with the last variance granted. The city’s water tower is drained for rehabilitation, with crews working nearly seven days a week. Sidewalk projects are facing delays tied to backflow testing and traffic control issues. And staff reported that Homecoming preparations are on track, from floats to cleanup to fireworks.
A Meeting with Many Layers
From finances to facilities, and from potholes to park safety, Monday night’s council meeting highlighted the steady work of keeping Pleasant Hill running. Whether balancing the budget, investing in infrastructure, or celebrating volunteers, the discussions underscored the challenges and commitments of local government.
On a warm Tuesday afternoon, September 9, 2025, rural Pleasant Hill was buzzing with the ordinary rhythms of farm trucks and school traffic. Then, just after 12:45 p.m., flashing lights and armed officers converged at the intersection of State Route 291 and East 175th Street. It wasn’t a routine traffic stop — it was the end of a manhunt.
The fugitive was Richard Zane Holliday, 41, a man prosecutors say is at the center of one of Jackson County’s most unsettling homicide cases. For weeks, Holliday had been on the run, his GPS ankle monitor having been cut away, and his whereabouts were unknown. Now, in the quiet countryside just outside Pleasant Hill, his flight from justice came to an abrupt halt.
A Town Unaccustomed to Violence
Pleasant Hill isn’t the kind of place where national headline crimes unfold. Here, the news usually revolves around farmers markets, school sports, or city council debates. That’s why residents were stunned to see U.S. Marshals, Kansas City police, and Cass County deputies sweeping into their community to arrest a murder suspect.
For locals, it was a rare and unsettling reminder: even in small-town Missouri, big-city violence sometimes finds its way down rural highways.
The Case Against Holliday
The charges go back to March 2022, when the body of 38-year-old Sheryl Turley was found near train tracks in Kansas City. Court records accuse Holliday of killing her, then spiraling into more violence in the days that followed.
Investigators say he borrowed a car containing a handgun. The next day, he allegedly tried to carjack a woman at gunpoint. When she froze, he fled — only to break into a nearby house, fight with the residents, and demand their car keys. A handgun later recovered from a nearby river was tied to the crime.
The charges piled up: second-degree murder, armed criminal action, and unlawful possession of a firearm.
From Bank Robberies to Murder Charges
For Holliday, brushes with the law weren’t new. In 2015, he was charged in connection with a series of bank robberies in Kansas City and Webb City. At the time, he had no fixed address and was arrested in Cass County after resisting officers and injuring one during the takedown.
By 2023, he was sitting in a federal prison in Kentucky for an unrelated conviction. Detectives traveled there to collect a DNA swab, a piece of evidence now expected to play a central role in the Turley case.
A Dangerous Flight
Released on bond while awaiting trial, Holliday was ordered to wear an electronic ankle monitor. In August 2025, he severed it. A Jackson County judge immediately revoked his bond and issued a no-bond warrant.
For nearly a month, he disappeared. Was he hiding with friends? Sleeping rough in rural Missouri? Authorities never said. What they did know was that he was a dangerous man with a violent record, weapons access, and nothing left to lose. That’s why his capture drew such a large multi-agency response.
What Happens Next
A Jackson County grand jury indicted Holliday in July 2024. His case is now moving toward trial, with a pre-trial conference scheduled for October 31, 2025, and jury selection set to begin on November 17. His defense attorney has not yet been publicly identified.
Prosecutors plan to present DNA evidence, witness testimony, and forensic links between Holliday and the crime scene. For Turley’s family, the trial may finally bring answers after more than three years of waiting.
A Community Remembers
For Pleasant Hill, the day Holliday was arrested will linger in memory. A place known for its small-town charm suddenly found itself on the evening news, its rural roads the backdrop for the capture of a man accused of murder and a violent past that stretched back a decade.
It was a reminder that even here — in the quiet edges of Cass County — the long arm of justice sometimes reaches in unexpected ways.
Audit Finds Pleasant Hill Finances Stable, Reserves Strong
Pleasant Hill’s finances remain steady with healthy reserves, according to the city’s annual audit presented to the City Council Monday night.
Doug Host of CliftonLarsonAllen LLP told the council the city’s general fund balance grew by about $480,000 during the fiscal year ending March 31, 2025. That leaves the city with enough money in reserve to cover more than 10 months of expenses.
“Your fund balance in the general fund is still very strong,” Host said, noting that the level exceeds the three-month minimum often recommended for municipalities.
The report showed total city fund balances increased by roughly $7.1 million, though Host explained that most of that amount reflects unspent bond proceeds from voter-approved projects in 2024. Once those projects are completed, the balance will return closer to prior levels.
City-wide, revenues and expenses nearly balanced. Governmental activities, such as city services, finished about $244,000 ahead, while business-type funds — including water, sewer, and trash — finished about $232,000 behind, for a net difference of just $11,000.
Host emphasized that the close balance indicates stable operations. “It was pretty much a break-even year on a citywide basis,” he told council members.
The audit also required the city to adopt a new accounting standard for reporting employee leave time. Host said the change had little effect on the city’s overall financial picture.
How Pleasant Hill’s Debt Compares
While Pleasant Hill’s reserves are substantial, the city has taken on more long-term debt in recent years to fund infrastructure projects. As of March 2024, the city reported about $5.08 million in outstanding long-term debt, which equals about $574 per resident. With the new $3.1 million water and sewer bond issued in 2025, that figure rises closer to $929 per resident.
By comparison:
Harrisonville reported about $52.6 million in debt at the end of 2023 — roughly $5,262 per resident.
Peculiar reported about $26.3 million in debt in late 2023, equal to about $4,516 per resident.
These figures suggest that Pleasant Hill carries a much lighter debt load than neighboring cities, even with its new bond issue. The difference reflects Pleasant Hill’s smaller slate of large-scale capital projects compared to its neighbors.
The council accepted the audit as presented. Printed copies of the full report will be made available to the public once finalized.
Consistency in Event Fee Waivers for City Property
The Pleasant Hill City Council faced questions Monday night about consistency in how the city handles fees for community events.
The debate came after the Pleasant Hill Historic District requested that the $225 rental fee for the Memorial Building be waived on September 28. The group had already received council approval to close First Street for its Farm-to-Table dinner, but wanted the Memorial Building reserved as a backup site in case of bad weather.
Martha Drasny, speaking for the Historic District, told the council, “So more than likely, we won’t need it, because the weather looks like it’s supposed to be pretty good, but as per, looks like kind of what’s been happening throughout with other nonprofits and groups been given the ability not to have to pay fees…we thought we would ask for consistency, and for consistency, that’s why I’m here.”
After discussion, the council voted to grant a 50 percent waiver of the fee, provided the building is actually used.
The decision raised broader questions about whether the city should establish clearer guidelines for when event fees are waived. While nonprofit groups, such as the Historic District, have often received discounts, others have been required to pay full rates.
Other cities have addressed this challenge by adopting written policies. Milpitas, California, for example, allows nonprofits to request a waiver once per year, with limits on the total amount. Northfield, Minnesota, requires any waiver to meet a “public purpose” test and be approved by the council. San Francisco has a formal program that lists exactly which fees can be waived and who qualifies. These policies are designed to prevent case-by-case inconsistencies and ensure transparency for all applicants.
Pleasant Hill council members acknowledged the need for fairness but did not establish new policies on Monday. The waiver was approved as a one-time decision for the September 28 event; however, the issue is likely to recur as the city continues to balance support for local nonprofits with the cost of maintaining public facilities.
