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.
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.
