Our most recent account of Love Notes From Nan, in which we feature actual official communications from the keyboard of Parkville Mayor Nan Johnston, is printed to the right of this column. Proceed with some caution if you’re easily offended by language. This episode is rated R for Nan’s language and T for Nan’s temper.
If you follow The Landmark’s website (plattecountylandmark.com) and our social media platforms, you’ve already seen this. If you’re a person who only reads the print edition, this is your first chance to get a look at Nan’s September email to a Parkville resident and constituent. In this one, Mayor Nan tells Parkville resident Weston Coble (and we apologize in advance for the mayor’s word choice): “I don’t give a shit what you think should happen here” and goes on to make excuses for her DWI arrest.
It’s another look inside the mind of one of the most polarizing public officials to serve in Platte County in the past four decades.
This latest episode of Love Notes From Nan went viral after it was posted recently on our web site, receiving retweets on Twitter from the editor of the Kansas City Star, who seemed amazed by Nan’s language and reaction. It also was picked up by the popular Kansas City blogger Tony’s Kansas City at tonyskansascity.com.
Dropping the ‘s’ word in an official communication from the mayor’s office seems less than ideal. It gets worse. There are other communications from Johnston in which she drops the F bomb while messaging with constituents, business owners and fellow officials.
Oops, that’s kind of a spoiler alert for future Love Notes From Nan.
According to the latest newsletter from Parkville City Hall, Mayor Nan Johnston will present her State of the City address virtually on Tuesday, Feb. 9 in conjunction with the Parkville Area Chamber of Commerce monthly meeting. If this meeting is around noon, I expect the language will be suitable for families. If the meeting is at 5 or later, get ear muffs for the kids.
According to Casenet, there’s a court hearing set for next Wednesday, Jan. 13 in Parkville Mayor Nan Johnston’s DWI case. A lot of eyes are following this one, waiting to see if there’s a sweetheart deal waiting in the wings.
One time I fell asleep and nobody gently covered me with a blanket and now I don’t believe in movies.
It’s like watching your kids in a tickle fight. I’ve never seen a county commission so giddy about an appointment as the commissioners seem to be over appointing Dr. Jeffrey Kingsley to fill a temporary opening on the Platte County Health Department Board of Trustees.
On Monday they sent out a press release about it. On Tuesday they sent out a picture of Kingsley in a doctor’s coat. Color me entertained.
Let’s be honest, communication has never been the county commission’s strong point. I mean, remember that $65 million jail proposal they dropped on an unsuspecting public out of left field? So it’s rare when the county commission sends out any type of press release. I guess what I’m saying is that for this group to send out a news release about something as mundane as an appointment is extremely rare–and is an obvious sign of some underlying motivation.
That being the case, it doesn’t seem a stretch to speculate that the commissioners seem confident their appointee might feel the same about public health and public health measures that they do. Ron Schieber and Dagmar Wood have expressed anger about measures taken by the health department during the global pandemic. Wood, in fact, has taken the conspiracy route about the pandemic in postings on her social media pages. Facebook has even marked and/or removed some of Wood’s posts about COVID-19 because they were Twilight Zone stuff. John Elliott, who up until Dec. 31 was a county commissioner and was a financial supporter of Kingsley’s when Kingsley unsuccessfully ran for Park Hill School Board in 2015, once referred to the coronavirus as a con, labeling it the CONovirus in a March 19, 2020 tweet.
So if these folks are influencing the newest health department trustee, health board meetings are about to get weird. And very interesting. Get your popcorn ready.
It’s NFL playoff time. Always exciting. Three teams I feel could present the biggest challenge to KC’s effort to repeat as Super Bowl champs. In no particular order:
*Buffalo. Unlike when the Chiefs played them earlier in the season, the Bills’ are on a roll. The Bills are explosive and are very capable of getting in an offensive shootout with Mahomes and Company–and winning it. One of the few NFL teams with the firepower capable of scoring with the ease and efficiency of the Chiefs.
*Green Bay. Obviously the Packers are an NFC team, so this matchup wouldn’t happen unless both KC and Green Bay make the Super Bowl. Like the Bills, the Packers–with the laser accuracy of QB Aaron Rodgers–have an offense that can score with KC.
*Baltimore. KC has handled the Ravens in recent matchups, but Baltimore seems to have rallied in recent weeks and will be motivated to forget the massive choke job they produced in last year’s playoffs.
(If you ever find Ivan Foley sleeping, please tenderly cover him with a blanket to restore his faith in humanity. Email ivan@plattecountylandmark.com)