A longtime court reporter committed suicide in the Platte County Courthouse Tuesday afternoon. Authorities said the 50-year-old man of Parkville died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. He was found about 4:20 p.m. by a cleaning crew in a restroom that is connected to the jury deliberation room on the first floor of the courthouse. The man had worked in the courthouse for more than 20 years and had served as a court reporter for multiple judges in that time. Cpt. Frank Hunter of the Platte County Sheriff’s Department said the man killed himself with his own gun, a weapon he had purchased earlier that day.
The Missouri Department of Transportation held a ribbon cutting Monday to observe the opening of a new bridge over Todd Creek on Hwy. 92 east of Platte City. The original bridge was built in 1932 and carried around 4,000 vehicles per day. The new bridge is 190 ft. long, compared to the old one at 150 ft. The new bridge is also at a higher elevation to avoid frequent flooding.
By a 6-1 vote, the Platte County R-3 Board of Education decided to move forward with a plan to present a bond issue to voters in April. The plan calls for an addition of classrooms to the Paxton School, the renovations of Barry School and a vocal room for the high school. Board member Trish Stinnett voted no, saying she preferred creating a K-5 elementary school.