My calendar feels off. My body clock is definitely awry. Here it is late Tuesday, we’re ready to go to press and it just soaked into my brain that the Platte County Fair starts next week. That’s right. Fair dates are Wednesday, July 19 through Saturday, July 22.
Kinda caught me off guard. Guess I haven’t been looking at the advance calendar much. There have been no Platte County Fair news releases appearing in my email inbox. The fair has a website, so apparently we’re all supposed to remember to go there for any fair info. I guess I don’t have plattecountyfair.com bookmarked on my internet browser. My bad. Anyway, this feels early in the July calendar to be talking fair stuff.
I don’t want you to feel starved for Platte County Fair news, so here are some highlights. In addition to the activities listed below, rest assured there will be a carnival and some farm animals involved, if you’re into that sort of thing.
Wednesday, July 19: Floral Hall exhibits open at 5; the missy/master contest is at 6:30; the queen contest is at 7:30; the rodeo begins at 8; Outlaw Jim and the Whiskey Benders music begins in the Dirty Shame Saloon at 8; and karaoke with DJ Luke begins at the Platte Pavilion at 10.
Thursday, July 20: Demolition Derby begins at 7; karaoke with DJ Luke starts at 8; WoodChux Axe Throwing is at 8; and the Dirty Shame really gets rolling at 9 when, you guessed it, Outlaw Jim and the Whiskey Benders take the stage.
Friday, July 21: Demolition Derby starts at 7; karaoke with DJ Luke at 8; axe throwing at 8; and, in a surprise, Outlaw Jim and the Whiskey Benders will be playing in the Dirty Shame at 9.
Saturday, July 22: Outlaw Truck and Tractor Pull is at 6; karaoke with DJ Luke is at 8; axe throwing at 8; and, in a shocking development, Outlaw Jim and the Whiskey Benders will be playing in the Dirty Shame at 9.
If you’re new here, just know the Platte County Fairgrounds are in Tracy. Follow the signs. It’s not hard to find.
Just curious, do Outlaw Jim and the Whiskey Benders have a lifetime contract with the Dirty Shame to be the exclusive entertainment there? Outlaw Jim must love the Dirty Shame. And the Dirty Shame loves Outlaw Jim, apparently. At this rate, Outlaw Jim gonna own naming rights to that saloon, like GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.
Want some good news? Here it is. The number of law enforcement professionals nationwide who have died in the line of duty in the first half of 2023 decreased a dramatic 66% compared to the same period last year, according to preliminary data provided by the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, which is reported to be the leading authority on officer fatalities.
The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund says while much of the decrease is driven by substantial reductions in COVID-19-related deaths, line-of-duty deaths are down across the board. The NLEOMF data shows that 52 federal, state, county, municipal, military, and campus officers have died in the line of duty in the first half of 2023, representing a 66% decrease compared to the 153 officers who died in the same time period in 2022.
“There is no good news in reporting the death of even a single police officer,” said National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund Interim CEO Bill Alexander, “yet based on this preliminary data, we are cautiously optimistic that conditions may be improving for our law enforcement professionals who willingly put themselves at risk to serve and protect.”
Firearms-related fatalities of police officers are down by 24% during the same time period. Twenty-five officers were shot and killed during the first six months of the year, compared to 33 during the same period in 2022, a 24% decrease year over year. Firearms fatalities is the leading category of law enforcement deaths so far in 2023.
The 2023 Women’s World Cup soccer tournament is in Australia and New Zealand this cycle, and it will run from July 20 to Aug. 20. I only know this because our columnist Guy Speckman told me. Big soccer guy, this Speckman fella. Lots of running around in that sport and lots of exaggerated reactions to any contact among participants. Speck loves that kinda stuff. I’m not sure what dates and times the USA team will be playing but Speckman knows. In fact, if you shoot him an email right now at gspeckman@me.com he’ll take down your information and personally notify you whenever Team USA is about to kick off. I think.
Pickleball is all the rage right now. You already know this.
Chicken N Pickle in North Kansas City and the newly-revamped 54th Street Bar and Grill in Zona Rosa are two of the more popular public places to play. But wait, there’s more. Or soon will be.
According to the Kansas City Business Journal, for its new Parkville location, Char Bar Smoked Meats & Amusements is tapping into the pickleball craze. “The 6,000-square-foot restaurant will feature four indoor and two outdoor pickleball courts — a first for the Southern-inspired smokehouse,” the Business Journal wrote this week.
The Landmark first told you Char Bar was coming to Parkville last August when we did a feature story on Creekside with Michael Meier of Aristocrat Realty, who handles realtor services for the Creekside development. Char Bar will be in the southeast corner of Creekside and is expected to open in the fall.
The Parkville location is about the same size as Char Bar’s Westport location in Kansas City, according to the article in the Business Journal. Like the Char Bar in Westport, the Parkville restaurant will include a beer garden and yard games. It will seat about 200 customers inside and about 50 outside.
(Foley can be found asking Speckman for Women’s World Cup betting advice. Email him at ivan@plattecountylandmark.com)