Let it be known, if it’s not already, that I’m not a fan of September heat. Ninety-five degree days can kiss me right between the cheeks.
My previous paragraph sounded like hate speech toward Mother Nature. My apologies to her.
We’re accustomed to this in presidential politics, but now it even happens on a local scale. Campaigns for county office in Platte County start earlier every election cycle, do they not? Yes they do. I’m sure I’m not the only one who has noticed this trend.
In some ways, the campaign for presiding commissioner in 2026 has already begun here in September of 2025. At least judging from the Facebook page of current presiding commissioner Scott Fricker. Fricker has been posting photos of his stops at low-key events like Edgerton Pioneer Days and some kind of glow walk thing on a Platte County trail. He’s even posting pictures of his dog, apparently trying to corner the canine voting bloc.
It all screams campaign season. I think it also screams that Fricker is anticipating some opposition, including likely opposition from within his own party. As you know, early on Fricker was indicating (and it was being widely assumed) he would be seeking reelection in 2026. Then he announced he would be retiring. Then he had a change of heart and announced he is not retiring and he would be running for reelection.
Check your calendar. We’re almost a full year in advance of next August’s primary election and the wheels on the campaign bus are already turning. Heck, the filing period for candidates isn’t until Feb. 24-March 31. It would have been tough to envision an extended campaign season like this for a county office when I started covering local politics in Platte County way back in 1982.
Anyway, the buzz in political circles is that Fricker is in fact expecting opposition from within his own party, and if you’re a local political junkie you’re not surprised. Whether you are a Fricker fan or not a Fricker fan, there is no denying that there have been several topics, actions and words by Fricker over the past two to three years that an opponent will have an opportunity to exploit and hammer home to voters.
Certainly 2026 is shaping up to be an interesting, active, and perhaps even entertaining election cycle in local politics.
A couple of weeks ago we ran a photo/cutline that let you know the American Legion Alley Bar in Parkville now offers Landmark Lager, the craft beer named after your favorite newspaper and brewed by the fine folks at Barley & Vine in Platte City. Now there’s another spot you can find Landmark Lager: Rapido’s Mexican Restaurant in Platte City.
Enjoy responsibly.
MoDOT’s announcement that they’re ready to begin the project that will result in additional turning lanes and traffic signals at the Hwy. 371/Hwy. 273 intersection at Tracy is welcome news. That intersection has long fit the definition of the word fustercluck.
Here’s another location that could use some improvement for safety reasons. Coming off northbound I-29 at the Platte City Main Street exit (Exit 19), the view for motorists who want to turn left onto Main Street (HH) is obstructed in each direction. To your left the height of the guard rail/bridge railing obstructs your view, and the line of sight is further worsened in the summer months when somebody doesn’t stay on top of maintenance and nearby weeds grow up over the top of the guardrail.
Meanwhile, to your right, trees on the right-of-way hang out over the top of Hwy. HH and obstruct your view of vehicles coming at you from the east, often at a high rate of speed.
My fellow man, is there anything that feels like wasted time more than standing in front of the mirror shaving? Why does facial hair grow back so fast? I can remember in my youth greatly looking forward to the day when I’d need to grab a razor–electric or handheld, didn’t matter–and do the manly shaving thing. I’d like to retract those sentiments.
Old friend alert.
Jim Kunce, a former employee/assistant director in the Platte County Parks Department who has served on the Platte County Park Board for nearly the past eight years, tells me he is stepping aside.
“The county commission knew I was planning to leave the board, but they just found someone to replace me and asked me if I wanted to stay on to end my term or if I wanted to make the change now. I said now was just as good,” Kunce told me.
Kunce said he has enjoyed his time on the park board “but it’s time for others to have an opportunity to serve in that capacity.” He said he will be continuing work at his real job as a project manager with Missouri State Parks.
Here’s a ranking you don’t really want your favorite team to be high on, but here we are. In the past decade, Kansas City Chiefs players have racked up 51 arrests, the fourth highest in the NFL.
That’s according to online casino folks at PlayUSA. They say they sifted through criminal records across all 32 NFL franchises from 2015 to 2024 to identify which teams have had the most player run-ins with the law. The Chiefs were fourth in the number of arrests, trailing only the Minnesota Vikings, Denver Broncos and Cincinnati Bengals.
Yikes.
(Find Foley cursing the act of shaving and 95-degree days. Email ivan@plattecountylandmark.com)
