It’s curfew time within the City of Kansas City, and the KCPD indicates it won’t be bending the rules. Beginning Friday, May 23, the Kansas City Police Department will start enforcing its citywide curfew for the summer. The city says it is a way of attempting to help reduce youth-involved crime.
There are a few different layers to this curfew, based on age and location, so be aware of the differences. There are many areas of Platte County that lie within the City of Kansas City boundaries, and if you live in or visit those areas keep in mind this curfew will apply.
Perhaps the most important impact in Platte County could be at Zona Rosa. Zona is one of Kansas City’s five designated entertainment districts, along with 18th & Vine, Central Business District, Country Club Plaza and Westport. At Zona Rosa (and other entertainment districts) beginning on May 23 and in effect through Sept. 28, everyone younger than 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian after 9 p.m.
In other areas within KC but not within those five designated entertainment districts, teenagers ages 16 and 17 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian after 11 p.m. For those age 15 and under, parents or guardians must accompany youth beginning at 10 p.m.
The KCPD has indicated it will enforce this city curfew ordinance with zero tolerance.
Backyard chickens.
This is a topic I normally try to avoid writing about in the afternoon hours because it kicks in my cravings for KFC. Makes me long for the good ol’ days when there was a KFC inside that convenience store on Running Horse in Platte City. The one that had the lunchtime buffet. I don’t mean to brag but I put a hurtin’ on that buffet on many occasions. My plate looked like a crime scene. Lots of birds died as heroes. Many people are saying my cruel and unusual treatment of the buffet is the reason that particular KFC is no longer in business.
Anyway, it seems there are multiple families in Platte City–more than city officials realized–who already have backyard chickens, even though city codes as presently written do not allow it.
The short story is the city is approving a temporary 90-day moratorium on enforcement of the city ordinances that disallow backyard chickens. So for now, if you currently have chickens you can keep on cluckin’.
More on this in a future episode of The Landmark.
Downtown Parkville has a cool new mural in the alleyway between Main Street and East Street. Use it as your backdrop for selfies–even the slightly tipsy ones that you decide to delete later–and other group photos while you’re visiting the downtown area.
According to a post on the Main Street Parkville Association’s Facebook page, the artist behind the mural is Melissa Feris. Feris “has beautifully captured all the iconic things that make our historic town so special,” says the MSPA. Incorporated into the mural are things like the BNSF train and train depot, some of the businesses, Park University, the Missouri River, English Landing Park and more.
Check it out the next time you’re in Downtown Parkville.
Here’s another improvement tidbit for you. Platte County is having concrete work done in the front of both of the community centers, as well as new asphalt on the parking lots.
“All the concrete work at the centers is the original from 20 plus years. It has not fared well in the last six months. It did not survive the winter and it needs to be addressed,” said Daniel Erickson, county parks director, at Monday’s county commission session.
Cost for the concrete and asphalt work at the two centers will be more than $467,000. The source of the funds to pay for those repairs, Erickson said, will be revenue generated by gym memberships at the two community centers. There’s no budget impact from general revenue, this is paid from reserve funds of YMCA memberships, county officials emphasize.
I found this part interesting: Erickson said the Platte County Community Center South in Parkville operates at a profit. The Platte County Community Center North in Platte City breaks even, he said.
Platte City will be hosting its annual Memorial Day ceremony at the local cemetery located at Fourth and North Streets. Organizers say you’ll see more than 450 American flags flying throughout the cemetery on that day. Flags are being placed on graves of veterans.
Guest speaker this year is Col. Lee Norman, who recently completed his military service as a US Army colonel. His United States Air Force and Army careers spanned six decades and included five years of service as the State Surgeon of Kansas. The ceremony gets underway at 10 a.m. on Monday
Don’t look now but July 4th will be here before you know it. Plans are well underway for Platte City’s Fourth of July daytime celebration, which will run from 9 a.m. to noon on Main Street. July 4th is on a Friday this year, which means you can roll right into your weekend.
The wildly popular and entertaining hot dog eating contest from last year is set to return. It will again be sponsored by Fetterman’s Deli.
Much more is planned, of course, including things like an ice cream truck, a water slide, face painting and family games, balloons and tattoos and hot dogs, chips and water.
Some nice work recently being done by the Platte City Police Department. They’re getting to the bottom to the rash of break-ins that occurred in the early hours of April 26 (see front page story). We’ll keep you posted on more developments that pop up.
(Find Foley daydreaming about a KFC buffet. Email ivan@plattecountylandmark.com)
