Pleasant Hill man dies after falling into city lake By Raymore Journal staff A Pleasant Hill man drowned in Pleasant Hill City Lake on Sunday after falling overboard. Michael L. Hamilton, 67, of Pleasant Hill fell out of a 1981 Monark boat he was operating at Pleasant Hill City Lake at around 11:15 a.m. on March 20. According to a Missouri Highway Patrol incident report, bystanders managed to get Hamilton out of the water while attempting to rescue him. Unfortunately, Hamilton succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead at 11:30 a.m. No further details were available at press time. Latest...

UPDATE: Police need help locating missing Belton teen By Raymore Journal staff UPDATE: The Belton Police Department is still searching for 15-year-old Isabella V. Kenslow as of press time. Belton police have included a more candid photo since their last public outreach in the hopes that it will aid in someone recognizing Isabella. Isabella has medical issues which are going untreated while she is missing, according to the Belton Police Department. Police have recently discovered that Isabella took an Adidas backpack, Nike slide sandals and white “Jordan” sneakers with her when she left the...

Ray-Pec Superintendent Dr. Mike Slagle presents Pleasant Hill 7th grader Antonia Antov with the Cass County Spelling Bee first-place trophy. (Courtesy photo) Vivian Howard, a 6th grade student in the Midway School District, is the runner-up in this year’s Cass County Spelling Bee. (Courtesy photo) Pleasant Hill’s Antonia Antov wins Cass County Spelling Bee By Raymore Journal staff Pleasant Hill 7th grader Antonia Antov won the Cass County Spelling Bee on Wednesday, March 16. Antonia qualifies to compete in the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C., later this spring. Runner-up...

Local Optimist Club President Brian Mills (center) recognizes Malcolm Goswell (left) and Emily Feagins (right) as March’s Raymore-Peculiar High School Students of the Month. STUDENTS OF THE MONTH: Emily Feagins & Malcolm Goswell By Raymore Journal staff During its March 15 meeting, the Ray-Pec Sunrise Optimist Club recognized Emily Feagins and Malcolm Goswell as Students of the Month. Each had an opportunity to share their involvement in and out of school along with plans for college and what careers may be pursued. Club members asked several questions. The club honors students through...

(Left to right) Madeline Gitto, Samuel Lamar, Briana Conger, Bob Frasher, Phillip Douglas Duncan, Kenny Pfeiler, Walter Glenn (seated) (Courtesy photo) Annual Sue Foley Tea Awards By Raymore Journal staff The Little Blue River Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution held their annual Sue Foley Tea Awards. Presentation of Colors was performed by the Sons of the American Revolution Western District Color Guard.  Our guest speaker was Jeanne Segura Brown, President, of the National Frontier Trails Museum in Independence, Missouri.   The NSDAR Good Citizens Awards recognizes outstanding...

Residents gathered at Linear Park to preserve Raymore’s ecosystem and natural beauty during the seventh annual Community Litter Cleanup. (Tyson Fisher/Raymore Journal) Community Litter Cleanup keeps Linear Park fresh By Tyson Fisher A stroll through Linear Park is a scenic one thanks to local volunteers who participate in the annual Community Litter Cleanup. Each year, residents get together at Linear Park, located south of Lucy Webb Road at S. Huntsman Blvd., to clean up litter and other debris. In addition to maintaining the aesthetic features of the area, the annual event also improves...

Crash in Cass County claims one life, another seriously injured By Raymore Journal staff CLEVELAND, Mo. – A Kansas City woman was killed in a single-vehicle crash in Cass County on Tuesday. According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Michelle Borst, 40, of Kansas City, Mo., died after the vehicle she was driving veered off the right side of the road. The vehicle struck a bridge before going airborne, overturning and coming to a rest on its top in a creek. The crash occurred at around 10:45 p.m. on Tuesday, March 15, at Prospect Avenue north of E. 241st St. in Cleveland. Borst was taken...

10th Annual Lion’s Chili Cook Off Fundraiser By Raymore Journal staff Bel-Ray Sunrise Lions Club and Raymore Lions Club are sponsoring their 10th annual chili cook off to benefit Belton’s BackSnack Program and the Ray-Pec C.A.N. Program again this year. The event will happen from noon to 2 p.m. on April 9 at the High Blue Wellness Center located at 16400 N. Mullen Road, Belton, MO 64012.  The contest will feature Belton’s Price Chopper and Hy-Vee Stores, Belton and Ray-Pec School Education Foundations, and local chili contestants.  Both a Grand Champion and Fan Favorite will be awarded $75...

Raymore’s Deyvion Plunkett receives huge lift By Tyson Fisher A black helicopter landed on the property west of Foxwood Springs and south of Harold Estates. Cars stopped and neighbors stepped outside to see what was going on. Is it a VIP? A covert mission? It was certainly a mission of sorts, and the client was by all means a VIP. The client: Deyvion Plunkett. The mission: Scope out Arrowhead and Kauffman stadiums. Mission background This was not Deyvion’s first helicopter ride. At a young age, he had gone through more trauma than most people will experience in their lifetime. Extraordinary...