Talk of the Town - August 19-25, 2024

Welcome to Talk of the Town! Each week, we will provide a comprehensive summary of major events, decisions, and discussions that took place in Excelsior Springs. We’ll highlight public comments, social media interactions, and responses from local leaders to give you a well-rounded view of how these stories are impacting our city.

Posts That Got You Talking:

Kendall Zeller and Kimberlyn Snelling announced they would be opening “Spaw Day Grooming” for dogs in the downtown!

Joey McDonald announced that Mac Farms is now selling local meat at Fast Zone Convenience Store.

Popular Posts:

The Ray County Sheriff’s Office announced this week that their K9 Nova will receive a bullet and stab protective vest thanks to a charitable donation of body armor. K9 Nova’s vest is sponsored by Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. and will be embroidered with the sentiment “In memory of Captain David Dorn, St. Louis, MO – EOW 6/2/20”. Delivery is expected within ten weeks.

The BBQ Contest announced a new award this year called the Legacy Award and awarded it to Cheri McCullough. Congratulations!

The Excelsior Springs Museum and Archives gave information on the Hitch Lot after seeing people ask why it’s called that. Here’s what they had to say:

Why is the “Hitch Lot” called the “hitch lot”? The space just west of Thompson Avenue between Spring and South streets has been called that from the earliest days of Excelsior Springs. Before you enjoy the Farmer’s Market on Wednesdays, make a stop at the Excelsior Springs Museum & Archives to see a large photo of Market Day in the 1890s. Horses had been tethered and fed at the “hitch lot” on market days for half a century by the early 1930s, when it was becoming rare to see a horse on the streets of town and the space was being prepared as a new “parking station” for automobiles. Mayor Bernard Alnutt wanted to give it a more modern name, but the beloved Charles Fish, dubbed Excelsior Citizen No. 1, had other ideas. Fish had toured England with his good friend, Major W.A.J. Bell, and had been struck by how the “old country” retained place names based on ancient lore and tradition. He lobbied Alnutt to keep the name as the “Hitch Lot” as an honorable way to remember the days of “Old Dobbin” (Dobbin being a popular horse name in those days.) The mayor, of course, changed his mind about modernizing the name, and The Hitch Lot became official.

Other Noteworthy News This Week:

Join is for the Downtown Excelsior Partnership, Inc. Annual Dinner on Thursday, September 26th in the Hall of Waters Circle Drive. This year’s theme is Big Dreams!

The evening will include an outdoor dinner under the lights, games, diamonds from Sturm Bros.’, a dessert auction, revitalization awards, and cash bar.

We hope you will plan to join them in celebrating all things happening in Downtown Excelsior Springs! Tickets are $40 per person and will be available for purchase on August 22nd. Click here to purchase tickets

The City of Excelsior Springs held its Annual Employee Appreciation Luncheon on August 14, 2024 at the Montgomery Event Venue. Employee Service Awards highlighted the event.

Those recognized were:

Jeff Barge, Senior Center Coordinator – 5 years;
Kristina Baxter, Police Officer – 20 years;
Chad Birdsong, Public Works Director – 30 years;
Melissa Davis, Lead Animal Control Officer – 20 years;
Ryan Dowdy, Police Lieutenant – 10 Years;
Kody Gaines, Sewer Plant Operator – 5 years;
Mike Hearrold, Water Plant Operator – 10 years;
Kimberly Herring, Finance Account Tech – 30 Years;
Scott Sickles, Police Sergeant – 5 years;
Richard Nash, Water Plant Operator – 5 years;
Samantha Nash-St. John, Police Sergeant, SRO – 5 years;
Mike Thompson, Building Inspector – 10 years;
Robert Warner, Police Captain – 15 years.

Time is running out! There’s just a little over a week left to grab your tickets for the Excelsior Springs Irish Festival before prices go up by $5. Get your tickets now for just $20—after September 1st, they’ll be $25, and $30 at the gate.

Don’t miss out on the savings or the fun! Secure your spot today and get ready for a day filled with live music, family activities, artisan crafts, and more. Visit our website to purchase your tickets now: https://bit.ly/esirishfest

Sign ups for the City-Wide Garage Sale are already coming in! Check out the list of sales by clicking here!

We are in competition with two other communities for a conference that will bring a lot of money to town! Please vote for Excelsior! We are in the Top 3 being considered and the community with the most votes WINS! We can do this, Excelsior!! https://missouri.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_88qjy7S7a0BniqW

United Fiber gave a presentation on the growth that they’ve seen as a company, as they were the sponsors for the Chamber luncheon this past week!

Chuck Anderson Ford announced they would be doing a Drive 4UR School through the Ford Motor Company on Saturday, September 14th in the parking lot at the high school. There will be test drives and for each one, the school will receive $20! So go out and test drive a Ford and support the community at the same time!

The Northland Health Alliance is seeking your input on the health and well-being of the Northland community. The results of this survey will help the alliance – local health departments, hospitals, mental health organizations, and other health changemakers – identify issues affecting the Northland and take action. Your input is important. https://bit.ly/4dB2Gxn

The Worship Team at Barbee Church sponsored the annual toy and gift card collection for Christmas 2024. New, unwrapped toys and gift cards usable at local stores will be held by The Good Samaritan for distribution during the Christmas season. Donations will help brighten the holiday for local children in need. Anyone in the community who would like to contribute is welcome to do so. Donations of toys and gift cards may be brought to the church any Sunday morning. Worship time is 10:45. Or, call the church at 816-630-3459 to arrange a drop-off time.