From: David Price
From: Thomas Carnahan
From: Steve and Sarah Ballantyne
Violet Long Memorial Service
Memorial Service for Sister Violet Long, to be held on 11:00 a.m., Friday, September 3 at Mt. Zion Restoration Branch -- 15008 E 35 (East of Phelps Road) Independence MO 64055
Luncheon to follow service.
From: robyn mun
From: Riane Marsh
My name is Riane Marsh. I sent out an email to the Saints a week ago, notifying them about the limestone strip mine Central Plains Cement, LLC, wants to build in Sugar Creek. I wanted to send a heartfelt thank you to everyone who responded. My neighbors, Sugar Creek citizens and I appreciate the effort so many of you made to be present at the public hearing of the Zoning/Planning committee, on August 26. It was encouraging to see so many friendly faces and yellow shirts in the crowd. Thank you to those who shared their testimonies and convictions in front of the Zoning committee!
Many more were interested and supportive but could not make it; we know you were praying, and thank you for those and your continued prayers. For those that were not able to attend, I want to send a summary on the meeting and how things stand now, as I understand it.
At the meeting, a board of four representatives associated with Central Plains Cement made a presentation on their mine project. After they were done, the Zoning committee allowed the public to share. 30 citizens of Sugar Creek, Independence and the area testified. Many shared concerns about the lack of thoroughness in the representative’s presentation. Most were worried about contaminated water, noise pollution, the roads, and community safety. Not a single person was for the proposed mine.
During this time, many citizens asked the cement company’s representatives factually based questions. After several noncommittal answers, the representatives declined to speak or attempt to answer any questions for the remainder of the hearing. After over two hours of testimony, the Zoning committee decided to resume the hearing at a later date.
The commission will hold another public hearing on September 16, 2021 at 7 p.m., at the Mike Onka Community Hall, 11520 Putnam Street, Sugar Creek, MO 64054. Again, the neighborhood watch group has asked everyone who can to wear yellow to do so in a show of solidarity. If you cannot make it in person and have not done so yet, please connect to the "STOP the Atherton Quarry" Facebook page, and sign the petition at https://www.change.org/p/jc-chuck-mikulich-stop-the-atherton-quarry-save-sugar-creek.
For those residents of Sugar Creek, our best hope to prevent the mine is for Sugar Creek citizens to reach out to Mayor Mike Larson, the Zoning commission and the aldermen of Sugar Creek. Tell your city officials how you feel! Contact information below:
Mike Larson - Mayor mlarson@sugar-creek.mo.us (816) 252-4400 .ext 1132
Chris Steffen - Alderman First Ward csteffen@sugar-creek.mo.us (816) 252-4400 .ext 1136
Chuck Mikulich - Alderman First Ward cmikulich@sugar-creek.mo.us (816) 252-4400 .ext 1135
Robert Ray - Alderman Second Ward rray@sugar-creek.mo.us (816) 252-4400 .ext 1133
Joi Hazelrigg - Alderman Second Ward jhazelrigg@sugar-creek.mo.us (816) 252-4400 .ext 1134
Paul Loving - Planning & Zoning ploving@sugar-creek.mo.us (816) 252-4400 .ext 1122
Looking to the future, our neighborhood watch group, both church and non-church members, are dedicated to this challenge. In our continuing research, we see more evidence of the potentially devastating effects this mining operation could have on the Independence community. We appreciate and need your prayers as we try to follow God’s will, whatever it may be. Thank you again for the support, and I will keep you updated.
God bless,
Riane Marsh
804.832.9842
From: Thomas Carnahan
From: Nicole Capps
