Tod Palmer
The Kansas City Star
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Past articles by Tod:
Baseball-playing Puerto Rico native reflects on Hurricane Maria, life in Midwest
Abdiel Rivera-Cotto, a shortstop in KC's summer Ban Johnson League and at Park University, still winces when he thinks back to a year ago, and the uncertainty he experienced being unable to reach family back home in Puerto Rico during Hurricane Maria. → Read More
NASCAR making a push for diversity
There’s been a renewed and expanded effort in recent years to make NASCAR more multicultural. → Read More
NASCAR has room for new icon since Earnhardt Jr. retired
Dale Earnhardt Jr. was selected NASCAR's Most Popular Driver year after year, but now he has retired. → Read More
Harvick takes pole at Kansas Speedway
Kevin Harvick qualifies first on Friday at Kansas Speedway for Saturday's Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series KC Masterpiece 400. → Read More
Emporia's Clint Bowyer invigorated and ready to roll at Kansas Speedway
After ending a 190-race winless streak earlier this season in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, veteran driver Clint Bowyer of Emporia, Kan., is eager to keep the momentum going May 12, 2018, during the KC Masterpiece 400 at Kansas Speedway. → Read More
This driver learned to race in a simulator, now he's on the cusp of NASCAR stardom
One-time iRacing prodigy William Byron, 20, didn’t drive an actual race car until he was 15, but he’s already got a full-time ride in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, which comes to Kansas Speedway — site of Byron’s first career NASCAR win — this weekend for the KC Masterpiece 400. → Read More
Newly elected mayor appoints new council member as Lee’s Summit’s Mayor Pro Tem
Mayor Bill Baird, who was elected April 3, 2018, appointed first-term city council member Beto Lopez, who defeated incumbent Diane Seif by four votes earlier this month, as the new mayor pro tem for the city of Lee’s Summit, Missouri. → Read More
Margin shrinks after recount, but District 3 city council result doesn’t change
Beto Lopez’s margin of victory shrank to four votes after the Jackson County Election Board’s recount Monday, but he still defeated incumbent Diane Seif in the District 3 election for a Lee’s Summit City Council spot. → Read More
Cold weather postpones Taste of Shawnee, Dodge Town grand reopening
Spring is a few weeks old, but winter weather has postoned a few weekend activities, including the Taste of Shawnee and the Dodge Town grand reopening. → Read More
As election reshapes Lee’s Summit City Council, one race was decided by five votes
Challenger Jose “Beto” Lopez appears to have unseated incumbent Diane Seif on the Lee’s Summit City Council during Tuesday’s election, but the margin is so slight — a mere five votes — a recount has been scheduled for Monday. Other winners in the April 3, 2018, election were incumbents Diane Forte, Trish Carlyle, Fred DeMoro and former council member Bob Johnson. → Read More
Ryan Murdock breaks through in R-7 school board election, Doane reelected
Lee’s Summit voters reelected school board vice president Julie Doane and elected newcomer Ryan Murdock to the Lee’s Summit R-7 School District Board of Education during the April 3, 2018, municipal election. → Read More
Voters in three Cass County school districts approved big funding hikes Tuesday
Voters in the Cass Midway, Raymore-Peculiar, and Pleasant Hill school districts approved school bond issues during the April 3, 2018, municipal elections in Missouri. → Read More
Bill Baird claims big victory in three-way Lee’s Summit mayoral race
Local real estate broker and former R-7 school board member Bill Baird received more than 47 percent of the vote Tuesday’s municipal election, beating out Ron Williams and Rob Binney to become the next mayor of Lee’s Summit, Missouri. → Read More
Jersey Mike’s owner treks halfway across the country to help Braden’s Hope
The Jersey’s Mike Subs shop in Olathe has raised the most money for local charity among 1,400 locations nationwide during the company’s annual day of giving each of the last two years. Franchise owner Peter Cancro came to Kansas for the 2018 Day of Giving. → Read More
Lee’s Summit voter guide: Hear from all 17 candidates in the April 3 election
With Lee’s Summit municipal races set to be decided for mayor, five city council spots and the R-7 School District Board of Education, the Journal reached out to all 17 candidates to produce a voter guide for the April 3 election. → Read More
Voter guide for the three-way Lee’s Summit mayoral election
Lee’s Summit voters will see three candidates — Ron Williams, Bill Baird and Rob Binney — on the ballot April 3 at the polls for next week’s municipal election. → Read More
After being 11 votes short last year, this Cass County district renews bond effort
Cass Midway’s bond issue received more than 55 percent of the vote last spring, but a 4/7 majority was required to pass the 15-cent levy increase. The district is trying again April 3, hoping to receive $3.7 million for a variety of classroom and equipment upgrades. → Read More
Belton hopes voters will approve local use tax in April 3 election
The city of Belton currently does not collect its 2.75-percent sales tax on out-of-state or online retail transactions, but the local use tax would close that loophole and generate more than $200,000 in annual tax revenue for police, fire department and infrastructure needs. → Read More
Don’t be alarmed: Statewide tornado drill planned for next week
News, notes, and briefs from around Lee’s Summit, Mo. → Read More
Ruth Walter eyes promotion, announces candidacy for Cass County Clerk
With current Cass County Clerk Michael Vinck running for a seat in the Missouri House of Representatives, Walter hopes to move up from her job as Cass County Deputy Clerk. → Read More