Tag Archives: Johnson County

Johnson County, Missouri Democrats – No Kings – #Resist – on Saturday, June 14, 2025

13 Friday Jun 2025

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On Saturday hundreds of thousands of Americans will take to the streets across the country to protest the travesty which is the second Trump Administration. You can find a location near you via No Kings. At last word there were close to 2000 scheduled events.

The “No Kings” event in Warrensburg, Missouri will start at 1:00 p.m. downtown at the Johnson County Courthouse.

Yesterday:

Johnson County Missouri Democratic Central Committee

STATEMENT FOR PUBLIC RELEASE – JUNE 12 2025

Protests – Exercising your rights and staying safe

The protests in Los Angeles for the past several days and those anticipated nationwide this weekend, Saturday June 14, raise our awareness of First Amendment speech, personal constitutional rights and the role of the government(s) – national, state and local – to maintain law and order.

First, the JoCo Democratic Central Committee believes that the protests which have occurred in west central Missouri are vitally important to draw attention to the conduct of those who continue to ignore the rule of law, especially related to immigrants. We have participated in these events, gratefully exercising one of our most fundamental rights – the right to speak our minds even if critical of government action.

Second, America was and is made better by the vast majority of immigrants — and all of us, except Native Americans—descend from immigrant ancestors. Our diversity for 250 plus years has made the U.S. (to quote a former President of the other party), a “shining city on a hill” for the rest of the world.

Protesting is good and sometimes necessary, just like our founders believed.

Breaking the law and/or engaging in violence is wrong and distracts from the message we are trying to send the American people—that message: You can and should stand up for your own rights and that of other people in this country.

This weekend, if you choose to protest – and please do -, please be aware of your surroundings to keep yourself and your cherished friends safe while protesting. Show respect not only for those whose rights are at issue, but also for law enforcement – they have a job to do too and need your cooperation to do it.

We will participate in a peaceful protest at 1 pm on the 14 June at the Johnson County Courthouse, 300 N. Holden Street in Warrensburg.

Finally, remember our fellow Americans in Los Angeles and support them in whatever lawful way you choose —as we hope and try to avoid major violence there, in other major American cities and in our own backyard this summer. Stay strong and be safe.

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Yvonne Reeves-Chong (D) – Warrensburg, Missouri – May 10, 2025

12 Monday May 2025

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“…Right now things are about as perilous as they’ve ever been in our nation’s history. That is the simple truth. Things haven’t looked this dim since right before the Civil War. And, like Jess [Piper] mentioned, when we’re talking about suspending habeas corpus, that has not been done since the Civil War. When we have people being grabbed off the street the simple truth is this – this is a pivotal moment and I don’t know if the United States of America survives this moment. It’s not guaranteed. [voice: “We’re not united anymore.”] Liberty and justice, freedom, those things are not guaranteed to us. And if we fail this moment our country will cease to exist in the way we’ve known it…”

Yvonne Reeves-Chong, Vice Chair, Missouri Democratic Party.

On Saturday, May 10th, Johnson County Democrats held a social and organizing event in a park on the west side of Warrensburg. Over 100 individuals attended, listening to a number of speakers. Yvonne Reeves-Chong, Vice Chair of the Missouri Democratic Party addressed the crowd:


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“…Here’s the other thing that’s true. No one is coming over the hill to save you. No one. Superman is not coming up over the trees. Barack Obama is not dropping from the sky. The only people that can save us, the hero of this moment has to be you…”

“…It’s the week in, the week out that’s the heroic thing. So for this moment I’m calling each of you to be like Blanche [Rudolph], to get up, to knock the door, to talk to your neighbor, to not let injustice stand. And you do that week in, you do it week out. You run for office when it’s scary. When you hear that bigoted comment. Ya’ll, I’m not asking you to get into a long philosophical argument, but I am asking you to turn around a say, ‘Hell no.’ We don’t have to let bigotry stand…”

“…We are the Democratic Party. But more importantly, we are Americans. [applause] And, ya’ll that flag means something. It means something to me. We are the party that truly understands that liberty and justice for all means everybody or it means nothing at all. [applause]…”

“…We don’t need to explain trans people. We don’t need to explain gay people. And, please, stop explaining black folk. Ya’ll ain’t good at it. [laughter] Yeah, not good at it. Stop explaining things. It’s liberty and justice for all. And all is all is all is all…”

“…All. Because that’s who we are. That’s where we stand. That’s how we fight. Every single one of us. Week in, week out…”

Previously:

Jess Piper (D) – Warrensburg, Missouri – May 10, 2025 (May 11, 2025)

Jess Piper (D) – Warrensburg, Missouri – May 10, 2025

11 Sunday May 2025

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“…We’ve got judges being arrested, we’ve got the Newark, New Jersey mayor being arrested. If they can do those things to people with that much power we have got to be in the streets. And that’s what people, I was hesitant for a long time, ’cause people would say, ‘What should we do?’

We should be in the streets. Every single weekend. We should show them that we do not approve of this, that we are not okay with this. And we do it with our signs and we do it with our bodies. And if it gets to a point I think a general strike is the only thing we’ve got left. We have to hit them in their pocketbooks ’cause they don’t care about anything else. They sure don’t give a ….damn about the rest of us…”

Jess Piper (D).

In the early evening on Saturday, May 10th, Johnson County Democrats held a social and organizing event in a park on the west side of Warrensburg. Over 100 individuals attended, listening to a number of speakers. Jess Piper (D) – The View from Rural Missouri – an organizer, an activist, a writer, and a voice for dirt road Democrats – drove from the northwest part of the state to be there.

Jess Piper (D):


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‘…That’s why they attack trans kids. Because they got nothing else. Well, you know what? We should stand for trans kids ’cause trans kids are human. And every single human deserves dignity [applause] [voice: “Damn right!”]…”

“…They want us to be scared of standing up. But I’m more scared of not standing up. Every single one of us in here who has privilege, I want you to listen to this. If you see someone who is kidnapping someone else from the street I want you to put your body in the way. I want you to stop them. [applause] Use your privilege to stop this. [applause] They are not deporting people, they are kidnapping them. They have no due process. And let me tell you this, friends, if they don’t have due process neither do you. All of us have to be standing up right now.

Stephen Miller yesterday said they were gonna get rid of habeas corpus. Okay, fantastic. You know what that does? Makes sure that you’re not in jail under false premises. Makes sure that they have charges against you. Of course they want to get rid of it. Because they want everything to fail…”

“…I didn’t need a crystal ball to see what was happening, neither did you. You read ‘Project 2025’. I knew they were gonna defund Head Start. When I said it I sounded like a lunatic. Guess what they did?…”

Johnson County, Missouri Democrats – James C. Kirkpatrick Heritage – March 1, 2025

02 Sunday Mar 2025

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On Saturday in Warrensburg Johnson County Democrats held an awards luncheon celebrating the long public service legacy of legendary Missouri Secretary of State James C. Kirkpatrick.

Johnson County Democratic Central Committee Chair Raymond James.

A presentation on Miracle of Innocence:

A moving and hopeful invocation:

Barbara Curtis.

The program included a panel discussion with written questions submitted by those in attendance.

Yvonne Reeves-Chong (D) and Elad Gross (D).

The moderator:

Gary Grigsby (D).

Roberta Burford (D).

Introduction of the awardees:

Yvonne Reeves-Chong, Vice Chair of the Missouri Democratic Party.

Judge Joe Dandurand – 17th Judicial Circuit judge, Missouri Western District Court of Appeals, Chief Deputy Missouri Attorney General, Executive Director of Legal Aid of Western Missouri was honored with the James C. Kirkpatrick Heritage Award for his distinguished public service:

Judge Joe Dandurand.

Erica Collins was honored with the Doris Houx Kirkpatrick Community Service Award for her distinguished and sustained community involvement.

Erica Collins.

Same planet, different worlds

12 Saturday Oct 2024

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Burg Fest (a street fair) is taking place in downtown Warrensburg, Missouri this weekend.

The republican own goal:

“Felon 2024”

A remarkable gesture of self-awareness, if they actually cared. Their booth wasn’t manned up to 10:00 a.m. this morning.

The Johnson County Democratic Party booth, around the corner:

“Johnson County Democrats”

“Yes” on Amendment 3.

Missouri Democratic Party – Presidential Preference Primary – Knob Noster, Missouri – March 23, 2024

23 Saturday Mar 2024

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The Missouri Democratic Party held the in-person portion of their presidential preference primary from 8:00 a.m. to noon today at polling locations across the state. In Johnson County the polling place was in the community meeting room at the Knob Noster Library:

Checking the voter file.

Voters signing in.

Outside, in the cold, a small group of anti-choice demonstrators advocated for state control of women’s health care decisions:

Anti-choice illogic.

Think about that “return to dangerous back-alley abortions” for just a brief second. These people are ahistorical idiots.

Previously:

Signing the Petition – Sedalia, Missouri – March 17, 2024 (March 17, 2024)

Jeanette Cass (D) in the 4th Congressional District

18 Thursday Jan 2024

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Jeanette Cass (D), a candidate for the 4th Congressional District, spoke in Warrensburg at the monthly Johnson County Democratic Club meeting.

Jeanette Cass (D).

Jeanette Cass spoke of her upbringing on her family dairy farm and her life experiences as a single mother, a working person, and as a postal worker.

She also addressed issues and answered questions on agriculture, education, and women’s health care.

July thunderstorm

12 Wednesday Jul 2023

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Tonight in west central Missouri – from Johnson County looking south to Henry County:

Canon 5D III, 2.8 70-200 mm.
F 8.0, 7.2 sec. ISO 100, 200 mm.

Canon 5D III, 2.8 70-200 mm.
F 8.0, 4.5 sec. ISO 100, 200 mm.

Canon 5D III, 2.8 70-200 mm.
F 8.0, 4.2 sec. ISO 100, 200 mm.

Canon 5D III, 2.8 70-200 mm.
F 8.0, 5.0 sec. ISO 100, 200 mm.

Click on the images to enlarge.

Trails Regional Library – Board of Trustees – Holden, Missouri – June 21, 2023

22 Thursday Jun 2023

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The Trails Regional Library is a public library consortium for Johnson and Lafayette Counties in Missouri. Over the past month there has been discussion on a social media platform in a community forum dedicated to Warrensburg about unhoused/homeless individuals at the Warrensburg library branch.

There are shelters in the Warrensburg area, but for the most part there are no daytime shelters. For an unhoused/homeless person this can be an even greater challenge in hot, cold, or inclement weather. The public library is a public library – it’s open to all, there is air conditioning or heat appropriate to the season, there is access to the Internet, and it’s a safe space.

Individual(s) brought their concerns to the Trails Regional Library Board of Trustees. The board met on Wednesday night at the Holden, Missouri branch with the concern(s) on the agenda.

“Core Values”

Trails Regional Library Core Values

We are kind.
We treat each other and those we serve with empathy and compassion. We see every day as an opportunity to inspire new ideas and make someone smile.

We are inclusive.
The library is for everyone, and everyone is welcome here. We recognize and value diversity and intellectual freedom and believe it makes us stronger. Though we may be different, we always begin each interaction with the belief that others’ intentions are good.

We are open.
We cultivate a space where we can share differing opinions without judgment. We stay committed to each other by trusting, communicating, working through conflict, and being open to feedback. Each interaction is an opportunity to learn, even when it doesn’t go the way we hope.

Advocates and activists for unhoused/homeless individuals attended the meeting. Several signed in to speak at the public comment portion at the beginning of the meeting.

From the public comment portion of the meeting:

“…And in the mean time you’ll make them feel like productive members of society and not outcasts. We want to be welcoming to our housing displaced and provide additional support…”


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“…Librairies are for everyone…”


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“I run the homeless shelter in Warrensburg, one of them. And I am here to defend them all…They are displaced people. But displaced people are not bad people…”


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The speaker on the meeting agenda – on the subject of unhoused/homeless individuals utilizing the library:


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A response from an individual in the audience:

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The lack of sufficient resources in Warrensburg impacts the library branch which by all accounts – to the credit of its staff – tries to meet the challenges with compassion, service, and professionalism.