ELISA's blog

Great news for the Independence Police Department or is it??? Toriano L. Porter's story Tuesday June 30th Cities benefit from AT&T settement. WOW what great news for our police department. The City of Independence if they approve the settlement will get their check in December. Now the city manager and the city council don't need the sales tax. That was great news for our police department or was it??? $2.4 million that should be prayers answered for our police department!!!  

 What a strange story John Pennell wrote for his Community Focus story on June 25th. As I was reading it I had to wonder if this is how he felt when he ran for Mayor and lost. I have worked in the political arena for years. I have seen friends be encouraged to run with hope based upon false promises of money and support too. I have seen them pay back money and get burned by people they truly trusted. Maybe John Pennell did not know how very little chance he had of winning.

Hello Bloggers don't miss the bikini car wash at the Do Drop Inn on 10520 east 40 hwy.

Starting at 11 A.M. At the Do Drop In on 40 HWY $6.00 per car. All proceeds from the car wash are going to the Jeffery Johnson Memorial Fund. We need everyone to pull together and help his family get Jeffery a head stone. Please tell everyone you know! We hope to see everyone there!!!  

Michaei thank you for the story on page A8 June 20-21-22. As a bussiness owner I don't want crime around my shop. I want to live and work in a safe enviroment. I have a duty to the families that I serve to do my part to see that we push crime away from us. This week we had an innocent man putting his golf clubs away when two Hispanic males approached him and said "Give me your money." When the 30 year old man turned to run they stabbed him in the back with a knife. Officers found the handle of the knife about 25 feet away from the vicitim.

Grandmother Amy L. Onka needs our help to find her missing granddaughter, Precious Sarah Brower! She was told her granddaughter walked away from Synergy Services in Parkville Mo. She is 5 ft tall, 85lbs. with beautiful hazel eyes and red hair past her shoulders. She is a junior at the Independence Academy. Please call the police department with any information. If Precious were a dog I would know where to turn. I have a picture of her that needs to get scanned into a computer. This is a story the Examiner needs to pick up on!!! May God Speed!!!

This must be a new club Civil, Minnesotagirl and Stratos have formed. Minnesota girl asked if anyone had seen my crime pictures. She also said all she sees in Independence is trash tagging and nothing that looks like gang activity. Please tell me what you call gang activity. When I see East Side or ES all across a building or a huge 18 going across the side of a building I call that gang activity. When I see Crip Nations 101 or Blood All Day I call that gang activity. When I see SUR 13 or CANT STOP SUR 13 or just 13, I call that gang activity. When I see SAL I call that gang activity.

Last night at the City Council meeting I had this to say. I am Elisa Breitenbach with the Independence Crime Task Force. We are a group of Tax Payers that believe we can help break the cycle of crime through education and networking. We have an atmosphere that has made our people give up. We have experienced a great sense of lawlessness here in Independence. We are told over and over again the police can not do anything. Many people no longer want to call the police because it feels like a waste of precious time.

Today Marilyn Wright in a letter to the editor wrote
There must be an expert con man calling the shots in City Hall!
On Aug. 4, voters are asked to approve yet another special sales tax amounting to three-eighths of 1 percent. The city claims this tax is needed to fund additional police personnel.
Ever notice whenever the city wants to bleed more from already stressed taxpayers and retailers, it's always for legitimate basic services?

I am a shop owner in Independence. My life touches many people. I formed The Independence Crime Task Force because I was told by The Mayor I should not talk about these crimes because it would destroy us. I told him that we were being destroyed and we need help. That is when I began what one of my friends call blowing in the wind, going to City Council Meetings and talking. If the squeaky wheel gets the oil I would be drenched. I began blogging and another world of people came to me. Just as they do when I attend meetings.

I Loved the opportunity to meet and talk to Our Jackson County Executive Mike Sanders and Jackson County Prosecutor Jim Kanatzar. I truly Loved hearing Mike Sanders reads my blogs. I was also happy to hear he lives in Independence. To top all of that off one of the topics was Gang Activity. The meeting was a "Big WOW" for me. I only wish we had more law enforcement at the meeting. I had no idea what COMBAT was. It's my hope we can work with them to help find answers to the drug and alcohol problems along with the Gang Problem we face in Independence.

On May 23rd I blogged about a problem growing at Mc Donalds. I spoke to the Manager and the employes. I also called the 1-800-244-6227. I am sorry to report nothing was done. Today when I seen the Gang Graffiti still carved on the table top I just turned and walked out. On the way to my car I ran into my favorite Mc Donalds Lady I told her I would not be back because I could not support any store that would leave Gang Graffiti Up. Today at 1:30 the case of Jeffrey Johnson the innocent young man that was killed by a Gang in our park is going back to court.

You need to drive to 11719 East 30th Ter S. The gangs are growing. You have created the atmosphere they LOVE. You don't want to address them. You have not provided for Law Enforcement in your budget for years. When you ignore our problems you let them grow like weeds. When you ignore our problems you tell us you do not care. Last year I asked Marcie when are we going to do to address this problem all she would say with a smile on her face is we are dealing with it. Well Marcie we are not feeling it maybe you can try harder.

This comes to give hope to anyone who feels they are all alone in dealing with crime. I have great news we won a little victory this week. When we moved in our little Mom and Pop Shop we had the welcome committee come and vandalize all that we had in the shop. I do not want to take up your time about all the police reports I have made. I want you to know what I did to try and end the crime. I wrote a letter by hand and I hand delivered it to one of our neighbors. I have had enough I made it clear I may look like a force of one but I did not fear them.

The Examiner is our one true voice. Many of us have been on a great search to find answers to the growing crime and gang problems. The problem is so very large that last night our city had three meetings going on to address this huge issue. The Executive Director of Old Northeast Nancy Kwilas could not make our meeting because they were having one also. She shaired with me 14 youth with baseball bats attacked a young family with a baby in a park over the weekend. Over the last year we have been working together because it looks and feels like we are becomming the new Northeast.