Lee’s Summit’s annual Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration is Jan. 15

Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration is Jan. 15

Lee’s Summit’s annual Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration will be at 6 p.m. on Jan. 15 in The Pavilion at John Knox Village, 520 N.W. Murray Road.

“United in the Journey” is a celebration honoring the life and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.

The event, which is free and open to the public, is organized by the city’s Human Relations Commission.

The celebration will kick off with a pre-show at 5 p.m., at which attendees will have an opportunity to visit various booths featuring community resources. Refreshments will be served.

Lee’s Summit Mayor Randy Rhoads will welcome the crowd after the presentation of the flags by the VFW Jack Ray Post 5789 and the performance of the national anthem by Lee’s Summit Police Officer Nathan Cantrell.

Pastor Dale Beasley of Pillars of Truth Ministries, the chair of the Celebration Committee, also will make brief remarks.

Lee’s Summit R-7 School District Superintendent Dennis Carpenter will be the evening’s keynote speaker.

Carpenter joined the school district in July 2017 with 21 years of experience in public education.

Attendees also will enjoy musical performances by the MLK Community Choir, Pleasant Lea Elementary School Choir, Lee’s Summit R-7 Faculty Quartet, and Lee’s Summit High School Choir.

“This event is an opportunity to bring the city of Lee’s Summit together — not based on gender, economic level or race — but for one common good and to respect all people,” Beasley said in a statement. “Dr. King eloquently summed up the goal of our MLK Celebration when he said, ‘I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.’ It’s been an honor and privilege to serve on this committee, live in this wonderful city and work with the exceptional group of people who helped put this celebration together.”

For more information about the Martin Luther King Jr. celebration, contact the city at 816-969-1010.

LSPD conduct liquor sales sting operation

The Lee’s Summit Police Department recently announced the results of a liquor control sting operation it conducted Dec. 22, 2017.

The operation targeted convenience stores responsible for following municipal and state law regarding the sale of alcohol to minors.

Police checked 26 locations in Lee’s Summit. Two clerks were cited for making an illegal sale to an underage decoy.

Citations were issued to clerks at the following stores: HyVee Gas in the 900 block of East Langsford Road and Longview Phillips 66 in the 3300 block of S.W. Third Street.

This story was originally published January 8, 2018 at 8:05 AM with the headline "Lee’s Summit’s annual Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration is Jan. 15."