Before the new year begins on Thursday, the Fulton Sun is taking a look back at 2014's most significant news stories in Callaway County.
Pick up Tuesday's and Wednesday's papers for more year-in-review coverage.
"Super' Sam, mother travel to Florida for specialized treatment
In the first weekend of 2014, "Super" Sam Santhuff, then 5 and battling cancer, and his mother Cassie traveled to Florida for specialized proton therapy in Sam's journey to - as he said - "kick cancer's butt." They stayed in Jacksonville, Florida for about a month as Sam underwent therapy at the University of Florida Proton Therapy Institute. To support their trip and Sam's therapy, First Christian Church and St. Peter Catholic Church held a chili supper fundraiser, which brought in more than $14,000.
Sam Santhuff was diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma - a rare form of cancer - in August 2013 and was deemed cancer free in March. He relapsed shortly after but continued to battle, using his faith and trust in God as a source of strength. "Super" Sam passed away in September after a hard-fought 13-month journey, and his family and supporters keep his mission of defeating cancer going through a foundation in his honor. The Super Sam Foundation passed out more than 500 comfort packs to sick children at various hospitals in November. "We promised Sam many times in his last hours that we were going to keep his light shining, and with this, it's going to shine with a whole lot of kids," Cassie Santhuff said in November.
For more information on the Super Sam Foundation, go to Facebook and search "SuperSam's Heroes."
Sandra Plunkett found guilty of murdering husband, ex-Jefferson City police officer
Sandra Plunkett, the then 40-year-old Holts Summit woman, was found guilty of first degree murder and armed criminal action for the Jan. 1, 2011 death of her husband Paul Plunkett, who served as a Jefferson City police officer for many years.
Sandra Plunkett confessed to the murder three days after it took place and after giving investigators fabricated stories. The prosecution, led by Callaway County Prosecuting Attorney Chris Wilson, stated Sandra Plunkett's heroin addiction caused the couple to fall into debt and when the money ran out, she murdered Paul Plunkett for a $100,000 insurance policy. In court, Sandra Plunkett testified her husband was abusive, claiming increased drug use correlated with increased abuse.
The jury - comprised of seven women and five men from Buchanan County - deliberated for three hours before finding Sandra Plunkett guilty. In March, Judge Gary Oxenhandler sentenced her to life in prison without parole.
Holts Summit Police opens investigation after woman's body discovered behind gas station
On Jan. 30, a customer of the Holts Summit Exxon Mobil, in the 100 block of East Simon Boulevard, discovered a body lying in the grassy area behind the gas station. Police were called at about11:30 a.m. that day, and searched the field and parking lot, and peaked inside tractor trailers for any clues. Officers determined the woman was deceased on site and launched a homicide investigation.
The body was identified as Jessica Murafetis, a 44-year-old woman from the North Kansas City area. She had no family, friends or clear reason to be in the area. The Boone/Callaway Medical Examiner's Office determined Murafetis died of hypothermia and showed signs of methamphetamine and cocaine in her system from the time of her death. The medical examiner's office also stated the cause of her death is undetermined, meaning it's unclear if her death was homicide, suicide or accidental.
Holts Summit Police later told the Fulton Sun that Murafetis was a prostitute who solicited sex for money at truck stops. Her procurer, or pimp, last saw her getting into a white tractor-trailer near Interstate 435 in the north Kansas City area, but couldn't provide any more details to investigators.
February 2014
More than 7 inches costs Fulton on snow removal
The City of Fulton saw about 7.5 inches of snow in early February. City Engineer Greg Hayes estimated that the first 2 inches of snow that falls cost the city $23,000 to plow - accounting for labor, equipment and materials.
"After that 2 inches it drops back to about $10,000 per inch," Hayes told the Fulton Sun at the time. "The reason it drops back a bit is (crews) are already running and called in."
The Tuesday through Wednesday snowstorm cost the city $68,000 - going by Hayes' personal estimate of about 6.5 inches of snow on the roads. Hayes said the city budgeted $25,000 for snow material (sand, salt and cinders). Other expenditures per snow event fall under vehicle maintenance, fuel costs, worker pay and overtime.
Art House gallery opens in Brick District
A group of Brick District members, local artists and Fulton residents collaborated to form the Art House art gallery, classroom and artistic business space. Art House, located at 531 Court St. in the long-vacant storefront next to Cornerstone Antiques, let Fulton residents get a sneak peek starting Thursday, Dec. 11, 2013. The gallery held its grand opening on Feb. 6.
The gallery's current show includes paintings, photographs, jewelry, ceramics, handmade cards, sculptures and textiles. For the current show, which is open through Jan. 30, 2015 Art House partnered with Best of Missouri Hands to bring in some artists' work from other parts of the state for the exhibit.
Of the about 100 artists in the show, Art House director and curator Brian Mahieu said approximately 75 percent of them are from within 50 miles of the gallery - with some artists from as far away as St. Louis. Art House represents about 80 artists.
Calwood fire leaves couple homeless
Vic and Chris Weiser, a Calwood couple, lost their home to a fire in February. They lost their belongings and pets when heat tape on their water lines caught fire on Feb. 10. Family and friends helped out. They held a dinner and auction fundraiser in early March. The proceeds from the event went to help the Weiser's with recovery and medical bills.
Fire damages historic Fulton home
A historic Fulton home suffered serious damage in a fire Feb. 13. Fulton Fire Chief Dean Buffington told the Fulton Sun at the time that when his crews arrived on scene at 211 Jefferson St., "flames were shooting out the windows clear out into the yard."
No one was home at the time of the fire. The home, owned by Brandy Bradshaw, was built by general store owner George M. Willing in 1849-50. It is on the National Register of Historic Places.
Buffington said firefighters had the blaze under control within 10 minutes.
"This is an older building, and that presents a few unique challenges," Buffington said at the time. "It's more opened up, doesn't have as many barriers, so the fire travels, and you have to play cat-and-mouse finding hot spots."
According to a Dec. 7, 1980, feature in "The Kingdom Daily News," there are several stories associated with the home. One story - "at one time a soldier rode a horse up the curved, narrow staircase in the central hall of the house." The story said the house is also allegedly haunted.
Jake Gastler enters not-guilty plea, court sets trial date
Jake Gastler, an Auxvasse-area man charged with second-degree murder and first-degree assault, pleaded not guilty in February. His trial is scheduled for April 7, according to Case.net - Missouri's online court records database.
In August 2013, Gastler allegedly attacked his two neighbors - a father and son - leaving the son dead and father injured. Gastler called police to report finding his neighbors on the ground and covered in blood, according to a press release at the time. Gastler was then taken into custody and accused of beating his neighbors. The incident occurred outside of Auxvasse.
March 2014
MSD announces new superintendent
Missouri School for the Deaf selected a new top administrator in March. The new superintendent, Ernest E. Garrett III, M.S., M.S.W., is the first deaf person to hold that position since the school was established by an act of the Missouri Legislature in 1851. He started July 1. Garrett told the Fulton Sun in March that the main reason he applied for the superintendent's position at MSD is his "strong desire to see deaf and hard of hearing children succeed academically, socially and emotionally."
"I believe that children are our most vulnerable population, and I am determined to use my own life story to motivate and inspire other deaf and hard of hearing children and youth," Garrett wrote in an email at the time.
Garrett was previously the president of the National Black Deaf Advocates, Inc. (NBDA), and a recipient of the "Advocate of the Year Award" from NBDA in 2009 as well as the "Lasting Impression Award" from Special School District of St. Louis County in 2011.
Fulton breaks ground on new animal shelter
The city of Fulton celebrated the arrival of its new, larger animal shelter off of Industrial Drive to replace the current Garrett Animal Shelter, an aging and undersized building. The Garrett Animal Shelter was originally supposed to be used as a temporary solution, but has been in use since the 1990s.
At the time, Fulton Mayor LeRoy Benton described the new animal shelter as a community effort, with $230,000 of the project's $300,000 price tag raised through community contributions. The city agreed to finance the remaining $70,000.
The new 4,800-square foot facility will be able to house more animals, hold animals longer (therefore increasing their chances of adoption), increase working space for employees, improve animal health and provide a safer environment for animals and staff alike.
At Fulton's Dec. 16 city council meeting, Planning and Protective Services Director Les Hudson said painting has started in the new animal shelter and lights have been hung in the animal room. He added that all the sheet rock should have been hung before Christmas and the heating system should be in place before New Year's.
"Hopefully, by February we'll be really, really close to getting done," Hudson said.
April 2014
Fulton sewer bond issue wins in landslide vote, South Callaway fire district adds seats
Fulton's sewer bond issue passed with nearly 87 percent of the votes from April's election. The bond issue did not determine if Fulton would upgrade its sewer plant - the upgrades are federally mandated - but it did determine how utility users would fund the project. The city, with the bond issue's passage, was able to pursue several options for state bonds. That meant ratepayers would see a smaller increase in their sewer rates over a longer period of time.
At the city's Dec. 16 city council meeting, the anticipated improvements to the city's sewer system moved forward. The city approved two resolutions, which granted funding for the manhole and the sewer lining projects.
City Engineer Greg Hayes said manholes throughout the city will receive improvements - about 400 to be sealed and about 45 to be raised. Hayes said he's hoping the manhole improvements will result in a 25 percent reduction of influx and infiltration to the city's wastewater treatment facility.
The sewer lining project would replace sewer line at Ninth and Grand streets, heading north toward the Fulton Middle School football field. The council gave the city the OK to spend more than $136,000 on that project at its Dec. 16 meeting.
Also in the April election, South Callaway Fire Protection District got the "yes" votes necessary to increase its board size from three to five members. Since the board is made up of volunteer members this did not affect taxes. Board member John Farley told the Fulton Sun in April that he was "extremely happy" with the election results.
"I think it will give the district better representation to the public, you'll have two more members now that are in the community and we'll know a lot more people one-on-one," Farley said.
And in Fulton's spring election, Ruth Burt was voted onto the Fulton Board of Education.
In 2012, Burt sued the district in federal court, claiming she was wrongfully fired that same year after calling police about a high school student possibly having a gun. It was proven the student didn't possess a gun inside the high school, although he admitted to carrying an air pistol near the school the day prior.
The suit settled out of court, and Burt told the Fulton Sun in January that she didn't hold a grudge against Fulton Public Schools and it did not affect her decision to run for school board.
Callaway 2 named best tasting water in Missouri, third in nation
The final judging rounds of the Great American Water Taste Test were held April 24. Callaway 2 Water District was named the best-tasting water in the state, beating 19 other samples from rural water districts and municipalities in a taste test.
The test's finals, which included Freeburg, Howell County Public Water Supply District 1, Puxico and Wardsville, were judged on three criteria: water clarity, smell, and "probably most importantly, the taste of the water - that it's pleasing to the palate and has nothing that would cause a person to object to the taste of it," said Water Taste Test Coordinator Tom Hyatt.
The Callaway 2 Water District has about 5, 300 meters and serves more than 10, 000 people in central Missouri.
In February, Callaway 2 placed third in a national taste test conducted by the National Rural Water Association's Great American Water Taste Test.