New fire station for Grain Valley COVID-19 vaccine options on the April ballot The Central Jackson County Fire Protection District (CJCFPD) has placed two questions on the April 6th ballot, asking voters for their support in adding a second fire station on the north side of Grain Valley. The district currently has five stations scattered throughout its service area, including the lone Grain Valley station on Eagles Parkway. Growth in Grain Valley and the surrounding communities on the north side of 1-70 necessitates the addition of a second station, according to CJCFPD Fire Chief Jeff Grote. Grote stated the district has purchased a three acre lot at Duncan and Dillingham Roads on the north side of Grain Valley, but has not yet drawn up plans for the station. “We will work hand in hand with the community and City leaders to build a fire station that looks like it fits in that area,” Grote said. Question 1 will ask voters to approve the issuance of $10,000,000 in general obligation bonds by the Central Jackson County Fire Protection District “to acquire, construct, improve and install buildings, vehicles and equipment to serve the District, including to (1) acquire land for, and construct, furnish and equip a new fire station, and (2) acquire
increase for eligible residents
fire trucks and other fire/rescue or emergency equipment or apparatus”. Approval of the measure would allow CJCFPD to build a station at Duncan and Dillingham. Staffing of the new station would be made possible through passage of Question 2, which authorizes CJCFPD to levy an additional operating tax levy “of not more than $0.30 per one hundred dollars assessed valuation to provide funds for paying the expenses of operating and maintaining new and existing fire stations, including hiring firefighters/emergency medical personnel for new and existing fire stations”. Grote says the project, if approved, will take approximately two years to complete. Hiring of 24 fire fighters would begin shortly after passage of the levy, with new fire fighters assigned to other stations until the new station comes online. Also on the ballot for voters within the Grain Valley R-V School District will be a ballot measure to provide indistrict tuition rates for residents attaching the Junior College District of Metropolitan Kansas City, Missouri, effective the 22nd day of April 2021. If approved, residents within the school
see BALLOT on page 2
Community Blood Center blood drive April 14th in Grain Valley Help support the blood supply at your community hospitals by making an appointment to donate at an upcoming blood drive in Grain Valley on Wednesday, April 14th from Noon— 4:00pm at the Grain Valley Community Center. All donors are asked to wear masks to their donation. Temperatures will be checked at the door and social
distancing protocols will remain in place. For more information regarding Community Blood Center’s response to COVID-19, visit https://smarturl.it/CBCCOVID19FB. (Medical eligibility questions? Call 800-688-0900. To register for the drive, visit https:// donate.savealifenow.org/donor/ schedules/drive_schedule/74972.
In This Edition: Looking Back: The Pointe
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Business: How to stop robocalls and spam calls on your phone
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Community Voices: City Administrator Ken Murphy
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Your Health: Adjunctive Therapy with Supplements: What is it and how does it help me? Sports: Strong season comes to a close for Lady Eagles
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Cover Photo: Sophomore Avery Garmon cuts through traffic searching for an open teammate. See story on page 15. Photo credit: Valley News staff
Governor Parson has announced the state will move into Phase 1-B Tier 3 of Missouri’s priority phases as of March 15th. Phase I-B Tier 3 includes the following groups: Education: Teachers, faculty, and staff in public, private, and nonprofit pre K – 12. Childcare: Faculty and staff in a DHSS or DSS -licensed facility providing basic care to children. Communications Sector: Employees at public, private, or nonprofit organizations that provide communications services. Dams Sector: Employees at public, private, or nonprofit organizations that provide services in the dams sector related to critical water retention and control services.
Energy Sector: Employees at public, private, or nonprofit organizations that provide energy services, regardless of the energy source. Food/Agriculture Sector – initial: Employees of certain food production and processing facilities, and related operations, prioritizing mass food production, distribution, transportation, wholesale and retail sales, including grocery and convenience stores where groceries are sold; includes veterinary services. Government: Elected officials in any branch of government at the state, county, and/or municipal levels required for the continuity of government; members of the judiciary at the federal, state, and/or local levels required for the
see VACCINE on page 7
Good News: City accepting reservations for community garden plots Grain Valley Parks and Recreation has opened reservations for its Community Garden for residents, located in the heart of downtown Grain Valley, on the northeast corner of Walnut and Main. Four by twelve foot (4’x12’) garden plots may be reserved for $10, and include the bed with garden soil and irrigation.
Gardeners provide their own plants and tools, and are responsible for maintaining the plot throughout the growing season. Everything you harvest in your plot is yours to keep. To reserve a garden plot, call or visit the Grain Valley Community Center at 713 Main, or by phone at 816-847-6230.
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Police Blotter
BALLOT
The following information is derived from the Grain Valley Police Department daily calls for service log for the week of February 17-23, 2021. February 17, 2021 900 Block of Sandy 700 Block of Main 1300 NW Jefferson Greystone & Sandy LN
Disturbance Citizen Contact Alarm Agency Assist Public Works 1100 Blk of Buckner Tarsney Agency Assist MSHP 1300 Blk of Hickory Wood CT Burglary 1200 Block of Willow Citizen Contact 200 Block of Cypress 911 Hang Up 700 Block of Main Citizen Contact 700 Block of Main Agency Assist Public Works I 70 & Main Motor Vehicle Accident 200 Block of Cypress Agency Assist EMS 800 Block of Highland Unattended Death 1500 Cross Creek Citizen Contact 600 Yennie Welfare Check 1400 Block of Broadway Citizen Contact February 18, 2021 200 Block of Cross Creek LN 700 Block of Main 1300 Block of NW Jefferson 1200 Blk of SW Eagles PKWY 700 Block of Main 800 SW Lakeview Main & Harris 1300 NW Persimmon DR 100 Block of McQuerry 1000 Block of Burr Oak 1100 Block of FoxTail BB & Sni A Bar
Civil Standby Citizen Contact Alarm Warrant Service Warrant Service 911 Hang Up Citizen Contact Disturbance Dealer Application Parking Complaint Citizen Contact C&I Driver
February 19, 2021 1200 Block of Blue Branch DR 1100 Blk of Buckner Tarsney BB HWY, City Limits 900 Block of Abar 500 Block of Eagles Parkway Main & I70 WB Ramp
911 Hang Up Stealing Motor Vehicle Accident Suspicious Vehicle Citizen Contact Motor Vehicle Accident
February 20, 2021 200 Block of Katie Court 1600 Block of Hilltop
Noise Complaint Robbery
1300 Block of Jefferson I 70 W Off Ramp 700 Block of Main 900 Block of W Ryan RD
Alarm Motor Vehicle Accident Citizen Contact Alarm
February 21, 2021 1000 Block of NW Scenic DR Citizen Contact 800 Block of Harvest DR Alarm 700 Block of Main ST Warrant Confirmation 600 Block of Yennie Disturbance 900 Block of Jefferson Suspicious Vehicle February 22, 2021 1400 Block of Olympic NE Hannah CT Bush & Jefferson 900 Block of Maplewood CT 1600 Block of Hilltop 700 Block of Main ST 200 Block of Gregg AA & Jackie Ridgeview & Muriel
Alarm Noise Complaint Stealing Citizen Contact Service Citizen Contact Citizen Contact Road Obstruction Area Check
February 23, 2021 Butterfly Trail Park 700 Block of RD Mize RD 1000 Block of Sandy 1200 Block of Golfview
Area Check Missing Juvenile Suspicious Vehicle Stealing From Motor Vehicle 700 Block of Main ST Citizen Contact 1100 Block of NE McQuerry Suspicious Person 100 Block of McQuerry Suspicious Activity 200 Block of Jefferson Suspicious Activity 1100 Block of McQuerry Stealing 700 Block of Main ST Citizen Contact 700 Block of Main ST Citizen Contact 1000 Block of Scenic Citizen Contact 700 Block of Main ST Motor Vehicle Accident Minter & Blue Branch Motor Vehicle Accident 700 Block of Maint ST VIN Verification 1100 Block of NW Eagle Ridge Alarm
continued from page 1
district boundaries would be eligible for in-district tuition rates. Currently, residents must pay out-of-district tuition rates to attend Metropolitan Community College. Valley News will report on this measure in more detail in
next week’s edition. The deadline to register to vote for the April 6th election is March 10th. For voter registration information, visit www.jcebmo.org.
What are your questions for Grain Valley Alderman candidates? As we look forward to the April 6th municipal election, what questions do you have for the candidates running for the Grain Valley Board of Aldermen? Send your questions to news@grainvalleynews.com or message
us on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram (@grainvalleynews). We will be profiling candidates in the weeks leading up to the election, and appreciate hearing what you would like to know.
Reader Question: Pothole Season ‘Tis the season to dodge potholes in Missouri, which brought about our next Reader Question. We have received a few questions from readers asking about the parking lot at Old Towne Marketplace and plans for its resurfacing/repair. Mark Trosen, Community Development Director for the City of Grain Valley, stated the resurfacing of the entire parking lot for
Old Towne Marketplace was a part of the overall plan for the new apartments, and the planned resurfacing will occur when building 4 is built. A spokesperson for the property owner confirmed the resurfacing of the lot is scheduled for later this year. Have a question you need answered? Send your questions to news@grainvalleynews.com.
Cheer team takes first at State
The Grain Valley High School Cheer Team celebrated its recent MCCA 4A state championship win. Photo credit: Grain Valley Schools
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Looking Back
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Looking Back: The Pointe by Marcia Napier, Grain Valley Historical Society After spending my Sunday afternoon perusing the first two issues of The Pointe, I realize that my research into the newspapers that have served Grain Valley has reached modern day journalism. Well, it was “modern day” when the first issue was published back in November, 1998. The Pointe began as a monthly newspaper. From the first edition, I learned the owners felt it was important to have a name with an historical connection to the town. Stony Point to the south and Pink Hill to the north became the forerunners of Grain Valley. Also, there were the more obvious connotations made by the definition of the word point as an important fact or idea. And finally, they wanted the paper to express a point of view as a position from which one views a place or situation. From my prospective, looking at a couple of 22-year-old newspapers made me realize that, at least for a few years, the newspaper was growing with Grain Valley. The front page of that first issue included a photo and article about the new City Hall and Community Center project that was about to begin construction. This along with a $4M bond for capital improvements let readers know that Grain Valley was growing. There was also news about a $2.8M school bond issue (February, 1999) that created additions to Matthews and SniA-Bar Elementary Schools allowing for 500 students at each location. At that
time the district was serving 1,540 students and school officials expected to be serving 2,000 within five years. Another article to grab my attention was titled “Historical Society Moving into ‘New/Old’ Building. We moved into the nearly 100-year-old building in December, 1998. Over the years our “new home” had been a shoe repair shop, a grocery store, and a gun shop to name a few. For the next two years renovations continued as we added brick along the walls, storage and display cabinets and display cases for Grain Valley artifacts. For the next several years, The Pointe continue to report on the news of Grain Valley. There was city news, business news, school news, sports news, and Inspiration Pointe (church news), Each edition featured a community calendar and community news. About Town spotlighted local citizens and their contributions to the community. We always knew what the Boys Scots, the Optimist Club, and other organizations were doing. And Jerry Vaughan’s column, South of Town kept us informed about “a little bit of everything!” In addition to advertisements, the newspaper also had a page for classified advertisement. As you can see, The Pointe also featured “a little bit of everything.” When all is said and done, The Pointe served our town well and most of us were sorry to see it end. Like people in the big cities, the people of
Picture from The Pointe, December 1998. Photo credit: Grain Valley Historical Society Grain Valley were not willing to pay for local news when the internet was on their iPhone. Many of us still missed our local paper. Next Week: Grain Valley Welcomes the Valley News
Visit the Grain Valley Historical Society at 506 S. Main on Wednesdays or visit us online at ww.grainvalleyhistory.com and Facebook (@grainvalleyhistory).
Missouri Trivia by Marcia Napier, Grain Valley Historical Society With over 7300 caves, Missouri ranks second only to Tennessee for the most caves in the United States. Dolomite and limestone are two very common forms of rock in Missouri, and both are easily
dissolved by acidic water moving beneath the ground. ... “With the movement of more water through the limestone or dolomite, additional rock is dissolved, creating caves.” Twenty-eight caves are open to the public including the largest, Marvel Cave, part of Silver Dollar City in Branson, Missouri.
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Join online at www.grainvalleynews.com.
Business
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How to stop robocalls and spam calls to your phones by Burton Kelso, The Technology Expert During most of 2020, robocalls came to a screeching halt, but now these scam calls have come back with a vengeance. It doesn't matter if you receive calls about your car's warranty, your late payments to the IRS, or the fact that your computer has been infected with a deadly virus, they only have one goal and that is to trick you out of your hard-earned money. The reason these calls continue is that they are pretty successful. Research company Statista reported that Americans lost up to $20 billion dollars to scam phone calls in 2020. I'm sure you think there isn't anything you can do to stop these annoying calls, but there are some very easy steps you can take to give you a break from scammers. 1. Be very cautious with whom you share your number with.. To cut down on the number of scam calls, guard your phone number. When you hand out your landline or mobile number, you never know who your number will be shared with. Your number can wind up in the wrong hands if you share it with a business you trust and they share it with marketing firms. Your phone number can also be obtained in a company data breach which is then dumped on the dark web for any scammer to get. Criminals can also get your phone number if you share it on a company website and even your social media accounts. If you want to have a 'public' number, set up a Google Voice account (www.google.com/voice). This service allows you to create a virtual number (and voicemail) which you can share with others without the risk of having your main number fall into the hands of scammers. 2. Sign up for the National Do Not Call Registry list. Although it's not foolproof and won't stop calls from scammers, you should take a minute to make sure you're on the Do Not Call Registry list by visiting www.donotcall.gov. You can choose to add your landline or your mobile phone. When you sign up, it can take up to 30 days for it to take effect, so be patient. Doing this will stop
telemarketing companies from calling you. Even after you sign up, you may still get calls from charities and businesses that you've worked with within the past. If this happens, you will have to verbally ask them to be removed from their list. 3. Block those unwanted calls. If you own an Android or an iPhone, you can check out awesome features that will halt those annoying calls. Android users, just follow these steps: Go to Settings. Then, tap on Block numbers. Toggle the Block unknown callers button to enable the feature. Now, you won’t have to worry about frustrating notifications clogging up your phone screen. iPhone users: Take advantage of the 'Silence Unknown Callers' tool. Your phone has to have iOS 13 or 14. This feature will block numbers that aren’t in your contacts list. to turn it on, do the following: Go to Settings. Then, tap on Phone. Scroll down and select Silence Unknown Callers. 4. Use the tools available from your mobile carrier. If you own a smartphone, the best way to stop robocalls is to see what options your mobile phone provider can offer. Here is what each one offers: AT&T. If you use AT&T, you can download the free 'AT&T Call Protect app'. Verizon. If you’re a Verizon user, check out the 'Call Filter app'. They also offer paid solutions if the app doesn't take care of those annoying calls. T-Mobile & Sprint. Check out the ScamShield app for your devices. 5. Download an app. If none of the above tricks work, there are some apps you can download. One of the best products to use is Robokiller (www.robokiller.com). Promising to block 99% of spam calls, you get the added bonus of having actor/rapper Ice T answer your calls as well as other answer bots that make it
entertaining to see a scammer get frustrated when they call you. There is no foolproof way to eliminate scams and robocalls because criminals are constantly changing their tactics to reach out and touch you and your wallet. If you use the steps listed above you, they are a great way to eliminate those unnecessary calls which will keep you safe from falling for the latest phone hoax. Looking for More Useful Tech Tips? Our Tuesday Tech Tips Blog is released every Tuesday. If you like video tips, we live stream new episodes of 'Computer and Tech Tips for Non-Tech
People' every Wednesday at 6:00pm CST on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter. Technology product reviews are posted every Thursday. You can view previous episodes on our YouTube channel. Want to ask me a tech question? Send it to burton@callintegralnow.com. I love technology. I've read all of the manuals and I'm serious about making technology fun and easy to use for everyone. Our team of friendly tech experts organization can help you with any IT needs you might have. Reach out to us a www.callintegralnow.com or phone at 888.256.0829.
State News
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‘Vaccination gap’ worse in Missouri’s urban centers, consultant hired by state finds by Tessa Weinberg, Missouri Independent A consulting firm hired by the state has repeatedly found Missouri’s urban centers have the largest “vaccination gap” — the estimated number of eligible residents who still haven’t received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. The analyses, which were conducted by Deloitte Consulting and provided to The Independent through an open records request, began recommending targeted mass vaccination sites and improved administration methods like “high throughput” hospitals to help close those gaps as early as Feb. 8. Deloitte’s findings appear to confirm many residents’ frustration: that vaccines are harder to access in the state’s urban centers, forcing those with the time and resources to more rural areas to find an available appointment. Nearly a third of Missourians whose residence was known — or about 30.4 percent — were traveling outside of their county of residence to receive a vaccine, according to Deloitte’s Feb. 22 analysis. Meanwhile, Deloitte also found rural counties in Missouri’s southwest region tended to be the areas with the lowest percentage of eligible residents vaccinated. Gov. Mike Parson has repeatedly shared figures that show vaccines are being allocated proportionally based on each of the nine Highway Patrol regions’ populations. But whether doses are being proportionally allocated within each region is unclear. “There are some out there who want to push the narrative that we are not efficiently and equitably administering COVID-19 vaccines, especially in the St. Louis area,” Gov. Mike Parson said during a Feb. 11 press conference. “This is simply not true.” Just three days before Parson’s Feb. 11 comments, an analysis was sent to top leaders at various state agencies, including the Department of Health and Senior Services and Parson’s senior staff members, showing St. Louis County had the highest gap between the number of eligible residents and the number of residents who had received their first dose. St. Louis city had the fifth-highest gap. The analysis used data as of Feb. 4. “The top 10 counties with the largest vaccination gap account for 62% of the eligible population in Phase 1A and Phase 1B Tiers 1 & 2,” Mike Daggitt, a senior manager at Deloitte Consulting, wrote in a Feb. 8 email recapping highlights from the analysis. Two weeks later, Deloitte found that the top ten counties had not changed. According to that analysis, which used vaccination data as of Feb. 13, the top ten counties with the largest gap were: St. Louis, Jackson, St. Charles, St. Louis city, Greene, Clay, Jefferson, Boone, Cass and Franklin. For St. Louis County, an estimated 364,018 eligible residents had not yet
been vaccinated — the largest gap in any county. Those same counties were also within the top 10 when looking at gaps in just the 65 and older population, “suggesting those counties may be having difficulty reaching the 65+ population,” the analysis read. A slide from a Feb. 22, 2021, analysis conducted by Deloitte listing the top ten counties for vaccine gaps and percent of eligible residents vaccinated. Approximately 96,215 prime doses were not tagged to an individual county and therefore excluded in the percent vaccinated analysis. Neither DHSS nor the Governor’s office responded to requests for comment Tuesday on Deloitte’s findings. Deloitte, a global consulting firm with offices in Missouri has been analyzing data to advise the state on its vaccine distribution model. According to state records, the firm has been paid nearly $600,000 by the state in fiscal year 2021. According to an earlier Feb. 8 analysis by the firm, the top 10 counties with the lowest vaccination rates ranged from 7 to 11 percent vaccinated, compared to other counties across Missouri that had up to 52 percent of their eligible populations vaccinated. Some of the counties that have repeatedly had the lowest percent of eligible residents vaccinated included Taney, Newton, Barry and Crawford. When looking at St. Louis County and Jackson County — the two with the largest gaps in vaccinations of eligible residents — the Feb. 22 analysis identified various contributing factors, such as the areas’ large populations and having nearly two times the state average of minority residents. The mass vaccination event planning “could consider collaborating with local, community-based programs here to optimize vaccine confidence,” takeaways read for both counties. Frustration has been building for weeks as mass vaccination events have been consistently held hours outside of the city centers. And that frustration seemed to reach a new level after multiple mass vaccination events in rural areas ended the day with hundreds of unused doses. In one county, 143 doses went to waste. The issue prompted lawmakers and experts to call on the state to adjust its distribution model. Parson suggested Monday that change was on the horizon. In addition to transitioning some mass vaccination teams to the Kansas City and St. Louis regions to hold more events, the governor promised that 15 percent of the state’s weekly supply moving forward will go toward “vaccine desert mitigation.” An earlier analysis by Deloitte found an expanding portion of St. Louis and Kansas City were considered “vaccine deserts,” or areas with limited-to-no
access to the COVID-19 vaccine. On Tuesday, Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas sent a letter to the Federal Emergency Management Agency requesting mass vaccination sites be established in the city, according to The Kansas City Star. However, it appears that vaccines being administered in the state’s metros weren’t always making it to their own residents. According to the Feb. 22 analysis, in St. Louis County about 40 percent of vaccines administered there were given to people who live in surrounding counties and cities or out-of-state. A portion of individuals who did not have counties of residence were assumed to be out-of-state. Earlier this month, the Department of Health and Senior Services released new guidance stressing that vaccine should be administered to Missouri residents first and foremost. Cass County, which is in the Kansas City metro area, and Jefferson County, which is in the St. Louis metro area, were the only two counties to be within both the top 10 for the highest vaccination gap and lowest percent vaccinated for all eligible residents. Meanwhile, when looking at just the 65 and older age group, Jefferson County and St. Louis city both fell within the top 10 counties for the largest vaccination gap and lowest percent vaccinated, according to the Feb. 22 analysis.
In both the St. Louis area, which was described as “a geography with a large vaccination gap and high number of vaccine deserts,” and the southwest corner of the state, vaccination rates only increased moderately from the week before, according to the Feb. 22 analysis. The metros are also the areas with the highest likelihood of having more vulnerable residents, Deloitte also found. A Feb. 1 analysis determined that the St. Louis, Kansas City and Springfield metros, in addition to the Ozarks, were more likely to have high concentrations of individuals with one or more comorbidities. That persisted when looking at areas with individuals at high risk for three or more comorbidities. Areas with a high-prevalence of people with a disability tended to trend more toward the central and southern portions of the state. The analysis suggested the state consider prioritizing these areas when addressing vaccination access and vaccine distribution.
This story has been updated since it was first published. Tessa Weinberg covers education, health care and the legislature. www.missouriindependent.com
Community Voices
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City Strategic Plan focuses on community sustainability, economic development, and brand identity by Ken Murphy, City Administrator, City of Grain Valley Our community has grown exponentially in the last two decades. This growth has provided Grain Valley with many opportunities, including the addition of new businesses and amenities that we enjoy. Due to this growth, City staff saw the need to set goals for our future to ensure that decisions are made that will be in the best interest of citizens and will meet the anticipated challenges that also come with rapid growth. The 2021-2025 City of Grain Valley Strategic Plan is a culmination of work from all city departments. There are three areas of focus for this plan including community sustainability, economic development, and brand identity. The strategic plan is a five-year plan which will be reviewed by each department biannually with new shortterm goals set to ensure progress is made towards reaching the long-term goals. Community sustainability includes the ability to move forward into the future, adapting to changes, while maintaining the foundations that have built Grain Valley to what it is today. One of the key components to sustainability is through City communications. It is
imperative that citizens have access to information regarding City functions, such as Board of Aldermen meetings and reporting concerns. This also ties into improvements in technology (another facet of sustainability) such as the addition of our City of Grain Valley app and improvements made to the website, including the addition of an email signup so citizens can receive City news and information directly. Technology for infrastructure and systems will also be analyzed and updated as needed. One example of improved technology within the Community Development Department is the implementation of the Neptune Fixed Water Meter Reading System by June 2021. This system enables residents and staff to have easy access to their water meter readings, which will allow staff time to complete other projects. City planning standards will improve so that developments that are added are of good quality. The City intends to improve employee retention with programs and consistent employee appreciation. General fund revenue sources will be diversified to reduce the percentage that property taxes currently make up within the fund.
Grain Valley News welcomes guest columns, letters, and your news tips and questions. Email news@grainvalleynews.com to share your story ideas.
Economic development is important to our community because it is, in part, how we attract new, quality businesses to Grain Valley, which can improve the overall standard of living for citizens with added conveniences and opportunities available locally. The planning process for growing the business community is set forth so that investments the City makes will improve the landscape in the long term for both current and incoming businesses. The increase in businesses will in turn increase general fund sales tax revenue, which will allow the City to be less reliant on property taxes. The City will be able to enhance the services that they provide and add staff as needed. Additionally, the City commits to increase the average length that a local business remains open. The Administration Department will work closely with the Grain Valley Partnership to actively recruit businesses that are suited to our community. The Police Department will determine the potential needs for a Public Safety Sales tax in order to improve upon their
ability to protect and serve. Grain Valley is unique for many reasons including the small-town feel that it has maintained despite the rapid growth. There is a need to define the brand identity or face of the City of Grain Valley. The brand identity is made of several components including what sets this community apart from others in the region and what best represents the values, services and personality of it. Place branding must be identified to link varying aspects of the community such as economic development, travel, education and civic pride. The ultimate goal with place branding is to project a defined image and perception of the City. By June 2021, the Administration Department will have collected information that will determine the next steps in obtaining a new brand identity. The complete Strategic Plan may be viewed at www.cityofgrainvalley.org. For more information, please send a message to info@grainvalley.org or call 816-847-6200.
Your Health VACCINE
continued from page 1
continuity of government; employees designated by the federal government that fall within the state’s vaccine allocation responsibilities; other designated government personnel required for the continuity of government. Information Technology Sector: Employees at public, private, or nonprofit organizations that provide IT services. Nuclear Reactors, Materials, and Waste Sector: Employees at public, private, or nonprofit organizations that work in this sector. Transportation Systems Sector: Employees in the transportation systems sector including aviation, highway and motor carriers, maritime transportation systems, mass transit and passenger rail, pipeline systems, freight rail, and postal shipping. Water and Wastewater Systems Sector: Employees at public, private, and/or nonprofit organizations that provide drinking or wastewater services. Grain Valley Schools will survey all employees this week to collect the names of those who intend to get vaccinated this month, according to Dr. Brad Welle, Deputy Superintendent, Student and Community Services. “We will use this list to schedule vaccination sessions with at least two
regional providers,” Welle said. Those in each of the eligible priority phases may seek out the vaccine through a number of providers, including: Missouri COVID-19 Vaccine Navigator: Register online at www.mostopscovid.com or call 877-4358411. Register with Jackson County Health Department at www.jacohd.org/covidvaccines. Truman Medical Centers: You can register online or call (816)404-CARE to sign up for TMC’s vaccine waiting list. You must be a Missouri resident and meet eligibility. Selected retail pharmacies such as Walmart, Sam’s Club, and Health Mart are now providing vaccines to eligible persons through the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program for COVID-19. This program allows individuals to get vaccinated at any location regardless of residency. To assist seniors in the metro area who need assistance navigating the system, Mid-America Regional Council Area Agency on Aging (AAA) may be contacted by phone at 1-800-593-7948. Your local AAA can help you: Register for a vaccine, if you have not yet registered; Coordinate round-trip transportation; Be reminded when it’s time for your second dose.
Jackson County Health Department COVID-19 Testing Jackson County Health Department will offer the following COVID-19 testing locations March 8-12: Monday: Lee’s Summit This is a Drive-Thru 505 NW Blue Parkway, Lee’s Summit 64063 Registration link: https:// jacohd.jotform.com/210316176114848 Tuesday: Grandview This is not a drive-thru clinic The View: Grandview- The View Community Center 13500 Byars Rd., Grandview MO 64030. Registration link: https:// jacohd.jotform.com/210316436014846
Wednesday: Blue Springs This is not a drive thru clinic Vesper Hall 400 NW Vesper St. Blue Springs Registration link: https:// jacohd.jotform.com/210324781527857 Thursday: Lee’s Summit This is a drive-thru 505 NW Blue Parkway, Lee’s Summit 64063 Registration link: https:// jacohd.jotform.com/210315678014853 Friday: Independence Not a drive-thru Independence Uptown Farmers Market211 W Truman Rd., Independence MO 64050 Registration Link: https:// jacohd.jotform.com/210324435314847
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How and why to improve the fit of your mask (StatePoint) As more Americans get vaccinated against COVID-19, you may find yourself out and about more. Whether you’re returning to the workplace or just getting a haircut, mask requirements may be in place in certain venues you frequent. New Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations highlight the importance of snugly fitting masks. The good news is that innovations are helping people secure the fit of their masks, and, at the same time, solve some of the most common complaints they have when wearing them. “As we began to wear masks in 2020, we found ourselves frustrated by things like fogging glasses and slipping masks. Our team has extensive experience solving health-related challenges and thought there had to be a way to address this,” says Dave Franchino, cofounder at MaskTite, a company that makes a medical-grade, double-sided tape designed to adhere to the inside of a mask for a more secure fit. Franchino, with his background in medical product design, set to work with his team to design a way to give people of all face sizes and shapes a fast and easy way to make every mask fit better. Made of skin-safe, medical-grade, adhesive tape, MaskTite strips eliminate common mask problems like gaps, fogging glasses and slipping, and are sized for adults and children. Here Franchino explains how to solve some of most common mask woes,
some of which you’ve likely experienced: • Loose fit and slipping masks: Readjusting your mask when it starts to slip is not always possible, whether it’s because you have your hands full of groceries or work tools or you simply want to avoid touching your face. Keeping the mask affixed to your face with tape can eliminate slipping when it matters most, and achieve a tighter fit, supporting the latest CDC recommendations. • Foggy glasses: The warm air of your breath escaping from the top of your mask can quickly make glasses foggy, causing a new hazard -- an inability to see. While it can be tough to find a mask that fits securely enough to eliminate fog, applying a solution like MaskTite to the inside of your mask means you can get a proper fit and better visibility, no matter what mask you’re using. • Irritating straps: A tight-fitting mask is great in many respects, but the straps can put a strain on the backs of one’s ears. Plus, there are times when mask straps can simply be in the way, such as when you’re getting a haircut. Securing your mask to your face with tape means you can go strap-free. “From fogging glasses to slipping, nearly every issue that stems from wearing a mask is related to the mask’s fit. For those spending a lot of time in a mask, at school, work or elsewhere, a good mask-wearing experience can make all the difference,” says Franchino.
Your Health
Page 8
Adjunctive Therapy with Supplements: What is it and how does it help me? by Sean M. Crosetti, MBA, PharmD, Crosetti Health & Wellness Technically speaking, adjunctive therapy is when additional treatments are used to enhance the effectiveness of the main or primary treatment. With a prescriptive treatment, this could be additional prescription medications or the addition of supplements as part of the therapy. Often, it is the introduction of supplements to help the treatment be most effective and to reduce or eliminate negative side effects. It is safe to say if you are not on a prescription medication, you know someone who is taking a medication regularly to help maintain a healthy life. Almost everyone knows about side effects of medications and how they can lead the prescriber to change the medication or add another prescription medication to keep those side effects in check. In many cases, the side effects are the result of a deficiency of nutrients and enzymes in the body. Instead of adding another prescription medication to mask the side effects of the original treatment, using adjunctive therapy, the deficient nutrients are replenished back to the necessary concentrations by adding dietary supplements, which eliminates
the side effects. How does a medication cause a deficiency of a nutrient? That is an interesting conversation. All medications work on the body through increasing or decreasing one of these pathways: Absorption, Production, Transport, Metabolism, Excretion, or Storage. The idea behind this is that a change in the body’s pathway(s) has become detrimental to the body’s health; therefore, a medication is prescribed to return the altered pathway back to its healthy and steady state. Once that healthy steady state is obtained, then all that is left is to monitor for the need to adjust dosing. Well, the body is an amazing machine that is able to use the same “tools” in several different ways. An example of this is with the anti-cholesterol class of drugs called Statins: [Atorvastatin (Lipitor®), Fluvastatin (Lescol. ®), Lovastatin (Mevacor®), Pravastatin (Pravachol®), Rosuvastatin (Crestor®), Simvastatin (Zocor®)]. These medications work to reduce the amount of cholesterol your body produces by blocking a specific enzyme; coupled with dietary changes,
cholesterol levels decrease. Now that same enzyme being blocked for cholesterol production is also used in the body to produce the important antioxidant coenzyme Q10 (CoQ-10). Therefore, the introduction of a statin could lead to a decrease in CoQ-10 production. This could lead to a CoQ-10 deficiency (muscle aches, fatigue, systemic inflammation, cardiac issues, and/or mental fogginess). Symptoms slowly grow as stores of nutrients are depleted. Adjunctive therapy helps replenish the Metabolic Reserve (nutrients your body has stored) and restore the capacity of the Physiologic Resilience (your body’s natural resilience to short term change). This type of therapy is not only used to replace depleted essential vitamin/ nutrients but also to introduce additional nutrients to allow the treatment to be most beneficial. There are times where a prescribed medication provides greater benefit if taken with a supplement. For example, if you are prescribed a medication to help with low bone density in the Bisphosphonate class: [Risedronate (Actonel), Alendronate (Fosamax), Ibandronate (Boniva), Zoledronic Acid (Reclast)],
Food Allergies 101 must avoid foods with allergen ingredients. There are laws in place to protect consumers. Food companies must be transparent about ingredients and their derivative. If any ingredient contains one of the eight main allergens listed above, it must be listed either behind the ingredient in parenthesis or at the end of the ingredient list, using the common allergen name. Managing a lifetime food allergy means reading package labels of food every time it’s purchased. Food manufactures can change ingredients; you want to be sure the problem food/ ingredient is not present. Here’s some good news: There are companies that make products that are free from the most common eight allergens. Brands sold at Hy-Vee include Enjoy Life Foods, Made Good Foods and Namaste Foods, to name a few. Allergen -free food choices have improved in the past 10 years: There are dairy-free,
Sean M Crosetti, MBA, PharmD, is Pharmacist in Charge and Owner of Crosetti Health & Wellness in Grain Valley. Crosetti Health & Wellness is located at 510 N. Main in Grain Valley. www.crosettis.com
Dairy-Free Frozen Yogurt Bark Makes 12 servings
by Megan Callahan, MS, RD, LD, Hy-Vee Corporate Dietitian If you’ve ever witnessed a serious, life -threatening food allergy reaction, then you know that food allergies are something to be taken seriously. In the United States the eight most common food allergies are milk, egg, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, wheat and soy. A food allergy happens when your immune system overreacts to a protein from a food. According to foodallergy.org, food allergies tend to be hereditary and follow a progression throughout a person’s lifetime: eczema, food allergy, allergic rhinitis (runny nose) and asthma. Not everyone will follow this progression, or experience every condition. A food allergy is not the same as an intolerance; it’s important to take an allergy seriously and have an evaluation by an allergist medical doctor. There is no cure for food allergies; one
you should also start Calcium supplements. This class of medications works by reintroducing Calcium into your bones so by adding additional Calcium to your body, the better the medication can benefit you. Not all prescriptive medications need adjunctive therapy. The best way to identify when adjunctive therapy with supplements would benefit you is to be open with your healthcare providers (physicians, nurse practitioners, pharmacists, chiropractors, therapists, etc.) about any changes that concerns you. Remember when discussing your health with these providers to tell them about all the medications and supplements you are taking. Not only list the prescribed medications but the vitamins/supplements/over-the-counter items you are taking with the frequency listed as well, and do not shy away from asking about this type of therapy.
gluten-free macaroni & cheese options and several wonderful gluten-free foods. Shop in the HealthMarket section of HyVee for foods void of allergen ingredients. Reach out to your Hy-Vee dietitian for help and make time to attend one of our Allergen-Friendly Virtual Events this month. To contact a Hy-Vee dietitian, go to hy-vee.com, click on the “Health and Pharmacy” tab, then click on “Dietitians.” Enter your zip code in the search box, click on the dietitian’s name to connect. Set up a time to chat about your questions and schedule a virtual store tour highlighting allergen-friendly foods and tips to navigate the grocery aisles. Try this Dairy-Free Yogurt Bark for a treat. For more food allergy recipes, go to Hy-Vee.com. In the search bar, type: Recipe Solutions for Common Food Allergies.
All you need: 4 (5.3-oz. each) containers Kite Hill dairy-free vanilla yogurt ¼ cup Hy-Vee clover honey ½ cup fresh blueberries ¼ cup halved fresh raspberries ¼ cup halved fresh blackberries ¼ cup Enjoy Life dairy-free dark chocolate morsels ¼ cup finely chopped Hy-Vee shelled pistachios All you do: Line a 15x10x1-inch baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside. Combine dairy-free yogurt and honey in a medium bowl. Spread on prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle with blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, chocolate morsels and pistachios. Freeze 45 to 60 minutes or until completely frozen. Break into pieces. Serve immediately or store yogurt bark in the freezer. Nutrition Facts per serving: 120 calories, 4.5g total fat, 1.5g saturated fat, 0g trans fat, 35mg sodium, 18g total carbohydrates, 2g dietary fiber, 14g total sugars, 3g protein Recipe source: Hy-Vee.com/recipes. Sources for article: foodallergy.org
Home & Garden
Page 9
March Gardening Tips by Cathy Bylinowski, M.S., Horticulture Instructor, University of Missouri Extension Are longer days and warming temperatures making you think about gardening? March is the beginning of the outdoor gardening season in many parts of Missouri. Here are some gardening tips from Donna Aufdenburg, MU Extension Field Specialist in Horticulture and from me, Cathy Bylinowski, MU Extension Horticulture Instructor, bylinowskic@missouri.edu. Are you lucky enough to have an asparagus bed? March is time to clean up the asparagus bed before new spears emerge: remove weeds, the old, dead stalks of last year's growth and remove mulch that protected crowns over the winter. For more information, see MU Extension Guide g6405 Growing Asparagus in Missouri https:// extension.missouri.edu/g6405. Cultivating wet garden soils can destroy soil composition. Delay planting if garden soil is wet. When a ball of soil crumbles easily after being squeezed together in hand, it is dry enough to be safely worked. Plant cool season crops such as peas, lettuce, spinach, various greens, radishes, carrots, beets, kohlrabi, turnips. These crops can be directly sown into moist crumbly garden soil. Transplants of leeks and onions can be planted outdoors now, as well as onion sets (small bulbs). Plant broccoli, cabbage, brussels sprouts and cauliflower transplants into the garden. For suggested planting dates, see MU Extension Guide g6201 Vegetable Planting Calendar https:// extension.missouri.edu/g6201. While some people plant potatoes on St. Patrick’s Day, the ground can still be wet and cold on March 17. Potatoes benefit from slightly warmer temperatures.
Plant potatoes in late March through late April. The ground will be a little warmer and the potatoes will start growing vigorously in a matter of weeks. Here’s a link to an informative article on potatoes: https:// extension.missouri.edu/news/st.paddy-s-day-is-a-dud-for-planting -spuds-in-missouri-3347 More March vegetable gardening tips: Start tomatoes indoors now for transplanting in early May. You will need a window with a clear southern exposure or shelving with fluorescent light fixtures that can be raised as seedlings grow. This will help you produce healthy and sturdy transplants. Now is also the time to start peppers and eggplant seeds for transplanting outdoors in May. Like tomatoes, these warm weather crops need warm air and soil temperatures for success. Monitor May temperatures and cover your transplants if the temperatures approach freezing. For more information, see MU Extension Guide g6570 Starting Plants Indoors from Seeds https:// extension.missouri.edu/g6570. Ornamental gardening Crocus, snow drops, and hyacinths will bloom soon. Daffodils and tulips will be next on your spring flowering bulb schedule. If do not have any in your garden, think about planting some next fall. They are wonderful late winter signs of spring. If you have a partly shady area in your yard or garden, think about planting some of our beautiful spring flowering native wildflowers such as bluebells, Dutchman’s
Breeches, yellow violets, or Wild Sweet William. Leave the wild ones in the woods to enhance natural landscapes and natural communities. Purchase Missouri native wildflowers from a growing number of retail sources. Grow Native! is a program of Missouri Prairie Foundation-https:// grownative.org/. The website lists companies that sell native plants in Missouri, a list of upcoming workshops and, under the Events tab, a list of upcoming native plant sales. More March ornamental gardening tips: Clean up flower beds by removing all weeds and dead foliage. Tree, shrubs and perennials may be planted as soon as they become available at local nurseries, garden centers and retail stores. Loosen winter mulch from roses after the danger of frost has passed. To help control iris borer and foliage diseases, clean up and destroy the old foliage before new growth begins. Prune spring flowering shrubs such as forsythia and weigelia, after they bloom. That way you can enjoy their attractive flowers this year and give the plants time to develop flower buds for next year. See MU Guide g6870 Pruning
Senior guard Jayden Yung successfully drives the lane to score a layup. Photo credit: Valley News staff
Asparagus sprouting in spring. Let the stalks get about 6 inches high before harvesting. Image by Anrita1705 from Pixabay.
Ornamental Shrubs https:// extension.missouri.edu/g6870 Cut back ornamental grasses. For more information, see MU Extension Guide g6661 Ornamental Grasses https:// extension.missouri.edu/g6661. If you have more gardening questions, contact the Gardeners’ Hotline, 816-833-TREE (8733) or MU Extension- Jackson County, 816-482 -5850, for more information.
Page 10
Getting more movement throughout the day (StatePoint) Working or learning from home? It’s more important than ever to ensure you move throughout the day. Doing so will help keep your mind and body healthy and agile. Here are a few tips to move more throughout the day. Take designated breaks: While your workplace likely afforded you regular opportunities to move around, such as getting up to speak to a colleague or attend a meeting, home workspaces often involve a lot less natural movement. Set a timer for regular intervals. Every time you hear the beep, stretch, move about or take a walk to the kitchen for a glass of water. You’ll be giving your eyes a much needed break too. If possible, consider even building a
midday walk or jog around the neighborhood into your schedule. Track your movement: Wearable tech can help you stay accountable throughout the day. The timepieces in the G-SHOCK line-up feature step trackers and other cool heart smart health and fitness functions that can help you enhance your workout. In addition to counting steps, the GBD800-1B for men and the GMDB800-1 for women track calories burned, exercise intensity levels and activity goal achievements when connected to the G-SHOCK app. They also feature daily, weekly and monthly activity graphs so you can set goals and track your progress over time. Mix it up: There are four types of
exercise, according to the National Institutes of Health -- endurance, strength, balance and flexibility -- and each type has different benefits for your body. Varying your workouts can ensure you gain the benefits of all four types. Need some inspiration? There are plenty of free routines available online, many of which offer modifications to work for different fitness levels. Just search for what you’re looking for and you’re bound to find some great followalong programming to meet your needs. And remember, a workout doesn’t need to be a certain length to be beneficial. If you have only a few minutes to squeeze movement into your day, be sure to take it.
iStock Photo
Using new tools, it’s easier than ever to stay accountable to your fitness goals, even when you are spending a lot of time at home.
Theme: Head to Toe ACROSS 1. *A or O, to blood 5. Catch a wink 8. "Don't know what to say" sound 11. Eon, alt. sp. 12. Severe blow 13. *Blood ____, type of blood test 15. Eastern ____, 1947-1991 16. *Respiratory rattling 17. Enormous ones 18. *Annual exam 20. Largest city of Norway 21. Like a romantic movie? 22. *Anatomical pouch 23. Work over with fists (2 words) 26. Levee next to water mill 30. Not cooked 31. What a terrorist wants to spread 34. Continental currency 35. Wide open 37. Charged particle 38. Colorado resort 39. Hipbones 40. Recede, as in tide (2 words) 42. Laos resident 43. Stinging shrub, pl. 45. Handrail's main supports 47. Caribou kin 48. Relating to a lobe 50. Saint's topper 52. *L in ACL 55. Bad-tempered 56. Affirm with confidence 57. Stain on Santa 59. Work the dough 60. Tiger Woods' pegs 61. Ruptured 62. "____ my party, and I'll cry if I want too..." 63. Store posting, abbr. 64. *Largest organ
DOWN 1. Can opener 2. Crowd's judgement 3. Tubby little cubby 4. Enclose within a cyst 5. W.E.B Du Bois's org. 6. Assuage 7. Spa treatment 8. 2016 western "____ or High Water" 9. Type of shark 10. Not Miss or Ms 12. Influenza 13. Sandbar 14. *Cardiac, smooth or skeletal ones 19. Quickly fry 22. Knightly title 23. *Cerebellum location 24. Two under on one hole 25. Look forward to 26. *Kissing disease? 27. Having two parts 28. Beatles: "He's ____ ____ nowhere man" (2 words) 29. Plural of #26 Down 32. *12 pairs of these 33. Rip off 36. *a.k.a. kneecap 38. Mr. T's team 40. Comic book cry 41. Unlocks the gate 44. Andrew Webber's middle name 46. Forcefully grabs 48. *Blood filter 49. S-shaped moldings 50. "The ____ for Red October" 51. Greek god of war 52. Strip of wood 53. Breakfast spot? 54. Spelling or Kelly 55. Biathlon equipment 58. One less than jack
Kid Scoop
Page 11
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Outdoors & Recreation
Page 12
Free native plants Ask The Expert Expo March 13th by Bill Graham, Missouri Department of Conservation Spring will soon wake up gardens. For gardeners wishing to add woodland and prairie plants to beds, the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) will offer a free Ask the Expert Expo in three sessions on Saturday, March 13, at the Burr Oak Woods Nature Center in Blue Springs. Participants will also have a chance to buy native plant seeds and seedlings from vendors during the morning sessions. The plant sale will open to all visitors in the afternoon. Participants can attend one of the three one-hour expo sessions offered. Ask the Expert Expo sessions will begin at 9, 10, and 11:00am. Participants can also purchase native plants from vendors during those hours. The plant sale will be open to the public from Noon to 2:00p.m. This program will be held outdoors. Participants can visit education stations and talk with native plant experts.
Wildflowers and prairie grasses can add beauty. They are also hardy because they are adapted to Missouri soil and climate conditions. But they do require planning and maintenance. Using specific plants can save time, money, and meet a gardener’s landscape goals. Topics such as which plants work best in conditions such as deep shade or full sun will be discussed. COVID-19 precautions will be observed such as face masks and physical distancing. The native plants Ask the Expert Expo is open to participants ages 18 and older. To register, visit the MDC events page for the Kansas City region at https://short.mdc.mo.gov/ZXw. Burr Oak Woods Nature Center also offers hiking trails through forest, woodland, and grassland native habitats. To learn more, visit https:// mdc.mo.gov/burroakwoods.
MDC’s Ask the Expert Expo on March 13 at the Burr Oak Woods Nature Center in Blue Springs will give gardeners a chance to learn about using native plants such as columbine (pictured above) in landscaping beds. Photo credit: Bill Graham, MDC
MDC says late winter a good time to evaluate habitat for bobwhite quail by Bill Graham, Missouri Department of Conservation The little brown game bird that whistles “bob white” in Missouri’s summer pastures is technically called the northern bobwhite quail. But despite the northern name, they struggle to survive harsh winter weather. Winter finds bobwhite quail dodging predators and searching for food in places with grassy, weedy, and woody cover. But as winter progresses into a new year, there is less quality cover and food available. Stress from snow and cold can kill quail and eliminate coveys. The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) offers some winter habitat suggestions for property managers seeking to boost bobwhites. When evaluating winter habitat, remember that food sources and cover from weather and predators are two different things. Rarely does a quality food source also provide good winter cover, said Frank Loncarich, MDC wildlife management biologist. “Good quality winter cover must
provide some thermal protection and overhead cover,” Loncarich said. “We’re talking about thickets of shrubs such as wild plum, rough-leaved dogwood, and blackberry. They must be open enough at ground level for quail to run around under, dense enough on top to provide some protection from snow and ice accumulations, and small enough that quail can explode from them in all directions if predators threaten. Ideally, we want this type of winter escape cover near quality food resources.” Food is critical for winter survival and good quail health going into the summer nesting season. “Food resources can be native seeds in diverse herbaceous habitat or a variety of grain crops near covey hangouts,” Loncarich said. “This speaks to the importance of continuous usable space with all the food and cover components necessary for quail survival in close proximity.
Whether one has native food resources, grain crops, or food plots, the real bottleneck in winter is food availability. Native seeds and grain foods are at their lowest availability in late winter. Therefore, it is important that abundant food resources are available early in the winter to ensure that birds can build up resources to get them through tough times.” Grassy fields such as fescue pasture may be too dense for quail to move through and will hold little or no food, or they may be grazed too short to provide any cover. Native grass re-introduction projects or fields in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) are also sometimes too dense and lacking useful winter plant foods. “The recent arctic blast has caused me to very critically evaluate the winter food resources available on the grasslands that I manage,” Loncarich said. Steps can be taken in spring and summer to improve food resources. “One of the best ways is to ensure there is a large variety of hard-seed producing forbs that provide quality
Photo credit: MDC winter food. Native sunflowers, lespedezas and other legumes, and ragweed come to mind. Planting these in areas devoid of them is a good place to start, or encouraging them with fire, light disking, or grazing. Also, planting grain food plots like milo is a great option.” Woodlands can also be improved for quail. Those are somewhat open areas with trees, grasses, and forbs mixed together. Making sure woodlands have plant species present that benefit quail in winter can help. MDC offers private land services that can help property owners with management choices that benefit bobwhite quail and all grassland birds. For more information, visit https:// mdc.mo.gov/property. To learn more about bobwhite quail, visit https:// short.mdc.mo.gov/Zh6.
Sports
Page 13
Huge comeback advances Lady Eagles in the playoffs by John Unrein Grain Valley Lady Eagles head basketball coach Randy Draper enjoys the tradition of a Beatles song being played during pregame warmups before each home game. Boys assistant basketball coach Ryan Adams kept the tradition alive with “I want to hold your hand” prior to tipoff. The continuing of the ritual had a calming effect on the entire Lady Eagles coaching staff. Little did they know that would be the only respite their blood pressure would get until the game’s conclusion on February 27th. The Lady Eagles entered the start of the fourth quarter down ten points by a score of 38-28. Missed shots by Grain Valley during the second and third quarters along with the scoring of Emani and Elauni Bennett for Lee’s Summit North left them with a steep hill to climb during the final eight minutes of the contest. The sophomore Bennett twin sisters would combine to score 27 of the Broncos 47 total points. The home bench of the Lady Eagles never panicked and coached an epic fourth quarter comeback in which Grain Valley scored twenty points in route to a 48-47 opening round Class 6 District 14 tournament win. Grace Slaughter delivered big for the Lady Eagles as the game’s leading scorer with 29 points, 5 rebounds, an assist, 3 steals, and a block. No shot was bigger for the sophomore than the one she made with 2:04 left to go in the game. Slaughter would weave through both Bennett twins before twisting her body underneath the basket to complete the layup. The basket would give Grain Valley the lead for the first time since the first quarter. Every teammate on the Lady Eagles bench erupted out of their seats as Draper sat down with the opposite reaction satisfied with the outcome. Seniors Jordyn Weems and Gabbi Keim would join Slaughter in late game heroics. Both Weems and Keim would make big free throws to help strengthen their team’s lead and secure the win in the waning minutes. Keim would step to the line first with 1:44 left in the game and sink both free throws with a smooth left handed stroke that provided her team a three point lead at 45-42. Weems would follow with just 16 seconds left in the game. The first attempt by Weems would bounce off the rim. There was no hesitation once the ball was received by Weems from the
referee to enter her routine again before draining the second free throw. It would be Weems only point of the game and could not have been timed better as it secured the Lady Eagles one point margin of victory. “Those last two free throws had to go in. There was no question. That was my mind set,” Keim said. “This is my first playoff win as a Grain Valley Eagle. It has not sunk in yet, but this is awesome.” Weems added, “I was a little stressed when I stepped to the line at the end. My team needed the second free throw, and I was determined it was going to go in.” “This could have been my last game as an Eagle, and it really means so much to me that I can keep playing with this awesome group. We have put so much work into this and we have improved so much throughout the whole season.” Slaughter finished, “To be honest, there was a lot of craziness going on in this game as we lost the early lead. We scrambled and were able to get it back. Coach Draper had told us that we would press them in trying to get some extra possessions and we switched to more motion offense (in the second half) that paid off.” “My final basket, I was looking to drive and possibly kick the ball out for an open three look. Instead, I took advantage of the opening and we got a layup and an and one (free throw attempt). I am so proud of this team and the focus it took tonight to come back and win.” The Grain Valley Lady Eagles coaching staff huddled near their bench after the game. Draper, assistant coaches Pete Carpino, Troy Spradley, and Tori Squires were wrought with emotion at the prospect of their season continuing into March. Each spent time reflecting on their favorite memory of the game and how much their team has grown this season. “The final quarter proved who I thought we were. We were tough when there were plenty of chances to go away and we didn’t do it. I told the team after the game that in the third quarter we could not make a basket, but we were making good choices. I did not feel the same way in the second quarter,” Draper said. “We started to press them in the final quarter and continued to get our legs under us offensively some more which turned things to us.”
see LADY EAGLES on page 14
Sports
Page 14
Eagles savor playoff victory at home by John Unrein Grain Valley Eagles head basketball coach Andy Herbert was greeted by a round of applause returning to the court after meeting with his team and the media in the locker room. The clutch shooting of Nick Hooper and robust play by the three seniors on Herbert’s roster: Jayden Yung, Keeton Maxon, and Cole Keller, had just secured a 45-41 victory in the opening round of the Class 6 District 14 tournament against the visiting Lee’s Summit North Broncos on February 27th. You could not mistake the smile on Herbert’s face despite the mask he wore. The Eagles had stood toe to toe with the Broncos on the court and come out on top. In doing so, Grain Valley answered every challenge presented to them to advance in the playoffs. The Eagles produced 8 three pointers from behind the arc, countering the tightly packed zone defense played by the Broncos in attempting to eliminate Keller’s post presence. Herbert’s squad avoided foul trouble as well with no one on the team collecting more than three fouls while playing an aggressive brand of defense. Yung and Keller would make key steals during the secondary rotation of defense following the basketball that provided their team valuable extra possessions. Yung played the most complete game of his career as an Eagle with 11 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists, and 3 steals. Keller would join Yung’s stout effort by producing 10 points of his own, along with 4 rebounds, an assist, 4 steals, and 4 blocks. Keeton Maxon would not be left out of the senior scoring trio. Maxon produced the game winning shot from deep along the baseline with 1:31 left in the game. The basket gave Grain Valley a late 44-41 lead that they would not relinquish. Hooper was also impressive with his barrage from behind the three point stripe. All five of Hooper’s made baskets came from downtown. The junior guard for the Eagles would finish with 15 points, a rebound, 2 assists, and a steal. Herbert held dear after the game the resolve demonstrated by his team. “Jayden (Yung) was tremendous
tonight. He was strong in his rebounding, passing, and the final free throw he made. Jayden has made it his game to attack creases and his judgment in doing so has been sound. I don’t think he came out of the game tonight, playing all 32 minutes,” Herbert said. “Hooper proved again tonight that he is the ultimate ‘glue guy.’ His five three pointers adding to that mix, three of which were in the first quarter, helped us answer the zone defense we faced. He has bounced back from the lull he faced in the middle of the season in a big way.” Herbert continued, “They (Lee’s Summit North) did a good job against Cole (Keller). They had a sound game plan and did what you should do against him. The tenacity Keller has as a competitor promoted the success he found tonight against the big and strong bodies for the Broncos down low.” “We as a coaching staff try to read what our team needs in what we say to them before the game. This group of kids has not been through this before collectively. The last thing you want for them is to be tight or nervous before they start playing. We were calm with our approach and what we said. I am so happy for this team and the lifetime memory tonight creates for them.” Lee’s Summit North’s leading scorers were Jeremy Moore and Mac Armstrong who contributed 17 and 14 points, respectively. Armstrong proved accurate when shooting open jump shots, while Armstrong was a load for the Eagles to handle in the lane. Grain Valley praised their opponent with their postgame comments along with celebrating their accomplishment. “We knew coming into the game that they would play zone defense well and that we would have to make our shots form the outside, and we did. Our outside shooting won us the game tonight. Number 22 (Jeremy Moore) played strong and I did not want to give him another ‘and one’ (free throw attempt from a foul after a made basket) as we got near the end,” Keller
said. Hooper added, “I came out in warmups and felt good. I was given space and said, ‘Ok, I will start shooting’ and it continued after the first two baskets I made. This run we have been on is special in that we have been playing as a unit. We have not had to force anything.” Yung continued, “I did not want this to be my last game. I knew I was going to play as hard I could. This was a slow paced game offensively, with us swinging the ball around the perimeter against their zone. That created closeouts by them when they tried to get to our outside shooters. That was my
signal for the three drives to the basket I made. Blue Springs is the next team we face, and they may be the best team we compete against all year.” Maxon finished, “I wanted to come back to practice Monday. That is what I was honestly thinking when I made the shot late in the game. That was my motivation.” Grain Valley (10-13) with their win over Lee’s Summit North (0-18) advances in the playoffs to next face the Blue Springs Wildcats at 7:00 pm on March 2nd.
LADY EAGLES continued from page 13 Draper continued, “We had two seniors make big free throws down the stretch that are going to keep us floating. That is hard to do. Gabbi (Keim) was so calm when she stepped to the line. Weems never flinched after she missed the first one, which made me
feel good about her final attempt.” “We talked at practice this week that there are two types of teams. There’s the team that is ready to turn in their stuff and move on to spring sports and then there is the other side of a team that cannot imagine their season
ending.” Draper concluded, “A lot of the time when you are in a dog fight and trying to climb up hill you never get over the hump and get the lead. Grace’s bucket towards the end was huge for us because it gave us the lead and was a
point of belief in which we said this is going to happen, so let’s go.” Grain Valley (14-6) with the win over Lee’s Summit North (5-12) moves on to face Blue Springs at 7:00 pm on March 1st in the second round of the Class 6 District 14 tournament.