Valley News: March 21, 2019

March 21, 2019

Valley News www.grainvalleynews.com

Candidates for Board of Aldermen Discuss Priorities

The Grain Valley Partnership hosted a candidate forum Tuesday evening, March 19th at City Hall. Only candidates running in contested wards participated in the forum. Ward 1 candidates Dale Arnold and Tom Cleaver and Ward 2 candidates Chuck Johnston and current Alderman Nancy Totton participated in the forum discussion. Ward 3 Alderman Shea Bass, who is running uncontested in the April election, attended but did not participate in the discussion.

Candidates addressed a number of questions posed by moderators, which began with each candidate sharing why they chose to run for a seat on the Board.

Ward 2 candidate Chuck Johnston previously served on the Board of Aldermen for 10 years and stated he chose to run again due to a desire to serve his community and concerns regarding what he sees as a lack of communication from the city.

Current Ward 2 Alderman Nancy Totton emphasized her open-door policy with constituents and her desire to continue to work to address their needs.

Ward 1 candidate Dale Arnold has also served on the board previously and also noted his desire to give back to the community where he has lived for 32 years.

Ward 1 candidate Tom Cleaver has not previously run for office. Cleaver has lived in Grain Valley for 13 years with his wife and two daughters.

“I am running because I want to give back to the community and want to continue to see the city grow and prosper. I want to focus on bringing business to the city to give opportunities to future families that were given to my family,” Cleaver said.

Each of the candidates discussed an alderman’s role in communicating with and educating constituents on the issues facing the city.

“The best thing you can do is meet an issue/concern head on. You often find out that people who are upset about an issue are misinformed. It is the alderman’s job to get them the right information. It might change their mind or not change their mind, but at least

see ALDERMEN on page 2

Candidates for the Board of Aldermen participated in a Candidate Forum hosted by the Grain Valley Partnership on March 20th at City Hall. From left: Tom Cleaver, candidate for Ward 1; Dale Arnold, candidate for Ward 1; Chuck Johnston, candidate for Ward 2; re--election.

Nancy Totton, current Ward 2 Alderman running for re Photo credit: Valley News staff

Vol. 2, No. 12

FREE

Good News

Hagan Becomes Member of Team USA

Grain Valley High School Sophomore Tyler Hagan is headed to the 2019 UCI BMX World Championships in Zolder, Belgium this July as a part of Team USA. Photo credit: Chris Hagan

Tyler Hagan, a 15-year-old sophomore at Grain Valley High School, earned a spot on the BMX Team USA this past weekend at the qualifying race in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Tyler will represent the United States this July in the 16-year-old challenge boys class at the 2019 UCI BMX World Championships in Zolder, Belgium.

Tyler’s father Chris Hagan said racing has been a part of Tyler’s life since he was 5 years old.

“He started racing in go-karts and

soon after he found BMX. John Pennington, the owner at Bike Stop in Blue Springs, gave him his first shot at being on a team. A few years later, Tyler was accepted to be on the Doublecross National Team, where he proudly wore the logo of the Grain Valley Police Department on the back of his jersey as part of the team’s “Back the Blue” program,” Chris Hagan said.

For the 2019 season, England’s Twisted Concepts BMX chose Tyler to be their very first Global Factory Rider

see HAGAN on page 3

Local News

Page 2 ALDERMEN continued from page 1 they have the right information. Don’t run from conflict,” Arnold said.

“It is important to get out in the neighborhood and talk to residents and community groups. It is the alderman’s role to consider residents and make informed decisions based on the facts at hand,” Cleaver said.

“I have an open-door policy, and I listen to what residents have to say.

Very seldom have we not agreed,” Totton said.

“People don’t know what is going on in the community. The City needs to be more proactive about communicating what is going on. But, many of the citizens aren’t involved in the community, and need to take an interest,” Johnston said.

“I encourage people in my ward to come to Board of Aldermen meetings and find out what is going on,” Totton said.

The discussion moved to planning for the future and managing debt.

“We will be seeing more housing, and the need for more roads. Because of our schools, we will continue to attract families. We’ll need more business to support that growth,” Cleaver said.

“I would like to see more people participating in the community and see citizens shop locally,” Totton said. “I’m also concerned about the prices of rental property. It is becoming more difficult to find affordable rental property in town.”

“I’ll say the same thing I said the first time I ran for office. Work on city debt and bring in business. The more we can do to bring in business, the more relief we will be able to provide for homeowners,” Johnston said.

“I’ve lived here since it was a town of 2,800 people. We like to think of it as a small hometown, but in another 30 years, that word won’t be in our vocabulary any more. We are seeing growth taking off like we saw in the early 2000’s. With that growth, businesses will come,” Arnold said.

As the topic turned to managing debt, and how the City has managed its debt load in the past, the candidates agreed that debt is a necessary part of building for future growth.

“Everybody wants top notch (services), but nobody wants to pay for it. Police and fire need to be taken care of first,” Totton said.

“Most of our debt has been for infrastructure. I think overall the city has done a good job in the past 20 years. I think we are handicapped by that debt, but we’re not that far out of line compared to other cities,” Johnston said.

“Those who move in to Grain Valley in the future are going to be a lot better off than we were 30 years ago. Those of us who have been here have been paying for that debt; we have a number of pieces of debt that will be paid off in 810 years that will open up opportunities for us. Hopefully, when those things are put in place, we’ll be able to spread those costs among more people. Debt is something you really have to watch, so we don’t put ourselves in a position like Independence experienced with the Bass Pro development. It’s something you wish you had a crystal ball for, but you don’t,” Arnold said.

“Sometimes as a city you have to take on debt to move forward,” Cleaver said.

Moderators asked candidates to address criticisms regarding the City’s purchase of land, in particular the Sni-ABar Farm property, with the intent of building a municipal complex and other facilities for residents.

“I was the dissenting vote against buying property for City Hall. I like City Hall being centered in the middle of the city and we’re seeing commercial going north instead of south. I don’t think it was a wise investment. It was a million dollars that we could put to better use,” Johnston said.

Arnold pointed to the difficulties Blue Springs has faced as they expand their current City Hall, with staff spread out throughout several buildings during construction and the inconvenience caused for staff and residents attempting to conduct business.

“Starting on a fresh piece of land makes it a little easier and makes growth a bit more palatable,” Arnold said.

“Yes, I support it as a future need of the City,” Cleaver said.

“We are living in the past. We don’t have a big enough police station and we don’t have things we need for our safety during court and board meetings,” Totton said. “We need to grow with the people.”

The General Municipal Election will be held April 2, 2019.

Police Blotter

The following information is derived from the Grain Valley Police Department daily calls for service log for the week of March 6—12, 2019.

March 6, 2019 1400 Block Willow Drive 1200 Block Long Drive 1200 Block Long Drive 1200 Block Long Drive 700 Block Main Street 1200 Block Pamela 1200 Block Long Drive 700 Block Main Street

Abandoned Vehicle Area Check Disturbance Agency Assist (BSPD) Citizen Contact Alarm Check Well Being Citizen Contact

March 7, 2019 700 Block Main Street WB I70 MM 26.6 600 Block Yennie 100 Block N Main 700 Block Main Street

Citizen Contact Agency Assist (OGPD) Abandoned Vehicle Stealing Identity Theft

March 8, 2019 400 Block Walnut Street 700 Block Main Street 700 Block Main Street Main Street I70 600 Block Walnut Street 600 Block Walnut Street 100 Block Armanda Court Elmwood Boxelder 700 Block Main Street 200 Block Cross Creek Lane 700 Block Main Street 700 Block Main Street 1400 Block NE Mary Court 1300 Block NW Lindenwood

Landlord Dispute Citizen Contact Citizen Contact Auto Accident Check Well Being Citizen Contact Parking Complaint Suspecious Vehicle Stolen License Plate Check Well Being Citizen Contact Citizen Contact Noise Complaint Alarm

March 9, 2019 1100 Block Epraim 1700 Block NW Helen Court 700 Block Main Street 1800 Block Broadway Main Street I70 500 Block Capelle Street 400 Block Laura Street 1300 Block Jefferson Street 800 Block Capelle Street

Citizen Contact Alarm Citizen Contact Suspecious Vehicle Suspecious Vehicle Open Door Citizen Contact Alarm Citizen Contact

March 10, 2019 700 Block Main Street I 70 BB 700 Block Main Street 700 Block Brome 400 Block Sandy Lane 600 Block Sunset 700 Block Main Street 700 Block Main Street 700 Block Main Street

Citizen Contact Parking Complaint Citizen Contact Agency Assist (LCSO) Assault Disturbance Citizen Contact Citizen Contact Citizen Contact

March 11, 2019 700 Block Main Street 1300 Block RD Mize 1100 Block Pamela Street 700 Block Main Street 1300 NW RD Mize Road 1200 Ashley Drive 700 Block Main Street 900 Block Stonebrook Lane 1000 Block Sandy 500 Block Eagles Parkway 1100 Block McQuerry

Citizen Contact Suspicious Activity Alarm Citizen Contact Burglary Parking Complaint Citizen Contact Citizen Contact Property Damage Animal at Large Recovered Property

March 12, 2019 700 Block Main Street 700 Block Whitney Drive 200 Block Kimberly Court Buckner Tarsney Jefferson 1500 Block Erin Court BB Pink Hill Road 300 Block Front 1300 Ryan Road 700 Block Main Street 1500 SW Cross Creek 700 Block Main Street

Citizen Contact Alarm Animal at Large Suspicious Activity Alarm Suspicious Vehicle Citizen Contact Suspecious Vehicle Warrant Confirmation Citizen Contact Warrant Confirmation

Valley News

Grain Valley News is a free community paper, published weekly on Thursdays online at www.grainvalleynews.com and on the 1st and 3rd weeks of the month in print.

Cory Unrein | Co-Owner/Publisher John Unrein | Co-Owner/Production Manager Cathy Allie | Staff Writer, Proofreader Diana Luppens, Switch Focus Studios | Contributing Photographer John Overstreet | Contributing Photographer

Mail: PO Box 2972 Grain Valley MO 64029 Phone: 816.809.7984 Email: news@grainvalleynews.com Sign up for our weekly emails and join us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @grainvalleynews).

G R A I N VA L L E Y N E W S

LOCALLY FOCUSED. FAMILY OWNED. PUBLISHED WEEKLY.

Online weekly at

w w w. g ra i n va l l e y n e w s . c o m

Page 3

Looking Back:

The Sni-A-Bar Farm Show Herd

by Marcia Napier Grain Valley Historical Society

While much has been written about the famous show cattle at Sni-A-Bar, the history shared here is the most difficult for me to summarize. Perhaps because I heard so many stories of Sni-A-Bar cattle over the first 50 years of my life, I have difficulty knowing what would be of interest to readers of the News.

My father came to Grain Valley with his family in 1922. My grandfather, James Napier, had been hired as herdsman to development the second part of Mr. Nelson’s farms, the purebred herd. His job was to select the cattle and manage their feeding and care while employing breeding practices to improve the quality of these beef cattle.

From the herd, cattle were selected to be shown at fairs and exhibitions across the United States and Canada.

During the first two or three years, the number of state fairs and exhibitions they attended was limited until a championship herd could be assembled.

By 1925, they were ready to compete with the best Shorthorn breeders in the United States and Canada, and over the next twenty-years Sni-A-Bar became the most famous Shorthorn herd in the United States and maybe the world.

My grandfather was promoted to Manager of both farms and several different Scotsman followed in the role of herdsman. Eventually my father assumed the role in 1936. He was only 23 and the youngest herdsman on the show circuit at the time.

The circuit began at the Ogdon (Utah) Livestock Show in January. Five to sixmen from Sni-A-Bar traveled with the cattle. From Ogden it was on to the National Western Stock Show in Denver, the Houston Fat Stock Show, the Southwestern International Livestock Show and Rodeo In El Paso, and the Shorthorn Congress in Chicago; followed by a few shows in Canada, including the Canadian National in Toronto, Ontario.

During the summer months they exhibited at state fairs throughout the Midwest and concluded in the fall with the American Royal in Kansas City and the International Livestock Show in

Chicago. In total they spent about twenty-six weeks on the road.

In those days, “on the road” meant riding in a railroad box car. At the start of the season a box car would be left off on the siding in Grain Valley. Workers from the farm would modify the then wooden box car for the season ahead.

The fifth, ninth and fourteenth vertical boards were removed. These openings provided for air circulation.

They would also insert supports for the upper deck.

The deck was solid and extended the length of the box car, except at the ends.

The open ends provided a way for the men to move between decks and to increase air circulation.

On the lower deck, up to 33 head of show cattle were kept. They were tied head to tail, not sideways. Cattle tied sideways could easily fall with quick starts or stops.

The upper deck is where the men worked and slept or just looked out the open side doors at the passing scenery.

Also, on the upper deck was feed, water, equipment and the human food, which they cooked and ate on the train.

Occasionally, the train would stop at a railroad division point and the men had time to eat in a restaurant. Luckily the cattle gave off heat to help the men stay a bit warner. One winter they lucked out when the railroad furnished them with a steam heated railway express car.

In recent years exhibitors arrive at the fair the day before show day and leave after the show. Before the 1980’s you took your cattle from one show to the next, usually Friday to Friday, and the cattle were on exhibit all day, every day.

A typical work day was up at dawn (or before) to take your cattle to the wash rack for daily cleaning. When you got them to the stalls in the barn they were brushed and fed. Throughout the day you were cleaning stalls and keeping your tack in repair.

The cattle were fed in the early evening and at night they were tied

Photo credit: Grain Valley Historical Society outside. That’s when the crew got to clean the stalls (and dispose of the manure!), spread fresh straw and get ready for another day. Tying out the cattle at night also help keep them fresher.

Show day was twice as busy. Each animal had to be groomed and ready when the class was called. When you exhibited thirty or more head of cattle, it took “all hands on deck” to get the animals ready for the show ring.

From time on the wash rack and the rub-down with a mixture of alcohol and either mineral or olive oil for a shiny coat to the curry comb squiggles before brushing up the hair on their side and fluffing their tails, every animal was made to look its best.

Each animal was shown individually, but some made several trips to the arena as part of a pair, best three bulls or females, best ten head bred by the exhibitor to name a few. For the fortunate exhibitors like Sni-A-Bar, the first-place finish in each class returned for the selection of grand champion.

There isn’t enough space to write about the famous cattle that made up the Sni-A-Bar herd, but I will mention two animals that were bred and born on the farm.

Sni-A-Bar Control and Princesses Susanna, both from the first crop of calves by Edellyn Campeon Mercury, were grand champions as senior calves in every show ring where they competed in 1945, just before the dispersion sale.

It should be noted that Sni-A-Bar Farms were part of a trust, so all of the monies for the various experiments and the show herd came from the private funds provide by William Rockhill Nelson.

I will close with a short quotation from a letter of appreciation written by F. W. Harding, on the occasion of the end of the Trust in May, 1945.

“During the 25 years I was secretary of the American Shorthorn Breeders Association, I frequently referred to the work of Sni-A-Bar Farms as the greatest single contribution ever made to the Shorthorn cattle industry. All Shorthorn breeders, in my opinion, owe a debt of gratitude to Sni-A-Bar Farms for their demonstration of the possibilities of herd improvement through the use of Shorthorn bulls, as well as the breeding and exhibition of pedigreed Shorthorns.”

Next week: Learn about the men and women who worked at Sni-A-Bar.

HAGAN continued from page 1

in the United States. Twisted Concepts BMX also has teams and riders in England, Australia, Ireland, and Indonesia.

Tyler currently races as a 15-year-old Expert on the USA-BMX National circuit.

There are two national caliber racing tracks in the Kansas City area, Blue Springs BMX and Raytown BMX, but the harsh winter weather made training in the area impossible.

“Since Mother Nature tends to work

against us during the winter, Tyler, with the support of the Grain Valley School District, continued his education while training in Surprise, Arizona with famed BMX trainer Burlin Harris. It’s kind of like ‘Spring Training’, only for BMX. Burlin Harris has 20 plus years of experience developing world championship riders and is the best in the industry to help Tyler prepare for the challenge that will come this summer,” Chris Hagan said.

Page 4

Business News

Woodcrest Homes Building Beauty in Grain Valley Building homes is a family affair for Larry Yancik. His Dad built houses for 40 years. Both of his brothers are home builders as well. Larry himself started out as a trim and cabinet worker prior to getting into building homes in the year 2000.

Larry and his wife Tina are the proud developers of Grayleigh Park in Grain Valley along Duncan Road next to the Rosewood Hills subdivision. Woodcrest Homes by Y5 Development have partnered with Logan Sousley in the endeavor. The Yancik’s named the development after who else but a family member, their granddaughter Grayleigh.

The 62-lot development also contains street names such as Taylor, Bailey, Madi, and Mya who are daughters of and granddaughters of Yancik and Sousley.

Potential homebuyers interested in looking at a model home within the new edition may visit 1803 NW Nicholas Drive.

You will be greeted warmly by the Yancik’s who are proud of what they deliver to customers in homes with high quality design and finishes.

“We chose to develop in Grain Valley because it’s close to home. Grayleigh Park is approximately 20 acres, and we have sold all the existing lots to builders.

Logan, my partner has been building homes in Grain Valley for a long time as well. He owns Blue Springs Bowl and is a member of the Elk’s Lodge and enjoys this community,” Yancik said.

The attention to detail Yancik pays is hard to miss upon entering one of his homes. Potential buyers are greeted with open floor plans, stone fire places, subway tiled kitchen backsplashes, complimentary and contrasting colors (such as white, gray, and black), ample counter space and islands that provide much needed room, sliding barn style closet doors, wagon wheel design center piece ceiling fans for the main living area, stylish trim, and engineered hardwood floors.

The design elements are repeated

Business News is provided weekly by the Grain Valley Partnership, whose mission is to be a leader in the growth of Grain Valley.

The Grain Valley Partnership is located at 1450 SW Eagles Parkway, and can be reached by phone, 816-443-5162 or via email at info@growgrainvalley.org.

Learn more about the Partnership: www.growgrainvalley.org

Larry Yancik and his wife Tina, Woodcrest Homes by Y5 Development, are the developers of Grayleigh Park in Grain Valley along Duncan Road next to the Rosewood Hills subdivision. Photo credit: Valley News staff. throughout the house in unique ways, to make everything feel connected and one large continuous space. Examples of this may include granite counter tops in the kitchen that contain the same colors as cabinetry and hardware as well as subway tile design in both the kitchen and bathrooms.

The ceiling inlets in bedrooms along with the vent hood in the kitchen may match the hardwood floor design. All this along with the grand and elegant trim surrounding windows, doors, and closets make a strong impression.

“I’ve remodeled homes as well, and it seems like one of the first things I would always do is tear out walls. Open floor plans are very popular right now as a building trend. Large kitchen islands and vent hoods seem to be popular as well,” Yancik said. “Engineered hardwood floors wear well. I have a large Great Dane and the flooring stands up well to

pets. People also seem to like enamel more than stains currently.”

The current homebuying market is producing visitors to open houses within Grayleigh Park despite a tough winter in the metro area. Springs also tends to pick up traffic to new home building sites with things like the Spring Tour of Homes.

Yancik is pleased with the way things are headed in the home buying market.

“Things have improved since the end of the recession and we are optimistic about the current home market. People seem to be itching to get out and do things since it’s no longer 10 degrees outside.”

Potential homebuyers interested in learning more about the Grayleigh Park development or Woodcrest Homes may contact Larry Yancik at 816-215-7627 or larryyancik@yahoo.com.

Sponsored article.

Upcoming Partnership Events: April Partnership Luncheon Tuesday, April 2, 2019 11:30am—1:00pm Business After Hours Thursday, April 11, 2019 5:00pm—7:00pm April Coffee Connection Friday, April 19, 2019 8:00am—9:00am Grain Valley Cosentino’s Price Chopper Annual Banquet Friday, April 26, 2019 6:00pm—11:00pm Adams Pointe Golf Club Kissick Classic Friday, May 3, 2019 Adams Pointe Golf Club Grain Valley Partnership Businesses: As a part of your partnership, you are entitled to a sponsored article in the Business section of Valley News.

To schedule an interview to highlight your business, contact Cory Unrein, cory@grainvalleynews.com.

Left: Stone fireplace inside model home in Grayleigh Park subdivision. Right: Open concept kitchen with large kitchen island. Photo credit: Valley News staff.

Page 5 4 New Hacking Tactics You Need To Know About

by Burton Kelso

If you or your business is connected to the Internet, it's only a matter of time before you end up on the hit list of cyber criminals. Why? Data is king in this digital age. Information like passwords, email addresses, home address, and financial information is attractive to cyber criminals. With this information, criminals can sell it to the highest bidder on the dark web.

Cyber crime is forever evolving. This year, not only will you have to watch out for large scale cyberattacks that target the companies that hold your data, you will also need to be on the lookout for cyber attacks from less tech -savvy individuals looking to make a quick buck and cyber crime that directed to you personally.

What can you do to keep yourself safe from this new rage of attacks? Follow these tips.

1. Rose Phishing.

Phishing One of the most common ways of hacking a personal or business computer is phishing emails. In case you don't know, 'phishing' is the art of tricking an email recipient into giving up information from a fake email posing as a legitimate email.

The most common phishing emails are fake invoices, emails that look like the come from large companies or even your friends that will trick you into giving up your personal information or clicking on a link that takes you to a web site that will break into your computer or device.

Now with many large data leaks and the information contained in your social media accounts, hackers can now create phishing emails that are designed just for you. Let's say you go on a business or personal trip and post that information on social media.

A criminal can create an email stating that is a problem with your flight or they could create one saying you left items at the hotel you were staying. It would be very tempting for you to click on that link.

Prevention: Take your time and examine each email to make sure it isn't a scam. It would be helpful for you to take the email phishing scam test by visiting https:// phishingquiz.withgoogle.com/ 2. Mobile Device Malware.

More people are relying on mobile devices like smartphone and tablets, and less on computers. Cyber criminals are aware of this. Apple device users don't have to worry so much. Apple does an excellent job of securing their devices and making sure malicious software doesn't make it to the app store. Android users should be on the lookout however. The Android environment is designed to be more open.

Users can easily make changes to the operating system and just about anyone can upload apps to the Google Play store. It makes for a very dangerous environment because it's easy for criminals from all levels to design emails and apps designed to damage your devices.

Prevention: Always take precautions when downloading apps from the app store and surfing the

web on your devices. Check the reviews in the Google Play store to see if the apps you're downloading are legitimate. People will leave reviews on apps that are bogus and have infected their devices.

3. Hijacking in the Internet of Things.

Homes and businesses are adding Internet-connected devices every day. Smart cameras and digital assistants are becoming the norm in our everyday lives. These devices are great, but if not set up properly they can be a gateway into our personal home or business space.

Just think if a cyber criminal could gain access to your web camera to watch every step you take or if they gain access to your digital assistant to hear all of your conversations. It could be a nightmare for you and a treasure of information that they gain from you.

Prevention: Unless you are familiar with setting up smart devices, you need to have a professional to set up these devices for you. At very least, change the default passwords on these devices to keep the bad guys out.

4. Cryptojacking.

Crypto jacking is the act of cyber criminals using your computers or devices to mine cryptocurrency.

The average person can set up a computer to mine for currency, but mining takes up a lot of power and for you to generate a lot of currency, you need a lot of computers.

Rather than purchasing a lot of computers or devices, criminals resort to Crypto jacking which is

essentially using the resources of your computers and devices to mine for Crypto currency. No information is stolen from your devices, but if your computer or gadgets are hi-jacked, it can lead to ruined devices.

Prevention: Crypto jacking is hard to detect, but there are browser plugins you can install for Chrome, Firefox and Opera. “No Coin” Coin” and “MinerBlock,” MinerBlock,” block mining activities.

Hackers are always looking for new ways to get your information, so it's hard to predict what methods they will use next. If you follow the basic steps of using your anti-virus software, keeping a close watch on your emails, and checking to see if your data is safe with sites like www.haveibeenpwned.com and www.fightingidentitycrimes.com, you can keep your data and devices safe and out of the hands of cybercriminals.

If you have any questions about your technology and your devices, please feel free to contact us at Integral. Our friendly tech experts at Integral are always standing by to answer your questions and help make your technology useful and fun.

Reach out to us a www.integralcomputerconsutants.com or phone at 888.256.0829.

Burton Kelso is the Chief Technology Expert at Integral. He can be found on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter and watch great tech tip videos on his YouTube channel. Reach him by email at

burton@integralcomputerconsultants.com

Community Voices

Page 6

Wayne’s World

Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?

by Wayne Geiger

I’m probably dating myself with the title of the article. If you sang along, you probably did too. The song is by the rock band, Chicago, who released it in 1969. The next line, of course, goes, “does anybody really care?”

The answer to the second line of the song, is “yes, we do care what time it is.”

In America, we are very timeconscious. Like a sail propelled by strong gusts, we are driven by impending deadlines and the ever-ticking clock.

The clock dictates to us when we should get up, when we should eat, when we need to pick up the kids at school, when we need to be at work—it is all driven by the clock.

Time is so critical that most of us value time over money. We trade cash for convenience. We like drive-throughs, groceries delivered to our door, the carwash, and people to do our lawn. We need to save time.

Interestingly, that’s not the case in every culture. If you have ever visited a country that is not time-conscious, it can be very confusing and frustrating. Some countries simply do not have our concept of time. To them, time is more ethereal and suggestive rather than concrete and descriptive.

I remember being on a mission trip in Mexico several years ago. We stayed at a remote village located high atop a mountain. This village had no electricity, no running water, and no modern conveniences.

Our worship team had planned an event for the folks in the village which was to start at 1:00pm—right after lunch.

We spread the word in the village, and our team synchronized our watches. At the designated time, however, no one was there. I was extremely confused.

The pastor of the local church was not concerned and told us that people would come. He also reminded us that people in the village did not own clocks. I was shocked and asked, “how will they know

when to come?” He said simply, “they will come.”

“How will we know when to start?” I pleaded. “We’ll start when everybody gets here,” was his reply.

Time is a tricky thing. Humans did not invent time, but we did invent the clock and the calendar. God provided humans with several “large” indicators of time like the day, a seven-day week, and four seasons. Apparently, He thought that was good enough.

However, these large indicators of time were inadequate and would not suffice. After all, humans are very inquisitive and have a strong desire to control our surroundings. We needed to control time. So, mankind worked at trying to evaluate and systematize time.

A study in the progression of timekeeping devices is long and time consuming, but if you’ve got a second, here’s the gist. We have two main devices to measure time: the calendar and the clock. They are inextricably linked.

The calendar has a long, convoluted history. About five thousand years ago, the Sumerians, using the stars, produced a calendar that divided the year into twelve months of thirty days each. They also subdivided the day into twelve increments of time (two hours blocks).

Pretty close—but no cigar.

About 3100 B.C., the Egyptians realized that the "Dog Star" (Sirius), appeared next to the sun every 365 days. Getting warmer. Although humans leaped for joy, over time, we realized it was necessary to add a leap year every four years.

Our modern-day calendaring system is based upon the Gregorian calendar.

Our current year is 2019. So, it stands to reason that we have progressed 2019 years from a static starting point.

The historical starting event is the birth of Christ—A.D. “Anno Domini” which is Latin for “in the year of our Lord”.

There is no “0” on the calendar. It goes from 1 BC to 1 AD skipping zero.

Read Valley News online weekly at www.grainvalleynews.com.

There are two main problems with the calendaring system. First, the Gregorian calendar was off a smidge.

The error was made by a sixth century monk known as Dionysius Exiguus who miscalculated the birth of Christ.

Scholars believe the actual birth of Jesus was actually somewhere between 6-4 BC, but never readjusted the calendar. No wonder they give out those things for free—they’re all wrong.

As far as the clock is concerned, sundials were first used about 5000 years ago. Then, as history progressed, about twenty-five hundred years later there were water clocks, then weights, and then springs. Pendulum clocks began to appear in the 17th century. By the 13th century, modern mechanical clocks, which worked by falling weights, appeared.

Then came the division of the hour into 60 minutes and the minute was further subdivided into 60 seconds and so on. In our atomic age, time is coordinated at an international level using atomic clocks. Whew! I’m done with the brief history of clocks. I know what you’re thinking. “It’s about time.”

Mankind prevailed! We were finally able to measure and control time. After all, it’s about control. We as humans understand that whatever can be

evaluated and measured can be manipulated and possibly controlled.

We were able to put time in a bottle and cap the lid on. We now hold it hostage on our mobile devices and proudly display timekeeping devices on our wrist.

But maybe you’ve noticed the amazing irony. We, who thought that we could control and manipulate time, have actually found ourselves to be slaves to time. The human architect has become a slave to the instrument. Our devices have become our demise.

In our desire to create an organized, structured, logical existence, we have found that we are enslaved to the clock controlled by our schedules. We have great technology, but no time. We have tremendous accuracy but no flexibility.

And time marches on.

The reason you are always running from one thing to another, exasperated and say, “I just don’t have enough time” is because you only thought you had time. You don’t have time. Rather, time has you. Think about that for a minute.

Wayne Geiger is the Pastor of First Baptist Church Grain Valley, an Adjunct Associate Professor of Speech at Johnson Country Community College, and a freelance writer.

Community Voices

Page 7

Bond Issue for North Middle Addition Affects Every School

by Dr. Marc Snow, Superintendent of Schools, Grain Valley Schools

Grain Valley Schools Community, I wanted to bring to everyone’s attention our next school bond issue which will be on the April 2, 2019 ballot. This is a $7.5 million dollar bond issue with the primary purpose of finishing our second wing of classrooms and adding a third wing of classrooms at North Middle School.

Specifically, this will mean the addition of classrooms, student restrooms, collaborative areas, additional parking, and other work spaces for the school.

Our primary alternate bid will be the replacement of the artificial turf at the high school stadium. Other capital improvement projects, such as asphalt work, are also being considered at this time.

You may be asking, “Why would a bond issue to be used primarily for an addition to North Middle School concern me?” The short answer is that this addition to North Middle School at this time is a critical component to our long -range facilities plan that affects EVERY school in our district. The addition of

the classrooms, upon passage of the bond issue, will bring North Middle School to a similar size and layout as South Middle School. This is the next piece of the puzzle for our long-range facility needs.

With the help of our community, we have been providing much needed additions and renovations to Grain Valley High School since 2012. Our longrange plan for the high school will continue for several more years. In the meantime, we need to provide for additional classroom and district program space at the middle school level. We also anticipate the need for a fifth elementary school in the next six to ten years. Completing the build-out of North Middle School now allows us to ensure all the other pieces fall into place over the next six to ten years, for the good of all students.

Passage of this bond issue does not require raising the district’s debt service tax levy rate. In passing a bond issue, the community gives us permission to borrow the funds needed for capital improvements, such as classroom additions and equipment.

Rendering of the addition planned for North Middle School.

Graphic credit: Grain Valley Schools We are not borrowing more than we can afford to pay back using our current debt service tax levy rate.

Please call us at 847-5006 or e-mail

us at news@gvr5.net if you have any questions. Thank you for voting on April 2nd.

Community Profile: John Overstreet Editor’ Editor’s Note:

In our completely biased opinion, John Overstreet is a gem. We are grateful he shares his wonderful photos with us, and we have seen first hand his impact on the student athletes he photographs. We are pleased to feature Mr. Overstreet in this week’s Community Profile.

We welcome your nominations for our Community Profile section at news@grainvalleynews.com.

How long have you lived in Grain Valley?

We moved from Lincoln, Illinois to Blue Springs in April of 1994. We purchased land north of Grain Valley that summer and started building our house in late 1995. We moved into the house in May of 1996 and have been here since.

What do you enjoy most about living in our community?

Strangely enough, we moved to the Grain Valley because at the time it was one of the smallest communities in the area. I was raised in a small town, and my wife on a farm. We both attended schools with graduating classes (well under 100) where you knew everyone in the building for most of your life.

Today, we laugh at our concern back then that we couldn’t fathom living in a “city” as big as Blue Springs, or having our children attend such a large school,

so Grain Valley seemed a good alternative. Little did we know what lay in store.

While it has grown some threefold since then, Grain Valley still seems to have a small community atmosphere to us, perhaps because we’ve been here to see so much of that growth. It’s been exciting to see the changes, from getting our own Sonic (yes, that was a BIG deal back then), to watching the community build and fill additions at the High School (which was brand new when we moved here) and Mathews, to adding two new elementary schools and two new middle schools. With the addition of another high school on the horizon, Grain Valley is headed to a population of over 5,000 students.

From a City Hall that shook as trains went by, to the current facilities on Main Street, and now, with plans to build a new complex that includes an aquatic center on the Sni-a-Bar Farms John Overstreet with his wife Beth, his daughter Lauren, and son Joshua. property on the south end of Buckner Photo courtesy of John Overstreet.

Tarsney, Grain Valley continues to grow, bringing new residents, new Why are you passionate about doing, like sharing a few pictures of the businesses, and new opportunities to kids in our community to count for that, photographing high school athletics/ our community. I think what I enjoy then who am I to argue? activities? most about living in the Grain Valley I started snapping pictures at school Great question, and I wish I had a area is that the growth of the last 20 events way back when my son Joshua great answer. I’m not really sure why I plus years has supplied my wife and I was still playing football, mostly just to do it. I kind of just stumbled into it and with countless new friendships, while capture memories for our family, and have been hooked since. I believe we all providing my children with a place they the families of his teammates. Digital should find a way to give something can call home, and a community they photography was just starting to back to our community, and if I’m lucky feel connected to. become affordable for everyone, so we enough to have something I enjoy

see OVERSTREET on page 9

Page 8

Health & Fitness

But I Don’t Know How to Cook!

Easy Chicken Casserole Serves 6

by Tracey Shaffer, RDN, LD

“I know that preparing my own food is less expensive than paying salaries to chefs and fry cooks. I have one big problem; I never learned HOW to cook!”

In a generation of convenience foods, many young adults don’t know the first thing about cooking from scratch and putting a meal together.

What can we do to get back to the kitchen? Let’s start at the beginning.

Teach your children early. Let them help choose a favorite dish or meal.

Let them set the table, clean the vegetables, stir the soup and clear the dishes.

If your grandparents are available, use them not only as cooking teachers but as history tellers. Encourage the sharing of childhood memories and family traditions.

If there are no grandparents to help and you, as a parent, don’t have the skill or time to teach your kids how to

cook, look into kids’ cooking classes.

Some are after school, some are held on the weekends, and some are offered in summer camp settings.

Other opportunities for kids to learn how to cook are through scouting badges and home economics courses.

A good basic cookbook makes a great gift for a beginning cook.

People always are flattered when you appreciate their skill and then ask them to teach you how. Find a friend who cooks and ask for lessons. Expand your horizons and look into your local community college for a cooking class.

Have you checked out the cooking shows on TV? Even if you can’t follow the shows enough to reproduce the recipes, at least you gain some confidence that “Anyone can do this; it looks so easy; and it looks fun!”

Beyond television is the internet.

There are cooking videos that show you how to cook and talk you through

food preparation.

There are blogs today about every topic on earth so of course, you can read blogs about cooking. Remember that the quality of blogging advice is variable because everyone has an opinion, and everyone tries to cook.

Whether it is classes, TV, internet or cookbooks find what works for you.

Sooner than later you will find that it is really not that hard to make a meal.

And, you will be proud of your accomplishment. Try this recipe for an easy, “starter” recipe.

Tracey Shaffer, RDN, LD is a registered dietitian at the Blue Springs Hy-Vee. She can be reached at tshaffer@hy-vee.com. The information is not intended as medical advice.

Please consult a medical professional for individual advice.

Purple Day Brings Awareness of Seizure Disorders Local residents are encouraged to wear purple March 26th to bring awareness of seizure disorders and support those who struggle with seizures.

Purple Day is an international grassroots effort dedicated to increasing awareness about epilepsy worldwide. On March 26th annually, people in countries around the world are invited to wear purple and host events in support of epilepsy awareness.

The Purple Peace Foundation invites Grain Valley residents to support those who deal with seizures to wear purple on Tuesday, March 26th and share a selfie on social media, tagging the Purple Peace Foundation page on Facebook.

The Purple Peace Foundation, a 501c3 nonprofit organization, was founded in 2012 in memory of Grain Valley resident Amanda Brady, who died at age 13 following a severe seizure. Brady developed epilepsy as an infant. The Foundation raises funds to provide tools to improve the quality of life for individuals living with epilepsy, to support epilepsy research, and to increase awareness and education about epilepsy.

According to the Epilepsy Foundation, epilepsy is the fourth most common neurological disease and affects people of all ages. One in 26 people will develop epilepsy at some point in their lives.

Epilepsy is characterized by unpredictable seizures and can cause other health problems and is a spectrum condition with a wide range of seizure types and control varying from person-to -person.

The Purple Peace Foundation hosts a

regular Connections meeting for families impacted by epilepsy. The next meeting is scheduled for April 14th from 2:00pm – 4:00pm in the meeting room at Lunar Bowl in Blue Springs.

The Foundation’s 5th Annual “Cruise for Consciousness” Car Show is scheduled for

All you need:

1 (10.75 ounce) can reduced-fat cream of chicken soup

½ cup skim milk

dash white pepper

3 cups chopped cooked chicken

1 (16 ounce) bag frozen mixed vegetables 1 (4 ounce) can mushroom stems and pieces, undrained

3 cups cornflakes cereal, crushed to 1 ½ cups 2 tbsp butter, melted ¼ tsp ground thyme All you do:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease an 8-by-8-inch baking dish.

Combine soup, milk and pepper. Stir in

chicken, vegetables and mushrooms. Pour into prepared dish.

Combine cereal, butter and thyme. Sprinkle over top of chicken mixture. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until brown and bubbly.

Nutrition information per serving: Calories: 280, Carbohydrate: 30g, Cholesterol: 70mg, Dietary Fiber: 3g, Fat: 7g, Protein: 25g, Saturated Fat: 3.5g, Sodium: 430mg, Sugar: 7g, Trans fats: 0g

August 4th from 11:00am – 3:00pm at the Grain Valley Community Center pavilion.

For more information on the Purple Peace Foundation, visit www.purplepeacefoundation.org.

Page 9 OVERSTREET continued from page 7 purchased equipment to capture both still shots and video. At the end of the season, we shared a slideshow of highlights with the team at their banquet, and before I knew it, I had promised the returning players that I would do the same next season. With few exceptions, I have continued that practice for the football program at GVHS since, along with a few other activities here and there, particularly those my daughter Lauren participated in. They seem to be a hit, and I enjoy watching the kids react to their pictures on a big screen.

During that second season, Mike Tarrants, who was the activities director at the time, asked if I would be willing to share my photos with him (to use at school), to which I happily agreed. I was also approached by a local newspaper that year, The Pointe, about providing photo coverage to them, and again I agreed to do so. They paid a few bucks for my photos, which helped to fund some upgrades to my equipment. Combined with items that are gifts from my wife, I now have a pretty good assortment of equipment that meets most of my needs (Coincidentally, I just sent my camera in for inspection and repair. According to Canon, I have taken over 350,000 pictures since I purchased it, and without question most of those were of kids at Grain Valley). I still rent large lenses for special occasions like Homecoming, but for the most part, I have enough equipment to get the shots I want.

Over the years, I’ve chased Grain Valley softball from Trenton to Springfield, boys soccer from Smithville to St. Louis, spent a weekend in the Jones Dome getting pictures of the band, and have attended games for nearly every other sporting activity offered at Grain Valley. I prefer “catching the moment” of live shots

over “staged” photos like group pictures and portraits. I’ve caught kids at some of the happiest moments in their lives, like cutting down the nets from a basketball Conference championship, to winning the game over a rival school, to those filled with tears and sorrow, realizing when they walk off the field that night, it’s for the last time in their life. Although we may not think so as adults, those can be monumental moments in a young person’s life, and I take great pleasure in capturing them, both the happy and the sad, for kids to look back at in life.

While I didn’t give it much thought when I started, I have come to realize how much those moments mean to parents as well. I’ve lost count of the number of people who have taken the time to share how much they appreciate my photos. I don’t consider myself to be a good photographer, I miss as many shots as I get, but I find great satisfaction in capturing photos that share their personalities and the little quirks that embarrass them today, knowing those moments will help to bring back fond memories as the kids turn to adults, and as moms and dads grow old and miss those special times.

So perhaps I do it as a service to our community, or maybe simply because I enjoy creating memories for others. I don’t know, and don’t really care. As long as the kids enjoy it, I would like to continue.

What is your favorite thing to do when you are not working?

I have a lot of hobbies, many of which I don’t get to spend time doing right now, but none that I would consider a favorite. I seem to recall enjoying hunting and fishing with Joshua, although I can’t remember the last time we went. We have a ski boat that my children fear is dry rotting in storage, but I don’t think it is, fiberglass

doesn’t dry rot. I have a shop full of woodworking tools that catch my eye from time to time, and our dining room is affectionately referred to as the music room because of the number of musical instruments displayed there (including the three guitars I plunk on).

I enjoy following the GV Eagles, Mizzou sports, the Chiefs, and am a lifelong St. Louis Cardinals baseball fan.

I have been involved in scouting, our high school football boosters, and more recently, what’s referred to as our high school super booster club, the Grain Valley Eagles Booster Club. Do me a favor and check them (GVEBC) out at gvebc.com. If you’re looking for a place to get involved that benefits the kids in the Grain Valley School District, they will put you work (shameless plug, I know).

As most parents can attest, during your children’s active years, you put your hobbies on the back burner for a while, so they can enjoy being a kid, and you can have the memories to look back on in your golden years. With Lauren now attending college, I am slowly reintroducing myself to many of those off time activities, and obviously still consider photography a hobby as well.

Tell us about your family.

I married my high school sweetheart 38 years ago. We started our life together in Farber, which is near Mexico, Missouri. I worked as a meat cutter in local grocery stores and processing plants, along with working part-time for the City of Farber as a water and wastewater plant operator, and briefly at the Fire Brick Plant in Farber. My bride worked in a garment factory in Vandalia sewing women’s clothing, an industry long since gone in our country. In 1997, we moved just outside of Jefferson City, where I went to work for the water company, and she at a local hospital. Our son Joshua

was born there in 1990, and the water company transferred us to Lincoln, Illinois in 1992.

My mother passed away in 1993 and we decided to look for employment back in Missouri to be closer to my dad, who had been seriously injured in a fall at work. Tri-County Water Authority was looking to hire a General Manager at the time, and I was fortunate enough to be offered the job. We packed up and headed to Blue Springs in 1994.

We moved into our new home in May 1996 and Joshua started school in Grain Valley that fall. He played football and ran track in school. He was also very involved in outdoor activities like hunting and fishing, hobbies he continues to enjoy today. He graduated from Grain Valley High School in May of 2009, and began attending the University of Missouri, Columbia for the fall semester. He worked for the Tiger Football Program for a while as a student assistant while attending classes. He graduated with a degree in biology in 2014 and currently works as a Plant Operator for Tri-County Water Authority.

My wife Beth currently works for the City of Blue Springs as the supervisor in the Utility Billing Department where she has been employed for over 20 years. She enjoys watching Eagles sports, working in the yard and garden, sitting by the pool in summer, boating, and of course keeping track of me.

Our daughter Lauren is the only member of the family who is not a transplant to this area. Born and raised here, she graduated from Grain Valley High School in May of 2018. She played basketball and tennis throughout her years at Grain Valley High School. She also attended the CTC at Fort Osage High School her senior year in the Health Sciences Program, which helped prep her to pursue a degree in nursing at UCM in Warrensburg.

Fun, Service, and Cultural Events Continue for Xi Iota Phi

by Linda Ebert and Debbie Reardon, Xi Iota Phi

Following our “Quilt of Friendship” theme, Xi Iota Phi, a chapter of Beta Sigma Phi, continued our monthly programs on quilt patterns. Karen Blau spoke in October on the Crazy Quilt and how spiders are sewn into them for good luck.

In November, Debbie Reardon told us about the Irish Chain quilt pattern which gets its name from an Irish tool used for measuring. Cathy Talley gave a program in January on the Ohio Star Quilt. She also told us about how the concept of barn quilts and Quilt Trails began.

In December Sharon Simpson gave us an inspirational program on doing acts of kindness.

Our October meeting was held at the home of Karen Blau and Karen Sutton was chosen our Valentine Queen.

October also found us busy with a social event to “Ghoul’s Night Out” in Greenwood, MO, and celebrating Pref Tea at Henry’s Tea Room in Lee’s Summit, MO. Members Cathy Talley, Chris Smith, Debbie Reardon, Karen Sutton, and Linda Ebert attended the Beta Sigma Phi Missouri State Convention in Blue Springs, MO. We held our November meeting at the home of Debbie Reardon.

Our social event had members visiting The Arabia Steamboat Museum with lunch following at Cascone’s Restaurant.

Kim Meyers hosted our Christmas meeting where we enjoyed a variety of foods and exchanged gifts. VicePresident Bobbie Brubeck welcomed our guests, Diana Boyce, Karen LaJaunie, and Christy Donner to our celebration. It was a pleasure to have them join us! The January meeting found us at Cathy Talley’s home.

Debbie Woods, Parliamentarian, enlightened us by reading on the Pref Tea tradition, the Beta Sigma Phi history timeline and the background of our flower the yellow rose. She also collected and turned in Rada catalog orders for our fundraiser.

Xi Iota Phi takes pride in giving back

through our service to the community.

At our October meeting members, brought items to donate to Children’s Mercy Hospital East. In November, we donated food to the Community Services League in Grain Valley to help provide Thanksgiving meals. Donations and signed Christmas cards were also collected for “Operation Uplift” for the Troops. Ronald McDonald House received 45 snack bags which we filled in January.

Moving forward our chapter is looking forward to a movie night, election of officers in March, Founder’s Day in April, Mother-Daughter Tea and Ladies Night Out in May, and our annual Camp Outback at the Ozarks in the summer!

Submit your community news and events to news@grainvalleynews.com.

Home & Garden

Page 10

The Endless Pursuit of Organization

Part 2: Supplies and Ground Rules

by Chelsey Lauer, Founder and CEO, JLB Simplify Home Organizing

Having the right supplies on hand when you need to turn a non-functional area into a functional area can decrease the anxiety of tackling the project, as well as the time you spend working on it. We recommend having the following supplies on hand: Trash bags A Sharpie marker PostPost- It Notes Tape Empty Containers We recommend black trash bags for trash and white trash bags for donate. If you don't have two different colored bags, use a cardboard box and label it “Donate”. Laundry baskets and cardboard boxes work great as extra containers during the sorting process.

You will use the Post-it Notes and Sharpie to make labels for the different categories you will be sorting items into.

We also suggest taping the Post-it Notes to the containers, so they do not fall during this phase.

After you have your supplies you are ready to start. However, there are some ground rules we like to stick to in order to make the organizing process less stressful and more productive: First Rule: Acknowledge that the goal of your project is to make the area

functional, so you know what it is in the area and can easily locate a specific category. An example of this would be a “Camping” Category. At the end of the Functional phase you may have two containers full of random camping stuff, you still may have to dig around in those containers to find a specific item, but you do have a general idea where to look.

Organizing the camping category into more sub-categories, such as “Bug Spray” or “Cooking Equipment,”should be done during another organizing session, once the whole area has been addressed.

Second Rule: If it takes longer than 5 seconds to decide what category an item should go in, you need to put it in a category called the “Keep/Don’t Know/ Need to Sort” category and move on to the next item. This is our cheat category, and we only recommend using it during the Functional Stage of a project.

The items you aren’t sure about go in this category. It lets you know that you already decided to keep it, you don’t know what to do with it, and you need to sort the stuff in that category after the main goal of making the area functional has been completed. This prevents us from getting hung up on a few items.

Third Rule: As soon as you start a

new category, you need to designate a container for that category, and tape a labeled Post-it Note on it. If you don’t have enough containers or have items that won’t fit in a container, then label a Post-it Note and put it near the pile as well as making sure no other piles are close by.

Labeling every container and pile prevents us from forgetting what the category was, accidently mixing categories, and makes it easier for other people to help. Labeling also allows you to stop, if needed, and pick back up where you left off later.

Fourth Rule: This rule is for married people or anyone who shares their home with someone else. If working together isn’t an option, then anything that is not yours and you would consider "Theirs" needs to be put in a "Their Stuff" category.

Once you have addressed your items in the area and made the area functional, it will be easier for them to make decisions on their belongings. If there are items are aren’t technically “Theirs” but you aren’t sure if they would like to part with the item, you can create a “Ask Them” pile.

Fifth Rule: The final rule is to stay focused on the end goal. Don’t let yourself go down memory lane, and try

not to let emotions slow you down. If you find yourself getting emotional or playing the blame game, remind yourself that the goal is to sort and put everything in a category.

Now you are ready to get started.

However, if you struggle with making decisions regarding your belongings, we will cover how to make decisions and how to come up with categories in the next article.

Until next time, Chelsey Lauer Chelsey Lauer created JLB Simplify Home Organizing in 2015 after realizing that sometimes life throws to much at you and no matter how hard you try, your home continues to be a cause of stress and endless clutter. Her goal is to help people feel back in control of their home and running a business and raising 3 boys, she knows all too well how quickly a clean organized house can become a cluttered mess.

Follow JLB Simplify on Facebook at JLB Simplify Home Organization and on Twitter at @JLB_Simplify.

Use code GVNEWS when ordering the JLB Simplify 4-Step Organizing Booklet and save 50% at http://www.jlbsimplify.com/ shop.html.

Intensive Gardening: More From Less Space

by Dr. David Trinklein, Professor of Horticulture, University of Missouri Extension

Home vegetable production is riding another wave of popularity. The desire to grow produce with limited space and time has resulted in a renewed interest in an old gardening technique known as intensive gardening.

The concept is a modern version of a production method developed in France in the late 19th century known as the ‘French Intensive Method’. At that time, the gardening method consisted of putting well-aged, composted horse manure in mounds about 18 inches deep, or in small rectangular structures (boxes) capable of retaining the compost.

Vegetables were spaced very closely together in these structures to the point that plants would touch one another as they approached maturity.

Intensive gardening today is not that much different from the method practiced by the French over 100 years ago. The main points to consider include: 1) A raised area or bed provides excellent drainage and good aeration to the roots of the vegetable crops; 2) The medium in which the plants are grown should be high in organic matter and fertility to promote maximum yields; and

3) Plants should be grown closely together, but not crowded.

Growing plants close to one another makes the exposure of the intensive garden very important. Locate vegetable beds where they will get direct sunlight for a minimum of six hours each day.

Inadequate light results in lower plant growth and yields. Avoid shading from trees or buildings. Also, plant vegetables so they do not shade one another. Locate taller plants on the north side of the plot and smaller, short plants on the south.

In spite of the need plants have for light, there are occasions when shade can actually be beneficial. Cool season vegetables such as lettuce benefit when they receive some shade from taller vegetables such as staked tomatoes.

Additionally, afternoon shade on cool season crops can prolong their period of productivity.

Although most gardeners today do not have access to well-aged horse manure, you can get good results with other sources of organic matter. Mix composted manure from other animals liberally with existing soil. The organic component of the mixture should be at least 50 percent,

by volume. For heavier, clay soils, the percent should be increased. Composted leaves and peat moss are good sources of organic matter.

Since most vegetables grow best in the 6.0 to 6.5 pH range, limestone often must be added to the mix. As a rule, if peat moss is used as the source of organic matter or your native soil is very acid, add about four to five pounds of dolomitic limestone per 100 square feet.

Add the limestone when the soil mixture is being prepared and incorporate thoroughly. Soil tests are very helpful in determining whether enough limestone was added, as well as the status of other essential mineral elements in the mix.

Plants growing close together need a lot of water. Although the leaf density of closely spaced plants in the intensive garden form a living mulch, additional mulch can reduce water loss from the surface of the soil. Choose organic forms of mulch whenever possible. Despite this, additional water often is necessary. This especially is true during hot, dry periods in mid to late summer. Even though plants may survive without supplemental irrigation, production will be greater and

Read Valley News online weekly at www.grainvalleynews.com.

quality better if plants receive adequate moisture.

Vegetables with high market dollar value represent good candidates for intensive gardens. Examples include tomatoes, peppers, carrots, onions and leafy ‘salad greens’ such as lettuce.

Authorities on the subject differ in their estimates of the economic value of an intensively managed vegetable garden.

Results vary according to crops grown, spacing, use of succession planting, etc. If intensive vegetable gardening does not lower your grocery bill, something went wrong. Gardening information from University of Missouri Extension can increase your gardening knowledge and skills.

Add to the economic aspects, the health, psychological, social and environmental benefits of gardening and it becomes obvious why the popularity of home food production continues to remain high.

Adapted from the Missouri Environment and Garden Newsletter, April-June 2018

Sports

Page 11

Eagles Golf in Full Swing at Drumm Farm Tournament

by John Unrein

Approximately twenty metro area golf teams converged on the Drumm Farm Golf Course for their tournament on Monday, March 18th.

The Eagles boys varsity five-man golf team competitors were Senior Jace Collum, Senior Levi Barnett, Junior Davis Powell, Junior Bradley Kitsmiller, and Freshman Mason McCain. It was their first tournament action of the season.

“Team scores are compiled by the top four team finishers with the lowest scores out of the five who participate in the round. No handicaps are allowed.

You never play with kids from your own school. That pushes you to develop both socially and athletically as a student-athlete,” Head Coach Andy Herbert said.

Weather for the tournament was brisk, with cool temperatures and minimal winds. Golf apparel included everything from stocking caps to pullovers. Walking from hole to hole seemed a welcome task that kept competitors warm.

“Your first day out in short sleeves and shorts is different. Extra clothing may impact your swing. Golf exposes your mental toughness fairly quick. Not everyone may realize that golfers must be tough to be at practice consistently in the elements prior to the start of the season in early spring,” Herbert said.

“Golfers also must love the game year around and practice it as much as possible across 12 months. That takes

toughness in discipline to make that commitment. You can’t just pick up a club at the start of the season and be good,” Herbert said.

Individual scores for the tournament were Jace Collum (92), Davis Powell (101), Brad Kitsmiller (102), Mason McCain (104), and Levi Barnett (116).

Above: Freshman Mason McCain tees off in his first tournament with Grain Valley boys golf team. McCain finished with a score of 104 in the March 18th tournament at Drumm Farm Golf Course. Left: Senior Jace Collum finished with a score of 92.

Photo credit: Valley News staff

Upcoming

Prep Events Soccer: Girls Varsity vs. Blue Springs @ Grain Valley High School Friday, March 22, 2019 at 6:30pm Golf: Boys Varsity Tournament vs. Oak Grove @ Adams Pointe Friday, March 22, 2019 at 8:30am Baseball: Boys Varsity vs. Lee’s Summit North @ Grain Valley High School Monday, March 25, 2019 at 4:00pm Soccer: Girls Varsity Game vs. Blue Springs South @ Blue Springs South Monday, March 25, 2019 at 6:30pm Track: Varsity Quad @ Grain Valley High School Monday, March 25, 2019 at 4:00pm

Youth League Coaches and Parents:

Photos and story submissions on your little league/youth teams are welcome at news@grainvalleynews.com, or tag us on Facebook or Twitter (@grainvalleynews).

Community Calendar March 21, 2019

Kindergarten Registration Event Held at all Grain Valley Elementary Schools 4:30pm—6:00pm Children must be at least five years old on or before July 31, 2019 to attend Kindergarten in 2019-20 school year.

Beaded Duck Mid-Continent Public Library, 101 SW Eagles Parkway 6:30pm - 8:00pm Join Tina Gatewood as she shows us how to make these cute little beaded ducks. This is a two-week class, and each class lasts 90 minutes. There is a one-time hands-on material fee of $14.

March 25, 2019

Senior Coffee Weekly on Mondays Grain Valley Community Center, 713 S Main 9:00am—11:00am Time to visit with friends and make new ones. Free.

Senior Yoga Weekly on Mondays Grain Valley Community Center, 713 S Main 10:30am—11:15am $2 or Free for SilverSneakers, Silver & Fit, and Renew Active Members Board of Aldermen Meeting Grain Valley City Hall, 711 Main 7:00pm

March 27, 2019

Storytime for Families Mid-Continent Public Library, 101 SW Eagles Parkway Wednesdays from 10:00am – 10:30am Come share the early literacy experience with the whole family. Hear stories, sing songs, join in movement activities, and more.

March 28, 2019

Petite Picassos Grain Valley Community Center, 713 S. Main 6:30pm—7:15pm $10/participant. Children 4 to 7 years with an adult will paint an 8x10 canvas.

816-847-6230

Hunting BasicsBasics-Turkey Lake City Shooting Range, 28505 E Truman Road, Buckner 5:00pm—8:00pm Bring your own shotgun and your favorite hunting load for pattering your shotgun. Register by March 25.

Neighborhood View

March 30, 2019

Community Volunteer Day for Grain Valley Assistance Council Meet at First Baptist Grain Valley, 207 W. Walnut Street 9:00am Volunteers with 2 wheeled dollies/hand trucks are especially welcome, but all willing volunteers are asked to arrive at 9:00am at First Baptist Grain Valley, 207 W. Walnut Street.

April 1, 2019

Senior Coffee Weekly on Mondays Grain Valley Community Center, 713 S Main 9:00am—11:00am Time to visit with friends and make new ones. Free.

Senior Yoga Weekly on Mondays Grain Valley Community Center, 713 S Main 10:30am—11:15am $2 or Free for SilverSneakers, Silver & Fit, and Renew Active Members

April 2, 2019

General Municipal Election Polls open 6:00am—7:00pm

April 3, 2019

Senior Citizen Luncheon Grain Valley Community Center, 713 S. Main 11:30am—1:00pm $3 suggested donation; RSVP 816-847-6293 or info@cityofgrainvalley.org.

to

April 6, 2019

Shotgun - Patterning Lake City Shooting Range, 28505 E Truman Road, Buckner 9:00am—11:30am Bring the shotgun you want to pattern and your favorite load.

Add your community event online at www.grainvalleynews.com.

Spring arrived officially on Wednesday, March 20th, but the signs of spring are not yet apparent on Minter Road.

Share the view from your neighborhood by sending your photos and stories to news@grainvalleynews.com or via Facebook or Twitter (@grainvalleynews.com).