Valley News: October 15, 2020 by grainvalleynews

Valley News OCTOBER 15, 2020

www.grainvalleynews.com

Board Adds $500,000 To 2020 Roads Budget The Grain Valley Board of Aldermen voted October 12th to authorize the City Administrator to amend the 2020 budget to allocate an additional $500,000 in funding from transportation reserves for additional road improvements. City Engineer Dick Tuttle presented an assessment of pavement conditions. The City contracted with IMS to survey all of the City’s streets with a laser road surface tester to determine overall street conditions. The pavement condition index (PCI) is a measure of the overall street condition. The City’s current PCI is a 56 with a backlog of 11.9%. A 56 is a less than optimal rating; most cities surveyed range between 60-65. An optimal backlog is 10% but less than 15% is considered good. The 2020 budget allocated $342,000 for road improvements and a pavement condition assessment. The additional funding approved by the Board will

allow the backlog of needed road improvements to be reduced. Already on the project list for this year are the following streets: Shorthorn-Sni-A-Bar to Cross Creek Cross Creek—Sni-A-Bar to Ryan Brome—Sni-A-Bar to Clover Nelson-Shorthorn to SW Cross Creek Rockhill—SW Cross Creek to East Dead End Abar Court—Foxtail to North Dead End Woodbury—Buckner Tarsney to Valley Ridge SW Cross Creek—Ryan to South Dead End The additional funding will allow for the following areas to be addressed: Sni-A-Bar Blvd.—Eagles Parkway to SW Cross Creek Meadow Road—Hwy. 40 to RD Mize EE Kirby—Railroad to Eagles Parkway James D. Rollo—Main Street to East Dead End Cypress/3rd ST—Broadway to Main The 2020 street program will include asphalt overlay with limited deep see BOARD on page 12

Missouri Trivia by Marcia Napier, Grain Valley Historical Society Everything is bigger in Texas, including the number of farms. With 248, 416 farms it is more than double the second place state.

But would you believe with 95,320, Missouri, the Show Me State, ranks second. Missouri's number one commodity is soybeans followed by corn, cattle and calves, hogs, and broiler chickens.

In This Edition:

Vol. 3, No. 41

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Veterans Tribute At Butterfly Trail Dedication Set For October 21st Pathways of Honor will host a dedication of the Legacy Plaza Veterans Tribute to the Grain Valley Parks and Recreation Department on Wednesday, October 21st at 4:00pm. The Legacy Plaza Veterans Tribute, located in the Butterfly Trail at 711 R.D. Mize Road, honors veterans from each branch of service. The ceremony on October 21st will symbolically transfer the Tribute to the Parks and Recreation Department of Grain Valley. A flag raising ceremony will be conducted by Norm Combs, President of Pathways of

Honor, and Dr. Brad Welle, President of the Grain Valley Park Board. The Grain Valley and Blue Springs ROTC students will assist with the flag raising ceremony under the command of Lt. Colonel Richard Yule. The Grain Valley High School band will also perform at the ceremony. Special guests include Mayor Carson Ross, City of Blue Springs, Colonel Don “Doc” Ballard, Congressional Medal of Honor recipient, and Grain Valley Mayor Chuck Johnston as keynote speaker. Chapter 243 of the Vietnam Veterans

see TRIBUTE on page 12

Good News: Eagles Celebrate Homecoming Jack Bailey and Abby Castle were named Homecoming King and Queen during a halftime ceremony on October 9th. The Eagles would go on to defeat the William Chrisman Bears 53-22. See page 9 of this week’s edition for a summary of the game.

Have Good News

Looking Back: Sanders & Herrington Cane Mill

On The Ballot: Rep. Jeff Coleman, Missouri District 32

Your Health: Spaghetti Squash

Sports: Statement Made As Eagles Improve to 7-0

to share? Send your Good News to news@grainvalleynews.com.

Cover photo credit: John Overstreet

Photo credit: John Overstreet

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Eagles March On Despite Pandemic Complications The Grain Valley Marching Eagles (GVME) had quite a 2020 season planned, with a full slate of Friday night football games, weekend competitions, and a December trip to Hawaii to perform at Pearl Harbor. Unfortunately, those plans were canceled due to COVID -19, but the band soldiered on. Students gathered for band camp this summer, preparing for a show they hoped to perform in the fall. Restrictions regarding gatherings of large groups once again dashed those plans, but staff improvised, creating two entirely new shows to allow students an opportunity to perform safely. Students were able to perform to socially distanced family and friends at the high school stadium on Saturday, October 10th. Brass and wind students performed a show entitled “Brave New World”, and the percussion and color guard performed a show entitled “Coming and Going”. Each performance was met with rousing applause from the stands. Band Director Travis Barzee said the students and staff embraced a positive attitude, which has helped them endure constant changes this season.

“The band has approached the season with an unmistakably strong and positive attitude. It seemed like there was a period of time where I would be forced to give some type of bad news to the students and staff weekly and sometimes daily, but their ungarnished drive and passion for marching band has proven bulletproof,” Barzee said. “I'm most proud of the work ethic and ‘buy-in’ from the students, and speciﬁcally our student leadership team. The positive attitude in which they have approached this challenging year is very encouraging for both the future of the GVME and their individual futures. I'm looking forward to building upon the successes of this season and continuing to challenge and push the GVME to new and unchartered territory next season.” The band will perform for parents and friends again Thursday, October 15th and Saturday, October 17th at the high school. The school’s performance will be included along with other bands across the country in a Bands of America streaming event. A link to view the band’s performance will be shared by GVME following the performances for those who were unable to attend.

Police Blotter The following information is derived from the Grain Valley Police Department daily calls for service log for the week of September 30—October 6, 2020. September 30, 2020 1100 Blk Buckner Tarsney Rd 1200 Block Sawgrass 1100 Blk Buckner Tarsney Rd 600 Block BB Hwy Tyer Rd & Jefferson 100 Block Sunny Ln 700 Block Main St Long & Scenic 700 Block Main St 1400 Block Eagles Parkway BB Hwy and Ryan Rd Barr Rd and RD Mize Rd 1100 Block Willow Dr 1100 Block Golfview 1800 Block Nicholas Dr 1000 Block Deer Creek

Agency Assist (CJC) Animal at Large Check the Well Being Check the Well Being Stealing Motor Vehicle Accident Citizen Contact Motor Vehicle Accident Assault Suspicious Person Motor Vehicle Accident Bus Stop Arm Violation Residence Veriﬁcation Stealing Citizen Contact Disturbance

October 1, 2020 1500 Block Hilltop Ln Missing Juvenile Tisha and Gateway Motor Vehicle Accident 700 Block Main St Citizen Contact 200 Block Jefferson Agency Assist (BPD) 400 Block Wolf Creek Area Check 800 Block Willow Suspicious Activity 700 Block Main St Warrant Conﬁrmation 700 Block Main St Civil Matter East City Limits of Buckner Agency Assist (BPD) 700 Block Foxtail Dr Animal Complaint 100 Block Main St Motor Vehicle Accident 300 Block Rock Creek Ln Civil Standby Rock Ck Ln & Buckner Tarsney Motor Vehicle Accident Main and East Harris Area Check October 2, 2020 700 Block Main St US 40 Hwy & OOIDA 700 Block Main St Woodbury & Pecan 700 Block Main St 600 Block Woodbury

Lost Property Area Check Citizen Contact Suspicious Activity Warrant Conﬁrmation Disturbance

October 3, 2020 500 Block South St 911 Hang up 700 Block Main St Warrant Conﬁrmation 1100 Blk Buckner Tarsney Rd Alarm

1100 Block McQuerry 600 Block Yennie 500 Block South St 1100 Blk Buckner Tarsney Rd

Motor Vehicle Accident Alarm Disturbance Assault

October 4, 2020 1100 Block Christy Ln 700 Block Main St NW Jefferson 200 Block Main St US 40 Hwy & Main St 1400 Block Olympic Dr

Animal Complaint Identity Theft Motor Vehicle Accident Suspicious Activity Motor Vehicle Accident Alarm

October 5, 2020 300 Block Front St 1100 Blk Buckner Tarsney Rd 700 Block Main St 200 Block Michael 1400 Block Hilltop Ln 1000 Block Mountain View Ct 1300 Block Blue Branch Dr 600 Block Ridge Ct 1100 Block McQuerry 700 Block Main St 1200 Block Sawgrass 1400 Block Golfview Broadway & Gregg Fort Osage Boat Ramp 1100 Block McQuerry 1700 Block Cottonwood Cir

Suspicious Person Alarm Warrant Conﬁrmation Noise Complaint Disturbance Area Check Unattended Death Alarm Suspicious Person Property Damage Animal at Large Alarm Motor Vehicle Accident Agency Assist (JACO) Suspicious Person Disturbance

October 6, 2020 1200 Block Willow 700 Block Main St 700 Block Main St 700 Block Main St 800 Block Montana Ridge 700 Block Logan Dr 1000 Block Burr Oak Ln 40 Block N Street 300 Block 1st St 900 Block Sandy Ln 1300 Block Hilltop Ln 700 Block Main St 700 Block Main St

Suspicious Person Fraud Found Property Stealing from Auto Disturbance Burglary Citizen Contact Agency Assist (Lake Lotawana) Agency Assist (OGPD) Disturbance Suspicious Vehicle Citizen Contact Found Property

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 John Overstreet | Contributing Photographer Mail: PO Box 2972 Grain Valley MO 64029 Phone: 816.809.7984 Email: news@grainvalleynews.com Join us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram: @grainvalleynews

Have Valley News delivered weekly to your inbox. Sign up for our weekly email at www.grainvalleynews.com. Grain Valley Marching Eagles performed for family and friends Saturday, October 10th at Grain Valley High School. The percussion and color guard (top photo) performed a show entitled Coming and Going, and the brass and winds (bottom photo) performed a show entitled Brave New World. The band performs Thursday, October 15th and Saturday, October 17th to close out their modiﬁed season. Photo credit: Valley News staff

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Looking Back

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Looking Back: Sanders & Herrington Cane Mill by Marcia Napier, Grain Valley Historical Society I grew up seeing Great-Grandpa Sanders and Uncle Dave’s cane mill in my aunt’s backyard. It is another one of those “old things” about which I wish I had asked more questions. I’m guessing that in the late 1800s nearly every farmer in Jackson County must have grown sorghum. I’m also guessing that granulated sugar might have been a luxury in those days. My grandmother always talked about using sorghum and molasses in recipes and a quick look through old recipes books veriﬁes their use along with honey as the primary sweeteners in that time. While molasses is usually made from sugar cane or sugar beets, it is also possible to extract molasses, as well as sorghum, from the cane of the sorghum plant. Their cane mill received a patent on December 13, 1892 and the following statement could be found in a small pamphlet advertising. “While engaged in the manufacture of sorghum a few years back, we J. N. Sanders and D. C. Herrington, of Grain Valley, Mo., realized the very slow movement of our old crusher and the great amount of labor and time lost on account of its slowness. Horses almost given out, sap run down and ﬁre cooled many times during the day. People’s

cane would stand stacked at the mill until hopes of ever getting it made up were almost lost. Many crops we failed to get for fear it would have to remain unworked until freezing weather, or that it might sour. With all the above-named disadvantages, our minds, of course, were naturally put to thinking of some plan to do away with the old troubles; and we succeeded in inventing a machine which we thought would be endorsed by the people, approved by the patent ofﬁce and give universal satisfaction. So, with an output of a nice little sum of money and the forfeiture of considerable valuable time, we secured a patent of our invention which enables us to offer to the people of this immense can country, or the right of a mill, that will make investors rich. Our mill is simple, durable and very rapid, showy, honest and inexpensive. We have practically tested our machine and, therefore, can speak from actual experience. The mills we now have in use have a 12-inch roll and with an ordinary beam, from three and a half to four gallons sap can be crushed per minute, or from twenty to thirty tons of can per day. A cane mill of this kind is worth a farm. We are now ready to sell mill, entire, state or county rights, Correspondence solicited and considered care. For proof to what we have said ﬁrst correspond with our endorsers. We are yours anxious to please.” Sanders & Herrington Grain Valley, Mo The advertising pamphlet contains over twenty testimonial letters. Here are a couple of samples. If you have driven around Grain Valley very much, you might recognize the names.

Cane Mill Advertising Pamphlet Photo credit: Grain Valley Historical Society

Grain Valley February 22, 1894 This certiﬁes that the Sanders & Herrington Cane Mill, in my opinion, is the best mill on the market. It works with perfect satisfaction; high runner and does lots of work. Respectfully, Jesiah Seymore Grain Valley, 1894

Visit the Grain Valley Historical Society at 506 S. Main on Wednesdays or visit us online at ww.grainvalleyhistory.com and Facebook (@grainvalleyhistory).

Cane Mill Patent Certiﬁcate, dated December 13, 1892. Photo credit: Grain Valley Historical Society

It has been my pleasure to travel through many of the sorghum states throughout the Union and have examined all the latest improved cane mils and think your mill will do double the amount of work with less draft on team and less work on feeder. Its bearings, if properly adjusted, I consider perfect—but little friction. I am Yours, Joe M. Potts

Visit the Grain Valley Historical Society to see the inside workings of the old mill along with the application, certiﬁcate and other legal papers and letters involved with securing of the patent.

Business

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Mid-Continent Public Library Receives Grant For Hotspots Governor Mike Parson announced October 9th that 39 Missouri libraries were awarded more than $870,000 through the Missouri State Library to help residents access high speed internet for telehealth and distance learning in response to COVID-19. “COVID-19 has created a massive shift to online services,” Parson said. “Providing our public libraries with the means to meet the need for access to devices and high-speed internet will help close the connectivity gap many students and citizens are experiencing during this time.” Six initiatives were launched on July 2 as a part of the Rapid Broadband Deployment Initiative which uses the state’s CARES Act funding. The broadband funding for Missouri libraries allocated up to $2.5 million for this program. The Missouri State Library and Missouri Department of Economic Development reviewed and approved grant applications. The program was designed to provide grants to Missouri’s public libraries for resources such as hotspots and Wi-Fi

enabled devices in support of telehealth and students of higher education. The funds from this program will be used to establish hotspot lending programs, Wi-Fi capable laptops for patron checkout, and expanding bandwidth at libraries to accommodate additional network demands. Locally, Mid-Continent Public Library will receive $82,016 to enhance their existing lending program with up to 215 hotspots . “We are thrilled to be the recipient of this generous grant, which will help the Library support students struggling to stay connected while attending classes,” Steven V. Potter, MCPL Director and CEO said. “Now more than ever, an internet connection is vital for all aspects of our lives—professional, educational, social— the hotspots acquired by this funding, along with the additional matching funds provided by Jackson County will allow customers to access the internet to attend classes and continue their postsecondary education during these very challenging times.”

On The Ballot

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On The Ballot: Representative Jeff Coleman, District 32 Running unopposed in District 32 of the Missouri House of Representatives is incumbent Rep. Jeff Coleman, Republican from Grain Valley. A former Grain Valley Alderman, Coleman currently serves on the Grain Valley School Board. In the House, Coleman was assigned to serve as the Vice Chair of the Economic Development Committee, the Professional Registration and Licensing Committee, and the Insurance Policy Committee. In addition to his legislative duties, Coleman is a ﬁnancial advisor specializing in retirement income. Coleman has served as mayor pro tem on the Grain Valley Board of Aldermen, and as the president of both the Grain Valley Economic Development

Corporation and the Grain Valley Industrial Development Committee. In 2012, he was named Grain Valley Citizen of Year. Coleman is a member of the Community of Christ Church. Born in Independence, Coleman attended Oak Grove High School and Graceland University. Coleman currently resides in Grain Valley with his wife, Debbie. They have seven children. In a recent interview with Valley News, Coleman said he is focused on working for everyone in his district, not just those who share his party afﬁliation. “It’s about making relationships and doing what’s right for the districts. We have to battle against our own party sometimes, just like we battle against

the Democrats. I am not down there for a party. I am there for the issues,” Coleman said. Asked for an example of a time he worked across party lines for the benefit of the district, Coleman pointed to legislation signed into law last July which provided incentives to General Motors in exchange for continued investment in the state. Coleman said conservative voices on the House side were trying to make deals with Democrats to defeat the bill, claiming it was corporate welfare. Coleman said he used a bill he was working on to extend a tax credit benefiting local engineering firm Burns & McDonnell to successfully convince Democratic representatives from the Kansas City metro area to support the General Motors measure.

Rep. Jeff Coleman (R) , District 32

Community Proﬁle: Mark Trosen

The Community Development Director for a city wears many hats. They are typically responsible for, but not limited to, Planning/Engineering, Building/Codes, Public Works, Information Technology/Geographic Information System, and Fleet Maintenance. The quality and efficiency of the work done in community development directly impacts the quality of life for the residents of a community. Mark Trosen has been the Community Development Director for Grain Valley since June of 2019. The Jackson County resident is a proud parent and new grandparent who was recently nominated to be featured in the Community Profile section of Grain Valley News. When Trosen is away from work he loves spending time with family along with being outdoors and on the water. Boating and fishing are hobbies for Trosen. Grain Valley City Administrator Ken Murphy works closely with Trosen and shared his thoughts on what Trosen has brought to the city in his role as Community Development Director. “We were really excited when we learned that Mark applied for the Community Development Director position. Over the years, I have worked

with Mark in his different roles with Jackson County and gained a great deal of respect for him,” Murphy said. “Mark wasted no time getting to work for the city and has done a great job making sure that our difficult programs and projects have a clear direction moving forward.” “Mark’s ability to find solutions to problems that the department is faced with makes him the right fit to lead in such a critical time of growth.” Whether it’s Burger King or a medical marijuana cultivation facility, Trosen works with city staff and the Planning and Zoning Commission to facilitate the process of new businesses showing interest in Grain Valley. There are typically seven steps a new business will go through in trying to partner with Grain Valley in seeing if there’s a fit. 1. An email or telephone call by a business interested in a property. 2. A response by the city with how that property is zoned, available utilities for that site, and rules and regulations for that zoning area. 3. If the location is desirable for a business, they go through a preapplication meeting to review pressing plans and the process of filling out an application with the city. 4. The business stays in contact with the city as they work through questions and details prior to submitting their application. 5. The business files the application with the city. 6. A public hearing is held with the Planning and Zoning Commission and they make a recommendation. 7. A public hearing is held with the Board of Alderman prior to an approval vote for ordinance. “What I love most about my job is getting to work with people. We receive a lot of questions from people on how

they may use their property and what type of development may occur. I get to share the vision of the city with people in regard to its comprehensive plan,” Trosen said. “My role also allows me to problem solve, which I enjoy. A recent item we have problem solved and planned for is the recent presentation we did before the Board of Alderman about the city street maintenance program.” “Back in 2018, there was a citizen survey that conveyed one of the main items residents were concerned about were street conditions in Grain Valley. When I started here last year one of the ﬁrst things I did was looking at the city citizen survey and comprehensive plan.” “That led to a proposal in the 2020 budget that would do a pavement condition assessment for how best we could improve the street conditions in Grain Valley.” “The thing I enjoy the least about my job is that unfortunately, I have to tell people ‘no.’ Simply by ordinance they may not be allowed to do something based on land use or zoning. Those rules and regulations may make us say you can’t put that deck as close to your property line as you would like based on the minimum setback of city ordinance.” “It’s tough to tell people ‘no.’ Explaining why that ‘no’ exists usually leads to people understanding though.” Trosen has been complimented on more than one occasion during Board of Alderman meetings for his preparedness in providing maps, research on city ordinances, and providing answers to questions used by the Board of Alderman to make decisions. “Knowing where to ﬁnd resources that provide accurate answers is an important part of the job. We depend a lot on the Jackson County GIS system because they keep current aerial photos for maps. One of the goals of our department is to improve the capability

of our local GIS so that down the road, citizens can get on the city website and find what they need as well,” Trosen said. “When it comes to city ordinance, it’s both what you remember because of the day in and out of your job as well as doing research. I can recite the building setbacks of R1 zoning district right now, but if you said you wanted to have a particular use in the city, I would have to check ordinance to verify.” “That’s kind of our role with citizens, developer, builders, and companies looking to locate here. We try to be ambassadors for the city regarding ordinances and guide them in where they can find the information they need to have the correct answers to make a decision.” “We don’t want any surprises for people. We want to be up front with rules and regulations so there can be a partnership.” Trosen has most been fascinated with the community feel of Grain Valley. The compassion that people have for wanting to be in the best neighborhoods, fire protection districts, and school district possible impresses Trosen. Trosen paused for a second in reflection before giving his final interview answer as to what is the best advice he would give someone based on his professional experiences. “Working for local government, the only thing you truly have is your integrity and character. If that’s ever tarnished by the way you perform in a particular job, it’s reflected in how people think of you.” “Being upfront, transparent, and sharing accurate information is what I’m judged upon on in my opinion.” Have a nomination for a Community Profile? E-mail news@grainvalleynews.com

Community Voices

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Wayne’s World Mother Nature, Old Man Winter, And The Cosmic Battle For Meteorological Control by Wayne Geiger Before deciding what to wear, I checked my weather app. The high was a beautiful 72 degrees! It would just take a little while to get there. At the moment, it was in the mid 40s. Welcome to Missouri. I looked through my closet and decided that a short sleeve shirt would be the clothing of choice. Although I’m pretty cold natured, I would just suck it up for a few hours. Leaving the house, I was slapped in the face by a brutal, cold wind. I began to regret my decision to wear the short sleeve, but there was no going back now. With a “brrr” I was reminded how much I disliked the wind and the cold. I was also dreading the inevitable: the impending winter. Thankfully, according to my trusty weather app, it looked like it was going to be pretty comfortable for the next week. According to the National Weather Service, an interest in calculating the weather can be traced back to our early history. The weather was also important to some of our Founding Fathers. While he was in Philadelphia, Thomas Jefferson purchased a thermometer from a local merchant. In his journal, he noted that on July 4, 1776, it was 76 degrees. I’m guessing he wore a short sleeve shirt. The desire and accuracy of forecasting the weather began to grow with the invention of the telegraph. At this point, you could communicate the weather “on line” (pun intended). Knowing what is happening with the weather is essential. It is for our convenience and our safety. How wonderful it is to be alerted of approaching storms, high winds, or artic air. Meteorology is a science, but one that contains many variables. We’ve all joked about wanting the job of a meteorologist. All you need to do is remember not to wear green and to be

right about the forecast about 40% of the time. That’s about a coin toss. From what I’ve heard, you also have to be somewhat attractive. When I worked in radio years ago, I had a friend who told me that one of his professors in college encouraged him to go into a career in radio rather than TV meteorology because he didn’t have “the looks for the job.” He turned out to be very successful in radio, but was still fascinated by the study of weather and wondered along the way if he had “missed his calling.” Mankind has not always viewed weather as a science. Some of the ancients turned to mythology to help explain the mysterious. They invented terms like “Mother Nature” and “Old Man Winter.” The history of the term, Mother Nature, is somewhat confusing, but most believe it can be traced back to the Greeks. The Greek Goddess, Demeter, was over the harvest. She had a daughter named, Persephone. Because of Persephone’s great beauty, she caught the eye of Hades, god of the underworld. He was no gentleman and abducted her, taking her to the underworld to be his queen. She was less than thrilled. Her mother, Demeter was so distraught that she refused to allow any crops to grow upon the earth. The dire situation fell upon the ears of Zeus, ruler on Mount Olympus, and he interceded, forcing Hades to return Persephone to her anxious mother. All did not end well, though. Unfortunately, while in Hades, Persephone had eaten pomegranate seeds (the supposed food of the dead). Because of her actions, she was condemned to spend a part of each year with Hades in the underworld. Demeter gave us winter. The harsh and barren winter months are a reflection of a mother’s broken

heart. The beautiful summer reflects the season when Persephone is able to return to her mother. Thus, the phrase, Mother Nature was born. Most people recognize, if not use, the term, Mother Nature. In fact, in the 1970s, there was a popular and humorous commercial on TV to promote Chiffon Margarine. In the commercial, Mother Nature appears and samples what she believes is real butter. Turns out, it’s not butter, but a synthetic substance known as margarine. She has been deceived and is not happy about it responding by saying, “it’s not nice to fool Mother Nature.” The history of the term, “Old Man Winter” has been around for a while too. Unfortunately, the origin of the phrase is even harder to uncover. The term is a personification of winter. It is believed that the term Old Man Winter also derived from Greek Mythology, although the history is not as clear. It seems that various cultures all had different names for the god of winter and eventually the specific names were dropped for the generic, Old Man Winter. His darker side is also known as Jack Frost. In an article for the Chicago Tribune, meteorologist Tom Skilling lists about a dozen Greco-Roman gods and demigods who have been fighting over the weather for quite some time. Can’t we just all get along? From my perspective, I avoid Mother Nature and Old Man Winter. It’s not personal, but theological. From a biblical view, I believe that these terms stealthily undermine and confuse the obvious. God is the maker and sustainer of the universe. Any attempt to assign the weather to anyone or anything else undermines his sovereign authority. God refers to this action is idolatry. As humans, we’re always trying to assign the unknown to the mysterious

or attempting to measure and control through the avenue of science. But in the end, that job belongs to God alone. To his ﬁrst century audience, Jesus said, “When it is evening, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.’ And in the morning, ‘It will be stormy today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times” (Matt 16:2-3). Basically, Jesus is saying, “from time to time, you can discern the weather forecast, but you miss the really important stuff.” God alone is the author of creation and has authority over His created order. This was the message that Jesus was sending when He walked upon the water and then caused the wind to cease and the Sea of Galilee to be still. God can calm the storms of the sea and the storms of life. I respect the work of meteorologists and use my weather app frequently. But, I also recognize that, as humans, we only have so much control. God continually reminds me of that. Not too long ago, after checking the weather app, I headed to the ofﬁce with the promise of clear skies. However, a rainstorm appeared, unannounced, and I without my umbrella. I smiled and acknowledged God’s sovereign rule over the universe. So, although it might not be nice to fool Mother Nature, it’s best to restrict her to mythology, abandon the term, and acknowledge Father God. It’s also a good idea to keep an umbrella handy just in case.

Dr. Wayne Geiger is Pastor of First Baptist Grain Valley, an Adjunct Professor of Speech, and freelance writer.

Community Voices

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Musings From The Middle Officially Announcing My Candidacy by Cathy Allie As if COVID-19 hadn’t dealt us enough new challenges, the pandemic is taking place in an election season, which in and of itself is generally so distasteful that most of us turn our heads. The 24 hour news cycle has us almost unable to avoid seeing or hearing about the election. It has me thinking from time to time, however, that maybe I missed my calling, and I should have been a politician. While I really wouldn’t want to have debates or run a campaign, I would really like some of the parts of it— kissing babies, one of my all-time favorite things to do; attending dinners that other people prepare; expressing my opinion in long-winded diatribes that mostly no one will read or listen to; and attending inaugural balls in fancy dresses and big earrings. If I only had a platform on which to run! The origin of the word platform comes from the French, who I don’t particularly love (here’s hoping that did not offend any of the Grain Valley News’ French readership—it’s just that you all are snotty). It literally means flat form and most likely referred originally to the boards that a candidate stood on to deliver his or her remarks at election time. I suppose my platform would have to include some foreign policy. My first legislative effort would be to have everyone’s passport weight reduced significantly. “Oh, you weigh 157? I think you look more like 142,” the perky passport issuer would say, and the traveler would suddenly be thinner in stature. Another significant foreign policy move would be to drastically reduce the price of flights to seasonally appropriate destinations. Flying to the Bahamas in January? $50 should get you there and back. Last minute anniversary trip? “Why yes, we can get you to Italy for a cozy dinner for two for about $100 a piece. Will that fit your budget?” Any good platform needs something about conceal and carry, I suppose, as well. In the case of a middle to late middle age woman, the only conceal that is important is that of the bags under her eyes and age spots from teenage sun worshipping. In a brilliant stateswoman like move, I would provide way stations of various shades of concealers, placed right next to electric car charger stations, satisfying not only the woman who had little sleep the night before but those hoping to control automobile emissions. Plug in and charge the car, grab a little squirt of concealer and apply it while waiting, as everyone knows the best mirror and light for discovering all your facial flaws is the rearview mirror of a car anyway. Climate change has also been an area

of great debate in politics the last few years. Is the ozone layer actually thinning? Do we have global warming, or is it just a hoax? Let me assure you that any 50 something woman can tell you that she is having personal summers nearly every day, so global warming surely exists. In my platform, women would be granted the right to have permanent control of the thermostat in any office or home setting. Those who attempted to adjust the temperature without the permission of the HHWIC (Hot Head Woman in Charge—read that for her current temperature and not her attitude, although the two are often interrelated), would be automatically fined. The money from the fines could be applied as energy credits, and pay for most folks’ monthly energy bills. “Honey, the thermostat is set at 60 again. We just cannot run the air conditioner in winter,” an unenlightened spouse might say. “Senate Bill Fahrenheit 451 actually says we can,” the HHWIC would respond and issue the fine. My Domestic Policy area would be one of great relief to the female sector, as well. Washer and dryer manufacturers would be required to have automated hands which reach out and poke offending family members when they mix bright colors and whites in a wash load, or attempt to dry something wool. Also in Domestic Policy areas, dogs would have more freedoms and more say in how things run. I once saw an episode of Judge Judy where she let a dog decide its own fate about who would own it, and ever since then, I have been fairly convinced they are about as smart as humans. As proof, I offer this: with few exceptions, dogs only “speak” when they have something really urgent to talk about, like the approach of a squirrel, mailman, or Amazon delivery; they don’t fuss too much about the meals they are served; and they go outside to use the bathroom, saving domestic goddesses tons of time not having to clean bathrooms. If they really ruled the world, we would have to figure out how to stop everyone from sniffing other’s butts, or hiking our legs to mark our spots, but that is behavior I have seen politicians engage in anyway, and perhaps a column for another day. In my pup-based administration, in homes everywhere, family members would be excited to go on car rides. Naps would be done in sunny window wells. Friendships and political alliances could be formed just over who smelled the most like steak that day. My platform’s health care policy would have a great deal of focus on “cankles,” the area where our calves connect to our ankles. Research labs around the states would look into

reducing swelling in that area, creating happier women, in turn creating a happier everybody. On the education front, I would insist upon a common sense curriculum, something which seems to be missing today in our country. In fact the phrase common sense seems to be a bit ironic, since as Voltaire said, “Common sense is not that common.” The curriculum would include things like when you open a drawer, shut a drawer, or if you drink the last bit of milk, don’t put the empty carton back in the fridge. The bulk of the curriculum would focus on our youth, who perhaps still have time to be saved, as I have primarily give up on adults. The online textbook title would be, “What My Mom Would Do in this Case and Why She is Right,” followed by resources lessons titled, “Yes, Mom Did Tell Me That and I Didn’t Listen” and “Thank You, Mom, for Your Good Advice.” The cause and effect lessons with video demonstrations would be called “Damp Towels on the Floor Create Mold”

and “Hot French Fries Can Burn Your Tongue.” Finally, no platform would be complete without at least a nod to economics. I read once that individuals can improve the economy with just small acts, like purchasing from a local entrepreneur once a week, outsourcing when you can, and investing in what you believe in. Clearly those are all tied together for me in the restaurant industry. To improve the economy, I will propose that we order carryout from a local restaurant once a week, outsource our cooking to a local catering company, and purchase stock in donut stores. So simple and yet so effective! If my “manifesto” seems a little shallow to you, remember that it is all in fun, unlike the very serious decisions we have ahead of us in the coming weeks in our country’s election. Vote wisely, but whatever you do, VOTE!

Cathy is a retired public school English teacher and Public Information Ofﬁcer.

Your Health

Page 8

Plants On Your Plate: Spaghetti Squash by Denise Sullivan, Nutrition and Health Education Specialist, University of Missouri-Extension In the spring, when many people were having a renewed interest in gardening, my husband and I found ourselves a little late to the party. While we have always had a vegetable garden, we got a late start, due to my recovery from rotator cuff surgery. Our tardiness, combined with the effect of frenzied seed and starter-plant purchasing by the masses, resulted in limited availability of some of our favorite varieties of plants. This led us to try some things that we have never grown before…including spaghetti squash. I’m not sure if it is really is this easy to grow or if the stars simply aligned, but if things continue as they are (in spite of squash bugs) we are looking at a bumper crop that should feed us well into the fall! While most squash are native to Central America, spaghetti squash was ﬁrst recorded in Manchuria, China in the late 1800’s. It was then introduced to Japan in the 1920’s by the Aichi Prefectural Agricultural Research Station and improved by the Sakata seed company around 1934. In the later 1930’s, THEME: HALLOWEEN

this squash variety was brought to North America by the Burpee company under the name of ‘vegetable spaghetti’. While it found a place in victory gardens in the 1940’s , it would take another thirty-something years to really gain popularity. Spaghetti squash is a type of winter squash, which are known for their hard rind and long storage life. Unlike other winter squash that have a smooth, velvety texture when cooked, this variety gets it’s name from the stringy, spaghetti-like strands that result after cooking. It is high in vitamins A and C, which are antioxidants that protect against heart disease and certain cancers. Vitamin A is also beneficial to eye health and Vitamin C helps to prevent bruising and aid skin and gum tissue in healing. Winter squash is also rich in potassium which aids in regulation of blood pressure. With this nutrient profile, it’s easy to see why this low calorie and high fiber vegetable is a popular pasta alternative among the calorie conscious. When selecting spaghetti squash,

look for ﬁrm yellow squash that are about the size of a football and heavy for their size. They will keep for up to 2 months, when held in a cool dark place. It can also be cooked and frozen, though it may give off liquid after thawing, so plan to drain before serving. This squash can be cooked by boiling, microwaving or oven roasting. My preferred method is to cut in half and remove the seeds and roast on a foil lined baking sheet in the oven at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes. I know many people who prefer to microwave or bake spaghetti squash whole, but it is important to remember to pierce the squash several times, with a knife or ice pick, to allow steam to escape during cooking, or it could possibly explode, leaving you with a big mess to clean. After cooking, scrape the squash to release the spaghetti like strands and serve with your favorite marinara or with a simple roasted tomato and garlic blend like the recipe that follows.

ACROSS 1. Bobby Fischer's game 6. Reggae precursor 9. Octagonal sign 13. Haile Selassie's disciple 14. Goose egg 15. Water-filled gorge 16. Blue eyes, e.g. 17. Jean of Dadaism 18. Pariah, for medical reasons 19. *Pumpkin's Halloween precursor 21. *Famous magician who died on Halloween 23. *____ mortuaire, or body bag in Paris 24. Nordstrom's outlet 25. "____ Now or Never" 28. Good or bad and felt by others, sing. 30. Haiku, e.g. 35. Equal to distance divided by time 37. Post-it slip 39. Quickly fry 40. Type of mountain goat 41. *Graveyard denizen 43. Heart of the matter 44. Tender spots 46. Bailing twine, e.g. 47. Icelandic epic 48. Boss 50. Greek muse's strings 52. Up and down nod 53. "Beware the ____ of March" 55. One of seven, in eponymous 1995 film 57. *Dead one 61. *Jordan Peele's scary 2017 film 64. Dodge 65. Freud's concern 67. Pertaining to hours 69. *Funereal feeling 70. Swindle 71. Boredom 72. Adult elvers 73. Human digit 74. *What vampire does in a coffin

Spaghetti Squash with Tomatoes and Garlic (makes 2 servings) 1 large spaghetti squash 1 tablespoon olive oil 2-4 cloves garlic, chopped 2 cups cherry tomatoes 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped 2 tablespoons grated parmesan

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Cut squash in half with sharp knife, scoop out seeds. Bake squash, cut side down, on foil lined baking sheet for 30-40 minutes or until tender when poked with a knife. Cool for 10 minutes, then shred out squash strands with a fork. While squash is cooking, heat oil in a skillet and sauté garlic until fragrant, then add tomatoes and stir until the tomatoes start to pop and break down. Remove skillet from heat and add vinegar. To serve, divide squash between 2 plates and top each with half of the tomato mixture. Top each plate with chopped basil and parmesan cheese and serve. Nutrition information: Calories: 193, Total Fat: 8g, Saturated Fat: 1.5g, Sodium: 108mg, Carbohydrates: 28g, Fiber: 6.5g, Protein: 5g Recipe adapted from Seasonal and Simple, analyzed by verywellﬁt.com

DOWN 1. TV tube in days of yore 2. Wagner or Powers in a TV classic 3. Isaac's ﬁrstborn 4. Mixes up 5. Geo-spacial positioning system, for short 6. Ginger cookie 7. Crème de cassis plus wine 8. Top dog 9. Musher's ride 10. Language of Tupi people 11. *Black cat, possibly 12. ____wig or ____winkle 15. Oopsie daisy moments 20. Best part of cake? 22. *Halloween month 24. Alters to be more useful 25. Type of coffee with alcohol 26. Forbidden 27. Howard of radio fame 29. Physicist Niels ____ 31. Preakness, e.g. 32. Like cottage cheese 33. Piano student's exercise 34. *Leatherface's state 36. Biz bigwig 38. ESPN award 42. To the point 45. *Scary story-related sensation 49. Lyric poem 51. Choice word 54. Upright 56. Nary a soul 57. Give up 58. Skin soothing gel 59. Boring 60. Fusses 61. Departed 62. *RIP pots 63. Like a bow string 66. Gunk 68. Fleur-de-____

Sports & Recreation

Page 9

Statement Made As Eagles Improve To 7-0 by John Unrein Grain Valley’s impressive 53-22 win over the visiting William Chrisman Bears on October 9th made a big statement. The Eagles kept their undefeated record intact by improving to 7-0. The continued streak of scoring at least 30 points a game also persists for Grain Valley. There was no homecoming week letdown or senior night jitters. The biggest statement made was by Grain Valley’s coaching staff. Football is a game of adjustments. For the second week in a row, a Suburban Conference opponent tried to take away what the Eagles do best on offense. The Bears came out in a 33 split front on defense. Putting both their defensive tackles on the outside shoulder of the offensive guard was done to limit the Eagle’s “down” rushing play (off-tackle trap with a backside pulling guard). The idea being that having a defensive tackle in both “B gaps” where the Eagles wanted to run would restrict their ability to move the football on the ground. The previous week had witnessed the Fort Osage Indians pinch (cross the face of the offensive tackle or tight end) their defensive ends into “B gaps” in an effort to do the same thing. Five and six weeks into the football season, opponents had game planned ways outside the norm of their defensive scheme to be successful against Grain Valley. The desired results were not realized. Eagles head football coach David Allie adjusted to William Chrisman’s defensive alignment with a myriad of formidable responses on offense. Grain Valley would turn to running option, quarterback boot, fullback dive, play action slant passes off of dive, fade passes, slot receiver sweeps and reverses off of orb motion, and getting into double tight end formations (which creates 8 gaps to defend at the line of scrimmage) that limited where the Bears defensive lineman could line up for good measure. Having the needed alternatives in the Eagles’ offense produced 422 total yards

on 45 plays, good for a 9.4 yard per play average. William Chrisman’s 33 split front on defense meant that both of their inside linebackers where aligned in “A gap” on either side of the Eagles center. This meant a greater distance for both linebackers to travel in getting to the outside edge of the defense against options, quarterback boots, and sweeps. Furthermore, it meant having to come downhill to fill when Grain Valley ran dive with no defensive tackle directly in front of them to block the path of oncoming offensive lineman. A further consequence of the Bears having to respect inside handoffs was a large chasm opening up where the linebackers use to be prior to the snap of the football. This space was filled by Eagle slot receivers running slant patterns into the area after the handoff fake executed by quarterback Cole Keller. Allie would call this play three times on an Eagles scoring drive during the third quarter. “We’ve seen a lot of odd front defenses over the last five weeks. They (William Chrisman) came out in an even front with a stem (moving defensive tackles into a 33 split just prior to the snap) and we went three and out on our first drive. Now, we did not execute as well as we should’ve on that first drive either,” Allie said. “Then we got into double tight end formation, they didn’t stem. They started loading the box and we went outside with the football. We also tried to exploit the coverages they presented us with successful routes we ran.” Keeping a team’s focus at a high level is a hard enough challenge through a typical season. Allie and his staff have been able to do so with huge a return thus far. Focusing on what is important is what Allie attributes to the result. “We always try to find the silver lining with the cloud that’s above us with COVID-19. This team knows that they are not guaranteed another game or practice. I think that has done as

Eagles defender works to secure tackle against Bears receiver on reverse pass. Photo credit: John Overstreet much as anything to keep their focus. Hat’s off to our kids for not being anxious or trying to force stuff,” Allie said. “Things can get stale when get into week seven of the season. We adjusted our practice schedule a little this week by cutting one day short and another by watching a middle school football game. That helps to keep the legs fresh.” Allie concluded, “This is a tight group. The victory for the seniors tonight is special. The kids will remember this game for a long time.” An example of the Eagles being a tight knit team is the chemistry between Keller and wide receiver Parker Bosserman. Both speak highly of one another and have accepted their roles on the team as Keller returned from injury as the Eagles signal caller heading into this season, a role that Bosserman ﬁlled at the completion of the 2019 season. “Cole (Keller) does a good job from the snap on reading where to go with the football. He puts it in a place where I can get it and my job is to ﬁnish the

completion by reeling it in,” Bosserman said. Keller added, “I got guys that will catch the ball and guys that will block. When you have so many weapons around you it makes it easy to have the nights we have. The three touchdown passes I threw through the air tonight are because we have guys who don’t drop passes.” “All I did this summer was work on my footwork to improve my accuracy. I knew this offense was full of guys who could go get the football and I wanted to make sure I could get it to them. I have improved throwing the football, but you are always sharpening in looking to get better.” Keller would go on to rack up 144 passing yards and 3 touchdowns through the air. Keller would further pad his stat line with 99 rushing yards and 3 rushing touchdowns. Bosserman would complement Keller’s work by hauling in four receptions for 55 yards and 2 touchdowns to go along with 2 rushes for 32 yards on the ground. Homecoming king and offensive

see EAGLES on page 12

Left: Parker Bosserman ﬁnds the end zone from Keller pass. Right: Eagles defense pens in William Chrisman ball carrier. Photo credit: John Overstreet

Sports & Recreation

Page 10

Lady Eagles Cross Country Preparing For Postseason Run by John Unrein The Grain Valley Lady Eagles Cross Country program is fresh off their impressive Suburban Conference victory in which they placed six runners among the top seven ﬁnishers. Individual meet champion Ella Casey was joined by Annalynn Earley (2nd), Lilly Ogle (4th), Valerie Holcomb (5th), Lexie Nicholson (6th), and Kayley Bell (7th) in earning 1st Team All-Conference Honors. Lady Eagles Head Cross Country coach Nick Small is pleased with the buy in to the program he has received from the team. The hash tag used by the Cross Country program on social media this season has been “#more than running.” Small has encouraged this mantra as a reminder to his team to be successful in the classroom, conducting community service, and doing the little things needed to be a better competitor. “I really feel like this crew in general has been willing to ﬁght together in a sport that can be very individual oriented. The success we have experienced is through being a team,” Small said. The Eagles have a two and half week stretch ahead of them where they will compete sparingly prior to the Class 5, District 5 meet at the end of October in Jefferson City. There have been a fewer number of meets this season on the calendar. A change that Small embraces and one that has caused programs and coaches to reevaluate their training regimen. Less racing across the nation has led to less demand on the body (due to the volume of training) and there are more personal records being set in the sport of cross country. “I often say there a thousand ways to skin a cat when it comes to training. Over the years we have tweaked stuff. In general, we start in the summer with adding distance to their runs in getting their anerobic capacity built up. Then, as we move through season, we look to add intensity (speed work) as we

decrease load (mileage),” Small said. “The last couple of weeks have been the highest combination of load and intensity both. Their legs are starting to feel that a little bit. As we approach districts and prepare for state though, we are going to reduce load and intensity for what is referred to as a tapper effect.” “Varying the stressors makes the body continue to adapt for continued growth in performance. Hopefully, if we do it right, those various stressors culminate in success.” Small struggled to find just one runner who has exemplified leadership and exceeded expectations this season. Seniors Annalynn Earley and Lilly Ogle have seen their times shrink this season through courses that Small characterizes as going from easy to hard in progression. Small added, “It’s been impressive to watch Annalynn and Lilly run this season. We talk about a ‘switch going on’ with the mental side of running. They have figured out that switch. It is the difference between surviving a race and attacking a race.” Valley News asked both Earley and Ogle six spotlight questions in an effort for the community to get to know them better as student athletes. 1. What sets Grain Valley Cross County across from other programs? Earley: “The people on this team. We hang out with each other outside of school and our sport. This group collectively likes hard work.” Ogle: “We create a family atmosphere.” 2. Any unique pre-meet rituals? Earley: “Our food tradition the night before a race.” Ogle: “In the past we have done ice baths. That hasn’t happened this year because of COVID. We always look forward to the pasta dinners the night

Left to right: Annalynn Earley, Coach Nick Small, and Lilly Ogle. Photo courtesy Valley News staff before a meet so that we can load up on carbs.” 3. What is the strangest thing you’ve seen happen during a race? Earley: “One of the girls on my team lost her shoe during the ﬁrst 800 meters of a race and ran the entire way with one shoe.” Ogle: “That’s a hard one to pick just one thing.” 4. Who is your role model? Earley: “Deﬁnitely my Dad. He’s a cross country coach at Fort Osage. He’s had me running since I was little.” Olge: “My Mom is a positive person who is full of encouragement. She has pushes me to focus on positive things and not dwell on the negative.” 5. If you could run with anyone dead or alive, who would it be and why? Earley: “I would run with my Grandma. She was never an athlete. She wanted to do sports in high school, but they didn’t

have cross country for girls when she was younger. It would be cool to run with her.” Ogle: “A famous singer who could sing to you the whole run and make it go buy faster. Some throwback Miley Cyrus like ‘The Climb’ would be good.” 6. What do you love most about running and competing? Earley: “I like the team aspect of our sport. It’s good to know that I’m hurting for someone other than just myself. Getting to talk and laugh with those around me is fun.” Ogle: “The way you feel after a successful race is a crazy feeling you don’t understand until you do it. People ask, ‘why do you like running?’ I tell them if you can do this, and get through it, you have an honest sense of accomplishment you can’t get any other way.”

Kayak Paddlers Welcome at MDC Conservation Areas by Bill Graham, Missouri Department of Conservation Dip your kayak paddle into waters at wild places this autumn. The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) offers many opportunities for people to enjoy this paddle sport at conservation areas and river accesses. Prairie rivers and lakes in western Missouri offer a variety of scenery for floating, ﬁshing, and exploring. Kayaks can take you to popular float destinations or waters rarely visited. They put paddlers close to the water and open to the sky and vistas, close contact with nature. “Kayaking is an immersion in nature unlike anything else,” Emily Porter, MDC regional recreational use specialist said. “A lot of our conservation areas have smaller waters that kayakers can use. For anglers, they will be able to ﬁsh in

areas that are not accessible to larger boats.” A popular easy-to-reach paddle destination in the Kansas City and St. Joseph areas is on the Platte River at the Platte Falls Conservation Area, east of Platte City. Several river accesses are found along the Platte. But the river segment at Platte Falls known as the “duck head” offers a chance to launch and take out at two different boat ramps without having to ferry vehicles. The river makes some sharp bends that on a map resembles the shape of a duck’s head. A high ridge with a parking lot on top separates upstream and downstream ramps, which are a few hundred yards apart. The float takes two to four hours, depending on a paddler’s chosen speed.

Prairie streams in western Missouri have their own charms of trees, wildflowers, wildlife, and solitude in a natural setting. Some streams still meander in the ways that the Lewis and Clark Expedition found them. They are not clear-water streams like the Ozarks. But the stained waters with varied flow speeds harbor ﬁsh and wildlife. Kayaks are popular because they are relatively light, easily maneuverable, and can give paddlers access through shallows or downed timber that stop larger boats. They’re easily launchable in lakes as well as rivers. Some places seem especially suited to kayaks. Dry conditions in September and October have left many streams running low this fall. Check water conditions before you go. Also check each area’s

Photo credit: MDC regulations, as boating may be prohibited at some conservation area lakes or ponds. Autumn color makes this a delightful time to paddle a kayak or canoe in Missouri’s outdoors. To look for MDC lake and river accesses near you, visit https://nature.mdc.mo.gov/discover -nature/places. MDC provides information about float streams at https://short.mdc.mo.gov/Zcn

Sports & Recreation

Page 11

Eagles Net Win Against Indians by John Unrein The Eagles worked diligently to win three consecutive sets in their match versus Fort Osage on October 12th. Scores of 25-12, 25-11, and 25-11 propelled Grain Valley to victory in the Suburban Conference matchup. The Eagles improved to a 12-7-3 overall season record in defending their home court. Strong net defense by Grain Valley junior Kellie Overturf, well placed serves by senior Clara Gower, and hard hit spikes by junior Olivia Williams was the recipe used for success. The Eagles were able to hold serve several times throughout the evening along with putting together a string of scoring consecutive points. “I think serving consistently promotes success. You can’t lose points if you get the serve over net. Years of practice and listening to coaching helps,” Gower said. Overturf added, “I like to be defensive at the net because it helps my team win. Making a play gets the crowd excited and that motivates me.” Williams finished, “Watching the ball at all times and adjusting to it while noticing where the open spots are on the other side of the net is my focus.” The trio feels prepared and looks forward to the Grain Valley Spike Tournament upcoming on October 17th. A sentiment shared by Eagles head volleyball coach Tori Squiers. Watching film prior to the match against Fort Osage and having already played against them previously this season is what Squiers attributed to her team’s victory. “Being in your home gym is an advantage. Our first set tonight provided us the confidence needed to continue that momentum into the next two sets,” Squiers said. “I have Clara (Gower) serve first for a reason. She always starts out strong and plays the back row well also. There’s a reason why she’s our team captain.” “Kellie (Overturf) and Olivia (Williams) play strong at the net. They work well together and always have a sense of what the other is doing. Both enjoy finishing an attack or denying an advance by the opponent.”

Squiers continued, “I am excited about the growth of this team at this point in the season.”

Left to right: Olivia Williams, Clara Gower, Kellie Overturf. Photo credit: Valley News staff

Head Volleyball Coach Tori Squiers. Photo credit: Valley News staff

Eagles defend the net against Fort Osage scoring attempt. Photo credit: Valley News staff

Read Valley News weekly online: www.grainvalleynews.com

Community Calendar Friday, October 16, 2020

Tuesday, November 3, 2020

Biz Action Learning Circle Week 6: Look Before You Leap 10:00am—Noon Business owners can’t be strong in all areas. We will assess our strengths and explore resources to help account for the areas we need to grow or learn. www.mymcpl.org/events

Election Day: Polls open 6am—7:00pm

Monday, November 9, 2020 Board of Aldermen Meeting 7:00pm Grain Valley City Hall, 711 S Main

Tuesday, November 17, 2020

Main Street Trick or Treat 5:00pm—8:00pm

Grain Valley Park Board Meeting 7:00pm Grain Valley Community Center, 713 Main

Monday, October 26, 2020

Wednesday, November 18, 2020

Board of Aldermen Meeting 7:00pm Grain Valley City Hall, 711 S Main

Planning & Zoning Commission Meeting 6:30pm Grain Valley City Hall, 711 S Main

Saturday, October 24, 2020

Blood Drive Wednesday, October 28, 2020 1:00pm—7:00pm Grain Valley Community Center, 713 Main Each presenting donor will receive a Royals t-shirt!

Friday, October 30, 2020 No school—Grain Valley Schools

Add your community event at www.grainvalleynews.com/ eventscalendar

TRIBUTE continued from page 1 of America will conduct a special ceremony for veterans in attendance. Due to COVID-19 precautions, all guests must wear masks and maintain social distancing. The visitors’ area will be roped off with a single entrance and visitors must sign in upon entry.

Seating will be set up in socially distanced “pods” for friends and family. Guests are asked not to attend if they are experienced COVID-19 symptoms or exposed to someone who has experienced symptoms in the past two weeks.

BOARD continued from page 1 patching, curbs and ADA compliant ramps, and stripping. The 2021 proposed road budget is $1,082,000, addressing Eagles Parkway from west City limits to Minter Road, as well as seven collector streets and 16 local street projects.

In other business, the Board approved a request for a liquor license from Iron Kettle Brewing. The brewery plans a December opening. The Board of Aldermen will meet for a workshop on October 20th at 6:00pm. The meeting will be held at Council Chambers of City Hall.

EAGLES continued from page 9 guard Jack Bailey worked well with a new partner in crime at right tackle ﬁlling in for the injured Cooper Terry. Junior Brycen Crandall teamed with Bailey in making several key blocks for the Eagles. Perhaps none bigger than Crandall’s block of a William Chrisman linebacker on the opening play of the second half that sprung running back Jaxon Wyatt for an 80 yard touchdown run. Bailey was all smiles and humility with his post-game comments. “It’s a blessing to get recognized by the student body in being homecoming king. I love this school and Grain Valley.” “The communication between Brycen (Crandall) and I helped with our success tonight in rushing the football. We kept things simple in discussing who we block prior to the snap each play. We had a lot of fun.” Defensively, the Eagles were happy to see the return of defensive tackle Quincy Jones. The 6’ 1’’ 280 pound senior wasted little time in picking up where he had left off previously. Jones would contribute 1.5 tackles and a sack in his team’s winning effort. Linebacker Hunter Newsom continued his streak of being the Eagles leading tackler with 11 tackles, including one tackle for loss. Newsom was joined by fellow linebackers Jayden Jacobson and Zach Kirk in trying to stop Bears running back DaShawn Shannon. William Chrisman would lean on sweeps to Shannon with two pulling guards as the staple of their offense. Shannon would compile 132 yards on the

ground and one rushing touchdown. Jacobson sought to keep Shannon pinned in with maintaining outside leverage and forcing runs back to the inside. A timely interception with 26 seconds left in the third quarter by Jacobson stymied William Chrisman’s attempt to build second half momentum. Eagles defensive end Donovan McBride provided a consistent pass rush for his team against the Bears. His endeavors yielded a second quarter sack of William Chrisman quarterback Dayne Herl with 15 seconds left prior to halftime. McBride has accepted and excelled in his role of moving to defensive end on passing downs this season. “Third and long is not rocket science. What are teams going to do but pass the football. Especially, when they have no time outs left heading into the half,” McBride said. “I have enjoyed the move to defensive end. When you play on the inside, you get a lot of double teams. So when I’m on the edge, I should win those because they are one on one matchups.” The Eagles (7-0) have their work cut out for them as they travel to Raytown (4-3) in a matchup against the Blue Jays on October 16th. Raytown has possessed daunting size and speed in recent years under the direction of head coach Logan Minnick. Grain Valley will look to continue to make a statement against Suburban Conference foes.

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