Valley News NOVEMBER 19, 2020
www.grainvalleynews.com
Grain Valley Transitions Temporarily To Virtual Instruction Due to staffing shortages and a lack of substitute teachers, Grain Valley Schools announced effective Wednesday, November 18th, all schools will temporarily transition to 100% virtual instruction. In a November 16th voice message and email to parents, Superintendent Marc Snow explained the district was only able to fill 58% of absences with substitutes that day, down from 73% the previous week. Elementary and early childhood students will return to in-person learning after Thanksgiving; middle and high school students will remain virtual through the Christmas holiday, returning to the hybrid model beginning January 4th. Snow said the virtual instruction students will experience will be more rigorous than that experienced this spring. “Our teachers have scheduled class times that students are expected to call into and the work students are engaged
Vol. 3, No. 46
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Jackson County Issues New Restrictions Aiming To Slow Spread Of COVID-19
in will reflect the new content they would have been learning had they been in person. This is not where we wanted to be and we did not want to go full virtual, but having so many staff out and with not enough subs, gives us little choice. We have held on as long as we could,” Snow said in the recorded message. Elementary students will each be issued a Chromebook device for distance learning for November 18th – 24th. Middle school and high school students who participate in the Life Skills programs will continue with full inperson learning after Thanksgiving break. Meals are available for any interested family, for pick up only from North Middle School on Pink Hill Road, Monday through Friday between 11:00-11:30am. Visit www.grainvalleyschools.org for a sign up form. Extra-curricular activities are planned to continue.
In response to rising COVID-19 rates in the area, Jackson County and Wyandotte County in Kansas issued a joint statement outlining a new health order, lowering capacity at businesses and restricting gatherings to ten (10) or fewer people. This new Order will go into effect at 12:01am on Friday, November 20, 2020, and will remain in effect until it is extended, rescinded, replaced, or amended. "Let me be clear, we are currently experiencing uncontrolled spread of
COVID-19 in our communities. Due to the dramatically increasing rate of the disease in our community, our hospitals have warned that they are facing a breaking point and the care their patients desperately rely upon may soon have to be rationed, if not worse,” Jackson County Executive Frank White, Jr. said. “Along with doctors from across the metro area, our public health professionals have urged us to implement dramatic, but targeted,
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Good News: City’s Virtual Holiday Lighting Monday, November 23rd
Missouri Trivia by Marcia Napier, Grain Valley Historical Society Everyone knows Missouri has a state animal, the mule; a state tree, the dogwood; and a state
motto, the Show Me State. But did you also know we have a state fish, the channel catfish; a state grape, the Norton/Cynthiana; and a state insect, the honeybee?
In This Edition:
Photo credit: Jackson County Parks + Recreation
Looking Back: 50 Years Ago
3
Technology: Protect Yourself From Credential Stuffing Attacks
5
Your Health: Diabetes Dish With The Dietitian
8
Sports: Eagles Offensive Line Does The Dirty Work
11
The sun rises over 1-70 commuters on November 18th. Photo credit: Valley News staff
The City of Grain Valley will light up Armstrong Park and the Mayor’s Christmas Tree virtually via Facebook Live on Monday, November 23rd at 6:30pm. Mayor Johnston will flip the switch to illuminate the park. With personal visits to Santa not possible this year, a special North Pole
mailbox will open Tuesday, November 24th—Sunday, December 6th for children to send their messages and wish lists to Santa. The mailbox will be located just north of the Mayor’s Christmas tree in Armstrong Park.
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changes to our public health orders in an attempt to ‘flatten the curve.’ These changes are not being made lightly, but instead were made because we have been convinced that they are necessary to protect the safety and welfare of our residents.” The Order is in response to a strong resurgence of recent COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations in Jackson County, Missouri and Wyandotte County, Kansas. Unless otherwise noted in the Order, the following Public Gatherings, are restricted: Entertainment venues including auditoriums; arenas; banquet halls; cinemas; conference centers; concert halls; performance venues; sporting venues; stadiums; and theaters; Recreational facilities and places of public amusement, including gyms, fitness, and recreational centers, amusement parks; arcades; bingo halls; bowling alleys; casinos; night clubs; skating rinks; adult entertainment clubs; water parks; and trampoline parks; parties, informal gatherings, lectures, meetings, parades, fairs, festivals, sporting events, and performances Such public gatherings must limit the number of individuals (staff and customers) in the facility, building or room to 50 percent of the lowest occupancy load on the certificate of occupancy of the facility, building or room (whichever is lower) in which the gathering is occurring and is only permissible: If adequate social distancing of six feet or more can be maintained. If such
social distancing cannot be maintained due to facility layout, the occupancy limit should be further reduced to allow for proper distancing. Masks or face coverings must be worn at all times. Proper Personal Protective Equipment (such as masks and hand sanitizer) must be utilized. Restaurants, taverns, and all other such venues serving food and/or drink indoors, including public, private, or membership-only venues, shall limit the number of occupants to no more than 50 percent of building occupancy, and shall close no later than 10:00pm. Indoor patrons must be seated and masked at all times except when actively eating or drinking; Indoor and outdoor parties are limited to eight (8) or fewer persons; and Parties shall be spaced with no less than six feet of distance between themselves and individuals from any other parties. Other large public gatherings of people in Jackson County are prohibited. Large public gatherings are those with more than ten (10) people in attendance or anticipated to attend, both indoor and outdoor, except for governmental and judicial functions, healthcare facilities, private business or retail operations, religious and faithbased activities, weddings and funerals. A "gathering" does not include normal operations at spaces where persons may be in transit or coming and going individually or in groups of less than ten (10) persons.
Police Blotter The following information is derived from the Grain Valley Police Department daily calls for service log for the week of November 4-10, 2020.
November 4, 2020 800 Block Par 400 Block 18th St 100 Block Austin 400 Block Brandon Ct 300 Block Front St 1300 Block Hilltop Ln 300 Block Main St 100 Block Harris St 700 Block Main St 1100 Block Burr Oak Ln 1300 Block Ashley Ln 400 Block Front St 1400 Block Red Oak Ct 600 Block Scenic 1200 Block Valley Ridge Dr
Civil Matter Agency Assist (OGPD) Agency Assist (OGPD) Property Damage Found Property Stealing Dealer Application Dealer Application Citizen Contact Alarm Disturbance Citizen Contact Citizen Contact Citizen Contact Agency Assist (CJC)
November 5, 2020 1400 Block Minter Way 700 Block Main St 800 Block Valley Woods 1500 Block Pond Ave 700 Block Main St 1400 Block Rust Rd I-70 EB West of City Limits 1200 Block Scenic 100 Block Buckner Tarsney Rd Cross Creek and Nelson Rd 1300 Block Willow Ct 700 Block Main St 1000 Block Dean Dr 1000 Block Ephraim Dr Main and US 40 Hwy Apple Grove Ct
Alarm Citizen Contact Agency Assist (PHPD) Motor Vehicle Accident Disturbance Suspicious Vehicle Agency Assist (CJC) Check the Well Being Abandoned Vehicle Blocked Roadway Check the Well Being Agency Assist (MSHP) Agency Assist (DFS) Parking Complaint Motor Vehicle Accident Stop Arm Violation
November 6, 2020 700 Block Albatross 400 Block Graystone 200 Block Jefferson 600 Block Graystone Walnut and Main Intersection 600 Block Graystone
Unattended Death Parking Complaint Larceny Motor Vehicle Accident Recovered Property Follow-up Investigation
November 7, 2020 500 Block Woodbury Rosewood and Persimmon 700 Block Main St
Welfare Check Suspicious Activity Citizen Contact
400 Block Graystone 1100 Block Christie Ln 1100 Christie Ln 900 Powell Ct 700 Block Main St 1200 RD Mize 800 San Kar
Recovered Stolen Area Check for UTV Welfare Check Welfare Check Citizen Contact Property Damage Assist EMS
November 8, 2020 Old US 40/Football Fields 700 Block Main St 1100 Block Pamela 1400 Block Highview 1800 Block Nicholas 1200 Block RD Mize 1500 Block Eagle Ridge 1200 Phelps Ct. 2100 Sycamore
Property Damage Citizen Contact Business Alarm Disturbance Harassment Suspicious Persons Disturbance Disturbance Noise Disturbance
November 9, 2020 700 Block Main St Bailey and Rust Intersection 3300 Block South Outer Belt Rd 700 Block Main St 700 Block Main St Sni A Bar & Broadway 1000 Christie Lane 1100 NW Sawgrass Dr. 500 Block Centurion Ct. 500 Block Hamilton Ln 1100 Buckner Tarsney 600 Block Westview Dr
Citizen Contact Abandoned Vehicle Dealer Application Assault Follow-up Investigation Traffic Light Malfunction Area Check for UTV Open Garage Door Assault Citizen Contact Motor Vehicle Accident Agency Assist
November 10, 2020 700 Block Main St Ryan & Cross Creek Intersection Joseph & Addie Intersection 700 Block Main St 600 Block NW Woodbury 600 Graystone 700 Block Main St
Motor Vehicle Accident Suspicious Vehicle Car Check Assault Disturbance Citizen Contact Citizen Contact
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Katherine McCarthy
Looking Back
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Looking Back: 50 Years Ago Looking back at news articles published in 1970, one is reminded of many events that took place in Grain Valley that fall. Three articles are certainly worth mentioning. Marvin D. Headley, director of transportation in the Neosho School District was named superintendent of the Grain Valley R-5 School District. Mr. Headley spent 18 years in Neosho as a junior high science teacher, junior high principal, and district director of federal programs before accepting his last position there. Headley was originally from Downs, Kansas. He received an undergraduate degree from the College of Emporia (now Emporia State) and a Masters and Specialist degree from the University of Missouri. The Headley family included his wife, Doris, a registered nurse and three children, Lynn (Class of 1974), Russell (Class of 1976) and Eric. Mr. Headley served as our superintendent for 10 years, from July, 1970, until June, 1980. During that time a new high school was completed at the original campus on Main Street and Matthews Elementary School was built. Unlike today’s fast growth pace, during his 10-year tenure enrollment increased by fewer than 100 students. Mr. Headley received his doctorate in education in 1978. In 1980, he accepted a position as superintendent in Aurora, Missouri. In a statement to the newspaper Headley
said he “…would be paid $30,000 per year --$4,750 a year more than his current salary with the Grain Valley.” A 5-letter word, “PRIDE” was adopted by the students as a motto for the 1970 school year. It was suggested by the new superintendent, Marvin Headley. But he wanted the students and teachers to “take it from there.” And they did. Ron Affolter and Tim Hays, student council president and vice-president published a new student handbook to help students know what was expected of them. It was the 70s, so a dress code and grooming issues were addressed. After all, those were the days of short skirts for the girls and long hair for the boys. Students reported more school spirit. Susan Mann, a girls’ state representative in 1970 states, “I personally want to push more pride in our flag and our country.” That seems like a good idea fifty years later! And finally, Grain Valley brought home the I-70 Conference Football Championship trophy. The Eagles won the title for the first time since the league was organized in 1967. Don Kalthoff was the head coach and Doug Lee was a key player in the pennant drive. The Eagles finished the season with records of 6 and 0 in the conference and 8 and 2 overall - - the same records the team finished with in 1966 when they won the Western Missouri conference title.
1970 Grain Valley High School football head coach Don Kalthoff and player Doug Lee hold the 1-70 Conference Football Championship trophy. Photo courtesy Grain Valley Historical Society
Visit the Grain Valley Historical Society at 506 S. Main on Wednesdays or visit us online at ww.grainvalleyhistory.com and Facebook (@grainvalleyhistory).
$300,000 In Scholarships Available Through Truman Heartland Community Foundation Truman Heartland Community Foundation (THCF) invites applications for the more than $300,000 in scholarships available for students in 2021. “Whether you are a graduating high school senior, a current college student or a teacher looking to improve your classroom, chances are there is a scholarship available for you,” said Rachael Cassiday Watkins, Truman Heartland’s Director of Programs and Donor Services. In addition to stand-alone scholarship applications, students can submit a general scholarship application that will match them with 50 scholarships that they may be eligible to receive. The deadline for Truman Heartland’s general scholarship application is February 1, 2021. Scholarships may
require additional items, including, but not limited to, transcripts with final fall 2020 grades, essays, letters of reference or statements about participation in certain activities. Some scholarships are not included in the general scholarship application. Deadlines and requirements for these stand-alone scholarships vary. In 2020, Truman Heartland awarded more than $470,000 in scholarships to 235 local students. Scholarships are available for students pursuing undergraduate, graduate and technical degrees. Visit www.thcf.org/scholarships to learn more and begin the application process. For questions or assistance with scholarships, please contact Rachael Cassiday Watkins at watkins@thcf.org or 816-912-4185.
2019 Truman Heartland Scholarship Awards Reception: (left to right) Harvey House, scholarship fundholder; Katelynn Laughlin, scholarship recipient; Schyler Turner, scholarship recipient; Lois House, scholarship fundholder. Photo credit: Truman Heartland Community Foundation
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Business
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DED Releases October Jobs Report The Missouri labor market showed mixed results in October 2020. Employment, seasonally adjusted, increased by 6,400 jobs over the month, but over-the-year job losses resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic remained stubbornly high. The state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased by 0.2 percentage points from September 2020 to October 2020, but the civilian labor force decreased more than 16,000. Missouri’s smoothed seasonally adjusted unemployment rate went down by 0.2 percentage points in October 2020, decreasing to 4.6 percent
from a revised September 2020 rate of 4.8 percent. Due to lingering layoffs from COVID19 shutdowns, the October 2020 rate was still 1.2 percentage points higher than the October 2019 rate. Missouri’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate has now been either below or equal to the national rate for 68 consecutive months. The national unemployment rate was 6.9 percent in October 2020. The estimated number of unemployed Missourians was 137,729 in October 2020, down by 6,083 from September’s 143,812.
Shop With A Cop Seeking Donations The Grain Valley Police Department is seeking monetary donations to support its annual Shop with a Cop event. The annual event provides an opportunity for officers to be matched with local children during a shopping event at Target, where children shop and wrap gifts for family members. Donations may be made in person at
City Hall Water Department, 711 N. Main or by calling City Hall at 816-847-6280 to make a credit card payment by phone. The donation deadline is December 1st. For more information, call 816-8476250 or email gvmopd@cityofgrainvalley.org.
Get Personal With Your Workplace Benefits (Family Features) Choosing employee benefits during annual enrollment is often one of the most important financial decisions you make each year. If your company is like most, it offers benefits to protect you and your family physically, emotionally and financially. In fact, 9 out of 10 employers in a Dynata survey on behalf of Colonial Life and Unum said they have no plans to eliminate or reduce employer-paid insurance benefits. Some employers even plan to boost comprehensive coverage, increasing benefit options or adding telehealth coverage. Before you enroll, understand your needs and the different coverages available, especially supplemental benefits you can usually pay for through payroll deduction. Supplemental Benefits Add Coverage and Financial Protection Supplemental benefits allow you to customize your benefits package with coverage most important to you and your family. Because you sign up through work, it’s usually more affordable than buying coverage on your own. It can also be easier to qualify for coverage as part of a workplace group, often without answering any health questions. The major types of supplemental benefits include: Life insurance provides financial protection for your family should anything happen to you. It can help loved ones pay for living expenses, debts, medical bills and funeral costs in addition to future needs such as college tuition or retirement. Even if your employer provides life insurance, it may not be enough for your family’s long-term needs. Disability insurance is designed to pay a portion of your income if you’re sick or injured and unable to work. It can be offered as short-term – typically 3-6 months – or long-term coverage that can last several years or until retirement. Dental insurance helps reduce outof-pocket costs for common dental procedures like cleanings, fillings, crowns, dentures, oral surgery, orthodontia and other treatments.
Vision insurance helps cover costs for exams, glasses and contact lenses, and may include access to discounted materials and services through a network of vision service providers. Accident insurance offers a lump sum financial benefit if you have an accident or injury. It helps pay out-ofpocket expenses such as doctor bills, co-pays or emergency room fees. Hospital insurance helps pay for hospital stays and, on some plans, outpatient surgery and diagnostic procedures. Critical illness insurance provides a lump sum financial benefit if you’re diagnosed with conditions such as heart attack, stroke, cancer, organ failure, Alzheimer’s disease, ALS and more. Cancer insurance provides more specific coverage for the costs of treating cancer. It can also provide additional benefits for treatments and services such as ambulance transportation, hospital confinement, radiation, chemotherapy, medications and surgery. Why You Might Need Supplemental Benefits Even the best medical insurance likely won’t cover all your out-ofpocket costs for illnesses and injuries. The average health care deductible for single coverage was nearly $1,500 last year and almost double for family coverage, according to a report from the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans. Add in co-pays, coinsurance and other noncovered costs and an average family may have more than $4,700 in out-of-pocket medical costs each year not counting health insurance premiums. Supplemental benefits can help bridge the financial gap. You can use your benefits for uncovered medical costs such as deductibles and copayments or nonmedical expenses such as travel for treatment or child care during recovery. You also don’t have to be sick or injured to take advantage of some supplemental coverage. Many plans include a wellness benefit that can pay a set amount for preventive screenings or diagnostic tests.
Technology
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How To Protect Yourself From Credential Stuffing Cyber Attacks by Burton Kelso, The Technology Expert Cybercriminals have a 'never die' attitude when it comes to getting your information and money, which means there will always be new threats on the horizon that you should worry about. Credential Stuffing is affecting consumers and businesses alike and I'm sure you're wondering just what the heck that is. Well, credential stuffing occurs when cyber criminals obtain your online credentials that have leaked onto the dark web. Then they use automated bots to 'stuff' your credentials into the login pages on multiple websites to unlock your online accounts. Years of data breaches and the average person using weak passwords has provided a way for criminals to easily get access to your online accounts. How can you keep safe? Check out these tips: 1. Don't use the same passwords on your online accounts. Cybercriminals know that people use the same passwords for all of their online accounts and are slow to change passwords. Which is why if they get the password for one account, they will use it on all of your web accounts, including sensitive ones like your bank and other financial accounts. If you have different passwords for your online accounts this means if criminals get access to one account, it they won't get to the rest of your online accounts.
2. Change your passwords on a regular basis or just create strong passwords. When criminals get access to your online credentials that have been leaked, the information is usually a few months old, sometimes older. If you get into the habit of changing your passwords on a regular basis, it prevents criminals from using those old passwords to log into your accounts. Now the school of thought on the frequency varies from tech expert to tech expert. The common rule is every 3 months, but I feel if you create a strong password, you don't have to worry about changing your passwords. 3. Do the Two-Step. Two-step authentication is a great way to protect your online accounts. Most web-based accounts now have this feature. When you set up two-step authentication, you will get an alert sent to your smartphone whenever there is an unknown login into your online accounts. You have to confirm from our smartphone to give access to your account. It can be a pain having two sign-ins, but it's better than having someone access your critical information. 4. Find out if you've been hacked. There are a variety of websites that allow you to see if your information has been compromised. One of the more popular sites is www.haveibeenpwned.com This web site allows you to see if your web account login email has been part of a
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large scale breach or if the information is leaked on the dark web. Another site you can look at is www.fightingidentitycrimes.com. This site allows you to look at web breaches that go all the way back to 2012 to see if any company you have done business with has been part of a breach. If they have, the site gives steps of what you can do to protect your information and identity.
5. Use a password manager. A password manager works in making sure you can keep track of all of those different passwords for your online accounts, as well as helping you create stronger passwords for your accounts and monitor the dark web to see if any password you are currently using can be accessed by cybercriminals. One of the more popular password managers is LastPass (www.lastpass.com). LastPass keeps all of your passwords in a vault which allows you to automatically log in to all of your online accounts, create secure passwords for your accounts, and will even scan the dark web to see if any of your passwords have been leaked there. If you don't want to use another program, you can configure your favorite web browser (Safari, Chrome, Opera, Firefox, and Edge) to do the same things that Lastpass does. Credential stuffing is easy to
perform, so its popularity with criminals will increase with time. Even if your business isn’t affected yet, you must protect your website and watch for all the red flags listed in this blog. Credential stuffing is an easy process for cybercriminals, so don't expect it to go away anytime soon. Always remember that 99% of cybercrime requires user interaction and relies on consumers and businesses to be lax in their cyber security methods. Make sure you're always keeping up with your passwords for all of your accounts and keep up with the cybersecurity for your home and business. Want to ask me a tech question? Send it to burton@callintegralnow.com. I love technology. I've read all of the manuals and I'm serious about making technology fun and easy to use for everyone. If you need on-site or remote tech support for your Windows\Macintosh, computers, laptops, Android/Apple smartphone, tablets, printers, routers, smart home devices, and anything that connects to the Internet, please feel free to contact my team at Integral. Our team of friendly tech experts organization can help you with any IT needs you might have. Reach out to us a www.callintegralnow.com or phone at 888.256.0829.
Home & Garden
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Green And Clean: Eco-Friendly Tips For A Healthier Home (BPT) - With social distancing, remote work and digital learning the new reality, there's no question that time spent at home has significantly increased. Keeping spaces clean and healthy is a top priority particularly as we head into winter months. Creating a healthy home is easier than you think consider these five simple steps. Step 1: Change air filters regularly Your home's heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system typically includes an air filter that pulls dust, contaminants and microscopic allergens out of the air. If you can't remember the last time you changed the air filter, it's time to add it to your list. These filters should be replaced at least once a season to help maintain a healthier home. During seasons that your system is more in use, such as daily heating during cold months, you may want to change it out more often. Step 2: Use products with better ingredients Some cleaners contain harsh
chemical ingredients that can do more harm than good. Look for products that effectively clean with naturally occurring ingredients like hydrogen peroxide. For example, Bona PowerPlus Antibacterial Surface Cleaner kills 99.9% of household germs like influenza A, rhinovirus and E. coli through the power of hydrogen peroxide. This ready to use, streak-free formula cuts grease and grime on sealed nonporous hard surfaces like granite, stone, ceramic tile, stainless steel, glass and more. Step 3: Kick off your shoes Wearing shoes inside the home can track in unwanted dirt and germs. Place a shoe mat or basket at often-used entryways to keep organized and to encourage visitors to remove their shoes. Additionally, a door mat both inside and outside of the doorway can keep mud, snow and chemicals like salt melt off floors. As an added touch, snag some comfy house slippers so visitors have no excuse to go shoeless.
Photo credit: iStock Photo
Step 4: Refresh and remodel with green materials With extra time at home, more people are tackling home improvement projects. Whether you are refreshing a space or embarking on a major remodel, look for eco-friendly options such as paint, flooring and other materials with low volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which will ensure healthier air quality. Consider renovating rather than replacing cabinets, floors or furniture. These areas of the home can easily be freshened up with a stain or finish and it prevents these materials from ending up in landfill.
Step 5: Add plants Greenery not only improves the appearance of a house, but the right plants can also help clean the air. The NASA Clean Air Study tested plants' ability to remove indoor air pollutants. Peace lily, lady palm and snake plant (also called mother-in-law's tongue) are a few indoor plants that had a positive impact on indoor air quality. Place these in high use spaces, such as the living room and bedroom, to add to the health and aesthetic of the space. These five steps will help you revamp your home's health quotient so everyone can breathe easier.
G R A I N VA L L E Y N E W S LOCALLY FOCUSED. FAMILY OWNED. PUBLISHED WEEKLY.
Outdoors & Recreation
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MDC Reports 80,525 Deer Harvested During Firearms Opening Weekend by Joe Jerek, Missouri Department of Conservation Preliminary data from the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) shows that deer hunters in Missouri harvested 80,525 deer during the opening weekend of the November portion of the fall firearms deer season November 14th and 15th. Of the 80,525 deer harvested, 48,695 were antlered bucks, 6,867 were button bucks, and 24,963 were does. Top harvest counties for opening weekend were Howell with 1,499 deer harvested, Bollinger with 1,453, and Franklin with 1,446. Last year, hunters checked 88,760 deer during the opening weekend of the 2019 November portion of firearms deer season.
For current ongoing preliminary harvest totals by season, county, and type of deer, visit the MDC website at extra.mdc.mo.gov/widgets/ harvest_table/. For harvest summaries from past years, visit huntfish.mdc.mo.gov/ hunting-trapping/species/deer/deerharvest-reports/deer-harvestsummaries. MDC noted that poor weather during much of the weekend affected this year’s harvest total. In many areas of the state, hunters dealt with rainy conditions on Saturday, particularly during the morning. Although rain moved out by Sunday, hunters were greeted by strong, gusty winds for
most of the day. The November portion of firearms deer season continues through November 24th. Archery season resumes November 25th through January 15, 2021. The late youth portion runs. November 27th29th. The antlerless portion of firearms deer season runs December 4th-6th followed by the alternative methods portion December 26th through January 5, 2021. Find more information on deer hunting from MDC’s 2020 Fall Deer & Turkey Hunting Regulations and Information booklet, available where hunting permits are sold and online at short.mdc.mo.gov/ZXv.
Deer hunters in Missouri harvested 80,525 deer during the opening weekend of the November portion of the fall firearms deer season Nov. 14 and 15. Top harvest counties for opening weekend were Howell, Bollinger, and Franklin. Photo credit: MDC
Helpful Winter Weather Tips From The Meteorologists (StatePoint) Preparing for unpredictable winter weather? Take stock of your home, vehicle and planning tools to ensure your family stays safe and warm all winter long. Luckily, AccuWeather’s expert meteorologists know a thing or two about predicting the unexpected. They shared their top winter tips. Stay Safe on the Road If you’re among the 74% of Americans planning to travel for the holidays, the AccuWeather app’s MinuteCast forecast can help you predict when to hit the road. It provides a constantly updating minute-by-minute look at precipitation over the next two hours (soon to be expanded to four) locally and at your destination. AccuWeather meteorologists make sure they’re prepped for the road before leaving. “If your car’s snow accessories have been sitting for a long time, it may be wise to make sure they’re in proper working order,” recommends senior meteorologist, Paul Pastelok. This may include checking whether it’s time for an oil change. In snowy climates, outfit your car with winter tires, which can withstand winter weather more effectively than all -season tires. Whether or not you’re traveling, ready your car by monitoring tire pressure, testing your car battery, keeping an eye on windshield and wiper blades and adding a coat of wax if you can. Get Cozy at Home Channel your inner meteorologist to keep the house safe. AccuWeather meteorologists have some simple hacks for preventing messes such as frozen
pipes, broken radiators, flooding and leaks. “Replace worn out weather stripping around windows and doors,” says AccuWeather senior meteorologist, David H. Dombek. “Also, ensure your rain gutters are cleared of leaves and other debris. Clogged gutters can lead to problems when it comes to snow, ice and below freezing temperatures.” To prevent clogged drains, you can make a simple, environmentally-friendly mixture of salt, baking soda, and cream of tartar, then pour it into drains once a week. Opening cabinet doors in the kitchen and bathroom can help circulate warmer air around plumbing. In frigid conditions, let a bit of water drip from faucets, especially where pipes aren’t insulated. You can also unhook garden hoses before the first hard freeze to prevent busted pipes. For older furnaces that may need replacing, schedule a tune-up. Senior meteorologist Alan Reppert also makes sure to clear leaves and snow away from his heat pump to ensure air flow. “Anything in the way of air flow can affect your heating system’s efficiency,” he notes. To track rain, snow, cloud cover and potentially dangerous conditions so you can get the house winterized, use the mapping features on AccuWeather.com and on the app. Plan Ahead to Dine Outside With COVID-19 cases on the rise and restrictions on indoor dining in effect nationwide, dining out can require advanced planning. When eating outdoors, factor in the variables associated with unpredictable winter weather. AccuWeather’s forecast provides info needed to plan a week
out—plenty of time to make that reservation. Meteorologist and emergency preparedness specialist Becky DePodwin also recommends checking AccuWeather’s RealFeel Temperature to determine what it’s actually going to feel like tableside. This can help you decide whether to venture outside, bring a blanket or opt for takeout. “Oftentimes in winter, especially if there’s any amount of wind going on, the temperature’s not going to be an adequate indication of what it feels like outside,” she says. Get an Insider View A one-size-fits-all weather report isn’t sufficient when it comes to planning. AccuWeather’s Winter Center page provides detailed winter weather predictions just like a meteorologist would, with everything from the newly added ice accumulation tracker to the wind speed calculator. You can also find forecasts designed for specific interests and needs, including the outlook for
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holidays, snow sports and longer-range looks at the months ahead. All of AccuWeather’s winter prep resources are available at AccuWeather.com/en/us/WinterWeather. No matter what your winter plans are, you can plan with confidence like a meteorologist, for a safe, warm winter.
Your Health
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Diabetes Dish With The Dietitian by Megan Callahan, Hy-Vee Corporate Dietitian November is National Diabetes Month. Diabetes is a disease that is well known, but not often well understood. Many people assume that the nutritional management of diabetes involves just limiting sugar, but this is not the case. A variety of nutrients impact the health of a person with diabetes. Though an individual with diabetes must monitor multiple nutrients, nutritional management of diabetes does not have to be hard. The first nutrient that a person diagnosed with diabetes should understand is carbohydrates. All carbohydrates, whether complex (chains of sugars connected to each other) or simple (individual sugars), will impact blood sugar. Complex carbohydrates take longer to digest, and thus have a blunted impact on blood sugar levels when compared to simple sugars. Fiber-containing carbohydrates are the slowest to digest, and choosing high-fiber sources of carbohydrate is crucial to keep blood sugar under control. It is not necessary for individuals with diabetes to eliminate carbohydrates; rather, they should focus on consuming high-fiber carbohydrates and avoid consuming large amounts at any one time. Monitoring fat intake is another important component of diabetes management. Individuals with
diabetes are at an increased risk of heart disease, and following a hearthealthy diet is essential. Increasing intake of unsaturated fats — such as those found in nuts, seeds and seafood — while simultaneously limiting saturated fats — such as those found in processed foods and animal products — will help promote heart health. High-fiber foods, in addition to helping control blood sugar, also help control cholesterol levels, simultaneously promoting both heart and diabetes health. Finally, decreasing sodium intake is also important to help control blood pressure and support heart health. Despite all of these guidelines, meal planning for individuals with diabetes does not have to be complicated. Half of the meal or plate should be filled with non-starchy vegetables (any vegetable besides corn, peas, potatoes and winter squash). Vegetables provide fiber with minimal carbohydrates or calories, helping to stay full with little to no impact on blood sugar. A quarter of the plate should be a high-fiber carbohydrate. Included in the carbohydrate section are potatoes, corn, peas or winter squash, grains such as pastas, rice or breads, and fruits. The remaining quarter of the plate should be a lean protein. Chicken, fish, turkey or lean cuts of beef or pork would go here, as well as non-meat protein sources such as cheese, tofu, nuts or seeds.
Health Department Offers COVID-19 Testing The Jackson County Health Department will offer COVID-19 testing at the following sites the week of November 23rd—25th: : Monday, November 23, 2020: City of Lee’s Summit, 616 NE Douglas St., Lee’s Summit 64081 This is a drive-thru clinic. Register: https:// form.jotform.com/202933414559155 Tuesday, November 24, 2020: The View Community Center, 13500 Byars Road, Grandview This will be a walk-in clinic. Limited individuals will be allowed in the facility at one time due to social distancing protocol. Clients may be required to wait outdoors under covering. Please dress appropriately. Register: https:// form.jotform.com/203095492043149
Wednesday, November 25, 2020: Vesper Hall, 400 NW Vesper ST, Blue Springs This will be a walk-in clinic. Limited individuals will be allowed in the facility at one time due to social distancing protocol. Clients may be required to wait outdoors under covering. Please dress appropriately. Register: https:// form.jotform.com/202946069499168 Please note: results will be delayed due to the Thanksgiving holiday. Pre-registration is not required but highly encouraged. Due to increased demand, openings for walk-ins are not guaranteed.
G R A I N VA L L E Y N E W S LOCALLY FOCUSED. FAMILY OWNED. PUBLISHED WEEKLY.
Following this basic guideline of half vegetables, quarter carbohydrate, and quarter lean protein, helps make meal planning straightforward for anyone, diabetes or not. Making dietary changes to help control diabetes does not have to mean giving up favorite foods. Most all foods can be consumed in appropriate amounts. Many recipes can also be modified to decrease carbohydrate intake or improve the fat or sodium content. Try out our low-carb Crustless Slab Quiche recipe to go alongside your favorite pastry at your next Sunday brunch!
The information is not intended as medical advice. Please consult a medical professional for individual advice. Megan Callahan is one of your HyVee Corporate Dietitians. She is dedicated to helping people live healthier and happier lives. Megan received a bachelor’s degree in dietetics from Missouri State University. She completed her dietetic internship at the University of Kansas Medical Center, where she also received her Master of Science degree in dietetics and nutrition. Megan has been working with Hy-Vee full-time for 10 years. With a passion for nutrition and wellness, Megan is dedicated to educating customers and promoting healthy lifestyles to our Hy-Vee community. Megan lives in Lee’s Summit with her husband Matt, and their 2 children Kennedy (4) & Carsyn (2).
Crustless Slab Quiche Serves 8 All you need: 6 oz thinly sliced pancetta 8 Hy-Vee large eggs 2 cups Hy-Vee half-and-half 1¼ cups Hy-Vee 2% reduced-fat milk ½ tsp ground white pepper ¼ tsp Hy-Vee salt ¼ tsp Hy-Vee stone ground Dijon mustard 2½ cups Hy-Vee shredded Italian blend or mozzarella cheese 2 tbsp Hy-Vee all-purpose flour 2 cups fresh baby spinach, loosely packed and divided 1/3 cup chopped fresh basil, loosely packed 1 cup halved grape tomatoes All you do: Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray a 12x10x1-inch sheet pan or 13x9x2-inch baking dish with nonstick spray; set aside. Cook pancetta in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp. Coarsely chop half the pancetta; set remaining pancetta aside. Whisk together eggs, half-and-half, milk, pepper, salt and mustard in a large bowl. Combine cheese and flour in a medium bowl; toss until flour coats cheese. Add cheese mixture, chopped pancetta, 1 cup spinach and basil to egg mixture; combine well. Pour egg mixture into prepared pan. Tear reserved pancetta into large pieces. Top quiche with remaining spinach, pancetta and tomatoes. Bake 30 to 40 minutes or until a knife inserted near center comes out clean (160 degrees). Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
Recipe source: www.hy-vee.com
Sports
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Hendricks Places 9th At State In Diving Junior GVHS diver Eli Hendricks placed 9th at the State Boys Swimming and Diving Championships on November 14th with a finals score of 345.50. Head Coach Kara Liddle praised Hendricks for his performance. “We are all super proud of Eli for his hard work this season, and making it to State. He had a great meet and finished in the Top 10 in the state in a very strong Class 1. This season was not ideal with several meets cancelled, but he
made the most of it and had a great Junior season. Can't wait to see what he accomplishes next year,” Liddle said.
Right: Junior diver Eli Hendricks during practice at the Blue Springs South Aquatics Center. Photo credit: GVHS Senior Jordon Jarman
THEME: DOCTOR'S ORDERS ACROSS 1. "Back to the Future" antagonist 5. Government Printing Office 8. Frugal driver's acronym 11. 1952 Olympics site 12. Afghanistan's neighbor 13. Letter-shaped girder 15. Wing-shaped 16. Narcotics agent, for short 17. Call it quits 18. *One way to improve health 20. She played a TV genie 21. Cunning 22. Golfer's goal 23. "Kiss the Cook" garment, pl. 26. Keyboard instrument 30. Prefix for before 31. Greek god's libation 34. Door-stopping wedge 35. Full of meaning 37. Fleur-de-___ 38. Do penance 39. Type of parrot 40. *Ask for procaine when at this office 42. *Unavoidable risk factor for many diseases 43. Rock grinding 45. *Take a spoonful of sugar to avoid this taste 47. Genetic info carrier 48. Aqua-lung 50. Criticism 52. *Annual ____ 55. Fill with spirits 56. First rate 57. Purl partner 59. Vandalized a car 60. Coconut fiber 61. Bulgarian money 62. Filling station filler 63. More of the same 64. Water carrier
DOWN 1. Feathery scarf 2. ____ of Man 3. Linseed 4. Do without 5. Last Supper cup 6. Break down or analyze 7. Fairy-tale beginning 8. Internet share-able 9. Stepping stone to gain 10. Greenwich time 12. *Use a scalpel 13. Like the Vitruvian Man 14. *Stay in bed 19. *Take antihistamines to avoid this kind of nose 22. A pop 23. *Eat one a day? 24. Rap sheet listing 25. So out it's in 26. *Worn until a bone heals 27. Piglet 28. Lightly color 29. Different spelling of emir 32. Horsefly 33. "Wizard of Oz" man 36. *Increase fluid intake 38. Elsewhere, in a courtroom 40. *____ test 41. Maltreater 44. Tattooed 46. Gridiron position 48. Record a movie 49. Diogenes, e.g. 50. ____ market 51. Big name in chips 52. Show worry 53. All over again 54. In real-time 55. *It checks your heart health 58. Road crew supply
Sports
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Eagles Football Repeats As District Champs In Win Over Blue Jays by John Unrein Eagles sophomore safety Keegan Hart intercepted the final pass of the game as time expired on the clock. Hart would weave towards the Grain Valley sideline churning for every yard he could get. The Eagles sideline erupted around Hart before spilling out on to the field in celebration. Grain Valley would avenge their only loss of the season against the visiting Raytown Blue Jays by a score of 42-7 on their way to securing the Class 5 District 7 Championship. No doubt a sweet feeling of redemption for the Eagles, who narrowly lost to Raytown one month prior by a score of 21-14. The success of the Eagles program had been repeated as they were the Class 4 District 7 Champions the year prior. Hart would digest the weight of the moment with his brevity in words after the game. “We did our job tonight. Us stopping the run allowed me to be ready when they passed. I thought to myself we are district champs on my last interception, and it made it that much more special,” Hart said. Hart would go on to rack up 6.5 tackles and two interceptions as part of a star studded defensive effort by the Eagles black shirt defense. Preparation played a key role in the Eagles defensive success their second time around in facing the Raytown offense. Grain Valley would stem (move defensive lineman late prior to the snap) late prior to the Blue Jays snapping the football. This would force the Blue Jays to react late on changing their blocking assignments. The biggest beneficiary of this game plan design by Eagles defensive
coordinator Pete Carpino would be Grain Valley’s linebackers. Moving defensive lineman late to cover up offensive lineman freed up Hunter Newsom, Zach Kirk, and Jayden Jacobson to have clear lines of sight as they filled and scraped to make tackles. This was a difference maker for Grain Valley who underran rushing attempts at times in pursuit against the unbalanced offensive formations that Raytown used in their first matchup. The result nullified the size advantage that the Blue Jays possess along their offensive line. Newsom credited a week’s worth of watching a lot of film, accepting coaching, and being determined to execute as the components for the success garnered by the Eagles black shirt defense. “We prepared better this time around. That’s a good team with a lot of athletes, and we have to respect that, and I don’t know that we did that to the extent we needed the first time around,” Newsom said. “I am not satisfied. We will stay hungry. I look forward to next week.” Another adjustment made by Carpino that worked out to the Eagles advantage was tilting his defensive ends at the line of scrimmage. Facing the offensive tackle in front of them at a 45 degree angle helped Grain Valley’s defensive ends contain the outside rushing attack of Raytown. Furthermore, it forced Raytown’s offensive tackles to slide deeper out of their stance on passing downs attempting to reach their opponent on the path to the quarterback. Senior defensive end Josh McCoy was
see FOOTBALL on page 12
Eagles quarterback Cole Keller hands off to running back Parker Bosserman. Photo credit: John Overstreet
Eagles quarterback Cole Keller sprints to the end zone. Photo credit: John Overstreet
Ward Juggles Tasks On Multiple Fields by John Unrein Grant Ward is a junior at Grain Valley High School balancing a hectic schedule. Ward is a 5’ 11” 210 pound defensive lineman on the Eagles black shirt defense whose season highlights include a tackle for loss. Ward also manages his hybrid learning as a student athlete to coincide with the work he does in the show barn at Valley Oaks Angus Farms. What might seem like too much for most teenagers is a labor of love for Ward, as he genuinely enjoys trying to excel at academics, football, and showing cattle. The headquarters for Valley Oaks lies on 700 acres between Grain Valley and Oak Grove. This location is home to 150 registered cattle as well as Valley Oaks show cattle. Grant Ward identifies himself as one
of the Ward family grandchildren who proudly works with the red shirt Angus show herd. Angus cattle have notable popularity in the United States. The breed’s desirable characteristics include being described by farmers as low maintenance, having a docile nature, marbling (measure of quality), and a reputation for calving ease. “My work includes traveling with our show cattle around the state and competing at shows. The best cattle we show are ‘pretty,’ meaning they conform well to breed standards,” Ward said. Ward was not shy in crediting his family for allowing him to participate in everything he would like while trying to stay on top of his schoolwork. “I get to pack a lot of living into
being just 17 years old. My mom is a big help. Between making sure I get my homework done, to getting me places on time, she’s on top of all that stuff,” Ward said. Ward was all smiles following the Eagles Class 5 District Championship win over Raytown. Grain Valley defensive line coach Eric Stone gathered his position group to pose for a picture in front the scoreboard following the contest. Ward kept it uncomplicated in sharing what he enjoys most about football. “I enjoy getting to hang out with my buddies. Playing defense in football allows me to hit people and you can’t do that too many other places.”
Read Valley News weekly online: www.grainvalleynews.com
Junior defensive lineman Grant Ward. Photo credit: Valley News staff
Sports
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Eagles Offensive Line Does The Dirty Work by John Unrein There are only eight teams left in Missouri Class 5 football heading into the next playoff round on November 20th. The Grain Valley Eagles football team is among them. Each team no doubt has something special about them that has propelled them to this point in the season. The Eagles football roster boasts 23 seniors. A significant number, even by Class 5 standards. Grain Valley’s black shirt defense has limited their opponents to a paltry 129 points through 11 games. Quarterback Cole Keller is receiving NCAA Division I and II college football offers. Head football coach David Allie and his team were named the Kansas City area Hy-Vee high school team of the week at the end of October. Not to be lost in the shuffle is Grain Valley’s offensive line. Cooper Terry, Jack Bailey, Donovan McBride, Landen Hinton, and Connor Heitman make up the starting five that clear rushing lanes in the trenches for the Eagles. The quintet is coached by Gavin Grillo and Mike Tarrants. A typical Tuesday practice for the group up front consists of stretching and chute work to promote hip flexibility. The menu of drills that follow include work on hook blocks, down blocks, double team blocks, and fold blocks. This is a warmup for the group prior to hitting the 3-man sled where rolling of the hips and short choppy steps are encouraged to foster proper low leverage. The culmination of this work spills into the “spirited” inside run period where the offensive and defensive lines attempt to execute the fundamentals they have worked on so diligently to determine who is better prepared to control the line of scrimmage. This along with the team offense and defense periods that follow are all recorded under the watchful eye of a video camera, the results from which the group will view at the end of practice to find opportunities for improvement. This rigorous schedule of physical contact in close quarters is akin to a fight taking place in a phone booth. Soreness and pain become the norm for those who choose to subject themselves to this gauntlet. So is the type of strong bond that is created only
by going through this process together. Tarrants is proud of the group he coaches. One of the best compliments received by the Eagles offensive line this season came from an opponent. Greg Reynolds was the long time head football coach at Park Hill High School who now coaches the defensive line at Oak Park High School. Following a week two loss by Oak Park to Grain Valley, Reynolds shared with Allie and Tarrants that their offensive line doesn’t look like much until the football is snapped. “That was a nice compliment from Coach Reynolds,” Tarrants said. “This group puts in the work. There is some grit to this group, and they are one of the closest groups that I have ever coached. They spend a lot of time together outside of the sport and it shows.” The Eagles offensive line can quantify their success past compliments. The numbers speak for themselves. Grain Valley has gained a total of 2,926 rushing yards so far this season on 408 rushing attempts, good for a 7.1 yard per rush average. No doubt a rushing average that would be the envy of many football coaches at any level. Each member of the Eagles offensive line shared their thoughts in a series of get to know you questions as they prepare for their matchup with the Platte County Pirates on November 20th at 7:00 pm.
Left to right: Cooper Terry, Jack Bailey, Donovan McBride, Landen Hinton, and Connor Heitman. Photo credit: Valley News staff
What is your favorite food? “I like a good Kansas City strip steak. Medium rare, it has to have some red to it,” Hinton said.
What is the hardest thing about playing football? “I try not to take the competition personal, which I fail at every game. I still hate the other guy I go against for a while after the game. It keeps me driven, but I am trying to grow in that area,” Terry said.
What is the best thing about playing offensive line? “A lot of guys don’t expect me to be able to block like I can due to my size. I surprise a few every now and then by flat backing them,” Heitman said.
Eagles offensive line works on hook blocking from under the chute. Photo credit: Valley News staff
If you could play football with anyone besides present company, who would it be and why? “I would choose Ray Lewis. He’s a motivational guy who could get me to run through a brick wall,” McBride said.
Do you have a prediction for the football game this Friday against Platte County? “We will take care of business. This team will be as physical as possible. We look forward to the opportunity,” Bailey said.
FOOTBALL continued from page 10 elated with this change in the Eagles defensive game plan that permitted him to attain 8.5 tackles, a fumble recovery, and 3.5 sacks for the game. McCoy had to catch his breath and slow down his speaking rate due to his excitement when asked about his effort and his team’s victory. “My teammates are great. This is great. We were great up front tonight on defense,” McCoy said. “I was able to get to the edge faster tonight because we were slanted in our stances. Us having an advantage after our first step gave us even more energy due to our success. Stemming late also gave us an edge.” Offensively, the Eagles under the direction of head coach David Allie were successful in scheming a way to neutralize the blitzes and speed they struggled to overcome in their earlier season matchup against Raytown. The result of two bye weeks for the Eagles (with William Chrisman’s forfeit the week prior to due to COVID-19) was Allie constructing an offensive formation that would hold the Blue Jays defense at bay. The shotgun wishbone or “Rhino” formation that Grain Valley unveiled consisted of quarterback Cole Keller being flanked on either side by Newsom and fellow running back Jaxon Wyatt along with Parker Bosserman lined up at tailback directly behind Keller. The advantage gained from the shotgun wishbone or “Rhino” formation is that the second and third levels of a defense must respect the option possibilities out of the look and play more assignment oriented football in accounting for all the offensive alternatives in the backfield. The result is a defense that is more selective on when they bring pressure with the blitz. It also becomes easier for the offense to generate “vertical push” at the line of scrimmage by sending multiple lead blockers to a gap on isolation or “iso” plays. Allie informed his team before the game to “be prepared” to stay in Rhino the whole game if it works. The Eagles did not break from the formation until the third quarter. The result being the Eagles rushing for 267 yards on 39 attempts, good for a 6.8 yards per carry average. “We knew against a big and fast team like that we would need to run vertically. We struggled the last time we played them blocking the backside ‘A gap’ in our one back set. Our ‘Rhino’ formation allowed us to run the ball successfully and
keep our defense off the field, which we didn’t do a good enough job of the first time we played them,” Allie said. “We were able to get better production on first and second down tonight with ‘Rhino.’ (Cole) Keller did a good job tonight at the line of scrimmage in getting us in the right play against their 3-4 defense.” Allie continued, “Our kids have shown tremendous resilience tonight, as they have all season. We are in week twelve and we didn’t know if we would get past week six (with the pandemic). Every game is a big game because we are in it, and our kids have bought into that.” “We wanted to get (Parker) Bosserman touches due to him being an explosive athlete. We thought he would match up well against their athleticism, and that’s why we wanted to get him touches early on and throughout the game.” Bosserman would make good with the trust bestowed on him by his coaching staff in collecting 95 yards on the ground to couple with a rushing touchdown at the 8 minute mark of the first quarter. Equally as impressive to Bosserman’s rushing would be his display of punting on special teams that permitted the Eagles to favorably flip field position when needed. “To be honest, I didn’t know how long we would be in ‘Rhino’ tonight. I was shocked early with how well we ran the football against them,” Bosserman said. “I was excited to be in the backfield though. That was fun. I was yelling at our offensive line in practice all week and they definitely delivered.” Equally as impressive to Bosserman on the ground was Keller for the Eagles. Grain Valley’s signal caller would contribute 148 yards and 3 rushing touchdowns on option keeps read correctly against Raytown’s defensive ends. Keller would add a touchdown completion for 52 yards to junior wide receiver Logan Pratt with 14 seconds left in the first half. Keller was pleased that the offensive game plan for the Eagles worked well in securing a big playoff win for the Eagles. “They are a big team who have some two way players. We struggled with their size the first time we played them. We wanted to tire them out by playing fast and going no huddle. We had confidence that we were well conditioned enough to get it done,” Keller said. Grain Valley improves to 10-1 on the season. They will next travel to play the Platte County Pirates in the state quarterfinal round of the playoffs on November 20th at 7:00 pm.
Community Calendar Thursday, November 19, 2020
Tuesday, November 24, 2020
Grain Valley Historical Society Meeting 7:00pm Grain Valley Historical Society, 506 S Main
Exploring Cash Apps 2:00pm—2:30pm www.mymcpl.org/events Sending friends money to do your Black Friday shopping for you or just trying to stay a little safer on your Cyber Monday shopping spree? Explore a few cash apps that could make life easier for you.
Saturday, November 21, 2020 Handgun:: Basic Pistol 8:00am—10:00am Lake City Shooting Range, 28505 E Truman Road Register: 816-249-3194 Discover Nature: Winter Tree ID 10:00am—11:00am Burr Oak Woods Conservation Nature Center Attend this hands-on workshop to learn the tips and tricks to tree identification throughout the seasons. Registration required: 816-228-3766
Monday, November 23, 2020 Virtual Holiday Lighting Armstrong Park and Mayor’s Christmas Tree 6:30pm Tune in to City of Grain Valley on Facebook Live as Mayor Johnston flips the switch to illuminate Armstrong Park and the Mayor’s Christmas tree. Board of Aldermen Meeting 7:00pm Grain Valley City Hall, 711 S Main
Thursday, November 26, 2020 Thanksgiving Day City Hall Closed Grain Valley Schools closed
Saturday, November 28, 2020 Discover Nature: Nature Gratitude Hunt 1:00pm—1:30pm 1:45pm—2:15pm 2:30pm—3:00pm Burr Oak Woods Conservation Nature Center, Blue Springs Search the trails near the Nature Center to find hidden “pumpkins” of knowledge about special things only the natural world can do for us. Collect four gratitude pumpkins to redeem for a special prize. Register: 816-228-3766
Monday, December 14, 2020 Board of Aldermen Meeting 7:00pm Grain Valley City Hall, 711 S Main
