Vol. 4 No. 40 | September 30, 2021 | www.grainvalleynews.com
School Board sets tax levy rate The Grain Valley school board set the overall property tax levy rate at $4.9263 for 2021. The rate reflects a decrease of 17.96 cents compared with the year prior. In a release, the district noted the
change was made to offset an increase in assessed valuation of property by $46,855,425 in 2021. The district also noted the rate is the second lowest in Jackson County.
COVID-19 boosters now available Pfizer COVID-19 booster shots are available to eligible Missourians. The CDC recommends a Pfizer COVID-19 booster dose for those who are at highest risk for COVID-19 to increase their protection.
The Jackson County Health Department is offering booster clinics at their Ralph Powell Road COVID-19 vaccine clinic. To register, visit www.jacohd.org/booster-doses.
Community Profile: Blake Desselle by Michael Smith When talking about the history of the Grain Valley boys soccer program, it's hard not to bring up 2015 graduate Blake Desselle. He was an all-state selection during the program’s first state final four appearance during his senior year in high school and was part of arguably the most talented trio to come through the program along with Alex Thiessen and Noah Espinosa. It seemed like wherever Desselle went, winning followed. He went to Rockhurst for his first two years in college and got to take two trips to the NCAA Division II Men’s Soccer Tournament as a reserve center midfielder. After the success he’s had, he will go down as one of the best if not the best
soccer player to come through the Grain Valley program, although there are a handful of players who have a legitimate argument for that honor. That could be part of the reason why former Grain Valley girls and boys soccer coach Tyler Nichol asked Desselle to talk to the 2020 girls team before it made its trip to the St. Louis area for the state final four. “I remember when we went to the final four, that was the first time Grain Valley went for either program,” Desselle said. “I was definitely honored for Coach Nichol to bring me in to talk to the girls, especially since that was his last year coaching. “I played in a lot of big games in my
see DESSELLE on page 6
FREE
Mayor breaks tie to move forward with planning process for new police station and renovation of City Hall Citing concerns regarding staffing needs in the police department and the proposed location of the new police department building, three aldermen voted against a resolution to enter into an agreement with Hoefer Welker LLC for architectural services to plan and design a new police station and renovation of City Hall. Mayor Johnston broke the tie and the motion passed. The budgeted cost for 2021 is $70,000, with a bond issue planned to go before voters in 2022. Alderman Stratton expressed her concern regarding plans to increase staffing for the department as well as concerns regarding the placement of
the proposed new police department building. “It is part of my decision making and if I’m ok moving forward with something like this knowing if we are or we aren’t looking to add to the department...over the course of three years, if we can spend $720,000 for the design of this building, what are we willing to spend to add to our police force,” Stratton said. City Administrator Ken Murphy explained the limitations of bond funding, and that the design and construction of facilities and staffing needs of the department are two separately funded issues.
see BOARD on page 5
Good News: Household Hazardous Waste Collection event this Saturday A Household Hazardous Waste Collection Event will be held Saturday, October 2nd from 8:00am—Noon or until trucks are full at Jackson County Public Works, 34900 E. Old US Highway 40. Residents of Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Greenwood, Lake Lotawana, Lone Jack, Sugar Creek, unincorporated Jackson
County and other communities in the Regional HHW Collection program may attend this event free of charge. Proof of residency is required. Accepted materials include batteries, paint, lawn and garden chemicals, automotive fluids, fluorescent light bulbs, and household cleaners.
In This Edition: Looking Back: Dick, Jane, and Sally
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Business: Unpaid Leave Law reminder
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Your Health: How to make an impact this Breast Cancer Awareness Month
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Sports: Eagles win first dual of season behind Tyler’s strong performance
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Cover Image: Artist Rendering from the 1953 Treasure Chest Yearbook Image courtesy Grain Valley Historical Society. See page 3 for story.
G R A I N VA L L E Y N E W S Our advertisers support your local news. Support Small Business. Shop Local. Grain Valley graduate Blake Desselle, middle, finished his collegiate soccer career at William Jewell College. Photo credit: Blake Desselle
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2 Police Blotter The following information is derived from the Grain Valley Police Department daily calls for service log for the week of September 15-21, 2021. September 15, 2021 Eagles PKWY & Minter
I70 East Bound 300 Block of W Walnut ST 1400 Block of NW Willow DR
Motor Vehicle Accident Alarm K9 Search Possible Missing Person Agency Assist-MSHP Civil Standby Citizen Contact
September 16, 2021 700 Block of Main 700 Block of Main 100 Block of Armstrong DR 40 HWY & Meadow 700 Block of Main 100 Block of NE McQuerry 300 Block of SW Crestview DR 100 Block of Royer LN 600 Block of Walnut ST
Citizen Contact Stealing/Counterfeit Welfare Check Area Check Citizen Contact Stealing Civil Standby Civil Standby Citizen Contact
200 Block of E AA HWY 500 Block of SW Eagles PKWY 700 Block of Main
September 17, 2021 200 Block of Jefferson 1800 Bradford CT 300 Block of Yennie 700 Block of Ridgeview DR 400 Block of Coldwater Creek E I 70 & MM 24.3
700 Block of Main
Suspicious Activity Parking Complaint Verbal Disturbance Welfare Check Suspicious Activity Motor Vehicle Accident Agency Assist-JCSD Verbal Disturbance Motor Vehicle Accident Assault
September 18, 2021 600 Block of Yennie 700 Block of Main 200 Block of NW Michael DR 500 Block of Lakeview DR
Disturbance Citizen Contact Alarm Physical Disturbance
Stony Point School RD & BB 700 Block of Joseph Circle Kirby & Broadway
September 19, 2021 I 70 & Main 100 Block of Sunny 400 Block of Eagles 200 Block of NW Jefferson 1100 Block of Buckner Tarsney I 70 Eastbound 1400 Block of Golfview 100 Block of Oak 300 Block of SW Eagles PKWY 1100 Block of Sphraim DR September 20, 2021 1100 Block of Ephraim Cedar & Duncan
Area Check Disturbance Alarm Suspicious Auto Suspicious Auto Agency Assist-MSHP Agency Assist-CJC Found Property Alarm Citizen Contact
1000 Block of Dean DR Hillsboro & Montana Ridge 1200 Block of NW Willow DR 700 Block of Main 1100 Block of Sw Chritie LN 3300 Block of South Outer Road 700 Block of Main 1300 Block of NW Eagle Ridge DR
Agency Assist-CJC Motor Vehicle Accident Alarm Parking Complaint Suspicious Vehicle Property Damage Follow Up Citizen Contact Area Check Civil Standby Citizen Contact Citizen Contact VIN Verification Parking Complaint Citizen Contact
September 21, 2021 1700 Block of NW Helen CT 900 Block of NE Deer Creek 600 Block of Yennie 1400 Block of NW Golfview WB I 70 500 Block of SW Eagles PKWY 700 Block of Main 1000 Block of SW Foxtail DR
Disturbance Disturbance Agency Assist-CJC Alarm Area Check Suspicious Person Assault Property Damage
3300 Block of South Outer Road 1100 Block of SW Foxtail 1300 Block of Eagles Parkway 100 Block of NE McQuerry
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 Michael Smith | Staff Writer, Sports
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Mail: PO Box 2972 Grain Valley MO 64029 Phone: 816.809.7984 Email: news@grainvalleynews.com
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Looking Back
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Looking Back: Dick, Jane, and Sally by Marcia Napier, Grain Valley Historical Society If you attended first grade in the Grain Valley Elementary School between 1954 and 1978, you will no doubt remember the tile floor in your classroom. If you started first grade after 1978, you may have attended Matthews Elementary. By the fall of 2000, the old first grade room was a middle school science room, but the old tile floor had not changed! After the reorganization of the schools in Jackson County in 1949, most of the rural, one-room , country schools were closed. Round Grove, Oak Hill, Stony Point and Oakland School had already consolidated with the old School District No. 3. With reorganization and the closing of Murphy School on Murphy School Road and Elm Grove School on Stillhouse Road, it became apparent that a new elementary school would be needed to house the increasing enrollment in the Grain Valley Reorganized School District #5. I began second grade in the fall of
1953. Mrs. Fern Church was our teacher. Before Christmas we knew we would soon be moving into the new elementary school, built just north of our current school. We had been told that one or two classes would move each week beginning with first grade, then second, and so on, until all six grades and the principal had been moved. At that point, the cafeteria would open and feed all students, 1st through 12th grade. As the greatly anticipated day approached, the floor tile for the firstgrade classroom had not arrived. It was a “special order” for the “special” floor installed in the first-grade room. While the first and second-grade rooms both had their own doors leading to the playground, only the first-grade had an attached bathroom and a special floor. Do any of you remember the floor? It had a Hop-Scotch game in the center with the ABCs and numbers around the game. And around the outside, there were names –Dick, Jane, Sally (baby
Artist Rendering from the 1953 Treasure Chest Yearbook Image courtesy Grain Valley Historical Society sister), Spot (the dog) and Puff (the cat); the beloved characters in our first-grade reading books! So, the second-grade got to be the first class in the new building. We were elated! We were there for at least two or three days before the thirdgrade joined us. As I recall, the firstgrade may have been the last class to move. If anyone has a picture of the old floor, I would love to get a copy for the Historical Society. I’m relatively sure none of the old tiles were saved. After all, they were probably full of asbestos! I wasn’t in the special class with the special floor. However, my class, the
Class of 1964, did have two distinctions. We were the first class to move into the 1954 Grain Valley Elementary School. And, we were the last class to play basketball in the gymnasium and graduate on the built in 1926. stage of the brick school What was special about your class?
The Historical Society invites you to join us for Coffee with Classmates – the Rock ‘n Roll Years (1950-1970) on Wednesday, October 20, 2021 beginning at 10:00 AM. We will reconnect, reminiscence, and share memorabilia from our days at Grain Valley! I hope you will join us.
Fair’s Cutest Baby Contest voting online through September Voting for the Grain Valley Fair’s Cutest Baby Contest is available online at www.grainvalleynews.com (under the Community tab) and in person at
Crosetti’s Health & Wellness through September. All funds raised benefit the Grain Valley Partnership.
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4
Business Missouri employers must notify staff about unpaid leave law by October 27th Missouri employers should be aware of a new law that recently went into effect that ensures victims of domestic and sexual violence receive unpaid leave. The Missouri legislature passed House Bill 432 by Rep. Hannah Kelly, a Republican from Mountain Grove. The law, which applies to businesses with 20 or more employees, allows victims or family members to take unpaid leave as they seek medical attention for physical for psychological injuries, get help from victim services
organizations, seek counseling and obtain legal assistance.https:// labor.mo.gov/sites/labor/files/DLS/ LS_112_Poster_f_0.pdf Companies with 50 or more employees must grant up to two work weeks of unpaid leave for these matters per year, while companies with 20-49 employees must grant up to one week of unpaid leave per year. Employers are required to notify employees about this new law and it’s recommended that this change is added to employee handbooks.
Show Me Jobs report shows 36,686 new jobs created by new and young firms in 2020 MOSourceLink’s recently released Show Me Jobs report quantifies the impact of new and young firms to Missouri’s economy. The report takes a close look at new and young firms in Missouri, using the Quarterly Census of Employers and Wages. The 2020 report highlights 36,686 new jobs were created by first-time employers in Missouri in 2020. Employment and wage information is collected for workers covered by unemployment insurance laws and covered by the Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE) program. This dataset contains information on employers and workers that can be explored to generate measurements of and insights into an entrepreneurial ecosystem. New and young firms (startups) are defined as the first appearance of an establishment in the dataset. The report
also provides year-to-year comparison data regarding job creation by new and young firms, wage growth and the industrial density of startup These firms created an average of 37,270 new jobs in Missouri each year for the past five years. Considering the employees hired by these same firms in 2016 and in each succeeding year and accounting for job losses as well, firsttime employers created 169,479 jobs from 2016 to 2020. Consistent with nationally reported trends, this accounted for 79.7% of all new jobs and 6.7% of the total employment3 in Missouri each year. In Missouri, new firms in the tech sector created an average of 863 jobs each year for the past five years. To download the 2020 report, visit www.mosourcelink.com.
Have Business News to share? New business? Expanson? Hirings? New products or services? Don’t keep your good news to yourself!
Email your Business News to news@grainvalleynews.com.
5 BOARD continued from page 1 Alderman Bass echoed Stratton’s concerns, stating he supported additional staffing for the police department, with Alderman Knox once again noting that the funding of facilities through bond issues and the funding of salaries for officers are two separate issues. Aldermen Bass, Cleaver, and Stratton voted against the resolution. Mayor Johnston broke the tie, voting in favor of
the resolution. The plan to be developed includes design concepts for a new approximately 14,000 square foot police station to be placed on land behind the current Community Center, and redesign of the current City Hall building. Current police staffing levels and concerns regarding an increase in thefts in the City were a consistent theme throughout the meeting, with resident
Jan Brill raising the issue during the citizen participation portion of the meeting, and Johnston addressing social media chatter during his comment period. Brill questioned whether staffing levels at the police department should be increased in proportion to the increase in population shown in the recent census results. Johnston stated he felt the staffing levels at the department were adequate to serve the needs of the community at this time. During Mayor and Board comments, Johnston pointed to statistics regarding the City’s crime rate and number of calls made to the department over the past few years as proof that social media debates about an increase in crime and
concerns regarding staffing levels are unfounded. Johnson stated the City has “the lowest crime rate of any of the regional cities”, and stated that in 2019 the department received. 4,284 calls, 3,935 in 2020,. and 2,826 so far in 2021. “There isn’t the crisis that is being put forward on Facebook,” Johnston said. In other business, the Board approved the final development plan and final plat approval for Creekside Villas and a development incentives agreement for the Mercado commercial development. The next meeting of the Board of Aldermen will be held Monday, October 11th at 7:00pm at City Hall.
Community Voices
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DESSELLE continued from page 1 life. One of my most memorable moments was going to the final four with Grain Valley, and that’s something a lot of kids don’t get to do. I just told them to have fun and it’s just another game. And I told them it was an experience they would never forget.” After Rockhurst, Desselle transferred to William Jewell College to play three more years. Helped the Cardinals win the most games it ever had since moving from the National Association of Collegiate Athletics to NCAA Division II. “I played a little bit during my sophomore year (at Rockhurst),” Desselle said. “Next year, I wasn’t sure what the deal was. I ended up transferring to Jewell and I ended up being a captain there and taking on a bigger role, which is cool. I had a blast there. “When I got there, they were not very good,” Desselle said. “We turned the program around. We weren’t very good to be honest with you, but we were better than we had ever been since moving to Division II.” Now Desselle has entered life after his storied soccer career. Desselle graduated from William Jewell with bachelor degrees in physiological science and exercise science. He’s now a head sports performance coach at EXOS Physical Therapy and Sports Performance in Grain Valley, a position he started last May.
While there, he gets to go over exercises with athletes to help reduce the chance for future injuries and also assists with helping them get bigger, faster and stronger. “I grew up training there when it used to be called Boost Physical Therapy and Sports Performance,” Desselle said, “and they got bought out two years ago by EXOS. Over the years, I worked there part time during college. “As I went on and started to graduate. The head trainer for Independence and Grain Valley left, so they called me and wanted to hire me. I took the job.” At EXOS, Grain Valley gets to see his friends as he gets to work with Grain Valley athletes. “I worked with Cole Keller, who just graduated last year from Grain Valley,” Desselle said. “I work with Austin Schmidt who is the kicker for the football team and a great soccer player. He’s one of my best friend’s little brothers. Working with those guys is really cool.” And he doesn’t plan on stopping any time soon. “I love what I do,” Desselle said. “I get to train high school and college athletes. I get to help them get to where they want to go.” For anyone who would like to set up an appointment with Desselle at EXOS, you can contact him at (816) 719-5395.
Letters to the editor and guest columns are welcome. This is YOUR community news source. Send your letters, comments, and story ideas by email, mail, or send us a message on social media (@grainvalleynews). Email: news@grainvalleynews.com Mail: Grain Valley News: PO Box 2972, Grain Valley MO 64029
Grain Valley grad and former all-state soccer player Blake Desselle, left poses for a photo after one of his games with former roommate Kyle Fitzgerald of Rockhurst University. Photo courtesy: Blake Desselle
Your Health
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How to make an impact this National Breast Cancer Awareness Month (StatePoint) October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, an annual opportunity to spend your dollars on products and services that benefit breast cancer advocacy, research and patient care services. However, experts say that the clutter of pink products on store shelves and online can make savvy shopping a challenge. “Determining if a given product sold during October actually benefits a breast cancer charity, is not always easy,” says Sarah Rosales, vice president of Corporate Partnerships at Susan G. Komen, the world’s leading breast cancer organization. One way to ensure that your purchases are making the impact you think they will is by shopping with Komen’s Annual Live Pink program. This year, Komen has partnered with more
than 25 companies, and the lineup of products and services available includes everything from specially designed clothing and skin care products, to bagels and bikes. By shopping with the brands in the Live Pink portfolio during October, you can help fund research and care services that support people through their breast cancer diagnosis, treatment and beyond. Program details are transparent on the Live Pink site. To learn more and to shop, visit, komen.org/livepink. For other purchases you make this National Breast Cancer Awareness Month that make charitable claims, Susan G. Komen recommends asking the following questions: 1. What charity is the program supporting? Do promotional materials
about the product or service clearly and conspicuously state this information?
details and how donations are structured.
2. How will the benefitting charity use the donation? You should be made aware where your money is going and what charitable programs your purchase will support. Funds raised to benefit Komen, for example, go to support the organization’s advocacy for breast cancer patients, investments in research and a number of direct patient care services.
By shopping savvy this October, you can support the fight against breast cancer and ensure your purchases are making the biggest impact possible.
3. How is the program structured? What percentage or exact amount of the proceeds will go to the charity? Will the company be making a minimum or maximum donation to the charity? Shop only with companies that offer transparency with regards to program
Taking control of your mental health: tips for talking with your primary care provider Don’t wait for your health care provider to ask about your mental health. Start the conversation. Here are five tips to help prepare and guide you on how to talk to your health care provider about your mental health and get the most out of your visit. 1. Don’t know where to start for help? Talk to your primary care provider. If you’re going to your primary care provider for other health concerns, remember to bring up your mental health concerns. Mental health is an integral part of health. Often, people with mental disorders can be at risk for other medical conditions, such as heart disease or diabetes. In many primary care settings now, you may be asked if you’re feeling anxious or depressed, or if you have had thoughts of suicide. Take this opportunity to talk to your primary care provider, who can help refer you to a mental health specialist. You also can visit the NIMH Find Help for Mental Illnesses webpage for help finding a health care provider or treatment. 2. Prepare ahead of your visit. Health care providers have a limited amount of time for each appointment. Think of your questions or concerns beforehand, and write them down. Prepare your questions. Make a list of
what you want to discuss and any questions or concerns you might have. This worksheet can help you prepare your questions. Prepare a list of your medications. It’s important to tell your health care provider about all the medications you’re taking, including over-the-counter (nonprescription) drugs, herbal remedies, vitamins, and supplements. This worksheet can help you track your medications. Review your family history. Certain mental illnesses tend to run in families, and having a close relative with a mental disorder could mean you’re at a higher risk. Knowing your family mental health history can help you determine whether you are at a higher risk for certain disorders. It also can help your health care provider recommend actions for reducing your risk and enable both you and your provider to look for early warning signs. 3. Consider bringing a friend or relative. Sometimes it’s helpful to bring a close friend or relative to your appointment. It can be difficult to absorb all the information your health care provider shares, especially if you are not feeling well. Your companion can be there for support, help you take notes, and remember what you and the
provider discussed. They also might be able to offer input to your provider about how they think you are doing. 4. Be honest. Your health care provider can help you get better only if you have clear and honest communication. It is important to remember that communications between you and a health care provider are private and confidential and cannot be shared with anyone without your expressed permission. Describe all your symptoms with your provider, and be specific about when they started, how severe they are, and how often they occur. You also should share any major stresses or recent life changes that could be triggering symptoms. Examples of symptoms include:
Persistent sad, anxious, or “empty” mood Feelings of hopelessness or pessimism
Irritability Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, or
helplessness
Loss of interest or pleasure in hobbies and activities Decreased energy or fatigue Moving or talking more slowly Feeling restless or having trouble
sitting still
Difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions Difficulty sleeping, early-morning awakening, or oversleeping
Appetite or weight changes (or both) Thoughts of death or suicide, or
suicide attempts
Aches or pains, headaches, cramps, or digestive problems without a clear physical cause and/or that do not ease even with treatment 5. Ask questions. If you have questions or even doubts about a diagnosis or treatment your health care provider gives, ask for more information. If your provider suggests a treatment you’re not comfortable or familiar with, express your concerns and ask if there are other options. It’s okay to disagree with your provider on what treatment to try. You may decide to try a combination of approaches. You also may want to get another opinion from a different health care provider. It’s important to remember that there is no “one-size-fits-all” treatment. You may need to try a few different health care providers and several different treatments, or a combination of treatments, before finding one that works best for you.
Sports
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Eagles win first dual of season behind Tyler’s strong performance by Michael Smith The Grain Valley girls golf team has had its fair share of struggles this season. Coming into Thursday’s quad dual with Raytown, Truman and Raytown South, the Eagles hadn’t won a dual. That changed at the par-35 Heart of America Golf Course in Kansas City as Grain Valley was led by medalist Seena Tyler, who shot a 42 as her team won with a team score of 191. Truman was second with a 202 and Raytown was third with a 222. Raytown South didn’t have enough players to qualify for a team score. Rounding out the scoring for Grain Valley was Charli Dressen with a 46, Mallory Crane with a 48, Maya Bartlett with a 56 and Italia Haywood with a 61. Tyler shot a season low score but thought she could have played better. “It was definitely a good day, but I definitely could have done better if I put it together quicker,” Tyler said. “My drives were pretty solid, and I had a birdie on Hole 6. “Double chipping is my worst nightmare. That’s what caused a lot of my extra strokes.” It was the first time any of the Grain Valley players played at Heart of America. While the distance to the hole to the tee was short, the course was narrow, which made it challenging for the players to keep the ball inbounds. If it was hit out of bounds, the player could drop the ball on the edge of the fringe and take a one-stroke penalty.
“You have to hit the ball straight, if you don’t, there are some penalty areas that can hurt you out there,” Grain Valley girls golf coach Randy Hughes said. “We had a few of those today. Overall, I thought the girls played well. This was our lowest team score of the year. I will take that.” That challenge didn’t seem to keep Dressen from having her best score of the season. “I got a little nervous on the putting but I tried to stay calm today,” she said. “But I got a lot better and kept my head down. It is a mental challenge when the course is narrow. Staying calm and focused worked for me.” “I spoke with my parents and analyzed what I did (in a dual on Wednesday). I got some text messages before the match, and they were very encouraging. I had no expectations coming in and that helped a lot.” Hughes said Dressen has gotten better at being consistent. “She has struggled in her last two matches,” Hughes said. “She’ll have a couple of good shots then she will have some bad ones. But she was really consistent today. She kept it on the green and didn’t have many extra shots.” The course did give Crane, who is Grain Valley’s No. 1 golfer, fits. “I didn’t do very well. I was struggling to focus,” Crane said. “I went out of bounds a lot. If I can keep that under control, I can save a lot of strokes.”
Grain Valley No. 4 golfer Maya Bartlett prepares to put on hole No. 9. Photo credit: Michael Smith
Swim & Dive takes first at Henley Aquatic Center meet Grain Valley Swim & Dive took first
Center. The team placed first with 366
place on September 29th during a meet
points. St. Michael placed second with
versus St. Michael, Truman, Van Horn,
246 points.
and William Chrisman at Henley Aquatic
Grain Valley No. 3 golfer Charli Dressen shot a 46 to finish second on the team Thursday at Heart of America Course in Kansas City. Grain Valley won the tri dual against Raytown and Truman with a team score of 192. Photo credit: Michael Smith
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FOOTBALL continued from page 11 Bend but don’t break. That seemed to be the motto for the defense for the Grain Valley football team Friday at Kearney. It appeared it might break late in the fourth quarter when the Eagles had a 14 -7 lead. Kearney ahd the ball on its own 9-yard line and after three incomplete passes, it was fourth-and-10. It seemed like Grain Valley was poised to end it there. However, Kearney quarterback Casey Rooney kept on making big-time throws and got his Bulldogs all the way to the Eagles 11 yard line with a chance to tie it. That’s when the Eagles needed someone to step up. That someone was junior defensive back Keagan Hart. He intercepted a pass in the middle of the end zone with 1:06 remaining in the game and that play ended up being the difference in a 14-7 non-conference victory.
“I knew I needed to stay with my man, (Grace),” Hart said. “My lineman and linebackers were able to get in the backfield and that helped me get my pick. They made (Rooney) scramble.” Hart jumped the route when Rooney tried to get the ball to wide receiver Zach Grace, who had eight catches for 11 yards. That was one of three times the Grain Valley defense stopped a Kearney drive when the ball was kept in its own territory. After the interception, the Eagles offense was able to run the clock down to 9 seconds. After a Kearney punt return that netted 0 yards, they tried a hook and ladder play, but it failed as multiple Grain Valley players leaped up and down and patted each other following the win. Senior linebacker Gage Forkner credited the success of the defense to the work it puts in after practices. In
Community Calendar October 2, 2021
October 11, 2021
Household Hazardous Waste Collection Event 8:00am—Noon Jackson County Public Works 34900 E Old US Hwy 40 Accepted materials include batteries, paint, lawn and garden chemicals, automotive fluids, fluorescent light bulbs, and household cleaners. www.recyclespot.org
Board of Aldermen Meeting 7:00pm Grain Valley City Hall
Veterans Salute 2021 Digital Commemoration: Enlistment 11:00am—11:10am Hear from post-9/11 veterans as they share their lives before the war and what brought them to serve their country. The Veterans Salute 2021 Digital Commemoration video series will feature a new video each week between September 25—November 11 on MidContinent Public Library’s MCPL360 Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/mcpl360/.
October 6, 2021 Senior Citizens Luncheon 11:30am—1:00pm Grain Valley Community Center $3 per person free blood pressure checks by the Visiting Nurses Association starting at 10:45am RSVP: 816-847-6293 or info@cityofgrainvalley.org.
October 13, 2021 Planning & Zoning Commission 6:30pm Grain Valley City Hall
October 11, 2021 Board of Aldermen Meeting 7:00pm Grain Valley City Hall
October 29, 2021 Trail or Treat 6:30pm—8:30pm Butterfly Trail Park Free event—Haunted Hayride, Gruesome Graveyard 30+ local businesses/organizations will hand out treats along the trail. Costumes and flashlights are encouraged! www.cityofgrainvalley.org
Add your community event at www.grainvalleynews.com.
Grain Valley Community Calendar sponsored by
Crosetti Health & Wellness
PHARMACY C O V I D - 1 9 Va c c i n e — Wa l k - I n s We l c o m e R a p i d C O V I D Te s t i n g — Please call to schedule
Now Open at 510 N Main, Grain Valley 9:00am - 7:00pm Monday - Friday, 9:00am - 1:00pm Saturday
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