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by Michael Smith, Grain Valley News The running game has been the strength for the Grain Valley football team in recent seasons. In 2023, Ty Williams, who was a Class 5 first-team, all-state selection, had a historic season at running back for Grain Valley, totaling 2,485 yards rushing and 38 overall touchdowns. Last season, Robert Palmer was a Class 5 third-team, all-state selection as he notched 1,472 yards rushing with 20 total TDs. With Palmer having graduated, who will be next in line to take over at running back for Grain Valley? Well, it’s a pair of players. Junior Sjoeren Aumua, who was the backup to Palmer last season, and sophomore Dawson Head are projected to get a bulk of the carries for the Eagles in 2025 and both have varsity experience. “We have been blessed with a lot of really good running backs,” Grain Valley head football coach David Allie said. “I think these two kids will fit right in with the group.” Aumua was used primarily in third-down situations early in 2024, but started to get more carries late in the season when Palmer had a minor knee injury. The junior impressed as he carried the ball 72 times for 672 yards and eight touchdowns. At 5-foot-9 and 165 pounds, Aumua is more of an agile and speedy running back rather than a power runner. Last season, he showed his strong ability to catch passes out of the back field and showed his break away speed and agility which allowed him to break off big runs. His breakout game came against Truman late in the season when he rushed for 156 yards on 11 carries and scored two TDs. “Sjoeren is shifty,” Allie said. “He has tremendous balance. He is hard to bring down and he keeps moving. He is not a bruising back, but he doesn’t shy away from contact either.” Aumua said the varsity reps he had last season as a third-down back and late in the season as a primary piece of the running back rotation gives him confidence going into the 2025 season as he knows what to expect. “It was definitely a valuable experience to see what it would be like if I started,” Aumua said. Hopefully it will be that way this year. “Agility and balance is my strength, I can keep on my feet pretty well. I can get through gaps pretty easily.” In the offseason, Aumua said he’s been working on securing the football as he had a few fumbles in 2025. Head, on the other hand, said he’s been working on learning the offense from a running back perspective. Last season, he was used as a wide receiver, but got a few rushing attempts out of the Wildcat formation and on end arounds and sweeps. He had a couple of breakout games against William Chrisman, one in which he carried the ball two times for 55 yards and a score; and Truman, in which he had two carries for 49 yards and two TDs. The sophomore was primarily a running back for his middle school team in Tennessee, so he’s familiar with the position. He’s a player with advanced-level speed and he has the ability to break off big runs for the Eagles. “Speed is his superpower,” Allie said of Head. “He’s the lead sprinter for the track team. He’s not a small guy and he’s not afraid of contact, but he’s not going to truck anybody. He’s going to outrun them.” Head added that finding gaps to run through also is a strength of his. So far through the summer, he’s picking up the running back position well. “My vision is pretty good,” Head said. “I am good at spotting the holes and getting through them as fast as I can. I can get moving, there is probably not a whole lot that is going to stop me. I think I am picking everything back up pretty well. There are some bumps that I am hitting, but other than that, it’s been an easy transition.” It will help Grain Valley return four of their five starters on the offensive line from the 2025 team, which will help ease the transition of Aumua and Head taking on increased roles. Allie is confident they should have no issue taking over the backfield and said they have the potential to do some big things this upcoming season. “I think both of those guys have the potential to be 1,000-yard guys,” Allie said. “It’s pretty hard to predict going in, but they should be very productive and successful for us.”  Grain Valley sophomore Dawson Head, left and junior Sjoeren Aumua will provide a 1-2 punch at running back you the Grain Valley football team in 2025. Photo credit: Michael Smith 
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by Michael Smith, Grain Valley News The idea started out as a joke for Grain Valley residents Lauren Tyler and Samantha Lockwood. Lockwood sent a text to a group of her friends, including Tyler that she wanted to open an ice cream shop on Main Street in Grain Valley. She was expecting a different response, but Tyler talked her into putting the idea into motion. “The landlord posted it up for rent,” Lockwood said of the section of the strip mall located at 201 N. Main St. “I sent a group text to some of our friends and asked them to talk me out of this. And (Lauren Tyler) said, ‘Why not? Let’s do it.’” The idea was no laughing matter. Lauren Tyler along with her husband Jason and Lockwood opened Main Street Sweets Tuesday and are now serving ice cream to the local community. “We wanted a local spot for kids and families to hang out on hot days,” Tyler said. Added Lockwood: “There weren’t a lot of places for teenagers in the area to hang out at besides some coffee shops. This gives them a place where they can hang out and get a sweet treat.” There were a pair of Grain Valley residents who planned on opening their own ice cream shop at the same location back in 2024, but it never came to fruition. There were freezers inside the building and the landlord agreed to let the Tylers and Lockwood use them for their business as long as they paid a year of rent in advance. It was an opportunity the trio couldn’t pass up. “People around the community were asking when they were going to open the ice cream shop and it never did,” Lockwood said. “I knew it was something people wanted, so why not give it a shot?’” Tyler and Lockwood got to work on launching their business idea in mid-December and hoped to open it some time in March or April. That did not happen as they were new to opening a food business, so it was a process for them to get that section of the building ready and approved by the Jackson County health department. Tyler said they had to excavate the floor and had to have plumbing installed for the sinks and other areas of their section of the building. “The construction took the longest, we had to coordinate with the contractor’s schedules and our schedules,” Tyler said. “There was a little mix up to find out if the health department needed to clear us before we broke ground.” Added Lockwood: “Once everyone got on the same page. It went pretty quick.” Construction on their business was completed three weeks ago and that’s when the trio started ordering supplies and food they needed to run the business. They also started promoting Main Street Sweets on Facebook and Instagram in late June, which helped get the word out about it. The Tylers and Lockwood purchase their ice cream supplies from a local business called One More Scoop, which is located on Vivion Road in Kansas City and is owned by Ian Allison. Tyler came up with the pink ice cream shaped sign inside the building as she also runs her own crafting business. Since Tuesday, Lockwood and Lauren Tyler have run the store themselves, and Lockwood’s 13-year old son, Mason, also helps out with serving customers. They offer more than 50 different flavors of ice cream, which includes some of their most popular ones like rainbow cake, lavender honey and gooey butter cake. They also offer soda, water, chips and ice cream sandwiches and candy bars. Some of the store's specialties include ice cream nachos and banana splits. And they even offer flights of ice cream. “Some people say, ‘There are so many flavors. I can’t choose,’” Tyler said. “Then we suggest a flight and they can get samples of what they want to try.” Tyler and Lockwood said they plan on having the business open year-round and through three days, business has been booming. “Business has been great so far,” Tyler said. “We have had awesome reviews from the community. The community has been supportive, and they absolutely love it. We are very appreciative.” Main Street Sweets is open Tuesday through Saturday from noon until 9 p.m. and on Sundays from noon to 7 p.m. Tyler and Lockwood can be reached during business hours by phone at 816-355-0080 or by email at [email protected]. You can also visit their Facebook page here.  Lauren Tyler, left, and Samantha Lockwood opened up a new ice cream shop Tuesday in Grain Valley called Main Street Sweets, which offers more than 50 different flavors of ice cream. Photo credit: Michael Smith  by Bill Althaus, Grain Valley News Have you ever dreamed about going back in time to an adventurous time in the Midwest when Kansas City was the hub of American transportation thanks to the Missouri River? The “Mighty Mo” was a treacherous waterway for explorers, businessmen, hunters and trappers, and families who were in search of a better life out West. Well, you can take that trip, without leaving your backyard by visiting the Arabia Steamboat Museum. Located in the heart of downtown, across the street from the City Market, the museum is a unique Kansas City attraction. It is a virtual time capsule that captures life on the American frontier in the mid-19th century. Visitors have a one-of-a-kind opportunity to experience everyday objects that made life possible for pioneers in the 1800s. Voted “Favorite Kansas City Hidden Gem” by Visit KC, the museum is one of Kansas City’s most popular attractions. It is the largest single collection of pre-Civil War artifacts in the world, featured by National Geographic Traveler, Smithsonian Magazine, PBS, Antiques Roadshow, Good Morning America, Southern Living, CNN, the History Channel and many other news and entertainment organizations. Once inside the museum, you will see one of the Arabia's original paddle wheels, a collection of food – including the world's oldest pickles - to adult and children's clothing, leather goods, glassware, perfume and cologne and the large tree trunk, that rested on the bottom of the Missouri River, that struck the hull, causing it to sink in 1856. The Steamboat Arabia was one of many casualties of the perilous Missouri River—the longest river in the United States that claimed nearly 400 other steamboats over its 2,500-mile course. In September 1856, the Arabia was carrying over 200 tons of cargo intended for general stores and homes in 16 Midwestern frontier towns. The steamer was still fully loaded when it hit a tree snag and sank just 6 miles west of Kansas City. Due to erosion, the Missouri River changed course over time, and the Arabia was buried underground for over a century – along with all of its precious cargo. Lying 45 feet deep beneath a Kansas cornfield, the Arabia’s payload was protected from light and oxygen and, thus, was remarkably well preserved. In the winter of 1988, five men from Eastern Jackson County and their families, banded together to begin the adventure of a lifetime - recovering the Steamboat Arabia's long-lost treasure. They were hoping to find undamaged barrels of whiskey and gold, but what they discovered was much more valuable – an insight to the life and times of Missouri River travels in the 1850s. In 1991, the Arabia’s cargo was transformed into the Arabia Steamboat Museum, a top Kansas City attraction and favorite local destination in the historic City Market. The collection is a work in progress as preservationists continue to clean 60 more tons of artifacts in a preservation lab that’s available for visitors to visit and watch their painstaking work. The Steamboat Arabia Museum provided much of this information. The Museum is open 10 a.m. To 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. The Arabia Steamboat Museum is located at 400 Grand Blvd., Kansas City, Mo., across the street from the City Market. You can call 816-471-1856 or email [email protected] for more information. Next week, Day Trippin' will visit with Matt Hawley, whose family was a part of the original excavation of the Arabia - and he has quite a tale to tell.  by Marcia Napier, Grain Valley Historical Society When the town of Grain Valley was platted in 1878, the east side of Main Street (then known as Broadway) stretched from Harris Street to Walnut. Lots 1 through 18 were on the south side of the Chicago and Alton Railroad tracks. On the north side of the track was lot 19, 20 (now a parking lot), and Front Street on Lot 21. The remaining lots, 22 through 30 continued north to Walnut Street. Today, the lot numbers remain the same as they were in 1878, but they definitely have a new face, especially Lots 22 through 27.  During the Remodel Left to Right: Lot 25,Hughes Defense; Lot 24, The Local Table & Bar; Lot 22 &23, OG Tattoo On the wall at the Grain Valley Historical Society a 1924 map reveals that lot 25 was a restaurant, lot 24 was a garage, lot 23 was a barber shop in the front and part of the general store on lot 22 in the rear. Further north, lots 26 through 30 had two houses on them.  Broadway, now Main Street, Circa 1915 Information from the Recorder of Deeds indicates that while these lots were originally owned by Young & Keshler (22 &23), J. F. Gregg (24), Elisha Moore (25 through 28), and Edward Williams (29 & 30). By 1920 W.A. Cannon owned lots 22 through 28. Other photos and maps indicate several businesses occupied these lots over the years. (But with a single property owner, it is very difficult to determine what business might occupy the space.) It seems apparent that Lot 25 was primarily a grocery store from as early as 1930 until it closed in 1973. Many older residents may remember when Model Engineering operated a plastics plant from 1956 until the early 1970s. Ironically, I have not talked to anyone who remembers what businesses occupied lots 22 through 24 during most of the 1940s and 1950s. While they recall there briefly being a beauty shop, a marina, and a used clothing store, all we can be sure of is the grocery store, and the Post Office on lot 26. If anyone remembers more, please contact the Historical Society. It is my hope that one day this mystery can be solved!  Lot 24, Circa 1915  Lot 25, Circa 1930 Williams Meat Market & Grocery  by Michael Smith, Grain Valley News A 2016 Grain Valley High School grad thought it was time for a change. Blake Desselle, who graduated from William Jewell College with a degree in psychology and exercise science, decided to open his own business. Desselle began working for EXOS Physical Therapy & Sports Performance in Grain Valley two weeks before he graduated from college in 2021 until May 2024. Right before he left the company, there was an ownership change, and that’s when he decided to join his friend and business partner Tommy Hargrave to open Upward Performance & Physical Therapy in Grain Valley. “Ever since I started at EXOS, my goal was to run my own facility,” Desselle said. “I wanted to do it in my hometown. There are not a lot of high-performance facilities around the eastern part of Jackson County. “I was confident in what we were doing. Tommy and I worked together for a couple of years at EXOS. We knew each other’s dreams and visions. We wanted to do it for ourselves and the community.” Added Hargrave, who was Desselle’s physical therapist when he played soccer at William Jewell: “We were able to market into a niche. The low hanging fruit was there and we thought, let’s go get it ourselves. We just kind of jumped on it. “We didn’t want to follow in (EXOS’) footsteps. We wanted to do our own thing.” Last Friday, the Grain Valley Chamber of Commerce, Desselle and Hargrave celebrated Upward Performance & Physical Therapy’s one-year anniversary. Desselle admitted there were some obstacles along the way, but he and Hargrave have built a successful business. Desselle runs the sports performance side of the business, while Hargrave focuses on the physical therapy side. The duo work mostly with high school athletes, including ones from Wellington-Napoleon, Lexington, Blue Springs South, Blue Springs, Fort Osage, Oak Grove, Lee’s Summit North, Lone Jack and Grain Valley. The duo has also worked with a few college and professional athletes, including for Grain Valley soccer player Rylan Childers, who played professional soccer in Denmark; and Tanner Taula, a former Blue Springs football player who plays for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League. “It has always been in my heart to bring this to Grain Valley,” Desselle said. “It’s scary to do something like this but we have overcome obstacles and work with a lot of high-level kids in the area.” Desselle said he uses a scientific-backed approach when working with athletes on improving their performance in their respective sports. He said he has his athletes do certain exercises and uses force plates and has his clients jump on them and to test their shoulder strength. He then collects that data and goes over it with the athletes, the coaches and parents and lets them know what areas his clients can improve on like jumping, throwing, running or working on strengthening a specific muscle. “The technology we use lets me develop a program for that kid specifically,” Desselle said. “It’s specialized. “Everything that we do here is tracked. I tell all my athletes, coaches and parents, If you aren’t tracking and collecting data while you are training, you are just working out. We are going to track everything and we have goals to get better. We sit down monthly and we go over the data and performance plans.” Desselle said over the summer he had trained more than 200 athletes per day three days per week. He also travels to Lone Jack High School three days a week to work with their athletes for three hours per day. On the physical therapy side, Hargrave has had so many athletes come in for treatment, that he has to book some appointments several weeks out, so that’s why the duo hired another physical therapist, Kelly Partington, to assist. Hargrave said he works with athletes who are rehabbing from an injury or who just had surgery. He also does preseason and postseason screens for some local sports teams and spots areas of weakness or potential parts of someone’s body that is susceptible to injury. “We can look at these different kids and be proactive,” Hargrave said. “You have a kid that is susceptible to injury because they will have a certain part of their body that is weak or unstable. If we can catch them early, and get them in a program early that they can work on, we can help reduce their chance of getting injured. We have done some work with the Grain Valley basketball team, some with the football, baseball and softball teams. We are able to get these kids in a program early because they score low on these screens.” “Some parents and athletes have aspirations to play sports at the college level and get a scholarship. If they get hurt, the chance for that opportunity goes down. Not getting hurt is sometimes your best ally.” Desselle and Hargrave said they are proud of how far their business has some so far and they don’t plan on stopping any time soon. Hargrave said they hope to offer athletic training services sometime in the near future. For now, they just want to serve the community and help as many athletes as they can. “I want to train as many kids as I can and give back to the community,” Desselle said. “We want to be a place where every school, every teacher and every coach is comfortable sending their kids to for high level training and treatment.” To inquire about the services of Upward Performance & Physical Therapy, Desselle can be reached at [email protected] and Hargrave at [email protected]. You can also reach them by phone at 816-268-2707. Photo credit: Blake Desselle  Editor’s Note: Letters to the editor are published as submitted and reflect the opinions of the authors. They may be edited only for length, clarity, or legal considerations.
OOIDA (the Grain Valley trucking fraternity Owner Operators Independent Drivers Association) is stretching the bounds of decency by having written a recent story in its "Landline" magazine, tabbing the public as NIMBYS for the public simply opposing the building of truck stops where they (the public) live. I, as a Lifetime member of OOIDA, have contacted the story's author Tyler Fisher, Landline Managing Editor Jami Jones, OOIDA President Todd Spencer and OOIDA Vice-President Lewie Pugh, about this, to no avail. There are reasons why folks do not want to have truck stops as neighbors; some of those reasons are the same reasons why some truckers avoid going into truck stops, including truckers leaving trash and urine bottles all over and using engine brakes that is really annoying, which wakes up sleeping truckers and neighbors and traffic back-up nightmares created by rigs entering and exciting the truckstops. OOIDA and Landline have no business publishing articles and disseminating information, dumping on folks who are leary of, and opposing truck stops for obviously good reasons. Treating the public shabbily like this is not a good precedent-setting trend. OOIDA and Landline are quick to jump on other publications which denigrate the trucking profession yet OOIDA, by allowing the publishing of hateful articles, is guilty of the same behavior. Daniel G. Cohen OOIDA Member #196782 802-238-4316 (Mr. Cohen is a Burlington, VT owner-operator trucker who runs from Vermont to Wisconsin). https://landline.media/podcasts/nimbys-gone-wild-fighting-truck-parking-and-lose/ Each year, Truman Heartland Community Foundation tasks area mayors with nominating an extraordinary citizen from their city to receive the coveted Citizen of the Year Award. These citizens have proven themselves to be instrumental in the development of strong communities and offering unwavering support to their neighbors. Grain Valley's Jerry Vaughan has been selected by Mayor Mike Todd to be honored with this year's award. For nearly five decades, Jerry Vaughan has been a pillar of the Grain Valley community, dedicating his time, talents, and unwavering commitment to making life better for generations of students, families, and neighbors. Vaughan grew up in Independence and first came home to the Grain Valley area in the summer of 1976 after graduating from the University of Denver and marrying his wife, Sarah. Vaughan's career has spanned from roles managing restaurants in multiple states, co-owner and production manager of a family-owned plastics plant, to owning and operating a screen printing and embroidery business. Vaughan's professional journey also included serving as director of the Chamber of Commerce and general manager of a local newspaper chain covering Lee’s Summit, Raytown, and Grandview. Mayor Todd's nomination of Vaughan highlights the countless hours dedicated to the community. From the 1980's and 90's, when he helped run Friday night Bingo games to raise thousands of dollars for local schools, to serving nine years on the Grain Valley School Board and now leading the Grain Valley Education Foundation, Vaughan's dedication has transformed countless lives. Under his leadership, the Foundation grew from awarding three $400 scholarships in 2010 to distributing 107 scholarships totaling over $121,000 in 2025 — a true testament to his passion for expanding opportunities for local students. Vaughan sits on the Blue Springs/Grain Valley/Oak Grove Advisory Board of Truman Heartland Community Foundation, represents Grain Valley on the University of Missouri Extension Council – Jackson County, served for over 20 years on the Grain Valley Assistance Council Board, served six years on the Community Services League Board, serves on the Advisory Board for Bright Futures/Grain Valley, is a member of the Blue Springs Rotary Club, and is an active member of Faith United Methodist Church. Vaughan credits his recognition as Citizen of the Year to the mentors, colleagues, and community members who’ve inspired him throughout the years. His advice to anyone hoping to make a difference: “Surround yourself with good people — people you’d want to emulate. Find mentors. Build relationships. The rest will follow.”  Grain Valley's Jerry Vaughan will be honored as Grain Valley Citizen of the Year at the Truman Heartland Community Foundation's Toast to our Towns Gala on September 20th at Westin Crown Center. Photo credit: City of Grain Valley/Grain Valley Schools  15 Culver’s restaurants across the Kansas City metro, including the Grain Valley location, are teaming up with Dream Factory of Greater Kansas City for a weeklong fundraising campaign to help grant dreams to critically and chronically ill children. With a goal of raising $25,000, local Culver's restaurants are participating in a fundraising campaign from Monday, July 7 – Saturday, July 12, 2025. A special 10% Day of Giving is planned for Saturday, July 12 from 10:00am - 10:00pm. Dream Factory volunteers will be on-site from 11:00am - 1:00pm and 5:00pm - 7:00pm. Dream Factory KC is a 100% volunteer-run nonprofit that grants life-changing dreams to children facing serious illnesses. Culver’s guests can support the cause by rounding up their purchase, donating $5 to “Fund-A-Dream,” or dining out on July 12 when 10% of all sales go to Dream Factory.  WARRENSBURG, Mo. – Karrie Snider, Ph.D., associate professor of Early Childhood Education at the University of Central Missouri (UCM), has been named the 2025 Missouri Head Start Children’s Champion by the Missouri Head Start Association (MHSA). The State Children’s Champion Award is presented to individuals who make valuable contributions to the lives of Head Start and Early Head Start children and families across Missouri. The award recognizes individuals with outstanding leadership, commitment and service who ultimately make a difference. Snider was nominated by the Mid-America Regional Council (MARC), an organization she has collaborated with for more than a decade. She was recognized in May during the MHSA conference and again in June when she received the Region VII Head Start Association’s 2025 Missouri Children’s Champion award during the Region VII conference, which included attendees from Illinois, Iowa, Kansas and Missouri. “None of these things can ever be accomplished in isolation. It represents so many more people than myself,” Snider said of receiving the award. “It represents, in some ways, the culmination of things, but in many, many ways, we have just scratched the surface. It really means we have more work to do, but it does reinvigorate you and opens up conversations that can lead to even more opportunities.” From her first job in a kindergarten classroom to training the next generation of teachers at UCM, Snider has been a Missouri educator and leader for more than 30 years. As of July 1, Snider is the associate dean of the College of Education. Snider has served on numerous committees and task forces through UCM, Head Start and the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), earning a reputation as someone who can turn talk into action. After many MARC committee discussions about workforce development, Snider recognized the need for a new program. She collaborated with Ann McCoy, Ph.D., former dean of the College of Education and current vice provost for Academic Programs, and Natalie Tye, Ph.D., associate professor of Early Childhood and Elementary Education, to develop the model for UCM’s Early Childhood Education certificate program. It has since become one of the options within the Grow Your Own program. “This initiative includes stackable certificates that encourage students who work full-time, are non-traditional or face barriers to education,” Tye said. “Dr. Snider provides instruction through evening Zoom meetings to accommodate working students and supports them with motivation, course design and partnerships that secure scholarships and reduced tuition. She collaborates with faculty across campus with varying backgrounds to support students with diverse challenges in obtaining their education.” Snider has helped lead multiple research projects and program evaluations with MARC Head Start that demonstrated the effectiveness of the Project Approach, a fundamental curriculum component for MARC Head Start. She teaches the Project Approach at UCM and co-created the Project Approach Interest Forum through the National Association for the Education of Young Children. “I have a lot of passions in early childhood and teacher education, and strive to support children to get the most out of learning and teachers to get the most out of teaching,” Snider said. Snider’s nomination highlights numerous other contributions to early childhood education, such as:
The award application required nominators to describe three traits that stand out about the candidate. MARC Head Start Program Director Kasey Lawson chose passionate, innovative and collaborative when writing about Snider. “Karrie is dedicated to promoting developmentally appropriate and effective practices with young children,” Lawson wrote. “In her career, she has served as a teacher, administrator, practicum student supervisor, professor, researcher, consultant, presenter, author, editor, as well as president of the Missouri Association for the Education of Young Children. In each of these roles, she has worked tremendously hard to promote meaningful teaching and learning. She is accountable, thorough, and consistent in developing high-quality products and initiatives.” McCoy said that Snider is focused on removing barriers to education for both children and adults. Through her work with Head Start and UCM’s certificate program, Snider has made education more accessible and opened doors to new opportunities. “Karrie is inspiring. She works tirelessly and is passionate about early childhood education and improving educational outcomes for children,” McCoy said. “She encourages others around her to think deeply, remain open to new ideas, and to consistently keep our students – and their future students – at the forefront of all we do.”  Karrie Snider, Ph.D., associate professor of Early Childhood Education, left, accepts the 2025 Missouri Head Start Children’s Champion Award from Tina Bernskoetter, Director-Executive Services of the Missouri Head Start Association. Photo credit: UCM
The Mid-America Regional Council (MARC) Board of Directors adopted an update to Connected KC 2050, the region’s long-range transportation plan, at its June 24 meeting. The plan outlines strategies for managing and improving the Kansas City region’s transportation system over the next 25 years. The two-year planning process included collaboration with federal and state transportation departments, public transit providers, local governments and community organizations. The updated plan introduces a new housing goal, strategies for housing coordination and digital connectivity, and revised forecasts for regional growth through 2050. It also identifies challenges the region will need to address, including identifying new resources to strengthen the public transportation services that support important economic and environmental goals. The full plan is available at ConnectedKC.org. “This plan update reflects the input of communities across the region and helps ensure that future investments align with local priorities and regional goals,” said Commissioner Janeé Hanzlick, MARC Chair. “It embodies the values of our communities and the need for a safer, prosperous and more connected future.” As the federally designated metropolitan planning organization for the Kansas City region, MARC is responsible for developing and maintaining a long-range transportation plan to guide federal investments across a 30-year horizon.  Join MDC for in-person or virtual class on milkweed and monarch butterflies July 19 in Blue Springs7/10/2025 by Erin Woodiel, Missouri Department of Conservation Monarch butterflies are an important species to our state, and they depend on milkweed. Join the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) for a course about the relationship between milkweed and monarchs from 10-11 a.m. on Saturday, July 19, at Burr Oak Woods Conservation Nature Center in Blue Springs. Participation in this program may be done in-person or virtually. This course is intended for ages 18 and older, and registration is required. To register for the in-person course, visit https://mdc-event-web.s3licensing.com/Event/EventDetails/208711. To register for the virtual course, visit https://mdc-event-web.s3licensing.com/Event/EventDetails/208712. A link to the webcast will be sent to registered participants prior to the program. MDC staff will discuss the 13 native species of milkweed found in Missouri, as well as how to grow them at home to help monarch butterflies. Missouri Governor signs bipartisan education legislation into lawby Annelise Hanshaw, Missouri Independent There could be more retired teachers returning as substitutes and more home-schooled students will be able to participate in sports and other school activities, thanks to a stack of bipartisan education bills signed Wednesday by Gov. Mike Kehoe. Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe signed 13 bills Wednesday, including numerous education provisions passed in a handful of bipartisan bills. Several more bill signings are planned before all work on legislation from the 2025 session hits a Monday deadline. State lawmakers this year debated a number of controversial proposals, like opening up school district enrollment boundaries or allowing for alternative methods of school accreditation. But the majority of education legislation that made it to the governor was widely supported on both sides of the aisle. “From implementing distraction-free classrooms to expanding school safety efforts, the legislation signed into law this afternoon impacts both K-12 students and Missourians pursuing higher and career technical education,” Kehoe said in a news release. Here are some of the provisions Kehoe signed into law: Encouraging retired educators to substitute teachRetired teachers may continue to fill in as substitutes on a part-time or temporary basis until 2030 without losing their benefit from the Public School Retirement System. The legislation is an extension of a 2022 law that was due to sunset this year. Three years ago, lawmakers saw a need to bring retirees into classrooms as COVID-19 reduced the teacher workforce and put a 2025 expiration on the provision. But the need for substitutes still exists. In the 2023-24 school year, 4,500 retired educators served as substitutes, according to data from the Public School and Education Employee Retirement Systems of Missouri. State Rep. Ed Lewis, a Moberly Republican and House Education Committee chair, told The Independent last month that the law helps keep trained teachers in front of students. “There would be open positions that would not get filled around the state (if the provision didn’t pass),” he said. “Many of them we would have completely unqualified people in those positions, when you have perfectly qualified people who might be a little bit older but have tons of experience.” This legislation applies to part-time and temporary substitutes. A different statute allows a handful of retirees to work full-time. Since 2003, retired teachers have been able to return full-time for two years, which lawmakers increased to four years in 2023. Cell phone limitationsSchool districts will be required to establish policies for the upcoming school year that restrict cell-phone usage during the school day with few exceptions. Students with a disability that requires use of a mobile device are exempted, and cell phones are allowed during safety emergencies. Otherwise, including during lunch and between classes, students will be expected to keep their cell phones stowed unless told otherwise by a teacher. Roughly 53% of school leaders believe that cell-phone usage has hurt students’ learning abilities and 72% say it has negatively impacted mental health, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. A St. Louis University/YouGov poll earlier this year found 76% of Missourians favor restrictions for elementary students, 75% for middle school and 70% for high school. State Rep. Kathy Steinhoff, a Democrat from Columbia, filed the bill this session with a proposal only to ban cell phone use during instructional time. Lawmakers ultimately passed a more restrictive policy, and Steinhoff believes kids will benefit. “The statistics really do hold that if we do the (full day), bell to bell,” Steinhoff told The Independent in May. “That’s going to have the biggest turnaround.” GET THE MORNING HEADLINES.
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Homeschoolers in extracurricular activitiesHome-educated students will be able to join public schools’ extracurricular activities in the upcoming school year. The legislation, proposed for over a decade in Missouri, will require public schools to allow homeschooled students to try out for sports teams and join clubs beginning in August. Previously, the Missouri State High School Activities Association allowed homeschoolers to join public-school teams if they were enrolled in two classes at the school. Districts could have more restrictive policies, with many denying access to those who weren’t publicly educated full-time. For years, families with young athletes and performers have testified at the State Capitol for access to extracurricular activities. Some lawmakers worried about homeschooled students having separate academic and attendance standards, saying their participation could be unfair. But ultimately, it passed the Senate 30-3 and the House 94-44. School chaplainsA new law will allow school districts to hire chaplains or accept them as volunteers. The bill was not as widely accepted as some other education provisions passed this year and drew criticism from lawmakers who worry chaplains would use the opportunity to evangelize students instead of comforting those who already share their faith. The bill’s sponsor state Sen. Rusty Black, a Chillicothe Republican and former educator, said he filed the bill to help students’ and teachers’ wellbeing. “Allowing a school district to employ or have a chaplain as a volunteer would benefit students and faculty who are struggling mentally and spiritually,” he said in the Senate’s discussion of the legislation in February. During the bill’s hearing in the Senate Education Committee, a minister with the Satanic Temple of Missouri Virgil Ovid said he would welcome the opportunity to become a school chaplain. Lawmakers then added language that would limit chaplains to those that are members “of a Department of Defense listed religious-endorsing organization recognized by the Armed Forces Chaplains Board,” which excludes satanic ministers. CROWN ActLegislation also signed Wednesday will ban hair discrimination in educational settings. Dubbed the “CROWN Act,” which stands for Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair, the law is part of a national movement to protect textured hair. The cities of St. Louis and Kansas City have protections for natural hair textures, and at least 27 states have enshrined the CROWN Act. The bill’s sponsor state Sen. Barbara Washington, a Democrat from Kansas City, told the Senate in May that she has seen people treat her and loved ones differently based on hair texture. She hopes students can be free from the pressure to change their hair and should not lose out on opportunities “simply because they chose to wear their hair in braids or an afro or dreadlocks.” The legislation bars educational institutions receiving state funds from placing restrictions on natural styles “commonly associated with a particular race or origin.” Safety measures, like requiring hair nets, are permitted. Missouri State University may offer PhD programsLawmakers chipped away at the University of Missouri System’s exclusive rights to certain degrees, opening the doors for Missouri State University to offer doctoral degrees. State law has historically limited certain degree programs in public universities, giving the University of Missouri System dominance over PhD programs and research doctorates. But the changes will let Missouri State offer doctorate of philosophy degrees in subjects other than engineering. “This legislation marks a significant milestone for Missouri State University,” Missouri State President Richard B. Williams said in a May press release. “The ability to independently offer doctoral programs will help us better meet regional workforce needs across southwest Missouri and the state.” Career-technical education scholarshipsMissouri high school graduates will be able to attend career-tech programs using a grant mirrored after the state’s A+ Program beginning in the 2026-27 school year. Legislation sponsored by state Rep. Ann Kelley, a Republican from Lamar, will use state funds to help students pursue careers in fields like agriculture, nursing, cosmetology and other areas with career-certificate programs. “This will increase (the workforce) astronomically,” Kelley told The Independent. “And it’s great for the kids who are in those career-tech programs. It gives them another avenue to make themselves better.” To qualify, students will need to graduate high school with at least a 2.5 GPA, at least 95% attendance rate, 50 hours of unpaid tutoring and achieve proficiency in the Algebra I end-of-course exam. Students with high school career-tech certificates will also be eligible. Universally transferable associate’s degreesState-funded colleges will expand the number of courses universally transferable in Missouri with a charge from lawmakers to collaborate on five 60-credit-hour degree programs. Since the 2018-19 school year, students have been able to transfer 42 credit hours between community colleges and universities that receive state funding. The new law will add 18 more transferable credit hours in the programs of business, biology, elementary education, psychology and nursing. Community colleges spoke in favor of the legislation in a House hearing, while representatives from four-year institutions said they hoped existing articulation agreements could stand. Colleges must have the degree programs negotiated and ready by the 2028-29 school year. “If you go to a community college in southeast Missouri and you transfer to a four year school in northwest Missouri, we want it to be a seamless transition across the state,” the bill’s sponsor, Republican state Rep. Cameron Parker of Campbell, told The Independent. “So if you go to any community college, you will know what any of the four-year schools are going to take.” YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE.
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Missouri Independent is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Missouri Independent maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Jason Hancock for questions: [email protected]. 
The Jackson County Legislature voted Monday 8-0 to schedule a special election following the successful certification of more than 42,900 valid signatures seeking to recall County Executive Frank White, Jr. In a release in advance of the vote, White called the effort "political theater" and stated the effort was retaliatory over the failed stadium tax campaign. “This recall effort is being funded, staffed and driven by many of the same political forces that backed the failed stadium tax campaign. After spending upwards of $10 million trying to convince voters to approve a blank check for new stadiums – and losing – they’ve now turned their attention to forcing a costly recall election. Much of the funding for this recall has come through a dark money political action committee that shields the identities of its donors from public view. That PAC has paid out-of-state contractors to gather signatures, making this anything but a grassroots effort," White said. In a release following the vote, Chairman DaRon McGee said, "We’ve heard from many residents—retirees, small business owners, families—who are facing real financial pressure and uncertainty. This petition reflects that a significant number of people felt compelled to act, and as public servants, it’s our job to honor that." "Our responsibility is to carry out this process with fairness, transparency, and integrity. We are not here to prejudge the outcome or take sides. We are here to ensure that the rule of law is followed and that voters have confidence in how this process unfolds." The special election will be held on Tuesday, August 26, 2025.  Four individuals were arrested the evening of July 4th in the 400 block of Woodbury. Officers responded to complaints of fireworks being discharged after the 11:00pm cutoff in the area of Woodbury. Officers had already advised residents in the 400 block of Woodbury to stop, but a subsequent violation was observed.
Reached for comment, the Grain Valley Police Department (GVPD) reported that when officers contacted the individuals involved, they became argumentative and disorderly. During the attempted arrest, GVPD stated officers were met with resistance and interference from family members and neighbors. A call for assistance was made, and officers from multiple agencies—including the Jackson County Sheriff's Office, Missouri State Highway Patrol, and the Buckner, Oak Grove, and Blue Springs Police Departments—responded. Social media posts by one individual claiming to be one of the individuals arrested indicated she was tased as officers attempted to make the arrest. GVPD stated that force was used to safely effect arrests on three individuals who were actively resisting and intoxicated. A fourth individual was taken into custody by JCSO after attempting to assault a deputy. Four adults were arrested with at least nine city ordinance violations issued, including charges of disorderly conduct and resisting arrest. Seth Crawford shared the following drone footage taken over Grain Valley the evening of the 4th of July. Video credit: Seth Crawford
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