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by Michael Smith It all started when then Grain Valley girls soccer coach Tyler Nichol reached out to one of his former players. Two-time all-state selection Blake Desselle was asked to talk to the Grain Valley girls soccer team when it made it to the Class 3 final four last season. Afterall, Desselle has been there before. Desselle was a part of the first Eagles boys team to make it to the state final four during his senior season in 2015. He led the team to a 20-7-1 record and a third-place finish. Now he’s going to try and help the Eagles in a different way. Two weeks ago, first-year head coach Brett Lewis contacted Desselle to be an assistant coach for the girls team. The William Jewell graduate didn’t hesitate to say yes and is now on the sidelines. This is the first coaching job for Desselle, but he has plenty of experience with soccer. After playing for the Eagles, he spent one season with Rockhurst University before transferring to William Jewell College, where he played his final three seasons. “I have always wanted to coach,” Desselle said. “It was just the right timing. Brett called me two weeks ago and asked if I wanted to be an assistant and I was 100 percent ready to do it. I am super excited to join the team.” And Lewis is excited to add Desselle to the staff. “Blake and I have been really close over the past few years,” Lewis said. “I have kept in contact with him. He has played on my men’s indoor soccer league team with me and we both went to Jewell. He’s a good coach and he knows the game pretty well." Desselle also knows many of the players on the girls soccer team as he is a head sports performance coach at EXOS Physical Therapy and Sports Performance in Grain Valley. A few players go there to train with Desselle. “I liked the fact that he was already comfortable around these girls,” Lewis said. “He’s in the community and is an alumni. There are a lot of positives for bringing him in.” He said he’s learning about coaching under Lewis and has enjoyed his time as an assistant thus far. “I have been helping Lewis with some training stuff,” Desselle said. “I am working with a lot of young kids which is awesome. That sophomore class with Emma Thiessen is super fun to watch.” And he hopes to help the Eagles replicate the success they had last season. “We have the talent and the right mindset to get there,” Desselle said of Grain Valley’s goal to make it back to the final four. Blake Desselle has joined the Eagles as assistant coach. Photo credit: Michael Smith
by Michael Smith After his team’s preseason jamboree, Grain Valley girls soccer coach Brett Lewis reminded his team that they have a target on its back. That’s because the Eagles made it to the Class 3 state championship game last season before falling to Fort Zumwalt South. They graduated two all-state players in Reana Childers and Sophie Broockerd, but retain multiple players from last year’s Class 3 state runner-up and still have plenty of firepower for the 2022 season. That was evident in Monday’s preseason jamboree as the Eagles played a total of 75 minutes of soccer against Oak Grove and William Chrisman. In 40 minutes, Grain Valley defeated the Bears 4-0 and tied Oak Grove 1-1. Throughout the jamboree, the Eagles controlled possession against both teams. They looked like a team that could make some noise once again in 2022. And they are going to try and do that with mostly freshman and sophomores. “We are a younger team, we only have two seniors,” Lewis said. “Our whole score is freshmen and sophomores." “We stayed on our attacking half the majority of the time. It’s always what we aim for. We just have to work on breaking teams down in the final third of the field. A lot of teams will try to sit in on us and try to get the ball to one of their fast forwards on a counter attack. We have to learn how to deal with it when other teams back it in and put nine girls behind the ball.” One of the players who should be able to help with that is returning all-state sophomore Emma Thiessen, who will play the striker position for Grain Valley. Against Chrisman, she scored two goals against Chrisman. Helping her up front will be returning all-stater Annabelle Totta, who is slated to play on the left wing up top. Junior Kylie Barnett, who scored one goal against Chrisman and one against Oak Grove, figures to contribute some goals this season. Senior Rian Handy and sophomore Kylee Bragaw are other players who could help the Eagles with scoring goals. “We have lots of girls who can score,” Lewis said. “My guess is we will have a very spread out scoring sheet. I know some teams will focus on Emma and stopping her and that will open up opportunities for others.” Grain Valley also has a talented freshman class that has Thiessen and Lewis excited. “A lot of our freshmen stepped up today,” Thiessen said. “We have tons of good pieces here and we just have to figure out how to put them all together." “Our freshmen Ally Gilbert and Mia Cole played amazing. This was a good event to get the nerves out for our freshman and give them an idea on what it’s like to play. I know those freshmen have been playing for a long time and they will contribute a ton.” Cole is a newcomer that could make a huge impact for the Eagles. Lewis said she played some high-level club soccer in the past and is a versatile player who can play any position on the field. She scored an unassisted goal against Chrisman where she blasted a shot inside the left post from the top of the penalty box. “Mia has played at a high level already and she’s stepped right in and we feel like we can put Mia in lots of places on the field,” Lewis said. “She’ll help us at any place we put her.” The defense for the Eagles will be led by senior Lexi Arreguin, who plays at the center back position and Camihle Williams returns as the starting goalkeeper. Sevreign Aumua, Sophia Giuliano and Lexi Nicholson will also see time on the back line. “Lexi is a stud back there,” Lewis said. “She is a leader.” Grain Valley’s season-opener will be against Pleasant Hill in the Platte County Tournament on March 19. Grain Valley junior Kylie Barnett looks for an open teammate along the sideline. Photo credit: Michael Smith Grain Valley sophomore Annabelle Totta dribbles while being guarded by two Oak Grove defenders. Photo credit: Michael Smith Freshman Mia Cole, right, scored a goal against William Chrisman in the Eagles preseason jamboree. Photo credit: Michael Smith
On Saturday, March 12th, officers were called to Lofts at Old Towne in Grain Valley. The investigation is still ongoing; however, initial information indicates there was a disturbance that resulted in shots being fired into the air.
There have been no reports of personal injury or property damage at this time. Reached for comment on March 16th, the City reported there were no new developments and the investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information regarding this incident are asked to call 816-847-6250. by Marcia Napier, Grain Valley Historical Society Over the past few weeks, I have written about several “home grown” teachers who began, and in some cases ended their careers in Grain Valley. But I find it interesting that many fine teachers and administrators have come to Grain Valley and made it home; Barbara Murry, Mary Harper, Kay Bult, Donna Compton, Tom Hightower, David Hackett, and Carl Heuman, just to name a few. This week I would like to share with you some information about Carl Heuman, Superintendent from September 1948 until May 1952. The oldest of four children, Carl was born on August 25, 1912. His parents were Katherina (Jannick) and John Henry Heuman of in Blackwater, Missouri. He grew up in rural Cooper and Saline County, Missouri. Carl attended college at Missouri Valley College in Marshall where he studied mathematics and science. He later studied at the University of Missouri, Columbia. On May 24, 1938, he married Ethel Fenwick, also from rural Saline County. When Carl registered for the Draft on October 16, 1940, he was employed by the Gilliam School Board. (Gilliam is a VERY small-town northeast of Slater, Missouri on MO. Highway 240). He also taught in Levasy and Blackburn before coming to Grain Valley in 1948. He was superintendent here from for only four years; fall of 1948 until May 1952. Mr. Heuman’s career was cut short when he was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, the disease he succumbed to in 1968. He and Ethel shared a home on the south side of Walnut Street, a few houses west of Capelle. Although he retired in 1952, he stayed active in our community until his death. He was a Mason, a past Grant Patron in the Order of Eastern Star, an active member of the Grain Valley Methodist Church, a charter member of Lions’ International, and president of the Jackson County Teacher’s Association. His wife Ethel was a teller at the Bank of Grain Valley for 19 years, from 1957 until 1976. The 1951 Treasure Chest yearbook was dedicated to Mr. Heuman. Visit the Grain Valley Historical Society to see school yearbooks, newspapers, and personal papers from Mr. Heuman’s years as Superintendent of Schools at Grain Valley. Photograph from the 1951 Treasure Chest yearbook dedicated to Mr. Heuman. Photo credit: Grain Valley Historical Society Photograph from the 1950 Treasure Chest yearbook. Mrs. Ethel Heuman was the school secretary. Photo credit: Grain Valley Historical Society
The City of Grain Valley will host a police station open house and tour on Wednesday, March 30th from 5:00pm - 7:00pm, 711 Main Street, to provide additional information on the April ballot issue to build a new station. Citizens will be able to ask questions of staff and tour current facilities.
Children are welcome, and the event is come and go as you please. A virtual tour of the current station is available at the following link for those who cannot attend: bit.ly/37CgFGB. The Board of Aldermen met March 14th for a brief meeting to approve several housekeeping items, including the approval of a resolution authorizing the City Administrator to collect $82,534 in annual funding from Jackson County's COMBAT tax (anti-drug program).
The Board also approved resolutions to purchase a skid steer for maintenance purposes, and the replacement of an air handling unit to cool the south side of the City Hall building. Resolutions approving the purchase of two mobile license plate readers and body worn cameras for police officers were also approved as a part of items to be purchased with CARES Act funding. The next regularly scheduled board meeting will be Monday, March 28th at 7:00pm at City Hall. Jackson County will receive approximately $13 million as part of a historic, nationwide opioid settlement with Johnson & Johnson and major opioid distributors. The county filed a civil lawsuit in 2018 against the nation’s leading pharmaceutical companies for their deliberate and deceptive marketing strategies of opioid painkillers, resulting in high overdose and fatality rates throughout Jackson County.
The case was managed by a team of attorneys from the firms of Williams Dirks Dameron LLC, Simmons Hanley Conroy LLC, Hardwick Law Firm LLC and Boulware Law LLC, under the direction of the Jackson County Counselor’s Office. “While the settlement funds will provide us with the opportunity to make real improvements in Jackson County, it is important to remember that these dollars will never come close to repairing the harm done by opioid addiction in our communities,” Jackson County Executive Frank White, Jr. said. “No amount of money will turn back time and fix all the lives that have been irrevocably damaged, all the families that have been broken, nor will it bring back any of the loved ones lost due to a crisis born from the greed of pharmaceutical companies. I am committed to making sure that these dollars are used to repair as much of the damage as we can, while also ensuring that we reduce the pain that continues to happen in Jackson County because of opioid addiction.” White has requested that the Jackson County Health Department begin planning for the use of the funds, which under the settlement agreement, will be used to assist with prevention and treatment programs related to the opioid crisis. Possible plans include coordinating with the CORE4 jurisdictions as the County looks for opportunities to maximize opioid education and support to the community. “We acknowledge that this settlement will not atone for the immense suffering, loss, and interpersonal harm experienced by many as a result of systemic failures and greed,” Interim Jackson County Health Director Ray Dlugolecki said. “The Health Department will work collaboratively with partners and those harmed by this crisis to identify an equitable and strategic investment of these dollars to help save lives, reduce harm, and build capacity for controlling this public health crisis.” Settlement funds will be paid over a term of 18 years, with initial payments occurring as early as April 2022. Jackson County’s $13 million allocation is part of a nationwide settlement valued at approximately $26 billion. by Denise Sullivan, Nutrition & Health Education Specialist, MU Extension-Jackson County This month’s spotlight is on another vegetable that many of us reach for all year ‘round for its continuous availability. It is a staple item on vegetable trays, adds a distinctive crunch to salads, and is a common sauté item in the beginning of many soup recipes. It’s also one of my favorite quick snacks to dip in some peanut butter. By now you have probably guessed that I am talking about celery.
Celery is a member of the Umbelliferae family that grew wild in the Mediterranean region thousands of years ago, and was mentioned in Chinese writings as early as 5 AD. The wild form of celery, also known as smallage, was initially used as medicine, though gained popularity as a food source in the 16th century in northern Europe. A popular variety in Asia is leaf celery, which has tender stems that are somewhat reminiscent of wild celery. It wasn’t until the 18th century that celery was refined and cultivated to resemble the vegetable that we recognize today. Pascal is the most common variety with the tight, straight, sturdy bunches that children like to fill with peanut butter. Celeriac, or celery root, is another variety that is grown for both the stalks and the bulbous root that resembles a turnip. Celery leaves have a stronger flavor than the stalk and are often dried, which intensifies the flavor. Celery seeds are also used for their flavoring capability alone and ground with salt as celery salt. One celery seed is about the size of the period and the end of this sentence, and one ounce of celery seeds can grow one acre of celery, producing 32,000 to 42,000 celery plants. In the US, most celery is grown in California, Florida and, ironically, Michigan where it made it’s debut in the early 1800’s. Widely recognized as one of the healthiest snacks available, celery is a great source of fiber, which is especially impressive given the vegetable's low-calorie count. This makes it a great choice for those concerned with losing weight or maintaining healthy digestion. Celery is a rich source of vitamins A, C, and K, as well as folate and potassium. Celery is also rich in antioxidants such as lunularin, bergapten, and phthalides, which aid in blood pressure regulation and the prevention of heart disease. When shopping, choose celery with firm stalks with bright green leaves that have a fresh aroma. Celery will keep up to two weeks wrapped in plastic in the crisper drawer. While firm, crispy celery is most desired for crudité and salads, if it starts to get limp, it can still be used in cooked dishes, or even chopped and frozen for later use. The salad recipe below is a tasty combination of colors, textures, and flavors. Apple and Celery Salad (Makes 8 servings) 2 cups chopped apples (about 4 medium) 1 cup chopped celery ½ cup raisins ½ cup chopped walnuts ¼ cup vanilla yogurt 2 Tablespoons orange juice ½ teaspoon cinnamon
Nutrition information: Calories: 110, Total Fat: 1.5g, Saturated Fat: 0g, Sodium: 17mg, Carbohydrates: 24g, Fiber: 3.5g, Protein: 1.5g Recipe adapted from MyPlate Kitchen, analyzed by verywellfit.com Denise Sullivan is a Nutrition and Health Education Specialist for MU Extension in the Urban West Region, serving Jackson and Platte Counties. MU Extension is a partnership of the University of Missouri campuses, Lincoln University, the people of Missouri through county extension councils, and the National Institute for Food and Agriculture of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Visit our website at: https://extension.missouri.edu/counties/urban-west-region Adding an extra serving of vegetables to your weekly menu may have been a New Year’s resolution – but have you maintained it? During March, National Nutrition Month, Hy-Vee registered dietitians have the solution with their Pick of the Month: Veggies Made Great!
Conveniently found in the freezer section of your local Hy-Vee, Veggies Made Great make it easy to sneak in an extra serving of vegetables without the washing, chopping and preparing typically associated with getting in your recommended daily servings. Whether you love veggies – or don’t love them yet – there is an array of products for everyone to make eating your veggies easy and delicious! Wondering why you should try Veggies Made Great? Check out your Hy-Vee dietitians’ top reasons to add this product line to your shopping cart the next time you’re at Hy-Vee:
Start at breakfast where in 45 seconds you can enjoy a Spinach Egg White Frittata that packs in 5g of protein. Simply pair with a piece of fruit and a single-serve container of milk or yogurt for a balanced on-the-go breakfast. Indulge in a sweet treat with Double Chocolate Muffins. You’ll never taste the first two ingredients – zucchini and carrots! Plus, this rich chocolate muffin contains 4g of protein and 1g of fiber, making it a great way to round out your meal and satisfy your sweet tooth. For more ways to add veggies into your routine this National Nutrition Month, reach out to your Hy-Vee registered dietitian. This information is not intended as medical advice. Please consult a medical professional for individual advice. When the annual “What Will People Paint Next?” committee met a couple of years back, they probably never thought that front doors would be the comeback recipient of the year.
A splashy turquoise, a sunny yellow, a leprechaun beard orange, and a patent leather black have all taken up residence on front doors in my neighborhood, and I love the rainbows I am seeing on my walks. I don’t have the guts to paint our current front door (or a husband with any inclination to add color to anything), but I love the bold artists who do. In a former life, about a decade and some change ago, I cajoled the old man into letting me have a red door. Our old tan house needed a splash of color, and with no shutters on the windows, our options were limited. We brought home color splotches and dabbed away until we landed on a cross between a brick and a barn red. Pinterest was just getting started, so there were not 6,438 door painting tutorials, but the nice salesperson gave us a few pointers, and I prepped and painted a gorgeous entryway to our home. I can remember driving up to the house the first few times after we finished it and still being surprised and pleased at the look of it, and it was a talking point for the walkers in the cul-de-sac. A couple of them paused one day as I was pulling into the driveway, and I was ready with the name of the paint color, just in case they wanted to become our twin. “Congratulations on paying off your house!” one of them said. Certainly not the comment I had anticipated, I was taken off guard. My confused look encouraged an explanation. “That’s when you paint a door red, when you have paid off your mortgage,” she gushed. Well, we had not paid off our mortgage, having just moved in. “ I told her it was for the blood of Christ,” her friend said. We do love Jesus, but truly, we had just wanted some color. I managed not to answer either of them, so I am guessing they combined their two guesses and believed we used Dave Ramsey’s envelope system to quickly pay off our debt. The recent advent of door painting had me doing a little research, and I have found there is some symbolism behind the colors, whether folks know it or not. An orange door might mean you are vibrant and exciting, that you have a zest for life…or that your kids are currently obsessed with traffic cones like my nephew once was, and this is the best way to lure them home. Green doors are indications of life, health, and community. They may also be indicators that kale and Brussel sprouts are welcome at a pot luck there. Dependent on the shade of blue, your door might be saying you are wealthy (why isn’t this the green one?), calm and grounded, or friendly and sincere. In Kansas City, it might just mean that you love my favorite Royals player, Salvador Perez. Keeping a door white might indicate cleanliness. I wonder if painting it white would automatically keep my house clean? Might be worth a try. My friend maintains that whatever color paint was on sale might become popular because materials are so expensive homeowners have to save somewhere. My theory is a little bit more ugly. I am picturing a husband and wife duo at the local home improvement store on a Saturday. She knows he wants to be home in time for the big televised contest between local rivals, and she is playing the long game for a door color. She stretches out her selection time until she knows that he will have to say yes to one of her last three options, all various shades of pink, to give them enough time to get the paint mixed and shaken and still make kickoff. I mean otherwise, how does a geranium colored front door get past any self-respecting man’s discretion? Realtors have whole blogs about what perspective buyers might be thinking when they are looking at your front door and seeing purple or moss green or brown or grey. And mostly those blogs end with the phrase, “Be prepared to re-paint your door, as color choices are very personal.” Go figure. Therapists have begun recommending painting doors certain colors to help folks manage feelings or send messages to those around them. I cannot afford to repaint each time I have a mood swing or a shift in feeling, so I am currently using wreaths to let people know I am feeling Christmasey, or Eastery, or Chiefsy. When I am “hangry” I display the Venus Fly Trap wreath with some baby’s breath to soften the appearance a bit. According to a national magazine, home owners associations are scrambling to adjust by-laws to include some door references, saying the number three complaint (behind neighbors not cleaning up after mowing and unsightly sheds) is neighbors who painted their front door a color that didn’t appeal to Ned and Nancy next door. I may have to paint my door a new color to display my shock that the number one complaint about neighbors is not about picking up your own pet’s waste. I guess I might have time to paint a door after I clear my yard of giant piles of poop my tiny 9 pound dog didn’t leave. But I digress. Besides just the color, there’s lots of other symbolism associated with doors—new possibilities and thresholds, closing doors on old chapters, transitions. And all kinds of phrases reference doors: “When one door closes, another opens”, “We have an open door policy”, and “Check your ego at the door.” My favorite of the door phrases is, “Shut the front door!” which can indicate everything from awe about a new idea, to you don’t know what you are talking about, to your grandpa letting you know you are letting the air conditioning out. I wonder about that first fella’ who rolled a boulder in front of the opening to his cave or put a flap on his tee pee or upped his game and added the rectangular swinging door to his log cabin to keep out the coyotes (which might still come in handy around here), and if he knew all that would come from doors. I am guessing he could not have anticipated the joy a friend’s special donut delivery brings on a Saturday morning, or the nervous anticipation of a young person waiting for their special date to answer the door, the life-saving supplies those stuck at home get every day via door deliveries, or the pleasant or un-nerving sound of doorbell chimes. No way he thought about cameras capturing everything from blowing leaves to intruders outside those doors, the porchlight flicking on and off outside the door while an anxious parent signals an approaching curfew, or a special pet waiting at the door for a special owner’s arrival home. He could never have anticipated the panic that would ensue during COVID times, when a knock on the door was a shock, because who could be coming to see us? What is this unrequested contact with the outside world? I don’t need to make plans to visit an art gallery this spring. I can just take a walk around the neighborhood to see what new colors and decorations my neighbors have added to their doors for my inspiration. I am looking forward to it. |
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