Grain Valley was in for a fight.
     Six games into the Suburban White Conference schedule, the Eagles were seriously challenged for the first time in Thursday’s game against Fort Osage.
     In the first matchup with the Indians, Grain Valley cruised to a 4-0 victory. The second game was a dog fight as both teams went into halftime deadlocked at 1-1.
     Grain Valley took a 2-1 lead after a goal in the 58th minute, but about 9 minutes later, Fort Osage threatened to tie the game again.
     Senior Emma Le was fouled by Grain Valley in the penalty box as she was awarded a penalty kick. The Fort senior tried to fake out Eagles goalkeeper Camihle Williams, but the junior made a sliding kick save and saved the ensuing rebound attempt by Le.
     That ended up being the turning point in Grain Valley’s 4-1 victory at Fort Osage High School.
     “We could have made it 2-2 and the game flipped on its head after that moment,” Indians head coach Michael Brown said. “They punished us after that.”
     Williams said she knew exactly where to be on the penalty kick.
     “I knew she was going to fake like she was going right the whole time,” Williams said. “I didn’t fall for it. I knew she was going to aim for the middle. It takes a few years to get used to anticipating fakes, but I can spot it most of the time.”
     Grain Valley did make Fort Osage pay for not tying the game at that moment. That was the last shot on goal by the Indians as sophomore Emma Thiessen scored after chasing down a loose ball in the penalty box in the 72nd minute; and sophomore Annabelle Totta made a penalty kick after being fouled in the box with a little more than 5 minutes left to seal it.
    While the Eagles ended up winning by three goals, head coach Brett Lewis admitted the game was far from the best performance his team has had this season.
     “We had a hard time connecting on eight to 10 yard passes,” Lewis said. “We didn’t finish very well in the first half. We had a couple of opportunities we usually bury. If we make those, this game isn’t close.”
      But when it was close, Williams came up with two huge saves. She had four total in the second half and was given the game ball by Lewis after the game.
      “Camihle knows what she is going,” Lewis said. “She’s good at PKs and she prides herself on being able to stop them. She will admit it wasn’t her best game, but she made a big save and that gave us the momentum to score two more goals.”
     In the first half, sophomore Meghan Knust scored on a give-and-go play in which she got an assist from Thiessen. Fort Osage tied it late in the first half after senior Madison Smith scored on a corner kick.
     Knust broke the tie in the 58th minute with another give-and-go where Thiessen got another assist.
     “We definitely had a rough start,” Knust said. “We played a new position, which messed us up a little bit. We just power through it.”
     “The physicality frustrated us at first because we weren’t used to it, but we got used to it later.”
 
 
 

     Grain Valley Schools found itself at the center of a firestorm of controversy this week following an email to district parents and patrons on Monday, April 25th regarding a directive from the Board of Education for district teachers to remove “Safe Space for all” stickers and cards.
     The School Board met April 21st for its regularly scheduled board meeting, breaking to executive session to discuss seven actions, none of which indicate a topic to include a discussion of materials or signage in classrooms.
     According to Dr. Brad Welle, Deputy Superintendent of School and Community Services, at least one board member heard from one individual with a concern about the display of cards and stickers by some teachers at Grain Valley High School (GVHS), stating students could feel safe approaching them regarding personal LGBTQ questions. Following a discussion, the board directed administration to have the cards and stickers removed.
     Welle stated there was no vote, but was an “administrative decision made based on input by the board”.
     Welle could not enumerate the number of complaints, where they originated, who specifically received them, or the breakdown of which board members were in agreement with the directive.
     As the discussion was held in executive session, these details were not publicly available. Welle spoke to the general nature of discussions that happen in such sessions.
     “Typically what happens is all perspectives are discussed. The Board is typically interested in the implications of the decisions that are made,” Welle said.
     What became clear over the next 24 hours was that the implications of the decision played out in public, attracting regional attention from local radio and television stations, metro area politicians, and in heated debates on social media.
     Welle shared the following text of an email sent to GVHS staff from administration on Monday morning at approximately 9:00am which touched off the ensuing coverage:
 
     “Recently, we had a PD (professional development) session where we made available stickers for teachers to put up outside their rooms. Some were uncomfortable with how those stickers were rolled out and communicated. Therefore, I am asking teachers to take down the stickers from outside their room. Please come talk to me if you have questions or concerns.”
 
     According to three staff members who spoke with Valley News, the email was not well received. Several staff took to social media with messages of love and support for all students, and reiterating their classrooms were safe and welcoming spaces for all.
     According to one staff member who spoke with Valley News, “I had heard rumors that something was coming down, but I was disappointed to receive the email.”
     Once word got out regarding the directive sent on Monday morning to GVHS staff, the district issued a statement in the afternoon via email to district parents and patrons. The statement read:
     “The School Board recently received a concern about the display of cards and stickers by some high school teachers to signal students could feel safe approaching them regarding personal LGBTQ questions. The Board directed the administration to have the cards and stickers removed.
 
Our goal is for every classroom to be a safe place for all students, not just in classrooms where teachers choose to display a particular sign.
 
We remain committed to providing professional development to help our staff create a safe, collaborative, and inclusive environment, consistent with our core beliefs, where each student feels a sense of belonging. The use of these cards, however, is determined to not be an appropriate step at this time.”
 
     As the spotlight on the district continued from local television and print media as well as social media, the district sent the following follow-up email to district patrons on April 26th:
     “We appreciate the comments we have received since communicating the decision to remove safe place cards and stickers from high school classrooms. The feedback will help us be better.
 
An inclusive environment is essential, including for our student LGBTQ community. We recognize there is important work ahead of us to ensure an inclusive school environment.
 
In the upcoming weeks, we will host listening sessions for our community stakeholders, so our students, families, and staff have an opportunity for dialogue. School board members and the administration will participate. We will use this input to drive the action that will follow so that together we become the school district our community expects.”
 
     According to a staff member at the high school who spoke with Valley News, the stickers have been posted in several classrooms for longer than this school year. A supply of the “Safe Space for all” stickers were made available to staff during a professional development event in March, and several teachers put them up in their classrooms or on their doors.
     “I’ve had the sticker in my room since January. Other teachers have had similar stickers in their rooms for literally years,” another staff member shared.
     The topic of the professional development (PD) event was just one in a series centered around topics resulting from student satisfaction surveys that, according to one of the teachers who spoke with Valley News, “indicated the majority of our minority students did not feel safe”.
     “This has been a three-year process of PD blocks, and optional lunch and learn programs, with very specific topics on how to support students who fall into a number of minority categories, including gender, race, LGBTQ, and socioeconomic status. The focus has been to explore how we are not creating a space for them and gain knowledge on how to best support students so learning can take place.”
     The staff member praised the work of the school’s diversity committee. “I am very proud of the work of our diversity committee. They have been so thorough.”
     According to another staff member, the school also works with student focus groups to get their input.
     “It is a mixed bag of students: various grades, various backgrounds, various experiences. The goal is to make sure we are meeting the needs of all students.”
     Two staff members Valley News spoke with stated they had never heard a complaint or concern from a student, parent, or staff member regarding the cards and stickers before this week. Another staff member stated they had two follow up clarification conversations with teachers regarding topics covered in PD sessions, but “I believe it’s been proceeding very well culturally. There have been some real world events recently that stimulated good conversation as a whole.”
     One of the PD topics discussed at the March training where the cards and stickers in question were offered related to inappropriate and offensive language between students. Asked if language is an issue regularly, all staff members interviewed said yes.
      “Just today, I had to correct a student for calling another student a “n----". Another student called a student a “slut”, and another student called a fellow student a “pussy”, one staff member shared.
     “This is part of what our ongoing PD explores – helping students take accountability for the words that fly out of their mouth. Asking them to think about the word they just used and making sure they reflect and think about how their words impact others.”
     “Inappropriate language as a whole is a problem in education. This is nothing new with teens who are influenced by media and pop culture, and trying to fit in. What I think is different is awareness is up, and our ability to call out that behavior is probably more acceptable now. To me it is a positive thing about the culture we are trying to establish here,” one staff member stated.
     “People think that when they see ‘safe space’ as it relates to LGBTQ, that students are coming to teachers to talk about sex. That could not be further from the truth. They come to me to talk about specific instances where someone has used inappropriate language or bullying language or behavior and they know I will help them address the situation. Students must first feel they are loved and safe in a building before learning can take place.”
     “That is why professional development on how to address these issues is so important. This is no different than going through active shooter training, where I practice jumping in front of a bullet for my students. Safety is safety no matter what form it comes in.”
     “I will tell you that the stickers or signs have not impacted the climate or culture of the building or created a distraction to learning. What was a non-issue five days ago has taken an inclusive and loving culture that we have tried to build and now completely blowing it up, and during a week where we are trying to focus on end-of-course exams.”
     According to staff Valley News spoke with, very few if any of the teachers have removed the stickers per the board’s directive.
     When asked about the sticker on their door, one staff member said, “I can tell you one thing for sure. I will not be taking down my sticker.”
     Two of the staff members Valley News spoke with indicated they have had several conversations with students since the controversy erupted earlier this week, and many express concerns regarding their safety at school.
     “Several students have talked to me about their concerns. Many feel scared and unsafe.”
     Another staff member indicated the directive from the board has caused them to reconsider the profession and their future at Grain Valley.
     “It is getting harder to fight the good fight. We have the best administrative team at GVHS, and I do not want to give up on my kids. But it is getting harder.”
     “What I do know is the decision of seven individuals does not reflect the culture in the building or the majority of our community. I am a member of this community and a parent in this district. I love this community, and the decision that was made is not a reflection of the majority of our populace.”
     How those seven board members received and communicated complaints and the decision making behind the directive that followed remains out of reach in terms of public record.
     Grain Valley resident Dennis Ellsworth is executive director of the Missouri Sunshine Coalition, which promotes awareness of the state’s landmark law protecting the public’s access to the meetings, deliberations, and records of public governmental bodies. He said at times officials must be reminded of their responsibilities under the law; “knowing” or “purposeful” violations can result in civil fines.
     Absent new information, Ellsworth said, it seems clear the school board violated the Sunshine Law when it made the decision to prohibit teachers from posting LGBTQ “safe space” signs in their classrooms. He said the law makes no provision for such policy discussions and decisions to be made behind closed doors, and even if it did, the law would require prior notice of the impending discussion and action and a recorded roll call vote that would be made public.
     The school district said in an email to families that the board made its decision after receiving a complaint. Later news reporting established that the discussion occurred in a closed board meeting and that the directive was reached without a formal vote.
     “All of these things contribute to public mistrust, which is what the Sunshine Law seeks to combat,” Ellsworth said. “The public did not know this decision was coming and was not afforded an opportunity to be heard, or even to observe the discussion. No one in the public knows for sure who on the board might have opposed the decision.”
     “It would be best to start over with total transparency about how this became an issue in the first place. And by all means, the district needs to closely follow the requirements of the Sunshine Law.”

     Newly elected Mayor Mike Todd and aldermen Dale Arnold, Rick Knox, and Ryan Skinner took the oath of office during the April 25th Board of Aldermen meeting, but not before the current board recognized its outgoing members for their service.
     Mayor Pro Tem Shea Bass issued proclamations recognizing the service of Ward I Alderman Jayci Stratton, Ward III Alderman Bob Headley, who served the City for 16 years, and outgoing mayor Chuck Johnston. 
     Prior to the oath of office by Todd, Arnold, Knox, and Skinner, new GVPD officer Lisa Romano took the oath of office. Romano will serve as a school resource officer for South Middle School, Stony Point Elementary, and Sni-A-Bar Elementary.
     The new Board quickly went to work on a series of resolutions, approving the 2022-23 employee health, dental, and vision insurance plan elections and rates, and a resolution to establish procedures for public access to city facilities. The Board also approved the first reading of an ordinance that amends current Chapter 215 of the City's code of ordinances pertaining to nonconsensual pornography and public indecency, in an effort to protect the public from the dissemination of private sexual images.
     In other business, Police Chief James Beale noted the prescription drug take back and shredding event this Saturday, April 30th. The prescription drug take back event will be held from 10:00am - 2:00pm; the shredding event for Grain Valley residents will be held until 1:00pm. 
     The next meeting of the Board of Aldermen will be held May 9, 2022 at 7:00pm in Council Chambers at Grain Valley City Hall. 
     Following the April 25th meeting, Valley News spoke with outgoing mayor Chuck Johnston regarding his time in office and plans for the future.
     Looking back on his two years as mayor, Johnston pointed to the progress on promises made during his initial campaign.
     "When I ran for office in 2020, my campaign promises were to focus on road and curb maintenance, try to lower taxes, and to sell off some of the properties that had been bought in the past with no apparent purpose. When I took office in June of 2020, the previous administration had budgeted $350,000 (for road improvements) for each of the next three years '20, '21, and '22. For a total $1,050,000. Through my encouragement, the help of City staff, and cooperation of the Board of Aldermen, we were able to increase that to $3.2 million. Our roads are in terrible condition, and this went a long way in catching back up. On the tax side we did have the largest single reduction of $.15 in the history of Grain Valley. We have also been able to sell a lot from the property at Sni-A-Bar and Buckner Tarsney to Mid-Continent Public  Library, we have an offer on the Nichols Building, and there is some activity on the lots between Sodanos and the laundromat. So I was able to make very strong head way in to what I had promised. We were also able to get the proposal for the new Police Station passed in the April election. Something that is well overdue," Johnston said.
     After another contentious election cycle, Johnston was asked what has driven him to stay active in local elected service, and any advice he may have for those considering a run for office.
     "What has kept me going is wanting to make a difference in the future of our city. It is not true that public service isn't rewarding; maybe not in the ways most think but I do take pride in knowing that I've made a difference in the lives of the citizens I represent. Yes, at times it can be very frustrating, and no matter what you do you hear a lot more complaints than thank you's, but you have to remember the complainers are generally the most vocal. You have to remember if you go into politics, be a person of your word and your supporters will appreciate your efforts, but you will never make everyone happy. Just be true to yourself and your convictions - that is the best you can do."
     Johnston will continue his service to the community through Grain Valley's Santa Bus. 
     "I have been doing it for the past 26 years and I intend on doing it as long as I'm able. It keeps me busy throughout the year, either during the Christmas season or getting the toys and bus ready for the next year. I have never done anything as rewarding as seeing the kids that really believe they have met Santa."
     When asked if another run for office is in his future, Johnston was succinct.
     "I don't think you can get rid of me this easily. I've been at it a long time and I still see things I think need to be changed."

     Area high school students have organized a drive-in movie night featuring the classic family favorite, E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial, as part of Truman Heartland Community Foundation's (THCF) Youth Advisory Council's (YAC) fundraiser. The event will take place on Saturday, April 30, 2022, in the front parking lot of William Chrisman High School, located at 1223 N. Noland Road in Independence, Mo.
     Gates will open at 7:00 p.m. with the movie beginning at 8:00 p.m. Tickets can be purchased in advance on the THCF website via Eventbrite for $10.00 per person, plus fees, or at the gate for $15.00 per person. Funds raised will be directed to the YAC Endowment, which helps fund grants to youth-serving nonprofits in the community.
     This year's proceeds will increase the YAC Endowment to nearly $100,000, an incredible accomplishment for our philanthropists of the future. "One of the most important and gratifying aspects of the YAC program is the ability of these students to make choices on how to put their funding to use," Diana Castillo, Director of Grantmaking and Donor Services for THCF said.
     "As a collaborative team, they choose how they will use their funds to improve the lives of children and teens in their communities. It is a powerful and empowering experience that few high school students have the opportunity to experience." In 2021, YAC awarded $3,300 to three nonprofits serving Eastern Jackson County.
     This family-friendly drive-in event will include Humdingers' food truck with all the usual favorites and a popcorn & cotton candy stand. Tickets can be purchased at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/wheels-reels-yac-fundraiser-et-drive-in-movie-tickets-289561936547 or by calling the THCF office at (816) 836-8189. Some sponsorships are still available.
     About Youth Advisory Council (YAC): The Youth Advisory Council at Truman Heartland Community Foundation empowers area students to take an active leadership role in their communities, teaching them how to give back through fundraising, grantmaking, and volunteering. As the THCF "School of Philanthropy," YAC engages hundreds of student leaders annually, representing numerous area high schools. YAC members are committed to improving their communities and the lives of children and young people throughout our region.

     ​Dennis Patrick Costigan, from Ireland, married Martha Elizabeth Richardson O’Connell, a widow, in St. Louis in 1881. He came to Grain Valley around 1886 to work on the railroad. Soon after, his wife and their children joined him. The family included Alice, James and John T. O’Connell, children from her first marriage; and Charles, Patrick, Martha Katherine, and Michael Costigan.  Ellen, William and Maggie Mae were born after they came to Grain Valley.
     Joseph Patrick Costigan was born January 5, 1883 in St. Louis. On March 16, 1904 he married Mary Frances Taylor and they had seven children.  Two sons, Charlie and Harold, received agricultural degrees from the University of Missouri. After graduation, Harold joined the Army and was an unfortunate participant of the Bataan Death March during World War II. (September 8, 2019 article in The Valley News)
     Like his father, Patrick worked for the railroad, on a crew that repaired and replaced the Chicago & Alton tracks in western Missouri. The following article appeared on the Grain Valley News page of The Oak Grove Banner in April of 1921.
 
     Costigan May Recover
 
     “If Patrick J. Costigan of Grain Valley recovers from injuries received last Week, it will be a case of surgery which will find a place in the books. It seems now that Mr. Costigan will recover to a much greater extent than expected if not entirely.           
     Mr. Costigan is a railway worker at Grain Valley. He stepped to one side of the track to let a fast train pass when an iron pipe fell from the rapidly moving train and struck him in the side of the head. The skull was crushed and the brain protruded. He was brought to the Independence Sanitarium where a surgical operation was performed by the Doctors Twyman. A part of the skull was removed and a part raised so that it would no longer impinge on the brain.
     For some time Mr. Costigan could not talk but could read written messages. One side was paralyzed. Now he is beginning to recover his speech and can move the paralyzed arm a little and seems to be getting better every day. Mr. Costigan has a wife and six children.”

     He lived at home for some time after that, then in various institutions until his death in 1954. A seventh child, Dale, was born in 1923.  Dale’s son, also named Patrick Costigan is currently president of the Oak Grove Historical Society. I sure Pat can tell you  “the rest of the story.”

     ​Mid-Continent Public Library branches are giving away at-home COVID tests to customers who request one, while supplies last, courtesy of Samuel U. Rodgers Health Center. Customers can stop by any MCPL branch to get a COVID test kit, which contains two nasal swab tests. The Library’s partnership with Samuel Rodgers Health Center is part of a larger effort to make more COVID tests available to the public.
     “We know that at-home COVID tests are a valuable tool for many individuals and families, and we’re happy to help Samuel U. Rodgers Health Center get more of them into the hands of community members,” said Christen Stein, MCPL Associate Director for Public Service. “At MCPL our mission is to provide resources and services that support our customers’ needs, and this effort is one more way we can accomplish this.”
     Community members can pick up one kit per person, per day, at their local MCPL branch. A Library card is not required, and the test kits are free. Visit mymcpl.org/locations to find a branch near you. MCPL continues to partner with local health departments in its district to host COVID-19 vaccine clinics. Upcoming clinics can be found at mymcpl.org/Vaccine.
​     Additional health and wellness events and resources from the Library can be found at mymcpl.org/Wellness.

 
    As the saying goes, the only two certain things in life are death and taxes.  However, in my ripe old age and with my habitual nature, there are a few things I know about myself for certain as well.
     You can count on me to be at work unless I am terribly sick or supporting my kiddo in one of her ventures. You can count on me to pray for you if you ask. You can count on me to have a car trunk full of emergency items because I am convinced I will have one.
     You can count on me to side with the underdog and root for Missouri sports teams.  You can count on me to probably have too much sweetener in my coffee or tea but to still need that caffeine badly enough to drink it. You can count on me to be dressed in layers because, like Goldilocks, I am either too hot or too cold and rarely just right.
     You can count on me to have really great stocking stuffers due to my dollar aisle obsession and extra dessert on hand in case someone drops by unexpectedly. And you can count on me to cut a big slice of said dessert for you and practically force you to eat it, because dessert is love, right? From here, it pretty much goes downhill.
     You can count on me to spill a drop of whatever I am eating or drinking on a clean, newly pressed white shirt. I am particularly good at just dribbling a little bit of coffee, leaving a spot in a very embarrassing place.
     And it won’t be on a day I am staying at home with no meetings.  My stained white shirt days are always special appointment days. You can also count on that shirt to carry the stain through the wash because I forgot to treat it, as well.
    You can also count on me to remember what someone wore but not his or her name. I met a beautiful lady at a recent party, the guest of mutual friends.  She wore a sort of golden chiffon flowy dress and had on a pair of high heels that looked like they were made of piano wire. She was so princess like, she took away even my grown up breath.
    When the party hostess and I talked about the event, I mentioned her princess friend, but embarrassingly, could not come up with a name.  Not a first letter, not a hint, not a trace of name recognition. 
    You can also count on me to remember all the lyrics to a 70’s song that has faded way into the recesses of everybody else’s mind.  And I will be able to tell you that lyric in pressure situations, unlike the contestant in a recent game show challenge.
    The subject was Melanie’s song Brand New Key.  They played a snippet of the song and asked the contestant to finish the phrase. $3K was on the line, and she blew it, all while I was gleefully singing, “I think we should get together and try them on to see” and not pocketing a dime.
    You can count on me to tell you a joke that I have told you before, since I only have a repertoire of three, two of which I can’t tell in mixed company.
     Some of the things you can count on with me have to do with paperwork. I guarantee you I will arrive one document short of what I need to complete any licensing process. I can also guarantee you I will find the receipt I need the day after I return the item it accompanied. You can count on me to have about 20 uncorralled scraps of paper with important lists and notes on them, having a regular rodeo in the wild west of my giant purse, another thing you can count on me to carry.
    You can count on me having 20/20 hindsight.  My best party planning is done a day or two after I have hosted one. That’s when I will finally go through a magazine and see the perfect signature cocktail or appetizer recipe. And I will save said recipes somewhere (probably with the missing receipt), so that I can once again not use them at the next party.
   I might be able to find the receipt or recipe if I was better organized, but you can also count on me to have started a massive organization project that will go unfinished. To date, I have tried using file folders, envelopes, baskets, and dividers for paperwork and haven’t had much success. I resisted the urge to buy clear plastic stacking bins, despite multiple Pinterest pins.
   One of the latest additions to things to count on with this old gal is that my hearing doesn’t serve me the way it once did, and I don’t catch everything. For example, just this week, someone wished me a happy birthday. 
    I was surprised to hear it because my birthday is several months away, and this person didn’t know me. I replied by saying I was anxiously awaiting my special day and that I had already given my husband some clues about what I might like for a present.
   “Wow!  You guys exchange presents for Earth Day? Most people don’t even celebrate it! That is so cool!”  Oh! EARTH Day!
    Well, apparently you can also count on me to be too embarrassed when I mishear something like that to even make a correction.
    Not that I have given tons of thought to my passing, but sometimes after a funeral, I wonder what they will say about me when the time comes.  Will they line up with accolades?  Detail one of my epic organizational projects finally completed (because that is likely what will finally do me in…)? 
     I would be happy if they said, “You could always count on her,” and just left it at that.
 
 

     President Biden announced last Thursday that another $800 million in military aid would be sent to Ukraine to help in the fight against invading Russian forces. The President remarked that his actions "sent an unmistakable message to Putin: He will never succeed in dominating and occupying all of Ukraine." As the world watches, the Ukrainian people have fought back with such tenacity and an unbending spirit. I know I can speak for everyone at Truman Heartland Community Foundation (THCF) when I say our hearts go out to the people of Ukraine, and we are in absolute awe of their resolve.
     THCF has been assisting fundholders in awarding more than $37,000 to charitable organizations assisting with Ukrainian relief since this needless war began in February, funding much-needed humanitarian efforts for those fleeing the violence. While the President and our nation's allies send aid to the Ukrainian military, the outpouring of local fundholder support for the people of Ukraine has been heartening.
     Each day that passes is another day the Ukrainian people suffer. Like many of you, I often feel powerless in situations like this, when a crisis is so urgent and dire. And although I have leaned on my faith, I know prayers alone will not stop the Russian incursion.
     Each year, the THCF allocates a modest amount of funding that, as the President & CEO, I can use in support of community-focused activities that come up throughout the year. So, when I received a request for an upcoming Ukraine Relief Benefit Fundraiser, I knew this was an opportunity to do something in our community that would impact people well beyond our borders.
     Truman Heartland Community Foundation is proud to sponsor The Czech/Slovak Club of Kansas City's Ukraine Relief Benefit Fundraiser happening Friday, May 6, 2022, at the Mike Onka Memorial Hall. Located just inside the William Henry Harrison Park at 11520 Putnam St. in Sugar Creek, the event will feature the tastes and sounds of Eastern Europe. With beer and wine tastings, live ethnic music, food trucks, and loads of entertainment, it is sure to be a hugely successful event. Tickets are just $35 and can be purchased at slavicfest.com/together-ukraine.
     The UN's refugee agency has reported that more than 1.7 million people have become refugees due to the Russian invasion. And as is often the case, women, children, marginalized communities, and the poor have been the most profoundly affected. Funds raised at the Ukraine Relief Benefit Fundraiser will support specific organizations in the Czech and Slovak Republics providing humanitarian aid to displaced Ukrainian refugees. Support may include transportation, medical and mental health services, accommodations, food, and clothing to save lives, alleviate suffering, and maintain human dignity.
     If you feel powerless, take action and get involved in any way you can. I invite you to come out and enjoy the Ukraine Relief Benefit Fundraiser, donate to humanitarian organizations like People in Need or Heart to Heart International, and continue to pray for peace.

The following information is derived from Grain Valley Police Department daily calls for service log for the week of April 20-26, 2022.

April 20, 2022
1200 Block of Phelps CT
Suspicious Vehicle

900 Block of Sycamore CT
Alarm

800 Block of SW Harvest DR
Animal At Large

1500 Block of Hilltop LN
Disturbance

 
April 21, 2022
1200 Block of Burr Oak
Alarm

700 Block of Main
Prisoner Transport

Sni A Bar & Cross Creek
Motor Vehicle Accident

700 Block of Main
Walk In-Stealing

 
April 22, 2022
1200 Block Of Pamela
Alarm

Woodbury & Phelps DR
Fireworks

1100 Block of SW Smith ST
Prisoner Transport

600 Block of Yennie
Physical Disturbance

500 Block of SW Cross Creek
Physical Disturbance

1100 Block of NW McQuerry
Motor Vehicle Accident

900 Block of SW Clover DR
Area Check

Royer & Willow
Area Check

Main & I 70
Motor Vehicle Accident

1000 Block of S Buckner Tarsney
Car Fire

700 Block of Main
Walk In-Break In

100 Block of McQuerry
Suspicious Person

1100 Block of NW Eagle Ridge DR
Alarm

100 Block of Rock Creek
Alarm

 
April 23, 2022
700 Block of Main
Verbal Disturbance

400 Block of S Outer Belt
Stolen Auto

700 Block of SW Foxtail
Alarm

800 Block of Country Hill
Physical Disturbance

800 Block of San Karr
Motor Vehicle Accident

1400 Block of SW Minter Way
Abandoned Auto

900 Block of SW Ryan RD
Alarm

700 Block of Main
Walk In-Stealing

1100 Block of Bush
Alarm

500 Block of South ST
Alarm

1200 Block of RD Mize RD
Area Check

300 Block of SW Eagles PKWY
Suspicious Activity

1300 Block of SW Blue Branch
Solicitors

 
April 24, 2022
1400 Block of Eagles
Open Door

500 Block of W Broadway
Verbal Disturbance

1200 Block of Phelps CT
Armed Physical Disturbance

800 Block of Country Hill DR
Welfare Check

1400 Block of Minter Way
Alarm

1100 Block of N Buckner Tarsney
Fraud

Rosewood & Lindenwood
Noise Complaint

700 Block of Main
Warrant Arrest

600 Block of Tisha LN
Verbal Disturbance

1300 Block of Valley Woods DR
Physical Disturbance

 
April 25, 2022
1000 Block of Rock Creek LN
Citizen Contact

1300 Block of Brentwood
Noise Complaint

100 Block of Jensen
Suspicious Vehicle

Jefferson
Motor Vehicle Accident

1600 Block of Hilltop
Area Check

 
April 26, 2022
700 Block of Main
Stolen Auto Recovery

600 Block of Yennie
Verbal Disturbance

800 Block of LeeAnn
Suspicious Vehicle

100 Block of McQuerry
Alarm

1300 Block of Brentwood DR
Noise Complaint-Barking Dogs

600 Block of Yennie
Peace Disturbance

600 Block of Main ST
Area Check

1200 Block of Long DR
Area Check

1600 Block of NE Jacklyn DR
Stealing From Auto

Main & I 70
Debris In Roadway

700 Block of Main
Walk In-Property Damage

300 Block of Woodbury
Parking Complaint

RD Mize & Pavillon
Motor Vehicle Accident

700 Block of Main
Walk In-Idenity Theft

900 Block of Clover
Trespass

1300 Block of Stoneybrook
Found Property

700 Block of Main
Agency Assist-BSPD

 

     Grain Valley sophomore defender Sevreign Aumua had a surprised look on her face when it was announced.
     After the Eagles’ Suburban White Conference game with Truman Tuesday on the road, head coach Brett Lewis said that Aumua would get the game ball.
     While Grain Valley dominated possession, which limited Truman’s opportunities to score, Aumua helped stop the Patriots anytime they got to the attacking third. That helped Grain Valley get its seventh shutout of the season in a 6-0 victory.
     “I feel like our whole back line has been playing well,” Lewis said. “We have had a lot of shutouts and Sevi has been a big part of that. She uses her body so well and wins the ball back. I thought she did a great job sniffing out counterattacks.”
     Lewis added that Aumua is a physical player, which shouldn’t come as a surprise as she dominates in the physical sport of wrestling. Last February, she won her first state championship.
     “She embraces contact. That’s her favorite part of the game,” Lewis said.
     Thanks to the efforts of Aumua and the back line, Truman managed just one shot on goal.
     Meanwhile, the Eagles had to deal with the Patriots committing eight to 10 players to the defensive third off the field. Grain Valley still ended up scoring two goals in the first half and four in the second half.
     “We had to adjust because they sank in and it made it hard to score,” Grain Valley sophomore Annabelle Totta said. “We had to have patience and we played really well.”
     In the ninth minute a give and go between sophomores Emma Thiessen and Totta, with the latter scoring on a run deep in the penalty box for a 1-0 lead.
     “The chemistry just comes naturally because we have had a strong friendship over the years,” Totta said.
     Later in the period, Thiessen was credited with a goal after her corner kick was accidentally knocked into the goal by Truman goalkeeper Bailee Gfeller.
     Grain Valley took the 2-0 advantage into halftime and Grain Valley picked up right where it left off with sophomore midfielder Meghan Knust scoring from 20-yard out after a backward pass from Totta.
     “Every time we put Knust up at the nine, she ends up producing and scoring,” Lewis said.    
    “Emma and Annabelle score a lot of goals but I think Knust is probably among our top scorers, as well. We like to find opportunities to give her more opportunities to score.”
     Totta put in a rebound after he initial header was stopped by Gfeller; Thiessen found Knust on a through ball. Knust who was midway inside the penalty box and she slid a shot by Gfeller for a goal; and another give-and-go resulted in a pass from Totta to a streaking Thiessen, who put in a close-range shot to cap the scoring in the second half.

     The Grain Valley girls track and field team had a field day.
     That’s because the Eagles had a lot of success at its home meet, The Grain Valley Invitational Thursday and Moody Murry Memorial Field.
     The Eagles had four winners in the seven field events, which helped them take second place in their home meet with 143 points. Lee’s Summit West won with 162 points.
     “This was an absolute team effort,” Grain Valley girls track coach Brian Winckler said. “Lee’s Summit West is extremely good. Jesse Griffin does a great job with those kids. Any time you can be anywhere near them in a meet is very humbling.”
     And that success from the team was highlighted by a throw from Grain Valley sophomore McKenah Sears, who broke the meet record and set her personal best throw by two meters with a winning toss of 43.96 meters. She currently ranks 11th in the nation in the event.
     “It’s really cool to break the record here,” Sears said. “I broke the school record last year. I have been working on getting my penultimate down and getting my back foot facing forward instead of a 90 degree angle. This time I didn’t do a great job of it but I am still working on it.”
     Joining Sears as field event winners were three competitors who won their events for the first time in 2022.
     Freshman Alyssa Carver missed breaking the school record by 6 inches, but she still won the pole vault with a height of 3.05 meters.
     “It’s exciting, especially because I am a freshman,” Carver said. “My outdoor PR (personal record is (10 feet, 6 inches), and that’s the school record, so I am right there.”
     Caton Day was competing with her own teammate, Kayla Gallagher, for first place in the high jump. Day ended up edging her out with a height of 1.52 meters. Gallagher was second with a jump of 1.47 meters.
     “It felt really good to finally finish first,” Day said. “I am really proud of Kayla. She had a great meet and she has been really good this season. It feels good to do this at a home meet.”
     In the discus, senior Jordan Huber had a meet to remember as she won with a throw of 33.81 meters.
     “I am just looking to better myself and get back to my PR,” Huber said. “I have been working on my first step a lot and trying not to over rotate. I am also working on my release, keeping my chest up and my arm kind of flat.”
     Other Eagles to finish in the top three of field events were Katie Hattey in the javelin (third, 31.10 meters), Emma Jane Ogle in the long jump (third, 5.02 meters) and Megan Prestia in the pole vault (third, 2.75 meters).
      Like Sears, senior Avery Huffman broke a meet record, finishing first in the 400-meter run with a time of 59.42 seconds. She was also a part of the 4x200 meter relay team with Reagan Fisher, Emma Ogle and Madison Rogers that took third (1:47.34). She teamed with those same athletes in the 4x400 relay in which the Eagles took second with a time of 4:08.22.
     “We had PRs all around for our whole team, so it was a good day,” Huffman said.
     Other track runners to finish in the top three were Ella Casey in the 1,600-meter run (second, 5:25.99) and Emma Ogle in the 300-meter hurdles (third, 47.46 seconds).
 
Grain Valley boys take third
 
     On the boys side, the Eagles took third with 96 points, 66 behind first-place Lee’s Summit West.
     They were led by Mason McCain, who was motivated to win the 800-meter run after he scratched in the 1,600.    
     “Mason did a great job in the 800,” Grain Valley boys track coach Erik Stone said. “It was a perfect night for it, hearly any wind at all. Kind of cool but not too cool. It was his first race of the day, so he was fresh.
     “Our pole vault results bumped us up to third place from fifth. We had some strong events at the end.”  
     McCain took first in the 800 with a time of 1:56.98, which was a meet record.
     “I definitely had some extra motivation to come in and win the 800,” he said. “Since I didn’t have the mile under my legs, I wanted to push the pace and tried to get the school record. I missed it by milliseconds.”
     Grain Valley’s all-state sprinter, Logan Pratt, only ran in the 100 because of a calf injury in his left leg. He finished third in 11.04 seconds.
          Pratt said he hopes to be healthy enough to race in the Park Hill meet next week.
“It’s been an ongoing thing,” Pratt said. ‘I did the 100 to see how it was going to feel. It hurt when I was running so I just shut it down for the day.”
     Other Grain Valley boys to finish in the top three of their events were the 4x800 relay team of Nathan Allen, Cylas Brewer, Rylan Smith and Kendall Butler (third, 8:30.64); Carson Hill in the 3,200 (second, 9:53.74); Jonathan Tipton in the pole vault (second, 3.79 meters); and Tyler Melton in the triple jump (third, 12.04 meters).

     Grain Valley Police will offer a safe option to dispose of unneeded or expired medication during a Prescription Drug Take Back Day at 711 S. Main on Saturday, April 30th from 10:00am - 2:00pm. 
     The event is a part of the national DEA Take Back Day, which encourages citizens to safely dispose of medications to keep them from being abused, illegally sold, or improperly flushed, which contaminates the water supply.
​     Syringes will not be accepted.

     The Grain Valley Department of Bands Night of Percussion concert will be held at 6:00pm on Thursday, April 21st at the Jerry Mueller Performing Arts Center. Tickets will be available at the door.