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by Marcia Napier, Grain Valley Historical Society “NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that pursuant to the provisions of Section 7 and 8, Laws of Missouri, 1947, pages 374-75, Vol. II, as enacted by the 64th General Assembly of the State of Missouri and approved by the Governor of the State, an election will be held in Eight (8) Proposed, Enlarged School Districts in Jackson County. Missouri on Tuesday, August 9, 1949.” One of those districts was R-5 which included Grain Valley No. C-3, Elm Grove No.47 and Pueblo No. 71. The election was held at the Grain Valley High School and 146 ballots were cast; 116 votes were cast for the proposed new district. 30 voters opposed the reorganization. With the passage of the proposal, August 30, 1949 was the date selected by Homer M. Clemments,, former Grain Valley Superintendent, and 1949 Secretary of the Jackson County Board of Education to elect the first members of the R-5 Board of Education. Those elected were Clarence E. Shippy, President; Elmer Duncan, Vice-President, Melvin Green, George Taylor, Fred Corn and Lulla Preston. According to the school’s letterhead, Mrs. Preston was the secretary and W. D. Warren was the treasurer of the Board. Carl C. Heuman was Superintendent of Schools, L. Vaughan Means was the high school principal and Mary K. McQuerry was the elementary principal. In 1953, Murphy School #24 which had previously been arbitrated into the Fort Osage R-1 District was brought back to the Grain Valley R-5 District. With the addition of Elm Grove, Pueblo and Murphy schools and increased enrollment, the two-story brick building, which accommodated grades one through twelve, was fast becoming over-crowded. Patrons approved a $110,000 bond issue to build a one-story, brick elementary building which was completed in December, 1953. Located adjacent to the existing building, it was built on the three and one-half acre tract purchased in 1927. The first six grades moved into the building in January 1954. For the 1954-55 school year, the first kindergarten was added. In 1960, a $76,000 brick and metal annex was added behind the building providing six additional classrooms. Next Week: Learn about Matthews Elementary, built in 1978. The Grain Valley Historical Society Museum is located at 510 Main Street. Visit the Historical Society’s website, www.grainvalleyhistory.com, and follow the Society on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram (@grainvalleyhistory). An architect’s rendering of a one-story brick elementary building completed in December 1953. The first six grades moved into the building in January 1954. Photo credit: Grain Valley Historical Society Summer is just beginning, but the Grain Valley Sports League already has its eyes on the fall. Registration for the League’s flag football, tackle football, and cheer programs are open through July 31st. Nilesh Patel, Board President and football coach with the Grain Valley Sports League, has been involved in coaching youth in Grain Valley for several years. Patel said registrations for fall programs are already strong, and parents are encouraged to register well before the July 31st deadline. “Our main goal is to teach respect for the game and to teach kids to love the sport. We want them all to enjoy the sport as this point and want every child who wants to participate to have the opportunity to play, regardless of skill,” Patel said. “So many kids are run off of programs if they are not elite players. We need kids to be more active, so it is important to us to provide an opportunity for all interested kids to play.” The flag football program is open to students in Kindergarten and 1st grade. All games are scheduled to play in Grain Valley. Registration is $125 (not including a credit card processing fee) and includes a jersey. Tackle football is offered for grades 2 through 7. The Grain Valley Sports League competes in the Kansas City Youth Football Alliance and will compete against other Kansas City area teams. Teams are guaranteed an eight game season. All volunteer coaches undergo background screening and receive ongoing training. Safety is a top priority, and guardian caps for helmets will be available this year for football players. Registration is $199 plus a credit card processing fee. A Cheer program is also offered for Kindergarten through 7th grade. Practices are held during the week in the evening and games take place on Saturdays. The cost for the cheer program is $150, and includes uniform, poms, bloomers, and bow. For more information on the Grain Valley Sports League and to register for fall programs, visit www.grainvalleysportsleague.com. Grain Valley Sports League is now accepting registrations for its fall flag football, tackle football, and cheer program.
Photo credit: Grain Valley Sports League Students Receive Scholarships To Attend Missouri State University Missouri State University recently awarded scholarships to incoming students for the 2019-20 academic year. These students were selected from those who applied based on their ACT (American College Test) scores, GPA, standing in graduating class, and leadership shown in community and school activities. Grain Valley: Natalie Beth Hansen, Deans Scholarship Mackenzie Dawn Jenkins, Missouri State Promise Scholarship Adison Paige Richardson, Deans Scholarship Skylar RaeLeigh Schmidt, Missouri State Promise Scholarship Avila University Spring 2019 Dean’s List More than 350 undergraduate students at Avila University earned dean’s list distinction for the spring 2019 semester. All full-time admitted undergraduate students are eligible for the dean’s list. To be included, students must have successfully completed at least 12 credit hours with at least a 3.5 grade point average for the semester. The following Grain Valley students were honored on the dean’s list for the spring semester: Kylie Boehmer Jessica Bradley Katie Jones Katie Mooneyham I’ve been working on this article for about six months. Or, perhaps I should say, “it has been working on me.” As a pastor, I generally keep a list of topics and issues that I believe God is prompting my heart on which to speak or write.
I attended a seminar some time ago where a speaker talked about the issue of loneliness and how it was affecting the younger generation. I was intrigued. I heard a gentle whisper and wrote the word, “loneliness” in a file in my Google Drive. About a month later, I was listening to a podcast and the guest talked about loneliness using words like, “crisis” and “epidemic.” The whisper turned into a shout, and I began to dig deeper. Once in the rabbit hole I found the issue of loneliness fascinating and frightening. Studies show that half of Americans say they are lonely and many others report that they have no meaningful relationships. They further describe themselves as isolated, marginalized, and sometimes, rejected. Some social scientists and mental health experts are calling loneliness a crisis. According to a 2019 article by Kay S. Hymowitz, loneliness is an epidemic. A study released by Cigna, an insurance company, revealed, “only around half of Americans say they have meaningful, daily face-to-face social interactions.” They claim that loneliness is killing as many people as obesity and smoking. Loneliness is a villain that does not discriminate based upon age, gender, or culture. It is a vicious predator that seeks to destroy and has manifested its ugly head in self-harm and even suicide. When dealing with the issue of suicide, we often tend to place more emphasis upon young people, but senior adults are also affected. The National Center for Biotechnology Information notes that the number one risk factor for suicide is becoming a widow or widower. The NCBI has called the rise in suicides, a “Major public health issue.” Although the issue of loneliness has risen to the surface recently, it’s really nothing new. In 1974, the music group, “America,” released a song called, “Lonely People.” One of the lines goes like this, “This is for all the lonely people. Thinking that life has passed them by. Don't give up until you drink from the silver cup. And ride that highway in the sky.” I remember the tune, but really, never thought about the lyrics. Apparently, they knew something I didn’t. Or, we could go back to the thirteenth century. German emperor Frederick II conducted a bizarre experiment. He wanted to know what language humans would speak if they weren’t taught any language. He placed fifty newborns in the care of nurses who were given strict orders only to feed and bathe the infants. The caretakers were not allowed to speak, hold, or have any other contact with them. The emperor never discovered the answer to what language they would speak because none of the infants survived. As humans, we were built for connection and interaction. It is a matter of life and death. Although, at times, we cry out, “I just want to be alone!”, too much of a good thing is not a good thing. Connection and interaction are so important that isolation has been, and is, used as punishment. I can remember as a kid being sent to my room and had to close the door until being invited out. In our penal system, more than forty states still use solitary confinement as punishment. Some studies have revealed that long-term solitary confinement can be detrimental and cause hallucinations, hypersensitivity to noise and touch, insomnia, paranoia, and intense feelings of rage and fear. For the average person, research shows that people without strong social ties are more likely to suffer from major ailments such as heart disease and high blood pressure, as well as suffer from lesser ailments such as the common cold. There may be no cure for the common cold, but chicken soup from a friend may help relieve its severity and promote healing. Maybe it’s not the soup. But, why do we need one another? Although some social scientists would suggest that our dire necessity for social interaction goes back to prehistoric times when humans lived and survived in packs in order to protect the herd, as a pastor, I believe the issue is primarily theological. Way back in the beginning, in the Garden of Eden, God created the first human in His own image. Adam was one of a kind--literally. He was created for intimacy with his Creator and had the world at his feet. But something was missing—or perhaps, someone. He was surrounded by other animals in pairs, but he was alone. God wanted Adam to see and recognize this. God then said, “It’s not good for the man to be alone” (Gen 2:18). To satisfy the pain of this isolation, God created a helpmate and soulmate. That relationship produced other social units such as the family, extended family, and close bonds with others. All of it was part of God’s plan. But then came rebellion, rejection, and subsequent isolation: loneliness. And so, we were designed to know and to be known. The French mathematician and philosopher, Blaise Pascal, put it like this, "There is a God-shaped vacuum in the heart of every man which cannot be filled by any created thing.” We were built to know our Creator and interact with one another. As a communication professor, I see the problems associated with a disconnected society. There is no quick, simple fix. Perhaps, you are, or feel, alone. Sometimes, being lonely has nothing to do with being alone. I guess, if the statistics are true, and 50% of us feel alone, we’re never really alone. We’re just disconnected from other lonely people. Those closest to us may feel the same way. Remember “The Pina Colada Song”? My recommendation would be, rather than waiting for someone to come along, be proactive. Create, or integrate, with an existing community. Join a club or team, learn a new craft and meet friends, go to church, or whatever it takes to create community. If you feel the loneliness is severe, seek the assistance of a trained professional. As a pastor, I realize that some people think that God is a myth, and heaven is “all pie in the sky in the great bye and bye.” But, the concept of a Creator and the promise of a future restoration does satisfy and rectify the effects of the initial rebellion and provides the total reversal of a tarnished and tainted community that has us disconnected and experiencing pain and isolation. The Bible’s comforting words to believers: “We will see His face.” (Rev 22:3-4). In heaven, there will also be no barriers or the marginalization of people. We will be one. Perhaps the band, America, was on to something when they wrote, “Don't give up until you drink from the silver cup. And ride that highway in the sky.” Wayne Geiger is the Pastor of First Baptist Grain Valley, an Adjunct Associate Professor of Speech, and freelance writer. He sends out an email Bible devotion at Waynegeiger.com. When the first baby was born at Saint Luke’s East Hospital in February 2006, it represented the first baby delivered in Lee’s Summit in 60 years. Since that time, the doctors and labor and delivery nurses have assisted moms from 54 counties in 20 different states welcome new additions to their families. The hospital recently delivered its 20,000th baby and took the opportunity to celebrate in a big way. A billboard at I-470 and Hwy. 291 kept a running tally of babies born, counting up to the 20,000th delivery. Staff got in the spirit by wearing “Team Boy” or “Team Girl” stickers based on what they thought the gender of the 20,000th baby would be. A contest inviting the community to guess the baby’s birthday and gender was held, with the winner receiving a gift card to local businesses in downtown Lee’s Summit. The hospital also engaged with members of the community on social media, welcoming photos of babies delivered at St. Luke’s Hospital and recognizing the doctors and labor and delivery nurses at St. Luke’s East. The 20,000th baby arrived on June 11th. Dr. Rocco Florio delivered baby Nevaeh, who officially became the 20,000th baby delivered at Saint Luke’s East Hospital. Saint Luke’s East celebrated with a hospital wide birthday party with cake, cupcakes and cookies donated by Lee’s Summit bakeries. Saint Luke’s leadership presented mom with a gift basket filled with goodies and a special 20K commemorative swaddle for baby. The entire hospital will be lit pink at night for a week to celebrate Nevaeh’s arrival. Saint Luke’s East Hospital is a 201 bed facility located at the corner of Interstate 470 and Douglas Street in Lee’s Summit. Pictured above: Annie McCarthy, RN, the nurse who delivered the first Saint Luke’s East baby and is still delivering babies at the hospital today. McCarthy is pictured with baby Navaeh, the 20,000th baby born at St. Luke’s East Hospital, and Navaeh’s proud mom. Below: the hospital is lit pink at night to celebrate Navaeh’s arrival. Photos courtesy of St. Luke’s East Hospital
Using insurance money and loans, a new $75,000 two-story brick school was dedicated in the fall of 1926. It served the students of Grain Valley for 78 years. There were 5 classrooms, the stage/sometimes band room/sometimes classroom, an office and rest rooms on the main floor. Upstairs there were 6 classrooms, an office and a large multi-purpose room that served many purposes over the years. During my years in school, I remember a variety of events which took place in the space. The annual carnival talent show and cake walk, prom dinners, study hall, the high school library, the vocal music room and a lunch room were only some of the classes and activities which took place in the room. As I think about that “big room” today, I realize it probably wasn’t much large than the average classroom in today’s schools. Down about 6 or 8 steps was from the main floor was the gymnasium. The stage was open to the gym on the east side and the balcony, accessible from the stairways, both added to the seating capacity which was probably less than 200 with standing room only. The first elementary building was added in 1954, allowing the high school curriculum to expand. Seventh and eighth grade students had classrooms on the main level, but the Home Economics classes and the shop classes were moved downstairs and lab space was added. Upstairs, the business classes were able to have two rooms, one for typing and one for shorthand, accounting and secretarial practice and finally a laboratory was added for biology, chemistry and physics. High school students walked across the parking lot to enjoy a “hot lunch” in the new cafeteria. The high school enrollment in 1964 was 143 students. They were the first class to move into the elementary building and the last class to play basketball in the gymnasium. A gymnasium, stage, and dressing rooms were completed and ready for basketball games, physical education classes, band and vocal music classes and concerts, and school plays for the 1964-65 school year. The old gym served as the high school industrial arts classroom allowing for more equipment and larger shop classes. That same year 10 acres across the street from the 712 Main buildings were condemned and purchased from the Armstrong Family for $20,000. The house on the property was used for the kindergarten classes and later as the Administrative offices and a transportation center. The back of the property became the original Mood Murry Memorial Football Stadium. In 1969 patrons approved s $260,000 bond issue to construct the first phase of a new high school at the 712 Main location. Phase II was a $150,000 bond issue approved in 1974. In November 1988, patrons approved a $1,400,000 bond issue allowed for the purchase of land and the first phase of construction on the present high school at 551 West AA Highway, now Eagles’ Parkway. The building housed grades 4, 5 and 6 until it could be completed for the high school. In August 1991, voters approved a $ 900,000 bond for Phase II and grades 7 and 8 were moved into the building. In August 1994, voters approved a $1,275,000, and Phase III was completed, allowing the high school campus to be moved to Eagles’ Parkway and the middle school was moved to the old high school campus. This phase included a gymnasium and a 700 seat Auditorium and Theatre. The football stadium was also moved to this location and eventually, track, baseball, softball and tennis facilities were added. Several additions and renovations have been made to the senior high, including the one in progress. This fall, the next fine arts wing will be ready for classes. From that first graduation class with only 4 students to over 300 graduates this year, GVHS enjoys a long and storied past. The Grain Valley Historical Society Museum is located at 510 Main Street. Visit the Historical Society’s website, www.grainvalleyhistory.com, and follow the Society on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram (@grainvalleyhistory). A two-story brick building, dedicated in fall 1926, served students for 78 years. Voters approved a bond in 1994 to build the current high school campus on Eagles Parkway. Photo credit: Grain Valley Historical Society
Citing concerns brought to the Board of Aldermen regarding pedestrian crossing difficulties after completion of the Main Street project, the Board unanimously passed a resolution during the June 10th meeting to purchase two pedestrian crossings. The crossings will be located on Main Street at Front Street and Walnut Street.
The Mayor and Board had asked staff to look into the possibility of adding signalized pedestrian crossings. During the budget process, staff presented the Board with cost estimates and the Board chose to include two signals in the 2019 budget. The posts will be 5” in diameter and will be black to match the decorative lighting found around the downtown area. The cost estimate is $16,656.00 for both signals. The Board also approved a resolution appointing the following residents to serve on the Board of Directors of the Industrial Development Authority of the City of Grain Valley, Missouri: Mike Switzer (term ending June 2020), Justin Tyson (term ending June 2020), Kim Roam (term ending June 2022), Paul Wooten (term ending June 2022), and Darryl Jones (term ending June 2024). The Board also reappointed Brian Bray, Norm Combs, and Terry Hill to the Grain Valley Parks and Recreation Board for three year terms. The next meeting of the Board of Aldermen will be held at 7:00pm on Monday, June 24th at City Hall. by Cory Unrein “One father is more than a hundred schoolmasters.” —George Herbert With Father’s Day approaching, Valley News asked residents about the best advice they have received from their fathers. “Failure is never an option. Always find the solution to the problem,” Kayla Bass said. Suzy Frizzell shared a bit of driving advice from her father. “When driving, you drive for your passengers (safe and comfortable) not for yourself.” Countless dads have guided their kids through white knuckle inducing driving lessons and other milestones with patience and helpful advice. “My dad has been gone for years, but I’ll always remember him saying “NEVER say can’t,” Toni Desselle said. We’re sure there’s a story behind this piece of advice from Kieth Jones’s father: “Never get married.” But, we’ll just leave that bit of advice between father and son and not delve any further. My dad, better known as Pop since my daughters arrived, gave my brother and I some great advice when we were teenagers. “Nothing positive happens when you’re out after midnight.” Like most teenagers, I didn’t listen to this advice at the time, but he was certainly right. We find that Pop is right about most things. Happy Father’s Day to my dad and to all of the dads, step-dads, grandpas, pops, and other father figures whose wisdom we should heed more often. The author, pictured above, with her father.
The one lane gravel road leading to the Tri-County Water Authority (TCWA) in Independence is a bit unnerving, with flood waters banked up on either side of the road. TCWA provides water for much of Grain Valley and Blue Springs as a part of 15 local communities that rely on the facility for water treatment. The facility is located just north of Atherton, MO on the south side of the Missouri River. Due to their location, TCWA is very susceptible to flooding from the Missouri. Pictures don’t quite do justice to the extent of the flooding the facility is facing and the herculean efforts the staff continues to make to ensure safe drinking water is delivered to residents. “The last several weeks have been very busy for us, acquiring rental pumps, getting contractors in to help us set up those pumps. We have two people who basically spend their day going from pump to pump, refilling them with diesel fuel to keep them going. So far in June, we’ve already pumped almost 3,000 gallons of diesel fuel in those pumps to keep them going,” TCWA General Manager John Overstreet said. “I’ve run some rough numbers, and we estimate we have 175-190 million gallons of water stored up here, that we’d rather see out in the river,” Overstreet said. “The only way to get it out of here is to pump it.” According to Grain Valley City Administrator Ryan Hunt, city residents and businesses use between 750,000-1,000,000 gallons per day in Grain Valley. Part of that usage is supplied by the City of Independence and the rest is from TCWA. “Make no mistake, this entire plant would be under water if it wasn’t for the 24/7 efforts by TCWA staff to pump water back across the levy. On top of that amazing accomplishment, they each still have their ‘day jobs’ of running a treatment facility and are continually repairing pumps and wells as they go down and are impacted by the flooding. Each member of the team is truly doing the job of 3 fulltime staff members,” Hunt said. There are 12 full time and two part-time staff members at TCWA, who manage all aspects of the operation and now add flood management to their job duties. Overstreet has been in his position since 1994, arriving just after the flood of 1993. “I missed the 1993 flood, but I’ve been here for there the 1995, 1999, 2007, and 2011 flood. We’ve seen some bad ones, but this is neck and neck with the ’93 flood,” Overstreet said. “Recent history shows that this is going to be more of the norm than the oddity. We’re doing some things in this situation to help eliminate future issues and will likely be looking at some capital improvements we can do to minimize the impact to our operation,” Overstreet said. While flood waters have receded a bit, Overstreet stated that it could be August before waters are below flood stage. Meanwhile, TCWA staff will continue pumping out flood waters in addition to their daily work. “I have always known he (Overstreet) was a good man with a strong work ethic. I now have a whole new level of respect for him and his team. They have been working around the clock for a over a month to ensure that the flooding doesn’t overtake critical treatment facilities. Because of their sacrifice and commitment to the TCWA owners, our residents are able to turn on the tap and have clean, fresh water without any idea of what it took to deliver this water or the tremendous amount of work that is currently ongoing to keep our supply completely uninterrupted,” Hunt said. Drone footage shows the Tri-County Water Authority (TCWA) facility completely surrounded by flood waters. Ongoing efforts by TCWA staff have ensured the facility’s operations are not impacted. Photo credit: John Overstreet TWCA employee AJ Montoya monitors a series of video feeds from sites across the facility’s service area. From this station, operators control the treatment plant as well as pump stations in Grain Valley, Lee’s Summit, Grandview, outside of Pleasant Hill and Harrisonville. Photo credit: Valley News staff
Cranes lifted the new press box at Moody Murray Memorial Stadium on Monday, June 3rd, which was a welcome sight for Brandon Hart, Grain Valley High School Athletic Director. “The old press box just crumbled when they took it down, so it was definitely time for an upgrade,” Hart said. The new press box significantly increases the amount of space available for coaches, media, and announcers. “We have a new sports broadcasting program at the high school, so it will be a great space for those students to work as well,” Hart said. Now that the press box has been installed, work can continue on the new stadium seating, which doubles the seating capacity to 2,500, including 275 stadium seats. The district is still deciding on pricing for stadium seats. “The band will now be seated with the crowd, which will build a lot of excitement at the games,” Hart said. Improvements to turf and resurfacing of the track are next on the list of improvements to the high school stadium. After a successful transition to the Suburban Conference this past school year, Hart said he could not be more pleased with how the students and coaches adjusted to the changes. “The transition to the Suburban Conference could not have been better. I think the coaches and players are much more comfortable now that they have gotten to know the other schools in the conference and their facilities. The winter and spring sports reaped the benefits of what the fall sports learned in the process of transitioning. We had great success across the board this year and we’re excited about what is to come next year,” Hart said. Video courtesy of Grain Valley Schools
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