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
by David “Sam” Luttrell Jr, Absolute Automotive LLC Does your steering wheel shake/wiggle while coming to a stop? Is there a vibration/buzzing in the brake pedal? Does the brake pedal kick back up or feel hard when you brake? What about that high-pitched squealing noise? These are all signs your vehicle's Brake/ABS/TCS system may need to be serviced or replaced. Let’s start by talking about the basic brake system components and how they function on your vehicle. When you apply pressure to your brake pedal, it is pushing a plunger in the Master Cylinder. That plunger is pushing the brake fluid through the brake lines going to all 4 wheels of the vehicle. The fluid going to the front brakes flow into caliper mounted behind each front wheel. The caliper has an inner and outer brake pad that squeeze the brake rotor. The fluid going to the rear of the vehicle flows into another set of calipers or wheel cylinders for drum style brakes. The brake pads squeezing the spinning rotor creates the friction that slows the vehicle. That friction also creates heat, and over time that heat warps the rotor. Warped rotors are the source of steering wheel shaking and wiggling while braking. The brake pads can be made out of different materials, some are semi metallic, and others are ceramic. The quality and price of brake pads vary tremendously. Cheap brake pads will squeak/squeal and prematurely wear into the rotors. Always insist on high quality brake pads, whether you’re a DIY-er, or having the brakes installed by a qualified mechanic. The Anti-lock Brake System (ABS) and Traction Control System (TCS) work together and sometimes are the same system. The ABS/TCS system is designed to keep the vehicle from skidding/sliding out of control while braking, and more sophisticated systems prevent wheel spin while trying to accelerate. The ABS/TCS computer system uses wheel speed sensors that are usually mounted near or in the wheel hub/bearing on the front and rear of vehicle; some are mounted on the rear differential. The wheel speed sensor sends a signal to the ABS/TCS computer that shows how fast each wheel is spinning. When braking, if 1, 2 or all of the wheel speed sensors stop sending a signal to the ABS system abruptly (skidding/sliding), the ABS system activates and will pulse the brake fluid pressure to the corresponding wheel. This activation allows the tire to rotate instead of skidding or sliding, so you can regain control of the vehicle. This is the vibration or kick back you feel in the brake pedal. A failing wheel speed sensor or wheel bearing can send a false or no to the ABS system when the brakes have not been applied. This will sometimes turn on the ABS/TCS light and cause false activation during normal braking conditions. I mentioned the wheel bearing/hub assembly because some wheel speed sensors are built into the wheel bearing/hub assembly and cannot be changed separately. The purpose of this column is to help the average person have a better understanding of how their vehicles operate. Please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns you may have at [email protected] or 816-847-5252. Absolute Automotive is located at 104 E. AA Highway, Grain Valley. Photo credit: iStock photo.
by Sally Whitaker Squats and lunges often elicit moans and groans from fitness classes. They can be challenging, but should never be painful. Nearly all fitness programs involve some sort of squat or lunge, from weight lifting to yoga to martial arts. Benefits include increasing total body strength, improved circulation and posture, better balance and mobility, as well as toning the legs, rear, and core muscles. Proper form is key to making these movements beneficial. Use the tips below to perfect your form, whether for a current activity or to add a bit of a workout to your day. Go slow with the movement to perfect your form. To make this into a workout perform 5-15 repetitions of each, squat, lunge with right leg forward, lunge with left leg forward. Classic Squat Stand with feet hip-width apart, toes pointing forward. Stick your rear out and act like you are sitting down into a chair 5 feet behind you. You can raise your arms in front for leverage if you would like. Precision points: When you glance down at your feet you should be able to see your toes in front of your knees. If you can’t, stick your rear out more. Shoulders should be relaxed, not hunched. Toes, knees, hip bones should be facing forward. Lunge Step one leg behind, one leg in front. Far enough apart that your back heel is elevated. Torso, arms, and feet all face forward. The front knee should be directly above the ankle, and when you look at the front foot you should be able to see the big toe and the next couple toes on the inside of the knee. Shift your weight behind you, and as you bend your knees think of the back knee cap being drawn directly to the floor, or “stamping” the floor. Precision points: Front knee should stay over or behind the ankle, do not let your weight shift forward. Core should be engaged, think of lifting your ribs away from your hips. You should consult your physician or other health care professional before starting this or any other fitness program to determine if it is right for your needs. Do not start this fitness program if your physician or health care provider advises against it. If you experience faintness, dizziness, pain or shortness of breath at any time while exercising you should stop immediately. Sally Whitaker is a Pilates and Yoga instructor with 15 years of experience teaching group classes and private clientele, primarily in Independence, MO. During the summer months you can find her teaching Sunset Yoga at Armstrong Park in Grain Valley. Sally Whitaker, Pilates and Yoga Instructor, demonstrates the proper form for a squat (above) and the proper form for a lunge (below). Photo credit: Sally Whitaker
During the summer months, you can find Whitaker teaching at Sunset Yoga at Armstrong Park in Grain Valley. by Mayor Mike Todd ![]() Things are hopping in Grain Valley, and we will be bringing you some exciting things right here in the Valley News this summer. Believe it or not, planning for the Grain Valley Fair on September 6th and 7th has been ongoing for several months now. We are striving to continue to make it a great event for the entire family with some great returning events and some new additions as well. Of course the Carnival will be back along with a great selection of vendors. Vendor signups are up from where they were this time last year and our food choices look to be growing as well. Not only will you still be able to enjoy a great tasting burger from the Burger Barn, but you can also enjoy some Kettle Corn, a corn dog, some great BBQ, and lots of other choices. New this year will be fresh made Pork Rinds and returning to wash it all down will be Keck’s Root beer. One of the returning events this year will be the Fair 5K on September 6th. We had a great turn out last year and hope to grow that number this year. If you aren’t into running, that’s fine, you can always walk the course if you prefer. New this year as part of the 5K will be a Kid’s Fun Run. It is a shorter distance for kids to run, but they still get all the cool stuff that comes with the 5K. For more information including what the shirts and custom medals look like check out the registration at https://runsignup.com/Race/MO/GrainValley/GrainValleyFair5K. After a one year hiatus we are also excited to announce that 98.1 KMBZ will once again be broadcasting live from the Fair on Friday September 6th. Jayme and Wickett will be live from 10 AM-2 PM and Dana and Parks will be live from 2 PM-6PM. That will be followed by Grain Valley Idol, which is a new event being put on by the Grain Valley Partnership. If you have ever wanted to be a Superstar make sure to keep an eye out for more information regarding Grain Valley Idol to be coming out. And that is just the beginning. On Saturday September 8th, we still have the Grain Valley Community Parade. It is one of the highlights of the weekend and this year the Grain Valley VIPS will be heading it up. Keep an eye out for more information regarding the Parade to be coming out from them in the near future. In addition to the Parade there are tons of things happening again on Saturday at the Fair. The cornhole tournament will be making a return with some exciting changes, live music will once again be the entertainment highlight at the Pavilion, and new this year will the addition of an Exotic Petting Zoo. Young and old alike will enjoy feeding the camels, zebras, and bison. If you like live music, make sure to check out our schedule online for our complete list of bands performing on Saturday September 7th. We try every year to bring in something for everyone. Our headliners this year start with the Tom Petty tribute band Petty Theft. As for our main headliner. Make sure to break out the Aquanet to get that hair as big as you can, dig those leg warmers and ripped jeans out of the closet, and let’s see those mullets as Member’s Only will rock the stage with recognizable hits of the 80s. Finally, closing the whole weekend out will be our Fair Fireworks Show on Saturday night. It will bring a great end to a great weekend of fun in Grain Valley. If you want to stay up to date as to what is happening with the Fair and keep an eye on the schedule of events the best places to are our Facebook page Grain Valley Fair and our website www.grainvalleyfair.com. We look forward to seeing everyone there and hope for some dry weather. ![]() by Cathy Allie I commute to work, so I am in the car a minimum of 45 minutes a day, as Eddie Rabbitt would say, ‘Driving my life away’.
Sometimes I sing aloud at the top of my lungs to oldies, and practice my next karaoke solo (which shall be the topic of a full column another day). That’s generally on Fridays or only once a week, because I don’t want to get too good at singing and have to decide between my family and a life on the road. Other days I catch up on phone calls. For you younger readers, that is the thing where two people converse with one another using their voices and not texts. I have a mental list of five minute all the way up to 20 minute phone call friends, who like me, actually like voice to voice contact. Most days, I listen to the radio. Lately, I have heard some of the most bizarre stuff on talk radio, and it has me thinking with our unusually damp spring, that some people have indeed taken a little water on their brains. In fact, the whole world may be going mad. On a recent morning drive, the first radio story was about turophobia, which is the fear of cheese. Turns out this is usually based on a childhood trauma with cheese as one of the main players. I have had a couple of bad grilled cheese experiences, now that I think about it, where the cheese leaked out of the bread or I didn’t slather enough butter on the top slice, but nothing too memorable or scarring. The talk show hosts shared that people who suffer from turophobia generally have the most aversion to parmesan and limburger cheeses, which have distinct smells, and the least aversion to mozzarella, which has a more neutral presence. Sadly, there was no mention of Colby-Jack, my personal cheese favorite, and also what I might have named a baby boy if I had married a rancher. The impetus of the story was a young lady who had been fired from her job as a waitress for her unwillingness to deliver meals with cheese to her customers. Is it only obvious to me that maybe waitressing, or in fact anything to do with the food industry, might not have been her best career choice? The hosts quoted the turophobic lady (look at me using my newly learned word) as saying that in extreme cases, where she encountered a block of cheese, she had such an adverse physical reaction that she would faint or become violently ill. I can’t help wondering what she eats with sausage and crackers or what her safe food is at a questionable potluck. The hosts moved on to say that apparently turophobia extends to pets as well, as a related story they were sharing was about a dog who is scared of sliced cheese. His family found out about his malady when they were doing the Cheese Face Baby challenge, an Internet sensation from earlier this year. For the challenge, people toss pieces of sliced cheese at baby’s faces to see how the baby reacts. Once this family gauged their baby’s reaction to having cheese thrown at him, apparently they moved on to their dog. For the record, I would like to say I don’t think this family should even have a dog if they are throwing cheese at their baby. Or maybe they shouldn’t have a baby if they are throwing cheese at their dog. You decide. On the same talk show later that same week, I heard a story about two female astronauts doing a spacewalk together outside the International Space Station. As the show hosts shared the story, they talked about the historical significance of the walk. I practically swelled with pride for my sisters in space. But alas, the hosts said, the walk had to be postponed. “We will tell you why after the break,” they intoned, insuring I would be hanging on through the commercials. My mind was racing. I bet they got in some kind of dumb cat fight about who was going to go first. Maybe they couldn’t properly accessorize the suits for photos or were having a collective bad hair day, I surmised. Maybe a recent 23andMe test had revealed they were twins and their mom put a stop to it, afraid of a space accident that would injure both of her newly-reunited daughters. I could hardly wait for the answer. The hosts launched immediately back into the story, but cleverly took calls from listeners guessing why the women couldn’t make the walk. Men called and said tacky things like, “They probably had to get their nails done and couldn’t squeeze it in” or “The walk was too long and it would have made them late to pick up the kids from school” or “Maybe their therapist told them this was their husband’s job”. After about ten minutes of nonsense, we found out NASA postponed the walk because they didn’t have two spacesuits that would fit the women, both size medium. I could hardly catch my breath after the big reveal. Didn’t they measure them before the mission? Is this a case of ‘Dude, you had ONE job?‘. Turns out the women themselves problem-solved, and one astronaut who wore size medium and one woman who wore size large made the walk. Poor other size medium lady astronaut! She acted heroically in sacrificing her 15 minutes of fame for another female. Now I have a new reason not to diet. Turns out there wouldn’t be a spacesuit in my size. The third item I heard may just be the one that takes the cake (or that may be something I did, since I am no longer worried about being a size medium…). Just like fashion comes out with new lines of clothes and new styles provided by designers, so too are there new lines of textiles and home décor, including items for bedrooms and bathrooms. One online retailer really stepped up its game to provide customers with something truly unusual: a full line of linens that look like they have come from the scene of a horror movie, complete with bloody handprints. The show hosts laughed, but I was repulsed. Bloody handprints? A company spokesperson said people like to decorate for occasions, and the recent bent has been more toward the ‘macabre’. What Bed and Breakfast would be using these? I can hear their tag line now: “Come For a Romantic Weekend, and If You End Up Killing Each Other, We’ll Never Know!” Originally marketed with the company’s Halloween line, the thread counts for the sheets is 800, and the design is washable on the delicate cycle and dryer safe. Why go to that much trouble? This is the stuff the rest of the free world is trying to get out with stain removers. FYI: With a special order, you can also get the word REVENGE on the top sheet and HELP on the fitted one. The kicker? The set has sold out once and is on backorder. This final story gave new meaning to the words of Poet Henry Brown who said, “This whole world has gone mad.” Apparently maniacs abound. I had really had about enough of talk radio for that day, so I switched over to the oldies station. Playing at that exact moment was Misty Blue, by Dorothy Moore, and I was instantly flooded with fond memories, as it was the song to which I had my very first slow dance. I was in 7th grade, and I danced with Ben Horine, who as far as I know, had no aversions to cheese, and would have fit nicely at the time into a medium sized spacesuit. Cathy is a retired public school English teacher and Public Information Officer. by Wayne Geiger ![]() If you’re a part of the social media community, you probably have a Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram—or all of the above. These social media outlets are a great way to stay connected to family and friends. And the best part is, they’re free. Well, kind of. They do come with an enormous price tag. I’ll get there in minute. These social media companies have one major goal: to stay in business. In order to stay in business, they need to keep you on their site for as long as possible. They make money from you, or perhaps, with you. While you are on their site, they get to know you, what you like, and what you want. It’s called, “social media mining.” You signed up for it when you read, and agreed to, the 43-page “terms of use” when you signed up. I’m kidding, you didn’t read it. But, you did agree to it. For example, you may have noticed that if you search Google for a new refrigerator, you begin seeing ads pop up in your social media feeds for special deals on a new fridge. You may have been a little freaked out and said, “Hey, that’s weird!” It’s not weird and it’s not a coincidence. This is a complicated, integrated system that collects, evaluates, organizes, and then sells your information to advertisers who, in turn, target you with their product. Ingenious. But, hey, it’s not all bad. Who knows, you might get a pretty good deal on a fridge! These social media giants even offer handy dandy apps for your mobile device. The nice thing about these social media sites is that you can open them when and where you want to. You are in total control. At, least you like to think so. The truth be told, for many people, their mobile device, and affinity to social media, is an addiction. A virtual ball and chain. Like a free buffet table, we just keep going back for more. We can’t seem to stop. We shouldn’t be too hard on ourselves. We’ve been deceived. It’s a mixture of science and chemistry. Scientists and researchers who are employed by these sites know that we get positive feelings when we get notifications. It makes us feel good. They just give us what we want. Like a cyberspace drug dealer, the first one is free. They know, we’ll be back for more. If you’re average, one of the first things you do in the morning is to check your phone to see “what’s happening” in your social circles. And, stuff is happening. Your device is all aglow with notifications that demand your attention. “Hey, I got 8 likes on my Facebook post about the singing cat!” you say. This gives you a happy feeling. There is a science behind this happy feeling. Our friends in the social media world know this very well and we need to learn the lesson. Numerous studies have proven that notifications and social media interactions trigger the release of dopamine which is a neurotransmitter associated with reward-seeking behaviors and addiction. We get a “high” from these interactions and notifications. To keep us coming back, they send us notifications alerting us that we have “new” information and we need to stop everything we’re doing to check it out! And, what incredible power those little icons have! We look at our phone and see that we have notifications. For whatever reason, we feel the need to clear that notification immediately. We can’t stand to see it. It drives us crazy and we just can’t rest until it’s taken care of. How many times have you been on your phone just “clearing notifications?” This is a constant cycle throughout the day. Like Eve taking the forbidden fruit, we find ourselves constantly checking our mobile devices for the latest hit of dopamine. For example, while writing this article, I clicked over to Facebook and saw that I had 11 notifications. I chuckled and said, “Nice try Facebook.” I scanned through to see if anything was urgent. Interesting, yes. Urgent, no. While I was there, I figured I would quickly glance at my Facebook feed to see what was going on and before you know it, I was sucked in and began scrolling. In frustration I clicked out of the program. I was a dope on dopamine. How many times have we go to our computers or mobile devices to check that “one thing” and then 45 minutes later realize that we have been scrolling through social media and didn’t do the one thing we meant to do? I don’t blame it on me getting old, I blame the dopamine. We’re all in the same boat. The average person receives anywhere from 65 to 80 notifications on their mobile device per day. If you’re phone is ringing, dinging, and buzzing each time, you’re being distracted from something else. That’s an unbelievable number of interruptions. A nauseating nuisance of notifications. This constant interruption affects us in other ways, too. It affects our ability to focus and our productivity. According to research from Microsoft, it takes an average of 25 minutes to get back on task when being interrupted by a notification. These interruptions can be dangerous. I’m sure you’ve seen that person weaving on the interstate and thinking they were intoxicated, but in reality, were on their mobile device. Each day in the U.S., 1000 people are in crashes that involve distracted driving. Did you know, if you are driving at 55 mph and take your eyes off the road for about 5 seconds, that’s long enough to cover the length a football field? Is it possible that these distracted drivers were involved in “buzzed driving?” What I mean is, they got a buzz that someone texted them or liked their post and they had to check it out? That’s literally buzzed driving. I can’t say for sure, but I do know that a little buzz from our phone will create a little buzz of dopamine. The little ding can make us a little dingy. That’s the danger of dopamine misappropriated. I say it’s time we take the power back. We need to use social media responsibly and be the victor rather than the victim. Here’s a quick way to solve the problem. Turn off all your notifications and turn off all “badges” that aren’t critical (if unsure how, Google it or find a teenager). Second, set social media windows and only check your sites several times a day. I promise, it will reduce the amount of stress in your life and, very likely, you won’t miss a thing. It’s time that we just say no to buzzed social media interactions. 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. by Marcia Napier, Grain Valley Historical Society In 1906 Grain Valley established Consolidated District #3 centered around the first public school on Capelle Street in 1887. They had added a two-year high school. The little town, now 28-years old, was growing. William Rockhill Nelson, editor and publisher of the Kansas City Star, was buying up land to begin his beef-cattle experiment. The town had three churches, two hotels, the Royal Playhouse, and several businesses. It was time to build a bigger school. The second site for the Grain Valley School was at the north end of Main Street. On June 19, 1907, where 1 ½ acres were purchased from James and Nettie Hall for $300. Construction began in 1908 on an eight room, two story brick building. The high school enrollment increased to 15 students, and in 1909 four students became the first graduates from the two-year program at Grain Valley High School. In 1919 Grain Valley became a four-year high school. On November 7, 1925, the building was totally destroyed by fire. Classes were held in the three churches in town and the 1925-26 basketball team played their games at The Royal Playhouse. Next Week: Learn about the two-story brick building that served the school district for 78 years. 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). The Grain Valley Consolidated District #3’s second school was built in 1908 at the north end of Main Street.
Students photographed outside the first brick building. The newspaper picture of the fire was in a scrap book given to the Historical Society by Patricia Davis Parr, a 1944 graduate of Grain Valley High School. Photo credit: Grain Valley Historical Society A levee breach along the Missouri River near Levasy has affected approximately 2,800 acres and shut down both directions of 24 Highway in eastern Jackson County on Saturday, June 1st. The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, Central Jackson County Fire Protection District, and other emergency responders were on site Saturday to assist Levasy residents in evacuating the area. Flood waters increased significantly after a second levee breached in the afternoon on June 1st. “The water levels of Levasy, MO have never been this high based on statements from residents and other emergency personnel on scene,” Jackson County Sheriff Darryl Forté said. Alyssa Beckerdite’s family farm, the Stock Family Farm, is a century farm now surrounded by flood waters. Beckerdite and her family can only wait and see what faces them when they return home. “We haven’t been able to be back down to the property, so we don’t know current damage. Any farm ground affected by the water will not have any crops this year. We don’t know anything beyond that,” Beckerdite said. Access to the area is restricted to residents only, and the public is urged to find alternate travel routes and avoid the urge to sightsee. “As we continue to access the areas impacted by the flood, we encourage the public not to come into the flood area. High water can cause significant damage to vehicles, and create a water rescue situation. Please use alternate routes to get around flooded areas. The Sheriff’s Office will remain in the area and will continue to work with other agencies to ensure that residents and citizens are safe. The safety of everyone is our priority,” Forté said. Beckerdite echoes the Sheriff’s advice. “Honestly, just stay out of the area. Let people who live here deal with what they need to do and don’t come out to sightsee. Acknowledge road closed signs and realize they’re there for your safety,” Beckerdite said. Levasy residents can access Red Cross services at the United Methodist Church, 109 S. Hudson Street, Buckner. The Stock Family Farm has been impacted by flooding along the Missouri River near Levasy. Photo credit: Alyssa Beckerdite The scene from the Stock Family Farm as waters rose toward their home.
Photo credit: Alyssa Beckerdite |
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