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GVHS graduate and Johnson County Community College student Gracelyn LaForge has been named the 2020-21 Lea Plarski Award winner, given annually to the NJCAA student-athlete who best exemplifies sportsmanship, leadership, community service, academic excellence, and athletic ability. As a two-year starter on the Cavalier's volleyball team, La Forge excelled on the court, in the classroom, and in the community. Voted by her peers as a team captain, LaForge was instrumental in Johnson County claiming the 2020-21 NJCAA Division II Volleyball Championship title. In the national title match, the fourth-seeded Cavaliers defeated No. 1 Parkland in four sets. A consistent force on the front row, LaForge posted seven block assists, nine kills, and a .316 hitting percentage in her final contest with Johnson County. LaForge started in all of Johnson County's 29 matches this season, averaging 2.59 kills per set, a .359 hitting percentage, and 0.75 blocks per set. These season efforts earned the outside hitter First Team All-America honors. LaForge's distinct leadership abilities and dedication on the volleyball court carried over to her efforts in the classroom. As an occupational therapy major, LaForge earned a 3.83 cumulative grade point average at Johnson County. In a demanding curriculum that is best known for the preparation provided to students who enter the workforce after graduation or transfer to a four-year institution, LaForge earned a perfect 4.00 GPA during multiple terms. The passion for occupational therapy that LaForge possesses in the classroom is evident in the actions she takes within the community. LaForge has dedicated time in her busy schedule to volunteer at a preschool, assisting children with special needs with development. With compassion for others, LaForge spent time during the summer of 2020 fundraising for and distributing packages to those in her local community that the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted. Next year, LaForge will transfer to NCAA Division II Rockhurst University in Kansas City, MO to continue her academic and athletic careers as a member of the Hawks' volleyball team. LaForge will be honored during the inaugural NJCAA Foundation Awards event, presented by the Nicole and David Tepper Foundation, held virtually on Thursday, June 24 at 5:30pm CST. The event will recognize the NJCAA Male and Female Student-Athletes of the Year, the Lea Plarski Award winner, the Champion Award winners, and the Difference Maker Award winner, in addition to the inaugural class of the NJCAA Hall of Fame. The NJCAA's Lea Plarski Award is handed out annually in the name of former NJCAA President Lea Plarski as recognition of her tremendous service to the NJCAA and two-year college athletics. The former director of athletics at St. Louis Community College/Florissant Valley, Plarski helped to establish the Women's Division of the NJCAA in 1975. She served as Vice-President for Women from 1975-1990 when she made NJCAA history as the first female ever elected to the office of President, a position she held from 1990-1996. In honor of her numerous accomplishments, as well as her undeniable dedication to the student-athlete, the NJCAA Lea Plarski Award was created. Since 1995, the award has been presented to an NJCAA student-athlete who exemplifies sportsmanship, leadership, community service, academic excellence, athletic ability, and achievements – qualities that were the cornerstones of the Plarski "era". by Rep. Jeff Coleman, District 32 Prescription Drug Monitoring Program Signed into Law (SB 63)
PDMP was passed by both the House and the Senate and passes by the Governor, however, I did not vote for this new law. I do however see some benefits to having it. Please contact me to get further information about my position. Legislation approved by the General Assembly to create a statewide prescription drug monitoring program (PDMP) was recently signed into law by Gov. Mike Parson. The PDMP will allow medical professionals to see their patients’ medication history, which will allow them to recognize signs of addiction and prevent dangerous drug interactions. The bill establishes the Joint Oversight Task Force of Prescription Drug Monitoring, which is responsible for collecting and maintaining the prescription and dispensation of prescribed controlled substances to patients within the state. “SB 63 will help provide necessary information to health care professionals and empower them to make decisions that better serve their patients and assist in fighting the opioid epidemic in Missouri,” said Parson, who called the bill a top priority for his administration. The bill limits access to private information to medical professionals, specifically prohibits the information from being used to deny firearm purchases, and includes a rolling purge of the data. Under the bill, patient information is considered a closed record under state law and will not be provided to law enforcement agencies, prosecutorial officials, or regulatory bodies for purposes not allowed under HIPAA. Parson noted that similar statewide prescription drug monitoring programs have been adopted in every other state in the country, as well as the District of Columbia and Guam, in an effort to address the opioid epidemic occurring across the United States. The bill also extends the expiration date of the RX Cares for Missouri Program to August 28, 2026. Lawmakers Call for Special Session on Agricultural Issues The leaders of agriculture committees in the House and Senate have asked Gov. Mike Parson to call a special session to address some of the important agriculture issues left on the table from the recently-ended legislative session. The chairs and vice-chairs of the House Agriculture Policy Committee and the Senate Agriculture Committee wrote a letter to the governor asking for a special session “to address a number of legislative items directly affecting agriculture in our great state.” The letter asks for the governor to include provisions contained in Senate Bill 37, which received widespread support during the regular session but ultimately did not pass. The bill deals with regulation changes for anhydrous ammonia. The lawmakers said it provides a “critical update to our current laws that will keep Missouri in line with federal standards and prevent possible intervention from the EPA.” Senate Bill 37 also extends the Missouri Agricultural and Small Business Development Authority tax credit programs that are set to sunset on December 31 of this year. The letter notes these programs “have brought in $247 million in direct and indirect benefits to Missouri since 2000.” Additional provisions in the bill include a pilot program to allow recipients to use Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits at local farmers markets, and tax credits for ethanol and biodiesel. The legislative leaders have also called on Gov. Parson to include provisions from House Bill 527, which would restrict the use of eminent domain for merchant utility lines. It would require all impacted county commissioners to present a resolution of support for the proposed project to the Public Service Commission before proceeding. The letter notes the issue is “of great concern for agriculturalists and all Missouri landowners, and we have a duty to provide them with certainty moving forward.” Lawmakers Call for Special Session to Protect Police Budgets and Improve Public Safety A group of state lawmakers have asked Gov. Parson to call a special session focused on preventing cities from cutting funding for law enforcement. Republican lawmakers from both the St. Louis and Kansas City areas are calling on Parson to help prevent cuts to the police departments in the state’s two largest cities. In St. Louis, the mayor has proposed a $4 million cut from the budget for the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department. In Kansas City, the Kansas City Council approved a $42 million cut to the budget for the Kansas City Police Department. Lawmakers expressed concern that the cuts are coming at a time when the rate of violent crime continues to increase in these areas. They noted St. Louis and Kansas City were two of the most deadly cities in the nation in 2020. St. Louis had its worse homicide rate in 50 years with 262 murders. Kansas City also set a record with 180 murders. Gov. Parson has not made a commitment to calling a special session but a spokesperson from his office issued a statement saying, “Governor Parson believes in law and order, which means there must be brave men and women in uniform willing to enforce the law and protect victims. It is imperative that communities support our law enforcement officers who risk their lives daily to keep Missourians safe. Any effort to defund the police is dangerous and irresponsible.” Please let me know If you have other concerns and suggestions. If you would like to schedule a specific time to meet locally, please call my office at 573-751-1487, or email my office at jeff.coleman@house.mo.gov. Dirt DemonsA Feature 1 (15 Laps): 1. 121-Eric Schmidt[1]; 2. 19-Richard McCaulley[3]; 3. 68-Darrick Brisbin[4]; 4. 14-Mikel Solberg[2]; 5. (DNF) 2-Robert Chase[5]; 6. (DNS) 15-Roman Stump; 7. (DNS) 13-Dylan Bruhn
Heat 1 (6 Laps): 1. 121-Eric Schmidt[4]; 2. 19-Richard McCaulley[1]; 3. 14-Mikel Solberg[7]; 4. 68-Darrick Brisbin[3]; 5. 2-Robert Chase[5]; 6. (DNF) 15-Roman Stump[2]; 7. (DNS) 13-Dylan Bruhn E ModsA Feature 1 (20 Laps): 1. 1M-Mike Ryun[3]; 2. 21K-Coleman Browning[1]; 3. 86-Doug Brisbin[5]; 4. 33-Jeremy Curless[2]; 5. 26-Devin Wetzel[9]; 6. 75-Rayce Martin[6]; 7. 00-Jason Ensley[8]; 8. 33W-Kevin White[7]; 9. 03-Jimmy Smith[11]; 10. 42-Dalton Krysa[12]; 11. (DNF) 65-Jason Smith[13]; 12. (DNF) 22-Dustin Dillon[10]; 13. (DNF) 55J-Josh Marshall[4] Heat 1 (8 Laps): 1. 33-Jeremy Curless[2]; 2. 21K-Coleman Browning[7]; 3. 86-Doug Brisbin[5]; 4. 26-Devin Wetzel[1]; 5. 00-Jason Ensley[6]; 6. (DNF) 42-Dalton Krysa[4]; 7. (DNF) 65-Jason Smith[3] Heat 2 (8 Laps): 1. 55J-Josh Marshall[1]; 2. 1M-Mike Ryun[4]; 3. 33W-Kevin White[3]; 4. 75-Rayce Martin[6]; 5. 22-Dustin Dillon[2]; 6. 03-Jimmy Smith[5] IMCA Northern SportModA Feature 1 (25 Laps): 1. 81JR-Dan Charles[4]; 2. 81-Austin Charles[2]; 3. 93SS-Chad Shaw[6]; 4. T25-Tim Stallbaumer[10]; 5. 36-Brian Andrews[8]; 6. 73M-Charles McCartney[7]; 7. 15A-Allen Anders[5]; 8. 29-Stanley Boose[11]; 9. (DNF) 24C-Marshall Cramer[1]; 10. (DNF) 75-Scotty Martin[3]; 11. (DNS) 50-Gary Holthaus Heat 1 (8 Laps): 1. 81-Austin Charles[2]; 2. 73M-Charles McCartney[5]; 3. 24C-Marshall Cramer[1]; 4. 50-Gary Holthaus[6]; 5. (DNF) 15A-Allen Anders[4]; 6. (DNF) T25-Tim Stallbaumer[3] Heat 2 (8 Laps): 1. 81JR-Dan Charles[3]; 2. 93SS-Chad Shaw[4]; 3. 75-Scotty Martin[2]; 4. 36-Brian Andrews[5]; 5. (DNF) 29-Stanley Boose[1] IMCA Stars Mod LitesA Feature 1 (20 Laps): 1. 64-David Raffurty[5]; 2. 41-Michael Raffurty[6]; 3. 46-Dillon Raffurty[9]; 4. 3-Nathan Wolfe[4]; 5. 34-Tyler Furrell[11]; 6. 75-Justin Raffurty[8]; 7. 73-Tony Kerr[3]; 8. 23K-Kaden Cochrun[10]; 9. 03-James Beebe[1]; 10. 10-Steven Culbertson[13]; 11. (DNF) 84-Joe Gunn[12]; 12. (DNF) 4K-Garrett Stonum[7]; 13. (DNF) 3XL-Josh Guy[2] Heat 1 (8 Laps): 1. 3-Nathan Wolfe[4]; 2. 75-Justin Raffurty[6]; 3. 41-Michael Raffurty[5]; 4. 03-James Beebe[2]; 5. 23K-Kaden Cochrun[7]; 6. 34-Tyler Furrell[3]; 7. 10-Steven Culbertson[1] Heat 2 (8 Laps): 1. 46-Dillon Raffurty[6]; 2. 64-David Raffurty[4]; 3. 4K-Garrett Stonum[5]; 4. 3XL-Josh Guy[2]; 5. 73-Tony Kerr[3]; 6. 84-Joe Gunn[1] Valley Powri MidgetsA Feature 1 (20 Laps): 1. 321-Chad Winfrey[3]; 2. 444-Kameron Key[2]; 3. 51-Joe Walker[1]; 4. 9-Morgan Frewaldt[7]; 5. 9X-Brad Wyatt[6]; 6. 4C-Chad Frewaldt[4]; 7. 2C-Trevor Casey[5]; 8. 5H-Casey Hicks[8]; 9. 22-Tanner Allen[9] Heat 1 (8 Laps): 1. 51-Joe Walker[5]; 2. 321-Chad Winfrey[3]; 3. 2C-Trevor Casey[2]; 4. 9-Morgan Frewaldt[4]; 5. 22-Tanner Allen[1] Heat 2 (8 Laps): 1. 444-Kameron Key[3]; 2. 4C-Chad Frewaldt[1]; 3. 9X-Brad Wyatt[2]; 4. 5H-Casey Hicks[4] IMCA Stock CarA Feature 1 (20 Laps): 1. 46-JJ Baumli[5]; 2. 67X-Brandon Williams[12]; 3. 94-Josh Steele[9]; 4. 03-Lance Dixon[16]; 5. 91-Brad labonte[13]; 6. 211-Dale Eaton[8]; 7. 14C-Bill Carter[14]; 8. (DNF) 5-Jim Adkins[11]; 9. (DNF) 99-Brian Labonte[3]; 10. (DNF) X9-Brad Whitney[10]; 11. (DNF) 20X-Carson Masoner[4]; 12. (DNF) 17X-Jon Boller Jr[7]; 13. (DNF) 48X-Jim Masoner Jr[15]; 14. (DNF) 2X-Ricky Bobby[1]; 15. (DNF) 47X-Connor Masoner[2]; 16. (DNF) 34X-Mich Ross[6] Heat 1 (8 Laps): 1. 34X-Mich Ross[4]; 2. 211-Dale Eaton[6]; 3. 94-Josh Steele[7]; 4. 2X-Ricky Bobby[1]; 5. 20X-Carson Masoner[3]; 6. 5-Jim Adkins[2]; 7. 91-Brad labonte[8]; 8. 48X-Jim Masoner Jr[5] Heat 2 (8 Laps): 1. 99-Brian Labonte[2]; 2. 47X-Connor Masoner[1]; 3. 46-JJ Baumli[3]; 4. 17X-Jon Boller Jr[5]; 5. X9-Brad Whitney[7]; 6. 67X-Brandon Williams[6]; 7. (DNF) 14C-Bill Carter[4] The following information is derived from the Grain Valley Police Department daily calls for service log for the week of June 2—8, 2021.
The Mid-America Regional Council (MARC) Air Quality Program has issued an orange Ozone Alert for June 16. This alert indicates that an unhealthy level of ground-level ozone is expected tomorrow in the Kansas City region.The two most important things residents should do on Ozone Alert days are:
1. PROTECT YOUR HEALTH Ozone pollution can cause a variety of problems, even in healthy adults, including chest pains, coughing, nausea, throat irritation and difficulty breathing. People who are sensitive to air pollution — including children, older adults, and people with breathing or heart problems — should take special care to limit outdoor activity between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. Everyone should consider scheduling outdoor activities before 10 a.m. or after 7 p.m. 2. REDUCE POLLUTION More than half of all emissions that lead to ozone pollution are caused by everyday activities such as driving and doing yard work. To help reduce pollution, consider carpooling, taking the bus, postponing mowing and waiting until evening to refuel vehicles. Ozone pollution is formed when emissions from vehicles, lawn and garden equipment, and other sources react in heat and sunlight. Other environmental factors — such as warm, sunny weather, low wind speeds and lack of rain — increase the likelihood of poor air quality. Learn more about simple actions to reduce pollution and follow the SkyCast — the region’s daily air quality forecast — at AirQKC.org. MARC issues the SkyCast each afternoon from March 1 through Oct. 31. You may find the SkyCast on Valley News home page: www.grainvalleynews.com. The Jackson County Assessment Department in conjunction with Tyler Technologies will be completing a parcel-by-parcel review of all properties in Jackson County to be completed in time for the 2023 reassessment.
Representatives from the Assessment will be visible in neighborhoods in Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Lone Jack, and Greenwood on June 10th, and will last several weeks. Staff will have Jackson County identification on their vehicles, wear masks, and maintain social distance. The purpose of the review is to update county information on all parcels. Staff will photograph and confirm exterior measurements. They will knock to alert owners of their presence. For those who are not home, a door hanger will be left on the door. We ask that you complete the information on the card and return the postage paid post card to the Assessment Department or complete the form online. The website for the online process will be provided on the door hanger. Did you know that in 1944, St. Louis provided both the American League and the National League teams for the World Series. The St. Louis Cardinals (NLB) defeated the St. Louis Browns (ALB) to capture the 1944 Baseball World Series title. At age 59, Satchel Paige pitched his final game for the minor league Kansas City A's in 1965. And finally, the Kansas City Royals, an American League expansion team, played their first game in Kansas City on April 8, 1969, 82 years after the Cardinals franchise began in St. Louis..
by Marcia Napier, Grain Valley Historical Society Last Saturday morning, I selected this photo while anxiously awaiting the start of the Missouri State High School Class 5 State Baseball Championship game. Of course, I was hoping for a win, but second place is pretty darn good, too!
You have to remind yourself that there are 60 plus Class 5 teams around the state that would have “given their right arm,” as the saying goes, just to have won their conference or district title. Hopefully, the historical society can secure a photograph of this year’s team, along with the girls’ soccer team. Both teams will go down in the history books of Grain Valley. If you follow high school sports, you know that all six spring sports were conference champions this year. That in itself must be a record for the history books. As I frequently remind you, history is yesterday! So hats off to all of the champions at GVHS this past year. The photo for this week is the 1936 Grain Valley High School baseball team. They are proudly posing with the 2nd place Western Missouri Conference Championship trophy. I cannot be sure which years Grain Valley had a baseball team. There are two pictures in our collection; the 1936 team and the 1936-37 team. The 1940 Treasure Chest (yearbook) has a photograph of the baseball team. As I’ve mentioned previously, we do not have a 1941 or 1942 yearbook so I cannot check, but there is no mention (or photograph) of a team in 1943. I do recognize Jim Hutchings, second from the left in the front row. Several names on the back are familiar, but I did not know any others. If you recognize a player, please stop by the Historical Society and let us know who they are. If I can snag (baseball term, “snag a ball”) a photo of this year’s team, rest assured, I’ll make sure I get the player names. It’s history! Visit the Historical Society on Wednesday or Saturday from 10:00am to 4:00pm. We have new exhibits and extended hours through August 15, 2021, as we celebrate Missouri’s Bicentennial. Hope to see you soon. Popsicles in the Park
Bring your little one for family fun time in the park! We will make new friends, hear a special story, and enjoy free popsicles! After, feel free to stay and play as long as you would like. A parent/adult will need to stay with their child(ren) and enjoy the fun! Ages: Family (Story will be geared toward younger ages: 2 to 7 years) When: Tuesday, June 15 @ 6:30pm Where: Armstrong Park Gazebo Fee: Free Registration: Pre-registration is not needed - just show up and have fun! Red Cross Blood Drive “A single pint can save three lives; a single gesture can create a million smiles!" Please call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or visit RedCrossBlood.org and enter: GrainValleyCommunity to schedule an appointment today. Presenting donors will also receive a free Worlds of Fun Ticket, while supplies last. When: Wednesday, June 23 3:00pm to 7:00pm Where: Grain Valley Community Center Pokemon Engineering Lego Camp Join Ash and Pikachu as you build, capture, train, and explore the vast world of Pokemon with tens of thousands of LEGO® parts. Design your own Poke Balls, explore the Kanto region, and fly with Charizard. Explore engineering through the fun world of Pokemon with the guidance of a Play-Well instructor. (All materials used are the property of Play-Well TEKnologies and are not for sale or distribution. Students will not be able to keep LEGO materials.) Ages: 5 to 10 Years (Boys & Girls) When: Monday, June 28 - Thursday, July 1 (4-day camp) 1:00pm - 4:00pm Each Day Where: Grain Valley Community Center Fee: $120.00 Per Participant For more information on these and other Parks and Recreation programs, visit www.cityofgrainvalley.org. Denise Sullivan, MS, CWP, CNWE, Nutrition and Health Education Field Specialist, University of Missouri Extension A favorite fruit from my childhood that my mother grew in her garden that I’ve never had much luck with is cantaloupe. I don’t know if it was the variety she grew or if there was something magical about the soil, but my mom could grow the biggest, sweetest cantaloupe that I had ever seen. Or was is muskmelon, as my grandmother called it?
As a young child, this confused me! As it turns out, both my mom and grandmother were right, but my grandmother was more right! All cantaloupes are muskmelons, but not all muskmelons are cantaloupes. A true cantaloupe has a warty looking rind and will not slip easily from the vine when ripe. These are widely grown in Europe. A muskmelon, like my mother grew, has a pronounced netting on the rind, is fragrant, and slips easily from the vine when mature. Despite these differences, the U.S. Department of Agriculture only uses the term “cantaloupe” to describe both true cantaloupe and muskmelon, thus the terms are often used interchangeably in U.S. markets. They are a member of the Cucurbitaceae family, along with other viny plants like gourds, squash, and pumpkins. Cantaloupes were first cultivated in the Near East and were growing in areas from Turkey to China, including north-west India, Afghanistan, and Uzbekistan. Cantaloupes were cultivated by American Indians near the present city of Montreal in the 1500’s and the vicinity of Philadelphia in the 1700’s. Commercial cantaloupe production did not begin in the United States until the 1870’s and was initially centered in Maryland, Delaware, and New Jersey. Worldwide, the United States is the 8th largest producer of cantaloupes/other melons. Around 1.5 billion pounds of cantaloupe are grown annually from California, Arizona, Indiana, North Carolina, and Texas, with California and Arizona producing over 80% of the total. When shopping for a fresh cantaloupe, look for one that is somewhat symmetrical and feels heavy for its size with a stem end that feels slightly soft. The color should be a creamy, light yellow orange with little to no green. Ripe cantaloupe should smell sweet-especially at the stem end- and a little musky. Because of the high water content, cantaloupe, like most melons, is low in calories. Cantaloupe is an excellent source of beta carotene and Vitamin C, both powerful antioxidants that show promise in cancer prevention and supporting the immune system. It is also rich in potassium, folate, and fiber. Cantaloupe and all melons should be washed well before cutting, as the knife can easily transfer bacteria from the outside to the inside flesh. Cut melon should also be refrigerated after cutting, as it can create a prime environment for bacteria to grow. Cantaloupe is a common ingredient it a fruit salad or it can be served with cheese and meats for a light summer dinner. Cantaloupe can also be pureed for a cold soup or even mixed with juice or sparkling water for a refreshing beverage. For a fun, kid-friendly summer treat, this fruit kebob recipe is best when served chilled. Denise Sullivan is a Nutrition and Health Education Specialist for MU Extension in the Urban West Region, serving Jackson and Platte Counties. For research-based nutrition and food safety information and programs, visit https://extension.missouri.edu/counties/urban-west-region |
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