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While most homeowners are aware of the dangers of carbon monoxide and the importance of maintaining smoke detectors, there is another potential hazard to be aware of in your home.
Excessive levels of radon in the home is a prevalent issue and agencies such as the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) are working to educate homeowners about the risks. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the nation and is classified as a "Class A" carcinogen. Radon (Rn) is a colorless, odorless, and tasteless gaseous radioactive element that occurs from the natural breakdown of uranium in the soil and rocks. According to DHSS, radon becomes a risk indoors because as it continues to break down, it emits atomic particles that upon entering the lungs can alter the DNA and increase lung cancer risk. Radon is measured in picocuries per liter (pCi/L) of air and there are estimated risks to health from the exposure depending on the concentration. DHSS and the EPA recommend if the concentration of radon is 4 pCi/L or greater, then remediation should be done to lower risks. Smoking greatly increases the risk of cancer in environments with elevated radon exposure. Tom Manz with ResCom Radon Solutions in Blue Springs, is certified for residential, multi-family and large building testing and mitigation, and has had the opportunity to test and mitigate several school district buildings in the West-Central Missouri area. “Radon is a serious health hazard but thankfully there is a simple and relatively inexpensive solution,” Manz said. “The EPA has determined that the KC Metro area is in radon intensity level 1 which means that 40-50% of the homes tested would have an elevated level above 4.0 pCi/L (picocuries of radiation in a liter of air). The World Health Organization which primarily covers Europe and Canada has set their “action” level at 2.7. Action level is a term used to alert homeowners that radon reduction is strongly recommended. We frequently find homes in the Eastern Jackson County area that test in the 8.0 – 12.0 range. However, we have had some test as high as 50.0 – 60.0”. Despite the health risks, public health experts and practitioners such as Manz find that most homeowners are unaware of the issue. “Homeowners and buyers are generally unaware of the health hazard of radon as well as the frequency of elevated radon in this area. Realtors are home sellers’ and buyers’ primary source of information and many realtors are encouraging buyers to do radon testing during the home inspection process. However, there is still a large percentage of realtors that are uninformed or don’t promote testing. Most newer homes have finished basements frequently used for bedrooms, home offices, media rooms, etc. where family members spend a large amount of time. This makes radon testing and awareness even more of a critical issue. More education is definitely needed as state laws in Missouri do not require radon testing be done in the sale process.” DHSS provides a wealth of information on their website, https://health.mo.gov/living/environment/radon/, for homeowners and potential buyers. Manz also offers to meet with realtors, HOA’s and other community groups to provide radon information presentations. “At our annual Region 7 EPA radon stakeholders meeting, there is always a speaker who has radon-induced lung cancer, most of the time having been unaware their home or workplace had unsafe levels of radon. We also know people who have lost family members to radon-induced lung cancer locally which needlessly takes the lives of over 20,000 people each year. This really drives home the importance of the radon testing and mitigation industry. The frequently used motto for radon awareness is, TEST – FIX – SAVE A LIFE,” Manz said. Manz emphasizes the need for homeowners and potential homebuyers to seek out qualified radon contractors. “Reputable radon contractors are certified through the AARST – NRPP (American Association of Radon Scientists and Technologists – National Radon Proficiency Program) which is the leading EPA-recognized organization that oversees training and certification of radon contractors. Missouri does not currently require state certification for contractors, but a listing of certified radon contractors may be located and verified at www.AARST-NRPP.com or https://health.mo.gov/living/environment/radon/. Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services currently offers free test kits for Missouri residences from October 31 – March 31 each year. Radon test kits are also available year-round for purchase at most home improvement stores and online. Most kits run $10—$20, which includes the cost of mailing and reading the results. If elevated levels are found in a home, a contractor can install a mitigation system to lower radon levels. A standard radon mitigation system ranges from $700—$850, according to Manz. For more information, contact Missouri’s Radon Program at 573-751-6102. Manz can be reached by phone at 816-804-1791. by John Unrein The Kansas City Royals are mired in a losing season. It’s hard to hear a conversation or read a story about the team that doesn’t involve the word “rebuild.” Prognosticators are projecting when the trove of young arms within the organization is going to reach the major leagues. Names like Singer, Lynch, Kowar, and Bubic. Most of the names just mentioned, who were high recent draft picks, have an estimated time of arrival of 2020 or 2021 for the big leagues.
This means the team’s window to compete again could be approaching faster than one may realize. Expediting this process would be the Royals ability to draft or sign and develop position players within the organization who are contributing steadily at the Major League level. It has not been uncommon for Royals Manager Ned Yost to send a lineup card to home plate with eight of the nine spots filled in with homegrown talent. Rounding out the eight would be Whit Merrifield, Aldaberto Mondesi, Alex Gordon, Hunter Dozier, Cheslor Cuthbert, Nicky Lopez, Bubba Starling, and Cam Gallagher. That means every position on the field is filled with someone who originated within the organization. This is not as common of a feat as one might think within baseball or any professional sport for that matter. The ninth player rounding out the lineup would be Jorge Soler in the Designated Hitter spot. He’s on pace to have a 40-home run season after coming over from the Chicago Cubs for Wade Davis in a December 2016 trade. All of this highlights an important fact. General Manager Dayton Moore, Royals scouts, and the player development department are identifying and fostering the growth of talent. This allows an organization to be self sufficient in producing a lineup with a slighter payroll as a small market team. You don’t have to spend an abundance of money in free agency if you don’t have consistent holes to fill in your lineup. Furthermore, you know what you are likely to get from the players you developed having watched them grow up within your farm system. A statistic that’s used frequently to measure how successfully you are contributing to your team is Wins Above Replacement or WAR. Pro Baseball Reference defines WAR as a “non-standardized baseball statistic developed to sum up a players total contribution to his team. A players WAR value is claimed to be the number of additional wins his team achieved above the number of expected wins if that player were substituted with a replacement level player.” Wins Above Replacement is a statistic that tries to get the value of a player down to one number if you will. The Kansas City Royals WAR for the week of July 15th may be found at the end of this article for their starting lineup per Pro Baseball Reference. This only includes position players and not their pitching staff. The team is not out of reach of competing to win the American League Central Division again in the coming years. A lot will depend on the talent accumulated and developed in the starting pitching rotation and bullpen. The Royals are on their way again to having that homegrown feel like they did during the 1970’s and 1980’s. Whit Merrifield WAR: 2.6 Aldaberto Mondesi WAR: 2.1 Alex Gordon WAR: 1.3 Hunter Dozier WAR: 1.8 Cheslor Cuthbert WAR: 0.0 Nicky Lopez WAR: 0.3 Bubba Starling WAR: -0.1 Cam Gallagher WAR: -0.5 Jorge Soler WAR: 0.5 by Marcia Napier, Grain Valley Historical Society In 1868, just three years after the Civil War, one-half acre of land situated in the NE corner of the W ½ of NW, NE of section 34, township 49, range 30, was issued to the Board of Education, District No 3. This was granted by Britton M. Capelle and his wife. The year 1906 found the people of Grain Valley community very much interested in the establishment of a high school. At the spring election, the six school districts including Grain Valley, Pink Hill, Round Grove, Oak Hill, Stony Point and Capelle were consolidated and a three room, two-year High School was built. Now the proposition, which had been almost defeated before was growing rapidly under new school board officials, with Dr. W.B. Johnson as president. On the 19th day of July, 1907, the Board of Education received and additional one and one-half acres from Mr. James N. Hall and wife, Nettie B. Hall. In September, 1907, when the first high school was opened at Grain Valley, only four students entered under the direction of Mr. Lawrence Dimmit. The subjects offered were Algebra, English, Ancient History, and Physical Geography. The next year the enrollment increased to fifteen and another teacher was added. Those graduating this year were Ora Morrison, Curtis Houston, Madge Butler Wagner, and Lily Ashcraft Tesch. These four received the honor of being the first to graduate from the Grain Valley High School. School interest increased, and in 1916 the third year was added, making it a first-class high school. At the same time another member was added to the faculty. In 1918 it was made a four-year high school. Athletics were brought into the school 1914 when basketball was introduced. However, the did not attempt football until 1923. The school has had many winning teams in both sports. The enrollment reached its peak in 1933, with 88 students enrolled. On November 7, 1925, we had the misfortune of losing our building by fire. Though the people fought it bravely, it was all in vain, nothing was saved from the burning structure. The term was finished in business houses, and churches while $60,000 bonds were voted and with the aid of the insurance the new $75,000 building was constructed. It was dedicated in the fall of 1926. There are at present seventy-two students enrolled in our high school under the direction of our four teachers: Mr. Paul J. Farley, Superintendent; Mr. Noel Wilkinson, Principal; Miss Lela Gutherey and Miss Esther Humphreys. The school now takes part in the many contests conducted by the Western Missouri Conference, of which Grain Valley is a member. Some of the contests in which we have entered in the past are: debating, declamation, oration, one-act play, music, basketball, baseball and track. Grain Valley has had the honor during the past few years of holding the music contest and the basketball tournament for the Western Missouri Conference. - Frank Sebolt The article you just read was written for Grain Valley’s first yearbook, published in 1936. Frank Sebolt was a member of the senior class and their class motto was “Not at the top, but climbing.” I know I said this would be the final week for the school series, but when I found this history in the old yearbook, I thought it needed to be shared. Grain Valley Class of 1913
Mae Costigan Anna Stephenson Otis Williams (Photo credit: Grain Valley Historical Society) Grain Valley was well represented in the Jaguar Slam tennis tournament, held as a part of the KC Summer Slam Series.
The KC Summer Slam Series is a series of four tournaments hosted during the summer months. These events allow Kansas City area tennis players to work on their game outside the season. Players earn points for each slam event, and a KC Summer Slam Champion is crowned at the end of the summer. Additionally, each player earns points for their current high school team, and a KC Summer Slam Team Champion will be named at the conclusion of the series. Jaguar Slam Winners: Novice Girls Singles: Brooklyn Spencer, Grain Valley Varsity Boys Doubles: Tristin Whitton, Grain Valley & Brady Slater, Grain Valley Varsity Girls Doubles: Ryan Deaton, Grain Valley & Alyssa Owens, Grain Valley Mixed Doubles: Alyssa Owens, Grain Valley & Brady Slater, Grain Valley The final tournament of the series, Hornet Slam, will be held July 23-25 at Staley High School and Oak Park High School. The following information is derived from the Grain Valley Police Department daily calls for service log for the week of June 26—July 1, 2019.
by Marcia Napier, Grain Valley Historical Society In the late 1960s, middle schools began to develop as a way to serve the intellectual as well as physical, social and emotional needs of early adolescents. Middle schools provide the connection between elementary and high school. Like many school districts, Grain Valley experimented with the middle school concept on a limited basis due to space and budget constraints. By the mid-1980s, the district began a rapid growth rate and it was apparent that a new high school would be needed, but the first high school “students” were actually middle schoolers.
In 1988 a $1,400,000 bond allowed the district to purchase 60-acres of land on AA Highway (now Eagles Parkway) for construction of a new high school. Because of the enormous size of the project, the original building was completed in three phases. Phase I included 8 classrooms, a music room, a library, a computer lab, a small kitchen and commons area, restrooms and office space. It was completed for the 1989-90 school year and housed the Grain Valley Middle School, grades 4, 5 and 6. The “team” approach, with a group of teachers providing English, history, mathematics and science to each grade level, was adopted. The middle school concept had officially begun. In August 1991, voters approved a $900,000 bond for Phase II of the “high school” which included 9 classrooms, a shop, the new and enlarged student commons area and additional rest rooms. Grades 7 and 8 were moved into the building. In 1994 voters approved a $1,275,000 bond issue to complete Phase III. In 1995 when the final phase was completed, the building became Grain Valley High School. The middle school moved back to the old high school campus. Classes were held in the 1954 elementary building and the 1969 high school. The 1925 building became the administration building. In 1999, with a continued rapidly growing population, voters approved a $2,800,000 bond to purchase land and begin Phase I of the middle school on Ryan Road. In August 2001, an additional $3,500,000 bond was passed to complete Phase II, and both were ready for occupancy for the 2002-03 school year. By April of 2003 it was already necessary to add additional classrooms. In 2010 the school on Ryan Road became South Middle School, as Phase I of North Middle School at the Pink Hill Campus was completed for occupancy in August. On February 8, 2010 voters approved a $3,000,000 bond to complete Phase II, which included a gymnasium and locker rooms. Phase III, which included additional classrooms and kitchen expansion, was completed in 2012. The second wing of classrooms was completed, and a third wing which includes classrooms, collaborative areas, work space and additional parking, will be ready for the start of school in August. Next week: Don’t miss the final school segment, GVHS by Cathy Allie If I didn't know any better, I'd say I heard them calling my name, like a Siren song, wooing the ancient Greek sailor. I stood quietly, trying to focus, willing myself not to move toward them.
They were beautiful, unlike anything I had ever seen before, and when I finally reached out to grab them, the initial contact was electrifying. Before you label me as a weirdo, let me assure you this has happened to many a woman, some right there that day in the same place as me. And while we may be just a little ashamed or embarrassed, we cannot help ourselves. We are shoe addicts. Let me say up front, if you have never bought a pair of shoes and then built an outfit around them, please quit reading right now and skip to the weekly police report, ’cause Sister, you won’t be able to relate. However, if you don’t count flip flops or boots when your husband asks how many pairs of shoes you have because they are not really shoes, then stay with me! We are kindred spirits. Truthfully, I don’t have an accurate count of my shoes, but I can tell you it is too many. When I go to line up the browns, and I have four different shades, I probably have too many. When I can create actual categories besides just flats, heels, and tennis shoes, I probably have too many. When I am looking for a pair of shoes to wear, and I pull out a pair I don’t even remember buying, I for sure have too many. I scoffed at an article that popped up online the other day. Ladies should only own 12 pair of shoes, it said, one pair each of: classic white tennis shoes, ballet flats, summer espadrilles, classic black loafers, neutral evening heels, over the knee boots, something whimsical or with personality, flat sandals, office appropriate pumps, a pop of color, walkable heels, and classic black ankle booties. Clearly, the disillusioned blogger forgot multiple other categories: fuzzy boots with which you may or may not wear socks, ones that match something your daughter owns, just in a bigger size, something with such a high heel that you only wear them when sitting down, and rain boots in multiple colors, to name a few. The good news about being a shoe addict is that I know I am not alone. I once helped move a friend whose shoes numbered over 100 pair. And when we got her all settled, we celebrated by visiting – you guessed it—a shoe store. I imagine meetings for those of us with a problem might start like this: “Hi, I’m Cathy and I am an addict.” “Hi, Cathy,” my fellow shoe junkies would say. “This week I found myself in a new city on a business trip, and I just happened to find a shoe boutique,” I blurt out. My friends comfort me and applaud me for going home with just one pair. I also know it is a problem because there are shoe memes, like the one that says “I make shoe contact before I make eye contact” and “There’s no shame in my shoe game.” And there are too many famous idioms and quotes about shoes, also. ‘If the shoe fits, wear it (or in my case buy it)’, ‘Mama needs a new pair of shoes’, ‘Give a girl a new pair of shoes and she can conquer the world’, or ‘Change your shoes, change your life’. And maybe my favorite, ‘Life isn’t a fairy tale. If you lose a shoe at a party, you probably have another pair almost exactly like it in your closet’. I have drawn the line at shoes that cause my feet too much pain. I have seen the pictures of supermodels’ gnarled feet, caused by wearing sky high heels 2 sizes too small for their runway walks. I have, however, purchased a pair of shoes with the promise to myself that they will stretch a little bit, and a couple of Bandaids later realized that maybe they won’t. I have had one serious shoe injury, that happened when I was in high school, but I still remember it well, and have a little scar to help me. I wish this was the story of a beautiful shoe I wore to prom, and I was running to make curfew after one last kiss with my date when the heel snapped off. But the real story is not nearly as cool. Adidas tennis shoes, made of real leather, with stitched on stripes were the rage when I was about 14. I just had to have a pair, and I finally talked my mother into letting me add some babysitting money to her contribution to have enough money to get them. A friend and I bought matching Adidas, with dark red, almost maroon stripes, ones that closely matched our school colors. We were headed to band camp with our new kicks, sure to impress some fresh-faced sophomore percussionist. Day one at camp we learned a marching high step, which required us to drag our feet up the inside calf of the opposite leg. The stripes on the Adidas worked nearly as well as a razor, scraping away our flesh with each step. By about mid-day, I could no longer drag my leg over the open wounds anymore. Neither of us brought another pair of shoes to camp, so we marched in sock feet on 100 degree pavement. Not even a sophomore percussionist would be impressed by that. The scars on my right leg are hardly noticeable anymore, but the memory is pretty fresh. Look, shoes are about the only thing in our wardrobe that doesn’t have to be sensible, that lets us rebel against the old Buster Brown oxford school shoes, and truthfully, when your clothing size is not as small as you would like it to be, shoes still fit. My theory is this: When life gives you lemons, sell them, and buy shoes. Cathy is a retired public school English teacher and Public Information Officer. by John Unrein A summer morning at 76 degrees, with a partly cloudy sky, and a cool breeze is not a bad way to start your day as a middle schooler. It’s even better if you get to practice a sport you like with your friends.
That’s exactly what awaited Grain Valley Eagle Middle School football players as they participated in team camp on July 9th. The 32 enrolled camp attendees received instruction from the middle school and high school football staffs at Moody Murray Memorial Stadium. Eagles Varsity Head Football Coach David Allie has goals he wants accomplished during the time spent at camp. “We want to teach these young men how to do things our way, get them accustomed to the terminology we use, introduce them to our offensive and defensive systems, and most importantly create an environment where they learn and have fun.” “Some of these guys have been at summer weights, gotten to know some of the coaches, and are becoming part of the family. It’s also great for the junior high coaches to see how we (the varsity coaches) teach things and be around one another since we are not directly connected during our season,” Allie said. Camp days alternate between the offensive and defensive sides of the football. July 9th was a defensive day that saw little wasted movement and not much standing around by participants. Tackling circuit stations were first on the agenda after warmups. Coaches placed a strong emphasis on heads up tackling using the proper technique, so that good habits are formed at a young age within the sport. More than a few camp attendees smiled while attacking the tackling ring, the sled dummy, or trapping the football all with youthful vigor. Learning fundamentals the correct way is a foundation for success in any sport. Even better when time is spent before and during a drill by coaches to make sure that the shoulder is the first point of contact on a tackle with your eyes up, or that your head is behind the legs of a ball carrier as you strike a tackling ring and take it to the ground. Little things like this matter in building the confidence of young men who participate in a contact sport. Other things emphasized during defensive days of camp included pursuit drill, individual fundamental period, and team fronts and stunts. Camp attendees learned proper angles to take pursuing a ball carrier, how to drop correctly in a zone, keying the football to avoid being offsides, and knowing what gap to attack when a pressure call is given. High school varsity football camp will be held the week of July 22nd. Current physicals are due for fall sports participants by August 12th. A link to the MSHSAA Physical Form may be found on the Grain Valley School District website under the Sports and Activities link. by Wayne Geiger Have you ever wondered what happens to the plastic bottles people discard into our rivers and lakes? Some of them, like Nemo, float out to the ocean. In fact, about two million tons of plastic ends up in the sea each year. This is a huge problem because the plastic does not disintegrate, it accumulates.
Scientists say, because of winds and ocean currents, the discarded plastic that ends up in our seas floats into five “accumulation zones” and gets trapped. Some of the plastic pieces remain virtually unchanged while some deteriorate into “microplastics”--which are teeny, weeny pieces. One of these accumulation zones is called, “The Great Pacific Garbage Patch.” It is the largest of the five and located halfway between Hawaii and California. A total of 1.8 trillion plastic pieces are estimated to be floating in the patch. That works out to be about 250 pieces of debris for every human in the world. The weight of the garbage patch is approximately 80 thousand tons. What a bunch of garbage! The term “garbage” can be used physically, as in the case above, or is sometimes used metaphorically. For example, referring to people as garbage. At times, people use dehumanizing language in reference to others. This may include calling someone “trashy”, a “piece of garbage”, “piece of junk,” or saying we want to “waste them,” or worse. When we dehumanize someone, we feel somewhat superior and they become less than human in our eyes. Naturally, our perceived value of someone is based upon our own personal assessment of their worth. It’s always performance based. And, it’s always “them” or “those” people. Them trashy people. After all, they ain’t like us. Several weeks ago, I had the opportunity to spend a week in Panama City, Panama with a team from our church. To be honest, I have seen worse conditions. Having been to Haiti on three separate occasions and visiting extremely impoverished villages in Mexico, I have been exposed to a considerable amount of heartbreak and poverty. We had a chance to visit downtown Panama City. Our mission was to find and feed some of the homeless population. Our goal was not to judge, or to try and figure out why they were there, but rather just to pass out sandwiches and coffee and perhaps offer a kind word. Sometimes, the homeless preferred isolation from others. We met them in the cracks and crevices, their valuables about an arm’s length away. At other times, as misery enjoys company, the homeless banded together in the shadows and dark alleys in makeshift camps. At times, the sights and smells were unbearable. One particular picture of a homeless man rummaging through a dumpster and digging through styrofoam take home containers, eating the remnants, remains etched in my mind. I wondered how hungry I would have to be in order to dig through the garbage for supper and eat someone’s discarded food. While in Panama, we also had the opportunity to visit a small church-run school. The educational system in Panama has been called “one of the worst in the world.” Although Panama requires students to be enrolled in public education for six years of primary school and three years of middle school, dropout rates are extremely high. In addition to having no truancy program, students must walk long distances, sometimes in treacherous circumstances, in order to attend classes. Some parents simply choose to pull their kids out of school so that they can get work. Panama has lax child labor laws. Like their parents, the kids must help provide for the needs of the family. For that family, they feel that education is a luxury that they can’t afford. One church we worked with started a small school within a very poor, rural community. The school was accessible to the children and provided free uniforms and lunch for the kids. We spent several days here helping the kids learn English. Unfortunately, at this school, we learned that one of the girls was being taken advantage of--by a parent. A female student, about twelve, was being sold on a regular basis into prostitution to help the family survive. Yes, you read that correctly. As our team played water games with the children in the front yard of the school, I looked around and wondered which one of the students was being subjected to such unspeakable horror--all in the name of food for her family. I went through an array of emotions: shock, anger, and frustration to name a few. I had a lot of questions, but no answers. The term, Imago Dei, is Latin for “Image of God.” In the Judeo-Christian tradition, the Scriptures are clear that humans were created in the image of God. It’s really weird, but there are times when I glance in the mirror and I see my father looking back at me. In the same way, a part of my heavenly Father’s image has been imprinted into me. Being created in the image of God means that we have intrinsic value and worth. Our value is not based upon what we do or what we can offer. Instead, just as beauty is in the eye of the beholder, our value is based upon the design of our creator. Our value far exceeds our worth. Two things that I take away: First, I am incredibly blessed. As I write this, I’m dusting off a piece of lemon pie and throwing back a cup of premium coffee. Having done missions trips abroad, I’ve gone without electricity, eaten meager meals of mystery meat, utilized primitive outhouses that I’ve shared with rodents, slept with mosquito nets, and taken a shower with a garden hose fed from a stream. I try to be extremely thankful to God for what I have. I also try to remember that I am a steward of my resources. There are lots of people in this world—some homeless, some helpless, some harassed. I should try to help and heal the hurting. Second, I try to remember that every person I meet is just like me. Like me they have been created in the image of God. To be sure, some people may be self-serving, cruel, hateful, mean-spirited, and choose to take advantage of others. Naturally, people need to be held accountable and, perhaps, punished for inappropriate actions. They may even be placed in an accumulation zone. However, this does not reduce their inherent value. Sometimes, they just need to be recycled. I know a guy who trades beauty for ashes and can take that which is tarnished and turn it into treasure. Wayne Geiger is the Pastor of First Baptist Grain Valley, an Adjunct Associate Professor of Speech, and freelance writer. He can be reached at waynegeiger.com. Two upcoming community events at Armstrong Park will keep you cool and refreshed during these hot summer nights:
Join Grain Valley Parks and Recreation for a story and Popsicles in the Park on Tuesday, July 16th at 6:30pm. This free event, held at the Armstrong Park gazebo, includes a story, geared for ages 2-7. No registration required. The Grain Valley Historical Society will host its annual Ice Cream Social on July 25th from 6:00pm—8:00pm. Enjoy homemade desserts and visit with friends old and new. |
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