The Grain Valley students below are among the more than 6,200 Jayhawks named to the spring 2022 University of Kansas honor roll:

​Katelyn Garland, Grain Valley, College of Liberal Arts & Sciences
Alexander Griffitt, Grain Valley, School of Music
Hannah Gulick, Grain Valley, School of the Arts
Rhiannon House, Grain Valley, School of Nursing
Alex Kroenke, Grain Valley, College of Liberal Arts & Sciences
Lanie Miller, Grain Valley, College of Liberal Arts & Sciences

     Park University announces its Spring 2022 graduates. The list of graduates includes those from the University’s flagship campus in Parkville, Mo., as well as its 40 additional campuses across the country and online worldwide.
     The University had 963 students eligible to graduate — 214 students received a master’s degree specialist degree and/or graduate certificate, and 749 students received a bachelor’s degree, associate degree and/or undergraduate certificate.

Bachelor of Arts
Ava M. Page, Communication Studies, Independence, (attended Grain Valley High School)​
Natalya M. Nalivaiko, Multimedia Journalism/Public Relations, Grain Valley, (attended Truman High School, Independence)

Bachelor of Science
Nicole L. Herder, Social Psychology, Blue Springs, Mo. (attended Grain Valley High School)

     Grain Valley Chiropractic is hosting a school supply drive from July 25th - August 12th. Each school item donated at the office, 203 South Main, earns donors a ticket for a chance to win a 60 minute massage.

     The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TJCA) was signed into law in 2017 and eliminated some itemized deductions, and capped others on personal income tax returns. The standard deduction nearly doubled and with indexing has increased this year to $12,950 for a taxpayer filing single and $25,900 for married filing jointly. With this much higher standard deduction, many people are not able to itemize their deductions. For charitably minded individuals and families who don't quite make the cutoff to itemize, a bunching strategy could make charitable giving tax effective once again.
     Charitable bunching is when you group the contributions you intend to make over a period of years into one large donation to a Donor Advised Fund (DAF). In the year you make your "bunched" donation, you will be able to itemize your tax return and enjoy a larger deduction. In the years you do not bunch contributions, you will continue to make regular donations to your favorite charities through your DAF and claim the standard deduction on your taxes. This method allows you to continue to support your favorite charities while maximizing the tax benefit of your charitable contributions.
     Here's a simple example of how it all works. Let's pretend Bess and Harry Truman give around $7,000 a year to their favorite nonprofits like the Harry S. Truman Presidential Library and Museum and the Girl Scouts. With mortgage interest on their Independence home at $8,000 and Missouri state and property taxes at $10,000, they fall just below the $25,900 joint filing amount for itemizing. In this scenario, Bess and Harry can only take the standard deduction.
     However, they could see substantial tax savings if they bunched their charitable giving into one year. If they bunched three years' worth of donations, or $21,000, and deposited it into their DAF, they would receive an additional $13,900 in tax deductions that year. And instead of writing out a donation check for every gift, they can simply schedule donations to be distributed out of their fund on a schedule that works for them. The community foundation sends the donations and manages all the paperwork.
     A DAF is such a simple, flexible, and tax-efficient way to support your favorite charities. With as little as $5,000, you can start a Donor Advised Fund and start growing your giving tax-free.  Our team at Truman Heartland Community Foundation would be pleased to help you maximize the impact of your charitable giving.

            The month’s plant is another example that begs the question ‘is it a vegetable or fruit’? Botanically speaking, rhubarb is a considered a vegetable, though it is more commonly used as a fruit in culinary preparations such as desserts or sweet spreads -- with a fair amount of sugar added. To add to the confusion, in 1947 the U.S. Customs court in Buffalo, N.Y., legally classified rhubarb as fruit.
            Though the origin of rhubarb is uncertain, it was commonly used in Asia over 2,000 years ago for its medicinal qualities. It was not until the 18th century that rhubarb was grown for culinary purposes in Britain and America. Rhubarb is a perennial plant in the Polygonaceae family, more commonly known as buckwheat. Rhubarb leaves contain a toxic compound that acts as a natural insecticide. This is the reason that the leaves are not fit for human consumption and only the rhubarb stalk is edible. Rhubarb ranges in color from light green to deep red depending on the variety, with a texture that is resemblant of celery. Typically, the deeper red a rhubarb stalk is, the less tart it will be.
            Rhubarb is a nutrition powerhouse, with over 40 nutrient compounds present. A 1 cup serving provides about 25% of the daily value of Vitamin K, as well as Vitamins A and C, potassium, and dietary fiber, with under 30 calories. The high level of vitamin K should be considered by anyone on blood thinners, as it can intensify the effects of the medication. Beyond the vitamins and minerals, numerous phytochemicals provide additional health benefits including anti-inflammation and aiding in the prevention of cardiovascular disease and cancer. Rhubarb also contains about 15% of the daily value of calcium, however not in a form that is readily absorbed by the body. Calcium oxalate, the form found in rhubarb, may lead to the buildup of oxalate crystals in different organs, including the kidneys, which can increase risk of kidney stones.
            Rhubarb’s high acidity, which is atypical for vegetables, is mostly due to malic acid. Malic acid is one of the most abundant acids in plants and contributes to the sour taste of many fruits and vegetables. For this reason, rhubarb can be safely processed as a high acid food using a boiling water bath process, as opposed to the pressure canned process required for most vegetables.
            Rhubarb’s tart flavor requires a sweet helper and strawberries are a popular choice (and a personal favorite of mine) but the use of blueberries in the recipe below results in an exquisite blend of colors, flavors, and textures.


Rhubarb & Blueberry Crisp
(makes 9 servings)
 
Topping
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup old fashioned rolled oats
2 tablespoons ground flax seed
1/4 cup margarine or butter, melted
 
Fruit Filling
3 cups chopped rhubarb
3 cups blueberries
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup 100% apple juice
1 teaspoon vanilla
 
Directions

1. Wash hands with soap and water.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
3. In a medium bowl, stir together brown sugar, flour, oats, and flax seed. Mix in the margarine or butter and set aside.
4. Spread the rhubarb and blueberries in an 8x8-inch baking dish and set aside.
5. In a medium saucepan, mix cornstarch, sugar, and cinnamon until combined. Stir in the juice and cook over medium heat, stirring all the time, until the mixture has thickened. Turn off the heat.
6. Stir in vanilla and pour the mixture over the rhubarb and blueberries.
7. Crumble oat mixture on top of the fruit.
8. Bake for 45 minutes or until topping is browned and fruit is bubbling at edges. Serve warm or cold.

 
Nutrition information: Calories: 185, Total Fat: 6.7g, Saturated Fat: .9g, Sodium: 65mg, Carbohydrates: 31g, Fiber: 3.5g, Protein: 2.5g
 
Recipe adapted from MyPlate Kitchen, analyzed by verywellfit.com

     Summer road trip season officially started on Memorial Day weekend, but you are bound to take a trip throughout the summer months for family vacations, college visits, weddings, and romantic getaways. Vacations can be fun but traveling can put you and your family at risk for identity theft and credit card scams. 
     Fortunately, in our digital age, your smartphone can play a big role in helping protect you from the dangers of cybercrime when you travel.  Want to keep you and your family safe? Check out these quick and easy tips to keep you out of the crosshairs of criminals

1. Pay for everything with your smartphone.  Apple Pay and Samsung Pay are two of the most secure ways to make payments.  For the gas pump, you can avoid credit card skimmers designed to steal your credit card information.  For shopping, your information is encrypted meaning criminals won't be able to wirelessly steal your card information. If you don't have Apple Pay or Samsung Pay, your debit/credit card should allow you to tap to pay at most major retailers.  Use it and stay safe.
 
2. Use the hotel app to unlock your room.  If you're staying at a major hotel this summer, download their app and enable the feature that will let you store your room key on your phone. Room keys are easy to lose and steal.  If a criminal steals your card and knows your room number, you are in trouble.  Room keys stored on your phone are safer. One less thing to worry about.

3. Use a Wi-Fi hot spot rather than that free wireless network.  Not all free wireless networks are bad, but when traveling you never want to take a chance that that free Wi-Fi is actually a criminal's computer collecting your data.  If at all possible, use a Wi-Fi hotspot for the Internet when traveling as it allows a secure connection that criminals won't be able to spy on.

4. If you HAVE to use free Wi-Fi, download a VPN.  Your cellular signal won't be available everywhere you travel and sometimes getting Internet is a must. A VPN or virtual private network creates a secure tunnel for your data when you're on public wireless networks which means the bad guys can't see what you're doing.

5. No public computers. Public computers pose no threat, but what if you forget to log out of your secure accounts.  It means the next person who uses it has access to your sensitive data.

6.  Emergency apps and Road Assistance apps are a must. Emergency apps keep you alerted to the weather in your area. Mishaps occur on the road, so you need to be able to contact someone if you're stranded.

     I hope you can use these tips to help you stay safe when you're traveling.  If you need further assistance, please reach out to me with any questions you might have. I am always happy to help!
     Want to ask me a tech question? Send it to burton@burtonkelso.com. I love technology. I've read all of the manuals and I'm serious about making technology fun and easy to use for everyone. 

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

July 20, 2022
700 Block of Main                                           Verbal Dispute
700 Block of Main                                           Citizen Contact-Lost Dog
40 HWY & Sni A Bar                                     Welfare Check
1400 Block of NW Hilltop LN                      Shots Fired
Eagles PKWY & BB                                       Area Check-C & I Driver
200 Block of Gregg                                         Verbal Disturbance
6500 Block of Minter                                      911 Hang Up
1300 Block of Willow                                     Agency Assist-EMS
700 Block of Main                                           Citizen Contact-Via Phone
700 Block of Main                                           Citizen Contact-Walk In Stealing
2000 Block of N Howell                                 K9 Call Out- NKCPD
200 Block of NW Woodbury DR                  Fraud
 
July 21, 2022
Main St & Broadway                                      Verbal Disturbance
1400 Block of Hilltop                                      Animal Control
700 Block of Main                                           Public Service
Sni A Bar & Whiteston                                   Motor Vehicle Accident
300 Block of Walnut                                       Suspicious Vehicle
700 Block of Main                                           Verbal Disturbance
Sni A Bar                                                           Area Check-Hay Bales In Road
2000 Block of N Howell                                 K9 Call Out- NKCPD
 
July 22, 2022
1200 Block of Ashley LN                               Disturbance
100 Block of Rock Creek LN                        Noise Complaint
700 Block of Main                                           Civil Standby Request
200 Block of EE Kirby                                    Welfare Check
100 Block of Rock Creek LN                        Leaving the Scene
700 Block of Main                                           Stolen Item
1200 Block of Valley Ridge                           Leaving the Scene
1200 Block of Eagle Ridge                            Abandoned Auto
200 Block of Yennie                                        Citizen Contact
 
July 23, 2022
700 Block of Main                                           Bond
Persimmon & Rosewood                                Area Check
700 Block of SW Joseph CR                          Stealing
700 Block of Main                                           Citizen Contact-Via Phone
1300 Block of NW Willow                            Agency Assist-CJC
 
July 24, 2022
700 Block of Le Ann                                       Agency Assist-CJC
700 Block of Main                                           Citizen Contact-Via Phone
700 Block of Main                                           Citizen Contact-Wanted to Make A Report
800 Block of Montana Ridge                         Property Damage Follow Up
300 Block of SW Eagles PKWY                    Burglary Past
 
July 25, 2022
1100 Block of NW Casey                               Area Check-Suspicious Vehicle
NW Hilltop                                                        Area Check-Suspicious Vehicle
100 Block of Garden                                       Stalled Semi
500 Block of Woodbury                                  Fraud
700 Block of Main                                           Prisoner Transport
 
July 26, 2022
Sycamore & Cherry CT                                  Area Check-Joyriders on Golf Cart
1400 Block of Eagles PKWY                         Citizen Assist
700 Block of N Main                                       Citizen Contact
1100 Block of S Buckner Tarsney                Welfare Check
1200 Block of NW Phelps DR                       C&I Driver
 
 
 
 

            Sunday was a day that was nothing short of a dream come true for former Grain Valley Eagles pitcher, Jacob Misiorowski. Misiorowski was selected by the Milwaukee Brewers with the 63 overall pick in the 2022 MLB Draft.
            Jacob had a standout season at Crowder College this spring where he posted a 10-0 record, 2.72 ERA, with 136 strikeouts over 76 innings. He was ranked as the 78 top prospect overall for the 2022 MLB Draft.
“It was everything I dreamed it would be,” Misorowski said of the phone call telling him he was drafted. “It came while family was around so that was a great feeling.”
            Outside of the initial reaction of excitement, smiles, and cheering, Jacob says the first thing he did was hug his parents and other family members that were around waiting anxiously for the call.
            “I’ve gotten nothing but support from my family,” Misiorowski said. “I can’t ask for much more than that.”
            The last few days have been a blur. “I’ve gotten a lot of interview requests in the last couple days but I’ve also gotten so much love and support from everyone and that has been awesome,” Misiorowski said.
            Misiorowski says his support system is one of the main reasons he has gotten to where he is at today. He has faced some adversity after battling a couple injuries in the past couple of years but he has been able to overcome them with the love and support of everyone by his side.
“My support system is awesome and the people who are able to support me when I’m at my lowest have helped me so much.”
            Baseball at the junior college level is not necessarily luxurious by any means and after living that life, Misiorowski says that he is better prepared for anything the game throws at him. “I’m ready for anything. If we’re taking busses to games, I’m used to it, it won’t affect me.”
            Misiorowski wants all the young baseball players just starting out to know that anything is possible. “I’m just a kid from Grain Valley who always had a dream to play pro ball and here we are now!” he exclaimed.
 He also wants them to know that no dream is too big if they just stick with it and give it their all.
Misiorowski says he is very excited for this new opportunity in his baseball career and he cannot wait to get started. But right this second, he is going to soak it all in and enjoy the love and support he is getting from everyone.

     Midway through his junior year in high school, Flip Courter’s life changed.
     In middle school and his first two years in high school, his dream was to become a sports broadcaster.
     “I probably was going to do radio because I have a good face for radio,” Courter joked.
     Courter was playing basketball for a small school called North Daviess High School at the time, but right before the season started, he broke his hip. He was out with injury for three months, and during that time, his head coach, Randy Litrell had Courter sit next to him and serve as an assistant coach. The team didn’t have assistant coaches or managers, so he was able to fill that role for the team until he returned to play the last month of the season.
      “I graduated in the class of seven kids,” Courter said. “This was in a town of 130 to 140 people. After I broke my leg, it sucked. I couldn’t sit up straight, and I had to sit up reclined. It was the most painful experience I’ve ever had.”
     “I’d get dressed up and sit on the bench during games and I’d have a clipboard and take notes and help with stats. He also had me be like a teacher’s aide in his classroom. I was making copies and helping kids who were struggling. He went out of his way to make me feel important and still part of the team.”
     That was that period of time that changed Courter’s career path as he went from wanting to be a sports broadcaster to having a desire to be a teacher and coach after a three-month stint as a de facto assistant basketball coach at North Daviess.
     He’s spent multiple years as a coach and a teacher at different schools. His newest move will bring him home to Grain Valley as he will be a history and psychology teacher at the high school. He also will serve as an assistant coach for the softball and track and field teams after spending the last six years at William Chrisman High School in Independence.
     “Everything that I have today is because of (the injury),” Courter said. “If that doesn’t happen, I would have probably stayed in broadcasting. Who knows, I might be working at ESPN right now. But you know what, I wouldn’t have my wife, I wouldn’t have my kids, I wouldn’t have my friends, I wouldn’t have the experience as a teacher for the last 21 years if the injury didn’t happen.
     “Something bad that happened turned out to be something good.”
     After he graduated from North Daviess, Courter went to Missouri Western State University and graduated with a degree in history and secondary education in 2001. He also got a degree in athletic administration at William Woods University in 2008.
     Courter had multiple stops in his high school teaching and coaching career including North Mercer, Marionville, Lexington, Odessa and Crest Ridge high schools. He was also a head basketball coach at Lexington, Odessa and Crest Ridge for nine years before deciding to retire from being a head coach in 2016.
     “I was chasing those head basketball coaching dreams and bouncing around from place to place,” Courter said. “Things have been settled down since I am not bouncing around from place to place because of basketball.”
     It was actually a conversation with Caffrey that led to Courter stepping away from head coaching.
     “I made the decision (to step down from being a head basketball coach) because of family. We had a late game one night at Cass-Midway and I was driving home one night so I stopped here at the house and went in to talk to Caffrey. I said, ‘Good night honey. I have to go. I will see you tomorrow.’ She said, ‘Where are you going?’ I said, ‘I have to go because of basketball.’ And she said, ‘You are always leaving because of basketball. That right there was the smack in the face where it’s like OK, I need to do something different.
     “After the game, I decided to myself that I would finish the season and step down.”
     After a six-year stint at Chrisman, Courter finds himself working in Grain Valley, where he has lived for the last 11 years. It was an easy decision for the veteran coach as he wanted to work closer to home and have more time to see his daughter Caffrey and son Casen play sports.
     “The family factor was the No. 1 reason (for taking the job at Grain Valley High School),” Courter said. “(He and his family) will have the same schedule for the first time ever. That was a big draw, to have the same schedule as my kids.
     “With Casen, he is right across the parking lot from my classroom. He goes to Sni-A-Bar (Elementary School). I will be able to drop him off on the way to school. I am excited about that. I am excited to be able to run over there and have lunch with him.”
     The transition for Courter to his new high school should be a smooth one as he knows many of the patrons and teachers in Grain Valley. Courter also spoke with head softball coach Garrett Ogle on multiple occasions since Chrisman and Grain Valley were both in the Suburban White Conference.
     Courter is also close friends with head boys track and field coach Erik Stone, who he will also be working with at Grain Valley.
     “After the games, Garrett and I talked about someday working together,” Courter said. “Knowing the type of program Grain Valley has for softball is very exciting. In track, Coach Stone lives four houses down from me and his daughter and my daughter are besties. Me and Stone are flying out to Vegas here in a few weeks with our wives to celebrate our 20th anniversaries.”
     “I have only heard good things about the high school. I am pretty excited to be a part of it.”

Correction (7/21/22 1:50pm): Headline corrected to more appropriately identify injury referred to in article. 

     Truman Heartland Community Foundation (THCF) has announced this year's Citizen of the Year honorees, selected by area mayors. Grain Valley Mayor Michael Todd has selected Robert (Bob) Headley as the 2022 Citizen of the Year.
     Todd's nomination of Headley emphasized his impact on the City through his service as Alderman for eight terms:
     "Robert (Bob) Headley selflessly served the City of Grain Valley in many volunteer capacities over his sixteen years as an elected official. His time as an Alderman for Ward 3 consisted of eight terms ending in April 2022. He was part of the board that steered and provided input that pushed the I-70 interchange project to completion, including securing funding for nearly $20 million in improvements. In 2022, before his final term expired, a $14 million bond issue for a new Police Station was approved, which was ultimately approved by voters. Bob believed in growth and preparing the city for future needs. Bob has been a big proponent of Parks and Recreation and has served as the Parks Board liaison for the Board of Aldermen for numerous years. Bob's presence and thoughtful decisions will forever be a part of Grain Valley's story."
    The recipients will be recognized at the 27th Annual Toast to Our Towns Gala, presented by Blue Ridge Bank and Trust Company, on Saturday, September 24, 2022, beginning at 6:00 p.m. at the Sheraton Kansas City Hotel at Crown Center. 
     Area mayors chose these local philanthropists and volunteers because they lend their time, talents, and position to promote their communities. Although their areas of impact are varied, all of the Citizens of the Year honorees are united by a common goal, improving and enriching their local communities.
     For more information about Toast to Our Towns Gala sponsorship opportunities, table reservations, tickets, or those being honored, please visit https://www.thcf.org/Toast-to-Our-Towns-Gala/2022-Sponsorship-Opportunities  or call 816.836.8189.

     Help your plants beat the heat with mulch. Maintain 2-4 inches of an organic mulch to keep the soil cool, University of Missouri Extension horticulturist David Trinklein advises. This promotes root growth and curbs soil moisture loss. By blocking sunlight, mulch also prevents weeds from germinating. Finally, organic mulches improve soil structure as they decompose and add nutrients to the soil.
     Remember, do not create mulch “volcanoes” especially around trees or shrubs. While mulch “volcano” around the trunk of trees can be seen around town, it is not a recommended practice and can jeopardize the health of your plants. Instead, create a mulch “donut” or “bagel” around the roots of the plant. Expand the mulch bed to the drip line or beyond if possible. Do not place mulch directly on the stem or trunks of trees and shrubs because this can encourage pests such as mice and voles to chew on the stem, cause plant diseases, and create soil health problems.
     Good mulch materials include dried grass clippings, shredded leaves, pine needles and ground softwood tree bark. Bags of cotton burr compost can also be used for mulch in vegetable or flower gardens.
     Gardeners may see problems with nitrogen deficiency when they plant into existing mulched areas. Mulch can fall into the planting holes, where soil microbes will break down organic matter in the mulch, consuming nitrogen in the process. Nitrogen deficiency often results in lighter green leaf color, weak or slow growth, and even yellowing and loss of lower leaves.
     To counter this, spread a fertilizer high in nitrogen in recommended amounts on the soil surface before applying mulch. For established mulch, add more nitrogen fertilizer during the growing season as mulch decomposes.
     For tomatoes, avoid high nitrogen fertilizers since they will encourage foliage at the expense of tomatoes. Tomatoes do benefit from mulching during the heat of summer.
     While sour mulch is not a common problem, hardwood mulches tend to break down more rapidly, which makes them more likely to become sour than softwood mulches. Good mulch should have the aroma of freshly cut wood or good garden soil. Sour mulches smell of ammonia, sulfur, or vinegar.
    “The benefits of mulching greatly outweigh the concern of plant damage from sour mulch,” Trinklein said. “However, be aware of the problem and check mulches before applying.”
      Once mulch is established, it may not be necessary to add new mulch every year. This especially is true in areas where it initially is applied more thickly, such as around trees and shrubs. However, adding a thin layer of new mulch often improves the appearance of the landscape.
     Mulches help to make gardening more sustainable, Trinklein said. “Their ability to conserve water, retard weed growth and eventually add nutrients to the soil make their use a logical way to reduce the inputs needed to grow an attractive garden.”
     For more information, see the MU Extension publication “Mulches” (G6960), available for free download at extension.missouri.edu/p/G6960. This publication has an extensive list of the pros and cons of different types of mulch.
     Missouri Department of Conservation also has a good guide sheet on mulch recommendations for trees-
https://mdc.mo.gov/sites/default/files/2020-04/mulch.pdf
     Have more gardening questions? Please feel free to contact Cathy Bylinowski, MU Extension Horticulture Instructor, [email protected], for more information.
     You may also call or email the Extension Master Gardeners Hotline for assistance with common gardening problems or questions -
816-833-TREE (8733) – 24-hour voicemail
[email protected]
​