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Those who have been frequent visitors to Pinterest or Instagram over the last ten years realize that balloon installations and decorations are nothing new. However, their popularity and the quality craftsmanship required by balloon artists to deliver them for special occasions continue to grow. A splash of color in the form of a balloon column, archway, or famous character may be just the right touch to draw someone’s attention to events that range from weddings to birthdays. People express their joy through balloons due to their three-dimensional eye-catching appeal. It shouldn’t surprise anyone then Funtastic Balloon Creations of Grain Valley promises “to put the pop in your next event.” Randy and Delora Harbin started Funtastic Balloon Creations fourteen years ago to bring the best custom balloon services to the Kansas City Metro area and beyond. From Columbia to Olathe, their business can provide the right solution for any event. Their goal is to treat your event as though it as one of their own in trying to obtain a high level of customer satisfaction. “We do a lot of balloon bouquets for Valentine’s Day, Weddings, Anniversaries, Hospital Get Wells, and Birthdays. Balloon columns and arches are also popular along with décor depending on the time of year. There’s a balloon for just about any occasion,” Delora Harbin said. “Balloons bring a smile to people’s faces. Bright colors, shapes, and print allow people to interact with balloon’s and the occasion. Their popularity continues to expand.” That popularity has manifested itself in balloon drops becoming more of a norm for big occasions or parties. The Harbins have been up for the challenge with 9,000 balloons being part of their first drop three years ago. Success through word of mouth has spread leading to Funtastic Balloons doing drops for Labor Day events at the Sprint Center as well as the Missouri Mavericks Hockey Team. Funtastic Balloons is not a franchise and the brand has been built from scratch. The Harbins started their passion for what they do working out of their home. Their enjoyment of the community and long-standing customers are why they choose to live and work in Grain Valley. Both Randy and Delora are certified balloon artists. They completed a course of study that consists of computer testing as well as hands on assessment to demonstrate the ability to create balloon art accurately. This devotion to their craft has allowed them to offer the highest quality to their customers. “Being your own boss is the best part of being a small business owner. It’s not always easy because of the variety of roles you must fulfill. However, the things you do directly benefit your own good and you see the value in what you do. Getting to help people and make them smile is also rewarding,” Harbin said. Funtastic Balloons is located at 1103 NW Casey Blvd. in Grain Valley. You may also find them on Facebook, online at www.funtasticballooncreations.com or at 816-598-0690. A visit to the showroom will set your imagination in motion with the endless themes, colors, and shapes you may use to celebrate your next special occasion. Top photo: Randy and Delora Harbin are the owners of Funtastic Balloon Creations. Photo credit: Funtastic Balloon Creations Bottom photo: A balloon arch created for the University of Missouri Business School.
Photo credit: Funtastic Balloon Creations by John Unrein The Grain Valley Eagles Softball team put together timely early hitting and outstanding pitching to dispatch the visiting Kearney Bulldogs by a score of 3-1 on Monday, September 16th. Leading the Eagles charge to victory were Senior Infielder Morgan Robinson and Freshman Pitcher Hailey Hemme. Eagles Head Coach Garrett Ogle was pleased with his team’s victory. “Kearney’s pitcher caught us a little off guard in what she was throwing. It was nice to see us make some adjustments at the plate and get some hits. It permitted us to put some runs up early,” Ogle said. Grain Valley scored all three of their runs during the first two innings. The biggest hit of the game came from Robinson in the bottom of the first inning with two runners on base. She made solid contact with the softball that garnered a two RBI single and gave her team a lead that they would not relinquish. “I have been working on my hitting. I tried to get my hands to the ball by keeping the bat flat in the zone and it paid off,” Robinson said. “Getting a win with my team makes what we do a lot more fun.” Hemme equaled Robinson’s hitting with her pitching. She only allowed one earned run, two hits, and one walk across seven innings while striking out eleven Bulldogs. Hemme did not waiver in her approach as she had great tempo in being quick in between pitches in allowing her defense to stay on her their toes. That would be important as the heat of the afternoon set in with temperature in the 90’s and a heat index approaching 100 degrees. Hemme displayed confidence in her stuff as she was not shy about pitching to contact. Furthermore, Hemme was as quick and confident with her post game comments as she was with her pitches. “My key was to put the ball in the strike zone today knowing that my teammates would do a solid job fielding. I felt good on the mound because I knew my team would have my back hitting,” Hemme said. Ogle couldn’t help but smile when sharing his thoughts on the individual effort displayed by Hemme. “Hailey was outstanding. She was in the strike zone all day long except when she didn’t want to be and that was intentional. Her control was pinpoint and kept their hitters off balance,” Ogle said. “The one extra base hit she gave up didn’t hurt us. It was nice to see her throw like that today.” The Eagles faced another tough stretch of games moving past the win against Kearney. This week they will have faced Winnetonka, Grandview, and Raytown South. Ogle believes the keys to continued success for the Eagles will be to avoid being comfortable or becoming lackadaisical. “Focusing on our goals and fundamentals will allow us to win the remaining weeks and hopefully rack up some conference wins.” Freshman Pitcher Hailey Hemme delivers the softball to home plate. Photo credit: Valley News staff Senior Morgan Robinson connects with the softball for a line drive single.
Photo credit: Valley News staff by John Unrein The Grain Valley Eagles could not hold the early lead they jumped out to against the visiting Smithville Warriors on Friday, September 13th. The Warriors would pull away in the fourth quarter to secure the win by a score of 40-29. Head Football Coach David Allie praised his team’s resiliency and their determination to stay in the game along with citing opportunities for improvement. “Our kids care a tremendous amount. They were still trying to score with one second left in the game. What the game boiled down to tonight is that Smithville had the ball too long and we didn’t hold on to the football well enough. We also could’ve tackled better,” Allie said. “I would be concerned to look at their time of possession with us not able to get our defense off the field. When we did score it was great in that we had some big plays. We need to improve our ball security though on offense and tackle better on defense.” The Eagles jumped on the board early with some trickery. Junior Wide Receiver Parker Bosserman went in motion behind the running back to secure the pitch from Junior Quarterback Cole Keller prior to launching a pass down the seam. The play caught the Warriors off guard as Sophomore Wide Receiver Logan Pratt was able to garner separation from the defensive backfield prior to catching Bosserman’s pass for a 38-yard touchdown reception. The following extra point attempt was good by Senior Kicker Jack Knust and the Eagles went up 7-0 with 9:42 left in the first quarter. The two teams would trade jabs, punts, and field position prior the Warriors tying the game 7-7 on Senior Running Back Isaac Miller’s 8-yard touchdown run with 1:21 left in the first quarter. Miller and his brother, Senior Quarterback Spencer Miller were a tough duo to contain for the Eagles Defense. Together they would account for all five Warrior touchdowns on the ground or thrown through the air. The Eagles countered offensively with solid contributions from Keller and Senior Gavin Oyler who opened the game at Running Back. Oyler would rack up a touchdown on the ground along with 115 yards on 8 carries. His touchdown would come on an 80-yard gallop with 3:34 left in the second quarter, pulling the Eagles even with the Warriors at 14-14. Keller shook off an early first quarter interception to come back and have a solid second half throwing the football. The signal caller would heave four second half passes for over 30 yards in route to going 17 of 23 for 238 yards passing and two touchdowns through the air. “That was not the first half we wanted. A lot of that was on me. Coming out in the second half I knew we were only down three points and were not out of the game,” Keller said. “We did everything we could to put the ball in end zone. Our defense has played two incredible games prior to this one. Tonight, I was hoping that we could pick them up and do something for them. We fell short and all we can do is be determined to get better from here.” On the receiving end of Keller’s touchdown passes were Pratt and Junior Running Back Hunter Newsom. Pratt’s snag brought the Eagles within three points at 22-25 with 4:15 left in the third quarter. Newsom’s contribution came on a nifty screen pass in which his offensive line secured the blocks needed to spring him for 33 yards to pay dirt down the middle of the field. His score with 5:47 left in the 4th quarter would be the last of the night for the Eagles. The Eagles move to a record of 2-1 on the season. They will travel north to face the Platte County Pirates, who also have a record of 2-1, on Friday, September 20th. Last year’s loss to the Pirates at home by the Eagles was one of their more physical matchups of the season. Allie knows the challenge that lies ahead for his team. “It will be our first trip to Platte County since joining the Suburban Conference. We got in our way tonight and we must solidify some things. The Pirates, like us, have great fans who like watching football in their own confines,” Allie said. Junior Quarterback Cole Keller delivers a pass during Friday night’s game against the Smithville Warriors. Photo credit: John Overstreet Junior Running Back Hunter Newsom crosses the goal line after catching a screen pass.
Photo credit: John Overstreet by Wayne Geiger Every person has his or her own personality and idiosyncrasies. These generally are exposed in close quarters. Such was the case on a mission trip to Haiti several years ago.
Six people, initially, barely acquainted and from different backgrounds, were suddenly thrust into a week of close quarters. It was a time of getting to know one another and learning to work with one another. The youngest member of our team, Carolyn, was passionate about several things. In addition to having a passion to serve God, she was passionate about her Rubik’s cube. I secretly wondered, “Out of all the things that you would bring to Haiti, you bring a Rubik’s cube?” And then I found out why. She could complete the puzzle in about two-minutes! I was very impressed and, at each location, she demonstrated her amazing Rubik’s cube talent to the amazement of her audience. She was also passionate about water. Wherever we went, she had a huge plastic drinking bottle. She was constantly drinking and filling it back up. She was equally passionate about trying to get me to follow her example. She constantly asked, “Are you drinking enough water” or “I haven’t really seen you drink any water lately.” I was opposed to the idea. There aren’t that many porta-potties in Haiti. I prefer coffee anyway. Finally, Carolyn was passionate about finding a piece of wood while in Haiti. But, not just any piece of wood. It had to be perfect. She told our team that when she traveled abroad, she liked to bring wood back to her grandfather because he crafted handmade pens. We were all intrigued and wanted to help out. At least if I was looking for wood, I wouldn’t have to drink water. To say that Carolyn was adamant about finding the perfect piece of wood would be an understatement. She was continuously on the prowl, searching high and low, reminding us to be on the lookout as well. Finding the perfect piece of wood seemed to be in the forefront of her mind throughout the entire trip. But what does the perfect piece of wood look like? As you would imagine, there were qualifications. She kept insisting that it had to be the right kind of wood. It also had to be a certain size, shape, and color. Finally, it needed to fit in her suitcase for the return trip. In short, it needed to be perfect. We looked for this perfect piece of wood everywhere. We looked while we were on base, at our VBS destinations, and we even looked while climbing the mountain in Pignon. I’ll never forget coming down the mountain and trying to keep my footing, while one of our guides, a nine-year-old boy, dragged a large tree branch down the dangerously steep descent. I didn’t know how big Carolyn’s suitcase was, but I was pretty sure the six-foot branch wouldn’t fit. Unfortunately, only Carolyn knew what the perfect piece of wood looked like. So, we would enthusiastically hold up a specimen and ask her, “How about this one?” Most of the time, we faced immediate rejection. Carolyn’s face would grimace, and upon a close examination she would respond kindly by saying, “It’s too soft” or “too hard” or “not the right kind” or “not the right color.” Scattered across the Haitian terrain are rejected remnants of less-than-perfect pieces of wood that didn’t make the cut (pun intended). If a woodchuck could chuck wood I don’t think his standards would have been that high. To be honest, we didn’t really care about the wood. Instead, we cared about our friend, Carolyn. Our motivation for finding this “pearl of great price” or perhaps, “wood of great worth,” was out of our friendship and love for her. In the end, Carolyn selected several pieces of wood. It was quite the scene at the airport as she strategically reorganized her suitcase to bring beauties back to the states. She did not want to lose them in customs or to have them damaged in any way. Like a tigress, she would protect her chosen ones. I just knew that she would be caught smuggling wood into the country, and I would have to make that unfortunate call to her mom and dad. “Your daughter is a wood-napper.” Thankfully, she, and her wood, made it back safely to the United States. We came back with some great stories and memories of our wood-finding expedition. Several months later, on a Sunday morning at church, without warning or fanfare, Carolyn walked up to me and extended her hand. She held a pen. At first, I thought maybe she found it and wanted me to locate its rightful owner. “This is yours,” she said. Then, I realized, it was a pen that had been specially crafted by her grandfather out of the wood from Haiti! I was taken aback, somewhat speechless, and thrilled! All the memories of the trip immediately came flooding back into my mind, and I recalled how we all had searched for the perfect piece of wood. And now, it was in my hand. Not only did I receive a pen, but the entire team did as well. Each pen was a unique gift, beautifully hand-crafted by her grandfather. Although each of the pens were the same shape and size, they were all individually beautiful with variations of color and the grain of the wood—just like she wanted. Like fingerprints, they were each unique. They were the perfect gift. After getting over the initial shock of receiving such a thoughtful and wonderful gift, I later joked to one of the other Haiti mission members, “If I had known I was selecting a piece of wood for my own pen, I might have looked a little harder!” We laughed, but then, I began to think about a few spiritual applications. First, Jesus, the Lord of heaven and earth, the maker and sustainer of all things, went to the cross to die for the sin of the world. He would die upon a cross made of wood. That means Jesus specifically and purposefully grew the tree that He would die upon. No doubt, the most-famous and most-instrumental tree in history. I don’t know if it was the perfect piece of wood, but I do know it held the perfect Savior. Second, it reminded me of the concept of ROI (return on investment). Of course, I was only jesting that if I knew I was searching for wood to craft my own pen I would have looked a little harder. But in life, we sometimes forget that God’s desire is for us to invest our lives into the lives of others and to love our neighbor as ourselves. And in the end, we not only help them, but mysteriously, God turns it into a blessing for us. 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. by John Unrein One by one, Lady Eagles Senior Tennis players lined up in front of their picture banners on their home court. Smiles more than nerves were on display as they prepared to host the visiting Platte County Pirates in an important Suburban Conference matchup on Tuesday, September 17th. The Eagles would win their match 8-1 and moved to an overall record of 4-1 on the season. Lady Eagles Head Tennis Coach Randy Draper was quick to applaud the depth in the senior class and the crucial role it has played in the team’s overall early season success. “That’s a deep group of seniors. We’ve also got a sophomore in Chelsea Gorden that’s really helping us. Those seniors have been through it and know how to win,” Draper said. “Winning at the one and two spots is hard to do especially. Seniors Alyssa Owens and Ryan Deaton are good players and make an excellent doubles team. They’ve also spent a lot of time at this, it’s never an accident. Senior Mackensie Wagner has gone from our number six to our number three and that’s a big jump. She’s just a backboard. That ball’s coming back and I don’t think she’s that fun to play against.” Draper also mentioned Seniors Maddie Shields, Alice Lin, and Hailey Bowlin as players who have rounded out the top five spots in the match lineup throughout the season. “We have several girls who have worked at this due to their love for the sport. Tennis is a lonely game in a lot of ways with you being by yourself when you’re in single play. Sometimes we have to remember that tennis is a game and games are supposed to be fun. We enjoy laughing together because that makes everything, including practice more enjoyable,” Draper said. The girls’ varsity team will next compete at the Blue Springs Tournament on Friday, September 20th. Senior team members of the Lady Eagles Tennis Team pose in front of their senior banners before facing the Platte County Pirates on September 17th. The team won the match 8-1 and moved to an overall record of 4-1 on the season.
Photo credit: Valley News staff You may have spotted yard signs around town this summer promoting a student’s advance placement elite status. The celebration was for good reason. The sign represented a year of hard work by a student along with the emphasis the Grain Valley School District places on AP classes. Advanced Placement courses created by the College Board offer post-secondary level curriculum and exams to high school students. Colleges and universities may grant placement and course credit to students who obtain high enough scores on the examinations. School districts across the Kansas City Metropolitan area have a variety of ways they may shepherd students into AP courses. Grade point average, reading scores, Pre-ACT scores and other key performance indicators may be used in the placement of students into an AP course. Grain Valley High School wants placement in AP classes to be driven by student choice. Dr. Jeremy Plowman, the principal of Grain Valley High School, is proud of the success his school has had in that they don’t base Advanced Placement enrollment on GPA or Pre-ACT scores. “If a student and their parents want that student to take an AP course, then they will take it. I want kids who may not get good grades, or are bored in school, or don’t do homework, to be enrolled in an AP class. A student should take an AP class if they have interest, an aptitude, or their plans dictate post-secondary education in a particular area,” Plowman said. “There is no prerequisite for getting into an AP course. We do have Pre-AP courses for the purpose of advanced preparation.” “We did a study eight years ago and found that we had as many kids with a 2.5 to 3.0 GPA as kids to 3.5 to a 4.0 GPA. What we found was this: other than kids above a 4.0 who excel at everything, the kids with lower GPA’s (2.5 to 3.0 GPA) did just as well on the tests as the kids with the higher GPA’s (3.5 to 4.0 GPA). Your score is not necessarily grade related. It’s not because you’re just a good kid, have great parents, or everyone likes you. The test score you receive is graded by someone far away using data.” The College Board cites it’s a non-profit organization that has run the AP program since 1955. It goes on to state the Advanced Placement Program develops and maintains guidelines for the teaching of higher-level courses with great rigor in various subject areas. Instruction in an AP course is a major undertaking for teachers. Teaching college level curriculum to high school students, preparing them for their final exam, and wearing the many hats of motivator, content guru, and task master is not without its challenges. Mendi Spencer is an AP Biology teacher at Grain Valley High School. Spencer identifies multiple benefits that come from taking AP courses, including gaining an advantage in competitive fields such as nursing or medical school. Spencer also acknowledges that an AP Biology course looks quite a bit different than traditional high school Biology. Key concepts are covered at a faster pace, problem-solving abounds, and that leads to the need to talk about research. Tackling real world issues in curing or preventing cancer, diabetes, and genetic diseases come to the front and center for students. Trials and rewards also exist for those who take AP courses. Spencer took the time to share her thoughts on both topics. “For students, the biggest challenge is managing time to keep up with the large amount of information covered. However, we have great science classes that prepare students well before they take AP. As for teachers, the first years of the class can be a struggle. I had to learn about 60% of the content I was expected to teach my students (even with the summer week-long training and professional development provided prior to teaching the course initially),” Spencer said. “Sometimes students start the year with poor study habits and will think the class is too hard for them. With a bit of guidance, I see poor students turn into great ones. When I see this happen, I’m so proud. I also love to receive emails from previous students that tell me their classmates think they are a genius and ask them for help all the time.” U.S. News and World Report annually ranks high schools across the nation. They use four key criteria to compile the overall score given to high schools. They are the percentage of students who took at least one AP Exam, percentage of students who passed at least one AP Exam, Mathematics Proficiency on state level tests, and Graduation Rate Percentage. Grain Valley High School was ranked as the 38th best high school in the State of Missouri for 2019 based on Spring 2018 criterion data. U.S. News and World Report listed that 68% of students took at least one AP Exam, 30% passed at least one AP Exam, 69% Mathematics Proficiency, and a 96% Graduation rate. The publication should release it rankings for 2020 based on Spring 2019 criterion data later this year. Plowman indicated an increase in the percentage of the number of students who passed an AP Exam in the Spring of 2019 at nearly 40%. Furthermore, he expects 750 AP Exams to be taken by 450 students by the end of this school year. Grain Valley High School’s principal compares taking an AP class to playing Michael Jordan in a one on one basketball matchup. “You are not going to beat him and it’s not necessarily going to be fun, but you are going to know the level you have to be at for success. AP classes have an advanced rigor with the test attached to it and college level work that goes with the course,” Plowman said. “I don’t care what grade students get in an AP class. I don’t care what score they get on an AP test. If they get college credit for the course, then great. It’s about exposure to an advanced level of work, stretching yourself academically, and taking a high stakes exam.” Plowman continued, “It might let a parent know if their kid can handle college. If they’re in an AP class and struggle, then do you pay for a four-year university after graduation right away? AP allows them to hit adversity. We have to put kids in situations where they must grow. You have to experience adversity to grow. It’s also mandatory that if you take an AP course, you have to take the exam as well. I receive some flak for that, and that’s fine because we consider the exam part of the course and challenge. We have other classes you may take if you don’t want to take an AP course or exam. Consideration has been given to students on free and reduced lunch status regarding affordability for the exam. Plowman indicated those students pay a flat reduced rate for the exam along with trying to exhaust other means if necessary, to make sure a student is not excluded from testing based on cost. Grain Valley High School also offers career related courses for students who may not be headed in the direction of a four-year college or university. Plowman indicated that approximately 70% of their graduates go on to a two or four college. Career technical education has been added to available courses for the other 30% of the student body. “We didn’t have that program until four years ago. Business, FACS (Family and Consumer Sciences), and Project Lead the Way are all pre-career programs. We also partner with the Career Technical Center in the Fort Osage School District, Summit Career Center, and the programs at Blue Springs including aviation and cosmetology nail tech,” Plowman said. Plowman explained the idea is beyond expanded course offerings and getting into career pathways so that a student may possibly take multiple classes in a career cluster such as culinary arts or accounting prior to graduation. The old saying goes, the future belongs to those who prepare for it today. 21st century college and career readiness may include exposure to an AP course and exam, to getting hands-on job-related experience with career technical learning. Photo credit: Grain Valley Schools Students work on a project in an AP History class at Grain Valley High School.
Photo credit: Valley News Staff The following information is derived from the Grain Valley Police Department daily calls for service log for the week of August 28—September 3, 2019.
by John Unrein The 7-0 score only tells part of the story. Yes, the Grain Valley Eagles Softball team did shutout the visiting Fort Osage Indians on Monday, September 9th. However, an even bigger part of the story was the good judgment on display throughout the game by Eagles players. Freshman pitcher Hailey Hemme spread six hits, six strikeouts, and three walks across seven shutout innings. Just as impressive was her placement of the softball in the strike zone and the composure she displayed in the victory. Hemme was successful at placing the softball on the outer half of the plate as well as the top and bottom of the strike zone. She was able to reach back and find a little more velocity when she had two strikes on a hitter and late in the game. Hemme would collect herself and take a deep breath and slow down her pace during times in which her control would waiver. Perhaps her best play of the game came in the bottom of the 4th inning. Hemme showed good judgment on a sharply hit ground ball back to her with a Fort Osage runner at third base. Hemme looked the runner back to third base, preventing the score, prior to throwing out the hitter at first. The awareness and good judgment of the freshman kept the shutout intact and drew excitement from her teammates and the crowd. Hemme was complimentary of her teammates in her post game comments despite pitching a gem of a game herself. “Today was possible because of the hitting and fielding of my team. They deserve a ton of credit,” Hemme said. Eagles Head Softball Coach Garrett Ogle was pleased to start the week off with a win. A week his team is set to play eight games in a tough stretch of their schedule. He was impressed with Hemme’s efforts. “We got into some tough situations defensively and she was able to pitch out of those. It speaks to her composure that she was able to successfully pitch to girls who are three and four years older than her,” Ogle said. Junior Third Baseman Malia Gutierrez also displayed good judgment with her efforts on the field. She was able to handle a scorched grounder at the hot corner in the bottom of the fifth. Her subsequent accurate throw home was able to get out the Fort Osage runner trying to advance from third and preserve the shutout. Gutierrez would also go two for four on the day at the plate with a single and triple in her first two at bats. The upperclassman was excited about the win. “It was amazing today. The team came out and played with a lot of energy. That’s part of my role is to bring energy on the field and at the plate,” Gutierrez said. Ogle had high praise for the leadership exhibited by Gutierrez. “She’s an outstanding player and person. Malia’s great to have on the field because she knows what she’s doing. She’s definitely a future coach. Her ability to know where the next play is going to be before it happens is special,” Ogle said. The varsity softball team will be participating in the Springfield tournament the weekend of Friday, September 13th and Saturday, September 14th. Freshman Hailey Hemme delivers a pitch to home plate. Photo credit: Valley News staff Senior Keely Hill connects with the ball for a base hit.
Photo credit: Valley News staff by Wayne Geiger “Give me five,” said the little guy sticking out his hand expectantly. He had an anxious grin on his face. He had no intention of giving me five. I’ve been down this road before.
Rather than spoil his fun, I played along and gave him five. He then responded, “Up high.” I played along and slapped his hand enthusiastically. “Down low,” he said. As I went to give him five he quickly pulled his hand away and said, “Too slow.” I laughed and said, “You got me!” The year was 1938. Well before the era of the Internet—or even TV for that matter. Everybody listened to the radio and listening options were minimal. A man named Orson Welles worked for CBS radio. Although only twenty-three years of age, Welles was the voice of the Mercury Theater company and “The Shadow”. He had a brilliant idea to do a realistic radio drama of a Martian invasion of Earth based on a book--the War of the Worlds. He would bring the drama to life. So, at 8 pm on October 30, a cheerful, commanding voice bolted out, “The Columbia Broadcasting System and its affiliated stations present Orson Welles and the Mercury Theater on the air in ‘War of the Worlds’ by H.G. Wells.” It was an introduction and a disclaimer. Unfortunately, most people missed that announcement. They were tied up listening to the end of another program on NBC. They would not have tuned into CBS until after 8—thus missing the announcement. By then, the radio show was well under way. After a weather report, listeners were taken to the Meridian Room in the Hotel Park Plaza in downtown New York, to listen to a live orchestra. Nothing new for the show, but it was all part of the drama. A news announcer broke into the show announcing that a professor had detected explosions on the planet Mars. After that, it was back to music. Moments later, listeners were informed that a large meteor had fallen into a farmer’s field in Grovers Mills, New Jersey. Police and news crews were dispatched to the area. This drama went back and forth until an announcer on scene described the scene at the farm. He gave a first-hand description of an alien being emerging from a large metallic cylinder. “Good heavens,” he declared, “something’s wriggling out of the shadow like a gray snake. Now here’s another and another one and another one. They look like tentacles to me … I can see the thing’s body now. It’s large, large as a bear. It glistens like wet leather. But that face, it… it …ladies and gentlemen, it’s indescribable. I can hardly force myself to keep looking at it, it’s so awful. The eyes are black and gleam like a serpent. The mouth is kind of V-shaped with saliva dripping from its rimless lips that seem to quiver and pulsate” (a scream and silence). Listeners, on the edge of their seats, were told about apparent technical difficulties at the scene. As the drama continued, the Martians waged a full-on attack. These beings occupied war machines and fired heat ray weapons annihilating everything in their path—including seven thousand National Guardsman. They also released a poisonous gas into the air. Soon, additional cylinders hit the earth in Chicago and St. Louis. An announcer reported that widespread panic had broken out in the vicinity of the landing sites, with thousands desperately trying to flee. The announcement wasn’t far from the truth. Estimates are that as many as a million radio listeners believed that a real Martian invasion was underway as panic broke out across the country. The debacle led to public and governmental outcry. After an FCC investigation, and a threat from Congress, rules regulating broadcasting were incorporated. We marvel at that now. Of course, we’re too smart for that. Or, at least I thought so. I love Shark Week on the Discovery Channel. So does my family. In August of 2013, one of the specials on Shark Week was "Megalodon: The Monster Shark Lives." Megalodon is a prehistoric shark that supposedly was extinct. However, this program revealed that they might not be extinct after all. They surmised that a fishing boat In South Africa had been attacked and the crew was missing. An investigation led some experts to believe that it was the work of megalodon. Viewers, like me, watched shark experts, footage, and a dramatic storyline unfold as they searched for this monster in the deep. I was glued to the tube wondering what mysteries lay below and what might this new information mean for scientific exploration and discovery. It wasn’t until the next morning that I realized I had been deceived. Not only me—but many other people as well. “Megaladon” was not a “documentary” after all. It was what’s called a “mockumentary”. It was all a fabricated drama—not something that I would have expected from the Discovery Channel. Discovery claimed that it had aired several disclaimers--but most people missed them. The show was a ratings hit for Discovery, with 4.8 million viewers tuning in. In fact, in the 26-year history of Shark Week, "Megalodon" is the highest-rated and most-watched Shark Week episode to date. The fact that I was duped frightened me. I had trusted the Discovery Channel and bought into the megalodon malarkey hook, line, and sinker. I have not watched Shark Week since. That ship has sailed. As they say, “Fool me once—shame on thee. Fool me twice—shame on me.” At the same time, I still find myself to be incredibly trusting and tend to believe the best in people. It’s in my nature. However, I do my homework, appreciate research, and verify sources. I tend to be somewhat skeptical of what I read—unless it’s on the Internet. Thankfully, we can trust everything we read on the Internet. 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. by John Unrein Friday, September 6th was the third time the Grain Valley Eagles had faced off against the Grandview Bulldogs in football over a twelve-month span. It was apparent that the two teams knew each other well, with Grain Valley’s narrow 6-3 win. Special teams led by the kicking of Senior Jack Knust, the Eagles defense containing the speed of the Bulldog offense, and a Grain Valley rushing attack that churned out 167 yards rushing was the formula for victory. Knust connected on field goals of 33 and 25 yards respectively. Both kicks were struck solid and left little room for doubt that they would clear the uprights. Eagles Head Football Coach David Allie was pleased with the way Knust performed in his welcome to varsity football. “In some pressure-cooking situations, he came in and connected, including what was basically a walk off field goal. He’s a good kid. He’s pulling double duty with working his tail off in soccer. He had a soccer game last Friday and didn’t get a chance to kick for us,” Allie said. “We adjusted his steps this week. He can nail the football with a two-step approach. What a weapon to have as a team.” Knust’s two step field goal kicking approach helps to get the football away fast. It limits an opponent’s chance to get their hands up for a block during the kicking attempt. Grandview was not as fortunate in the kicking game. Eagles Senior Defensive Lineman Michael Sanchez tipped a Grandview punt with 6:30 left in the fourth quarter. The punt spiraled awkwardly in the air towards the Bulldog sideline for no net yardage. The crafty upperclassmen set up the block by taking a jab step to the outside of the Grandview blocker prior to coming back inside with leverage. The athletic move permitted Sanchez to complete the play and help shift momentum back in favor of the Eagles during the closing minutes of the game. Sanchez also drew yeoman’s duty at defensive end against the two large Grandview offensive tackles. His efforts in getting his hands inside the man in front of him helped keep contain against the opposition’s speedy running backs. “We worked our butts off this week to prepare for this game. Those are two of the best offensive tackles in our conference. Getting to compete against them was something,” Sanchez said. “Getting my hand on the punt was about sacrifice. You have to go 100 percent the whole time.” Linebackers Senior Seth Dankenbring and Junior Hunter Newsom were active in their pursuit and tackling the entire game. Three different defensive series saw the duo record tackles for loss or no gain on successive downs when their team needed a stop. Both Dankenbring and Newsome put on a clinic in using the sideline boundary as leverage in pinning in a ball carrier in pursuit. Furthermore, they successfully worked in tandem to fill and replace when the Bulldogs attempted to stretch the Eagles defense with outside zone runs. Dankenbring and Newsom glowed about the job done up front by their defensive tackles in holding down the Grandview offensive line so that they could flow freely on the second level of the defense. “Seth and I trust each other in that we will be in the correct spot based on our keys. You have to take care of your responsibility and master your craft so that the tackle may be made,” Newsom said. Dankenbring added, “Our tempo tonight was unreal. The fight we had was incredible. Our defensive line worked their butts off every down. They took on double teams and made our life a lot easier.” This was the second week in a row that the “Big Trio,” as they refer to themselves were credited with significantly contributing to the team win due to their efforts at defensive tackle. Senior Steele Blackmon and Juniors Quincy Jones and Donovan McBride were stout up front along the defensive line for the Eagles. Grain Valley struggled to overcome penalties during the game. This would include a forty-yard touchdown run by Senior Running Back Jamore Goulden that was nullified due to an illegal procedure penalty. The negated run would’ve added to a big night for Goulden who racked up 94 yards on 22 carries. Allie had high praise for Goulden who battled through a hamstring strain and toe injury throughout the course of the game. “Jamore is a warrior. He was selected one of our captains for a reason. He outworks people by running and blocking hard. Give him a crease and he will take it out of the gate for all he can. He does a great job,” Allie said. Grain Valley will host the Smithville Warriors at Moody Murray Stadium on Friday, September 13th. Allie knows that the Eagles will have their work cut out for them against the defending conference champions. “We will be facing one of the best backs in the conference when the Warriors visit. His brother also happens to be the quarterback. They have at least two athletes we will have to contain. We both came into the conference together last year and they beat us at their place,” Allie said. “We didn’t perform very well. This team has its work cut out for us. We will return to the practice field this week in finding more ways to score. It should be a battle.” Pictured Left to Right: Junior Linebacker Hunter Newsom, Senior Linebacker Seth Dankenbring, and Senior Defensive End Michael Sanchez. Photo credit: Valley News staff Senior Kicker Jack Knust connects on a field goal.
Photo credit: John Overstreet |
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