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by Michael Smith Grain Valley head coach David Allie decided to try something new. His Eagles took on Suburban White Conference rival William Chrisman Friday at Norman James Field, and on the second drive of the game, he lined up freshman wide receiver Dawson Head in the Wildcat formation. Head broke off a 53-yard run, which set up his 1-yard touchdown run, the first of his varsity career, to put the Eagles ahead 14-0. He was one of multiple Eagles to accomplish a first-time varsity feat as Grain Valley steamrolled the Bears 63-6. Head is a transfer from Knoxville, Tenn., and had played at the running back position in middle school. He also was a state track champion, so Allie wanted to utilize his speed at the wide receiver position. That was on display on only on the 54-yard run, but on a 17-yard touchdown pass in which he caught from quarterback Chase Neer as he beat a Chrisman cornerback on a waggle route late in the second period. “We had that wildcat package and have been working on it in practice for the last couple of weeks,” Allie said. “I thought we needed to try it in this game, and he did a great job running the ball. He’s explosive.” Neer and senior running back Robert Palmer said they were impressed with the freshman. “Dawson is probably the fastest player on the team, so we have to find a way to get him the ball,” Neer said. Added Palmer: “We need to see him back there some more. I can’t wait to see him grow.” Head said he was excited to get his first varsity score. “It’s pretty awesome,” Head said. “It was a long process but I am happy to be here.” That wasn’t the only first-time accomplishment for an Eagle during the contest. Sophomore Carter Cygan, the backup place kicker for Grain Valley, made three extra points late; and freshman Brody Davis and senior Jacob Moore scored their first varsity touchdowns, on a 2-yard and 3-yard run, respectively. “(Moore) is a senior that is behind our varsity running backs on the depth chart, but we’ve tried him at other positions like defensive line to get him some playing time. Brody is a freshman who plays up at the junior varsity level some and plays on the freshman team, too.” Palmer continued his spectacular season as he rushed for 223 yards and two touchdowns on 12 carries. He scored on runs of 7 and 9 as he went into the end zone untouched both times. Through three games, he has 659 yards on the ground and five TDs. Last season, Simone Award finalist and first-team all-state running back Ty Williams had 571 yards and eight touchdowns through his first three games. So far, Palmer is on pace to have a similar season as Grain Valley’s previous star running back. “This has been crazy,” Palmer said. “I never would have thought this would happen. The offensive line was amazing. They provided great blocking.” Added Neer: “(Palmer has) been amazing. He really started standing out in that first game. Throughout the summer and preseason, we thought it was going to be a three-headed monster at running back, but he took over that No. 1 spot.” Neer added a 63-yard touchdown pass on third-and-21 on a screen to running back DJ Harris and also had a 5-yard scoring run on his team’s opening drive. Harris ran the ball five times for 89 yards and another TD from 1 yard out. William Chrisman had its only score on a 79-yard TD run from sophomore Stefan Castorena with 1:08 left in the contest. On defense, senior safety Aaron Barr had an interception of Chrisman quarterback Declan Watson and as a team, the Eagles had eight tackles for a loss and one sack from senior defensive end Alex Osborn.  Senior running back Robert Palmer, left, and freshman wide receiver Dawson Head each had two touchdowns to help Grain Valley blow out William Chrisman Friday at Norman James Field. Photo credit: Michael Smith  The Eagles had eight tackles for a loss and one sack from senior defensive end Alex Osborn. Photo credit: Addie Kennedy  On defense, senior safety Aaron Barr had an interception of Chrisman quarterback Declan Watson. Photo credit: John Overstreet
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Downtown Grain Valley, in partnership with Grain Valley High School student government and Central Jackson County Fire Protection District, has revived the Community Pep Rally and Bonfire just in time for homecoming. The community is invited on Wednesday, September 18th from 6:30pm - 7:30pm to the Grain Valley Community Gardens downtown for a spirit-packed rally. Cheer on GVHS sports teams, enjoy the pep band, and meet the Eagles mascot. GVHS high school students will then have the space reserved for them from 7:30-9:00pm to gather around the bonfire and make some memories.   Join the Grain Valley Police Department on Tuesday, September 17th from 6:00pm - 8:00pm, for their annual National Night Out Against Crime event at Armstrong Park. Families can enjoy free food and drinks, K9 demonstrations, explore bomb squad equipment, watch a helicopter landing, and participate in security raffle prizes. National Night Out will be held in the field behind the Community Center. This is a free event, and no registration is required. For more information, call (816) 847-6250 or email [email protected].   The Grain Valley Chamber of Commerce proudly announces the launch of the 2025 National Civics Bee®, an initiative aimed at encouraging more young Americans to engage in civics and contribute to their communities. Hosted in partnership with The Civic Trust® of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, the competition in Grain Valley will inspire middle schoolers to become better informed about American democracy, to engage respectfully and constructively in the community, and to build greater trust in others and institutions. Middle school students in 6th, 7th, and 8th grade from public, private, charter, and home schools are invited to take part in the first-round civics essay competition. After a distinguished panel of judges review the essays, the top 20 students will be selected to advance to their local competition: an in-person live event featuring two rounds of civics questions followed by a Q&A round to test their civics knowledge. The Grain Valley Chamber of Commerce will host its local competition in the spring of 2025. The local finalists and top winners will receive various prizes, including prizes worth at least $500 for the first-place student. Participants in the National Civics Bee® will have the chance to gain recognition for their civics knowledge and skills and compete for prestigious prizes throughout the competition. The competition enables students to explore issues that matter to their communities, furthering their understanding of civic engagement and fostering responsible citizenship. Winners from each of the local competitions across Missouri will be invited to take part in the state finals. The first-place winner of the state finals will receive a trip to Washington, D.C. to compete for prizes worth at least $50,000 during the national championship in the Fall of 2025. “Informed and active citizens are the cornerstone of a strong community, economy, and workforce. The Grain Valley Chamber of Commerce is thrilled to host the National Civics Bee® to promote greater civic knowledge in Missouri,” Cory Unrein, Director of Business Development for the Grain Valley Chamber of Commerce said. “Fostering a deep understanding of civics and government among our young students is critical to the vibrancy of democracy and civic life in America. The National Civics Bee® provides a unique platform for them to not only showcase their knowledge but also become active and engaged citizens of the future,” Hilary Crow, vice president of civics at the U.S. Chamber Foundation said. For more information, visit Grain Valley Chamber of Commerce - National Civics Bee (growgrainvalley.org).  Hosted in partnership with The Civic Trust® of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, the competition in Grain Valley will inspire middle schoolers to become better informed about American democracy, to engage respectfully and constructively in the community, and to build greater trust in others and institutions. Photo credit: U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation  In-person absentee voting for the November election begins September 24th at the Jackson County Election Board offices located at 110 N Liberty, Independence, MO. Office hours are Monday – Friday 8:30 am to 5:00 pm. In addition, the Jackson County Election Board will be open the three Saturdays before the election, October 19th, October 26th, and November 2nd, from 8:30am to 12:30pm. To request a mail-in absentee ballot, visit S:\Forms\ABSENTEE BALLOT APPLICATION Instructions-Registered Voters.wpd (jcebmo.org). Absentee requests for the November 5, 2024 General Election must be received on or before Wednesday, October 23, 2024. For more information, contact: JCEB Offices – 215 N. Liberty, Independence, MO 64050 | (816) 325-4600 | [email protected]. Reasons you can vote absentee:
No Excuse In-Person Absentee Voting begins the second Tuesday prior to an Election. For absentee I.D. requirements Click HERE.  by Marcia Napier, Grain Valley Historical Society Last week I received a call from a former GVHS classmate, Katheen (Barnard) Barnett. She had some old school newspapers to donate to the Historical Society. Turns out, she had about 70 old papers including several copies of the Broadcaster from 1938. Her mother, Earlene Smith, was the “Athletics Editor.” She also had papers from 1962-64 when we were in high school. Kathleen was a typist. And more from 1965 to 1969 when her sister graduated. Needless to say, I have spent several hours perusing their contents. Last week, most of this column dealt with the Homecoming Bonfire and Parade. So continuing in that vein, I will share snippets of Homecoming in 1962 (Class of 1963) and 1963 (Class of 1964). October 26, 1962 (Front page) After the Ball is Over The sophomores had the tasks of decorating the gym and the result was blue and white crepe paper streamers, balloons, and blue letters spelling “Welcome Back Alumni.” Music was provided by a four-piece band which included a GV student, Roy Robinette. Fast and slow tunes were played, even during the twist songs; off went the heels and everybody danced. October 26, 1962. Half-time Activities The themes of the floats were either T.V. shows or commercials… The senior class had the winning float with the theme Wagon Train, Victory or Bust. The other float themes were: freshmen, Knock’em Popeyed, sophomores, From the Valley of the Jolly Blue Giant, and juniors, Gleem (toothpaste) with Beam (Coach Beam).  Cover of The Eagles Cry September 27, 1963 September 27 (Lead story) Preparations for Homecoming The Homecoming theme “Good Neighbors” will be carried out through the parade, football game and dance… The parade will consist of the high school band and majorettes, floats from each high school class and their queen candidate… …grade school students will dress as different people of the world and march in the parade. The parade route will begin at school and proceed down Main Street to where Old 40 Highway joins Buckner Tarsney Road, and then return back to the school. The football game will begin at 8:00 PM, Friday night. The Eagles play the Oak Grove Panthers. At half-time, the float of each class will be brought onto the field and displayed. The Ivy Chain (four girls from each class) proceeds onto the field, followed by the queen candidates. One lucky football player will then crown the Homecoming Queen. The gym will be decorated by the sophomore class, halls by the seniors, goal post by the freshmen and the outside of the building by the juniors. As much as life has changed over the 60 years since these stories were written, it is somewhat comforting to know that something never change! GVHS Alumni, family, and friends are invited to view photos and artifacts at the Alumni Tent before the 2024 Homecoming Game at Moody Murry Field on September 20th when the Eagles host the Ruskin Eagles. NOTE: The dance that we now know as the Twist originated in the late fifties among teenagers, and was popularized by Chubby Checker who debuted the song to a national audience on August 6, 1960, on The Dick Clark Show. Moody Murry was the superintendent of the Grain Valley Schools for seven years, from 1959 until May 1966.  The following information is derived from Grain Valley Police Department daily calls service log for the week of September 4-10, 2024. September 4, 2024 100 BLK SW ROCK CREEK DR Stealing Vehicle 1300 BLK NW R D MIZE RD Suspicious Person 400 BLK SW LAURA LN Stealing Under PHQ Citizen Contact PHQ Stealing Under 20300 BLK E MO 78 HWY Special Assignment-Event/Demo 1500 BLK NW NICHOLAS DR Alarm-Residential 700 BLK NE MAIN ST Special Assignment-Other 400 BLK SW ROCK CREEK LN Agency Assist EMS 400 BLK S MAIN ST Disturbance-Verbal 100 BLK HARRIS Pedestrian Check PHQ Walk In Report PHQ Public Service 800 BLK NW WILLOW DR Suspicious Vehicle PHQ Public Service September 5, 2024 1600 BLK NE JACLYN DR Disturbance-Verbal PHQ Public Service 1100 BLK MONTANA RIDGE Citizen Contact 600 BLK NE OLD US 40 HWY Agency Assist EMS 100 BLK SW EAGLES PKWY Stealing Under 100 BLK N MAIN ST Property Damage 1000 BLK NE MCQUERRY RD Public Service 400 BLK SW LAURA LN Citizen Contact 1400 BLK NE MARY CT Public Service 300 BLK SW EAGLES PKWY Follow Up Investigation 1100 BLK NW SCENIC DR Missing Person-Juvenile NB MAIN / 70 Careless and Imprudent Driver PHQ Public Service 700 BLK N MAIN ST Crash Injury 1600 BLK NE JACLYN DR Public Service 100 BLK S BUCKNER TARSNEY RD Agency Assist Fire BUCKNER TARSNEY RD / DUNCAN Agency Assist LE 1200 BLK SW 4TH ST Agency Assist LE PHQ Public Service 400 BLK NW ORION DR Citizen Assist September 6, 2024 800 BLK SW LAKEVIEW DR Open Door-Structure PHQ Public Service 100 BLK SUNNY LN Disturbance-Physical LAKE VIEW DR AND INDIAN CREEK Area Check 400 BLK SW OAK WOOD LN Citizen Contact 500 BLK SW HAMILTON LN Threats PHQ Public Service PHQ Walk In Report LEE ANN / GATEWAY Parking Complaint/Viol 803 SHORTHORN DR Agency Assist LE HILLSBORO DR / HAMILTON Follow Up Investigation EE KIRBY/EAGLES PKWY Crash Non-Injury PHQ Noise 600 BLK YENNIE AVE Follow Up Investigation 4100 BLK S LITTLE BLUE PKWY Follow Up Investigation 400 BLK OAK WOOD LN Follow Up Investigation 500 BLK SW HAMILTON LN Citizen Contact 1000 BLK NE CORONADO DR Administrative 700 BLK N MAIN ST Off Duty Assignment 1600 BLK NE JACLYN DR Public Service 500 BLK SW EAGLES PARKWAY Off Duty Assignment PHQ Walk In Report PHQ Walk In Report PHQ Follow Up Investigation 1100 BLK NW LONG DR Suspicious Activity 1600 BLK NE JACLYN DR Citizen Contact 1100 BLK N BUCKNER TARSNEY RD Check Well Being 1100 BLK S BUCKNER TARSNEY RD Check Well Being 500 BLK E JAMES ROLLO CT Suspicious Person September 7, 2024 RYMEG / CRESTWOOD Area Check 40 / JE FIELDS Animal Control 1200 BLK NW WILLOW DR Trespass 200 BLK CYPRESS ST Vehicle Check 1800 BLK NW HILLTOP CT Noise 900 BLK NW HIGH VIEW DR Agency Assist LE; Residence Check PHQ Special Assignment-Event/Demo 300 BLK BLK NE AUSTIN Warrant Arrest PHQ Public Service 300 BLK W WALNUT ST Public Service 700 BLK N MAIN ST Special Assignment-Event/Demo 800 BLK SW MONTANA RIDGE DR Check Well Being 500 BLK SW EAGLES PARKWAY Off Duty Assignment 200 BLK CYPRESS ST Stealing Over 100 BLK JAMES ROLLO DR Parking Complaint/Viol 500 BLK SW EAGLES PARKWAY Off Duty Assignment 700 BLK N MAIN ST Property Damage PHQ Walk In Report 1100 BLK N BUCKNER TARSNEY RD Check Well Being 1500 BLK NE ERIN CT Alarm-Residential PHQ Public Service GRAIN VALLEY FAIRGROUNDS Area Check MAIN / MCQUERRY Disturbance-Verbal September 8, 2024 700 BLK SW NELSON DR Agency Assist LE 700 BLK N MAIN ST Agency Assist LE 800 BLK NE SAN KAR DR Disturbance-Physical PHQ Public Service 633 BLK SW NELSON DR Public Service 900 BLK NW WILLOW DR Check Well Being PHQ Walk In Report PHQ Public Service 900 BLK NW JEFFERSON ST Suspicious Person 900 BLK HILLTOP LN Disturbance-Physical 200 BLK NW MICHAEL DR Burglary 1000 BLK NW LONG DR Citizen Contact BUCKNER TARSNEY RD / PERRY Crash Left Scene E DUNCAN RD / DILLINGHAM RD Check Well Being 1400 BLK SW EAGLES PKWY Animal At Large 500 BLK BROADWAY ST Threats 1600 BLK NE JACLYN DR Suspicious Vehicle PHQ Citizen Contact 600 BLK YENNIE Property Damage 1300 BLK NW SYCAMORE DR Animal At Large September 9, 2024 500 BLK BROADWAY Citizen Assist DUNCAN / RUST Area Check 100 BLK ROCK CREEK DR Dead Body 400 BLK N MAIN ST Area Check 40 HWY/ MAIN Pedestrian Check 70 HWY/ MAIN Motorist Assist 31600 BLK E PINK HILL RD Extra Patrol PHQ Walk In Report 300 BLK WOODBURY Pedestrian Check 1400 BLK GOLFVIEW DR Stealing Over 700 BLK SW HARVEST CIR Check Well Being PHQ Public Service 1300 BLK NW HILLTOP LN Public Service 1300 BLK NW SYCAMORE DR Animal Control; Citizen Contact 1400 BLK NW BURR OAK CT Citizen Contact September 10, 2024 900 BLK NW HILLTOP LN Open Door-Structure 1800 BLK NW HILLTOP CT Open Door-Structure 1553 shale ct Open Door-Structure 900 BLK NW LINDENWOOD DR Open Door-Structure 1200 BLK TYER RD Alarm-Commerical 900 BLK NW 1571 RD Range 550 BLK SW EAGLES PARKWAY Information 900 BLK SW RYAN RD Assault PHQ Walk In Report 31600 BLK NE PINK HILL RD Information 31600 BLK NE PINK HILL RD Disturbance-Verbal PHQ Walk In Report 700 BLK N MAIN ST Court SW EAGLES PKWY / W OF GARDEN ST Area Check CORONADO DR Area Check 600 BLK NW SCENIC LN Sex Offense PHQ Public Service 700 BLK NE MAIN ST Court 200 BLK SNI-A-BAR BLVD Suspicious Person 1600 BLK NE JACLYN DR Suspicious Vehicle 550 BLK SW EAGLES PARKWAY Sound of Shots EB I70/24 MM Agency Assist LE 4000 BLK S RUST RD Public Service 35900 BLK E MCQUERRY RD Check Well Being Additional calls for service: Order of Protection: 4 CIT/Mental Health Welfare Check: 3  GOP legislator’s son asks Supreme Court to order inquiry into donations to Missouri AGby Allison Kite, Missouri Independent Eight months into his term as Missouri’s attorney general, Andrew Bailey withdrew his office from defending a state agency being sued by a legislator’s son for disability discrimination. A few months earlier, his campaign and an affiliated political action committee accepted more than $150,000 in donations connected to a witness in the case. Incensed by what he saw as the state’s top attorney using his office for political benefit, Lucas Cierpiot — whose brother Patrick filed the original lawsuit and whose father is GOP Sen. Mike Cierpiot — filed a formal complaint accusing Bailey of violating attorney conduct rules. Need to get in touch?Have a news tip?Bailey’s spokeswoman, Madeline Sieren, noted in an email that the Office of Chief Disciplinary Counsel dismissed Cierpiot’s complaint without investigating. And legal experts interviewed by The Independent aren’t so sure taking money from a witness would warrant sanctions. But Cierpiot remains convinced the attorney general violated ethics rules. He’s now asking the Missouri Supreme Court to intervene and order an investigation. “No attorney can ever collect money from a case witness,” Cierpiot’s filing says. “The fact that there is not a rule spelling this out in-letter is due to the fact that it is so obvious.” While Bailey’s office was still in charge of the case, his campaign for reelection launched. The first donor to his fledgling campaign committee was Michael Ketchmark, who gave $2,825, the maximum that an individual can donate. By the end of January 2023, Bailey would receive a combined $16,950 from individuals with the last name Ketchmark or employed by the law firm Ketchmark & McCreight P.C. According to Patrick Cierpiot’s lawsuit, Ketchmark is a material witness in his case because he spoke to Gov. Mike Parson’s chief of staff in an attempt to keep Cierpiot from being fired from the Missouri Department of Economic Development. Ketchmark is a prominent attorney and donor in Missouri politics, including giving huge contributions to Parson. Patrick Cierpiot said he has known Ketchmark for 30 years. In an email, Ketchmark said he has not been called as a witness by the state in Patrick Cierpiot’s or any other case. Court records in Kansas show Cierpiot called Ketchmark as a witness. Ketchmark did not respond to a question about whether he spoke to the governor’s staff on Cierpiot’s behalf. “I have no idea why Patrick was fired, and the fact that Patrick listed me as a witness does not stop me from supporting a political candidate,” said Ketchmark, whose law firm this year alone gave the PAC supporting Bailey $1.1 million.
Attorneys contacted by The Independent said there is not a specific rule in Missouri barring Bailey from accepting donations from a witness. But Peter Joy, who teaches legal ethics at Washington University in St. Louis, said it creates a public confidence issue. “In terms of public perception,” Joy said, “it raises a lot of questions.” When someone is running for prosecutor or attorney general, Joy said, it’s a “delicate balance” between being a lawyer and a politician. “They still owe their primary obligation to the oath that they took to fulfill their elected office,” Joy said, “but…they have a campaign committee that’s soliciting people for contributions and they’re attending fundraisers and they’re speaking before groups where they’re hoping to generate funds to run their campaign and get votes, eventually, to retain their office.” Lucas Cierpiot’s filing is the latest in a series of accusations of unethical behavior by Bailey, who narrowly avoided being questioned under oath last month about his contact with a defendant in the state’s case against Jackson County. One of Bailey’s deputies lost his law license in that dispute, according to a filing from Jackson County’s attorneys. Last year, Bailey’s office withdrew from defending the Missouri State Highway Patrol in a lawsuit filed by companies that operate video game machines that offer cash prizes. The patrol investigated the machines, believing that they were illegal means of gambling. The withdrawal came after Bailey’s PAC accepted large campaign contributions from political action committees linked to a lobbyist for the two companies that brought the lawsuit against the state — Torch Electronics and Warrenton Oil. It’s also the second time Bailey has been the focus of a formal complaint about the behavior of his office. Earlier this year, the Hazelwood School District lodged a formal complaint about Bailey after his office falsely blamed the school’s diversity, equity and inclusion program for the off-campus assault of a student. Patrick Cierpiot sued the Missouri Department of Economic Development two years after he was fired from the department. He said he requested accommodations after breaking his wrist in a bicycle wreck because he was struggling to write and type to keep up with his workload but was fired instead. In its response, the state accused Cierpiot of fraud. In Cierpiot’s amended lawsuit in May 2022, he named Ketchmark as having urged a Parson staffer not to fire him. The following January brought the Ketchmark-affiliated donations to Bailey’s campaign. Later in the spring of 2023, Ketchmark’s law firm donated $125,000 to the pro-Bailey Liberty and Justice PAC. A few weeks after that, Liberty and Justice received an in-kind donation from the firm totaling $9,216.53. Bailey helped raise money for Liberty and Justice PAC, which, in turn, supported his successful GOP primary run for a full term as attorney general. Bailey’s campaign and the PAC received a combined $151,166.53 in cash and in-kind donations from Ketchmark, his relatives and his law firm and associates while Bailey was defending the state in the Cierpiot lawsuit.
In August 2023, Bailey’s office withdrew from the case and allowed the department to hire a private law firm to handle it. At that time, Sieren told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that Bailey didn’t have a conflict of interest and his office was looking to outside firms to handle “complex cases.” Lucas Cierpiot filed his complaint four months later in December 2023. It was dismissed by the Office of Chief Disciplinary Counsel in March. Cierpiot asked for further review, but the case was dismissed again in May. In response, Cierpiot filed a motion with the state Supreme Court last month asking that it order an investigation. The Office of Chief Disciplinary Counsel responded to Lucas Cierpiot’s filing with the Missouri Supreme Court, saying he could not insist on an investigation. It went on to say Cierpiot’s complaint didn’t allege a violation of the rules of professional conduct because it outlined donations from Ketchmark’s firm to the PAC, not from Ketchmark himself to Bailey’s campaign committee. “Corporations are legal entities separate and distinct from their officers and shareholders,” the response filing says. The filing, signed by Chief Disciplinary Counsel Laura Elsbury, claims that before declining to investigate Cierpiot’s allegations, officials “independently verified that (Ketchmark) had not contributed to (Bailey’s) campaign committee.” But that was wrong. Ketchmark did contribute to Bailey’s campaign committee. Elsbury said in an email she could not comment on the pending issue. Lucas Cierpiot did not immediately return a request for comment. In an interview, Patrick Cierpiot said he doesn’t think it is right for an attorney to take money from a witness. “If it’s okay for Andrew Bailey to solicit and accept money from a case witness,” Patrick Cierpiot said, “then the Missouri courts are completely blown open for corruption.” SUPPORT NEWS YOU TRUST.
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Missouri Independent is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Missouri Independent maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Jason Hancock for questions: [email protected]. Follow Missouri Independent on Facebook and X. 
by Erin Woodiel, Missouri Department of Conservation Hunting deer is a challenging and rewarding way to enjoy the outdoors in the fall. The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) will host a two-day “White-Tailed Deer Hunting 101” program on Wednesday, Sept. 25 and Thursday, Sept. 26 at MDC’s Burr Oak Woods Conservation Nature Center from 6:00pm - 8:00pm. This program will include both in-person and virtual options for participation. Participants are required to attend both days of the program. Taught by MDC Community Education Assistant John Rittel and Naturalist Nikki King, topics will cover scouting locations, hunting methods, deer tracking and more. All in-person participants should dress to be both indoors and outdoors. Participants ages 10 and up are welcome, though anyone ages 10-15 must be accompanied by a participating adult. This program is free, but registration is required for both the in-person and virtual options. Register for the in-person option at: https://mdc-event-web.s3licensing.com/Event/EventDetails/202582 Register for the virtual option at: https://mdc-event-web.s3licensing.com/Event/EventDetails/202597 Burr Oak Woods Conservation Nature Center is located at 1401 NW Park Road in Blue Springs, MO. For questions about this event or other upcoming events at Burr Oak Woods, call 816-228-3766.  The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) will host a two-day “White-Tailed Deer Hunting 101” program on Wednesday, Sept. 25 and Thursday, Sept. 26 at MDC’s Burr Oak Woods Conservation Nature Center from 6:00pm - 8:00pm. Photo credit: MDC  by Michael Smith All it took was one mistake. The Grain Valley boys’ soccer team was in a non-conference game with Van Horn Monday at home and it played even with its opponent for the first 20 minutes of the contest. However, Van Horn junior Miabo Asukulu lobbed a pass from about 45 yards out toward the Eagles’ goal. Goalkeeper Alex Tuttle settled under the ball and tried to make the stop. The ball slipped through his hands and went into the net, which resulted in the Falcons first goal and the road team went on to defeat Grain Valley 2-0. “The margin of error is so small when you are playing one of the top teams in Class 3 like Van Horn,” Grain Valley head coach Brett Lewis said. “We can’t give away silly mistakes to teams like Van Horn. We must put shots on target, too.” “The first goal was deflating because we were playing with them.” The Falcons (3-1) controlled a physical game that got chippy at times. They double teamed Grain Valley’s midfielders and forced turnovers which led to chances at scoring in the attacking third of the field. That led to Askukulu’s score in the 20th minute of the game. Tuttle did get a bit of redemption in the 38th minute though. He made a diving stop on a penalty kick from Falcons senior Diego Escutia after Grain Valley committed a foul in the penalty box. Van Horn put the game away in the 72nds minute, however. Sophomore Andrew Barron drilled a direct free kick from about 30 yards away over the reach of Tuttle and into the upper 90 of the goal to give his Falcons a two-goal cushion. “I felt like our center backs got out of place and the shot went between them,” Lewis said. “I felt like we gave them another opportunity by committing a foul that was unnecessary.” Meanwhile, Grain Valley (1-3) had a handful of opportunities it was unable to convert on. Junior Lukas Gutauskas had an open shot in the Falcons 18-yard box bounce off the left post, sophomore Cooper Bousselot ripped a 25-yarder that was headed inside the far post, but was caught by Van Horn keeper Kester Phillips and senior Alex Luna just missed a goal after pushing a shot just high and over the net. “I think we had two of the better opportunities in the game,” Lewis said. “Making those opportunities means so much when you’re playing a good team.”  The Grain Valley boys soccer team gets ready to have a team meeting following a 2-0 loss to Van Horn Monday at Moody Murray Memorial Field. Photo credit: Michael Smith  |
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