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by Tara Sallee, MS, RD, LD, Hy-Vee Corporate Dietitian You asked… and asked, and asked. Therefore, it only felt right to compile Hy-Vee dietitians’ most frequently asked questions (and answers) about diet, food choices, healthy eating and more. Dive in and get the lowdown.
Which is best - fresh or frozen veggies? Would you find it surprising to know that the bagged produce found behind the frozen doors is just as nutritious as the fresh varieties? That’s right – a veggie in any form is packed full of vitamins, minerals, fiber and antioxidants. Think of the frozen options as a safe way to increase their shelf life. Plus, they can be a convenient side-item staple to any meal you make. Should I avoid fruit? Absolutely not! But what about the sugar content, you ask. The sugar found in fruit is not the same thing as added sugar, which is found in sodas, candy and other ultra-processed foods. A serving of whole fruit provides your body with nutritious vitamins and filling fiber, and can be a great alternative to sweets. Bananas, apples, berries – they’re all great options and should never be banned. Is vegetarian, keto, or the Mediterranean diet (etc.) the best way to eat? Honestly, the best way to eat is one that meets all of your nutritional needs and a plan that you can stick with long-term. If you’re unsure what that looks like for you – a Hy-Vee dietitian can help! Do I need to drink 8 glasses of water per day? This age-old advice is just that – old! The magical 8 glasses of water was an easy number to remember, yet your water intake should be modified to fit your lifestyle and activities. A good rule of thumb? Check your urine and ensure it’s a light yellow hue. Is sugar (or salt or fat) the biggest problem in our diets? We can’t point fingers at one single nutrient or ingredient behind a poor diet. The major problem? Eating too much ultra-processed foods and not enough produce, whole grains, lean meats and healthy fats over a long period. Balance is key, and using the 80/20 rule (80% wholesome foods and 20% treats) can help keep you healthy and happy, too. Should I go gluten-free? If you’ve been diagnosed with celiac disease or have a gluten sensitivity, then a gluten-free diet is an absolute must for you. Otherwise, a gluten-free lifestyle isn’t needed, nor healthier, than one that includes gluten-containing ingredients. The information is not intended as medical advice. Please consult a medical professional for individual advice. The Jackson County Legislature voted November 1st to extend the indoor mask mandate until November 22nd, with five voting for the extension, two members absent, and members Dan Tarwater III and Jeanie Lauer voting against the resolution.
In a release, County Executive Frank White, Jr., stated, “Over the past several weeks we have made significant progress in reducing the spread of coronavirus by wearing masks. However, we have not yet reached the CDC threshold that would no longer categorize our community as a high or substantial area of virus transmission. Thanks to the community’s continued sacrifice and resilience, we are very close to where we need to be. But until then, it is important for everyone to keep wearing their masks in public indoor places to provide the most protection for our children, who will soon have the opportunity to get vaccinated.” White continued, “From the beginning, I have said I will trust and follow the science, as well as the CDC and health officials’ recommendations to determine how we move forward safely. These decisions have never been easy for me or the County Legislature and today, a majority of the members did what they believe is in the best interest of our community’s well-being. We will continue to analyze the data and provide the Legislature with all information necessary to ensure we can make informed, life-saving decisions together.” Three Eagles advanced to State competition after successful runs in District competition on Saturday, October 30th at Lee’s Summit North.
Senior Ella Casey finished 14th with a time of 20:28.63. Junior Carson Hill finished 7th with a time of 16:34.30, and senior Mason McCain finished 11th with a time of 16:44.34. Hill earned 1st team All-District honors, and Casey and McCain earned 2nd team All-District honors. The trio head to Gans Creek in Columbia Friday, November 5th to participate in the MSHSAA Cross Country Championships. The following information is derived from the Grain Valley Police Department daily calls for service log for the week of October 20-26 , 2021.
by Marcia Napier, Grain Valley Historical Society Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) was an educational program that was founded in Los Angeles in 1983 as a joint initiative of then-LAPD chief Daryl Gatesand and the Los Angeles Unified School District as a drug control strategy of the American War on Drugs.
Did you know that by 1994 the D.A.R.E. program included over 25 million kids in 25 countries, but the only ball team authorized to have D.A.R.E. on their uniform as a sponsor was located in Grain Valley, Missouri? Chris Pratt was the volunteer coordinator of the local program. At that time he was also actively involved in support of the summer baseball programs in Grain Valley. He approached D.A.R.E. National, for permission to use the logo. Their only requirement was that the city relieve them of any liabilities and the city cooperated. Chris Pratt, his wife Beth, and Scott Hedger were the coaches. The Grain Valley Team Row 1: Jeremy Bowling, Chris Steele, Tim Dorman. Row 2: Ryan Wilfong, Matt Richard, Nathan Meyer, Alec Driscoll, Row 3: Coach Chris Pratt, Michael Pratt, Aaron Veatch, Brandon Smith, Cody Montgomery, Coach Beth Pratt, Coach Scott Hedger. It’s that time of year again: turkey, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie, the presence of friends and family, and a reason to give thanks for all of our good fortunes in the last year. If there’s one thing most of us want to NOT think about on Thanksgiving, it’s technology. Put the smartphones away, pack up the laptop, and disconnect for one day, right? Well, technology can actually help to bring us together on this most American of holidays, provided it’s put to good use instead of as a distraction from family time. Here are 5 ways to put technology to work for you this Thanksgiving, all of which will hopefully result in a more relaxing holiday: 1. Allrecipes. There are hundreds of cooking apps out there, but what makes this app so great is the fact that every recipe comes from a community of more than 50 million people. This gives it more of a social feel and that you're getting special recipes, not just generic ones. This app can recommend recipes when you walk into certain stores and comes with all the usual features, like the ability to create shopping lists, save your favorite recipes, and filter your search results by diet and cooking time ... which is handy when you have guests that have different dietary needs. 2. Meater/Meater Block. Wireless thermometers have increased in popularity over the years, but one of the best out there is the Meater and Meater block. This high-tech thermometer allows you to know the temperature of Tom Turkey or any other food you're cooking. Wireless means that you don't have to hang out in the kitchen all Thanksgiving Day. The Meater app allows you to spend time with company and get alerts when you're dish reaches optimum temperature. The Meater Block allows you to monitor several dishes from your smartphone at once. 3. Amazon Alexa Show /Google Home Show. It seems once a month, especially during the holiday season, I mention these smart home hubs. There are so many things these devices can do, the list is almost endless. You can use these devices to look up recipes, set timers multiple timers for food you're preparing. You can also stream music from your favorite music service such as Amazon Music, Spotify, and Pandora for your guest to listen to as well as allowing to watch Netflix on the devices before, during, and after dinner. Connected to your smart home, you can unlock and lock your doors with a smart lock system as well as monitor who is at the door if you have a wireless doorbell installed. 4. TCL Roku Smart TV. If you're reading this, it's probably time for a new TV and there's nothing better than this Smart TV which is Alexa, Google, and Apple Ready. Use your voice to activate this TV and quickly get to the shows you want. Roku software in the TV means you have access to all of the popular streaming services. This ULTA HD TV means if your family members want to watch Thanksgiving sports, the picture quality will be so good it will be as if they are there in person. 5.RetailMeNot. If you're making your Christmas shopping list and checking it twice on Thanksgiving to see if you get the best deals, then check out RetailMeNot. This app has thousands of stores in its database which means you can find that perfect gift and make sure you get the best deal. As an added bonus, if you can't find that gift for your loved one, you can purchase gift cards directly from the app. This Thanksgiving, don’t let technology ruin your day. Instead, use the best technology products to work to make your gathering even more meaningful. Most of all, remember to give thanks for the friends beside us, the food before us, and the love between us. Want to ask me a tech question? Send it to burton@callintegralnow.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. Need computer or technology help? If you need on-site or remote tech support for your Windows\Macintosh, computers, laptops, Android/Apple smartphone, tablets, printers, routers, smart home devices, and anything that connects to the Internet, please feel free to contact my team at Integral. Our team of friendly tech experts organization can help you with any IT needs you might have. Reach out to us a www.callintegralnow.com or phone at 888.256.0829. by Michael Smith The Grain Valley boys soccer team came into Tuesday’s Class 5 District 7 semifinal contest against Van Horn on fire. The Eagles had won five consecutive games and nine out of their last 11. They also averaged 3.8 goals in their last 11 games so they were firing on all cylinders. However, Grain Valley ran into a rock-solid Van Horn defense and the Falcons scored one incredible goal to end the Eagles season following a 1-0 loss at Warrensburg High School. “For the majority of that game, I thought we outplayed them,” Grain Valley head coach Brett Lewis said. “We had opportunities in the first half, too. We had a shot go centimeters wide to the left.” “Soccer is a cruel game. It just doesn’t go your way sometimes.” Van Horn scored its lone goal in the 36th minute when senior Kobe Otano knocked in a backward header without even looking at the goal off a direct free kick. The Falcons also controlled possession for most of the first half and limited Grain Valley’s opportunities. The Falcons also utilized a high press and pressured Grain Valley’s ball handlers throughout the contest, making it difficult for the Eagles to connect on passes and make it to the Van Horn third of the field. Grain Valley can’t say it didn’t have its chances, however. In the second half, it controlled possession for the most part. Senior Austin Schmitt had a wide-open shot close to the goal after a direct free kick and a point-blank header midway through the second half. However, Falcons goalkeeper Levi Carter saved both. Grain Valley forward Carter Compton also had an open header in the 64th minute, but pushed it just wide right of the goal. “It was hard to break down their defense in the final third,” Lewis said. “They got all 10 guys behind the ball and they defended like crazy. I thought in the second half, we had most of the possession. They were really trying to hold onto that lead so they were packing it in at moments. “We had trouble finding that last pass, last through ball, that last execution.” Grain Valley ends its season at 14-8 and will lose seven seniors to graduation. “We love our seniors. They led the last four years with grace,” Lewis said. “They led by example and went through a lot of adversity. There are a lot of guys we are going to miss.” The Grain Valley boys soccer team claps in unison to thank their fans for supporting them after a 1-0 loss to Van Horn Tuesday in the Class 5 District 7 semifinals. Photo credit: Michael Smith Grain Valley senior Cylas Brewer dribbles the ball along the sideline. Photo credit: Michael Smith Grain Valley senior Austin Schmitt goes to intercept a pass from Van Horn. Photo credit: Michael Smith Grain Valley senior Gage Levell collapses to his knees and stares at the ground in disbelief what season comes to an end in a 1-0 loss to Van Horn.
Photo credit: Michael Smith by Michael Smith Grain Valley football coach David Allie noted at the beginning of the season that his defense had the most varsity experience at defensive line and in the secondary. But the one area the Eagles would have inexperience was with the linebacker core. The one steadying presence was expected to be senior Gage Forkner, who played as an outside linebacker for the 2020 Eagles. This season, Forkner has not only lived up to expectations, he has exceeded them as the leader of a Grain Valley defense that has allowed just 18.8 points per game. He has excelled as the defensive captain as he has played at middle linebacker and on the outside. So far this season, Forkner leads the team with 55 tackles, with 9.5 of them being for a loss. “I worked on playing inside backer all offseason,” Forkner said. “I played outside linebacker all last year, so I am able to play both. When you’re outside, you’re mostly reading the tackles. When you are inside, you are reading the guards to the back.” Through nine games, Allie has been pleased with how Forkner has adjusted to his new role. “He’s adapted well to it,” Allie said. ”He’s fast and is aggressive to the ball. He’s done just as well in an interior position as he has on the outside. He’s got a tremendous attitude and he’s extremely coachable. He makes the defense go.” He’s also been the main player to call audibles and make sure his defense mates are in the right spot. “He’s done a great job with it as you have seen with how well our defense has played,” Allie said. “That goes back to him having varsity experience and knowing the game plan. He studies film and makes sure we are in a good position.” While Forkner had been a strong presence at linebacker, he’s had some help in that unit from players like Brody Baker, Cole Elliott, and others. Forkner admitted that the linebacker core struggled in an offseason training camp at Pittsburg State University but have made strides since then. “We just had such a young team and we just all had to get together and go after the right goal,” Forkner said. “We were going against some really good teams like Carthage. I think they are No. 1 right now.” While the Grain Valley linebackers have done well, Forkner said the defense as a whole has been strong in 2021. “Our D line has done an amazing job. I think that’s the strength of our defense,” Forkner said. “All four of them go out there and have played to the best of their ability and our defensive backs have been killing it all year.” And Forkner and the rest of the team hopes they can continue that trend against Sedalia Smith-Cotton in the semifinals of the Class 5 District 7 Tournament Friday. “We just need to keep getting better,” Forkner said. “We also got to help the young guys keep getting better, especially (in the secondary) with so many injuries there.” After his high school career is over, Forkner hopes to continue playing in college. He said if he can’t get a good enough offer, he might try to earn a spot on a team as a walk-on or play at a junior college. “He can play at a variety of levels,” Allie said. “He’s going to make someone really happy. He will be the first one to say he needs to put on some weight and still keep his speed. If wants to play some more, there will be a place for him.” Left to right: Senior Gage Forkner, with junior Keegan Hart and senior Jordan Jones. Photo credit: Michael Smith So far this season, Forkner leads the team with 55 tackles, with 9.5 of them being for a loss.
Photo credit: John Overstreet by Michael Smith Grain Valley boys swimming coach Kara Liddle was elated at how far her program has come since it started in 2018. That was apparent at Saturday’s Suburban White Conference Meet at Belton High School. The Eagles had their best finish at the meet in their four-year history, taking second with 349 points. Raytown took first with 570 points. The highlight for Grain Valley was its 400 and 200 freestyle relay teams. The foursome of Evan Reich, Riley Fangman, Tom Fligg and Issac Burd broke the school record in both events. In the 200 free relay, the Eagles took second with a time of 1:40.07. In the 400 free, the quartet also took second at 3:38.17, a team that may be good enough to qualify them for state. “I am so proud of them.” Liddle said. “As of right now it looks like we are going to state this year. Everyone had a drop in time, and everyone made it to finals. They have worked so hard this year. They accomplished everything I thought they could.” Fangman noted that the relay teams have taken a big leap since the program first started. “Our drive to win has only gotten more and more powerful,” Fangman said. “We’ve been working on that. “We’re optimistic that we are going to make it (to state).” Added Reich: “We set those records my freshman year. Our team has changed and grown, and we are all faster individually as a team. It’s been really awesome.” The Eagles also fared well in their individual events. Fangman took second in the 100 butterfly at 1:02.21, and was third in the 200 individual medley with a time of 2:29.79. “I swam the best I could. I swam with all my strength. I am very pleased,” Fangman said. “I got some personal records tonight.” Reich was third in the 200 free (1:59.37) and third in the 100 free (53.59 seconds). “I got state consideration times in both events for the first time in my career,” Reich said. “It’s my junior year, I have another year to get state times.” Burd finished third in the 50 free (23.02 seconds) and second in the 100 free (51.31 seconds). Kollin Hansuld won the diving competition the Saturday prior with a score of 392.65. “Every year, the program keeps getting better and better,” Liddle said. “It’s been more than I could dream for. I am so happy for them.” Left to Right: Riley Fangman, Issac Burd, head boys swimming coach Kara Liddle, Evan Reich and Tom Fligg pose for a photo after Grain Valley took second at the Suburban White Conference meet Saturday at Belton High School. Photo credit: Michael Smith
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