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Santa announced a change to the Santa Bus schedule for the weekend of December 12th-13th. The route including areas bordered by Buckner Tarsney on the east, Sni-A-Bar on the north, and Cross Creek Drive on the west has been moved to December 20th starting at 11:00am.
Upcoming routes for the Santa Bus include: Dec. 13th | 11:00 AM until approx. 7 PM Everything bordered by Buckner Tarsney on the east, by Sni A Bar on the south and west, and Eagles Pkwy (AA) on the north. Dec. 19th | 9:00 AM until approx. 7 PM Everything bordered by Cross Creek Dr on the east, Sni A Bar on the northeast, and Eagles Pkwy (AA) on the north. This annual tradition will be modified due to COVID-19. This year, children will greet Santa outside the bus, and Santa and his helpers will tossing stuffed toys and gifts to visiting children. Pictures with Santa will be allowed with social distancing in mind. Residents are asked to not gather in groups of more than 10 people. A full schedule and maps of Santa’s route can be found at www.gvsanta.com and on the GV Santa group on Facebook. by Cathy Bylinowski, Horticulture Instructor, University of Missouri Extension Hello Gardeners! Perhaps some of the leaves have been raked up and other garden chores have been completed. Hopefully now you can set aside some time for rest and recharging during the winter days ahead.
It has been a challenging year. Gardening provides a special kind of relaxation. It also provides the benefits of exercise, visually attractive plants and landscapes, and nutritious berries, fruit, herbs, and vegetables. Reading up on gardening ideas for 2021 is a good way to get ready for spring. University of Missouri Extension is a good source of reliable gardening information and provides a great deal of information for free on the website- https://extension.missouri.edu/ You can build your own profile and account based on your interests or you can start exploring the website by using the search bar in the upper right corner or by clicking on the blue “Find Your Interest” bar on the left side of the webpage. Another way to gain gardening information is to read the free, monthly online newsletter called The Garden Spade. It is a collection of articles, pictures, and lists of garden activities appropriate to the season, put together by MU Extension Field Specialists in Horticulture. The December edition has articles on winter blooming house plants, winter crafts, and many other garden-related winter features. Here is a link to subscribe to the MU Extension Garden Spade newsletter- https://tinyurl.com/yybrjrx3 If you are interested in growing vegetables and fruit for profit, you might be interested in a new commercial horticulture newsletter. To register for the biweekly MU Extension Commercial Horticulture video newsletter, go to this link- https://tinyurl.com/yxlk2wja MU Extension Field Specialists in Horticulture are still conducting free Horticulture Town Halls during the winter once a month. To register for the MU Extension Horticulture Town Hall, go to- https://ipm.missouri.edu/townhalls/ For Horticulture Town Hall video snippets (consider subscribing to this MU channel) go to- https://www.youtube.com/user/MUIPM MU Extension provides another free, monthly newsletter via the Integrated Pest Management (IPM) page called Missouri Environment and Garden. Here is a subscription link which also includes links to past issues- https://ipm.missouri.edu/MEG/ If you would like to explore more horticulture topics in depth and have an interest in volunteering, consider enrolling in Extension Master Gardener Training. Missouri Extension Master Gardeners’ motto is “helping others learn to grow”. After twelve or more training sessions on a wide range of horticulture topics, graduates agree to volunteer at demonstration gardens, with children’s gardening projects, public education, and other Extension Master Gardener volunteer activities. It is also possible to enroll in training for personal enrichment if you are not able to volunteer. This year, due to COVID 19 precautions, MU Extension- Jackson County offered Extension Master Gardener Training live on an online platform called Zoom. For more information on Extension Master Gardener Training in 2021 please contact our office at 816-482-5850. We have not made a final decision on how it will be offered in 2021 yet- in-person, virtually, or a combination of both, but we can add your name to a list to be contacted in the spring. Extension Master Gardener Training is also facilitated online twice a year by University of Missouri Horticulture faculty on campus. Here is a link for more information about that option: https://extension.missouri.edu/programs/master-gardener Both Extension Master Gardener Training options offer a reduced fee for those who volunteer after training. A limited number of scholarships are also available. For people living outside of Jackson County, MO, we suggest you contact your local county MU Extension office for more information on Extension Master Gardener Training and the volunteer program in your area. Here is link to help you find your county’s MU Extension office- https://extension.missouri.edu/locations Relax when you can and enjoy the winter season. Please feel free to contact me if you have any gardening questions, questions about the resources listed above, or questions about Extension Master Gardener Training. Happy Holidays! Cathy Bylinowski, Horticulture Instructor, bylinowskic@missouri.edu, University of Missouri Extension, 816-482-5850. by Denise Sullivan, Field Specialist, Nutrition and Health, University of Missouri Extension While the onset of fall typically makes people think of pumpkins, the entire family of winter squash remind us of the change in seasons. This family of vegetables are uniquely beautiful with ribbed or bumpy skins, irregular shapes, and vibrant colors ranging from yellow to orange to dark green or even multi-toned.
In comparison to their summertime cousins, winter squashes have a denser texture and richer flavor with firm flesh that holds up well in hearty soups, stews, casseroles, breads, and desserts. Squash are members of the Cucurbitaceae family, commonly known as gourds, which makes them related to cucumbers, muskmelons and watermelons. Squash is one of the oldest known food crops, dating back at least 8,000 years. Archaeological remains have been found in ancient cliff dwellings in the southwestern United States and Mexico. Winter squash is known for its long keeping time, even several months, when kept in cool, dark environments. One of the most popular winter squash varieties is the bulbous shaped butternut squash. The creamy off-white to tan skin contrasts sharply with the bright orange flesh, a clue to the high vitamin A content. Butternut squash is also rich in vitamin C, vitamin B6, protein, fiber, magnesium and potassium. While similar in flavor and texture as sweet potatoes, butternut squash has about half of the carbohydrate, so is a very popular choice among people managing diabetes. As a rich source of potassium, it is also a smart choice for someone managing high blood pressure. When selecting butternut squash, look for a firm, blemish free skin that feels heavy for its size. Avoid vegetables with wrinkled or soft spots. The rind should be very hard and difficult to pierce with your fingernail. With the hard rind, preparing this vegetable can be intimidating for those less familiar with this vegetable. As with any vegetable, begin by washing under warm water, using a brush to remove dirt and debris. The squash can be simply cut in half lengthwise, the seeds scooped out and oven roasted, similar to spaghetti squash, with the pulp scooped after roasting. To have cubed squash, cut off the stem and blossom ends, and cut the squash in half, above where it rounds out. The two sections can now be easily peeled with a vegetable peeler, or if the intent is to stuff as part of the preparation, the rounded end can be left unpeeled. Each section can then be cut in half lengthwise, resulting in the solid ‘neck’ portion than can be cut into cubes, and the ‘bowl’ portion where the seeds are located. The seeds are then scooped out and can roasted like pumpkin seeds. At this point, the flesh can be cubed and either roasted, boiled or even eaten raw. I personally prefer roasting, as it brings out a richer, sweeter flavor that is suitable as a side dish on its own, pureed for baked goods like muffins, or in a soup like the recipe below. MU Extension is a partnership of the University of Missouri campuses, Lincoln University, the people of Missouri through county extension councils, and the National Institute for Food and Agriculture of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Visit our website at: https://extension2.missouri.edu/ by Tracey Shaffer, RDN, LD For many of us, the holidays are as stressful as they are joyful. These weeks are filled with family gatherings, eating temptations and special occasions. Add COVID-19 to the mix and this holiday season’s stress levels may be at an all-time high.
Stress can have serious repercussions on your health. If you are feeling the world on your shoulders, try some of these lifestyle tips to relax and get a good night's rest. Meditation Meditation has been scientifically proven to help alleviate stress after just eight weeks of a regular practice. Meditation has been shown to ultimately reprogram the brain to become more open and less reactive and better able to cope when life’s stressors start accumulating. Not sure where to start. Try these tips: Simply sit or lie comfortably, close your eyes, breath naturally and focus your attention on your breath. Try to maintain this meditation practice for two to three minutes to start. Try a YouTube meditation video for at least 15 minutes and try to follow along before you go to bed or first thing when you wake up. Try an app. There are several apps such as Calm and Headspace that can help you start your meditation practice. Breathe in through your nose and exhale through your mouth slowly at least 6 times when you start to feel stress. Be Active Exercise is not only good for your waistline and your heart, it is also one of the best ways to alleviate stress. The benefits are strongest when you exercise regularly. Exercise can also improve your sleep and a rested mind is a more peaceful mind. Think you have to go the gym and sweat it out? Not at all. Just go for a walk, dance or ride your bike. Any activity such as walking or jogging that involves repetitive movements of large muscle groups can be very stress relieving. Eat to Reduce Stress Foods can help reduce stress in many ways. They can help calm you by releasing serotonin, strengthen your immune system, and fight depression. Some of the best foods to combat stress are whole grains, citrus fruits, salmon or other foods high in Omega-3 fatty acids such as chia seeds or flaxseeds, nuts, dark leafy greens, avocados and warm beverages such as herbal tea. A diet full of salt, sugar and refined carbs can make coping with stress even worse. Whatever you choose to cope with stress this season, just remember that self-care is one of the best gifts you can give to fully enjoy the holiday season. Try this stress-relieving recipe: What started in 1925 with a single strand of 16 colored lights has evolved into one of America's most famous Christmas lighting displays.
Known simply as the Plaza lights, the first lighting ceremony took place in 1930. The only time the Plaza lights were not turned on was in 1973, when then-President Richard Nixon called for curtailing the use of Christmas lights to reduce dependence on foreign oil. This year's 91st lighting ceremony will be remembered as the first and let's hope the only "virtual" event! by Marcia Napier, Grain Valley Historical Society I grew up in a much smaller Grain Valley when four school buses delivered everyone to and from school. By the time I reached high school the buses each had two routes. There was a longer route for kids in “the country” and a shorter route of maybe 5 or 6 miles for the kids that lived closer to town.
Tyer Road was on one of the short bus routes that traveled from the school, turned west on RD Mize to Brizendine Road where it turned around and headed back east to Tyer Road. The bus turned north on Tyer to Duncan, west on Duncan to Porter Road where the bus would again turn around and head back to school. In all, the bus drove past only about 15 houses. Back in the early 1950s, only three of them were on Tyer Road between RD Mize Road and Duncan Road if you didn’t count the Shrout House on the northwest corner of Mize and Tyer. The Officer Family lived in the first house, (opposite of where the water tower is today) The bus picked up Linda Corne at the “Old Tyer Place” at the curve in the road and further down toward Duncan was Vickie Brown’s house. I really don’t remember her family but I think she had brothers. They didn’t live there very long. Luther Tyer’s parents were John Wilson Tyer (1839-1919) and Amanda Isabel George (1847-1879). They owned farmland with a post office address of Napoleon and Mr. Tyer was an officer at the Bank of Buckner. Amanda’s parents were David C. and Nancy George of Oak Grove. Luther Wilson Tyer (1873-1945) was living at Lake City, Missouri in December of 1896 when he married Paulina Agnes Dalton (1874-1952). “Lina” was the daughter of Lucy (1842-1931) and Reverend James G. Dalton (1824-1910) who served as the pastor at Lobb Cumberland Presbyterian Church for over 50 years. Many members of the Dalton and Tyer families are buried in the Lobb Cemetery on the west side of Missouri Highway 7. At Strode Road go West ½ mile to Lobb Cemetery Road and then North ½ mile to the cemetery. According to the U.S. Census of 1910, Luther Tyer, his wife Lina and their infant son, Dalton Luther Tyer lived in Sni-A-Bar Township northwest of Grain Valley. Luther was a farmer and later a WPA carpenter. After Luther’s death in 1945 his wife moved to Chicago to live with their only son, Dalton. He was a teacher in the Chicago area for a number of years before his retirement in California. The Tyer house and land was first sold to a family named Shepard. Glen and Willa Belle Corne bought the house and land in 1953. Take a drive down Tyer Road. While a couple of the old houses are gone, the Tyer house is still there. It would appear that much of the farm land has been divided into 5 to 10-acre plots with more than 10 newer and much larger homes along the route. And that is all on the mile of Tyer Road before you reach Duncan Road! by John Unrein The Grain Valley Lady Eagles basketball team was unable to maintain the 8-7 first quarter lead they secured on December 1st against the visiting St. Pius X Warriors. St. Pius would see their lead grow as the game progressed, culminating in 59-41 victory.
The Eagles would lean on defense, boxing out for rebound positioning, and unselfish ball movement to stay in the game. The Warriors countered with efficient shooting, hustle during transition, and missed shots by Grain Valley to tilt the outcome in their favor. Strong contributors for the Eagles included seniors Jordyn Weems and Gabbi Keim. Weems would compile 6 points to go along with her 3 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1 steal in picking up where she left off last season for Grain Valley in being active on both ends of the court. Her signature move continues to be cutting across the lane to the right and finishing with an underhand scoop layup. Keim is a newcomer to the Eagles program and made quite the impression in her first game. The 5’ 8” forward for Grain Valley scored 17 points to go along with 3 rebounds and 1 block during the contest. Both Weems and Keim were disappointed in the outcome, but glad to have the first game of the season under their belt and looking forward to getting better as the season progresses. “We knew heading in tonight that this was going to be a tough game that would require our all in, putting forth our best effort. We were not at full strength tonight with all our team here. I am looking forward to us getting better,” Weems said. Keim added, “My success tonight came from the unselfishness of my team. Coach Draper continues to praise us in practice in how we are getting better.” “I have worked a lot in the offseason on my footwork and positioning. That paid off tonight. We can improve our communication on the court and that will help. We miss Grace (Slaughter) as she is a big part of taking the lead in being vocal.” The point guard duties for the Eagles were primarily managed by senior Malia Gutierrez due to sophomore Grace Slaughter being unavailable. Gutierrez would supply a sturdy effort in scoring 2 points to team with 2 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals. Lady Eagles Head Basketball Coach Randy Draper was pleased that his team got to participate in competition, something that is up in the air amidst the current pandemic. The ability to see positives on the court along with opportunities for improvement is what Draper took away from his team’s first game. “The girls played hard tonight until the end of the game. We talked as a coaching staff afterwards and we are pleased with the effort that was given by the team,” Draper said. “The second half we got better offensively. We have changed a few things and needed a summer (to work on things) but didn’t get one. The score didn’t go our way tonight. However, I am confident we will grow and get better.” Draper continued, “Our ball movement tonight was there, and we saw some good passing. We also did our job tonight boxing out and they were able to get some offensive rebounds over the top of us. St. Pius shot the ball better tonight than we did and my hats off to them.” “Gabbi (Keim) has been a great addition to our team. She has a lot of patience in the post and that made her a force in the paint. Weems is a good athlete and figured out ways to help us tonight. She’s a senior that’s played in big games and it shows.” The work identified by Draper permitted the Eagles to cut the Warriors lead down to 8 points with 3:05 left to go in the third quarter, following a three pointer by Grain Valley freshman McKenah Sears before St. Pius would pull away. The Lady Eagles are next scheduled to travel to Belton to take on the Pirates at 7:00 pm on December 7th. One of the frequent hashtags on Grain Valley Swim and Dive’s Twitter account is
#WeWorkoutBeforeYouWakeUp. The team is up and in the pool by 5:00am for practice before heading back home to prepare for a full day of virtual learning. If the old adage, “The early bird gets the worm”, holds true, Head Coach Kara Liddle is right to be confident of her team’s trajectory as they begin their 3rd season as a program. The team has five divers and approximately 25 swimmers, with a number of returning students. “There are four or five brand new ones—a few freshmen and some upper classman, which is always fun to see,” Liddle said. At their December 1st practice, the team worked diligently on drills in preparation for their first meet later in the week. The team is focused on making the best use of their time, as sharing the pool with Blue Springs swimmers meant their practice time was up at 6:15am. In a year where not much seems “normal”, the routine of daily practice, even at this early hour, is welcome. Once out of the pool, members grab their masks and their towels, and after final remarks from their coaches, head back home for school. “I think that they are very adaptive. I don’t think they get enough credit for getting up as early as they do every day for practice. It’s not the norm. There’s no other team around here that has to get up every single morning as early as they do. I think that shows a lot about their character and their commitment. They really are just a great group of girls and they’re so much fun and they’re so supportive of each other. I just love that about them,” Liddle said. Seniors Maddie Epple and Olivia White are excited to have the opportunity to compete during a senior year where much is uncertain. Epple had some impressive wins last year, including a 2nd place finish in the 500 Free in Conference competition last year. As far as goals for this season, Epple has her eyes on State. “I’m shooting for State in the 500,” Epple said. Both Epple and White said COVID-19 related shutdowns impacted their ability to practice, but both are excited to have the opportunity to return. “The first couple of days of practice started off pretty rough, but I’m definitely glad to be back in the pool,” White said. White’s preferred events are the 50 Free and 100 Free. Junior diver Hayden Meyer returns after a successful sophomore season, where she placed 12th at State. In a year of constant change, Meyer said the most challenging thing about balancing early morning practices and virtual learning is the urge for a nap before school begins. “As a student, the most challenging thing is getting home and getting on those Google Meets. There’s something so compelling about an after-dive nap,” Meyer joked. The team heads to its first meet Thursday, December 2nd at St. Joseph Central and a swim/dive meet next week in Raytown. As far as goals for the season, Liddle says the team is taking the season one week at a time. “At this point, we are just hoping we stay safe and healthy. We’re four weeks into daily practices, and I just want them to be able to apply all the hard work that they have done. There are going to be meets that are canceled, there are going to be things that are different this year. But, as long as we can get some meets in and they can swim and dive and show off all the hard work that they have done, I’ll be happy,” Liddle said. Through December 6th, children may deliver their letters to Santa in the special mailbox located behind Santa’s sleigh in Armstrong Park. Letters will be delivered to the North Pole, and Santa will send a reply back to children who provide their mailing address.
Labels to record basic information about each child will be provided at the sleigh so parents can help ensure Santa will be able to write back. Letter writers may also provide the child’s name, mailing address, and gift wishes on the letter. |
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