Sometimes I look through our archives to find articles for this column.  Such was the case last week when I found an article that appeared in The Examiner on January 23, 1993. That was when Grain Valley Police Sergeant Scott Lambert and Officer Scott Hedger were training their Rottweilers, Magnum and Sampson, for a career in the Grain Valley Police Department.
     According to the article, the extensive training and ongoing education received by the dogs and their handlers make them valuable members of police departments and provide not only a much-needed police tool, but also a supplemental source of income for the department.
     Magnum and Sampson, along with their handlers were trained at Man’s Best Friend Kennels in Belton, Missouri. Mike Reynolds, the owner, stated that the key to any successful police dog candidate “is the same as for any human job applicant: the right personality.” If the dog is vicious or unfriendly instead of playful and social, it’s generally ruled out as a police dog candidate. The second key trait is its drive. According to Reynolds the dog exhibits drive in the way it acts and how excited and playful it becomes. A good police dog considers searching a building, sniffing a car for drugs, or protecting its handler to be a positive, playful activity.
     While Magnum was used strictly as a drug dog and for handler protection, Hedger’s dog, Sampson, became a familiar sight around Grain Valley. He was trained as a drug dog, but also as a patrol dog. Over the years, Officer Hedger gave several demonstrations to community groups and Sampson was introduced to DARE classes to show the usefulness of dogs in other aspects of police work.
     In September, 1993, the Jackson County legislature authorized county Prosecutor Claire McCaskill to spend $9,900 from the anti-drug tax. An article in The Examiner, dated September 2, 1983 stated “…the new dog would be placed with the Grain Valley Police Department, but would be available for other law enforcement agencies in Eastern Jackson County.”
     It has been 30 years, but it is always good to be reminded that our town “took the lead"!

Rep. Jeff Coleman, Missouri House of Representatives District 32

This is an editorial: An editorial, like news reporting, is based on objective facts, but shares an opinion. The conclusions and opinions here have been derived by the guest contributor and are not associated with the news staff.

     This week my HB 456 which eliminates income tax for those receiving social security benefits had a public hearing in Special Committee on Tax Reform. With inflation rates on the rise, the likes we haven’t seen since 1980s, it is essential to help ensure that many Missourians will be able to afford the basic necessities of life.
     This week was full of House Committee hearings. It was my honor to serve as Chairman of Professional Registration and Licensing first hearing this session. We heard HB 115 sponsored by Representative Brenda Shields and HB 99 sponsored by Representative Davidson, both regarding access to physical therapy. 
 
House Committee Advances Initiative Petition Reform Legislation (HJR 43)
     Legislation designed to protect the sanctity of the Missouri Constitution is moving quickly through the legislative process and is now on track for discussion on the House floor. House Speaker Dean Plocher and Speaker Pro Tem Mike Henderson said as early as next week the House will consider a constitutional amendment that would allow voters to change the initiative petition process.
     This week HJR 43 was approved by the House Committee on Elections and Elected Officials. If approved by the legislature and voters, the proposed constitutional amendment would change the threshold required to approve changes to the state constitution. Currently, changes to the constitution require only a simple majority for approval. HJR 43 would raise the threshold to 60 percent voter approval for passage.
     Henderson noted Missouri is currently one of only 18 states to allow initiative petitions for a constitutional change and has one of the easier processes in the country for amending the constitution.
     HJR 43 was approved by the House Elections and Elected Officials Committee by a vote of 11-5. It now moves to a House Rules Committee, which must approve the bill before it moves to the floor for discussion. The committee also passed three other proposed constitutional amendments (HJR 30, HJR 24, and HJR 25) that would modify the requirements to approve constitutional amendments. 
 
House Committees Focus on Suicide Prevention Efforts (HB 132)
     Two House committees met this week to discuss ways to reduce suicide in Missouri, particularly among its veterans.
     The House Veterans Committee took testimony on HB 132, which would task the Missouri Veterans Commission with expanding its efforts to prevent veteran suicide. The House Health and Mental Health Policy Committee received a report issued by the Interim Committee on Veterans’ Mental Health and Suicide and discussed suicide prevention methods with a focus on the importance of the 988 hotline.
     The sponsor of HB 132, who also chairs the House Veterans Committee and chaired the interim committee, spoke to both committees about the importance of his bill, which would give guidance to the Missouri Veterans Commission about how to use the data it collects on veteran suicides. The bill would also require the commission to report annually to the legislature on that data and what it’s doing to reduce the number of those incidents. 
      Legislation similar to HB 132 passed out of the House unanimously last year but didn’t reach Governor Parson. The Veterans Committee will likely vote on it soon.
 
Governor Parson Establishes Master Plan on Aging
     Governor Mike Parson recently signed an executive order to establish a Master Plan on Aging. The plan is designed to help reduce age and disability discrimination, eliminate barriers to safe and healthy aging, and help Missourians to age with dignity.
     The governor’s office noted there are currently more than 1.1 million Missouri citizens over the age of 60. Estimates suggest that older adults will outnumber minors for the first time by 2030 and older adults will greatly outnumber minors by 2060.
     The Executive Order calls on the Department of Health and Senior Services, with the assistance of a new Advisory Council, to develop a Master Plan on Aging for the State of Missouri that addresses the needs and health outcomes for older adults and individuals with disabilities. The department is tasked with finalizing the Master Plan on Aging by December 31, 2025, and releasing a public report.

     Please let me know If you have other concerns and suggestions.  If you would like to schedule a specific time to meet locally, please call my office at 573-751-1487, or email my office at jeff.coleman@house.mo.gov. 

     2023 marks the second year the Grain Valley Historical Society, with financial support from State Bank of Missouri, has sold calendars as a way to make money to help fund our society. Beginning with January, on the last Thursday of each month, this column will feature an article telling readers what I know about the photograph.
     This photo of Kershaw & Williams, General Blacksmithing was a gift to the historical society some years ago by Ruby Williams Wyatt (1908-2004). Ruby was the daughter of one of the owners, Charles “Buck” (on the left) and Pearl (Dishman) Williams. The small boy was Ruby’s brother Charles E. Williams, Jr.

     Buck Williams was born on a farm southeast of Grain Valley on August 24, 1878, the year the town was founded. While his father came from Kentucky, his mother was born in Missouri. Mr. Williams is buried in Blue Springs.
     Mrs. Wyatt shared with us that her father was also a sign painter and he did all of the signs for Sni-a-Bar Farms in the 1920s, 30s and early 40s. He also made the stall cards for all of the famous SAB show cattle.
     The Kershaw gentleman in the photograph (far right) is probably Robert, born in Savannah, Missouri, on September 29, 1879. From the ages of the two young boys, I believe Robert Walter Kershaw, Jr. is the older boy on the right side of the photo. He would have been around 8 or 9 years-old when the picture was taken. Mr. Kershaw and his wife are buried in Harrisonville, Missouri. Mr. Kershaw’s parents Peter Ferdinand and Hannah (Walters) Kershaw are buried in the Grain Valley Cemetery, north of town on Seymour Road. Peter Kershaw is one of only two Confederate soldiers buried there.
     A 1924 plat map of Grain Valley shows a blacksmith shop on Third Street, east of Broadway (now Main Street). One can only guess this might have been the place, although it looks more like the building that housed the Grain Valley Lumber Yard in the 1950s. It was immediately south of the railroad tracks, also on the east side of Main Street.
     For those of you who may be newcomers to Grain Valley, Buck Williams was the Great Grandfather x3 of Mackenzie (GVHS, Class of 2023) and Cole Keller (GVHS, Class of 2021).
​​

by Marcia Napier, Grain Valley Historical Society​

     Since I’ve been driving around the northern edge of Sni-A-Bar Township, I decided to research a bit more about the namesakes for other roads in the area. Most of them, like Little Road, (Valley News, Jan 5, 2023) only go for a short distance, probably to the house and farm of the people who lived there. I believe most got their names in the mid to late 1800s. It probably went something like this.
     “So, you are looking for old Will Holloway out north of Grain Valley. Take the Buckner Road north to Spring Branch Road (Truman). Turn east a couple of miles to the Murphy School Road. Go north towards the school about a half-mile to the first road going east. At the top of the hill, about four-tenths of a mile, is the St. Clair place. The family cemetery is near the road. You can’t miss it. Just over the hill you will see the Holloway place commence on the north side. Their homestead is nearer the bottom of the hill where the road curves back to the south and meets up with Spring Branch Road.”
     As years passed, all 1.3 miles of it became Holloway Road. William Holloway was born in Tennessee around 1815. I found no information about him until the 1860 US Census. By that time, he was married to a widow, Toletha Nowlin Payne (local names) and was living in Sni-A-Bar Township. Their post office was listed as Pink Hill. The 1870 US Census listed Napoleon as their post office. I’m guessing they did not move but the Civil War moved their post office.
     The Holloways had five children, two sons and three daughters. The oldest son, George William Holloway was the only one to remain in the area. George married Rosa Burnley (another local name). They had no children. By the 1910 US Census, George and Rosa were living on North Broadway in Oak Grove. He was a blacksmith, but by the 1920 and 1930 US Census, he was a carpenter and Rosa a housewife.
     William Holloway died in 1898 and his wife Rosa in 1906. They are buried along with their son James (1866-1885) at the Oakland Cemetery.
     We can only guess that the farm was sold at that time --but Holloway Road lives on.

     The New Year is a time of new beginnings, and for many people it also means a time to set goals for the year. If any of your goals are health-related, the team of registered dietitians at Hy-Vee is here to help. Hy-Vee dietitians are nutrition experts, offering services such as meal planning and preparation, shopping assistance, health screenings and more.
     Not sure where to start? Read on to learn more about our most popular services and some of our favorite products to help you reach your goals this New Year!

• The perfect place to get started is with our complimentary Discovery Session. This free session allows you to build a relationship with a Hy-Vee dietitian to learn about your health goals and help guide you to the next step. Together, you can set realistic goals and determine which nutrition service is the best fit for you.
• If menu planning and staying on track with balanced meals is your goal for the New Year, try out Healthy Habits. This four-week menu program includes balanced meal plans, simple recipes, convenient grocery lists, and one-on-one discussions with a Hy-Vee dietitian to track progress and stay motivated.
• A new service being offered exclusively this January is vitamin D screenings! In January, Hy-Vee will offer 1,000 free screenings and consultations in more than 60 locations. A finger-stick test reveals levels of vitamin D, which is necessary for a variety of functions, including helping support strong bones, facilitating normal immune function, and aiding in the absorption of calcium. Thank you to Vitamine Wellness for sponsoring these screenings!
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     Ready to get started or just looking for more product recommendations? You can connect with a Hy-Vee dietitian by logging onto https://www.hy-vee.com/health/hy-vee-dietitians/default.aspx, using the Healthie app, or sending a message on our Facebook or Instagram accounts @hyveedietitians. We look forward to connecting with you this New Year!
     This information is not intended as medical advice. Please consult a medical professional for individual advice.

     Recently I had a conversation with Steven Beebe (Valley News, October 10, 2019) who told me he enjoyed articles I’ve written about the names of the roads around Grain Valley. Steven grew up on Little Road, northeast of town. First, just let me say, it is a little road. It stretches 1.3 miles from Sunnynook School Road east to Borgman Road. To access the road from Buckner Tarsney one must first go east on Murphy School Road to the tee.
     Murphy School Road continues to the south but you must turn north a couple of hundred yards to hook up with Little Road which runs east and west.  Jackson County Plat Maps from the early 1900s show these roads slightly different, but I’m describing their present-day locations.
     Today, there are several homes along Little Road, many more than the four or five that existed in the 1960s.  There are several large new homes being built on what appears to be 3 to 5-acre lots along the south side of the road. In the late 1800s this land was owned by William and Saperta Holland, my maternal great, great, great grandparents.  I wonder if the Littell family might have been their neighbors?
     Archibald and Catherine Littell were living in Nodaway, Iowa according the 1860 United States Census. However, the 1870 and subsequent census show their residence as Sni-A-Bar Township, Missouri. They had 9 children, 7 daughters and two sons. One son died in infancy.  Their surviving son Archibald VanBuren Littell appears to be the only child that remained in the areas, although the daughters didn’t go too far; Levasy, Odessa, and Kansas City. Archibald, Jr. married Tennessee Chiddix and they had three children. All three moved from this area.
     Archibald, Sr. and Catherine, as well as Archibald Jr. and Tennessee are the only family members buried at Green’s Chapel Cemetery at the corner of Borgman and Steinhauser roads, just .4 miles north of Little Road. While their gravestones say Littell, most references, including one federal census, spell their name Little.
      So does the road derive its name from the Littell Family or is it just a “little” road that connects Sunnynook and Brogman roads? 

     Does anyone remember the Turkey Dinners put on by the Christian Church and the Methodist Church each year in December? They were not only an annual fundraiser for the women’s groups at both churches, but they were also a community social event.
     I am guessing that many communities held similar event. Over the year’s I can recall Chili Suppers, Ham and Bean Dinners, Pancake Breakfast, and of course, the grandest meal, the annual Turkey Dinners. As I recall, the Christian Church held their dinner in November, just before Thanksgiving and the Methodist Church held their dinner on the first Saturday in December. 
     In addition to the meal, there was also the Christmas Bazaar. The ladies would prepare for weeks knitting hats and mittens, crocheting potholders and doilies, sewing fancy Christmas Aprons and assembling Christmas decorations; all to make extra money for their society.
     Putting aside the money that was raised for each women’s group, they were BIG social events. The attendees dressed up. We are talking men in suits and ties and the ladies in their best dress, heels and hose! Even the youth who serve the beverages and extra rolls wore dresses and suits! Dinner was served in the fellowship hall, but the sanctuary was opened for visiting well past the meal.
     About the meal, really never varies; roast turkey, homemade noodles in the early days, real stuffing made from cornbread and dried breadcrumbs, mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans, dinner rolls and, of course, homemade pies. When I was young, I remember people liked mincemeat and goose berry pies. Chess pie, made from squash, and raisin pie were also popular, along with pumpkin and pecan. What ever happened to chocolate meringue coconut cream?
     I recall these events from my earliest memory, the early 1950s, until I was an adult. I particularly remember 1959. My mother was at home baking pumpkins pies on Friday night, December 9, when she got the phone call that our family hardware store was on fire. The store and the building next door (on the East side of Main Street, just north of the railroad tracks—it’s a parking lot now) burned to the ground that night.
     In the latter years, the dinners had grown so large we moved the event to the Grain Valley Elementary School. This would have been in the early 1990s. I’m not exactly sure when the Methodist Church had their last Turkey Dinner. But I do remember, I got asked to cut and serve the homemade pies the last few years. THIS WAS A GREAT HONOR!
     When I was young only my grandmother or Mrs. Snodgrass were allowed to cut the pies. You had to get them out of the pan and onto a plate looking good! By the time I was asked, I’d been teaching Home Economics for several years, but it took those years of practice to prove worthy of the task.
     When you gather with family and friends this holiday season, I hope you will share your memories of the past. Whether in Grain Valley or elsewhere, I hope they put a smile on your face!
 
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

The aprons were made by my mother and sold at the Christmas Bazaar. These were three of the extras she made for us. They usually sold for $2 or $3, a high price in those days. I believe they may have sold the hand embroidered Santa face apron for $5. 

​              Winter squash, tubers and root vegetables are in great abundance this time of year. Another not-so-common winter root vegetable is parsnips. A member of the Apiaceae family, parsnips are a ‘cousin’ to carrots and share their long taproot characteristic, though they tend to grow larger and thicker.
     The creamy white vegetable also has a central ‘core’ that can become tough as it grows to full maturity and may need to be trimmed down prior to preparation. Parsnips have a sweet, earthy flavor that is not fully developed until the roots have been exposed to near-freezing temperatures for 2 to 4 weeks in the fall and early winter. This cold-weather growth results in the starches changing into sugar.
     Parsnips are believed to be native to the eastern Mediterranean region. In Roman times the parsnip was regarded to have medicinal as well as food value. While there is no evidence that the Greeks and Romans cultivated parsnips, they commonly used wild ones for food. The British colonists introduced parsnips to North American in the 1600’s. Parsnips are grown primarily in northern states, with Michigan, New York, Washington, and Oregon leading in production in the US.
     Parsnips, bring a variety of nutrients to the table, including Vitamins C, E, and K, folic acid, potassium, magnesium and both soluble and insoluble fiber. These nutrients support cardiovascular, immune, and digestive health, aid in wound healing, and reduces the risk of neural tube defects in developing babies in utero. A diet rich in fruits and vegetables can reduce the risk of many chronic diseases.
     Before the cultivation of sugar beets and cane sugar, parsnips were commonly used as sweetener. Roasting parsnips brings out the natural sweetness of the vegetable and is a common preparation method. Cutting parsnips into strips (resembling french fries) and combining with similarly cut carrots makes for a tasty side dish when tossed with olive oil and roasted in a 400-degree oven.
     Boiling parsnips with potatoes and mashing them together will give your mashed potatoes a tasty surprise for your holiday table. For a sweet and savory combination, try this roasted ‘root and fruit’ combination.
​
Maple Roasted Parsnips
(6 servings)
 
1 ½ cups parsnips, peeled and chopped
1 ½ cups sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 cup apple, chopped (Fuji or Gala are good)
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1. Wash hands and work surfaces with warm, soapy water. Wash parsnips, sweet potatoes, and apples with warm water.
2.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Coat a baking dish with cooking spray.
3. In a large bowl combine parsnips, sweet potato, and apple, set aside.
4. Combine canola oil, maple syrup, and curry powder in microwave safe bowl and warm for 15 seconds in microwave. Mix in balsamic vinegar and stir to combine.
5. Pour mixture over vegetable mixture and stir to combine.
6. Transfer mixture to baking dish and bake until tender, about 1 hour, stirring after 30 minutes.
7. Serve immediately, refrigerate leftovers.

 
Nutrition information: Calories: 120, Total Fat: 2.5g, Saturated Fat: .2g, Sodium: 7mg, Carbohydrates: 25g, Fiber: 3.5g, Protein: 1g
 
Recipe adapted from Seasonal and Simple, analyzed by verywellfit.com

     Enjoying the holiday season and staying on track with your health goals can feel complicated – especially when attending holiday gatherings chocked full of delicious treats. You may have seen the increasingly popular butter board trend this holiday season. So how can you take this trend and amplify the nutrition? Hy-Vee registered dietitians are here to breakdown how to build a more nutrient-dense board perfect to share at your holiday gathering and help keep you on track with your health goals!

1. Start at the base: Choose a more nutrient-dense base such as Greek yogurt, nut butter or hummus – all of which contain protein to help fill you up faster and help with blood sugar management.
2. Top it wisely: Toppings used on your board should be as eye-catching as they are nutritious! Choose toppings such as fruit or vegetables to add a pop of color along with vitamins, minerals and fiber to help keep you full longer and prevent rapid spikes in your blood sugar. For that satisfying crunch consider adding nuts. Containing healthy fats, fiber and protein, nuts make for a nutritional powerhouse of a topping! Finally, use spices and herbs to flavor your board without the salt shaker; this helps keep sodium in check and achieve better blood pressure control.
3. Select what to serve with it: Boards such as these need something to use to gather up all that delicious dip! Choose fresh fruit, vegetables and whole grains – all packed with fiber – to help with appetite control and prevent you from overindulging on all the other holiday treats!

     Ready to try your hand at building the best board? Check out this Hy-Vee dietitian recipe below for our Holiday Greek Yogurt Board.

Holiday Greek Yogurt Board
 
All you need:
2 cups plain Greek yogurt
½ cup pistachios (or substitute chopped pecans or walnuts)
½ cup pomegranate arils
2 tbsp Hy-Vee honey
Sprinkle of cinnamon (optional)
To dip: Apple slices, pear slices, graham crackers
 
All you do:

1. Using the back of a spoon spread dollops of Greek yogurt out across a cutting board or serving platter.
2. Sprinkle evenly with pistachios, pomegranate arils, drizzle with honey and sprinkle with cinnamon (optional).
3. Outline your board with dipping options: apple slices, pear slices, graham crackers.

 
Recipe source: Hy-Vee dietitians
This information is not intended as medical advice. Please consult a medical professional for individual advice.
​

by Marcia Napier, Grain Valley Historical Society


     Portions of this article are taken from an article in “The Voice,” an on-line monthly newsletter I write for the Grain Valley Historical Society. So, if you think you’ve already read it, maybe you have! While it may not be “the history of Grain Valley,” hopefully it will cause you to “look back” on your own growing up days.

     November 27th was the first day of Advent. Since I was a young girl growing up in the Grain Valley Methodist Church, we have celebrated Advent on the four Sundays before Christmas. Each Sunday we light a candle to remind us of the four advent themes —The Candle of Hope, The Candle of Peace, The Candle of Love and The Candle of Joy.
     On Christmas the fifth and final candle, called the Christ candle, is lit to remind Christians of the light Jesus brings to the world.
     On the secular side (activities, or other things that have no religious or spiritual basis) the Sunday after Thanksgiving is usually set aside by me to begin my annual Christmas baking! Since I love to cook and bake, I do not consider this to be working on the Sabbath, thus my Sunday afternoon baking has begun.
     In a sermon last year, Pastor Mike reminded me of the kids table and the grownup table at holiday gathering. Did your family have separate tables? My family never had two tables as there were only 17 of us —2 aunts, 2 uncles, 3 cousins, and three sets of grandparents, which included the Napiers, Rumbos and Fristoes. A big table leaf and two people at each end of the table and we were good!
      We did, however, have food for the kids and food for the grownups. After all, what child among us liked rutabagas, plum pudding, pecan pie, and fruitcake? Certainly not fruitcake!
While the kids feasted on mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese (the old-fashioned kind with real cheese that was baked in the oven with crushed crackers on top) and corn, the “old folks” ate turnips, stuffing flavored with sage, and squash!
      So why do I now enjoy shortbread instead of chocolate-chip cookies, chocolate fudge instead of peppermint sticks, rutabagas instead of green beans, stuffing instead of potatoes, and cranberries? I guess I’ve officially moved to the big people’s table (food). I now prepare the rutabagas and I sometimes bake the pecan pie. And you cannot have turkey without cranberries!
     If you are part of the “big people’s table,” perhaps you would enjoy Grandmother Napier’s shortbread or Aunt Opal’s Ice Box Cookies.

Grandma Napier’s Shortbread Recipe
1 lb. unsalted butter                1 cup sugar
1 cup cornstarch                     4 cups flour                                                                                       
Pinch of salt

Soften butter. Add sugar, cornstarch and salt. Mix well with electric mixer. Add the flour, 1 cup at a time and mix thoroughly after each addition. Divide dough into 3 parts. Knead separately and roll into logs (1 1/2-inch circumference) Refrigerate until ready to bake, up to 1 week.

Cut into 1/4 to 3/8-inch slices and place on baking sheet. Bake at 250-degrees for 2 hours.
 
Aunt Opal’s Ice Box Cookies
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
1 1/2 cups melted shortening 3 eggs
1 teaspoon salt
4 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon each-cloves and nutmeg                                                                                   
1 cup nuts

​Mix and shape into a log about 1 1/2 by 2 1/2 - inches. Place in ice box overnight. Slice in thin slices and bake in hot oven. (It’s an old recipe, so maybe you will want to “refrigerate” overnight. I cook at 375-degrees for about 8-10 minutes)