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Good News: Celebrate the outdoors at MDC’s free Get MO Wild Fall Fest Sept. 30 in Lee’s Summit9/14/2023
by Bill Graham, Missouri Department of Conservation
Celebrate the outdoors and connect with nature at the free Get MO Wild Fall Fest on Saturday, Sept. 30, at the James A. Reed Memorial Wildlife Area in Lee’s Summit. Join the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) and partners from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. for exhibits, demonstrations, food trucks, and a chance to try outdoor skills such as rock wall climbing and archery. Experts will assist visitors and MDC will provide all the equipment needed for all activities. MDC will have activity stations set up around the Reed Area. Fishing will be offered at one of the Reed Area’s lakes, with fishing tackle and bait provided. MDC staff and volunteers will assist new anglers with fishing and handling the fish they catch. Experts will coach newcomers to shooting sports at a target archery ranch and a pellet gun target range. Visitors can throw the atlatl dart, a primitive but effective hunting tool. Activities for children such as games and face painting will be offered. Food trucks will be available for snacks and lunch. Visitors will also have a chance to talk with MDC conservation agents and biologists about hunting and fishing opportunities in autumn. Meet Korra, a Lab canine member of MDC’s K-9 Unit along with agent handler Cpl. Justin Pyburn. More than a dozen conservation partners will have exhibits, activities, and demonstrations. Ducks Unlimited (DU) will give free Greenwing memberships to youngsters. Nature exhibits or wildlife displays will be provided by groups such as the Missouri River Bird Observatory, Burroughs Audubon Society, and Wild Souls Animal Rehab. Nathan’s Catch will give away free rods and reels and tackle boxes to children at the fishing activity. All ages are welcome at this family-friendly event. The Reed Area is at 12405 S.E. Ranson Road, on the eastern edge of Lee’s Summit. This is a walk-in event, no registration required. For more information, call MDC’s Kansas City Regional Office at 816-622-0900. Good News: Re.Use.Full partners with KC Chiefs to de-clutter and do good at Un-Dumpster Day9/7/2023
Re.Use.Full will host two fall Un-Dumpster Days to help people rehome their still-good stuff to benefit participating nonprofit organizations and schools. Some of the items to be accepted include gently used appliances, bikes, books, clothing, linens, toys, games and puzzles, furniture and other household goods that will be distributed to help people and pets in the Kansas City area.
They are partnering with the Kansas City Chiefs for a donation collection with shredding services sponsored by AARP Kansas City and tire recycling courtesy of the City of Kansas City, Missouri Public Works Department on Saturday, October 7, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Computer and electronics recycling will also be available at both events, and Maze Foundation will also collect new kids’ coats at each location. For a full list of the items and guidelines for giving, visit https://www.reusefull.org/un-dumpster-day/. About Re.Use.Full Re.Use.Full is a nonprofit organization that has been connecting people with still-good stuff with the nonprofit organizations, schools and churches that can put it to good use since 2020. They began hosting Un-Dumpster Day events last year to provide convenient, one-stop drop donation collections and recycling services. Donors can also visit reusefull.org anytime to find the items accepted by their nearly 85 KC-area charity partners, ranging from small organizations to well-known nonprofit brands like Goodwill and Big Brothers Big Sisters, and arrange for their donation. There is no charge for anyone to use the site or participate in Un-Dumpster Day events. Submitted by Christy Martin On August 26, five members of the Grain Valley Swim and Dive Team woke up at 5:30 a.m. to prepare for the St. Louis Swim Across America Open Water event. Open water swimming is comparable to cross country running. Due to the many safety requirements, there is only one formal race event held in Missouri each year. Each of the swimmers had a reason to swim the 1 mile or 2 mile distance. Some were swimming for a personal challenge, and others were swimming for the people they love who were affected by cancer. These athletes were able to use their drive and talent to fundraise as a team to donate $1000 for cancer research. They proudly wore GVHS and #The Valley Way sharpied in their backs as they stood in a crowd of 530 collegiate, high school, and past olympian swimmers. As they stood for two hours in the pouring down rain prepared to swim, the storm rolled in with thunder and lightning. The event was canceled, as it was unsafe to get into the water. These five teenagers realized then, that being a part of a cause and helping others is what life is about. Although they were very disappointed, each understood that being a good competitor is not always about best times or racing. The canceled event only made them excited to participate in this event next year. Pictured: Alayna Power-Tuttle, Ellie Martin, Gage Wright, Morgan Brown, and Haden Harshman. Photo credit: Christy Martin
by Michael Smith The Grain Valley football program will reach a milestone in 2023. The Eagles are entering their 100-year anniversary in 2023, and they celebrated at Iron Kettle Brewing Saturday. A who’s who of Grain Valley football coaches and players gathered and caught up with each other and reminisced about their time together. “That’s crazy. It’s something that some people take for granted,” 2018 graduate and former quarterback Tate Collum said of the 100 year anniversary. “It’s a great thing to be a part of Grain Valley High School. You make so many friendships.” Among those in attendance were current head coach David Allie and former head coach Forrest Rovello, who retired following the 2012 season after 18 years as the head coach. “Everyone here has a connection playing football,” Allie said. “This is an opportunity for everyone to come together and talk with those who went to the same high school. We are like family. It’s a great experience.” Allie keeps in regular contact with some of his former players and it’s apparent he has a special connection with them. Allie was shaking hands and hugging multiple former players at the event. Not only that, but he has some of them come to practices to give speeches to the current team. “Once you are a part of our family, you’re always a part of it,” Allie said. “We’ve been blessed to have former players come back and share their experiences with the kids. We try to put them on the spot and we want them to speak from the heart. We hope their experience transfers to the next generation.” One of those players is former linebacker Kole Waggoner, a 2017 graduate who went on to play for William Jewell College, spoke with the 2023 football team during the winter. He is getting his doctorate in clinical psychology at Kansas University. Waggoner spoke to the current players about sports psychology and about developing as a leader. “They let me come back for 10 weeks and lecture to a select group of guys,” Waggoner said. “I wanted to help them be better individuals and better leaders. That was a huge honor to be able to do that still continue some part of the legacy for Grain Valley.” In addition to speaking with the current generation of Eagle athletes, at the 100-year celebration, Waggoner said he enjoyed conversing with some teammates that he hasn’t seen in a while. He said it was special to see the large number of former players and coaches. “I love seeing everyone, and it just shows you the legacy of Grain Valley football when you see so many people here,” Waggoner said, “seeing and hearing the stories from everyone is inspiring. You’re not just a part of a program for four years, you are still a part of a family.” “It’s much more than it being about football.” Collum had similar sentiments about the celebration. He said that he had seen two of his former teammates before the gathering, but said he enjoyed seeing those that he hasn’t spoken to in years. “I walked in here saw them, and there were some names I didn’t even remember,” Collum said. “I gave them a high five and a hug.” “I even saw some guys that mentored me when I was in middle school. Ryan Nace, he was a running back when he played. I was at a middle school camp and he was the leader of my group. I ran into him and it was like, ‘Wow!’ You were in high school when I was in eighth grade.’” Rovello, who has been retired for a decade, enjoyed his time at the celebration, as well. He actually has a connection with Allie, his successor. Allie was on the staff for the Greater Kansas City Coaches Association All-Star Game when he was an assistant at Warrensburg in 1997. Rovello was the head coach with Team Missouri at the time. “We would run into each other at track meets and that sort of stuff,” Rovello said. “I was really happy when he got the job here. I knew he would do an excellent job.” “In the last 30 years, Coach Allie and I have coached 27 of them. That shows continuity in the program. Grain Valley is in as good of a position because of what he has done.” And Rovello was a big part of turning around the program. In his first year as head coach in 1993, he took over an Eagles squad that was winless the previous season. He led the Eagles to their deepest playoff run in 2002 when they made it to the state semifinals. “I had kids in my first class ask me if I was the new football coach,” Rovello said. “I said, ‘Yes.’ Then they said, ‘Why?’ They were 0-18 when I got them and there was only one way to go. David has kept the train on the track. Grain Valley football is still exciting.” And on Saturday, he got to reunite with some of those players that helped him put Grain Valley football back on the map. “It’s been a lot of years and everyone moves on,” Rovello said. “It’s always good to see old players. A lot of these guys have gone on to coach, which I am excited about. If nothing else, these guys learned to love the game.” From left, former players Hunter Ramirez and Luke Hamontree, assisant coach Ryan Adams and head coach David Allie were among those in attendance at the Grain Valley football programs 100-year anniversary celebration Saturday at Iron Kettle Brewing. Photo credit: Michael Smith Multiple former players and coaches gathered at Iron Kettle Brewing Saturday to celebrate the Grain Valley football program's 100-year anniversary. Photo credit: Michael Smith
The current Grain Valley branch of the Mid-Continent Public Library (MCPL) will close August 12th in preparation for the opening of its new building in September. The new 12,500 sq. ft. facility, located at 400 SW Buckner Tarsney Road, will include a community room, two meeting rooms, children's area, and outdoor space. MCPL broke ground on the new facility in November 2022. The Grain Valley Branch and its book drop will close at 6:00pm on Saturday, August 12, to begin moving materials to the new building. The Grain Valley branch and its book drop will close at 6:00pm on Saturday, August 12, to begin moving materials to the new building located at 400 SW Buckner Tarsney Road. Rendering courtesy MCPL
The annual Purple Peace Foundation's Cruise for Epilepsy Awareness car show will be held Sunday, August 6th at Armstrong Park from 11:00am to 3:00pm (rain or shine). In addition to the car show, food trucks, vendors, raffles, and a live auction will be held. A number of trophies will be awarded to participants. Pre-registration is $25 and will take through Friday, August 4th, 2023. You can pre-register at www.purplepeacefoundation.org. Day of car show registration is $30. File photo.
by Maria Benevento, The Kansas City Beacon
The beginning of a new school year often comes with a list of expenses. But starting Aug. 4, 2023, there’s an opportunity to get a discount on many back-to-school purchases. During the annual three-day tax holiday held in early August, school supplies, clothing and computers bought within Missouri for personal use won’t be subject to state sales tax of 4.225% or to local sales tax. Here’s what qualifies for the tax holiday and how to take advantage of it: When exactly is the Missouri sales tax holiday? Missouri’s back-to-school sales tax holiday begins the first Friday in August and stretches through midnight on the following Sunday. This year, that’s Aug. 4-6. The state first held a tax holiday in 2004. The following year, Missouri made it an annual event. Early supporters said it encouraged people to shop at Missouri stores instead of online. What items are covered? Items exempt from sales tax include:
For purposes of the tax holiday, clothing means most items intended for people to wear, including footwear, diapers and material used to make school uniforms or other school clothing. It doesn’t include watches, watchbands, jewelry, handbags, handkerchiefs, umbrellas, scarves, ties, headbands or belt buckles. School supplies include anything used in a typical classroom for educational reasons, including writing and art supplies, textbooks, backpacks, calculators, rulers and globes. They don’t include radios, headphones, sports equipment, telephones, office equipment or furniture. More complete lists of eligible items are available on the Missouri Department of Revenue website. The tax holiday applies to items bought over the internet and items that are ordered during the holiday but not delivered until later, as long as the purchase is complete before the holiday ends. Purchases need to be for personal use. The state considers it a personal use when teachers use their own money to purchase school supplies for their classrooms, but not if someone buys items to use in their business. Where does the Missouri tax holiday apply? The tax holiday applies throughout Missouri. Beginning in 2023, local jurisdictions can no longer opt out. How much can I save during the Missouri tax free weekend? The amount you’ll save depends on exactly where you’re shopping, as various cities, counties and districts have different tax rates. In some parts of the Kansas City metro, the total sales tax rate can reach more than 11%. The state sales tax rate is 4.225%. That means that if you spend close to the $1,500 limit on computers, for example, you could save more than $60 in state sales tax alone. The amount could be higher if you also buy clothing, school supplies or software, if you make multiple purchases throughout the weekend, or if you factor in local tax savings. Are there any other Missouri sales tax holidays I should know about? Missouri also has a weeklong Show Me Green Sales Tax Holiday for new Energy Star appliances in April. This story was originally published by The Kansas City Beacon, an online news outlet focused on local, in-depth journalism in the public interest. Grain Valley Historical Society's annual Ice Cream Social will be held Thursday, July 27th from 5:00pm - 8:00pm on the patio between Iron Kettle Brewing and the Historical Society (506 S. Main). Tickets are $6/adults, $5/children 12 and under and may be purchased at the door.
In addition to a variety of homemade ice creams, a variety of desserts will be available. The museum will be open for visitors to explore the many exhibits on display. For more information on the Grain Valley Historical Society, visit www.grainvalleyhistory.com. Registration is now open for the 2023 Grain Valley Fair parade to be held Saturday, September 9, 2023. The parade will begin at 10:00am, which is an earlier start time than the past several years.
The theme for this year's parade is "There's No Place Like Home", and the honorary grand marshals will be the Grain Valley Assistance Council. The parade is sponsored and organized by Grain Valley News and is a part of the Grain Valley Fair festivities. To register your business or organization for the parade, please visit: https://forms.gle/ET2F56kJVdviqbRh8 Downtown Grain Valley has planned an evening of All-American summer entertainment for First Fridays on July 7th. In addition to the traditional food trucks, a car show, carnival, DJ, vendors, and special events hosted by downtown businesses are all a part of the fun planned for the event, which begins at 5pm.
The map provided below outlines where activities and street closures will be located. For more information and any weather or last-minute event related details, follow Downtown Grain Valley on Facebook. |
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