February 18th & 19th   ,   February 25th & 26th

Saturdays 10:00am to 5:00pm

Sundays     Noon to 4:00pm

At the White Oak Plaza Galleries of the Blue Springs Art Council .

SouthWest of 40 & 7 Hiways

just to the West of Beauty Brands

Blue Springs , Missouri .

Framed prints , Matted prints & greeting cards for viewing and for sale .    

contact Carolyn Fox @ 229-1209 for further  details .

Jeff,

I wanted to contact you and inform you that the newly founded Blue Springs Arts Council will be hosting a gallery on November 5^th from 5pm to 9pm. We are excited that the gallery will be in Blue Springs and we are excited to host 10 -15 artists. Miles Neidinger will be also be hosting a gallery that evening. Please view his art at http://milesneidinger.com/styled-13/page14.html

We are still accepting applications and wanted to inform you of the Nov 5^th gallery. Please let us know if you can inform your media contacts about this event.

Kim Jones

816-260-4235

http://www.bluespringsartscouncil.com/index.html

A common topic of conversation over the past several years has been the seemingly endless supply of empty buildings in Blue Springs. It’s a difficult situation, but there are glimmers of progress. The demolition of the old Sinclair station on Highway 7 began this week, making way for a new Quik Trip at the corner of Shaw Parkway and Highway 7. Those of us who do our shopping at Price Chopper will enjoy the convenience when utilizing the benefits of the partnership between Price Chopper and Quik Trip, as we enjoy the savings on our gas purchases.

Hy-Vee at the corner of 40 Hwy and 7 Hwy is well on its way to accomplishing a total remodel of the old K-Mart building with a new state of the art grocery store in the center of Blue Springs. Previously, I thought of the US-40 and Highway 7 intersection as the south end of town, but if you look at a map of our city you will find it is very close to the geographical center. I fully expect this development to be a catalyst for even more exciting enhancements to Blue Springs in the coming years.

Not long ago I realized that the Bua Thai restaurant had closed. I really enjoyed this restaurant and was disappointed to see it closed. Fortunately, a Thailand restaurant is now preparing to open in the Copperleaf Village shopping center across the street. I admit it; I peaked in the window this morning. I don’t know if it is the same owners or not, but some of the pictures and decorations are the same. I’m looking forward to tasting their cuisine!

These changes on our main north-south business corridor are encouraging. In the coming months our City Council will be examining policies that have restricted our existing businesses on Highway 7 and seeking solutions that will help businesses enhance their facilities and continue to improve the appearance of our city!

Another election day has come and gone, and the voters of Blue Springs have spoken. I am honored to once again represent District 1 residents as their voice on the city council. I will continue to provide information and updates on issues of concern to the residents of Blue Springs through my newsletters on www.AboutBlueSprings.com and articles in our local newspapers. As we work together to make our city the best it can possibly be, interaction and discussion with the citizens is crucial. Please share your thoughts with me; 816-223-2865 or jeffq@cprosinc.com.

I am eager to work with the Mayor and other members of the Council. Significant effort will be required to realize the vision of Missouri Innovation Park, the revitalization of our downtown area and the continued redevelopment on MO-7Hwy and US-40 Hwy. Progress, at times, seems painfully slow. However, I believe that we are moving deliberately and conscientiously forward in the direction of our goals for Blue Springs.

The plan for the expansion and upgrade to the Woods Chapel corridor now includes a 3 million dollar grant that will extend the road improvements from Duncan Road just North of I-70 south to Walnut Street, just past Old Mill Park. The timeline for full completion of this critical project extends into 2013, and includes significant enhancements to the corridor that will encourage quality development of this gateway into our city. We are all anxious to see this project advance as quickly as possible.

In future articles, I will address these and many other issues that are facing the city, along with items of interest as they arise. Thank you for the wonderful support over the years and for the opportunity to again be of service to the citizens of Blue Springs!

There are some experiences in life that can only be described as WOW! Tuesday, I had the distinct privilege and honor of joining the Patriot Guard motorcycle escort, as The Wall That Heals came into Blue Springs.

This morning began with a brisk ride from Blue Springs to Concordia with Blue Springs City Councilman Grant Bowerman. When we arrived at the Travel America Truck Stop in Concordia, the crowd of motorcyclists had already begun to assemble. By the time everyone had arrived, there were well over 200 motorcycles and their riders ready and willing to provide the escort.

The Jackson County Sheriff’s department and law enforcement agencies from all across the region, helped to manage traffic and to safely close the west bound interstate so that we could focus on honoring the 58,000+ men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice during the Vietnam War to protect our freedoms.

We were KSU (Kick Stands Up) at 12:15pm and began the process of entering Interstate 70. Approximately 100 of us lead The Wall That Heals semi truck onto the interstate. Councilman Bowerman and I were stationed only a few motorcycles ahead of the actual Wall. The remainder of the escort followed the Wall along the route. The sky was blue and the temperatures were perfect for a fall ride.

David Miller, the organizer for the Patriot Guard, emphasized to us that safety was of the utmost importance. The formation was staggered with 2 seconds between each motorcycle in line with each other and one second between motorcycles across from each other. No side by side riding.

As we departed from Concordia we began to encounter people alongside the highway waving, saluting, and displaying the American Flag. Almost every overpass had people on it, waving and showing their support. As we came over the hill approaching the Grain Valley exit we could see emergency lights on the overpass. Area Firefighters and Emergency Medical Personnel had set up on the overpass and were there to greet us.

The closer we got to Blue Springs, more and more people lined the road and overpasses to cheer on the procession. At Adams Dairy Parkway we turned south to 40 Highway and then west to Highway 7, where we were greeted by flag waving citizens of our community all the rest of the way to Pink Hill Park.

These gatherings of the people are an integral part of American life. There is no experience like receiving the support of your fellow citizens and honoring the traditions that make our country great.

Come join us in honoring the Veterans of the Vietnam War by visiting Pink Hill Park over the next few days. The Wall and its accompanying museum will be in Pink Hill Park from 6:55am Thursday September 30 through 6pm Sunday October 3^rd. More information can be found at http://www.bluespringswallthatheals.net.

Sometimes hope is found in the simplest of places. Monday evening, the Blue Springs City Council unanimously passed a consent agenda containing hope that the K-Mart building at 40 and 7 Highways may soon find new life and new opportunities.

Since 2003, the vacant building has been a frustration for residents and city officials, as many looked for ways to eliminate the blight that K-Mart’s closing brought to that intersection. One of the challenges in addressing the situation involved the bankruptcy proceedings that continued for several years after the store closed. It was not until late in 2006 those Tri-Land properties purchased the site and began the process of exploring options with the city regarding possible redevelopment. Several years have again passed, leaving people to wonder if anything is ever going to happen. More...