The Renew the Blue Committee and Blue Springs School District’s efforts on recycling are paying dividends!  The data is very impressive.  Imagine the mound of trash that was kept off of the steps of city hall!  Through this effort, the idea of “environmental responsibility” is being realized in Blue Springs.  The BSSD School with the most recycled material should receive a presentation of an “E-excellence” award!

With 327,490 lbs recycled per quarter!  That’s over a million pounds annually!  Annually that amounts to nearly $8000.00!  This is really encouraging news.

Following is detailed information about the material recycled by the School District during the first quarter 2010:

The information in this article are excerpts from an letter received from Bob Fasl who served on the Renew the Blue Committee and helped encourage and organize this very successful recycling effort.  Kudos to Bob for his work in this area!

 The Blue Springs Agriculture Science students have been working on planting flowers at Baumgardner Park. The class is a Landscape Design class, which is made up of Junior and Senior Ag Science/FFA members.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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BLUE SPRINGS, Mo. – The City of Blue Springs, Blue Springs Public Art Commission, Blue Springs School District and area businesses and veterans’ organizations have formed a partnership to bring the traveling exhibition of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall to Pink Hill Park Thursday, Sept. 30 to Sunday, Oct. 3.  The exhibit will be free to the public and includes a special welcome home to all Vietnam War veterans. 
“This famous Vietnam memorial has inspired and healed many people. But not everyone can get to Washington, D.C. to see it. So, we’ve worked for many years to bring it here,” says Eleanor Frasier, chairman of the Public Art Commission. “We invite all Vietnam War veterans to come see The Wall That Heals, and all parents and children to participate in the events to learn about this painful time in America’s history.”

ATK, which operates the Lake City Army Ammunition Plant adjacent to Blue Springs, has agreed to be a lead partner for the event.  Mark Hissong, the vice president and general manager, will present a $15,000 check to Blue Springs Mayor Carson Ross on Tuesday, June 1, in a special ceremony at 1 p.m. to launch the major fund drive for other sponsorships.  That event will be in front of Blue Springs City Hall, 903 W. Main Street.

“We are honored to be a lead partner in this historic event for our community of Blue Springs and for all Kansas City area Vietnam Veterans,” said Mark Hissong, of ATK Small Caliber Systems, the operator of the Lake City Army Ammunition Plant. “This plant supported these soldiers with more than 14 billion rounds of ammunition during the conflict. As we continue to support today’s modern day war fighter, we’re proud to give Vietnam Veterans the welcome home they deserve.” 

“We are grateful to ATK for being one of the lead partners of The Wall That Heals event.  Blue Springs is fortunate to have excellent business partners to help bring this exhibit to our community,” said Mayor Carson Ross.

The funding for the Blue Springs “The Wall That Heals” is all by donations.  All funds are set up with the Truman Heartland Community Foundation, a 501-C-3 organization.

For more information, contact Kim Nakahodo, Communications Manager at (816) 655-0497, visit the Web site, www.bluespringswallthatheals.net or Wall That Heals Blue Springs on Facebook.
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Tuesday May 18, 2010 marked the opening of the Mizzou Center in Blue Springs as a part of Missouri Innovation Park.

 

 

Disk Golf Course to open May 22 at Wilbur Young Park

Blue Springs, Mo. – Blue Springs’ first disk golf course will officially open May 22 at Wilbur Young Park, 1100 SE Adams Dairy Parkway.

Based on traditional golf, disc golf is a fast-growing sport where players throw a flying disc into a metal basket with catch chains. The player that completes the course making the fewest number of throws of the disc wins. The discs are specially designed for various shots of the game – from drivers to mid-range discs to putters.

The Young Park Disc Golf Course is an 18-hole median length, technically difficult course.  The course is geared for both the family and more skilled players. Located in the woods of the north end of Wilbur Young Park, the course is challenging as players must maneuver their shots around trees and over water.

This course is free to the public and open daily from sun up to 10 p.m.  Blue Springs Parks and Recreation Department will host instructional clinics, lessons and tournaments annually.  Score cards can be downloaded from the City’s website at www.bluespringspringsgov.com/scorecard.

Blue Springs received a $49,500 grant from the Land and Water Conservation Fund of the National Park Service and $6,500 from the Blue Springs Rotary Club for construction of the course; in addition the City Council approved $18,263 from City funds.  Dr. Brouse of the Blue Springs School District assisted in writing the grant application and the Kansas City Flying Disk Club assisted in the course and signage design.  The Building Trades class of Blue Springs High School helped construct the tee pads and the Boy Scouts of America Troop # 58 and Blue Elk District helped in the construction of a bridge and mulching the paths.  Parks Maintenance staff provided labor for general construction.  Special thanks goes to Blue Springs resident John Theiss, who volunteered countless hours in the planning and layout of the course and City of Blue Springs employee, Randy Cooper for coordinating volunteer efforts with the Boy Scouts of America.

The disc fling and unveiling of the entry sign will officially open the Wilbur Young Park Disk Golf Course at 10 a.m. on Saturday, May 22, at Wilbur Young Park.  Souvenir disks will be given to attendees of the dedication.

The first tournament, “The Eastern Front” will be held Sunday, May 23.  The tournament is a double-round and each participant will get a special collector disc.  Check in is at 8:30 am with event beginning at 9:45. To register for the tournament or for information, visit www.kcfdc.org or call (816) 471-3472 (Disc Golf World).  

For more information on this new facility, contact Roscoe Righter, Director of Parks and Recreation at (816) 228-0137 or email to rrighter@bluespringsgov.com.

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BSSD Agriculture Advisory Committee Members:

Congratulations are in order for  John Orrick (BS), Blake Thomas (BS), Erin Lutjen (BSS) and Carolyn White (BSS) for being the first FFA Members in the history of Blue Springs School District to receive the Highest Honor Missouri can bestow on an individual. These young leaders have earned the State FFA Degree and will be honored at ceremonies at the State FFA Convention in Columbia on  April 14 and 15.

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Thank you,

Jay

...the most wasted of all days is one without laughter ~ e.e. cummings (as stolen from Linda Krehbiel)

Jay Craven

Agriculture Education / FFA Advisor

Blue Springs SOUTH High School

1200 SE Adams Dairy Pkwy

Blue Springs, MO 64014

816-224-1315 Phone

816-224-1324 Fax

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This is AWESOME news.  For those not familiar with the FFA process and awards program… this is a very big deal and a major accomplishment for a program that is only 4 years old…..  Congratulations to the recipients, to their instructors, and to the their parents….

Dave Wright, President

Blues Springs Board of Education

Listen to your favorite music, get BSSD news every hour, up-to-date weather forecasts, and hear LIVE BSSD High School DJs in the late afternoons and early evenings!

BSSD RADIO will also broadcast LIVE sporting events, take music requests, have giveaways and much more!

Music Programming:

Midnight to 3pm – Lite Rock
3pm to 6pm – Top 40!
6pm to 8pm – Tween Time Rock!
8pm – 80s at 8!
9pm to Midnight – Lite Rock

Sundays – Classical Favorites

NOW!

Find us always at www.bssdradio.net

BDDS RADIO is commercial free and all music is screened.  This is just the beginning!  Our programming will grow throughout 2010 as our students become the driving force for this station.

There is a lot of talk around town regarding the Missouri Innovation Park, a development that is sure to change the face of the future of Blue Springs. A “Show Me” attitude is part of the culture in Missouri, and some need to see dirt moving and buildings under construction to truly believe that the Innovation Park, bringing with it the desired growth of quality jobs, is a reality.

Community leaders in Blue Springs laid a path many years ago, putting in place the key components to support the development of the Innovation Park by establishing the vision for Adams Dairy Parkway. As that vision has evolved, we have seen the addition of retail and restaurants, which add another component necessary to the realization of the original vision for Adams Dairy Parkway.

Two and a half years ago, as the first details regarding the park began to emerge, Blue Springs Economic Development Corporation President Brien Starner and I had long conversations about the potential the park brought to our community. It was clear that the stars were aligning for success. A project of this type normally takes, on average, approximately five years to develop the support of all the various organizations necessary for success.

In this instance, the Missouri Innovation Park has the support of the City of Blue Springs, the University of Missouri, the Blue Springs School District, the Central Jackson Country Fire Protection District, the Blue Springs Economic Development Corp., the Blue Springs Chamber of Commerce, the Missouri Department of Economic Development, the Kansas City Area Development Council, Jackson County, the Mid-Continent Public Library system, and many other entities in the region and state in just two short years.

This support by so many public and private organizations is vital to the success of the project and is a direct result of the passion and commitment of current and past mayors and councils, Brien Starner, and the Blue Springs Economic Development Corporation members.
Despite the current national economy, the project has continued to move forward. New legislation, referred to as “Jobs for the Future,” has been filed and would enable projects like the Missouri in Innovation Park not only for Blue Springs, but also for progressive communities all over Missouri. This legislation would allow cities more control over their own economic destiny, with the intent of attracting high-quality public and private jobs.

Our city now stands at a precipice of key decisions and actions. As citizens, we need to join with our elected leaders and the leaders of these supporting organizations to see the fulfillment of this vision for our city. In the coming weeks there will be announcements that will show visible progress and the beginning of construction of the Mizzou Innovation Center which will anchor the project and provide the intellectual property that will spur the creation of high-tech jobs in the park. The possibilities are endless, and I am excited to see this vision come to fruition.

Community Services League

300 West Maple / Independence MO 64051

816.254.4100 (P) / 816.252.9906 (F)

info@cslcares.org / www.cslcares.org

 

 

 

Contact: Michael A. Levine, Director of Development & Marketing

816.254.4100 Ext. 304 / levinem@cslcares.org

November 29, 2009

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Annual Spirit of Caring Concert to benefit Community Services League

Eastern Jackson County, MO – The 11th Annual Spirit of Caring Holiday Concert, a benefit for Community Services League (CSL) of Blue Springs, will be presented at 2:00 pm on December 6^th at the Blue Springs South High School (1200 Adams Dairy Parkway, Blue Springs). Tickets are $4 per person and will be available at the door.

As in the past, the concert will feature a variety of musical performances by soloists, bands, choirs and ensembles from throughout the Blue Springs community and school district.

CSL is known as a source of food and clothing for families, but sometimes a family needs more than just food. Your charitable contributions to CSL will help provide funds to aid families with utility bill assistance, school supplies for students, Christmas meals and gifts as well as other needed goods and services throughout the year. The Blue Springs community is proud to continue its support for their mission of promoting self-sufficiency and providing resources to those in need.

Mera Vic of Grain Valley will once again donate a decorated Christmas tree to be raffled the day of the concert. Clancy’s Café & Pub (800 South Outer Road, Blue Springs) will display the tree through the day of the concert. Raffle tickets may be purchased at Clancy’s Café & Pub; The Blue Springs Chamber of Commerce office; First National Bank of Missouri; Kwik Kopy Printing; or at the Blue Springs office of CSL.

For more information on the concert, to become a sponsor or to purchase raffle tickets please contact CSL at 816.229.0033 or visit www.cslcares.org.

Founded in 1916 by a group of local women including Bess Wallace Truman, CSL is a non-profit organization striving to promote self-sufficiency, and offering emergency assistance, housing counseling, food, clothing and other resources to families in need. CSL is one of the only agencies of its kind, offering this level of comprehensive services, in Eastern Jackson County.

CSL operates seven (7) locations with the main office and two outreach offices in Independence, plus offices in Blue Springs, Buckner, Oak Grove, and Grain Valley.

In 2008, CSL aided more than 45,000 individuals; with escalating food and gas prices, mortgage and housing issues, and an overall increase in the cost-of-living, the number of people in need of aid in 2009 is at an all-time high.

CSL is a United Way Agency and a 501 (c) (3) organization as designated by the IRS.

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See The Examiner Article at

http://www.examiner.net/education/x1792907282/Golden-Regiment-to-return-to-Macys-Thanksgiving-Day-Parade-in-2010