Excelsior Springs High School’s Lady Tiger Softball Camp for players who will be in grades 9-12 for the 2013-14 school year will be held Monday through Thursday, June 3-6, from 10 a.m. to noon on the high school softball fields, 612 Tiger Drive.

Cost for the Lady Tiger camp is $25 and includes a T-shirt and instruction from coaches Roberts, Tuck and Snelling.  Skills learned will include proper techniques in throwing, hitting, bunting, base running, fielding and all other aspects of the fast pitch game.

For questions or to enroll for camp contact Don Roberts at 816-365-0723.  Proceeds from the camp will benefit the Lady Tiger softball program.

ESHS Men’s Basketball

 The Excelsior Springs men’s basketball team plans to host a week-long youth camp geared towards basketball fundamentals and skill development in a fun atmosphere. This year’s upcoming Youth Camp will run Monday through Friday, July 15-19, from noon to 1:30 p.m. for grades 1-4, and from 1:30 to 3 p.m. for grades 5-8. Camp will be held at Excelsior Springs High School’s Tiger gymnasium, 612 Tiger Drive.

Cost for the camp is $30 per player and includes a camp T-shirt and a certificate of participation. The camp will teach athletes strong development of fundamentals, including instruction from not only the ESHS basketball coaching staff but from ESHS Tiger basketball players as well. Interested participants can pre-register by visiting www.estigerbasketball.com or by calling 816-261-4340. Coach Ryan Johnson can also be reached through his email at rjohnson@estigers. k12.mo.us.

More information can be found on the Tigers’ Facebook page at www.facebook.com/esmensbasketball.

Tiger Volleyball

 The Excelsior Springs High School Tiger volleyball team is hosting their annual Volleyball Camp, slated for Monday through Thursday, June 22-24. Participants will receive a camp T-shirt. All proceeds from the yearly camp will help support the ESHS volleyball program.

This year there will be two high school camps for grades 9-12, which will be held from 9 to 11 a.m. on June 3-6 and from 9 to 11 a.m. on July 23-25. Those interested can sign up for both Camp 1 and Camp 2 and save money. The cost for Camp 1 (June 3-6) is $30 and the cost for Camp 2 (July 23-25) is $25.

For those interested in attending both camps, ESHS Volleyball will drop the fees to $50. Youth Volleyball Camp 3 will be held June 3-6 at 12:30 to 2 p.m. for athletes in the middle school grades 7-8. Camp 4 is for athletes in grades 5-6 and will be held from 2:30 to 3 p.m. June 3-6. The cost for Camp 3 is $25 and the cost for Camp 4 is $20.

For more information contact Tiger Head Volleyball Coach Terri Irons at 816-630-9210.

High School Summer Weights

 Excelsior Springs High School will host summer weight training every Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from June 3 through August 2.

For ESHS football players, please meet in the weight room at the high school, 612 Tiger Drive, at 7 a.m.  Weights will be open until 9:30 a.m.

For non-football players, and for any other high-school-aged teenagers who want to stay in shape, meet at Tiger Stadium on the field at 7:50 a.m.  Training will be held from 8 to 9:30 a.m.  Cost for summer weight training is $25 and includes a T-shirt when you attend 85 percent of the training sessions.  Forms are available at the high school’s activities office.

Middle School Summer Weights

 Excelsior Springs High School will host summer weight training every Tuesday and Thursday for middle school aged students who want to get in or stay in shape.  Weight training will run June 11 through July 25.

Any interested participants should meet at Tiger Stadium, 612 Tiger Drive, on the field at 9:30 a.m. Training will continue until 11 a.m.  There will be basic progression of weights, speed and agility.

Cost for weight training is $25 and includes a T-shirt when you attend 85 percent of the training sessions.  Forms are available at the high school’s activities office.

Spring has come, summer is approaching and nothing is more common than to let our pets outside to enjoy the fresh air.  We love it and our pets love it, but for your Mail Carrier it can be terrifying.  You may put your dog out on a rope or chain, or even in a fenced area, but given the right set of circumstances your dog may threaten and even bite a passerby. As a Mail Carrier, I know all too well that this indeed does happen.

We approach your house, your dog is alarmed and it goes into protection mode, “Boom” – snaps the tie, jumps a fence, or even comes through the front door to protect its domain. Dogs are pack animals instinctively and they may consider you and your family a part of their pack. Dogs can be especially protective where young children reside. A dog may do whatever is necessary to protect its surroundings.

People often say, “My dog doesn’t bite.” Well of course a dog will not bite its owner or its owner’s family, but a dog may see a Mail Carrier as an intruder. Often a dog may be trained to warn and protect its owners or its owner’s home from intruders. The only defense a dog has to protect itself or its surroundings is teeth. That is all it is equipped with for protection. So yes, if it feels threatened it may bite!

Recently in our town a Mail Carrier was viciously attacked by a dog while walking away from delivering the mail. If you’ve never been bitten by a dog believe me this can be a life-altering experience. Small dogs, big dogs, a bite is a bite and it must be reported.  Animal Control will be notified and your pet may be impounded and possibly euthanized. At best it will be costly, painful and traumatic for all involved. Save yourselves the trouble. Watch your dogs, secure them in a safe place and protect your Mail Carriers, your dog and your families.

Thank you,

Rose Luke

First, I was raised in a house where both parents smoked and I am a NON-SMOKER.  I am not here to argue the fact for the ban or against the smoking ban.  I voted for the ban because I feel it is what is best for our community and the health of our citizens.

I would like to address some of the issues that have been brought up by the new opposition to the smoking ban.  The voter turnout was very low for the election in April, but regardless, the ban passed.  I voted for the ban even though the ordinance had not been written.  I voted for the ban because I trusted the people that I voted to serve on the council and trusted their judgment when writing the ordinance.

To address some of the opposition’s remarks that the private clubs have brought up:  the Elks Lodge and the VFW have stated that they are both private clubs that their members pay to be included.  While this does have some truth to it, is not entirely true.  To consider one to be a member of the Elks Lodge you do have to pay a membership fee.  However, it comes down to the fact that they offer dinner two nights a week that is open to the public.  They have a taco night and a steak night and this is open to anybody to come and eat there.  They also rent out their building to the public for various parties and they do have kids that go in and out of the building during the summer while using their pool.  So, in fact, this makes them public.  The same goes for the VFW building.  They offer public bingo every Friday night and they have a billboard that states that their bar is open to the public every day after 4 p.m. They also rent out their hall to the general public for events.  I understand that having these events at both locations helps raise money for the clubs but if you were to exempt these two clubs as private clubs, are they willing to pass on the money raised from such things as bingo or steak night or allowing kids at the pool?

As far as grandfathering in the current businesses that allow smoking such as the Atlas or Goodtimes, wouldn’t that be unfair if somebody else wanted to open a bar and allow smoking, but they couldn’t?   What I can say to both of these businesses is this:  as a non-smoker, I do not visit your bars or restaurant often, if at all, because of the smoke.  However, with the smoking ban, myself, my wife, and other non-smokers will go to Goodtimes more often for dinner or for lunch and we will go to the Atlas for an adult beverage now and then.  I cannot name one business in Liberty that went out of business due to the fact that they have a smoking ban (Corner Bar, as an example).

Lastly Mr. Nance spoke as a former state representative about Missouri’s law on smoking and the clean air act.  The points made by Mr. Nance have no relevance on the smoking ban made in Excelsior Springs.  He stated that the city’s ordinance might not pass muster if taken to court and asked that the city attorney represent the city for free if taken to court.  First the city can make laws that are more restrictive than the state, but not less restrictive than current state law.  This is the same for the states making laws more restrictive than federal law, but not less.  I am not speaking for the city attorney but what I do know is that when a person or parties sue someone, including a city, the loser normally pays all legal cost to both attorneys.  So I ask this – would the club owners and bar owners be willing to pay the legal fees of the city to challenge the ordinance?  If I recall correctly, Councilwoman Morgan stated that only one lawsuit was filed in Kansas City in regards to their smoking ban and it was dismissed for cause.

The time to have presented an opposition to the proposed smoking ban was prior to the election.  Nobody presented any opposition to the ballot nor did anyone present anything in favor of voting for the ban.  To suggest that the city send out a mailer to every household is not feasible.  The city cannot support a vote either way, therefore, they published the ballot as required by law.  The Standard had several articles and opinion articles on the subject.  This was not an issue that was hidden by any means.  My suggestion to those who claim to have no idea what was taking place, is to get involved in your community, read the local news, stay active and have input.  There are various boards you can serve on within the city and stay on top of what is happening in your community.  Our community is what we make of it and our goal should be to leave it bigger, better, cleaner, and in better financial standing for the next generation than what we received it in.

Tray Harkins

“I don’t want to hear it,” the words from the mouth of our council elected mayor when addressing a citizen and business owner of our community on the subject of the smoking ban.

Mr. Mayor, and members of the city council, you were elected to office to represent our city, and our interests there in.  Please remember this is our community, collectively speaking, and not yours alone.  Your place on the council is to specifically listen to the concerns, and needs of our community, as voiced by her citizenry.  When you close your ears, and close your minds, you no longer have the best interest of our community at heart.

The smoking ban now proposed will not necessarily help our community.  Just as the new tobacco tax did not positively impact the Parks Dept. in the mid 1990’s.  The smoking ban will push people and business from our community, impacting the income generated not only for our local business, but also for the city in the form of lost sales tax revenue.

Upon reviewing the penalties for violation of the new ordinance I see we start at $100 for a first violation, $200 for a second violation, $500 for a third (not exceeding).  This is a fine for what is still a legal substance, have you visited the municipal court lately?  Fines for possession of illegal substances are only $35 and $40, just what are you thinking?  Just who are you to tell business owners what is allowed and not allowed in their business when it comes to a legal substance?  You have it wrong Mr. Mayor and city council members.  We have far greater issues deserving of your time than the questionable habits of those in the community.  What’s next, ban on drinks over 32 oz.?  Are we going to try to become NY next?

An appalled citizen, business owner, and current P&Z commssioner,

Jim Rice

I made a recent trip out to the Crown Hill Cemetery to visit our son’s grave only to be completely heartbroken and disgusted when I arrived. Not only were the very new and clean flowers gone but EVERYTHING else was gone also, from every gravesite. I understand the need to keep the cemetery tidy so that the grounds-keeping crew can mow properly, but there is absolutely no reason to remove cherished keepsakes from a headstone when they pose no interference with lawn care. It is disgusting and blatantly disrespectful for someone to decide to do this. I would like to know whose decision it was to completely raid the personal mementos from the entire cemetery? Do they have any idea how disheartening that is for someone to find? Precious stone angels and cast iron toy trains, that have been there for the past few years untouched, are gone now. Never to be recovered and never again to be placed on the grave of a child gone too soon. They have to realized what a HUGE mistake they made. How was the public notified? Do they realized that not everyone in town receives the city paper? What about families that have loved ones buried there that no longer live in Excelsior? How were they supposed know that this was going to happen? Please help us find answers to why this happened and help keep this from happening again.

Sincerely,

Tina McKown

Visitation was held Wednesday, May 22; cremation. Arrangements are through Polley Funeral Home in Excelsior Springs.

Services will be held at 3 p.m. Tuesday, May 28, at the Missouri State Veterans Cemetery, Higginsville, Mo. Arrangements are through Fry-Bross & Spidle Funeral Home, Kearney.

Bonnie was born Nov. 30, 1930, in Kansas City, Mo.. the daughter of Robert W. and Alma (Shields) Napier. She married Clyde C. Hankins of Belton on Nov. 30, 1950; he survives of the home.

Bonnie was a licensed practical nurse and worked for St. Luke’s Hospital in Kansas City, Mo., where she received her training. She also worked for Shirkey Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Richmond, Mo., from 1973 to 1975. She also worked as a nurse in Saudi Arabia while her husband was on a work assignment for Saudi Arabia Airlines. She lived most of her life in the Richmond area.

Bonnie was a member of the Richmond First Baptist Church. She was also a housewife and homemaker.

In addition to her parents, Bonnie was preceded in death by one granddaughter, Katherine McDonnold.

Additional survivors include three sons, Robert Hankins, of Maryville, Tenn., Bill Hankins, of Athens, Ala., and Stephen W. Hankins, of Richmond; two daughters, Claudia McDonnold, of Bryan, Texas, and Alma Hupp, of Wichita, Kan.; 10 grandchildren; and 14 great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, May 25, at Thurman Funeral Home in Richmond. Visitation will be held from 1 to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 25, also at the funeral home. Burial will be in the Dockery Cemetery, north of Richmond.

Then their work came to a standstill as members clashed about the next step the committee should take.

Zeller showed photos depicting features at several of his company’s community center/recreation center projects, including facilities in Gladstone, Grandview and Overland Park, Kan. He talked about popular amenities, and also pointed out some pitfalls the city of Excelsior Springs can avoid—such as skimping on storage space or decking around a pool area.

He also was very complimentary of the site that the committee had chosen. Having taken a look at the land in person, he said the property along the north side of Wornall Road between Tiger Drive and Crown Hill Road was ideally situated, with a park and several schools nearby. He also said the topography would lend itself well to such a project.

Zeller also confirmed that the price range the committee was considering—about $280 per square foot—was probably right around the mark. The Grandview center cost about $156 per square foot, he said, but that was a decade ago and perfectly scheduled at the end of a recession when construction firms were building for cheap prices. The Gladstone center and the Matt Ross center in Overland Park were $205 and $208 per square foot, but he said those were four to five years ago and the market has changed.

More recently, the community center in Olathe, Kan., rang up at about $300 per square foot, but Zeller said the pool there was “on steroids”—bigger than anything Excelsior Springs is considering.

Moving on to Deal’s and Nowotny’s presentations, the committee learned that their facilities were running close to or at the break even mark and got some pointers such as building smaller locker rooms and focusing more on family-style changing rooms.

But in their own discussions, the committee’s united front broke down a little, as some members argued that the next step should be to get the community’s input. While nearly everyone is in agreement that a swimming pool should be a centerpiece for the proposed community center, some felt that a year-round, indoor, warm-water pool would be the best option. Others said that when Excelsior Springs residents talk about a pool, they mean specifically an outdoor pool where children and families can cool off in the summertime.

With uncertainty brewing between the members, some suggested that a community survey conducted by a professional company would help to narrow down what Excelsior Springs wants out of a community center. Others, having been part of the community center effort for the better part of two decades—and having seen no fewer than five such surveys administered—said that Excelsior Springs was “all surveyed out.” They said a study or survey would indicate to local residents that the group was spinning its wheels and would probably never get past the planning stage.

While no vote was taken, several of the members agreed that an architect would help in several different areas. Such an individual could provide drawings to either help market the community center to voters, or to illustrate different options if the public’s input is sought.

However, it may be mid-summer before an architect can be brought on board. City Manager David Haugland said he was still preparing RFQs (requests for qualifications) that would be sent to several different firms, and then a committee would choose the best candidate. Final approval for the architect would have to come from the city council, and it probably wouldn’t reach them until at least July.

The original plan to put a sales tax before the voters in November may be up in the air, too. Some on the committee believe that it’s more realistic to shoot for an April 2014 election day; even those who are holding fast to November 2013 admit that there’s a lot of work ahead for the committee.

The group did get some good news, however. Mayor Pro Tem Brad Eales arranged for the utility companies to locate any lines on the proposed community center property, due to a rumor that a large gas line or something similar ran through the middle of the land—which would hinder a large construction project.

What Eales learned is that a four-inch gas main runs parallel to the known water line along the north side of the property. The only thing in the middle of the land is a fiberoptic cable that is relatively easy to move.

The committee briefly considered planning another meeting just a few weeks down the road, to maintain their momentum, but in the end they put off scheduling their next gathering until after an architect is selected.

Mrs. Fields was born Oct. 25, 1938, in Marshall, Mo., the daughter of Kenneth and Marie Pummill. She retired after 30 years of working for CSC Mortgage Services in Kansas City, Mo., as a mortgage representative. She was a member of Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church in Excelsior Springs.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Kenneth and Marie Pummill; and two brothers, Kenneth Dale Pummill and Don Pummill.

Survivors include her husband of 49 years, Norman Fields; daughters, Karen and Paula Fields; sisters, Anna Farnsworth and Norma McCaig; and brothers, Loyd Pummill, Jim Pummill, Larry Pummill, Ron Pummill and Robert Pummill.

Mrs. Fields will lie in state from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, May 23, at Polley Funeral Home in Excelsior Springs, where the family will receive friends. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, May 24, at Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church in Excelsior Springs, followed by graveside services and burial at Hillcrest Cemetery in Excelsior Springs.

Memorial contributions may be made to Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church in Excelsior Springs or Excelsior Springs Hospice.