August 2025

Excelsior Springs varsity 11-man football coach Jake Danneman saw a turnaround from his Tigers during their final week of offseason scrimmages. The Tigers “started off a little rough” and went from rough to rougher July 30, when they hosted Lawson, Oak Grove and Richmond, Danneman acknowledged.

In the first 11 months since Valentine’s Law went into effect, the Clay County Prosecutor’s Office has filed 76 cases under the statute, designed to hold accountable those who flee police at high speeds and endanger lives. Named in memory of Detective Antonio Valentine, who was killed during a high-speed pursuit in St.

From spotlighting local teachers to easing the burden of school supply shopping, the Wood Heights Fire Protection District Auxiliary (WHFPDA) is rolling out two separate efforts this August aimed at supporting education in the community.

An Excelsior Springs man charged in connection with the serious injuries suffered by a twomonth- old infant has been granted a limited bond modification after a series of violation reports were filed by bond supervision agencies.

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A new tool introduced by the Clay County Sheriff’s Office is already transforming law enforcement’s response to some of the community’s most vulnerable residents, beginning with a simple suggestion made at a luncheon.

Orrick varsity coach Matt O’Dell continued resurrecting pieces of Orrick High School’s gridiron past when the Bearcats convened for their fourth and final week of offseason 8-man football camp. To cap the final camp session July 31 on Orrick’s practice field, the Bearcats played “hog ball,” a variation of two-hand touch football that allows two forward passes per play.

MIRANDA JAMISON As more adults face chronic health conditions with age, Excelsior Springs Hospital’s Senior Life Solutions (SLS) program is working to spotlight how those illnesses can deeply affect mental health. SLS recently released guidance on ways aging, physical disease and emotional well-being are often intertwined and how that connection can create a cycle that worsens both.

MIRANDA JAMISON For four straight weeks in July, Excelsior Springs families gathered in parks, gyms and splash zones across the city to celebrate Parks and Recreation Month through daily games, crafts and community events. With 1,353 participants across 26 events, this year’s celebration became the largest attendance on record, filled with small moments, new friendships and a shared sense of community.

Several students from Excelsior Springs and Lawson earned degrees from Missouri State University this spring, joining more than 2,800 graduates who were recognized during commencement ceremonies held at the Great Southern Bank Arena.