News

A December toy drive rooted in personal experience brought together community members, restaurant staff and local families to support foster children across Clay County, turning a simple donation effort into a reminder that the holidays can be especially difficult for children entering care. Hosted throughout the month by the Three Olives Italian Kitchen and Bakery, the fundraiser collected toys for children in foster care ranging from infancy through age 18, with donations distributed through the Clay County Children’s Division.

Editor’s note: This is the first of a two-part Ray County Voices Podcast series featuring Excelsior Springs teacher, coach and Army National Guardsman Cale Lyons. Part One focuses on Lyons’ path into military service, his early deployments and the impact spending holidays away from home has had on him and his family.

From impulsive decisions to heightened emotions, adolescence can feel unpredictable for both youth and the adults guiding them. A recent virtual workshop helped parents and caregivers better understand how the developing brain influences behavior and why that understanding matters for prevention.

MIRANDA JAMISON A table of handmade crafts became the foundation for a much bigger achievement, allowing a young business owner to reach a goal on which she refused to give up. Kaylee Guettermann, 13, of Kansas City, recently brought her small business to The Overlook at Crystal Lakes, where she continued selling handmade items after reaching the goal that first motivated her work.

With a new season approaching, the leadership of the high school baseball program is changing, paving the way for a fresh direction for the upcoming year. That change places Cale Lyons at the helm of the Excelsior Springs High School baseball team as the district prepares for its next chapter on the field.

The opening session of Beacon Mental Health’s winter workshop series challenged families to examine the role of social media in daily youth life, presenting new research on notifications, algorithms and mental health, before the subsequent two sessions expanded on early brain development and prevention.

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Fire services in Excelsior Springs will now receive a larger share of the city’s Public Safety Sales Tax revenue, a change aimed at addressing the rising cost of fire trucks, ambulances and other long-term equipment needs.

Excelsior Springs School District officials are providing additional details after a firearm was discovered at Excelsior Springs High School, left in a backpack brought onto campus by an adult spectator during a recent wrestling tournament.

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