Grace Advertising & Consulting, Inc.

June12, 2014 Vol. 1 Issue 4 Schools Ramp-up Security Buckner Clarion PRSRT STD ECRWSS U.S. POSTAGE PAID EDDM RETAIL Local Postal Customer The By Jessica Mauzey Buckner Hosts 2nd Annual 'Smoke Out in the Valley' By Jessica Mauzey fee is considerably lower than comparable contests, which are also sanctioned. Teams must submit samples from each of the four main categories: ribs, chicken, beef brisket, and pork butt. A separate dessert category has also been added, but does not include points earned from the KCBS. This year's competition consists of certified KCBS judges. Cash prizes and plaques are awarded to the top five teams in each category, based on points scored. This includes both the Grand Champion and Reserved Grand Champion. Tonahill's Last Chance Bar and Grill has also donated a new smoker to this year's Grand Champion team. Last year's award winning team in the ribs category, Pig Pitt, will sell barbeque. Double Dip homemade ice cream will also be sold. Patrons will not be able to purchase food from contestants. Obama initiated programs that expanded training to empower law enforcement officials in both preventing and responding effectively to active school shooters. School safety is a two-pronged approach that leverages school security measures and law enforcement officials. An estimated 90 percent of school districts enforced stricter security measures in some form after the Sandy Hook Elementary shootings. Fort Osage School District followed suit. At the beginning of the 2013-2014 academic year, all schools were equipped with a building lock down system and additional security cameras. Buckner Elementary expanded the building entrance, and now requires that a state issued identification to be shown through a camera before entering the school. Once inside, the visitor is issued a visitor's sticker before gaining access to other areas in the school, which are locked and must be opened by a staff member. Additionally, the district conducts intruder drills every year. On May 20, 2014, the Buckner Police Department assessed Buckner Elementary School to evaluate and improve existing plans. "The most dangerous mindset is to believe it can't happen here," Chief of Police Mike Cook said. "While we have no reason to believe there are any plans in the making, try to assess the situation and design a plan while something is happening," he said. Patrick Farnan, outgoing Buckner Elementary School principal, agreed with Cook. "Student safety is only enhanced by the police department's presence. By coming into the school, they were able to become familiarized with the building and the new security systems." "Time is of the essence," Cook added, after discussing lessons learned from Columbine. "We don't have time to wait for a SWAT team." While other law enforcement departments would join Buckner's efforts, including the Kansas City Police Department SWAT team, the Buckner Police Department is (Continued on page 3) In just over a year after the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Conn., where 20 elementary school students and six teachers were fatally shot, 44 [additional] school shootings have occurred. Of these shootings, 64 percent happened on K-12 campuses, and 70 percent of the offenders were minors. The majority of child offenders obtained the firearms from home. After the Columbine shootings in 1999, the United States Department of Education and the United States Secret Service joined forces to create the Safe School Initiative (SSI) to better understand the causes of targeted school violence. The findings of the program have been examined, allowing federal programs to set specific preventative safety standards for school districts nationwide. More recently, President Barack Good music, motorcycles and delicious barbeque are definite indicators of summer in Buckner. The 2nd Annual Smoke Out in the Valley will be held June 21-22 in historic downtown. There are a few changes this year: The contest is now a sanctioned event through the Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS). Tonia Richardson, member of the fairs and festivals committee, describes the change as "an effort to continuously grow the contest. "Last year we had seven teams compete and this year we have 24 signed up," she said, adding that participation will be at capacity. By becoming a sanctioned event, there are more regulations on event categories and judging, as well as an opportunity for teams to gain points within KCBS. Richardson said the $150 entry On Sunday morning, biscuits, gravy, coffee and orange juice will be provided. The first bike show will be hosted on Saturday, at the corner of Adams and Washington streets. The contest is open to anyone with a motorcycle who is interested. Registration is from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., with a $10 entry fee. Music starts at 6:30 p.m., and features live blues and classic rock. There will be a 50/50 entry pot award for a penny per vote. The winner will be announced at 8:00 p.m. Up and coming Kansas City band, Grand Villanova, will wrap up the evening. Out-of-town competing teams include an Air Force team from Illinois and a team from Alabama. Download registration forms at CityofBuckner.org, or call Tonia Richardson at 816.699.3454.

• Cover