Lee's Summit Lowdown

Welcome to the Lowdown! I am so glad you’re here!

Happy Sunday, Lee’s Summit! 🎃

Quick public service announcement: the clocks fell back last night. If you feel weirdly well rested this morning, that’s why. Enjoy it. It won’t last.

On Tuesday I played Xtreme Music Bingo at The Goat, and I loved it. Some of the ladies there take it seriously, as in they bring their own dobbers. I showed up with a drink and good intentions, and they showed up with equipment. Respect. It’s a great night out with good music and a fun crowd, and it’s free to play when you grab food or a drink, so it’s an easy way to support a local spot. I’ll be back, and next time I’m bringing a dobber.

Saturday morning I braved the rain for the last regular Farmers Market of the season, and the costumes made getting soggy worth it. Families were suited up for the downtown parade, and Green Street was full of tiny superheroes and a few very patient dogs.

This week the town flips from candy to holiday shopping. We’ve got state champions, a West vs. North Final Four, a Veterans Day parade that marches through 250 years of history, a Chiefs broadcast at Hy-Vee, and Mistletoe Madness.

Let’s get into it! 👇

🏆 State Champions!

The Lee’s Summit High softball team are your Class 5 state champions. The Tigers shut out Troy Buchanan 4-0 in Friday’s title game in Springfield, one day after edging Liberty 7-6 in the semifinal. Kali Barnes pitched all seven innings without giving up an earned run, and Maliyah Strong drove in three. You can relive the whole run on the MSHSAA state bracket.

A West vs. North Final Four. Lee’s Summit West and Lee’s Summit North volleyball both won their quarterfinals Saturday, which means two of our schools are in the Class 5 Final Four, and they’ll play each other on Friday, Nov. 6, at 4 p.m. at the St. Joseph Civic Arena. West got there the hard way, beating Ozark in five sets after battling back from down 8-2 in the fifth. Lee’s Summit is guaranteed a team in the state championship match.

And the rest of Saturday was just as busy:

• Soccer: all three LSR7 teams won.

• Cross country: the LSW boys won districts as a team and the LSW girls took fifth with four qualifiers. The LSHS girls won districts and the LSHS boys took third. LSN sends one girl to state. State cross country is this Saturday, Nov. 7.

• Football: Lee’s Summit West and Lee’s Summit High both won Friday night and advanced.

Congrats to every one of these kids. Lee’s Summit is having a week.

A Living Timeline Rolls Down Main Street

Here’s your Saturday plan. The Annual Veterans Day Parade: America 250 steps off at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 7, hosted by Jack Ray VFW Post 5789 and its Auxiliary. This year’s theme is “Legacy of Liberty: 250 Years of the American Spirit,” and the parade is built as a living timeline, with marching units, floats, and community entries covering the big eras of U.S. history, from the founding right up to today.

The route starts at Lee’s Summit High School, runs along Green Street, turns onto Third Street, and heads down SE Main Street. Local band Up From the Coop plays on Green Street before the parade, so come early, grab a curb spot, and bring the kids. Watching a fourth grader try to explain a Revolutionary War float to a toddler is half the show.

After the parade, head over to VFW Post 5789 at 329 SE Douglas St. for a spaghetti lunch. Nothing says “thank you for your service” like a plate of pasta and good company.

If there’s a veteran you’ll be thinking about on Saturday, hit reply and tell me about them. I’d love to know who we’re honoring.

🎄 Holiday Shopping Starts Friday

The holiday season officially clocks in this weekend. Mistletoe Madness takes over Gamber Community Center Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and it’s free to get in. The Downtown Holiday Open House runs both days across downtown shops, and Saturday brings a Christmas open house at The Posie plus a holiday entertaining showcase at the Rice Road Hy-Vee. My wallet has already asked me to sit this one out. My wallet will be ignored.

🏈 A Chief Comes to Hy-Vee Monday

Mitch Holthus and Chiefs receiver Xavier Worthy are broadcasting the Chiefs Kingdom Show live from the Lee’s Summit West Hy-Vee on Monday, Nov. 2, from 6 to 7 p.m. Wear your red, get there early, and maybe pick up dinner while you’re at it.

📰 Quick Hits

A police post at Summit Fair. Lee’s Summit Police are opening a new satellite office at Summit Fair to give officers a home base in one of the city’s busiest shopping areas, right as the holiday rush kicks off.

Coffee with a side of ink. The Pitch took a look at the coffee bar inside The Cherry Bomb Tattoo Co. on SE Blue Parkway. You can grab a latte without committing to anything permanent.

👀 Keeping an Eye On

Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3. Proposition 2 asks Lee’s Summit voters whether the city should move to a single citywide residential trash hauler. Polls are open 6 a.m. to 7 p.m., and there’s no school in LSR7 that day.

Road work. The MO 291 and U.S. 50 interchange closures stay in place through Friday, Nov. 13, and the SW River Run Drive and SW Pryor Road intersection is closed until about the end of November for the Pryor Road project. Plan a little extra time.

🎸 Live & Local

Where the music is this week.

Thursday, Nov. 5

• Jam or Open Mic | 6 to 9 p.m. | The Fillmore Cafe, 700 Unity Way

• Thursday Night Jam | 7 to 10 p.m. | VFW Post 5789 (“The V”), 329 SE Douglas St. (open to the public)

• McWallace Duo | 7:30 p.m. | Iron Horse Bar & Grill, 1012 SE Blue Pkwy. (Brandon Wallace and Sean McNown)

Friday, Nov. 6

• Haley, Matt, and Jon | 8 to 11 p.m. | Konrad’s Kitchen & Tap House, 302 SW Main St.

• Kevin “Church” Johnson | 7 pm – 10 pm | The 1909 Club, 25 SE 3rd St.

• Dangle | 8 p.m. to midnight | Captain’s Sports Lounge, 27909 E Colbern Rd. (country and requests)

Saturday, Nov. 7

• Up From the Coop | 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. | Green Street (classic rock before the parade)

• The Supermatics | 7 to 10 p.m. | VFW Post 5789 (“The V”), 329 SE Douglas St. (dance music from the ’60s to today’s Top 40; lounge open to the public)

• Smokin’ J’s | 8 to 11 p.m. | Konrad’s Kitchen & Tap House, 302 SW Main St.

• After Party | 8 p.m. to midnight | Captain’s Sports Lounge, 27909 E Colbern Rd. (high-energy KC party rock)

• The J Love Band | 7 pm – 10 pm | The 1909 Club, 25 SE 3rd St.

📅 The Weekly Lineup

Sunday, Nov. 1

• Family Life Summit | 12:30 to 5 p.m. | Green Street Market (resources and support for expecting and growing families)

• Disney’s The Little Mermaid | 2 p.m. | Lee’s Summit North High School (also Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m.)

Monday, Nov. 2

• Chiefs Kingdom Show with Mitch Holthus and Xavier Worthy | 6 to 7 p.m. | Lee’s Summit West Hy-Vee

• Pub Quiz Trivia | 7 to 9 p.m. | The Goat Brewing Co., 817 NE Rice Rd. (teams up to six; free with a food or drink purchase)

Tuesday, Nov. 3

• Election Day | polls 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. | no school in LSR7

• Burgers, Beakers & Bots STEM Carnival | 5:30 to 8 p.m. | Lee’s Summit West High School Commons (20+ STEM stations from LSW Robotics; free admission, $8 meal tickets)

• Xtreme Music Bingo | 7 to 10 p.m. | The Goat Brewing Co., 817 NE Rice Rd. (free with a food or drink purchase; bring your own dobber at your own risk)

• FRIENDS Trivia | 7:30 p.m. | B&B Theatres New Longview 7 (free, all ages, prizes; arrive early)

Wednesday, Nov. 4

• Casual Commander Night | 4 to 10 p.m. | Mindgames and Magic, 206 SE 2nd St. (free Magic: The Gathering night)

• Weekly 10-Ball Break & Run Challenge | sign-ups 6:30 p.m. | VFW Post 5789 ($10 entry; benefits Marine Corps League veteran programs)

• Karaoke Night | 8 p.m. | Iron Horse Bar & Grill, 1012 SE Blue Pkwy.

Thursday, Nov. 5

• Thursday Team Trivia | 8 to 10 p.m. | Bricks Pub & Grub, downtown ($5 per player)

Friday, Nov. 6

• Mistletoe Madness | 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. | Gamber Community Center (free holiday shopping event)

• Downtown Holiday Open House | hours vary by shop | Downtown Lee’s Summit

• Holidays on Main at The Porch Swing | 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. | 505 W Main St., Greenwood (just down the road, kicking off Downtown Greenwood’s open house weekend through Sunday)

• Disney’s The Little Mermaid | 7 p.m. | Lee’s Summit North High School

Saturday, Nov. 7

• Mistletoe Madness | 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. | Gamber Community Center

• Quilt Show | 9 a.m. | Unity Village Ballroom (Building 500)

• Holiday Fine Art & Craft Show | 10 a.m. | Lee’s Summit

• Hy-Vee Kids Club: Cards for Heroes | 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. | Hy-Vee, 301 NE Rice Rd. (kids make Veterans Day cards for local heroes)

• Holiday Entertaining Showcase | 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. | Hy-Vee, 301 NE Rice Rd.

• Christmas Open House at The Posie | 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. | 1907 W Foxwood Dr.

• Veterans Day Parade: America 250 | 11 a.m. | Downtown Lee’s Summit, with a spaghetti meal after at VFW Post 5789 (see above)

• Downtown Holiday Open House | continues, hours vary by shop | Downtown Lee’s Summit

• Disney’s The Little Mermaid | 7 p.m. | Lee’s Summit North High School

• Les Misérables | 7 p.m. | Lee’s Summit West High School

🤔 Lee’s Summit Trivia

Did you know Lee’s Summit’s American Legion post is named for a young Marine who never came home? Post 189 honors Cpl. Robert L. Clore, USMC, who was killed in France in June 1918 near Château-Thierry during World War I. The post’s original charter is dated Nov. 8, 1919, which means its birthday lands the day after this year’s parade. Wave a little extra for the Legion on Saturday.

One Last Thing

Remember last week, when a yellow jacket stung me several times and seemed to take it personally? Turns out that was the opening act.

This week the yellow jackets went after my dog Roze in the backyard, and she did what any reasonable dog would do: she ran straight into the house. With the yellow jackets still on her. So now they were inside, too.

What followed was me sprinting around my own house swinging an electric bug zapper racket like I was trying to win Wimbledon. Final score: ten yellow jackets zapped, one very rattled dog, and zero dignity left. Happy to report Roze is doing much better now. I’m counting it as a win.

If you’ve got a pest control company you swear by for yellow jackets, hit reply and send me their name. I’m officially done negotiating.

Thanks for being part of the Lowdown crew!

– Jen

 Editor, Lee’s Summit Lowdown

P.S. If you know a neighbor who’d love the parade or Mistletoe Madness, forward this to them. It takes about ten seconds, which is roughly how long it took Roze to bring the yellow jackets indoors. 🐝

How did we do in this edition?

• 🏆 Blue Ribbon Worthy: Best issue yet.

• ☀️ Front Porch Worthy: A nice way to start my week.

• 🤷 Take It or Leave It: It was fine.

• 🚦 Stuck in Traffic: Kind of a slog today.

• 🙈 Missed the Mark: Not your best work.