The sesquicentennial celebration with the Civil War reenactment held at the Holden City Lake during the weekend was a huge success, according to event coordinator Jo Ann Alpert.
“We had huge crowds; the buses were very busy hauling people from the parking area to the site of the reenactment.  At one point, we had to use two buses and they were standing room only,” said Alpert.  “Of course, we had a bigger crowd for Sunday’s event because the weather was so much nicer.”
She went on to say she has heard people raving about how much fun they had and how good the battles were.  Some stated they were even better than the battles at Lone Jack.  The reenactors were equally impressed with the weekend, telling Alpert and others the event was well-organized and giving a lot of thanks to Jack Phelps for the wonderful food.  “They said they have never been treated better or fed better,” said Alpert.  “They were especially impressed by the amount of land we had for them to use; 660 acres at the lake was available.  They urged us to consider holding another reenactment in the future instead of just having a one-time event,” she said.
It took more than a year of planning to make the event a success, according to Alpert, stating Holden had to get on the reenactors’ calendar well ahead of time.  She estimates there were approximately 150-200 reenactors taking part in the weekend.
“We got the reenactors from the Missouri Civil War Reenactors Association and they are sanctioned by the state of Missouri,” Alpert said.
The crowds enjoyed the battle reenactments, the food, being able to go through Sutlers row; the fashion show; the dance on Saturday night and the night artillery demonstration.
By all accounts, the whole event was well attended, well received and a good time was had by all who came out and by the reenactors.



The Holden Chamber of Commerce met May 1 at Strate’s Drive Inn for their regular monthly meeting where the majority of meeting time was spent in finalizing plans for the Civil War Reenactment that took place at the City Lake on May 3 and 4.
Jo Ann Alpert advised that the Farmers Market will hold an instructional meeting at City Park on May 17 at 10 a.m. Prospective and returning vendors will have an opportunity to review safe food handling procedures. Ray James from Johnson County Community Health Services will be there to distribute egg licenses and answer any questions. Opening day for the market is scheduled for June 7, 2008 at 7:00 a.m.
Committee reports included: 
The membership committee reported they have decided to end their membership drive. While they will continue to take new members, they are no longer actively pursuing memberships. Membership display plaques are available to any top-four level members who don’t have them. 
The downtown park will have several members of the garden club providing flowers, planting and weeding while Pat Zvacek said she will coordinate the mowing.
Andrew Wakeman, speaking for the Education Committee, said the Holden High School Future Business Leaders of America will be making a field trip to the Kansas City Board of Trade.
Community development committee meetings will be held on the second Monday of the month beginning in June.
In the Whiteman report, Bill Dryer said there was a get together held for those service members who had returned from the current deployment cycle as of April 30. Dryer said funds were needed and when he approached the VFW, the American Legion and both banks in town, all donated to the event and made it successful. Civilian and military base personnel as well as the honored service members were all highly appreciative of the community efforts to support them.
In other matters, the Red Bud Festival was pronounced a success with 12 trees sold.
The rodeo is scheduled for July 11 and 12, with sponsorships being solicited.
The Fall Fiesta is in the general planning stages with informative letters being sent out to the community.
The next Chamber of Commerce meeting is Thursday, June 5 at 7 a.m. at Strate’s Drive Inn.


Nine more townships have planned public meetings to obtain input on proposed principles for planning and zoning.
The township of Rose Hill is 7:30 p.m. Thursday, May 8, at Kevin Buckstead Farm, 905 SW 1301, Holden; Warrensburg Township, 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 13, at the ambulance district located at 263 SW Highway 13, south of Warrensburg; Centerview and Hazel Hill Townships, 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 13, at the Johnson County Fairgrounds; Jefferson and Post Oak Townships, 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 14, at Leeton City Hall, 108 W Summerfield Ave. Leeton; Columbus,  7 p.m. Monday, May 12, at the Columbus Fire Station located at the junction of Highways UU and M; Simpson Township, 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 13, at the Mount Zion Baptist Church located northeast of Warrensburg on Highway V, approximately four miles east of Highway 13; and Madison Township, 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 15 at Jack Phelps Catering Barn, located at 231 Southwest Highway 131, north of Holden.
Last year, Johnson County voters petitioned to establish a temporary commission to draft a proposed comprehensive plan and zoning regulations for voter consideration.  Appointed by the Johnson County Commission to represent all townships, the Temporary Planning and Zoning Commission has been at work to develop an appropriate plan and regulations to help guide the growth and development of Johnson County.
Over the past year, the commission has developed a number of fundamental principles they feel can serve as a guide in preparing a plan.  In order to obtain voter input on these principles, public meetings are being held in townships throughout the county.  Participants will have the opportunity to provide comments on the principles and to indicate which principles they support and where they have concerns.



With only two games left on their regular-season schedule and victors of nine out of their last 10 games, the Holden High School Baseball Eagles seem to be peaking at the right time heading into district tournament play this weekend.
The two-seeded Eagles , 15-7 on the year, will take on seven-seed Knob Noster in the first round Saturday at 12:30 p.m. at Wagner Field in Clinton.  If they win that game, they will play the winner of  three-seed Warrensburg against six-seed Eldon Monday night at 7 p.m..  In the top half of the bracket, one-seed Clinton tries eight seed Versailles at 5:30 p.m. Saturday and four-seed Warsaw goes against five-seed Osage at 3 p.m.
The tournament’s championship game is scheduled for Wednesday, May 14, at 6 p.m.
After dropping to 6-6 on the year, in a loss April 23 to Sherwood, the Eagles have reeled off winning streaks of five games and then four.  Their only loss in the period came on a heartbreaking 8-7 defeat to Pleasant Hill.
They have defeated Butler twice, moving their Show-Me West Conference record to 4-2, Lee’s Summit Community Christian, 15-5; Higginsville, 13-2; Odessa, 8-0 in a continuation of a rain-shortened game; and Renaissance Academy, 22-2.
Last Thursday, Holden nipped a quality O’Hara team, 4-3, behind a seven-inning pitching gem by Taylor McConville; then spread Lone Jack, 12-2 in five innings at Kauffman Stadium to up their league mark to 5-2 with one conference game remaining at St. Mary’s.  The game was officially over after five innings, but the teams played their C teams an extra two innings to give them the experience of playing in a major league stadium.
Recaps of the O’Hara and Lone Jack contests are:
Eagles 4 O’Hara 3
McConville kept the Celtic batters off stride the entire ball game, spreading eight hits over seven innings while giving up only two earned runs. 
O’Hara drew first blood in the game scoring one run in the top of the first, but the Eagles came back in the bottom of the second and took the advantage, 2-1.  They were never to fall behind again in the game.  The Celtics did draw even in the top of the fourth and sixth innings, but single runs in the bottom half of both of those frames regain the one-run advantage for the Eagles.
In the top of the seventh inning, with nobody out and a runner on first, the next O’Hara batter shot a line drive to shortstop Justin McIntire who speared it and doubled up the baserunner off first base.  With two down and the bases empty, McConville coaxed a ground ball handled by McIntyre who threw  to Jasper Carter at first for the final out.
Driving in runs for the Eagles were A.J. Langston with one and Carter who also garnered one.  Aaron Johnson scored two runs and Michael Garten and Langston each tallied one.  In the hits department, Langston led the way with two, while Spilman, Garten, Johnson, James Hood, and David Lerda each collected one.
 Eagles 12 Lone Jack 2 at Kauffman Stadium
Holden Eagle varsity and junior varsity players cracked out 12 hits, including a double by Bryce Evans and triples by Spilman and Langston on their way to a five-inning spread of the Mules in a conference matchup played as part of the 2008 Frank White High School Baseball Series.  Garnering runs batted in included Langston, three; Spilman, two; and McIntyre, one.
Pitchers McIntyre, getting the win; Carter, Evans and Trevor Yancey combined to pitch a four-hitter.  They struck out seven and didn’t walk anyone.
Before heading into district play this weekend, the Eagles were scheduled to travel to Independence to take on the Trojans of St. Mary’s Tuesday and end the regular season with a contest against Archie tonight (Thursday) at 4:30 p.m. at Eagle Field.


In the middle of a late season surge, the Holden High School girls’ softball team has won three of their last five games to send their record to 6-7.
The girls defeated Lakeland 8-4 last Monday and then went 2-2 in the tough St. Mary’s Invitational Softball Tournament.  They defeated Wellington-Napoleon, 5-3 and Crest ridge, 7-2.  They fell to Concordia, 5-0, and Santa Fe, 5-3.
In the Lakeland win, Calla Burden pitched another solid game giving up eight hits while striking out 14.  Hitting for the Lady Eagles were Carla Arnone with three singles, Rebecca Fisher, two singles; Valerie Lambert, a single and a double; Jenna Brockhaus, two singles; and Kelci Moore with a single.
Lambert led the way with three runs batted in (RBI) while Fisher and Burden each picked up one.
“It was great to see the girls hitting the ball and being aggressive running the bases,” praised head coach Allison Corwin.  “Defensively, Fisher had two great catches in center and Brockhaus threw the lead runner out at third after a stop at first base.”  Amanda Ellison also made a play at second and caught a fly ball.
St. Mary’s Tournament
The ladies started off the tournament with a two-run defeat over Wellington with Burden garnering 13 strikeouts while only allowing three hits
Defensively, nice plays were turned in by Lambert at shortstop, Rachael Martin at second; and Moore at third.  Offensively, catcher Katey Jennings cracked a double, Arnone, Burden, Faith Eissler and Martin each turned in singles and fisher and Lambert collected a single and double apiece.  Brockhaus added three singles and Moore smacked a solid triple.  RBI totals included Arnone, two, and fisher, Lambert and Martin each with one.
In the second game, the Lady Eagles were downed for the third time this season by a quality Concordia team.
“Concordia is a solid team and we played well with them,” Coach Corwin explained.  “Calla struck out eight and defensively we only had one error.  We also had good defensive plays by Lambert, Burden and Martin.”
The coach stated that the girls struggled at the plate.  Lambert and Brockhaus had a single while Burden added a single and double.
In the third game of the tourney, the Lady Eagles avenged an earlier season loss to Crest Ridge as they stopped the Lady Cougars, 7-2.  Burden didn’t give up any walks while allowing only five hits and striking out seven.
Getting back into the lineup, Nici Hobbs made two nice catches on high pop flies at third according to Coach Corwin.  Other defensive plays were turned in by Martin, Fisher, Lambert and Burden.
Offensively, Jennings had a single and double; Burden, Eissler and Martin each added singles; while Fisher rapped three safeties.   Lambert and Burden each tallied two singles; and Brockhaus had two singles and a double.  Brockhaus led the way in the RBI category with three, while Jennings, Arnone and Fisher each added one.
In the last game of the tourney, the girls had a chance to grab third place, but were defeated in a close, 5-3 contest by Santa Fe.
“The Lady Eagles had a great showing,” the coach said.  “We are really cutting down on errors which makes a great difference in a softball game.  The girls seem more confident when at bat and are getting the bat on the ball a lot more.  As coaches, we see improvements game to game.  This week we have eight games, including three double headers to start conference play.”
Junior Varsity
The Lady Eagle JV collected nine hits in a four-inning win over Lakeland, 8-6.
Offensively, shortstop Katy Ralston went two for two with a single and a double and three RBI; while second-baseman Rachel Sullins also went two for two with two RBI and one run scored.  Amy Benson collected two singles in the game as well.  Others getting hits included Emily Brockhaus, a single, one RBI and a run scored; Courtney Jones, one single and one runs scored; and Letisha Atkinson, a single and one run scored. 
Also driving in a run was Sam Willis on a fielders’ choice.  Chelsea Roberson scored two runs in the contest after being walked twice.  Ginny Ellison also scored one run.
Pitching for the girls were Ellison and  Jones.  The JV is coached by Stacey McCune.