As the 2020 Census nears, Valley News will take a look at how census figures are used to measure the nation’s people, places, and economy.  This week, as we near Women’s History Month in March, we look at census information related to women in the United States.
     The roots of National Women’s History Month go back to March 8, 1857, when women from various New York City factories staged a protest over working conditions. The first Women's Day celebration in the United States was also in New York City in 1909, but Congress did not establish National Women's History Week until 1981 to be commemorated annually the second week of March.
     In 1987, Congress expanded the week to a month. Every year since, Congress has passed a resolution for Women’s History Month, and the president has issued a proclamation.
     The following facts are made possible by the invaluable responses to the U.S. Census Bureau’s surveys. We appreciate the public’s cooperation as we continuously measure America’s people, places and economy.
 
Did You Know?
 
166.0 millionThe number of females in the United States as of July 2018. The number of males was 161.1 million.
 
2 to 1The approximate ratio by which women age 85 and older outnumbered men in 2018 (4.2 million to 2.3 million).
 
78.4 millionThe number of females age 16 and older who participated in the civilian labor force in 2018. This comprises 58.3% of females age 16 and older.
 
 

     Both  Grain Valley High  School Girls Swim and Dive and Boys Wrestling headed to state competition last weekend.
     Girls Swim and Dive sent four to state competition in St. Peter’s, Missouri. Junior Abigail Castle finished 8th place at State in Class 1 Diving. Sophomore Hayden Meyer finished 12th. Senior Piper Barnard competed in preliminary rounds, finishing 28th. Freshman Maddie Rogers also competed in preliminary rounds.
     The Grain Valley High School Wrestling team finished 7th at the 90th Boys MSHSAA Wrestling Championships at Mizzou Arena in Columbia February 20th-22nd.
     Junior Hunter Newsom (182) finished third in his weight class; Junior Donovan McBride (285) finished fourth.
    Freshman Dru Azcona (113), Senior Trenton Starr (126) and Senior Drake Tipton (170) each finished fifth in competition.
    
 

​     The Grain Valley Lady Eagles basketball team put on a show against the Platte County Pirates with their 57-20 victory on Monday, February 24th.
     Grain Valley was full throttle in the transition game. Senior Keely Hill and Freshman Ella Clyman were persistent in turning immediately after securing rebounds under the basket to find teammates who were out ahead of the opposition up court. Layups and open lanes to the goal was the reward for the Eagles’ hustle.
     Grain Valley also applied tight defensive pressure. The result was 11 steals for the Eagles, who scored 39 first half points, while limiting their opponent to just 12. Head Basketball Coach Randy Draper’s squad stayed in front of the basketball at the top of the arc and on the wings, limiting Platte County’s ability to get their offense rolling.
     Draper and his staff have placed a recent emphasis in practice on boxing out to secure rebounds. The work has yielded dividends for the Eagles as they were dominant under the boards.
     “We’ve spent a lot of time blocking out. To win the games we want to win, and to go where we want to go, the other team should only get one shot. We are getting better. That matters because rebounding triggers offense,” Draper said.
     “I think we do a great job of transitioning from offense to defense and vice versa. If you’ll rebound the basketball, it’s a lot of fun to play this type of style where you get to run. I’m proud of this team. We’ve come a long way, but we’re not done improving yet. We’re going to use this next week to prepare, and I look forward to that.”
     Grain Valley Freshman Grace Slaughter led all scorers with 25 points, 20 of which came in the first half. Slaughter’s showing permitted her rest, as she along with the rest of the starters for the Eagles were able to take a seat on the bench at the end of the third quarter.
     Slaughter’s ability to have a two way go with her drives to the basket is impressive. Her ambidextrous ability to dribble and shoot equally as well with her right and left hands limit the ability of the defender in front of her to favor a side.
     Forward Jordyn Weems play was equally notable in Grain Valley’s victory.  The junior compiled 13 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 steals in her team’s winning effort.
     Weems is becoming more aggressive in her drives to the basket. Any positive angle that presents itself has led to Weems putting the ball on the floor more.
     “From the get-go, Coach Draper told us to get after it tonight in preparation for upcoming district play next week. I was determined that we were going to start that now. I want to push my team so that we can keep advancing,” Weems said.
     “I have been working at practice with our coaching staff on driving to the basket one on one. We are ready to get after it in district play.”
     Draper acknowledged after the game that Weems is a good athlete for the Eagles and is starting to use that to her advantage.
     “I am really happy with the play of (Jordyn) Weems right now. She’s going to play a crucial role in what we can get done late in the season. She is starting to find more ways to impact the game,” Draper said.
     The Eagles are now winners of their last four (all against Suburban Conference opponents). They will take their 17-7 record into Class 4, District 14 play against Center, Oak Grove, Odessa, Pembroke Hill, and Raytown South.
 

​   The Grain Valley Eagles Boys Basketball team was hindered by a rebounding disadvantage and scoring droughts in each half during their 74-61 loss to the Raytown South Cardinals on Friday, February 21st.
     The Eagles were persistent in obtaining rebound positioning throughout the contest only to have basketballs clutched above their heads or being seized by the opposition after bouncing on the floor in between players.
     Grain Valley also witnessed empty possessions where they were patient with passing the basketball only to have no points to show for it, due to a lack of clean looks at the basket. This was a testament to the athleticism and defense displayed by Raytown South.
     Leading scorers for the Eagles were Seniors Josh Kilpatrick and Caden Matlon who each provided 28 and 19 points respectively for their team. Kilpatrick’s efforts also yielded 5 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 steal for Grain Valley.
     The Eagles exhibited competitive grit at the start of the second and third quarters. Junior Jaden Yung sank a three pointer with 5:48 left in the second quarter to cut Raytown South’s lead to 6 points by a score of 19-13.
     That was followed by Matlon scoring 7 points within the first three minutes of the third quarter. Matlon’s determination brought the Eagles back to within 12 points and proved that Grain Valley could hang with Raytown South.
     Matlon was never without the thought that his team was not in the game.
     “It felt like we were going to make a push towards making it a game again in the second half. We got lazy with the ball at times in the first half and took some shots we shouldn’t of, including me. We learned that we can play with them. Especially, after getting blown out by them early in the season,” Matlon said.
     “We are currently down two players (Senior Guard Tristin Whitton and Junior Forward Cole Keller) that we should have the next time we see them. It was discussed before the game that we keep control of our emotions with any situations that don’t go our way. We did a good job tonight with handling that and we are growing as a team.”
     Grain Valley Eagles Head Basketball Coach Andy Herbert was judicious in his use of time outs, making sure that Raytown South never got on a big run. Furthermore, Herbert was active on the sidelines in vocalizing directions in what the Cardinals were about to do on numerous possessions.
     “Our willingness to compete tonight was good. You always wonder if you can do it for 32 minutes straight. I thought in the Grandview game we did it as well,” Herbert said.
     “After watching film of that game (Grandview), I told the kids it was meant to be a compliment, but for the first time we played those guys it was our fault, and it was not a situation where there was nothing we could do about it. It felt like in that game there was something we could’ve done, and it wasn’t out of our hands. The same thing tonight as well.”
     “Jayden’s (Yung) three pointer is another feather in his cap. He’s a full fledged varsity player now, and he knows it. We waited to see tonight if they were going to come out and swing first. After Jayden and Caden’s (Matlon) efforts, we were ‘like wait a minute’ as a team. Against teams like that (Raytown South) and in any competition you can’t wait.”
     Herbert finished, “Go compete and swing first. Hopefully, we proved to ourselves that we must make them beat us by forcing them to do the work. I am proud of our guys. We may get some players back. There were things in this game that we can do something about moving forward. That’s a good feeling to have. There have been a lot of positives for us in the last week.”

     Ethics lawyer Michael Josephson is credited with saying, “Be thankful for quality competitors who push you to the limit. When you compete with someone as good or better than you, you may not always win, but you never lose.”
     The Greater Kansas City Suburban Conference exhibits a push for fair and quality competition through realignment every two years based on member schools’ current enrollments. The 2020-2021 school year will see the start of four adjusted divisions within the conference’s 27 schools (the Suburban Gold or Big Eight, Suburban Red or Big Six, Suburban White or Middle Six, and Suburban Blue or Small Seven).
     Grain Valley joined the Suburban Conference two years ago after a prolonged stay in the Missouri River Valley Conference.
     The Eagles will reside in the Suburban Conference’s White Division or Middle Six next year along with Belton, Fort Osage, Raytown, Truman, and William Chrisman. Belton and Grain Valley were the only two Class 4 football schools this year among those moving into the revised division next year, with the rest being Class 5 football schools.
     This means that all of Grain Valley’s conference opponents will reside in Jackson or Cass counties for the next two years. Travel times on buses will be reduced by eliminating trips north of the Missouri River to places like Platte County, Smithville, Kearney, and Winnetonka.
     Grain Valley Activities Director Brandon Hart has indicated that travel has not been an issue for the school’s coaches. That they have handled the miles with positive attitudes because of the high level of competition they have faced. Hart is also not naive that players and families will certainly appreciate the shorter drives to watch competition in the Kansas City Metropolitan Area.
     Hart shared his thoughts on what the move to the Suburban Conference has meant for Grain Valley.
     “I think there have been a lot of benefits moving to the Suburban Conference. It forced us to raise our bar playing against larger schools, and we have seen growth in our programs as a result. We have also received more exposure in the Suburban Conference, which has had a positive impact on our culture,” Hart said.
     “I think the biggest benefit has been the ability to create more opportunities for kids. We have been able to create new athletic programs like swimming. Furthermore, it has also helped us grow our existing programs because there are more opportunities to find competition at the lower levels. We have been able to add lower level teams and increase competition for our underclassmen.”
     Hart concluded, “Athletic programs are built on the development of the younger players, and the move to the Suburban Conference has had a positive impact by providing more opportunities for kids.”
     Head coaches have a vested interest in the quality of competition they face. Seeing growth in stretching yourself by facing established programs with talent tends to pull the most out of your team come district playoff time.
     Grain Valley Head Boys Basketball Coach Andy Herbert has collectively been a fan of the Eagles move to and within the Suburban Conference.
     “The Suburban Conference has been a positive experience for us. It raises your awareness in everything you do. The Missouri River Valley Conference was competitive and fun. Every conference game was a rivalry because of the nature of the schools you faced,” Herbert said.
     “There are bigger schools and a greater level of competitive competition in the Suburban Conference. Honestly, I think that prepared us for the Class 5 District playoffs last year. That is a credit to the schedule we played, and that’s only going to improve as the school sizes get bigger.”
     Herbert continued, “It’s a natural progression when you face the caliber of schools that we faced this year with conference opponents like Grandview or Raytown South in basketball. The ‘ah’ or ‘wow’ factor disappears because you get used to participating in highly competitive athletic contests every time you step out there. If you are not ready to compete, you can physically get devoured. I think our kids have responded well to what they faced in all sports, really.”
     Senior Seth Dankenbring is a three sport student athlete at Grain Valley High School. Dankenbring is a varsity player in football, basketball, and baseball who has competed in both the MRVC and Suburban Conferences. The recent signee to the North Central Missouri Baseball program offered his thoughts on what it means to participate in the Suburban Conference as a Grain Valley Eagle.
     “It’s been a different atmosphere and level of competition in the Suburban Conference compared to the MRVC. Bigger teams, bigger schools, and bigger kids in top level sports. For sure, I have enjoyed the move. The MRVC is a great conference, but we grew out of it, and we’ve found a new home. We’re ready to move on to the Middle Six next year,” Dankenbring said.
     The Eagles will leave the comforts of the nest in knowing their current conference Blue Division opponents as they stretch their wings next year to grow by soaring into the Suburban Conference White Division or Middle Six.
 

     With our crazy Missouri weather, we have recently experienced both winter and a touch of spring in the same week. Come on spring! With April 15th just around the corner, tax season is also upon us.
     For those who have already filed taxes for 2019, you may have found that with this year’s standard deduction of $12,400 for individuals and $24,800 for married couples, it’s becoming more challenging to itemize your deductions.
     While the higher standard deduction has not brought about the dramatic decline in charitable giving that was predicted, it has changed the tools and strategies that people are using to reach their philanthropic and financial goals. One change we’ve seen at Truman Heartland Community Foundation, is an increase in the popularity of Donor Advised Funds.
     Like a charitable savings account, a Donor Advised Fund is just like having your own private foundation – only better and much simpler. In addition to helping you become more organized and strategic with your charitable giving, a Donor Advised Fund when coupled with a “bunching” strategy provides a way for you to maximize the tax benefits of your giving.
     Gifts to a Donor Advised Fund are immediately tax deductible so with a “bunching” strategy, you can use your Donor Advised Fund to contribute multiple years’ worth of donations in one calendar year in order to exceed the standard deduction in that year. You then continue your regular support of your favorite charities through grants from your Donor Advised Fund, and in the years you don’t bunch you claim the standard deduction.
     For example, let’s take a couple with state and local tax deductions, plus mortgage interest deductions that total $15,000 per year. They’re charitably minded and currently donate $7,000 to support their church and favorite nonprofits.
     As such, they have $22,000 total in itemized deductions. Since the standard deduction is now $24,800, they cannot itemize. However, if they use a Donor Advised Fund to bunch their charitable giving and put three years’ worth of contributions or $21,000 into their fund, then they would have $36,000 in deductions this year and could itemize and receive the additional tax savings.
     In the next two years they would take the standard deduction on their tax return. They can continue to donate their typical $7,000 each year, but by bunching contributions and using their Donor Advised Fund to make grants to charities they can still benefit from a larger charitable deduction in year one.
     The funds in their Donor Advised Fund are invested and will have the opportunity to grow tax free, resulting in more money available to support their church and the causes they care about.
     Additionally, a Donor Advised Fund offers an opportunity to maximize the power of your charitable contributions with gifts of non-cash assets. By donating appreciated securities, such as stocks, and mutual funds directly to a fund (instead of selling the security and donating the cash) you can gain considerable tax advantages and make the most charitable dollars available to grant to charity. And with a Donor Advised Fund as the receiving charitable entity, you simplify the transaction, by not having to do multiple transactions with multiple charities.
     Talk to your financial advisor and do some tax planning now to ensure you have the most effective charitable giving plan to minimize your 2020 taxes and maximize your giving. Waiting until later in the year may keep you from taking full advantage of this tax-saving tool. So, while we may have to wait patiently for Spring to arrive, now is the time for tax planning for 2020.
 
Phil Hanson is the President and CEO of Truman Heartland Community Foundation. Truman Heartland Community Foundation (THCF) is a 501(c)(3) public charity committed to improving the communities in and around Eastern Jackson County through cooperation with community members and donors. THCF serves the region with assets of more than $54 million and annual grants surpassing $4.8 million. For more information on charitable giving, visit www.thcf.org or call Truman Heartland at 816.836.8189.
 

​     I’m sure I was taught how to swim, but I don’t remember when it was. I just remember always knowing how to swim. I do know that my sister didn’t always know how to swim.
     One year on vacation, she jumped into the hotel pool without her floaties and sank like a rock. Thankfully, a stranger saw the whole thing and rescued her without incident.
     I was a halfway good swimmer, but not a good floater. I never could get the hang of relaxing in the water and enjoying neutral buoyancy. I would try to float but find myself going under and having to paddle again. I just never could relax and go with the flow.
     In the movie, Finding Nemo, Dory, the blue tang fish, offers some great advice when facing adversity. She says, “Just keep swimming.” The common vernacular would be, “Keep on trucking,” “Keep moving forward,” or “Keep going and don’t look back.” She actually took that idea from God. Everybody is always stealing His good ideas.
     That’s great advice when we face conflict. Although some people live for adversity, most of us avoid strife and conflict. Conflict can be defined as “a person or thing that causes us to feel threatened or inhibits us from reaching our goals” (definition mine).
     Conflict arises because our natural, internal need for harmony is disrupted. We want to feel happy and content. As a general rule, we also have an innate desire to be right or justified. Being right makes us happy. Being corrected (conflict) makes us unhappy.
     So, when confronted with an error, to compensate, we try to justify our actions, cloud the real issue, and bury the body in the backyard. We then get angry, build an emotional wall to protect our inflated ego and need for self-esteem, and slam the door behind us.
     And thus, we return to our protected state of harmony and happiness. As long as the body stays buried, of course.
 
     But, there is a problem with buried bodies. Buried emotions are always buried alive. Like the horror movie where the dead monster guy refuses to stay dead and continues to torment its victims, such is the case with conflict that is unresolved.
     Many of our biggest problems are within our own families. Our families know the “real us.” They know us best. They also know us well enough to stick the dagger in where it hurts the most.
     Christians often call each other “brother” and “sister” because we recognize that we are family. We have the same Father. Sometimes, problems in the family arise. We push and pull and fuss and fight over who will be first in line to the water fountain when the entire time, none of us are really that thirsty.
     God is passionate about healthy and fulfilled relationships. He is the perfect Father, of course. He expects His children to play nice, take turns, and share all the toys.
     From the very beginning, God created a world of order and symmetry. It is His inherent nature (Gen 1:1-4, 1 Cor 14:40). The Master Designer likes honesty, transparency, and for things to be brought into the light. No shadows, please.
     Satan (cue the big, bad wolf theme music here), brings chaos, conflict, and disorder. Everything that God created that is good and right, Satan tries to undermine and destroy.
     He prefers darkness, shadows, and chaos and would have issues to be swept under the rug. Disorder and deception are his chief weapons.
     Naturally, there is no hiding conflict under the rug and the white elephant in the room is clearly seen and felt. The aftermath is devastating.
     Conflict often produces spiritual alienation. In addition, there is emotional anger, bitterness, hurt, and pain. Finally, on a physical level, these could manifest themselves as anxiety, stress, and lead to various disorders. There is no app for that.
     Like you, I’ve experienced both sides of the spectrum. I have caused hurt and been the recipient of hurt. Over the years, and through the power of God, I’ve learned the power of transparency and honesty. It’s kind of like surgery. Nobody wants it or likes it, but, it’s necessary.
     Although the surgery can be painful for a moment, the healing that follows is powerful and freeing.
     To be honest, I don’t mind being wrong. In addition, I don’t mind being challenged on being wrong. Although it’s no fun, I’ve found that with every bit of criticism there may be an element of truth.
     Years ago, when working in broadcasting, our station received a stinging criticism of me. The listener wrote that, at an event, I was less than friendly and standoffish. They had listened to me for years and wanted to meet me, but felt I was unapproachable and left angry.
     When confronted by my superior, my first response was unbelief followed by anger. “How inconsiderate of them to judge me” I thought. “They formed an opinion of me that was unfair. I’m an introvert and was just having a bad day!”
     But, I really thought about it and finally realized that he was right.
     I remembered the event. I was stressed out and dealing with a crisis at the time. My nonverbal behaviors stated, “stay back….I prefer to be alone.”
     Thankfully, the person included their address and phone, and I was able to call and apologize. They were shocked and delighted to hear from me and a strained relationship turned into an opportunity for healing and restoration.
     The call was difficult to make, but it opened up a wonderful opportunity for me to confess my shortcomings and ask for forgiveness. I’ve learned to value criticism and embrace it as a welcomed friend. I’m a better person because of it.
     Although I don’t mind being wrong, I don’t like being misrepresented. I prefer to suffer for my own crimes. All of us have been attacked unfairly.
     Some of these were made in the shadows while some were broadcast on the Internet. Sometimes, these statements are misunderstandings, but sometimes, they are malicious.
     By nature, I tend to be very trusting and transparent and sometimes, it leaves clinks in the armor. I do try to be a peacemaker, but to have peace it always takes two.
     I talked to my Father about this some time ago. He said, “I came to my own and was rejected. I was hated without a cause, lied about, bullied, spat upon, rebuked, whipped, scorned, punched in the face, beaten, and then they drove nails into me, spread me out on crossbeams as a spectacle, and continued to hurl insults and mock me. And through it all I responded, ‘Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.’”
     I hung my head in shame. The Father always has a way of brining things into proper perspective. Jesus was the ultimate peacemaker and yet, not everyone wanted the peace He was willing to provide. Jesus invited them into the light, but they preferred the shadows and darkness.
     The ultimate goal in relationships is mutual harmony and, when conflict arises, restoration. Maybe you’ve tried to be a peacemaker in a time of conflict and it just didn’t happen. It’s frustrating, but not unusual.
     You just do your part and lay your pain at the feet of the Father. You forgive and move on. I’ve been there too. You just keep swimming. I’ve never been a good floater anyway.
 
     Wayne Geiger is the Pastor of First Baptist Grain Valley, an Adjunct Associate Professor of Speech, and freelance writer.
 

     Taco Bell, located at 1101 S. Buckner Tarsney Road, celebrated its grand opening with a ribbon cutting on February 25th. Members of the Grain Valley Partnership gathered to celebrate with Taco Bell leadership and enjoy lunch.
     DRG, Diversified Restaurant Group, owns 61 restaurants in the greater Kansas City area, including the Grain Valley location.
     Melissa Lindsey, Vice President of Operations for DRG, said the company is excited to have expanded in Grain Valley.
     “As a company, we’re always looking for areas to expand our footprint and add value to those communities,” Lindsey said.
     One of the challenges for any restaurant is attracting and retaining staff, and Taco Bell is no different.  
     Lindsey said the restaurant is always seeking quality employees to serve their customers. Taco Bell offers a number of benefits for employees, including health benefits, scholarships for employees pursuing additional education, and career mentoring.
     “We’re in the people business. We just happen to sell tacos,” Lindsey said.
     “We’re going to continue to grow in the area, and expand our footprint If we find good people, we will bring them on and find the perfect place for them.”
    
 

     The Board of Aldermen voted to approve the establishment of a Police Advisory Board and appointed five members to serve on the Advisory Board during its February 24th meeting. 
     According to the resolution, the Police Advisory Board may study, recommend, and review police programs designed to improve understanding and communication between the police and the community and enhance the delivery of police services in Grain Valley.
     The following residents were appointed to serve as representatives to the Police Advisory Board for the following terms:
     Cathy Dowd (2-year term)   
     Wayne Geiger (2-year term)
     Dan Mahurin (3 year term)
     Darren Mills (3-year term)
     Justin Tyson (3-year term)
     In other business, the Board approved the final plat of Mercado Plaza,  located west of Buckner Tarsney Road and south of NW Woodbury Drive and north of N. Jefferson Street.
     The final plat includes 2 lots and 4 tracts of land. A dental office is proposed for Lot 1, a drive thru restaurant is proposed for Lot 2, two tracts are proposed as future commercial, with the final tract for stormwater retention.
     The next meeting of the Board of Aldermen will be held at 7:00pm on Monday, March 9th at Grain Valley City Hall.
 

Jackson County Public Works Environmental Health Division inspects all restaurants, grocery stores, schools, mobile food and temporary food establishments in the City of Grain Valley. The following violations were reported in the last 30 days:
 

Casey’s General Store, 1111 Buckner Tarsney Road
No violations reported.
 
Sonic Drive In, 706 N. Main
The ceiling tiles and ceiling vents are in disrepair. Correct by 3/29/2020. Clean utensils were being stored inside dirty containers. Corrected. Employee replaced dirty containers with clean containers. Corrected on 1/ 29/2020.
 
Grain Valley High School, 551 SW Eagles Parkway
A cloth-lined wicker basket was being used to store utensils. Corrected on site. Basket was removed. Corrected on 1 /28/2020. Chafing dish fuel was being stored above food in the dry storage area. Corrected on site. Fuel was moved. Corrected on 1/ 28/2020.
 
Grain Valley High School Indoor Concessions, 551 SW Eagles Parkway
No violations reported.
 
Temp Stop, 723 Main
Chemical bottle was stored next to the drink station in the lobby area. Corrected on site. Manager moved the chemical bottle to the chemical storage area.
Several containers of ready-to-eat foods with no date markings in the reach in cooler in the grill area. Corrected on site. Manager placed discard dates on all containers.
 
Price Chopper, 1191 NE McQuerry Rd.
Shelled eggs were being stored on a cloth towel inside a pull out drawer cooler. Corrected on site. Manager replaced the towel with a clean container to store the eggs in.
1. Dust build up on the hood vents above the grills in the kitchen. 2. Dust build up on the ceiling vents above the prep make table in the kitchen. Corrected on 3/30/2020.
 
Starbucks, 1191 NE McQuerry Rd.
No violations reported.
 
El Maguey Mexican Restaurant, 102 Buckner Tarsney Rd.
Shell eggs were being stored above salsa in the walk-in cooler. Corrected on site. Salsa was moved.
 
Lin’s Kitchen, 111 SW Eagles Parkway
The handwashing sink in the kitchen does not have any disposable towels or drying devices available. Correct by 4/3/2020.
Multiple stacks of single-service (to-go) containers were stored upright. Corrected on site. To-go containers were turned upside-down.
The pipes and areas around the hood vents have a significant accumulation of grease and other residues. Correct by 4/3/2020.
 
McDonald’s, 712 N Main
The interior of the microwaves had stuck on food debris. Corrected on site. Manager cleaned and sanitized the inside of the microwaves.
1. The hood vents above fryers had a buildup of grease. 2nd repeat violation. 2. The bottom of the reach in cooler next to the breakfast table has an accumulation of stuck on food debris. 1. Grease build up on the floors and baseboards by the grease trap. 2. The cabinet under the lobby soda fountain had a buildup of flood spillage and moisture. Correct by 4/6/2020.
 
Porky’s Blazing BBQ, 9512 S Buckner Tarsney Road
Handwashing sink near hot holding table was missing handwashing signage. Corrected on site. Inspector provided handwashing sign.
An in-use wiping cloth was sitting out on a counter in the back. Corrected on site. Cloth was placed in sanitizer.
In-use tongs were being held in a container of standing water. Corrected on site. Tongs were removed from water and cleaned.
 
El Tequilazo Cocina Y Cantina LLC, 522 S Main ST
The handwashing sink by the 3-compartment sink had a broken off handle. Correct by 4/17/2020. There was an open rodent snap-trap under the 3-compartment sink. Corrected on site. The snap-trap was discarded.
An employee was observed washing hands in the warewashing (3-compartment) sink. Corrected on site. Inspector provided education on handwashing requirements.
The top of the dishwashing machine has a build-up of residue/crumbs. Correct by 4/17/2020.
The ice scoop in the ice machine was buried completely in ice. Corrected on site. Scoop was placed in ice with handle above the top of ice.
A dish was significantly cracked/broken. Corrected on site. Damaged dish was discarded.
There were no markings to indicate discard dates on any foods in the walk-in or reach-in coolers. Repeat. Re-inspection required.
 
Sushi Avenue, 1191 NE McQuerry Road
The storage shelves that hold clean utensils had an accumulation of food debris. Correct by 4/24/2020.
 
Valley Pub & Patio, 640 NW Yennie ST
Chemical spray bottle at the bar was not labeled. Corrected on site. Employee labeled the spray bottle.
Several containers inside the make table cooler did not have a use by date. Corrected on site. Employee labeled the containers.
The gaskets and the floor base of the reach in cooler are torn and in disrepair. Corrected on 4/26/2020.