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by Michael Smith The Grain Valley boys track and field team had a solid 2022 campaign. It especially thrived in the relays and the Eagles medaled in every event they qualified for in the 2022 Missouri State High School Boys Track and Field Championships. The 4x400 team of Mason McCain, Logan Pratt, Jace Weems and Keagan Hart took eighth overall and the 4x200 squad of Hart, Weems, Caleb Larson and Pratt finished seventh. McCain, who graduated last year, took seventh in the 800-meter run. Of the five boys that competed at state last season, three return to attempt to make another state run in 2023 as the Eagles bring back 17 letter winners from last year’s squad. This season, the Eagles aim to qualify more athletes for state and earn more all-state honors. “I think we can qualify more people this year,” Hart said. “We have a couple more athletes coming out this year. The guys have really been recruiting athletes to try out.” “This year’s motto is podium mentality. Last year, we had so many fifth-place finishes. We want to have that mentally in the back of our head to make it to the podium. We have more competition in practice so we think that will motivate the guys.” A prime candidate to take Pratt’s spot in both relays is senior Noah Olah, who was a speedy wide receiver for the football team. On the 4x400 a candidate to fill in McCain’s spot is sophomore Chase Anderson “Everything is about the same as last year, we might switch some things around,” Hart said of the relays. “We want to place higher this year because we are bigger, faster and stronger.” “We have some people that can come in and really step up. They are here every day to work for it.” Hart said it will personally help him to focus on just track and field this season. Last year, he participated in baseball and track at the same time. He will not be playing baseball this time around. He also still plans on competing in the individual 400-meter race as he was just one place outside of the top four at the Class 5 Sectional 2 meet, which would have qualified him for state. “Last year, I wasn’t able to get in many practices (for track),” Hart said. “I was tiring out a lot. We ended our baseball season earlier than we wanted to last year, so there was a couple of weeks that I could attend track practice at the end of the season.” “Those couple of weeks helped and I feel even faster than last year.” In other events, junior Stylz Blackmon will be the Eagles primary shot put competitor. Last season, he finished just two inches short on his throw in the shot put from qualifying for sectionals. In 2023, the 6-foot-4 junior will be looking for better results. “I feel really confident in making it far this year, considering last year I was just short by a few meters from making it,” Blackmon said. “This year I am really focused on my technique and listening to my coaches. “I am working on all the steps and getting them drilled into my head. I want to go out there and have a pinnacle performance every time.” Blackmon is a part of one of the largest teams head coach Erik Stone has ever had. Grain Valley has a ton of depth as they have around 95 athletes currently practicing with the team. Some all-conference competitors returning to compete include Anderson in the 400 and Nathan Landon Barnes, Carson Hill, Rylan Smith and Nathan Allen in the distance events. “We always try to get out,” Stone said. “A lot of kids don’t grow up running like they would playing football. Track is something a lot of kids do to become a better athlete. The guys have done a great job recruiting. I think they do a better job than the coaches because they are peers.” Others to look out for include DJ Harris in the 100-meter dash, Jackson Stewart and Christian Lanear in the hurdles, Tyler Melton in the high jump, Braylen Harin in the high, long and triple jump events, William Peterson in the long jump and Korbyn Goodwin in the discus. “Braylen Hardin will be good for us, he does all the jumps,” Stone said. “He could possibly make some noise. Rylan Smith had a good cross country season, he can be a good distance guy for us. He’s a really hard worker. We also have Landon Jaynes. I am not sure what he can do yet but he’s a tall, lanky kid who has the build of a jumper.” Grain Valley will compete in its first meet Friday at the Raymore-Peculiar Invitational. Senior Keagan Hart, left, will try to help guide the 4x200 and 4x400 relay teams to all-state honors for the second straight year and Stylz Blackmon will be the team's primary shot put competitor for the boys track and field team. Photo credit: Michael Smith
The Jackson County Health Department (JACOHD) is hosting a community screening of Tipping the Pain Scale, a documentary film addressing the opioid crisis. The documentary follows six people grappling with addiction, and details how communities address the problem.
The screening will take place on Thursday, March 23, from 5:30 to 8:30 pm at MCC – Longview in the Education Center building (500 SW Longview Road, Lee’s Summit, MO 64181) Prior to the screening, JACOHD is hosting a resource fair featuring local mental health and behavioral health organizations. Following the documentary, a panel of local experts will share information and answer questions about the impact of the opioid crisis in our county. Tipping the Pain Scale, released in 2022, features a number of innovative approaches to combating the opioid crisis around the country. The film follows community outreach workers practicing harm reduction in their neighborhoods, shows elected officials using their platforms to advocate for recovery resources and funding, and highlights the stories of athletes, artists, and other individuals whose lives have been impacted by addiction and overdose. You can view the trailer and learn more about the film at tippingthepainscale.com. The goal for this event is to increase awareness and inspire community members to take action, as well as highlighting mental health and addiction resources in Eastern Jackson County. Tickets are free, but JACOHD asks that attendees reserve a seat. Click here to sign up online! by Marcia Napier, Grain Valley Historical Society Two weeks ago, I wrote an article about Patricia David Parr which enticed me to pull out the notebook she created about her Warren family ancestors. For readers unfamiliar with Pat’s family lineage, her mother was the daughter of Creola Warren and John T. O’Connell. The story in her notebook was written in 1991 by her aunt Nadine O’Connell Perry about her great-great grandfather. My Most Interesting Ancestor My most interesting ancestor is my great-great grandfather, Benjamin Warren who came here from Tennessee and homesteaded land 7 miles south of Grain Valley. Until a few years ago I owned part of this land he had once homesteaded, although it had been sold and later purchased by my father. Benjamin was born 100 years before myself in 1806, and I was born in 1906, thus carrying out the tradition that there are five generations to each 100 years. Benjamin Warren and his wife Lucinda Wingo are buried at Koger Cemetery and buried nearby is his son Zachariah (wife: Mary Terrance Doty) my great Grandfather. My grandfather, William A Warren (wife: Mary Susan Lynch) is buried at the Oak Grove Cemetery. My mother Creola Warren O’connell (husband: John T. O’Connell) is also buried at the Oak Grove Cemetery. My sister and I will eventually be buried in Oak Grove. My niece Patricia Davis Parr (husband: Stayton) will be buried in Blue Springs beside their young daughter Janet. This makes seven generations either living or buried in Jackson County. This I think to be rather unusual. I also have other ancestor buried in Koger Cemetery but their graves are unmarked. I have heard many interesting stories of my ancestors while a child but believe the one that impressed me most is about a brother of Benjamin who left Tennessee many years after his brother to settle in Kansas. He came through Missouri but did not know where his brother Benjamin had settled. As he was riding along he was overtaken by a neighbor of Benjamin who called to him and asked “Why are you moving, Mr. Warren?” Both men were surprised when they faced each other as they did not know each other but the resemblance to Benjamin had been so strong that he called to him. The brother was surprised how anyone in this strange country knew his name. It all ended by the brother going to visit Benjamin and spending the night. The next morning he headed on to Kansas. They never met again. Mrs. Nadine Perry We have a map at the Historical Society which shows all of the original homesteaders in Jackson County. Mr. Benjamin Warren’s land was in Township 48, Van Buren Township. The address was Tarsney, Missouri. Mr. Warren was a successful farmer. His great grandson, William D Warren (1880-1962) was a partner in Warren Webb Hardware, Circa 1900, located just north of the railroad tracks in Grain Valley. In 1905 he became a founding partner and President of The Bank of Grain Valley. Bank of Grain Valley around 1905.
Photo credit: Grain Valley Historical Society (StatePoint) Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in the United States. While early detection can vastly improve a patient’s chances to lead a full and healthy life, the majority of those who are high risk are not getting screened.
The American Lung Association, which is committed to defeating lung cancer and supporting those with the disease, is sharing vital information to help more people learn their risk and connect them to screenings and other life-saving resources: Preventable Deaths According to the 2022 “State of Lung Cancer” report, a mere 5.8% of Americans eligible for a low-dose computed tomography (CT) scan were screened. A low-dose CT scan is a special kind of X-ray that takes multiple pictures as the patient lies on a table that slides in and out of the machine. A computer then combines these images into a detailed picture of the lungs. Studies estimate that if even just half of the approximately 8 million Americans identified as high risk for lung cancer were screened with a low-dose CT scan, over 12,000 lung cancer deaths could be prevented. In fact, since low-dose CT scans started to be used for screening, it has reduced cancer deaths by 20% and it has reduced deaths from other causes by almost 7%. Risk Eligibility Many people who are at risk for lung cancer and are eligible for screening are not identified and are not referred for screening. Under the most recent lung cancer screening guidelines, those ages 50-80 who have a 20 pack-year smoking history or who have quit smoking in the past 15 years should get screened for lung cancer. The American Lung Association offers a helpful tool for determining your eligibility for screening, found at www.SavedByTheScan.org. Eliminating Racial Disparities It is especially important for Black men and women to speak to their health care provider about their risk and get screened if necessary, as they are more likely to develop lung cancer and less likely to survive five years with the disease than people of any other racial or ethnic group. Research suggests that Black Americans have a higher baseline risk for developing lung cancer -- Black American smokers get lung cancer at least 20% more often than other people who smoke. Furthermore, systemic racism and injustices and issues continue to persist in the healthcare system, and Black people and other communities of color are less likely to be diagnosed early, less likely to receive surgical treatment, and more likely to not receive any treatment at all. Fighting Barriers Despite the fact that lung cancer screening is extremely effective at improving life expectancy and has the potential to dramatically improve lung cancer survival rates, many patients are not getting screened, even when they have a referral from their doctor to do so. The reasons for low screening adherence range from practical concerns, such as financial and transportation barriers, to more elusive issues like distrust of the medical system and lack of awareness regarding the seriousness of the disease. Emerging resources are helping eliminate these barriers and are making it easier for people to assess their screening eligibility, locate screening centers, schedule appointments, and receive financial assistance if they don’t have insurance or transportation. Free tobacco cessation resources and other lung health resources also exist to help people to reduce their risk. To learn more, visit www.lung.org/lung-health-diseases.org or speak directly to a nurse or respiratory therapist by calling the Lung HelpLine at 1-800-LUNG-USA. When lung cancer is detected and treated in its earliest stages, more positive outcomes can be expected. That’s why it’s so important that everyone learns their risk and connects to resources to help them get screened. As a GVHS student myself, I believe that this bond issue is a very important step to improving the lives and opportunities for all students. I myself have been involved in the band program ever since early middle school, and the most recent addition of a new fine arts wing has drastically improved the capabilities of all 180 members of our high school band. I am also aware that this new addition of a gym and field house will again drastically improve the capabilities for not only our national ranking band, but all sports and activities alike. This new addition will allow for much more time coordination abilities between all school activities, improving all relations, and time able to spent practicing or rehearsing.
- Nathan Stokes, Grain Valley by Rudi Keller, Missouri Independent
On a Friday afternoon in late December, Geri Curtis received a disturbing phone call informing her she had only five days to find a new home for a developmentally disabled person. As part of her job as public administrator for Livingston County, she had become legal guardian of a person with severe developmental disabilities two months earlier. The person, autistic and unable to speak, was living in a residential support facility in Jackson County. Soon after she became the legal guardian, Curtis received notice from the facility that the person had to move within 30 days because of aggression. Despite the efforts of the case manager at a regional office of the Missouri Department of Mental Health, nothing was available. Just before Christmas, Curtis got the call informing her that she had just five days left to find a new residential placement. When the five days passed, the provider took the person to a hospital emergency room. And that is where they have lived since. “Our hospitals are not dumping grounds for these individuals but, the hospitals are full of our clients,” Curtis said. At the beginning of March, there were 650 adults with developmental disabilities in what the Department of Mental Health calls “inappropriate placements.” There are 39 residing in hospitals, plus a handful in jails and homeless shelters, representing the most critical cases impacted by widespread staffing shortages among local non-for-profit organizations. “This is a major problem,” Curtis said, “and it is not going to be fixed if we all put our head in the sand.” Two initiatives are underway to fill those vacancies. Associations representing those local agencies have launched a statewide recruitment campaign for direct service employees. And they are asking lawmakers to increase the base wage for those jobs from $15 to $21 an hour, as recommended by a study completed last year. When lawmakers return to work this week, a top agenda item for the Missouri House will be completing work on its revisions to Gov. Mike Parson’s $51.6 billion state budget proposal. The higher rates would add $400 million – including $185 million in general revenue – annually for the program already expected to cost $1.75 billion in the coming fiscal year. As of early March, there were 229 people in county jails deemed incompetent to stand trial with court orders for treatment. </p><p>Because it sees no chance of getting large numbers moved to its hospitals, the department is asking for legislative authority to deliver treatment in the local jails or on an outpatient basis if the person can be safely released. At a cost of $2 million, the department will contract with providers for programs in St. Louis, St. Louis County, Greene County and Jackson County and create two mobile teams, Director Valerie Huhn said. Clay County Sheriff Will Akin, who on March 9 had five people detained in his jail awaiting transfer to the department, is lobbying to be added to the list. Keeping those people detained is extra work for his jail officers, he said, and is not in the best interest of those who desperately need help. “That’s a challenge for us,” Akin said, adding that these individuals are in need of treatment “and we’re not able to get it to them, because we don’t have those capabilities.” Kristin Nobus worked for Sam’s Club for 17 years before she took a job as a community skills teacher at Community Opportunities about a year ago. She works in the day center on the campus that also includes two group homes and administrative offices. A typical day, she said, begins with exercise videos and then they pack and deliver Meals on Wheels in the community. Sometimes she is assigned to help a client in the evening. “We usually fix dinner and help them get their showers and just get them ready for bed so that they can have a nice relaxing evening,” Nobus said. She was recruited, Nobus said, by a former co-worker. The pitch – novel experiences, clients with sweet personalities and less stress – was attractive, she said. The pay is comparable to her wage at Sam’s, she said, and the work atmosphere is supportive.</p><p>“It is not like people are trying to stab you in the back here; everybody just works together as a team,” Nobus said. Community Opportunities provides rooms for 10 adults in two group homes and supports 13 more individuals living in apartments and homes in the community among its 300 total clients. A direct support employee doesn’t need any special credential, she said, but must be patient, have a good sense of humor and be prepared for anything that can happen to a person in life. “As a direct support provider, you’re a counselor, a teacher, a nurse, a chauffeur, you have all these different roles,” Sullivan-Thomas said. The best candidates for employment with an agency like Community Opportunities, Sullivan-Thomas said, are people comfortable providing one-on-one help to others. The issue, even for the best candidates, is the starting pay. “Right now, you can make 15 bucks an hour working at Starbucks,” Sullivan-Thomas said. “So, do you want to work at Starbucks and get 15 bucks an hour? Or do you want to work in a day program with people with developmental disabilities and help them in the restroom?” The state contracts with almost 1,200 local agencies to serve adults with developmental disabilities. Some, like Community Opportunities, are supported by local property taxes still identified by the 1960s authorizing legislation as levies. The Division of Developmental Disabilities provides services to almost 41,000 Missourians, including more than 7,600 receiving residential services in shared or supported living or group homes. The division’s funding is a mix of general revenue and local tax money used to leverage federal matching funds. The mental health department’s budget request didn’t include funding to implement the new rate study because it was completed too late in the year, Director Valerie Huhn said in an interview with The Independent. But the budget does include initiatives to help reduce staffing needs and incentives to increase training and retention. One aspect of what the department calls value-based programs would use remote monitoring instead of staff for overnight shifts. The clients have greater independence and the agency can redirect staff to more productive work, Huhn said. “You are taking that person out of the home and taking eight hours, seven days a week, where they can work another shift for someone else and give them access to care,” Huhn said. Child care providers and nursing homes are among the other employers competing for the workforce with experience and training suitable for developmental disabilities programs, Huhn said. There are very few spare employees in Missouri’s tight labor market . “Our labor force that we utilize is in a very high demand right now,” Huhn said. “And there’s a lot of fields that can be less demanding than what we are asking of people.” In Troy, Sullivan-Thomas must compete with the St. Louis-area labor market. If someone is a good fit for the job, she said, they usually stay with the agency a long time. “When we’ve looked back at our statistics, it seems as though if people are here two years, then they tend to stay,” she said. When agencies don’t have staff, or people who need help can’t navigate the service network, local agencies face enormous challenges. Community Resource Center in Chillicothe operates a shelter with 12 beds, and two are currently being used by men with developmental disabilities, Director Katie Hobbs said. One of the men is estranged from his family and is not enrolled in disability or medical programs. Hobbs said she has been working with him to obtain services, but he needs a permanent placement. “I can’t just keep him here, but it is going to be very hard,” Hobbs said. “A lot of facilities will not take him without a guardian. He does not have $1,500 to get a lawyer.” When the division has a client in a homeless shelter, Huhn said, it will keep in daily contact to check on the safety and welfare of the person as it seeks a placement. “We call them critical for a reason,” Huhn said. The fate of the rate increase could depend on how willing the House Budget Committee is to dip into the massive surplus of general revenue and other funds that is approaching $7 billion. In a recent hearing, state Budget Director Dan Haug warned against committing the surplus to recurring costs. “‘Those are one-time funds we would be very concerned with using for ongoing provider rates,” Haug said. Several lawmakers appeared ready to fund higher rates. Rep. Steve Owens, R-Springfield, asked whether the state should pay more if current rates weren’t enough to fill the jobs. “If the funds are there, obviously we are not offering a price, a payment schedule enough to attract those people,” Owens said. And Rep. Deb Lavender, D-Manchester, said it’s time to tap the surplus to retain staff that could be attracted away. “If we don’t pay these people now, we are not going to have them next year,” Lavender said. Sullivan-Thomas said she sees higher rates as the only way she’ll fill her vacancies. “It’s frustrating that we don’t get the appropriations that we need from the legislature to have adequate funds to hire more staff and to pay them commensurate with the responsibilities of their positions,” she said. On an average day, the Clay County Jail has eight detainees with behavioral health issues waiting for a bed to come open in a Department of Mental Health hospital. Some, like one transported to the department on Feb. 28, have a dual diagnosis of a developmental disability and behavioral issues. “Just being ruled incompetent to stand trial can take an unacceptably long time,” Clay County Sheriff’s Department spokeswoman Sarah Boyd wrote in an email. “One man who has autism and is nonverbal was booked into the jail on Nov. 13, 2021, and wasn’t declared incompetent until Nov. 10, 2022. With much pleading by our detention staff, he went to DMH on Feb. 28, 2023.” The inmates must be isolated from the regular jail population, which often means confinement to a cell 23 hours each day. “Many of them have severe hygiene issues, from refusal to bathe to spreading feces,” Boyd wrote. “One inmate awaiting DMH treatment must be regularly removed from his cell – which is often a physical struggle – so staff can clean the feces from it.” Those issues are why Akin is so eager to join the program for jail-based competency restoration. “It’s not a safe environment for the inmate,” Akin said. “It’s not a safe environment for the employees. And it’s not a safe environment for those who are in the general vicinity, which are, you know, other inmates.” The Missouri Association of Counties is pushing for lawmakers to expand the services and resources available to treat mental illness. Through its Policing, Justice & Mental Health Steering Committee, it says the increasing number of people with behavioral issues is overwhelming the courts, public administrators who are guardians of last resort and jails. The backlog of detainees waiting for treatment is a symptom of the larger community problems of mental health, the committee states in a 14-page discussion of the issue delivered to lawmakers earlier this year. “Individuals with mental health challenges and substance use issues can be found in every system that touches the justice system, from law enforcement to community-based placement options,” the report states. The jail-based program’s plan is to treat 80 detainees each year in jails or while released on bond with a goal of reducing the backlog to 25 or fewer waiting for treatment. To make space in hospitals and speed that process, it will combine residential facilities in Sikeston and Poplar Bluff, currently serving people with severe developmental disabilities and use one as a pre-release center for mental health patients on long-term commitments, Huhn said. That will free beds in existing facilities, she said. The people transferred in will be ready for release but without an appropriate placement ready to receive them, she said. In a budget hearing, Huhn said she was pleased at how eager lawmakers were to get the jail-based program in their communities during a public hearing on the statutory bill needed to allow the program. Current law requires the department to provide court-ordered treatments in its facilities. Akin said he’s ready to designate a section of his jail as a treatment center, and accept detainees from smaller counties in northwest Missouri as a regional hub. “I’m willing to try something different,” Akin said. “Because what we’re doing, what we’re working with right now, is not the best way.” Are you looking for a way to be more philanthropic this year and make the most of your charitable donations? When the federal standard deduction doubled in 2018, many people found they no longer qualified for itemization. Since then, many donors have found that utilizing a “bunching” strategy with a Donor Advised Fund (DAF) allows them to continue to support the causes they care about and still get the tax benefits of their charitable giving.
If your itemized deductions are less than $13,850 for single filers and married filing separately or $27,700 if married filing jointly, you don’t meet the minimum requirements to itemize your federal tax deductions. There is substantial tax savings potential if you can exceed the itemization threshold. Charitable bunching works by bunching together an amount equal to two or three years of your normal charitable donations and contributing it to a DAF. By “bunching” your giving, you will exceed the standard deduction threshold in the year of the donation, and you can continue to give to your usual charities by making grants out of your DAF. Here is an example of how this might work. Fred and Wilma Flintstone donate around $9,000 each year to various charities around Bedrock. But even with their state and property tax and mortgage interest deductions, they are still below the $27,700 needed to qualify for a standard deduction. They consult with their professional advisor and decide to bunch three years of their usual giving into one year, in this case that would be $27,000. They donate the $27,000 to their Donor Advised Fund at the local Community Foundation. Because a DAF is designated for charitable use only, donations made to it are completely tax-deductible. With the addition of state and property tax and mortgage interest deductions, this tax-wise strategy allows the Flintstones to surpass the standard deduction threshold. They could realize additional deductions of more than $17,000, and the tax savings can be used to increase their support of their favorite causes. Charitable bunching is a way for people to be more philanthropic. Although you won’t bunch your giving every year, you can support your favorite organizations and causes even in “off” years through grants from your DAF. With just a few clicks in the online portal or a call to the office, your grants will be on their way. Because you set aside your charitable funds in advance, when things get tough, there is a natural disaster, the market drops, or some other unforeseen circumstance occurs, your funds are at the ready. Plus, the assets you don’t distribute continue to be invested so your giving can grow tax-free. If you are already regularly giving to charitable causes, a bunching strategy may be a better way for you to take best advantage of the current tax laws. Talk to your financial advisor or call Truman Heartland Community Foundation for more information on how you can give more and save more with charitable bunching. Missouri non-farm payroll employment increased by 1,800 jobs from January 2023 to February 2023, and the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased by one-tenth of a percentage point. Private industry employment increased by 1,700 jobs and government employment increased by 100 jobs.
The state's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 2.6 percent in February 2023, down from 2.7 percent in January 2023. Over the year, there was an increase of 58,000 jobs from February 2022 to February 2023, and the unemployment rate decreased by one-tenth of a percentage point, from 2.7 percent in February 2022 to 2.6 percent in February 2023. UNEMPLOYMENT Missouri's smoothed seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased by one-tenth of a percentage point in February 2023, declining to 2.6 percent from the revised January 2023 rate of 2.7 percent. The February 2023 rate was one-tenth of a percentage point lower than the February 2022 rate. A year ago, the state's seasonally adjusted rate was 2.7 percent. The estimated number of unemployed Missourians was 79,698 in February 2023, down by 2,184 from January's 81,882. The national unemployment rate increased from 3.4 in January 2023 to 3.6 in February 2023. Missouri's unemployment rate has been at or below the national rate for more than the last five years. The state's not-seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate decreased in February 2023, declining by one-tenth of a percentage point to 2.7 percent from the January 2023 not-seasonally-adjusted rate of 2.8 percent. A year ago, the not-seasonally-adjusted rate was 3.1 percent. The corresponding not-seasonally-adjusted national rate for February 2023 was 3.9 percent. Missouri's labor force participation rate was 62.8 percent in February 2023, three-tenths of a percentage point higher than the national rate of 62.5 percent. Missouri's employment-population ratio was 61.1 percent in February 2023, nine-tenths of a percentage point higher than the national rate of 60.2 percent. EMPLOYMENT Missouri's non-farm payroll employment was 2,962,000 in February 2023, up by 1,800 from the revised January 2023 figure. The January 2023 total was revised downward by 8,400 jobs from the preliminary estimate. Goods-producing industries increased by 3,900 jobs over the month, with manufacturing gaining 3,800 jobs, and mining, logging, and construction gaining 100 jobs. Private service-providing industries decreased by 2,200 jobs between January 2023 and February 2023. Employment in private service-providing industries decreased in professional and business services (-2,700 jobs); private education and health services (-1,100 jobs); other services (-1,100 jobs); and information (-400 jobs). Employment increased in trade, transportation, and utilities (1,900 jobs); leisure and hospitality (700 jobs); and financial activities (500 jobs). Total government employment increased by 100 jobs over the month with an increase in local government (200 jobs) and a decrease in state government (-100 jobs). Over the year, total payroll employment increased by 58,000 jobs from February 2022 to February 2023. The largest gain was in leisure and hospitality (14,900 jobs), followed by manufacturing (13,000 jobs); private education and health services (10,400 jobs); financial activities (5,600 jobs); other services (5,400 jobs); professional and business services (4,900 jobs); mining, logging, and construction (800 jobs); and information (400 jobs). Employment decreased slightly in trade, transportation, and utilities (-200 jobs). Government employment increased by 2,800 jobs over the year. Local (3,100 jobs) and state (600 jobs) government increased, while federal government decreased by 900 jobs.
The following information is derived from Grain Valley Police Department daily calls service log for the week of March 15-21, 2023. March 15, 2023 Main St/NE James Rollo Motor vehicle accident 1200 Blk Eagles Citizen contact JCDC to Ray County Prisoner transport 400 Blk SW Cross Creek Supicious vehicle and person 2100 Blk S Broadway St Agency assist 700 Blk SW Ridgeview Dr Suspicious vehicle PHQ Citizen contact Sterling/Kentucky Agency assist 500 Blk SW Lakeview Dr Suspicious person March 16, 2023 PHQ Citizen contact 900 Blk W Broadway St Agency assist 1100 Blk Bush Dr Forgery NW Young St/NW Cannon St Noise complaint PHQ Citizen contact PHQ Public service 700 Blk SW Cross Creek Area check 1100 Blk Buckner-Tarsney Alarm check 100 Blk Broadway Suspicious person March 17, 2023 PHQ Citizen contact 800 Blk SW Country Hill Dr Child custody interference 800 Blk SW Meadowood Dr Residence check 1300 Blk NW Brentwood Suspicious vehicle and person 200 Blk NE Cypress St Assault 800 Blk NE San Karr Dr Property damage 100 Blk SW Rock Creek Ln Alarm check PHQ Public service WB 70 E of Grain Valley Agency assist March 18, 2023 1100 Blk NW Hickory Ct Suspicious vehicle 1300 Blk NW High view Dr Welfare check 800 Blk NE San Karr Dr Suspicious vehicle 1000 Blk SW Christie Ln Welfare check 500 Blk SW Centurion Ct Fraud Main St/40 Motor vehicle accident 1100 Blk NW Persimmon Dr Stealing PHQ Citizen contact 1400 Blk NW Olympic Dr Alarm check March 19, 2023 1100 Blk NW Willow Ct Disturbance 1200 Blk SW Eagles Pkwy Tresspass 100 Blk NW Royer Ln Area check March 20, 2023 1st St Oak Grove Agency assist Buckner-Tarsney/70 NB Motor vehicle accident PHQ Citizen contact 1300 Blk NW Willow Dr Welfare check 600 Blk SW Nelson Dr Residence check 100 Blk Sunny Ln 911 Hangup call March 21, 2023 PHQ Citizen contact 800 Blk SW Highland Ave Disturbance 700 Blk Main St Agency assist 800 Blk SW Greystone Residence check 800 Blk SW Cross Creek Dr Residence check Main St/SW Eagles Welfare check 1100 Blk McQuerry Suspicious vehicle 100 Blk Broadway Agency assist PHQ Citizen contact PHQ Citizen contact PHQ Citizen contact PHQ Citizen contact PHQ Citizen contact Additional calls for service: Suicidal subject: 3 Missouri residents enrolled in Medicaid (MO HealthNet) or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) need to act fast to update their contact information, so they don’t risk losing health care coverage, say local public health officials.
Residents who currently have health coverage through Medicaid or CHIP should watch their mailboxes for renewal notices or requests for information to determine eligibility. Over the next 12 months, letters will be sent out in chronological order based on members' current renewal dates. For example, someone with a renewal date in June may receive a letter this spring, while someone with a renewal date in December may receive a letter closer to the end of the year. Residents must complete and submit these renewal notices to keep their health care coverage, if they are still eligible. “Everyone needs access to health and preventative care and expanded Medicaid coverage has made that possible for more residents and families,” Dr. Marvia Jones, director of the Kansas City, Missouri, Health Department said. “We want people now enrolled to safeguard their benefits by doing the required renewals and review process. Even if they remain eligible for coverage, they will lose it if they do not follow these procedures.” All enrollees are urged to make sure their current mailing address, phone number, email or other contact information is on file with their state’s clearinghouse, so they receive these renewal notices before their coverage lapses. While some enrollees will be familiar with this process, this will be a new experience for anyone who qualified for Medicaid or CHIP for the first time after January 2020, Jones said. During the national COVID-19 Emergency Declaration, the Medicaid program suspended eligibility reviews, allowing millions of vulnerable Americans to keep their Medicaid coverage during the pandemic. As eligibility reviews resume over the next 12 months, those who no longer meet eligibility requirements will lose their Medicaid coverage. If this happens, they may be eligible for affordable coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplace at healthcare.gov. Jones says that states are mailing these renewal forms so it’s important for enrollees to check their mailbox, fill out the form and return it right way. This may help avoid a gap in coverage. Here’s how enrollees can update their contact information in Missouri: Missouri residents Missourians receiving health care coverage through MO HealthNet or any of the Managed Care health plans (Healthy Blue, Home State Health, or United Healthcare) need to prepare to submit their annual renewal before the end of their coverage year. If an individual has moved in the last three years, they should update their address with the Family Support Division online at https://formsportal.dss.mo.gov/content/forms/af/moa/my-dss/family-support-division/change-report.html. They may also call 855-373-4636 or visit a local resource center at https://dss.mo.gov/dss_map/ to update their contact information. |
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