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April 17th was National Haiku Day. We asked our readers on Facebook to share an original haiku and we are pleased to share their prose: Jumping jubilee, Rushing, running, spinning ‘round, Dancing merrily. - Theresa Faulk My car is going My head still sleeping at home Oh work, here I come - Lenora Hutchison Marler by Cathy Allie We are on week 78, or thereabouts, of our COVID-19 isolation. I have had a lot of time to clean house (and point my finger at projects my husband needs to do). And I would like to say that my cleaning style could best be described as, “There appears to have been a struggle.” I have been scouring counter tops, polishing sink handles, mopping floors, brushing toilets, and sanitizing door knobs. My fingertips have an eerie white glow from where bleach has seeped through my gloves. We are clean over here. But I have lost the Stacks and Clutter War. And I don’t mean just narrowly lost, like a closely contested ball game. I got decimated, ruined, undone, whipped, destroyed, wasted, ravaged. Are you following me? The first part of the defeat and carnage came in the form of work spaces. When we all came home to work and go to school, we all needed a place to put our “stuff”. I mistakenly thought that each night, folks would just gather up their stuff and put it away. “But we will be using it again in the morning,” they said. “Seems silly to completely put it away! Here! We will just stack it neatly.” In hindsight, I should have emptied a drawer, carried in a backpack, or even a milk crate and firmly said ,”Let’s start storing it here.” But I was weak from shopping everywhere for toilet paper, and I caved in. At first the stacks looked pretty neat and tidy. But after a few days, they literally looked more like burial mounds. I did an about face and waved the white flag. The next phase of the loss was closer to the front lines, in the form of counter tops. When we all came home to work and go to school, we all came home to eat as well. No more neatly packed lunch boxes heading out the door and then refreshed each night to head out the door the next day again. Instead, we grocery shopped, and our pantry became full and the counter tops held the overflow. The super-giant bag of tortilla chips took up one corner. There were now two fruit bowls instead of one. Seemed silly to carry the soldier-like lines of bottled water all the way to the garage, so they found a counter top seat. Before I knew it, and literally overnight, there was no place for my important things like a bag of caramels, coffee pods , and nail polish colors I am choosing from the much needed pedicure I can’t have. What room was left went to devices and chargers. I think I counted five computers, two I-pads, a Kindle, and four phones all lined up on the counter. Anarchy! Then I lost the Battle of the Blankets. People who have come home to work and go to school, and then eat, often land on a couch or chair to watch TV. The 70 degree days have been few and far between, so the blankets have gotten used. But late night movie binging means they don’t get folded or put away where they normally are, so when the next person goes looking for one, it is much easier to just grab another one. Exactly three of us live here (unless you count the dog, who as I shared last week is the only one I still like), and there were 11 blankets. Eleven! I called a cease fire, and we spent about five minutes folding the ones that didn’t need a thorough de-lousing. My water bill will be five million dollars this month at this rate, as I am laundering everything in sight. Sadly, I also lost the Battle of the Bedside Table, one of my usual strongholds. The offensive launched when Dr. Fauci said I would need to take my temperature, so I placed the thermometer there, nestled in next to a tank-sized box of Kleenex I was forced to buy at a warehouse store when my little square packages weren’t available. I have recommitted to reading, so two novels joined all the medical supplies. I can’t sleep because I am worrying about the mess we are in, so I added a couple of crossword puzzle and sudoku books to the already crowded space. None of the pens I picked up worked, but instead of throwing them away, as is my habit, I left them on the table to try repeatedly in the wee hours of the morning. I want my phone to be fully charged and not miss an important call during this insurrection, and I am now so desperate for adult conversation that it bunks on the bedside table also. On Sunday night, right before I went to sleep I propped the phone against the books, and sometime in the night, everything toppled over, making a great noise. My husband jumped up and grabbed a baseball bat from his side of the bed, ready to swing at whomever was trying to steal our thermometer…that is after grabbing his reading glasses to make sure he didn’t miss. Now the baseball bat has joined the mess on my side of the bed, along with a nail file, in my own weapons cache, because Lord knows I don’t trust him with it. Perhaps my final humiliating defeat came in the form of the stairs in my two story home. Something always needs to go back upstairs when you live on multiple floors. My mom made us an adorable staircase basket into which you are supposed to put things during the day, carry them up at night, and begin the process over again the next day. But our basic training failed, and we cannot seem to do that. Items are stacked on the stairs like a crazy Jenga game, ready to roll all the way back to the bottom step when someone treads near them. I have been carrying up a load each time I go, and I encouraged the savages that live with me to do the same. At first I thought it was my imagination, when I noticed things being moved up one or two stairs, however not all the way to the top. Hmmm. Wasn’t that on the third step yesterday, and now it is on the 5th? I spied on the members of my unit. My suspicions were confirmed when I got to the second stair from the top last night and there sat two items. Are you kidding me? You couldn’t have carried them up just One. More. Step? No one has confessed to the insolent stair moves, but I was reminded of an Everybody Loves Raymond episode where Debra and Ray wait each other out. They both know they have to put away a suitcase sitting in the middle of the stairs, but rather than taking the initiative, they wait to see who will finally cave and do it. Hey, I am on Corona lockdown. Like a gunner with her howitzer, I can wait. And wait. And wait. Cathy is a retired public school English teacher and Public Information Officer. The following information is derived from the Grain Valley Police Department daily calls for service log for the week of April 8-14, 2020.
by Cathy Bylinowski, Horticulture Instructor, University of Missouri Extension—Jackson County It has been a wild spring so far with temperatures all over the place, from freezing to hot. Snow, rain, wind, we have experienced it all. Despite these extremes, I hope you are able to get outside and start gardening during the stay at home precautions and enjoy the spring activities in your yard and garden.
Contact University of Missouri Extension in Jackson County, if you have any questions about plants, insects, or any garden related activities. We are glad to help! Cathy Bylinowski, Horticulture Instructor, bylinowskic@missouri.edu, University of Missouri Extension- Jackson County, 816-252-5051. Ornamentals Apples, crabapples and hawthorns susceptible to rust disease should have protective fungicidal sprays applied beginning when these trees bloom. Pinch azaleas and rhododendron blossoms as they fade. Double flowered azaleas need no pinching. If spring rains have been sparse, begin irrigating, especially plants growing in full sun. Fertilize azaleas after bloom. Use a formulation which has an acid reaction. Canker worms (inch worms) rarely cause permanent damage to ornamentals. Use Bt if control is deemed necessary. Don't remove spring bulb foliage prematurely or next year's flower production will decline. Continue monitoring pines, especially Scotch and mugo, for sawfly activity on new shoots. Begin planting gladiolus bulbs as the ground warms. Continue at 2-week intervals. Plant hardy water lilies in tubs or garden pools. Scale crawlers are active now. Infested pines and euonymus should be treated at this time. Plant summer bulbs such as caladiums, dahlias, cannas and elephant ears. Begin planting warm-season annuals. Begin fertilizing annuals. Continue at regular intervals. Trees with a history of borer problems should receive their first spray now. Repeat twice at 3-week intervals. Pinch back mums to promote bushy growth. Lawns Keep bluegrass cut at 1.5 to 2.5 inch height. Mow tall fescue at 2 to 4 inch height. Mow zoysia lawns at 1.5 inch height. Remove no more than one-half inch at each mowing. Apply post-emergence broadleaf weed controls now if needed. Zoysia lawns may be fertilized now. Apply no more than 1 pound of actual nitrogen per 1000 square feet. Watch for sod webworms emerging now. Vegetables Place cutworm collars around young transplants. Collars are easily made from cardboard strips. Growing lettuce under screening materials will slow bolting and extend harvests into hot weather. Slugs will hide during the daytime beneath a board placed over damp ground. Check each morning and destroy any slugs that have gathered on the underside of the board. Plant dill to use when making pickles. Keep asparagus harvested for continued spear production. Control asparagus beetles as needed. Begin planting sweet corn as soon as white oak leaves are as big as squirrel ears. Isolate sweet, super sweet and popcorn varieties of corn to prevent crossing. Thin plantings of carrots and beets to avoid overcrowding. Control caterpillars on broccoli and cabbage plants by handpicking or use biological sprays such as B.t. Set out tomato plants as soils warm. Place a stake by seeds of squash and cucumbers when planting in hills to locate the root zone watering site after the vines have run. Remove rhubarb seed stalks as they appear. Watch for striped and spotted cucumber beetles now. Both may spread wilt and mosaic diseases to squash and cucumber plants. Set out peppers and eggplants after soils have warmed. Plant sweet potatoes now and into early June. Make new sowings of warm-season vegetables after harvesting early crops. Fruits Mulch blueberries with pine needles or sawdust. Don't spray any fruits while in bloom. Refer to local MU Extension publications for fruit spray schedule. Fruit Tree Spray Schedule for the Homeowner- https://extension2.missouri.edu/g6010 Miscellaneous Birds eat many insect pests. Attract them to your garden by providing good nesting habitats. Herbs planted in average soils need no extra fertilizer. Too much may reduce flavor and pungency at harvest. Take houseplants outdoors when nights will remain above 50 degrees. Most prefer only direct morning sun. Watch for fireflies on warm nights. Both adults and larvae are important predators. Collecting may reduce this benefit. Gardening Calendar supplied by the staff of the William T. Kemper Center for Home Gardening located at the Missouri Botanical Garden in St. Louis, Missouri. (www.GardeningHelp.org) by Phil Hanson, President and CEO, Truman Heartland Community Foundation In the past few weeks, efforts to stop the spread of coronavirus has had an unprecedented impact on nearly every aspect of our lives.
As we work together to navigate these challenging times, please know that Truman Heartland Community Foundation is here to help. Our team is working hard to help the community endure this crisis, this includes creating a new section on our website focused on the nonprofits serving Eastern Jackson County during COVID-19 and fast-tracking our 2020 competitive grants cycle to offer flexibility and funding to nonprofits when they need it most. We are also reaching out to food pantries and church programs throughout the area in a coordinated effort to support people laid off due to the coronavirus. As nonessential businesses shuttered to observe stay-at-home orders and Center for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines, millions of Americans lost their jobs. In Missouri, nearly 238,000 people filed new unemployment claims in the first three weeks after the coronavirus crisis began. And according to estimates released in early April by the Economic Policy Institute, the unemployment rate may hit nearly 16 percent by July – higher than at any point since the Great Depression. There is a lot of uncertainty in our lives right now. It’s disruptive and unsettling. Hardworking people throughout Eastern Jackson County are struggling to provide basic essentials for their families and are navigating the unemployment system for the first time. Our recently launched Job Skills for New Careers initiative can help. A collaborative partnership with Community Services League (CSL), Herndon Career Center, Mid-Continent Public Library and University of Central Missouri (UCM), the new Truman Heartland Community Foundation community initiative will provide tuition-free job training and support to help people get on the path to higher paying in-demand careers and break the cycle of poverty. Through this initiative, participants will be matched with support services through CSL, community resources through Mid-Continent Public Library and opportunities for trainings available through Herndon Career Center and UCM’s Lee’s Summit campus in fields that pay living wages and are in high demand in the region, including healthcare, other medical fields and skilled industrial trades. These services will all be provided at no cost to the participants. We are committed to this work now more than ever, but it would not be possible without community support. Support from generous Community Foundation fundholders who have contributed nearly $110,000 to provide trainings in 2020. It’s possible thanks to the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, who has provided a $60,000 grant so that participants will receive wraparound support services, such as public benefits counseling and financial coaching that will help remove barriers that may prevent program participants from reaching their goals both during the program and for the future. So, while we cannot predict how things will unfold in the weeks and months to come, this program will provide an opportunity for hard-working people who are struggling to get ahead build new skills and connect with resources that will help them withstand this trying time and get back to work in a better paying job. The stay-at-home orders have put the training that would be happening right now on pause. On April 29, we will meet over Zoom with our collaboration partners to chart our path forward. Learn more about the Job Skills for New Careers initiative and how you can support this effort at www.thcf.org/job-skills. Each of us already know or will soon know someone who is unemployed because of this crisis. Our program can particularly benefit those working in low paying retail or restaurant jobs who have been laid off in huge numbers. Please share this information with them and encourage them to visit newskills.cslcares.org and complete a simple application. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis with trainings starting as soon as possible. Help us spread the word about this program while containing the spread of the virus. 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. To say this has been an unusual and disappointing end to the 2019-20 school year would be quite the understatement. With the cancellation of the spring sports season and the postponement or cancellation of many of the traditional year-end activities to honor the senior class, Valley News wanted to highlight some of the wonderful student athletes who make up the Class of 2020. In the coming weeks, we will highlight senior athletes in our Senior Send Off Feature and give them the spotlight they deserve. Seniors: You should receive information from your coaches with a link to submit your information for our Senior Send Off profiles. If you have not received this information and would like to participate, please send us an email to news@grainvalleynews.com. We will publish profiles in the order received.
by John Unrein According to the Green Bay Packers’ 2018 annual report, the National Football League earned over $8.1 billion in national revenue during 2017. The Packers are owned by their fans through the public sale of stock. Therefore, their franchise information is largely accessible to the public for transparency reasons. Darren Rovell of Action Network reported in the summer of 2019 that the NFL disbursed $8.78 billion in revenue to its clubs from the money it made during 2018. Under the former collective bargaining agreement between the league and the players association in 2011, the owners got 53 percent of football related income and the players got 47 percent. This means that the total revenue gained by the NFL before it was split two ways in 2018 was approximately $17 billion. The NFL makes its money in a variety of ways. The two biggest sources of its national revenue come from large and lucrative television deals along with selling companies the rights to sell items that represent the NFL. It’s safe to say that professional football is alive and well in the United States. Statista cited on their website in 2019 that the average player’s career in the NFL is 3.3 years in length. That statistic explains why collective bargaining is so important to the players association each time a new agreement must be reached. The approximate 1,700 players who’ve made up the active rosters for the 32 NFL teams in the past know their window to earn income is limited. NFL franchise owners are also aware that labor disputes have the potential to lead to strikes by the players union, and as a result, the loss of revenue. This was apparent after the four and half month player lockout in 2011 prior to a new agreement being reached. It’s in both parties’ best interest to compromise and maintain peace through a collective bargaining agreement that benefits both sides. A new collective bargaining agreement that will start in 2020 and run through 2030 was approved earlier this year by league owners and the NFL Players Association. NFL Football Operations recently shared some major parts of the agreement via their website. Highlights include: 14 team playoff: Starting in the 2020 season, seven teams from each conference will make the playoffs. Adding two playoff teams was not part of the bargaining process, but the owners were able to do so without union approval. Only the top team in each conference will get a wild-card round bye. 17 game schedule starting during the 2021 season: An extra regular season game will be added to the current 16 game schedule played by teams in the league. A reduction of the preseason will happen to offset the extra regular season game. The mechanics for an uneven number of games – neutral sites, or which teams get nine home games – will be worked out in the interim. Increased gameday active roster: The number of active players on gameday will increase to 48 players from 46. Teams must have at least eight offensive linemen on their active gameday roster. Improved health and safety: guaranteed funding for research on training methods, equipment, field surfaces, and medical care; the formation of a new committee to design safety standards for equipment; the extension of training camp acclimation periods; further strengthened credentialing standards for teaching medical and training staffs; enhanced enforcement of the concussion protocol; and additional joint research funding. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell released a statement in March on the agreed upon new collective bargaining agreement. “We are pleased that the players have voted to ratify the proposed new CBA, which will provide substantial benefits to all current and retired players, increase jobs, ensure continued progress on player safety, and give our fans more and better football,” Goodell said. “We appreciate the tireless efforts of the members of the Management Council Executive Committee and the NFLPA leadership, both of whom devoted nearly a year to detailed, good faith negotiations to reach this comprehensive, transformative agreement.” NFLPA Executive Director DeMaurice Smith posted to Twitter in March his thoughts on the new agreement as well. “The current proposal contains increases across almost every category for wages, hours, working conditions, and benefits for former and current players,” Smith said. “This proposal was a contested negotiation that reflects trades with the counterparty which have to be carefully weighed and assessed across the entirety of the deal. Please be confident that I hear – loudly and clearly – those of you who have passionately expressed their perspective that these gains are not enough when weighted against, for example, adding another game. That position reflects how some members have chosen to weigh what aspect of the deal is important to them. Smith continued, “The fact is, however, that there are literally hundreds of issues in any collective bargaining agreement that affect thousands of circumstances and impact thousands of current and former players which we must consider carefully.” The NFLPA has reported on their website and through outgoing NFLPA President Eric Winston the gains made on behalf of the players through the agreement. Highlights include: An increase from the 47 percent of league revenues given to the players, with that percentage dependent on the length of the season. A reduction of the preseason, initially from four games to three. More time off during training camps. Upgraded pensions, with the addition of groups of previous players not included in past agreements. Two more roster spots per a team’s practice squad, with players having more freedom to move up to the regular roster and back. Two more will added later in the agreement. Narrowing the testing period for players for marijuana use, plus lowered discipline for using it; and a reduction in on-field fines. The avoidance of labor consternation for the next ten years means professional football will carry on uninterrupted. Negotiations will focus on a new topic. The NFL may continue discussions for new television deals with broadcasting partners. That has the potential to increase the financial windfall for owners and players alike. Nationally, many Americans will begin seeing stimulus payments in their bank accounts as a part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which will be a welcome cushion for many who are facing temporary unemployment due to the impact of COVID-19 on the economy.
According to the Missouri Department of Economic Development’s March Jobs Report, employment in Missouri decreased by 20,900 jobs over the month. The unemployment rate grew one percentage point in March, from 3.5 percent in February 2020 to 4.5 percent in March. Unemployment benefits have been extended to self-employed, gig workers, and independent contractors whose businesses have been impacted by the coronavirus. Additionally, the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) program provides an additional $600 payment per week to those eligible for at least one dollar in regular unemployment benefits during that week. The CARES act, signed into law on March 27, 2020, also includes several programs to aid small businesses who have been impacted greatly by stay at home orders. Businesses have experienced mixed success in applying for and receiving funds through the various programs offered. Lorne Meinershagen, CPA, Managing Member of Meinershagen & Co. in Grain Valley, has seen some business clients successfully apply for assistance, including the Payroll Protection Program, a loan designed to provide a direct incentive for small businesses to keep their workers on the payroll. “We have had several clients get approved for the PPP loan, and we have had a few receive funding within the last two days. (But) not a lot have received funding at this point,” Meinershagen said. “The more immediate relief (for employers) is to place employees on unemployment which has a higher level of payout until late July, and the payouts do not impact the employers experience rating at this point.” “We have had clients apply for the SBA EIDL loans, but to date we are not aware of anyone receiving a call back from the SBA regarding the loan, or funding on the special $10,000 grant attached to this program. Within the last day I received an email from the SBA indicating the $10,000 grant is now going to be $1,000 per employee you had on payroll as of January 31st,” Meinershagen said. Locally, the City of Grain Valley will not shut off water service due to nonpayment for at least three months or June 30th, whichever comes first. The City has also extended the deadline for homeowners and businesses to submit proof of backflow prevention device inspections, as required by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, to June 1, 2020. Residents or homeowners with questions may call Public Works at 816-847-0091. Grain Valley Schools has canceled classes through the remainder of the school year following Governor Parson’s order. The district continues to offer weekday meals to students who need them. Parents interested in meal assistance can reach out to a school counselor or administrator. The Grain Valley Assistance Council, (GVAC) an affiliate of the Community Services League, stands ready to assist those in need of emergency assistance. The organization ‘s food pantry is open on Wednesdays from 9:00am—Noon and 1:00pm—4:00pm. Requirements for receiving services have been waived during this time. Clients are asked not to get out of their cars. For more information on the Grain Valley Assistance Council, visit www.grainvalleyassistancecouncil.org. With the closure of most service businesses due to the stay at home order, many residents have a new appreciation for those who provide services that make daily life easier. After nearly a month at home, “quarantine hair” has become a topic of discussion and worry. Stylists and barbers caution against picking up the shears, instead encouraging clients to take only necessary steps to maintain their locks until the pros can get back to work.
Jayci Stratton, owner of Studio Five Beauty Boutique in Grain Valley, offers a few tips for those feeling the urge to take matters into their own hands. 1. For those who are not working and do not need to maintain a professional appearance, home conditioning treatments are a great option. Use this time to take a break from heat styling and amp up the moisture treatments. 2. For those who do need to maintain a professional appearance for work, use a colored root spray (we like Kevin Murphy's RetouchMe) to help disguise the regrowth. These sprays won't be an exact match, but they can help to conceal your natural color until things get back to normal and you can come in for your retouch service. This is a much cheaper alternative than having to do a color correction because something went wrong with a home dye job. 3. Avoid trimming hair if at all possible! If you have bangs, you can trim those by cutting up into your bangs and taking just the tips of the hair. Do not cut across the bangs. 4. For the guys, your best bet is to take beard trimmers and have a family member trim your neck hairs and sideburns around your ears. That will at least keep the cut looking cleaner and less undone. 5. Our lash and brow stylist suggests letting your eyebrows fully grow. When you are able to get to the salon, the pros will create a better shape for you. For those who like to wear eyelash extensions, right now is a good time to strengthen your eye lashes by using a lash serum to help your lashes grow longer and thicker. 6. If clients are in need of their favorite products, many salons are offering curbside delivery or drop shipping for very cheap. “Most importantly, the absolute best way you can show your stylist some love and support is to avoid doing your hair at home. We will be ready to get to work once this order is lifted! I think I can safely speak for most any stylist in any salon when I say that we miss you and we miss our friendships with you,” Stratton said. by Marcia Napier, Grain Valley Historical Society Ray Frantz (February, 1885 – March, 1977) moved his family from Benton County, Iowa to Kansas City, Kansas in the 1920s. He took a job as a brakeman for the railroad. According to the 1930 U. S. Census, he was living in Grain Valley with his wife, Ella Mildred (Kiff) Frantz (October, 1888 – August, 1963). Their two sons, Harold (June, 1913 – August, 1994)) and Roland (February, 1915 – September, 1994) are graduates of Grain Valley High School.
The 1930 U. S. Census lists Frantz as an Oil Company owner. The exact details are unclear, however, at some point the family lived in a two-story home on the southwest corner of Main Street and Yennie. (The house was torn down a few years ago.) His Oil Company and Motor Service was housed in the old Royal Playhouse at the northwest corner of Main and Walnut Street. The photo does not include the gas pumps which were on the corner near the intersection. During this time, Ray “Pop” Frantz owned and drove a school bus for Grain Valley. This photograph (or a similar one) appeared in the 1938 yearbook. At that time, he owned and drove the only bus used by the school. Wouldn’t you like to know his route? In a September 1942 Broadcaster (school newspaper), there was an article that included a second bus, one with a route north of town and one with a route south of town. At some point, after World War II, the old Royal Playhouse was sold to Robert’s Salvage Company, who turned it into a salvage yard for planes, tanks and jeeps used by the armed services during the war. Mr. Frantz moved his service station 3 blocks south to the northeast corner of Main and Harris street. Their home was on the north side of the station. It still stands today, although not as a home. The station was torn down and has been replaced by a muffler shop. For more information on the Grain Valley Historical Society, visit www.grainvalleyhistory.com and follow the Historical Society on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram (@grainvalleyhistory). |
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