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The Blue Springs Elks Lodge #2509 will host their annual Roger Deterding kids fishing derby on Saturday, May 6th at Butterfly Trail Park in Grain Valley. Registration starts at 8:00am with fishing from 9:00am to 11:00am. The event is open to boys and girls ages 2-15.
Free donuts, hotdogs, chips, and water while supplies last. Following the tournament, there will be a number of giveaways as well as prizes for the most fish caught in each age group and for the biggest fish caught. Fishing poles and worms will be provided by the Elks Lodge if participants do not have their own. Did you know there is a scientific cause for cravings? Cravings often appear after you experience a big spike in blood sugar followed by a dramatic drop in blood sugar or a “crash.” You may feel frequent hunger pains, low energy or like you’re relying on caffeine to make it through the day. But did you know there is a way of eating to help you feel more balanced?
It’s true! There is a style of eating that can help with more stable energy, reduced inflammation, fewer cravings and better blood sugar control for anyone. It can be especially helpful for those with elevated glucose or insulin resistance who are working to improve their blood sugar control. Life is about learning and improving. Whether you have diabetes, prediabetes, a family history of diabetes or just want to take a pro-active approach with your eating, there are small actions you can take today to get started right away. Don’t wait another day to feel your best! Research has found there are several highly effective ways to balance blood sugar and reduce insulin resistance. Here are the top five Hy-Vee dietitian tips to manage your blood sugar. Start your day with a protein-rich breakfast rather than something sweet. Make your first meal of the day balanced with a good source of protein such as eggs, nuts, Greek yogurt or protein powder. Research shows if you balance the beginning of your day, your body will be better at regulating blood sugar the rest of the day. Eat your meals in a specific order. Research has found that eating your meal in a specific order can help decrease a blood sugar spike by almost 75%. This can be nearly as affective as some diabetes medications.
Once again, save anything sweet for the end of a balanced meal when you already have fiber, protein and fat in your stomach to help blunt a blood sugar spike. Plus, since cravings usually occur due to a crash in blood sugar following a spike, many people notice less cravings for sweets once they have balanced their blood sugar. They report feeling satisfied with just a few bites of something sweet and feel powerful having control over their cravings rather than being controlled by cravings. Move for a few minutes after meals. Timing some form of movement after meals is an excellent way to help reduce a blood sugar spike. Even just a few minutes of movement such as walking or performing household chores helps by allowing muscles to utilize some of the sugar in the blood. Research has shown even TWO minutes of walking can help! Stay consistent with support. Do you know even just writing down a goal makes you more likely to achieve it? So does having someone to hold you accountable. One of the best parts of this style of eating is it is NOT all or nothing. There are no off-limit foods. There is no guilt associated with enjoying favorite foods. It truly is an approach to eating most feel like they can continue with for the long-term. When it comes to making progress, consistent action is key. Set yourself up for success with support from a Hy-Vee dietitian. It is also crucial to communicate with your doctor about any changes to your diet and continue taking medications as directed while monitoring changes in blood sugar. Almost half of U.S. adults now have elevated blood sugars. More than one in three have prediabetes and roughly 80% are not even aware their levels are high. If you do not know where you stand in terms of blood sugar control, register today for our free A1C screenings brought to you by generous sponsors including: RxSugar, Embecta, Good Measure, Catalina Crunch and Fairlife yogurt. In under 15 minutes, you’ll learn your average blood sugar over the last two to three months and can connect with your Hy-Vee dietitian about our upcoming Balancing Your Blood Sugar program for the support to help you succeed. Request your free A1C screening and learn more about our Balancing Your Blood Sugar program here. The information is not intended as medical advice. Please consult a medical professional for individual advice. The Grain Valley Fair Association in partnership with the newly formed Downtown Grain Valley, Inc. will host First Fridays in downtown Grain Valley on Friday, May 5th from 5:00-8:00pm.
In addition to the return of food trucks, a variety of local business vendors will be on site. Participating downtown businesses will also feature artwork from Grain Valley students. by Marcia Napier, Grain Valley Historical Society While it may have been one of the finest productions I’ve seen at Grain Valley High School, it certainly wasn’t the first. I cannot tell you when that first production was, but I can tell you it was at least 91 years ago, if not longer. My parents graduated in 1932 and I don’t recall my mother ever talking about being in any musical program. I know for sure my father would not have been allowed, except maybe on the stage crew. They don’t make buckets big enough to carry his tune! 932 May Festival Elementary Musical The photo above includes the 1932 May Festival cast, probably the entire elementary school. It is on display at the Historical Society Museum along with some more recent musical programs. In our photo file I also found the cast from the 1948 Spring Festival. 1948 Spring Festival
The SpongeBob cast was nearly as large, well maybe not quite! Once again, the cast included the entire elementary School. I counted about 160 students. I think there were at least that many elementary age students in the audience on Saturday night. In fact, if the entire town of Grain Valley had shown up for the 1948 Festival, they would still have been about two hundred shy of filling the theater. And SpongeBob ran for three nights! Visit the Historical Society Museum on Wednesdays. We are opened from 10 AM – 3 PM. We have tons of fun photos and artifacts about our town. Teenagers sure do know how to make headlines. With hundreds of kids participating in a huge fight this month at World of Fun, it’s easy to paint all teens with a single brush -- troublemakers. Yes, there are issues that need to be addressed. Young people need a positive outlet for their feelings and frustrations. But it’s important to remember that many local teens are working diligently to better themselves and their communities. I would like to highlight these local teens.
For 25 years, Truman Heartland Community Foundation has worked with area high school students through a unique program called Youth Advisory Council (YAC). Through YAC, students from schools throughout the area come together to collaborate and create positive change in the cities where they live. We have valedictorians and gamers, honor society members and theater kids, city kids and 4-H; they are all pretty amazing young people who are actively doing good. Just a few weeks ago, YAC members hosted their annual fundraiser. Held on April 1, Strike in the Night – A Fool’s Delight was a cosmic bowling event fit for the whole family. Thanks to an overwhelming response from numerous donors, the event was fully sponsored and raised more than $5,100. The funds raised were added to the Youth Advisory Council Endowment Fund, the proceeds of which the students will distribute back into the community through the grantmaking process later in the year. Last year, YAC provided grant funding to Angel Flight Central, Inc., Giving the Basics, Inc., Marian Hope, and the SE Chapter of Sleep in Heavenly Peace, Inc. Taking an active role in the Foundation’s grantmaking process is one of our YAC program's most interesting and unique duties. Students visit local nonprofits to learn first-hand about the projects they are looking to have funded through the Foundation’s Competitive Grants process. Members are encouraged to discuss grant proposals based on everything from the nonprofit’s financial statements to their projected outcomes. The discussions are always so interesting as these students have different perspectives than the adults in the room. There is always a lot of thoughtful dialogue, open communication, and collaboration, though. It may not make for a great headline, but I think it is noteworthy, nonetheless. Now that the fundraiser is behind them, the YAC students are working on their next project, the 9th Annual Fill Those Trucks Food Drive. YAC has teamed up with our good friends at Hy-Vee again this year and will be collecting donations at four area Hy-Vee locations on Saturday, April 29, 2023, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The participating Hy-Vee locations are 40 Hwy and 7 Hwy in Blue Springs, 40 Hwy and Noland Road in Independence, 3rd and Ward in Lee's Summit, and 350 Hwy in Raytown. You will find YAC members (with adult support) volunteering their time to collect donations from patrons in front of the participating locations. Donations of non-perishable food items, household cleaners, and personal care products will all be gladly accepted. Community Services League, Lee’s Summit Social Services, and Raytown Emergency Assistance Program will be the beneficiaries of this year’s effort. I am always impressed by our YAC students. They really work at practicing active philanthropy. They give back by volunteering, fundraising, grantmaking, and community service. For 25 years, the Youth Advisory Council has held an important seat at the Foundation’s decision-making table. I am proud of their contributions and impressed by their accomplishments. I know I will see many of these young people again, a few years from now, as they are bound to be the next generation of local community leaders, stakeholders, and philanthropists. If you know an area high school Freshman, Sophomore, or Junior that might be interested in our YAC program, please send them our way. They can visit our website at thcf.org/students/youth-advisory-council or reach out to Diana Castillo, THCF Director of Grants and Donor Services, at castillo@thcf.org or 816-912-4184 for more information. We are always looking to engage new members in this important work. Missouri non-farm payroll employment increased by 2,300 jobs in March 2023, and the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased by one-tenth of a percentage point. Private industry employment increased by 2,100 jobs and government employment increased by 200 jobs. The state's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 2.5 percent in March 2023, down from 2.6 percent in February. Over the year, there was an increase of 62,100 jobs from March 2022 to March 2023, and the unemployment rate remained unchanged.
UNEMPLOYMENT Missouri's smoothed seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased by one-tenth of a percentage point in March 2023, declining to 2.5 percent from the revised February 2023 rate of 2.6 percent. The March 2023 rate remained unchanged compared to March 2022. The estimated number of unemployed Missourians was 77,408 in March 2023, down by 2,281 from February's 79,689. The state's not-seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate remained unchanged in March 2023, holding steady at 2.7 percent. A year ago, the not-seasonally-adjusted rate was 2.8 percent. The corresponding not-seasonally-adjusted national rate for March 2023 was 3.6 percent. Missouri's labor force participation rate was 62.9 percent in March 2023, three-tenths of a percentage point higher than the national rate of 62.6 percent. Missouri's employment-population ratio was 61.4 percent in March 2023, one percentage point higher than the national rate of 60.4 percent. Missouri's unemployment rate was 2.5 percent in March 2023, one percentage point lower than the national rate of 3.5 percent. Missouri's unemployment rate has been at or below the national rate for more than seven years. EMPLOYMENT Missouri's non-farm payroll employment was 2,969,300 in March 2023, up by 2,300 from the revised February 2023 figure. The February 2023 total was revised upward by 5,000 jobs from the preliminary estimate. Goods-producing industries increased by 700 jobs over the month, with mining, logging, and construction gaining 400 jobs and manufacturing gaining 300 jobs. Private service-providing industries increased by 1,400 jobs between February 2023 and March 2023. Employment in private service-providing industries increased in leisure and hospitality (2,800 jobs) and professional and business services (2,500 jobs). Employment decreased in private education and health services (-1,600 jobs); trade, transportation, and utilities (-1,400 jobs); financial activities (-600 jobs); other services (-200 jobs); and information (-100 jobs). Total government employment increased by 200 jobs over the month, with an increase in local (400 jobs) and federal government (100 jobs), and a decrease of 300 jobs in state government. Over the year, total payroll employment increased by 62,100 jobs from March 2022 to March 2023. The largest gains were in leisure and hospitality (17,100 jobs); manufacturing (12,400 jobs); professional and business services (10,000 jobs); private education and health services (9,200 jobs); other services (4,900 jobs); financial activities (4,400 jobs); and mining, logging, and construction (1,400 jobs). Employment decreased in trade, transportation, and utilities (-900 jobs) and information (-100 jobs). Government employment increased by 3,700 jobs over the year, with an increase in local (3,900 jobs) and state government (100 jobs), and a decrease in federal government (-300 jobs). The following information is derived from Grain Valley Police Department daily calls service log for the week of April 12-18, 2023.
April 12, 2023 PHQ Public service 600 Blk NW Scenic Animal control 200 Blk NE Hannah Ct Suspicious vehicle 1400 Blk NW Willow Residence check 1300 Blk R D Mize Rd Motor vehicle accident 1400 Blk NE Jaclyn Dr Verbal disturbance 1400 Blk Mary Ct Area check 1100 Blk NE McQuerry Missing juveniles check PHQ Public service 1400 Blk NW Olympic Dr Alarm 600 Blk NW Woodbury Welfare check PHQ Citizen contact E Duncan Rd/S Dillingham Rd Suspicious activity April 13, 2023 1200 Blk SW Stockman Ct Missing juvenile PHQ Harassment report PHQ Suspicious person report PHQ MVA report Football Complex/Old 40 Hwy Welfare check Ray County Prisoner transport 1400 Blk NE Mary Ct Citizen contact April 14, 2023 NW Hedgewood Dr/NW Hawthorne Ct Area check - loud boom 400 Blk SW Cross Creek Suspicious activity NE Mary Ct/SW Graystone Citizen contact 700 Blk Main St Alarm PHQ Citizen contact 400 Blk SW Cross Creek Suspicious vehicle 100 Blk Eagles Pkwy Verbal disturbance NW Long Dr/NW Meadow Area check - speeders 800 Blk NE San Karr Dr Agency assist April 15, 2023 BB/Price Chopper Area check - Panhandler 700 Blk SW Albatross Alarm 100 Blk SW Cross Creek Dr Assault PHQ Citizen contact 600 Blk E Walnut St Agency assist PHQ Citizen contact - animal control PHQ Citizen contact - property check PHQ Citizen contact PHQ Citizen contact - follow up NW BB/Major Area check 700 Blk SW Ginger Hill Dr Animal control 1000 Blk SW Christie Residence check PHQ Public service 1200 Blk NW Ashley Security check 1100 Blk NW Pamela Blvd Alarm 200 Blk NW Young St Residence check 700 Blk Main St Welfare check 1200 Blk NW Phelps Animal control 800 Blk SW Woodland Alarm 600 Blk NW Albatross Verbal disturbance April 16, 2023 600 Blk NW Yennie Citizen contact 200 Blk NW Jefferson Welfare check April 17, 2023 1200 Blk NW Eagle Ridge Dr Verbal disturbance 1100 Blk NE McQuerry Rd Abandoned vehicle 1600 Blk NW High View Dr Stealing Pink Hill Rd @ City Limits Physical disturbance SW Tisha Ln Animal control NW Cottonwood Ct/NW Woodbury Abandoned vehicle 1200 Blk SW Dean Dr Stealing PHQ Citizen contact 100 Blk SW Royal Agency assist 900 Blk SW Sandy Ln Property damage PHQ Citizen contact Sni-A-Bar/AA Hwy Motor vehicle accident 600 Blk SW Tisha Ln Agency assist PHQ Citizen contact Rd Mize Rd/Meadow Juvenile walking alone April 18, 2023 300 Blk W Front St Suspicious person NW Jefferson/NE McQuerry Rd Motor vehicle accident 800 Blk SW Stone Brook 911 hangup 1200 Blk SW Lakeview Dr Physical disturbance 800 Blk SW Meadowood Dr Agency assist 1300 Blk SW Highview Dr Stand by to prevent 1200 Blk NW Phelps Area check - suspicious person Additional calls for service: Domestic violence: 4 Order of protection: 2 by Rudi Keller, Missouri Independent Anti-diversity budget language called a “job killer” by the Missouri Chamber of Commerce didn’t survive the Senate Appropriations Committee Wednesday, as the panel wrapped up its work on the state spending plan for the coming year.
Over two days of work, the committee added more than $3 billion to the House-approved budget for state operations in the coming fiscal year. The biggest items added Wednesday were $300 million for the Department of Mental Health to build a new psychiatric hospital in Kansas City and $461 million to increase the pay of personal care workers who assist people with developmental disabilities. The committee also restored $4.5 million for state aid to public libraries, cut in the House because the Missouri Library Association and the ACLU are suing over legislation passed last year intended to block children from accessing sexually explicit material. The biggest new item overall was $2 billion for widening Interstate 70, added on Tuesday. The 14 spending bills will be debated in the Senate next week, setting up negotiations with the House to iron out differences before the May 5 deadline for appropriations. Exact totals were unavailable Wednesday, but the tally will be higher than both the House plan, which spends $45.6 billion on state operations, and the budget proposed by Gov. Mike Parson, which asked for $47.7 billion. The extra money comes from bond debt, increased federal aid and the massive general revenue surplus projected to be at least $5 billion at the end of the current fiscal year. The anti-diversity, equity and inclusion language, added during House floor debate by Rep. Doug Richey to the 13 spending bills for state operations as well as the supplemental appropriations bill for the current year, created large and small headaches for state government. It had the potential to cause delays or cancellations in state contracts and endangered the Medicaid program. “The uncertainty associated with the language that the House applied to those appropriations bills is unknown,”said Sen. Lincoln Hough, chairman of the appropriations committee. “And I don’t like doing things when we are running a state that I don’t know what the consequences are. That does not seem like a responsible thing to do.” None of the 14 members of the committee, dominated by Republicans, objected or tried to add language Richey is pushing as a narrower version that would not impact contracting or state services. Asked about the Senate vote, Richey, R-Excelsior Springs, said he will continue to push for some version to make it into the final budget. “I appreciate the fact that conversations are ongoing,” Richey said. In a news release issued Tuesday, the Chamber of Commerce listed Richey’s amendment among four measures under consideration by lawmakers that it contends are job killers. “Rep. Richey’s language bans state government spending on staff, vendors, consultants and programs associated with diversity, equity and inclusion,” a statement from the chamber read. “If passed, this will bring Missouri’s government to a grinding halt.” The strong committee vote in favor of budget bills without the language is a signal to the House that the issue is dead in future budget negotiations, Sen. Barbara Washington, D-Kansas City, said. The 14 bills approved in the committee Wednesday were all passed unanimously or with only a single dissenting vote. The committee, she said, “is astute enough to realize anything of this sort would cost the state billions of dollars.” The additions to the Department of Mental Health budget will be used to replace an aging facility in Kansas City called the Center for Behavioral Medicine. The current hospital, built in 1966, has 100 beds and “is in utter disrepair,” Hough said. “No member of the committee would even want a neighbor they didn’t like to be housed there.” The $300 million would build a 200-bed facility. The University of Kansas Health System leases half of the current facility and would be a tenant in the new hospital as well, department Director Valerie Huhn said. The replacement facility would relieve pressure on other institutions operated by the department, Huhn said in an interview with The Independent. Lack of staff and beds means there are more than 220 people deemed incompetent to stand trial waiting for placement in a state mental facility because there is no room. Fulton State Hospital has empty beds because of staffing shortages and the department has canceled plans to consolidate sex offender treatment there. A new, larger facility in Kansas City would help, in part because of a more available workforce, Huhn said. “Kansas City is probably the place where we have the best staffing,” Huhn said. A $451 million addition to the budget would boost rates paid to local agencies providing residential support services for people with disabilities. The extra funding would allow those agencies, struggling to find staff like many service providers, to set a base pay of $17 an hour. The MIssouri House, during budget debate last month, narrowly defeated an amendment that would have added $308 million to the budget to boost the base pay, currently $15 an hour, by 8.7%. The committee worked swiftly through the budget bills and Hough spent hours with individual members before this week’s meeting discussing the items they wanted to add. “We made investments in things that have been put off for a long time in this state,” Hough said. The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) will offer a hybrid course on surveying butterfly populations that is both virtual and in-person. The course is on butterflies, their ecology, and how to survey for them. The program is being hosted by the Burr Oak Woods Nature Center staff from 10:30 a.m. to noon on Wednesday, May 3. Participants may choose to put their knowledge into action by becoming a Missouri Butterfly Monitoring Network volunteer. After attending the program, volunteers need to choose a survey course to monitor. Some courses already mapped are available. They will schedule a time to complete one practice survey and data entry with Burr Oak Woods staff. During June and August, a minimum of six surveys must be completed and recorded in an online database. This is the fifth annual training in the Kansas City area for the Missouri Butterfly Monitoring Network. The network is a hosted by Georgetown University with grants from the National Science Foundation. Some butterfly species such as the venerable monarch have been in decline due to habitat loss and environmental problems. Science-based conservation is working to boost pollinators such as butterflies. People simply interested in learning more about butterflies are also invited to take the course. This class is open to participants ages 18 and older. Registration is required. To register, visit https://short.mdc.mo.gov/4QF. For more information about butterflies in Missouri, https://short.mdc.mo.gov/4Qt. The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) will offer a hybrid course on surveying butterfly populations that is both virtual and in-person. The course is on butterflies, their ecology, and how to survey for them. The program is being hosted by the Burr Oak Woods Nature Center staff from 10:30 a.m. to noon on Wednesday, May 3. Photo credit: MDC
Crews with the bridge replacement work along Interstate 70 at Route AA/BB in Grain Valley will close the left lane of eastbound Interstate 70 near mile marker 24 in Grain Valley beginning at 4:00am a.m.. on Saturday, April 29, until approximately 2 p.m. that afternoon. This traffic change will allow crews to set girders and may cause delays in the area. All work is weather permitting.
This project will be constructed over the course of three phases in the next year. Phase 1 includes bridge work and work within the median, and is scheduled to be completed by early summer 2023. Phase 2 will address the westbound side of the project and Phase 3 will address the eastbound side. The project is anticipated to be complete by winter 2023. Motorists are reminded to slow down and pay attention while driving in work zones. Not all work zones look alike. Work zones can be moving operations, such as striping, patching or mowing. They can also be short term, temporary lane closures to make quick repairs or remove debris from the roadway. |
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