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Jackson County announced today the expiration of the county health order. The order, which requires masks in indoor businesses and places of public accommodation, expired this afternoon.
The announcement follows the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s revision to its guidance for fully vaccinated individuals. The new guidance states that individuals who are fully vaccinated for COVID-19 can resume activities — both indoor or outdoor, large or small — without wearing a mask or social distancing. Exceptions to this new guidance include health care settings, correctional facilities, homeless shelters and public transportation. According to CDC, individuals are considered fully vaccinated:
“As I have said from the very beginning of this pandemic, Jackson County’s decisions will be led by science. In light of the most current information available, and in light of the CDC’s recommendations, we are rescinding our current health order today,” Jackson County Executive Frank White, Jr. said. “While this is welcome news for many, we cannot forget that this virus is still present and poses a risk to our residents, especially those who are not fully vaccinated. People are still contracting COVID-19 and dying from it. We need everyone to take personal responsibility and get vaccinated so we can truly put this devastating virus behind us.” “The science is clear – these vaccines are extremely effective in limiting community transmission and protecting the most vulnerable among us,” Jackson County Health Department Director Bridgette Shaffer, MPH said. “We encourage everyone age 12 and older to take advantage of this important tool to help us end the pandemic.” Although the expiration of the order means that wearing masks indoors will no longer be mandated across the county, masks remain strongly recommended for individuals who are not fully vaccinated. Businesses and other spaces continue to have the right to set their own mask requirements for entry. Masks will still be required in county buildings and facilities for staff and visitors until further notice. While mask restrictions have lifted, other COVID-19 preventative measures remain in effect. Those who are not fully vaccinated and are identified as a contact of a positive case will still be required to quarantine for a 14-day-period, per the CDC’s guidance. Those who are fully vaccinated or have had COVID-19 within the past three months will be able to avoid quarantining after exposure to COVID-19 as long as symptoms do not develop. Following a public hearing at its May 12th meeting, the Planning and Zoning Commission approved two proposed developments, known as Greystone West.
The development is generally located near NE Greystone Blvd. and east of Buckner Tarsney Road. Andrew Danner with Windfield Design-Build requested a change of zoning for Tract A of the project to allow for 13 four plex buildings for a total of 52 units and three commercial buildings for a total of 13,800 square feet of retail/office space. The approved zoning change for Tract B of the proposed development allows a 3-story, 48-unit senior apartment building on the south side of NE Greystone Blvd. on the east side of Buckner-Tarsney Road. The developer has also included plans for a trail along Buckner Tarsney Road. The Commission also approved a site plan for a Club Car Wash, to be located north of US Highway 40, west of Main, and south of the eastbound exit ramp for I-70. Club Car Wash recently announced several locations to open in the Kansas City area, including the Grain Valley site set to open in February 2022. Further cementing their connection to Kansas City, Club Car Wash announced in February its newest co-owner, Kansas City Chiefs Tight-End Travis Kelce. Drafted in the third round of the 2013 NFL draft, Kelce has been with the Kansas City Chiefs for seven consecutive seasons and was an integral part of winning Super Bowl LIV in 2020. “After learning about the trajectory of the industry and knowing my partners have significant knowledge and experience in the space, I thought Club Car Wash was a fantastic opportunity, and I’m excited to be onboard,” Kelce said in a company release. The Commission’s next scheduled meeting will be held June 9th at 6:30pm at City Hall. Following a series of public hearings at the March 10th Board of Aldermen meeting, the Board approved the first readings of three ordinances which would allow for the development of senior housing developments known as Creekside Villas and Creekside Commons.
Jeff Handy, Jeff Handy Construction, is the developer of the proposed senior housing. The development site is generally located west of Sni-A-Bar Parkway on the north side of Sni-A-Bar Blvd. Creekside Villas will include 26 multi-family units for occupants 55 or older. The maintenance provided community will include 2 bedroom/1 bathroom units on one level. Each unit will include 1,000 square feet with a covered front and back porch. The Creekside Commons project will also feature 2 bedroom/1 bathroom units, with 35 units planned. If approved, construction will begin in fall of 2022 and be completed in fall of 2023. In other business, the Board approved the purchase of a skid steer for the Public Works division. Parks and Recreation Director Shannon Davies reported spring youth sports have begun, and are a welcome sight after many recreational activities were canceled in 2020. The next regularly scheduled board meeting will be held Monday, May 24th at 7:00pm in Council Chambers of Grain Valley City Hall. by Marcia Napier, Grain Valley Historical Society Another well-known Missourian, Irma S. Rombauer (1877-1962) was a homemaker from St. Louis, Missouri. She wrote one of the United States' most-published cookbooks, The Joy of Cooking.
Mrs. Rombauer self-published the first three thousand copies in 1931. The cookbook has been in print continuously since 1936 and has sold more than 20 million copies . The bestselling 75th Anniversary edition of the Joy of Cooking—the book Julia Child called “a fundamental resource for any American cook”—restores the voice of the original authors and many of the most beloved recipes from past editions. The latest edition was published in November 2019. It’s graduation season and Valley News offers a great opportunity to celebrate your graduate with an ad in the May 20th print/online edition of Valley News. Celebrate your high school or college graduate with a photo and message to commemorate their accomplishment. Deadline for ad copy is Monday, May 17th. Reserve your ad online at www.grainvalleynews.com.
by John Unrein In a rite of passage, Valorie Holcomb removed her Class of 2021 picture banner from the stadium fence at Moody Murray field. Holcomb joined Grain Valley seniors Sophie Broockerd, Annalyn Earley, Raena Childers, Kierstin Schwirtz, and Kelsey Duett during their final regular season home game in celebrating an 8-0 win against the visiting Raytown Blue Jays on May 11th. Holcomb was one of seven different Lady Eagles to put the ball in net during a convincing Suburban Conference win.
“Our girls did a great job moving the ball up field tonight with unselfish passing. I received a cross pass that I was able to place in goal,” Holcomb said. “We want to keep our energy high as we head towards the postseason. We continue to build team chemistry.” Grain Valley kept Raytown on the defense through both halves of play. An eye popping 35 to 3 shots on goal advantage for the Lady Eagles was proof of their ability to create opportunities. Holcomb was joined by Broockerd, Meghan Knust, Annabelle Totta, Emma Thiessen, Rian Handy, and Lexie Arreguin in scoring a goal. Perhaps the most unique of all shots that added to the scoreboard for Grain Valley was off the foot of Arreguin. The junior defender is not shy about being in the middle of the mix on corner kicks. Arreguin relishes the opportunity to head the ball in net. A unique trick was accomplished by Arreguin this time around though as she lofted the ball with her right foot over the Blue Jay goalie before it struck the crossbar and bounced into the back of the net. The tricky shot came five minutes into the second half of play. “I was not expecting the shot to go in. It is fun to score as a defender. The chance does not come around very often. That makes it that much more awesome,” Arreguin said. “The grind keeps going as the season continues in that we want to find ways to continue to improve. We take it one opponent at a time and know there are technical things in practice that we need to work on.” Lady Eagles varsity soccer assistant coach Brett Lewis is aware that the team is one week away from the Class 3 District 14 Tournament. Lewis was candid about the opportunities for improvement that presented themselves following the win against Raytown. The first of which was for the team to keep their eyes on their matchup against the Truman Patriots on May 13th. “One game at a time is our focus. I thought we got better at finishing in the second half tonight. The first half we shot at the keeper a lot. We will continue to work at finding the corners away from the goalkeeper. Our ability to finish will matter more and more the further we play down the stretch. The final touch (of the soccer ball) with a bit of composure on our end will matter,” Lewis said. “Our style of play will not change. We will continue to play through our middle three while finding our outside forwards in behind the back line. Being more polished with our touch and making movement off the ball more crisp will only help us. It is just a matter of fine tuning.” Grain Valley improves to a record 16-2-1 on the season. Sophomore goalkeeper Camihle Williams is credited for the shutout against Raytown. The Lady Eagles remain undefeated in the White Division of the Greater Kansas City Suburban Conference. After clinching its first conference title, the Grain Valley High School boys golf team is sending two golfers to the state championships.
Sophomore Owen Herbert tied for 10th place in the District tournament in Smithville, and freshman Charlie Aldred tied for 13th to qualify for State. The pair will head to Joplin for the State Championships next week. by Marcia Napier, Grain Valley Historical Society Last week I shared a photograph of what I believed to be the first football team at Grain Valley High School. So this week, I want to give equal time to girls sports.
Again, I wish I knew more about this team. While I’m sure this was not the first girls’ basketball team, I think it was one of the early teams. Aunt Opal (Rumbo) graduated in 1925, and she told me there was not sports for girls when she was in school. My mother told me she played basketball all during high school, 1928-1932. According to a January 1932 newspaper the conference teams were different for the girls and boys. Grandview and Ruskin were apparently in the boys’ conference while Lee’s Summit and Raytown were in the girls’ conference standing. I suspect that may have depended upon which schools had girls’ basketball. We can only assume that the statistics being reported after two games. The players are (Left to Right) Betty Jane Bartlett, Isabelle Napier (my aunt), Imogene Sebolt, Edna Rowe, Evelyn Bush, Artis Phillips, Margaret Ann Hutchings., Mildred Rumbo (my mother), Mary Chiddix and Merle Houston. Seated: Paul Farley, also the superintendent, and Luella Linewebber. And on a personal note, while Mary Chiddix appears to be the “star player,” my mother did have one basket. On the other hand, I could not help but notice that my 5’8” dad was the top scorer on the boys’ team. Way to go, Dad! May is National Physical Fitness and Sports Month and your Hy-Vee dietitians are here to support your active lifestyle with one-on-one nutrition coaching, group nutrition tours, and our top foods, products and fueling solutions to get the most out of your exercise routine. Why is consistent exercise so important?
Top five reasons to increase your physical activity: It can improve your mood. Regular activity has been shown to make you feel happier and decrease feelings of depression, anxiety and stress. Research has shown that exercise produces changes in areas of the brain that regulate stress and anxiety while also making the brain more sensitive to “feel good” hormones like serotonin and norepinephrine.1 It helps build and maintain lean muscles. Resistance training stimulates muscle building, especially when paired with adequate protein intake. This signals the body to grow lean muscle and reduce muscle breakdown. As we age, we tend to lose lean muscle mass and function, which can lead to injuries and disability. That is where some form of resistance training is essential to reduce muscle loss and maintain strength as you age.1 It is crucial for bone health. Exercise helps build up our bone density and helps prevent osteoporosis across the lifespan.2 It helps with relaxation and sleep quality. Regular physical activity, whether it is aerobic or resistance training, can help you sleep better and feel more energized during the day. In addition, the energy depletion that occurs during exercise stimulates recuperative and repair processes during sleep.1 It reduces your risk for chronic disease. Regular activity supports cardiovascular health, body composition, insulin sensitivity, blood pressure levels and cholesterol levels leading to an overall lower risk of leading causes of death like heart disease and diabetes.1 Celebrate National Physical Fitness and Sports Month at Hy-Vee Learn performance nutrition tips like this and more by enrolling in the “Move More” monthly challenge. Hy-Vee has sports performance dietitians available to support athletes and active individuals with our virtual nutrition services, whether it is working one on one with an expert or joining a group nutrition store tour throughout the month of May. Visit www.hy-vee.com/health/hy-vee-dietitians for more information and to enroll in our May events: Food and Fitness Nutrition Tours: Developing healthy habits in and out of the gym is the key to success! Join our Hy-Vee registered dietitians on this virtual tour with their shopping tips and product recommendations to support your active lifestyle. Sports Performance Nutrition Tour: Take your game to the next level from the grocery aisles. Whether you are a workout warrior or an athlete, our Hy-Vee sports dietitians will have their top tips, foods and products to support athletic performance. Go for Gable Gold with your Hy-Vee Sports Dietitians: Join our Hy-Vee sports dietitians and Iowa wrestling legend Coach Dan Gable for a virtual Q&A session. Learn more about performance nutrition and how to take your game to the next level with a coaching legend every Thursday at 4 p.m. The information is not intended as medical advice. Please consult a medical professional for individual advice. 1 R M, N S, JL B. [Physical activity and public health: recommendations for exercise prescription]. PubMed. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22713198/. Published 2021. Accessed April 1, 2021. 2 MS Z, AM S, ZS A, SA M, SA N, I N. Influence of Adolescents' Physical Activity on Bone Mineral Acquisition: A Systematic Review Article. PubMed. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28053920/. Published 2021. Accessed April 1, 2021. by Bill Graham, Missouri Department of Conservation The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) and the Missouri Prairie Foundation (MPF) will host a native plant sale from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 15, at the Anita B. Gorman Discovery Center in Kansas City. Visitors can peruse the plants that vendors bring, but they can also pre-order online or by phone from participating vendors and pick them up at the event.
Native wildflowers and grasses offer lovely blooms, colors, and textures in landscape garden plantings. Many will benefit from some tender care in the days after planting, such as watering and removing weed competition. Kansas City’s up and down weather can stress new plantings. But once established with deep roots systems, natives can often survive weather variances better than non-natives. Using a variety of plants can extend blooms in the garden from spring into autumn. Another benefit from native plants, shrubs, and trees is that they benefit songbirds, butterflies, and other urban wildlife. Many non-natives do not host insects that are vital food for songbirds during spring nesting season. They also are not host plants for butterfly and moth larvae. At the May 15 event, visitors can talk with MDC staff, MPF volunteers, and vendors about natives. Knowing what plants work best in soil and sunlight types can make a big difference in growing success. COVID-19 safety protocols such as physical distancing and face masks will be followed. The participating vendors and their contact information for preordering: GALLENA'S GARDEN: View the plant list here and email your order to gaylenasgarden@gmail.com(link sends e-mail) by Thursday, May 13. After ordering, they will send an invoice for the purchase. OZARK SOUL: Order via email or phone by noon on Friday, May 14: natives@ozarksoul.com(link sends e-mail); 816-809-4062, Please visit https://www.ozarksoul.com/availability.php for a current availability list. In your email or voicemail, please include your phone number and note the date and location. After your order has been placed, Ozark Soul will email you to give you the payment details. MISSOURI WILDFLOWERS NURSERY: Order by calling 573-496-3492, by email at mowldflrs@socket.net(link sends e-mail), or online here by Wednesday, May 12: https://mowildflowers.net/ ALLENDAN SEED COMPANY: Please email allendan@allendanseed.com(link sends e-mail) to request current prices and available mixes. https://www.allendanseed.com/. COLONIAL GARDENS: More information coming soon. Visit https://colonialgardenskc.com/. CITY ROOTS, LLC: Order online by Thursday, May 13: https://www.cityrootsnursery.com/plants-for-sale. GREEN THUMB GARDENS: Order and pay online by Thursday, May 13: https://store.dtekc.com/. To learn more about the Missouri Prairie Foundation, visit Home - Missouri Prairie Foundation (moprairie.org). For information about using native plants in landscaping, visit https://short.mdc.mo.gov/Zc8. |
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