Community Services League and United Way of Greater Kansas City are assisting the Jackson County government in implementing their Emergency Rent Assistance program, which assists households in Jackson County. Funding for the program was made possible through COVID-19 pandemic relief passed in December 2020.
     The fund can assist with past due rent and utilities going back to April 1, 2020.
     This fund cannot assist with mortgage payments or cable/internet bills. Households in a rent-to-own contract are considered in a mortgage, and are unable to receive assistance through this fund.  Applicants are welcome to apply for both rental and utility assistance or just utility assistance if rent is not past due.
    Applicants need to Identify one head of household to be the “Primary Applicant.” The Primary Applicant needs to have an identification to upload into the application. Many types of identification are allowed, including: any State-issued driver license, State-issued ID, military, US or foreign passport, US or foreign birth certificate, US permanent resident, Tribal card, college/university, corporation, Social Security card, work permit, ITIN, Matricula Consular, voter card, or student visa. If an applicant can’t produce one of those types of identification, then a utility bill and a lease that have the same person’s name on them is acceptable.
     Any adult (18+) that is currently employed will need to upload 60 day’s worth of paystubs. If an adult works, but does not receive a paystub (i.e. self-employed or contract worker) then that person can upload a self-declaration of income. If the adult has filed their 2020 federal taxes, then they can simply upload their 1040 or 1040EZ, and do not have to upload any paystubs or other income documentation.
     The applicant will need to upload their signed lease agreement with their landlord. The applicant will also need to upload an invoice from the landlord showing the amount of past due rent. Additionally, the applicant will need to upload an IRS Form W-9 for their landlord.
     Applicants requesting utility assistance will need to upload an invoice from any utility (electric, water, sewer, gas/propane, trash) showing the amount past due.
     Visit the Jackson County ERAP website,
https://www.jacksoncountyerap.org/home,  to learn more about this fund.
 

     Coming out of Grain Valley High School in 2020, Max Chapman had a lot of promise.
     He was ranked the third best left-handed pitcher in Missouri and the 42nd best prospect in the state according to perfectgame.org. At the time, the lefty was committed to Wichita State, one of the top NCAA Division I programs in the Midwest.
     However, when Chapman didn’t feel like he was going to get enough playing time with the Shockers, he elected to play for Johnson County Community College (JCCC), and it turned out to be a great decision for the soon-to-be college sophomore.
     During his freshman season, he made 13 appearances and started seven games for the Cavaliers and finished with a 4-2 record, a save, a 2.73 earned-run average and a team-high 72 strikeouts in 52 2/3 innings pitched, helping Johnson County break the school record for wins in a season with 43.
     “It’s a program I have been really familiar with. My dad went there,” Chapman said. “When I made the decision to transfer to Johnson County from Wichita State, I was comfortable with the decision.”
     His season was good enough to earn First-Team All-Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference East Division and Second-Team All-Region VI honors.
     In the Ban Johnson summer league, with the Building Champions team, Chapman has been just as good. Before Monday’s game against the Milgram Mustangs, had a 1.50 ERA and 13 strikeouts in 12 innings.
     “He was one of the league leaders in several categories,” Building Champions manager Jim Hernandez said. “He’s been pitching extremely well for us.
     “He has a bunch of different pitches that he can throw for strikes and he keeps the ball down extremely well. That makes him very effective. He is one of the main guys we go to for pitching.”
     Playing in Ban Johnson has allowed Chapman to catch up with former teammates as six others who graduated from Grain Valley play in the league.
     “It’s great to see old faces that I have not seen in awhile,” Chapman said. “It gets a little more competitive out there when you face one of your friends. You compete for bragging rights. It was fun playing against Mason (Rogers) today.”
     Currently. Chapman primarily uses a fastball-curveball combination but he’s been working on adding a changeup to his repertoire.
     “The curveball is my best pitch,” Chapman said. “I get a lot of strikeouts on that. The fastball was good this season also. Hopefully next year I can have a full three-pitch arsenal.
     “I am working on stride length and trying to stay level to be more athletic on the mound.”
     Chapman has one more year left to play for the Cavaliers before possibly transferring and extending his playing career. The sophomore said he hopes to land with a Division I team again and get a similar amount of playing time that he received with Johnson County.
     “Being at the Division I level before, I obviously want to get back there,” Chapman said. “But I really want to find some place that’s going to get me the best opportunity.”
 

​     Fans of the Grain Valley varsity baseball team had an exciting season to watch in 2021 after it went to the Class 5 state championship game and finished in second place.
     With some seniors graduating, there will be some new faces entering the fold in 2022. One of those could be Bryce Smith, who will be entering his senior year this fall at Grain Valley High School.
     Smith played for the junior varsity squad last spring and was exclusively a pitcher. During that season, he only had one at bat. This summer, with the Oak Grove Post 379 American Legion team, he’s having a breakout season as a hitter.
     Smith has a .375 batting average, a .979 on-base-plus-slugging percentage, 16 runs and 15 RBIs in 16 games played. On the mound, Smith has a 4.61 earned-run average, 1.97 walks and hits per inning pitched, 22 walks and 22 strikeouts in 27 1/3 innings pitched.
     He’s shown his versatility by playing second base and pitching. He could be a valuable asset for the Eagles next season as he aims to make the varsity squad.
     “I definitely want to make that team and help them as much as I can at any position and pitching especially,” Smith said.
     Post 379 manager Jeff Wright said he thinks Smith has what it takes to make the Grain Valley varsity squad.
     “I will be happy if the Grain Valley coaches give him a chance to play,” Wright said. “I know Grain Valley has a lot of talent and opportunities are few and far between with the numbers they have. He has the ability to warrant a spot on the roster.”
     While he’s been primarily a pitcher for Grain Valley, Smith said he could see himself getting more at bats for them in 2022.
     “Not hitting this past year really motivated me to go out and really hit the ball this summer,” Smith said. “Last year I really struggled, so this year I worked on a lot of things. I changed a lot.”
     And his bat has been a big reason Post 379 is one of the top teams in the American Legion Zone 2 division and has a winning record at 17-8-1.
     “He’s definitely provided a solid bat and has been a consistent run producer for us,” Wright said. “It’s pretty impressive considering he only had one at bat in high school.”
     His pitching will be key for the rest of Post 379’s season, as well. A lot of his success depends on how well he locates and throws his off-speed pitches.
     “If I am not feeling my changeup or curveball really well, then I have to use my fastball a lot,” Smith said. “That’s when people start to make contact because they can read that. Sometimes when all my pitches are on fire, that’s when I can strike out a lot of people.”
     However, Wright and the rest of the Oak Grove squad hope Smith can get healthy in time for the Zone 2 Tournament next week. During last week’s annual Wood Bat Invitational, Smith suffered a hip injury.
     “It’s been going on for a month and it was so minor that I didn’t really think about it,” Smith said. “I just injured it in the Wood Bat Tournament really badly. I just hope I can play in the Zone 2 Tournament.”
     Added Wright: “If everything works out right, I am hoping to get him back next week. It makes it hurt that he’s not playing right now. He’s an important part of this team.”
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

     Last week I had the pleasure to speak to a group of people about the needs of supplements for people over 50 years of age; it included specific supplements for people taking certain classes of medications and the vitamins essential for that age group. 
     In that spirit I will discuss with you the vitamins/minerals that are essential to those people (daily amounts based on a person with normal body functions):
 
Vitamin D
     Without this vitamin, the body is not able to efficiently absorb Calcium; so this vitamin is essential for the maintenance of bone density and health.  Vitamin D may also help reduce the risk of heart disease, inflammation, and diabetes.  You can get this from fatty fish, fish liver oils, fruit juice, dark green leafy vegetables, egg yolks, fortified dairy, and fortified cereals.
     The other way to get Vitamin D is through sunlight on the skin.  The amount received is dependent upon the strength of the sunlight, the use of sunscreen, the amount of time in the sun, and the degree of pigmentation of the skin.  As we are spending more time in inside instead of outside the need for supplements has increased.
     The daily recommended amount of Vitamin D if you are age 51–70, is at least 15 mcg (600 IU) each day, but not more than 100 mcg (4,000 IU). If you are over age 70, you need at least 20 mcg (800 IU), but not more than 100 mcg (4,000 IU).
 
Calcium
     As stated above, this mineral is essential for the maintenance of bone density and health.  Something to keep in mind, it is much, much, much easier to maintain good bone density than to try to repair bone loss (actually it is almost impossible to repair bone loss).  
     You can get calcium from milk and other dairy, some forms of tofu, dark-green leafy vegetables, soybeans, canned sardines and salmon with bones, and calcium-fortified foods
     The daily recommended amount of Calcium for men 51-70 is 1,000 mg and for men over 71, it is 1,200 mg per day.  For women, no matter the age, is 1,200 mg per day. 
     One other thing, if you are being treated at all for bone weakness/low bone density/osteoporosis and not taking a Calcium and Vitamin D supplement, you are wasting your time/effort/money. 
     Your current intake of Calcium got you to this state of poor bone density, only an increase in Calcium absorption will allow the other changes to take affect.
 
Vitamin B12
     This Vitamin keeps the body’s nerve and blood cells health which can help with anemia, Alzheimer’s, macular degeneration, etc.  You can get this vitamin from meat, fish, poultry, milk, and fortified breakfast cereals
The daily recommended amount of Vitamin B12 is 2.4 mcg for both men and women

Vitamin B6
    Vitamin B6 aids in the production of neurotransmitters.  These help brain and nerve cells transmit to each other with key benefits to metabolism, immunity, memory loss, arthritis, and diabetes.  Vitamin B6 is found in a wide variety of foods including: fish, beef liver, starchy vegetables, and fruit (other than citrus).
The daily recommended amount of Vitamin B6 for men is 1.7 mg.  For women 1.5 mg per day. 
 
Vitamin B9
     Studies have shown the Vitamin to slow or prevent memory loss, helps convert carbohydrates in energy, protect skin from premature aging, and increase red blood cell production.  Vitamin B9 can be found in vegetables and fruit, such as broccoli, brussel sprouts, spinach, and oranges. It can also be found in nuts, beans, and peas.
     The daily recommended amount of Vitamin B9 is 400 mcg DFE (400 mcg as food, 667 mcg as supplement with food, 800 mcg as supplement without food)
Almost all these essential elemental needs can be met with a good daily vitamin taken every day. 
     Please remember each person is different and the required dosing to maintain efficient body function may differ from what is written in this article and to consult with your care provider when you are going to start/stop/change any prescribed medication or over the counter supplement.
     Please feel free to reach out to us at [email protected], or your care provider, with any questions about this article.  Let me know if you would like me to write about a topic of your interest.
 

​     When someone with a connection to Grain Valley moves, we (the Historical Society) get “stuff.” Sad to say, when someone dies, we get stuff.  Within the past month we had gotten lots of stuff.  Some of the items we have received have come from old Grain Valley families; names that will be familiar to some of you.
     Names like Gibler, Williams, Herrington, Sebolt, Stephenson, Baumgardner and Doty. The individuals that go with these names include teachers, college athletes, Hall of Fame coaches, successful farmers and business owners, postmen and policemen, a couple of city mayors  and a veterinarian to name a few.  I look forward to sharing some of their  photos and memorabilia with you.
     The first photo I chose is from Kathy Doty, great, great granddaughter of the lady in the center of this photograph. Her name is Minnie Louisa Zohn Sebolt. She was born in Wurttemberg, Germany in 1837 and emigrated to the United States on April 13, 1860. 
     On March 3, 1861 she married Frederick Sebolt in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  When their son Frederick was born in 1868, they were living in Lee’s Summit, Missouri. Their last four children were born in Independence, MO.
     Eight of their ten children survived infancy and seven are in the photograph. Frederick Sebolt, Minnie Sebolt (seated) and Charlie Sebolt are in the front. The second row (left to right) includes Annie Sebolt Stephenson, Christian Sebolt, Bertha Sebolt Hamilton, Luke Sebolt, and Minnie Sebolt Stephenson. Absent from the photograph was another daughter, Julia Sebolt Hawkins.
 
     Charles Sebolt was the father of Hubert Sebolt, a veterinarian in Buckner, Missouri from 1957 to 1993. After his father’s death, when Hubert was about 6 years old, he was raised by his Uncle Luke Sebolt and his wife. Luke’s daughter, Imogene, was the postmaster in Bates City, Missouri through much of the 1950s and 1960s.
     Annie Sebolt Stephenson was the grandmother of Les and Loyd Stephenson, the twin brothers who grew the family apple orchard on Lee’s Summit Road into Stephenson’s Apple Farm Restaurant from 1946 until 2007.  Annie and Minnie Sebolt married brothers.
     Minnie and her husband, Charles Franklin Stephenson located on the family farm, south of Grain Valley on Nebgen Road. I have written several articles about this family which includes Ona Bumgardner, the young teacher that put Oak Hill School on the map.
     Ona’s daughter. Erma Doty, wrote the often copied and quoted “History of Stony Point,” and was a beloved teacher at Grain Valley High School. Minnie and Charles had children, grandchildren and even great grandchildren that have made a contribution to our community.
     Thank you, Kathy Doty for sharing this old family photo.
 
Visit the Grain Valley Historical Society during its Missouri Centennial Celebration through August 15th. The museum, located at 506 Main, will be open Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday from 10:00am—4:00pm, and Sunday from 1:00pm—4:00pm.  For more information on the Grain Valley Historical Society, visit www.grainvalleyhistory.com.
 

     Registration for Grain Valley Parks and Recreation’s Fall 2021 Youth Baseball/Softball youth leagues is now open.
     Information and links to register can be found on the Parks and Recreation section of the City’s website,
www.city ofgrainvalley.org.
     Leagues include boys and girls T-Ball for ages 5-6, machine pitch for boys and coach’s pitch for girls 7-8, and boys and girls 10U, 12U, and Boys 14U leagues.
     Youth Football, Basketball, and Cheerleading are administered through the Grain Valley Sports League. Visit https://clubs.bluesombrero.com/gvsl  for information.
     Call the Community Center at 816-847-6230 with any additional questions.
 

​     Mexico, Missouri claims the title of “Saddle Horse Capital of World” And they have a museum to prove their claim. Much of their exhibit is dedicated to Tom Bass. His mother was a slave and his father a white Boone County plantation owner known for his fine horses.
     By the year 1862 William Bass, Tom's father, was taking his three-year-old son for rides across his vast plantation. 
     As an 18-year-old Bass moved to Mexico to become an apprentice of Joseph Potts, an influential horseman and owner of the Mexico Horse Sales Company. In 1892, Bass and his wife moved to Kansas City, Missouri to open a livery stable and eventually helped start the American Royal Horse Show. Tom Bass was the first African-American to exhibit a horse at the American Royal.
     I've been to the museum. It's worth your time if you like horses (or history).
 

​     Valley Speedway will host some of the fastest Midget race car teams in the country at Thunder in the Valley Powri national Midget show Friday, July 16th and Saturday, July 17th. The event will also feature top non wing Powri WAR series sprint cars and SMVR Vintage car series.
Event Classes
Valley non wing Sprint car: POWRi WAR Sprints
Valley Powri Midgets: POWRi National Midgets with POWRi West Midgets, POWRi
SMVR
     Adults are $20 Kids 6 to 12 are $10 Free for 5 and under. Tickets can be purchased online at www.valleyspeedway.com or at the gate day of the event. Gates open at 5:30 hot laps start at 6:30. Valley Speedway is located at 348 E Old US Highway 40.
 
 
Results from July 3rd Points Race Night:
Dirt DemonsA Feature 1 (15 Laps): 1. 121-Eric Schmidt[2]; 2. 15-Roman Stump[3]; 3. 13JR-Nick Dangerfield[1]; 4. 117-Levi Cox[4]
Heat 1 (6 Laps): 1. 13JR-Nick Dangerfield[2]; 2. 121-Eric Schmidt[3]; 3. 15-Roman Stump[4]; 4. 117-Levi Cox[1]
E ModsA Feature 1 (20 Laps): 1. 21K-Coleman Browning[2]; 2. 33-Jeremy Curless[3]; 3. 86-Doug Brisbin[5]; 4. 1M-Mike Ryun[1]; 5. 22-Dustin Dillon[6]; 6. 65-Jason Smith[7]; 7. 75-Rayce Martin[4]
Heat 1 (6 Laps): 1. 1M-Mike Ryun[5]; 2. 21K-Coleman Browning[2]; 3. 33-Jeremy Curless[4]; 4. 75-Rayce Martin[3]; 5. 86-Doug Brisbin[6]; 6. 65-Jason Smith[1]; 7. 22-Dustin Dillon[7]
IMCA Northern SportModA Feature 1 (25 Laps): 1. T25-Tim Stallbaumer[7]; 2. 81-Austin Charles[9]; 3. 93SS-Chad Shaw[10]; 4. 81JR-Dan Charles[6]; 5. 33-Jeremy Curless[5]; 6. 41D-RJ Dishong[3]; 7. 13M-Kraig Maple[1]; 8. 29-Stanley Boose[2]; 9. (DNF) 66X-Chris Wright[8]; 10. (DNF) 73-Bobby Grove[11]; 11. (DNF) 02-Donald Johnston[4]
Heat 1 (8 Laps): 1. 81JR-Dan Charles[3]; 2. 93SS-Chad Shaw[5]; 3. 66X-Chris Wright[4]; 4. 29-Stanley Boose[1]; 5. 02-Donald Johnston[2]; 6. 73-Bobby Grove[6]
Heat 2 (8 Laps): 1. 81-Austin Charles[4]; 2. T25-Tim Stallbaumer[3]; 3. 13M-Kraig Maple[5]; 4. 33-Jeremy Curless[2]; 5. 41D-RJ Dishong[1]
IMCA Stars Mod LitesA Feature 1 (20 Laps): 1. 46-Dillon Raffurty[8]; 2. 64-David Raffurty[5]; 3. 4K-Garrett Stonum[2]; 4. 75-Justin Raffurty[6]; 5. 3XL-Josh Guy[1]; 6. 52-Clayton Hogie[10]; 7. 3-Nathan Wolfe[4]; 8. 41-Michael Raffurty[7]; 9. 33-Marlin Hogie[9]; 10. 414-John Spitler[12]; 11. (DNF) 34-Tyler Furrell[3]; 12. (DNF) 84-Joe Gunn[11]; 13. (DNF) X-Dayton Kelley[13]
Heat 1 (8 Laps): 1. 46-Dillon Raffurty[5]; 2. 3-Nathan Wolfe[3]; 3. 4K-Garrett Stonum[2]; 4. 75-Justin Raffurty[4]; 5. 52-Clayton Hogie[6]; 6. 84-Joe Gunn[1]; 7. X-Dayton Kelley[7]
Heat 2 (8 Laps): 1. 64-David Raffurty[3]; 2. 34-Tyler Furrell[2]; 3. 3XL-Josh Guy[1]; 4. 41-Michael Raffurty[4]; 5. 33-Marlin Hogie[5]; 6. 414-John Spitler[6]
IMCA Stock CarA Feature 1 (20 Laps): 1. 46-JJ Baumli[6]; 2. X9-Brad Whitney[1]; 3. 211-Dale Eaton[3]; 4. 99-Brian Labonte[2]; 5. 94J-Josh Steele[5]; 6. 91-Brad labonte[4]
Heat 1 (8 Laps): 1. X9-Brad Whitney[1]; 2. 211-Dale Eaton[3]; 3. 91-Brad labonte[4]; 4. 99-Brian Labonte[2]; 5. 94J-Josh Steele[5]; 6. 46-JJ Baumli[6]
 

​    America’s most popular home garden plant happens to be my favorite (and most successful crop) as well. It doesn’t matter if it is fresh from the garden or prepared into a favorite sauce or salsa, the versatility of the tomato makes it easy to understand why it is America’s favorite.
     Tomatoes belong to the Solanaceae family, more commonly known as the nightshade family. Other members of the Solanaceae family include peppers, potatoes, tomatillos, eggplant, and even tobacco. For centuries, the association with the nightshade family coupled with the strong scent given off by the plant, led to the myth that tomatoes were truly poisonous.
     Long before it was considered fit to eat, it was grown only as an ornamental garden plant, sometimes called "love apple."
     Tomatoes are native to the Andes of Peru, where they first grew in the wild as a bright red, marble-sized, cherry-type tomato. Gradually, they would spread throughout South America and north into Central America but then the trail goes cold until Christopher Columbus’ travels to and from the ‘new world’, which would eventually land the fruit in Spain in the mid-16th century. 
     Over the next several decades, different cultivars spread through Spain, France and Italy and became a widely accepted food in the Mediterranean region. As the tomato varieties spread north and east through Europe, they were not as widely accepted among the English and German and were thought to be poisonous.
     As the colonies established in the United States, the tomato became less feared. One of the earliest notable growers of tomatoes was none other than Thomas Jefferson, a remarkably progressive Virginia farmer as well as a statesman, who grew them in the late 1780’s. By the early 1800’s, tomatoes had become a common enhancement in the Creole gumbos and jambalayas of Southern cooking. By 1850, the tomato had made its way into most American urban markets and today is grown world-wide, where the temperate seasons allow. California, Florida, and Georgia lead tomato production in the US.
     Tomatoes are rich in vitamin C, potassium, magnesium, and fiber. They are also one of the richest sources of lycopene, a phytonutrient that shows great promise in cancer prevention. It’s worth noting that the amount of lycopene increases when tomatoes are cooked, as in a sauce. Regardless of that fact, salsa is still my favorite way to enjoy tomatoes.
     This Greek salsa recipe is a twist on the southwest favorite and gives a nod to the Mediterranean region who first accepted tomatoes.
     Denise Sullivan is a Nutrition and Health Education Specialist for MU Extension in the Urban West Region, serving Jackson and Platte Counties. For research-based nutrition and food safety information and programs, visit https://extension.missouri.edu/counties/urban-west-region
 

     2021 Grain Valley High School graduate Raena Childers was named to the 2021 United Soccer Coaches spring girls high school all-central region team. Childers is the first GVHS student to be honored at this level.

​     Vacations are an exciting, happy time for you to get away and tune out the everyday worries of your day-to-day work and home routine. 
     Before you head out for a day trip, stateside vacation, or international vacation, you need to take some steps to prevent your personal information from being stolen.
     There are things you need to be cautious about, including who you book your vacation with, how you use your tech devices, and what you share on your social media accounts. If you're looking for ways to avoid having your information stolen while vacationing, check out these quick and easy tips to help keep your personal data safe.

1. Book your vacation from secure websites. 
     Most of you probably know this, but it's always good to reminder to remember to make sure you go directly to the official website of the company you're making reservations from rather than a link. Before you enter in any personal data, make sure the website has "HTTPS" in the URL or address bar of your browser.  If you can, stick with the following websites:
     hotwire.com
     cheaptickets.com
     Expedia.com
     Kayak.com
     Airbnb.com
     Priceline.com
     Also, consider working directly with a travel agent to make sure your data is kept safe and secure.  With an agent, you don't have to worry about if your data will get compromised on a website.

2. Make sure you have passwords or PIN numbers on all of the tech you carry with you.
    Mobile tech items like smartphones, tablets, and laptops are high theft items, and you don’t want your data to wind up in the wrong hands.
    When picking a PIN or a password, use a strong one that will have the most skilled cybercriminal scratching their head. I know I don't have to tell you never to leave your devices unattended ... right?

3. Keep an eye on those financial accounts while you're traveling. 
     You know you're on your phone when you first workup, so rather than hopping on social media or email first, log into your financial accounts to keep an eye on suspicious activity. If you catch fraudulent transactions quickly, the easier it will be to recoup your money if something bad happens.

4.  Never use public computers.
     My advice is to just avoid them like the plague because you never know what information it may collect, but if you must use one, always make sure you’ve logged out of your accounts before leaving. This rule applies to both major hotel chains and Air-B&Bs.
 5. Avoid connecting to free public Wi-Fi whenever possible.
    If you’re traveling abroad, keep in mind some countries may not have the same regulations on public Wi-Fi as we do in the US.  If you have to connect to Wi-Fi, using the ones offered at most major hotel chains is your safest bet.
     If you're staying at a privately owned establishment, don't risk it.  If you absolutely, positivity have to use that free public Wi-Fi, use a VPN (Virtual Private Network) on your computer or smart device to keep cybercriminals from intercepting your personal data.

6. Turn off Bluetooth on your devices ... and your Wi-Fi Hot Spot too. 
    Bluetooth headphones and other devices are great to use, but you want to turn off your Bluetooth and your Wi-Fi as criminals can use these connections to access your devices without your knowledge.

7. Put Your Devices in the hotel safe if you don't take them. 
     It's worth the price of using the hotel room safe to store your smart devices if you decide not to take them with you. Things you should consider putting the safe are things like laptops, USB drives, external hard drives, or and portable technology. Never leave these things lying around your hotel room and don't think housekeeping won't check out your drawers to see what goodies you have lying around.


    It's not like you need one more thing to worry about on vacation, but you should take a few moments to take steps to protect your personal information while on vacation.  If you follow the above steps for all of your gadgets before you leave can help you enjoy your vacation with peace of mind.

Want to ask me a tech question? Send it to [email protected]. I love technology. I've read all of the manuals and I'm serious about making technology fun and easy to use for everyone.

Need computer or technology help? If you need on-site or remote tech support for your Windows\Macintosh, computers, laptops, Android/Apple smartphone, tablets, printers, routers, smart home devices, and anything that connects to the Internet, please feel free to contact my team at Integral. Our team of friendly tech experts organization can help you with any IT needs you might have.  Reach out to us a www.callintegralnow.com or phone at 888.256.0829.
 

     The Grain Valley Partnership recently welcomed the following new partners:

     Nelson Brothers Construction  
     Kansas City Cannabis
     WPL Mortgage Solutions
     Country Oak Village
     Rising Construction Services
     Matthew Gass Law
     No Borders Real Estate
​
     For more information on the Grain Valley Partnership and its business partners, visit www.growgrainvalley.org.

     With the initial wave of COVID-19-related layoffs now more than a year in the past, the six-figure over-the-year job losses that had characterized the Missouri labor market for the last nine months of 2020 and the first three months of 2021 were replaced with an increase of more than 130,000 jobs from June 2020 to June 2021. Missouri non-farm payroll employment increased from May 2021 to June 2021, but the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate also increased by a tenth of a percentage point.
     Employment, seasonally adjusted, increased by 4,200 jobs over the month, with job gains in both goods-producing and service-providing industries.
    The state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 4.3 percent in June 2021, up from 4.2 percent in May 2021. Short-term shortages of semiconductor chips may hold down employment in manufacturing in the next few months.
     Missouri’s smoothed seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased by a tenth of a percentage point in June 2021, rising to 4.3 percent from the May 2021 rate of 4.2 percent. With the start of the COVID-19 pandemic now more than a year in the past, the June 2021 rate was 3.8 percentage points lower than the June 2020 rate. The rate had reached a low of 3.1 percent starting in July 2018, before gradually edging up to 3.5 percent by the end of 2019, and then to 3.7 percent in March 2020. The COVID-19 effect hit in April 2020, spiking the rate to 12.5 percent for that month.
     The rate decreased monthly for the rest of 2020, reaching 4.4 percent in December, and continued gradually downward through the first four months of 2021. The increase of two-tenths of a percentage point over the last two months appears to be related to a temporary shortage in the supply of semiconductor chips, which caused production slowdowns in some manufacturing industries. 
     Due to benchmark revisions, Missouri’s unemployment rate rose a tenth of a percentage point higher than the national rate in January and February of 2020, but has been below the national rate for every month since February 2020. The national unemployment rate increased from 5.8 percent in May 2021 to 5.9 percent in June 2021. The estimated number of unemployed Missourians was 133,380 in June 2021, up by 4,343 from May’s 129,037.
     The state’s not-seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate also increased in June 2021, rising by four-tenths of a percentage point to 5.1 percent from the May 2021 not-seasonally-adjusted rate of 4.7 percent. The shortage of semiconductor chips was a factor in the increase. The corresponding not-seasonally-adjusted national rate for June 2021 was 6.1 percent.   
     A year ago, the state’s seasonally adjusted rate was 8.1 percent, and the not-adjusted rate was also 8.1 percent.
     Missouri’s seasonally adjusted nonfarm payroll employment was 2,823,400 in June 2021, up by 4,200 from the revised May 2021 figure. However, the May 2021 total was revised upward by 1,200 from the preliminary estimate, producing a revised increase of 7,200 jobs from April 2021 to May 2021 and a revised increase of 196,100 jobs from May 2020 to May 2021.     
     Goods-producing industries gained 200 jobs over the month, in construction and manufacturing, with gains in non-durable goods and electronics manufacturing. These gains were enough to offset an employment loss in motor vehicle manufacturing, which was hampered by a shortage of semiconductor chips for on-board computers.  
     Meanwhile, service-providing industries gained 4,000 jobs between May and June 2021, with increases in professional & business services (+2,700 jobs) and leisure & hospitality (+1,600 jobs) at least partially attributable to the easing of COVID-19 restrictions. However, not every major industry group shared in the increase, with educational and health service losing 900 jobs over the month. Government employment showed an increase of 1,600 jobs over the month. 
     Total payroll employment increased by 133,800 jobs from June 2020 to June 2021, reflecting the recovery from the job cuts brought on by the initial wave of COVID-19 restrictions. All but one of the major private-sector industry groups shared in the increases, with the largest gain in leisure & hospitality (+48,400 jobs), followed by educational & health services (+22,300 jobs), professional and business services (+21,500 jobs), and trade, transportation & utilities (+12,900 jobs).
     The sole private-sector exception was financial activities, which lost 3,400 jobs. Government employment also increased over the year, with a gain of 18,100 jobs concentrated in state and local government. 
 

     On July 12th, the Jackson County Legislature approved the purchase of a property to be the site of a new Jackson County Detention Center. Budgeted funds of $7,050,000 will be used to acquire the property located at 7000 E. U.S. 40 Highway.
     The site location meets all of the criteria established by the County’s consultant, JCDC Partners, LLC of Kansas City Missouri, including:
     At least 50 acres;
     Travel time distance of 20-30 minutes from both county courthouses and Truman Medical Centers;
     Ease of highway or arterial access and other forms of transportation including the bus line and transit opportunities;
    Surrounding area deemed safe and visible;
    Efficient and cost-effective facility operations;
     “Before today, we couldn’t directly contact the residents of the community,” Jackson County Executive Frank White, Jr. said. 
     “But now that we have completed this step, it allows us to reach out immediately to discuss our plans to take care of them appropriately, fairly and respectfully, which is my top priority. The County will be meeting and communicating directly with the residents in the coming days.”
     The County has allocated $240,000 in relocation costs and will, in addition, give $5,000 to residents in support of other associated expenses.
     County Executive White has tasked County Administrator Troy Schulte with overseeing the relocation efforts, as well as engaging the site location’s residents and broader community. The relocation will be managed by an individual third-party to ensure a fair process. Further details of the plan will be presented to the Legislature for approval within the next 30 days.
     “It’s exciting to have a path forward for a new Jackson County Detention Center,” said Jackson County Legislative Chairman Dan Tarwater, III, who represents the 4th District. “We are equally committed to treating the site’s residents fairly and equitably by taking care of their moving expenses.”
     Resolution 20721 authorized the County to purchase the site located at 7000 E. U.S. 40 Highway, which is approximately 107 acres, for approximately $7 million. For more information about the detention center project, visit www.jcdetentioncenter.com.
 

​The following information is derived from the Grain Valley Police Department daily calls for service log for the week of June 30—July 6, 2021.