​     A viral video trend on the social media app TikTok has made its way to the metro area, and this trend has nothing to do with a catchy dance or goofy prank. Tens of thousands of videos have been posted in recent weeks with hashtags such as #deviouslicks and #diabolicallicks, showing serious acts of vandalism to school and park restrooms, teachers’ desks, school lockers, and other school facilities.
     Metro area districts have experienced similar acts of vandalism and are taking a variety of measures, including removing access to most restrooms in schools, in an effort to stop the damage. According to Deputy Superintendent, Student and Community Services, Dr. Brad Welle, Grain Valley Schools have not been immune to the issue.
     “We are experiencing a significant increase in vandalism this fall, especially in our school restrooms. This is happening at every level - elementary, middle school, and high school. (The TikTok challenge) appears to be the driving reason behind this behavior. We are repairing toilets and stalls, and are having to replace soap and towel dispensers. It is getting expensive,” Welle said.
     “There are consequences, including paying for damages, for anyone determined to have vandalized or stolen school property,” Welle said.
     Wednesday evening, Grain Valley High School principal Dr. Jeremy Plowman sent an email to students and parents, asking for cooperation in discouraging and reporting these acts.
     "Over the past two weeks, we have had multiple instances of stolen or damaged bathroom items, food stuffed down toilets, defacing of stalls, mirrors, etc. While we have encountered vandalism in our bathrooms in the past, it has become a daily occurrence at the high school. We have zero tolerance for this. Those that are caught committing vandalism or theft will receive school discipline and will have to reimburse the school for damages or theft. The disrespect these acts show our hard-working and short-staffed custodians and the stellar students and staff in this building does not sit well with me," Plowman said.    
     Oak Grove Parks and Recreation recently posted a photo of damage to a park restroom on their Facebook page, asking anyone with information on the vandalism to contact the parks department or police department with tips.
     Shannon Davies, Grain Valley Parks and Recreation Director, said Grain Valley park facilities have been spared so far, but his crews and the police department have been vigilant in keeping an eye out for potential problems.
     “This recent Tik Tok trend has area park departments on notice. Several have closed their park restrooms in response to this. We have kept our restrooms open. Within the past couple of weeks, we have had no vandalism in our parks that would relate to this. Park Maintenance is making routine checks at our restrooms and any other park related amenities several times a day to try and stay ahead of this. If we do start seeing this vandalism, we will entertain the idea of restroom closures. GVPD is also aware and keeping an eye out for us,” Davies said.
 

​     The Grain Valley swimming and diving team was tired heading into Saturday’s Independence Invitational at the Henley Aquatics Center.
     The Eagles swam in five events in the past two weeks, so head coach Kara Liddle didn’t expect any of her swimmers to have their best times.
     Her team did have a respectable performance at the meet, however, as the swimmers powered through fatigue. Grain Valley placed fourth with 225 points, and were just 19 points away from earning a plaque as Sedalia Smith-Cotton took third with 244 points.
     “We had some good swims today being as tired as we are,” Liddle said. “I knew this wasn’t going to be the best meet for getting our best times.”
     Pembroke Hill won with 430 points.
     The Eagles are usually at a disadvantage in any meet they are in as the team only has nine competitors on the team. However, even with the low numbers, they were able to finish in the middle of the pack at the Independence Invitational.
     Isaac Burd led the way for Grain Valley. He entered the 100-meter freestyle as the top seed. He was second as he finished in 55.15 seconds. He also took fifth in the 50 free and finished in 25 seconds.
     “There were a couple of things that I didn’t do right, but overall, it was a good race,” Burd said. “I need to focus on not breathing as much and working on my flip turns.”
     Riley Fangman also had a solid meet. He was fourth in the 200 free (2:10.81) and third in the 100 butterfly (1:04.22).
     “I felt like I did pretty well and I did my best today,” Fangman said. “I dropped 4 seconds in the 200 and I dropped 1 second in my 100, so that was really good.
     “I haven’t been to state before, but this could be the year.”
     Liddle added that she was pleased with how Fangman swam.
     “Riley swam his two best times, so to do that while being tired is awesome,” Liddle said.
     The Grain Valley relay teams also had top three finishes.
     The foursome of Evan Reich, Tom Fligg, Landon Gilbert and and Burd took third (1:47.55) in the 200 free relay and Reich, Fangman, Burd and Fligg teamed up to take third (3:59) in the 400 free relay.
     “It wasn’t our best, but we still swam really good,” Burd said. “I can tell we are all feeling it right now. We have had a lot of meets lately.
     Liddle said the relays are knocking on the door of making a state cut.
     “Our relays are our best shot (to qualify for state),” Liddle said. “We are rotating the lineups to see which one works best.”
     Some other top eight finishes for the Eagles include Matthew Ditzler in the 100 butterfly (sixth, 11:30.27), Reich in the 50 free (seventh, 25.45) and 100 free (fourth, 56.84), Fligg in the 100 free (eighth, 1:01.65) and 100 breaststroke (fifth, 1:23.38) and Mason Enlow in the 100 backstroke (seventh, 1:16.89).
 

​     The October Senior Citizens’ Luncheon will be held Wednesday, October 6th at the Grain Valley Community Center. To RSVP for the luncheon, call 816-847-6293 or email [email protected].
 

​     Homecoming at Grain Valley High School was this past weekend.  After visiting the alumni tent, attending the game, and enjoying a great breakfast at the high school on Saturday, I could not help but think about previous homecomings.
     The University of Missouri claims to have invented homecoming in 1911, when Director of Athletics Chester L. Brewer had the bright idea to invite alumni back to the annual game against the University of Kansas—he further sauced things up with a spirit rally and parade.
     I don’t know when Grain Valley celebrated their first homecoming, but I did find photographs in some yearbooks from the 1940s.
     The first homecoming I recall was in the fall of 1952 when I got to ride in the parade. I don’t remember which group sponsored the float but the slogan on the top read, “It’s in the cards!” (Victory).  We wore the white uniforms from the first grade Rhythm Band.  I was the Queen of Diamonds.
     Of course, the marching band lead the homecoming parade right down Main Street. Virginia Ruth Tate (senior) was the drum major and Patsy Edie, a third grader, was the mascot.
     There were only 31 members in the band including Virginia, Patsy and the three majorettes, Janice (Thompson) Butler, junior and Florene (Brown ) Wiggins and Sandra (Temple) Elliott, both  8th graders. In those days the 26 members of the band that played instrument included student from 7th grade through seniors.
     The 1953 yearbook showed 91 students in the high school and 6 faculty members which included G. E. Temple, the superintendent and history teacher, and William Evans, the principal, history teacher and football coach.
     I can recall many homecomings during my school years. Some of the most fun of homecoming was designing and building our floats during the week preceding the game. We would work in someone's garage or barn every day (and night) after school throughout the week before the parade.
     We always had some boys from our class “on guard” so no one saw our float or stole our ideas before the floats were judged at the parade.
     There were snake dances and bonfires when we burned a dummy representing a football player from the opposing team. Students would begin at the high school and dance and cheer their way down Main Street to the pep rally held at the city park in front of the old train station on Front Street. There were spirit weeks and pep rallies, there were ivy chains, and Homecoming Queens, and let us not forget, there were football games. And after the game, there was a homecoming dance.
     I’ve always been amazed to talk to the football players years after their high school days were over.  They always remember every game, every great tackle they made, and every pass they caught (or threw) that resulted in the winning touchdown. And they can tell you the team they played for homecoming their senior year and if they won (or lost)!
     For most of us, high school homecomings will forever be a fond memory of our school days!
     The Historical Society invites you to join us for Coffee with Classmates –the Rock ‘n Roll Years (1950-1970) on Wednesday, October 20, 2021 beginning at 10:00 AM.
     We will reconnect, reminiscence, and share memorabilia from our days at GVHS, including the big Homecoming Game!  I hope you will join us. 
 
​

​     Grain Valley’s Girls tennis team has been on a winning streak this season, most recently coming in first place at the Excelsior Springs tournament on Wednesday, following a conference win against Truman earlier in the week. In Excelsior Springs, the team won all 5 flights: Kylee Bragaw won A Flight Singles, Emma Thiessen won B Flight Singles, the Doubles team of Laforge-Gorden won A Flight, and the B Flight Doubles win went to Spencer-Barnes. The team will finish a match on Thursday at home with Blue Springs South that was postponed earlier in the week due to rain. The team will travel to Belton next Wednesday and finish out the week away at Pembroke Hill.
 

​     The cost of treatment and access to quality, affordable care, along with stigma, are major barriers to Americans seeking help for mood disorders, according to a recent national survey.
     The 2021 Mood Disorder Survey was conducted by The Harris Poll on behalf of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI).
     Mood disorders are a common type of mental illness and include bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder and others. The survey questioned three groups of American adults: those who have been diagnosed with a mood disorder, those who are caregivers and those who have no experience with mood disorders.
     Among people who have a mood disorder, about half (52%) say cost prevents them from trying a treatment they’re interested in — a proportion that is much higher among the uninsured (74%). In addition, 61% of those without insurance report stopping a treatment because they could no longer afford it.
The vast majority of all adults, 84%, agree that stigma is a major barrier to people accessing treatment for mood disorders, and 87% believe that mood disorders — if left untreated — have significant economic and social impacts.
     Yet despite this sympathetic attitude, 37% feel fearful of being around people with mood disorders. About 3 in 5 people living with a mood disorder (61%) say that people treat them differently after they learn they have been diagnosed with a mood disorder, and about three-quarters (76%) say people around them do not understand what it’s like to live with a mood disorder on a daily basis.
     On the positive side, even while experiencing daily symptoms, more than 3 in 4 adults with a mood disorder (77%) feel their symptoms are well-managed. While about half of those with mood disorders (48%) currently use routine or maintenance psychiatric medication, significant proportions use nonpsychiatric treatments such as psychotherapy (25%), guidance or support from other people with lived experience (23%) or complementary health approaches (28%) such as exercise, meditation or dietary supplements.
     Nearly half of people with a mood disorder (47%) say supportive personal relationships have been helpful in both the management of symptoms and the recovery process.
     While the COVID-19 pandemic has posed new mental health challenges for many of us, it has also increased acceptance of mental health conditions, with more than half of all adults (52%) saying they have been more open with others about their mental health since the pandemic began. The vast majority (91%) agree that mental health challenges can affect anyone, but nearly 1 in 3 (30%) say they are unable to get the support they need for their mental health during the pandemic. Telehealth may be part of a solution, as about 4 in 5 of those with mood disorders who have taken advantage of the technology (79%) say it has made it easier for them to access mental health care.
     “While the ongoing impact of the pandemic shines a light on the widespread need for better access to affordable, quality mental health care in our communities, there is a clear need to better understand mood disorders and reduce barriers to care,” NAMI CEO Daniel H. Gillison Jr. said.
     “The status quo is unacceptable, and we must do better for people with mood disorders through a holistic approach that recognizes that there is no health without mental health.”
“The survey points out that once people with mood disorders get care, they do well and can flourish,” NAMI Chief Medical Officer Ken Duckworth, M.D. said.
     “The survey also found an increased openness in discussing mental health, which is a positive step, but more needs to be done to increase access to care.”
     The NAMI HelpLine is a free nationwide peer-support service providing information, resource referrals and support and can be reached at 1-800-950-6264 and [email protected] (Mon.-Fri. from 10:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. ET).
 

​     Our annual Mother-Daughter Tea was held on May 1, 2021 with a luncheon celebrating mothers, daughters, other family members and each other.  Linda Ebert presented a wonderful program on the “History of May Day”.
    Our annual “Ladies Night Out” was held at Hereford House Restaurant in Independence, MO where we celebrated our Woman of the Year, Debbie Reardon. Also, congratulations to Diana Boyce for “Program of the Year” and Karen Blau for “Perfect Attendance”.  Secret Sisters from the previous year were also revealed and new Secret Sisters were drawn for the upcoming year.
     Our final activity of the year was a weekend at the lake home of Jim and Linda Ebert.  It’s hard to believe this was our 15th annual trip there!  We always have a wonderful time, but this year was especially a welcome get-away we agreed we all needed!
     At our May meeting, Chris Smith presented the program “The History of Union Station”, the original depot in Kansas City’s west bottoms and the various railroads which converged in Kansas City. Chris’ grandfather was the Director of Union Station and was in charge of it for 48 years. 
     Xi Iota Phi’s new year started in June with Installation of officers. 
     Beta Sigma Phi is celebrating it’s 90th year in 2021 and to commemorate this, their theme is “90 Years to Shine”.  Xi Iota Phi decided to also celebrate this milestone through our monthly programs which will include any event or people that have made a difference these past 90 years.  Linda Ebert started us off in June talking about Tim Berners Lee who invented the World Wide Web (www) in 1989 which changed the world in which it communicates. 
     In July, Karen LaJaunie gave her program on Ruth Bader Ginsburg who served as Supreme Court Justice from 1993 until her death in 2020.  Known as the “Notorious RBG”, she upheld the rights of both women and men in the workplace and in the military.  Kim Meyers’ program in August was on Sarah Cannon, better known as “Minnie Pearl”.   
     She was a neighbor of Kim’s family when she lived in Nashville.  Not only was she a well-known entertainer, she was also a humanitarian and very active in the community.  After battling cancer, she became a spokesperson for cancer research.  Today several “Sarah Cannon Cancer Centers” across the country have been named in her honor. 
     A card shower was given at our June meeting to Diana Boyce and Karen Blau for their recent retirements. 
    One of our service projects this year is Hope House.  Members have been busy donating items for the residents and staff to use.  
 
 

​     The Grain Valley Historical Society is the recipient of funds raised from this year’s Grain Valley Fair parade presented by Grain Valley News. A check for $200 was delivered to the organization, representing funds collected from business entries in the 2021 parade.
 

​     Truman Heartland Community Foundation is excited to announce its 2021 competitive grants awards through the Jelley Family Foundation for Children’s Education and Community Grants programs. This year, a new unrestricted grantmaking fund from the Willa L. Fancher and Martha A. Taggart endowment added more than $80,000 to our grantmaking budgets, producing a new record in THCF’s grantmaking with 62 grant awards totaling $336,582 awarded to agencies serving Eastern Jackson and Cass counties. 
     Every year, we see the financial requests from the nonprofit sector grow as they strive to meet the needs of the communities they serve. With so many nonprofits doing positive, transformative work, our grants selections are incredibly challenging but also very rewarding. Awarding these grants is a tremendous responsibility donors have entrusted the Truman Heartland Community Foundation Grants Committee.
     Our Grants Committee comprises members of the THCF Board of Directors and local Advisory Board volunteers. As stewards of legacy gifts for grantmaking, the Grants Committee must be sensitive to the changing nature of the needs of our communities. They take this responsibility very seriously and do their best to ensure we fund the most effective and impactful programs that have the potential to make a real difference in our communities.
     A special thank you goes out to each of the THCF Grants Committee members for the countless hours they spent pouring over more than 120 grant applications: Lynette Wheeler (Chair), Cathy Allie, Don Claphan, Martha Cockerell, Michele Crumbaugh, Bryan Gash, Jake Greco, Lori Halsey, Warren Haynes, Liesl Hays, Cliff Jones, Mike Larson, Dave Mayta, Ritchie Momon, Glen Nash, Rosalie Newkirk, Steve Noll, Melissa Reimann, Merideth Rose, DeeAnn Stock, Jennie Swearngin, Allan Thompson, Dave Turner, and Bob White.
      Thank you all for your dedication to the process and commitment to excellence. Grants made through estate plans are vital to the health of our Eastern Jackson County community. They provide much-needed funding to help our region remain strong and vibrant. It is genuinely heartwarming to think about all the selfless individuals who chose to positively impact their community through charitable giving, whether through a donor advised fund, scholarship fund, or a legacy gift.
     Truman Heartland Community Foundation is honored to be chosen to support and grow their charitable giving. I would encourage anyone who has a heart for philanthropic giving in their community to learn more about ways you can create change by creating a Donor Advised Fund.
 
     Phil Hanson is the president and CEO of Truman Heartland Community Foundation. Truman Heartland Community Foundation is a 501(c)(3) public charity committed to improving the communities in and around Eastern Jackson County through partnerships with donors and community members. 
     For more information on charitable giving, visit www.thcf.org or call Truman Heartland at 816-836-8189.  
 

​     Missouri’s Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) for August was 75.2, increasing 3.9 points from July, and still well in expansion territory, according to the monthly Mid-America Business Conditions Survey, conducted by Creighton University, Omaha, NE.
     For 15 of the past 16 months, the Creighton University Mid-America Business Conditions Index, a leading economic indicator for the nine-state region stretching from Minnesota to Arkansas, remained above growth neutral. Economists consider the index a key economic indicator.                 
     It measures such factors as new orders, production, supplier delivery times, backlogs, inventories, prices, employment, import orders and exports. Typically, a score greater than 50 indicates an expansionary economy while a score below 50 forecasts a sluggish economy. The US August PMI® for manufacturing registered 59.9, increasing 0.4 points from the July reading of 59.5 percent. 
 

​The following information is derived from the Grain Valley Police Department daily calls for service log for the week of September 8-14, 2021.
 

     When Grain Valley freshman DJ Harris took a right-side toss to the end zone from 28-yards out, the Grain Valley student section started a chant.
     “He’s a freshman! He’s a freshman!” the crowd chanted.
     That’s a chant that is common when a freshman does well in any high school sport. While the chant can sometimes be a knock on the other team for letting a freshman do something productive in their sport, it likely was meant more as a compliment for the talented ball carrier.
     That touchdown was one of three for Harris on the night as he helped power his Eagles to a 48-13 rout of Truman Friday at Moody Murray Memorial Field.
     Harris, who serves as the No. 2 running back behind senior starter Jaxon Wyatt, has proven to be a strong complementary piece. He has four rushing touchdowns on the season and that’s second most on the team behind quarterback Caleb Larson.
     On Friday, he finished with 59 yards on eight carries.
     “He had a fumble last time, but tonight he came back strong and got three touchdowns and didn’t fumble,” Grain Valley head coach David Allie said. “That shows maturity and growth.”
     Allie isn’t the only one who has been impressed with Harris. Wyatt had high praise for the freshman after the game.
     “He’s going to the NFL,” Wyatt said.
     So, what did Harris think about Wyatt’s comments?
     “I have to keep working for that. There is still a lot more to come and a lot to learn,” Harris said with a chuckle.
     He will have his opportunity to potentially be the lead running back next season. For now, that honor belongs to Wyatt, who also had a big game. He finished with 72 yards on 12 carries and his first two touchdowns of the season.
     “Jaxon is just a dog,” Harris said. “The running back duo we have is amazing.”
     Grain Valley quarterback Caleb Larson added 58 yards on eight carries and a score. He also completed 4 of 11 passes for 117 yards. The Eagles (2-2) totaled 324 yards of offense.
     They led 17-0 at the end of the first quarter, held a 34-0 advantage at halftime and had its biggest lead in the fourth quarter of 48-0 before Truman scored two touchdowns against Grain Valley’s backups on defense.
     The Grain Valley varsity defense created eight quarterback pressures and the team overall held the Patriots (0-4) to just 170 total yards of offense, with 136 yards of those coming against the Eagles’ backups when the game was already out of reach.
     The defense was put into a good position for success largely because of kicker Austin Schmitt. The junior got eight touchbacks on 10 kickoff attempts. The other two were perfectly executed onside kicks. One was recovered and the other was dropped out of bounds.
     Schmitt, who is also a two-time all-state selection for the soccer team, easily made two field goals from 32 and 34 yards out.
     “He’s a dude,” Allie said. “He’s worked really hard over the summer, and he’s taken to coaching really well and he has a special leg.”
     In practice, Schmitt can make field goals from 50-plus yards out. His strong leg is a reason why he’s debating between playing football or soccer in college.
     “It feels good that I can kick them that far now,” Schmitt said. “My freshman year, I could maybe kick it 35 yards. Now I can kick it 55. I just put in the work over the summer.”
     Anthony Greco led the Eagles in receiving with three catches for 60 yards. Linebacker Gage Forkner led the defense with five tackles and 1.5 coming by loss.
 
 
 

     Following an extensive citizen participation session in which two residents spoke about a parking issue  on SW Nelson Drive raised at the prior Board meeting by a resident on the street, the Board of Aldermen approved several ordinances, including the approval of the annual tax levy.
     The total City levy will be $1.4494 on each one hundred dollars ($100) assessed valuation. The levy breaks down as follows:    
      A. General Municipal Government Operations - $0.4685 for general municipal government operations to be deposited in General Fund.
     B. Retirement of General Obligation Debt - $0.8362 for the retirement of general obligation debt, including the payment of principal and interest, to be deposited in the Debt Service Fund.
     C. Park Fund - $0.1035 for park maintenance to be deposited in the Park Fund.
     D. Public Health - $0.0412 for public health purposes to be deposited in the Public Health Fund.
     As reported by Finance Director Steven Craig at the August 23rd Board meeting, the 2021 tax levy is a reduction of $.15 per $100 of assessed value.
     The Board also approved an ordinance escrowing funds for payment of the Series 2018A General Obligation Bonds maturing in March 2028.
     In other business, the Board voted to approve the 11th plat of the Rosewood Hills subdivision, which includes 29 single family lots.
     The next regularly scheduled meeting of the Board of Aldermen will be held Monday, September 27th at 7:00pm.
 

     The Grain Valley Police Department will host a National Night Out event on September 28th from 6:00pm—8:30pm at Armstrong Park.        
     The family event is to inform community members of police department operations through demonstrations and information.
     The event will include free food, family activities, games, and prizes.
     For more information on the event, call 816-847-6250.
 

     Jackson County will begin work replacing the bridge on Buckner Tarsney Road just north of Ryan Road.  
     The road will be closed from September 20th to approximately November 20th.