The Board of Aldermen met for their final meeting of 2021 on Monday, December 13th, approving the 2022 budget and fee schedule for the city.
     In other business, the board approved the write off of more than $17,000 in uncollectible and bankrupt utility accounts, and approved a resolution allowing the city to opt into the national settlement related to the opioid epidemic.             
     The board will next meet January 10th.
     On Tuesday, December 14th, the City hosted an open house to display the work completed by a resident study group tasked with developing plans for a new police station facility. While the board and mayor remain stymied over the location of the facility, it appears the possibility of an April 2022 bond issue for a new police station will remain on the Board’s agenda in January.
     Two locations are now being considered: the original site identified behind the Community Center and land adjacent to the city’s Butterfly Trail.
     Jo Anne Wasson Honeywell, a Ward 1 resident who served on the study group, said her biggest takeaway from their work is the current station is not meeting the needs of the officers and is impacting their ability to safely and efficiently do their jobs and recruit new officers. The debate over where to locate the facility is of less concern to her.
     “It depends on what the community wants. In the end, we need a new police station. We need to make their (the officers) station comfortable and safe so they can do their job efficiently,” Wasson Honeywell said.
    
 

      Candidate filing for the April 5, 2022 municipal election began December 7th. As of December 9th, five candidates have filed:    
     Chuck Johnston - Mayor 
     Rick Knox - Alderman, Ward II
     Dale Arnold - Alderman, Ward I
     Ryan Skinner—Alderman, Ward III
     Chris Bamman—Alderman, Ward I
    
     The seats currently occupied by aldermen Bob Headley (Ward III) and Jayci Stratton (Ward I) are both up for election and neither have filed for re-election..
     The last day for candidate filing will be Tuesday, December 28th at 5:00pm. Candidates date and time of filing will be recorded and shall appear on the ballot in that order.
 

​     Get in the Christmas spirit with stories from Santa on Thursday, December 23rd from 7:00pm—7:30pm. Registration is required. To enjoy this virtual program, go to our MCPL360 Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/mcpl360/ at the scheduled day and time.
     If you don’t see this program the first time or want to watch it again, visit the MCPL YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/MCPLMO.
Photo credit: MCPL
 

​     I’m cheating again this week. Since the Historical Society is all decked out for Christmas, I don’t want to mess it up by digging for new ideas to write about.  Also, since this article appeared in The Voice four years ago, many of you have never read it.  If you have, it’s worth a “re-read” and it will hopefully put a smile on your face!
     While archiving some new “old stuff” at the Historical Society last week, I found in a filing box a 1951 booklet titled Your Household Guide. The foreword provided this information. “This book contains 1001 helpful household hints which have been selected from several hundred Walsworth Bros. Home Recipe Books throughout the nation.”
     It was published in 1951 by Walsworth Bros., Marceline, Mo. and sold by the ladies of the Grain Valley Methodist Church. Several local businesses had advertisements in the book including Minter’s Food Market, Loring Hardware, Frantz Grocery, E.F. Crull Mercantile Co., R. C. Frantz Petroleum Products, E. A. Ford Mercantile, and Grain Valley Grain Company. 
     From the table of contents, one could quickly see that this guide covered about every topic of “advice” you would ever need to know from Baking and Birthstones to Gardening, Postal Rates, and State Capitals. You should come by the Historical Society some Wednesday, enjoy a cup of coffee or tea and read through some of the great tips and time savers in the book!

     In case you haven’t saved enough time to make it by before Christmas, I would like to share a few of the great tips from 1951.
• Plant radish and cucumber seeds together to keep bug off cucumbers!
• When painting indoors, slip a pair of old socks over your shoes. If paint drops on floor, just “skate” it up. Saves stooping.
• Red ants can be kept out of the pantry if a small quantity of green sage is placed on the shelves.
• To whiten laces, wash them is sour milk.
• A little vinegar added to water in which you rinse silk stockings will increase their elasticity and make them practically run proof!
• To catch mice, place a gumdrop in the trap, instead of bacon or cheese. When the mouse goes to eat the gumdrop his or her teeth gets stuck and causes the trap to go off.
• If a fish bone becomes stuck in the throat, eat a lemon or part of one as soon as possible. The lemon juice will cause the bone to dissolve.
• Wax the snow shovel to prevent snow from sticking to it. This makes shoveling much easier.
And if you are thinking of doing some baking for Christmas...
• To keep cookies fresh and crisp in a jar, place a crumpled tissue paper in the bottom.
• Set pies and cobblers on a rack to cool and the bottom crust will not be soggy.
• When bread is baking, a small dish of water in the oven will help to keep the crust from getting hard.
• An easy way to chop nuts, place in a cloth bag and roll with a rolling pin.
There was some fairly outdated and laughable advice like “jot down the important things you want to say on a long distance call, and it will prevent all that humming and hawing that cost money.”
On the other hand, I found many good ideas!
     Is there something “historical” you would like to know about Grain Valley?  Send me an email and I will be happy to try and answer your request.
Happy Holidays!
Marty
 

​     Tasha Lindsey, Executive Director of the Grain Valley Partnership, recently graduated from the Missouri Chamber’s Leadership Missouri program.       
     In a ceremony on December 9, the 2021 class of Leadership Missouri graduated 26 leaders from organizations across the state. The class spent the previous seven months traveling across Missouri, networking with peers and learning about challenges and opportunities facing our state.
     The celebration also marked the completion of the 30th class of the Leadership Missouri program. The Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry founded the program in 1990 and has hosted classes each year — with the 2020 program postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
     “I would like to congratulate all of our Leadership Missouri graduates. It’s been a great experience to work with these very talented leaders from across Missouri and help grow their potential to Missouri move forward,” Daniel P. Mehan, president and CEO, Missouri Chamber said.
     “We designed Leadership Missouri to elevate the talent of our state’s leadership pool and establish a forum for sharing ideas and best practices. Over the past 30 years, all of our expectations for this program have been met — and more.”
 

     Truman Heartland Community Foundation (THCF) will welcome three new members to the Board of Directors: Joe Mullins, consultant for the University of Central Missouri’s Center for Workforce and Professional Education; Dr. Beth Rosemergey, a family medicine doctor affiliated with multiple hospitals in the area, including Truman Medical Center-Hospital Hill and -Lakewood; and Dr. Jason Snodgrass, Superintendent at Fort Osage School District. These individuals will bring their expertise to the Board beginning January 1, 2022.
     In 2022, Karen Schuler, Director of Community Engagement at United Way of Greater Kansas City, will take on the role of Board Chair. Jeff Walters, Chief Financial Officer at Blue Ridge Bank and Trust Co., will move into the Vice-Chair role.
     Bret Kolman, Chief Executive Officer at Centerpoint Medical Center of Independence, will be the Board Treasurer and Chair of the THCF Finance Committee. Lynette Wheeler, Chief Operating Officer at Truman Medical Center-Lakewood, will be Secretary. Steve Potter, Library Director and Chief Executive Officer for Mid-Continent Public Library, remains on the Executive Committee as Past Chair and will Chair the THCF Audit Committee.
     The THCF Board adopts sound management policies and serves as a fiduciary of the organization’s assets. Beyond fulfilling legal duties, THCF Board Members are an essential resource for the organization. Members play a significant role in contributing to the organization’s culture, strategic focus, effectiveness, and financial sustainability and serving as ambassadors and advocates.
     Truman Heartland Community Foundation is a public charity committed to improving area communities by promoting and serving private giving for the public good. Founded in 1982, THCF serves the region with assets of more than $72 million and annual grants surpassing $5.3 million. 
     For more information on charitable giving, visit www.thcf.org or call THCF at 816-836-8189.
 

​     Missouri non-farm payroll employment increased from October 2021 to November 2021, and the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased by two-tenths of a percentage point. Employment, seasonally adjusted, increased by 7,600 jobs over the month, with job gains in both the goods-producing and service-providing industries. The state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 3.5 percent in November 2021, down from 3.7 percent in October 2021. Missouri’s recovery continued with an increase of 73,300 jobs from November 2020 to November 2021.
     Missouri’s smoothed seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased by two-tenths of a percentage point in November 2021, dropping to 3.5 percent from the October 2021 rate of 3.7 percent. The November 2021 rate was 1.2 percentage points lower than the November 2020 rate. 
    The national unemployment rate decreased from 4.6 percent in October 2021 to 4.2 percent in November 2021. The estimated number of unemployed Missourians was 108,380 in November 2021, down by 6,150 from October’s 114,530.
     The state’s not-seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate also decreased in 
November 2021, dropping by two-tenths of a percentage point to 2.6 percent from the October 2021 not-seasonally-adjusted rate of 2.8 percent. The corresponding not-seasonally-adjusted national rate for November 2021 was 3.9 percent.   
     Missouri’s seasonally adjusted nonfarm payroll employment was 2,863,300 in November 2021, up by 7,600 from the revised October 2021 figure. The October 2021 total was revised upward by 4,200 from the preliminary estimate, producing a revised increase of 7,700 jobs from September 2021 to October 2021 and a revised increase of 76,500 jobs from October 2020 to October 2021.
     Goods-producing industries gained 500 jobs over the month. Manufacturing declined by 2,900 jobs. Service-providing industries gained 7,100 jobs between October and November 2021, with increases in professional & business services (+3,100 jobs); trade, transportation and utilities (+3,000 jobs); and leisure & hospitality (+1,600 jobs). Government employment showed a loss of 400 jobs over the month. 
     Missouri’s seasonally adjusted rate had reached a low of 3.1 percent starting in August 2018, before gradually edging up to 3.5 percent by the end of 2019, and then to 3.7 percent in March 2020. In April the rate spiked to 12.5 percent. 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.       
     A year ago, the state’s seasonally adjusted rate was 4.7 percent, and the not-adjusted rate was 4.2 percent.
 

     As you begin planning the next special menu in the holiday line-up, acorn squash is a vegetable that is worth considering as an addition on your table. While not as common as the traditional sweet potato, the similar color, flavor, and texture of acorn squash can make a great mix-in with sweet potatoes or stand on its own in a variety of preparations.
     This is yet another vegetable that I didn’t learn to appreciate until I was an adult, once again demonstrating that our tastebuds are always evolving.
     Acorn squash is another member of the Curcurbitaceae plant family, which are related to cucumbers, gourds, and melons. The main difference between summer and winter squash is the state of maturity at harvest.
     While summer squash is harvested while immature with a tender skin, winter squash is allowed to fully mature and develop a hard rind. The hard rind retains moisture and allows the squash to be stored for several months in cool, dry conditions.
    Archaeologists have long considered that squash is one of the oldest known food crops, having found evidence that squash varieties were grown by early civilizations thousands of years ago. Many of the types of squash we know as winter squash are believed to have originated in the Andes mountains, then on through Central American and Mexico and eventually to the United States. Historical documents indicate that squash was served at the first Thanksgiving dinner between Pilgrims and Native Americans at Plymouth Colony in 1621.
     Though botanically classified as a fruit, acorn squash is more commonly recognized as a starchy vegetable, thus it is prepared similarly to vegetables like butternut squash and sweet potatoes. The most common variety of acorn squash has a variegated green and orange rind, but they can also be variegated green and cream, orange or even white.
     All varieties will reveal a golden flesh inside. When selecting squash, look for those that are free from blemishes, have hard, dull skins and are heavy for their size.
    Acorn squash is a rich source of vitamins A, C, numerous B vitamins, minerals including manganese, magnesium, and potassium and both soluble and insoluble fiber. These nutrients are shown to be beneficial in eye, skin, and gut health, as well as the prevention and management of chronic diseases like hypertension, heart disease and even certain cancers.
     The neutral flavor of acorn squash lends itself well for a variety of preparation methods. The unique fluted shape can be accentuated by cutting the squash crosswise in one-inch slices and removing the seeds in each slice, then lightly drizzling with vegetable oil, and seasoning with herbs before baking.
     They can also be cut in half and baked without any seasoning, then scooping and pureeing the cooked squash to be used in baked goods like muffins.  Baked pureed squash can also be frozen for later use. With their natural ‘bowl’ shape when cut in half (and the seeds removed) stuffing squash with either a sweet filling like apples or savory meat filling is a common practice. 
     When caramelized in the heat of the oven, the natural sweetness of the juice and honey in the recipe below makes a delicious finish to simple dish. Oh…and don’t forget that you can roast the seeds just like pumpkin seeds for a healthy snack!
 
Denise Sullivan is a Nutrition and Health Education Specialist for MU Extension in the Urban West Region, serving Jackson and Platte Counties.
 

​     No matter how you celebrate, your favorite foods often appear this time of year. Here are a few tips to help you navigate New Year’s Eve gatherings while sticking to your health goals!
 
Plan Ahead
     While you can’t control for everything, having a plan can help you stay on track and stick to your goals.  Don’t skip meals in anticipation of a gathering but try eating a healthy snack with a good source of fiber to fill you and protein to sustain you.
     Bring a healthy dish to share when invited to parties, and take inventory of the buffet prior to filling your plate so you can choose where you want to indulge in and where you can cut back.
 
Build in Activity
     Stay active by carving out time to move despite hectic schedules. Physical activity can help make up for increased holiday portions and can reduce stress levels. Try creating new family traditions like going on a family walk or hike.
 
Mindful and Moderate
     Be careful to not fall into party grazing. Calories can add up quickly when we are grabbing bites here and there. Instead, eat from a plate, be mindful in your choices using portion control and, if you slip up, get right back with healthy eating at your next meal.
 
     Lighten up your next gathering with holiday fare that is full of nutrition and flavor! Try these party-ready appetizers to ring in the New Year.
 

​The following information is derived from the Grain Valley Police Department daily calls for service log for the week of December 8-12, 2021.
 

​December 8, 2021
1100 Block of SW Golfview DR                  Leaving the Scene
900 Block of Birch CT                                    Citizen Contact
Graystone & Hoot Owl                                   Suspicious Vehicle
1200 Block of Woodbury CT                         Abandoned Auto
700 Block of Main                                           Citizen Contact
 
December 9, 2021
1200 Block of Sibley ST                                 Agency Assist-BPD
1800 Block of Nicholas                                   Suspicious Activity
700 Block of Main                                           Harrasment
700 Block of Main                                           Standby
2100 Block of NW Sycamore                        Civil Standby
Eagles & Kirby                                                 Traffic Light not Working
700 Block of Main                                           Assault
100 Block of Old 40 HWY                             Suspicious Activity
900 Block of SW Shorthorn DR                    Stealing From Auto
400 Block of Oakwoods LN                           Alarm
1100 Block of Jefferson                                  Civil Standby
1600 Block of Crumley                                   Parking Complaint
 
December 10, 2021
1400 Block of Minter Way                             Alarm
300 Block of SW Eagles Pkwy                      Area Check
Shorthorn & Clover                                         Disturbance
1100 Block of Pamela BLVD                        Alarm
1900 Block of Washam CT                            Welfare Check
700 Block of Main                                           Motor Vehicle Accident
CK Industrial & Pamela                                  Parking Complaint
1400 Cross Creek                                             Alarm
1900 Block of Hackberry CT                         Civil Standby
1300 Block of Valley Woods                         Disturbance
 
December 11, 2021
WB 70 at MM 25                                             Agency Assist-MSHP
800 Block of Sankar                                        Assault
700 Block of Main                                           Welfare Check
1200 Block of RD Mize                                  Area Check
1500 Block of Nicholas DR                           Verbal Disturbance
Main & South Outer RD                                 Area Check
Greystone & Amanda Jean Way                   Suspicious Vehicle
Hickory Wood & Rosewood                          Abandoned Auto
700 Block of Main                                           Citizen Contact-Civil Matter
1500 Block of Broadway                                Alarm
 
December 12, 2021
Main & I 70                                                       Motorist Assist
1100 Block of S Buckner Tarsney RD         Suspicious Party
1600 Block of High View DR                       Leaving the Scene
Rosewood & Hedgewood                               Motor Vehicle Accident