The Grain Valley boys basketball team needed a big basket.
     The Eagles were trailing Blue Springs South 52-50 with less than 30 seconds in Friday’s non-conference contest at home.
     Grain Valley freshman Eli Herbert missed a 3-pointer but the ball went off a South player, which gave the Eagles the ball back with 13 seconds left.
     Veteran head coach Andy Herbert designed a play which had the team set a screen to help Eli Herbert get open for a three. The Jaguars (3-4) overcommitted to guarding him behind the arc, so junior Jack Schoen fired a pass to a cutting Troyer who was fouled as he made a layup for his first points of the game, sending the crowd into a frenzy with 6.1 seconds left.
     He made the ensuing free throw to put Grain Valley ahead by one point. The team proceeded to get a big defensive stop to end the game and earn a 53-52 victory.
     “It was just a basketball awareness play,” Herbert said of Troyer’s game winner. (Schoen and Troyer) both have a high basketball IQ and it showed up at a really important time.”
     Troyer said he doesn’t remember the free throw but had a good feeling when he approached one of the biggest free throws of his high school career.
     “I blacked out, I don’t really remember anything,” Troyer said of his big free throw. “I didn’t remember my routine when I shoot a free throw. I felt like I have never shot a basketball, but after the first one, I had a feeling it was going in.”
     After Troyer put Grain Valley (5-1) one, the team came up big defensively. For most of the game Grain Valley sat back in a zone defense to help prevent South players from scoring in the paint.
     However, as South inbounded the ball to guard Michael Brooks, the Eagles defense used a press at half court, which flustered the senior and caused him to call a timeout with 1.2 seconds left.
     The Jaguars inbounded the ball just past halfcourt but the ball was deflected and senior forward Rhylan Alcanter dove on a loose ball as time expired.
     “I think they weren’t expecting it,” Troyer said of the press at the halfcourt line. “We had been playing back so much so when we were playing up, it kind of discombobulated them.”
     Grain Valley pulled off the victory after South led for the majority of the second half. The Eagles led 14-9 after one period behind eight points from Alcanter. Grain Valley led by as many as 12 points in the second period but the Jaguars ended the half on a 14-4 run to tie the contest at 25-25 at halftime.
     In the third period, South got a big performance from senior Akol Ngor, who had 12 of his 18 points in the quarter, including a pair of rim-rattling dunks – one on a putback slam and another on the fast break.
     The Jaguars went into the fourth up 43-40 and kept the lead until the 3-minute mark thanks to a timely 3-pointer from Brooks and a driving layup from Collin Dobson. But Herbert helped keep his team in it by scoring 13 of his team-high 17 points in the second half, which included a trey and two free throws in the fourth period.
     Schoen gave Grain Valley the lead with 3 minutes left when he lost control of the ball after receiving a pass, saw a wide-open driving lane on the left wing, and took it to the hoop for a layup and a 49-48 advantage.
     “Jack has been amazing, his passing is top two on the team,” Troyer said. He’s one of the best passers I have ever seen and he plays underrated defense.”
     A few possessions later, South senior forward Logan Willis, who had a game-high 19 points, with 17 coming in the first half, made a driving floater to put his team ahead by two points. On the next possession, Alcanter got an offensive rebound off a 3-point miss from Schoen and was fouled. He made 1 of 2 free throws to tie the game at 50-50.
     On the following possession, Ngor leaped above the outstretched hands of Alcanter to make a driving floater to put South ahead by two. Troyer was fouled after that but missed the front end of a 1 and 1. Luckily for him, Brooks also missed a free throw in a 1 and 1 situation, which set the stage for his heroics.
     “That was a great play,” Eli Herbert said. “I knew I was going to come out (behind the 3-point line) and they were going to jump it. The slip was wide open and it was and Jack made a great pass.
     “We love Reece. He is that glue guy that does things right defensively. He always plays so hard.”
 

 
    It was dead silent.
     Grain Valley senior Grace Slaughter was fouled and made a left-handed layup early in the fourth period in Thursday’s girls basketball contest with Lee’s Summit North.
     It was almost as if the crowd at Grain Valley high School knew something special was going to happen.
     That’s exactly what happened as Slaughter made her free throw and veteran head coach Randy Draper called a timeout. After that, it was announced that Slaughter scored her 2,000th career point, joining a small list of players in the history of Missouri high school girls basketball to accomplish that feat.
     She scored a game-high 30 points as the Eagles thumped the Broncos 68-33.
     The Grain Valley cheerleaders held up a banner with the number 2,000 on it. The crowd cheered and Slaughter high fived her teammates. After the game, she signed an autograph for a young fan and a fellow student handed her a printout to commemorate her 2,000th point.
     “I didn’t know about it and didn’t know if I was close,” Slaughter said. “These things are just a number. It’s just a fun thing to do. I wouldn’t be able to do this without my teammates. We’ve been working so hard in practice and have been working on putting the pieces together.”
     The print had a custom made video game cover that had “Grace2K” on it with a photo of the senior shooting a reverse layup. The cover was a spin off the popular NBA2K video game series that has been around since 2001.
     Draper called Slaughter “special”, and he was in awe of the feat that the talented forward was able to accomplish.
     “She missed some of last year and still got there,” Draper said. “To be on that list is special and she didn’t know she was. It was great. It was a surprise to her. Two-thousand is a ridiculous amount of points.”
     Slaughter is someone who is in the gym constantly working on her game. She often comes to the Grain Valley High School gym after a wrestling, volley or boys basketball event and gets some shots in. She is someone who dedicates a bulk of her time getting better at basketball.
     So what is it that motivates her to work so hard and so often on her game?
     “A couple of quotes stick out to me and one is from ( former Boston Celtics plater and Basketball Hall of Famer) Larry Bird,” Slaughter said. “I remember him saying, ‘There is always someone out there working.’ I just want to do the same thing.”
     “Another quote is from Jordan Roundtree. She played at Mizzou. She got asked if she sometimes gets nervous when she is on the court. She said, ‘You don’t get nervous if you work on everything and you prepare for the games.’ I just have that mindset to do everything I can to prepare for the games.”
     That hard work has paid off as she will likely enter the top 15 list for career points scored in Missouri history. Slaughter now has 2,009 points. She needs just 144 more points to pass Gracee Smith of Arcadia Valley for 15th on the all-time list. She is on pace to do that in just five games.
     North made things tough for Slaughter in the first half as the Broncos held her to just nine points in the first 16 minutes. Two to three Broncos were guarding Slaughter in the paint any time she caught the ball. There were even a few times when the senior was getting double teamed when she didn’t have the ball.
     “I have been seeing that sometimes,” Slaughter said of getting double teamed off ball. “For our girls  to be able to hit their outside shots make a big difference. That doesn’t allow them to guard us like that.”
     Even with the North defense hyper focused on stopping Slaughter, Grain Valley still led 13-11 after the first period and 24-13 at halftime, With the attention Slaughter was getting that helped players like juniors Annabelle Totta and McKenah Sears to get open looks. Totta added nine points while Sears had eight.
     In the third period the Eagles pulled away as Slaughter scored nine points in the frame, including a layup at the buzzer to make it 50-27. She then exploded for 12 points in the fourth period, including the conventional 3-point play that got the senior to 2,000 points.
     Meanwhile, Grain Valley defense was firing on all cylinders, too, as the Eagles held the talented Broncos duo of Elauni and Emani Bennett to just nine points combined.
     “We prepared for them,” Slaughter said of guarding the Bennett sisters. “Just watching film. We thought that maybe the others weren’t as strong of shooters as them, so we focused on them on defense. We double teamed them a little bit and we always helped off to them whether they were dragging or shooting.”

by Cory Unrein, Co-Owner/Publisher, Grain Valley News

    In what has become an annual tradition, we close out this year with the reprinting of one of the most famous newspaper editorials of all time, reprinted in dozens of languages and gracing countless posters, books, stamps, and other media. 
     In 1897, eight-year-old Virginia O'Hanlon went to a trusted source, New York's Sun, with a burning question. The unsigned response, penned by newsman Francis Pharcellus Church, became an instant classic and rightly so. Each year, I am surprised at how emotional I become by reading this piece and find something new to cling to in this hectic time of year. 
     A look at our inbox messages could easily see how I might be attracted to Church's passage about "the skepticism of a skeptical age". But this year, it is this passage that called to me:
     "Only faith, fancy, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, VIRGINIA, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding."
     We will be taking a holiday break until January 2nd and look forward to continuing to serve the Grain Valley community in the new year. We are so appreciative of your readership, and wish you a 2023 full of faith, fancy, poetry, love, and all things real and abiding. 


DEAR EDITOR: I am 8 years old.
Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus.
Papa says, ‘If you see it in THE SUN it’s so.’
Please tell me the truth; is there a Santa Claus?
VIRGINIA O’HANLON.
115 WEST NINETY-FIFTH STREET.

VIRGINIA, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men’s or children’s, are little. In this great universe of ours man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect, as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge.
Yes, VIRGINIA, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus. It would be as dreary as if there were no VIRGINIAS. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The eternal light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished.
Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in fairies! You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas Eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if they did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that’s no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world.
You may tear apart the baby’s rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived, could tear apart. Only faith, fancy, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, VIRGINIA, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding.
No Santa Claus! Thank God! he lives, and he lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay, ten times ten thousand years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.


Source:
“Yes, Virginia, There is a Santa Claus” | Newseum

 by Clara Bates, Missouri Independent 

     The Missouri Housing Development Commission has approved over $40 million worth of federal and state tax credits to help developers build 1,791 low-income housing units around the state. 
     In a meeting last week, the commission agreed to issue half the credits on an accelerated basis — the second year they’ve adopted the approach, which proponents say will make the program more efficient.  
     Missouri has two types of low-income housing tax credits, and the more expensive and sought-after by developers is awarded in conjunction with federal credits.
     Missouri is one of 25 states operating a state version of the low-income housing tax credit program to supplement the federal program. Missouri matches up to 70% of the federal credits for the kind of tax credits most highly sought after. 
     To qualify, developers must agree to reserve a portion of rent-restricted units for lower-income tenants, and the project must remain as low-income housing for 30 years. 
     The state’s program has been criticized in the past for its inefficiencies and over the amount of funding that actually ends up put into affordable housing. 
     Developers sell the tax credits for less than face-value to investors, who then redeem the credits over ten years to offset their income tax liabilities. In return, developers receive equity to help cover construction costs. 
      The state previously matched up to 100% of the federal allocation. A 2014 audit found only 42 cents of every tax credit dollar went to construction of low income housing.
     In 2017, former Gov. Eric Greitens successfully stacked the commission in order to kill the state’s tax credit program, and as a result, for three years Missouri issued only the federal credits. The program was reinstated in 2020, two years after Greitens resigned from office, and the match rate was capped at 70% amid pressure to make the program more efficient. 
     Last year, the commission put half of tax credits on a faster redemption plan, an idea pushed by State Treasurer Scott Fitzpatrick that was based on a report that found investors were willing to pay more for the credits when they could be redeemed sooner. The average price investors paid was roughly 58 cents per credit in 2020, but rose to around 68 cents in the accelerated redemption pilot, according to the state’s pilot program data.
      Developers on the accelerated plan receive around 71% of their credits within the first five years rather than only half within that time period. 
     The effects of new projects on general revenue won’t be known for roughly two years from the approval date, MHDC Executive Director Kip Stetzler told the commission last year, because of the time it takes to finalize the sale of tax credits and then construct the units. 
      This year, Missouri’s housing development commission received 115 applications for the tax credits and approved 33. 
     Projects are divided into four regions. Applicants compete among those in their region and are scored on measures including the site location and level of cost-burdened tenants in the region. The housing development commission also holds community public hearings. In Jefferson City this year, none of the four projects competing for the tax credits were approved, in part due to local opposition, the News Tribune reported.
     The projects approved to receive the highest amounts in tax credits include:

• In Maryland Heights, near St. Louis, a 60-unit senior facility will be built by developer Ring Property Company LLC. The project will receive nearly $700,000 in state tax credits and over $1.5 million in federal tax credits. 
• In St. Louis, a family complex with 91 units by developer McCormack Baron Salazar Inc., will receive roughly $650,000 in state tax credits and $1.4 million in federal credits. 
• In Lee’s Summit, a senior facility with 50 units by developer JES Development Co Inc. will be built, with around $620,000 in state tax credits and $1.3 million in federal tax credits.
• In Washington, near St. Louis, MOCAP Development Company LLC will develop a 48-unit project for seniors, with $590,000 in state tax credits and $1.3 million in federal tax credits.
• In Branson, a 48-unit family housing project, also by Ring Property Company LLC, will be developed with roughly $580,000 in state tax credits, and almost $1.3 million in federal credits.

     JES Development Co Inc., is run by a decades-long heavy-hitter in the industry, Jeffrey E. Smith. Ring Property Company is managed by Robert Ring, who worked at JES. 
     The low-income housing tax credit was the second-largest tax credit program based on annual redemptions in fiscal year 2022. Over $113 million in the credits were redeemed, second only to Missouri Works, an incentives program for creating jobs in the state. 
     Over half of publicly-supported rental homes in the state are supported by low-income housing tax credits, according to data from the National Housing Preservation Database. Missouri has 43 affordable and available rental homes per 100 extremely low income renter households, according to the National Low Income Housing Coalition’s report from this year.
     In the next five years, roughly 9,000 publicly supported rental homes in Missouri are at risk of loss, according to the National Housing Preservation Database, because developers are only required to maintain the units as low-income housing for 30 years. The LIHTC program in Missouri started in 1990 to supplement the federal program which started in 1986.

     MCPL and the Sylvan Learning Center have partnered to provide free practice ACT tests, including a free practice test sesson on Saturday, January 14th at the Grain Valley branch of the Mid-Continent Public Library.
     Advance registration is required for the session to be held January 14th from 10:00am - 2:00pm. Registrants will need to bring a #2 pencil, a calculator, a watch, and a valid email address to receive your results.
     This is a full version of the ACT and will last about four hours. The test will begin right at the program start time, and no late arrivals will be allowed to participate after the test begins.
​
     For more information and to register, visit Free Full-Length, Diagnostic Practice ACT Test | Mid-Continent Public Library (mymcpl.org). 

     Does anyone remember the Turkey Dinners put on by the Christian Church and the Methodist Church each year in December? They were not only an annual fundraiser for the women’s groups at both churches, but they were also a community social event.
     I am guessing that many communities held similar event. Over the year’s I can recall Chili Suppers, Ham and Bean Dinners, Pancake Breakfast, and of course, the grandest meal, the annual Turkey Dinners. As I recall, the Christian Church held their dinner in November, just before Thanksgiving and the Methodist Church held their dinner on the first Saturday in December. 
     In addition to the meal, there was also the Christmas Bazaar. The ladies would prepare for weeks knitting hats and mittens, crocheting potholders and doilies, sewing fancy Christmas Aprons and assembling Christmas decorations; all to make extra money for their society.
     Putting aside the money that was raised for each women’s group, they were BIG social events. The attendees dressed up. We are talking men in suits and ties and the ladies in their best dress, heels and hose! Even the youth who serve the beverages and extra rolls wore dresses and suits! Dinner was served in the fellowship hall, but the sanctuary was opened for visiting well past the meal.
     About the meal, really never varies; roast turkey, homemade noodles in the early days, real stuffing made from cornbread and dried breadcrumbs, mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans, dinner rolls and, of course, homemade pies. When I was young, I remember people liked mincemeat and goose berry pies. Chess pie, made from squash, and raisin pie were also popular, along with pumpkin and pecan. What ever happened to chocolate meringue coconut cream?
     I recall these events from my earliest memory, the early 1950s, until I was an adult. I particularly remember 1959. My mother was at home baking pumpkins pies on Friday night, December 9, when she got the phone call that our family hardware store was on fire. The store and the building next door (on the East side of Main Street, just north of the railroad tracks—it’s a parking lot now) burned to the ground that night.
     In the latter years, the dinners had grown so large we moved the event to the Grain Valley Elementary School. This would have been in the early 1990s. I’m not exactly sure when the Methodist Church had their last Turkey Dinner. But I do remember, I got asked to cut and serve the homemade pies the last few years. THIS WAS A GREAT HONOR!
     When I was young only my grandmother or Mrs. Snodgrass were allowed to cut the pies. You had to get them out of the pan and onto a plate looking good! By the time I was asked, I’d been teaching Home Economics for several years, but it took those years of practice to prove worthy of the task.
     When you gather with family and friends this holiday season, I hope you will share your memories of the past. Whether in Grain Valley or elsewhere, I hope they put a smile on your face!
 
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

The aprons were made by my mother and sold at the Christmas Bazaar. These were three of the extras she made for us. They usually sold for $2 or $3, a high price in those days. I believe they may have sold the hand embroidered Santa face apron for $5. 

​              Winter squash, tubers and root vegetables are in great abundance this time of year. Another not-so-common winter root vegetable is parsnips. A member of the Apiaceae family, parsnips are a ‘cousin’ to carrots and share their long taproot characteristic, though they tend to grow larger and thicker.
     The creamy white vegetable also has a central ‘core’ that can become tough as it grows to full maturity and may need to be trimmed down prior to preparation. Parsnips have a sweet, earthy flavor that is not fully developed until the roots have been exposed to near-freezing temperatures for 2 to 4 weeks in the fall and early winter. This cold-weather growth results in the starches changing into sugar.
     Parsnips are believed to be native to the eastern Mediterranean region. In Roman times the parsnip was regarded to have medicinal as well as food value. While there is no evidence that the Greeks and Romans cultivated parsnips, they commonly used wild ones for food. The British colonists introduced parsnips to North American in the 1600’s. Parsnips are grown primarily in northern states, with Michigan, New York, Washington, and Oregon leading in production in the US.
     Parsnips, bring a variety of nutrients to the table, including Vitamins C, E, and K, folic acid, potassium, magnesium and both soluble and insoluble fiber. These nutrients support cardiovascular, immune, and digestive health, aid in wound healing, and reduces the risk of neural tube defects in developing babies in utero. A diet rich in fruits and vegetables can reduce the risk of many chronic diseases.
     Before the cultivation of sugar beets and cane sugar, parsnips were commonly used as sweetener. Roasting parsnips brings out the natural sweetness of the vegetable and is a common preparation method. Cutting parsnips into strips (resembling french fries) and combining with similarly cut carrots makes for a tasty side dish when tossed with olive oil and roasted in a 400-degree oven.
     Boiling parsnips with potatoes and mashing them together will give your mashed potatoes a tasty surprise for your holiday table. For a sweet and savory combination, try this roasted ‘root and fruit’ combination.
​
Maple Roasted Parsnips
(6 servings)
 
1 ½ cups parsnips, peeled and chopped
1 ½ cups sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 cup apple, chopped (Fuji or Gala are good)
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1. Wash hands and work surfaces with warm, soapy water. Wash parsnips, sweet potatoes, and apples with warm water.
2.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Coat a baking dish with cooking spray.
3. In a large bowl combine parsnips, sweet potato, and apple, set aside.
4. Combine canola oil, maple syrup, and curry powder in microwave safe bowl and warm for 15 seconds in microwave. Mix in balsamic vinegar and stir to combine.
5. Pour mixture over vegetable mixture and stir to combine.
6. Transfer mixture to baking dish and bake until tender, about 1 hour, stirring after 30 minutes.
7. Serve immediately, refrigerate leftovers.

 
Nutrition information: Calories: 120, Total Fat: 2.5g, Saturated Fat: .2g, Sodium: 7mg, Carbohydrates: 25g, Fiber: 3.5g, Protein: 1g
 
Recipe adapted from Seasonal and Simple, analyzed by verywellfit.com

     Enjoying the holiday season and staying on track with your health goals can feel complicated – especially when attending holiday gatherings chocked full of delicious treats. You may have seen the increasingly popular butter board trend this holiday season. So how can you take this trend and amplify the nutrition? Hy-Vee registered dietitians are here to breakdown how to build a more nutrient-dense board perfect to share at your holiday gathering and help keep you on track with your health goals!

1. Start at the base: Choose a more nutrient-dense base such as Greek yogurt, nut butter or hummus – all of which contain protein to help fill you up faster and help with blood sugar management.
2. Top it wisely: Toppings used on your board should be as eye-catching as they are nutritious! Choose toppings such as fruit or vegetables to add a pop of color along with vitamins, minerals and fiber to help keep you full longer and prevent rapid spikes in your blood sugar. For that satisfying crunch consider adding nuts. Containing healthy fats, fiber and protein, nuts make for a nutritional powerhouse of a topping! Finally, use spices and herbs to flavor your board without the salt shaker; this helps keep sodium in check and achieve better blood pressure control.
3. Select what to serve with it: Boards such as these need something to use to gather up all that delicious dip! Choose fresh fruit, vegetables and whole grains – all packed with fiber – to help with appetite control and prevent you from overindulging on all the other holiday treats!

     Ready to try your hand at building the best board? Check out this Hy-Vee dietitian recipe below for our Holiday Greek Yogurt Board.

Holiday Greek Yogurt Board
 
All you need:
2 cups plain Greek yogurt
½ cup pistachios (or substitute chopped pecans or walnuts)
½ cup pomegranate arils
2 tbsp Hy-Vee honey
Sprinkle of cinnamon (optional)
To dip: Apple slices, pear slices, graham crackers
 
All you do:

1. Using the back of a spoon spread dollops of Greek yogurt out across a cutting board or serving platter.
2. Sprinkle evenly with pistachios, pomegranate arils, drizzle with honey and sprinkle with cinnamon (optional).
3. Outline your board with dipping options: apple slices, pear slices, graham crackers.

 
Recipe source: Hy-Vee dietitians
This information is not intended as medical advice. Please consult a medical professional for individual advice.
​

     Missouri non-farm payroll employment increased by 8,200 jobs from October 2022 to November 2022, and the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased by one-tenth of a percentage point. Private industry employment increased by 7,600 jobs and government employment increased by 600 jobs. The state's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 2.7 percent in November 2022, up from 2.6 percent in October 2022. Over the year, there was an increase of 72,800 jobs from November 2021 to November 2022, and the unemployment rate decreased by 1.2 percentage points, from 3.9 percent in November 2021 to 2.7 percent in November 2022.

UNEMPLOYMENT       
     Missouri's smoothed seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased by one-tenth of a percentage point in November 2022, rising to 2.7 percent from the revised October 2022 rate of 2.6 percent. The November 2022 rate was 1.2 percentage points lower than the November 2021 rate. A year ago, the state's seasonally adjusted rate was 3.9 percent. The estimated number of unemployed Missourians was 83,000 in November 2022, up by 4,132 from October's 78,868.     
     The national unemployment rate remained unchanged over the month. Missouri's unemployment rate has been at or below the national rate for the last five years.        
The state's not-seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate remained unchanged in November 2022, holding at October’s 2022 rate of 2.4 percent. A year ago, the not-seasonally-adjusted rate was 3.2 percent. The corresponding not-seasonally-adjusted national rate for November 2022 was 3.4 percent.        
     Missouri's labor force participation rate was 62.5 percent in November 2022, four-tenths of a percentage point higher than the national rate of 62.1 percent. Missouri's employment-population ratio was 60.8 percent in November 2022, nine-tenths of a percentage point higher than the national rate of 59.9 percent. Missouri's unemployment rate of 2.7 percent in November 2022 was one point lower than the national rate of 3.7 percent.    
   
EMPLOYMENT         
     Missouri's non-farm payroll employment was 2,940,300 in November 2022, up by 8,200 from the revised October 2022 figure. The October 2022 total was revised downward from the preliminary estimate with a decrease of 400 jobs.        
     Goods-producing industries increased by 4,200 jobs over the month, with mining, logging, & construction gaining 2,700 jobs and manufacturing gaining 1,500 jobs. Private service-providing industries increased by 3,400 jobs between October 2022 and November 2022. Employment in private service-providing industries increased in leisure & hospitality (2,600 jobs); financial activities (1,700 jobs); professional & business services (900 jobs); and educational & health services (100 jobs).  Employment decreased in trade, transportation, & utilities (-1,300 jobs); information (-400 jobs); and other services (-200 jobs).  Government employment increased by 600 jobs over the month an increase in local government (900 jobs) and a decrease in federal government (-300 jobs).       
     Over the year, total payroll employment increased by 72,800 jobs from November 2021 to November 2022. Most major private-sector industry groups that shared in the increase, with the largest gain in professional & business services (24,600 jobs); followed by leisure & hospitality (12,900 jobs); mining, logging, & construction (11,900 jobs); educational & health services (9,900 jobs); manufacturing (6,200 jobs); financial activities (5,000 jobs); and other services (3,000 jobs). Employment decreased in trade, transportation, & utilities (-1,400 jobs) and information (-300 jobs).  Government employment increased over the year, with a gain of 1,000 jobs. Government employment increased in local government (2,000 jobs) and state government (1,600 jobs). Employment decreased over the year in federal government (-2,600 jobs). 

​The following information is derived from Grain Valley Police Department daily calls service log for the week of December 7 - 13, 2022.
 
December 7, 2022
1000 Block of NW Scenic
Stolen Auto

PHQ
Stealing

700 Block of N Main St
Abandoned Auto

600 Block of NW Jefferson
Stealing from Auto

200 Block of NW Jefferson
Citizen Contact

PHQ
Citizen Phone Contact

900  Block of NW Baytree
Property Damage

PHQ
Citizen Contact

1000 Block of Dean Dr
Assist CJCFPD

700 Block of N Main
Missing Person

1200 Block of NW Sawgrass
Citizen Contact

200 Block of Royer Ln
Disturbance

 
December 8, 2022
600 Block of NW Woodbury Dr
Follow Up

PHQ
Fraud

200 Block Main
Suspicious Person

200 Block of Harris
Fraud

700 Block of NW Albatross Dr
Alarm

Sni-a-bar and 40 Hwy
Motor Vehicle Accident

PHG
Recovered Property

100 Block of SW Cross Creek
Check Welfare

300 Block of NW Jefferson St
Citizen Contact

200 Block of Main
Suspicious Person

2100 Block of S Dillingham
K9 Demo for Dare

900 Block of NW Lindenwood
Citizen Contact

100 Block of SW Blue Branch
Check Well Being

100 Block of Eagles Pkwy
Harassment

PHQ
Citizen Contact

PHQ
Citizen Contact

1100 Block of NW Golfview Dr
Suspicious Activity

1100 Block of Bush
Glass Break

PHG
Citizen Contact

1400 Block of NW Golfview Dr
Burglary

1100 Block of Christie Ln
Parking Complaint

Eagles Pkwy/Minter
Motor Vehicle Accident

PHQ
Harassment

900 NW Jefferson St
Assist Outside Agency

200 W Walnut
Assist CJCFPD

I-70 and Adams Dairy
Assist Outside Agency

 
December 9, 2022
1100 Block of NW Golfview Dr
Suspicious Person

1100 Block of R D Mize
Suspicious Person

400 Block of Front St
Alarm

1100 Blcok of NW Golfview Dr
Burglary Past

PHQ
Citizen Contact

PHQ
Citizen Contact

Duncan & Dillingham
Area Check for Vehicle

200 Block of SW Eagles Pkwy
Harassment

PHQ
Outside Agency Assist

 
December 10, 2022
1000 Block of Rock Creek Ln
Assault

PHG
Citizen Contack

I-70 and Deer Creek
Assist Agency

1000 Block of Ryan  Rd
Alarm

PHQ
Warrant Confirmation

400 Block of Deer Creek
Area Check for Noise Complaint

400 Block of Wolf Creek
Area Check  

PHQ
Outside Agency Contact

 
December 11, 2022
600 Block of Charlotte
Stealing

N Main & I-70
Motorist Assist

400 Block of SW Eagles Pkwy
Found Dog

100 Block of SW Eagles Pkwy
Commercial Alarm

 
December 12, 2022
700 Block of Squire Ct
Suspicious Person

PHQ
Citizen Contact

700 Block of Main St
Suspicious Vehicle

PHQ
Stealing

PHQ
Public Service - No contact

PHQ
Public Service  

440 E Monroe
Outside Agency Assist

EE Kirby and Broadway
Area Check Suspicious Person

PHQ
Citizen Contact

Southbound BB & I-70
Area Check Dangerous Driver

1300 Block of NW Willow
Burglary

1200 Block of SW Hillsboro Dr
Noise Complaint

 
December 13, 2022
PHQ
Citizen Contact Follow Up

PHQ
Fraud

12 S Hudson St
Outside Agency Assist

PHQ
Citizen Contact

PHQ
Citizen Contact

PHQ
Citizen Contact

 
Additional calls for service:
Suicidal subject: 1
CIT: 2

     With the Grain Valley girls basketball team having senior Grace Slaughter leading a high-powered offense with her 30 points per game, the team’s defense is something that could be overlooked.
     The Eagles defense has been good in the 2022-23 season as they have surrendered just 39.6 points per game.
     It was certainly on point in Monday’s Suburban White Conference matchup with Belton as Grain Valley held its opponent to single digits in three out of four quarters and forced 14 pirate turnovers in the first half as it cruised to a 68-25 victory at home.
     “We did a little bit of both (man-to-man and zone defense), but we really trust each other,” Grain Valley senior Ella Clyman said. “If someone goes by a person, we have help coming.”
     The Eagles (5-1, 1-0) used a full-court press to force turnovers and the defense in the halfcourt was solid as the team often kept their defenders in front of them and made it difficult for the Pirates to get to the basket on the dribble drive.
     “Our team defense is pretty good,” head coach Randy Draper said. “They just play hard, and they are good athletes. They know what they are doing. We just have to keep getting better. The people we will be playing are hard to guard. We can’t relax and we have to be the best block out team around.”
     Belton started out hot in the first period, making its first two shots, but Grain Valley held it to two points for the rest of the period as the Eagles took a 24-7 lead into the second period led by 14 points from Slaughter, which included her getting around a defender on the fast break using a Eurostep.
     The Grain Valley defense was even better in the second quarter, limiting the Pirates to just five points. The team outscored Belton 21-5, which was highlighted by McKenah Sears’ rebound and putback at the buzzer as her team went into halftime up 43-12.
     “I knew time was running down so I knew I had to get it off as quickly as I could,” Sears said. “And I knew I needed to crash the boards. That’s part of my job. I went and crashed the boards and it ended up in my hands and I timed it right.”
     The Eagles ballooned the lead to 64-26 in the third as Draper emptied the bench with 3 minutes left in the period led by Slaughter’s nine points.
     While Slaughter led the team with 31 points, six rebounds and two steals, she got plenty of help from her teammates. Clyman had a good game as scored 11 points and had three steals. Sears chipped in with 10 points and two steals. Meghan Knust also was tied for the team lead with three steals.
     “McKenah is starting to do stuff for us,” Draper said of Sears. “We need her to be a basketball player – score, rebound, handle the ball, just to be able to do everything. In the last two games, she has been arriving. She’s been huge for us.
     “Clyman had double digits scoring and she might be the best block out player in our program history.”

​Grain Valley's Grace Slaughter drives to the basket for a layup during a 68-35 win over Belton Monday. She had a game-high 31 points.

​Gerald Ray Harris, 69, of Odessa, Missouri passed away on Friday, December 9, 2022, at home.
 
Visitation will be held from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., Saturday, December 17, 2022, at the Ralph O. Jones Funeral Home, 306 S. 2nd St., Odessa, MO, 64076, 816-633-5524.  Memorials are suggested to the Lafayette County Cancer Coalition.  Memories of Gerald and condolences for his family may be left at www.LedfordFamilyFH.com or on our Facebook Page. 
 
Gerald was born on December 19, 1952, in Independence, MO to George and Gladys (Smith) Harris.  He graduated from Grain Valley High School in Grain Valley, MO.  On February 14, 1985, Gerald was united in marriage to Melissa Janette Brandel in Independence.  He retired in 2007 from Ford Motor Co. after 30 plus years of service.  Gerald was a member of the U.A.W. Local 249 in Kansas City, MO.  Gerald loved adventure and pushing the bar, he always enjoyed taking his kids to amusement parks, fishing, and enjoying some Bates City BBQ.  Gerald loved spoiling his grandchildren who were the light of his life. 
 
Gerald is survived by his wife, Melissa Harris of Odessa, MO; three children, Gerald Harris and wife Darla of Odessa, MO, Monica King and husband Gary of Grain Valley, MO, and Sarah Harris of Grain Valley, MO; six grandchildren, Theodore Harris, Hunter King, Dillon King, Kenzley Roark, Tabitha Harris, and Kash Roark; one great-grandson, Liam Harris; one brother, Glenn Harris and wife Joy of Tampa, Florida; and many relatives and friends. 
 
Gerald was preceded in death by his parents, and a brother, Steve Harris.

     2012 Grain Valley graduate Breanna Hicks has published the second installment in her Colorado Killer Series, releasing her second novel, The Colorado Killer: Covert, on November 28th. 
     Being a published author is a lifelong dream for Hicks, but one that she initially did not dare to dream. A psychology major, Hicks had originally intended to enter law school, but decided it was not the path for her. Hicks worked for the courts, in public schools, and for her church.
     While working as an event coordinator at her church, her pastor asked what she loved doing in her free time. 
     "I told him I loved to read, and he asked if I ever write. I said 'no', and kind of brushed it off. There's always that small voice, telling you 'You can't do that. Only famous people write'," Hicks said.
     "He said, 'Just start writing. Write a blog, right whatever you want. But start writing.'"
   Hicks took his challenge, starting a blog and subsequently writing devotionals and a book of poetry. Last October, Hicks felt the desire to explore fiction writing, and within a week had completed half of what would become her first novel, The Colorado Killer. 
     Using Estes Park and the Rocky Mountains as the setting, a familiar vacation destination for her husband's family and one she now enjoys, Hicks said the thriller's storyline quickly took shape.
     The book was published in March through Amazon. Positive feedback from readers gave her the confidence to keep going, and the second novel in what will be a trilogy flowed easily. 
     The first novel introduces readers to the Colorado Killer, and the second novel puts the main character, newly-single Fiona, in the killer's crosshairs.  
     For Hicks, the decision to become a full-time author did not come without trepidation, but Hicks says the support of her husband and sister have made the leap easier. 
     "Quitting my job and focusing on this full-time, has been a real esteem builder.  The realization that I am a published author, that people read my books, that I wake up and get to do this. It's unreal," Hicks said. 
     Hicks's sister, Amber McGinnis, is her editor and manager, and keeps her on task and organized.
     Hicks said the challenge of being a self-published author and having to learn how to market her books has been a learning experience, but she is grateful for the journey and encourages others to follow their passions. 
      "You know, you hear people say all the time 'My job's a calling. I don't feel like it's work.' And I never understood that. But over the weekend, I was at a vendor event selling my books and talking to readers. And I understand it now. I feel that passion and calling that you hear people talk about."
     "The first book, I did for me. To prove that I could do it. Now, I am writing for my readers, and it is an amazing feeling to create something for the entertainment of others. Growing up, reading was an escape for me. Now I get to create that escape for others, and it is a great feeling."
     Hicks is equally passionate about encouraging others to chase their dreams, no matter how big they may seem. 
     "Don't let your circumstances and your environment dictate what you can and can't do. You have a dream. Put everything you have into it, and you can do it."
     The Colorado Killer: Covert, and the first novel in the series, The Colorado Killer, can be purchased via Amazon, Amazon.com: Breanna Hicks: Books, Biography, Blog, Audiobooks, Kindle. 
     Readers can follow Hicks on Facebook and Instagram: @mrsbreannahicks. 

     Filing began this week for open Board of Aldermen seats and Board of Education seats in Grain Valley. 
     Filing for aldermen seats has been fairly quiet, with just two candidates filing as of Wednesday evening. Darren Mills has filed for re-election in Ward 2, and Tom Cleaver filed for re-election in Ward 1. The other open seat, currently held by Shea Bass in Ward III, had no candidates as of Wednesday evening. 
     Filing has been more robust for three school board openings, currently held by Jeff Coleman, Tisha Homfeld, and Jan Reding. Seven candidates had filed as of 11:00am Wednesday:

​Lance Pollard
Michael Hackett
Tisha Homfeld
Jan Reding
Jeff Coleman
Julie Taylor
Sarah Swartz

     Candidate filing closes at 5:00pm on December 27th. The municipal election will be held April 4, 2023.


Correction: A prior version incorrectly listed the deadline for aldermen candidates. The correct filing closing date is 5pm on December 27th.