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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 by Michael Smith 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. Grain Valley junior Ava Bollinger drives to the basket. Photo credit: Michael Smith
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. Grain Valley graduate Breanna Hicks has released the second novel in her Colorado Killer series, The Colorado Killer: Covert. Photo credit: Valley News staff
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. District now accepting nominations for Teacher of the Year and Support Staff of the Year Awards12/8/2022
The Grain Valley School District is now accepting nominations for Grain Valley Teacher of the Year and Grain Valley Support Staff Employee of the Year awards. For each award, nominations are accepted via online forms from staff, parents, students, and community members. The awards are presented at the end of March.
Grain Valley Teacher of the Year The Grain Valley Teacher of the Year Award is sponsored by Grain Valley Chiropractic, LLC which provides a $500 grant to the honoree. The honoree is eligible for the Regional and Missouri State Teacher of the Year programs. Nominees must have worked in the school district for at least one year. Nominees must intend to teach in Grain Valley the year following their selection. Anyone who has won the award during the last five years is not eligible for nomination. However, teachers previously nominated but not selected may be nominated again. This award is open to all certified staff excluding administrators and directors. Counselors, PT, OT, and library media specialists are eligible. The process is as follows:
Grain Valley Support Staff Employee of the Year The Grain Valley Support Staff Employee of the Year Award is sponsored by Grain Valley Chiropractic, LLC which provides a $100 gift to the honoree. Nominees must have worked in the school district for at least one year. Nominees must intend to work in Grain Valley the year following their selection. Anyone who has won the award during the last five years is not eligible for nomination. However, support staff previously nominated but not selected may be nominated again. Any non-certified employee is eligible for this award. The process is as follows:
To nominate a staff member, visit: Staff Awards - Grain Valley Schools by Michael Smith First-year head coach Donald Horner has built a strong program and helped get about 70 athletes to join the Grain Valley wrestling team. The Eagles needed that depth in Wednesday’s dual at Blue Springs. They were missing some wrestlers who are normally in the starting lineup, including returning state medalists Tanner Barker and Dru Azcona, who were out with injuries. Several newcomers stepped up to help Grain Valley earn a 56-24 victory over the Wildcats. “I am really blessed,” Horner said. “We have a large group of freshmen. We have 26, 27. They do everything you asked. If I asked them to run through a brick wall, they would do it.” One of those newcomers was freshman Caine Nelson, who wrestled at 165 pounds in place of Barker. It was his first varsity match, so unsurprisingly, he was nervous. “I was about to pee my pants,” Nelson said, “but got more comfortable as the match went on.” It didn’t matter as he earned some key team points to essentially put the match out of reach for Blue Springs. Nelson overcame a 4-0 deficit and got a reversal against Blue Springs freshman Mason Booheister to tie the match at 4-4 before getting the pin at the 3 minute, 15-second mark. The pin gave Grain Valley a 44-12 lead. “I definitely could have done better,” Nelson said. “I should have built up quicker and freed my hands and I need to get to my half (nelson) quicker.” Horner said he was pleased with the way Nelson came up big for the Eagles. “He was nervous,” Horner said. “He had a case of the shakes. I think he went out there and did his job. He’s earned it. He’s worked hard.” Junior Aven Aumua (215) also wrestled in his first varsity dual and got a pin in 2:44 against Blue Springs freshman Carter Atagi. He countered a throw attempt by Atagi and got a throw of his own and pinned him shortly after. “My key thing when wrestling is just to be patient,” Aumua said. “A lot of times they get mad and go in full force and I just stand there and wait for them to make one wrong move and it’s a wrap.” It wasn’t just the newcomers helping either as seasoned wrestlers like Tyler Groves (144), a used his experience to help out a shorthanded Eagles squad, as well. He got two 3-point near falls in a 12-0 major decision against senior Devin Baldwin. “I have been really good on the head outside single (leg takedowns) and double (leg takedowns,” Groves said. “There are some things I could shape up on but overall I think I did pretty good today.” Other Eagles to win were sophomore Colston Parks (106) by forfeit; Zach Bleess (113) by a 16-4 major decision; Gavin Parks (120) by fall in 3:16; Brock Smith (126) by fall in 2:48; Ehtan Jones (132) by pin in 3:07; Justin Deweese (157) by fall in 1:45; and Andrew Czeschin (285) by fall in 29 seconds. Girls wrestling There were only three contested matches in the varsity girls dual in which Blue Springs won 30-18. Grain Valley sophomore Adalia Del Real (170) topped Natalia Perra with a first-period pin. Madison Hobbs (135) and Sevreign Aumua (140) both won by forfeit. Grain Valley senior Tyler Groves turns Blue Springs senior Devin Baldwin for a 3-point near fall. Photo credit: Michael Smith Grain Valley junior Gavin Parks goes for the pin against Blue Springs freshman Liam Taylor during a 56-24 win over the Wildcats in Wednesday's dual at Blue Springs High School. Photo credit: Michael Smith Grain Valley freshman Zach Bleess hooks in a half Nelson against Blue Springs senior Aleksei Wojkiewicz. Photo credit: Michael Smith
by Clara Bates, Missouri Independent
The rate of uninsured children in Missouri stabilized during the COVID-19 pandemic, reversing a years-long trend that saw an increasing number of children losing coverage, according to a report released Wednesday by Georgetown University. But the researchers warn the end of the federal public health emergency, which will likely occur next year and require states to redetermine eligibility for all Medicaid recipients, will put children at risk of inappropriately losing healthcare coverage. Missouri was previously identified as one of six states where children are at the highest risk of losing coverage once the public health emergency ends. Wednesday’s report, conducted by Georgetown’s Health Policy Institute Center for Children and Families, found a majority of states from 2019 to 2021 saw a decline or stability in their child uninsured population, in large part due to federal restrictions on states barring them from removing Medicaid recipients from their Medicaid rolls during the public health emergency. Missouri’s rate of uninsured children was 6.5% in 2019 and declined to 5.9% in 2021, according to U.S. Census data. The Georgetown University report analyzed 2019 and 2021 federal data, as 2020 data was not made available. Missouri had a higher prevalence of uninsured children than the national average in both years. Approximately 86,000 Missouri children were uninsured in 2021. In the three years leading up to the pandemic, rates of uninsured children had gone up nationally for the “first time in recent memory,” a Georgetown press release noted. This was also the case in Missouri: According to federal data, Missouri’s rate of children lacking insurance coverage rose from 4.8% in 2016 to 6.5% in 2019. ‘Procedural disenrollments’ Missouri’s social service department came under criticism in 2019 for significant Medicaid enrollment declines, after they adopted a new renewal process and information system. Missouri Budget Project that year found that families were often kicked off Medicaid despite being eligible for coverage because of challenges with the renewal process, including that they did not receive the proper paperwork or submitted the paperwork only for it to be lost or not processed. There were also hours-long waits for the Medicaid call centers at the time. Advocates worry that once the public health emergency ends, Missouri could return to a situation in which the renewal process strips eligible Medicaid recipients of coverage due to administrative barriers. In a study earlier this year, Georgetown researchers estimated 6.7 million children across the country are at risk of losing coverage when the public health emergency ends. The federal government predicted nearly three-quarters of children who are removed from the Medicaid rolls after the public health emergency ends will remain eligible but be dropped due to procedural issues. “We often hear that procedural disenrollments occur when enrollees ‘fail’ to renew,” noted a Center for Children and Families post in August, “But it’s often a ‘system failure.’” When children become uninsured, they’re more likely to experience worsening chronic conditions, miss well-child check-ups, and their families can receive high medical bills and even go into medical debt, Joan Alker, director of Georgetown’s Center for Children and Families and the lead author of Wednesday’s study, said on a press call Wednesday. Missouri children are particularly at risk, Georgetown’s earlier report noted, because the state does not have a policy to provide 12-month continuous Medicaid coverage to children and also administers Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) in a way that could lead to coverage gaps, including by charging families premiums for CHIP. Alker said by email that Missouri has a “history of red tape losses for children,” referring to bureaucratic hurdles which create coverage gaps for eligible children. She credited the continuous coverage provision during the public health emergency with helping tamp that down. The report’s finding that rates of uninsured children nationally declined slightly over the pandemic is “welcome news for America’s children,” Alker said in Wednesday’s press call but it “may be short-lived.” Nationally, “millions of eligible children will likely fall through the cracks and become uninsured in states that are inattentive or ill-intentioned when the federal continuous coverage protection expires,” Alker continued. The federal government has not yet announced when the PHE will end, but will give 60 days notice, and once it does end, states have up to 14 months to determine eligibility of all Medicaid enrollees. Missouri’s social service department has told the MO HealthNet oversight committee it plans to take one year to complete all renewals. Missouri’s social service department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. In July, the state adopted several federal flexibilities designed to reduce their Medicaid application backlog in advance of needing to renew the entire caseload of Medicaid participants once the public health emergency ends. Those flexibilities will be in place until the end of the public health emergency unwinding period, and could ease verification hurdles. One measure, which focuses on applications received through the federal marketplace, allows the state to accept the federal information rather than needing to re-verify it. Missouri social services officials have also said the agency is working to ensure it has updated address information for participants so it can reach them when the public health emergency ends and renewals begin again. At an August MO HealthNet meeting, director of Family Support Division, Kim Evans, said the state is working with managed care providers to update patients’ information in their eligibility system if they have moved. They are also doing social media blasts to remind participants to update their contact information and working to shift to an electronic notification system, Evans said. Most adults in Medicaid-enrolled families nationally are not aware their services will be renewed again soon, an Urban Institute study last month found, posing challenges to states to reliably communicate the coming shift. Unlike 35 other states, Missouri has not yet publicly provided its plan for the public health emergency unwind or a plan summary, according to Georgetown’s unwinding tracker. Enrollment challenges Missouri is working to replace outdated technology, Robert Knodell, director of the department of social services, explained at a press briefing in August. There have been longstanding tech problems within Missouri’s social services department, which have left many processes manual — relying on paper forms — and burdened participants. A 2020 report from the Missouri Department of Social Services and the nonprofit Civilla on enrollment challenges for benefits programs concluded that for participants, “the system feels like a secret and no one has the answer.” For staff, the report concluded, they feel “like an assembly line rather than connected to the people they serve,” and the work feels “siloed.” Children in states who “have not kept pace with modernizing their eligibility system” are at greater risk of inappropriately losing coverage, Alker said Wednesday. Deborah Greenhouse, a pediatrician in South Carolina and a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Federal Government Affairs, said at the press briefing Wednesday that ongoing surges in pediatric respiratory illnesses and the child mental health crisis make continued coverage for children especially necessary. “Any disruptions in coverage,” Greenhouse said, “would add another layer of crisis to an already dire situation.” Join Truman Heritage Habitat for their 3rd Annual Gingerbread Homes for the Holidays contest Friday, December 9 – Saturday, December 24 at Bass Pro Shops, 18001 Bass Pro Drive, Independence, MO 64055.
The public is invited to come out during store hours to view the Gingerbread Village and “vote” with your dollars for your favorite gingerbread home. These homes are created with love by families, organizations, businesses, with a few created by professional chefs. All funds raised empower families to access safe, healthy, stable housing. This year’s goal is $30,000. Home is key to a sense of love, safety, and belonging. Spending the holidays at home with family is important to many of us. Through the creation of gingerbread homes, Truman Heritage Habitat for Humanity hopes to bring awareness to the need for safe homes and to raise funds for local efforts, bringing strength, stability, and independence to families in Eastern Jackson County. Entries will be delivered to Bass Pro Shops: December 8 from 10AM – 7PM Gingerbread Home winners, Top Fundraising Team and Individual announced on January 10, 2023. Truman Heartland Community Foundation (THCF) invites students of all ages to apply for more than $650,000 in scholarships for the 2022-23 school year. Visit www.thcf.org/scholarships to learn more and begin the application process.
“Whether you are a graduating high school senior, a current college student, or an adult looking to go back to school and finish your degree, chances are there is a scholarship available for you,” Rachael Watkins, Director of Scholarships at THCF said. “We encourage everyone seeking higher education to apply for scholarships.” Students can submit one general scholarship application that will match them with more than 50 scholarships they may be qualified to receive. Once matched to scholarships, additional documentation such as transcripts with final Fall 2022 grades, essays, letters of reference, or statements about participation in certain activities may be required. The deadline to submit the general scholarship application and any supplemental materials is February 24, 2023. Some scholarships have separate stand-alone applications, and their deadlines and requirements vary. We encourage students to apply for each scholarship for which they are eligible. In 2022, Truman Heartland awarded more than $740,000 in scholarships to nearly 300 local students. Since 1982, THCF has awarded more than $5.91 million to help students reach their educational goals. For questions or personal assistance with scholarships, please contact Rachael Watkins, Director of Scholarships, at watkins@thcf.org |
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