Valley News
January 24, 2019
www.grainvalleynews.com
Effects of Shutdown Felt By Local Residents The partial government shutdown enters its second month this week, with no apparent end in sight. Far from the political battle being waged in Washington, D.C., nearly 800,000 federal employees nationwide have been placed on unpaid leave or are working without pay. Locally, the federal government is the largest employer in the Kansas City area, with more than 18,000 employees. Valley News spoke to two Grain Valley residents who are directly impacted by the ongoing shutdown. Grain Valley resident Julie and her fiancé Joe [last names withheld at their request] are relying on credit cards to cover daily expenses. Joe is considered an essential federal employee and is continuing to work full time without pay. “Currently we are surviving with credit cards for day to day expenses. We have called our mortgage company and car loan creditors with the hopes of deferring payments during the shutdown. So far it sounds as if the only payment we can defer for February will be our mortgage payment after our water bill. I think our biggest concern is the interest charges we are going to accumulate while accruing this debt, or if we run out of credit before the shutdown is over. Honestly, it’s a financial nightmare because you are basically helpless and at the mercy of the government. You can’t draw unemployment or get another job because you’re still working your regular job, so you have no way to really make money to provide for your
family,” Julie said. “We have to tell our children that we can’t afford something as simple as getting something they want from the grocery store, or stopping to get lunch after a doctor’s appointment. It’s stressful knowing that you’re working but you may still get into a financial hole that could be difficult to dig out of later. Joe says he lucky he hasn’t had a heart attack from the stress,” Julie said. Those working as government contractors find their situations even more tenuous. A Grain Valley resident, who asked to remain anonymous, works for a government contractor and does not have the security of back pay when the shutdown ends. “I am frantically looking for another job. Day to day is very nerve racking. We never know when we are going back to work. The lack of knowledge is the most frustrating and makes daily life very hard. With the weather keeping me home a lot, I have a lot of stress. I am leaning on family to help and I thank God for my family,” she said. Donna Compton, Site Manager for the Grain Valley Assistance Council, has not yet seen an influx of residents affected by the furlough coming to the organization for assistance. “We are pretty sure the people who will be affected the most are those who will get February food stamps now and none in February. February and March are months that we are not as busy, as many people have received their tax refunds and don’t need as see SHUTDOWN on page 6
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Eagles Defeat Panthers
Photo credit: John Overstreet
GVHS Senior Kendra Sibert sinks the final points for the Lady Eagles in their win over Oak Grove in the 21st Annual Sonic Showdown on January 21st. Photo credit: John Overstreet
