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The Delaney family is very much aware and supports what is being done.

Turns out unintentionally that the day we passed 100 signatures happens to be the same day as the birthday of one of Joe’s daughters.

We just gave her one really memorable birthday present....

Light one up!
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There are more signatures to count but here is the tally to get us to 100

Jackson 63
Clay 23
Cass 10
Lafayette 4
Johnson 2 (yes these two were from Johnson County, MO)
Ray 0 (??????)


Of note:

Johnson County KS had 8
Platte County which we tried to include had 5
Wyandotte County KS had 1

Bet anything if those 3 counties could have been included we would be above 150....
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Nice job guys. It would be cool if this could be implemented before the new season starts.
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From MODOT:

I look forward to your receiving your application. Once the application is received and reviewed, we will forward it, the 100 signatures, and supporting documents onto the Joint Committee on Transportation Oversight for final review and approval. The Committee typically meets at the end of May every year, however, MoDOT has no leverage in when they meet. We are present the application and the Committee’s Secretary places the application on its agenda for review.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, we continue to focus on the health and well-being of the traveling public and our employees. To this end, we have modified some of our routine operations to ensure social distancing of our employees. Sign work is being limited to safety related signs only, meaning those signs that must remain in place to ensure a safe highway system. All other sign work, such as installation of memorial highway designation signs, is being placed on hold until such a time that this activity can be safely accomplished. Even after we move past this pandemic, we will have a backlog of sign work. The backlog is likely to be significant and will need to be prioritized in order of greatest need as it relates to the safety and operation of the highway system. We are committed to installing memorial highway designation signs. We simply ask for patience as the priorities of the department are focused on the health and safety of the public and our employees.

-------------------------------------------------

So even though things are progressing nicely (money for the cost of the signs has officially been paid by the anonymous Chiefs Planet member today) and the Bank will send me the check for me to turn around and submit with the entire package (they want it all at once and not piecemeal), I am guessing that their response today means that due to COVID, Opening Day is too soon for The Joe Delaney Memorial Highway on I-435 signs to be officially unveiled but perhaps at some point this season it will happen.

As for the BBQ contest, nothing is anywhere close to official, but we are making gradual progress at an established Kansas City venue to host it in October. Nothing anywhere close to being announced yet, but hopefully sooner rather than later...
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Channel 41 is all over this :-)
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Confirmed

Just finished a 1 on 1 interview with Gabriela Pagan from KSHB-41

She plans to interview Carolyn Delaney (Joe’s widow) and MODOT

Also sent her contact information for Clay and Vahe as they both worked so hard at this.

It’s airing tonight (not sure exactly which newscast but queue the “it’s happening“ gif)

NOTE: I’m not sure if it’s going to be aired, but made sure to specifically mention the efforts of Clay, 37 Forever and Chiefs Planet during interview. Whether it airs or not, we shall see....
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What a difference a few days can make

Couple days ago it had a whopping 5 signatures, today the 100 threshold has been exceeded and AJ is doing a local news interview... this website can be legit amazeballs when it wants to be
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Well it was a nice idea while it lasted. MoDOT makes one visit here and sees the degenerates that are posting here and they will bail.
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Feature will be aired BUT

Not airing tonight. They need to get more pictures of Joe from Delaney family. Will run but might not be until weekend/early next week. Bummer but it’s only delayed....

Clay and Vahe get so much of the credit. They both worked their asses off to bring this to the public limelight so kudos to them both....
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Pair of updates:

The entire package to MODOT has been sent and will be received by the representative who I've been dealing with by 2pm KC time tomorrow. The Joe Delaney Memorial Highway on I-435 has moved one tremendous step closer to reality!

Also, the feature on KSHB-41 is expected to now air this evening (March 10) on its 6PM newscast, with Gabriella Pagan doing the feature.

If anyone from the Planet was involved in the signature drive, please PM message me, as I very much would like to express my thanks to you personally!

Thanks again and now it is on to the BBQ Contest....
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That's great man. This has been such an awesome project for you to take on. :-)
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He may have only played 2 seasons with the @Chiefs but the story of Joe Delaney & his heroic death has lived on in a man who's never even lived in @KCMO.

That lasting impact & how @MoDOT_KC plays a role, tonight on @41actionnews at 6p. #ChiefsKingdom

(Courtesy: KC Chiefs) pic.twitter.com/1Faw13Vy4R

— Gabriella Pagán (@GabbyPaganTV) March 10, 2021

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https://www.kshb.com/news/local-news...er-joe-delaney

New York man petitions MoDOT to rename portion of I-435 after Chiefs player Joe Delaney

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Joe Delany only played two seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs.
However, the story of his heroic death has lived on in a man who's never even lived in Kansas City, Missouri.
Tens of thousands of Chiefs fans travel along the stretch of I-435 that leads to Arrowhead Stadium.
Now, Adam Jassey has enough signatures to have the Missouri Department of Transportation name it after Delaney.
"For those who don't know who Joe Delaney is - that's a huge part about what this is all about, he has been largely forgotten," Jassey said.
Jassey was born and raised in Long Island, New York but his parents moved to Kansas City in the 1960's so his father could attend medical school.
The Jassey's loved Kansas City so much they wanted to take a piece of it home with them, so they raised their NYC kids as die-hard Kansas City sports fans.
"It's been great it's like a badge of honor," Jassey said. "I passed it on to my son Brett who is now a third generation Kansas City fan in New York, named after George Brett."
Jassey's true passion for the Chiefs began in 1981 when Delaney was drafted in the second round, and the team had it's first winning season in years.
"He ran for over 1,000 yards, he made the Pro Bowl and it was a reason to get excited that he was going to turn the fortune of the Chiefs around," Jassey said.
Instantly, Delaney became then 9-year-old Jassey's favorite player on the Chiefs.
Learning that Delaney had tragically, yet heroically died in 1983 in Louisiana, stayed with him forever and has culminated to making sure his legacy lives on in the city that first introduced him to number 37.

"I was devastated because it was the loss of my favorite player on the Chiefs," Jassey said. "As I got older and I realized the sacrifice that he made to try and save those children from drowning and he didn't even know how to swim and he still went into those waters to try and do that, kids he didn't even know, and the only person in that park to make that decision to do that, it just made me realize what a selfless hero he is and it's the most heroic thing that I've ever seen any person, athlete or otherwise, ever do." Delaney was married to his wife Carolyn and had three young girls at the time.

"We just grew up childhood friends that ended up in high school dating and getting married right out of high school, I guess Joe was just the love of my life, I would never ever remarry and I know I would never love anyone like I loved Joe," Delany's wife, Carolyn, said.

"Just warms my heart for someone to be looking up to Joe like that and thinking about him now and he was their hero back then and still [is] their hero today," Carolyn said. "It's just a great feeling to know that kids at that age - they remember their heroes and things like that, and Joe was one of them, out of all the peoples you pick Joe Delaney."
According to MODOT, the petition to rename the stretch of l-435 from exit 66 to 63C has more than enough signatures to be considered.
Jassey mailed the application with legislative sponsorship from Missouri Rep. Yolanda Young, Wednesday afternoon.
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