St. Joseph Habitat for Humanity has announced the hiring of a new executive director.

According to a news release, Cate Manley, a northwest Missouri native will fill the role as executive director. Habitat began the search for a new director after Melissa Koch resigned in April.

Habitat said Manley graduated from Lathrop High School and is a former Missouri Western State University student.  She holds a BS in Business Management from the University of Phoenix.

The agency said Manley has been recruited all over the country to be part of executive leadership teams for education systems, military/veteran service organizations, and not-for-profit human impact agencies. Manley returns to St. Joseph with her husband and their five
children.

The community is invited to meet Manley during Habitat’s 66th house blessing Thursday. The blessing will take place at 3107 Locust from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.

The Livingston County Sheriff’s Office is investigating 11 separate reports of mailboxes being damaged or stolen in the north east part of Livingston County over the last several days. Sheriff Steve Cox said the majority of these crimes have taken place north and east of Chillicothe and in the Wheeling area.

“The people involved in doing these crimes are risking a great deal with their future and jail or prison time,” Cox said.

The LCSO is now asking the public for TIPS on these crimes. If you have information, you can call (660) 646-0515  (or via dispatchers at (660) 646-2121) or submit a tip online here.

A St. Joe man was sentenced Wednesday for the sexual abuse of an 11-year-old girl.

As we reported, Rex Sapp, 48, pleaded guilty in June to one count of statutory sodomy, admitting he sexually abused the victim five times.

Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Kate Schaefer asked for a 30-year prison term, pointing out that the victim will likely need counseling for the rest of her life.  The victim’s father told the judge the incidents left her “scared to death,” and that she has nightmares every night.

Defense lawyer Mark Wissehr asked the judge to consider probation because Sapp has no prior criminal convictions.  Barring that, Wissehr asked for a sentence in the range of 10 to 12 years.

Circuit Judge Patrick Robb ordered a 20-year prison term.  Sapp must serve at least 85% of that, or 17 years, before he can be considered for parole.  He must also register as a sex offender and submit to supervision by the state after his release.

A 20-year-old man was injured Tuesday in a crash in Harrison County.

According to a crash report from the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Juan Strong of Texas was driving a 2005 Chevrolet Tahoe northbound on I-35 in Eagleville when his vehicle traveled off the east side of the road and hit a highway sign. Strong over-corrected and skidded across northbound lanes of the highway and into a median. He returned to the road in the southbound lanes and over-corrected again and skidded through the median across both northbound lanes, off the east side of the road and hit an embankment. The patrol said the vehicle then went over the embankment and hit a ditch then came to rest off of the east side of the highway facing north.

Strong was taken by ambulance to Harrison County Community Hospital for treatment of what was described as a moderate injury.

The latest series of information sessions on the total eclipse are scheduled Wednesday, and the public is strongly encouraged to attend. The St. Joseph Visitors Bureau, along city and county officials, have scheduled sessions July 26 at the Scottish Rite Temple Theater, 515 N. 6th Street in St. Joseph. The free sessions are planned at 9am, 1pm and 6pm.

During the hour and a half sessions, there will be a presentation the history of eclipses, the special effects you can expect to see and common sense viewing tips presented by Dr. Angela Speck. Dr. Speck, Director of Astronomy at University of Missouri, will also explain why this eclipse is generating so much attention, the time-line of the eclipse, and why St. Joseph is a prime viewing location. Dr. Speck was recently featured as one of the guest speakers on the NASA 2017 eclipse science panel press briefing live-stream on June 21 of this year.

Following Dr. Speck, the public will also learn about the many special events that our local residents, family and friends can enjoy set in St. Joseph during the prior weekend and day of the eclipse from Beth Conway, Communications Director of the St. Joseph Visitors Bureau.

Rounding out the sessions, city and county emergency management officials will share how the entire community and region is preparing for this special event, and a panel will be available for questions and answers from the audience.

Solar Eclipse merchandise will also be available for purchase, including the ever-important solar safety sunglasses.