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Defendant admits selling the same tractors multiple times

USDOJ bas relief logoThe United States Attorney in Nebraska says a Colorado man has been convicted of selling the same farm tractor to three different people, even though a bank held a lien on the tractor.

US Attorney Deborah R. Gilg announced that Benedict T. Palen, Jr., age 63, of Denver, Colorado waived indictment and entered a guilty plea to a one count Information which charged him with mail fraud.

Sentencing has been set for May 5, 2017. Under the statute, Palen is subject to a maximum punishment of up to twenty years of imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and a term of supervised release of up to three years.

According to documents filed in the case, in September of 2012, Palen, acting through his company, Great Plains Farms, sold a John Deere tractor to an individual in Holdrege, Nebraska for $45,000 representing it to be free and clear of liens. A $20,000 check was mailed to Palen as a down payment. On the same date, Palen sold the same tractor to an individual in South Dakota. Further investigation revealed that not only was there a lien against the tractor held by a bank in Kansas, but the same tractor had actually been sold in 2011 by the defendant, as vice-president of Pull Pans, Inc., to a company in Florida.

When Palen had not delivered the tractor to the Holdrege buyer by April of 2013, Palen claimed there was a discrepancy in the number of hours on the tractor and modified the agreement to provide for delivery of a different John Deere tractor thereby causing the buyer to mail a $25,000 check to Palen for the remaining amount due. However, this alternate tractor had also been sold in 2011 by the defendant, as vice-president of Pull Pans, Inc., to the Florida company.

Cloudy and 50s with a chance of showers tonight

weather-2-6Cloudy and mild conditions today with patchy drizzle and light rain showers through the afternoon. A few storms are possible later this evening mainly across central Missouri. A few of the stronger storms could produce small hail. Another unseasonably warm day on Tuesday, followed by colder conditions mid-week. Here’s the 7-day forecast from the National Weather Service:

Today: A slight chance of showers after 5 p.m. Cloudy, with a high near 54. Calm wind becoming south southeast 5 to 9 mph in the morning. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

Tonight: A slight chance of showers before midnight. Cloudy, then gradually becoming partly cloudy, with a low around 41. Southeast wind 5 to 7 mph becoming west after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 53. West northwest wind 7 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 22 mph.

Tuesday Night: A chance of snow after midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 26. North wind 8 to 11 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Wednesday: A slight chance of snow before noon. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 35. North wind 7 to 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

Wednesday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 19.

Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 36.

Thursday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 31.

Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 59.

Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 41.

Saturday: Partly sunny, with a high near 58.

Saturday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 35.

Sunday: Partly sunny, with a high near 45.

 

Planned road work for northwest Missouri, Feb. 6 – 12

wpid-modot-logo-200x150.jpgST. JOSEPH, Mo. – The following is a listing of general highway maintenance and construction work in the Northwest Missouri region planned for the week of Feb. 6 – 12 from the Missouri Department of Transportation. In addition to the work listed below, there may be pothole patching, bridge maintenance, striping, brush cutting, guardrail repairs and other road work conducted throughout the region. Many of these will be moving operations and could include lane closures with delays. With the possibility of winter weather, scheduled maintenance and construction projects may be postponed.

 

Atchison County

U.S. Route 275 – Shoulder work, Feb. 6 – 7

U.S. Route 59 – Pothole patching, Feb. 8 – 9

Buchanan County

Route 6 – Pothole patching, Feb. 6 – 10

Route 116 – From Rushville to DeKalb for sealing, Feb. 6 – 10

Caldwell County

U.S. Route 36 – CLOSED at the Route 13 overpass for bridge maintenance, Feb. 6 – 10, 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m daily. Traffic will be directed up and over the ramps at Hamilton during the closure.

Route 116 – From Route A to U.S. Route 69 (Clinton County) for shoulder work, Feb. 6 – 10

Chariton County

Route 129 – CLOSED from Hickory Avenue to Little Creek Road for a culvert replacement, Feb. 6, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Clinton County

Route 116 – From U.S. Route 69 to Route A (Caldwell County) for shoulder work, Feb. 6 – 10

DeKalb County

Route J – CLOSED from U.S. Route 36 to Route 6 for a culvert replacement, Feb. 6 – 10, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily

Gentry County

U.S. Route 136 – From the Nodaway County line to the city limits of Stanberry for crack sealing, Feb. 6 – 10

Holt County

U.S. Route 59 – From the city limits of Mound City to the city limits of Craig for shoulder work, Feb. 6 – 10

Mercer County

U.S. Route 136 – From Route A to the Harrison County line for sealing, Feb. 6 – 10

Route P – CLOSED at the Brushy Creek Bridge for a bridge replacement. The road will be closed through February 2017.

Nodaway County

U.S. Route 136 – From the One Hundred and Two River Bridge to Route 46 for shoulder work, Feb. 6 – 10

Route 46 – From Icon Road to Fillmore Street in the city limits of Maryville for tree trimming, Feb. 7 – 8

Route 46 – In the city limits of Ravenwood for tree trimming, Feb. 9

Worth County

Route 46 – From U.S. Route 169 to Route C for sealing, Feb. 6 – 10

Krug Castle Ornaments make comeback in St. Joseph

Krug Castle Ornament. Photo courtesy City of St. Joseph
Krug Castle Ornament. Photo courtesy City of St. Joseph

The City of St. Joseph has restocked its supply of Krug Castle Ornaments due to high demand.

According to a news release, the ornaments are once again available for purchase.  The ornament is made of painted 3D metal with the history of Krug Castle printed on the box.

“Our price point isn’t much more than what we are selling them for.  The money earned goes towards purchasing different ornaments for next year,” said Julie Noel with the City of St. Joseph.

The ornaments are only available for purchase at the Remington Nature Center gift shop, 1502 McArthur Dr, St. Joseph, MO 64505.  The cost of each ornament is $9.99.  

Anyone who wants to purchase an ornament but can’t make it to the Remington Nature Center can still do so by calling the Remington Nature Center at (816) 271-5499.

“These special ornaments can be shipped to you or your loved ones for a small postage fee.  These ornaments will only be available while supplies last,” Noel said.

Organization urges drivers to make the right call on Super Bowl Sunday

Missouri Coalition for Roadway SafetyThe Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety is urging drivers whose Super Bowl plans may include alcohol to plan ahead.

According to the Coalition, throughout the weekend of February 5, there will be numerous Super Bowl celebrations happening across the state. Many of these celebrations may include alcohol. The Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety urges football fans to get their game plan established ahead of time: plan a sober ride home.

In 2016, 179 people were killed and 643 seriously injured in Missouri crashes that involved a substance-impaired driver. “One careless act affects all of us,” said MoDOT Director of Highway Safety Bill Whitfield. “Help save lives – don’t drink and drive, and don’t let friends drink and drive.”

Protesters gather at Civic Center Park to show solidarity

Hundreds of people turned out Saturday at Civic Center Park in St. Joseph for a demonstration of support for local immigrants and Muslims.

Organizer Derek Evans hoped the rally would ensure that our Muslim neighbors and immigrant neighbors in St. Joseph feel welcome, and are aware there are folks here who want to make them feel welcome.

Evans said he also hopes the rally will increase local participation in the political process. The group Our Revolution St. Joseph put together the rally with relatively short notice via social media, and came up with a list of speakers from various community organizations who took part.

Speakers from various community organizations took part in the rally.

As we reported, Evans says that both groups feel a little uneasy with the current administration and the executive orders that were issued last week. (Read more here)

Joyce Estes honored for more than two decades with the Children’s Advocacy Center

Joyce Estes recently retired after more than 23 years with the Children's Advocacy Center
Joyce Estes recently retired after more than 23 years with the Children’s Advocacy Center

Supporters and co-workers gathered at the Buchanan County Courthouse Friday to honor Joyce Estes, who recently retired after 23 years with the Northwest Missouri Children’s Advocacy Center.

We asked Estes to reflect on the growth of the center, from its humble beginnings in 1993 in the basement of the Noyes Home with a part time staff.

“We now have a director, office manager, three counselors, a full-time forensic interviewer, and a part-time victim advocate, so our staff has increased a lot,” Estes said.

“We’re seeing probably five times as many kids as we saw when we first started.”

During her career at the center, they added an agreement with Children’s Mercy Hospital in which specialists in Kansas city are able to use “tele-medicine” video conferencing to conduct sexual assault “safe exams.”

“A safe exam is like a sexual assault forensic exam, and has to be done by a specialized person,” Estes said. “We don’t have anyone here who is willing to do those, so somebody from Children’s Mercy will help the nurse practitioner here with the child.”

“That’s a very big accomplishment, because before everybody had to go to Kansas City to get an exam,” she said.

The center is the first of its kind in Missouri. Estes says they helped more than 600 child victims last year, and 570 the year before that. Estes says they have a multi-disciplinary team that works together, so the child is only interviewed once.

“Instead of the police interviewing, the Children’s Division interviewing, the school nurse interviewing, the child comes to the center and gets one interview, and everyone gets that information, and we can do what’s best for the child,” Estes said.

“Probably the most important thing to me is that we do what’s best for the child. That’s our motto, that’s our goal, that’s it, period.”

Estes believes the search for her replacement will get underway soon. We asked if she had any advice for her replacement.

“Be prepared to work hard,” she said, “and make time for yourself. You’ve got to be able to do some stress relief.”

“It’s a very stressful job, but it’s a very, very rewarding job,” she said, and one she has loved since “day one.”

Maryville street improvement project recognized

Pictured left to right are State Rep. Allen Andrews, Maryville City Manager Greg McDanel, Northwest President Dr. John Jasinski, Northwest Board of Regents Chair Dr. Patrick Harr and Maryville Assistant City Manager Ryan Heiland after accepting the Great Street Award.
Pictured left to right are State Rep. Allen Andrews, Maryville City Manager Greg McDanel, Northwest President Dr. John Jasinski, Northwest Board of Regents Chair Dr. Patrick Harr and Maryville Assistant City Manager Ryan Heiland after accepting the Great Street Award. Photo courtesy Northwest

(News release) JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – The Fourth Street Improvement Project, a collaborative initiative completed by city of Maryville and Northwest Missouri State University, is now an award-winning one.

The city and University were honored Wednesday at the Missouri capitol building in Jefferson City by the Missouri Chapter of the American Planning Association and its Great Places in Missouri program with the Great Street Award. Maryville City Manager Greg McDanel, Assistant City Manager Ryan Heiland, Northwest President Dr. John Jasinski, and Dr. Patrick Harr, chair of Northwest’s Board of Regents, were on hand to accept the award.

“The Fourth Street Improvement Project serves as an avenue of community pride symbolizing the strong partnership between Northwest Missouri State and the city of Maryville,” McDanel said. “Improvements to the corridor created a high-functioning complete street with improved safety features and vibrant aesthetics. The Great Place designation is an honor for the community and those who turned vision into reality.”

Jasinski added, “The Fourth Street Improvement Project has been both a symbol and catalyst. It represents an enhanced and ongoing collaborative effort between the city of Maryville and Northwest Missouri State University and also serves as a metaphor for dynamic growth throughout the community and University. Further, the Fourth Street Improvement Project has been a catalyst for those thinking through possible partnerships, investments and growth strategies. It is a visual image that shows working together for a common good is indeed the right and smart thing to do.”

The Fourth Street Improvement Project – a $2 million effort – was designed to functionally and aesthetically enhance the six-block corridor of Fourth Street from Maryville’s downtown to the Northwest campus.

Plans for improving the corridor began in 2012 after it was identified as a critical need in Maryville’s Comprehensive Plan and the Downtown Strategic Plan. With goals of increasing accessibility and enhancing safety, the project improved traffic calming, landscaping, safety lighting and trail extensions and incorporated redevelopment of adjacent retail and housing.

When construction began in summer 2014, city and construction crews sought upgrades that extended beyond the street’s surface. A vacant residence along the corridor was demolished as part of the city’s continued efforts to remove blighted structures, water lines were replaced, deteriorated curb and gutter sections were replaced, and a triangle intersection outside the campus entrance was reconfigured to a more traditional and safer design.

Other enhancements to the thoroughfare included decorative lighting; an 8-foot wide bicycle-pedestrian, an ADA-compliant trail along the entire north side of the corridor; and brick pillars that match the downtown and University landscape. Newly planted trees and shrubs along the corridor also serve as an extension of the Northwest campus’ status as the home of the Missouri Arboretum.

The crowning feature of the project is a gateway arch at the intersection of Fourth and Buchanan streets that includes branded medallions. A medallion with a Northwest logo on one side of the arch welcomes passersby traveling west toward the campus, while a medallion with the city’s seal tops the opposite site of the arch as people travel east toward the downtown area.

After a year of construction, the refurbished corridor promptly became a source of community pride when it opened in spring 2015. It serves as a centerpiece for the Northwest Homecoming parade, Nodaway County Parade, Maryville Farmer’s Market and impromptu celebrations for athletic victories, public art, graduations and other community events.
Launched in 2014, the Great Places in Missouri program recognizes neighborhoods, streets and public spaces throughout Missouri that demonstrate exceptional character, quality and planning in an effort to enrich communities, facilitate economic growth, and inspire residents and visitors alike.

Two other projects were honored Wednesday as Great Places in Missouri. St. Louis’ Tower Grove Park received the Great Public Space Award, and downtown Kirkwood in St. Louis County received the Great Neighborhood Award.

An animal safari comes to the Remington Nature Center

Remington Nature CenterHissing cockroaches, chinchillas, reptiles and more will be at the Remington Nature Center Saturday.

Casey’s Creatures, Creatures by Theresa and Farm 2 Fork Ranch will be bringing in a variety of animals for the event. 

Naturalist Shelly Cox will feature tarantulas, hissing cockroaches, a desert millipede, a tortoise, and a box turtle.  The family friendly event will give all ages the chance to meet and learn about insects, a variety of snakes and reptiles, small farm animals including piglets, goats and lambs, a variety of rescue animals that may include hedgehogs, ferrets, lizards, rabbits, chinchillas, guinea pigs and Sal, the Labrador who specializes in hospital and nursing home visits.

The Animal Safari event takes place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday. The event is included in the general admission price which also includes touring the Remington Nature Center and participating in a scavenger hunt.  

For more information, contact the Remington Nature center at 816-271-5499 or visit the Remington Nature Center Facebook page.

The curtain goes up again for “2nd Act” classes

Robidoux TheatreTheatre classes geared toward people age 50 and up started in the fall and will begin the next act this month. 

The “Stepping into Theatre” workshops are an introductory class for those with no previous theatrical experience. The next step is the “Curtain Up” workshops for anyone who took the “Stepping into Theatre” workshops or has previous theatre experience. Both groups will meet for 90 minutes once a week February through April. 

Cheryl Wood is the coordinator for Second Act Players at Robidoux Resident Theatre.  

Wood said the fall group for “Stepping into Theatre” ranged in age from 52 to 81. 

“We just want all ages in there, so age is not really a factor, other than 50 and up,” Wood said. “It is a warm, inviting environment, a place to learn of theatre, to perform, just a place to grow, something different to do. A person may want to take all of the classes, a person may say, ‘Well this satisfied that interest of mine and now it’s time to pursue something else.’ We just want folks to come and enjoy what RRT can provide for them.”

Evening or morning “Stepping into Theatre” classes will be offered beginning with evening classes February 6 in the Rolling Hills Consolidated Library’s Upper Story Room. “Curtain Up” begins classes on February 14 at in the East Hills Public Library’s Conference Room. 

For more information, visit the Robidoux Resident Theatre website or call the Theatre Office at (816) 232-1778.

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