Because of the hazardous weather conditions forecast for this weekend, the Missouri Western State University campus will be closed Saturday, Jan. 14 and Sunday, Jan. 15.
According to a news release from Missouri Western, all on-campus activities, including sporting events and conferences, scheduled during those days have been canceled. Information on any rescheduled activities will be announced as soon as details are available. Any University activities requiring travel have also been canceled.
In addition, weather will be monitored throughout the morning and officials will determine if campus needs to close early on Friday.
The spring semester is still anticipated to begin on Tuesday, Jan. 17.
Freezing rain/drizzle across southern Missouri will spread north throughout the day, with increasing chances expected during the afternoon and evening hours. Accumulating ice will develop primarily during the late afternoon into the overnight, posing potential hazardous conditions during the evening commute. Freezing rain chances will continue through Sunday, with the greatest potential expected Saturday night. While total ice accumulations through Sunday have been reduced slightly, hazardous impacts remain in place until freezing rain transitions to rain Sunday afternoon from south to north. Here’s the 7-day forecast from the National Weather Service:
Today: A slight chance of freezing rain or freezing drizzle after 2 p.m. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 26. East northeast wind 8 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
Tonight: A chance of freezing rain or freezing drizzle. Cloudy, with a low around 21. North northeast wind 3 to 7 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
Saturday: Cloudy, with a high near 31. North wind 3 to 5 mph.
Saturday Night: A chance of sleet before 10 p.m., then a chance of freezing rain and sleet between 10 p.m. and 11 p.m., then a chance of freezing rain after 11 p.m. Cloudy, with a low around 26. Calm wind becoming east northeast around 5 mph after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 50%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.
Sunday: Freezing rain. High near 34. East wind 5 to 7 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%.
Sunday Night: A chance of rain or freezing rain before 8 p.m., then rain. Low around 34. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
M.L.King Day: Rain likely, mainly before noon. Cloudy, with a high near 48. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
Monday Night: A chance of showers before midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 30. Chance of precipitation is 40%.
Tuesday: Mostly cloudy, with a high near 38.
Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 26.
Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 48.
Wednesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 32.
A judge on Thursday sentenced a Ravenwood man to seven years in prison for the death of a 10-month-old child he was babysitting.
Nicholas Bradshaw of Ravenwood, Missouri, who identifies as a woman, was sentenced in Nodaway County Circuit Court on one count of involuntary manslaughter for the death of young Adin Westport in December of 2014. The child died from blunt force head trauma and multiple brain injuries, according to a coroner’s report.
As we reported, Bradshaw pleaded guilty to reduced charges back in November. He was originally charged with two counts of abuse or neglect of a child resulting in death, which could have landed him in prison for life.
Judge Roger Prokes accepted the prosecutor’s recommendation of the maximum, seven-year sentence.
National Weather Service (click to enlarge)As of about 4:30 p.m. Thursday, forecasters at the National Weather Service were predicting a quarter inch to three quarters of an inch of ice accumulations across the region through Sunday night. Light precipitation is expected to begin Friday morning, with periods of freezing rain continuing through Sunday afternoon or evening.
Ice accumulation on trees and powerlines may result in scattered power outages. Forecasters predict major impacts to travel, as ice accumulates on roadways, bridges and overpasses.
Here are some forecasts for cities across the region:
St. Joseph: .25 to .50″
Jefferson City: .71″
Kansas City: .59″
St. Louis: .46″
Salina: .62″
Garden City: .65″
Lincoln: .09″
Omaha: .05″
The St. Joseph School District on Thursday afternoon decided not to put students and bus drivers at risk.
Classes for Friday have been cancelled. Officials say neither students nor staff will report.
The roads could be hazardous Friday through the weekend, as forecasters predict freezing rain.
The National Weather Services said Thursday afternoon that confidence continues to increase that an ice storm will impact much of the lower Missouri Valley this weekend. They expect freezing rain/freezing drizzle to the area as early as Friday afternoon.
Significant icing is expected, with ice accumulations of ¼” to ¾” of an inch possible. (click for more)
A federal jury on Thursday convicted a former teller at a bank in western Kansas on charges of embezzling approximately $700,000.
U.S. Attorney Tom Beall said Denise Christy, 48, of Burlington, Kan., was convicted on one count of embezzlement, six counts of making false bank entries, six counts of filing false tax returns and six counts of money laundering.
During trial, the prosecutor presented evidence the crimes were committed while Christy worked as a retail financial services representative and backup vault teller for the Burlington branch of Central National Bank. One of Christy’s duties was to sell cash in the bank’s vault to the Federal Reserve Bank. In May 2014 auditors determined that more than $700,000 was missing from the vault. Christy falsely claimed the money was shipped to the Federal Reserve Bank by a security company.
An investigation showed Christy falsified bank records to cover up the embezzlement and failed to report the embezzled funds as part of her income. In addition, she unlawfully conducted financial transactions in order to spend more than $77,000 in embezzled funds to pay off loans that she and her husband maintained at Farmers State Bank in Aliceville, Kan.
Sentencing is set for April 17. The crimes carry the following penalties:
Embezzlement: up to 30 years in federal prison and a fine up to $1 million.
Making false bank entries (each): up to 30 years in prison and a fine up to $1 million.
False tax returns (each): a maximum penalty of three years and a fine up to $100,000.
Money laundering (each): a maximum penalty of 20 years and a fine up to $50,000.
Juwuan JacksonA 19-year-old man was sentenced Thursday to 18 months in federal prison for involuntary manslaughter in the shooting death of a 16-year-old boy on Fort Riley. The defendant also was ordered to pay $5,000 in restitution for funeral expenses, U.S. Attorney Tom Beall said.
Juwuan D. Jackson, 19, who lived on the Fort Riley base at the time, pleaded guilty to one count of involuntary manslaughter.
He admitted that on Sept. 11, 2015, he handled a firearm in a reckless manner, resulting in the shooting death of 16-year-old Kenyon Givens, Jr., who also lived on Fort Riley.
According to court records, when military police responded to the shooting Jackson told them an unknown intruder wearing a mask had forced his way into the home and shot Givens. Paramedics were not allowed to enter and treat Givens until military police had searched the house for an intruder. At the same time, police began searching the neighborhood to find the weapon and the masked shooter.
Investigators eventually learned that Jackson had been playing with a loaded .22 caliber handgun before the shooting. Jackson spun the chamber while holding the trigger. The revolver discharged and a bullet struck Givens in the chest.
Beall commended the Army Criminal Investigations Division and the FBI, Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Robin Graham and Assistant U.S. Attorney Tony Mattivi for their work on the case.
The National Weather Services said Thursday afternoon that confidence continues to increase that an ice storm will impact much of the lower Missouri Valley this weekend. This feature will bring freezing rain/freezing drizzle to the area as early as Friday afternoon, with activity then continuing through Sunday night. Significant icing is expected, with ice accumulations of ¼” to ¾” of an inch possible.
Friday Afternoon through Overnight • Freezing Rain develops Friday afternoon and spreads north through evening and overnight. • Impacts to the evening rush hour possible • Heaviest icing generally south of I-70
Friday afternoon through overnight
Sunday Afternoon • Temperatures warm from south to north. • Freezing rain mainly confined to areas along/north of Route 36. • Icing threat diminishes late Sunday night into Monday.
Saturday
Saturday • Light freezing rain possible over the entire forecast area • Periodic breaks expected through the day, which should keep icing accumulations low through the period
Saturday Night into Sunday AM
Saturday Night into Sunday AM • Heaviest freezing rain expected through this period • Significant icing possible!
Sunday Afternoon • Temperatures warm from south to north. • Freezing rain mainly confined to areas along/north of Route 36. • Icing threat diminishes late Sunday night into Monday.
Sunday night
Summary • Widespread icing expected this weekend. • Significant travel impacts expected across Missouri and eastern Kansas. • Power outages and downed tree limbs possible across the area. • Total ice accumulations of 0.25 – 0.75”, with higher amounts possible. • Ice storm warning in effect until Sunday night
Tonight
Mostly cloudy, with a low around 15. Northeast wind 8 to 10 mph.
Friday
A slight chance of freezing rain after 2pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 25. East wind 7 to 11 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
Friday Night
A chance of freezing rain. Cloudy, with a low around 22. East wind 5 to 7 mph becoming light and variable after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
Saturday
A chance of freezing rain, mainly after noon. Cloudy, with a high near 31. North wind 3 to 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
Saturday Night
A chance of freezing rain. Cloudy, with a low around 25. East northeast wind 3 to 6 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%.
Sunday
Freezing rain before 5pm, then rain or freezing rain. High near 33. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
Sunday Night
A chance of rain or freezing rain before 8pm, then rain showers. Low around 33. Chance of precipitation is 80%.
M.L.King Day
Showers likely, mainly before noon. Cloudy, with a high near 48. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Monday Night
A chance of showers before midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 29. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
Police Chief Chris ConnallySt. Joseph Police Chief Chris Connally says total crime reports last year were up two percent over the year before, but some categories reached their lowest levels in years.
Connally says crime reports for the first six months of the year were up 7%, but in the second half of last year, total crime reports were down by nearly 3%. He says this is true in many individual crime categories as well.
There were 11,405 crimes reported, compared to 11,172 in 2015, according to the St. Joseph Police Department’s annual crime analysis report.
Roberies, rapes and aggravated assaults were up, but arsons, burglaries and stealing reports were down. Moter vehicle thefts went up from 486 in 2015 to 612 last year.
Total violent crime was down slightly, while total non-violent crime reports increased.
There were seven murders reported last year, which is the same number as was reported a year earlier.
Chief Connally says his officers only worked one fatality traffic accident last year, which he called the lowest level in a decade and a half.
Connally is careful to point out that these statistics don’t tell the whole story.
“Any time that we’re talking about crime statistics, any time we’re talking about any of these numbers, we do need to remember that these numbers represent somebody in our community, somebody who has experienced a loss,” Chief Connally said. “I don’t like to sound too casual when we discuss these things because each and every one of these crimes that are reported represents somebody who in some way, whether it’s property or injury or in some way has experienced a negative consequence.”
Connally says his department is about to change the way it analyzes crime data.
“What will be interesting is, at some point this year, we’re going look at switching over to the National Incident-Based Reporting system,” he says. “We’ll have to work on normalizing some of the numbers.”
“It’s really just another way of looking at it.”
The current system treats as one crime an incident that might involve several separate criminal acts. For instance, a robbery and murder would be counted as a murder. Thus, Connally acknowledges, some of those combination crimes might be under-reported. The NIBRS system counts each crime separately.
“When it comes to reports to the police, everything’s under-reported, except probably murder,” Connally said.
“If you look at crime victimization studies, you’ll find there’s a lot higher numbers there, in some cases over a third higher in a lot of categories.”
Western Reception, Diagnostic and Correctional Center has canceled visiting hours for Saturday and Sunday due to impending inclement weather.
The facility said it expects to resume normal visiting hours early next week. If there are questions about whether visiting hours have resumed contact the correctional center.
Because of the hazardous weather conditions forecast for this weekend, the Missouri Western State University campus will be closed Saturday, Jan. 14 and Sunday, Jan. 15. 
