TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas Highway Patrol trooper has been treated for injuries after his vehicle was involved in an accident on Interstate 70.
The accident happened Saturday afternoon near Topeka as a wintry mix was making roads slick, but it wasn’t immediately clear if the accident was weather-related.
Few details have been released but emergency responders say the trooper’s injuries did not appear to be severe, and he was able to enter an ambulance without assistance. He was taken to a Topeka hospital for treatment.
Several accidents were reported across the state, many of them related to freezing drizzle and snow.
Missouri Western State University has rescheduled its Winter Commencement ceremony for 11 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 20 in the Fulkerson Center.
To accommodate as many graduates and their families as possible, there will be two ceremonies, at 11 a.m. and at 7 p.m.
Live streams of the ceremony will also be available.
“We know many were disappointed that Missouri Western had to postpone the commencement ceremony due to hazardous road conditions,” said Dr. Jeanne Daffron, provost and vice president for academic affairs. “However, the safety of our employees and our students and their families remains our top priority. We hope family and friends are still able to join us as we celebrate the accomplishments of our graduates on Tuesday.”
For those unable to attend in person, a live stream will be available at http://griff.vn/fallgrad16 for the 11 a.m. ceremony and http://griff.vn/fallgrad7pm for the 7 p.m. ceremony. Graduates unable to participate in Tuesday’s ceremonies also have the option of participating in the Spring Commencement on May 6, 2017.
Police responded to 19 traffic accidents from 7am to 4pm Saturday, and were bracing for more with near white-out conditions expected overnight.
One motorist appeared to be seriously hurt in single-vehicle crash east of Riverside Road on Cook Road. Police say the vehicle left the roadway, rolled over, and ejected the driver through the sunroof.
The driver, identified as George Thuston, 56, of St. Joseph, suffered serious injuries and was transported to Mosaic Life Care.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol says a Milan, Missouri man was injured in a rollover crash east of St. Joseph on U.S. Highway 36 Saturday afternoon.
According to an online crash report, at 12:43 pm, Jose Luis A Aguilar, 42, was westbound on 36 highway when he lost control of his pickup truck on the ice-covered pavement ten miles esat of St. Joseph. Thetruck spun off the north side, struck an embankment and overturned.
Aguilar suffered what were described as moderate injuries and was transported to Mosaic Life Care for treatment.
Winter weather accelerated across St. Joseph and much of northern Missouri Saturday. Spotters and law enforcement warned of visibility down to less than a quarter mile because of windblown snow.
Salt laid down after Friday’s storm appears to have melted the ice on area roads somewhat, but they then froze over again.
With snow falling on top of that, St. Joseph police say the roads here are “not very good.” Streets Department crews were expecting a long night Saturday night. Phase One of the city’s Snow Emergency Plan is in effect, meaning only vehicles with snow tires or chains are allowed in traffic.
Police responded to numerous traffic accidents in St. Joseph, including at least two rollover accidents, one near Cook and Riverside roads, and another 10 miles east of town on U.S. Highway 36. From 7am to about 4pm Saturday, St. Joseph police had responded to 19 accidents.
The area was under a Winter Weather Advisory until 9pm Saturday, and a Wind Chill Advisory until noon Sunday. Forecasters expect periods of moderate snow to come to an end some time Saturday evening, but wind chill values were expected to fall to 15 to 25 below zero late Friday night through Sunday morning.
At least an inch and a half of snow fell on St. Joseph Saturday. Snow totals were much higher to the south and east.
(Unofficial snow total reports)
Chillicothe had about four inches. 3.5″ fell in Cameron. Faucett had four inches of snow on the ground by Saturday night. Kingston had 3-4 inches.
North Kansas City had 2.5 inches by 6:30.
Liberty had 3.0 inches.
Bethany had approximately 2″ of snow by 8pm.
Trenton reported 4.3 inches shortly after 7:30pm.
A special enforcement operation continues through the weekend in Troop H to try to prevent drunk driving injuries and fatalities.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol began C.A.R.E. Lifesaver weekend Friday. The special enforcement will continue through Monday, Dec. 19. Capt. James D. McDonald, commanding officer of Troop H, St. Joseph, said during that time frame, enforcement will be increased in an effort to stop motorists from driving impaired this holiday season and to reduce injury and deaths caused by impaired drivers.
“The holiday season is a time to celebrate with friends and family,” said Captain McDonald. “If those celebrations include alcohol be sure to have a sober designated driver. No one should have to endure losing a loved one during the holiday season.”
Commencement ceremony Dec. 16, 2016. (Photo by Carly Hostetter| Northwest Missouri State University)
MARYVILLE, Mo. – Northwest Missouri State University awarded 568 bachelor’s degrees, master’s degrees and education specialist certificates during its winter commencement ceremonies Friday as leaders encouraged the graduates to keep learning and contribute to society in positive ways.
“Your diploma is testament to your decision to live and to work as an educated person,” Northwest President Dr. John Jasinski told graduates. “Our society needs you now more than ever.”
He added, “Go forth and make Northwest proud as you contribute to the societal good. Continue learning, connecting, caring, practicing civility and showing your Bearcat pride.”
The University awarded 317 bachelor’s degrees during an afternoon ceremony. It awarded 241 master’s degrees and 10 specialist degrees during a morning ceremony. The top graduate degree was applied computer science, and the most common undergraduate major was elementary education.
Members of the graduating class ranged in age from 20 to 64 years old, and 51 percent were female.
Geographically, the class included 293 residents of Missouri, the most of the 14 states represented. Forty-three represented Iowa, and 28 represented Nebraska. The graduates represented seven countries with 169 graduates from India; other countries represented included China, Germany, Korea, Nigeria and Taiwan.
Dr. Margie Vandeven, commissioner of education for the state of Missouri, gave the day’s commencement addresses. She challenged graduates to embrace technology and innovation while holding on to their values in a world that is evolving at a pace never seen before.
She reinforced Northwest’s values of strategic thinking, collaboration, respect, integrity and lifelong learning.
“You have and you will continue to experience change in your lives,” she said. “Some change you will embrace. Some change you will not. But in either case you will be left in an awkward place if you’re not prepared. The importance of continuous learning and knowing who you are and what you stand for has never been more important.”
Reflecting on the beginnings of her career as a communication arts teacher in O’Fallon, Missouri, and her transition to an entry-level position at the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, Vandeven encouraged graduates to follow their passions but remain open to new opportunities, personal and professional development, no matter the scope.
“That entry-level position was followed by four promotions before I was appointed the commissioner two years ago,” she said. “And I can assure you that I learned something new in every one of those positions. I really hate to think about what would have happened had I not accepted that first entry-level positon for fear that I may have been overqualified.”
With #NeverSettle as the tagline of Northwest’s football team during 2016 and on the eve of its appearance in the NCAA Division II football national championship game, it was fitting that Vandeven also told graduates not to settle.
“May you enjoy lives of curiosity and learning, of hope in the face of uncertainly and of self-worth while serving others,” she said. “These outcomes are the result of conscious choices, determination and focus, and the choice is yours.”
JEFFERSON CITY – The Missouri Department of Transportation is asking the public to help identify bridges that are associated with historical events or people of importance to a community.
MoDOT is developing a programmatic agreement for common concrete and steel bridges constructed before 1945 in order to streamline the Section 106 review process for bridges. Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 requires agencies to take into account the effects of their undertakings on historic properties.
The public can visit the project website by clicking here to view photographs of the bridges being studied as well as basic engineering information about each bridge, including its age. An on-line comment form can be completed for bridges identified by the public with space to submit reasons why the bridge is locally important.
Public input is requested by February 15, 2017. The history and engineering of bridges identified will be studied and recommendations on eligibility will be made about each bridge for the National Register of Historic Places. The public will be able to see the results of the study on the website.
The programmatic agreement will study more than 700 common concrete slab and beam bridges, steel girder bridges and 850 culverts. For National Register-eligible bridges that may be removed by a future project, preservation options and mitigation measures will be identified.
For more information on the Pre-1945 Common Bridge Programmatic Agreement, please contact Karen Daniels, Senior Historic Preservation Specialist at karen.daniels@modot.mo.gov or by telephone at (573) 526-7346.
Slick driving conditions contributed to a fatality traffic accident in Daviess County Friday night.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol says a truck driver from Iowa was driving along I-35 when he lost control of his semi six miles north of Pattonsburg. The vehicle left the roadway and hit an embankment, ejecting the driver.
According to the crash report, the driver, 35-year-old Nicholas Taylor of Des Moines was killed in the crash.
Five people from Grant City are being treated for moderate injuries according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol after a crash on I-29 Friday afternoon.
According to the patrol, Ashleigh Moser, 32 and Jonathan Moser, 36 and their children two sons ages 10 and 4 and a daughter age 5 were transported to Mosaic Life Care for treatment after the vehicle they were in was struck by another vehicle driven by 22-year-old Austin Moylan of Shawnee, Kan. The patrol reported Moylan lost control of his pick-up on the road skidded across a media into the northbound lane and hit the Moser’s SUV driven by Ashleigh in the passenger side. The crash was reported at 12:45 p.m. on I-29 just 1 mile north of St. Joseph. Moylan was not reported to be injured. Both vehicles were listed as totaled.
Troopers worked several crashes on I-29 and the Missouri Department of Transportation shut the highway down in both directions shortly after 10 p.m.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas Highway Patrol trooper has been treated for injuries after his vehicle was involved in an accident on Interstate 70.
