(Update 1 p.m.) – The Livingston County Sheriff’s campaign has been postponed as the current sheriff is being treated for a ‘cardiac incident’.

According to a news release, on Friday Sheriff Steve Cox was taken to Hedrick Medical Center in Chillicothe for a cardiac incident and then transferred to a Kansas City, Mo. hospital for treatment.

“He is still being treated in a Kansas City area hospital and is improving daily and is making significant progress,” said Chief Deputy Michael Claypole Monday afternoon in a press release. “We ask for continued support and prayers for Steve, Beth, his children and family.”

Eric Menconi who is running as Cox’s opponent in the sheriff’s race announced Saturday that in light of the events that took place on Friday the campaign is being postponed until a later date.

“I, along with everyone working on our campaign, am asking you to keep Sheriff Steve Cox and his family, as well as everyone at the Livingston County Sheriff’s Office in your thoughts and prayers,” Menconi said in a Facebook post. “Out of respect I have requested that all our radio and newspaper ads, as well as other campaign activities, to be postponed until a later date.”

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – The following is a listing of general highway maintenance and construction work in the Northwest Missouri region planned for the week of Oct. 31 – Nov. 6 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.

 

Andrew County

• Route 48 – CLOSED at the Platte River Bridge near Whitesville for a bridge replacement project. The road will be closed through mid-November.

Atchison County

• Route 111 – At the Interstate 29 Overpass Bridge for sealing, Nov. 1
• Route F – Sealing, Nov. 1

Buchanan County

• Route 116 – From Route 371 to Route Y for pothole patching, Oct. 31 – Nov. 3
• U.S. Route 36 – One mile east of Route AC for a bridge project, Oct. 31 – Nov. 4

Caldwell County

• Route 13 – CLOSED at the Log Creek Bridge near Kingston for a bridge deck replacement project. The bridge will be closed through November.

Carroll County

• U.S. Route 65 – From Route Z to Route UU for shoulder work, Oct. 31 – Nov. 4

Chariton County

• Route 5 – At Route UU for drainage work, Oct. 31 – Nov. 4

Daviess County

• Route E – CLOSED from 135^th Street to 140^th Street for a culvert replacement, Oct. 31, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Routes B and N – Pothole patching, Oct. 31
• Routes P, V and UU – Pothole patching, Nov. 1
• I-35 – Southbound from mile marker 75.8 (Route C) to mile marker 74.2 (Route N) for pavement repair, Nov. 1 – 3
• Routes V and Y – Pothole patching, Nov. 2

DeKalb County

• U.S. Route 36 – Traffic will be head-to-head at the overpass over I-35 for a bridge replacement project. During this project, no left turns from U.S. Route 36 onto I-35 will be permitted, as the medians between east and westbound U.S. Route 36 will be closed. Please follow the signed detour route. This project will continue through mid-December.
• I-35 – One lane may be closed under the U.S. Route 36 overpass for a bridge deck replacement project. During this project, traffic exiting I-35 will not be permitted to turn left onto U.S. Route 36, as the medians between east and westbound U.S. Route 36 will be closed. Please follow the signed detour route. This project will continue through mid-December.

Gentry County

• Route AA – CLOSED from Route E to Route V for sealing, Nov. 1, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Route AA – CLOSED from Route V to Route Z for sealing, Nov. 3, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Grundy County

• Route 6 – From the Daviess County line to the Hickory Creek Bridge for pavement repair, Oct. 31
• Route A – CLOSED from Route C to 110^th Street for a culvert replacement, Nov. 4, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Harrison County

• Route NN – CLOSED from West 160^th Street to West 170^th Street for a culvert replacement, Oct. 31, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Route 13 – At the Pole Cat Creek Bridge for maintenance, Oct. 31 – Nov. 3. A temporary traffic signal is in place to direct traffic.
• U.S. Route 69 – From the Iowa state line to Route M for a resurfacing project, Oct. 31 – Nov. 4. A pilot car will guide traffic through the work zone.
• Route T – From Route UU to the Iowa state line for pothole patching, Oct. 31 – Nov. 4

Holt County

• I-29 – At mile marker 84.5 (Mound City) for pavement repair, Oct. 31 – Nov. 4. Includes a 15-foot width restriction.
• U.S. Route 59 – At the East Fork Davis Creek Bridge for sealing, Nov. 2
• Route 111 – At the Tarkio River Bridge for sealing, Nov. 2
• Route 118 – At the Interstate 29 Overpass Bridge for sealing, Nov. 2
• Route 118 – Sealing, Nov. 3

Linn County

• Route C – CLOSED from Gulf Drive to Hawk Drive for a culvert replacement, Nov. 1, 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
• Route 11 – From Route F to Route C for shoulder work, Nov. 2 – 3
• U.S. Route 36 – From Route 139 to Route C (Livingston County) for sealing, Nov. 2 – 4
• Route 139 – From U.S. Route 36 to Route B for shoulder work, Nov. 4

Livingston County

• U.S. Route 36 – From Route C to Route 139 (Linn County) for sealing, Nov. 2 – 4

Nodaway County

• Routes C, NN and VV – Sealing bridges, Oct. 31
• Route C – Two miles west of Clearmont at the Nodaway River Bridge for a stream bank stabilization project, Oct. 31 – Nov. 3
• U.S. Route 71 – Northbound from 340^th Road to 370^th Road for pavement repair, Nov. 1 – 4
• U.S. Route 136 – From the One Hundred and Two River Bridge to Route 46 for shoulder work, Nov. 2 – 4

Putnam County

• Route W – Pothole patching, Nov. 2 – 3

Sullivan County

• Route 139 – Sealing, Oct. 31 – Nov. 4

Worth County

• Route 46 – From Route 246 to U.S. Route 169 for shoulder work, Nov. 1 – 2

Trick-or-Treaters will take-over Northwest Missouri State University campus this Halloween.

Northwest is inviting area children and their families to trick-or-treat at its residence halls from 5 to 7 p.m. Monday, Oct. 31.

Families may pick up a campus map and a list of participating rooms at the front desk of each Northwest residence hall. The event is a long-standing tradition, sponsored by Northwest’s Residence Hall Association.

Many students will have their doors and rooms decorated for the holiday and plan to dress in costumes.

The event also will implement the Teal Pumpkin Project, a campaign to raise awareness of food allergies and promote inclusion of all trick-or-treaters throughout the Halloween season.

Contractors working for MoDOT and the USDA begin work next week to stabilize the banks of the Nodaway River near west of Clearmont in Nodaway County.

Motorists on Route C west of Clearmont will see crews working on the banks of the river starting Monday, Oct. 31.

Crews from Above and Below Contracting, LLC of Festus, Missouri plan to work Monday through Thursday, daylight to dusk, at the location approximately two miles west of Clearmont. During the project, there may be single-lane closures. When the roadway is narrowed, flaggers will direct motorists through the work zone.

The project is anticipated to continue through December. All work is weather permitting and schedules are subject to change.

The stream bank stabilization program is being done for the Missouri Department of Transportation and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service

The Humane Society of Missouri reminds us that dressed-up strangers at the door and dangerous treats within reach can be a recipe for a Halloween disaster for your pets. They offer these tips for a safe and stress-free Halloween.

 

* Keep pets safely inside, away from trick-or-treaters and other Halloween activities, to ensure they don’t become frightened or feel threatened at the sight of noisy, costumed children. Keep cats in a separate room and dogs on a leash to avoid problematic situations.

* Don’t take the family dog along for trick-or-treating. Dogs may become difficult to handle during the noise and confusion of the festivities.

* Cats, especially black ones, may be the target of pranksters. Black cat owners are advised to keep their cats safely indoors during the Halloween season.

* Frequently opened doors provide a perfect opportunity for escape, which can go unnoticed during all the commotion. Be sure all pets wear collars with ID tags and are microchipped with up-to-date information in case of accidental escape.

* Keep candy out of your pet’s reach. Candy can be harmful to pets, and chocolate is toxic and potentially life-threatening to cats, dogs and ferrets.

* Keep pets away from decorations, especially open flames in jack-o-lanterns and candles which can quickly singe, burn or set fire to a pet’s fur.

* Only put pets in a costume if you are sure they will enjoy it. Keep in mind most pets dislike the confinement of costumes and masks. If you do opt to dress up your dog, make sure the costume is comfortable and does not cover your pet’s eyes or restrict movement.
For more Halloween pet safety tips, visit the Humane Society of Missouri website at www.hsmo.org.

Online tools are available to help parents protect their kids before they embark on their annual Halloween trick-or-treat trek.  In Missouri and Kansas, online registries of sex offenders can be used to find out which houses you may want to avoid.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol offers a search engine (here) which you can use to search for individuals or canvas an entire neighborhood.

The Kansas Bureau of Investigation offers a similar online search site here. The Kansas site allows searches within three miles of an address for violent and drug offenders, in addition to registered sex offenders. You can also perform searches by name, zip code and county, or sign up to receive alerts if an offender registers in your community.

The law in Missouri strictly limits the activities of registered sex offenders. Section 589.426 of the Missouri Revised Statutes says that any person required to register as a sexual offender shall be required on Oct. 31 of each year to:
(1) Avoid all Halloween-related contact with children;
(2) Remain inside his or her residence between the hours of 5 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. unless required to be elsewhere for just cause, including but not limited to employment or medical emergencies;
(3) Post a sign at his or her residence stating, “No candy or treats at this residence”; and
(4) Leave all outside residential lighting off during the evening hours after 5 p.m.

There are more than 20,000 sex offenders registered in Missouri. In Kansas, that number is closer to 11,000.

According to the KBI, the Kansas Offender Registration Act does not prevent registered offenders from participating in any Halloween activity unless they are on parole or probation and it is specifically restricted. Registered offenders are able to pass out candy, decorate their houses, wear costumes, and attend any festival, party or parade. However, schools, churches, malls and other private properties may have their own stipulations prohibiting offender participation.

KBI offers the following tips:
– While being aware of the offenders near your home, school or workplace is good practice, being mindful of your surroundings and remaining vigilant is equally as important.
– An adult should accompany children at all times, especially if trick-or-treating at unknown residences.
– Children should not enter residences or structures of individuals unknown to them.
– Teens and older children should stay in groups, and be instructed to check in frequently with a parent or guardian.
– If out after dark, carry flashlights or wear reflective clothing.
– Ensure candy is in its original packaging before allowing children to eat it.