A 52-year-old St. Joe woman faces five to 15 years in prison for trying to bite a store security officer during a shoplifting incident.

Catherine Wells pleaded guilty Thursday to one class-b felony count of robbery in the second degree. Circuit Judge Daniel Kellogg scheduled sentencing December 1.

Court documents asserted that Wells was confronted by a loss-prevention officer outside the JC Penny store at the East Hills Shopping Center August 24.

An affidavit states that she had “concealed unpaid items of clothing” and “tried to bite the loss-prevention officer and flee the scene.”

Court records show Wells has a previous conviction for theft, and another one on a drug charge for which she was granted a suspended sentence on an 8-year prison term.

A cup of coffee at the Human Bean on Friday will support local breast-cancer programs.

The Human Bean in St. Joseph is holding its Coffee For A Cure fundraiser Friday to benefit the Breast Cancer Patient Assistance Fund. All sales during the day will be matched by a donation from the Mosaic Life Care Auxiliary.

The Human Bean is a drive-thru espresso franchise which opened a location in St. Joseph earlier this year at 4414 Commons Drive. Human Bean locations nationwide will take part in the franchise’s 10th annual Coffee For A Cure fundraiser.

Local celebrity volunteers will be serving throughout the day at the St. Joseph location:

About 520,000 students in Missouri took part in this year’s “Great Shakeout” earthquake drill.  Natalie Nivea McClain was one of the fourth graders who spent several minutes huddled under their desks Thursday in Mrs Lorenz’es classroom at Pershing Elementary.

The kids are taught what to do in the event an earthquake strikes while they’re in school: “drop, cover, hold on.” Experts say you should DROP to your hands and knees, under a table or a desk if you can then COVER your head and neck with your hands and arms; and HOLD ON until the shaking stops.

“We’re supposed to like get under our table, and we’re supposed to hang on to the desk so we can keep it down, and we mostly have to protect our head,” Natalie said. “It actually seemed a little fun”

Channing Xavier Bennett also took a pause from classes under his desk Thursday.

“We go under the table and just stayed under there a while,” Channing said, “it was fun.”

An earthquake in Oklahoma last month was felt in St. Joseph and as far north as Omaha. From 1811-12, the New Madrid Seismic Zone, which includes southeast Missouri, produced some of the largest earthquakes ever in the continental U.S. A major earthquake in that area could result in damage in much of southern and eastern Missouri, including the St. Louis area.

To learn more about earthquakes in Missouri and how to prepare, visit the State Emergency Management Agency’s web site here.

A Buchanan County judge on Thursday heard a murder defendant described as a “good man,” who did nothing to suggest he was violent “in any way.”  The judge heard the same man described as a “monster,” and “narcissist,” and a “coward.”

After an hours-long hearing, Circuit Judge Daniel Kellogg ordered Daron Simpson to serve fifty years in prison for the shooting of his ex-wife Amanda Simpson, and the murder of her boyfriend Andrew Clary.

Online court records show 19 character reference letters were sent to the judge prior to sentencing.  The defense called to the witness stand a lawyer who has been handling Simpson’s child-custody dispute and his attempts to adopt a child.  Craig Ritchie said he liked Simpson, and called him one of his favorite clients.  He said Simpson was good to his kids and that “nothing whatever suggested Daron was violent in any way.”

Amanda Simpson had a different perspective.

“I refuse to give that coward any more power or control over me,” Amanda said during her emotional and tearful address to the court.

She listed her extensive injuries, her many treatments and their mixed results, and showed the judge her multiple, permanent scars. She called her ex a bully and a coward, who planned it out ahead of time, knowing his daughters were at home.

She asked the court “what kind of a monster does that?”

Simpson was found guilty in September in a plea agreement to one count of 2nd degree murder and one count of 1st degree assault for the attack at her home near Faucett in January of 2015. As part of the plea agreement, both sides agreed the maximum term for each count should be 25 years.  It was also left up to the judge whether to makes those prison terms run at the same time or one after the other.

Amanda urged that Judge Kellogg impose the maximum, consecutive sentences, saying she feared that if Daron ever gets out of prison, he will come back to harm her and their daughters.

“I fully believe he will hunt me down and finish the job,” she told the judge.  “Please deny that monster the life that he took away from my beloved Andrew.”

Simpson insists he does not remember his actions that night.  Investigators say he rammed his truck through her garage door, picked the lock on the door into the house with a bobby pin,  and then entered her bedroom, shooting and killing Clary and then firing on his ex-wife.

Simpson told the court he was sorry for his actions, saying he will carry forever a burden of loss.  He says he is broken by the pain he has caused.  He asked the judge for a second chance.

The judge ruled that out, saying the defendant had already avoided a life prison term by accepting the plea bargain.  Judge Kellogg ordered Simpson to serve 50 years, 25 years on each count in consecutive sentences.  He also ordered Simpson to pay more than $13,000 to a victim compensation fund to help cover medical bills and other expenses Amanda has incurred since the shooting.

 

 

 

Grant funding is giving the Salvation Army in St. Joseph the ability to purchase new washing machines and dryers.

The agency said Mosaic Life Care has provided a community grant for $5,000 for the purchase of eight new washing machines and dryers for the Salvation Army Booth Center located on S. 6th St. in downtown St. Joseph.

Major Abe Tamayo said the previous machines were more than seven years old and with wear and tear were costing The Salvation Army in repair and maintenance costs.

“When housing an overturning, high need population such as the homeless, things wear on a continual basis,” Tamayo said.

He said the Salvation Army is the only family shelter in northwest Missouri. It provides a home for up to 62 persons at a time, including
whole families, single men and women and homeless veterans.

“Every day I hear amazing testimonies from our guests of their plight and gratitude for the Booth Center, building a bridge of success alongside of each person,” Tamayo said. “We could not be more appreciative of this gift from Mosaic.”

The current washers and dryers are slotted for removal Monday, October 24th, with the new machines being delivered on Tuesday, October 25th between 8 and 10 a.m.

The Livingston County Sheriff’s Office said it’s looking into the possibility of animal abuse after a photo on social media circulating of an apparent dead horse.

The office said Wednesday it is conducting an investigation which started from a photo being placed on social media of an apparent dead horse near a horse trailer with the back legs possibly bound or tied. Someone allegedly commented with the photo that the horse committed suicide.

The LCSO and CPD Dispatch have received many calls from all over the United States about this photograph which was allegedly placed online this morning.

“Our office is continuing with attempts to locate persons of interest about the posting on the internet and determine if this photo was obtained elsewhere online or was actually taken here in Livingston County,” said Sheriff Steve Cox. “As we are aware of the potential problem, please call only if you have first-hand information as to what actually happened and/or who is responsible.”

Local law enforcement arrested nine people Wednesday after executing a search warrant at a residence on Messanie. 

According to a news release from the Sheriff’s Office, Buchanan County Drug Strike Force investigators, St. Joseph Police and the Buchanan County Sheriff Special Response Team executed a search warrant at 2421 Messanie on Wednesday.  Investigators located seven subjects inside the residence and Drug Strike Force investigators seized over 30 grams of methamphetamine and two weapons from the residence. 

A stolen vehicle was also located in front of the residence and the two subjects inside the vehicle were arrested.  Other individuals were arrested on outstanding state and municipal arrest warrants.