MARYVILLE, Mo. – Northwest Missouri State University enrollment remains steady this year with undergraduate and transfer students increasing.

According to a news release from the university, enrollment at Northwest this fall is 6,530 students.

After its fall census, the total headcount comprises 5,628 undergraduate students, a slight increase from last fall, and 902 graduate students.

The headcount includes 1,347 first-time freshmen and 298 transfer students, which is up 17.8 percent from last fall. At the same time, 70.7 percent of Northwest’s fall 2015 first-time, full-time freshmen returned to the University, a percentage that continues to place Northwest above state and national averages.

“Northwest has embarked on a number of new enrollment strategies to impact student success and retention,” Bev Schenkel, Northwest’s associate provost for enrollment and retention management, said. “These strategies are aimed at removing barriers and being proactive to ensure our students are successful at achieving their educational goals.”

Northwest’s student body remains increasingly diverse with 1,497 students, or 23 percent, coming from underrepresented domestic groups or other countries. Northwest’s total minority enrollment is 835 students, representing almost 13 percent of the student body, a slight increase since last fall.

The University’s enrollment includes 662 international students, representing about 10 percent of Northwest’s student body. They represent 35 countries with the majority of students coming from India, Nepal, China and South Korea.

Northwest’s in-state student population increased to 4,192 students, and students represent a total of 39 states this fall. In addition to Missouri, Northwest draws from Iowa, Nebraska and Kansas.

Academically, Northwest students remain strong with an average ACT score of 22.5, and students enrolled at the University this fall carried an average high school grade-point average of 3.38.

Livingston County authorities arrested three of their “most-wanted” fugitives over the weekend, and the sheriff credits tips from the public for the capture of at least one of them.

In a news release, Sheriff Steve Cox says at least 138 fugitives have been arrested based solely on tips from the Sheriff’s Office Web site.

“At least one of these arrests was due to one or more tips as a result of posting on the LCSO website and social media,” Cox said.

“This does not include the number of persons who have surrendered after learning of their postings. We thank you for all the tips over the years.”

On September 30, authorities in Grundy County arrested Kimberly Irene Stevens, 29, Trenton, on a Livingston County arrest warrant for alleged class C felony of Forgery. Bond was set at $15,000 and Ms. Stevens was transferred to the Daviess Dekalb County Regional Jail.

On October 1, Darrell Wayne Graham, 36, Gallatin, surrendered to the Chillicothe Police Department on a Livingston County arrest warrant for alleged class B felony of Child Molestation-1st degree. Bail was set at $150,000. Mr. Graham was then taken into custody by the LCSO and transferred to Daviess Dekalb County Regional Jail.

On October 2, James R. Yeomans, 19, Hale, was arrested by authorities in Carroll County on a Livingston County arrest warrant for alleged Probation Violation on original class C felony conviction of Possession of Controlled Substance. The LCSO extradited Mr. Yeomans from Carroll County. He was transferred to Daviess Dekalb County Regional Jail as the warrant did not allow bond to be posted.

You and your young children are invited to walk the streets of Tiny Tot Town, where your children can learn through play about their important role in the community.

They can go to the bank, the grocery store, the soccer field or the library.

St. Joseph Civic Arena will be converted into a small-scale town on Tuesday. The event runs from 5:30 to 7:30 pm. Pizza, fruit and water will be served.

Families with kids five years old or younger are invited. The event is free.

St. Joseph School District Superintendent Dr. Robert Newhart was the scheduled speaker at a meeting Monday morning of retired school personnel.

The St. Joseph Retired School Personnel Association holds its meeting at 10:15am at the Joyce Raye Patterson Senior Citizens Center at 100 South Tenth Street in downtown St. Joseph.

Members were urged to bring donations to the Calvin Center.

A Trenton teenager escaped with minor injuries after a single-vehicle rollover crash west of Laredo in Grundy County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol says 17-year-old Alainey Shipley-Fair lost control of her vehicle along Route-E at 9:45pm Sunday night.

The vehicle left the roadway, hit an embankment and a fence before rolling onto its top.

Shipley-Fair was transported to Wright Memorial Hospital for treatment of minor injuries.

St. Joseph Mayor Bill Falkner has been elected to serve a two-year term on the Missouri Municipal League’s Board of Directors.

“I understand how important the work of the MML is to every city, town and village in Missouri,” said Mayor Falkner in a news release.

“I am looking forward to working with those who strive to better our State.”

The Missouri Municipal League was organized in 1934, aiming to “develop an agency for the cooperation of Missouri cities, towns and villages and to promote the interest, welfare and closer relations among them in order to improve
municipal government and administration in the state.”

Thus, the League’s basic goal is to strengthen cities through unity and cooperation.

The Missouri Municipal League is an independent, statewide, not-for-profit association governed by a Board of Directors consisting of a president, vice president, active past presidents, twelve elected municipal officials and five appointed municipal officials; with at least one board member from each congressional district. The Board appoints an executive director to manage the affairs of the League.

An Argentine music and dance ensemble will perform and teach at Missouri Western Monday.

The Tami Tango Trio is an internationally acclaimed Argentine music and dance ensemble. The trio of flute, guitar and piano is accompanied by a talented dance duo.

They will present a history of the tango at 4pm in the Blum Student Union room 218. They’ll also stage a performance tonight at 7pm in the Kemper Recital Hall, and a tango class tonight at nine, also in the Kemper Recital Hall.

All of the events are free and open to the public.

Sentencing is scheduled in November for a 28-year-old St. Joe man who pleaded guilty to murder charges for the death of a man during a carjacking in June.

Paul Belding pleaded guilty to 2nd degree felony murder. He was charged after an incident at the U.S. Oil convenience store at 22nd and Messanie June 13.

Police said Richard Gray, 77, tried to stop Belding from taking his van and in the process suffered a traumatic head injury.

Gray died June 18.

Buchanan County Circuit Judge Patrick Robb scheduled sentencing for November 18.