AMITY, Mo – The date has changed for the second DeKalb County route closure.

This scheduled closure is part of the wind farm project going in throughout the west and central parts of the county. The upcoming Route 6 closure originally planned for Friday is now planned for Saturday, Sept. 10, at 8 p.m. at Ogle Road. It is expected to last no more than four hours.

All scheduled closures will be posted on our Traveler Information Map, which can be found at www.modot.org. During the closure, motorists should seek an alternate route.

As part of this project, large cranes used by the contractor will be moving across Routes 31, 6, J, and N at various times during the upcoming weeks. When the cranes are moved, it will require a full closure of the roadway. Most of these closures should take four hours or less.

Each of the towers will require multiple, slow-moving, oversized loads with police escorts navigating to each tower location. This may cause local travelers some delays.

A teacher at Savannah’s Minnie Cline Elementary School was honored today as the state of Missouri’s Teacher of the Year.

Fifth grade math teacher Darbi Valenti was recognized at a luncheon today at St Jo Frontier Casino. The event and honors are the work of the Missouri Association of School Administrators and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

You can find out more about Ms Valenti at the Web site of the Savannah R3 School District.  (click here)

According to the DESE website, the main purpose of the program is to recognize the contributions of the classroom teacher.

Teacher quality and effectiveness is the most important school-based factor impacting student learning.

The mission of the Missouri Teacher of the Year Program is to honor, promote and celebrate excellence in the teaching profession.

State-level honors for the Teacher of the Year include:
• Cash award provided by The Boeing Company (St. Louis)
• Classroom technology package
• Recognition banquet sponsored by the Missouri State Board Of Education
• Recognition ceremonies with the governor and legislature
• Reception sponsored by AFT, MNEA, and MSTA

The St. Joseph School District released this list of the regional Teachers of the Year:
Avenue City R-IX Janis Pargas
Cainsville R-I Eric Tyhurst
Chillicothe R-II Sophie Chambers
Jefferson C-123 Angela Lane
Lathrop R-II Rachel Daniels
Maryville R-II Jamie James
Mid-Buchanan R-V April Campbell
Mid-Buchanan R-V Katie Bishop
North Andrew R-VI Sherry Heckman
NE Nodaway R-V Heidi Beatty
Polo R-VII Becky Ross
Savannah R-III Darbi Valenti
South Harrison R-II Tara Henry

The Platte County Sheriff’s Office has released the name of a motorist who was killed in a crash along P Highway north of Hardesty on Sunday.

The driver of the 2004 black Dodge truck that crashed is identified as Shannon Kay Smither, 42, of Weston, Missouri. Officials say there were no other occupants in the vehicle.

The Platte County Sheriff’s Office Crash Team is still investigating the cause of the accident. Preliminary investigation showed that the vehicle was traveling north on P Highway when it left the roadway and struck a tree.

(Update) St. Joseph police announced at about 1:19pm that they had opened Frederick for traffic in both directions.

A crash near Frederick and Brookside has shut down traffic in both directions on Frederick.

The St. Joseph Police Department issued this Nixle alert shortly before 1pm:

“Avoid the area of Frederick Ave and Brookside due to an accident. Frederick is currently closed east and west bound.”

Refresh this post for more details as they become available

A motorcyclist from Winston, Missouri was injured in a crash Wednesday night.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol says David Wilson was hurt in the crash at 3rd Street and Ballinger in Winston at 7:11 p.m.  According to the crash report, a 16-year-old motorist failed to yield and hit Wilson’s Kawasaki in the intersection.

Wilson was transported to Cameron Regional Medical Center with moderate injuries.  The other motorist, Logan Caldwell, was not injured.

The Performing Arts Association in St. Joseph begins the 2016/17 season with the music of the Gershwin Brothers. 

Performing Arts Association Executive Director Beth Sharp said the September 24th performance is called Embraceable You. 

“It’s a team that’s coming out of Alabama and they are performing a group of songs that George and Ira Gershwin had written especially for ‘An American in Paris,’” Sharp said. “They’re going to be backed up with a small combo band – piano, bass, drums and a sax, I believe – so it’s fun when there’s live music.” 

The performance takes place at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, September 24th at the Historic Missouri Theatre. 

Other performances this season include ‘The International Superstars of Magic and Comedy’ on October 8th, ‘Away in the Basement… A Church Basement Ladies Christmas’ on November 15th, ‘Winter Dance Party,’ a tribute to Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper on November 19th, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy on February 4th and ‘Let’s Hang On,’ a tribute to Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons on April 8th. 

For more information on performances and purchasing tickets, click here.