In recognition of World AIDS Day the St. Joseph Health Department is teaming up Tuesday to promote AIDS awareness.

The Health Department along with community partners P.E.A.C.E. (People Establishing AIDS/HIV/STD Care and Education), State Street Bank and Trust of Kansas City, and Zion United Church of Christ will sponsor the following awareness events:

Tuesday, December 1, 2015

• Free, walk-in HIV testing at the St. Joseph Health Department 904 South 10th Street – from 9:00a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
• Candlelight Memorial Service – Zion United Church of Christ, 816 Faraon Street, St. Joseph – 7:00 p.m.
• Members of the community are encouraged to wear a red ribbon as a symbol of support for prevention of HIV/AIDS, as well as, support for those affected by this disease and ribbons will be available at a variety of sites within our region.

The Department said World AIDS Awareness Day was created by the United Nations World Health Organization (WHO) in 1988 and is celebrated annually December 1st around the world.

FAUCETT, Mo. – The northbound passing lane of Interstate 29 is now closed at the Faucett exit.

Crews from the Missouri Department of Transportation closed the northbound passing lane at mile marker 35 Monday afternoon for pavement repairs under the Route DD Bridge. The road will be narrowed to one lane around the clock until approximately 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 1.

All work and schedules are weather permitting.

Buchanan County Ambulance Service cut the ribbon Monday morning on “Hard Post Number Two.”

Presiding County Commissioner Harry Roberts said the hard post at 10th and Olive will provide an indoor location for ambulances to plug-in.

“So that we can keep those medications and keep the ambulance at the proper temperature instead of having it sit outside and run a diesel engine to keep those things at the proper temperature and it is a lot more cost efficient when you do it that way,” Roberts said.

Roberts said it will also extend the life of ambulances by saving wear and tear on their diesel engines. This hard post replaces one on 4th Street that did not provide the necessary indoor space. The service also has a hard post in South Saint Joseph. Roberts said someday the service would like to add a hard post in the northeast part of the city.

The City of St. Joseph Health Department will be closed Wednesday for staff to participate in a day-long training.

All services at the Health Dept. located at 904 S. 10th St. will be suspended on Wednesday, Dec. 2. The city said that includes WIC, pregnancy testing and case management, TB services, immunization services, HIV/STD testing and case management, vital statistics (including issuance of Missouri birth and death certificates), environmental services, and all but emergency Animal Control & Rescue services. The city issued a clarification that the St. Joseph Animal Control and Rescue shelter and administrative offices will not be open on Wednesday, December 2, 2015. Only emergency services for Animal Control and Rescue will be available.

All services will resume on Thursday, December 3, 2015.

The department said the closure is to allow staff to take part in an all-day training retreat focusing on customer service and public health divisional goal setting.

This closure will affect Health Department services only. All other agencies at the Patee Market Health Center will be open as normal.

St. Joseph School District’s superintendent will speak at an upcoming St. Joseph Chamber event.

The chamber announced Monday that Dr. Robert Newhart, the new superintendent for the St. Joseph School District, will be the guest speaker at this quarter’s St. Joe Rising. This program of the St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce features issues involving social, economic, governmental, legislative and corporate activities that are of concern to Chamber members and the business community.

The event will be held from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. on Friday, Dec. 4, at the Paradox Theatre, 107 N. Sixth St.

Cost is $15 for Chamber members and $25 for general admission. RSVPs are due Tuesday, Dec. 1.

Reservations can be made online at saintjoseph.com or by calling (816) 232-4461.

Nine people were killed in crashes over the Thanksgiving travel period including one person in Clinton County and one person from Clinton County in northwest Missouri.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reports nine deaths over this year’s Thanksgiving counting period–from 6 p.m. Wednesday, November 25, 2015, through 11:59 p.m. Sunday, November 29, 2015.

In Clinton County, Pamela J. Foster, 63, of Liberty, MO, died Friday when the driver of the vehicle in which she was a passenger traveled over a bridge and lost control. The vehicle traveled over the guardrail on the southbound side of the roadway and struck a second guardrail on the west side of southbound Interstate 35 before traveling back across the southbound lanes and coming to rest in the median. The crash occurred in Clinton County at the 37-mile marker on Interstate 35 south of Lathrop, MO. Foster was not wearing a seat belt and was ejected from the vehicle. Clinton County Coroner Kathleen Little pronounced Foster dead at the scene. The driver of the vehicle and one other passenger were not wearing seat belts; they were not injured in the crash. Clinton County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene.

Thomas C. Hartley, 29, of Clinton, MO, died Saturday when the vehicle he was driving traveled off the roadway and overturned coming to rest on its wheels. Hartley was wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash. The crash occurred in Cass County on Missouri Highway 2 east of S. Bennett Road. Jackson County Medical Examiner A. Wilcoxen pronounced Hartley dead at the scene. Cass County Sheriff’s Department responded to the scene.

Anthony V. Ferrari, 52, of Peculiar, MO, died Wednesday when the vehicle he was driving northbound struck the left front of a southbound John Deere combine which was wider than its lane. Ferrari’s vehicle came to rest in the ditch; the combine came to rest in the roadway. The crash occurred in Cass County on Peculiar Drive east of 237th Street. It is unknown whether or not Ferrari was wearing a seat belt. Dr. Girkin pronounced Ferrari dead at Cass Regional Medical Center. The driver of the combine was not injured. Peculiar Police Department and Cass County Sheriff’s Department responded to the scene.

Derek W. Gillilan, 27, of Higginsville, MO, died Thanksgiving Day when the vehicle he was driving traveled off the roadway, struck an embankment, and overturned several times. The vehicle came to rest in a field. The crash occurred in Lafayette County on Missouri Highway 213 south of Page City Road. Gillilan was not wearing a seat belt and was ejected from the vehicle. Deputy Coroner Dale Cox pronounced Gillilan dead. Lafayette County Sheriff’s Department responded to the scene.

Lonnie E. Foster, 53, of Nixa, MO, died on Thanksgiving Day when the vehicle he was driving ran off the roadway and overturned. The crash occurred in Christian County on U.S. Highway 160 in Highlandville, MO. Foster was not wearing a seat belt and was ejected from the vehicle. Christian County Coroner Mandy Armitage responded to the scene. Dr. McKowski, Cox South Hospital, pronounced Foster dead (by phone).

David E. Rice, 67, of Silex, MO, died Friday when another vehicle crossed the center line and struck the vehicle Rice was driving head-on. The crash occurred in Lincoln County on Missouri Route E west of Missouri Route AA. Rice was wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash. Dr. Niemannroyer pronounced Rice dead. The driver and passenger in the vehicle that struck Rice’s vehicle were wearing seat belts at the time of the crash. Both sustained serious injuries.

Jeanette R. Bunn, 42, of Lowndes, MO, died Friday when the vehicle in which she was a passenger struck the rear of another vehicle, then traveled off the right side of the roadway and struck a tree. The other vehicle traveled off the right side of the roadway and overturned. The crash occurred in St. Francois County on U.S. Highway 67 north of Missouri Highway 32. Bunn was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash. St. Francois County Coroner James Coplin pronounced Bunn dead. The driver of the vehicle in which Bunn was a passenger was wearing a seat belt; he sustained serious injuries in the crash. The driver of the other vehicle was not wearing a seat belt; he sustained moderate injuries. Neither of the passengers in that vehicle were wearing a seat belt; they sustained minor and serious injuries.

Vincenzo A. Keith, 16, of Nixa, MO, died Sunday when the vehicle in which he was a passenger ran off the roadway, off the side of a bridge, and overturned in the water. The crash occurred in Dallas County on Rocksdale Road south of Buffalo, MO. Keith was wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash. The driver and another passenger were wearing seat belts at the time of the crash; both sustained minor injuries.

Taylor R. Dunn, 17, of Silex, MO, died Sunday when the vehicle in which she was a passenger failed to stop at a stop sign, traveled into the path of a second vehicle, and was struck. The crash occurred in Lincoln County on Missouri Route B at the intersection of Route B and Missouri Route W. Dunn was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash. Lincoln County Coroner Kelly Walters pronounced Dunn dead at the scene. The driver of the vehicle in which Dunn was a passenger was not wearing a seat belt; he sustained minor injuries. A second passenger in the vehicle was not wearing a seat belt; she sustained serious injuries. The driver of the second vehicle was wearing a seat belt; he was not injured in the crash. A passenger in that vehicle was not wearing a seat belt; she sustained moderate injuries.

Troopers investigated 544 traffic crashes, which included 150 injuries. In addition, troopers arrested 99 people for driving while impaired.

 

Troopers issued 105 tickets in northwest Missouri’s Troop H over peak Thanksgiving travel days.

A special enforcement operation over the Thanksgiving Day weekend took place on Nov. 25 and Nov. 29. Those days were designated by the MSHP as the peak travel days for the holiday period. Interstate 35 was the roadway designated for this project and troopers were each assigned a 20-mile stretch of the interstate from the Clinton County line to the Iowa state line. Troopers also were assigned to saturate high crash locations on U.S. highways within Troop H. As a result of the project, officers issued 105 citations and 221 warnings.

“Troopers were out in force over the Thanksgiving Day weekend and their vigorous enforcement efforts along with increased visibility helped keep Missouri motorists safe while traveling through Troop H,” said Captain James E. McDonald, commanding officer of Troop H.

Trails West!® is kicking off its artwork competition for the 2016 festival.

The Council is now accepting entries for the artwork competition through January 28, 2016.

The winning artist receives a $500.00 cash award. The winning artwork should embody the spirit of the Trails West! ® 2016 theme: “Yesterday’s Heritage, Tomorrow’s Dream.” It becomes the visual identification, or “logo,” for Trails West!® and the property of the Allied Arts Council of St. Joseph Missouri, Inc. The 2016 festival marks the 24th anniversary of the Trails West!® festival.

The winning artwork will be featured on festival buttons, merchandise and promotional materials including posters, brochures and billboards.

Entries must be received in the Council office by 5:00 p.m. on January 28, 2016. Judging of entries will take place in February.

For more information CLICK HERE.

The 2016 festival will be held August 19-21 at Civic Center Park.

MARYVILLE, Mo. – Northwest Missouri State University students recently collected and delivered 1,901 pounds of food to the Maryville Ministry Center as part of a food drive organized by University Seminar students.

More than 150 students participated in the Nov. 16 Bearcats Can Hunger event, totaling 839 volunteer hours.

Participating students represented Northwest’s Residence Hall Association, Student Senate, Sigma Tau Gamma, Enactus, Alpha Sigma Alpha, Phi Mu, Alpha Gamma Rho, the Bearcat football team, South Complex residence hall, University Seminar, the Department of Behavioral Sciences and the accounting program.

The Ministry Center provides food and clothing to people in need throughout Nodaway County.