MARYVILLE, Mo. – The Northwest Missouri State University’s Board of Regents, during its regular session Friday, approved the creation of a comprehensive major in applied health sciences and four courses to support academic programming in the University’s new School of Health Science and Wellness. Additionally, the Board approved a new Master of Science degree in information systems and new areas of emphasis in the Master of Business Administration program.

The new bachelor’s degree program in applied health sciences includes two emphasis areas, aging studies and exercise sciences, and fills an expanding niche in the preventative healthcare field.

Presenting the proposal to the Board, Northwest Provost Dr. Timothy Mottet said recruiters report a high degree of interest in health sciences by prospective students. The National Research Center for College and University Admissions also indicates 30 percent of 2015 high school graduates in the four-state region selected a major in a health sciences field.

The applied health sciences major will provide an avenue for students looking for an alternative path to contribute to the field of health. The degree will equip students to work with wellness programs affiliated with private corporations, non-profit agencies and municipal organizations. The degree also may serve as a feeder program for graduate level health-related degrees such as athletic training, occupational therapy, applied health and sport sciences, recreation, and sport and exercise psychology.

Graduates of the new master’s degree in information systems will work in the information technology field in a variety of positions such as database administrator, deputy project manager, business analyst and systems analyst.

The Board also approved Northwest’s proposal to create emphasis areas in its MBA program in general management, human resource management, marketing, and business decisions and analytics. Mottet said the proposal was based on feedback from recruiters and desires of prospective students as well as a review of MBA programs offered by universities in Missouri.

In other business, the Board approved the addition of five faculty positions – four in computer science and one in nutrition and dietetics. The Board also approved the renewal of a contract with HMedu Inc., an international recruiting agency that assists Northwest’s Missouri Academy of Science, Mathematics and Computing, as well as the renewal of a contract with YouVisit, which produces a virtual walking campus tour for Northwest.

One of three defendants charged with the murder of Richard Berry April 25 has been sentenced to ten years in prison. Sean Liechti of St Joseph pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree murder on October 16 before Buchanan County Circuit Judge Daniel Kellogg.

Liechti was one of three people accused in the stabbing death of Mr Berry, allegedly carried out as part of a robbery. Mr Berry’s body was recovered from the Third Fork of the Platte River near Easton.

Co-defendant Kelli Hoard also pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree murder last week, and is scheduled for sentencing in December.

A third defendant did not accept a plea offer. Primalton Peterson III is scheduled for trial in January on charges of first-degree murder, armed criminal action, and abandonment of a corpse.

The Salvation Army is looking for a few good bell ringers for the Christmas season. They have paid and volunteer opportunities available.

If you’re looking to make some extra money this Christmas season, and perhaps having a little fun at the same time, the Salvation Army in St. Joseph is currently hiring seasonal bell ringers to assist with its 2015 Christmas Red Kettle Campaign.

The campaign runs from November 20, through December 24, 2015, every day except Thanksgiving and Sundays.

The Salvation Army is also looking for volunteers, for those more inclined to ring in the season for the holiday cheer.

Times are available at more than 10 locations in the community between the hours of 9am and 9pm. Applicants must be able to stand for extended periods of time and endure weather extremes.

“Many of our paid bell ringers are trying to make ends meet in a tough economy, but they also want to feel good about doing something to help others,” said Major Abe Tamayo. “They know their work will help us provide food, clothing and shelter to people in need in the community.” For more information or to apply, contact LeeAnn at 816-232-5824 ext. 22.

The money collected during the 2015 Red Kettle Campaign will support Salvation Army programs in St. Joseph, MO for the entire year. These programs include emergency shelter, food pantry, youth and senior programs and disaster response.

The Salvation Army also makes the holidays brighter for those in need in our community, providing holiday meals and gifts for families who might otherwise go without.

Anyone wishing to donate to The Salvation Army by credit card may call 1-800-SAL-ARMY. Checks may be mailed to The Salvation Army at P. O. Box 1417, St. Joseph, MO 64502

The Salvation Army is now accepting applications for Christmas assistance. Eligible families and seniors are welcome to apply in person at The Salvation Army, 602 Messanie, St. Joseph, MO during the following dates and times: November 2 -25, Monday – Friday, 9am – 11am and 1pm – 3pm. Families and seniors who qualify for Christmas assistance receive food for holiday meals and toys for children in the family.

Please call The Salvation Army at 816-232-5824 for specific information including what to bring with you to provide proof of eligibility. This may include items such as a photo ID, proof of income and a current utility bill.

For more information, call Teresa at 816-232-5824.

St Joseph police are working an accident with injuries that could be causing some problems in downtown St Joe traffic.

A traffic accident was reported shortly before 10:30am on eastbound US-36 highway at the exit ramp to I-229.

There was no immediate word on the nature or severity of the injuries.

Refresh this post for additional details as they become available.

Circuit Court arraignment is scheduled next month for a Maysville man accused of selling drugs with some free political widgets.

Scheduling a campaign for Congress around upcoming court dates could prove a challenge for Donnie Swartz, who is accused of selling methamphetamine and prescription narcotics to officers and informants in at least three controlled buys.

During one buy, an informant said Swartz gave him a campaign pen, pamphlet and bumper sticker bearing the “Swartz4Congress” logo.

This week Mr Swartz waived his right to a preliminary hearing and was bound over for trial. Swartz, 43, is charged in Dekalb County with three Class-A felony counts of distributing controlled substances near a school.

Judge J. Bartley Spear Jr. agreed to a defense request to modify bail in the case. Mr Swartz was being held under $75,000 cash-only bail, but the judge agreed to let the defendant post bond and pay a 10% cash deposit. By mid-morning Friday, Mr Swartz was still behind bars at the Daviess/Dekalb County Regional Jail.

The filing period for Missouri candidates seeking seats in the United States Congress does not begin until February of next year.

 

The Board of Governors at Missouri Western State University heard a draft version of the audit report for fiscal year 2015 during their regular meeting Oct. 22.

Auditors from Clifton Larson Allen issued a clean opinion, finding no material weaknesses in Missouri Western’s accounting procedures.

“The whole campus participates in an audit, whether the auditor is sitting in their office or not,” said Dr. Cale Fessler, vice president for financial planning and administration. “This clean opinion is a reflection of the responsible way everybody at Missouri Western approaches our finances.”

There was one deficiency reported. A third-party service provider hired by Missouri Western failed to report enrollment changes to the federal government’s student loan program by the time required in federal regulations.

“Every single community college, college, private, public, across the country will have this finding this year, because many, many of them use this provider,” said Barb DuBois of Clifton Larson Allen. The audit notes that Missouri Western is adding procedures to provide oversight of the services provided by the vendor.

The Board of Governors will be asked via telephone poll to approve the audit once it is finalized in the next few days. It took longer to draft the report this year because of significant changes in accounting procedures concerning pension liability, DuBois said.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A northwest Missouri man pleaded guilty in federal court today to receiving child pornography over the Internet.

Jacob A. Arnold, 19, of Smithville, pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief District Judge Greg Kays to the charge contained in a June 23, 2015, federal indictment.

Arnold admitted that he received child pornography over the Internet on March 17, 2015.

On April 29, 2015, the Western Missouri Cyber Crimes (WMCC) Task Force received a cybertip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children regarding a video of child pornography that had been uploaded from Arnold’s computer to a DropBox account. On June 4, 2015, members of the WMCC Task Force and officers of the Smithville Police Department executed a state issued search warrant at the defendant’s residence. Officers seized computers, cameras, digital storage devices and a cell phone.

Child pornography was located on each of the items seized from Arnold’s residence, which must be forfeited to the government under the terms of today’s plea agreement. Approximately 170 videos and 1,600 images of child pornography were located on the seized items.

Under the terms of today’s plea agreement, Arnold agreed that he would not argue for a sentence below 10 years in federal prison without parole and the government agreed not to argue for a sentence greater than 15 years in federal prison without parole. The government will recommend that this federal sentence be served concurrently with Arnold’s 15-year sentence for child molestation in Clay County, Mo. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office. Upon his release from prison, Arnold will be required under the federal Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA) to register as a sex offender and keep the registration current in each of the jurisdictions where he resides, is employed and is a student.