Fire destroyed a historic church in Rushville Saturday morning, but the congregation still gathered for services on Sunday.

The Missouri State Fire Marshall’s Office is investigating the cause of a fire that destroyed the Short Creek Baptist Church near Bean Lake that has stood for about 150 years.

No one was hurt.  The church held services in the parsonage Sunday.

This is the second destructive church fire in our area in about a week. Last week, investigators say someone broke into St John’s Church in Amazonia, and may have set fire to the church to hide the crime. (click here for more)

The State Fire Marshall’s Office is investigating that case as well.

Hiawatha police have arrested one suspect but they urge continued vigilance for what they describe as “a rash of counterfeit $10 and $20 bills” circulating at local merchants.

In a post on social media (here), the department said their investigation continues after an arrest Friday night.

No charges have been filed.

Police released three serial numbers they found on bogus $10 and $20 bills.

National Child Passenger Safety week kicks off Sunday trying to bring awareness to the importance of buckling children up in appropriate child restraints.

The campaign runs from Sept. 13 to 19. Motorists could see increased enforcement of Missouri’s child seat safety laws during the campaign.

According to the Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety in 2014, seventeen children less than eight years of age were killed and 86 suffered injuries as occupants in motor vehicle crashes in Missouri. Thirty-one percent of the children killed were not restrained in a car seat or safety belt.

Missouri law requires all children under eight to be in an appropriate child safety seat or booster seat, unless:

• They are at least 80 pounds.

• They are at least 4’9″ tall.

“All parents and caregivers need to understand the importance of booster seats. It’s not just about following the law – booster seats help prevent serious injury and may even save your child’s life,” said Bill Whitfield, chair of the executive committee for the coalition.

Serious injuries can result from improperly fitted safety belts, particularly for children ages four through seven who are secured only in a regular safety belt during a crash. These injuries are commonly known as “seat belt syndrome,” which are often life-threatening or disabling injuries. Booster seats help prevent this syndrome from occurring by raising the child up so the lap and shoulder belt fits them properly.

Parents and caregivers are urged to get their child safety seats inspected by certified technicians.

The sidewalks of downtown St. Joseph are awash in yellow: yellow semicolons, yellow testimonials, yellow greetings, all rendered in yellow chalk.

St. Joe artist Jeremy Eaton has embraced the metaphor, the yellow and the semicolons to mark World Suicide Prevention Day (September 10).

The semicolon, Eaton says, becomes a metaphor for life.

“An author could have stopped a sentence at that point, but they chose to go on,” Mr Eaton said. “So, if you put that in a metaphor for life, you could have chosen to end your life but you chose to go on.”

A team from Eaton’s Griffey School for the Arts joined a team from the St Joseph Youth Alliance for a two-hour chalk-art campaign that pretty much covered a four block area along Francis and Edmond, 7th and 8th. There are hearts and kisses, personal messages and dedications, along with gestures of hope and encouragement.

And semicolons. Lots of semicolons.

“It’s so that the people who come downtown, either today or whenever, before it rains again, if it touches one person and makes them feel not alone, then we’ve done our job.”

Project Semicolon is an international suicide-prevention movement (On Facebook  here).

.

MARYVILLE, Mo. – Northwest Missouri State University will host its third annual disaster response field training exercise Sept. 18-20 and invites students, community members, and local and state responders to work in volunteer roles during the exercise.

The Missouri Hope 2015 Disaster Response Field Training Exercise, an intensive three-day domestic disaster relief field training exercise that is required for students studying majors or minors in emergency disaster management (EDM), takes place at Mozingo Outdoor Education Recreation Area (MOERA) and the Mozingo Youth Camp.

Volunteers are needed to play the roles of disaster victims and spontaneous volunteer community members as well as apply moulage and assist behind-the-scenes. Volunteers may be age 5 and older; youth between the ages of 5 to 17 require permission from a guardian and may participate with a supervisory adult.

Volunteers are needed to participate from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, Sept. 18; during two separate shifts, from 6 a.m. to noon or 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 19; or from 6:30 a.m. to noon Sunday, Sept. 20. Individuals interested in volunteering should contact Dr. Peter Adam, assistant professor of biology, at padam@nwmissouri.edu or Dr. Alice Foose at afoose@nwmissouri.edu by Wednesday Sept. 16.

Missouri Hope is sponsored by Northwest’s emergency and disaster management program and the Consortium for Humanitarian Service and Education. Partner agencies include Maryville Public Safety, Nodaway and Buchanan County Emergency Management, Nodaway County Ambulance District, LifeFlight and LifeNet Air Ambulances, SEMA Region H Marine Hazmat Team and the 1-129th Field Artillery Battalion Missouri Army National Guard.

Participation in the hands-on disaster response training is available to all Northwest students, regardless of major or minor. Students do not need to receive academic credit to participate, but credit may be earned by any student who desires it.

The domestic disaster response exercise challenges students to overcome their fears and hone their skills as emergency responders. Students work together in teams faced with mass casualty situations, high-angle rescues and water rescue operations.

Participants are expected to attend the entire exercise. Participants are assigned to disaster response teams and will rotate leader and follower roles.

Due to an increased need for trained professionals in the crisis response field, Northwest launched its unique EDM program in January 2009 as an interdisciplinary minor. The program expanded to be offered as an academic major in 2012. Course instruction is provided by Northwest faculty and staff who have regional and national roles in emergency management.

MOERA is a 320-acre parcel of land at the Mozingo Lake Recreation Area, located east of Maryville on Highway 46. MOERA is operated by Northwest’s Department of Health and Human Services and provides a variety of outdoor education and recreation opportunities, including a challenge course, trap shooting and archery, canoes and kayaks, and outdoor research areas.

The Hiawatha Police Department is giving citizens training in self-defense with pepper spray.

A Sabre Pepper Spray self-defense class is being offered Sept. 26.

The department said the cost is $30 per student but includes the cost of pepper spray.

Course instructors include John Defore, Beau Hasenohr and Barbara Mauslein.

The course will be held Sept. 26 at the Fisher Community Center located at 201 E. Iowa in Hiawatha, Kan.

To sign up or for more information call (785) 742-2156.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol has announced the promotion of a Missouri Western grad to District II operations lieutenant.

Sgt. Douglas Hedrick was promoted earlier this month to the rank of lieutenant and assigned as the Troop H District II operations lieutenant.

Hedrick is a 22-year veteran with the Highway Patrol

He was appointed to the Patrol January 1, 1993, as a member of the 65th Recruit Class. After graduation from the Patrol’s Law Enforcement Academy in Jefferson City, he was assigned to Troop A, Zone 14, serving Bates County. In May 1998, he transferred to Troop A, Lee’s Summit, Zone 6, serving Jackson County. In December 1998, he was promoted to corporal and remained assigned to Zone 6. Hedrick was promoted to sergeant in 2002, and designated zone supervisor of Zone 2, Platte County.

Hedrick was born in Jefferson City, Missouri. He graduated from Mexico High School in 1986. He earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Missouri Western State University in 1990. Lieutenant Hedrick and his wife, Janice, have one child: Jordan.

A judge in Clay County has scheduled a jury trial for Adam Baker on charges that stem from the fatal shooting of his wife.

Mr Baker’s case was transferred from Clinton County on a change of venue. Mr Baker was arrested shortly after the shooting of his wife Holly Baker February 25 at the couple’s home in the 900 block of West Prairie Street in Cameron.

Adam Baker is charged with second-degree murder and armed criminal action.  Clay County Circuit Judge Larry Harman scheduled a jury trial March 21. A pair of pre-trial hearings were scheduled as well.

Mr Baker is being held under $75,000 cash bail.

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – All Northwest Missouri routes are now open after being closed due to high water.

Buchanan County Route HH was reopened Friday morning after floodwaters receded.