As area residents gear up for Fourth of July Celebrations the American Red Cross of Northwest Missouri has a few tips to keep everyone safe.

“Everyone looks forward to having fun over the Fourth of July, and the Red Cross wants to make sure people know how to stay safe while enjoying the holiday,” said Angie Springs, Executive Director of the American Red Cross of Northwest Missouri.

HIGHWAY SAFETY Millions of people will be on the highways over the Fourth of July weekend. The Red
Cross offers these five things everyone should do to stay safe while traveling:
1. Buckle seat belts, observe speed limits.
2. Do not drink and drive.
3. Pay full attention to the road – don’t use a cell phone to call or text.
4. Use caution in work zones.
5. Clean the vehicle’s lights and windows to help the driver see, especially at night. Turn the
headlights on as dusk approaches, or during inclement weather.

FIREWORKS SAFETY The best way to enjoy fireworks is to attend a public fireworks show put on by
professionals. Here are five safety steps for people setting fireworks off at home:
1. Never give fireworks to small children, and always follow the instructions on the packaging.
2. Keep a supply of water close by as a precaution.
3. Make sure the person lighting fireworks always wears eye protection.
4. Light only one firework at a time and never attempt to relight “a dud.”
5. Never throw or point a firework toward people, animals, vehicles, structures or flammable
materials.

GRILLING SAFETY Every year people are injured while using charcoal or gas grills. Here are several
steps to safely cook up treats for the backyard barbecue:
1. Always supervise a barbecue grill when in use.
2. Never grill indoors – not in the house, camper, tent, or any enclosed area.
3. Make sure everyone, including the pets, stays away from the grill.
4. Keep the grill out in the open, away from the house, the deck, tree branches, or anything that
could catch fire.
5. Use the long-handled tools especially made for cooking on the grill to keep the chef safe.

When you start tossing around words like “legend” you should expect to run up against myth.

One popular story about local musical legend Bugsy Maugh is that he played at the Woodstock music festival in 1969.  That, as it turns out, is a myth, because he didn’t.

“It’s a very popular rumor, ” says Jay Kerner, who is now updating his book about the bass player from St Joseph who rose to national fame with the Paul Butterfield Blues Band.

“When we worked on the book together that was one of my first questions, you know, tell me about Woodstock, and he said ‘I’d love to but I wasn’t there.’ ”

“He said people think he was, because in the movie that they made of it, someone apparently thought they saw him there, and so on the movie soundtrack you can hear an announcer say “Bugsy Maugh please report to the courtesy tent…; or something like that.”

“He was actually in St Joe where his wife was having a baby,” Kerner says. “They hadn’t anticipated that that festival was going to be what it of course turned out to be.”

“That’s just part of the Bugsy legend, that he was at Woodstock, when in fact he was in St Joe at the time.”

Kerner says his book, “Bar Chords with Bugsy,” may soon get an update.   Kerner hopes to add some chapters to the book soon, because so much has happened since it was finished a few years back.  For instance, The Paul Butterfield Blues Band was recently inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Kerner says he’s expecting to hear from Bugsy’s bandmate Mark Naftalin soon with some exciting news.

Bugsy was unceremoniously omitted from the induction broadcast at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame because he was not an original member of the band.  Kerner traveled to Cleveland for the event, and he says Mr Naftalin gave Bugsy a long and heartfelt onstage tribute, which did not make the final edit of the HBO production.  The video is still in the can, however, and Kerner says he’s hoping to get a copy from Mr Naftalin.

Kerner also confirms that a musical tribute could be in the works.

 

The Missouri State Highway Patrol says special enforcement to prevent boating while intoxicated will continue during the Independence Day weekend through the end of the summer.

 

Colonel J. Bret Johnson, superintendent of the Missouri State Highway Patrol, says last weekend’s “Operation Dry Water” enforcement led to three arrests statewide.

Troopers contacted 543 vessels and 1,531 boaters. Colonel Johnson says they issued 85 summonses for boating violations and 588 warnings. Marine operations troopers also issued 137 summonses for non-boating violations during the 2015 Operation Dry Water weekend.

Col. Johnson says special enforcement operations will continue throughout the summer months. Boaters are reminded that designating a sober operator is always the safest bet if alcohol is going to be included in their boating experience.

Watercraft operators should ensure that everyone in the vessel is wearing an approved life jacket.

St. Joseph bus users will have to find another mode of transport over the 4th of July.

St. Joseph Transit will be closed and buses will not operate on Saturday in recognition of the Independence Day holiday.

For more information about St. Joseph Transit CLICK HERE.

 

A music legend from St Joe passed away last week.

Charles “Bugsy” Maugh, former bass player for the Paul Butterfield Blues Band, has battled cancer for about twenty years. He succumbed Thursday.

The Paul Butterfield Blues Band was inducted into The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame this year, but Mr. Maugh wasn’t included with the original lineup in the induction.

This prompted outrage in some quarters, including other members of the band. Mr Maugh played on two of the band’s best selling albums.

Jay Kerner of the Regular Joe newspaper reported recently on his efforts to get Mr Maugh to Cleveland for the induction ceremony. (Read about it here)

The St Joseph News Press reports Mr Maugh played at Woodstock in 1969, but according to Mr Kerner that’s not true.  (read more here)

Plans are coming together for a memorial service expected to include musical tributes from other area musicians.  Funeral arrangements are underway at the Gladden Stamey Funeral Home.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Former Virginia Sen. Jim Webb who is running for president has ties to St. Joseph.

Webb was born in St. Joseph, Mo. in 1946.

He now joins a field of Democrats challenging Hillary Rodham Clinton for the nomination.

Webb says in a message on his website that the nation “needs a fresh approach to solving the problems that confront us.”

Webb was the first Democrat to form an exploratory committee, announcing his interest in a presidential campaign last November.

A Vietnam veteran and former Navy secretary under President Ronald Reagan, Webb was elected to the Senate in 2006 and served one term.

Webb has made frequent trips to the early voting states of Iowa and New Hampshire. But he faces long odds in a field dominated by Clinton that also includes Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley and former Rhode Island Gov. Lincoln Chafee.

(AP with Post Contributions)

Here’s a look at some of the Independence Day Celebrations scheduled to take place in our area.

St. Joe, Mo. – The City of St. Joseph fireworks display is estimated to be between 9:30 and 9:45 p.m.
The best viewing locations are the Heritage Park softball complex, the St. Jo Frontier Casino or the Remington Nature Center. The public may enter Heritage Park at 6 p.m. The softball complex will offer bleacher and lawn seating throughout the night, and the restrooms and concession stands will be open. Offering its full menu, of soda, sandwiches, nachos and other items. http://www.stjoemo.info/DocumentCenter/View/3118

The St. Joseph Mustangs will host a fireworks display at Phil Welch Stadium after both Friday and Saturday night games

Mozingo Lake in Maryville, Mo. – This year’s show at Mozingo will feature $10,000 worth of fireworks and is set to begin shortly after dusk.

Cameron, Mo. – Cameron’s citywide celebration includes a four-mile run, a Rotary Club breakfast, a baby show, a prince and princess contest, a parade, a free swim at the Cameron Municipal Pool, a concert by the Cameron City Band and a fireworks display to close at 10 p.m. Find more info at www.cameronmochamber.com.

Smithville, Mo. – Watch fireworks light up the sky starting at dusk. The location for best viewing is Smith’s Fork Park at 1601 County Road DD

Highland, Kan. – Activities start at 10 a.m. with a parade starting at the High School and continuing west on Main Street.  Activities continue throughout the day with an evening ending with an Ice Cream Social at 8 p.m. at the HCC Stadium Center and fireworks at dusk.

Troy, Kan. – Activities start at 7 a.m. with breakfast served at the 4-H grounds.  A 5K run/walk will take place at 8 a.m. followed by activities throughout the day including a fishing derby from 10 a.m. to noon.  The Troy Parade starts at 4 p.m. and will travel down main street.  At 5 p.m. a cookout will begin at the 4-h grounds, Ice Cream social at 6:30 p.m. and fireworks at dusk at the 4-H grounds.

Robinson, Kan. – 4th of July fun will start with a pancake feed 7 am – 1 pm. Followed by a parade at 4 pm and the ice cream social at 5:30 pm. Then a fireworks display at dark (Free will donation for the ice cream social and fireworks display). https://www.facebook.com/robinsonfiredept

Atchison, Kan. – Fireworks display scheduled at Warnock Lake