The bookmobile program at the Rolling Hills Consolidated Library is growing by leaps and bounds.

“We got on the road in June of 2013,” says Public Information Officer Alan Stolfus. “We started with five stops, and checked out 51 books in our first month of operation.”

“Last month we had 55 stops, and we checked out 2,365 books.”

The bookmobile staff was greeted like rock stars in Gower earlier this week. Gower has no public library, so team Bookmobile Team Leader Deb Ezzell says they expected interest in the program in Gower. They added a staff member just to be on the safe side. But Ezzell says they were surprised by the turnout.

“When we pulled up, there was a whole group of kids and teachers under the picnic shelter,” Ezzell says, “and there were probably at least 50 to 75 people there.”

“Then, the people just kept coming. The bus was full at all times. We probably had about 150 people go through there.”

The bookmobile now serves more than a dozen small towns in Andrew and Buchanan counties, plus several nursing homes in Savannah and St Joseph.

Mr Stolfus says since the program started, they’ve handed out more than 700 new library cards from the bookmobile.

You can find the complete schedule for the bookmobile at the Web site for the Rolling Hills Consolidated Library at http://rhcl.org/outreach/bookmobile-visits/

A change of venue has been granted for a Rosendale man charged with nine counts of child molestation in Andrew County.

As we previously reported, 41-year-old Brian Jay Hoffman is accused of a wide array of deviate sexual behavior with six boys and girls, including his children, step children or their friends, all under the age of 14.

The incidents happened between April of 2009 and March, 2013 according to court documents. The Andrew County case was filed in August of 2014.

Wednesday, Hoffman was granted a change of venue from Andrew to Buchanan County.  A trail setting is scheduled for June 1 in Judge Weldon Judah’s court.

Court documents indicate there were nude photographs taken of the children wearing no clothing, and that there were “Craigslist conversations” found in the household with an unknown third party that were sexual in nature and discussed young children.

Mr Hoffman is in custody of the Department of Corrections at the Farmington Correctional Center, serving a 12-year prison sentence for Child Molestation out of Buchanan County. The defendant pleaded guilty to that charge in May of 2013 and was sentenced in July of that year.

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – A resurfacing project on Interstate 29 in Andrew and Buchanan counties is set to begin Wednesday, May 27, 2015, according to the Missouri Department of Transportation. All work will be conducted at night, after peak travel times.

The project will resurface I-29 from Business 71 north of St. Joseph to 1.5 miles south of Route O, near Pigeon Creek. On Wednesday, May 27, 2015, contractors will begin sawing and concrete patching in northbound lanes to prepare for the resurfacing. They will then patch the southbound lanes. One lane in each direction will remain open throughout this portion of the project.

The on and off ramps will also be prepared for resurfacing. This may require closing the ramps to ensure the safety of both motorists and workers. If a ramp will close, advance notice will be provided.

All preparation work is anticipated to end around June 13, 2015. Following the Independence Day holiday, contractors will begin milling and laying asphalt. The contractor anticipates that all work will be completed by November 1, 2015.

The company that’s about to buy St Joseph’s cable television provider is one of the largest telecommunications firms in Europe, but has no presence in the US. Pete Abel, the Senior Vice President for Corporate Communications for Suddenlink, says that’s important to his company’s workforce.

Altice, the company about to buy 70% of Suddenlink, will need a local workforce.

“We are still ver early in the process,” Abel said in email, “It will be several months before the acquisition is completed – which is not expected until later this year or early next – and Altice’s plans for the company will come together during and after that time frame.

“It’s also important to remember that Altice does not currently have operations in the United States and will need U.S.-based employees to operate and grow the company.”

Founded by its chairman Patrick Drahi, Altice is a global communications company, with approximately 40 million customers, 30,000 employees, over $15 billion in annual revenue, and a market capitalization of more than $31 billion.

Altice owns and operates multiple company brands in 15 regions, including France, Israel, Belgium, Switzerland, Portugal, the Dominican Republic, and elsewhere.

But not, up until now, in the US.

 

Suddenlink Chairman and CEO Jerry Kent says the acquisition of his company announced Wednesday is a testament to the company’s strong operating and financial results.  Altice announced it has agreed to acquire 70% of Suddenlink.

The transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2015 once applicable regulatory approvals have been obtained.

“I’m very proud of the Suddenlink team and our accomplishments over the last 12 years,” Mr Kent said in a news release issued in response to the announcement. “This acquisition is a testament to the consistently strong operating and financial results we’ve achieved.

“While our strong performance has afforded Suddenlink ready access to growth capital, the backing of Altice will better position the company to gain critical scale as a major consolidator in the U.S. cable industry.”

There are no details available about any possible changes that might come about in either service or employment. A company spokesman said Wednesday that in the short term there will be no such changes.

Mr Kent’s news release offers a glimpse at the Suddenlink CEO’s future.

“For my part, after the acquisition is completed, I’ll continue to focus on other businesses, through my investment and management company, Cequel III. Throughout my entrepreneurial career, I’ve been excited and energized by seeking new opportunities and companies, and I look forward to the next chapter.”

Altice said it had signed a definitive agreement to acquire 70% of the share capital in Suddenlink from existing shareholders BC Partners, CPP Investment Board and Suddenlink management. BC Partners and CPP Investment Board will retain a 30% stake in Suddenlink.

The announcement from Altice points out the company is now entering “the large and attractive US cable market.”

CEO Dexter Goei called Suddenlink a “best-in-class” business.

“We are very excited about the acquisition of Suddenlink and are highly committed to continue to improve network investment, customer offers and service innovation in the attractive US market.”

“Our investment in Suddenlink, our first in the cable sector in the US, opens an attractive industrial and strategic avenue for Altice in the US, one of the largest and fastest growing communications markets in the world. We are looking forward to our partnership with BC Partners and CPP Investment Board and believe Suddenlink is a best-in-class business that should be able to deliver profitability and cash flow levels in line with best-in-class European cable businesses.”

A crash north of Country Club Village sends two teenagers to the hospital.

The crash report from the Missouri State Highway Patrol says 18-year-old Caleb McCurley of Savannah lost control of his Audi along County Road 348 in Andrew County at 7:15pm. The vehicle left the roadway and hit several trees.

McCurley suffered moderate injuries. A passenger, 16-year-old Micah Turner of St joe, suffered moderate injuries. Both were transported by ambulance to Mosaic Life Care.

Rosecrans Air National Guard has announced U.S. Air Force Maj. Nathan Vanhoof will assume command of the 241st Air Traffic Control Squadron.

He will take over effective Wednesday.

Vanhoof comes from the Louisiana Air National Guard’s 159th Fighter Wing where he was chief of operations at the 259th Air Traffic Control Squadron.

During his time with the Louisiana Guard, Vanhoof deployed in 2008 for Operation Iraqi Freedom, and was activated multiple times for state emergency duty for the state of Louisiana.

Vanhoof has 13 years of military service between the regular Air Force and Air National Guard.

“It’s been a wonderful opportunity,” said Vanhoof. “My family and I have been fully welcomed by the 139th family.”

Tonight
Showers, mainly after 11pm. Low around 48. East northeast wind around 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New precipitation amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.
Wednesday
Showers, mainly before noon. High near 54. Northeast wind 9 to 11 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
Wednesday Night
Mostly cloudy, with a low around 43. North northeast wind 5 to 9 mph becoming light north.
Thursday
Mostly sunny, with a high near 65. North northwest wind 5 to 7 mph.
Thursday Night
Partly cloudy, with a low around 46.
Friday
A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 67. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
Friday Night
A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Cloudy, with a low around 54. Chance of precipitation is 40%.
Saturday
A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Cloudy, with a high near 69. Chance of precipitation is 50%.
Saturday Night
Showers and thunderstorms likely. Cloudy, with a low around 60. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
Sunday
A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Cloudy, with a high near 75. Chance of precipitation is 50%.
Sunday Night
A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 60. Chance of precipitation is 50%.
Memorial Day
A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 76. Chance of precipitation is 40%.

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – Many routes still remain closed throughout Northwest Missouri. MoDOT encourages travelers to check the Traveler Information Map at www.modot.org/northwest for closures before heading out. The following routes are closed for travel until further notice.

Andrew County

•· Route 48 east and west of Rosendale (102 River)

•· Route B from County Road 144 to Railroad Street (102 River)

•· Route C from Sylvan Street to County Road 177 (102 River)

•· Route C at the junction with Route 48 (102 River)

Buchanan County

•· Route H at Agency (Platte River)

•· Route MM from Loutermilch Road to Route 116 (Platte River)

•· Route C from U.S. Hwy 36 to the end of state maintenance (Platte River)

Caldwell County

•· Route F from Windgate Drive to Shoal Station Drive (Shoal Creek) NOW OPEN

•· Route A From Applewood Drive to Wishbone Drive (Shoal Creek)

•· Route U from Route B to Route K (Shoal Creek) NOW OPEN

Harrison County

•· Route AA one mile west of U.S. Hwy 69 (Big Creek)

Livingston County

•· Route C four miles south of U.S. Hwy 36 (Shoal Creek)

•· Route D one mile south of Route DD – NOW CLOSED

•· Route DD at the junction of Route C – NOW CLOSED

Motorists will need to use alternate routes.