Post Staff – Page 698 – St. Joseph Post Archive

Feds foil plot to bomb Fort Riley; One in custody

Posted on April 10, 2015April 10, 2015

Federal officials say a 20-year-old Topeka man, who grew up in Tennessee and Kansas before moving to Missouri, is facing federal charges for allegedly plotting to detonate a bomb at Fort Riley, Kansas. U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom told reporters John Thomas Booker Jr. was arrested Friday morning in Manhattan.

Grissom said that Booker faces three charges: attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction, attempting to damage property by means of an explosion and attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization.

Authorities alleged that Booker had even completed a “martyr video” to explain his actions.

Booker allegedly said he selected Fort Riley as a target because it was well known and because “there are a lot of soldiers there.”

Grissom said the explosive device, unbeknownst to the suspect, was inert and that he never penetrated the Army base.

The charges were announced by Grissom and Assistant Attorney General for National Security John P. Carlin. They released a copy of the formal complaint as well (click here).

“As alleged in the complaint, John Booker attempted to attack U.S. military personnel on U.S. soil purportedly in the name of ISIL,” said Assistant Attorney General Carlin. “Thanks to the efforts of the law enforcement community, we were able to safely disrupt this threat to the brave men and women who serve our country. Protecting American lives by identifying and bringing to justice those who wish to harm U.S. citizens remains the National Security Division’s number one priority.”

Booker is alleged to have spent months discussing multiple plans before deciding on a plan that involved the execution of a suicide bombing mission.

The complaint alleges Booker told another person “that detonating a suicide bomb is his number one aspiration because he couldn’t be captured, all evidence would be destroyed, and he would be guaranteed to hit his target.” Booker identified Fort Riley as a good target, “because the post is famous and there are a lot of soldiers stationed there,” the complaint alleges.

“I want to assure the public there was never any breach of Fort Riley Military Base. Recently the Command Staff at Fort Riley has been working hand-in-hand with law enforcement to ensure the utmost security and protection for the men and women who serve our country, and the surrounding community that supports the base,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Eric Jackson.

Officials say FBI Evidence Response Teams are executing search warrants related to the case.

If convicted, Booker would face a maximum penalty of life in prison.

Doniphan County establishes tough new open burning rules

Posted on April 10, 2015April 10, 2015

Controlled burn near Highland (Nadia Thacker)

After a string of damaging fires across Doniphan County this spring, County Commissioners have adopted some new rules for open burning in the county. It could cost you a pretty penny to violate them.

The resolution adopted this week requires you to contact county dispatchers (785-985-3711) if you intend to conduct an open burn, and provide the location and nearest crossroads where you intend to start such a fire. Dispatchers will then contact the Rural Fire District where the intended burn will take place.

The resolution bans open burning after sunset or when wind speeds are expected to reach a velocity of more than 15 miles per hour. It authorizes the County Emergency Management Coordinator to issue a burn ban whenever conditions warrant one.

County commissioners unanimously adopted the resolution Monday. It carries some hefty penalties for violators: at least $100 for the first offense, and up to $500 for each additional violation. Anyone violating the terms of the resolution will be held responsible for any costs incurred by the County or a Rural Fire District on account of a violation. The individual setting the open burn assumes responsibility for any fire damages that may result from said fire to neighboring property.

The new rules apply to all fields (including CRP), rangeland, brush piles, large hay bales, structures, storm damage debris and lawns. The resolution defines an open fire as any fire that is not started in a non-combustible container. (download a .pdf copy of the ordinance here)

Over the last month or so, there have been many out-of-control fires across Doniphan County, including one that jumped the Missouri River and threatened a number of houses, St Jo Frontier Casino and the Remington Nature Center in St Joseph.

St. Joseph Police continue to investigate shots fired in Midtown

Posted on April 10, 2015April 10, 2015

The St. Joseph Police Department is still looking for information in connection with a Midtown shooting incident.

Capt. Jeff Wilson said officers responded to the 2000 block of Mulberry around 9:30 Wednesday night to a report of shots fired.

Wilson said two male subjects wearing a cover over their faces approached the front porch where two individuals were sitting. One of the suspects got into a struggle with the victim and the gun went off.

Wilson said no one was injured and the suspects ran from the scene.

Anyone one information is asked to contact the Tips Hotline at (816) 238-TIPS

School Board to pick newest member Friday

Posted on April 10, 2015

The St Joe School Board is scheduled to hear from five candidates interested in an open seat on the board.

A special meeting is scheduled at 5pm at the Troester Media Center at 3401 Renick Street.

Earlier this week the board narrowed the list of candidates from 16 to five. The finalists are Jeff Bird, Matthew Brock, Eric Bruder, Karen Hauser and Mike Veale. (Read more here)

The board will interview the five finalists to fill the seat left vacant by the resignation of former board member Dan Colgan.

The board hopes to swear in the new board member next week.

Uber under fire in KCMO

Posted on April 10, 2015

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Uber officials say the company will stop operating in Kansas City after the city council approved new regulations for such ride-sharing operations.

Among other things, the regulations approved Thursday require adequate insurance and background check information from taxis and ride-booking services. It charges individual drivers $250 but that would drop to $100 if a parent company paid an annual fee of $40,000.

The city said the regulations were meant to protect public safety.

Uber said in an email to The Kansas City Star that the city was trying to squeeze ride-sharing into antiquated regulations and will eliminate a safe and reliable transportation option.

Mayor Sly James accused Uber of refusing to negotiate because it did not want to be regulated at all.

Kansas AG sues to block Wichita’s voter-approved marijuana ordinance

Posted on April 10, 2015April 10, 2015

The State of Kansas on Thursday asked the Kansas Supreme Court to declare a new Wichita ordinance to be in conflict with state law and to order the city not to enforce it.

Voters this week approved the ordinance which would dramatically reduce the penalties for possession of small amounts of marijuana.

Attorney General Derek Schmidt filed the lawsuit in the Supreme Court on behalf of the state. In early March, Schmidt told two Wichita legislators in a legal opinion that the proposed ordinance would violate state law and be unenforceable.

In a separate letter conveying the legal opinion to the interim city attorney, Schmidt requested that city officials remove the proposal from the ballot and told the city that if the ordinance were enacted, he would be obligated to file suit. The city allowed the election to proceed, and on Tuesday local voters approved the ordinance.

“The backers of this local ordinance took their complaint to the wrong governing body,” Schmidt said. “If they want to act contrary to state law, they need to convince the Legislature to change state law. Asking the City of Wichita to override state law is not a lawful option.”

In the lawsuit, Schmidt argues the local ordinance violates state law in at least four ways:
*First, it reclassifies marijuana and paraphernalia possession as infractions, sets a maximum fine of $50 and disallows the possibility of jail time. State law makes those crimes misdemeanors with a maximum fine of $2,500 and up to a year in the county jail.

*Second, it redefines “first offense” in a manner that allows many previous drug convictions not to be counted for sentencing purposes. The effect is that certain repeat offenders who would be guilty of a felony under state law would instead be subject only to a $50 fine for an “infraction” or to a misdemeanor even in a state-court prosecution.

*Third, it prohibits Wichita police officers from presenting marijuana or paraphernalia violations to state authorities for prosecution under state law. This “gag rule” violates the statutory duty of police officers to enforce state law.

*Fourth, it prohibits the Wichita Police Department and the judges of the Wichita Municipal Court from reporting convictions under the new ordinance to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation. This prohibition violates requirements in state law that such information be reported for inclusion in state criminal records databases and ultimately will interfere with certain criminal sentencings in state courts throughout Kansas, not only in Wichita.

The state’s lawsuit also notes that the procedure used to put the proposed ordinance on the ballot violated state law in several ways by “inexplicably” failing to comply with the plain requirements of the initiative and referendum statute.

The City of Wichita yesterday filed a lawsuit in Sedgwick County District Court seeking a declaratory judgment as to whether the new ordinance is valid and enforceable. The state lawsuit filed today asks the Supreme Court to put that district-court lawsuit on hold and instead to resolve the questions directly in the Supreme Court.

“The longer this ordinance stands alongside state law without a determination of its validity, the more confusion there will be for Wichita authorities, state authorities, criminal defendants, and law enforcement officials,” Schmidt said. “Starting in the district court will only prolong the uncertainty through an almost-certain appeal. There are no facts in dispute – only the legal question of whether the City of Wichita acted outside its authority by purporting to adopt this ordinance in conflict with state law. A quick, authoritative and final resolution in the Supreme Court will provide the clarity needed to guide everyone involved.”

Pound Plunge winners announced!

Posted on April 9, 2015

This year’s K-Jo 105.5 Pound Plunge presented by Mosaic Life Care encouraged 1,500 people to lose a total of more than 11,000 pounds over the course of the 12-week program.

Nichole Curran lost 47.8 pounds to win the women’s division.

Brad Angst won the men’s division after losing 73 pounds.

The top three community teams were This Time We Mean It in first place, Tons of Fun in second place, and Slimpossible in 3rd place.

Sheriff’s detectives investigate childrens’ abduction story

Posted on April 8, 2015April 8, 2015

The Buchanan County Sheriff’s Office has interviews planned with three children who said they were abducted Tuesday evening.

Colonel Bill Puett says the call originally came to the city after the youngsters’ parents reported them missing. Then the kids turned up along King Hill Avenue near Hugh Street around 8 p.m. They were soaking wet.

“The city originally got the call, then they thought it might have ended up in the county,” Colonel Puett said. “We’ve got three kids between five and eleven.”

Detectives are still trying to clarify the story.

“There were some issues about whether or not there was an abudction,” Puett said. “They’re not sure. They’re still working on trying to figure that out.”

The youngsters claimed that a man in a white, four-door pickup truck abducted them, took them out into the county and then threw them into a pond.

“It was just kind of reported that they were abducted, and then were thrown in a pond,” Puett said. “They said pond, but we think they were coming from the area by that creek down there.”

Col. Puett says they are planning to have the children interviewed at the Northwest Children’s Advocacy Center.

“We want to make sure we investigate this completely. We don’t, obviously, want to discount anything. That’s why we run a full investigation on it.”

If you have information that might help, you should call the Sheriff’s Department at the Communications Center at (816) 271-4777 or the TIPS Hotline at (816) 238-TIPS.

Unofficial hail reports range from pea to egg size

Posted on April 8, 2015

File photo 4/7/15 courtesy of Miles Ramsay

Hail fell in St Joseph Wednesday morning during the severe thunderstorm that ranged in size from peas to pennies. Much larger hail was reported elsewhere.

Emergency officials in Atchison County, Kansas have been unable to confirm reports of hail the size of eggs in that area. Those reports reached us via social media.

Here’s a list of unofficial reports sent to the National Weather Service:

Law enforcement in Bates County, Missouri reported hail the size of golf balls.
In Ray County a trained weather spotter reported hail from penny to quarter size.
The National Weather Service facility in Pleasant Hill received hail up to 1.25 inches in diameter.
In Kingsville in Johnson County, Missouri, trained spotters reported dime to nickel size hail.
Hail reports in Breymer in Caldwell County ranged from nickel to quarter size.
A NWS employee in Centerview reported hail that was two inches in diameter
In Warrensburg, hail ranging from pea-size to quarter size was reported.
Hail the size of golf balls was reported in Centerview, Mo.

Tax questions gain voter approval in NW Missouri, NE Kansas

Posted on April 8, 2015April 8, 2015

Voters in the Mid Buchanan School District approved a $3.7 million bond issue Tuesday for school improvements including security enhancements and a new safe room. The measure passed with 65% of the vote, topping the supermajority needed for passage of the bond issue.

Funds from the bond issue will also pay for improvements to athletic fields and facilities, and the installation of air conditioning in some buildings that don’t have it.

A grant from FEMA will pay 75 percent of the costs to construct the safe room.

Voters in Country Club Village voted 197 to 133 to approve a new half-cent sales tax. They also selected three candidates to serve on the board of trustees. Winning that vote were Suzanne Bradley, Elmer Mayes and Bill Schellhorn.

Voters within the Tri-County Ambulance District approved two ballot questions which will allow the district to collect a half-cent sales tax to cover increased costs and pay for new equipment and pay raises for its paramedics.

Voters in the Hiawatha, Kansas School District gave 72% approval to a $9.2 million bond issue for school improvements.

Unofficial tallies in the Hiawatha mayor’s race showed City Commissioner Steffen Shamburg beating fellow commissioner Bill Collins by just three votes, but some provisional ballots had yet to be considered.

In another close mayoral race in Brown County, they may have to flip a coin in the town of Reserve, Kansas. The two candidates each received 11 votes.