The staff of the Missouri Public Service Commission is raising red flags over the Grain Belt Express power line project. That’s according to a group organized to oppose running high-voltage power lines across Missouri to connect wind farms in Kansas with electricity customers east of here.

In a news release, the group Block Grain Belt Express says the PSC staff have filed “mountains” of paperwork in the case, and BGBE officials say much of the testimony is negative.

They say staff has express doubts about the promised economic benefits to Missouri. In fact, according to the staff testimony, the project could increase both transmission congestion and electricity costs in Missouri.

The PSC staff act as investigators in matters before the Commission. Staff reports the Commission has thus far received 7,016 comments opposing the project, while only 60 comments of support were submitted.

There were safety concerns voiced by a pipeline company. Rockies Pipeline questioned the safety of siting GBE parallel to Rockies’ pipeline. According to the companies expert, “when HVDC circuits are located in proximity (within 1,000 feet or less) to an underground steel pipeline, both normal and abnormal operation of the HVDC circuit can compromise the operation and integrity of the pipeline system.

“When these threats are not properly mitigated, the HVDC line and its grounding system can cause pipeline operations to reduce operating efficiency by the reduction of operating pressure and delivery capacity, can necessitate costly and disruptive repairs to the pipeline, and can even lead to pipeline rupture.” Fifty-three percent of the chosen route is sited within 1 mile of a pipeline.

The PSC will be hearing cross-examination of filed testimony and weighing evidence at its formal hearing on the matter in November. The Commission will likely make their decision on GBE’s application after the first of next year.

Buchanan County Clerk Mary Baack-Garvey traveled to Atchison Monday to pick up another batch of 26,000 election ballots for the November election.

The new, court-ordered, language for Amendment Six required every county in the state to replace ballots that were already printed with the old language. That will cost nearlyy five thousand dollars in Buchanan County.

Despite a statute saying the state will pick up the tab, Baack-Garvey says she’ll believe it when she sees it.

“There is a statute that does clearly state that if there is a statewide reprint, that the state will cover the cost of that,” Baack-Garvey said, “but, I don’t believe that until I see it.”

“Just like, we had final certification day for the November election. That means no other changes to the ballot. Well, look what happened there. That didn’t matter. The ballot still got changed anyway. So, until I hear directly from the Secretary of State that they’re going to be cutting me a check, I’m going to assume that we’re paying for it.”

As it turns out, Baack-Garvey and other election officials across Missouri meet with the Secretary of State this week in Jefferson City. Baack-Garvey says she expects the Secretary to be bombarded by questions about it. She expects to have a definitive answer in about a week.

 

Buchanan County Clerk Mary Baack-Garvey says it will cost the county about $5000 to reprint ballots for the November election. A state appeals court ordered the reprint to include wording left off an early voting amendment. About two-thirds of the ballots statewide must be reprinted.

The good news for Buchanan County is that Garvey was second-in-line at the printer. She’ll pick up the new ballots Monday and be ready in time for the start of absentee voting on Tuesday.

The St Joseph branch of the National Education Association has honored the St Joe School District’s Chief Financial Officer for integrity and courage. Beau Musser’s lawsuit against the St Joseph School District is still pending, but actions taken over the last couple of week’s indicate the district is angling to settle.

Musser told educators Thursday night that he takes pride in doing what’s right.

“There are those in life who do what they want, and those in life who do what they’re told,” Musser said. “I do take pride in doing what’s right.”

Musser accepted the NEA Integrity and Courage Award Thursday from SJNEA President Todd Brockett. Brockett told members they felt it was a good move for the sake of the taxpayers, the teachers and the students.

Musser filed suit against the district and three officials claiming he’d been placed on administrative leave for blowing the whistle on hundreds of thousands of dollars that had been given to top administrators without the knowledge or approval of the school board. Subsequent investigation unearthed millions of dollars more in stipends and consultant contracts handed out over decades. Some of those were approved after the fact by the board of education.

The FBI, A US Court Grand Jury, and the State Auditor’s Office all launched investigations into the district as the details emerged.

The 26th annual South Side Fall Festival opens Friday. Parade co-Grand Marshall Curtis Malotte says the festival is like a great big family get-together.

Entertainment on two stages will begin at 1 Friday afternoon. Opening ceremonies start at 6 pm at the Hyde Park Gazebo. Fireworks by Aerial FX will begin at 9:15.

The South Side Fall Festival Parade starts at 10 am Saturday. Another Festival highlight, the Q-Country Baby Show, begins at 1 pm Sunday at the Gazebo.

For more information click here.

A judge on Thursday ordered consecutive sentences totaling 14-years for a man convicted of beating a man to death and abandoning the corpse in the Missouri River. Robert Jarrell was one of five people convicted of charges stemming from the beating death of Jason Daviess in August of 2013.

Davies was fatally beaten with a frying pan and a baseball bat. Then the body was dumped in the Missouri River, where it was found several days later.

A co-defendant, Martin Rilinger, was sentenced to 15 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to second-degree murder. Three other defendants, Patricia Butler, Dollie Williams, and Billy Wilson, were all convicted and sentenced for evidence-tampering charges for helping dispose of the body.

Jarrell was convicted by a jury last month on the lessor-indluded charge of voluntary manslaughter, along with armed criminal action and abandonment of a corpse. The panel recommended seven years for manslaughter, three years for armed criminal action, and four years for abandonment of a corpse. Judge Dan Kellogg imposed those sentences, but ordered they be served consecutively.

Saint Joseph Police Chief Chris Connally says body cameras on police officers are sometimes helpful. But they don’t always live up to expectations.

Connally says body cams don’t cover as much as you might think, especially in close combat. And in some situations, as instant replay in football has shown, even multiple cameras don’t settle the issue.

Connally says the Saint Joseph Police Department began testing body cams three years ago, and the jury is still out. He says witnesses who would ordinarily give information to officers sometimes clam up when they see the camera.

Connally says there are also privacy issues. He says when officers respond to a domestic disturbance and enter a home, the cameras record everything they see. Connally says citizens of Saint Joseph might not like that idea.

Andrew County authorities announced the arrest of a Fillmore man on firearms charges. According to court documents, a deputy tracked down and arrested Douglas Praiswater on Tuesday for allegedly pulling a gun on another man in Fillmore.

Sergeant Danny Gabriel says he and a deputy searched Praiswater’s vehicle, and found a loaded Smith & Wesson revolver. In a court affidavit, Sergeant Gabriel says he has statements from the victim and a woman in the car with Praiswater, saying he was drunk when he pulled the weapon on the man.

Gabriel says Praiswater tested above the legal driving limit in two separate breathalizer tests. He’s charged with unlawfully exhibiting a firearm, and unlawful use of a firearm while intoxicated.

The 56-year-old Praiswater is being held at the Andrew County Jail after a judge set bond at $30,000.

Buchanan County is off to a good start with the use tax.

Presiding Commissioner RT Turner says with 75 percent of the year done, the county has already collected 92 percent of the $800,000 expected in use tax revenues this year.

The sales tax on out of state purchases went into effect in January. Voters approved it by a narrow margin in April of 2013.