An 80-year-old man accused of stealing historic gold coins from the Pony Express Museum was granted a continuance in court Thursday.

Richard Follett of Stewartsville, Mo. was charged in Buchanan County with felony theft/stealing in connection with coins stolen from a display case at the Pony Express Museum with a value at over $7,000.

He entered a not guilty plea in front of Judge Rebecca Spencer three weeks ago.

According to online court documents on April 22 a subpoena was issued to St. Joseph Hy-Vee and St. Joseph Cracker Barrell locations for records pertaining to the case.

Follett is being represented by Attorney Bert Godding with Godding Law Firm out of Kansas City, Mo.

Follett will now appear in court for his preliminary hearing June 2nd.

He is currently out on Bond.

The Platte County Sheriff’s Office is asking the public for help after an increase in residential and outbuilding burglaries in northwest Platte County.

It’s asking for the public to lookout for suspicious vehicles in the area and immediately report any strange activity to the Sheriff’s Office at 816-858-3521.

Specific details like vehicle make, model, color and license plate number are things that would help in the investigation.

The department said most of the burglaries have taken place during the week when residents are working.  However, several of the outside building burglaries have taken place at night.

Sheriff Mark Owen said residents should also make sure their homes are secure when they aren’t home and that any other buildings are secure when they’re not being used.

“Please do not confront suspicious persons,” Owen said in a news release.

The St. Joseph Police Department has released footage asking the public for help identifying a teen wanted in connection with a vandalism investigation.

Police are looking for the owner or driver of a vehicle believed to be a Blue Ford Escape with Missouri License Plates.

Detective Frank Till said a young man got into the vehicle briefly then left the vehicle and went on to vandalize a statue at the park located at 12th and Pacific.

Till said the youth looked to be in his mid to late teens wearing a white Hurley shirt and possibly tan shoes.

St. Joseph resident Steve Holdenried is offering a $300 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the individuals responsible for the vandalism.

Holdenried said he worked with 5th graders from St. Patrick and Neely schools to establish the park at 12th and Pacific years ago.  He donated the statue to the park in remembrance of his late wife.

Holdenried said the full video footage shows three teens knock over the statue.

He said it’s not the first time vandals have hit.

“The wing on that side was damaged about eight years ago when we had some kids that lived out of this area.  They damaged it because they saw me working here at that time and they were putting paint on that overpass there and they were spray painting dirty words and stuff and there was about six kids and like an idiot I chased them down with a rake,” Holdenried said. “They came back a couple of days later and knocked that wing off.”

Holdenried was out cleaning up the park Tuesday afternoon.  He said when he came back he found that someone had put the statue back up.  This time, the fall broke off a section of the statue’s sleeve.

Anyone with information into the vandalism or vehicle shown is asked to contact Det. Frank Till at 816-236-1455.

A Kansas mother is facing multiple charges in connection with life-threatening injuries sustained by her infant son.

22-years-old Heidi Pace has been charged in Atchison, Kan. with Abuse of a Child and Aggravated Battery.

Atchison County Sheriff Jack Laurie said they began investigating April 7 after being alerted by Child Services at Children’s Mercy Hospital.

“They advised us that they had received a 3-month-old male child down there that had possibly been abused in some manner,” Laurie said. “The baby had originally been taken to Horton Hospital and was then life-flighted.

Laurie said the infant has suffered some severe brain damage and a ruptured spleen.  He said the child is in serious condition.

Pace was arrested Tuesday morning in Muschotah, Kan.

Laurie said Pace is being held in Atchison County Jail on $100,000 bond cash or surety.
(Bond amount corrected.)

(St. Joseph, MO) – Parties on the Parkway will kick off its annual concert series next month in St. Joseph.

The St. Joseph Chamber said the concert series gives St. Joseph residents a chance to network with friends and co-workers after the workdays ends, all while enjoying the sounds of local bands and the beautiful, natural scenery of the Parkway system.

The series will start in St. Joseph’s South Side in May and works its way up the 26-mile Parkway system through August. Rockin’ on the River is an encore to Parties on the Parkway, which ends the summer with a bang, with fireworks and two bands, in on Aug. 29.

The Parties on the Parkway line-up for 2015 is as follows:

Thursday, May 14, Missouri Detour, classic rock — S.W. Parkway and King Hill Drive near Benton High School. The rain date is May 21.P

Thursday, June 11, The Souveneers, country/folk — S.W. Parkway and 28th Street. The rain date is June 18.

Thursday, July 9, Echo, rock covers — S.W. Noyes and Messanie, Parkway A. The rain date is July 16.

Thursday, Aug. 13, OxyMoron — across from Corby Pond. The rain date is Aug. 20.

“Parties on the Parkway is an excellent way to enjoy the beautiful scenery of the Parkway, hear talented local musicians and spend time with your friends, co-workers and neighbors,” said Natalie Redmond, Vice President of Membership for the St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce. “If you haven’t been out to enjoy Parties in the past, don’t miss it this year.”

All parties are from 5 to 8 p.m., and are free and open to the public. This is a very family-friendly event, with one or more food and drink vendors available and a balloon artist for the kids.

Parties on the Parkway and Rockin’ on the River are presented by Nodaway Valley Bank.

A 72-year-old Agency man died Tuesday evening after rolling his lawnmower.

According to Jake Long with the Missouri State Highway Patrol Daniel Livingston was mowing near a fence line when he tried to make a left-hand turn up and embankment and his mower rolled over on top of him.

Long said MSHP and The Buchanan County Sheriff’s Dept. responded.

Livingston was pronounced dead at the scene.

A Union Star man is behind bars after allegedly trying to entice a young boy for sex.

23-year-old Christopher Mollett is charged in Buchanan County for Attempted Enticement of A Child under the age of 15.

Mollett appeared in court by video conference Tuesday and entered a not guilty plea.

According to court documents, Mollet allegedly offered baseball cards, money and a model car to the child in return for sex and sex acts.

“Christopher was pursuing the child victim through facebook, text messages, phone calls and physical contact,” the probable cause statement read. “Christopher talked to the child victim about sex and attempted to persuade him into rubbing his penis with his hands.”

The enticement allegedly took place between Feb. 1, 2015 and April 24, 2015.

“Christopher attempted to lure the child victim with toys and money to sexually assault him,” Detective Briana Mendell with the St. Joseph Police Dept. said in the signed statement. “Christopher advised he was physically attracted to the child victim.”

Mollet has a prior conviction for trespass and prior arrests for burglary and property damage.

A preliminary hearing is schedule for May 12.