Missouri Western announced Thursday that it’s board of governors has accepted a master plan for future growth and development of the university’s physical campus.

The plan was developed by the architectural firm Clark|Huesemann of Lawrence, Kansas.

“This plan grew out of a thorough analysis of our existing campus facilities and infrastructure, and conversations with students, faculty, staff and community members about the strengths, challenges and opportunities facing Missouri Western,” said Ann Pearce, special assistant to the president and chair of the master plan steering committee. “This plan will evolve based on many factors, not the least of which is available funding. However, it gives us a framework to discuss priorities and possibilities while considering our resources.”

The master plan has six goals: address basic and urgent needs; enhance the educational experience; strengthen connections to the community; develop a cohesive university community; build financial sustainability; and create pride of place.

Some of the “basic and urgent needs” identified in the master plan are already being addressed: the plan recommends the replacement of Spratt Stadium and a complete renovation of Potter Hall. Those two projects are priorities in the university’s current

Centennial Capital Campaign, and bids to replace Spratt Stadium are currently being reviewed.

The master plan capitalizes on current layout and resources in planning for the next decade of growth to 7,500 students, from the current 5,926. The design is one of a landscaped park inside of a ringed road. A new east-west pedestrian spine connects the campus from east to west, with quadrangles on rolling hills framing the path of the landscaped green spine. A new building to house the Craig School of Business sits at an improved main entrance from Mitchell Avenue. The plan also features additional student recreation space, expanded campus housing and dining, major renovations to Wilson Hall and the Looney Complex, improved and expanded parking and pedestrian crosswalks, among other initiatives.

“We are extremely pleased with the professionalism and thoroughness of Clark|Huesemann LC, which led us through this important, thought-provoking, and detailed process,” said Dr. Robert Vartabedian, Missouri Western’s president, in a letter introducing the master plan. “Special thanks go to Steve Clark and Jane Huesemann for their expert leadership and dedication to the initiative. We also greatly appreciate the guidance of the Master Plan Steering Committee members, the University’s Board of Governors and all campus and community members who provided input and encouragement.”

An officer with the St. Joseph Police Department was transported to the hospital after responding to a burglary call Thursday morning only to fall through the floor of the home.

According to Sgt. Roy Hoskins officers Darryl Lehman and Jeff Lanning responded to a report of a burglary in progress around 11 a.m. at a home located in the 300 block of S. 17th St.

“As they entered Lehman stepped on a spongy part of the floor and his right leg went through the floor all the way up to his waist,” Sgt. Hoskins said. “His left leg did not go through the floor, twisting his hip.”

Hoskins said Lehman had only walked about 15 feet inside the front door when the rotten part of the floor gave way under him.

Lehman was unable to walk, complaining of back pain and left hip and right knee pain.  An ambulance was called in to transport him to Mosaic Life Care for treatment.

“Still at the hospital undergoing testing,” Hoskins said around 3:20 p.m.

As far as the burglary call went, Hoskins said the resident had reported hearing someone forcing open a window downstairs.

“When officers got there, there was nobody inside the house.  No suspects in the house,” Hoskins said.

Officer Lanning continued to get the information on the burglary report.  However, no evidence of anything being taken was found.

Lehman is believed to have non-life threatening injuries from his fall.  He will be off-duty until the severity of his injuries is determined.

“We go into enough homes that are in disrepair that it’s a daily danger.  It’s something we deal with regularly,” Hoskins said. “Unfortunately there’s a lot more houses in this town I think then people realize in need of repairs.”

A re-groundbreaking ceremony will be held Friday for the Tuscany Village Project that gained approval by St. Joseph City Council in 2005.

“This has been in the making for probably 12-years,” said Scott Hausman, Tuscany Village Co-Owner and Developer. “Seven years ago we were under full construction and then with the turn of the economy things had changed and the contracts we were working with at the time basically dried up so we went dormant and took the project dark and we are back at a better time with more tenants available and better things on the horizon.  So we’re restarting the project.”

The project is located at the northwest corner of I-29 and N. Highway 169.  The first phase will consist of around 27 acres of mixed use commercial development.

“We’re revitalizing phase 1 which is what we were working on at the time that we stopped,” Hausman said. “There will be hotel, entertainment, dining, retail.  Just mixed uses so it’s an all inclusive type development.”

Originally, Hausman said completion of all phases of the 67 acre project was estimated at around $138 million, however this many years later the cost could end up at more than $150 million.

In 2006 and 2007 work had been done on phase 1 before it was halted.

“We put in the engineering services, the front end costs, the soft costs and then did several million dollars worth of work there,” Hausman said. “It’s hard to believe when you see it but it represents around $4-million dollars worth of investment into that project thus far besides the cost of the ground.”

Hausman said an improved St. Joseph economy shows a need for this project.

“The St. Joseph market has never stopped growing. It’s hard to believe that over 300,000 people come to St. Joseph to do business and trade,” Hausman said. “A lot of people wouldn’t believe it but St. Joseph is still undeserved.”

The St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce said according to the developers St. Joe 47 LLC streets and utilities are set to go in immediately. That is expected to be completed by fall of this year.

Buildings will then be constructed with some estimated for opening in late spring of 2016

Hausman said there are a number of well-known tenants that have committed to the site.

“There’s a major brand flag hotel that does not exist in the community that’s putting in a 108 room hotel right off the bat.  Speedy’s is putting in another location along with a couple of drive-thru type co-tenants, and a little bit of retail with it,” Hausman said. “There are a couple of national named franchise restaurants that are looking at our site.”

Hausman said some of the tenants may be named during Friday’s groundbreaking which is scheduled at the Tuscany location at 11 a.m.

The St. Joseph Police Department has taken two men into custody after a police situation on Grand St. Wednesday evening.

“Dispatched to the area after a report of a subject with a rifle or shotgun in the front of the residence,” said Eric Protzman, Commander with the St. Joseph Police Department.

Officers responded to a home located at 1607 Grand St. around 6:30 p.m.  It’s the same location officers responded to Friday where a standoff took place.

Protzman said police determined the suspect had had a weapon after responding Wednesday and that it was the same suspect wanted in questioning in the police investigation from last week.

He said initially no one responded to officers so the Special Response Team was called out.

A short time later the individuals in the residence came out and two men were taken into police custody.

One on a warrant and the other for multiple warrants and investigation of unlawful use of a weapon.

Protzman said 23-year-old Michael Wright was arrested on warrants and an investigation charge and 59-year-old Rick Courter was also taken into custody on a warrant.

Wednesday’s incident follows an investigation of shots fired last Friday in the 400 block of E. Highland St.

Protzman said officers responded around 3:45 Friday to Highland St. to investigate an assault involving a weapon.

He said officers determined that a suspect wanted in connection with the investigation was located at the Grand St. location and responded just before 5 p.m. Friday.

After trying to make contact and getting no response SRT was called in to try and make contact with the residents.

Protzman said the residents came out but the suspect they were looking for was not found inside.

Law enforcement officials did not clear the scene until 10 p.m. Friday, more than five hours later.

“Most of it was waiting on a search warrant to search the residence,” Protzman said. “All SRT was searching for was individuals to make sure the residence was clear, then it was turned over to investigators to search for any evidence of crime at that time.”

Police are still investigating the case.  No word yet on any charges that may be filed.

A small fire has forced the St. Joseph Ave. Burger King to keep its doors closed Thursday Morning.

According to St. Joseph Fire Dept. Inspector Steve Henrichson fire crews responded to a fire call at the Burger King located at 715 Highland Ave. around 2:20 a.m. Thursday.

“They were in the process of changing the grease out of the fryer when it happened,” Henrichson said.

He said somehow when employees were emptying one of the fryers it ignited.

The fire was able to be extinguished using dry powder but due to health codes the restaurant is forced to keep its doors closed until it gets approval to reopen from the St. Joseph Health Department and the Fire Department.

Henrichson said crews from both departments are on scene this morning and the hope is that Burger King will re-open by this afternoon.

Attendance was up slightly at this year’s YWCA Administrative Professionals Day event.

Around 55 people attended Wednesday’s  luncheon hosted by the St. Joseph YWCA.

“The event is held to recognize the contributions they make in the work place and to thank them and celebrate them on Administrative Professionals Day,” said Jean Brown, YWCA Ex. Dir.

Attendees got a chance to hear from several speakers and enter to win door prizes.

Marci Bennett with the St. Joseph Convention & Visitors Bureau spoke on day trips and fun things to do in the area, Drew Bouge with Mosaic Life Care talked about office fitness and healthy habits, and Will Stuck with the St. Joseph Public Library talked about using humor in the office as a stress reliever.

Brown said the reason the YW holds the yearly event for Administrative Professionals is because it’s part of the agency’s history and legacy here in St. Joseph.

“The YW started as a cafeteria and dormitory for women,” Brown said. “For women who were moving to St. Joseph to go to school and go to work.”

Those in attendance at the event came from numerous industries around town.  Brown said there were members from the banking industry, social services, police, and area schools.

Melody Prawitz with Special Olympics of Northwest Missouri was the winner of a year’s worth of housecleaning from Merry Maids.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol has arrested an Oklahoma man in Daviess County wanted on rape charges.

44-year-old Wayne K. Edwards was arrested Tuesday morning on a federal warrant for a second degree rape charge in Okla.

According to Oklahoma’s Own Edwards was wanted in connection with a case involving the sexual molestation of a 15-year-old girl earlier this month.

According to the MSHP, authorities have been looking for Edwards since he fled the Okla. area to avoid prosecution.

He was taken to the Daviess-DeKalb jail and is currently being held without bail.

A Maryville man was charged Tuesday with felony abuse of his 4-month-old daughter.

According to online court documents 23-year-old Dalton James Cormeny of Maryville has been charged with felony abuse or neglect of a child.

The probable cause statement said the infant’s mother found injuries to her daughter’s face and body that took place in September when the child’s father, Cormeny was caring for her at his home located in the 600 block of E. 7th St. in Maryville.  Cormney allegedly told her mother that she fell out of his arms while he was holding her which is what caused the injuries.

Two days later during a trip to Iowa, family members found injuries to the girl’s head and body and the Iowa Department of Human Services and the Adams County Iowa Sheriff’s Department began investigating.

The 4-month-old was taken to the hospital in Clarinda, Iowa where she was seen by Dr. Doolittle, who indicated he believed her injuries were from being struck and not from a fall as described.

According to the probable cause on Sept. 11, 2015 after being advised of his rights Cormeny said he was lying beside his daughter when she woke-up crying.

“He stated he picked her up, stood up, and became light headed and dizzy from bleeding he was experiencing from his Crohn’s Disease.  He stated she then slipped through his arms.  He stated she fell into a set of shelves and landed on the floor.  He stated there were three shelves and the base of the shelf, but he did not know if she struck all of them,” Officer Ryan Glidden said in the sworn statement.

Cormeny said he did not take the infant to seek medical treatment because according to the report he said the bruises did not show up until the next day and they did not have medical insurance.  He also allegedly did not seek treatment for his bleeding either.

Cormeny is currently being held in Nodaway County on 10,000.00 bail.

The American Cancer Society Relay for Life of St. Joseph is holding a meeting for anyone interested in forming a team in the fight against cancer.

The monthly team captain meeting scheduled for April 27th, 2015 at 6:30 pm. The meeting will be held at Northwest Health Services located at 2303 Village Drive in St. Joseph.

The organization said the monthly meeting will provide team captains the opportunity to interact with the event committee, share their fundraising progress, and ask questions they have concerning the event. Team captains will be updated with new information regarding the event and will have the opportunity to share with the group their upcoming team fundraisers.

Team captains are responsible for leading team members who share the same passion for finishing the fight against cancer. Team captains are also responsible for organizing the team’s fundraising efforts and participation in other activities regarding Relay For Life.

Since 1985, Relay For Life has developed from one man running around a track for 24 hours to an international event taking place in more than 6,100 communities and 24 countries.

Relay For Life events are held at an athletic track, park, arena or fairground, with the goal of keeping at least one team member on the track or pathway at all times. Teams do most of their fundraising prior to the event, but some teams also hold creative fundraisers at their camp sites at the event.

For more information on Relay For Life or team captain meetings, please contact Trey Drowns at (816)294-0390 or rflstjoemo@yahoo.com.