MARYVILLE, Mo. – A social media campaign to raise awareness and fight mental health stigma is spreading to the Northwest Missouri State University.

The Northwest #IWILLLISTEN campaign launches Monday, April 20, and Tuesday, April 21. The launch will include activities to raise awareness about mental health in a practical, safe and social environment with professional, community and campus support.

The two-day event kicks off with a gathering of support from 2 to 4 p.m. April 20 in the J.W. Jones Student Union Ballroom. Maryville Mayor Renee Riedel will present a city proclamation in favor of #IWILLLISTEN and attendees will have the opportunity to visit, eat, listen to music and make pledge videos for social media.

Additionally, Barb Ricci, head of the Board of Directors National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI) New York City Metro, will discuss her experience with mental illness at 7 p.m. that evening in the Union Ballroom.

Students involved in the project through student organizations such as the Behavioral Sciences Association and To Write Love on Her Arms will search campus and the community to film #IWILLLISTEN videos showing the community’s support for the effort on April 21.

“The Northwest campaign will be great for students to enlighten them on the struggles of mental health issues and to show them that there are people in the community and on campus who are willing to come together and support whatever struggles they might be going through,” said Keyonna Hawkins, a senior psychology major from St. Joseph., Mo.  “The campaign is also a great opportunity to reach out to the three out of four people who don’t struggle with mental health issues. It gives them a fun and informational chance to understand and learn about those struggles.”

The National Association of Mental Illness in New York City began the #IWILLLISTEN campaign to encourage individuals without mental illnesses to listen non-judgmentally and help those who disclose mental illnesses.

“The #IWILLLISTEN campaign is unique because it is different from most mental health campaigns,” said Dr. Edwards, Northwest professor of psychology. “Most mental health campaigns have a list of symptoms and tell the person struggling where to get help. This one tries to get the community and people who don’t struggle with mental illness to pay attention to how they affect people who are mentally ill.”

The ground-level support, for the effort at Northwest and in Maryville comes from the Department of Behavioral Sciences, To Write Love on Her Arms, the Behavioral Sciences Association, the Wellness Center, Personal Development and Counseling Services, New Beginnings Counseling Center, and St Francis Hospital and Health Services.

Students who put at least 25 hours of volunteer work into the #IWILLLISTEN campaign have the opportunity to attend a 5k in New York City, hosted by NAMI, to raise money and awareness for mental health. Participating students also will spend time doing service work at a homeless shelter.

“For the students who are helping with the campaign, it’s a great opportunity to grow and experience working as a mental health advocate and making connections,” Hawkins said.

#IWILLLISTEN T-shirts are available for $10 in Edwards’ office from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. in Colden Hall 2430. Students are encouraged to wear the T-shirt during the two-day campaign launch at Northwest.

NAMI is the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness. For more information about NAMI, visit http://www.nami.org/.

For more information about Northwest’s #IWILLLISTEN campaign, contact Edwards at 660.562.1263 or edwards@nwmissouri.edu.

St. Joseph, Mo. — Ping Pong registration is underway at Missouri Western State University.

The deadline to register for the second annual Dr. Krikor Partamian Ping Pong Tournament is Monday, April 13.

The tournament will be held at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, April 18 in the Looney Complex Arena at Western.

The registration fee for participants is $25; students who qualified through a preliminary tournament on April 7 play free. There is a $10 admission charge for observers; Missouri Western students will be admitted free. Proceeds from the tournament benefit the International Student Program at Missouri Western.

Dr. Partamian was a member of Missouri Western’s Board of Regents (now Board of Governors) from 1996 to 2002. In 1960, he was the Ping Pong National

Champion of Syria.

Contestants will play a double-elimination tournament, with the bracket winner to play Dr. Partamian at approximately 8:30 p.m.

In addition to the competition, attendees can enjoy a sampling of international foods and learn more about many of the countries represented among Missouri Western’s international students. There will also be a cash bar.

For more information or to register, sponsor a student or make a donation to the International Student Program, call 816-271-5678.

The St. Joseph Police Department is asking for help in a stabbing investigation.

According to Capt Jeff Wilson police responded to Mosaic Life Care sometime after 11 p.m. Tuesday to a report of a woman who had suffered stab wounds.

The 43-year-old woman reported that someone approached her in the area of St. Joseph Avenue and 5th st. then assaulted her with a knife.

Wilson said the woman had several cuts to her hands and a puncture wound to her leg.

He said no items were stolen and a motive is unclear at this point.

Wilson said a description of the man is not yet being released.

Police are investigating.

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

 

 

A program to provide spay and neuter services at not cost to a section of St. Joseph pet owners has met its goal ahead of schedule.

The city of St. Joseph Health Department, Animal Control and Rescue received a grant from PetSmart Charities in March of 2014 to provide sterilization services to pets of owners living in the 64501 zip code through the Advocate and Defend Animals through Sterilization (A.D.A.P.T.S.) program.

The city said in the past 12 months 1,000 spay and neuter operations have been preformed meeting the grant in advance of the specified deadline.

In a news release the city said the 64501 zip code was designated as the highest area of need because more reports of stray animals occur in the 64501 zip code, thereby indicating a larger number of unaltered animals.

Even though the goal of altering 1,000 pets has been reached, funding is still available to continue the program through November of 2015. The city is encouraging owners of unaltered pets who live in the 64501 zip code to apply for free spay and neuter service.

Animal Control & Rescue said it has agreements with the area veterinary offices of All Creatures Animal Hospital, Angels Vet Express, Countryside Veterinary Clinic, East Hills Animal Clinic, Green Hills Animal Hospital, and Twin Pines to provide this service with the understanding they will be reimbursed by grant funding instead of charging the pet owner.

Funding from another resource, Animal Kind, is available to assist pet owners in other zip codes with the cost of spay and neuter surgery as well.

Contact the Animal Control & Rescue’s Humane Educator, Jenna Anthony, at 816-271-4877 or by email at janthony@ci.stjoseph.mo.us.

…Dense Fog Advisory In Effect Until 9 Am Cdt This Morning…
The National Weather Service In Kansas City/pleasant Hill Has Issued A Dense Fog Advisory…Which Is In Effect Until 9 Am Cdt This Morning.
* Location…East Central Kansas Through West Central Missouri Down I-70…Generally In Areas Along And Between The Missouri River And Highway 50.
* Short Term Trends…Dense Fog Is Expected To Persist Through Sunrise…Though Scattered Thunderstorms In The Region May Result In Brief Improvement In Local Fog Conditions.
* Impacts…Hazardous Driving Conditions Can Be Expected For The First Half Of The Morning Hours.

Today
Showers and thunderstorms before 9am, then areas of drizzle and thunderstorms between 9am and 10am, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 10am. Areas of fog before 10am. High near 68. Northeast wind 6 to 11 mph becoming south southeast in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Tonight
Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly before 4am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 59. South wind 13 to 17 mph, with gusts as high as 26 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Thursday
A chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1pm, then a slight chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 67. Breezy, with a south southwest wind 10 to 15 mph becoming west northwest 17 to 22 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 31 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Thursday Night
Partly cloudy, with a low around 38. Breezy, with a west wind 17 to 22 mph decreasing to 6 to 11 mph after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 30 mph.

Friday
Sunny, with a high near 65. West wind 7 to 11 mph.

Friday Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 40.

Saturday
Mostly sunny, with a high near 69.

Saturday Night
A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 51. Chance of precipitation is 40%.

Sunday
A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 71. Chance of precipitation is 50%.

Sunday Night
A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 53. Chance of precipitation is 50%.

Monday
A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 72. Chance of precipitation is 40%.

Monday Night
A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 51. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Tuesday
Mostly sunny, with a high near 73.

The St. Joseph School Board of Education has narrowed the list of candidates to fill the vacancy on the board down to five.

Eric Bruder, Matthew Brock, Jeff Bird, Mike Veale and Karen Hauser are still in the running to fill the vacancy left by the resignation of Dr. Dan Colgan.

The term for the vacancy is set to end April 11, 2016.

“I want to thank everyone who threw their hat in to be the board candidate,” said Brad Haggard, Board President. “We truley appreciate all the time you’ve spent preparing just to get to this point.”

The board originally had a list of 19 candidates to choose from.  Three candidates pulled their names from the running prior to Tuesday’s board meeting.

During the meeting each candidate had three minutes to address the board.  Candidates presented in the order of when the district received each individual’s letter of intent.

A special meeting is scheduled for Friday April 10, at 5 p.m. at Troester Media Center located at 3401 Renick St.  The board is expected to appoint the new board member from the final five candidates at that time.

Click on each of the potential candidates for school board to view their orgininal letters of intent.

Eric Bruder

Matthew Brock

Jeff Bird

Mike Veale

Karen Hauser

Updated – A small electrical fire forced the Heartland Health Business Plaza to close Tuesday morning.

According to Mosaic Life Care the fire was confined to one cubicle, which received minor damage.  Mosaic said the fire was quickly extinguished by a caregiver and all caregivers were evacuated from the building and emergency crews responded immediately.

No injuries were reported.

However, due to the amount of smoke and debris the fire created, HHBP caregivers were sent home or relocated for safety.

Mosaic said cleaning and restoration activities will occur inside the HHBP until at least Friday, April 10, and a section of the building will be closed to the public. Full building occupancy and operations will return to HHBP once air and electrical systems have been checked and confirmed safe.

A Hospital Incident Command Center (HICS) was enacted to quickly and efficiently address and relocate HHBP services to alternate systems. HHBP services with their current and expected status is as follows:

Central Scheduling

816.271.1278 or 800.443.4515 – System intact and operational.

 Nurse Triage Line (Community Health Line)

(816) 271-4000 1-800-455-2476 – System intact and operational.

 Hospice

816.271.7190 – System intact and operational.

 Home Health

816.271.7593 – System intact and operational.

 Care Management Line

System intact and operational.

Pre-registration

System expected to resume tomorrow April 8.

Patient Financial Services including Enterprise Financial Counseling Services

816.271.7524 or 800.447.1095 – System expected to resume tomorrow April 8. Patients with appointments scheduled for the week are being contacted and redirected to the Mosaic Life Care at St. Joseph, Medical Center for their appointments. Walk-in service will resume once the HHBP building is deemed safe.

Mosaic Life Care Counseling Care

Closed today, but will resume normal operations tomorrow April 8 at present location. The portion of HHBP where Counseling Care is located has an independent ventilation system, and has passed air quality testing.

A public hearing will be held in St. Joseph by the Missouri Department of Higher Education for the development of a new plan for higher education in the state.

The hearing will be held Friday, April 9 from 1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the Heartland Foundation’s emPowerU building located at 518 S 6th St.

MDHE said the meeting is the sixth in a series of nine hearing being held throughout the state to gather information for a new blueprint for higher education in Missouri.

A panel of education leaders will discuss the changing ways higher education is being delivered across the state. According to MDHE online degree programs, competency-based education that allows students to learn at their own pace, and innovation campuses that enable students to earn college credit and work experience while still in high school, are providing more options for higher education than ever before.

“To move forward, higher education must evolve to meet the needs of students and the workplace,” said David Russell, Missouri Commissioner of Higher Education. “Developing new ways to provide postsecondary education will give more Missourians an opportunity to achieve their higher education goals.”

The hearing also will include a panel discussion about the technology infrastructure necessary to support the educational needs of students and the ability of colleges and universities to deliver quality programs to every community in Missouri. A third panel will look at the changes occurring in career and technical education to prepare students for the jobs of the future.

The Coordinating Board for Higher Education has appointed a steering committee of 36 leaders in business and industry, education and government to assist the department in identifying issues and developing recommendations for the state’s higher education system.

MDHE said Missouri’s last higher education plan was adopted in 2008.

Special drunk driving enforcement will take place in May in Caldwell and Livingston counties according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

A sobriety checkpoint in Caldwell and a DWI saturation in Livingston are slated for the month of May according to Capt. Jame McDonald, commanding officer of Troop H.

“The Missouri State Highway Patrol is dedicated to removing intoxicated drivers from Missouri roadways,” Capt. McDonald said. “Anytime your plans include alcohol, please have a sober designated driver.”

The MSHP said the areas selected for enforcement are based on a high number of drinking-related crashes, high number of contacts with drivers who have been drinking, and officers’ input as to probable contact with DWI violators.