The Second Harvest Community Food Bank held its Thanksgiving Meal Distribution to distribute around 1,800 meals in the region.

The food bank held its distribution Monday from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Second Harvest building located at 915 Douglas Street. Second Harvest provides 1,500 Thanksgiving meal boxes in Buchanan and Andrew counties, plus another 300 turkeys among partner agencies in the Second Harvest service area of Northwest Missouri and Northeast Kansas.

Each St. Joseph member with a valid yellow card and a voucher for the Thanksgiving meal receives a 10- to 12-pound turkey, as well as a box of food to complete the Thanksgiving meal.

More than 50 volunteers were on hand to help distribute the boxes through a drive-up assembly line.

“Our Thanksgiving meal distribution provides a great opportunity for individuals, businesses and other groups to contribute to the fight against hunger by giving food, monetary donations or by volunteering to help,” says Chad Higdon, Second Harvest Community Food Bank executive director. “We appreciate Grace Evangelical Church, Apple Market and Heartland/Mosaic Life Care their support. It’s an event the whole community can look forward to as the Thanksgiving holiday approaches.”

For more information about the agency’s programs and services check out Second Harvest at http://www.ourcommunityfoodbank.org or call 816-364-FOOD (3663).

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – As Missourians are preparing to celebrate Thanksgiving and holiday shopping on Black Friday, MoDOT is taking steps to help keep traffic moving.

The majority of construction work zones will not be in place from noon Wednesday, November 26 until mid-morning Monday, December 1. However, some work zones have lanes closed all the time that are unable to be reopened for the holiday weekend.

This week and throughout the holiday season, MoDOT staff will be monitoring signal timing at intersections on state roads adjacent to major shopping centers. Also, if you’re planning to travel to the University of Missouri-Columbia for their home football game on Friday, Nov. 28, heavy traffic is expected in the morning along Interstate 70 and especially in the immediate Columbia vicinity.  Motorists attending the game should plan extra travel time to make it to the game in time for the early afternoon kickoff.

Before you head out this holiday weekend, visit MoDOT’s traveler information map at http://www.modot.org/ to get the latest information on traffic congestion and road conditions that may affect your travel plans. The map provides real-time information regarding incidents on major roads that include lane closures. The MoDOT traveler information map can also be downloaded as an app to your phone.  MoDOT’s 24/7 customer service is also available to provide information on road conditions at 1-888-ASK-MODOT (275-6636).

MARYVILLE, Mo. – John Moore, a Northwest Missouri State University alumnus and who recently retired as chief operating officer of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, will address Northwest graduates and their families during its winter commencement ceremony Friday, Dec. 12.

“We are very pleased to have John joining us for our winter commencement ceremony,” Northwest President Dr. John Jasinski said. “John is a proud Bearcat who used his Northwest education and experiences to build a successful career in our country’s Federal Reserve System. He continues to be a great supporter of Northwest, and I know our graduates will benefit from his wisdom and immense array of experiences.”

Moore, a Kansas City, Mo., native, is a 1978 graduate of Northwest where he served as sophomore class president and student body president as a senior. Moore also was active in Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity, serving as president of the Northwest chapter, and was a member of Blue Key Honor Society. Moore earned his Bachelor of Science degree in business finance.

After graduation, Moore began working for the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City. He was appointed an officer of the bank in 1985 and earned his graduate degree in banking that same year at the University of Wisconsin. In 1991, he transferred to the Los Angeles office of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco to serve as the senior officer presiding over the largest payments processing operation in the Federal Reserve System. In 1996, he was promoted to chief operating officer in San Francisco and supervised the five offices of the largest district in the Federal Reserve System. In 2001, John also took on responsibility for the system-wide distribution and processing of U.S. currency, a portfolio totaling $1.2 trillion.

Aside from his Federal Reserve responsibilities, Moore also served on the national board of Overcoming Obstacles, an organization dedicated to helping high school students learn and apply critical life skills like budgeting and applying for a job or college admission.

Moore retired earlier this year and returned to the Kansas City area where he lives with his wife, Suzy, of 32 years. The couple also have three children.

About 330 undergraduate students from Northwest’s three colleges are expected to receive bachelor’s degrees. More than 200 additional candidates are expected to receive master’s degrees and specialist degrees through the University’s graduate school.

The commencement ceremony begins at 1 p.m. Friday, Dec. 12, in Bearcat Arena. Doors open to guests atnoon. Shuttle service will be provided from the parking lot west of the Ron Houston Center for the Performing Arts to the circle drive in front of the Lamkin Activity Center.

Due to the number of graduates, tickets are required for admission to the ceremony. Graduates will receive six tickets. To accommodate guests unable to attend the ceremony, Northwest will offer a live online stream of the ceremony, which will be accessible at www.nwmissouri.edu/live.

Graduates along with their families and friends also are invited to interact with Northwest’s social media before, during and after the commencement ceremonies. Users may share their graduation memories on Twitter by using the hashtag #NWGrad, or submit graduation photos to Northwest’s Flickr feed. Photos can be taken with a mobile phone and sent to nwgrad@nwmissouri.edu. Submitted photos will appear immediately on Northwest’s Flickr page at www.flickr.com/nwmostate/.

Candidates for graduation may pick up caps and gowns at the Student Services Center on the first floor of the Administration Building from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 8, through Thursday, Dec. 11, or8:30 to 11 a.m. Friday, Dec. 12. At noon on Friday, Dec. 12, the students may pick up their caps and gowns at the Student Recreation Center.

Complete details about commencement at Northwest are posted on the Senior Spot Web site,www.nwmissouri.edu/commencement.

JEFFERSON CITY, MO -As motorists plan their festive holiday gatherings between Thanksgiving and New Year, the Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety wants to remind them that substance-impaired driving can be a lethal combination. The consequences are fines, jail time or even death.

There were 41 people killed and 242 seriously injured in Missouri traffic crashes between December 13, 2013 and January 1, 2014. Four of the fatalities and 32 of the serious injuries involved a substance-impaired driver.

To help make Missouri’s roadways safer, statewide law enforcement is on the lookout for impaired drivers, with targeted enforcement efforts Dec. 12, 2014 to Jan. 1, 2015.

“Heavy traffic coupled with Missouri weather is enough to contend with, without adding alcohol or drugs to the mix,” says Colonel Ron Replogle, superintendent of the Missouri State Highway Patrol. “Substance-impaired driving will not be tolerated.”

Statewide all law enforcement agencies will be out in full force, and if you choose to drive impaired, you will be arrested.

There are no excuses to drive impaired. Please consider the following tips:

• Don’t risk it – if you plan to drive, don’t consume alcohol or drugs.

• Choose a designated driver before partying. A designated driver is someone who consumes NO alcohol or drugs at all.

• Take mass transit, a taxicab or ask a friend to drive you home.

• Report impaired drivers to law enforcement.

• Always wear your safety belt – it’s your best defense against an impaired driver in a traffic crash.

A St. Joseph City Councilman was arrested over the weekend for allegedly driving drunk.

St. Joseph Police Department Captain Jeff Wilson said law enforcement pulled 56-year-old Kent “Spanky” O’Dell over at the intersection of 22nd and Garfield Saturday morning around 12:30.

O’Dell was then arrested for a city DWI.

O’Dell was elected to the city council earlier this year.

We’re giving away some freebies to our followers!

Two tickets to the College Basketball Experience Hall of Fame Classic Final for 6 p.m. Tuesday at the Sprint Center.

Submit your answers to stjosephpost@eagleradio.net by 3 p.m. Monday for a chance to win.

The Mitchell Avenue Dairy Queen location is up for sale.

Owner Patricia Ashlock said the Mitchell DQ building and land was put up for sale Tuesday.

“We still have loyal customers but that used to be the top neighborhood for a long time and then what happened was everything went out east,” said Ashlock. “Sometimes neighborhoods are a thing of the past. You don’t want them to be but sometimes that’s just what happens.”

The Mitchell DQ which was first opened in 1949 has shown a decrease in customers in recent times causing Ashlock to start looking for another location to move the store to.

“There’s no businesses over there it went out east, all out to the Belt Highway,” said Ashlock. “They’ve closed a couple of schools they’re going to close more, they’ve abandoned a couple of churches there, if you drive through the neighborhood there’s several empty houses there.”

There are two other DQ locations in St. Joseph. The oldest is the location on St. Joseph Avenue which was started in 1947 by Ashlock’s father. She said they do not plan to move the St. Joseph Avenue location because it still maintains high traffic due to its proximity to businesses and schools. The US Hwy 169 location was relocated several years ago from its original home in the South End.

“We don’t like it anymore than anyone else does,” she said. “My dad started them and he went in as neighborhood shops but those things have changed.”

Ashlock said she expect customers to be upset with their decision to relocate the Mitchell store but said due to financial reasons they have no choice.

“It’s a family business and always has been and hopefully always will be,” said Ashlock. “When you look at the numbers you know you got to do something.”

The building and land on Mitchell Ave. are up for sale. Anyone interested in purchasing the lot is asked to call (816)-232-9911.

 

Missouri Western State University has announced it plans to spend $7.8 million to build a new Spratt Stadium.

“It’s real important for our whole Missouri Western community,” said Kurt McGuffin, Western Dir. of Athletics. ” It’s just going to bring a new amenity, new restrooms, concessions, the whole fan experience can be exemplified by renovating the stadium.”

The total estimated cost is $7.8 million. The Board of Governors approved  the issuance of $5.5 million in revenue bonds and McGuffin said around $2 million in private funds will to cover a portion of the renovations.

Improvements will include moving the field, upgrades to general seating, a new video board, replacement and expansion of the existing press box to include up to 14 private suites, expanded restrooms and concessions, improvements to fan services and merchandising areas, improvements to the Stadium Club and the addition of meeting rooms and improvements to game day operation areas for coaches and the press.

“It’s going to offer a totally new experience,” said Western football cornerback Michael Jordan. “With the stadium actually being closer to the field it’s going to sound like the people are more on top of us which in turn is going to be more exciting for us.”

Spratt stadium is also home to Western’s soccer team.

“I think that it will draw definitely more people,” said Soccer forward Katie Kempf. “For us as a whole experience I think it will be really great.”

The next step for the stadium includes blueprints and a bid process.  McGuffin said he doesn’t think demolition of the current stadium will take place until February of 2015.

The project is anticipated to be completed by Oct. 1 of 2015.

 

 

 

The K-JO 105.5 Toyland Express is asking for your help to collect toys and money to benefit the Noyes Home for Children and Adopt-A-Family.

“There are certain things that they ask for that we will do everything we could possibly do,” said K-JO Program Director, Gregg Lynn.

26 kids from the Noyes Home have submitted their Christmas wishes this year.  Toys and donations are being collected by the K-JO Toyland Express.  

“We talked to a 15-year-old boy and we gave him some Christmas gifts and it was the first gift he’d ever gotten, ever,” said Lynn. “That’s why we do it.”

If you would like to help Lynn said to bring a new, unwrapped toy to the K-JO studios, 4104 Country Lane now or on Black Friday between 8 and 5. Or you can drop off a toy anytime at Olive Garden Restaurant.

It’s the 12th year K-JO has held the Toyland Express for the Noyes Home children.

“First we help out the kids for the Noyes Home for Children,” said Lynn. “Anything over and above that we deliver to the Adopt-A-Family program and there are families that maybe didn’t get adopted or just partially got adopted and they’ll be able to come and maybe choose from some of these toys and maybe help with their wishes too.”

Here are some of kid‘s wishes:

DAYTON- Male- Age 4
1. 5t pants/shirts
2. books
3. monster trucks/cars
4. spiderman anything (toys, clothes,books)
5. large leggos/blocks

ONYELL- Male- Age 4
1. pants 4t, shirts 4t, tall black socks, underwear 4t, shoes size 12
2. anything batman, Thomas the train, toy cars,
3. wheels on the bud CD
4. Dora books, little critter books, “no no David books”
5. Play dough kit, leap frog, tricycle

MADILYNN-Female- Age 4
1. Frozen anything, princess anything
2. Shirts 4, Jeans 4t, Underwear 4t, socks
3. Dress up clothes, sparkle shoes size 10
4. Hairbows, headbands
5. Lala loopsie doll, baby dolls

AMELIAH- Female- Age 5
1. shirt 5t, jeans 5t, undies 5t, ankle socks (neon colors)
2. lala loopsie doll, frozen anything
3. princess jewelry
4. snow boots, winter coat 5t
5. detangle spray, leave in conditioner spray

MALIAH- Female- Almost 2
1. 18 month clothing, socks, shoes size 4
2. baby dolls
3. music toys, colors, shape books
4. detangle spray, hair bows, headbands, hair chalk
5. play kitchen, phone, purse, shopping cart, stroller

BRANDON- Male- Age 18
1. Anything Mizzou (shirts, shoes, sweats, hoodies, cups)
2. Pants 30×32, Medium shirts, shoes size 9, boxer briefs Medium
3. Towels, washcloths, dish set, toaster, hot pads, broom, ironing board
4. End tables, cups, MU bathroom décor, shower curtain
5. Digital projecting alarm clock, coffee maker (gift cards: bed bath and beyond)

ANGELINA- Female- Age 12
1. Shirt (kids 14), Shoes 9, Skinny Jeans(14 tall)
2. Hoodies(pink), winter boots (ugg like, size 9)
3. sliver cross stud earrings, silver jewelry
4. footy pjs(small)
5. nail polish, black mascara, black eyeliner

CELENA- Female- Age 11
1. Skinny jeans 10-12, Shirts 10-12, shoes size 3, neon ankle socks
2. Ethnic hair care products(dark lovely shampoo/conditioner), oil sheeh, grease
3. Victoria’s Secret pink lotion
4. Silver rings (size 5)
5. Winter boots (ugg like, size 3), EOS lip balm ball, hair bows, headbands, ear buds

SERGI0- Male- Age 14
1. Jogger pants, OK sooners anything
2. Shirts Medium, Skinny Jeans (size 28×30), shoes 9.5, tall black socks
3. Cologne: polo blue aqua de gio
4. Gift cards: champs, MC sports, Itunes
5. Face wash

LILLIAN- Female- Age 9
1. hair ties, headbands, clips, 7/8 youth pants and shirts
2. coloring books
3. fairy dress up items
4. leggos
5. frozen toys

LAURA- Female- Age 7
1. Hair ties, headbands, clips
2. Size 5/6 youth hoodie
3. Card games
4. Frozen themed blanket
5. Vanilla scented body wash

FRANK- Male- Age 2
1. Musical toys
2. Pushing toys (lawnmower)
3. Monsters inc. stuffed doll (sulley or mike)
4. 2t pants/hoodies
5. non-scented sensitive skin lotion and body wash

JESSE- Male- Age 3

1. trains
2. cars
3. building blocks
4. superman toys
5. 3t/4t pants and shirts

MEMPHIS- Male- Age 6
1. leggos
2. ninja turtle toys
3. size 13 youth shoes
4. hot wheels cars
5. 5/6 youth shirts and pants

LINCOLN- Male- Age 6
1. activity books
2. leggos
3. ninja turtles shirts (5t)
4. dream light ninja turtle(Raphael)
5. socks, 5t pants and shirts

WILLOW- Female- Age 5
1. Doc McStuffin toys
2. Mickey mouse toys
3. Size 10 shoes
4. Books
5. Kinetic sand, jump rope

XANDER- Male- Age 4
1. big bouncy ball
2. transformer toys (bumblebee)
3. size 1 shoes
4. batman toys
5. puzzles, books, cars

MELANIE-Female- Age 3
1. Princess dress up 3t
2. 3t winter clothes
3. hello kitty toys
4. jump rope
5. music toys, barbies

DESTINY- Female- Age 1

1. 2t/3t winter coat
2. 2t/3t winter clothes
3. babydoll toys and accessories
4. books, puzzles
5. play telephone

IVY- Female- Age 14
1. Eminem (edited CD)
2. CD player
3. Gold chain with cross
4. World of warcraft items
5. MP3 player

DAlTON- Male- Age 18
1. Quilts, blankets
2. Silverware
3. Gift cards: target, walmart, bed bath and beyond
4. Hats (snapback or beanies)
5. Magic cards

BERNICE- Female- Age 5
1. clothes 4/5
2. shoes/ boots size 12
3. dress up clothes (frozen, Barbie)
4. barbies
5. she loves anything pink, purple, blue

JASPER- Male- Age 3
1. clothes 3t
2. shoes size 4
3. snow boots
4. eye and hand toys (shapes, blocks)
5. dump truck

JAYCION- Male- Age 1
1. blocks (soft texture)
2. soothing bathtime body wash/lotion (Johnson&Johnson)
3. 24 month pants and shirts
4. size 6 toddler shoes
5. toy balls (fun colored&textured)

ASHLEIGH- Female- Age 8

1. kinetic sand
2. magnificent manicure set-alex (amazon)
3. Bright colored sweaters or coat (size 7/8)
4. Bracelet and jewelry kits
5. Shoes size 4, clothes size 7/8

HANNAH- Female- Age 4
1. Anything Princess
2. Anything little mermaid
3. Bracelets or marker kit
4. Alex toys hair accessories (amazon)
5. Clothes 5/6, shoes 10,