The St. Joseph School District is using social media to warn parents about a scam.

The district tweeted from its @StJosephSchools account this morning warning parents about a letter asking for donations for students graduations, specifically for Lafayette High School students.  The district said the letter is a scam and is not associated with the St. Joseph School District.  Individuals who have information regarding the scam are asked to contact Lafayette High School.

The district said school resource officer’s have been notified of the scam.

Today Areas of fog before noon. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 79. South southwest wind 10 to 13 mph.

Tonight Patchy fog after 4am. Otherwise, mostly clear, with a low around 51. Southwest wind around 6 mph becoming calm in the evening.

Saturday Patchy fog before 8am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 77. Calm wind becoming east around 5 mph in the afternoon.

Saturday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 54. East wind around 6 mph.

Sunday Sunny, with a high near 82. South wind 7 to 13 mph, with gusts as high as 18 mph.

Sunday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 59.

Monday Mostly sunny, with a high near 77.

Monday Night A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 50. Chance of precipitation is 40%.

Tuesday Mostly sunny, with a high near 62.

Tuesday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 40.

Wednesday Sunny, with a high near 64.

Wednesday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 44.

Thursday Mostly sunny, with a high near 64.

The Platte County Sheriff’s Office is seeking information from the public in identifying a suspect involved in two separate crimes that occurred in April of this year.

Both incidents occurred at the Wood Oil Convenience Store, located at 27015 Missouri 92 Highway.

On April 18, 2014 an unknown black male with balding hair burglarized the store and stole several bottles of alcohol.

The suspect was wearing a white shirt, black jacket, and dark-colored pants. The same unknown suspect returned to the store on April 21, 2014 during business hours and stole several more bottles of alcohol. There is no known suspect vehicle information.

Here are store surveillance photographs of the suspect:

Anyone with information about the suspect is asked to contact the Platte County Sheriff’s Office at (816) 858-3521 and speak with Detective Beth Taulbee, or call the TIPS HOTLINE at (816) 474-TIPS

Schneider Electric, a global specialist in energy management, is partnering with Missouri Western State University to help the institution save nearly $400,000 in energy cost savings annually over 15 years. The university anticipates an additional $400,000 in utility incentives to offset campus-wide upgrades across its building, lighting, water and mechanical systems.

 

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, energy-efficient schools can lower their annual operating costs by up to 30 percent.¹ As increasing energy costs continue to consume annual operating budgets, cash-strapped schools have found improving the performance of their school facilities an innovative way to free up funds to help pay for building improvements and other upgrades that enhance the learning environment.

 

“This is a great example of how our energy efficiency programs can help schools make smart investments to reduce their consumption, save money, and use those savings to improve the environmental performance of their buildings,” said John O’Herron, Regional Manager, Schneider Electric. “We encourage other schools to follow the lead of Missouri Western State University to create a more modern and sustainable campus.”

 

“This project will help us fund and provide efficient and reliable service to our students, faculty and staff,” said Dr. Cale Fessler, Vice President for Financial Planning and Administration, Missouri Western State University. “Having a sophisticated, real-time monitoring system will allow us to track consumption and performance metrics and make adjustments when necessary.”

 

The initiative will span 27 facilities, and incorporate a variety of energy efficiency upgrades to enhance classroom and building comfort, while reducing energy consumption through:

• Lighting retrofits and occupancy controls
• Intelligent building automation system
• Newly installed building sub-metering
• Domestic water fixture retrofits and modifications
• Various building envelope improvements
• Mechanical upgrades

The project implementation plan, project details, infrastructure enhancements, and expected outcomes will be shared with the Missouri Western State University community through the Schneider Electric website –www.enable.schneider-electric.com. University leaders are proud to showcase this exciting initiative to students, staff, administration and the community to provide greater visibility on the improvements underway and positive environmental impact.

 

In the past 20 years, Schneider Electric has successfully implemented over 550 energy savings performance contracts (ESPCs) across the nation and helped clients save more than $1 billion. Since 1993, Schneider Electric has been focused on the education market and has implemented turnkey energy efficiency and capital improvement projects at over 250 educational institutions. Schneider Electric uses the latest energy-saving practices and technologies to upgrade aging equipment, reduce maintenance expenses, lower utility bills and improve building performance to help maximize every dollar. Visitwww.enable.schneider-electric.com to learn more.

A comprehensive State energy plan took public input Thursday at Northwest Missouri State University.

“We are hearing information from recognized subject matter experts,” said Missouri Department of Economic Development Division of Energy Dir., Lewis Mills. “We want to look at the State as a whole and see how we can use energy more efficiently.”

Northwest hosted the Missouri Department of Economic Development’s division of Energy public meeting Thursday. The meeting featured presentations about varied local and state energy initiatives.

“In Missouri I think there’s a very bright future,” said Mills.

The meeting was one of seven public meetings held across the state. Mills said Northwest was select because of its approach to energy sustainability.

“They started back in the 1970s developing alternative sources of energy for their needs here on campus,” said Mills. “They burn a significant amount of wood chips, paper and wood waste to power their heating and cooling systems.”

St. Joseph School District social worker Jean West will be one of the keynote speakers at the National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth (NAEHCY). West will give her keynote speech on Tuesday, October 28, 2014 at the Westin Crown Center in Kansas City, Missouri. More than 1,000 people are expected to attend the conference.

“Jean West is an extraordinary asset to the students and staff in the St. Joseph School District. Her expertise in trauma, the tools and ways she connects with our homeless students and families are critical for their success,” said Dr. Fred Czerwonka, Superintendent of Schools.

“We are thrilled she can share her stories, assessments and training with other districts and professionals from across the nation,” Czerwonka added.

West’s keynote presentation is titled, “Out of the frying pan and the fire: the importance of effective assessment of trauma when working with homeless children & youth.”

Presentation points will include:
• What is trauma and situations that can potentially be traumatizing
• Research showing the connection between homelessness and trauma
• Impact of trauma on brain development, behavior, and the ability to learn
• Assessment of trauma: clinical tools that can be used
• Group 1-3 sensory based assessment techniques that can also be used as interventions
• Why assessment of trauma is critical

West received her B.S.in Psychology from Missouri Western State University and her M.S.W. from the University of Kansas. In 2011, West received the Certified Trauma Consultant of the Year award from The National Institute for Trauma and Loss in Children. In 2009 she was awarded SJSD Support Person of the Year.

Community leaders gathered today to hear up-to-date progress on the 2014 United Way Campaign during a lunch meeting at Grace Evangelical Church.

Volunteers who lead 14 different Campaign Divisions shared pledge totals reported to them from their divisions. United Way of Greater St. Joseph aims to raise $3,145,000 to be used to impact lives in Northwest Missouri and Northeast Kansas through education, health, and financial stability. As of today, $1,458,605.97 has been pledged to the Campaign, which is 46% of the goal with two weeks remaining.

Donations to the 2014 United Way Campaign may be sent to United Way of Greater St. Joseph, PO Box 188, St. Joseph, MO 64502 or delivered to 118 South 5th Street. Online donations may be made by clicking on GIVE at stjosephunitedway.org. For more information about how to donate, people may call (816) 364-2381 Monday through Friday. The Campaign will conclude on Nov. 6.

Charges have been filed against a man arrested on Missouri Western’s campus Wednesday in connection with a series of counterfeit bills which have been circulated throughout the city.

According to court records, 19-year-old Codi Burgess of St. Louis, Mo. has been charged with counterfeiting, a class A misdemeanor.

As we previously reported, the St. Joseph Police Department said the first incident of the fake $20 bills was reported on Oct. 21 with six other reports followed a short time later that day within only a few hours of each other. Convenience stores and fast food restaurants appear to be the choice targets for the suspects.

Sgt. Gary Murphy said the bills are of good quality and were accepted by clerks for payment, some went unnoticed as being counterfeit until being discovered by business management during money count.

Suspects and vehicle descriptions were acquired by police during the investigation. Several black males and one black female were sought in connection with the case. One black male was described as having a facial tattoo and numerous tattoos on his arms who was seen passing a fake $20 at the South Riverside McDonald’s on Oct. 22.

The Financial Crimes Unit is currently in the process of obtaining video surveillance from businesses his by the fake $20-bills.

Burgess is being held on $5,000 bond.

 

Multiple charges have been filed against a Kansas City man involved in a high speed police chase Wednesday night that crossed Buchanan and Atchison, Mo. county lines.

32-year-old Donald Buckner has been charged in Jackson County, Mo. with two counts of first-degree robbery, two counts of armed criminal action and resisting a lawful stop.

As we previously reported, the Kansas City Police Department said the chase started Wednesday night after a person reported an armed robbery outside of the Quick-trip parking lot located at 6641 E Truman Road. Officers said the chase went through Platte and Buchanan counties and ended in Atchison county. Authorities used spike strips and the suspect’s vehicle eventually caught fire.

Kansas City Police Department Office Darin Snapp said officers observed the defendant behind the wheel of a white vehicle that pulled out of the parking lot and refused to stop.
“They pursued, often at high rates of speed,” Snapp said in a news release. “Buckner wove hazardously throughout traffic until Platte County deputies took control of the pursuit in the northland.”

KCPD was later joined by law enforcement officers from Atchison County, Holt County and Missouri State Highway Patrol until Buckner was taken into custody just south of Rock Port in Atchison County. Buckner told police he refused to stop because of a warrant for his arrest from Boone County.

Missouri State Highway Patrol Troop H, Sgt. Jason Angle said they tried to assist in the pursuit and laid out four spike strips which the suspect managed to avoid.

The chase came to a close in Atchison county after the suspect’s vehicle caught on fire.

Buckner is being held on $100,000 bond and will be transported back to Jackson county to face charges.