The hearing impaired community will soon be able to experience the Missouri Theater a little more clearly with the addition of a looping system.

Pat Dillon with the St. Joseph Sertoma Club said it’s a project that has been in the works for quite some time.

“Looping is something that is done to a facility or building so that people with hearing aids can tap into the sound system,” Dillon said. “Anyone who is sitting on the first floor which is the looped area we’re going to do will be able to click on their hearing aid, if it has what’s called a T-coil in the hearing aid and it would automatically pull the sound through the sound system.”

The project will begin Monday.  Dillon said the hope is to get the entire system set up and ready to go by Tuesday afternoon.

“Kind of a copper tape that has to be laid out along the floor of the theater, that needs to be put down.  It all needs to be synchronized, tied into the sound system, tested and all that,” Dillon said. “Volunteers from our Sertoma Club are going to put in time also to help reduce the cost.”

Total cost is anticipated at around $15,000.  He said the St. Joseph Sertoma Club and the City of St. Joseph are splitting the bill.

“Our club was only going to be able to fund enough of it to do just one little section of the theater and we really didn’t want to do just one little section or one seating area we wanted to be able to do the entire first floor,” Dillon said. “It just makes the Missouri Theater once again more open and accessible for folks in our community.  There’s a large population of folks that have hearing loss or hearing disorders and this project just opens the arts back up to them.”

Dillon said the looping system will work for anyone on the first floor. He said the system should be easy to use.

 

Teachers will greet students for the start of the school year Monday in the St. Joseph School District.

Dir. of Elementary Education Michele Norman said teachers have been getting ready for the past week.

“The week before the students come back is a critical time in the school years just in that planning and preparation,” she said. “Set up of their classrooms to make the most effective use of their classroom space, they’re getting some training on some new science resources that we’ve brought into the district for this next school year as well as just that first meeting of getting to meet the children that they are going to serve.”

This year there are around 145 new teachers in the district.  Norman said 60 of those are elementary school teachers.  Norman is also a new feature with the district, replacing Dr. Brian Shindorf earlier this year who resigned to take on another position.  Norman said she is looking forward to working with the district and moving forward.

“It was an opportunity to come and be a part of a team that was healing and to move the district forward,” Norman said. “We want to make the school experience the most positive that we can make it for every single student.  We want them to come to school and learn the things they need to learn but also we want them to know that school is a place that they’re cared for and valued.”

Mondays marks the official end of summer vacation for St. Joseph School District students.  Norman offers a few tips for parents.

“Just being prepared for the first day.  I know with my own children laying out their clothes, knowing what they’re going to wear, those first day traditions.  Taking those first day pictures, having their basic supplies that they need to take with them,” Norman said. “Making that transition a very positive and healthy one for the students but also for the parents.”

 

The St. Joseph Health Department is seeing an increase in the number of people coming in for vaccinations with the start of the upcoming school year right around the corner.

Connie Werner, Clinic Nurse Supervisor with the Health Dept. said this week the number of people coming in for back to school vaccinations has gone up.

“The state of Missouri requires children to have certain vaccinations in order to go to school.  Unless you have a medical or a religious exemption those are required, at least for public schools prior to walking into the door that first day,” Werner said.

Students in the St. Joseph School District head back for the first day of classes Monday.  Werner said many parents are coming in this week to get their children’s vaccinations up to date.

“With multiple people coming down the wait time unfortunately increases as there is more people trying to get through,” Werner said. “It’s a walk-in clinic.”

It’s an average trend the health department sees.  In 2015 during the month of June Werner said the health department gave 136 shots, in July that number increased to 299 and jumped up to 765 shots in August.

“Kindergartners have their set of Kindergarten shots, 8th grade shots and now Senior shots,” Werner said. “We call them grade shots but it’s really based on the child’s age.”

The St. Joseph Health Department is open Monday through Friday for vaccinations from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

“As long as you’re checked in by that time you’ll get your shot,” Werner said. “Please bring your shot record with you so we know what shots are needed to give.”

She said immunizations have come a long way to keep everyone healthy.

“This is such a progress in science,” Werner said. “The diseases that used to kill people off not a huge long time ago we now don’t know what those are because the immunizations have stopped those diseases from being in our societies.  To keep everyone vaccinated helps to keep everyone healthy not only the child getting the shot but for those around them that can’t get that shot as well.”

A St. Joseph man has been charged after a gas station was held up at knife point Monday.

Lucas Crockett, 34 is charged in Buchanan County with a felony for second-degree robbery.

According to court documents Crockett is accused of threatening the clerk with a knife at the Quick Stop located at 6739 Memorial Hwy.  Det. Frank Till with the St. Joseph Police Department said police reports, statement and video of the robbery as well as evidence collected tie the defendant to the crime.

“The defendant used the knife in an aggressive manner to threaten the clerk.  He made contact with the clerk with the knife to move him away from the register,” Till said. “Removed the cash register from the business and fled on foot.”

As we previously reported, officers allegedly arrested the suspect in the case not far from the gas station.  Police said the register was also recovered.

“There are numerous witnesses to parts of this crime, witnesses that live in this defendants neighborhood,” Till said. “He has a violent history and would possibly use violence or intimidation against those witnesses.”

Crockett is being held on $50,000 cash only bail.  An arraignment is set for Friday.

Another defendant has been charged in connection with the May shooting death of 18-year-old Skylar Powell in midtown.

Jay’Den Maynard, 17 of St. Joseph was charged Tuesday in Buchanan County with a felony of first-degree attempted robbery.  The charge can carry a sentence range of 5-15 years.

According to court documents, Maynard was identified as the lookout by multiple co-conspirators in the fatal attempted robbery.

“He was further implicated as assisting in the planning of the attempted robbery by his co-conspirators,” said Det. Frank Till with the St. Joseph Police Department. “A review of forensic evidence collected at the scene indicates that multiple shots were fired and the victim died of a gunshot wound.”

Bond has been set at $5,000 cash and $45,000 surety.  An arraignment is scheduled for Friday at 8:15 a.m. in Div. 6.

Five other suspects are also charged in the case including, Justin Smith, Kyle Smith, Dayne Matthews,Ashten Surritte and Gabriel Dawson.  Prosecutors believe Powell was killed during a drug transaction and attempted robbery May 17 in the area of 2200 Calhoun.

A man accused of intentionally setting fire to his ex-girlfriend’s home in Midtown will serve 4 years behind bars.

As part of a plea bargain Khayree Darton, 36 was sentenced Monday to serve 4 years for second-degree arson.  The state will dismiss charges of first-degree arson, tamper or attempt to tamper with a victim in a felony prosecution, and third-degree domestic assault.  The upgraded charges were filed after court documents said Darton repeatedly tried to call the victim to get her to change her statement.

As we reported previously, on April 7 shortly after midnight in the 1600 block of S 17th St Darton is accused of intentionally setting fire to his girlfriend’s home displacing a family of four.

“Told Darton she did not want to be in a relationship with him and started to leave the residence when Darton wanted her to stay,” said Officer Eric Powell with the St. Joseph Police Dept. “As (she) was leaving Darton said ‘that’s why I caught your house on fire.’”

Powell said the woman left the residence and returned about seven minutes later to find the house engulfed in flames.

The family was found safely evacuated.

 

Planning is underway in northwest Missouri for efforts to make one state highway a life-line for the Monarch butterfly population.

The Missouri Department of Transportation is working as part of a recent multi-state agreement to establish the I-35 corridor as the Monarch Highway.  Marty Liles if the District Maintenance & Traffic Engineers for MoDOT’s northwest district.  Liles said MoDOT is looking into getting volunteer groups to help increase pollination plants and awareness for Monarchs and honey bees.

“We have land and some of the land would be very good for establishing milkweeds and wildflowers and things that would allow some pollination,” Liles said. “We’re looking at seeing if we can get groups to go out and identify locations, kind of like adopt-a-highway.”

David Laderoute with Missouri for Monarchs Naturalists & Gardeners NW Missouri said there are many factors that have contributed to a huge decrease in the Monarch population.

“In the United States the biggest problems are loss of habitat.  Every time a subdivision is built it takes away some fields that were an area where milkweed might be growing then there’s loss of habitat,” Laderoute said.

He said there are also issues with farmers using certain weed killers and pesticides and how close together fields are being planted nowadays.  He said there are also issues with illegal logging in Mexico that have contributed to a huge drop in the butterfly population.  Missourian’s for Monarchs has been working to increase habitats around the area.  Laderoute said they are excited about the possibility of working with MoDOT.

“Our group assists to the extent we can MoDOT and that would basically be planting and maintenance,” Laderoute said. “Coming up with an initial demonstration plot.  If we do that we can draw attention to it and then we can go from there.”

Even though I-35 is the area being deemed the Monarch Highway, Laderoute said habitat efforts can extend for many miles away from it.

“I-35 is about 40 miles east of St. Joe but because anything you do is considered within the Monarch highway is within that 200 mile band we could actually do something closer to St. Joe,” Laderoute said.

A meeting to talk about habitat efforts along the state highway will be held Aug. 18 at the Missouri Department of Conservation located at 701 James McCarthy Dr. in St. Joseph at 6:30 p.m.  Mary Liles will present information on Monarch Highway efforts.  Laderoute said the meeting is open to the public.

CLICK HERE for more on Missourians for Monarchs – Naturalists & Gardeners – NW Region.

(News release)- ​Platte County’s Director of Facilities has allegedly spent nearly 15 months using the county’s credit card and business account at a local home improvement store to build a beer garden at his home and purchase other personal items, including alcohol.  Kenneth M. Bozenhardt, 54, of Platte City was charged with stealing after allegedly admitting to investigators that he had purchased several items—including a lawn mower, welder, tool cabinet, sun shade, and flower pots—with county funds.

 

Platte County Prosecuting Attorney Eric Zahnd said his office filed the stealing charge on August 6 after an investigation by the Platte County Sheriff’s Department.

 

According to court records, in May 2015, Bozenhardt allegedly purchased a welder using Platte County’s business account at the Home Depot.  However, county facilities employees indicated that the facilities department inventory does not include a welder, as they used the one at the public works department.

 

Also in 2015, Bozenhardt allegedly purchased a tool cabinet on the same county account at Home Depot.  Yet facilities employees indicated that no tool cabinets had been purchased for over two years.

 

The 2015 purchases were allegedly followed up with multiple, individual purchases this year.  The purchases included things such as a Toro lawn mower, 10-foot cedar posts, 12-foot cedar boards, potting planters, potting pebbles, a watering can, flags, flag holders, and sun screen material.  At least some of the items were purchased on a Sunday, which county facilities employees said would be outside normal business practices.

 

In July 2016, Bozenhardt allegedly purchased Sailor Jerry Rum at a local gas station using the county’s credit card. 

 

Court documents also state that Bozenhardt admitted taking $200 in 2016 after scrapping materials from maintenance jobs around county facilities.

 

Bozenhardt allegedly told investigators he had used the items for the construction and decoration of his beer garden at his home.  County employees told investigators Bozenhardt had bragged that he used the sun shade purchased with county funds for that beer garden.

 

Invoices for all of the items had been paid by County Commissioners.  County procedures require signatures of at least two commissioners before any payment requisition is paid.

 

Zahnd said his office charged Bozenhardt after Bozenhardt was placed on a 24-hour investigative hold by the Sheriff’s Department.  However, Zahnd said he would ask the court to appoint a special prosecutor to handle the case.  Zahnd has sought a special prosecutor in previous cases involving high-ranking county employees with whom he has had regular contact.

 

Judge James Van Amburg set bond in the case at $2,000, which could be posted by 10% paid to the Court or by surety.  If convicted of stealing, Bozenhardt faces up to seven years in prison.

Pickett Elementary is setting up a display case this weekend and asking the public for any memorabilia connected to the school or its history.

John Davison, Pickett’s Principal  said when he and his wife were antique shopping they thought it would be a neat idea to collect items from students who attended Pickett in the past and display the items at the school.

“I feel like Pickett Elementary is rooted in tradition in this community and we would love to honor and display its history and help our students feel like they are part of something very special,” Davison said.

Items he’s searching for include things like banners, pictures, pins, report cards, etc.

“Anything they have kept in boxes that they would like displayed.” Davison said. “We’re taking all of these whether they want to donate them to us or I will simply display them and if they want to come back and get them at any time they are perfectly welcome to do it.  We just really want to display the rich history that we have here.”

Donations have already been coming in.  This weekend Davison said he plans to start putting some of the items up on display.

“I’m just going to continue to add pieces together until December and then I want to have a dedication in January,” Davison said.

Pickett has a lot of history behind it. The St. Joseph School District said the original Pickett School was located at 3923 Pickett road, across the street and to the south of the current school. This school housed first through twelfth grade, and burned down in 1953. Despite Pickett belonging to the county, students were temporarily housed in the old Hosea school building, which was set to be demolished, and high school students were bussed to Central High School.

Today’s Pickett Elementary School was built in 1955 as part of the county school system, and was enlarged in 1958. At one point, enrollment was as high as 680 students. When the county school organization was dissolved in 1965, the St. Joseph School District took over Pickett and began building Skaith to handle overcrowding in the school and prepare for rapid growth in the Deer Park area.

Memorabilia is being accepted through December. Davison said anyone wanting to donate can contact the school at (816) 671-4330 or e-mail him at john.davison@sjsd.k12.mo.us. Donors can also bring items to the school.