​(News release) – A St. Joseph, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for his role in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.

 

Michael Robinson, 35, of St. Joseph, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs to nine years in federal prison without parole.

 

On May 22, 2014, Robinson pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and to possessing a firearm during and in relation to a drug-trafficking crime. Robinson is among 20 co-defendants who have pleaded guilty in this case and the 16^thco-defendant to be sentenced.

 

Robinson was arrested by St. Joseph, Mo., police detectives on May 8, 2013, in reference to a shooting investigation. Robinson was in possession of approximately eight grams of methamphetamine, which was recovered from his vehicle. Detectives also found images of what appeared to be large chunks of methamphetamine on Robinson’s cell phone.

 

According to court documents, detectives interviewed several confidential sources, who stated they had accompanied Robinson to the Argosy Casino in Riverside, Mo., the Legends shopping center and residences in the Kansas City area to pick up multiple-ounce or pound quantities of methamphetamine, which he brought back to St. Joseph for distribution. Some of the sources stated those trips were made on a daily basis.

 

One confidential source told investigators that Robinson would meet co-defendant Charles Blazer, 46, of St. Joseph, on a daily basis during the summer of 2013; Robinson collected $1,900 for the ounce of methamphetamine previously sold “on front” and provided Blazer with an additional ounce for sale. Blazer was sentenced to six years in federal prison without parole after pleading guilty to his role in the conspiracy.

 

Also among those to whom Robinson provided methamphetamine for distribution was his brother, Roy Owens, 45, of St. Joseph. Owens was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison without parole after pleading guilty to his role in the conspiracy.

 

One confidential source told investigators that Robinson had been in a fight with a man over money. The source saw Robinson with a handgun and knew that the man Robinson had been fighting with had been shot.

 

On July 29, 2013, investigators executed a search warrant at Robinson’s residence and seized digital scales covered in a residue of methamphetamine, multiple plastic bags that contained the same residue, two handguns and ammunition and surveillance cameras that had been installed on the house.

Workers at one St. Joseph business got a surprise visit from a Python Wednesday afternoon.

Employees from First American Title located at 3723 Beck Rd. said the large snake was found just outside their office around 4 p.m.  That’s when a phone call was placed to St. Joseph Animal Control & Rescue.

Stephen Norman is the Senior Officer with St. Joseph Animal Control & Rescue.  He said the constrictor was very docile and was easily caught.

“It’s obviously somebody’s pet we just don’t know who,” Norman said. “If somebody was missing it and they came down and could prove it was theirs we basically would redeem it back to them.”

Norman said constrictors are not illegal pets to have in St. Joseph because they are not venomous.

“I’m really surprised nobody has called missing it,” he said. “If they could come down and provide proof that it’s theirs we would let them have it back.  If nobody claims it we will adopt it out.”

The Python was described as around 5 feet long and about as round as a can of biscuits.  Norman said it’s not completely out of the norm for Animal Control to catch pet snakes.

“We get one or two a year.  Sometimes people will take them out to the yard and they crawl away,” Norman said. “Or they’re cleaning out their cage and put them in a temporary cage and they crawl away.”

He said Pythons make good pets, if you like snakes.

The St. Joseph Police Department is investigating after a man was shot Wednesday night in midtown.

Police responded to 17th and Messanie near A’s J R’s McGaughy Lounge shortly before 9 p.m. Capt. Jeff Wilson said a 41-year-old St. Joseph man was taken by private vehicle to the hospital after being shot in the neck.

The shooting is still under investigation.  Anyone with information is asked to call the TIPS Hotline at (816) 238-TIPS.

Enrollment is underway for an English language program at Webster Learning Center.

St. Joseph Adult Education & Literacy is holding its English Language Learners information day Aug. 3, 4, 10 & 11.

Betty Wymore, AEL director said anyone interested in registering for classes needs to come in.

“They must come to these information sessions in order for us to sign them up,” Wymore said. “If they’re wanting to study English or get their citizenship we work with them here.”

She said on average around 200 students will sign up for classes.

Registrants can come in and register at 9 a.m, 10 a.m, 3 p.m, 6 p.m. or 7 p.m. on the days listed above. The registration process takes around an hour, to fill out paperwork and take an initial assessment. Students will be given choices of what time to attend class, 9 a.m. – 11 a.m, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. or 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.

Students will then sign up for a time the week of Aug. 16 to come back and do their testing assessment.

There are some classroom changes.

“They need to park in the back parking lot because we’re at the same location at the Webster Learning Center but come in the back parking lot and come in door 4 because that’s where we are located,” Wymore said.

She said there are 11 part-time teachers in the program.

“During any given semester, we have at least 32 different languages represented in our classes,” Wymore said. “Students come from many different walks of life, some with no education in their native country and some professionals in their own countries, such as doctors, lawyers, teachers, many different professions.”

For more information on the program call the Webster Learning Center located at 1211 N. 18th St. at (816) 671-4020.

Voters in Buchanan County have passed a sales tax to repair area river levees by more than 77 percent.

Tuesday voters approved the implementation of a countywide sales tax of 1/4 cent for a period of 4 years from the date it’s first imposed for the purpose of construction and repairs to the Missouri river levees. 10,860 voting yes and only 3,222 voting no.

Bob Wolleman is the campaign chairman for the Committee to Save Jobs and the owner of Deluxe Truck Stop, one of the business protected by the levees. He said he’s pleased with the show of voter support.

“We are so proud of the residents of Buchanan County recognizing the significant interest and the importance of getting this quarter-cent sales tax passed. We are just absolutely thrilled that the residents of Buchanan County recognized this very very essential project,” Wolleman said.

He said the levees are in great need of repair.

“What we’re finding is maybe a little piece of mind for the residents of south St. Joe, for the businesses that invest in both the Kansas side of the river and the Missouri side of the river that they know these levees are going to be restored. The levee on the west side will be re-certified again by the corp of engineers because it’s been de-certified since 1993,” Wolleman said.

The project is estimated to cost more than $70-million. However, Wolleman said the federal government is providing 65 percent of those funds.

Voter turnout numbers in Buchanan County have county clerk Mary Baack-Garvey optimistic about hitting her forecast of 28 percent.

As of 11 a.m. 8.3 percent of 50,100 registered voters had cast a ballot.  By 3 p.m. that number was up to 16.1 percent.

“I’m still certain 28% is the golden number,” Baack-Garvey said during the latest update.  “Maybe squeeze by with 30%!”

Contested issues in Buchanan County include the republican race for Eastern District Commissioner, the republican race for Buchanan County Sheriff and both the republican and democratic races for 5th Judicial Circuit Court, Division 2, which covers Andrew and Buchanan counties.  Voters will also decide whether or not to pass a 1/4 cent sales tax for Missouri river levee repairs.

Marcia Mckee said the levee tax is an important issue that drew her out to cast a ballot.

“I want to be sure that goes through because I don’t want to be in another flood,” Mckee said. “I was not only in the flood of ’93 here but I lived in Jefferson City at the time and I was flooded down there.  I’m very passionate about the flood issue.”

We talked to several voters who said voting is their civic duty.

“I think it’s my responsibility as a citizen of the country to help pick the right people to lead us,” one voter said.

Polls are open tonight until 7.  For polling locations and ballot information in Buchanan County CLICK HERE.

​(News release) – Northwest Missouri State University confirmed a student attending the Missouri Academy of Science, Mathematics and Computing has died as the result of a drowning accident.

Maryville Public Safety and University Police officers responded at about 8:10 p.m. today to a report of a missing student at Mozingo Lake Recreation Park. They received assistance from the Red Oak and Clarinda, Iowa, search and rescue and dive teams.

Officers identified the victim as Jae Won Lee, 16, a first-year student at the Missouri Academy from Seoul, South Korea.

Lee’s body was recovered at about 9:30 p.m.

The death is under investigation by the Nodaway County coroner’s office, Maryville Public Safety and University Police. No foul play is suspected at this time.

The Missouri Academy is a two-year residential, early-entrance-to-college program on the Northwest campus that replaces the junior and senior years of high school. Academy students enroll in the same courses as traditional University students and are held to the same academic expectations while living, socializing and studying in a learning community of peers.

Northwest is making on-site counseling assistance available to Missouri Academy students and staff.

Other Northwest students needing counseling assistance outside of regular business hours at Wellness Services are encouraged to contact University Police at 660.562.1254. Faculty and staff should call the University employee assistance program at 800.964.3577. A county counseling support line also is available to all members of the Northwest community at 888.279.8188.

A man allegedly started stripping during an arrest attempt in Livingston County sometime in the last several weeks.

In a media release the the Livingston County Sheriff’s Office said a deputy was executing an arrest warrant on a man in a public area when the man quickly started stripping for the deputy.

“The suspect was ordered to stop and his reply was ‘he only wanted law enforcement to know he was not up to anything,'” the release said.

To protect the name of the individual the office said it’s only reporting that this took place sometime in the last several weeks.

“It is one thing to be compliant with a law enforcement officer, but there is never a need to perform such an act,” the LCSO said.