A man was hit and killed while standing on a highway in Atchison County early this morning.

According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol 27-year-old Jason Newman of Iowa was killed after being hit by vehicle just after 1 a.m. Monday.

Crash reports said a 2007 Ford Focus driven by 29-year-old Donna Wilson of Lincoln Neb. was stopped in the driving lane of I-29 northbound about 5 miles south of Rock Port when her vehicle was hit from behind by a 2007 Hyundai Santa Fe driven by 54-year-old Moo Y Stranghoener. This caused Wilson’s vehicle to travel forward and hit Newman who was walking along the highway.

He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Two passengers in the Hyundai, 53-year-old Mi Stranghoener and 51-year-old Myounghe Lee were taken by ambulance to Nemaha County Hospital then flown to Creighton University Hospital in Omaha, Neb. with moderate injuries. The driver, Moo Y was taken by Ambulance to Nemaha County Hospital in Auburn, Neb. with minor injuries.

Wilson was life-flighted to Mosaic Life Care with serious injuries.

The condition of Krug Park’s animal exhibit is causing concern for citizens and council members.

“It’s so eroded from the years that it’s inhabitable,” said Donna Healey a visitor at Krug Park.  “They just have a path they can walk and they’ve outgrown the area.  They get to the top and walk and they sink down in in the rain and the tree roots, it’s just a matter of time before one gets hurt.”

City Councilmember Pat Jones said the city hopes to find new homes for the animals.

“There are certain procedures,” Jones said. “We have to go through paperwork to get this done.”

Former Parks Director Bill McKinney started the North American Native Animal Exhibit featuring buffalo, deer and longhorn cattle two decades ago.  Healey said she remembers when it first opened.

“It was fresh, modern, new, clean,” Healey said. “It was great but it’s just run down.”

Jones said it’s time to end the exhibit.

“Maybe not as soon as what you want,” Jones said. “We are trying and by the time, Maybe in July we’ll be able to talk more to the public about what we can get done with those.”

Healey said she has talked with several City Officials about other possible locations for the exhibit.  One location included ground near the Remington Nature Center.  However, regardless of where she said the animals need to have a different home as soon as possible.

“Anyplace else in town this would be shutdown,” she said. “Their small cramped living conditions are horrible. Feces ridden, no grass, overgrowth, weak fencing or if not fallen down close.”

Jones the issues surrounding the exhibit came from multiple individuals.  However, she said fixing the situation will take some time.

Jones says she expects the City Council to hear from the public about the animal exhibit at the next Council meeting Monday, June 8 at 7 p.m.  Healey said she plans to express her concerns and is asking others to do the same.

KIRKSVILLE, Mo.— The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) wants to know what Missourians think about its nearly 1,000 conservation areas around the state. MDC is in the multi-year process of updating management plans for conservation areas and invites public comments. A draft plan for the Spring Creek Watershed priority geography public lands is available for public review from June 1 to June 30.

MDC invites comments from recreational users, neighboring landowners, conservation groups, elected officials, government agencies, and other interested persons or groups. To preview the draft management plan and to share comments online, visit mdc.mo.gov/areaplans.

The Spring Creek priority geography encompasses one of the best and largest prairie and savanna communities in the state and represents a variety of habitats and land uses, which support a host of species across their continuum. The state endangered Mead’s milkweed and the state and federally endangered Topeka Shiner and Indian bat are found in the area. At its core, management in the Spring Creek Watershed is about focusing resources in a limited geography to conserve and improve the natural resources.

The Conservation Department manages four areas that represent 18.2 percent (8,510 acres) of the 46,795-acre Spring Creek Watershed priority geography. The areas include Dark Hollow Natural Area (NA), Morris Prairie Conservation Area (CA), Shoemaker CA, and Union Ridge CA. MDC manages all four areas to provide diverse habitat for fish, forest, and wildlife while offering the public compatible outdoor recreational opportunities.

Statewide, MDC conservation areas cover almost one million public acres for the purpose of restoring and conserving forest, fish and wildlife resources, and for providing opportunities for all citizens to use, enjoy and learn about these resources. Most Missourians are within a 30-minute drive of an MDC conservation area.

“Missourians care about conservation and use conservation areas for many different reasons,” said MDC Director Bob Ziehmer. “These areas help people discover nature through various activities, and help make Missouri a great place to hunt, fish, and enjoy other outdoor activities. We want to know how conservation areas are important to Missourians. Encouraging public comments on Conservation Area Management Plans is part of MDC’s ongoing efforts of working for and with Missourians to sustain healthy forests, fish and wildlife.”

Conservation Area Management Plans focus on natural resource management and public use on conservation areas. The plans do not address regulations on hunting, fishing and other area uses, which are set by the Conservation Commission and enforced under the Wildlife Code of Missouri. MDC will consider all ideas received and will work to balance the issues and interests identified with the responsibility of managing areas for the present and future benefits to forest, fish, wildlife, and people.

Decisions on which ideas to incorporate into area plans and on how to best incorporate them will be based on the property’s purpose, its physical and biological conditions and capabilities, the best roles of the property in its local, regional and state-wide context, and on the professional expertise of MDC staff.

You can fish without a license this weekend in Missouri and Kansas.

Free Fishing Days will run June 6-7 in both states.

The Missouri Department of Conservation says anyone may fish in the Show-Me State without having to buy a fishing permit, trout permit, or trout park daily tag. However, normal regulations remain in effect such as limits on size and number of fish an angler may keep. Special permits may still be required at some county, city or private fishing areas.

The Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism says the free fishing weekend also waives license requirements. However, anglers in Kansas still have to abide by other regulations as well such as length and creel limits, equipment requirements, etc.

“Free Fishing Days encourages people to sample the state’s abundant fishing opportunities,” the MDC said.

The Second Harvest Community Food Bank has exceeded its fundraising goal by $235,239.62.

Over the past six months donors have donated numerous gifts and pledges to support the food bank.  A goal of $425,000 was initially set, however the agency was able to raise $660,239.62 to aid in its mission against hunger.

“We are humbled by the community support that we’ve seen through this annual fund campaign.  It has been amazing and we are blessed to have a community that supports our mission and partners with us in our fight to end hunger in our 19 county service territory,” said Chad Higdon, Executive Director of Second Harvest. “We know that some of the donations we have received this year could very well be large, one-time gifts so we are cautious to build up operations solely on one very successful campaign year.”

Second Harvest said the funds raised will be used not only to purchase nutritious food for its service area but also to replace the roof on the Second Harvest 20,000 square foot facility and expand the cooler space to create more space for additional fresh produce.

 

A St. Joseph mother has been charged after her 2-year-old allegedly consumed Methamphetamine last week.

24-year-old Natasha King of St. Joseph has been charged in Buchanan County with a Misdemeanor for 2nd Degree Endangering the Welfare of a Child.

According to court documents on Friday, May 29 a witness saw King allow her 2-year-old to consume liquid Methamphetamine which was near where she was standing by failing to watch the child’s movements.  The incident was reported to have taken place in the 2200 block of N. 3rd St. The child was taken to the hospital six hours later after King allegedly said the child was acting strangely.  The child ended up testing positively for Meth.

King is currently being held without bail after the court denied it, online court documents said the ruling was made after the court found her to be a danger to the victim.

 

The Board of Education of the St. Joseph School District unanimously voted today to
appoint Dr. Robert Newhart as the Interim Superintendent, effective July 1, 2015. Board members
interviewed interim candidates during a closed session meeting on June 2, 2015.
“Dr. Robert Newhart is ready to provide immediate leadership and help establish a vision of continuous
improvement for our district. We strongly feel he was the best choice for our students, staff and
community,” stated Brad Haggard, President. “Dr. Newhart has all the qualities we are looking for in an
interim superintendent. We will lean on his leadership and experience as we continue to focus on
making key changes in the district to become stronger than ever before,” Haggard continued.
Newhart has been the superintendent of the Princeton R-V School District in Princeton, Missouri since
2014. Before that, he was the superintendent of the Lexington R-V School District in Lexington,
Missouri and the Polo R-VII School District in Polo, Missouri. Newhart also worked as a principal and
assistant principal in his career in education as well.
Newhart received his Doctorate in Education in Educational Leadership & Policy Analysis from the
University of Missouri. He also has his Specialist, Superintendent and Masters in Education in
Secondary Administration from Northwest Missouri State University. He graduated from Missouri
Western State University with a Bachelor of Science in Education, Bachelor of Science in Business and
Associate of Science in Business.
“My educational experience has prepared me to lead the St. Joseph School District. I am here to listen,
begin the healing journey and help rebuild a foundation of excellence. I look forward to working with
the staff and students,” said Dr. Newhart.
Newhart was offered a one-year contract with a salary of $174,500.

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PLEASANT HILL HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR…
BUCHANAN COUNTY IN NORTHWEST MISSOURI…
CLAY COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL MISSOURI…
CLINTON COUNTY IN NORTHWEST MISSOURI…
DONIPHAN COUNTY IN NORTHEAST KANSAS…
NORTHEASTERN ATCHISON COUNTY IN NORTHEAST KANSAS…
NORTHERN PLATTE COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL MISSOURI…
RAY COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL MISSOURI…
SOUTHERN CALDWELL COUNTY IN NORTH CENTRAL MISSOURI…

* UNTIL 630 PM CDT

* AT 1220 PM CDT…NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED
FLASH FLOODING ACROSS THE WARNED AREA. IN ADDITION NUMEROUS ROADS
HAVE BECOME IMPASSIBLE DUE TO HIGH WATER AS FOUR TO SIX INCHES OF
RAIN HAS FALLEN OVER PORTIONS OF THE WARNED AREA SINCE LAST NIGHT.

* SOME LOCATIONS THAT WILL EXPERIENCE FLOODING INCLUDE…ELWOOD…
EXCELSIOR SPRINGS…GOWER…HIGHLAND…KEARNEY…LATHROP…
LAWSON…LIBERTY…PLATTSBURG…RICHMOND…SMITHVILLE…ST.
JOSEPH…TROY…WATHENA…AGENCY…CAMDEN POINT…COWGILL…CRYSTAL
LAKES…DEARBORN…DENTON…EDGERTON…EXCELSIOR ESTATES…
HARDIN…HENRIETTA…HOLT…MISSOURI CITY…ORRICK…POLO…
RUSHVILLE AND TRIMBLE.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO AREAS WHERE THE WATER COVERS THE
ROADWAY. THE WATER DEPTH MAY BE TOO GREAT TO ALLOW YOUR CAR TO CROSS
SAFELY.

A FLASH FLOOD WARNING MEANS THAT FLOODING IS IMMINENT OR OCCURRING.
IF YOU ARE IN THE WARNING AREA MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND IMMEDIATELY.
RESIDENTS LIVING ALONG STREAMS AND CREEKS SHOULD TAKE IMMEDIATE
PRECAUTIONS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO CROSS
SWIFTLY FLOWING WATERS OR WATERS OF UNKNOWN DEPTH BY FOOT OR BY
AUTOMOBILE.

Police have located a truck wanted in connection with the killing of a teen reported missing from Wathena.

The Kansas City Star reports that police in Kansas City, Kan. recovered the truck sought in the killing of 16-year-old Jamie Hernandez-Zubia late Tuesday night.  The vehicle was unoccupied, it is currently being examined for possible evidence.

As we previously reported, she was found dead in a street early Saturday morning in Kansas City, Kan. after a report of shots being fired. According to police, the occupants of two vehicles fired shots at each other and Hernandez-Zubia had been a passenger in one of those vehicles.

She has been listed as missing since running away on June 9, 2012, from a foster care placement in Wathena in northeastern Kansas.

An investigation is ongoing, anyone with information is asked to contact the Kansas City Crime Stoppers TIPS Hotline at (816) 474-8477.

An inmate transport vehicle ran into issues Thursday morning on I-29 in Buchanan County when an inmate made an escape attempt.

According to Sgt. Jake Angle with the Missouri State Highway Patrol troopers were called out to assist a Jackson County Detention Center transport vehicle just after 9 a.m. at the 33 mile marker northbound on I-29.

Jackson County Detention Center Lt. Jesus Ramos said inmate Ivory Washington, 37 allegedly tried to escape custody this morning.

“He managed to break his hand restraints,” Ramos said. “Slip out of some of his restraints, not all of them. Still had his leg restraints in tack.”

Ramos said Washington was also able to get out of his seat belt and started kicking the door which broke the glass on window of the vehicle.

Ramos said backup was called for to get the situation secure.  Another vehicle from Jackson County responded as well as several Highway Patrol vehicles.

He said the situation was able to be secured and Washington remains in custody.

Washington was being transported to St. Joseph.