Many Buchanan County roads remain closed due to flooding.

As of 8:30 a.m. Wednesday the Platte River had gone down to 25.06 feet and was just slightly into the moderate flood stage of 25′

Buchanan County Emergency Manager Bill Brinton said the roads will be assessed to see if there is any damage and will reopen as soon as they are safe to travel.

Roads impacted in the county include:

Mitchell Road
Saxton/Easton Road
Hurlinger Road
123rd Road
Kemmerer Road
Rock Creek Road
Decker Road
Quarry Road
Rising Sun Road
Route H (near Agency)
Route FF (near Agency)

Brinton said that these roads are usually closed during high time of high water.

St. Joseph, Mo. – InterServ held its annual meeting Monday and announced that it has already raised more than half the amount of money needed to build a new center in St. Joseph.

More than 170 were in attendance at the agency’s annual meeting held at the Wesley Center.

Highlighting the event was the presentation of the David G. Berger Community Services Awards.

The Berger awards are given to those who exhibit a commitment to faithfully serve people within the St. Joseph and surrounding community and are voted upon by the InterServ Board of Directors. Receiving Berger awards in 2015 were Mrs. Pat Meyer, Dave and Twila Gach, Mrs. Kim Warren, Mr. Leonard Moreno and Trinity Presbyterian Church.

Mr. Darrell Jones, Senior Pastor at Grace Evangelical Church was the keynote speaker and reflected on how exhibiting community service through an interfaith entity such as InterServ shows love towards the human family through God.

Mr. Joseph K. Houts Jr., chairman of “Building InterServ,” a capital campaign to build a new health and wellness center for InterServ, was present and gave an update on the campaign which was launched in mid- March of 2015. Mr. Houts reported that to date, $3,300,000 has been raised through cash pledges, foundation and corporate support as well as initial funding through InterServ.

The agency has a total goal of $5 million to construct the facility at the corner of Cherokee and King Hill Avenue that will replace the Wesley Center.

Two St. Joseph businesses failed to pass a tobacco compliance check Monday night in St. Joseph.

The St. Joseph Police Department, Buchanan County and Youth Alliance teamed up to hold compliance checks on area businesses Monday night from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Sgt. Larry Stobbs with the St. Joseph Police Department said out of 25 businesses checked, two sold tobacco products to a minor.

“Typically we see about a 10% failure rate,” Stobbs said.

Four officers were assisted by a 17-year-old.  Stobbs said the teen is required to tell the truth about his age if asked by the clerk when trying to purchase a tobacco product.

“He looked underage, and the Federal Government says you have to ID if they look under 27,” Stobbs said.

The two businesses that sold to the minor were Loud SmokeWare located at 3301 Mitchell and South Belt Liquor & Smoke located at 2724 S. Belt Hwy.

“In these cases they asked for his ID and sold anyway,” Stobbs said. “Part of the problem was neither one of the clerks who sold last night had any training.”

In St. Joseph, individuals that work at a place that sells alcohol are required to obtain an Alcohol Server License that includes education on how to check IDs.  Stobbs said one of the clerks was also cited for not having a Alcohol Server License.

The tobacco compliance check was part of efforts surrounding National Prevention Week that runs May 17 to 23.  It’s a week dedicated to increasing public awareness of, and action around, substance abuse and mental health issues.

“The reason we do the alcohol and tobacco checks is we’re trying to keep those products out of the hands of these kids and we’re trying to get the stores to do the responsible thing,” Stobbs said.

In light of National Prevention Week, the St. Joseph Youth Alliance plans to hold a presentation Thursday at 11:30 a.m. at Grave Evangelical Church to talk about how legalization of marijuana would affect the community and workplace.

(Edited)

 

Northwest Missouri State University plans to break ground on its new Northland Innovation Campus.

The ground breaking ceremony is slated for 10 a.m. Tuesday, May 19 at the site of the new building located at 6889 N. Oak Trafficway, Gladstone, MO 64118.

The partnership between Northwest the city of Gladstone, North Kansas City Schools and Metropolitan Community College-Maple Woods  was first announced in March of 2014.

For a look at the entire agenda for Tuesday’s ceremony click here.

The school said the plan is to create a non-traditional educational environment for students to learn, lead and succeed in school, college and career fields, city and education leaders.

It said the facility will provide needed classroom space to accommodate North Kansas City Schools’ steadily growing enrollment. It will house the district’s Students in Academically Gifted Education (SAFE) program and the Northland Center for Advanced Professional Studies (CAPS) program, a partnership with North Kansas City Schools and five Northland school districts. CAPS students are immersed in professional environments with industry partners – such as Cerner Corporation, Holland 1916, Ford Motor Company and North Kansas City Hospital – that mentor students to innovate and achieve real project results.

The center also could provide opportunities for students to earn college credit toward degrees from Maple Woods and Northwest.

 

A Gower man was sentenced to six years behind bars Monday after pleading guilty to burglary.

According to online court documents, 32-year-old Jason George was sentenced in Buchanan County to 6-years in the Missouri Department of Correction for 1st degree burglary.

George is accused of taking two children at gunpoint in an escalating child-custody dispute in February.

He was arrested in Clinton County and the two girls, ages 10 and 13, were recovered safely.

George is also charged in Clinton County with abuse or neglect of a child.

 

Flooding has caused parts of several roads in Buchanan County to closed.

The National Weather Service in Pleasant Hill reports that at 7:30 AM the Platte River gauge near Agency was at 27.58 feet. Moderate flood stage is 25 feet.

According to Buchanan County Emergency Manager Bill Brinton parts of the following roads are closed in Buchanan County:

Mitchell Road
Saxton/Easton Road
Hurlinger Road
123rd Road
Kemmerer Road
Rock Creek Road
Decker Road
Quarry Road
Rising Sun Road
Route H (near Agency)
Route FF (near Agency)

Brinton said that these roads are usually closed during high time of high water.

A man was seriously injured in Clinton County over the weekend after his pickup hit a deer.

According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, 71-year-old John McGuire of Kansas City was driving his 2004 Dodge pickup while towing a trailer southbound on I-35 Saturday at 2:20 a.m. when he hit a deer in the passing lane.  He lost control of his vehicle and went off the west side of the roadway.  After going down an embankment the trailer and truck separated.  The trailer hit the back of his truck and then both the truck and the trailer came to rest in a wooded area off the roadway.

McGuire was taken by EMS to Liberty Hospital with serious injuries.

 

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – The following is a list of general highway maintenance and construction work the Missouri Department of Transportation has planned in the Northwest Missouri region for the week of May 18 – 24. Weather conditions may cause postponements in planned work schedules. Other construction or maintenance work may occur on other roadways throughout the area. Many projects will include lane closures and delays can be expected.

For more information about a project, please contact MoDOT at 1-888-ASK-MoDOT (888-275-6636) or visit www.modot.org/northwest/. You can also follow MoDOT’s Northwest Missouri District on Twitter @ModotNorthwest and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/MoDOTNWDistrict.

Andrew County

Interstate 29 – Northbound from mile marker 59 to mile marker 63 (Holt County); milling and resurfacing, May 18 – 23. Includes work on the driving lanes, entrance and exit ramps and a 16-foot width restriction.
Routes P and J – Pothole patching, May 21 – 22
Atchison County

Route W – CLOSED from Route J to Route 111; resurfacing project, May 19 – 21
Route OO – CLOSED from Route W to the end of state maintenance; resurfacing project, May 19 – 21
Route CC – Pothole patching, May 18 – 22
Various routes – Spraying, May 18 – 22
Route T – CLOSED from the Iowa state line to Route 275; resurfacing project, May 21 – 22
Buchanan County

I-229 – Sweeping and flushing bridges, May 18 – 21
Loop 29 – Belt Highway from County Line Road to Ashland Avenue; sidewalk project, May 18 – 22. Various lanes will be closed at different times, including lanes on side streets.
I-229 – From just after the St. Joseph Avenue on ramp to just before U.S. Hwy 36; bridge maintenance, May 18 – 22. (10-foot width restriction)
U.S. Hwy 59 – At the Bankers Crossing Bridge; new bridge construction, May 18 – 22
U.S. Hwy 36 – At the Platte River Bridge; bridge deck replacement, May 18 – 22. Traffic is head to head in the eastbound lanes with a 14-foot width restriction.
Route A – One-quarter mile north of Route H; driveway entrance repair and drainage work, May 18 – 22
Caldwell County

U.S. Hwy 36 – Spraying, May 18 – 22
Route U – From Route 13 to Route K; pothole patching, May 18 – 22
Carroll County

U.S. Hwy 24 – From DeWitt to the Chariton County line; pothole patching, May 18 – 19
Route E – From Route EE to County Road 211; drainage work, May 18 – 19
Route 10 – Pothole patching, May 20 – 22
Route D – From Route W to County Road 190; drainage work, May 21 – 22
Chariton County

Route 129 – Drainage work, May 18 – 22
U.S. Hwy 24 – At the Mid Fork Chariton River Bridge; bridge maintenance, May 18 – 22 (12-foot width restriction.)
Route 5 – At the Cottonwood Creek Bridge; bridge maintenance, May 18 – 22 (12-foot width restriction.)
U.S. Hwy 24 – At the Palmer Creek Bridge; bridge maintenance, May 18 – 22 (12-foot width restriction.)
U.S. Hwy 24 – At the Mussel Fork River Brige; bridge maintenance, May 18 – 22 (12-foot width restriction.)
Clinton County

Route PP – From I-35 to Moore Drive; pothole patching, May 19
Route Y – At County Road NW 348th; culvert repair, May 19
Route K – From Route NN to one mile north of Route NN; culvert repair, May 20
Route VV – From NW Fitzgerald Road to NW Maple Road; culvert repair, May 21
Daviess County

I-35, U.S. Hwy 69, Routes 6 and 190 – Pothole patching, May 18 – 22
U.S. Hwy 69, Routes 6, 13 and 190 – Brush cutting, May 18 – 22
U.S. Hwy 69, Routes B, C, K and V – Drainage work, May 18 – 22
Various routes – Spraying, May 18 – 22
DeKalb County

I-35 – From mile marker 51 to mile marker 48; brush cutting, May 18 – 21
U.S. Hwy 36 – Eastbound from the Cameron city limits to I-35; pavement repair, May 18 – 22 (14-foot width restriction.)
Gentry County

Various routes – Striping, May 18 – 19
U.S. Hwy 136 – Spraying, May 18 – 20
Route M and UU – Pothole patching, May 18 – 20
U.S. Hwy 136 – From Route C to Route H; shoulder work, May 18 – 22
U.S. Hwy 136 – In Stanberry; curb and gutter work, May 18 – 22
Routes E, H, AA, V, Z, BB, P and J – Spraying, May 18 – 22
Grundy County

U.S. Hwy 65 and Route 6 – Spraying, May 18 – 22
Route K – From U.S. Hwy 65 (Livingston County) to Route E; pothole patching, May 18 – 22
Routes A, NN and O – Drainage work, May 18 – 22
Routes N, NN, Z and E – Sign operations, May 18 – 22
Route 6 – From Route 146 to the Harrison County line; shoulder work, May 20 – 22
Harrison County

Route F – CLOSED at the Little Creek Bridge; bridge replacement. Closed through July 2015.
Route D – From Route M (Eagleville Road) to Route M (Washington Center); pothole patching, May 18 – 19
Route N – At the I-35 Bridge, bridge maintenance, May 18 – 20
Route M – From Route D to Route EE; pothole patching, May 20
Holt County

I-29 – CLOSED at U.S. Hwy 59 (Exit 75); bridge deck replacement. CLOSED through June 2015. Traffic is being rerouted to the on and off ramps. No access to U.S. Hwy 59 via Exit 75.
U.S. Hwy 59 – CLOSED at I-29; bridge deck replacement. Closed through June 2015. No access to I-29.
Route P – CLOSED from Route 118 to County Road 240; resurfacing project, May 18
U.S. Hwy 59 – From Mound City to Craig; drainage work, May 18 – 20
Route C – Pothole patching, May 18 – 20
Route D – Pothole patching, May 21 – 22
I-29 – Northbound from mile marker 59 (Andrew County) to mile marker 63; milling and resurfacing, May 18 – 23. Includes work on the driving lanes, entrance and exit ramps and a 16-foot width restriction.
Linn County

U.S. Hwy 36 – Spraying, May 18 – 20
Route HH – CLOSED one-half mile south of Route 129; culvert replacement, May 19, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
U.S. Hwy 36 – One-half mile east of Felton Road; pavement repair, May 20
Route C – CLOSED one mile east of Purdin; culvert replacement, May 20, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
U.S. Hwy 36 – From Route 130 to Route 139; pavement repair, May 21
Route MM – Drainage work, May 21
Livingston County

Route A – CLOSED from Route 190 to Route T; culvert replacement, May 18 – 8 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Route K – From U.S. Hwy 65 to Route E (Grundy County); pothole patching, May 18 – 22
Route F – CLOSED from Route C to the Carroll County line; culvert replacement, May 19, 8 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Route 139 – CLOSED from Route H to the Chariton County line; culvert replacement, May 20 – 21, 8 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. daily.
Route Z – CLOSED from U.S. Hwy 65 to Route C; culvert replacement, May 22, 8 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Mercer County

U.S. Hwy 136 – At the West Muddy Creek Bridge; bridge maintenance, May 18 – 22
U.S. Hwy 136 – Pothole patching, May 18 – 22
Route 139 – Pothole patching, May 18 – 22
Various routes – Sign operations, May 18 – 22
Nodaway County

Route 46 – CLOSED at the Big Slu Bridge; bridge maintenance, May 18 – 19, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. (9-foot width restriction and may include overnight closure.)
Route A – At the Nodaway River Bridge; bridge maintenance, May 18 – 19
Route F and N – Pothole patching, May 18 – 22
Various routes – Spraying, May 18 – 22
Route VV – At the Platte River Bridge; bridge maintenance, May 20 – 22
Route J – Pothole patching, May 21 – 22
Putnam County

Routes FF, W, V and 149 – Pothole patching, May 18 – 22
Route 5 – Shoulder work, May 18 – 22
Routes 149, AA, W, N, O and F – Sign operations, May 18 – 22
Route W – Shoulder work, May 20
Sullivan County

Route C – CLOSED from Route CC to Elm Drive; culvert replacement, May 18, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Routes MM, DD and Z – Pothole patching, May 18 – 22
Routes 5 and 6 – Mowing, May 18 – 22
Routes D, FF, H and 129 – Sign operations, May 18 – 22
Route O – CLOSED from East Line Street to Field Drive; culvert replacement, May 19, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Route DD – CLOSED from Violet Road to Vermont Road; culvert replacement, May 20, 7 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Route DD – CLOSED from Route MM to Walnut Road; culvert replacement, May 20, 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Worth County

Various routes – Spraying, May 18 – 22
Various routes – Striping, May 20 – 21
Route PP – Pothole patching, May 21 – 22

Update – ST JOSEPH PD: CANCEL MISSING PERSON – WM LARRY HIXSON 100538 602 185 – Subject was located and was returned home safely. ——-

The St Joseph Police Department has issued a missing person alert for Larry Dixon.
He is described as a white male with silver hair. Last seen wearing a red hat, tan shirt and jeans.
Last seen in the downtown area.
Hixson was reported to suffer from Alzheimers.

United Way Success By 6®, Parents as Teachers and the St. Joseph Public Library are offering a free parents/child class to address connections.

The class, Loving Connections will be held on Sat., May 16 from 10:00 am to 11:00 am at the East Hills Branch of the St. Joseph Public Library, 502 N. Woodbine Road, for children age 6 years and under and their parents.

The agencies said Ronda Chesney, retired preschool and elementary school teacher, will lead participants through some great ways to connect to their children through “I Love You Rituals” by Becky Bailey. These rituals help create wonderful connections in a fun and loving way. This session will be focused on infants and toddlers, but all parents of children from birth to kindergarten are welcome. All participants will be also be given a brand new book to add to their home library.