The Salvation Army in St. Joseph will open up application for Christmas assistance later this month.
According to a news release, applications will be accepted starting Oct. 30th. The Salvation Army said, eligible families and seniors (62+) are welcome to apply in person at The agency located at 602 Messanie, during the following dates and times: October 30 – November 22 and November 27 – December 1st, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
The agency said, families and seniors who qualify for Christmas assistance receive a gift voucher for holiday meals and toys for children 14 and under.
Contact the Salvation Army at 816-232-5824 for specific information including what to bring to provide proof of eligibility.
File photo of the Tower Choir. Photo courtesy Northwest Missouri State University.
(News release) MARYVILLE, Mo. – Northwest Missouri State University’s Tower Choir will continue its Guest Choral Ensembles Concert Series next week with a joint concert featuring the Sound Express, the chamber choir of Platte County High School.
The concert, which is free and open to the public, begins at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 24, at the Charles Johnson Theater in the Olive DeLuce Fine Arts Building.
“The concert will surely delight anyone who enjoys the ineffable beauties of music – choral music, specifically – and singers who present arresting and thrilling music,” Dr. Stephen Town, the conductor of the Tower Choir and a professor of music at Northwest, said.
The Platte County High School choral ensemble’s program will include “Take Me Home” arranged by Roger Emerson, “Flight Song” by Kim André Arnesen and “Pal-So-Seong” by Hyo-Won Woo.
The Tower Choir will perform six pieces, including “Dies Irae” by Zdenek Lukas, “How Do I Love Thee?” by Eric Nelson, “O magnum mysterium” by David Conte, “For The Beauty of the Earth” by John Rutter, “In Paradisum” by Edwin Fissinger and “Tafellied” by Johannes Brahms.
The shared concert is part of the ongoing Northwest Guest Choral Ensembles Concert Series established by Town in 2004.
The Sound Express is under the direction of Brian von Glahn, a Northwest alumnus and former student of Town. Von Glahn, now in his 16th year of teaching, joined the Platte County faculty in 2013 after successful stays at Chillicothe and Cameron schools. He will conduct an invitational concert next spring with his choir at the Missouri Music Educators Association (MMEA) Convention.
Formed decades ago by Ralph E. Hartzell, the Northwest Tower Choir is an award-winning choral ensemble, consistently invited to state conferences, including by the MMEA in 2010, 2013 and 2015 and the Nebraska Music Educators Association (NMEA) Conference in 2011, 2014 and 2017, as well as by the National Collegiate Choral Organization in 2011. The Tower Choir will appear Friday, Nov. 17, at the NMEA Conference in Lincoln, Nebraska.
Since the 1999-2000 academic year, under the direction of Town, the ensemble has performed more than 130 concerts for high schools, colleges, universities, churches, institutions and organizations in the states of Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska and Kansas as well as Indiana, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas and Washington, D.C. In addition, the ensemble has given 14 peer-reviewed or invited concerts for learned societies, regional and state conventions, meetings, and symposia.
A career fair will be held next month for Junior and Senior high school students to learn about job opportunities in northeast Kansas.
The Doniphan County Chamber of Commerce, the Economic Development Office, Library District #1, and Highland Community College will be hosting a career fair on November 2, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m at Highland Community College in Highland, Kan.
Adrienne Korson, Dir. of Economic Development with the county said, the goal of the fair is to show students opportunities for work and education in northeast Kansas.
“The Career Fair will give local northeast Kansas businesses an opportunity to share with high school students what kinds of jobs they do, what it takes to work at their business, and what kind of education or training they’ll need,” Korson said. “Each business will be offered table space in the main gym at the Wellness Center so that students can stop by and ask questions. Of course, if you have current or future positions or internships, feel free to post them and talk about them to students.”
Area businesses interested in participating in the fair are asked to RSVP by Friday, Oct. 17 to Library Director Maggie McKeithan at library@librarydistrict1.org or Economic Development Director Adrienne Korson at economic.development@dpcountyks.com.
The United Way of Greater St. Joseph is recruiting volunteers for a school-based versions of its Reading Adventures program.
Jodi Bloemker, Dir. of Community Investment with United Way said United Way Reading Adventure will be held this fall with second grade classes at Lake Contrary and Humboldt elementary schools. The agency also plans to hold United Way Reading Adventure at several other schools in the spring.
Each second grade class has 30 minutes for the program. There are two sections of students at both Lake Contrary and Humboldt, so Bloemker said volunteers are needed for 60 minutes.
“Volunteers will read with small groups of children,” she said. “The books you will be reading will be provided by the teachers and students grouped by reading level.”
“Simply fill out the form with your contact information and select the dates you are available to read. I will send out further details as well as reminders and directions prior to the start of the program. I have some volunteers who are able to read all five weeks at a school and some that can only do a week or two. It is whatever works best for the volunteer,” Bloemker said.
(news release) MARYVILLE, Mo. – Northwest Missouri State University’s Board of Regents during its regular meeting Friday approved a proposal to create a Bachelor of Science in cybersecurity and begin offering it to students next fall.
Interim Provost Dr. Jamie Hooyman presented the proposal to the Board and said the program will require no new resources. The University’s current computer science faculty will teach the coursework at Northwest’s Maryville campus.
Northwest will create five courses, as requirements or electives, for degree completion.
“Cybersecurity knowledge is essential to the protection of our national electronic systems and data,” Dr. Carol Spradling, the director of Northwest’s School of Computer Science and Information Systems. “Our cybersecurity program will provide students with cutting-edge skills to meet national security challenges and will contribute talent to meet the long-term economic cybersecurity industry needs.”
The program will help students develop skills and expertise related to cybersecurity, including the prevention and detection of cyberattacks on computer-related infrastructures within an organization. Students will gain a broad understanding of computer systems, including software, hardware, networks, information assurance and programming. Students also will develop skills related to computer security policies and implementation as well as a relevant understanding of social engineering as a means of computer vulnerability.
Hooyman also noted graduates in the cybersecurity field are in high demand. The Department of Labor Statistics projects 18 percent job growth for information security analysts, which include cybersecurity professionals, while Forbes magazine has reported that the cybersecurity market is expected to grow from $75 billion in 2015 to $170 billion by 2020.
United Way President Kylee Strough speaking at luncheon. Photo courtesy United Way.
The United Way of Greater St. Joseph still needs to raise $1.5 million to meet its 2017 Campaign goal with just shy of two weeks left to go.
According to a news release, Thursday United Way supporters gathered to hear an up-to-date progress report at the Historic Green Acres Ballroom. This year, volunteers are aiming to raise $3,031,000 by Nov. 2 to benefit agency efforts in northwest Missouri and northeast Kansas. With two weeks remaining, $1,502,451 had been pledged so far.
“I hope people understand that United Way of Greater St. Joseph has a century-long track record of helping local people meet needs and prevent problems every day,” said Campaign Chair Ron Auxier. “Our community decides how to invest donated dollars in Partner Agencies that serve people here, and our community continues to work hard to make sure donated dollars are used well.”
Pledges may be sent to United Way of Greater St. Joseph, PO Box 188, St. Joseph, MO 64502 or delivered to 118 South 5th Street. To give online, web users can click the GIVE button at stjosephunitedway.org. People are also welcome to call (816) 364-2381 Monday through Friday to make a pledge or to discuss giving options.
United Way of Greater St. Joseph operates seven in-house Initiatives/Programs and supports 17 local Partner Agencies.
The 17 United Way Partner Agencies are: Bartlett Center; Big Brothers Big Sisters; Catholic Charities of Kansas City-St. Joseph, Inc.; The CENTER, A Samaritan Center; Children’s Mercy Hospital; Community Missions (CMC); Family Guidance Center for Behavioral Healthcare; InterServ; Legal Aid of Western Missouri; Northwest Missouri Community Services; Pony Express Council, Boy Scouts of America; St. Joseph Safety and Health Council; The Salvation Army; Specialty Industries of St. Joseph, Inc.; United Cerebral Palsy of Northwest Missouri; YMCA; and YWCA.
An emergency ordinance is heading to St. Joseph City Council on Monday for work needed to repair the towers on the Missouri Theater.
City Manager Bruce Woody said after an inspection of the entire facade it was discovered that the towers need to be rebuilt. He said the building, located at 717 Edmond St., was built in 1926 and the city didn’t acquire it until 1979.
“In that period before the city acquired it in 79′ there were some changes to the front of the building,” Woody said. “Apparently that has really caused us some problems now, all these years later. When all those changes were made the quality of work was not very good.”
If the ordinance is approved, Woody said work will begin right away.
“We estimate about 65 days worth of work,” Woody said. “This is just the facade not the building itself. The building is in wonderful structural condition, always has been and continues to be. We will also be constructing a scaffolding system to protect the sidewalks in that area so all performances that are scheduled will continue.”
Woody said an estimated worst case scenario cost of the work would be in the $550,000 range.
“If we have to take all four of those towers down to an elevation of about a third of the way down the front of the building,” Woody said. “If we find a little less damage then we won’t have to go as far.”
A St. Joseph coffee shop plans to donate all sales Friday to support local breast-cancer programs.
October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. According to a news release from Mosaic Life Care, Coffee For A Cure will be held Friday from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. at The Human Bean located at 4414 Commons Drive. All sales that day will be matched by a donation from the Mosaic Life Care Auxiliary to support local breast-cancer programs. This includes providing low income mammograms, education, and post diagnosis support for breast cancer patients here in our area.
Mosaic said, The Human Bean is committed to giving back to the communities it serves and to date has raised more than $1,000,000 through Coffee For A Cure nationwide.
New Madrid Seismic Zone – Quaternary Fault Localities. Earthquakes with magnitudes equal to or larger than 2.5 are shown by the yellow dots. Photo courtesy of USGS.
(Missourinet) – In 1811 and 1812, Missouri’s New Madrid Seismic Zone produced some of the largest earthquakes ever in the continental U.S. If a future quake is centered near the southeast Missouri fault, Jeff Briggs with the State Emergency Management Agency says the shaking will be felt for hundreds of miles in every direction.
“That’s because of the way the geology is here in the Midwest,” says Briggs. “Out west, it’s very mountainous. The rocks are broken up. So the shaking doesn’t travel as far. The energy gets dissipated. Here in this part of the country though, there’s a lot of loose, sandy soil, wet soil, riverbeds.”
More than 500,000 Missourians will participate Thursday morning in the annual “ShakeOut” earthquake drill by dropping to their hands and knees, taking shelter under a table or desk, covering their heads and holding on. In all, nearly 2.5 million people are registered in the 14 central U.S. states that could be impacted by a New Madrid Fault earthquake. The St. Joseph Police Department said the drill will take place at 10:19 a.m. for locations participating.
The “ShakeOut” earthquake drill kicked off in the central U.S. about 200 years after the deadly quakes of 1811 and 1812. Geologists say there’s a 7-10% chance of another major earthquake occurring in a 50 year period.
Unlike tornadoes and floods, there’s no way to predict when an earthquake will hit.
“Scientists have never figured out a way to predict when it’s going to happen, what time of year it’s going to happen or anything. It’s one of the real challenges of earthquake safety,” says Briggs.
He says a 3.6 magnitude earthquake that was widely felt in southeast Missouri on Sunday is a reminder why the drill is important.
“It was based just about 25-30 miles south of Kennett, right down there in the bootheel just barely into that northeastern tip of Arkansas. That was an example of the kind of earthquakes we get down there from time to time,” says Briggs.
The New Madrid Seismic Zone is not the only fault in Missouri. The Humboldt Fault Zone is in the northwest part of the state. It extends from northeastern Kansas to central Oklahoma and is along a buried geologic feature called the Nemaha Ridge. Sometime it is referred to as the Nemaha Fault Zone due to its proximity.
Those who want to participate in Thursday’s drill can sign up by going to shakeout.org/centralus
Northwest named Tree Campus. Photo courtesy Northwest
(News release) MARYVILLE, Mo. – Northwest Missouri State University has announced details for a bell ringing ceremony to remember a student who died on the campus earlier this month.
The University will host the bell ringing for David Nkenchor at 11 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 19, at the Bell of ’48. The ceremony is open to the public.
Nkenchor, 18, a freshman geology major from Maryland Heights, Missouri, was found dead Oct. 1 in his residence hall. The cause of his death remains under investigation, although no foul play is suspected.
The Bell of ’48, located near the front of the Administration Building, is rung in memory of any member of the University community and to announce other events deemed important by Student Senate and the administration.
Northwest reminds the campus community that counseling is available at Wellness Services from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, and by calling 660.562.1348. Individuals needing assistance outside of regular office hours 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 members of the Northwest community at 888.279.8188.
The Salvation Army in St. Joseph will open up application for Christmas assistance later this month.
