Tractors will be cruising through Platte and Buchanan counties later this month.

The Missouri Farm Bureau Federation is holding its 2016 Keep Missouri Farming Tractor Cruise on July 16th. Vernon Hart with the Missouri Farm Bureau Federation said the tractor cruise raises funds for a variety of causes.

“This is our third annual tractor cruise. The money goes to educational purposes for our youth. We’ve got collegiate farm bureaus,” Hart said. “We use this money for scholarships and help train these collegiate people to be Ag leaders.”

The 38.5 mile cruise goes through Buchanan and Platte counties, starting and ending in Dearborn.  Greg Gaines, Northwest Regional Coordinator with the Missouri Farm Bureau said the tractor cruise is quite popular.

“Up here in northwest Missouri we’ve had golf tournaments. We’ve had trap shoots and different things. Seems like we’ve had more interest and participation in this antique tractor cruise than we have anything else. We’re trying to keep building on that,” Gaines said.

Hart said there are reasons the tractor cruise is successful.

“I personally think it’s just because everybody likes to restore old tractors. There’s something about tractors. Everybody, even if they don’t farm they like to remember the history of growing up with a certain model,” Hart said.

Gaines said there are places along the route the public can meet and greet the drivers as well as get a close up of the antique tractors.

“The best thing to do would be to be there in the morning at the start or at the lunch, the ice cream break in Faucett or when we finish up that afternoon,” Gaines said.

Pre-registration for the event runs through July 8. For more information click here.

Local fireworks sales are on the upswing ahead of the Fourth of July weekend.

P.J. Kovac the owner of PJ’s Fireworks said people are in a buying mood this year.

“Just because it’s a four day weekend people are going to shoot more than normal,” he said. “If it was in the middle of the week, people almost would come in the night of the third and fourth then they gotta go to work early the next day, so it kinda knocks it down a bit. We’re looking forward to a really good year. They way it’s starting, it’s looking like it’s going to be.”

Sydni Hook with Kovac’s Firework said she is seeing a variety of buying trends.

“We have a lot of people come in for the cakes, the night-works. Then you have the people who always love the artillery,’ Hook said. “We have a lot of families that come in, so they’re trying to get stuff for the kids plus stuff for the night shows.”

Karen Brown with Fireworks World said fireworks are fun, but being safe is the most important part.

“Fireworks can be a very wholesome, fun family memory as long as safety directions and common sense are employed, ” Brown said. “It doesn’t mean you can’t have a beer while you’re shooting stuff off, but it means watch your kids. Help your kids enjoy them and teach them safe boundaries. Don’t drink the case of beer and try to shoot stuff off,” Brown said.

One area expert is recommending taking a vacation as a vital part to a professional’s well-being.

Rebecca Lobina with the Northwest Missouri State University Small Business and Technology Developmental Center said if you can take time off, do it to give yourself a break.

“Your mental health will thank you for it. In the long run so will your boss at work, because it will make you more productive and mentally more clear. You’ll make better decisions and you’ll be more focused, ” Lobina said.

Lobina said there a number of reasons people do not go on vacation.

“Employees want to show greater dedication. Another one is a common fear that there will be a mountain of work whenever we return. There is the fear of being seen as replaceable, ” Lobina said. “The opposite of that is the belief you cannot be replaced. Some cannot afford to take a vacation.”

Lobina said vacations do not have to be grand to be effective.

“A vacation doesn’t mean you have to go to the Bahamas. Even if you take a vacation at home, take a day off to truly relax. Let go as if you were in the Bahamas. Don’t do housework. Don’t do stuff like that,” Lobina said. “Just let yourself truly relax for a few days. It will help a ton in your mental clarity.”

Lobina said there are best practices employers need to keep in mind with regard to vacations.

“It’s very important that you have a vacation policy. That your employees have to ask you however long in advance you need for your scheduling. Whether that’s a week or two weeks, whatever, ” said Lobina. “You don’t want to leave your customers hanging because you’ve scheduled too many people off.”

The American Angus Association is celebrating its 60th anniversary in St. Joseph.

Allen Moczygemba, CEO of American Angus Association, said the association is holding an open house on Wednesday, June 29.

“We’ll be open from 8-4:30 p.m. People are welcome to come by and take a tour,” Moczygemba said.

Moczygemba said the association itself has existed for more than a century.

“We’re 133 years old as an association. We moved here from Chicago in 1956,” Moczygemba said.

Moczygemba said the relationship between the association and St. Joseph is a solid one.

“We’re proud to be here. It’s important to us to be a good corporate neighbor. We’ve made a big commitment to this community over the years. That’s not going to change. There’s a lot of history in our building. A lot of great events have occurred over the years here in St. Joseph. In my opinion, the American Angus Association is synonymous with St. Joseph, Missouri. I don’t see us leaving anytime in the foreseeable future,” Moczygemba said.

Moczygemba said the purpose of the American Angus Association is specific.

“The mission of the association first and foremost is to serve our members by promoting the angus breed of cattle. As a whole the American Angus Association is for the United States and it’s with black angus cattle only. There are red angus cattle, but they have their own association which is located in Denton, Texas,” Moczygemba said.

Moczygemba said many market shaping decisions have been made at the building there on Frederick Avenue.

“Whether that be the move into genetic testing of our cattle which has become very commonplace nowadays or the launch of our own brand in 1978, certified angus beef, the board of directors have voted on a number of important decisions over the years,” Moczygemba said.

For more information click here.

Cooling centers in St. Joseph are now open for those looking to beat the heat.

Connie Werner with the St. Joseph Health Department said there are certain places that are designated cooling centers.

“That means these places have said ‘ We don’t care if you come in to use our facility or just to stay cold. We’re okay with that’,” Werner said.

There are several cooling centers in St. Joseph that offer relief.

“There are three designated cooling centers that I am aware of: Bartlett Center, the downtown library and the the East Hills Library on the Belt Highway,” Werner said.

Mosaic Life Care reported Friday afternoon that unconfirmed numbers show five people made it through its emergency room for treatment of heat related illnesses. Werner said during extreme heat conditions there are those who tend to be more vulnerable.

“Who we’re concerned about are those that are considered ‘high-risk’. Those would be the very young children, the elderly persons, those persons without homes or those with homes without reliable cooling apparatuses or ways to make their house cold,” Werner said. ” We have concerns about those who have to work outside in the heat.”

Werner said there are warning signs to look for when it comes to overheating.

“If you start having heat cramps, that’s your body’s first indication that something is off, out of rhythm with your normal body. That can then progress to heat exhaustion. Heat exhaustion is a strong warning symbol of your body saying ‘please do something’, ” Werner said. ” If that is not fixed, you can progress to heatstroke. Heatstroke is considered a medical emergency. That is cause for 911.”

For a list of cooling centers click here.