The AFL-CIO Community Services Agency is starting to collect shoes for the Soles for Christ program.

The program provides area students in need from preschool through 12th grade with a new pair of shoes for school. AFL-CIO Executive Director Penny Adams said they serve students in Andrew and Buchanan Counties in Missouri and Doniphan County in Kansas.

“The idea is to build a child’s self-esteem and enthusiasm for the coming school year,” Adams said. “I know school just got out, but we get around and start this program about now and the distribution will be in August.”

Adams said the goal this year is to collect 1,500 pairs of new tennis shoes.

Donations can be dropped at the agency at 1203 North 6th Street by August 1st. The shoe distribution will be held from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, August 6, and from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday, August 7.

For more information about donating contact the AFL-CIO at (816) 364-1131.

 

It may not officially be summer yet, but some record-breaking heat this spring is making it feel as if it is.

June 18th through the 24th is promoted as Summer Weather Safety Week by the National Weather Service, the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services and the Department of Public Safety. The week is set aside to highlight the risks and dangers associated with excessive heat. According to the National Weather Service, cities reaching all-time high average temperatures for the month of May included St. Joseph, Kansas City, Columbia, Springfield, St. Louis and West Plains.

St. Joseph Emergency Management Director Jada McClintick said an important thing to do, especially during the summer, is to stay hydrated.

“That doesn’t mean, coffee, tea, carbonated drinks, caffeine… none of that stuff. Stick with water, that’s probably the number one thing is to stay hydrated,” McClintick said. “Try and stay out of the sun during those hottest part of the days, 2 to 5… just limit your sun exposure and try and at least get in the shade if not into some air conditioning.”

McClintick said to watch out for each other during severe heat periods.

“Your neighbors, your co-workers, people you go to church with, if you know somebody who doesn’t have air conditioning or you see they are sitting on their porch (during) the hottest part of the day, invite them to come over, get in the air conditioning,” McClintick said. “The very young and the older community members, those are the highest risk, so just watch out for each other, take care of one another.”

According to Department of Public Safety Director Drew Juden, reminds everyone to never leave a child or a pet alone in a car in the summer heat because the temperature can rise by 20 degrees in 10 minutes and 30 degrees in 20 minutes.

Find the nearest public cooling centers by visiting mo.gov.

Charges have been filed after a shooting Tuesday morning that resulted in the death of a 2-year-old.

As previously reported, the shooting victim has been identified as 2-year-old London Simmons.

According to charging documents, Alexzander Scott Green was charged with first degree endangering the welfare of a child, a felony, and delivery of a controlled substance.

According to Detective Doug Loehner, police responded to a call in reference to a shooting at 1909 South 12th Street. When officers arrived, they saw Green holding Simmons who appeared to be unconscious and had a gunshot wound to the chest. Simmons was pronounced deceased after arrival at Mosaic Life Care.

According to charging documents, three other children were also at the residence, ranging in age from two to six. According to witness statements, Green was asleep and left his loaded firearm unattended. Officers also found four large bags of marijuana in the residence, along with scales and baggies and over $3,700.

Green is being held on $75,000 bond. An arraignment is scheduled for Friday.

(Update 9:52 a.m. Wednesday) – According to the St. Joseph Police Department, the child taken to the hospital with a gunshot wound Tuesday morning has died.

The victim has been identified as 2-year-old London Simmons.

A shooting was reported at 10:17 a.m. Tuesday in the 1900 block of South 12th Street.

The incident is still under investigation.

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Police are investigating a shooting Tuesday morning after a child was seriously injured.

According to Capt. Jeff Wilson with the St. Joseph Police Department, a shooting was reported at 10:17 a.m. Tuesday in the 1900 block of South 12th Street. Wilson said when officers arrived, they found a young child with an apparent gunshot wound. The child was immediately transported to Mosaic Life Care for treatment of what were described as serious injuries.

No further details are available at this time.

A late donation to the 14th annual K-JO 105.5 Radio-a-thon helped set a fundraising record.

The 12-hour event on Friday at Sav-On Furniture Mart raised $22,904 for Camp Quality of northwest Missouri. According to KKJO Morning Personality Gregg Lynn who hosts the Radio-a-thon each year, a local business owner contacted him Wednesday to ask how much was raised and what the goal was. Lynn said the goal was $25,000 so the business owner wrote a check for $2,100.

“We are constantly amazed at the generosity of the community here in St. Joseph,” Lynn said. “This money will all stay local to support Camp Quality of northwest Missouri… and will make a huge impact in the lives of these kids.”

Camp Quality is a week-long summer camp for kids who have cancer. It offers a summer camp experience and yearly support for the kids and their families. Each camper is matched with at least one companion for the week who takes care of the camper and makes sure they have everything they need for a great camp experience.

For more information, or to donate, go to kjocares.com.

New art pieces are being installed this week in downtown St. Joseph for the 2018 Sculpture Walk.

St. Joseph Allied Arts Council Executive Director Teresa Fankhauser said the sculptures chosen this year were created by artists from California, Washington D.C., New Jersey, Minnesota, Missouri and more.

“This year, we have 15 sculptures, which is a couple less than we had last year, but we only bring in based on what money we have raised to support this, because this is (an) all donor and sponsor based program,” Fankhauser said. “But the 15 we brought in are stellar and some of the biggest pieces that we’ve ever had, so it’s really exciting to see these great big pieces.”

Tyler Kimball is the owner of Monarch Glass Studio in Kansas City. Kimball’s piece, “Glass Towers,” was installed Wednesday afternoon at 9th Street and Francis Street.

“They are based on architecture where these pillars are normally the entryways… (they) kind of exist to prop something up and invite people in with sort of a grander feeling so it’s really nice that these are located here at kind of the entrance of St. Joe’s downtown,” Kimball said. “These were made sort of early on in my studio in Kansas City so it’s kind of the entryway of the process of my studio being built and what can be done with glass installation.”

Kimball said the installation, which includes green and blue glass tube cane, also uses solar panels and light sensors.

“They will come on once dusk hits, so during the day, the natural light of the sun, illuminates these beautiful colors that the glass holds and then, during the night, they illuminate from within,” Kimball said.

The Sculpture Walk begins at 6:15 p.m. on Friday at 8th and Felix Streets.

Brochures are available at various businesses downtown and include a map of where the sculptures are located and a ballot to vote for the People’s Choice Award winner. The sculptures remain in place for a year and voting for the People’s Choice Award closes January 31, 2019.