Before voting in the general election on November 8th, area residents can vote to help a gardening and cooking program in the St. Joseph School District.

Mosaic Life Care, along with the St. Joseph School District, was chosen as one of the finalists as part of the Neighborhood Assist Program through State Farm. Over 2,000 people applied for the opportunity for their cause to win $25,000. Mosaic Team Leader of Community Health Marcy George said their cause made it to the top 200. George said their cause is the school and community gardens and the cooking classes that go with them.

“Drew Bouge is our Youth Health Coordinator and he is our liaison with the school district,” George said. “We have school and community gardens currently at eight schools and Drew also teaches healthy cooking classes, called Kids in the Kitchen. We would really like to expand to two more community gardens and expand cooking classes to possibly as many as four or five schools. We were looking for some funding (and) it was just a great opportunity that this should come about because this was the kind of project they were interested in, it was community development and so I applied and now we’re in the voting phase.”

George said if they win, the funds will go toward garden equipment and more.

“The gardens require fencing, they require a tiller, there are hoses, that sort of thing, and the main cost for the cooking classes actually is the food,” George said. “We’re trying to teach kids how to eat healthier so we actually prepare the food in these cooking classes.”

George said she thinks their application for the program was chosen because it benefits the entire community.

“The produce that is grown in the gardens is accessible to anyone who lives around one of those gardens,” George said. “Residents nearby can come and take part in the harvest and take produce from it, it’s also sent home with the kids at the schools for their families. In some places where we have gardens, there is not ready access to fresh produce, there isn’t a grocery store nearby, so this actually makes produce available in areas where there might not be any. Given the problem of childhood obesity and that this is focused on eating healthier and also growing fresh produce, I think that maybe that appealed to the review board.”

The gardens are located at the Lake Contrary, Pickett, Lindbergh, Humboldt, Mark Twain, Edison, Parkway and the Amazonia Elementary Schools.

State Farm will fund the 40 causes with the most votes by the deadline.

Anyone can vote up to 10 times a day for the cause until November 4.

To vote, click here.

Police say a man was taken into custody after a crash and short foot chase early Wednesday morning.

According to Sgt. Wayne Byrom with the St. Joseph Police Department, around 1:25 a.m., a vehicle crashed in the area of 169 Highway and A Highway. The driver was uninjured and got out and fled on foot. The driver was found in a field nearby and taken into custody a short time later on an outstanding Andrew County warrant.

Police are investigating the cause of a crash that sent four people to the hospital with serious injuries Sunday night.

According to the St. Joseph Police Department, a two vehicle crash occurred around 11:30 p.m. in the 600 block of the North Belt. Four people were seriously injured and transported to the hospital.

The Belt Highway from approximately Faraon Street to Frederick Avenue was closed until 5:30 a.m. Monday.

Family and friends of Kaytlin Root gathered Wednesday night at Krug Park to remember the 17-year-old with a candlelight vigil.

Over 100 people attended to light candles and sent lighted paper lanterns into the sky over the park where Root’s body was found early Sunday morning.

“I want people not to think of this as not so much a sad moment because Kaytlin was so loving, so giving and this is a sad moment and I don’t want anybody to think she’s not worth it,” said Jamie Jaramillo, Kaytlin’s mother. “I loved my daughter more than words could ever express.  I’m angry that this happened.” 

The St. Joseph Police Department started investigating the case as a homicide Sunday after Kaytlin’s body was found by a runner off of the bike trails.

Police are still investigating her death. Currently, no one is in custody in connection with the case.

UPDATE (5:40 a.m.) All roads are back open.

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St. Joseph Police are asking residents to avoid the area of 9th and Angelique Thursday morning until a house fire is under control.

According to police, a call came in around 4:15 Thursday morning reporting a vacant house was on fire. The structure is fully engulfed and the fire department is working to keep it from spreading to nearby buildings. 

Ninth street from Sylvanie to Messanie is closed as well as 10th from Messanie to Sylvanie and Angelique from 8th to 10th. Road closures are in place until further notice.

 

St. Joseph Police are investigating after shots were fired in the 2500 block of Faraon Thursday night.

According to St. Joseph Police Sergeant Wayne Byrom, a vehicle was struck and no one was injured. The vehicle owner reported the incident around 10:30 p.m. Officers found shell casings at the scene.

Sergeant Byrom said the suspect in the other vehicle got away and there is no good description of the suspect at this time.

Police took a subject into custody early Tuesday morning after threats made last week toward area schools from a “clown” account.

As previously reported, the St. Joseph Police Department and the St. Joseph School District couldn’t establish any credibility to the threats made on social media but still took the situation seriously and increased security at certain schools on Friday.

According to Captain Jeff Wilson with the St. Joseph Police Department, a subject is currently in custody in reference to the social media clown events last week. No other details are being released at this time due to the extensive amount of investigation to be completed.

We will report updates when we learn more.