Two people were killed in a crash in Andrew County Tuesday night.

According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, 62-year-old George E. Walker of Wheatland was driving a 1998 Peterbilt north on I-29 about 13 miles north of St. Joseph around 10:30 p.m. Tuesday. The semi traveled off the west side of the road, down an embankment, hit a creek bank and came to rest on its wheels.

Walker and a passenger, 68-year-old Rose E. Walker, also of Wheatland, were pronounced deceased at the scene at 7:15 a.m. Wednesday.

According to the crash report, neither was wearing a seatbelt.

Nominations are being accepted for awards to be given at the Women of Excellence Luncheon in June.

YWCA St. Joseph Executive Director Jean Brown said the annual Women of Excellence Awards Luncheon is a successful event due to quality nominations that come from the community.

“In all of (the) awards, we are looking for women or an employer who have made a difference where they are working or volunteering… but not only that, that they have helped to bring other women along with them in that path of excellence,” Brown said.

The categories are Woman in the Workplace, Woman in Volunteerism, Woman in Support Services, Emerging Leader (under age 40) and Employer of Excellence. Nominations are also made by high school counselors for the Future Leader award for a high school senior.

Brown said the luncheon is put on each year to recognize and celebrate the many women who make a difference in the community.

“Over the past 16 years, we’ve had the opportunity to recognize and celebrate over 700 women and I think that is just significant in our community that we lift those women up and bring to public attention all the things they are doing in their workplace or in their place of volunteer service.”

Nominations will be accepted until March 16.

The 17th Annual Women of Excellence Awards Luncheon will be held 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on June 21st at the Civic Arena in St. Joseph.

For more information and nomination forms, click here.

The St. Joseph School District is canceling school Wednesday due to weather conditions and sickness in the district.

According to the district, activities and practices may continue as scheduled – families will receive further communication from activity sponsors.

For a list of closings and postponements in the area, click here.

The St. Joseph School District plans to dismiss two hours early Tuesday.

According to a press release from the district, the early dismissal time is due to anticipated winter weather conditions.

For more closings, click here.

Polls are open for Tuesday’s St. Joseph Municipal Primary Election.

The ballot includes five candidates for St. Joseph mayor, ten candidates for three at-large council seats, and three candidates each for city council in district one and district five.

Polls are open until 7 p.m. 

For more information, click here or call the Buchanan County Clerk’s office at (816) 271-1412.

Charges have been filed after a stabbing over the weekend that injured a man and resulted in the death of a woman.

As previously reported, according to the St. Joseph Police Department, at 1:16 a.m. Saturday at Legends Bar at 210 North Belt, two employees were stabbed by a customer at the bar.

According to a probable cause statement, 26-year-old Eliseo Hernandez-Sebastian started a disturbance at the bar and when asked to leave, he stabbed an employee, 48-year-old James B. Cleveland. Another employee, 38-year-old Terra M. Reents, also attempted to get Sebastian to leave the property. Sebastian stabbed Reents and he then fled the area on foot. Sebastian was located later Saturday morning and taken into custody.

Cleveland and Reents were transported to Mosaic Life Care for treatment. Police say Reents later died from her injuries.

According to online court documents, Sebastian is charged with first degree assault and second degree murder. An arraignment is scheduled for Tuesday.