The Red Cross will help area residents take a small, but important safety measure by installing free smoke alarms throughout northwest Missouri.

The Sound the Alarm campaign is a national campaign of the American Red Cross. The goal in the northwest Missouri area is to install 300 alarms between April 27th and May 12th.

“It’s something that’s so simple and can save lives,” said Julie Pedrosa with the Northwest Missouri Chapter of the Red Cross.

Pedrosa said smoke alarms need to be replaced every 10 years.

“They do have an expiration date, a lot of people don’t know that. Generally, when the fire department or someone is installing your alarm, your alarm should have a date in there, to let you know how old it is, and if it’s older than 10 years, or it’s approaching that 10 year mark, you need to get the whole alarm replaced, not just the battery,” Pedrosa said. “Another clue is, if you don’t have a date or don’t really see it, if your smoke alarm looks yellow, it’s probably time to get it replaced.”

The Red Cross and its partners will install free smoke alarms for those who can’t afford to purchase smoke alarms or for anyone physically unable to install a smoke alarm. In northwest Missouri, volunteers will assist in installing free smoke alarms in homes on April 20 in Maryville and on April 27 in St. Joseph.

To set up an appointment, visit getasmokealarm.org or call the Red Cross at (816) 841-5204.

Pedrosa said they are also recruiting volunteers to help with installs. Click here for more information.

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – The following is a listing of general highway maintenance and construction work the Missouri Department of Transportation has planned in the Northwest Missouri region for the week of April 8 – 14.

Continued flooding may cause schedule changes in some of the planned work. There may also be moving operations throughout the region such as pothole patching, striping, signal work, etc., in addition to the work mentioned below:

Andrew County

Route O – CLOSED at the Platte River Bridge for a bridge replacement project. The bridge will be closed until the end of September, weather permitting.

Interstate 29 – Bridge maintenance at the Nodaway River Bridge, April 8 – 11

Business Route 71 – Resurfacing project from Main Street in Savannah to just south of Interstate 29, April 8 – 12. The contractor will begin at the northern end of the project and work south in approximately two-mile sections. One lane, each direction will remain open at all times. This project will continue, Monday through Friday, through mid-May. A 14-foot width restriction will be in place around the lane closures.

Atchison County

Route MM – CLOSED for a culvert replacement just south of Route 46, April 8 – 9, 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. daily.

U.S. Route 59 – Pothole patching, April 8 – 12

U.S. Route 136 – Pothole patching, April 8 – 12

Route B – CLOSED for pothole patching from I-29 to U.S. Route 275, April 8 – 12

Buchanan County

U.S. Route 36 – Joint repair between Route C/Z and Route 31 south, April 8 – 12. One lane each direction of U.S. Route 36 will remain open throughout the work. A 14-foot width restriction is in place.

Route 752 – Joint repair over I-229, April 8 – 12. One lane at a time will be closed throughout the work. A 17-foot width restriction is in place.

Route 371 – CLOSED for a culvert replacement from Barnett Road to Seymour Road, April 9, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

U.S. Route 59 – Pothole patching from Route 752 to U.S. Route 45, April 10 – 12

Caldwell County

Route Z – CLOSED for a culvert replacement from SW Texas Road to SW Ore Road, April 11 – 12, 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. daily.

Carroll County

U.S. Route 65 – Bridge maintenance at the Missouri River Overflow Bridge, April 8 – 12

Chariton County

U.S. Route 24 – Bridge maintenance at the Long Creek Bridge and Chariton River Bridge near Keytesville. The bridges will be narrowed to one lane with a 15-foot width restriction through May 31.

Route 129 – Culvert repair from Little Creek Road to Hickory Road, April 8 – 12

Clinton County

Route O – CLOSED for a culvert replacement from Shewey Road to SW Smith-Halferty Road, April 8, 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

U.S. Route 69 – CLOSED for bridge rehabilitation at the I-35 overpass, April 8 – 12. For information, click here.

DeKalb County

U.S. Route 169 – CLOSED at the Third Fork Platte River Bridge for a bridge replacement project. The contractor plans to have work completed by July, weather permitting. Motorists should follow detour signs along Routes 48 and M to navigate around the closure. For more information visit the project’s web page.

Gentry County

U.S. Route 136 – Pothole patching from the city limits of Stanberry to U.S. Route 169, April 8 – 12

U.S. Route 136 – Pothole patching from Route C to Route F, April 4 – 5

Grundy County

Route C – Bridge inspection at the Weldon Fork Creek, April 1 – 5

Harrison County

U.S. Route 136 – Pothole patching, April 1

I-35 – Pothole patching from U.S. Route 136 to Route C, April 8 – 12. A 14-foot width restriction is in place.

Holt County

Route A – Pothole patching from U.S. Route 71 (Nodaway County) to Route 113, April 1

Route A – Bridge maintenance at the Nodaway River Bridge, April 8 – 11

Linn County

Route 139 – CLOSED for a culvert replacement from Argo Road to Artic Road, April 8, 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

U.S. Route 36 – Pothole patching from the Macon County line to Route 139, April 8 – 10

U.S. Route 36 – Pavement repair from Route 129 to Route 5, April 8 – 10

U.S. Route 36 – Pavement repair from Route 5 to Route F, April 11 – 12

Mercer County

U.S. Route 136 – Pothole patching, April 8 – 12

Nodaway County

U.S. Route 136 – Bridge maintenance at the Mozingo Creek Bridge, April 8 and 10. This includes a 10-foot width restriction. A temporary traffic signal will be in place to direct motorists through the work zone.

Route B – CLOSED for pavement repair from U.S. Route 71 to Route AD, April 9, 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Route B – CLOSED for pavement repair and drainage work from Route AD to Galaxy Road, April 10, 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Route B – CLOSED for pavement repair and drainage work from 170^th Street to Imperial Road, April 11, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Route NN – CLOSED for bridge maintenance at the Platte River Bridge, April 11 – 12, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily.

Sullivan County

Route 139 – CLOSED at the Newtown Branch Bridge for a bridge replacement project. The contractor plans to have work completed mid-April, weather permitting. For more information, visit modot.org/route-139-newtown-branch-bridge.

Route PP – CLOSED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE at the East Medicine Creek Bridge after a regularly scheduled inspection revealed critical deterioration to the structure. The bridge is currently scheduled for replacement in fiscal year 2020. For more information, click here.

Route BB – CLOSED at the Rooks Branch Bridge for a bridge deck replacement project. The contractor plans to have work completed by mid-June.

Worth County

Route YY – CLOSED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE at the Middle Fork of the Grand River after a regularly scheduled inspection revealed critical deterioration to the structure. The bridge is currently scheduled for replacement in fiscal year 2021. For more information, click here.

Route 246 – Pothole patching, April 8 – 10

(Missourinet) – Governor Parson has requested the Federal Emergency Management Agency begin preliminary flood damage assessments for seven counties.

The counties include Andrew, Atchison, Buchanan, Holt, Mississippi, New Madrid, and Ray. Parson says the damage from the historic flooding has devastated some northwest and southeast Missouri communities. And even though the floods haven’t fully receded, the governor says it’s time to begin assessing.

Damages to homes, businesses and infrastructure will be used to seek a federal disaster declaration and federal assistance in those counties. Other counties are expected to be added.

FEMA damage assessments are done before ag disaster declarations are sought through the USDA.

On March 21, Parson declared a state of emergency in response to worsening conditions along the Missouri and Mississippi rivers as a result of excessive rainfall, releases from upstream reservoirs, and snow melt. On March 29, the Governor signed an executive order giving the Department of Natural Resources flexibility in easing regulations in support of flooding response and recovery.

By SARAH THOMACK
St. Joseph Post

American Red Cross is partnering with local disaster assistance organizations to offer information on resources for those impacted by recent flooding.

Buchanan County Emergency Management Coordinator Bill Brinton said the Multi-Agency Resource Center (MARC) is a location where state agencies and local agencies will come and meet with victims of a disaster.

“It’s a standard procedure following a disaster. They will tell them what different kinds of resources are available to help them get their lives back in order,” Brinton said. “They will check you in, and you will go from station to station to find out what type of help is available for you. They even have a place for children where they can play games and stuff. It’s kind of in a stress-free environment where people can find out what kind of help is out there for them.”

The Multi-Agency Resource Center (MARC) will be open at the following locations and dates from noon to 7 p.m. each day:

4/8/19 Atchison County, Velma Houts Building, 201 E. Hwy 136, Rock Port, MO

4/9/19 Buchanan County, The Keys Christian Church Gymnasium, 6001 S. 9th St., St. Joseph

4/10/19 Holt County, Mound City R2 Multipurpose Room, 708 Nebraska St., Mound City, MO

 

The Red Cross, along with representatives from government, nonprofit, and religiously-affiliated disaster relief organizations will be on hand at the MARC to assist those impacted.

Individuals and families applying for assistance are required to bring identification showing address and proof of residence to be eligible for assistance from some agencies.

Brinton said anyone who has been impacted by the flood should come to one of the Resource Center locations next week.

“We did damage assessment on 61 homes in Lewis and Clark Village and I think that the City of St. Joseph did damage assessment on approximately 10 houses, so there’s at least 71 different families who should be attending this.”

Brinton added he anticipates 59 Highway could possibly open on Monday but they are continuing to monitor conditions on a day-to-day basis.

By SARAH THOMACK
St. Joseph Post

Second Harvest Community Food Bank is implementing a change they hope will ultimately serve more food insecure families in the area.

Second Harvest plans to transition it’s Fresh Start program to holding a weekly Mega Mobile.

Second Harvest Communications Coordinator Blake Haynes said Fresh Start is on-site pantry for non-perishable goods as well as meat, dairy and more. Haynes compares the Mega Mobile, which was first held in December, to a fresh mobile pantry. They distributed fresh produce, lean proteins, milk and more to the general public.

Two other separate Mega Mobiles were held in February and March, providing over 21,000 pounds of fresh produce and more.

“Having this transition, we think, is going to better serve our members that utilize our services,” Haynes said. “It also opens it up to other members that may be on the income guideline, right there on that threshold, that aren’t able to utilize our services because they make, maybe, $50 more than what is allowed, so it opens this program up to them. It’s going to be able to allow us to reach more of those that are in need.”

Effective May 6th, Fresh Start will only be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

“This is going to lead into a weekly Mega Mobile that will take effect July 1st, so the Fresh Start program is going to be transitioning into a weekly mobile there on site at Second Harvest, at 915 Douglas. We’re reaching those that we’re not currently reaching through the Fresh Start pantry,” Haynes said. “Another thing is… it addresses some weather, health and safety concerns. Now with the Mega Mobile, you’re in your car, you’re not out in the elements, you’re driving right up getting your product.”

Haynes said, moving forward, with the Mega Mobile being open to the general public, it will eliminate the need for a pantry card to utilize those services. To obtain a pantry card, members have to apply on-site and have access to their personal identification documents, which not all can provide.

Dates and times for each Mega Mobile will be sent out through Second Harvest’s text message notification system, TextCaster. To register for TextCaster, contact Second Harvest at (816) 364-3663.

Eleven people were transported to the hospital after a crash Thursday afternoon in St. Joseph.

According to Sgt. Chris McBane with the St. Joseph Police Department, shortly before 2 p.m., a Chevrolet Tahoe turned in front of a 15 passenger van at King Hill Ave. and Alabama St. and was hit by the van. McBane said 13 people were in the van and 11 were transported to Mosaic Life Care with minor injuries.

No injuries were reported for the driver of the Tahoe, who was issued a traffic summons for failure to yield.