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The United Way of Greater St. Joseph officially kicked off its 2017 campaign Thursday with a goal of raising more than $3 million dollars.

Volunteers will be out until Nov. 2, trying to raise a total of $3,031,000. According to a news release, during the kickoff breakfast at the St. Joseph Country Club it was announced that several local companies have already completed workplace campaigns to raise funds. To date, those Pacesetter companies have pledged $919,594.15 which is 30 percent toward this year’s campaign goal. Funds raised are shared among the 17 United Way Partner Agencies, 7 Initiatives and other agency programs and services.

Donations to the 2017 United Way Campaign can be sent to United Way of Greater St. Joseph, PO Box 188, St. Joseph, MO 64502 or delivered to 118 South 5th Street. For more information about United Way of Greater St. Joseph or how to donate, contact United Way at (816) 364-2381 Monday through Friday or go to stjosephunitedway.org.

Fire crews are responding to a house fire in Wathena.

Around 10 a.m. Thursday firefighters were on the scene in the area of 4th and Benton. Flames could be seen coming from the windows of the home and a large cloud of smoke was overhead.

The St. Joseph Fire Department has also responded to assist.  Multiple fire trucks from different agencies could be seen in the area.

Shortly before noon the two story home was still burning.

A witness on scene said they do not believe anyone was home when the fire started.

(Post and KXCV staff) – Authorities are warning the public after fake $20 bills were found circulating in Maryville.

The Maryville Public Safety Department is asking businesses and patrons to check the money they receive.

“Over the weekend one of our retail convenience stores noticed that within the money they had, someone had taken a fake $20. It looked like a movie production bill. It was the perfect color and had a lot of the same markings but if you weren’t paying a lot of attention you might not know right off the bat,” said Ron Christian with MPS. “It appears we’ve had somebody in the community passing bills that were clearly meant to be used as props in a movie.”

MPS said other denominations may also be in circulation.

According to a post on Facebook, while the bill looks easily identifiable as a fake in the picture, it feels just like real money.

“When placed in a stack of other bills, the fake can easily be passed along,” MPS said.

Anyone who has received one of the bills is asked to contact the department at 660-562-3209.

Lafayette High School alumnus have rallied together for a new free food pantry to aid area children experiencing food insecurity.

A ribbon cutting was held Wednesday by the St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce and Northwest Health Services to celebrate the opening of the Little Free Pantry at Washington & Market.

According to a news release from Northwest Health Service, Lafayette High School Alumnae, Hannah Barker and Brittnie Morgan were inspired by other local food pantries and set out to make a difference in the North Side.

“As a Lafayette graduate, I have a great deal of pride for the North Side of town,” said Brittnie Morgan, co-founder of the project. “Hannah and I wanted to create a safe place where kids can come get food if they’re hungry.”

The pantry is situated between two schools in St. Joseph’s North Side to attract foot traffic of hungry children in low income neighborhoods.

Cameron Corbet, Marketing & Communications Manager at Northwest Health Services said he went to school with Barker and knew his employer was well-positioned to help in the cause.

“Our North End Health Center is just blocks away from the new pantry, and there is a definite need for better access to food resources all over St. Joseph,” Corbet said. “When Hannah called us, there was no question that we would support the pantry.”    

Barker said she hopes the event will raise awareness for food resources in St. Joseph.

“You don’t have to go to bed hungry tonight. There are people who care about you,” Barker said.

For more information on how to get involved like and follow The Little Free Pantry – Washington & Market on Facebook. Those would would like to donate non-perishable food items or toiletries, are advised to visit the pantry in person at 1821 N. 3rd Street in Saint Joseph,

(1:35 p.m. Update) – The driver of a motorcycle that crashed Wednesday morning on 22nd St. in St. Joseph has died.

The St. Joseph Police Department said a man was driving a motorcycle south on 22nd Street around 7:30 a.m. with a female passenger and as the motorcycle came over the hill, it went down on its side. The motorcycle then slid into a vehicle traveling north on 22nd Street.

Both the 40-year-old man and the 28-year-old woman on the motorcycle were taken to the hospital for treatment of what police described as serious injuries.  The man has since been pronounced deceased. No one in the vehicle was injured.

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(Update 10:54 a.m.) Two people were seriously injured in a motorcycle crash Wednesday morning on 22nd Street.

According to Capt. Jeff Wilson with the St. Joseph Police Department, around 7:30 a.m., a man was driving a motorcycle south on 22nd Street with a female passenger and as the motorcycle came over the hill, it went down on its side. The motorcycle then slid into a vehicle traveling north on 22nd Street.

“The investigators are still kind of recreating the scene and putting things together,” Wilson said. “Both the occupants of the motorcycle were transported with very serious injuries.”

No one in the vehicle was injured. Crash investigators are still working to determine the cause of the crash. 

According to a Nixle alert issued at 10:54 a.m., 22nd Street was open to normal traffic.

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A section of 22nd Street was closed Wednesday morning due to a traffic incident.

According to a Nixle alert from the St. Joseph Police Department at 7:47 a.m., motorists were urged to avoid the area of South 22nd and Belle Street due to a traffic incident. A vehicle crash near 2700 South 22nd Street closed South 22nd Street and will require a detour of traffic until further notice.

Refresh this post for updates as they become available.

Officers are stepping up enforcement efforts and asking the community for help in the attempt to curb an increase in shots fired around St. Joseph.

Police Chief Chris Connally with the St. Joseph Police Department said, so far this year, 681 shots fired calls have been reported. In 2016 there were 529. This year, around 90 bullets hit something such as a vehicle, house or person. That’s a 38.8 percent increase from 2016.

“We need to make sure we don’t have a casual attitude for firearms,” Connally said. “It’s not okay to practice shooting by shooting out of the window of a moving vehicle. That’s what firing ranges are for. It’s not acceptable to shoot guns off because someone is mad at their boyfriend or girlfriend when they go out there. It’s not okay for them to use that to intimidate or harass somebody.”

Connally said some of the shooting investigations are gang related and others are not. He said most of the shootings are between people who are known to each other.

“In nearly every case that we’ve run into the victims and suspects have previous involvement with each other,” Connally said. “Oftentimes we’re told by the victim that, ‘they do not know who the suspect is.’  Then we find out the names through some friend of theirs. We find out that the victim has told everybody else who the suspect is but the police.”

Connally said the police department will continue to pursue the cases regardless of cooperation from the victims.

“These are very difficult to prosecute. We know who most of the players are. Frequently they’ve had numerous contacts with law enforcement. Most of them we’ve arrested before,” Connally said. “If we cannot make the shooting case we will continue to pursue other criminal involvement that they’re involved in.”

Connally said, while shootings have been reported in different locations around St. Joseph, recently a lot of activity has been in the midtown area.

“We’re focusing on both locations where we’re seeing the behavior as well as individuals that we know that are involved in the behavior,” he said.

Police are asking for support from the community.

“We encourage members of our community to get involved in neighborhood groups,” Connally said. “For those who aren’t as comfortable coming forward there is Crime Stoppers. Please don’t hesitate to call the TIPS Hotline at 238-TIPS.”

 

(Update) – Police do not believe a shooting that sent two the hospital Tuesday morning was random.

Capt. Jeff Wilson with the St. Joseph Police Department said around 3:35 a.m. officers responded to the 3000 block of Cambridge Street in reference to a shooting. A 42-year-old man and a 36-year-old woman were transported by ambulance for treatment of what appeared to be multiple gunshot wounds. As of 12:30 p.m. Wilson said the woman is being treated at Mosaic and the man has been transferred to a Kansas City Hospital for further treatment.

“Detectives and CSI responded to the scene. Detectives are actively working leads at this time, Wilson said. “This is not a random shooting.”

Wilson said so far, no arrests have been made. Police are expected to hold a press conference around 2 p.m. regarding recent gun calls.
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(6 a.m.) – St. Joseph Police are investigating after officers responded to a report of shots fired and found two people injured.

According to Sgt. Brett Kelley, officers responded at 3:35 a.m. Tuesday to a report of shots fired in the 3000 block of Cambridge Street. Officers found one male and one female with apparent gunshot injuries. Both were transported to Mosaic Life Care with what appeared to be non-life threatening injuries.

Kelley said the incident is under investigation and there is no suspect information at this time.

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – The following is a listing of general highway maintenance and construction work in the Northwest Missouri region planned for the week of Sept. 4 – 10 from the Missouri Department of Transportation. In addition to the work listed below, there may be pothole patching, bridge maintenance, striping, brush cutting, guardrail repairs and other road work conducted throughout the region. Many of these will be moving operations and could include lane closures with delays. All scheduled maintenance and construction projects are subject to change.

MoDOT will halt temporary lanes closures throughout the state to accommodate an increase in traffic due to the Labor Day holiday. Most temporary lane closures will stop at noon on Friday, Sept. 1 and resume Tuesday morning, Sept. 5. Some long-term closures, ramp closures and head-to-head traffic may remain in place.

MoDOT reminds the public to stay alert, watch for road work, buckle up, slow down, and drive with extreme caution through work zones and in changing weather conditions.

Andrew County

Route H – CLOSED for a culvert replacement from County Road 27 to County Road 26 (Nodaway County), Sept. 5, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Atchison County

U.S. Route 136 – CLOSED at the Little Tarkio Creek for a bridge replacement project. The road will remain closed through December.

U.S. Route 59 – Pavement repair in Tarkio from U.S. Route 136 to Park Street, Sept. 5 – 8

Buchanan County

Route DD – CLOSED for a bridge replacement project at the bridge over Interstate 29 at Faucett. The bridge will remain closed through October.

Interstate 229 – Bridge maintenance northbound on the double-deck bridge, Sept. 5 – 8. This will include an overnight lane closure.

U.S. Route 169 – Shoulder work from the city limits of St. Joseph to the city limits of Gower, Sept. 5 – 8

U.S. Route 59 (St. Joseph Avenue) – Milling and pothole patching at Maxwell Road, Sept. 5 – 8

Routes 752 and 759 – Shoulder work, Sept. 5 – 8

U.S. Route 36 – Bridge and interchange project one mile east of Route AC, Sept. 4 – 9

Route 6 (Frederick Avenue) – A sidewalk improvement and resurfacing project between I-29 and Woodbine Road, Sept. 4 – 9

Caldwell County

Route 116 – Shoulder work from U.S. Route 69 (Clinton County) to Route A, Sept. 5 – 8

Carroll County

Route NN – Pothole patching, Sept. 5

Route HH – Pothole patching, Sept. 6

Chariton County

Route 11 – Pavement repair one and a half mile south of Route E at the railroad crossing, Sept. 5 – 8

Clinton County

Route 116 – Shoulder work from U.S. Route 69 to Route A (Caldwell County), Sept. 5 – 8

U.S. Route 69 – CLOSED for pavement repair from NE 280^th Street to NE 264^thStreet, Sept. 5, 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

U.S. Route 69 – CLOSED for pavement repair from NE 292^nd to NE 280^th, Aug. 30 – 31, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily.

Daviess County

U.S. Route 69 – Shoulder work from Route 6 to Route C, Aug. 28 – Sept. 5 – 8

DeKalb County

U.S. Route 36 – Resurfacing project westbound just east of Route 31, Sept. 5. Work will be conducted at night from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m.

Gentry County

U.S. Route 169 – Resurfacing project from Route 31 to Stanberry, Sept. 5 – 9

Route DD – CLOSED for a culvert replacement, Aug. 29, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Grundy County

Route E – Pothole patching, Sept. 5 – 8

Harrison County

Route H – CLOSED for a culvert replacement two miles east of Route 13, Sept. 5, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Holt County

I-29 – Bridge replacement project at the Davis Creek Bridge near Exit 84, Aug. 28 – Sept. 3. I-29 will be narrowed to one lane in each direction. This includes a 12-foot width restriction. The lane closures will remain in place overnight.

Route 118 – The ramp from Route 118 to southbound I-29 is CLOSED for the Davis Creek Bridge replacement project through mid-December.

Linn County

U.S. Route 36 – Pothole patching from the Macon County line to Route 11, Sept. 5 – 8

Route 130 – CLOSED for a culvert replacement from U.S. Route 36 to Husk Road, Sept. 6, 6:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Route 129 – CLOSED for a culvert replacement from Nolan Road to Hunt Road, Sept. 7, 6:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Nodaway County

Route H – CLOSED for a culvert replacement from County Road 27 (Andrew County) to County Road 26, Sept. 5, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Route VV – CLOSED for a sealing project, Sept. 5 – 6, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Route 148 – Pavement repair from U.S. Route 71 to Route CC, Sept. 7 – 8

Route H – CLOSED for a sealing project from Route V to Route A, Sept. 7, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Putnam County

Route W – Resurfacing from U.S. Route 136 to the Schuyler County line, Sept. 5 – 9

Route 149 – Resurfacing, Sept. 5 – 9

Sullivan County

Route 5 – Slide repair near the city limits of Browning, Aug. 28 – Sept. 1

Route 6 – Slide repair from the city limits of Milan to the city limits of Green City, Aug. 28 – Sept. 1

Worth County

Route 246 – CLOSED for a bridge replacement project at the Platte River Bridge. The bridge will be closed through September.

Route J – CLOSED for a culvert replacement from Golden Rod Trail to Glacier Avenue, Sept. 5, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Route B – CLOSED for a culvert replacement from Route W to 190^th Street, Sept. 6, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Route B – CLOSED for a culvert replacement from Echo Lane to 190^th Street, Sept. 7, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.

U.S. Route 169 – Culvert repair at the Middle Fork Bridge, Sept. 8