Three people went to the hospital after a large explosion and fire rocked a north side neighborhood on the fourth of July. Capt. Jeff Wilson of the St. Joseph Police Department said the injuries were not life threatening.

The house, at Prospect Ave and West Poulin St., was destroyed by the blast at around 9:30 am Tuesday.

As shown in the video above, a series of smaller explosions kept passersby from reaching one woman who was screaming for help, having crawled halfway out of the wreckage. Eventually she was pulled to safety.

Another man was helped out of the house, and then staggered to the other side of the street and fell onto the ground. We spoke at length with him to determine if he was okay. He said he didn’t need any help and refused to answer any questions. The owner of the house was seen talking with a neighbor shortly after the blast.

“There’s three victims at this time, said Capt. Jeff Wilson of the St. Joseph Police Department. “There’s two adult males and one adult female. They’re all at the hospital being treated, but I’ve been told they’re non-life-threatening injuries that they’re being treated for.”

“I know that initial information came out that there’s a possibility of a young child inside the residence at that time,” he said. “Investigators have looked into that, and have confirmed that that child was safely at another residence.”

Wilson says there is a wide debris field, so the continuing investigation may take a significant amount of time.

“What you’ll see happening now is a joint investigation between the St. Joseph Police Department, Fire Department, and ATF,” Wilson said. “You’ll see them go through the debris field and look for evidence as to what may have caused this explosion.”

The Northland DWI Task Force, which includes the Platte County Sheriff’s Office, is continuing to take part in a nationwide Fourth (4th) of July Holiday “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” substance-impaired driving crackdown.

The crackdown started June 30th and runs through Independence Day. It includes high-visibility and high-saturation enforcement throughout Platte and Clay counties.

The agencies of the Northland DWI Task Force have joined together and their officers and deputies will be aggressively looking for substance-impaired drivers during the crackdown and will arrest anyone caught driving impaired.

New statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) indicate drugged driving has now surpassed drunk driving in fatal crashes. NHTSA’s research shows in 2015, drugs were present in 43% of the fatally-injured drivers more frequently than alcohol was present.

“Every year, about one-third of all motor vehicle traffic deaths involve one or more substance-impaired drivers or motorcycle operators,” said Platte County Mark Owen. “In 2016, 233 people were killed and 700 seriously injured on Missouri’s roadways in crashes that involved at least one substance-impaired driver.” That works out to approximately one substance-impaired driver involved fatality every 1-3/4 days. Sheriff Owen added that the Fourth (4th) of July Holiday is particularly dangerous. During the Fourth (4th) of July Holiday July 1-4, 2016, two (2) people were killed and ten (10) were seriously injured involving at least one substance-impaired driver.

“Research has shown that high-visibility enforcement like the ‘Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over’ campaign reduces substance-impaired driving fatalities by as much as 20 percent. By joining this nationwide effort, we will make the Northland roadways safer for everyone throughout the holiday,” said Chief Thomas Carey, Kearney Police Department.

“We want to remind everyone that getting behind the wheel impaired is a terrible idea. Unfortunately, not only does being under the influence impair your ability to operate a vehicle safely, it also impairs your judgment and good sense about whether you can, or should drive. If you have any doubt about your sobriety, do not get behind the wheel. If you do chose to drive impaired, you will be arrested. No warnings. No excuses.” Excelsior Springs Police Chief Clinton D. Reno said.

Smithville Police Chief Jason Lockridge noted that being arrested for driving under the influence of any substance brings a wide range of negative consequences into one’s life. Substance-impaired drivers face jail time, loss of their driver’s license, and steep financial consequences such as higher insurance rates, attorney fees, court costs, lost time at work, and the potential loss of their job. When family, friends, and co-workers find out, violators also often face tremendous personal embarrassment.

“Driving while impaired is simply not worth the risk. So don’t take the chance. Remember, we will be out in force and we will be watching, so ‘Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over.'” said Chief Chris Skinrood, Riverside Police Department.

Here’s a list of some 4th of July events and fireworks displays taking place around the area:

St. Joseph, Mo. – The City says to park at either the Remington Nature Center parking lot or the Heritage Park parking lot for a fireworks show after dark.

There will also be fireworks after the Mustangs games Monday and Tuesday night at Phil Welch Stadium.

Cameron, Mo. – Fireworks will begin at approximately 10 p.m. at Cameron Veterans Memorial Golf Course Clubhouse. A full list of the day’s events can be found online.

Maryville, Mo. – A Human Foosball Tournament will take place from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Mozingo Lake Recreation Park with fireworks following at dusk. For more information, click here.

Highland, Kansas – A parade begins at 10 a.m. with the route starting at the high school and continuing west on Main Street. Other events will be going on throughout the afternoon including music and an ice cream social with fireworks beginning at dusk at the HCC Football Stadium.

Robinson, Kansas – The day will begin with a pancake feed from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. hosted by the Robinson Fire Department. A parade begins at approximately 3:30 p.m., an ice cream social at 5:30 p.m. and fireworks at dark. For more, click here. 

Troy, Kansas – According to the schedule posted in the Kansas Chief, Troy will host fireworks at the fairground at 9 p.m.

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 July 3 – 9 from the Missouri Department of Transportation.  Most routine work zones will stop at noon Monday, July 3 and resume at 7 a.m. Wednesday, July 5 for the Independence Day holiday, but some closures may remain in place. 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.

 

Atchison County

• Interstate 29 – Pothole patching, July 5 – 6
• Route B – Pothole patching, July 7

Buchanan County

• U.S. Route 36 – Milling and pothole patching, July 3 – 6
• U.S. Route 36 – One mile east of Route AC for a bridge project, July 3 – 8
• Route 6 – From I-29 to Woodbine Road for a sidewalk improvement and resurfacing project, July 3 – 8
• Route H – At the Platte River Bridges for maintenance, July 5
• Route 371 – From Route CC to Route 752 for pavement repair, July 5 – 7. One lane will remain closed overnight. A temporary traffic signal has been installed to direct traffic through the work zone.

Carroll County

• Route J – CLOSED three-quarters of a mile east of Route 139 for culvert repair, July 1 – 5. The route will be closed overnight until the repairs are completed.
• Route 139 – At the Hurricane Creek Bridge for maintenance, July 3 – 5
• Route E – From Route PP to Route D for drainage work, July 3 – 5
• Route D – From U.S. Route 36 (Livingston County) to Route C for pothole patching, July 5 – 7
• U.S. Route 24 – At the U.S. Route 65 Overpass for maintenance, July 6

Chariton County

• U.S. Route 24 – From Route 5 to the Randolph County line for guardrail installation, July 5 – 6

Clinton County

• Route H – From Route 33 to Route A for pothole patching, July 7 – 9

Daviess County

• Route D – From Route J to Route CC for pothole patching, July 5 – 7
• U.S. Route 69 – From Pence Road (DeKalb County) to I-35 for a resurfacing project, July 5 – 8. Includes a 10-foot width restriction.

DeKalb County

• U.S. Route 69 – From Pence Road to I-35 (Daviess County) for a resurfacing project, July 5 – 8. Includes a 10-foot width restriction.
• Route H – CLOSED from Route E to Crabill Road for a resurfacing project, June 29 – 30, 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily
• Route 6 – One-half mile west of Route 33 for culvert repair, July 6 – 7

Gentry County

• Route DD – CLOSED from Route C to the end of state maintenance for a culvert replacement, July 3, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Route A – CLOSED from Route Z to 450^th Street for a culvert replacement, July 5, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Route P – One-half mile east of Route EE for culvert repair, July 6

Harrison County

• U.S. Route 69 – In the city limits of Bethany for drainage work, July 5
• Route N – At the I-35 Overpass Bridge for maintenance, July 5 – 7
• U.S. Route 136 – Four miles east of Bethany for drainage work, July 6

Holt County

• U.S. Route 59 – From the city limits of Oregon to the city limits of Mound City for shoulder work, July 3 – 7

Linn County

• U.S. Route 36 – From Route F to Route 5 for shoulder work, July 5 – 6
• U.S. Route 36 – From Route 139 to U.S. Route 65 (Livingston County) for pavement repair, July 5 – 6

Livingston County

• U.S. Route 36 – From Route 139 (Linn County) to U.S. Route 65 for pavement repair, July 5 – 6
• Route D – From U.S. Route 36 to Route C (Carroll County) for pothole patching, July 5 – 7

Mercer County

• Route E – At the West Medicine Creek Bridge for maintenance, July 5
• U.S. Route 136 – At the Grand River Overflow Bridge for maintenance, July 7

Nodaway County

• Route 46 – CLOSED from Main Street to Vine Street for pavement repair, July 6, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Putnam County

• U.S. Route 136 and Route 5 – Shoulder and drainage work, July 5 – 6

Sullivan County

• Route 139 – One mile south of Newtown for drainage work, July 5 – 7
• Route C – From Route 5 to Route 129 for a resurfacing project, July 5 – 7. Includes a 10-foot restriction.

Worth County

• Route 246 – CLOSED at the Platte River Bridge for a bridge replacement project. The bridge will be closed through September.
• Route Z – From Route 46 to Route W for drainage work, July 5 – 7

Celebrating the Fourth of July holiday with the traditional fireworks displays can often cause stress to some pets and their owners. 

St. Joseph Animal Shelter Humane Educator Jenna Keyes said they encourage pet owners to watch their pet carefully over the Fourth of July. 

“If they’re nervous, it’s very easy for them to either hide under a bed, be scared, or sometimes they’ll actually dart away and try to run away from the noise and oftentimes we see a lot of pets running away from the home because they’re scared of fireworks,” Keyes said. “Or sometimes they like the fireworks and will try to run up and bite at them or chase them so it’s very important that you have an eye on your pet at all times and you are active in keeping them in a safe environment.” 

Keyes said to keep in mind that every pet reacts differently to stressful situations.

“Keeping them in a kennel or maybe in a room with a door closed to keep them quiet and comfortable during times of stress is often something that’s encouraged,” Keyes said. “Other animals may do the opposite, they don’t want to be left alone, they want to be right there with you, so a little bit of that comes with knowing your pet.”

Keyes recommends talking to your veterinarian for advice and suggestions on what to do to keep your pet calm if they are easily stressed by loud noises. 

In preparation for the Fourth of July holiday, Keyes said it’s a good time to get your pet microchipped if you haven’t already done so.

The St. Joseph Animal Shelter will be open from 1 to 5:30 p.m. on Monday and closed Tuesday for the Fourth of July.

(News release) – A new master’s degree option at Missouri Western State University will prepare graduates for K-12 cross-categorical special education licensure from the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. This new Master of Applied Science in Assessment option will be available beginning this fall.

“The need for effective educators who know how to teach students with mild or moderate disabilities becomes more critical every year,” said Dr. Dan Shepherd, chair of Missouri Western’s Department of Education. “Severe shortages of qualified special education teachers continue to persist locally, regionally, statewide and nationally, and this new option specifically designed to prepare graduates for state licensure will help address that shortage.”

The K-12 cross-categorical special education option replaces the option in Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), which is being phased out.

“Because the State of Missouri does not offer a teaching certificate specific to the area of autism spectrum disorders, our ASD program did not qualify our graduates for any additional state licensure,” said Dr. Susan M. Bashinski, associate professor of special education and director of graduate programs in education. “This new option will prepare teachers for cross-categorical special education certification and teach them skills to appropriately serve a broader spectrum of learners who experience a variety of learning challenges in diverse, inclusive classrooms.”

Like all of Missouri Western’s graduate programs in education, the new option will be offered entirely online, providing maximum flexibility for those who are working full-time, Dr. Bashinski said. The program incorporates synchronous video sessions in each course, designed to foster a meaningful online community, as well as a significant amount of practical hands-on experience. Content presented in the program’s coursework can be immediately applied in classrooms, with a strong foundation in current research and practice. Discounted tuition is available to cohort groups who enroll.

The deadline to apply for fall 2017 admission is July 15. For additional information, visit the program’s webpage, https://www.missouriwestern.edu/cross-cat-sped.

Buttons for the 2017 Trails West! “A Total Eclipse of the Arts” are now on sale.

The festival will take place August 18-21, Civic Center Park in historic downtown St. Joseph, Mo. Gates are staying open an extra day this year due to the Total Solar Eclipse.

This year’s line-up includes: Here Come the Mummies, Friday night; country music stars Clare Dunn and Trace Adkins Saturday; and Sunday’s entertainment includes the Grand Funk Railroad.  Monday, the Allied Arts Council said the musical venue will include songs associated with the eclipse.  CLICK HERE for the full schedule.

Buttons (tickets) can be purchased from now through August 15. They are $10 in advance and $15 at the gate. All festival guests under the age of 10 are free while accompanied by an adult. Buttons will grant admission to all four days of the festival.

Button Locations (St. Joseph, Mo.):
Allied Arts Council
Bank Midwest
Beauty First
Citizen’s Bank & Trust
City of St. Joseph, City Hall
Commerce Bank
CVS – N. Belt, S. Belt
East Hills Shopping Center
Farmer’s State Bank
Fast Gas
Goetz Credit Union
Hy-Vee
Mitchell Park Plaza
Mosaic Life Care of St. Joseph, MO
NASB
Niche of Time
Nodaway Valley Bank
Pony Express Community Bank
Price Chopper
Security Bank of KC
Speedy’s (all locations)
St. Joe Teacher’s Credit Union
St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce
St. Joseph Public Library
St. Joseph Visitors Bureau
Suddenlink
UMB Bank
Vertek
Walgreens (N. Belt, S. Belt, Frederick)

A monthly program the St. Joseph Public Library recently started up again will feature local history this weekend about the upcoming solar eclipse. 

“History Speaks” started in May. 

Local History Librarian Jennifer Sanders-Tutt said the library used to put on a similar program called “Local History Stage” at the senior center. Now that they have a programming room at the Downtown Library, Sanders-Tutt said they decided to revamp the program. 

“It’s the same great programming that we brought people with Local History Stage but I’m trying to delve further into St. Joseph’s history… and find things that maybe not many people have heard about,” Sanders-Tutt said. “I think there is a lot of interest in local history, especially right now, and maybe people don’t know how to get involved or may be kind of hesitant because they think it’s going to be kind of boring, but what the St. Joseph Public Library is trying to offer is an interesting, involving and fascinating view of local St. Joseph history.”

This weekend, the speaker will be Suzanne Lehr. 

“She is a renowned local historian and she’s published many items and she’s very active with Mount Mora Cemetery,” Sanders-Tutt said. “She will be talking about the eclipse and some of the people that were involved in kind of, celestial history, that there were astronomers here in St. Joe that were world-renowned. She’s just going to be covering the eclipse and the history leading up to it.”

The next History Speaks program will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, July 1, at the Downtown Library location, coinciding with First Saturdays. 

Sanders-Tutt said another local history project started recently has gotten great feedback from the community. 

The library’s audio history project is ongoing with the purpose of gathering a variety of stories from residents. 

There are several interviews gathered so far that are available to listen to on the library’s website.

According to Sanders-Tutt, the library has partnered with the Friends of St. Joseph to begin a series of interviews focused on the history of the Livestock Exchange Building and southside history. 

For more information about “History Speaks” or the library’s audio history project, contact Jennifer Sanders-Tutt at (816) 232-8151 or [email protected].

(Missourinet) – You will notice Missouri state troopers stationed at 20-mile intervals Friday along interstates 29, 44, 55 and 70.

Missouri Highway Patrol Sergeant Scott White says troopers will target aggressive driving violations, and will be available to assist motorists.

“Troopers are prepared and available to provide assistance if needed,” White says. “Definitely call us if you need some help, but a little common sense, some courtesy, and just being safe goes a long way not only out there on the highways but also the waterways.”

White says the aim is to promote safety and to reduce traffic crashes.

“The visibility is an important part of what we do in addition to that enforcement, so usually when somebody sees a trooper they tend to check their speedometer and just slow down and have just a little bit more patience,” says White.

Motorists who need help or who witness criminal activity while traveling can dial *55 on their cellular phone, to contact the nearest Highway Patrol troop headquarters. The Missouri Highway Patrol Emergency Report Line number is 1-800-525-5555.

The 2017 Fourth of July holiday counting period begins Friday evening at 6 and continues until 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday. White notes five people were killed and 565 were injured in Missouri during the 2016 holiday, in 1,370 crashes.

The Highway Patrol is participating this weekend in Operation C.A.R.E., which stands for Crash Awareness Reduction Effort.

Every available officer will be patrolling Missouri’s roadways this weekend.

Sergeant White says the Fourth of July holiday is one of the busiest boating holidays of the year. He says that in Troop F’s mid-Missouri, troopers will be working ten and 12-hour shifts on the waterways to maximize visibility and enforce Missouri’s boating laws. That includes Lake of the Ozarks and the Missouri, Gasconade and Osage rivers.

The Water Patrol division of the Missouri Highway Patrol.
You will see extra Missouri state troopers on the Lake of the Ozarks.

“We’d also like to remind people that between June 30 and July 2 that’s been designated as Operation Dry Water and as a partner in this national campaign we will focus our efforts on detecting and arresting those impaired boat operators,” White says.

During the 2016 holiday, there were 11 boating crashes, which included seven injuries. Missouri troopers made 11 boating while intoxicated arrests in 2016.