The U.S. Chemical Safety Board released its preliminary findings Wednesday into the chemical release that took place last year in Atchison, Kan. that sent over 140 people to the hospital.

According to the CSB, it has identified several shortcomings in the design and labeling of loading stations, as well as adherence to chemical unloading procedures that led to the release that took place on Oct. 21, 2016 at MGP Ingredients. The chemical release occurred when sulfuric acid was inadvertently unloaded from a tanker truck into a fixed sodium hypochlorite tank at the plant. The two materials combined to produce chlorine gas that sent over 140 individuals, both workers and members of the public, to area hospitals and resulted in shelter-in-place and evacuation orders for thousands of local residents.

The Board does not issue citations or fines but does make safety recommendations to plants, industry organizations, labor groups and regulatory agencies.  Chairperson Vanessa Allen Sutherland said part of the reason they are releasing the preliminary findings is to try to prevent other companies from making similar mistakes.

“Our primary goal is to make sure others are receiving these lessons and can take proactive measures,” Sutherland said. “We do work with federal and state agencies very closely, as we should, sharing with them our lessons learned.  Sharing with them our investigative findings while they concurrently look at regulatory compliance.”

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are also investigating the incident.

The CSB found a number of design deficiencies that increased the likelihood of an incorrect connection, such as the close proximity of the fill lines, and unclear and poorly placed chemical labels. In addition, the CSB found that both MGPI and Harcros did not follow internal procedures for unloading operations.

“Unloading activities occur at thousands of facilities across the country every day,” said Lucy Tyler, CSB Investigator-in-Charge. “This event should serve to remind industry to review their own chemical unloading operations and work with motor carriers to ensure chemicals are unloaded safely.”

To view the entire release on the preliminary findings CLICK HERE.  Sutherland said she expects the final findings to be released in a case study this fall.

A portion of Mansfield road will close starting this week as the City of St. Joseph begins reconstruction.

Mansfield Road, from 22nd Street west to 14th Street, will be closed to through traffic beginning Thursday.

The City said a signed detoured route will be in place to direct traffic around the closure. During this period, the roadway will generally be closed to through traffic, however, access will be available to those with destinations inside the closed portion of the roadway. Access to most properties will be from the west at 14th Street. Some properties will have temporary access from 22nd Street during the project.

Construction is scheduled to be complete in mid-August. This project is funded through the half-cent Capital Improvements Program (CIP) sales tax.

(News Release) — The St. Joseph School District (SJSD) has selected Ashly McGinnis to fill the assistant principal position at Lafayette High School for the 2017‐18 school year.

McGinnis is currently the assistant principal at Truman Middle School. She began her career in education with the St. Joseph School District in 2007. She taught special education and 8th grade math.

(correction: McGinnis is currently working on her doctoral degree in Educational Leadership from the University of Missouri).  She has a master’s degree in Educational Leadership from Northwest Missouri State University, a master’s degree in Mental Health Counseling from Emporia State University and a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Emporia State University.

McGinnis replaces Chris Early as assistant principal. Mr. Early was recently promoted to the principal role at Lafayette, taking over for the retiring Dr. Tyran Sumy.

The St. Joseph School District Board of Education approved this hire during executive session on Monday, April 10, 2017.

A Chicago man is accused of firing a handgun at people in a St. Joseph neighborhood.

Martell Jenkins, 32 is charged in Buchanan County with a felony of unlawful possession of a firearm.

Capt. Jeff Wilson with the St. Joseph Police Department said officers responded to the 900 block of S. 15th St. Sunday around 2:20 p.m. in reference to a call of shots fired. Wilson said witnesses reported that a white passenger vehicle occupied by at least four subjects was parked in the street. He said it was further stated that two of the people in the vehicle fired shots at two houses in that block. Wilson said the vehicle then left the area. Officers recovered shell casings at the scene.

According to court documents, Det. Blaine Seymour with the St. Joseph Police Department said a witness stated Jenkins fired a handgun during a disturbance at two people in the street in that area.  Seymour said shortly after midnight officers responded to an apartment in the 2400 block of Francis where Jenkins was located and found a pistol.  Court document stated Jenkins is from the Chicago area and has plans to return to that area.

Jenkins is currently being held without bail in the Buchanan County Jail.  He’s due in court Friday for an arraignment.

(Update 2:30 p.m.) – The St. Joseph Police Department said a man is in custody after another man was found with a gunshot wound early Monday morning in the 800 block of North 9th.

Capt. Jeff Wilson said officers responded to the 100 block of N. 16th St. shortly before 3 a.m. to investigate a call of shots fired.

“At that time officers recovered multiple shell casings. Within the same time frame we responded to the 800 block of North 9th in reference to a subject that was down,” Wilson said.

Officers located a 35-year-old man who had sustained two gunshot wounds.  Police have since taken a 37-year-old man into custody in connection with the shooting investigation.  As of 3 p.m. Monday charges had not been filed.  Wilson said detectives are continuing to investigate the incidents.

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(7:30 a.m. ) The St. Joseph Police Department is investigating after receiving separate calls reporting shots fired and a gunshot wound.

According to Sgt. Steve McClintick, the first call came in around 2:45 a.m. Monday reporting shots fired in the 100 block of North 13th. A few minutes later, another call came in about a man with a gunshot wound in the 800 block of North 9th. McClintick said a 36-year-old male suffered a non-life threatening injury and the man did not offer information as to what happened or where.

McClintick said it’s unknown yet if the calls are related. The incidents are still under investigation.

Anyone with information is asked to call the TIPS Hotline at (816) 238-TIPS.

A 19-year-old Smithville man is charged with a sex crime against a five-month-old boy.

Brent Porter is charged in Clay County with statutory sodomy. In a court filing, a police detective says the baby was taken to Children’s Mercy Hospital for treatment of injuries and the mother said the youngster had been sexually molested.

According to the affidavit, Porter was caught in the act by the child’s mother.

The child’s 14-year-old mentally disabled brother was in the room at the time, but officials say he is severely disabled and non-verbal, and thus could not tell her what had happened.

Police later found Porter at his step-mother’s home, and took him into custody for questioning. The affidavit asserts that Porter was “…initially deceptive and claimed to have only been changing the baby’s diaper. The mother provided police with information contradicting that. She said there was no new, clean diaper present, that the diaper on the child was clean, and that Porter “never changes her children’s diapers.”

The mother also told police she heard the child screaming, “…a scream unlike she has ever heard” from the baby.

In the affidavit, police say Porter admitted having an erection and being “a little bit horny.”

The examination at Children’s Mercy was not conclusive. The nurse who conducted the exam said the child’s symptoms “…may be related to a medical condition, child sexual abuse, or another mechanism.” The nurse said more information was needed to make a determination. Police say additional evidence is being sent to a crime laboratory for analysis.

Porter appeared for an arraignment Monday.  A plea of not guilty was entered and the case was continued to April 25.  He remains behind bars on $400,000 cash only bail.