The Kansas Department of Agriculture along with the U.S. Department of Agriculture has confirmed the presence of emerald ash borer in Doniphan County, Kansas.

On March 31, 2017, several larvae were removed by KDA staff from an ash tree in a native stand of timber in rural Doniphan County near the town of Bendena.

Regulatory officials with USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service’s Plant Protection and Quarantine confirmed the presence of the pest on April 4.

After confirmation, Kansas will expand the EAB quarantine, currently in place in Atchison, Douglas, Jefferson, Johnson, Leavenworth and Wyandotte counties, to include Doniphan County to help slow the spread of EAB in Kansas. If Kansans outside of the quarantined areas think any of their trees may have the pest, they should notify KDA immediately at (785) 564-6698 or [email protected].

Emerald ash borer, a pest of ash trees native to Asia, was first discovered in North America near Detroit, Michigan, in summer 2002. Since that time, the pest has killed millions of ash trees in Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia and Wisconsin.

KDA is committed to serving Kansas farmers, ranchers and agribusinesses, and to protecting the state’s natural resources. All Kansans will play an important role in monitoring for EAB. In cooperation with the USDA, the Kansas Forest Service and K-State Research and Extension, KDA plans to host educational meetings in Doniphan County to provide information and to ensure that all necessary facilities and individuals are equipped to treat and dispose of EAB-infested material properly.

To learn the most current information on the quarantine, visit http://agriculture.ks.gov/EAB. To learn more about EAB, visit www.emeraldashborer.info.

St. Joseph Transit will start running two new routes on Saturdays starting this weekend.

According to a news release from the City of St. Joseph, the new routes will depart from the downtown station at 10:15 a.m., 12:15 p.m., 2:15 p.m., and 4:15 p.m. The city said the new schedule will close the two-hour gap between current scheduled trips along the new routes.

The #19 East route is a combination of the #13 Frederick Avenue and #14 Faraon/Jules routes. It connects numerous residential areas with the shopping mall, library, Hobby Lobby, Price Chopper, the hospital and Hy-Vee. The #20 North route is a combination of the #11 St. Joseph Avenue and #12 Lovers Lane routes. It connects residents to Second Harvest, the casino, Green Hills grocery, Krug Park, the North Shoppes, and north WalMart.

The city said federal grant funding that targets improving transportation options for seniors and people with disabilities is what led to the additional routes. They were designed based on demographic data that identified these areas as having the highest concentration of these populations. Funding for one year of service has been secured. The city has applied for additional funds which would be used to expand with a third route into the south side of the city, which has the next highest concentration of senior and disabled residents.

Maps and schedules are available on the transit website at www.StJoeTransit.info or by calling 816-233-6700.

Few voters as predicted are heading to the polls in Buchanan County for Tuesday’s Municipal Election.

Buchanan County Clerk Mary Baack-Garvey has predicted a turnout of around 10 percent.  As of 11 a.m. 192 of the 3,380 registered voters, or 5.7 percent had cast ballots. Baack-Garvey said they are right on track to meet her prediction.

There are no issue or candidate elections in St. Joseph, but there are a few in rural parts of Buchanan County. Baack-Garvey’s team will count ballots Tuesday night from just six polling places, in mostly rural school-district and village elections.

*Voters in Gower will select a mayor in the election, as well as two members of the board of the Gower Fire Protection District.
*Voters in the East Buchanan C-1 school district and the Buchanan County R-4 school district will select members for their school boards.
*The Village of Agency will select two members for its board of trustees.
*The Platte County R-1 District hopes to borrow $6.2 million to fund a new junior high school and some roof repairs, and they’re asking for the voters’ okay.
*There are no candidates on the ballot in Lewis & Clark Village, where they’re hoping to fill two seats on the Board of Trustees.

To view sample ballots and polling locations CLICK HERE. Polls are open until 7 p.m.

A 65-year-old man was killed in a crash Monday on I-229 in St. Joseph.

According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Thomas Nelson of South Carolina was driving a 2002 Dodge Durango around 1 p.m. northbound on I-229 at I-29 just a mile south of St. Joseph when the crash took place.  The patrol reported Nelson went off the west side of the road and hit a bridge pillar.  Nelson was pronounced dead at the scene.  The report said it’s unknown if he was wearing a seat belt.

There could be hope for the Gordmans in St. Joseph after a competing company acquired the chain through a bankruptcy auction.

Last week, Stage Stores, Inc. announced it acquired Gordmans Stores Inc.  As we previously reported, Gordmans operates more than 100 stores in 22 states.  The chain filed for bankruptcy at the beginning of March.

According to a news release, under the terms of the transaction, the Stage subsidiary will, subject to exceptions in the purchase agreement, acquire a minimum of 50 Gordmans store leases, with rights to assume leases for an additional seven stores and a distribution center; all of Gordmans’ inventory, furniture, fixtures, equipment and other assets at the 57 store locations; and the trademarks and other intellectual property of Gordmans.

There are 57 stores represented on the designation list, including the St. Joseph location. A spokeswoman with Stage said at least 50 of the designation stores will continue to operate.

“Stage made a successful bid to take over at least 50 of those store leases, as well as inventory and other assets. As part of the deal, Stage could acquire an additional seven store leases,”said Bria Worthington Lundy, Dir. of Public Relations. “We are still in negotiations on some stores so we are not at the point to discuss which of the 50 Stage will operate.”

The remaining 48 stores and other facilities are expected to be liquidated. To view the stores slated to close in the court filings CLICK HERE.

Michael Glazer, President and Chief Executive Officer of Stage said he feels like the Gordmans business model offers potential without the burden of a high level of debt, unprofitable locations and an oversized infrastructure.

“Gordmans’ stores are a natural complement to Stage, bringing beneficial diversification and scale to our business, while creating synergies through the use of our current infrastructure. By acquiring Gordmans, we believe that we have an opportunity to benefit from its off-price competencies, deep connection with a youthful customer, and strong home and gifts businesses,” Glazer said. “We are pleased to enhance our store portfolio with the most desirable Gordmans locations, giving Stage a strong Midwestern presence in markets generally larger than those we serve today. We plan to maintain the Gordmans brand and look forward to welcoming a significant number of Gordmans employees to our Company.”

The transaction is expected to close during Stage’s first quarter of fiscal 2017, subject to the approval of the court administering the Gordmans bankruptcy and customary closing conditions.

A man has been charged after a standoff Friday in an east-side St. Joseph neighborhood.

Christopher Chappell, 36 is charged in Buchanan County with a felony of second-degree burglary.

According to court documents, Friday officers with the St. Joseph Police Department responded to the 1000 block of Carol Dr. after a woman texted 911 for help.  Det. Jeff Pearl said according to witnesses Chappell was at the home and made threats to the victim that he was going to see bullets in her head.

“When police arrived on scene Chappell would not let the victim answer the door for officers or let officers inside the residence.  The victim said he blocked her from leaving and told her to lie to officers and tell them he was not there,” Pearl said. “SRT unit arrived on scene and the victim was finally allowed to leave.”

Pearl said after a search warrant was obtained the Special Response Team entered the home and took Chappell into custody.  As we previously reported, the standoff lasted around 4 hours. Police said no one was injured.

“The defendant currently has an order of protection against him with the victim as the petitioner,” Pearl said.

Chappell is being held without bail in the Buchanan County Jail.  He’s due in court Tuesday for an arraignment.