More women then previous years are dealing drugs in Buchanan County according to the Drug Strike Force.

Capt. Shawn Collie, Drug Strike Force Unit Commander said over the past several years officers have seen an uptick in the number of women involved in drug cases.

“When you look at the last few major investigations that we’ve done, there has been more females involved in the actual distribution of illegal narcotics. When you look at the round-ups we’ve done you’ll see there’s more women were actually involved with the arrest warrants,” Collie said. “Even the increase in the drug use in females from our standpoints has kind of been an increase over the last few years.”

In the latest Strike Force Operation, Collie said seven out of a total of 12 people arrested on warrants in a drug round-up were women. In a round-up in Oct., 2016 Collie said nine out of 24 people arrested on warrants were females.

“Everybody always has theories on the difference on why this is going up or why it’s not.  It seems like today’s society that’s just something that’s happening now. Whether it’s because of the social impact on a bad economy or jobs not being readily available, who knows,” Collie said. “When you’re looking at the case you may be looking at a single mother with kids or somebody who is a family person with children.  Even as a person that hits home to you; that it’s gotten so bad.”

Collie said the increase in female involvement in crime isn’t just being seen in drug use.

“A lot of the crimes we’re seeing more females involved. Whether it’s as an active participant or… whether their role is maybe driving a vehicle, or involving some type of information that may lead to the crime, knowing the victim or having some type of association to the victim,” Collie said. “Even when you look at some of our more violent crimes we’ve had in Buchanan County over the past year or so we’ve seen females directly involved in those crimes.

The number of females incarcerated in the Buchanan County Jail has seen an increase over the past three years.

In 2014 there were a total of 993 women, in 2015 that number increased to 1,029.  Buchanan County Sheriff Bill Puett said in 2016 a total of 1,202 females were booked in the Buchanan County Jail.  Puett said, sometimes when the jail sees an increase in the number of female inmates they may have to reorganize the inmate population to make room.  He said that could mean doubling or tripling female inmates to a room or if the jail has fewer male inmates reallocating the space to fit the population needs.

While the number of females allegedly involved in drug crimes is increasing, Collie said there doesn’t appear to be a specific age or area of town impacted more.

“This last round-up was a pretty good example.  We had females from their early 20s up to their late 40s or 50s….  With the drug problem that we’re seeing it’s that drugs have no boundaries,” Collie said. “As far as how much money they have or what part of town they live in we’ve worked cases in all parts of town.  Whether it’s the part that would be considered the wealthy part of town or the poor part of town.”

 

 

A St. Joseph teenager has pleaded guilty to murder in connection with the death of Kaytlin Root at Krug Park last October.

As we reported earlier, Amanda Bennett was originally charged as a juvenile, but the 17-year-old was later certified as an adult in the case. Bennett told Circuit Judge Patrick Robb she acted as an accomplice to the killing.

She admitted getting the victim to agree to meet, all the while knowing that her co-defendant intended to kill Root.

She admitted being present when she says Sebastian Dowell strangled and then stabbed the victim near a bike trail in the park.

Judge Robb scheduled sentencing April 24 at 2:30 p.m.  Second-degree murder carries a range of punishment of from 10-to-30 years or life in prison upon conviction.

Co-defendant Dowell is scheduled for a trial setting hearing in March.

A 31-year-old man is accused of threatening to kill another man at a St. Joseph restaurant.

Dionicio Molina-Mendoza is charged in Buchanan County with a felony of unlawful use of a weapon.

According to court documents, on Saturday officers with the St. Joseph Police Department responded to La Mesa located at 3730 Mitchell Ave. when a man reported allegedly being assaulted by Molina-Mendoza.

“Stated to officers Dionicio brandished a firearm pointing it at the ground and telling him he was going to kill him prior to punching him in the face,” said Det. Jeremy Peters with the St. Joseph Police Department. “Upon officer’s arrival Dionicio was placed under arrest. Dionicio was found to be in possession of a loaded handgun which was tucked into his waistband at the time of his arrest.”

Court documents stated Molina-Mendoza was charged with Alien Removal out of Kansas City, Mo. in 2013.  He has been identified as an illegal immigrant by ICE and is currently on intense supervision with ICE.

“Dionicio was intoxicated and brandished a loaded handgun inside of a restaurant before assaulting an employee,” Det. Peters said. “Dionicio shows a previous conviction for driving while intoxicated and domestic assault 3rd degree in Buchanan County.  He has been arrested for domestic assault 4 times.”

Molina-Mendoza is being held on $25,000 bail.  He’s due in court for an arraignment Tuesday.

 

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 Feb. 27 – March 4 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. With the possibility of winter weather, scheduled maintenance and construction projects may be postponed.

 

Andrew County

U.S. Route 71 – From Route B to Business U.S. 71 (Nodaway County) for pothole patching, Feb. 27 – March 3

Buchanan County

Route 6 – Pothole patching, Feb. 27 – March 3

Route 116 – From Route M to Route V for sealing, Feb. 27 – March 3

Route 116 – From Route B to the Clinton County line for sealing, Feb. 27 – March 3

Caldwell County

Route A – Shoulder repair, Feb. 27 – March 3

Carroll County

Route E – From Route EE to Route OO for drainage work, Feb. 27 – March 1

Clinton County

Route 33 – From Route PP to Hilltop Drive for drainage work, Feb. 27 – March 3

Daviess County

U.S. Route 69 – From Route C to Route N for pothole patching, Feb. 27 – March 3

U.S. Route 69 – From Route EE to Interstate 35 for pothole patching, Feb. 27 – March 3

DeKalb County

Route J – CLOSED from U.S. Route 36 to Route 6 for culvert replacements, Feb. 27 – March 3, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily

Route A – Sealing, Feb. 28 – March 2

Gentry County

Route H/Z – CLOSED from 540^th Road to 530^th Road for a culvert replacement, Feb. 27, 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

U.S. Route 136 – From Route W to the Nodaway County line for pothole patching, Feb. 27 – March 3

Grundy County

U.S. Route 65 – Shoulder and drainage work, Feb. 27 – March 3

Harrison County

I-35 – From Route A near mile marker 98 to the Iowa State line for sealing and pothole patching, Feb. 27 – March 2

Route 13 – At the I-35 Overpass Bridge for maintenance, Feb. 27 – March 3, 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.. A temporary traffic signal will be in place during working hours.

Route DD – CLOSED from E 280^th Avenue to E 290^th Avenue for a culvert replacement, Feb. 27 – 28, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily.

Route DD – CLOSED from E 290^th Avenue to E 295^th Avenue for a culvert replacement, March 2 – 3, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily.

Holt County

I-29 – From the Mound City exit 84 to the Andrew County line for pothole patching, Feb. 27 – March 3

U.S. Route 59 – From the city limits of Mound City to the city limits of Oregon for shoulder work, Feb. 27 – March 3

Linn County

U.S. Route 36 – From Higgins Ditch to Route 130 for roadside work, Feb. 28 – March 1

Mercer County

Route P – CLOSED at the Brushy Creek Bridge for a bridge replacement. The road will be closed through February 2017.

Nodaway County

U.S. Route 71 – From Business U.S. 71 to Route B (Andrew County) for pothole patching, Feb. 27 – March 3

U.S. Route 136 – From the One Hundred and Two River Bridge to Route E for shoulder work, Feb. 27 – March 3

Putnam County

Route 149 – CLOSED from Route O to 245^th Street for a culvert replacement, Feb. 28, 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Route 149 – CLOSED from Route W to Route O for a culvert replacement, March 1 – 2, 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol plans to conduct alcohol enforcement operations in Buchanan and Nodaway counties next month.

Captain James E. McDonald, commanding officer of Troop H, said sometime during the month of March, Troop H will conduct a sobriety checkpoint in Nodaway County and a DWI saturation in Buchanan County. The areas selected for enforcement are based on a high number of drinking-related crashes, high number of contacts with drivers who have been drinking, and officers’ input as to probable contact with DWI violators.

“The Missouri State Highway Patrol is dedicated to removing impaired drivers from Missouri roadways,” Captain McDonald said. “Anytime your plans include alcohol, please have a sober designated driver.”

The second annual Entrepreneurship Week at Missouri Western State University will include presentations of two new awards.

Nominations are being accepted now through March 10th for the Emerging Entrepreneur and Entrepreneur of the Year Awards. 

Annette Weeks is the Director for the Center of Entrepreneurship at Missouri Western’s Craig School of Business. Weeks said the Emerging Entrepreneur Award will recognize a regional entrepreneur who’s been in business five years or less and the Entrepreneur of the Year Award will recognize a more established entrepreneur who has grown a business.

“We’re looking for one that has community impact, as well as involved with the community, that’s grown a business, that’s creating jobs for our communities and is (a) role model and interacting with other entrepreneurs as well,” Weeks said. “It’s a time to highlight a business that you admire and want to give acknowledgement towards.”

Entrepreneurship Week will include workshops and events March 27-31. Weeks said workshops include “How to Write a Business Plan,” QuickBooks, creating a social media marketing plan for a business, what legal concerns businesses should know about and more. 

“I love bringing entrepreneurs together and helping educate them,” Weeks said. “Also through the week we’re bringing in high schoolers and having a MECA Challenge where we have a group coming in from Kansas City to lead a competition for our regional high schoolers, so there’s a little bit of something for everyone.” 

Steve Craig will be leading a session for students in entrepreneurship and David Bradley will be speaking at the Capstone Business Luncheon on Friday, March 31. Registration is required for the luncheon. All of the week’s other sessions are free and open to students and the public. 

For more information, click here.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol is looking for possible candidates for new troopers.

The Patrol said it’s encouraging qualified individuals of all backgrounds to apply, and will offer testing at nine different locations in Missouri. Those who successfully complete testing will be eligible to continue in the selection process for the 106th Recruit Class, scheduled to begin training on January 8, 2018. The application deadline is April 10, 2017.

To be eligible candidates must possess a minimum of 30 college credits, or two years of federal active duty military service with an honorable discharge, or two years of full-time POST certified experience as a law enforcement officer with arrest authority, at the time recruit training begins.

The starting salary for trooper is $3,430 per month while in training; $3,516 per month after six months; and $3,736 per month at two years of service. Other benefits include group health insurance, contributory retirement, career advancement, and more.

The selection process is a multi-phase testing procedure including: written examination, a physical fitness for duty assessment, polygraph examination, background investigation, and oral interview board. After a conditional offer of employment, the applicant must successfully complete a medical examination (to include vision and hearing), psychological examination, a psychological interview, drug screening, and final applicant review.

Interested persons can find out more about the qualifications by contacting a Patrol recruiter at telephone number 1-800-796-7000, or may apply online at www.motrooper.com.

The number of successful candidates being extended an offer of employment is contingent upon factors such as budget constraints and the number of vacant positions statewide.

Beef flavored toothpaste may sound unappetizing, but it’s an option for helping keep a pet’s teeth clean.

February is National Pet Dental Health Month and Kappy Hodges with the Friends of the St. Joseph Animal Shelter said an animal’s dental care is an important part of keeping pets healthy.

Hodges said pet owners should have a veterinarian take a look at their pet’s teeth once a year. During the rest of the year, Hodges said there are preventative things owners can do to help with pet’s dental health, including getting some pet toothpaste.

“You can’t use regular people toothpaste, it has fluoride and things in it that are toxic for your pet, so you want to use pet toothpaste,” Hodges said. “They make these little toothbrushes that you can slide on your finger and just put a little toothpaste on there and rub it on their gums because you’ll want to hit that spot where the gum meets the tooth, that’s where you’re looking to brush.”

Hodges said if owners haven’t thought about their pet’s dental health, the first step is to take a look at their teeth.

“What does it look like? Are they nice and white? Is there any red on the gum line? Are they kind of yellow? Are they darker than that? Because they get kind of brown, kind of black, that tartar can,” Hodges said. “That will give you an idea of how badly they probably need some work. Pop on in to the vet and ask what he thinks, that office visit is not very expensive.”

Hodges said often, during February’s Pet Dental Health Month, veterinarian clinics will offer some kind of discount, but checkups are typically inexpensive year-round and can save money in the long run while keeping your pet healthy.