The Community Missions board of Directors has official named Jill Miller the executive director.

The board voted Wednesday evening to have the interim tag removed from her titled making her the organizations first full-time executive director.

According to a news release, Miller has been with Community Missions since February of 2016, serving as a part-time executive director, taking executive leadership from Dave Howery who had been serving a dual role as the top executive for both Community Missions and Interfaith Community Services – InterServ since 2004.

Miller is a former criminal justice professor at Missouri Western State University and recently facilitated programming at EmPowerU for the Heartland Foundation.

Community Missions, developed by InterServ through a collaboration of state, local organizations and the faith community in St. Joseph and the surrounding area, recently celebrated its’ 10th year of service in December. CMC said it is the only local organization that provides safe, affordable housing and supportive services to men with disabilities who have been chronically homeless.

The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office is warning residents of a string of vehicle break-ins.

The department posted on social media Wednesday, to report several vehicle break-ins. The office said thieves allegely took person items from cars along 33 Highway from Maysville to the Osborn Junction between 8 p.m. Tuesday to shortly before 6 a.m. Wednesday.

Anyone with information is asked to call the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office at (816) 449-5802.

(News Release) MARYVILLE, Mo. – Northwest Missouri State University’s Student Activities Council (SAC) will host Janaya Khan – co-founder and international ambassador for Black Lives Matter Toronto – at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 8, in the Charles Johnson Theater.

Khan is a leading activist for social transformation, justice and equality. She is a black, queer, gender-nonconforming activist, staunch Afrofuturist, social-justice educator and boxer based in Toronto.

She is the last featured guest of SAC’s 2016-17 lecture series.

“We hope for the students to learn and expand their knowledge about diversity,” said Asma Hassan, SAC director of lecture programming.

Khan is the organization director of Gender Justice LA, a grassroots, multi-racial coalition of transgender people and allies in Los Angeles. She was honored with the 2015 Bromley Armstrong Humanitarian Award.

Khan’s work as a lecturer and author have been featured in media outlets, including the Feminist Wire, RaceBaitR, Huffington Post Black Voices, Al Jazeera and The Root. She has become a leading voice in the global crusade demanding social transformation, justice and equality.

Her presentations are supported by a deep commitment to social transformation. She illustrates how individual lives are affected by inequality, and inspires audiences to actively seek justice for all. Her dedication and bold approach to social justice work has contributed to academic and frontline community dialogue engaging audiences on the global impacts of the Black Lives Matter movement.

To learn more about Khan, visit janayakhan.com.

(Update 3:30 p.m.) – Fire inspectors were unable to determine the cause of an early morning fire that destroyed a vacant grain elevator and a warehouse early Wednesday morning.

Fire Inspector Rob Blizzard said fire crews arrived on scene shortly before 2 a.m. to the fire in the area of Atchison and 6th Streets.  He said the last crews didn’t leave the scene until around 12 hours later.  Blizzard said the fire is undetermined because they were not able to access the area due to the elevator which was around five stories tall, collapsing onto the small warehouse.  No injuries were reported.  The total loss was estimated at around $100,000.

Blizzard said the last know occupant of the facility was A-1 Concrete in 2000.  He said the current owner, is Doug Rose who also owns Payless Concrete located nearby.

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(5:34 a.m.) – Fire crews are working to contain an early morning fire in south St. Joseph.

According to Battalion Chief Paris Jenkins with the St. Joseph Fire Department, the fire in the area of Atchison and 6th Streets, started around 2 a.m. and completely destroyed two vacant structures. There were no injuries.

Jenkins said Atchison Street between 10th and 6th will be closed as crews are on scene working to contain the fire.

Authorities are investigating after a man was allegedly shot in Daviess County early Monday morning.

The Daviess County Sheriff’s Office said they were notified Monday around 6 am. by authorities in Caldwell County that a man called claiming to have been shot.  The incident allegedly took place in the southeast portion of Daviess County which borders Caldwell.

According to a news release, the man was taken by ambulance to the hospital for treatment of his injuries.

“During the investigation it is believed that this is an isolated incident,” said Sheriff Ben Becerra. “The investigation is ongoing.  As always the Daviess County Sheriff’s Office would like to remind citizens to report all suspicious activity along with securing their residence and vehicles.”

The Daviess County Sheriff’s Office, Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office and the Missouri State Highway Patrol responded to the scene.

 

 

The St. Joseph School District decided on Monday to put off asking voters for additional school funding.

The school board agreed to put a funding initiative of some kind on the ballot in November instead of in April. The board decided to engage the community and district staff before coming up with a formal funding mechanism. They have made a decision yet on what form that funding would take.

They could float a bond issue or try for a so-called Proposition C rollback, which would exempt the district from laws that reduced tax levies across Missouri. If a Prop-C rollback were approved by voters, the district’s tax levy would increase by 52 cents.

Superintendent Dr. Robert Newhart said the district could propose a “Prop C Plus,” a combination of more than one funding idea.

Board member Dr. Bryan Green told the board that a community-engagement campaign would be essential to the process, making the November ballot issue more appropriate.

“I think the reason that we don’t feel comfortable moving toward April is that we’ve not had sufficient time for that process,” Green said. “I think this allows for it, if we’re effective in doing it.”

Board member Lori Prussman said the district is running out of time, and insisted that the community engagement campaign ramp up quickly. Prussman pointed out that it will take a month or two to form a group to engage the community and district staff.

“You don’t do community engagement through the summer,” Prussman said, “because everybody’s on vacation, people aren’t going to show up. We learned that the first time around.”

“Then you’re back to August, and that’s when we have to decide. So, to do this right, and to be successful, we need to start immediately,” she said.

Board President Martin Rucker stressed the need for the board to commit to working together to try and make it happen, despite possible opposition by individual board members.

“There may be someone who just doesn’t agree with part of what we’re doing, or any of what we’re trying to do,” Rucker said, “but as a board we have to come together, when a decision is made, what we’re going to do, the seven us will work together to make it happen, regardless of whether or not you voted for it.”

The resolution passed unanimously.