More than 100 people crammed into a Buchanan County courtroom Monday for the sentencing of four out of six suspects charged in connection with the death of 18-year-old Skylar Powell in midtown.

Powell was shot in May during an attempt to rob a marijuana dealer during a late-night drug deal in a parking lot near 22nd and Frederick.

Friends and family of the victim and defendants filled the gallery of Judge Patrick Robb’s courtroom Monday nearly filling the additional spectator gallery in the balcony. Prosecuting Attorney, Dwight Scroggins told the judge that Powell’s parents said everyone involved in the case should go to jail.

Gabriel Dawson, 17 who pleaded guilty to first-degree attempted robbery in October was sentenced to 14 years in prison.  Dawson told the judge that Skylar Powell was his best friend, big brother and his idol.

“All I want to do is turn my life around and make Skylar happy,” Dawson said in court.

Judge Robb called Dawson an active participant in the robbery and denied a request for probation.  As we previously reported, Dawson was certified as an adult earlier this year.  Court documents said Dawson committed the crime of attempted armed robbery by helping plan a robbery and attempting to carry out the robbery at gun point.

Jay’Den Maynard, 17 who pleaded guilty to first-degree attempted robbery in October was sentenced to five years probation after he serves 120 days shock time in the Buchanan County Jail.

Scroggins told the judge that Maynard was the third active participant in the robbery, along with the victim and Dawson.  Scroggins said Maynard would not cooperate with investigators, even after his plea. Denise Maynard, the defendant’s grandmother, told the court that the teenager was a well-rounded young man who made some bad decisions.  Maynard’s lawyer said he did cooperate with investigators, that he acted as a lookout and never handled the weapon or planned the robbery.  Maynard called Powell a friend and a role model and asked the judge for probation.  He was the youngest of all the defendants.  Judge Robb determined that Maynard was not an active participant in the robbery and placed him on probation.

Kyle Smith, 25 who pleaded guilty to distribution and tampering with physical evidence in October was sentenced to 12 years in prison.

In court, Scroggins called Smith a self-acknowledged drug dealer who had made previous deals with the victim.  Smith admitted to taking the gun and shell casings out of the car after the incident, but his lawyer said it’s not clear who fired the fatal shot.  Smith told the judge he has three children.  Judge Robb told Smith he chose to provide the gun and chose to participate in a criminal enterprise.  He ordered Smith to serve 10 years for distribution and two years for tampering with the cases to run consecutively.

Ashten Surritte, 19 who pleaded guilty to first-degree attempted robbery in October was sentenced to 15 years in prison.

Scroggins said Surritte told Powell that the dealers would be good targets for a robbery.  He said she was intimately involved in every aspectof what happened that night and knew that it involved a firearm.  Surritte’s lawyer acknowledged that she pointed out that the dealers would be good targets for a robbery and that she sent Powell the contact information and a photograph of Matthews prior to the robbery.  However, he denied she was intimately involved in the crime.  Judge Robb said the victim and Surritte were the two most culpable people involved in the crime.

As we previously reported, Justin Smith, 20 was sentenced in October to serve 13-years in prison for his part in the shooting.  A sixth defendant, Dayne Matthews, 19 pleaded guilty to distribution and tampering with physical evidence in September.  He’s due in court for sentencing in January.

The St. Joseph Police Department has released the name and autopsy results of the man whose body was found Friday morning near Frederick Towers.

Capt. Jeff Wilson said autopsy results indicate the cause of 52-year-old Rodney A. Kneib’s death was accidental.

Police began investigating Kneib’s death after his body was found on the sidewalk outside of Frederick Towers early Friday morning. No other information was released. As we previously reported, until they can determine otherwise police said they always investigate the case as a homicide. Police met with Kneib’s family Monday before releasing the autopsy results to the media.

The owners of the Pioneer building in downtown St. Joseph are facing a deadline to demolish the building this week.  A spokeswoman for the city says they are still on target to meet that deadline.

Preliminary work got underway Monday morning, as a worker suspended by a crane began chipping away at the topmost remnants of the historic building destroyed by fire last month.

“The contractor, Andrew Madget, is a local contractor,” said Mary Robertson, Communications Manager for the City of St. Joseph. “He is on site preparing the site for demo at this point.”

“The understanding was that when they did do the demo of the remaining standing wall, that it would be brought into the center of the area, and then it will be cleared away from that point.”

As we reported, city officials ordered the building be demolished under an emergency order December 1, which gave the owners ten business days to bring down the building.

The ten-day period ends at 1pm this Thursday, December 15.

“They have started the demo,” Robertson said.  “How quickly they move over the course of the next three days will determine when the fire inspectors will actually be able to access the site.

“But as far as we know now, they still are on schedule for the 15th deadline.”

That should come as good news for motorists, pedestrians and business owners on or near the 500 block of Francis St. who have been denied access for weeks for safety reasons.

“Once we have determined that that area is safe, the area will be reopened to one lane of traffic on Francis and Fifth Street,” Robertson said.

Once a structural engineer determines that the area can be safely occupied, one lane of traffic will be opened on Francis and Fifth Streets.

 

Fire destroyed the historic structure on November 21.

Hearings are being held this week in northwest Missouri on whether a high-voltage power line should be built across the northern part of the state.

As we previously reported, the Public Service Commission began hearings across the state last month on a request by Clean Line Energy Partners to build the power line from the state’s western border near St. Joseph to the eastern border near Hannibal.  Hearings will be held Tuesday in Cameron at the Cameron Community Center located at 915 Ashland Ave. starting at noon, then later that day at 6 p.m. in Mid-Buchanan at the High School located at 3221 SE Route H.  On Wednesday the public can attend a meeting in Polo at the Community Center at Stagecoach Park located at 1010 Main St. starting at noon then later that day at 6 p.m. a public hearing will be held in Carrollton at the Rupe Community Center located at 710 Main St.

The line would be part of a 750-mile route carrying power from wind turbines in western Kansas to utilities in Missouri, Illinois and Indiana.

The power line is dubbed the Grain Belt Express. It’s opposed by some landowners who fear the high-voltage wires could reduce property values, get in the way of farming and create health risks.

The staff of the Missouri Public Service Commission also is opposing Clean Line’s request.

For more on the public hearing schedule CLICK HERE.

Police are investigating a crash that sent two people to the hospital in St. Joseph Sunday afternoon.

According to Capt. Jeff Wilson with the St. Joseph Police Department authorities responded to a single vehicle injury crash Sunday shortly before 4 p.m. in the 3000 block of Parkway A.

A 25-year-old woman and a 27-year-old man, both St. Joseph residents were transported to Mosaic Life Care with injuries. The woman is reportedly being treated in the intensive care unit, the man’s injuries were described as non-life threatening.

According to Capt. Wilson after investigating the crash police believe that a domestic dispute inside the vehicle led to the vehicle going off the road and hitting a tree. He said the case is being submitted to the prosecuting attorney’s office for consideration of charges. No arrests were made at the time of the incident.

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 Dec. 12 – 18 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.

MoDOT reminds the public to stay alert, watch for road work, buckle up, slow down, and drive with extreme caution through work zones and in changing weather conditions.

For more information about a project, please contact MoDOT at 1-888-ASK-MoDOT or visit www.modot.org/northwest/.

Andrew County

• Interstate 29 – At the Hopkins Creek Bridge for maintenance, Dec. 13 – 14. This includes an overnight lane closure.

Buchanan County

• I-29, I-229, U.S. Route 36 and Route 6 – Flushing bridges, Dec. 12 – 16
• U.S. Route 36 – One mile east of Route AC for a bridge project, Dec. 12 – 17

Carroll County

• Route T – From Route W to Route Z for drainage work, Dec. 12 – 15

Clinton County

• Route K – At Meadow Lane in Stewartsville for drainage work, Dec. 12
• Route 33 – At Isley Road for drainage work, Dec. 16

Daviess County

• I-35 – From mile marker 84 (Gilman City exit, Harrison County) to mile marker 61 (Winston exit) for slide repair and drainage work, Dec. 12 – 16

DeKalb County

• Route A – Shoulder work, Dec. 12 – 16
• Route N – CLOSED from Route 6 to U.S. Route 36 for several culvert replacements, Dec. 12 – 16, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily. The entire route will not be closed every day, but will be closed in short segments along the route as crews replace culverts. They will begin near Route 6 and progress south through the week towards U.S. Route 36

Gentry County

• Route ZZ – From Route T to one-half mile north of Route T for drainage work, Dec. 13
• U.S. Route 169 – One mile south of Stanberry for drainage work, Dec. 15

Harrison County

• I-35 – At the Route N overpass for drainage work, Dec. 12 – 13
• U.S. Route 69 – From Miller Street to Main Street in Bethany for drainage work, Dec. 12 – 13
• I-35 – From mile marker 84 (Gilman City exit) to mile marker 61 (Winston exit, Daviess County) for slide repair and drainage work, Dec. 12 – 16
• Route 13 – At the Pole Cat Creek Bridge for maintenance, Dec. 12 – 16
• I-35 – At the Route A overpass for drainage work, Dec. 14 – 15
• I-35 – At the U.S. Route 136 overpass for drainage work, Dec. 16

Holt County

• U.S. Route 59 – CLOSED at County Road 247 for a culvert replacement, Dec. 12, 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Access to County Road 247 will be closed during this time.
• U.S. Route 59 – Four miles north of the city limits of Oregon for a culvert replacement, Dec. 13
• Route 113 – From U.S. Route 59 to the city limits of Skidmore for pothole patching, Dec. 13 – 16

Linn County

• U.S. Route 36 – From Route 5 to Route 11 for shoulder work, Dec. 12 – 15
• Route 139 – Brush cutting, Dec. 12 – 16
• Route DD – CLOSED from Cherry Drive to Route Y for culvert replacement, Dec. 13, 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Livingston County

• Route D – Pothole patching, Dec. 12 – 14
• Route C – Pothole patching, Dec. 15 – 16

Mercer County

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

Nodaway County

• U.S. Route 136 – From the One Hundred and Two River Bridge to Route 46 for shoulder work, Dec. 12 – 16
• Route 246 – From the Worth County line to Route E for pothole patching, Dec. 15 – 16

Sullivan County

• Route 6 – Brush cutting, Dec. 12 – 16

Worth County

• Route 46 – From U.S. Route 169 to Route K for crack sealing, Dec. 13 – 14

MARYVILLE, MO. – The students of Alpha Psi Omega (APO), Northwest Missouri State University’s honorary theater fraternity, are hitting the road again this winter with an original children’s play.

Ashley B. Reynolds, a senior theatre major from St. Louis and member of the APO fraternity, wrote and directs “Impawsible Pals.” APO members Kali Coates, Rachel Kirby, and Allison Nissley collaborated with her on the production.

The play centers on lessons of acceptance through a cast of domestic pets. Three dogs, a canary, a goldfish and two cats team up to investigate the whereabouts of some missing toys. In the end, they learn to be friends with everyone, no matter who they are or what they look like.

“If you’ve ever seen ‘Zootopia,’ this script has the same sort of feel,” Reynolds said. “It’s kind of like a domestic pet version of that story. We’re subtly trying to teach children a very important lesson, but through characters that they can love.”

Reynolds said she developed the play last summer while trying to think of a project that could be fun and educational for children. Ultimately, she followed her passion for promoting change and wrote to the topic of prejudice in society.

“I really wanted to have a fun story for kids to relate to, but also teach them something in the process,” Reynolds said. “Playwriting, for me, involves some level of education, especially when it’s for children. Using funny, cute characters with a pretty realistic and serious subject, such as racism and prejudice, is not a new idea. But, it’s an idea that has worked time and time again, and I’d like to think we’ve made our use of that idea original.”

In addition to producing the show on the Northwest stage, students will tour with “Impawsible Pals” to schools throughout the region during the University’s winter break.

The ensemble will give two performances of the play, “Impawsible Pals,” Sunday, Dec. 18, at 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. in the Studio Theatre at the Ron Houston Center for Performing Arts. The play’s runtime is about 45 minutes to an hour.

The show is open to the public and admission is $3 or two canned goods at the door. Children ages 2 and under will be admitted for free.

A St. Joseph man has released a new book talking about the mistakes that people often make because they learned bad financial lessons.

Certified financial planner Dan Danford has released a book titled; Stuck in the Middle: The Mistakes That Jeopardize Your Financial Success and How to Fix Them.  Danford said the thought process behind the book is to educate people on how to make good financial decisions.

“Many of the money practices held dear by middle class citizens are woefully outdated.  Taught with the best of intentions, they were practical for a simpler era,” Danford said in a news release.

During an interview with Barry Birr on 680 KFEQ’s Hotline Danford said he wants people to make an informed decision when it comes to their finances.

“Your retirement potentially could last longer then your childhood and your adolescence and you’ve got to pay for that somehow,” Danford said. “That notion that I just have to take care of a few years or my retirement I can just spend however I want and not worry about it you really bring it into perspective when you start thinking about how long you might live.”

In his book, Danford has a chapter dedicated to banks, the title is: “Banks are for managing cash, not investing.”

“I have a bank account, everybody has a bank account but I don’t keep money there.  I shift to some place where it can be invested more productively,” Danford said. “If that’s retirement money or something you’re going to use 10 years down the road the bank is not a productive place to keep that.”

Danford said he has been helping clients since 1984.  He founded the Family Investment Center located at 3805 Beck Rd. in 1998.

“I’ve watched good people reach bad financial decisions.  They thought they were doing the right things, but their decision-making process was flawed by faulty beliefs about money and investing,” Danford said. “I wrote this book especially for consumers.  Professors, brokers, Wall Street bankers, and national TV personalities can study other books.”