A new clothing store opens this weekend in St. Joseph.

Ross Dress For Less opens its doors Saturday, July 16 in the Northgate Shopping Center, 1417 N. Belt Highway. The store occupies the space previously used by Office Max, which closed last year after that company was bought by Office Depot.

Final preparations were underway at the store Thursday morning. The company has sent out flyers to St. Joe residents over the last several days.

According to the company’s corporate website, Ross sells “first-quality, in-season, name brand and designer apparel, accessories, footware and home fashions.” They offer the products at a 20% to 60% savings compared to department store and specialty store prices.

After being certified as an adult in Buchanan County Juvenile court Wednesday a 16-year-old is now facing a new charge in connection with the shooting death of 18-year-old Skylar Powell.

The Buchanan County Prosecutor’s Office has charged Gabriel Dawson with a felony for first-degree attempted robbery.  The charge carries a sentence range of 5-15 years.

According to court documents, Dawson committed the crime of attempted armed robbery by helping plan a robbery and attempting to carry out the robbery at gun point.  Little other information as to Dawson’s involvement was released in the documents.

Dawson had previously been charged in Juvenile court with second-degree murder but was certified to stand trial as an adult Wednesday morning which gave the prosecutor’s office 24 hours to make a charge decision.

Four other suspects are also charged in the case including, Justin Smith, Dayne Matthews, Kyle Smith and Ashten Surritte.  Prosecutors believe Powell was killed during a drug transaction and attempted robbery May 17 in the area of 2200 Calhoun.

Dawson is being held on $20,000 cash only bail.  An arraignment is set for July 19.

 

Crews are working to clean up trees and get power restored after a severe thunderstorm came through the St. Joseph area late Wednesday morning.

At least 2,400 power outages were reported according to KCP&L’s online outage map. As of 1:25 p.m., less than 500 people were reporting outages. There are multiple reports of trees down around town.

The National Weather Service was having issues getting warnings out due to a software glitch as storms pushed through the area. Storm warnings included the potential for 70 mph winds, hail and damage to trees.

A 16-year-old can now face adult charges in connection with the shooting death of 18-year-old Skylar Powell.

According to the Associated Press, Gabriel Dawson was certified Wednesday in Buchanan County Juvenile Court to stand trial as an adult in the case. The teen previously had faced a juvenile charge of second-degree murder.

Dawson is one of five suspects charged after Powell’s body was found in a parking lot near 22nd and Frederick May 18. Prosecutors believe the victim was killed during a drug transaction and attempted robbery.

Buchanan County Prosecuting Attorney Dwight Scroggins said the case is being submitted to the prosecutor’s office today as the teen has now been certified. Scroggins said they have 24 hours to make a charge decision.  He said he expects to do something within that time frame.

CLICK HERE for the latest information on charges in this story.

 

More than 2,400 people are without power in St. Joseph after severe storms.

According to the Kansas City Power & Light Outage Map as of 10:56 a.m. 2,496 customers were without power in St. Joseph.

The National Weather Service was having issues getting warnings out due to a software glitch as storms pushed through the area . Hazards with this morning’s weather included reports of more than 60 mph wind gusts, hail, downed trees and power poles.

For the latest on power outages in the KCP&L area CLICK HERE.

Update: the National Weather Service has issued a severe thunderstorm watch for Buchanan County until 2pm Wednesday. Also are Bates, Cass, Clay, Clinton, Jackson, Platee and Vernon counties in Missouri, and Doniphan County, Kansas.

Here’s your seven-day forecast:

Today: A chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 3pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 90. Heat index values as high as 99. Southeast wind 5 to 11 mph becoming south southwest in the morning. Chance of precipitation is 40%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Tonight: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly before 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 67. South wind 5 to 9 mph becoming light in the evening. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Thursday: A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 88. Calm wind becoming west northwest 5 to 7 mph in the morning. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

Thursday Night: A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 65. West northwest wind around 6 mph becoming calm in the evening. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Friday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 84. Calm wind becoming north northeast around 6 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 66.

Saturday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 82. Chance of precipitation is 40%.

Saturday Night: A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 70. Chance of precipitation is 40%.

Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 90.

Sunday Night: A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 72. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 92.

Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 73.

Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 94.

Gen. Frank J. Grass, the 27th Chief, National Guard Bureau and a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, will be the guest speaker at the 2016 St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce Chairman’s Breakfast.

The event will be held from 7 to 9 a.m., Friday, July 15, 2016, at the Fulkerson Center of Missouri Western State University. Grass will present “The Modern Day Minuteman…Your National Guard for the 21st Century.”

Gen. Grass serves as a military adviser to the President, Secretary of Defense, National Security Council and is the Department of Defense’s official channel of communication to the Governors and State Adjutants General on all matters pertaining to the National Guard. He is responsible for ensuring that nearly 453,000 Army and Air National Guard personnel are accessible, capable and ready to protect the homeland and to provide combat resources to the Army and Air Force.

Prior to his current assignment, Gen. Grass served as Deputy Commander, United States Northern Command and Vice Commander, United States Element, North American Aerospace Defense Command (USELEMNORAD) at Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado. As Deputy Commander, United States Northern Command, General Grass helped lead the command to anticipate, prepare and respond to threats and aggression aimed at the United States, its territories and interests within the assigned area of responsibility and as directed by the President or Secretary of Defense, provide Defense Support of Civil Authorities, including consequence management operations.

Gen. Grass enlisted in the Missouri Army National Guard in October 1969. He attended the Missouri Army National Guard Military Academy Officer Candidate School and was commissioned in the Engineer Corps in 1981. He has served in a variety of command and
staff positions as a traditional National Guard Soldier, in the Active Guard and Reserve program, and on active duty. In his first general officer assignment, he served as Deputy Director of the Army National Guard in Arlington, Virginia.

A northwest Missouri man is accused of stealing thousands of dollars from the Boy Scouts.

The Cameron Police Department said on June 17 the Boy Scouts of America Cub Scout Pack 208 filed a police report with the Cameron Police Department in reference to money missing from their account.

“Cameron Detectives began the investigation which took them to a period from 2013 until 2016,” said Chief Rick Bashor. “The amount of money missing which was found through the investigation was $21,917.66.”

Matthew Jackman of Cameron was arrested June 30 and has been charged with a class c felony of stealing through the Clinton County Prosecutor’s office.

A hearing is set for Aug. 17. Jackman is currently out on bond.