Officials are gearing up to break ground on a new highway interchange that will be built on US Highway 36 for the new Agri-Business Expo Center and nearby businesses.

A groundbreaking is schedule for Friday, May 6th at 10 a.m. at 5917 Corporate Dr. in St. Joseph.

The Missouri Department of Transportation Cost Share/Economic Development Committee awarded up to $4.9 million to the Agri-Business Expo Center to design and construct a diamond interchange.

The exit will be located about one mile east of the Riverside Road/Route AC interchange on U.S. Highway 36.

“We’ve worked hard and made a lot of progress but this is actual outward progress that the community can see,” said Patti Long, Dir. of Development for the Expo Center.

As we previously reported, the interchange will serve as a private road that will lead south to Pickett Road, through the Agri-Business Expo Center’s 150-acre campus. To the north, the road is expected to eventually connect to the Mitchell Woods Business Park.

Plans to construct the Expo Center itself are still in the works.

“As they interchange is happening we’re going to start work on our infrastructure,” Long said. “Right now there’s ground, there’s no utilities running through it.  Our idea is to start working on the infrastructure as the interstate is being built so we can be ready on our end for when the interchange is done.”

Missouri Director of Agriculture Richard Fordyce is expected to speak at the ground breaking for the interchange.  Long said other officials from the Buchanan County Commissioner’s office, St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce, Missouri Department of Transportation and a representative from Senator Claire McCaskill’s office as well as others are expected to attend.

The Livingston County Sheriff’s Office is warning its residents of scammers allegedly threatening a law suit and a scam involving TV service upgrades.

The LCSO said it received multiple calls Friday of scammers trying different approaches on its citizens.

“One scammer was attempting either identification theft or to obtain a quick payment portrayed to be from an unknown lawyer’s office and were calling from an 888-384-**** number,” said Sheriff Steve Cox. “Caller was reporting there was about to be a law suit against one of the family members and if the call was not returned quickly the Livingston County Sheriff’s Office would be utilized with some type of service or enforcement.”

Sheriff Cox said he contacted this “company” 3 times, was hung up on once, second call the female would not disclose what company they were with or where located and ended the call, the final contact a male gave vague information and misleading questions.

“The other primary scam calls have been people claiming to be with a satellite television service provider and the intended victim’s caller ID was spoofed to show the legitimate providers name and number,” Cox said. “Yet the caller was seeking immediate upgrade and wanting $150. So far the intended victims have been too wise for these creepers. A check with the real satellite television providers shows they are aware of this scam and just as frustrated with the criminals as we are.”

Cox said he is hopeful by sharing this information that no one will fall for these scams.

“If you get such a call simply hang-up,” he said. “If you are uncertain about the caller do not be rushed into making any payment or providing personal identification information. Do business with people you know. These people only want your personal information, money, or both. If you have fallen for these or any other scams it is important you notify your local law enforcement agency ASAP.”

A man is facing a felony charge in Buchanan County after allegedly threatening to shoot a priest at Cathedral Church in downtown St. Joseph.

Hugh Rossell, 56 who is listed on court documents as a Texas resident, was charged Friday with a felony for making a terrorist threat.

According to court documents, the charge stems from an incident that took place Thursday at Cathedral.

“According to a police report and witness statement, the defendant attended church mass at Cathedral.  While at mass the defendant was up and wondering around the church which is not normal during church services,” said Det. Richard Woodley with the St. Joseph Police Dept. “Unrelated to today the church and school had received a bomb threat.  The staff an parishioners were on high alert.”

Woodley said a witness approached Rossell due to concern over his behavior and because he was carrying a red lunch box.

“Before she could say anything to him he started being verbally aggressive,” Woodley said. “While being escorted out of the church the witness advised that the defendant made the statement that he wanted to shoot the priest of the church.”

According to the probable cause statement, Rossell had gone to Cathedral School for the past two days and requested money.

“On 4/20/2016 when the defendant was refused money he became verbally abusive and yelling at the secretary of the school,” Woodley said.

Rossell is being held in the Buchanan County Jail without bail.  An arraignment is scheduled for April 26.

(Missourinet) – Unless voters get to make the final decision on a proposed prescription drug monitoring program, Senator Rob Schaaf (R-St. Joseph) will filibuster it. Schaaf says he would support the measure if ballot language and a referendum clause were added so that Missourians can vote on the program.

The House measure passed out of that chamber last month and is being considered by a Senate committee. Sponsor Holly Rehder (R-Sikeston) says Missouri needs the program as soon as possible.

“He (Schaaf) uses those as a stall tactic. He doesn’t want this bill to get through. We have experienced deaths this week. We’ve experienced overdoses this week. We’ve experienced addiction being fed this week,” said Rehder.

The program would let doctors and pharmacists see if a person is having more prescriptions filled than needed. The intent is to prevent those addicted to opioids from overdosing and to stop those who profit from the illegal resale of those drugs.

Schaaf says such programs don’t work.

“There are a lot of people who go to the doctor once a month, get a month’s worth of medication, take it home and sell it for $50 a pill. They make a good living on that. The PDMP will never catch those people from doing that,” said Schaaf. “More people die of alcohol abuse and the effects of smoking of cigarettes than will ever die of opioid overdose.”

Senator Dave Schatz (R-Sullivan) is carrying the Senate version of Rehder’s proposal. He wants to find a compromise.

“Are you just at the point where again this is your way or no way?” asked Schatz. “You say you’re not going to let this come to a vote if it isn’t your way.”

“No, I’d be more than happy to allow the way that is palatable that will protect our liberty,” said Schaaf.

A Senate committee is also considering Schaaf’s plan that he argued would better protect Missourians’ privacy. Under his proposal, the state Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs would track prescriptions. Pharmacists and doctors wouldn’t have access to the information. Bureau officials would inform authorities of potential cases of abuse. It is projected to cost the state $6 million compared to $4 million for Rehder’s plan.

Missouri is the only state without a monitoring program for prescription drugs.

Oak Grove Elementary and the St. Joseph community are holding “Muscle Up for Matt,” a 5K to benefit Oak Grove sixth grade teacher Matt Musser and his family.

The 5K Walk/Run will take place Saturday, April 30th at Missouri Western State University.

Matt Musser is battling a rare form of cancer, epithelial sarcoma, which can come and go. He was diagnosed with cancer in the fall of 2015. As a result, he has lost significant income due to hospitalization and medical bills. Musser, who is married with six children, is currently cancer-free, but this type of cancer frequently returns. In addition to his illness, the district said his family also experienced a house fire recently that has created another challenge.

“Matt is just a beloved person,” said Mike Otto, Oak Grove Principal and 5K Chair. “Life hits everyone at times, and we need to do a good job coming together as a community. It’s a really good lesson for all of us, especially the kids, to see everyone come together.”

Oak Grove has set up the Matt Musser Foundation through Nodaway Valley Bank to take care of donations. Those who wish to donate, but are not interested in walking or running may make a donation directly to the foundation.

Registration begins at 9:00 a.m. Children under 12 will have their race (1 mile) beginning at 9:30 a.m, and the adult walk/run will begin at 10:00 a.m. Children may do the 3.1 mile course. Adults are $20, eighth grade and under is $10, and 4-years-old and under is free.

Those who wish to register should return the Registration Form to Oak Grove Elementary, in care of Michael J. Otto, 5K Chair, and make checks payable to “Matt Musser Foundation.” They can drop your check off at the Oak Grove office in care of Michael Otto (Trustee) or Precious Love (Trustee). Donation deadline is April 22.

(4:36 p.m.) – The St. Joseph Fire Department said it was unable to determine the cause of a fire that destroyed a vacant house on the South Side of town Wednesday.

Firefighters responded shortly before 10 a.m. to the 700 block of Blake St. to battle a fire inside a home that crews on scene told the St. Joseph Post appeared unstable and dangerous.

Mike Neylon, Chief of Training for the St. Joseph Fire Dept. said the investigation has been concluded and the cause of the fire is undetermined.  He said the house was vacant but full.  No utilities were hooked up at the time of the fire.

No injuries were reported.

The structure was deemed a total loss at around $30,000.

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(Update 11:19 a.m. ) – The St. Joseph Fire Department is clearing the scene of a fire on the South Side of St. Joseph.

Crews responded shortly before 10 a.m. Wednesday to the 700 block of Blake St.  Mike Neylon with SJFD said the cause of the fire is still under investigation but that crews were clearing the scene around 11:25 a.m.

Initial reports from fire crews on scene indicated the structure was unstable and dangerous so firefighters were taking a cautious approach.

Desari Coffman said she is the homeowner and that no one was inside at the time of the fire.  She said power was not connected at the time.

“We didn’t have nothin,” Coffman said. “I’m just glad nobody and nothing was in there.”

Neylon said fire inspectors are still looking into what may have started the fire.

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(10:11 a.m. ) – Crews with the St. Joseph Fire Department are responding to a house fire on the South Side of St. Joseph.

At 10 a.m. Wednesday, St. Joseph Post’s Rob Horning was on scene in the area of 700 Blake St. He is reporting seeing a lot of smoke coming out of the back of the house and some flames.

Four fire trucks and an ambulance were also seen on location.

Horning said he was able to speak with Battalion Chief Russell Moore who said the building is very unstable and dangerous so firefighters are taking a cautious approach.

“As far as they know no one is inside but they’re taking it very cautiously,” Horning reported. “They’re going through very carefully to make sure that everything is okay.”

Moore said that they believed there to be the possibility of needles on the floor so crews were being careful.

Two people were injured in a multi-vehicle crash that closed a portion of Frederick Ave. Wednesday afternoon.

The St. Joseph Police Department responded to a crash on Frederick Ave. near the Albrecht-Kemper Museum of Art.  An alert was issued for drivers to avoid the area of eastbound Frederick from Noyes to 36th St. around 1:23 p.m.  Traffic was redirected at that location.  The all clear to traffic was given at 2:23 p.m.

Officer Henry Pena said the driver of the white car was going westbound on Frederick when it began weaving, crossed the double yellow lines, hit one vehicle and then rolled backwards into a red car.

Pena said the two occupants of the white car were injured during the crash and transported by ambulance to Mosaic Life Care.