Friends of the Animal Shelter of St. Joseph said they have partnered with UMKC Architecture students on plans for a new shelter.

UMKC students will showcase their ideas for a new shelter for the pets of St. Joseph next weekend.  The students will show off their floor-plans and 3-D models Saturday, April 9 at UMKC Campus (Room 202 Katz Hall) from 2 to 4 p.m.

“Though the students’ designs will not be directly translated into architectural plans for a new building, walking through this process with them has been an invaluable learning experience for our group,” said Dr. Annie Valuska, Friends of the Shelter board member. “The questions raised by the students and Professors have generated many great conversations and ideas that will be incredibly useful as we begin thinking more concretely about how we want to shape the future of the shelter.  We can’t wait to see what the students have come up with.”

In Dec. of 2014 Friends of the Animal Shelter of St. Joseph got approval from City Council to begin fundraising to build a new shelter for the city.  The organization said working with the UMKC design students represents one of the first public steps forward in the project.

For more information about Friends of the Shelter CLICK HERE.

Voters wanting to cast an absentee ballot in the April 5th election only have a few days left to do so.

Buchanan County Clerk, Mary Baack-Garvey said the last chance for voters to cast their ballot absentee is by 5 p.m. Monday.  She said the courthouse will be open Saturday, April 2nd from 8 a.m. to noon for absentee voting.

Then on Tuesday for Election Day voters can head to the polls when they open at 6 a.m., polls close at 7 p.m.

The only issue for St. Joseph residents to vote on is who will fill the two open spots on the St. Joseph School District Board of Education.

Those candidates as they appear on the ballot include:

John Paul Leo Stehr

Eric Bruder

Maggie Elder

Art VanMeter

Sarah Hochschwender

Kathy Northup

Bryan Green

Teresa Simmons

Tami Pasley

Michael Dulcan

Baack-Garvey said past turmoil in the St. Joseph School District makes it difficult to predict voter turn-out.

“I would hope the turnout would be quite higher than the average April General Municipal, which is right around 18.25% over the last 5 years,” Baack-Garvey said. “So I would predict we would roughly hit about the 25%.”

She adds that she hopes her estimate is way too low.

For sample ballots by polling place for the April 5, 2016 General Municipal Election CLICK HERE.

Two Benton students have been arrested after a situation involving guns being brought to school.

The St. Joseph School District said it is working with the St. Joseph Police Department regarding the situation at Benton High School.

This afternoon, Benton High School Parents received a ParentLink alert phone call from the district alerting them to the ongoing police investigation. At this time, police have arrested 2 Benton students after it was revealed that guns were stolen by one student and brought to school for the purpose of exchanging them with another student. The district said police do not feel at any time there was an intent to harm Benton students or staff. It said police officers took swift action and arrested the students, as this is a violation of the Safe Schools Act.

“We are thankful for the safe outcome of this situation and thank the police department for their quick actions that kept our Benton Cardinal family safe,” said Joey Austin, Dir. of Communications. “The safety of all of our students is a top priority and we take each concern of student and staff safety seriously.”

The district said students are encouraged to talk to the police or Benton staff members with any additional information regarding this situation.

As the cold weather rule comes to an end local residents who are at risk of getting their utility services disconnected could end up receiving assistance from their own community.

Since 1982 some Kansas City Power & Light customers have been helping low income families with their utilities bill through the company’s Dollar-Aide program. The program is a way for individuals wanting to help those in need make one-time or monthly contributions for families to pay their heating, cooling and water bills during hard times.  KCP&L also matches 50 cents for every dollar contributed.

“In the 33 years that we’ve done this program we’ve help more than 11,000 households and that’s about $4.6-million,” said Courtney Hughley a spokesperson with KCP&L “The United Way of St. Joe is who distributes those funds there in that area. The way that that works is anyone who lives in northwest Missouri or works in northwest Missouri that gives Dollar-Aide those funds go directly back into that community.”

Kylee Strough, United Way of St. Joseph President said there are several different programs that help to fund utility assistance programs; Dollar-Aide is just one of those programs.  She said funds come into the United Way and are distributed to Community Action Partnership, InterServ, Maryville, and United Services in Kansas City.

“Last year it was just over $2,500,” Strough said. “A year ago with a payment InterServ got they were able to help five different households and the average assistance was right around $100.”

She said there are many other programs that also help provide utility assistance to those in need.

“People who answer the phones at those organizations will work to find out what residents qualify for,” Strough said.

The Missouri Public Service Commission’s Cold Weather Rule, designed to help customers with heat-related utility bills ended March 31.  After that deadline utility customers who have fallen behind on their bills could be at risk of getting their utility services disconnected. Strough said individuals who need assistance should call United Way’s information and referral agency: Northwest Missouri Community Services (816) 364-1131.

“We see people needing assistance all year round,” said Hughley

She said individuals who want to help out with utility services funding by donating through KCP&L can do so by calling (888) 471-5275.

A St. Joseph man is facing felony charges after a police pursuit Tuesday ended with a crash on U.S. 36 Highway in Buchanan County.

Kevin Clark, 34 is charged with felonies for resisting arrest and unlawful possession of a firearm in DeKalb County.

According to court documents, Missouri State Highway Patrol Trooper K. Cool attempted to stop Clark around 11:30 a.m. for a lane violation on US 36 at Baker Road in DeKalb County.

“A computer check revealed Clark had a felony warrant for assault. I advised Clark he had the felony warrant. Clark’s eyes were bloodshot, his pupils constricted and the skin around the eyes was extremely red,” Cool said. “I conducted several field sobriety tests. Clark admitted to being a methamphetamine user though not recently. He denied me consent to search the vehicle so I requested the Missouri State Highway Patrol’s K-9 unit respond.”

Cool said following the standing field sobriety tests he asked Clark to return to the front seat of his patrol car.

“Clark ran to his silver Honda Accord,” Cool said. “Fled the scene westbound on US 36. Clark drove up to 130 miles per hour, weaving from lane to lane and subsequently crashed his vehicle.”

As we previously reported, Clark was arrested just after noon at the scene of the crash on 36 hwy just east of St. Joseph.

Court documents said a shotgun and syringes were found inside the vehicle.

Clark is currently being held on $250,000 cash bond in the Daviess-DeKalb Regional Jail.

A 34-year-old St. Joseph man learned the hard way that fleeing from authorities at high speeds is not likely to end well.

According to Sgt. Jake Angle of the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the man fled a traffic stop near the Osborn junction on U.S. Highway 36 Tuesday morning. A chase followed that ended with a rollover crash east of St. Joseph.

An online arrest report shows the suspect has an outstanding arrest warrant in Buchanan County. He was taken into custody on a 24-hour hold and was taken to the Daviess-Dekalb County Regional Jail. The report says the chase reached speeds of 130 miles-per-hour.

He faces possible charges of failing to drive in a single lane, no insurance, speeding at 130 in a 65-mile-per-hour zone, driving while intoxicated on drugs, resisting arrest by fleeing, unlawful possession of a firearm, and unlawful use of drug paraphernalia, as well as the outstanding warrant.

As of yet no formal criminal charges have been filed.

(Update 2:30 p.m.) – A pursuit ended with a crash on U.S Highway 36 east of St. Joseph Tuesday.

Sgt. Jake Angle with the Missouri State Highway Patrol said around 11:50 a.m. an officer attempted to stop the vehicle on 36 Highway at the Osborn Junction but the driver fled the traffic stop and the officer initiated pursuit westbound on the highway.

The highway patrol attempted to deploy spike strips at one point in time but the vehicle avoided the strips.

Angle said the pursuit entered Buchanan County and the suspect attempted to avoid a vehicle during the pursuit and lost control and went into the median and rolled over.  The suspect was taken into custody.

Initial reports indicated speeds of over 120 miles per hour at times during the chase.