The St. Joseph Health Department is offering classes on caring for children from newborns to toddlers through a new program called “Parent with Purpose.”

The Department said for a number of years the clinic has offered prenatal case management to pregnant women so they can learn about the resources available as their pregnancy proceeds. The clinic staff has also offered consultation and continuing education units through instruction at child care facilities in the community. The department said it’s expanding and combining these programs with the offering of “Parent with Purpose” to expectant or new families.

“Parent with Purpose” class sessions will focus on topics that have been identified through parents and care-givers as areas of interest. The title of the series acknowledges that parents have many decisions to make, and to remind new parents to take an active role in learning what is best for their growing baby. Parents will have the opportunity to gather information and speak to someone with education and experience.

“Parent with Purpose” class sessions will provide information on childhood development, illness prevention, parent health and wellness, and many more.

The sessions are held the second Tuesday of the month at 10:00 a.m. at the City of St. Joseph Health Department, 901 South 10th Street. Each session will last 30-60 minutes, depending on the topic as well as participant engagement and interaction.

Contact the City of St. Joseph Health Department to sign up for the next session, “Safe Sleep”, scheduled Tuesday, February 9th at 10:00 a.m. at the City of St. The series is open to the public. Reservations can be made by calling 816-271-4725.

The Albrecht-Kemper Museum of Art has a new Executive Director.

Dr. Brett Knappe started his first day of work Monday at the museum.  Knappe has been living in the Midwest since 1998.

“I was previously a professor of Art History at Baker University,” Knappe said.

He replaces Terry Oldham who retired as the museum’s Ex. Dir.

“He was at the Albrecht-Kemper for 16-years.  Did a lot of wonderful things for this museum and this community and it’s really my honor to take over after him and he’s already serving as a great mentor for me,” Knappe said.

He’s just getting his foot in the door but Knappe said he hopes to try to get everyone in the community through the museum doors for one reason or another at least once a year.

“I would like to create connections with everyone.  My ultimate goal would be that everyone in St. Joe would come through our doors at least once a year,” Knappe said. “Get to know us, get to know our collections, get to see the local artists that we show, get to see the work in our vault that comes out now and then.”

He said he and his wife Dr. Stephanie Knappe who is a curator at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art and their 5-year-old daughter are moving to St. Joseph from Douglas County, Kan.  He said his parents have already bought a house in St. Joseph and have moved in.  Knappe said he knows how important it is to get to know the community.

“This is a community that is growing, it’s doing a lot of interesting things, getting to know the people is the primary aspect of this job I’m looking forward to,” Knappe said. “Please stop by and if you stop by ask to meet me.”

 

(Update) – The St. Joseph Police Department said the man police had been searching for earlier Friday after being reported missing has been found.

Police had been are searching for Bobby R. Blair, 55 who had been reportedly not seen since Jan. 25.

Blair has been located and is safe.

 

The Ryan’s buffet in St. Joseph closed its doors Thursday.

A sign on the restaurant located at 4302 N. Belt Hwy. reads “To our valued guests, this location is now closed.”

It goes on to tell team members to return between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. Thursday to pick up their final paycheck.

In a statement released by Ovation Brands it said 74 under performing Old Country Buffet, Hometown Buffet, Ryan’s, Fire Mountain and Country Buffet Restaurants were closed permanently throughout the United States Thursday.

“Based on ongoing assessments of individual restaurants, it is necessary to shutter locations for the continued viability of the brands and our employees,” said Peter Donbavand, Vice President of Business Development.  “While we cannot predict future market conditions, the plan is to continue operating the remaining Ovation Brands’ restaurants as they are financially viable.”

The company said employees will be given the opportunity to apply for positions at operating stores.

Scott Lassen is the Owner of Golden Corral in St. Joseph and said he’s urging all Ryan’s employees to apply at Golden Corral.

“It’s news to us too. So we’re planning to pick up some of the employees from there.  It’s a real hard time for them.  It’s unfortunate but we’re going to get some of those guys and staff up our place because we’re probably going to be hit a little harder,” Lassen said.

As of 3 p.m. Thursday afternoon Lassen said he had already spoke with several former employees and anticipates talking with more.  He said he’s not sure how many employees worked at the location but anticipated it was around 30 to 40.

 

BETHANY, Mo. (AP) — An Amish minister from Kentucky is considering a plea deal offer in his wife’s death nine years ago in northwest Missouri.

A judge has given 39-year-old Samuel Borntreger two weeks to consider the deal. Borntreger, of Summer Shade, Kentucky, is charged with first-degree murder in the death of 26-year-old Anna Yoder Borntreger.

Court records allege Borntreger went to Kentucky authorities last month and told them he put antifreeze in her drinks and battery acid in her rectum before her death in late 2006. No foul play was suspected when she died.

Harrison County Prosecutor Cristine Stallings declined to discuss the details of the plea bargain.

Borntreger’s attorney, Kelly Miller, didn’t immediately return a phone message or email from The Associated Press seeking comment.

(Update) – The St. Joseph Police Department said the man taken to the hospital after a standoff Tuesday night is still receiving treatment.

Capt. Jeff Wilson said officers responded to a home on Faraon St. near 27th around 2 p.m. Tuesday for a domestic disturbance between a man and a woman. It was reported that the woman said her boyfriend threatened to harm her. She was standing outside of the home when officers arrived.

The man who has been identified as Emil Johnson, 36 reportedly threatened to harm the officers if they didn’t leave him alone. After learning Johnson had a felony warrant for his arrest from a prior case police closed off the area for several hours and assistance was called in from the Buchanan County Sheriff’s Department and the Special Response Team.

Wilson confirms that four shots were believed to have been fired from Johnson inside the home. Around five hours after the standoff started Johnson was taken into police custody and transported to Mosaic Life Care for treatment of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Wilson said it was a serious injury.

Police used CS gas to draw the suspect out of the house.

Wilson said Wednesday morning Johnson was still in the hospital. Police said a mugshot could not yet be released due to computer issues at the station.

Wind is being blamed for a power outage in St. Joseph that shut off the lights to around 1,500 customers Wednesday morning.

According to KCP&L’s power outage map at 8:59 a.m. power went out to 1,567 customers around the area of Frederick and I-29 extending north to Gene Field Road, South to Faraon St. and East until right before Riverside Road.

A spokeswoman with KCP&L said wind is what caused the outage but did not have details on the location it occurred. Power was restored to most customers around 10:37 a.m.

The National Weather Service reported wind gusts at Rosecrans Memorial Airport around 8:53 a.m. at around 28 mph.

CLICK HERE to view the latest on the outage with KCP&L’s power outage map.

 

Update – Standoff on Faraon street ends several hours later with suspect on his way to the hospital.

The St. Joseph Police Department shutdown Faraon from 26th to 27th streets after police attempted to serve a warrant on a man and said he barricaded himself inside around 2 p.m. Tuesday.

Capt. Jeff Wilson said as of 7:30 p.m. the subject, a 36-year – old was taken into custody and is being transported by ambulance with a serious injury. Wilson said the injury appears to be self-inflicted.

Sgt. Kevin Cummings said no police shots were fired.
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Previous – Police activity has shutdown the intersection of Faraon and 27th Street.

Viewers reported seeing the SWAT vehicle and multiple police officers in the area.  A home has been surrounded. An ambulance was also seen a block away from where the activity was reported to be taking place.

At 3:32 p.m. the department issued an alert to let the public know Faraon street is closed from 26th to 27th due to a police incident.  The department is asking people to avoid the area if possible.

As we learn more information we will update.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A second owner of a solar energy installation company in St. Joseph, Mo., pleaded guilty in federal court Tuesday to his role in a fraud scheme that totaled nearly $1.4 million in rebates through state and federal programs.

Trevor Dryden, 36, of St. Joseph, waived his right to a grand jury and pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Beth Phillips to a four-count information that charges him with one count of participating in a conspiracy to fraudulently obtain state and federal solar rebates and with four counts of making false statements related to state and federal solar rebate programs.

Dryden was an owner of US Solar in St. Joseph, which sold and installed solar-powered panel systems to businesses and home owners in northwest Missouri. In a separate but related case, US Solar co-owner Richard Schonemann, 38, of St. Joseph, pleaded guilty on Sept. 2, 2015, to his role in the conspiracy and to one count of making false statements.

By pleading guilty, Dryden admitted that he was involved in three separate fraud schemes: first, a fraud related to KCP&L state rebates; second, a fraud related to the federal rebate program; and third, a fraud related to annual updates for the federal program. The total loss from the fraudulent schemes, determined by the government, is $1,396,956, although the total loss acknowledged by Dryden is $993,506.

KCP&L State Rebate Program

From July 23, 2011, to Dec. 31, 2013, US Solar obtained fraudulent rebates from KCP&L by overstating the number of solar panels installed at approximately 27 homes or businesses so that a larger rebate would be paid to KCP&L customers, who signed the rebates over to US Solar.

KCP&L administered the state’s Solar Photovoltaic Rebate Program, which was created in 2008 by the state of Missouri and funded by a tax on power customers. The rebate allowed for a payment of $2 per watt, not to exceed $50,000, to customers that installed solar powered panel systems on their homes or businesses. US Solar was one of the larger solar powered panel system installation companies that utilized this rebate program through KCP&L. To utilize the state rebate program, US Solar submitted applications and schematic drawings on behalf of their customers via email to KCP&L. Once the application process was completed, funds were disbursed to US Solar by checks mailed from KCP&L.

As a result of this fraud scheme, US Solar was paid a total of $464,080 more in rebates than the company was entitled to receive.

Dryden was, at a minimum, involved in the fraudulent rebate payments related to his father’s home and his personal home. Dryden pleaded guilty today to two counts of making false statements related to these rebate payments.

One of the fraudulent rebate payments related to the St. Joseph residence of Dryden’s father. Fraudulent paperwork was submitted requesting payment for 75 extra panels not installed, resulting in a rebate overpayment of $35,250. Another fraudulent rebate payment under this program was related to Dryden’s personal home. Fraudulent paperwork was submitted to KCP&L requesting payment for 54 extra panels not installed, resulting in a rebate overpayment of $25,380.

During the investigation of the state rebate scheme, the FBI uncovered unexplained payments from the federal government to US Solar that led to the discovery of a second fraudulent scheme that was part of the conspiracy.

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009

US Solar also obtained fraudulent federal rebates authorized by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Under the federal program, the government reimbursed 30 percent of the cost of the installation of a solar-powered panel system leased to the property owner. US Solar received federal funds under this program from August 2011 to September 2013, because Dryden and US Solar certified they installed systems and leased those systems to the property owners. The certification was false because the systems were owned by customers rather than leased.

US Solar submitted forged lease contracts in order to receive the federal rebates. Dryden created false paperwork and computer entries using US Solar customer information. The conspiracy involved the use of false paperwork and computer entries, including lease agreements, certification that US Solar retained ownership of the solar powered panel systems, detailed cost breakdowns on each system and usage reports.

US Solar received 34 payments from the federal government, totaling $932,876. US Solar was not eligible to receive any of the $932,876 paid under the federal program.

Annual Updates

In order to participate in the federal rebate program, US Solar was required to certify that the installed systems were still running and report the systems’ output each year after installation. Dryden provided updates showing kilowatt usage on each property to the federal government in 2012 and 2013.

During the course of the conspiracy, Dryden and Schonemann, received payments from US Solar that were described as profit distributions. A significant source for those profit distributions were funds received by US Solar from the federal rebate program.

Under the terms of the plea agreement, the government will recommend a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison without parole. Dryden must pay between $60,630 to $464,080 in restitution to KCP&L for the state rebate fraud, as determined by the court, and no more than $932,876 in restitution for the federal rebate fraud (less any amounts paid by Schonemann), as determined by the court. A sentencing hearing will be held at 11 a.m. on June 16, 2016.