Jury selection was expected to begin Tuesday in the murder trial of Primalton Peterson, charged in connection with the death of a man whose body was dumped in a river last April.

Mr Peterson, 22, was one of three people charged with what investigators called a failed robbery that led to the murder. His body was found in the Third Fork of the Platte River near Easton.  He had been stabbed multiple times.

The defendant is charged with first-degree murder, armed criminal action and abandonment of a corpse.

Also charged in the case were Kelli Hoard of Elwood, Kansas, and Sean Liechti of St Joseph.  Ms Hoard, 44, pleaded guilty in October to a charge of second-degree murder and was sentenced to 20 years in prison.  Mr Liechti, 25, also pleaded guilty to murder in the second degree, and was sentenced to ten years in prison.

 

 

The Red Cross of Northwest Missouri said its regularly scheduled blood drive is now more important than ever in the wake of a Blizzard that hit the East Coast.

“It has caused a shortage of blood,” said Angie Spring, Ex Dir for the American Red Cross of Northwest Missouri. “When there is a critical shortage across our nation we want to make sure that people have blood.  There’s only one way you can get that lifesaving product.”

The American Red Cross said it currently has an emergency need for blood and platelet donations. The agency said severe winter storms since Jan. 1 have forced the cancellation of hundreds of blood drives resulting in more than 9,500 uncollected donations creating the emergency need.  Springs said there is a Blood Drive scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 26 from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Northwest office located at 401 North 12th St.

“We’re really trying to step up on that front to assist those in need,” Springs said. “We keep a blood drive scheduled every 56 days so it just happens to fall at the right time.”

Springs said anyone wanting to give blood just needs to show up during the blood drive to help with those efforts.

“Everyone deserves the gift of life,” Springs said. “It does not hurt at all to give blood.  It’s a very easy process and takes usually about an hour and with each unit of blood we collect you can save up to three lives.”

To drop off monetary donation or for more information contact the Red Cross at (816) 232-8439

 

 

A woman is in custody following a crash in Buchanan County early Monday morning.

According to Sgt. Jeffrey Shanks with the Platte County Sheriff’s Office a woman was taken into custody by the Platte County Sheriff’s Office for a 24 hour investigative hold after a police pursuit out of Platte County ended up in a crash in Buchanan County a little after midnight.

Shanks said an officer was attempting to stop a 2006 Cadillac CTS around 11:30 p.m. Sunday night on northbound I-29 for expired dealer plates when a pursuit began.

Law enforcement from Buchanan County and the Missouri State Highway Patrol were called in to assist.

The crash took place around midnight on 169 south of State Highway E in Buchanan County.  Both lanes of the highway were shutdown for about two hours while crews were on scene.

The investigation continues

 

Johnson Controls Inc and Tyco International have formally announced plans to merge, creating a company with revenue of more than $40 billion that will be based in low-tax Ireland – a sign that market volatility has not derailed strategic mergers.

Mikwaukee-based Johnson Controls, which has a market value $23 billion, makes heating and ventilation systems and car batteries, while Cork, Ireland-based Tyco, valued at $13 billion, specializes in fire protection systems.

Johnson Controls operates a facility at 4722 Pear Street in St. Joseph.

(Read the company announcement here)

The combined company will save about $150 million a year in tax by basing in Tyco’s legal domicile, the companies said.

Johnson Controls’ shareholders will own about 56 percent of the combined company and receive a cash consideration of about $3.9 billion.  The merger will create savings of at least $500 million in the first three years, the companies said.

The companies didn’t provide an exact value for the merger.

The new company, to be called Johnson Controls Plc, will be headed by Johnson Controls Chief Executive Alex Molinaroli and will continue to trade on the New York Stock Exchange.

Johnson Controls has been preparing to spin off its automotive seating and interiors business and said on Monday the spinoff was on track for early first quarter of 2017.

Another year of Empty Bowls to battle hunger will take place this week in St. Joseph.

“The hope is to have a lot of people come out and enjoy a lot of good food and then the proceeds with help others not face empty bowls,” said Chad Higdon, Second Harvest Community Food Bank Ex. Dir.

Second Harvest is one of four agencies that make up the Hunger Coalition which puts on the event every year. The other three organizations in St. Joseph are InterServ, Open Door Food Kitchen and Catholic Charities.

“It’s really a unique partnership where all those four organizations come together and organize one event just to bring awareness to the issue of hunger,” Higdon said.

The 11th annual Empty Bowls event is scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 26 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Wyatt Park Baptist Church located at 2902 N. Leonard Road.  Admission is $25 and includes soup samples from 14 area restaurants, bread, drink and dessert.  Higdon said proceeds raised from the event are split between each of the organizations involved in the hunger coalition.

“Every organization has got their unique mission,” Higdon said. “We work well together and just make sure we are working to eliminate duplication and streamline services that are provided to the community.”

 

The St. Joseph Police Department is urging drivers not to leave their cars unattended and idling otherwise the department said they could find them missing.

“Don’t start your vehicle and go inside and close your door and not watch your vehicle,” Wilson said. “It’s a lot more inconvenient to come out and find your car gone.”

Vehicle thefts are up in St. Joseph and Wilson said a vast majority of them are due to drivers leaving their keys in the ignition.

“They’re driving them for awhile and then basically abandoning them,” Wilson said. “We’ve recovered multiple several vehicles over the course of the past several months or two but it’s unfortunate that we have to do that.”

In 2015 there were 484 motor vehicle thefts reported, that’s 137 more than in 2014.  Thursday morning alone Wilson said there were two reports of vehicles being stolen due to drivers letting their vehicle warm-up unattended.

“It’s similar to what we’re seeing with a majority of our stolen vehicles in the city. A lot of those are vehicles that community members are choosing to warm their vehicle up and they’re leaving it running…and unfortunately some of our criminals are taking advantage when they’re doing that,” Wilson said.

Wilson said in St. Joseph there’s actually a City Ordinance that states you can’t leave a vehicle running unattended.

“That ordinance covers the city street but even in your driveways…There is remote start mechanisms that the vehicle is inoperable without the key being in the vehicle but unfortunately sometimes there is technology to get around that,” Wilson said. “My suggestion is if you’re going to warm your vehicle up to be certain that you can keep it in eye shot and know what’s going on.”

 

 

The St Joseph City Council on Thursday confirmed what city residents asserted in a recent survey: that street maintenance should be the top priority for city leaders.  The council met in an informal work session to fine tune a vision and mission statement for the city, and to consolidate a list of goals. Council members condensed ten goals into five.

They agreed that street maintenance should top that list.

Paying for improvements has proven difficult, with current funding methods only covering a small percentage of the city’s road-maintenance needs. Council member Ken Beck advocates implementing a four-cent local gasoline tax to pay for more.

Mr. Beck worries that delaying road repairs will only make those repairs more expensive, as the cost of materials increases.

“We have got to address our streets and our infrastructure,” Beck said in an interview. “That’s the priority.”

When asked if he thought a ballot measure for a gasoline tax could get the two-thirds vote required under state law, Beck wasn’t sure.

“At this point in time, I don’t know,” Beck said. “It’s up to the public.”

“They have got to see the problem, and they have got to want to solve the problem.”

Other goals and objectives on the council’s list include exploring downtown traffic patterns, a possible open riverfront and redeveloping and restoring neighborhoods.

The council took no formal action Thursday. City Manager Bruce Woody will make the requested changes to the strategic plan and present it to the board for a formal vote at a future meeting.

Catholic Charities of Kansas City- St. Joseph is operating out of two temporary sites after a fire damaged its new location on 10th street before the agency ever even had the chance to open the doors for business.

As plans are made to rebuild the agency’s location at 1123 S. 10th St. Catholic Charities said it’s continuing to offer emergency assistance and services to people in need in Northwest Missouri.

People in the St. Joseph community seeking help with food, rent, utilities and other urgent needs are asked to call 816.232.2885 to schedule an appointment with a Catholic Charities Emergency Assistance Coordinator. People with appointments will be seen at InterServ’s Wesley Center, 200 Cherokee Street.

Northwest office staff will also be located at Midland Empire Resources for Independent Living. They will schedule appointments with all other clients at MERIL’s office at 4420 S. 40th Street, St. Joseph. To make an appointment, call 816.232.2885. Individual staff members can also be reached via email.

“We recognize that need for Catholic Charities in St. Joseph is greater than ever,” CEO Deacon Dan Powers said. “We’re grateful to the partners who opened their doors to us when we were in need – InterServ, MERIL, our Catholic parishes and the United Way of Greater St. Joseph. They prove what a compassionate community this is.”

Renovations to the new Catholic Charities home in St. Joseph were underway when a fire that began on the second floor swept through the building Sunday, December 27. It was unoccupied at the time, but damage was extensive. Lisa Tulp with Catholic Charities said the plan had been to open the doors at the new location in mid-January prior to the fire.

Catholic Charities provides poverty-reduction assistance to nearly 5,000 St. Joseph area households every year. Services include emergency assistance, housing, workforce development, adoptions and parenting support. The agency also offers one-on-one case management for individuals, families, veterans and former offenders. Services continue without interruption at the main Kansas City office at 850 Main Street.

“We look forward to opening our doors and welcoming people to our permanent home in 2016,” Deacon Powers said.

A definite timeline for the opening was not announced but Tulp said the hope is to be in by late Spring.

(January 21, 2016)—The St. Joseph School District Board of Education will hold a work session on Saturday, January 23, 2016 to discuss the recent Compensation Study from CBIZ.

The session will be held from 8:00am-11:00am in the board room at 925 Felix Street.

“This gives the board an opportunity to discuss next steps, possible funding ideas and how we go about processing this information,” said Dr. Robert Newhart, Superintendent. “We know the staff and community have a vested interest in making sure our staff members are compensated fairly in all areas and we need to discuss this at length with our board members.”

Newhart said that this is the first opportunity the district has had to discuss this information with board members since the January 11 Board of Education meeting.

Also, Carolyn Sanders, Assistant Director of Human Resources, has resigned. Sanders last day with the district will be February 2, 2016.

“Carolyn Sanders was anintegral part during a critical time in the Human Resources Department as policies and procedures were being reviewed. We wish her the best in her future endeavors,”Newhart said. “We will begin discussions on how to restructure the human resources department immediately and will communicate that to staff accordingly.”

The Olympia Lanes building is being sold to a developer with plans for a new business to move in.

Ray Sisson, a real estate agent with Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Stein & Summers Real Estate said the building is currently under contract.  A close date is anticipated for Tuesday, Jan. 26.

“We have a developer who has a client he has not shared who his client is who has bought the building to convert it to a retail store,” Sisson said.

The 30,000 square foot facility is going to be renovated on the inside and out.

“They had contractors in the building yesterday and the day before so it’s something that is going to happen,” Sisson said.

He said the bowling lanes will be removed and the front of the store will be remodeled.

While the store itself was not announced, Sisson said the owners have around 80 or 90 stores and that it’s a regional company.

The bowling equipment will not go to waste either, he said the owners are in the bowling business in Wichita, Kan. and can use the equipment elsewhere.  The process of removing the bowling lanes is anticipated to start next Wednesday.