The St. Joseph School District has shown improvement in a follow-up audit report from Missouri State Auditor Nicole Galloway.

In February the district earned a “poor” rating.  The report was critical of the district’s practices in a number of areas, including compensation, payroll procedures record-keeping and policies, summer school funding, the district’s financial condition, bonds, procurement procedures and construction projects.

The follow-up report, which does not include an overall rating, highlights steps the district has taken to implement audit recommendations.

“St. Joseph School District officials have used the audit process to improve operations and transparency across the district,” Galloway said. “Although additional work is necessary, the district has made clear improvements over the past six months and I expect the community will continue to hold the district accountable as it moves forward.”

In the St. Joseph School District follow-up report, 22 out of 40 recommendations were selected for evaluation. At the time of the follow-up review, 10 recommendations were implemented and 12 recommendations were in progress.

“We have worked very hard this last few months to address these issues,” said Joey Austin, St. Joseph School District Dir. of Communications. “There are other areas that are in process and will require time and diligence to fully complete but we are confident that that will happen.”

The district has made progress toward implementing recommendations to increase transparency and oversight of district compensation, appropriate personal use of district vehicles, and accuracy of vacation leave and pay.

Austin said the board of education approved a priority checklist to tackle the list of concerns in the audit report.

“We appreciate the patience of the St. Joseph School District staff, students and the St. Joseph Community as we work and continue through this process to correct the policies and procedures of the district that will make the district stronger and better than before,” Austin said.

The follow-up report said the district has successfully implemented findings related to Missouri Sunshine Law compliance; computer data backup and recovery systems; summer school attendance reporting; board approval for contracts and large purchases; supervision and review of payroll and timesheet activities; and bond proceed and expenditure accounting.

Significant issues of stipends were also addressed in the initial audit report finding that a staggering $25 million in stipends were paid over the last eight years that were “either unapproved, unauthorized or improper.” The total is estimated to be in excess of $40 million dating back to 2001.  The follow-up said the district is currently working on the state’s recommendation to conduct a compensation study.

“The study will be conducted between May and September 2015 and results presented to the Board in October 2015. In January 2015, the Board adopted a salary schedule for the 2015-2016 school year that incorporated all previous administrator stipends into the base salary amounts,” the report stated. “The only additional compensation now available for administrators is for graduate degrees. The district also developed administrator contracts rather than continuing to use teacher contracts for the various administrative positions. Additional compensation for teachers and other staff was included in salary schedules approved by the Board.”

To view the full report CLICK HERE.

An 18-year-old has been charged after Lafayette High School was placed under lockdown Friday.

Tri Tran of St. Joseph has been charged in Buchanan County with a misdemeanor for making terrorist threats.

Lafayette was placed under lockdown Friday after police began investigating threats of possible violence against the school.

“According to witness statements and police reports, the suspect Tri Trans sent several messages to students at Lafayette High School making them believe that he was in the school,” Det. Greg Ogdahl with the St. Joseph Police Department said in court documents. “He has made threats to other students in the past and was believed by school personnel and Law Enforcement that the suspect had access to guns by social media photos.”

School officials said everyone in the building was directed to shelter because of the threat of a weapon inside. The school was placed under lockdown for nearly two hours.

Tran was detained by police for questioning at another location.  He was charged Saturday in connection with the case.

Tran is being held on $10,000 bond.  An arraignment is set for Tuesday.

A public hearing is scheduled this week in which Buchanan County Commissioners will take comments on a proposal to enact a “primary” seat belt ordinance in the county. Officials say the current state law requires seat belts, but requires another violation to be enforced.

Prosecuting Attorney Dwight Scroggins says the current state law is unique.

“They can see the violation, and yet, unless that person is doing something in addition to that, something else that’s a violation, the police officer can’t enforce the law,” Scroggins said in an interview.

“That’s the only law of which I’m aware on the books that exists like that.”

Mr Scroggins supports the new proposed ordinance. It was made possible by a ruling from the Supreme Court of Missouri that upheld a primary seat belt ordinance in St John, Missouri. Since that ruling several other jurisdictions have implemented local, primary ordinances. Those include the town of Weston, Missouri.

Buchanan County Sheriff Mike Strong also supports the measure, which he says is all about safety.

“This is about reducing the number of fatalities in Buchanan County,” Strong said in an interview. “I think it could save several, not only in Buchanan County, but statewide.”

Both Scroggins and Strong say the new proposal is not about further controlling people. Scroggins points out that the debate over requiring seat belts in Missouri happened years ago, and resulted in the current ordinance. Seat belts are already required. Strong says its not about the money either, in fact, quite the opposite.

“We are not trying to be all-controlling. We will make nothing from this. It will actually make more work for us, and probably cost a little more money,” Strong said.

“We’re not in this for the money. We’re in this strictly for lowering our number of injuries and fatalities in Buchanan County.

A public hearing is scheduled Thursday, October 1st, from 10:00 to 10:30 a.m., in the County Commission office on the first floor of the Buchanan County Courthouse.

BaconFest kicks off Saturday afternoon with this year’s theme of Pork Wars: The Bacon Awakens.

“We are excited to bring BaconFest to St. Joe for its second year” says James Fisher, Baconfest St. Joe coordinator. “This year we are challenging our booths, as well as the attendees to incorporate the theme into their activities.”

Participants will be able to try numerous bacon creations from appetizers, to entrees to desserts, take part or watch a bacon eating contest and various other activities.

The event will take place at the Civic Arena in downtown St. Joseph. Special P.I.G. ticket holders will get in an hour early to sample the various treats then doors open at 2 p.m. for general admission ticket holders.

The Dream Factory of Northwest Missouri will benefit from a proceeds. The Dream Factory uses donations to help grant dreams of critically and chronically ill children between the age of 3 to 18.

“Last year we sent our application in and you know I was hoping,” said Rite Hook, Dream Factory area coordinator. “This kind of helps get our name out there.”

A dream will be granted at 3 p.m.

Tickets to BaconFest can still be purchased for $25 at the door.

UPDATE: Lafayette High School in Saint Joseph has been released from lockdown.

Officials released the school from lockdown around 2:30 p.m.

School officials say everyone in the building was directed to shelter in place beginning at about 1 pm because of the threat of a weapon inside.  Police say the threat was made on social media and in text messages.

“We had received information that was possibly making threats,” said Capt. Jeff Wilson with the St. Joseph Police Department. “It was enough information to warrant a lockdown, at that time a lockdown did take place.”

Wilson said police searched the building and continued to investigate outside sources of information on the individual’s whereabouts.

A man in his late teens was detained by police for questioning.

“It doesn’t appear at this time that he was in the building,” Wilson said.

Police are investigating the threats.

About 40 people from throughout the community converged Friday on the lot behind the new St Joseph YMCA to to assemble a universal playground. The adults doing the work appeared to be having as much fun as the kids who will use it when it opens.

Lynn Smith, of Progressive Community Services, says the playground will not be finished until the middle of October, at which time they expect to hold a grand opening. In the meantime, volunteers have been busy.

“They are putting up panels, building slides, putting a lot of rivets in,” Smith said. “Some people have had a very riveting day.”

“They’re putting up play panels, they’re putting up musical instruments, they’re building trash cans and benches. There’s a lot going on.”

The project at 3500 North Village Drive has involved PCS as well as Buchanan County, the City of St Joseph, and the creator of the playground gear Unlimited Play.

Once the playground equipment is fully assembled, they’ll still need to pour concrete for sidewalks, install fences, and then install a “poured in place” soft surface.

You can follow their progress on the Progressive Community Services Facebook page (here)

What started as a disturbance call to a northside tavern turned into an hours-long standoff and action by the police Special Response Team.

Police Sergeant Brad Kerns says officers were called to the Brown Bear on Saint Joseph Avenue at 11:02 Wednesday night.  The suspect left before officers arrived.  They found him in a residence in the 1400 block of North 22nd Street.

Sergeant Kerns says when the suspect barricaded himself in, the SRT was called.  The standoff ended at 3 am Thursday when the suspect came out and surrendered.  No shots were fired.  There were no reported injuries.

The 54-year-old man was taken into custody for investigation of multiple offenses.

The case has been submitted to the prosecutor’s office. Charges have not yet been filed.

Saint Joseph police arrested a suspect within hours of an armed robbery Tuesday night at the East Hills Shopping Center.  Sergeant James Langston says officers made the arrest shortly after midnight Wednesday morning.

The victim told police a man pulled a gun on him outside the mall, robbed him, and fled into the shopping center.  A security officer spotted the suspect, but he ran off.  Police officers made the arrest early Wednesday morning.

The incident is still under investigation.  Anyone with information is asked to call the Tips Hotline at 238.TIPS.

Andrew County Sheriff Bryan Atkins announces a $5,000 reward for information on a suspicious fire at a church.  The St John Church at 526 Hackberry in Amazonia sustained significant fire damage September 10, after the facility was burglarized and vandalized.

The church pastor says some electronic equipment was taken in the burglary, and that the fire may have been set to try to hide evidence of the crime. Someone also tried to paint the number “666” on the side of the church. (find more here)

The Missouri State Fire marshall’s Office and the US Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives have joined the investigation. Sheriff Atkins says the ATF has now issued a reward notice for $5,000 for information on the fire.

If you can help, call the ATF 24-hour tips hotline number (888-ATF-FIRE) or the Sheriff’s Office at 816-324-4114.