It’s been a year of “Uncommon Character” in St. Joseph.

The new brand for St. Joseph, Missouri, “Made With Uncommon Character,” debuted last year after being formed by a group of 12 St. Joseph creative residents in June of 2016.

St. Joseph Community Branding, LLC, is celebrating with a week full of activities to honor the accomplishment.

St. Joseph Community Branding member Joey Austin says the “Made With Uncommon Character” campaign features people, places and things in St. Joseph that make it uncommon.

“From our architecture to our residents and to the things that we have here… (the) parkway system, Parties on the Parkway, our kids in the school district, our teachers in the school district, our caregivers at Mosaic, people at Missouri Western, there are so many things that we get to feature here,” Austin said. “We’re on social media, we have a print campaign, we have a TV campaign so I think you’ll see it a lot. What we want is for people to share it, we want people to share the good things that we have going on. Drown out the negative because there’s a lot more positive than you think.”

Also, as part of the week, St. Joseph Mayor Bill McMurray will proclaim Made With Uncommon Character Day at the City Council meeting at 7 p.m. Monday. Also Monday, new Facebook frames will be launched for residents to display their Uncommon Character trait of choice on their Facebook profile pictures. On Tuesday, social media followers are encouraged to share their favorite business that they believe has Uncommon Character.

For more information visit uncommoncharacter.com or click here to find out more about the week’s activities.

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – The following is a listing of general highway maintenance and construction work in the Northwest Missouri region planned for the week of Aug. 27 – Sept. 2 from the Missouri Department of Transportation.

In addition to the work listed below, there may be other road work conducted throughout the region. Many of these will be moving operations and could include lane closures with delays. All scheduled maintenance and construction projects are subject to change.

MoDOT reminds the public to stay alert, watch for road work, buckle up, slow down, and drive with extreme caution through work zones and in changing weather conditions.

For more information about a project, please contact MoDOT at 1-888-ASK-MoDOT (888-275-6636) or visit modot.org/northwest. You can also follow MoDOT’s Northwest Missouri District on Twitter @ModotNorthwest and on Facebook.

Andrew County

• Interstate 29 – Bridge deck replacement project at the Nodaway River Bridge, Aug. 27 – 31. A 13-foot width restriction is in place.

Atchison County

• U.S. Route 59 – Concrete replacement at Route C, Aug. 27 – 28. Motorists will not be able to access the turn lane from U.S. Route 59 to Route C.
• Routes T, W and OO – Chip seal, Aug. 27 – 30
• I-29 – Resurfacing project from the Iowa state line to Route 111, Aug. 27 – Sept. 1
• U.S. Route 59 – Concrete replacement at the Iowa state line, Aug. 29 – 30

Buchanan County

• Route 116 – CLOSED for a culvert replacement 0.5 miles east of Route 371, Aug. 27, 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
• U.S. Route 36 – Bridge maintenance at the 22nd Street bridge overpass, Aug. 27 – 29
• Route YY (Mitchell Avenue) – Shoulder work from U.S. Route 169 (Belt Highway) to Route AC (Riverside Road), Aug. 27 – 30
• U.S. Route 169 (Belt Highway) – Pedestrian crossing improvement project at U.S. Route 36, Aug. 27 – 31
• U.S. Route 36 – Bridge maintenance at the 33rd Street bridge overpass, Aug. 29 – 31

Caldwell County                                               

• U.S. Route 36 – Guardrail work from just east of the DeKalb County line to just east of U.S. Route 69 (DeKalb County), Aug. 27 – 31

Carroll County

• U.S. Route 24 – Pothole patching from Dewitt to Carrollton, Aug. 27
• Routes CC and FF – Pothole patching, Aug. 28 – 29

Clay County

• Route C – Resurfacing and shoulder project from Route CC to Clinton County line, Aug. 27 – 31. A pilot car and flaggers will direct traffic through the work zone.

Clinton County

• Route PP – CLOSED for a culvert replacement from 203rd Street to Lisa Road, Aug. 27– 29, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily
• I-35 – Pavement repair southbound from mile marker 52.6 in Cameron to mile marker 49.6 near Route 121, Aug. 27 – 31. This will include overnight lane closures.
• Route C – Shoulder work from 228th Street to 236th Street, Aug. 30 – 31

Chariton County

• Route 129 – Pavement repair from Route P to Route W, Aug. 29 – 31

Daviess County

• Route 13 – CLOSED for a bridge replacement project at the Honey Creek Bridge. The road will be closed through September. A signed detour is in place.
• Route 6 – Shoulder work, Aug. 27 – 31
• Route 6 – Bridge maintenance at Grand River Bridge, Aug. 27 – 31. This will include overnight lane closure.

DeKalb County

• U.S. Route 36 – Resurfacing project eastbound lanes from Route 31 North to Route 33 North, Aug. 27 – 30. A 16-foot width restriction is in place.
• U.S. Route 36 – Guardrail work just east of U.S. Route 69 to just east of the Caldwell County line, Aug. 27 – 31.

Grundy County

• Route J – Pothole patching, Aug. 27

Holt County

• I-29 – Bridge deck replacement project at the Nodaway River Bridge, Aug. 27 – 31. A 13-foot width restriction is in place.

Linn County

• U.S. Route 36 – Bridge maintenance at Higgins Ditch west of Laclede, Aug. 27 – 31. This includes a 14-foot width restriction.

Mercer County

• Routes W and KK – Pothole patching, Aug. 27 – 31

Nodaway County

• U.S. Route 71 – Shoulder work southbound from Route A to 370th Street, Aug. 27 – 29
• Route 246 – Pothole patching from Route E to Route H (Worth County), Aug. 27 – 30

Putnam County

• U.S. Route 136 – CLOSED for a bridge replacement project at the West Locust Creek Bridge. The road will be closed through September. A signed detour is in place.
• U.S. Route 136 – CLOSED for a bridge replacement project at the Elm Branch Bridge. The road will be closed through September. A signed detour is in place.

Worth County

• Route 246 – Pothole patching from Route H to Route E (Nodaway County), Aug. 27 – 30
• Route W – Pothole patching from one mile west of Route Z to Route W, Aug. 27 – 31

MARYVILLE, Mo. – As construction workers take care of the finishing touches for the opening of the Carl and Cheryl Hughes Fieldhouse at Northwest Missouri State University, a Kansas City, Missouri, technology company headed by Northwest alumni is ensuring the building is equipped with wireless access.

According to a news release from Northwest, Velociti Inc. recently provided a gift to Northwest that includes all Wi-Fi hardware for the Hughes Fieldhouse as well as suites at Bearcat Stadium – a value of more than $100,000. The gift package included 41 access points, which provides total coverage of the Hughes Fieldhouse’s indoor field, classrooms and common areas, while providing more stable, wider connectivity for fans in Bearcat Stadium suites.

Deryk Powell is Velociti’s president, while his brother, Ryan Powell, is vice president of sales and Jim West is vice president of operations. Deryk Powell and West are 1993 graduates of Northwest, and Ryan Powell is a 1996 graduate.

As long-time supporters of the University and Bearcat athletics, they saw the opportunity to enhance the Wi-Fi capabilities at the Hughes Fieldhouse and Bearcat Stadium as the right gift.

“Velociti wanted to be part of a monumental project for the University, and the Hughes Fieldhouse was ideal since it will be used by students and the community,” Deryk Powell said. “With the addition of the Hughes Fieldhouse on the Northwest campus, the Maryville community has access to top-of-the-line facilities, but we also want to provide them with access to the best technology.”

Velociti designs and installs wireless networks and security systems in large public venues, including stadiums and schools. The company employs several Northwest alumni, including some serving on the company’s leadership team.

Due to the wet weather, the upgrades to the dog park in St. Joseph, originally scheduled for August 20 – 22 were rescheduled.

Weather permitting, the dog park will be closed Monday through Wednesday, August 27 – 29, so the new equipment can be installed.

According to the St. Joseph Parks, Recreation and Civic Facilities, the new agility equipment being installed in the small and large dog park areas is funded through a donation from Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica. The Buchanan County 4-H group also donated money for one of the triple hoop pieces of equipment that will be installed at a later date in the large dog park and they will also be assisting with the installation.

Dr. Robert A. Vartabedian, president of Missouri Western State University, has announced his plans to retire effective July 1, 2019.

In a press release from the university, David Liechti, chairman of Missouri Western’s Board of Governors, said that Dr. Vartabedian informed the Board of his plans during a closed session Thursday, and he announced his intentions to campus in an email this morning.

“I have been truly honored to serve as Missouri Western’s president for over a decade,” Dr. Vartabedian said. “These have been by far the most gratifying years of my long career in higher education. For a first-generation college student like myself to have this kind of capstone career opportunity was a dream come true for me.”

Dr. Vartabedian and his wife, Dr. Laurel Vartabedian, plan to spend more time with family, including their children and grandchildren in Texas. He announced his retirement nearly a year early to give the University time to find a successor.

“Bob and Laurel’s contributions to Missouri Western and the St. Joseph area will be felt for many years to come,” Liechti said. “Bob is a great leader and tireless worker with a vision and commitment to advance the University. Both he and Laurel have immersed themselves in the community and been great ambassadors for Missouri Western. The bar is set very high for whoever follows.”

According to Liechti, the Board of Governors immediately began discussions about the search process.

“Hiring a president is the Board’s most important job, and we want to move quickly and effectively to find the right person,” Liechti said.

Dr. Vartabedian became Missouri Western’s fourth president on July 1, 2008, and he is the longest-tenured current president among public universities in Missouri. The campus has grown in a number of ways under his leadership, but he is quick to credit others.

“Missouri Western accomplished many great things during my time here, but the University also accomplished many great things before my time here, and will accomplish many more after I leave,” Dr. Vartabedian said. “The real work has been done by the dedicated people of this University: the faculty, staff, students and alumni who take such great pride in being Griffons, and our many community partners who have made our work possible.”

Among the highlights of Dr. Vartabedian’s more than 10 years as president so far:

• All academic accreditation outcomes have been successful.
• The endowment of the Missouri Western State University Foundation has nearly tripled since 2009, from approximately $12.5 million to more than $34 million.
• Missouri Western became the summer training camp home of the Kansas City Chiefs in 2010, attracting nearly 350,000 visitors to the campus and community.
• Griffon athletic programs have won numerous conference championships and competed in national tournaments while remaining free of any major infractions and recently establishing the highest overall GPA in the athletic department’s history.
• The creation of the Walter Cronkite Memorial in 2013, including three live multi-media shows.
• Other new or substantially renovated facilities include:

o   Agenstein-Remington Hall

o   Kit Bond Science and Technology Incubator

o   Spring Sports Complex

o   Griffon Indoor Sports Complex

o   Spratt Stadium, including a massive video board and most recently the Bill Snyder Pavilion

o   Griffon Hall

o   Kelley Commons

o   Thomas Eagleton Indoor Pool

o   Looney Complex Arena

• The establishment of an innovative entrepreneurship partnership with benefactor Steve Craig to provide business opportunities across the country to approximately 30 alumni so far.
• A tenfold increase in the number of international students.
• A tenfold increase in the number of online courses.
• Donations of three significant collections:

o   Hundreds of one-of-a-kind artifacts from the life and career of Walter Cronkite

o   Approximately 100 sculptures from renowned artist Brent Collins

o   Approximately 1,200 limited edition prints from a retired art faculty member

Prior to joining Missouri Western, Dr. Vartabedian served as vice president for academic affairs at Eastern New Mexico University in Portales, New Mexico. Previously, Dr. Vartabedian was dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee, North Carolina from 1999 to 2005, serving eight months as interim vice chancellor for academic affairs in 2004. Previous administrative experience for Dr. Vartabedian includes time as a department head and director of graduate studies in communication at West Texas A&M University in Canyon, Texas and as a division head, coordinator of graduate studies in communication and assistant dean of graduate studies at Wichita State University in Wichita, Kansas. He received numerous teaching awards throughout his career.

Dr. Vartabedian graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Speech Communication from California State University, Fresno, in 1974. He received a Master of Arts in Speech Communication from Wichita State University and a doctorate in communication from the University of Oklahoma.

 

– Missouri Western State University Press Release –

Governor Mike Parson on Friday announced more than $77,000 in state funding will be awarded to assist the drought-stricken City of Cameron and Caldwell County Public Water Supply Number 2.

According to a news release from the governor’s office, as of August 20, the City of Cameron reservoirs were 38.4 percent full and only 167 days of water supply remained. The city serves a population of 9,933 and also sells water to Clinton County Public Water Supply District No. 3, which serves a population of 3,410.

“Any shortage of drinking water is a serious issue. In response, these grants will be a step in the right direction as we work to develop short and long term solutions for clean and dependable water sources,” said Governor Parson. “We are committed to ensuring all state, local, and federal agencies work together to ease the drought’s burden.  We will continue to be proactive in addressing local infrastructure needs to deliver much needed water to communities in need.”

The Department of Natural Resources will be awarding emergency drought assistance grants for $50,000 to the City of Cameron and $27,380 to Caldwell County Public Water Supply District Number 2. The emergency funding will assist the community and the water district in their efforts to maintain adequate drinking water for local citizens.

The funding will assist in allowing the City of Cameron in constructing approximately three miles of temporary, above-ground emergency piping to pump water from Pony Express Lake with special permission from the Missouri Department of Conservation. This temporary connection is anticipated to provide more than 1 million gallons of water per day, which will be pumped to Grindstone Reservoir, the city’s largest drinking water source.

The City of Cameron’s total project cost is $484,526. The city, located in Clinton, DeKalb and Caldwell counties, will finance the remainder of the project with available city funds. The project, currently under construction, is expected to be complete and operational by Sept. 1.

Caldwell County Public Water Supply District Number 2 is located in Caldwell County, currently designated as a county experiencing exceptional drought conditions. The water district serves a population of 875.

The Caldwell County project will construct a temporary emergency connection with Daviess Public Water Supply District Number 2. This temporary connnection is anticipated to provide more than 30,000 gallons per day until a permanent connection can be constructed. This temporary connection will ease the demand experienced by the City of Hamilton city reservoir, which is currently the only water provider to Caldwell Public Water Supply District Number 2. The City of Hamilton’s reservoir level is down six feet, and city officials are concerned about maintaining water services.

In response to Governor Parson’s Executive Order No 18-05, the Missouri Department of Natural Resources made this emergency funding available to assist in construction projects intended to ensure that drought-impacted small communities are able to maintain an adequate supply of drinking water for their citizens.

“I applaud the Governor for his leadership on this issue,” said Senator Dan Hegeman, R-Cosby.  “The drought has been severe in northwest Missouri and our community is hurting right now.  These water infrastructure grants will have a positive and lasting impact on these communities.”