Millions of pounds of food are distributed each year to food insecure families in the area through Second Harvest Community Food Bank in St. Joseph.

Second Harvest relies on several events and donations throughout the year to be able to help those families through programs such as Backpack Buddies and No Hunger Summer.

Michelle Fagerstone is the Chief Development Officer for Second Harvest. Fagerstone said to help 100% of the food insecure all the time in their 19-county service area they would need 12 million pounds of food. Last year, Second Harvest distributed 5.5 million pounds of food.

Fagerstone said one of the programs they offer, No Hunger Summer, works with churches and area organizations to set up feeding sites throughout communities in the area where anyone up to 18-years-old can go to receive a free lunch Monday through Friday.

“When school is let out, then a lot of families who are food insecure, that’s an added burden on them as to how they’re going to feed the kids while they’re out of school,” Fagerstone said. “So we give them the option to come and visit one of the sites and hopefully they get a nutritious meal and they get a little bit of relief off of their grocery bill.”

The No Hunger Summer program runs from the week after summer school gets out until about a week before school starts up again.

During the school year, the Backpack Buddies program helps students that receive free or reduced-price lunches at school.

“The kids on Friday as they’re getting ready to leave for the weekend, receive a package of food that has a breakfast, two entrees, some snacks, juice and shelf-stable milk in it and so it’s just enough food to tide them over for the weekend,” Fagerstone said. “It’s mainly meant to be used as a supplement to food that hopefully they’re getting at home also.”

Fagerstone said they have provided as many as 3,490 backpacks per weekend through the Backpack Buddies program in 18 of the 19 counties they serve.

Some of the ways Second Harvest is supported through the community include events such as the Canned Film Festival. The event each year is put on by Regal Hollywood 10 Theaters and Eagle Radio along with Midwest Data and Mosaic Life Care.

“The idea is that anybody, whether they’re truly a kid or a kid at heart, can enjoy a movie on Tuesdays and Wednesdays for just the price of a can of food,” Fagerstone said.

According to Fagerstone, the event last year collected 11,400 pounds of food and they estimate that this year, with the event being extended two weeks, they will collect over 15,000 pounds. The Canned Film Festival runs through August 8th and this week, movies being shown include the Lego Batman movie and Trolls. Doors open at 9 a.m. Tuesday and Wednesday. You can find more information at ourcommunityfoodbank.org.

Another food drive and fundraiser comes during Hunger Action Month in September.

“We do what is called, ‘The Corporate Food Fight,’ and we invite corporations and businesses here in the St. Joseph area to compete in food and fund drives,” Fagerstone said. “They compete all month long… we bunch them up according to size and all month long they bring us funds and they bring us food. At the end of the month, we tally everything up and we give out four ‘Golden Can Awards’ to the top four performing businesses and they really have a blast with that. It brings us in about 65,000 pounds of food every year.”

Fagerstone said the largest fundraiser of the year is the Mayor’s Thanksgiving Dinner and in a few weeks they will be announcing some details about that event.

For more information about Second Harvest Community Food Bank, their programs, how to set up a food drive and more, click here.

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 July 30 – Aug. 5 from the Missouri Department of Transportation.

In addition to the work listed below, there may be pothole patching, mowing, shoulder work, bridge maintenance, striping, brush cutting, guardrail repairs, litter pick up and 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. Traffic is head-to-head in the northbound lanes. This traffic pattern will be in place through Aug. and includes a 13-foot width restriction.

Atchison County

Route M – CLOSED for a culvert replacement from Route C to 120th Street, July 31 – Aug. 3. The road will close at 7 a.m. July 31 and remain closed until 3 p.m. Aug. 3.

U.S. Route 275 – Resurfacing project from the Iowa state line to U.S. Route 136, July 30 – Aug. 3

Routes D and U – Pothole patching, July 30 – Aug. 3

Buchanan County

U.S. Route 36 – Resurfacing project at the Route AC (Riverside Road) interchange on and off ramps, July 30 – Aug. 2

U.S. Route 169 – Pedestrian crossing improvement projects at Route AC and Pickett Road intersection, Commons Road (near Menards and Bucky’s) and South Belt Wal-Mart, July 30 – Aug. 3

U.S. Route 59 – Culvert replacement at Bethel Road, July 30 – Aug. 3

U.S. Route 59 – Culvert replacement at County Road 70, July 30 – Aug. 3

U.S. Route 36 – Bridge maintenance at the Missouri River Bridge, July 30 – Aug. 2

Caldwell County

Route Z – Pothole patching, July 30

Route U – CLOSED for maintenance at the railroad crossing east of New York, July 30-31, daylight hours.

Route B – Pothole patching, July 31 – Aug. 3

Carroll County

Route B – Pothole patching from U.S. Route 24 to U.S. Route 65, July 30

Route YY – Pothole patching from Route M to Route J, July 31 – Aug. 2

Route UU – Pothole patching fromRoute M to U.S. Route 65, Aug. 2 – 3

Clay County

Route C – Resurfacing and shoulder project from Route CC to Route 116 (Clinton County), July 30 – Aug. 3. A pilot car and flaggers will direct traffic through the work zone.

Clinton County

Route C – Resurfacing and shoulder project from Route 116 to Route CC (Clay County), July 30 – Aug. 3. A pilot car and flaggers will direct traffic through the work zone.

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.

I-35 – Concrete replacement from U.S. Route 69 at Winston to U.S. Route 36 (DeKalb County), July 30 – Aug. 3

DeKalb County

I-35 – Concrete replacement from U.S. Route 36 U.S. Route 69 at Winston (Daviess County), July 30 – Aug. 3

U.S. Route 36 – Resurfacing project from Grindstone Creek to just east of U.S. Route 69, July 30 – Aug. 4.

Gentry County

Route A – Shoulder work five miles south of U.S. Route 136, July 30

Route O – Milling and pothole patching, July 31 – Aug. 3

Harrison County

Route AA/H – CLOSED for a bridge deck replacement at the I-35 overpass. The bridge will be closed through early August. One lane of I-35 may be closed in each direction during the project.

I-35 – Resurfacing project from the Iowa state line to Route N at Eagleville, July 30 – Aug. 4. This includes a 16-foot width restriction and will include overnight lane closures.

U.S. Route 136 – Surface repair one mile west of U.S. Route 69, July 31

Route U – CLOSED for a culvert replacement from County Road 110 to the Iowa state line, July 31, 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Route N – Surface repair at the city limits of Blythedale, Aug. 1

Route AA – Pothole patching from U.S. Route 69 to I-35, Aug. 1 – 2

Route MM – Pothole patching from Route 146 to Route 13, Aug. 3

Holt County

I-29 – Bridge deck replacement at the Nodaway River Bridge. Traffic is head-to-head in the northbound lanes. This traffic pattern will be in place through Aug. and includes a 13-foot width restriction.

Route A – Pothole patching from Route 113 to U.S. Route 71 (Nodaway County), July 30– Aug. 3

Mercer County

U.S. Route 65 – Sealing project from the north city limits of Chillicothe to the Iowa state line, July 30 – Aug. 4. This includes a 12-foot width restriction.

U.S. Route 136 – Bridge maintenance at the Grand River Bridge, July 30 – Aug. 3

U.S. Route 136 – Bridge maintenance at the Weldon Fork Bridge, July 1 – Aug. 3

U.S. Route 136 – Bridge maintenance at the West Muddy Creek Bridge, Aug. 1 – 3

Nodaway County

Route FF – CLOSED for a culvert replacement from Route JJ to 140th Street, July 30, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Route A – Pothole patching from U.S. Route 71 to Route 113 (Holt County), July 30 – Aug. 3

Route P – Shoulder work from Route P to Route AF through the village of Clyde, July 30 – Aug. 1

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.

Sullivan County

Route PP – Pothole patching, July 30

Route W – Pothole patching, July 31 – Aug. 3

Worth County

Route 46 – Pothole patching, July 30

Route EE – CLOSED for bridge maintenance at the Medicine Creek Bridge, July 30

Routes W and K – Pothole patching, Aug. 1 – 3

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – The Bushman Planetarium at Missouri Western State University will have a public showing of “Wonders of the Universe” on Tuesday.

Peer deep into space through the eyes of the orbiting Hubble Space Telescope and travel back billions of years in time to witness the birth of the universe. Witness the formation of galaxies, explore some of the most wondrous nebulae and astronomical structures yet discovered, fly deep into our own Milky Way galaxy and return home to Earth on a spectacular tour through the solar system.

The Bushman Planetarium features a Digistar 4 projection system and a dome that is tilted slightly, rather than directly overhead, making viewing easier. A 17-channel stereo sound system enhances the viewing experience.

The showing begins at 7 p.m. Tuesday, July 31. The planetarium is located inside Agenstein Hall.

Tickets must be purchased in advance, either online at missouriwestern.edu/planetarium or in person at Agenstein Hall, room 140 during regular business hours (8 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday).

Tickets are $5 for adults, $3 for children, students, seniors and military.

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – Motorists who regularly use the U.S. Route 36 interchange at Route AC (Riverside Road) may experience some delays next week.

Crews from the Missouri Department of Transportation will mill off the old roadway surface of the on and off ramps beginning Monday. They plan to work between 6 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday, July 30 through Thursday, Aug. 2. The ramps are scheduled to remain open while the work is going on. After the old surface is removed, a new layer of asphalt will be applied to the ramps. Motorists may want to use an alternate route during the work.

All work is weather permitting and could be rescheduled. MoDOT encourages all travelers to slow down, buckle up, eliminate distractions, pay attention and drive safely so everyone is able to Arrive Alive.

For more information call 1-888-ASK-MODOT (888-275-6636) or visit modot.org/northwest and view the online Traveler Information Map. In addition, MoDOT provides updated information on Twitter @MoDOTNorthwest and Facebook at @MoDOTNWDistrict.

MARYVILLE, Mo. – Registration is now open for employers and graduate schools interested in meeting and networking with prospective employees during Northwest Missouri State University’s fall Career Day and Education Expo.

Northwest will connect talent with opportunities when it hosts the Education Expo from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. and Career Day from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.Tuesday, Oct. 2, at the Carl and Cheryl Hughes Fieldhouse.

According to a press release, the Education Expo is designed to connect new and alumni teacher candidates with prospective employers, while Career Day focuses on internship and full-time employment opportunities in a variety of different employment sectors. Graduate Schools also are invited to participate in Career Day to share information with students about degree programs and graduate school opportunities.

Early bird registration for employers participating in Career Day is $100; after Monday, Sept. 3, the cost increases to $125. Education Expo has no registration fee. All interested employers may register by visiting nwmissouri.edu/careerserv.

“We’re thrilled to be hosting this year’s career events in the newly built Hughes Fieldhouse, and are excited to see how the space will aid in the recruiting efforts of the employers who attend,” Jill Brown, director of partnerships and placement at Northwest, said.

Northwest offers more than 120 majors and is home to more than 6,300 students.

Northwest places a high emphasis on profession-based learning to help graduates get a jumpstart on their careers. Students have opportunities to build their resumes with experiences on campus in nearly every area of study, including the Horace Mann Laboratory School, National Public Radio affiliate KXCV, the R.T. Wright Farm, Mozingo Outdoor Education Recreation Area or Knacktive, a student-driven integrated digital marketing communications agency.

At Northwest, 97 percent of bachelor’s degree earners and 99 percent of master’s degree earners secure employment or continue their education within six months of graduation, according to the most recent data.

For more information about Career Day, Education Expo and other services offered by Career Services at Northwest, contact (660) 562-1250 or nwmissouri.edu/careerserv.

A summer series offered by the St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce is geared toward small businesses.

The Chamber, along with the Northwest Missouri State University Small Business and Technology Development Center, is presenting the Small Business Tech Series in July and August.

St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce Vice President of Membership Natalie Redmond said the next session in the series will cover how to become more productive with technology tools.

“So just little tips and tricks to make your day more efficient as a person who works in a business or runs a small business,” Redmond said. “Things like, how do I control my temperature when I’m not at work to keep my bills down… apps you can put on your phone, items for your computer, just ways that you can make your life run more efficient as well as your business.”

That session takes place from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Tuesday, July 31, at the St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce. In August, a session will be presented on “The Tech (Dis)Connect of Generations.”

“It’s going to get into how Boomers and Millennials use technology and how Gen Xers are in the mix in the middle and how that can cause some controversy and frustration in the workplace,” Redmond said.

That session takes place from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on August 10th at the St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce.

The last session, “Viruses and Dark Web: The Business Owner’s Guide to Protecting Your Company,” will be held from 5 to 6 p.m. on August 29, at CoJoe, 518 Felix St.

The events are free of charge. Chips, drinks and cookies are provided and attendees are encouraged to bring their own lunch.

For more information and to RSVP, call (816) 364-4102 or  click here.