The Robidoux Resident Theatre is remodeling its new home.

Robidoux Resident Theatre Executive Director Sandy Burg said the 39-year-old organization is a first-time homeowner. A new building was purchased a couple months ago and they are in the process of remodeling it.

“We had outgrown our previous spaces. We had numerous spaces throughout downtown, really on any given night we had up to six different locations where we had actors rehearsing and shows in different stages of production,” Burg said. “We’ll still perform at the Missouri Theater… but the auditions and rehearsals will take place at our new location.”

The new location is at 615 South 10th Street in St. Joseph and will house the organization’s offices, a 300-seat theater, a dinner area, rehearsal space, the Theatre Academy and more.

The Robidoux Resident Theatre is in the middle of a capital campaign to raise $450,000 for remodeling the Ruby Theatre. The planned remodeling includes mechanical and electrical upgrades, interior renovation and wheelchair accessibility.

For more information, 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 9 – 15 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 August and includes a 13-foot width restriction.

U.S. Route 71 – Guardrail, rumble strips and striping from Route 48 to Route A (Nodaway County), July 9 – 13

Atchison County

U.S. Route 275 – Resurfacing project from the Iowa state line to U.S. Route 136, July 9 – 13

Route CC – Pothole patching, June 11

U.S. Route 59 – Pothole patching from the Holt County line to Route B, July 12 – 13

Buchanan County

Route P – CLOSED for a culvert replacement from Thornton Road to 135th Road, July 9, 6 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

I-229 – Flushing and sweeping bridges, July 9 – 12

U.S. Route 169 – Pedestrian crossing improvement projects at Route AC and Pickett Road intersection, Commons Road (near Menards and Buddy’s) and South Belt Wal-Mart, July 9 – 13

Caldwell County

Route 13 – Pothole patching from Route P to Route HH, July 9 – 10

U.S. Route 36 – Resurfacing project from Grindstone Creek to just east of U.S. Route 69, July 9 – 13

Route U – Pothole patching from Route 13 to Route K, July 11 – 13

Clinton County

Route 116 – CLOSED for a bridge replacement project at the McGuire Creek Bridge. The road will be closed through July. A signed detour is in place.

Route C – Resurfacing and shoulder project from Route 116 to Route CC, July 9 – 13. A pilot car and flaggers will direct traffic through the work zone.

Chariton County

Route E – Bridge maintenance at the Turkey Creek Bridge, July 9

Route 5 – Pavement repair from U.S. Route 24 to Route KK, July 9 – 10

Route TT – Bridge maintenance at the Turkey Creek Bridge, July 12

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.

Dekalb County

Route W – Resurfacing project from Route A to Route D near Maysville. July 11 – 14. This includes a 12-foot width restriction.

Grundy County

Route W – CLOSED for bridge maintenance at the Gees Creek Bridge, July 9, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Route C – Pothole patching from Route A to U.S. Route 65, July 9 – 13

U.S. Route 65 – Microsurfacing and pavement marking, July 9 – 14. This includes a 12-foot width restriction.

Route W – CLOSED for bridge maintenance at the Hickory Creek Bridge, July 10, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Route W – CLOSED for bridge maintenance at the Wolf Creek Bridge, July 12, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Harrison County

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

I-35 – At Exit 84 narrowed to one lane each direction, July 9 – 10, for a bridge replacement project. During the deck pour of the interstate overpass on route AA/H, interstate traffic will be re-routed up and over the on and off ramps at Exit 84 (Gilman City exit). Motorists should anticipate delays.

Route YY – CLOSED for a chip seal project, July 9, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.

I-35 – Resurfacing project from the Iowa state line to Route N at Eagleville, 9 – 13. This includes a 16-foot width restriction and will include overnight lane closures.

Route M – Chip sealproject from Route D to Route C (Worth County), July 11

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 August and includes a 13-foot width restriction.

I-29 – Guardrail work from Route 118 to Route W, June 9 – 13

Route A – Pothole patching from Route 113 to U.S. 71 (Nodaway County), July 12 – 13

Linn County

Route CC – CLOSED for a culvert replacement from Route C to Kelp Road, July 9, 6:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

U.S. Route 36 – Guardrail work from just east of Route 11 to Route 5, July 9 – 13. This project includes a 16-foot width restriction.

U.S. Route 36 – Bridge maintenance at the Locust Creek Bridge, July 10

Route 5 – Shoulder work from U.S. Route 36 to the Chariton County line, July 10

U.S. Route 36 – Bridge maintenance at the Higgins Drain Ditch Bridge, July 11

Livingston County

U.S. Route 65 – sealing and pavement marking, July 11 – 14. This includes a 12-foot width restriction.

Mercer County

U.S. Route 65 – Sealing project from the north city limits of Chillicothe to the Iowa state line, July 9 – 13. This includes a 12-foot width restriction.

U.S. Route 136 – Shoulder work from Route C to U.S. Route 139 (Putnam County), July 10 – 11

Nodaway County

U.S. Route 71 – Guardrail, rumble strips and striping from Route A to just north of Route 48 (Andrew County), July 9 – 13

U.S. Route 136 – Shoulder improvements from the east of the city limits of Maryville to Route 46 in Ravenwood, July 9 – 13

Route A – Pothole patching from U.S. 71 to Route 113 (Holt County), July 12 – 13

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.

Route E – Pothole patching, July 9 – 13

Route N – Pothole patching, July 9 – 13

U.S. Route 136 – Shoulder work from U.S. Route 139 to Route C (Mercer County), July 10 – 11

Worth County

Route AA – CLOSED for a chip seal project, July 10, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Route M – Chip seal project from Route C to Route D (Harrison County), July 11

CAMERON, Mo. – A much-needed resurfacing project through Cameron is has been pushed back one week.

The Missouri Department of Transportation has contracted with Herzog Contracting Corporation to complete the U.S. Route 36 resurfacing project which stretches from Grindstone Creek to just east of the Caldwell County line. Crews will mill off the old surface and then add two lifts of new asphalt through this area.

For safety and to mitigate the impact to motorists, the project will be completed in two stages. The first stage will stretch from Grindstone Creek to just past the U.S. Route 69 ramps. The second stage will begin where the first stage ended and continue east to just past the county line.

Beginning Monday, July 16, the contractor will close one lane of eastbound U.S. Route 36 beginning at Grindstone Creek and progress east over a two-week period in approximately two-mile sections. One lane of U.S. Route 36 in each direction will remain open at all times. During this first phase, the ramps at U.S. Route 69 will close for the repaving of U.S. Route 36. This work will take place during daylight hours with crews working six days per week.

The second stage of the project could begin as early as July 30. It will start where the first stage ended and continue to just past the Caldwell County line. This stage will include the repaving of the Interstate 35 ramps. The work during this second stage will be conducted as nighttime operations and will require the closure of the I-35 ramps. The closure of each ramp will last approximately one day. This second stage will take at least two weeks to complete.

During both stages, traffic control and message boards will be in place alerting motorists of the work and planned ramp closures. All work is weather permitting and could be rescheduled.

MoDOT encourages all travelers to slow down, especially in work zones, as there will be large equipment and workers near the driving lanes. As always, please buckle up, eliminate distractions, pay attention and drive safely so everyone is able to Arrive Alive.

For more information on this or other MoDOT projects, 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.

(Missourinet) – On July 7, 1928, the Chillicothe Baking Company became the first commercial bakery in recorded history to have bread mechanically cut into uniform slices.

The invention, developed by Otto Rohwedder of Iowa, revolutionized the baking world. To celebrate the 90-year milestone, the town of Chillicothe is gearing up for its first annual Missouri Sliced Bread Day on Saturday.

Pamela Klingerman, curator of the Grand River Historical Society Museum in Chillicothe, says Rohwedder was friends with Frank Bench. Bench’s family owned the bakery. Bench, who worked in the bakery part-time to save money for college, did the honors that day in 1928 by firing up the bread slicer for use.

The cost to slice a loaf of bread back then is unknown but the machine’s popularity grew instantly.

“After Frank Bench used it for the first time, his bread sales went up 2000% in two weeks,” she says. “Bakers from Kansas City, St. Joseph and Marceline, they were coming from everywhere with trucks of bread to have it sliced.”

About two months ago, a 106-year-old woman visited the museum in Chillicothe to see the bread slicer. She recalls her family putting on their dress clothes and going to watch bread being sliced at a store in South Bend. The woman was about 11 years old at the time.

“Can you imagine getting dressed up just to go watch a machine slice bread? That’s the kind of impact it had on society at the time,” she says.

Klingergman says the machine’s purpose impacted the way of life for many, including as a huge labor-saving device for housewives.

“Without this invention, we would probably still be sawing bread up and not particularly thin slices,” Klingerman says. “Before everybody baked at home or if they did go and get bakery bread, it was unsliced. Mom sliced it at home and maybe not really uniformed sliced. It was a lot of work preparing for like breakfast with toast. If you had a large family, sandwiches for lunch. Then bread for supper. It helped the farmer as well because butter production, jams, jellies, spreads and honey, that kind of thing.”

Klingerman says the slicer also transformed the small appliance industry.

“Prior to this, the pop-up toaster had been invented but it didn’t go anywhere because people couldn’t, for the most part, make bread slices uniform to put in it. So, they got jammed up or they went in and got burned because the slices were too thin,” she says.

Bread lovers ready to binge their way to carb heaven can take it all in on Saturday. The activities you might expect to see at a festival all about bread will be there, including a French toast breakfast, bread baking contest, bread tasting, “The Greatest Parade Since Sliced Bread” and the Sliced Bread Jam Bluegrass festival. Other features of the day include a flea market, 5K run, open mic competition, historic preservation workshop and the largest fireworks display in northwest Missouri.

“I think it’s just a time for the community to come together and it’s a good day to remember,” she says. “It’s gives us community pride. That’s never a bad thing.”

The Smithsonian Museum has loaned the original bread slicer to Klingerman’s museum. The machine weighs in at more than 1,000 pounds.

State Rep. Rusty Black, R-Chillicothe will judge Saturday’s bread baking contest. Prizes being awarded for the top honors will be riding on the taste buds of Black.

About ten local groups are teaming up to put on Saturday’s Missouri Sliced Bread Day events in the community of 21,000. Klingerman said they should have plenty of bread to go around.

ATCHISON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating an explosion in downtown Atchison, according to the police department.

The blast occurred just after 2a.m. Friday at a business in the 100 Block of north 8^th Street, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.

When officers arrived they found debris and heavy damage to businesses on both sides of the street including a number of broken windows, according to Wilson. The blast did not cause a fire.

Crews from the Atchison fire department and the Kansas State Fire Marshal’s office responded to the scene.  The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is now assisting with a criminal investigation.

The focus of the investigation includes several adjoining businesses, according to Wilson.

There were no injuries reported.

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ATCHISON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating an explosion in downtown Atchison, according to the police department.

The blast occurred just after 2a.m. Friday at a business in the 100 Block of north 8^th Street.

As of 9a.m., fire officials referred all questions to Police Chief Mike Wilson or the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives due to the ongoing criminal investigation.

Wilson was still at the scene of the explosion.  There are no injuries reported.

ATCHISON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating an explosion in downtown Atchison, according to the police department.

The blast occurred just after 2a.m. Friday at a business in the 100 Block of north 8^th Street.

As of 9a.m., fire officials referred all questions to Police Chief Mike Wilson or the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives due to the ongoing criminal investigation.

Wilson was still at the scene of the explosion.  There are no injuries reported.

Check the post for additional details as they become available.

The results of the 2018 community survey were released this week and include some shifts in trends.

Steve Johnston of the Community Alliance said the survey, which has been completed every two years since 2010, helps development of priorities for St. Joseph and Buchanan County. This year’s survey had a 36% response rate.

Johnston said, with trends, a few things have switched order within the past two years. Johnston said according to the 2018 survey, a shift has shown that the number one concern is safety and security.

“That’s always been a priority for our residents, they want to feel safe in their homes… their workplace, they want to feel safe throughout our entire community,” Johnston said. “That has elevated a little bit and there’s a variety of reasons for that, this is not just a local issue… it’s kind of a nationwide trend that we hear from the organization that helps us with the survey.”

Other topics that residents indicated were important moving forward included public education and jobs.

“Some of the priorities for the St. Joseph School District, in terms of trending, is being transparent. That took a huge increase this year, it’s one of the positive things from the survey. The other thing, with respect to the school district, is also engaging the community, getting resident input as they move forward, so that was a positive as well too,” Johnston said. “The final thing that residents feel that’s most important for the future is jobs. Residents feel like they have opportunities for jobs here in our community and we know the job market’s tight but, nevertheless, there are opportunities there and that’s a plus for our community and that bumped up about nine percent as well.”

Residents were asked to indicate the level of funding in the St. Joseph School District. Twenty-seven percent (27%) indicated the district receives the right amount of funding; 54% feel there is too little funding, and 11% indicated there is too much funding. The remaining 8% of residents did not have an opinion about funding in the school district. Survey results from 2016 indicated 38% felt there was too little funding.

Johnston said the quality of the parks and recreation programs and facilities rated at 66 percent.

“When we benchmark against other communities in America, most of our folks in Missouri and Kansas and then throughout the United States rate that in the 64 to 67 percent satisfaction rate,” Johnston said. “It is probably among one of the top areas in the community. People take pride in our parks, in our recreational facilities, our trail walks and all kinds of different things, but it’s a real positive.”

The Community Alliance will spend the next few months looking at the data and determining short and long-term goals to develop strategies.

For the full results of the survey, click here.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported three traffic fatalities, zero boating fatalities and two drownings over the July Fourth holiday.

The 2018 July Fourth holiday counting period ran from 6 p.m., Tuesday, July 3, to 11:59 p.m., Wednesday, July 4, 2018.

During the 102-hour counting period in 2017, 26 people were killed and 469 injured statewide in Missouri over the holiday in 1,076 traffic crashes. Over the 2017 July Fourth holiday, troopers arrested 172 people for driving while intoxicated.

The MSHP investigated one fatal traffic crash occurring within the 2018 July Fourth counting period. The Kansas City Police Department investigated two traffic fatalities. The fatality crash troopers investigated occurred in the Troop G, Willow Springs area. The remaining fatalities occurred in the Troop A, Kansas City area.

There were no fatal traffic crashes reported on July 3, 2018, during the counting period.

Three fatalities occurred on July 4, 2018. Austin C. King, 22, of Smithton, IL, died when the motorcycle he was operating struck a deer in the roadway, traveled off the left side of the road, and struck a guard rail. The crash occurred in Reynolds County, on Missouri Highway 21 north of Ellington, MO. King was wearing a helmet at the time of the crash. Reynolds County Assistant Coroner Tom Stout pronounced King deceased.

Nicholas J. Bowman, 29, of Blue Springs died when the motorcycle he was operating struck a curb. Both Bowman and a passenger were ejected. The crash occurred in Jackson County as Bowman was exiting Interstate 35 to 12th Street. The passenger sustained serious injuries in the crash. It is unknown whether or not Bowman and his passenger were wearing helmets at the time of the crash. Kansas City Police Department officers investigated.

Derrick D. Iverson, 41, of Kansas City, MO, died when the motorcycle he was operating failed to negotiate a curve in the roadway, left the roadway, struck a curb, continued through the median, and struck a tree. The crash occurred in Jackson County at 104th Street and Holmes Road. It is unknown whether or not Iverson was wearing a helmet at the time of the crash. Kansas City Police Department officers investigated.

Two people drowned during the 2018 July Fourth holiday counting period.

Cole J. Duffell, 19, of Chesterfield, MO, drowned after he jumped off an embankment into a quarry in Madison County north of Fredericktown, MO. Madison County Coroner Collin Follis pronounced Duffell deceased. Cape Girardeau County Dive Team also responded to the scene. Duffell was recovered at 5:18 p.m. July 4.

Eric A. Dietrich, 13, of Geneseo, IL, drowned after jumping off a vessel. The drowning occurred in Camden County at the 21-mile marker of the Osage Arm in Salt Hollow Cove at Lake of the Ozarks. Medical Examiner Crystal Lloyd pronounced Dietrich deceased. Mid-County Fire Department and Dive Team also responded to the scene. Dietrich was recovered at 8:47 p.m. on July 4.

 

2018 July Fourth Holiday Traffic Statistics

Crashes ─ 114

Injuries ─ 59

Fatalities ─ 3

DWI ─ 40

Drug Arrests ─ 38

 

2018 July Fourth Holiday Boating Statistics

Crashes ─ 5

Injuries ─ 2

Fatalities ─ 0

Drownings ─ 2

BWI ─ 3

Drug Arrests ─ 8