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Category: Local News

St. Joseph Health Dept. free flu clinic to be held next week

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The City of St. Joseph Health Department will conduct its annual free flu clinic on Wednesday, October 10.

The clinic will be held at the REC Center, 2701 SW Parkway. It will begin at 8:30 a.m. and run until noon or as long as supplies last.

Buchanan County residents age 18 and older, and who are not pregnant, are encouraged to participate. Patrons are asked to wear a shirt that allows access to the shoulder area, where the vaccine is administered.

According to the City of St. Joseph Health Department, the flu vaccine is free to all participants. Those who have privately provided health insurance, Medicare or Missouri HealthNet are asked to present their card at clinic registration. No out of pocket expense will be charged by the St. Joseph Health Department for flu vaccine.

The Health Department is only offering drive-up service to those with mobility issues. The REC Center will remain open during the flu clinic hours. No services will be provided at the Health Department, 904 S. 10th St., on the day of the flu clinic but will resume on Thursday, October 11th.

The Health Department administers the quadrivalent flu vaccine which is designed to protect against four different flu viruses; two influenza A viruses and two influenza B viruses.

For more information regarding the flu clinic, call (816) 271-4725.

Brief: MO Minimum Wage Increase; Man-Made Earthquakes Decrease; Automatic Voter Registration

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Missouri’s minimum wage is $7.85 per hour. Will voters raise it to $12?

Proponents of the measure — Proposition B — say minimum wage just isn’t livable, but critics worry raising the minimum wage would burden small companies, forcing them to go out of business or cut back on hours. That, they argue, would hurt the very minimum wage workers who hope to benefit from a raise.

 

Could there be a solution to a side effect of fracking?

Langenbruch said injection limits put into place by state regulators have made a difference. His model predicts that at current injection rates, the number of widely felt earthquakes in Kansas and Oklahoma will decrease to as few as 100 by 2020. That’s down from the thousands of earthquakes felt in the area at its peak in 2015.

“Based on our model we can make scientific decisions about how to optimize injection rates in space in time to mitigate the seismic hazard,” he said.

 

A number of states are looking to implement automatic voter registration.

A federal court judge earlier this year struck down the state’s voter registration requirements, and issued a contempt finding because Kobach failed to comply with her order. Kobach defended the law as necessary to stamp out voter fraud, arguing that the few known examples of illegal voting were just the tip of an iceberg.

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“And I don’t believe he’s done so because he thinks it’s good for the state,” Scalia said. “I think he’s done so because he’s pandering to an anti-Democratic force.”

 

The Brief is a daily roundup from St. Joe Post and around the web. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Lawson man charged with restraining children with zip ties

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LAWSON, Mo. (AP) — A western Missouri man has been charged with restraining children with zip ties and keeping them in a cardboard box overnight.

Wyant -photo Ray Co.

Thirty-two-year-old Gary Wyant, of Lawson, pleaded not guilty Tuesday to 11 felony counts of child abuse and two counts of evidence tampering. Wyant has been released on bond. His attorney didn’t immediately return a phone message.

The probable cause affidavit says authorities began investigating in May after one child talked to a teacher.

Ray County Prosecuting Attorney Camille Johnston says police identified at least four victims, some of whom claim Wyant zip-tied their hands and feet before putting them in a box. The affidavit says Wyant also used a paddle dubbed “The Enforcer.”

Johnston says there is “zero tolerance in regards to this.”

Missouri Western presidential search committee to hold first meeting

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President of Missouri Western State University Dr. Robert A. Vartabedian. Photo courtesy Missouri Western.

The search committee to select the next president of Missouri Western State University will hold its first meeting next week.

The committee is seeking to replace Dr. Robert Vartabedian, who has announced his plans to retire on July 1, 2019, after 11 years as Missouri Western’s president.

According to a press release, the meeting is open to the public and will be held at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 9, in the Blum Student Union Private Dining Room.

The search committee is comprised of Board of Governors members, students, faculty, staff, administrators and community members. The 23 members include:

Board of Governors: Dave Liechti, Al Purcell, Debbie Smith, Student Governor Paul Granberry III

Students: Austen Hall

Faculty: Dr. Mike Cadden, Dr. Jennifer Hegeman, Dr. Mark Mills, Dr. Dan Shepherd

Administrators: Josh Looney, Carey McMillian, Latoya Muhammad, Dr. Bob Willenbrink

Staff: Kathy Kelly, Fred Nesslage

Community Members: Drew Brown, Pete Gray, Todd Meierhoffer, Charlie Shields, Kylee Strough, Julee Thompson, Bob Wollenman and Seth Wright

Meetings of the presidential search committee will be posted as public meetings, but portions of meetings may be closed under exemptions authorized by the Missouri Sunshine law.

Chance of rain and storms with temps in the 70s

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Strong storms are possible starting in northwest MO/northeast KS this evening, then moving southeast, reaching the KC Metro to the Kirksville area closer to midnight. Hail, strong winds, and localized flash flooding are possible tonight, with the flooding concerns lingering through late Sat. morning. Remember, if you come across a flooded road “Turn Around Don’t Drown.” Here’s the 7-day forecast from the National Weather Service:

Today: A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 77. South wind 3 to 8 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Tonight: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. Low around 54. South wind 7 to 10 mph becoming north after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New rainfall amounts between three quarters and one inch possible.

Saturday: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. High near 58. North wind around 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

Saturday Night: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. Low around 52. Northeast wind 7 to 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New rainfall amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.

Sunday: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. High near 68. East northeast wind 5 to 8 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New rainfall amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.

Sunday Night: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. Low around 63. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New rainfall amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.

Columbus Day: Showers likely, with thunderstorms also possible after 1 p.m. Cloudy, with a high near 78. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

Monday Night: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 65. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

Tuesday: Showers likely. Cloudy, with a high near 75. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

Tuesday Night: Showers likely, mainly before 1 a.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 52. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

Wednesday: A chance of showers. Mostly sunny, with a high near 64. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 45.

Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 63.

Brief: Gas Price Trends; How a Gas Tax Might Save You Money; MO River Flooding

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Gas prices continue an upward trend. Missouri remains amongst the most affordable, yet also amongst the biggest increases nationwide.

The nation’s top 10 least expensive markets are: Mississippi ($2.57), Alabama ($2.57), South Carolina ($2.58), Louisiana ($2.59), Virginia ($2.62), Arkansas ($2.62), Tennessee ($2.63), Texas ($2.63), Missouri ($2.68) and Delaware ($2.69).

The nation’s top 10 largest weekly changes are: Florida (+10 cents), Michigan (+10 cents), California (+8 cents), West Virginia (+7 cents), Missouri (+7 cents), Ohio (-6 cents), Delaware (-6 cents), New Mexico (+6 cents), Iowa (+6 cents) and Nebraska (+5 cents).

 

A ten-cent gas tax increase might help maintain your vehicle.

Rough and congested roads and bridges that lack some safety features are costing Kansas City drivers nearly $2,000 a year, according to a report released Wednesday by a Washington-based transportation research group.

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The report, released by the research group TRIP at a news conference at Union Station, found that Missouri’s deteriorating and congested roads and bridges cost motorists a total of $7.8 billion annually.

 

GOP Representative Kevin Yoder faces trouble in Kansas’ third district. Hillary Clinton garnered more votes than President Donald Trump in the district.

 

If she becomes Governor, how would Laura Kelly address the financial situation in Kansas?

“It’s not something we can do overnight,” Kelly said. “It will take years.”

…

Kelly’s campaign is built around the premise that former Gov. Sam Brownback’s supply-side tax policy obliterated government services that now need to be restored. Kobach supports the Brownback tax policy, saying it failed because declining revenues weren’t offset by more severe cuts to government spending.

Speaking of spending in Kansas:

“You can’t talk about access to health care without addressing the issue of cost,” Davis said. “Right now, Washington, D.C., is playing politics with your health care day in and day out.”

Watkins, who has a father and wife who work as physicians, said the problem was rooted in the imposition of Obamacare and an obsession among liberal politicians to impose unnecessary regulations on doctors. He said the remedy to the flawed health care system was to let capitalism take over.

 

A flood warning continues for the region, and may get worse.

 

The Brief is a daily roundup from St. Joe Post and around the web. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

RiverFest will celebrate Riverfront Park and its historical significance

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Riverfront Rescue clean up 2014. Photo courtesy Madison Davis

Highlighting the Riverfront Park area in downtown St. Joseph and its historical significance is the goal of an event this weekend.

Tim Doyle is the pastor at Restoration Church in downtown St. Joseph and is part of the effort to clean up and shine a spotlight on the Riverfront Park area that has been neglected.

“The casino moved north and that park has sat abandoned since the ’90s. When we first started going down there, there was still flood mud from the flood of ‘93, it’s been that long, and it wasn’t even being mowed and maintained,” Doyle said. “So here we have this beautiful river walk trail that heads up to Remington Nature Center, but at the southern anchor was this place that had just kind of gotten scary and in the absence of a plan, not only did it fall into disrepair, but other things were going on that really did not speak well of our city.”

Doyle said about four years ago is when the process started of cleaning up and mowing the area.

“Over the years, we’ve just begun to see this transformation. Now, granted, it’s nothing like I wish it were, but it’s certainly a less scary place for people to come,” Doyle said. “While we’ve been there doing that work, it’s just been amazing to me that we meet people from all over the country. They come to that place to see where the Oregon and California trails began and that’s the significance of that spot of history.”

Doyle said the upcoming RiverFest event this weekend at the park will feature music, food, activities for kids and more. Also members from the Oregon and California Trails Association will be there to share stories of the history of the Riverfront area.

“It’s going to be a free event, just a fun time to go down and celebrate St. Joseph’s history,” Doyle said.

RiverFest begins at 4 p.m. on Saturday at the Riverfront Park off of Francis Street in downtown St. Joseph.

For more information on Riverfront Park and RiverFest, visit the Riverfront Rescue Facebook page or the event website at riverfest.site.

Cooler today with temps near 60

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Yesterday it felt like August, today will feel more like late October or early November. The best chance for rain today will be south of I-70. For Friday, there is potential for heavy rain across much of eastern KS and northern MO. While any rain is helpful to our drought situation, this may lead to localized flash flooding and river flooding. Here’s the 7-day forecast from the National Weather Service:

Today: A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms after 4 p.m. Partly sunny, with a high near 60. East northeast wind 10 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

Tonight: A chance of showers and thunderstorms, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 10 p.m. Cloudy, with a low around 54. East southeast wind 6 to 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Friday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 78. South wind 5 to 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Friday Night: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. Low around 54. South wind 7 to 10 mph becoming north after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New rainfall amounts between 1 and 2 inches possible.

Saturday: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm before 10 a.m., then showers between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 1 p.m. High near 58. North wind around 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

Saturday Night: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. Low around 51. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

Sunday: Showers. High near 68. Chance of precipitation is 90%.

Sunday Night: Showers. Low around 64. Chance of precipitation is 80%.

Columbus Day: Showers likely, with thunderstorms also possible after 1 p.m. Cloudy, with a high near 79. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

Monday Night: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm before 1 a.m., then showers likely. Low around 62. Chance of precipitation is 80%.

Tuesday: Showers likely. Cloudy, with a high near 76. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

Tuesday Night: Showers likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 55. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

Wednesday: A chance of showers. Mostly sunny, with a high near 70. Chance of precipitation is 50%.

Part of Lower Lake Road closed due to train derailment

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The area of 500 SW Lower Lake Road, west of Animal Control is closed until further notice due to a train derailment.

According to Sgt. Wayne Byrom with the St. Joseph Police Department, the derailment happened around 4 a.m. behind Bartlett Grain. Three train cars derailed, spilling grain and hitting power lines. Byrom said cleanup could take several hours but officials are working to get the roadway open as soon as possible.

There were no injuries reported.

Brief: MO Gas Tax; Medicaid Expansion, Drunk Pull Ups on a Plane

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Will gas prices go up in Missouri?

Missouri has one of the country’s largest networks of roads and bridges, but when it comes to funding it, the state ranks 46 out of 50, according to 2015 federal highway statistics. Lawmakers have attempted but failed to raise the state’s gas tax, which pays for some repairs. So it’s now in the hands of Missouri voters, who on Nov. 6 will decide whether to approve a measure that would raise the tax for the first time in 22 years.

 

A report released last week by the Government Accountability Office found that the pace of rural hospital closures doubled in 2013-2017 compared to the previous five years, with 64 shutting their doors.

In about a month, Kansas voters will head to the polls in an election for governor that could easily determine whether the state expands Medicaid or not.

“It is even more devastating to know this is likely a preventable disaster,” Holman said. “If Kansas lawmakers had passed legislation to expand KanCare, as it has been debating for the past four years, resources would have been available to help keep this hospital open.”

She said more than 30 rural Kansas hospitals were considered financially vulnerable and at risk of closure. Rural hospitals in non-expansion states are six times more likely to close than in expansion states, she said.

 

Missouri’s deadline is October 10. In Kansas, it is October 16.

 

Drunken pull ups forced a flight to land at KCI.

“He was leaning up against where you put the bags overhead and a passenger came by and said ‘What are you going to do, some pull ups?’ and the guy actually grabbed on to it and started doing some pull ups on the plane in front of everybody,” one passenger told WBZ-TV.

The man then reportedly ordered more beer and alcohol while continuing to do pull-ups. Flight attendants eventually asked him “three or four times” to sit down.

 

The Brief is a daily roundup from St. Joe Post and around the web. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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