The Chick-fil-A restaurant in St Joseph is enforcing a strict no-media policy today during the “Kiss-More-Chiks” day.

The manager of the branch would not comment on the events of today however an employee did say they don’t expect anything big to happen at the St Joseph branch.

Opponents against Wednesday’s “National Chik-fil-A Appreciation Day” had planned a nationwide movement for those of the same-sex to kiss inside Chick-fil-A restaurants. Hundreds packed the restaurant Wednesday in St Joseph to show their support of free speech and the comments from the company president.

President Dan Cathy said he believes marriage to be one man, one woman. Business was strong during today’s lunch hour with a full restaurant and parking lot.

The manager stated media-coverage was not allowed on the property.

More than 240 students received a degree at Northwest Missouri State during the summer graduation Thursday.

Those graduating included 128 undergraduate degrees, 106 graduate degrees and seven specialist in education degrees. Graduates ranged in age from 21 to 64 and represented four countries, including India, China and Morocco.

“You all have accomplished so much,” Northwest President John Jasinski told the graduates. “Let’s keep in mind, this ceremony is called a commencement because we celebrate not only a chapter in your life that will culminate today, but also what is to begin today and what you will accomplish in the years ahead.”

Second Harvest Community Food Bank CEO David Davenport delivered the commencement speech. Davenport told the graduates to “seek to be special, and I promise whatever your definition of success it will come true.”

Second Harvest distributes emergency food and offers programs serving more than 13,000 people each week throughout the organization’s 19-county service territory, Davenport is a veteran of the social sector. He previously spent 11 years in international service with the YMCA, was executive director of End Hunger Network in Houston and chief executive officer of the Capital Area Food Bank in Austin, Texas.

In his address, Davenport reflected on his work in the social sector as well as the impacts of his experience as a bilateral lung transplant survivor.

“Class of 2012, make sure you have an image in your mind of the pathway to success you wish to take,” Davenport said. “If that path brings joy and inspiration, I encourage you to embrace it. I also want to challenge you to be special. You see, success can come and go, but being special in the lives of others lasts forever. Seek to be special, and I promise whatever your definition of success it will come true.”

St Joseph teens have the chance to win a car in an annual safe driving campaign.

The “I’m A Safe Driver” program kicks off its sixth year at high school registration events.

MoDOT, along with the St Joseph Police Department sponsor the event to educate teen drivers and keep the driving safely, according to officer Brendan McGinnis.

“We are excited to work on this program that helps save lives on our roads,” McGinnis said.  “Traffic crashes are the leading cause of death for people 15 to 20 years old, and this program has proven to help educate young drivers and keep them driving safely.”

Students pledge to drive responsibly and can win monthly prizes throughout the school year. At the end of the year, all the students with a clean driving record have a chance to win a car.

The program has a proven track record. Tin the first year, 2002, there were 651 drivers in the target age group involved in crashes in St. Joseph. In 2010, there were 432, a decrease of 33.6 percent.

 Additional information about the “I’m a Safe Driver” program can be found on the St. Joseph Police Department’s website at http://www.stjoepd.info/safedriver.pdf.

A Chillicothe man has been sentenced to federal prison on a firearm violation.

Joseph M. Johnson, 33, of Chillicothe, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes on Monday, July 30, 2012, to four years and nine months in federal prison without parole.

Acting US Attorney David M. Ketchmark says Johnson pleaded guilty Feb. 7 to being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Johnson pawned a Winchester 30-06 caliber rifle at a Chillicothe pawn shop and about a month later attempted to redeem the rifle.

Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition.

In 1999 a Platte County jury found Johnson guilty of involuntary manslaughter and unlawful use of a weapon.

Former vice presidential candidate and Alaska Governor Sarah Palin is coming to Missouri today to campaign for GOP Senate candidate Sarah Steelman.

The conservative firebrand will serve up barbecue and political red meat at a picnic campaign event for the former state treasurer.

The “BBQ and Picnic with Governor Sarah Palin” will take place in Cleveland, Missouri, about an hour south of Kansas City.

It will be Palin’s first campaign appearance with Steelman since the former Alaska governor endorsed her some two weeks ago. Since endorsing Steelman, Palin has appeared in a campaign commercial.

Kansas City Power and Light plans to build a $400 million high-power transmission line in northwest Missouri. KCP&L will partner with the Omaha Public Power District to build the 150-to-190-mile transmission line. It will connect Sibley, Missouri with Nebraska City, Nebraska. The company says planners will spend the next year identifying possible routes. Officials hope to have the line in service by June 2017.

The Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday begins today. Merchants will not collect the state sales tax for qualified items, like clothing less than $100, school supplies up to $50 per purchase, and computers and accessories up to $3,500.

Both Saint Joseph and Buchanan County are also participating, so city and county sales taxes will not be collected on those items during the weekend. For details on Missouri’s Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday click here.

A former St Joseph priest indicted for producing child pornography has pleaded guilty.

David M. Ketchmark, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri says Shawn Ratigan pleaded guilty in federal court to producing child pornography.

“Today’s guilty plea required the defendant to publicly admit that he victimized five young children over the course of several years,” Ketchmark said.  “Each of Ratigan’s victims is represented in this guilty plea so that each child will receive the justice she deserves.”

“When a sexual predator wears a collar, his crimes impact the entire community. This predator priest will now face tough mandatory penalties for his crimes.”

Ratigan, 46, of Independence, Mo., a diocesan priest and former pastor or assistant pastor in several area parishes, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Gary A. Fenner to charges contained in an Aug. 9, 2011, federal indictment.

A sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled.  Under federal statutes, each count of producing (or attempting to produce) child pornography carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in federal prison without parole, with a maximum sentence of up to 30 years in federal prison without parole for each count.

In a news release, Ketchmark said the victims ranged in age from two to twelve years old at the time of the offenses.  He told reporters the exploitation occured at several locations, including a church choir loft, over a period of six years.

Ratigan pleaded guilty to four counts of producing child pornography and one count of attempting to produce child pornography. Each of those counts involved the sexual exploitation of a separate child victim.

Victim Jane Doe #1

Ratigan admitted that he exploited a 6-year-old minor, identified as Jane Doe #1, to produce an image of child pornography between June 11 and 12, 2005.

Victim Jane Doe #2

Ratigan admitted that he took pictures as he exploited a 2-year-old minor, identified as Jane Doe #2, to produce child pornography on May 17, 2006, in the buildings of St. Joseph’s Church in Easton, Mo.

Victim Jane Doe #3

Ratigan admitted that he took pornographic pictures of his exploitation of a 5-year-old minor, identified as Jane Doe #3, between Sept. 1 and Nov. 1, 2007.

Victim Jane Doe #4 

Ratigan admitted that he attempted to produce child pornography by taking close-up shots of the crotch area of the bathing suit of a 7-year-old victim, identified as Jane Doe #4, without her knowledge on July 6, 2009.

Victim Jane Doe #5 

Ratigan admitted that he pulled down the pants of a minor victim, identified as Jane Doe #5, while she was sleeping and took pornographic pictures. This occurred between Aug. 1, 2008, and Sept. 1, 2009, while the victim was eight and nine years old.

 

 

This weekend the 4th annual “Stuff the Bus” school supplies drive coincides with the tax-free weekend.

 

Officials with the United Way are hoping you’ll take advantage of the savings to help disadvantaged students in St Joseph. Buses will be parked in the lots at both St Joe Walmart stores for the fourth annual event Friday and Saturday. You are encouraged to donate school supplies at those locations.

The hours are Friday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

The collected school supplies will be distributed through area United Way Partner Agencies and Programs to children who would otherwise start the school year off without the tools they need. Salvation Army’s Back to School Fair on Aug. 9 will be the main point of distribution.

Linda Burns, United Way Director of Community Engagement, said, “When students have the tools they need, they enter school better prepared to learn.”

This year, approximately 330 volunteers will be lending their energy to the event. To learn about other local volunteer opportunities, visit stjosephunitedway.org and click on the “Volunteer” button or call United Way at (816)364-2381.

Light rain showers moved through the super-dry Saint Joseph area this morning. The National Weather Service reports we received less than a tenth of an inch, with .05 of an inch measured between 6 and 7 am, and another .03 between 7 and 8.  That’s after we received a total of .29 of an inch for the whole month of July.  The latest drought monitor map shows Saint Joseph is part of a large area in Missouri experiencing Extreme drought.