St. Joseph, Mo. -June 29, 2012-Dr. Robert Vartabedian, president of Missouri Western State University, has named Richard Gilmore interim vice president for financial planning and administration, effective July 1. Gilmore, an alumnus of Missouri Western, is currently associate vice president for the division.

“In his 26 years at Missouri Western, Rick has earned the respect and trust of his colleagues on campus, and I’m confident he will provide solid leadership during this time of transition,” Dr. Vartabedian said.

 

Mel Klinkner resigned his position as vice president to take a similar job at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside, and will be using some earned vacation time prior to his actual departure Aug. 3. The appointment of Gilmore will provide day-to-day leadership to the division, Dr. Vartabedian said.

Gilmore has 38 years of business experience, including 26 at Missouri Western. He has managed the accounting, budgeting and investing of university funds and played an integral role in seven bond issues generating approximately $83 million for the auxiliary services fund. He previously served as interim vice president in 2002 and 2008. Gilmore received a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with an emphasis in accounting from Missouri Western and an Executive Master of Business Administration from Benedictine College.

The vice president for financial planning and administration is the chief business and financial officer for the university and reports directly to President Vartabedian. The division is responsible for accounting, budgeting, student billing and collections, payroll, purchasing, financial aid, physical plant, capital and construction management, security and safety services, human resources, information technology, the bookstore, food service, risk management and other administrative functions.

A national search to fill the vice president position will be chaired by Ann Pearce, special assistant to the president.

(News Release)

 

The City of St. Joseph is hosting an Independence Day Celebration with a fireworks display and entertainment on July 4. On Friday they announced details of the celebration.

Many residents will be able to view the fireworks from their home. If you prefer to join the thousands of people at the public gatherings, you have three choices:

Heritage Park Softball Complex will open to the public at 6pm. Heritage offers a large pavilion with food and beverage concessions, restrooms, shade, and extensive lawn and bleacher seating. At 7pm, Larry Buck’s Roadhouse Review will perform.

St Jo Frontier Casino is, once again, a financial partner in the fireworks display, and having a “This Fourth of July Party.” Outlaw Junkies will play from 6-10:30pm on an outdoor stage with seating. Friends & Family will play indoors from 8pm to midnight. The casino will offer hot dogs and hamburgers from the grill, nachos, beverages, and other goodies.

The large parking lot at the Remington Nature Center will be open at 7pm for residents to gather. There will be portable toilets on site for the public’s convenience. Monkey Business Concessions will have a trailer with food and goodies.

Personal fireworks will not be allowed at any of the viewing sites.

MacArthur Drive will be closed beginning at 9pm and will not reopen until after the fireworks display is over. At that time, all traffic in the right lane will exit the area via MacArthur Drive and all traffic in the left lane will exit by Highland Avenue.

The fireworks display will begin at dark, approximately 9:40pm. The fireworks are shot from Wyeth Hill by Aerial FX of St Joseph.  The park will be closed all day for the crew to set up the display, which will include parachutes, spirals, hearts, bowtie, stars, and more.

 

Gov. Jay Nixon has ordered the activation of the State Emergency Operations Center in response to fires and a prolonged period of record heat and low precipitation across Missouri. The Governor also ordered the Missouri National Guard to ready the assets and resources it would need to support firefighting operations in Missouri.

The Missouri Division of Fire Safety is assisting with the coordination of resources. In Iron County approximately 550 acres of the Mark Twain National Forest already have burned, and approximately 2,000 additional acres are at risk.

 

Dry conditions and hot weather have heightened wildfire danger in western Missouri and throughout the state. Moisture conditions are low enough that even some grasses and wildflowers that look green will burn, said Josh Shroyer, a Missouri Department of Conservation resource forester based in Clinton, Mo. Effective immediately, MDC has issued a FIRE BAN on all conservation areas.

The fire ban includes prohibiting campfires and other open fires. The fire ban does permit the use of contained camp stoves and charcoal cooking fires in concrete or metal fire rings. The use of wood in cooking fires is prohibited under the fire ban. The use of fireworks on MDC conservation areas is already prohibited under the Wildlife Code of Missouri.

An Omaha woman was killed after her PT Cruiser crossed the median on I-29 and rammed into a semi near Craig, Missouri just after 10 o’clock Friday morning.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol identifies the victim as  44-year-old Nora Ponciano.  The accident blocked southbound traffic for hours.

The Missouri Department of Transportation says one southbound lane had reopened by about 3 p.m. Friday

 

 

 

King City has imposed a burn ban and a fireworks ban until dry conditions improve. Mayor Harley Weddle says he and the city council made the bans effectively immediately because the fire danger is extreme. The burn and fireworks ban in King City will remain in effect until further notice.

Trails West is looking for volunteers. The region’s largest arts festival needs lots of volunteers to help stage this year’s 20th anniversary event. The three-day festival starts August 17th. For more information about volunteering at Trails West, click here.