A St Joseph Police officer stopped in traffic on US-36 to assist a stranded motorist was taken to the hospital Thursday after his police cruiser was hit from behind by another motorist.
Authorities say the injuries are not believed to be life-threatening. Sergeant Steve Smith identifies the victim as Officer Darryl Lehman.
Smith says Officer Lehman was still in the emergency room late Thursday afternoon. Lehman’s injuries were not believed to be life-threatening.
The wreck at about 1:30pm shut down eastbound traffic and slowed down westbound motorist at about 22nd Street for about an hour. Traffic officers re-routed eastbound motorists off the highway at South Tenth.
By the year 2017 – Burger King will get all of its eggs and pork from cage-free chickens and pigs. The Humane Society of the United States has been pushing U.S. food corporations to consider animal welfare in purchasing policies. HSUS President Wayne Pacelle says the Burger King announcement is significant because the food chain is such a big purchaser of these products. Burger King uses hundreds of millions of eggs and tens of millions of pounds of pork each year. The National Pork Producers Council stated Wednesday that it seems Burger King was bullied by an animal rights group whose ultimate goal is the elimination of food-animal production. NPPC says HSUS has no concern for the hog farmers who care for their pigs every day, for families struggling to purchase food or for the hog farms that likely will go out of business due to its campaign against America’s farmers and ranchers.
NPPC stresses that hog farmers are committed to producing safe, affordable and healthful foods for consumers using industry standards and practices that have been designed with input from veterinarians and other animal-care experts. The Council adds that providing humane and compassionate care for their pigs at every stage of life is one of the ethical principles to which U.S. hog farmers adhere. The group is concerned that Burger King’s decision will significantly increase production costs and eventually consumer prices – and will force the nation’s hog farmers out of business – leading to more consolidation of the industry with no demonstrable health benefits to sows. NPPC supports the position taken by the American Veterinary Medical Association and the American Association of Swine Veterinarians – which recognize gestation stalls and group housing systems as appropriate for providing for the well-being of sows during pregnancy.
McDonalds and Wendy’s announced earlier this year that they have asked their pork suppliers to outline their plans for elimination of gestation crates – though they didn’t set a timetable.
The Center for Rural Affairs is urging Senate Ag Committee members to amend the farm bill proposal presented by Chair Debbie Stabenow and Ranking Member Pat Roberts. Traci Bruckner of the Center says the farm bill mark slashes investment in rural small business development and value-added agriculture while increasing crop insurance subsidies for some of the nation’s largest farms and wealthiest landowners. According to Bruckner – there are opportunities to fix some of these issues as the committee debates amendments to the bill. An amendment offered by Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown and Nebraska’s Ben Nelson – Bruckner says – is an important first step.
The Brown/Nelson amendment would deny farm payments to those individuals with taxable income over 500-thousand dollars. The money saved would be invested in beginning farmer programs, the Value Added Producer Grant Program, the Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program and more. Another amendment supported by the Center would limit crop insurance benefits and premium subsidies for crops grown on native sod or land that a producer cannot verify has ever been tilled. That amendment comes from Senators John Thune of South Dakota, Mike Johanns and Ben Nelson of Nebraska and Sherrod Brown of Ohio.
Bruckner says much of the direction of the Senate Farm Bill will be determined as the Ag Committee undertakes consideration of over 100 amendments offered by its members. In today’s economy – she says it’s more important than ever that the Senate make wise choices.
National Farmers Union President Roger Johnson has praised the work of Senate Ag Committee Chair Debbie Stabenow and Ranking Member Pat Roberts on the 2012 Farm Bill – but he’s also urging them to strengthen certain programs within the legislation. According to Johnson – the draft legislation the committee leaders have released provides for strengthened crop insurance programs and simplified protection options for farmers against yield losses through the Agricultural Risk Coverage – or ARC – program. Johnson believes ARC has promise as an effective safety net program and will better ensure only farmers who need assistance will benefit from the program.
Johnson is thankful Stabenow and Roberts included livestock health and disaster programs. In a letter to the leaders – he offered support for amendments to adopt prohibitions on packer ownership of livestock and other market reforms. But he also called for more energy program funding. Johnson says NFU would like to see an amendment by North Dakota Senator Kent Conrad and Indiana Senator Richard Lugar – which would provide 800-million dollars in mandatory funding for core energy programs – included in the measure. These programs – Johnson says – are critical for rural development and for helping America become more energy independent.
The Allied Arts Council on Thursday announced this year’s four recipients of grants from the David H. Morton Memorial Fund for the Arts.
Each year, the fund provides grants of $1,000 to arts organizations in the area.
This year’s recipients chosen by the David H. Morton trustees include: Allied Arts Council, for a Traffic Box Art Project; American Guild of Organists, for “Pedals, Pipes and Pizza” and the Christopher Houlihan Organ Recital; Performing Arts Association for “An Evening with Groucho” Residency, and the Saint Joseph Symphony, for “Classical Jazz.”
The purpose of the fund is to sponsor at least one arts event annually to pay tribute to Mr. Morton’s leadership in the St. Joseph arts community. The fund can award grants to any public or private organization that has received or applied for tax-exempt status. Projects considered for the grant included music, exhibitions, public art, and theatre projects.
Teresa Fankhauser of the Allied Arts Association says there have been some unusual and interesting winners in the 26 years since the Memorial Fund was founded in 1987. The Friends of the Missouri Theater received a grant to help restore the chandelier on the mezzanine. Trails West! won a few years ago for the festival’s “Artist In Action” program. The St Joseph Symphony received a grant for its Young Conductors Competition. And the Coleman Hawkins Society received a grant to help fund a traveling exhibit.
The Morton Fund accepts contributions at any time, as memorials, tributes, or just to support the arts. For more information about the fund, call the Allied Arts Council at (816) 233-0231.
Several people were hurt after a collision and rollover on the Belt Highway near Faraon Street Thursday morning.
Police say the injuries were not life-threatening. The accident blocked all traffic for about an hour on the Belt Highway.
A Nissan Altima and a Mazda Tribute collided in the northbound left-turn lane in front of the McDonald’s restaurant just before 8:30 am.
The Mazda overturned and skidded on its top for about 50 feet.
By about 9:15 a.m. a wrecker driver was on the scene, flipping the vehicle over so it could be removed. Police sounded the all clear at about 9:24 a.m.
A motorist trying to elude an officer in Harrison County is now in the hospital with serious injuries.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol reports 33-year-old Justin Hanson from Conyers, Georgia lost control of his Chevy Trailblazer on US-69 highway near Bethany.
The vehicle traveled off the east side of the road, but crossed the highway and careened off the west side of the road. Investigators say the Trailblazer then hit an embankment, and overturned, partially ejecting the driver.
Hanson was taken by ambulance to Harrison County Community Hospital He was later flown to St Lukes Hospital in Kansas City. According to the online accident report, Hanson suffered serious injuries.
James Garthwaite
Livingston County Sheriff Steve Cox on Wednesday announced another arrest stemming from the investigation into a burglary with shots fired last week on Highway V near Chillicothe.
The investigation report alleges James R. Garthwaite, 19, Chillicothe, assisted Mr. Jessie Perez in hiding from law enforcement officers on two occasions knowing Mr. Perez was wanted by law enforcement for a felony.
On Wednesday, Cox says deputies arrested Garthwaite on a Livingston County arrest warrant listing two counts of Hindering Prosecution, both class D felony, with bond set at $5,000.
“The LCSO and North Central Missouri Major Case Squad members arrested Mr. Perez at 308 Locust, Chillicothe, MO last Friday afternoon,” Cox said in a news release.
“Mr. Perez was alleged to have been hiding in a location which would have required Perez to have assistance from one or more people.”
Mr. Garthwaite is currently on parole for a Burglary conviction. Officials have notified his parole officer of the arrest. Mr. Garthwaite remains incarcerated in lieu of bond.
Investigators say two shots were fired at a resident who dropped by a relative’s home east of Chillicothe on the morning of April 18. The resident was not hurt. A large-scale search ensued, and Cox activated the Missouri Major Case Squad
By the end of the week, five suspects including Perez had been arrested, and Cox says three of them confessed to investigators.
Also charged were Jennifer McMullin, who is listed as homeless, Jeremiah Orona of Chula, Jeremy Orona of Chula, and Jeffery Stevens of Chillicothe.
Investigators from the Livingston County Sheriffs Office, Chillicothe Police Department, Linn County Sheriffs Office, Brookfield Police Department, Grundy County Sheriffs Office, Trenton Police Department, and Missouri State Highway Patrol took part in the Major Case Squad investigation.
A 21 year old Darlington, Missouri man has been charged with burglary after he was allegedly caught in the act in the 2700 block of Penn Street Tuesday.
St Joseph Police Commander Jim Connors says Michael J. Miller led officers on a foot chase and was tased in the process.
Officers trying to arrest Miller say he jumped from a second floor window to avoid arrest.
Miller is in custody in the Buchanan County Law Enforcement Center on the Burglary charge in lieu of $15,000.00 bond. He also has holds placed on him by Probation and Parole and by Gentry County for Receiving Stolen Property.
K9 units, a bomb squad, and a bomb-handling robot were at work in Kauffman Stadium today. It was part of Homeland Security preparations for the All Star game. The exercise included setting off a flash-bang and calling out emergency responders. Hazardous materials workers and even a gamma-ray detection unit were on the scene.
