MARYVILLE, Mo. – The Northwest Missouri State University forensics team, known as the Speaking Bearcats, finished its 2017-18 season April 7-8 by hosting the Public Communication Speech and Debate League (PCSDL) National Tournament and winning three more national titles at the event.

According to a press release, the team won the national championship in Division I Speech Sweepstakes while Hailey Vernon won an individual championship in audition monologue and Bryana Jones won the national title in Pecha Kucha.

In total, the team won three sweepstakes awards and 25 individual awards at the tournament. The Speaking Bearcats are now winners of 30 team and individual national titles since 2009.

“This team did an outstanding job,” Northwest Director of Forensics and tournament director Brian Swafford said. “The championships are outstanding, but I am equally impressed with all the other award winners. We had five national runner-ups and six third-place finishes. These results tell me this young team is going to be really, really good in the coming years.”

Individual results for the Speaking Bearcats at the PCSDL are listed below:

• Natalie Cote (freshman, emergency disaster management, Lawrence, Kansas): second place, research paper; third place, great speeches; fifth place, duo improv acting, with Baylynd Porter.
• Gavin Hopkins (junior, speech and theatre education, Gallatin, Missouri): third place, duo improv acting, with Alexander Whittington; fifth place, audition monologue; sixth place, table topics.
• Bryana Jones (freshman, organizational communication, Raytown, Missouri): national champion, Pecha Kucha; second place, public narrative; second place, table topics; second place, humorous political commentary; third place, individual sweepstakes; fourth place, great speeches; sixth place, duo improv acting, with Clarissa Lenger.
• Clarissa Lenger (freshman, special education, Liberty, Missouri): second place, sports communication; fifth place, table topics; sixth place, duo improv acting, with Bryana Jones.
• Baylynd Porter (sophomore, history, Ozark, Missouri): second place, slam poetry; fourth place, public narrative; fifth Place, duo improv acting, with Natalie Cote.
• Hailey Vernon (junior, speech and theatre education, Omaha, Nebraska): national champion, audition monologue; third place, public narrative; fourth place, slam poetry; sixth place, individual sweepstakes.
• Alexander Whittington (freshman, speech and theatre education, Pleasant Hill, Missouri): third place, slam poetry; third place, audition monologue; third place, duo improv acting, with Gavin Hopkins; fifth place, individual sweepstakes; fifth place, interviewing.

The Speaking Bearcats also performed well at the National Speech Championship March 24-25 at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Cote was a semifinalist in communication analysis and a novice exhibition finalist in prose and informative speaking, and Porter was a novice exhibition finalist in poetry and informative speaking.

The team traveled to the Pi Kappa Delta National Comprehensive Tournament March 14-17 at Tennessee State University in Nashville, Tennessee. The Speaking Bearcats claimed four awards at the tournament, which drew more than 80 teams, making it one of the largest speech and debate national tournaments ever recorded. Cote was a semifinalist in communication analysis; Hopkins finished fourth in congress; and Jones was an octofinalist in impromptu speaking and claimed an excellent award in persuasion.

Unlike recent years when Northwest competed at the national tournament with an experienced team, Swafford noted the Speaking Bearcats traveled this year with only first-year competitors.

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 May 7 – 13 from the Missouri Department of Transportation. In addition to the work listed below, there may be pothole patching, 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 – Resurfacing project from Route 48 to Route A (Nodaway County), May 7 – 12

Atchison County

• I-29 – Flushing bridges, May 7 – 11. This includes a 12-foot width restriction.
• U.S. Route 275 – Drainage work, May 9 – 11

Buchanan County

• Route DD – Pothole patching at 43rd Service Road, May 7 – 8
• I-229 and U.S. Route 36 – Sweeping and flushing bridges, May 7 – 10
• Route 752 – Sidewalk project at Pryor Avenue, May 9 – 11

Caldwell County

• U.S. Route 36 – Pavement repair from Grindstone Creek (DeKalb County) to Sale Barn Road east of Cameron, May 7 – 11
• Route 116 – Shoulder work from Route A to U.S. Route 69 (Clinton County), May 7 – 11
• Route A – Shoulder work, May 7 – 11
• U.S. Route 36 – Bridge maintenance at the Long Branch Bridge, May 7 – 12

Carroll County

• U.S. Route 65 – Pothole patching from the city limits of Carrollton to County Road 368, May 7 – 9
• U.S. Route 65 – Bridge maintenance at Shootman Creek Bridge, May 7 – 10. This will include overnight lane closures and a temporary traffic signal has been installed to direct traffic.
• Route NN – Shoulder work from Route 139 to the end of state maintenance, May 10 – 11
• Route D – Pothole patching from Route C to U.S. Route 36 (Livingston County), May 10 – 11

Chariton County

• Route E – Pothole patching from Route 5 to the Macon County line, May 10 – 11

Clinton County

• Route 116 – Shoulder work from Route A (Caldwell County) to U.S. Route 69, May 7 – 11

DeKalb County

• U.S. Route 36 – Pavement resurfacing and realignment project at the Route 33 North/Route M junction. Traffic is head to head in the eastbound lanes. This traffic pattern will be in place through July 3 and includes a 14-foot width restriction.
• U.S. Route 36 – Guardrail improvements from the Buchanan County line to 1.4 miles west of Route N near Stewartsville, May 7 – 11
• U.S. Route 36 – Pavement repair in the eastbound lanes from SW Taylor Road west of Stewartsville to the Route 33 North/Route M junction, May 7 – 11
• U.S. Route 36 – Pavement repair from Grindstone Creek to Sale Barn Road east of Cameron (Caldwell County), May 7 – 11

Gentry County

• Route V – CLOSED for pavement resurfacing from Route AA to Route H, May 9, 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Route V – CLOSED for pavement resurfacing from Route AA to U.S. Route 169, May 10, 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Grundy County

• U.S. Route 65 – Resurfacing project from the north city limits of Chillicothe to the Iowa state line, May 7 – 11. This includes a 12-foot width restriction.

Harrison County

• Route EE – CLOSED for a bridge replacement project at the Muddy Creek Bridge. The road will be closed through May.

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.
• U.S. Route 59 – CLOSED for a bridge replacement project at the Davis Creek Bridge. The road will be closed through June.

Linn County

• Route B – Pothole patching from Route 5 to Route 139, May 7
• Route WW – Pothole patching from Route 5 to the Macon County line, May 9
• Route V – Pothole patching from Route M to Route C, May 9 – 10
• Route C – CLOSED for a culvert replacement from Route M to Harbor Drive, May 10, 6:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Livingston County

• Route C – Pothole patching from Route Z to U.S. Route 36, May 7
• U.S. Route 65 – Resurfacing project from the north city limits of Chillicothe to the Iowa state line, May 7 – 11. This includes a 12-foot width restriction.
• Route DD – Pothole patching from Route C to Route D, May 9
• Route D – Pothole patching from Route C (Carroll County) to U.S. Route 36, May 10 – 11

Mercer County

• U.S. Route 65 – Resurfacing project from the north city limits of Chillicothe to the Iowa state line, May 7 – 11. This includes a 12-foot width restriction.

Nodaway County

• Route 148 – Pothole patching from U.S. Route 71 to the end of state maintenance, May 7
• Route 246 – CLOSED for a culvert replacement from Route AC to Leopard Road, May 7, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• U.S. Route 71 – Resurfacing project from Route A to just north of Route 48 (Andrew County), May 7 – 12
• Route 246 – CLOSED for a culvert replacement from Route AC to Leopard Road, May 9, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Route NN – Pothole patching from Route 46 to Route E, May 9
• U.S. Route 71 – Shoulder work, May 9 – 11
• Route 246 – CLOSED for a culvert replacement from Lion Road to Mercury Road, May 10 – 11, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily
• Route NN – Pothole patching from Route E to Route 148, May 10 – 11

Sullivan County

• Route 129 – Resurfacing project from Route 6 to Route H, May 7 – 12. This includes a 10-foot width restriction. A pilot car and flaggers will direct traffic through the work zone.

Worth County

• Route M – Shoulder work from Route C to Route EE, May 9 – 11
• Route 46 – Drainage work at Indigo Road, May 10
• Route F – Drainage work one mile north of Route 46, May 11

Lee’s Summit, Mo.  —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a road rage incident involving a St. Joseph man.

Just after 7:30 p.m. Saturday, emergency crews were dispatched to the area of northbound M-291 Highway near the Interstate 470 merger on the report of a man stumbling in traffic, according to Lee’s Summit Police.

When crews arrived they found a man who had collapsed in the inner median; the man identified as 24-year-old Cody M. Harter of St. Joseph was pronounced dead at the scene.  At this point investigators have the man’s truck which was found on the shoulder of the roadway.

Detectives have interviewed a handful of witnesses who described what they saw as a possible road rage incident. They reported seeing another vehicle stopped in front of Harter’s vehicle, according to a media release from police.  Harter and the suspect were arguing outside of their vehicles.  It is believed that Harter suffered a single stab wound to the chest during the altercation and stumbled back into the lanes of traffic where he died.

The suspect and suspect vehicle then fled north on I-470.   Police are asking anyone that was travelling along I-470 Saturday night around 7:30 p.m. or anyone that may have seen the victim’s vehicle travelling north on M-291 from 50 Highway to call and speak with Detectives.  The number to call is 816-969-1705.

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – The loess hills of northwest Missouri offer unique topography and native plant communities.

Landowners can see examples of how to manage both timber and grasslands on the steep slopes or ridge tops when the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) hosts the free Loess Hill Timber and Prairie Field Day beginning at 10 a.m. on Saturday, May 12, at the Jamerson C. McCormack Conservation Area in Holt County.

According to a press release, loess hills in Holt and Atchison counties are a unique geographic landmark. Sometimes the slopes are covered in forest dominated by oak and hickory trees, or they may be more open woodlands. Also the west-facing slopes are hosts to Missouri’s only dry-land prairie remnants, natural areas that often have prairie species normally found farther west.

MDC foresters will begin the workshop by taking participants on a walk through forest. They will cover topics such as timber stand improvement, timber sales, and how to obtain a forest stewardship plan.

A free lunch will be provided by MDC. The McCormack Conservation Area is located off U.S. 159 highway south of Loess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge near Mound City.

The afternoon session will focus on loess hill prairie restoration. A walking tour will showcase what MDC has accomplished preserving and restoring prairie species. The benefits and challenges associated with prairie restoration will be covered. MDC staff will also discuss cost share opportunities for both forest and prairie improvements.

For more information and to RSVP, contact Jim Pierson, MDC private land conservationist, 660-442-3173, ext. 114, or jim.pierson@mdc.mo.gov.

MDC has several programs to assist private landowners with wildlife and habitat improvements on their property. For more information, visit mdc.mo.gov/property.

The Albrecht-Kemper Museum of Art will be offering two different weeks of Kids Summer Art Camp for the first time this year.

Molly Ring is the Kids Summer Art Camp Coordinator. Ring said this year’s theme is linked to an exhibition that will be at the museum

“It’s based on abstract art so our camp this year is called, ‘Awesomely Abstract,’” Ring said. “I like to, each day, link what we’re doing with a new technique and skill for the kids but also a little bit of art history, so we’ll be learning about some different abstract artists through history over the course of the week.”

Ring said the camp offers a way to keep kids active over the summer and each day will include a lot of new and different experiences for the campers.

“We’ll throw them into a whole bunch of new experiences, including collage, painting, different sculptural work. We’re going to do a project based on Alexander Calder, so we’ll be working with mobiles, which are sculptures that hang,” Ring said. “So I really try to give them experiences maybe that are messy or use materials that aren’t as readily available in the home so they’re really coming and experiencing something new in camp.”

There are two sessions offered this year. There will be a morning session for ages 5-7 that runs from 9 a.m. – noon and an afternoon session for ages 8-11 from 2-5 p.m.

The camp sessions are Tuesday through Friday, June 19 – 22 or Tuesday through Friday, June 26 – 29. The cost is $75 per student for AKMA Members and $90 for non-members.

For more information on the camp or to sign up, contact the Albrecht-Kemper Museum of Art at (816) 233- 7003 or click here.

The Community Alliance of Saint Joseph is conducting its fifth effort to survey St. Joseph and Buchanan County residents about issues relating to community livability.

According to a press release, surveys will be mailed next week to 1,800 randomly selected residents of St. Joseph and Buchanan County. These survey results will be compared to the survey results from previous years to see how the community has progressed.

The residents are randomly selected for statistical validity of +/- 3.7 percent, meaning that if the survey was given 100 times, the results would be the same, +/- 3.7 percent.

The survey is distributed through, and analyzed by, ETC Institute, an Olathe, Kan., company that has performed similar surveys in 500 cities throughout the United States.

“We will compare the 2018 results against the previous surveys in St. Joseph and also again be able to benchmark ourselves against other communities served by ETC,” said Steve Johnston, Director of the Community Alliance of Saint Joseph.

While St. Joseph and other cities both survey residents on opinions about city services, St. Joseph goes beyond those questions and asks about education, volunteerism, poverty, economic development and arts/culture.

All individual survey results are completely confidential and only the total scores are reported. Results are expected in late June.

The Community Alliance will discuss the findings in presentations to the public.

Apple Blossom festivities kick off Friday in St. Joseph.

The “Made With Uncommon Character” campaign is putting on the Apple Blossom BBQ this year. This is the 12th year of the BBQ, but the first year that the Uncommon Character campaign is putting on the event and adding more activities to the weekend.

According to Campaign Director Kristi Bailey, the festivities begin at 5 p.m. Friday at Civic Center Park with the People’s Choice Tasting & Pulled Pork BBQ Meal. The evening will include music by Blue Oyster Culture Club, carriage rides by Duncan Carriages and more.

“At the Apple Blossom BBQ Contest this year, we’re really excited that we’ve been able to grow the event into much more than a BBQ contest, but also a community event that adults and kids will want to attend,” Bailey said.

According to a press release, GreatLIFE has provided frisbees for the first 2,000 meals purchased to support those plates of BBQ and to play with in the park. GreatLIFE also will have a chipping contest so adults and kids can brush up on their golf game.

The Apple Blossom parade begins at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday and runs from Noyes & Frederick to 4th & Felix Downtown. After the parade, there will be family friendly activities going on in Civic Center Park. There will be games and activities by Renovation Church including photo opportunities with representatives dressed like Batman, Supergirl and Joy from Inside Out.

“When we started talking about taking on the BBQ contest, one of the things we had heard was that the community wished there was more to do besides the BBQ contest. So we decided to try to grow it by adding more activities in the park,” Bailey said. “Because while it’s cool to be able to walk around and see teams compete like you would on Food Network, it’s really nice to be able to do that plus have a meal yourself, plus let your kids play in the park, so we’re really trying to grow into more of a festival with the contest.”

Find more details at uncommoncharacter.com.