ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – Work to replace the southbound bridge deck on Interstate 29 over the Nodaway River continues.

On Monday, April 2nd, contractors from Emery Sapp and Sons, working with the Missouri Department of Transportation, plan to begin construction of crossover lanes in the median just north and south of the bridge, located between mile markers 66 and 67. During crossover construction, which is planned to continue through April 13, one lane in each direction of I-29 will be closed.

The crossover lanes are necessary, as traffic will be moved head to head in the northbound lanes while the contractors replace the old bridge deck in the southbound lanes. This allows contractors to safely complete their work without closing the road and detouring southbound traffic several miles around the project. The traffic pattern switch is planned for mid-April immediately after crossover construction is complete and will continue to the end of August.

All schedules are weather dependent and subject to change.

The Nodaway River Bridge was built at the border of Holt and Andrew counties in 1966. For perspective on the age of the bridge, that same year “Batman” and “Star Trek” debuted on television, a NASA spacecraft orbited the moon for the first time, Pampers created the first disposable diaper, miniskirts were in fashion, and Ronald Reagan began his political career in California.

A lot has changed since then, including the amount of cars on the bridge. Today more than 6,000 cars and trucks make their way across the span each day, adding to the wear and tear on the bridge’s surface, also known as the bridge deck.

For more information about this and other MoDOT projects, call 1-888-ASK-MODOT (888-275-6636) or visit modot.org/northwest and view the online Traveler Information Map. In addition, MoDOT provides updated information on Twitter @MoDOTNorthwest and Facebook.

Northwest Missouri State University’s Department of Fine and Performing Arts will present the musical version of Footloose next week.

Dr. Brian Lanier with Northwest is the musical director and conductor of the production which is based on the hit movie from 1984.

Lanier said Footloose tells the the story of Ren, who, with his mother, moves from Chicago to a small farming town where there’s a ban on dancing that was instituted by the local preacher.

“What we find out in the story is that everyone… (is) dealing with issues in their lives, kind of like all of us are today, and I think that’s one of the things that makes this story so relevant,” Lanier said. “What we see through the exposure of the story is how these people are extraordinary in that they are ordinary but everyone is coping with some issue. Through the story itself and through the music and through the acting, we find people that develop more love and a sense of forgiveness and for one another and for the past and basically forgiving themselves.”

Lanier said there will, of course, be dancing. The Northwest production is choreographed by Marla Heeler with the Dance Arts Center in St. Joseph.

Footloose will be presented at 7:30 p.m. on April 5th, 6th and 7th at the Ron Houston Center for the Performing Arts on the Northwest Campus.

Tickets may be purchased at the cashiering office, located on the first floor of the Administration Building on the Northwest Campus. Tickets can also be purchase at the door beginning one hour before the show. For more information, click here.

One of the biggest fundraisers of the year for the Friends of the St. Joseph Animal Shelter is coming up next weekend.

Whitney Zoghby with the Friends of the Animal Shelter said runners and walkers and their dogs are invited to the event.

“I’d say a majority of the people that participate are walkers and they bring their dog along with them or multiple dogs with them so it’s a lot of fun because, sort of like 101 Dalmatians, where you see the owner and the dog they bring along, the personalities, all the different breeds and sizes,” Zoghby said. “Everybody walks or runs from the ice arena area all the way up to Bartlett Park and then back down along the sidewalk.”

Zoghby said the Run/Walk for the Paws 5K usually raises about $15,000 and this year’s funds will be going toward the Wags to Wishes Capital Campaign.

“Friends of the Shelter is currently fundraising to purchase and renovate a building that we’re going to be putting the St. Joseph Animal Shelter. It’s 5909 Corporate Drive… and it’s just a great building that we’re really excited about the potential for,” Zoghby said. “It’s much larger than our current shelter with over two acres of space, so lots of room to expand and make it exactly what our community needs and our shelter animals deserve.”

The Run/Walk for the Paws 5K will start at 9 a.m. on April 7th, in the parking lot across from Bode Ice Arena.

Registration is available online through April 4th or in-person registration is available an hour before the race.

For more details about race day activities, go to the Run/Walk for the Paws Facebook page.

The St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce and the United Way of Greater St. Joseph are joining together to start a visioning process.

According to a press release, the two are partnering to lead the community, business and non-profits through the process to determine what residents want St. Joseph’s future to look like and what steps need to be taken to achieve that future.

President and CEO of the St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce Patt Lilly said the Chamber and United Way had an initial meeting this week to begin “foresight planning.”

“It’s really a planning process that focuses on what the future looks like. If you take data and the trends that are supported by the data, what would those trends tell you if certain things happen over the next 20 years in St. Joseph.” Lilly said. “I think, for us in St. Joseph, it’s really a matter of saying, ‘How do we take our community to that next level?’ How do we become the kind of place that people want to move to whether it’s to live here, to work here, whatever the case may be. How do we become that community that, I think, most of us believe we can be but we just simply haven’t put forward a plan that brings us all together as various entities and as a community to work toward that future.”

Lilly said the process will last through the next several months and will be lead by Rebecca Ryan, a nationally recognized economist and futurist with Next Generation Consulting.

“I’m excited about the opportunity because, at the end of the day, we’re salesmen at the Chamber. From an economic development standpoint, we’re trying to sell the community, not only to the companies that are here… but also new companies that may be looking at us, why do they want to invest here, why do they want to create jobs here. So in that context, we have to be the kind of community where people want to live,” Lilly said. “What we will come out with is not necessarily a shopping list, if you will… but a very concrete vision for the future and the things that need to occur to get us to that future over the next 20 years, and that will take the resources of the entire community.”

The Chamber and United Way held an initial meeting this week and the plan is to hold many other small group meetings. Additional public input is planned throughout the spring and summer.

Absentee voting is available for the Tuesday, April 3rd election at the Buchanan County Courthouse.

Anyone that is out of town or unable to vote on Tuesday, can vote in-person with an ID until 4:30 p.m. Thursday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday at the Clerk’s office in St. Joseph located at 411 Jules Street, Room 121 in the County Courthouse.

For more information, click here or contact the Buchanan County Clerk’s office at (816) 271-1412.

A forum Thursday night will offer one of the last chances to hear from candidates. Candidates for the four contested district city council races have been invited to participate in a forum Thursday sponsored by the political science program at Missouri Western State University.

According to a press release, each candidate will be permitted two-minute opening and closing statements. Forum organizers will ask their own questions, as well as questions submitted by the audience.

The forum takes place at 7 p.m. Thursday in the Hearnes Center, room 102 on the Missouri Western campus.

The forum is free and open to the public.

MARYVILLE, Mo. – Work to a water line will close a portion of Route 46 (1st Street) in Maryville Thursday.

The city of Maryville will close 1st Street between Mattie Street and Alvin Street beginning at approximately 8 a.m. on Thursday. The road will remain closed overnight and should reopen by noon on Friday, March 30.

MoDOT asks that motorists seek an alternate route during this time.

All work is weather permitting and could be rescheduled.