The cause of an apartment fire that began Monday night is under investigation.

According to the St. Joseph Fire Department, the call originally came in around 10 p.m. and was reported as an explosion at 720 North 7th Street.

All residents were accounted for and got out of the seven-unit apartment safely. The building was a total loss.

As of 9 a.m., fire crews were still on scene.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The uncertainty surrounding Gov. Sam Brownback’s departure after his nationally watched tax experiment came to an end was among the top 10 stories in Kansas in 2017.

President Donald Trump nominated Brownback for U.S. ambassador at large for international religious freedom at the end of July. But the post was in limbo after the U.S. Senate failed to vote on confirming him before finishing its business for year, lengthening an already awkward transition to a new governor.

Also making the list were prison disturbances, an allegedly racially motivated bar shooting, wildfires, the release of two wrongfully convicted inmates, questions about the state’s child welfare agency, a closer-than-expected Congressional race, a small town sexual assault case, the discovery of human remains in a storage unit and a revenue department shooting.

The Livingston County Sheriff’s Office, with some assistance of citizens and businesses, recently sent Deputy K-9 Zaki and handler Deputy Chris Mueller to an advanced K-9 training course for three weeks.

According to a press release from the Livingston County Sheriff’s Office, the training is comparable to a person attending college after high school graduation.

Deputy Mueller and K-9 Zaki attended training in Tulsa, Oklahoma November 27th through December 15th at Torchlight K9. This training was intended to extensively build on what both had already learned at the initial handler course by refining Zaki’s skills and Deputy Mueller’s knowledge as a handler.

Training included but was not limited to the following:

Tracking on a daily basis using open grassy areas, wooded areas and some hard surfaces.   Each track was set at varying lengths and aged differently to teach Zaki to keep his nose on the ground to accurately track instead of trailing or air scenting.

Article detection was worked on daily. Objects made of various materials, such as coins, keys, wood and clothing items that had recently been handled by a person were randomly thrown on the ground and Zaki was used to locate the items by merely sniffing for human scent. This is also particularly useful in tracking as people commonly drop items as they flee.

Additional obedience training was given for both daily and stressful situations. Many good tactics were enhanced and useful new ones learned.

Daily work was performed on building searches where Zaki had to use is nose to locate people hiding in a building and for officer protection.

Extensive work on vehicle extractions with various simulations of a felony type traffic stop. Zaki was sent into a vehicle to apprehend a subject who was refusing to exit the vehicle and may potentially be very dangerous for any officer. Zaki was able to enter the vehicle through an open vehicle door and also able to jump through open windows to complete the task.

Zaki received a lot of confidence building during exercises where the trainer put a lot of pressure on Zaki in many different situations and bite scenarios. These exercises were designed to show Zaki that he can win even if being assaulted by a criminal. This ensures that Zaki does not let go of a subject without being removed by the handler. This training minimizes and causes fewer injuries to subjects and a better likelihood the suspects don’t continue to flee from law enforcement.

Deputy Mueller was also given specific training on how to continue enhancing Zaki’s skills and to perform new tasks.

Torchlight K9 is owned and operated by Ted Summer and Scott Tarpley. They have more than 20 years of experience in training dogs for law enforcement and military work, and they also have experience as actual handlers.

Kansas City, Mo. – The free 23rd Annual Eagle Days at Smithville Lake will offer visitors a chance to view wild eagles and rehabilitated captive raptors.

According to a press release from the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC), weather dictates where eagles and waterfowl use the lake and where people can watch them. Last year, eagles were feeding on fish in the spillway below the lake dam, where the Little Platte River is once again free flowing. During some years, eagles are seen at other lake locations where waterfowl congregate, especially geese. A bitter cold freeze up of the lake can send eagles and waterfowl south, but in most years, both are seen by visitors.

Eagle Days is hosted by the MDC, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Clay County Parks and Recreation, and private conservation groups. Staff from host agencies will scout the lake ahead of the event and set up spotting scopes at locations where eagles are feeding or roosting. Outdoor viewing locations will be announced at the clubhouse.

The free event will also include wildlife watching indoors and close up at the Paradise Pointe Clubhouse. Operation Wildlife will display raptors, a show that often includes eagles. Friends of the Lakeside Nature Center will display some rehabilitated raptors, such as small owls. The Martha Lafite Thompson Nature Sanctuary of Liberty, Wings of Love, and Clay County Parks will also present nature displays.

Outdoor eagle viewing and indoor activities at the clubhouse will be from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 6, and from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 7. The Paradise Pointe Golf Course Clubhouse is located at 18212 Golf Course Drive, in Little Platte Park at the lake at Smithville.

Attendees are encouraged to bring cameras, binoculars, spotting scopes, and warm clothes. Refreshments will be on sale at the clubhouse. For information about Smithville Lake Eagle Days, call (816) 532-0174.

For information about viewing bald eagles at other locations and at MDC events, click here.