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Mayor urges common sense for future
From his perch atop the Mississippi River bluffs, Mark Twain once complained that common sense wasn’t, in fact, all that common. A century removed from the writer’s statement, St. Joseph Mayor Ken Shearin finds the same attribute lacking in his own river city. Mr. Shearin prescribed “common sense for uncommon times” Monday as he gave his State of the City Address at City Hall. Despite the fact that he has just two months remaining in office and will not seek re-election, Mr. Shearin chose to look ahead, not back.
Frugality even extends to booze
For true vodka aficionados, it’s easy to choose between Grey Goose and McCormick. But the recession changed all that. “We saw trade-downs from Grey Goose and Absolut to brands like Smirnoff and McCormick,” said Tom Stacey, owner of Gomer’s Northland Fine Wines & Spirits, a liquor store in Parkville, Mo. “That trend would be true in all categories of spirits and wines.”
Spring Garden grieves loss of student
Lara Gilpin paused. Choked up by the reality that one of her students didn’t make it to school on Monday. “It’s one of those worst nightmares that you don’t ever want to live,” said Ms. Gilpin, principal at Spring Garden Middle School. Four St. Joseph residents died in an early morning blaze Monday. Among the victims was a seventh-grader at the South Side school.
USDA projects top $1 billion in rural Missouri
The amount of money the U.S. Department of Agriculture poured into rural Missouri last year set a record, as it topped the $1 billion mark.
SJSD long-range planning team needs volunteers
The long-range planning effort for the St. Joseph School District took another step forward with a plea for volunteers at Monday’s St. Joseph Board of Education meeting.
Police warn of impostor
An impostor claiming to be a member of the St. Joseph Police Department attempted to seize a woman Monday in the parking lot of the OfficeMax store at 1417 N. Belt Highway.
Father fumes over scalpel incident
The father of an injured Maryville High School student is questioning the punishment handed down to the perpetrator.
Wrestling tournament eyes St. Joseph
St. Joseph may be ready to wrestle, literally. The Toshiba Midwest Wrestling Classic, which has been held in Kansas City for the past four years, is looking to make St. Joseph a possible new location of the annual event.
Early morning fire claims 4 lives
Police and firefighters found the bodies of four victims Monday at 2326 S. 10th St. following an early morning fire in an old, wooden two-story duplex.The bodies of a 2-month-old infant girl, a 4-month old infant boy, a 59-year-old woman, believed to be the grandmother, and a 14-year-old girl were recovered shortly before 2 p.m. Monday, said Jason Ziph, a fire inspector with the St. Joseph Fire Department.
Pomeranian wins best in show
Having taken St. Joseph by storm, Jana Klein and a Pomeranian named Sunny are now ready for the big-time dog show in New York City.
Ethics bill advances in state Senate
As a federal grand jury probed alleged “pay-for-play” deals in the Missouri Legislature, a Senate committee advanced a St. Joseph lawmaker’s ethics bill.
Friends of the Animal Shelter to host Spay Day
The Friends of the Animal Shelter is hosting Spay Day USA on Feb. 23, and encouraging donors to help defray the costs of spay/neuter surgeries for low-income families that apply.
Northeast Missouri man hurt in wreck
WINSTON, Mo. — A 23-year-old Northeast Missouri man suffered serious injuries when the vehicle he was driving overturned Sunday night in Daviess County.
Shutoffs increase despite aid
Electric and natural gas utilities in Missouri and nationwide say they are shutting off more customers this year because of unpaid bills. Missouri Gas Energy shut off slightly more customers in 2009 than in 2008, but was unable to release actual numbers. Kansas City Power & Light saw a larger number of first-time shutoffs in 2009, but was also unable to report specific numbers. “(The shutoffs) are most likely due to the economy,” said Jason Fulp, external communications and marketing representative of Missouri Gas Energy. “It has not been an appreciable increase for MGE.”
Longtime UMB Bank employee set to retire
Born in 1946, Robert Brinkman was just a teenager when he started working for UMB Bank in 1964. Always a numbers kind of guy, Mr. Brinkman intentionally planned his retirement after 46 years at the age of 64.
Watch groups bring people together
It’s a question Fred Rogers posed for more than 30 years and one that could stave off crime in some communities: “Won’t you be my neighbor?” As spring approaches, most of the approximately 30 neighborhood watch groups in St. Joseph begin to reconvene after a long break, giving newcomers an easy chance to get involved. Sgt. Richard Ketchem, of the St. Joseph Police Department’s crime prevention unit, said becoming part of a watch group can make a difference if thieves target your house or neighborhood. “People in that neighborhood know what’s going on all the time,” he said. “We have a district officer that drives through on route, but he can’t be there all the time.”
‘Tea party’ is democracy at work
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — First, the independent Ross Perot contingent. Then, the liberal “netroots” mobilization. Now, the conservative “tea party” coalition. No doubt this is democracy at work, a quintessential part of America. Will the latest political phenomenon become a society-changing movement influencing elections and beyond? “We are people who understand something wrong is going on in this country, and we want to change it,” said Dan Garner, a married 40-year-old sales representative from nearby Carthage who is new to politics. Like so many others, he’s had enough. “The core thing is a loss of individual liberty.”
Candidates agree more funding needed
A familiar subject served as the main message for most of the city office candidates campaigning Saturday morning: money.
The Talented Tenth: Challenged to lead
We are lifted up by the best and brightest among us. If we are to survive, we will let those exceptional men and women define us, lead us and inspire us. They are us in our best light. Our best foot forward.
Freezin’ for a reason
On Saturday morning, the swimming area at Lake Contrary was frozen. However, that did not stop more than 150 people from jumping into the lake to raise money for the Special Olympics. It was the annual Polar Bear Plunge, and 155 team members raised $21,581 by plunging into the lake, where the temperature was below 32 degrees.
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