The Kearney School District continued the implementation of its “Grow Your Own” program this school year to provide significant financial support to help students and staff members pursue high-demand career opportunities as public educators.
Read MoreIn coordination with the Smithsonian traveling exhibition “Crossroads: Change in Rural America,” 102.7FM KPGZ is featuring music of rural America in a limited radio series.
The series begins on Saturday, May 10, and runs through Sunday, June 16, on 102.7FM, 1027KearneyMO.com and the KPGZ mobile app
The Smithsonian’s Museum on Main Street, in cooperation with Missouri Humanities Council, presents “Crossroads: Change in Rural America.” The exhibition examining the evolving landscape of rural America opens at the Mid-Continent Public Library Kearney Branch on Friday, May 10, 2024. “Crossroads” will be on view through Friday, June 21, 2024.
Mid-Continent Public Library Kearney Branch and the surrounding community has been expressly chosen by the Missouri Humanities Council to host “Crossroads” as part of the Museum on Main Street program—a national/state/local partnership to bring exhibitions and programs to rural cultural organizations.
KPGZ radio has produced a limited series radio program that features music that reflects attitudes and sounds of rural America. The program largely features country music, but also includes rock, blues, bluegrass, and music by singer/songwriters. Listeners will enjoy music by Dolly Parton, John Denver, Alabama, John Mellencamp, Bruce Springsteen and more.
“Crossroads: Change in Rural America” is hosted by Brian Watts, General Manager of 102.7FM, and will air on Saturdays at 8 am and Sundays at 7 pm. The series begins on Saturday, May 10, and runs through Sunday, June 16, on 102.7FM, 1027KearneyMO.com and the KPGZ mobile app.
Brian Watts contributed to this story.
An armed domestic violence suspect fired at members of the Sheriff’s Office’s Special Tactics and Response (STAR) Team during a stand-off that began Tuesday night and stretched into Wednesday morning.
Fortunately, no deputies were hit. The incident began about 9 p.m. May 7 when a woman reported a man had assaulted and shot at her in a home in the 700 block of Jessie Circle in Kearney, Mo. She escaped to a neighbor’s house and called police. She was not struck by the shots. The suspect was armed and refusing to come out. Kearney Police requested the assistance of the Sheriff’s Office STAR Team.
The STAR Team and the Sheriff’s Office negotiators came to the scene. Negotiators spent several hours trying to make contact with the suspect. They had information another person could be inside the house. Deputies eventually began deploying tactics to get the suspect to exit the home. They then heard multiple gunshots and saw glass broken out from where the suspect had fired through a window at them.
Scott M. Blau
The suspect later came into the open garage with a gun in hand. When confronted by deputies, he dropped the gun after being struck by beanbag rounds. After a brief struggle, deputies were able to get him into custody at about 3:30 a.m. May 8. A search of the house revealed no one else was inside.
The suspect was transported to the hospital to be checked out before being booked into the Clay County Detention Center. Scott M. Blau, 34, has been charged with domestic assault, two counts of armed criminal action, assault on a law enforcement officer and other weapons charges. He is being held on a $500,000 bond. The Kearney Police Department is investigating the case.
Submitted press release.
On May 8, Governor Mike Parson signed Senate Bill (SB) 727 and House Bill (HB) 2287 into law. Together, the bills permanently increase baseline teacher pay to at least $40,000 per year, incentivize 5-day school weeks, increase support for early childhood education programs, and increase funding for small schools, among other provisions.
"I have and always will support Missouri teachers. Since the beginning of our administration, we've looked at ways to increase teacher pay and reward our educators for the hard work they do, and this legislation helps us continue that progress," Governor Parson said. "We ask a lot of our educators when it comes to teaching and caring for our children. Together, this legislation supports Missouri students, teachers, and families with more educational opportunities to succeed – including additional investments in pre-k – while ensuring our teachers earn a better wage."
SB 727 and HB 2287 contain provisions relating to the following subjects:
- Permanently raises starting teacher pay to at least $40,000 per year.
- Increases salaries for teachers with a master's degree and 10+ years experience to a minimum of $48,000 per year by 2027.
- Increases all Missouri teachers' salaries by the January Consumer Price Index report, with a cap of 3 percent annually.
- Increases state funding for early childhood education programs.
- Increases the funding limit and expands access for Missouri's Empowerment Scholarship Accounts.
- Incentivizes school districts in municipalities larger than 30,000 inhabitants to have 5-day school weeks.
- Establishes the Elementary Literacy Fund.
- Increases the small school grant funding program from $15 million to $30 million per year.
- Protects retirement benefits for educators who continue teaching after retirement.
- Establishes the Teacher Recruitment and Retention State Scholarship Program.
Brian Watts contributed to this story.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol, reminds motorists that May is Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month. It's important for motorcyclists to take an active role in their safety. Preliminary 2023 statistics indicate there were 2,459 crashes involving motorcycles. In these crashes, 2,141 people were injured and 175 people were killed.
Please keep these suggestions in mind when you're on the road:
* Be visible. Motorists often have a hard time seeing you. Keep your headlights on, day or night. Use reflective strips/decals on your clothing and on your motorcycle. Be aware of other vehicles’ blind spots.
*Dress for safety. Wear a helmet and eye protection. Wear bright clothing. Wear thick or leather clothing for protection.
*Think safety while riding. Give yourself space to react to other motorists’ actions. Use lane positioning to increase visibility. Watch for turning vehicles. Signal your next action in advance. Pretend you’re invisible and drive defensively.
*Know your bike. Get formal training and take refresher courses. Practice riding your motorcycle before going into heavy traffic. Know how to handle your motorcycle in all types of road conditions.
Car and truck drivers need to share the road with motorcyclists and keep the following in mind:
* Drivers should actively watch for motorcyclists.
* Motorcycles may look farther away than they are due to their smaller size. It is also difficult to judge the speed at which a motorcycle is traveling as it approaches.
*Motorcycles are hidden easily in a vehicle’s blind spots, or masked by objects or backgrounds. Thoroughly check traffic before changing lanes!
*Motorcyclists may slow down by downshifting or easing off the throttle. So, you may not see a brake light. Allow extra distance between your vehicle and a motorcycle.
*A motorcycle’s turn signal does not cancel after the turn like a vehicle’s signal does. The motorcycle may not be turning, so pay attention.
*A motorcyclist will often adjust their position in the lane so they can see more easily or to avoid debris, wind, or passing vehicles. Allow the motorcyclist to share the lane; don’t assume they are being reckless.
*Stopping distance for motorcycles is similar to that of cars. But, slippery pavement can make stopping quickly difficult. Please allow more distance behind a motorcycle in these types of road conditions.
Brian Watts contributed to this story.
KPGZ 102.7FM is Kearney, Missouri's community radio station.
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