Month: April 2025

Cameron Montemayor

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — Riders are wasting no time putting St. Joseph’s new state-of-the-art skatepark to the test.

Developers with skatepark specialist Spohn Ranch have all but finished construction of the $450,000 Maple Leaf Skatepark, located at 1942 Mapleleaf Boulevard, with some of the first skateboarders and bike riders already taking to the much-anticipated facility in the last week.

“I was pretty excited. I had fun riding it for the first time,” local resident and avid skateboarder Travis Chapman said. “We never really had a park like this.”

Growing up, Chapman says he would often make do in various spots across Downtown, now he’s relishing the chance to teach his kids on St. Joseph’s first true skatepark, a long-awaited upgrade from current and smaller skatepark features located at Bode Sports Complex and Hyde Park.

“It’s pretty cool that the kids have something better to ride than we had,” he said. “For us all to come to one spot, it’s pretty cool .. teaching each other new tricks that we wouldn’t have learned by ourself.”

From young kids and teenagers to adults, Maple Leaf Skatepark has seen riders of all ages honing their skills and testing out a variety of tricks amid a week of beautiful weather.

22-year-old skateboarder Jonathan Lara hasn’t missed a day since the park opened. 

“I was pretty hyped,” he said. “Seeing how smooth it is and how it flows … you can really learn some new things.”

The park sports a modern concrete layout with terrain that accommodates all skill levels and riding styles. It features a below-grade bowl, a mini half-pipe section and several street elements including rails, ledges and pads.

St. Joseph parks officials told News-Press NOW an official ribbon cutting ceremony will be held at a later date, potentially in May, once some of the last secondary construction items are complete, including replanting grass around the park.

Recent Lafayette High School graduate Garrick Lake had been closely watching the park’s construction over the last few months and jumped at the chance when he saw it was open. 

“Honestly at first I kind of thought it was just going to be another little, weak track. But it turned out really well … way better than I expected.” Lake said. ” … Now we don’t have to go to Kansas City for something nice.”

The park was designed and developed over several years with a considerable amount of public engagement with the local skateboarding community.

Funding for the project comes from the 2019 Capital Improvements sales tax. Maple Leaf Skatepark also includes spectator seating, a quarter-pipe ramp in the southwest corner and a pathway connecting the sidewalk to the new park for ADA access.

If the crowds of people already gathering each afternoon are any indication of the community’s excitement for the facility, participation isn’t likely to slow down anytime soon.

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Chris Fortune

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — Stock markets enjoyed another good day, rising over two percent Wednesday morning on the heels of a volatile month affecting 401(k) plans. 

A wealth advisor with Gertsema Wealth Advisors said, paying attention to a 401(k) balance is important, but it may not be beneficial to react immediately to the latest developments during volatile times in the stock market. 

“Money is emotional, you’ve worked hard for it, you put it into that account, you’re expecting it to grow,” CEO Nick Gertsema said. “But part of the natural market cycle is its ups and downs.” 

The latest rise in the S&P comes after President Donald Trump said he had no intention of firing Federal Reserve Chair, Jerome Powell, following recent criticisms for not cutting interest rates. 

Interest rates also influence 401(k) plans. Gertsema said as interest rates go up bond values typically go down and when interest rates go down, bond values tend to go up. 

“That’s why it’s important to have a diversified portfolio of both stocks and bonds,†he said. “That moves with what your risk appetite is as you get closer to retirement.†

Gertsema said when you have a 401(k), it’s in the market in one form or another, through investments like stocks or bonds. 

“The S&P 500 has been volatile, but volatility is the price you pay for the long-term returns,†he said. 

Gertsema recommends paying attention to long-term changes in 401(k) plans versus day-to-day changes if the funds will not be touched for more than five years. 

“If you are within five years from retirement or even right about in that window, it’s time to put together a plan so that when one of these events happens, because they do happen, volatility happens—it’s natural, it’s normal—your plan is insulated from that so you don’t have to change your plan based on what the markets do,†he said. 

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Leah Rainwater

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — The St. Joseph Downtown Library is hosting a program to share the beauty of central Mexico ahead of Cinco de Mayo.

The program will be shared by Master Gardener, Tracy Svec, who will take the audience on a virtual journey of her once in a lifetime trip.

It will feature pictures and videos of hibernating monarch butterflies, tropical plants and local architecture.

The program will start at 11 a.m. on Saturday, May 3 at the Downtown Library, located at 927 Felix St.

This program is free and open to the public. Persons with disabilities who wish to participate, should call the ADA coordinator at (816) 232-4038.

Those interested can also learn more by going to sjpl.lib.mo.us.

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