Signal project on North 22nd to start Monday

News-Press NOW on May 2, 2025

Patrick Holleron

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — Revisions for the traffic signal system on North 22nd Street and Frederick Avenue will start up on Monday, May 5.

Both sides of Frederick Avenue will be closed as construction begins at 8 a.m. on Monday. The signal system is being replaced and new mast-arm poles will be installed.

“There may be portions of them being worked on throughout the time frame there,” Superintendent of Streets and Infrastructure Jackson Jones said. “The poles might be up and the signals might be working, but there will still be restoration work going on, such as new ada corners. It will give the whole intersection a clean, fresh look.” 

The current signalized intersections were meant to be temporary solutions and replacements for them have been a frequent item of discussion.

The project is slated to be completed by June 27th, pending weather delays.

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Santa Barbara County Junior Lifeguard Program Opens Registration

KEYT on May 2, 2025

Patricia Martellotti

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – For years, lifeguard Leighton Bell has made it her mission to save lives in Santa Barbara.

“I think we live in a city sit around the beach and kids need to understand the value of ocean skills,” said Bell.

Now, Bell is training kids to learn those skills at the upcoming Santa Barbara County Junior Lifeguard Program.

“Teach beach safety and education around how they can make good decisions and honestly potentially save their lives in a dangerous situation,” said Bell.

The program is a dynamic training experience for youth ages 6 to 17 taught by professional Santa Barbara County Lifeguards.

Participants will gain hands-on experience in ocean rescue techniques, paddleboard use, CPR, and first aid.

“Medical training, life saving training, how to deal with people on the beach … all those type things. Extremely invaluable,” said lifeguard Jack David of Santa Barbara County.

This year, the program is offering a new category called the Minis.

“I’m so excited for this. It starts at ages five and six and it’s meant to be centered around fun, but just creating an understanding and an awareness of the ocean,” said Bell.

Daily activities include swimming, running, paddling, surfing, beach games, and water safety drills. 

“Fun way that we can also change lives. You know … we want to implement just an education around something that is so integral in our community,” said Bell.

The new program will introduce the youngest participants to ocean safety in a fun and supportive environment.

The program also includes educational sessions on marine ecology and ocean conservation.

The focus of the Junior Lifeguard Program is to promote physical fitness, safety awareness, teamwork, and respect for the coastal environment.

From Santa Barbara County Parks:

(SANTA BARBARA, Calif.) – Santa Barbara County Parks is excited to announce that registration for the 2025 Junior Lifeguard Program is now open! Families can sign up by visiting www.sbparks.org/jgs and clicking the green Register Now! Button. There are currently summer sessions available for youth aged 6 to 17.

This summer, the Junior Lifeguard Program will offer four fun-filled and educational sessions at Goleta Beach County Park. Each session runs Monday through Friday, from 9:30 AM to 2:00 PM. Each session cost $250. There are discounts for registering multiple children.

• Session 1: June 16 – June 27

• Session 2: June 30 – July 11 (No program on July 4)

• Session 3: July 14 – July 25 (Includes optional Jalama group camp July 21–25; details to follow)

• Session 4: July 28 – August 8

Tryouts

All new participants will join returning Junior Lifeguards on the first day of their session for an untimed ocean swim test. Swim distances will be age appropriate.

New for 2025: Minis Program!

For the first time, Santa Barbara County Parks is welcoming 6- and 7-year-olds to join the new Minis Program, featuring age-specific activities designed to introduce our youngest participants to ocean safety in a fun and supportive environment.

About the Program

The Santa Barbara County Junior Lifeguard Program is a dynamic and enriching training experience for youth ages 6 to 17, taught by professional Santa Barbara County Lifeguards. Participants will gain hands-on experience in ocean rescue techniques, paddleboard use, CPR, and first aid. Daily activities include swimming, running, paddling, surfing, beach games, and water safety drills. The program also includes educational sessions on marine ecology and ocean conservation.

The Junior Lifeguard Program promotes physical fitness, safety awareness, teamwork, and respect for the coastal environment.

For full program details, including session breakdowns and FAQs, please visit www.sbparks.org/jgs

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Escaped debris burns on the rise around Central Oregon in recent weeks, can cause costly wildfires

KTVZ on May 2, 2025

Barney Lerten

PRINEVILLE, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Oregon Department of Forestry’s Central Oregon District reported Friday it’s seeing an uptick in escaped debris burn piles, with several over the past few weeks burning up to 30 acres in size.

For example, a recent 8-acre fire resulted from a week-old burn pile that was assumed to be out cold but rekindled several days later, requiring suppression action by firefighters. 

Not following burn day instructions, one of which is thoroughly checking the burn piles later when the weather shifts, are the leading causes of these escapes, according to ODF.

Central Oregon District Forester Rob Pentzer reminds residents that escaped debris burns can lead to citations and cost collection from the responsible party for any suppression costs.

“Escaped debris burn fires continue to be the leading human cause of wildfires on private lands.” Pentzer said, “They are also the most preventable, when folks follow the rules.”

ODF fire managers and fire district chiefs want to remind residents to:

Check with their local fire district to ensure that burning is allowed on a given day

Follow all instructions after obtaining any necessary permits.

Watch the weather forecasts. Wind and rapid weather changes are major factors that can affect the spread of fire from a debris burn.

Ensure you have a safe fire area cleared around your pile with water and tools readily available.

Monitor your pile until it has consumed all fuels, then stir with water until the area is out cold. Unattended piles can rekindle and spread later without warning.

With May being Wildfire Awareness Month, now is the time for everyone to take these extra steps to prevent the next wildfire in Oregon. For more wildfire prevention tips, visit KeepOregonGreen.org.

For local ODF burn information, please call:

Prineville-Sisters Unit  – (541) 447-5658

John Day Unit  – (541) 575-1139

The Dalles Unit – (541) 296-4626

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Endangered lake sturgeon show signs of successful comeback in Missouri

News-Press NOW on May 2, 2025

Cameron Montemayor

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — Decades of recovery efforts are bringing one of the Missouri’s endangered and longest-living fish back to prominence according to new findings this spring.

Capable of growing up to 8 feet long and weighing 300 pounds, lake sturgeon once thrived in the Missouri River before being driven to the brink of extinction by overfishing and habitat loss in the late 1800s, to the point where the fish was deemed incapable of recovery by the mid-1900s.

In a significant development, the Missouri Department of Conservation confirmed last week that lake sturgeon spawning, or the release of eggs, was witnessed in the wild for the fourth consecutive year in West Alton, located in southeastern Missouri around St. Louis, a major development for recovery programs that first began in 1984.

“It’s very exciting because these long held stocking efforts that we’ve done, since the 80s, is with the hope that we would kind of stabilize the populations and continue to work to what they need to have self-sustaining populations on their own,” MDC Northwest Staff Scientist Kasey Whiteman said. “Any time that we can find natural reproduction going with a species that has been struggling for a long time, that’s a success.â€

The fast-moving bottom feeder is one of the largest fish in North America and can reach up to 150 years old. As a result, it takes 20 to 30 years before slow-growing lake sturgeon are capable of spawning for the first time.

Widespread coordination and conservation efforts between MDC and the Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and volunteer citizens have been instrumental in developing an effective habitat restoration plan for the fish that dates back more than 150 million years.

Conservation measures include protection from fishing, habitat restoration, river management and research, among many other efforts. The most widespread recovery program was the stocking of captive lake sturgeon, which was done by transferring eggs from Wisconsin down to Missouri hatcheries. Stocking programs have largely occurred in central Missouri down to St. Louis.

“They’ve been working with the Corps to actually mimic those (conditions) … being modified in a way that we’ve seen consecutive years of spawning gives us hope that we’re looking in on something important here that maybe is possible to mimic in other locations as well so that they can actually spawn in other places,†he said. 

The fish, which historically occurred in the Mississippi, Missouri, and lower Osage rivers, was classified as endangered in Missouri in 1974. 

Whiteman said continued efforts to improve lake sturgeon habitat on Missouri rivers will be the most effective way to ensure successful spawning and population growth long term. Captive breeding is only effective if the environment they’re being released into is conducive for repopulation. 

“Based on the current conditions of the river we don’t see them make it much past 20 or 25 years old,†Whiteman said. “They need all the different components of those big rivers to be successful. And so the uniqueness and challenge with these species of fish is that there’s so much work that has to be done with partners so that we can all make the habitat better.â€

Statistics compiled by the U.S. Fish Commission in 1899 show that 50,000 pounds of lake sturgeon were harvested commercially from the Missouri and Mississippi rivers in 1895.

Although most MDC research in St. Joseph is geared toward conservation of other sturgeon species, Whiteman said the lake sturgeon’s ability to travel long distances allows for supplemental research efforts to take place locally.  

“We do see them occasionally … we can go out when we’re trying to track our pallid sturgeon or other fish and when we come across the lake sturgeon, we can collect the information on that and share that information with our counterparts that are more in depth in some of the deeper studies. So there’s a lot of overlap in our research of what we do.â€

A stable population of lake sturgeon in Missouri would also provide a unique and enticing recreational sport fishing opportunity for anglers, similar to what Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota offer. 

“Getting them to spawn is just half the battle, you know, getting the fish to hatch out and actually recruit to the system is the next part of the equation,†Whiteman said. “A realistic range would be all the open parts of the river system on the Mississippi and Missouri to the extent where the fish can still make passage and move.”

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Schmitt plans legislation to enhance penalties for crimes against first responders

KMIZ on May 2, 2025

Erika McGuire

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Sen. Eric Schmitt says he will introduce legislation to enhance penalties for crimes against first responders after the stabbing death of a Kansas City paramedic.

Early Sunday, Kansas City firefighter-paramedic Graham Hoffman, 29, died in the line of duty after he was attacked while treating a patient. He was laid to rest Friday afternoon.

Shanetta Bossell’s charges include first-degree murder and armed criminal action in connection with Hoffman’s death, according to news station KMBC.

In a news release Friday, Schmitt said he will introduce legislation to increase federal penalties for those who murder first responders in the line of duty.

“First responders put their lives on the line each and every day to keep our communities safe. It’s time we stand up to ensure they are protected from those who wish to do them harm. This legislation, in honor of Graham, will help ensure our nation does just that,” Schmitt said.

Cole County EMS Chief Eric Hoy says their staff are required to complete four hours of operations/safety continuing education every two years to maintain their National Certification.

Staff are trained on physical restraint but it is a last rector to protect from harm.

“Our personnel are trained to administer medication to facilitate patient care on patient care on patients who present a direct harm to themselves or others,” Hoy said.

However, if a scene becomes unsafe Cole County EMS is trained to retreat from the area and await law enforcement to secure the scene.

“We’re reliant on our law enforcement partners and having really good communication, working with them closely to make sure any hazards are removed before people are put into the ambulance,” Hoy said.

A possible violent interaction with a patient can be hard to prepare for. Cole County Paramedic Dirk Protzmam has been with Cole County EMS said it comes down to paying attention to the signs.

“A lot of though experience, noticing people’s behaviors and mannerisms, if they won’t allow you to check in certain areas where typical weapons could be held thats a defiant indicator,” Protzmam said.

According to the Centers for Disease Control in 2020 ,16,900 EMS workers were treated for injuries on the job, with 3,000 due to violence.

“Sometimes that violence is driven from a mental illness or something a patient doesn’t have control over while we always welcome stiffer penalties and protections for out first responders, it also highlights the need for appropriate mental health services in our communities as well,” Hoy said.

Cole County EMS are issued ballistic vests, they are required to utilize them whenever responding to a call involving a weapon, However, they do not wear them for routine operations.

Staff are also not allowed to carry a weapon. .

Gov. Mike Kehoe ordered the Capitol dome and the Missouri Law Enforcement Memorial to shine blue at sunset on Friday and continue until sunrise on Sunday.

“The Missouri Capitol dome will shine blue this weekend as we honor and remember the law enforcement officers who made the ultimate sacrifice,” Kehoe said. “It takes great courage, strength, and commitment for law enforcement officers to put on their uniform each day knowing that their duty requires them to run toward the dangers that others flee. We have a responsibility to honor the fallen and ensure they are never forgotten.”

Annual ceremonies honoring fallen Missouri law enforcement officers will be held at the Missouri Law Enforcement Officers memorial on the north side of the Capitol.

A candlelight vigil will be held on Friday, and a memorial service will take place on Saturday.

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The Art Museum of Eastern Idaho presents “Unity, Dissonance, and the Spaces Between”

KIFI on May 2, 2025

Noah Farley

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — The Art Museum of Eastern Idaho is presenting a new exhibit to the public, “Unity, Dissonance, and the Spaces Between.”

The exhibit’s pieces reflect on topics like belonging, isolation, and “the invisible spaces that shape human relationships and our place in the natural world.”

“We hope that people from all over the state will come and think about what it means for them to be with other people, the meaning that that creates in their life, and how art can, demonstrate that for us here in the museum,” said Boise State University Director of University Art, Fonda Portales.

This is meant to be more than a typical gallery viewing experience. It will also have interactive tours meant to encourage conversations.

“We hope that people come away having interacted with the art and gained both a relationship with the art and the museum, but also with each other, that it ends up being kind of a relationship building thing,” said Art Museum of Eastern Idaho’s Developmental Director, Amy Thompson.

The opening coincides with the Idaho Falls Artwalk, so visitors will have even more opportunities to enjoy art together. The exhibit will run through July 12.

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YMCA discusses next steps after reaching fundraising goal

News-Press NOW on May 2, 2025

Kyle Schmidt

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW)– The St. Joseph, Mo. YMCA successfully reached the goal of $14 million set by the city for a public indoor aquatic center.

Now, CEO Tammy Killin and staff, will prepare for a presentation in front of the city council on May 12.

“What we will do is just present what our plan is, we’ll discuss the renderings,” Killin said. “Discuss what the dynamic of the actual operation will look like as well as the building too.”

Throughout the process, the YMCA has researched other facilities and learning what worked and what didn’t to be able to create a “state-of-the-art facility for the community.”

To assure a viable budget, Killlin said the board decided to put a margin in the budget and make the YMCA goal for the fundraiser to be $15 million.

“To allow for inflation cost or for changes like when you go to another place and see these changes,” Killin said. “It’s a really smart move for us, it gives us an opportunity to be able to then if we did have that extra… We can make it even better.”

Looking ahead, if the pool is approved and the YMCA goal of $15 million is reached phase two of fundraising will begin for a gymnasium/ swim crash area.

Killin reflected on the past year of fundraising.

“I think the key contributor is that we’ve had a community that really embraced this, that has been part of the excitement from when we did the pedal for the pool,” She said. “There was a lot of excitement here… People believe in this and what they want for this area they really want this resource.”

Beverly Marshall is a St. Joseph resident and is looking forward to the new types of exercise a facility like this can provide.

“St. Joseph needed that a lot,” Marshall said. “After traveling around the country, we don’t have a facility that is adequate and hopefully with this new possibility and opportunity, we have a new exercise activity that will work for everybody.”

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May is Mental Health Awareness Month, how to start the conversation with your child or teen

KESQ on May 2, 2025

Allie Anthony

Youth mental health is in crisis. The National Alliance on Mental Illness found that 1 in 6 U.S. youth ages 6 to 17 experience a mental health disorder each year.

Family therapist Melissa Hawkins, from the Betty Ford Center, says many kids are overwhelmed by social media and online content, leading to anxiety and depression that often go unnoticed.

“Stress can start at an earlier age,” Hawkins said. “Sadness can start at an earlier age, and that can impact you physically, emotionally and mentally.”

Fifty percent of all lifetime mental health conditions begin before age 14 — and 75% start before age 24.

Those numbers prove that kids and teens need resources.

So, what’s the best way to help? According to Hawkins, it starts with a conversation.

“When you’re able to just plant those seeds and let them know that you’re listening and that you’re thinking about them, there may be a point in time where they’ll come to you and they’ll tell you something,” she said.

To find resources, you can contact your local school district or ask your pediatrician about available services.

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Federal gun charge filed against man accused of shooting Pettis County deputies

KMIZ on May 2, 2025

Madison Stuerman

Editor’s note: This article has been updated to clarify that one deputy fired shots, and the suspect was not hurt

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Two Pettis County deputies were shot while serving a search warrant early Friday morning.

According to Missouri State Highway Patrol Troop A, the deputies were trying to serve a search warrant related to a drug investigation at a house in the 27000 block of Route BB.

James Joseph Elsea, 62, was charged in the Missouri Western District Court with being a felon with a gun.

The complaint states that a SWAT team served a “no-knock” warrant at 5:43 a.m. in the 27000 block of Route BB. The warrant was issued in relation to possible meth trafficking. The complaint says Elsea is “known to be armed.”

The SWAT team began cutting into the door when Elsea fired four shots, the complaint says.

One deputy was hit above their knee and the other was shot near their calf. At least one SWAT member returned fire, the complaint says.

Elsea then allegedly called EMS stating that he shot someone, the complaint says. Law enforcement eventually took Elsea and brought him to the Pettis County Jail, court documents say.

One of the injured SWAT members was brought to University Hospital with a shattered femur and was sent to surgery. The other was brought to Bothwell Hospital and was eventually released, the statement says. The identities of the injured SWAT members have not been stated.

A loaded handgun was found in the residence.

MSHP said a suspect started firing a gun, resulting in two deputies being shot. One deputy fired shots, but the suspect was not hurt.

The two deputies were taken to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. One was released before 9:30 a.m., while the other was still receiving care, according to troopers.

Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Division of Drug and Crime Control was requested to investigate the shooting.

Other area law enforcement agencies were helping with the raid as part of two drug task forces. The East Central Drug Task Force initiated the investigation, according to a Facebook post by the Audrain County Sheriff’s Office.

Pettis County R-V School District shared on Facebook at 6:51 a.m. that due to the police activity, both schools were under a soft lockdown as a precaution.

The district also said buses were not able to pick students up in that area.

Check back for updates.

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Allied Arts Council unites local arts organizations for collaborative fundraiser 

News-Press NOW on May 2, 2025

Chris Fortune

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — Leaders at local arts organizations are uniting under one banner to support their programs and activities. 

The Allied Arts Council announced a collaborative fundraiser with six other arts organizations this week to support musical and theater experiences. The Arts Fund is a grant local arts organization can apply for, and the fundraiser will help supplement what they receive.

“We try to raise the funds in order to help support financially those agencies that are funded through the Arts Fund Grant,” Executive Director Jessica Agnew said.

Creative Arts Productions, Performing Arts Association, Robidoux Resident Theatre, Saint Joseph Symphony, St. Joseph Community Chorus and the St. Joseph Youth Chorale are involved in the fundraiser.

“We couldn’t survive without it, to be quite honest with you,” Nancy Schmidt-Brunson, Managing Director of the St. Joseph Symphony, said. “And it’s not just the Arts Fund and the money that they give us in the way of grants every year. It also is the Allied Arts Council itself and the support that it gives to all of the independent agencies that are a part of it.”

Schmidt-Brunson is the only full-time employee at the St. Joseph Symphony, with two employees working part-time.

“Because I have the resources of the Allied Arts Council, they can fill in the gaps for me,” she said.

Money gained from the Art Fund can make up 10-35% of a budget depending on the organization. Agnew compared the efforts of art organization volunteers spreading awareness of the fund to members of a symphony.

“You have a cast of actors coming together to put the show together for patrons,” she said. “That’s exactly what it feels like for the Arts Fund and for being able to work together with the Allied Arts Council to be able to collectively be one voice together.”

Anyone interested in learning more about the programs or donating can visit stjoearts.org.

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