Month: January 2026

Patrick Holleron

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — The 2026 FIFA World Cup in June is drawing closer and local businesses in St. Joseph are continuing to brainstorm ideas to market the town to international travelers.

A “Marketing for the World Stage” workshop featuring close to 25 businesses took place Monday at the Launch Pad-STJ in Downtown St. Joseph, an opportunity to bring businesses together to prepare for potential impacts related to the World Cup.

Monday’s gathering included discussions about anticipated tourist and visitor counts in Northwest Missouri — with some estimates in the range of 650,000 — as well as branding for local businesses both digitally and physically.

What stood out among of a range of topics Monday was the emphasis on “culture.” Not just the culture of travelers coming in to watch the world’s most popular sporting event — viewed by more than 5 billion people — but the culture of St. Joseph and how it can be shown to others.

“People come here wanting to experience our town and it’s history,” Aspire Business Consulting owner Annette Weeks said. “One thing we’re traditionally known for is the Pony Express. We encourage businesses to embrace telling the story of St. Joseph’s western theme. Show the history and tradition by embedding it into their marketing as we invite visitors from across the globe.”

Monday’s meeting was one of multiple World Cup Readiness Workshops planned between now and March. Two follow-up workshops will take place on Feb. 9 and March 9 at 10 a.m., one for staying financially ready for visitors and another for elevating customer experiences.

In addition to displaying St. Joseph’s history and culture to visitors, a main priority for local businesses is matching the passion and excitement the World Cup generates for the fans traveling throughout the Kansas City and St. Joseph areas.

“It’s important as a community, as well as the small businesses to understand this is a special opportunity unlike any we’ve ever had before. The World Cup is a huge sporting occasion,” Weeks said. “We here in the United States think the Super Bowl is huge, but the World Cup is massive. People from all countries will take 4 to 6 weeks off to come to watch the matches. They base their whole year around attending the World Cup. It’s so exciting to be afforded the opportunity to participate in this tournament.”

Additional preparations could be key in the event local foot traffic or hotel space exceeds expectations for the event. The 2026 FIFA World Cup marks the first time the tournament will be expanded from 32 to 48 teams.

Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City will host four matches in the group stage of the World Cup, including a Round of 32 and Quarterfinal matchup.

Group Stage matchups in Kansas City include:

Argentina vs. Algeria, Friday, June 16 at 8 p.m.

Ecuador vs. Curaçao, Tuesday, June 20 at 7 p.m.

Tunisia vs. Netherlands, Sunday, June 25 at 6 p.m.

Algeria vs. Austria, Tuesday, June 27 at 9 p.m.

Round of 32: July 3 at 8:30 p.m.

Quarterfinal: July 11 at 8 p.m.

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Cameron Montemayor

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — Millions of Missourians could see changes in their monthly car insurance payments pending the outcome of new legislation introduced this session.

Senate Bill No. 852 filed in December by Missouri Sen. Karla May (D-St. Louis) seeks to forbid automobile insurance companies from utilizing credit scores to determine automobile insurance rates in the state of Missouri.

The measures specifically states that no automobile insurer will utilize information obtained “directly or indirectly” from a consumer reporting agency or any insurance credit score that relies on information for the purpose of determining automobile insurance contract rates.

The measure would apply to future automobile insurance contracts beginning Aug. 28, 2026.

Credit scores are a key factor utilized by automobile insurers to assess risk and determine rates, with poor credit scores potentially leading to much higher premiums, sometimes double.

Studies conducted by Zebra, a leading online insurance comparison marketplace, indicate drivers with very poor credit scores (under 523) pay an average of $6,254 a year for their car insurance as opposed to drivers with exceptional credit scores (823 and above), who pay just $1,673 per year — even if both drivers have similar driving records.

The Senate bill has already had a first and second reading in the 2026 legislative session that began Jan. 7, with the measure now being referred to the Senate Insurance and Banking Committee for further review.

Four states, including California, Hawaii, Massachusetts and Michigan, have all banned insurance companies from using credit scores to price or deny insurance policies. Maryland, Oregon, and Utah have all restricted the use of credit scores as a factor in denying or canceling policies.

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Prajukta Ghosh

ST. JOSEPH, Mo (KQTV)– The St. Joseph School Board of Education met Monday to discuss several key agenda items, including district reorganization and program updates. 

A major focus of the meeting was the district’s ongoing reorganization process. Administrators reviewed the current plan and outlined potential next steps. 

“The big thing for tonight was having a time frame in mind. We have a facilities plan online, but with the failure in (the) bond of 2025, we now need to update that plan,” SJSD Superintendent Ashly McGinnis said.  

McGinnis noted the reorganization remains a work in progress and will continue to be a collaborative effort, incorporating feedback already received from the community.  

She said the next phase of the facilities reorganization will focus on determining what is best for students and the community moving forward.  

“In the early stages of the district reorganization plan, we had been to all the buildings, had conversations with all the staff, gain their input as far as how we should go with staffing moving forward,” McGinnis said.  

She added that the district is now holding one-on-one conversations with staff at Pershing Elementary, Lafayette High and Roubidoux Middle schools to review certifications and years of service to better plan staffing for the upcoming school year.  

The board also received updates on Early Childhood Programming. District leaders are considering changes to some early childhood programs for the 2026–2027 school year.  

According to SJSD, the goal is to continue serving roughly the same number of students as in the current school year.  

However, the programming may look slightly different as the district will work to reduce costs and remain within specific revenue streams.  

Another item on the agenda was the potential purchase of supplemental materials for English Language Learners.  

These materials would be used to support student help succeed with the Tier 1 benchmark curriculum.  

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