Author: News-Press NOW

Chris Fortune

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — The latest discussions on a proposed expansion to Buchanan County’s juvenile justice building are centered around Medicaid. 

States have not been able to draw from federal Medicaid funding to treat youth held in local detention centers, but beginning January 2025, states will be required to provide some of these services to youth returning home from incarceration. 

The Buchanan County Commissioners did not believe they had coverage for the juveniles in the detention center after 60 days, but a discussion with representatives from the Missouri Department of Social Services helped clarify the issue Tuesday morning.

“Through this process, we found out that that’s not exactly accurate, that there is some coverage that is offered through Medicaid if it’s off-site treatment,” Eastern District Commissioner Scott Burnham said. “We are still responsible for any onsite treatment.”

Burnham wanted to have the coverage questions answered before moving forward with a proposed county project to expand the Judge Frank D. Connett Jr. Juvenile Justice Center. The expansion would increase the number of beds from six to 24.

“There really wouldn’t be any reason to look to expand if we couldn’t get this thing figured out and covered,” he said.

If a youth in the juvenile justice system remains in detention after 60 days, their Medicaid coverage is suspended. Fifth Circuit Chief Juvenile Officer Linda Meyer said this means that Medicaid is not completely terminated.

“If they do have emergent health care needs that require them to go outside of the facility, there is a chance that their Medicaid coverage can be reinstated to pay for those things,” she said.

Part of the normal process for the county is completing an application for Medicaid for juveniles to ensure they have coverage.  

After Tuesday’s meeting with the Department of Social Services, Meyer now knows it’s not necessary to complete a new application.

“It was important for the county to know how we could mitigate those expenses because that type of care can be extremely expensive when they’re not covered by Medicaid,” she said. “And so we just want to make sure that we have a solid plan in place before we take on more liability.”

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Patrick Holleron

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — The City of St. Joseph of Animal Services will be holding vaccination clinics throughout the first two weeks of May.

The clinics offer a low-cost option for pet owners to get their dogs and cats the rabies vaccine, standard combination vaccines and administer microchips. The city is working with the Health Department, Friends of the Animal Shelter of St. Joseph, LLC, and local participating veterinarians to asset in staffing the clinics.

According to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, 640 rabies have been documented this year, with five being reported as positive. In comparison to last year, 25 out of the 2,255 cases came back positive.

“The rabies (vaccine) is really important because if your pet contracts it, humans can contract it as well and rabies is 100% fatal,” Senior Animal Care Specialist, Aubrey Silvey said. “It’s really important to have your pet vaccinated against rabies.”

The costs for the services provided are as follows:

Rabies vaccines are $5

Combination vaccines are $10 (cash only, paid to the participating veterinarian)

Microchips are free of charge for citizens of St. Joseph by way of a grant from Petco Love.

The next clinic will be held later today at Hosea Elementary School located on 6401 Gordon St.

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Jenna Wilson

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — The St. Joseph Police Department is inviting anyone interested in a Law Enforcement career to participate in their upcoming new hire testing.  

SJPD currently has 18 positions open with the department they would like to see filled soon. 

“Currently, we have 11 people in our hiring process or background investigations,” said Sgt. Jeremy Peters with the SJPD. “So realistically, if everything works out, we should be down to about seven positions and we’d like to see all of those filled.”

Candidates will complete a written exam covering reading, writing, grammar, and math, followed by a physical agility test. Those who pass both will advance to a panel interview with department leaders.

SJPD emphasizes they are seeking individuals who will be an asset to the team and uphold the department’s high standards.

“Of course, we want people with good integrity and who are self-motivated,” Peters said. “We’re always looking to add to our staff with people who want to get out into the community and make a difference.”

The hiring test will take place on Saturday, May 17 and will be the test where candidates can qualify to get into the local police Academy this summer in July. Tuition and costs for the police Academy training, which will be held at Missouri Western State University’s campus, will be fully covered. 

“If we decide to hire an individual, we’re going to make sure that the academy gets paid for,” Peters said. “While they’re attending the classes, they’re going to make about $18 an hour to go to school along with accruing benefit time.”

New hire testing will start at 10 a.m. on Saturday, May 17 at the St. Joseph Police Department, located at 501 Faraon Street.

Students are guaranteed to start earning vacation, holiday and sick leave while in the academy.  

To apply online, visit https://stjosephmo.gov/637/Join-SJPD.  

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Marie Moyer

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Days after President Donald Trump signed an executive order ending federal funding for NPR and PBS, public broadcasting stations in Mid-Missouri stations are bracing for impact.

Trump alleged in Thursday’s executive order that public stations were biased and “government funding of news media in this environment is not only outdated and unnecessary but corrosive to the appearance of journalistic independence.”

Under the order, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting board will stop direct funding to NPR and PBS and will stop any future funding to the organizations. This includes any remaining grants or contracts. A legal battle lies ahead.

“We are currently exploring all options to allow PBS to continue to serve our member stations and all Americans,” PBS President and CEO Paula Kerger said in a statement Friday.

NPR President and CEO Katherine Maher in a statement called the order an affront to the First Amendment.

“With the creation of the Public Broadcasting Act, Congress explicitly forbade ‘any department, agency, officer, or employee of the United States to exercise any direction, supervision, or control over educational television or radio broadcasting,’” Maher said in a statement posted to NPR’s website. “This independence has informed the role of public broadcasting in the American interest for more than half a century.”

Public broadcasting in Mid-Missouri includes radio stations KBIA and KOPN in Columbia and television station KMOS in Warrensburg. KBIA reportedly has 30,000 listeners per week, KOPN reaches around 200,000 people and KMOS reports reaching nearly 1 million people, each station reports.

Both NPR and PBS are considering legal action as both entities are private and protected from government interference, CNN wrote on Friday. According to CNN, the CPB disburses $535 million in taxpayer funds to public radio and TV stations. This is first approved by congress and typically done a year in advance.

A 2023-24 financial statement reports that the KMOS’s total operating expenses for the year were a little more than $3 million. The station’s financial reports found that more than $1 million in their funds was from public broadcasting entities like CPB and fewer than $200,000 were from state departments. More than $400,000 were from subscribers.

General Manager of KMOS-TV Josh Tomlinson said the station is currently not seeing any impacts, but worries for the long-term.

“We also represent a largely rural area, our coverage area, 15% of it is in communities of 2,500 or last,” Tomlinson said. “While they’re give as much as possible and we’re grateful for every dollar of it, if we were to lose our federal funding, it would be devastating to KMOS because there is not a source of income within our viewing area to replace that money.”

Along with airing some nationally distributed PBS programs, KMOS also produces Missouri-specific shows that touch on local culture as well as politics.

“We may not have something for somebody all of the time, but we definitely have something for everybody at some of the time,” Tomlinson said. “We carry a show called ‘This Week in Missouri Politics’ that is produced by the Missouri Times and it is all about Jefferson (City), the legislature in Jefferson City, and some people perceive that as a right wing show but it’s only because we have a Republican super majority.”

A major concern Tomlinson has is the possibility of weather coverage being impacted.

“We cover a broad swath of central Missouri in Missouri, in 33 counties, nearly a million people and we have automated weather alerts that go out whenever there’s a tornado or a thunderstorm,” Tomlinson said. “In some of those areas where the only station that they can get, and so that would be one of the areas that was impacted.”

Tomlinson said that the station is currently making plans for future funding.

Executive Director of KOPN Dylan Martin said that he expects the station to stay afloat despite any impending cuts. He credits listener support with more than 50% of the station’s budget coming from public donors. The station also has a contingency plan with its board.

“I’m confident that we can weather the storm, but it’s going to hurt the public radio system as a whole and definitely create some some stresses here,” he said.

Martin similarly shared concerns for communities needing weather coverage and hearing from those in the area.

“These stations are the only source of not only news, information, culture, even entertainment, but they are also the outlets for the emergency alert system, those the tornado warnings and flash flood warnings that that people need to stay safe,” Martin said. “We reach a lot of those small communities and what we offer is, it’s right in our mission, we want to give a platform to underrepresented voices.”

KOPN similarly runs nationally distributed programs, as well as local shows.

“We’re providing options and we’re providing different ideas, different perspectives, and definitely don’t all align, they, they often contradict each other,” Martin said. “On Wednesdays at 10 a.m., we have a show called’ Open to Debate’ that actually spends an hour presenting a moderated debate between people with two totally different points of view on a subject.”

Martin added he is most concerned about the station’s volunteer training program possibly being impacted.

“That’s one of the things I’m most proud of about KOPN and one of the things that I would be most sad to see lost is just our volunteer training program. We sort of specialize in training people in… putting people in the broadcasters and training them  to become broadcasters,” he said.

“That is one of the most impactful things we do, is just providing that just sort of bootstrap kind of education, I guess you’d say, teach people (the) art and science and the law of radio.”

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CNN Newsource

By Lauren Mascarenhas, Pete Muntean and Rene Marsh, CNN

(CNN) — More than a week of delays at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey were caused after air traffic controllers lost communication with aircraft they were supposed to be controlling, and as a result took leave government employees use after experiencing traumatic situations.

The controllers in Philadelphia Terminal Radar Approach Control, which coordinates planes arriving at Newark, “temporarily lost radar and communications with the aircraft under their control, unable to see, hear, or talk to them,†on Monday April 28, the National Air Traffic Controllers Association said in a statement shared with CNN.

The connectivity between Federal Aviation Administration radar and the frequencies that air traffic controllers use to manage planes flying in and out of the airport “completely failed,†a source with knowledge of the situation said.

At least five FAA employees took 45 days of leave as a result of the incident, sources tell CNN.

On Monday, the FAA acknowledged that the agency’s “antiquated air traffic control system†is affecting its workforce.

“Some controllers at the Philadelphia TRACON who work Newark arrivals and departures have taken time off to recover from the stress of multiple recent outages,†the FAA said in a statement.

The FAA also said it is updating its automated system to be more resilient and is working to safeguard telecommunications equipment in the New York area.

The staffing delays have pushed into an eighth, and unprecedented day.

“While we cannot quickly replace them due to this highly specialized profession, we continue to train controllers who will eventually be assigned to this busy airspace,†the FAA said.

By Monday afternoon, more than 150 flights into or out of the airport were canceled, with more than 250 flights delayed, according to the flight tracking website FlightAware.

The FAA issued a brief ground stop at Newark Airport early Monday morning due to low cloud cover, which has since been lifted, but the agency is still forecasting nearly four-hour delays for inbound flights.

The FAA has indicated it expects more delays at the airport Monday due to the air traffic control staffing issues.

The nationwide air traffic controller staffing shortage was compounded by over 20% of FAA controllers who “walked off the job†at Newark Airport, according to a statement Friday by United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby.

The comments angered some in the aviation community.

“The controllers did not “walk off the job†as it has been reported by the media,†the controller’s union responded Monday. “Due to the event, the controllers took absence under the Federal Employees Compensation Act. This program covers all federal employees that are physically injured or experience a traumatic event on the job.â€

“The controllers didn’t just walk off the job they were traumatized, their equipment failed,†the source with knowledge of the situation said. “It’s written in the regulations if they experience a traumatic event —they can take time off to go see psychiatrist.. the people working that day did that.â€

On Monday, Canadian travelers Greg Marszalek and Stephen Lance were grounded at Newark Airport by multiple delays on their way home from celebrating their fortieth birthdays in Manhattan.

After two flight delays before early afternoon, they told CNN’s Brynn Gingras they might forgo air travel altogether if they face another.

“We can rent a car and just drive up to the border. Ottawa’s pretty close to the border,†Marszalek said.

Peter Goelz, former managing director of the National Transportation Safety Board, said the situation at Newark airport is “ridiculous.â€

“We have a very safe system, but anytime it’s stressed like this, where you have controllers who are feeling under maximum pressure, it impacts safety – and people have a right to be concerned,†Goelz told CNN.

“I’m not sure I’d want to fly out of Newark over the next week or 10 days. I might choose an alternate route, because you cannot expect humans to function at their highest level for sustained periods of time with this kind of pressure on them,†he added.

Sen. Chuck Schumer, from New York, said Monday he directed the Department of Transportation’s Office of Inspector General to look into the issues at Newark before they extend across the nation.

“The chaos at Newark could very well be a harbinger if issues like these aren’t fixed, and if the FAA can’t get real solutions off the ground,†Schumer said.

Schumer cited firings at the FAA due to cuts by the Trump administration and said the agency has had little response to his concerns.

“We’re here because the FAA is really a mess. This mess needs a real forensic look, a deep look into it,†Schumer said, adding that Newark’s air traffic controllers have long warned the FAA of problems at the airport.

Old technology is another reason for the airport’s recent obstacles, according to Schumer, who cited burnt copper wiring as an example.

“Why are we using copper wire in 2025? Have they heard of fiber?,†Schumer said.

About 225 flights into or out of Newark Airport were canceled over the weekend, with more than 950 flights delayed, according to FlightAware.

Multiple factors have come together to create a nightmare travel week at the airport, including an air traffic controller shortage, a walk-off by air traffic controllers last week, runway closures and outdated equipment.

Many of the affected flights have been through United Airlines. Kirby addressed the challenges in a statement Friday.

The control facility responsible for traffic at Newark has been “chronically understaffed for years,†Kirby said.

Kirby also said technology used by FAA air traffic controllers to manage planes coming in and out of Newark failed on multiple occasions last week, resulting in delays and cancelations that left thousands of customers with disrupted travel plans.

Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy said Friday the outdated air traffic control system used by the airport contributed to the delays, pledging to implement a new system – one that could take three to four years to get working.

The-CNN-Wire™ & © 2025 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.

CNN’s Chris Boyette, Carolyn Sung and Zoe Sottile contributed to this report.

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Leah Rainwater

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — The annual Adopt-a-Block program will take place on Saturday, May 10.

The program aims to beautify St. Joseph and make a visible difference in local neighborhoods.

Whether it’s for a neighborhood group, business, church or passionate individual, all community members are welcome to sign up.

Those interested can sign up at www.imaginestjoseph2040.com.

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Jenna Wilson

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) – The St. Joseph Police Department is receiving new body armor designed to improve the quality and functionality of body-worn camera footage. 

The St. Joseph City Council has approved more than $29,500 in funds from the police department’s budget to outfit officers with more than 20 body armor vests and external carriers

Sgt. Richard McGregory of the St. Joseph Police Department said the department is prioritizing the safety of officers patrolling the streets, especially as gun violence becomes an increasing concern. 

“It’s part of our policy that officers wear a vest, either under or as an outer carrier, whenever they’re doing enforcement actions,” said McGregory. “With gun violence on the rise in our community, it’s important that our officers are protected in these situations so they can make it home safely to their families.”

According to SJPD, the new vests feature a sleek design that reduces weight on officers’ hips and allows for chest-mounted pouches to carry equipment. 

In addition to improved mobility for law enforcement, the new outer carriers will better center body camera footage. 

“With our current outer carriers, the body camera is positioned on either the left or right, depending on whether the officer is right- or left-handed,” McGregory said. “The new design centers the camera, providing better visibility, which we believe will improve our ability to review footage more effectively.”

SJPD said its goal is to outfit all officers with modern body armor once the current gear is replaced under the department’s five-year plan. 

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Leah Rainwater

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — One well-known Kansas City Archaeologist will share her experiences at a Rolling Hills Library program.

Mary Conrad will speak at 1 p.m. on Saturday, May 10 at the Rolling Hills Library Community Room, located at 1904 North Belt Highway.

Those who have an interest in archaeology and want to learn more, are welcome to come to the information session.

Attendees will learn the basics of knowing where to dig, tools, technology, and terms to use and the significance of how archaeology helps those to learn and preserve historic trails.

Conrad has participated in digs at Robidoux’s Trading Post, Pony Express Museum and the Hollenburg Pony Express station.

For more questions and information contact gatewaychapterocta@gmail.com.

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Cameron Montemayor

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — City leaders unveiled a proposed budget on Monday that includes roughly $25 million less in projected revenue for fiscal year 2026, largely the result of anticipated changes in the city’s year-to-year budgeting practices designed to increase transparency and accuracy.

The city’s proposed fiscal year 2026 budget includes $190 million in projected total revenue, an 11.7% decrease from the $215 million budgeted for 2025. The reduction in revenue is projected across all funds due to the elimination of fund transfers, with the most significant of them being transfers for the Public Safety and the Police Tax funds, and the American Rescue Plan Act funds.

“Our budget will still contain transfers in some form that’s just part of normal government budget processes and there’s nothing wrong with that,” City Manager Mike Schumacher said during a budget work session Monday. “But it doesn’t begin and won’t be built upon an assumption.” 

Monday’s work session marked the first of four public budget meetings scheduled to take place at City Hall over the next eight days. A finalized budget is expected to go before City Council for first reading on May 27 followed by a final vote on June 9.

Overall, general fund revenue is expected to grow by approximately $2.1 million in fiscal year 2026, from $46 million to $48 million, roughly $500,000 more than growth recorded last year.

A budget summary for next year notes that overall expenses will continue to outpace revenue growth and create a tighter budget, partly driven by increased staffing and personnel costs pressuring nearly every fund.

Multiple city revenue funds are projected to see sizable net losses due to expenses or large capital projects:

Street Maintenance fund (-$1.3 million)

Parks Sales Tax (-$2 million deficit resulting from several large projects, including initial phase of indoor aquatic center.)

Public Safety (-$1.3 million)

Water Protection (-$5.1 million due to blower replacement project)

Transit (-$1.2 million due to transfer station project)

A consistent theme throughout the meeting — and one that Schumacher and finance officials have emphasized — is long-term budgeting beyond this year to provide greater financial flexibility and allow city leaders to account for unforeseen expenses that may arise.

“The budgeting process should not be a 12-month snapshot. We need to be looking well down the road 5-to-10 years, laying out a plan for how we meet community’s expectations,” Schumacher said. “It’s my job to make sure council has a clear picture of what the future looks like.”

The city intends to use nearly $800,000 in marijuana sales tax funds, part of $2.3 million in marijuana tax funds, as part of a new 5-year vehicle replacement process to replace the city’s fleet of aging vehicles across various departments.

More than 100 of the city’s vehicles have north of 100,000 miles.

“(Mike) came in and saw all the requests coming in for the fleet … Planning for the future. These funds will be able to at least give us a start to be able to get to to that future,” Assistant City Manager Dawn Lanning said.

The year’s budgeting process will be the first for Schumacher since he was hired last December, but far from his career-first given his extensive background in city government.

Two new proposals, one to establish a 20% minimum fund balance policy and another to consolidate the city’s bidding/procurement processes across all departments, are expected to align the city with best industry practices and help produce notable costs savings.

“So we will realize savings. I’m 100% confident of that,” Schumacher said. “The Police Chief doesn’t necessarily know what things are being purchased at the Health Department for example. All those things have to go into the same place and be rolled together. So, we look very forward to getting that done.

The proposed budget includes a 3% increase in all personnel salary along with a 7.4% increase in health insurance-related costs and increases in retirement benefits.  

Monday’s work session marked the first of four public budget meetings scheduled to take place at City Hall over the next eight days. A finalized budget is expected to go before City Council for first reading on May 27 followed by a final vote on June 9.

Correction: A previous version of this article has been corrected to clarify that a projected 2026 net loss for the Parks Sales Tax fund is the result of several large projects, including the initial phase of the indoor aquatic center.

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Leah Rainwater

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — The Allied Arts Council will host its 13th annual Beer Walk to support the arts.

The event will take place from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, May 17 in the historic Harris-Kemper neighborhood.

Craft beers at each location throughout the neighborhood will be from a variety of Midwestern breweries, paired with food samples from area eateries.

In addition to the craft beer samples and the homes tour, live music representing a wide variety of genres will be featured throughout the event.

Tickets are $40, or guests can take advantage of the Beer Buddy special ticket package- two tickets for $60.

The event is rain or shine, and participants can purchase tickets at www.ticketleap.events/events/stjoearts.

The Beer Walk for the Arts is a benefit for the Arts Fund, which provides financial assistance for seven arts organizations in St. Joseph, including the Allied Arts Council, Creative Arts Productions, Performing Arts Association, Robidoux Resident Theatre, Saint Joseph Symphony, St. Joseph Community Chrous and St. Joseph Youth Chorale.

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