Author: News-Press NOW

Leah Rainwater

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — Missouri Western State University will celebrate the achievements of 350 graduates during two spring commencement ceremonies on Saturday, May 10.

Ceremonies will take place in the MWSU Fieldhouse in the M.O. Looney Complex. Graduations is free and open to the public.

MWSU will confer 290 undergraduate degrees and 60 graduate degrees. Graduates come from Missouri and 19 other states, as well as seven foreign countries.

The first ceremony will begin at 11 a.m. and will celebrate graduates from the College of Science and Health. Doors will open at 10:15 a.m.

The second ceremony will begin at 3 p.m. and will celebrate graduates from General Studies, the College of Business and Professional Studies and the College of Liberal Arts. Doors will open at 2:15 p.m.

A brief reception will follow each ceremony in the Looney practice gym. The reception is sponsored by the Missouri Western Alumni Association.

Tim Houlne, a graduate from 1986, will be the commencement speaker for the spring 2025 commencement. Houlne graduated from MWSU with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration.

The Houlne Center for Convergent Technology was named in appreciation of Houlne’s generous contribution to its construction and operation.

Student representatives Viola Toma and News-Press NOW’s Kendra Simpson will also speak at their respective ceremonies.

Toma, from Kansas City, Mo., will graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Biology and will speak at the 11 a.m. ceremony. Toma has overcome homelessness and battled cancer on her road to success. As a non-traditional first generation student and a single parent, Toma still carved time out to volunteer at Head Start through Community Action Partnership St. Joseph.

Simpson, from St. Joseph, Mo., will graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Convergent Journalism and Public Relations and will speak at the 2 p.m. ceremony. Simpson served as news editor and editor-in-chief for Griffon Media, and was awarded several state and national awards for her work. Simpson now serves as a multimedia journalist and weekend anchor for News-Press NOW.

Other public commencement-related activities include”

Physical Therapy Assistant Pinning Ceremony at 7 p.m. on Friday, May 9 at the Kemper Recital Hall in Spratt 101

Respiratory Therapy Pinning Ceremony at 8 a.m. on Saturday, May 10 at Murphy Hall 2nd Floor

Nurses Pinning Ceremony at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, May 10 at the Fulkerson Center

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Kirsten Stokes

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — The U.S Department of Education will officially resume collecting defaulted federal student loans on Monday, May 5, marking the end of a three-year pause, which began during the COVID-19 pandemic.

For thousands of Missourians, and particularly residents of St. Joseph, this could mean renewed pressure from loan services, especially for those whose loans are currently in default.

However, for St. Joseph resident Lorna Davis, the deadline will be of no concern as she believes its starts with making smart decision before taking loans.

“It’s a matter of catching it beforehand and deciding if you want to go to a four year school and if you’re actually going to stick with it,” Davis said. “If there is any way to avoid them, I think that’s best.”

The pause, which began in March 2020, offered temporary relief to more than 40 million borrowers, halting interest accrual and collections on defaulted loans. But starting this month, collections on federally held student loans in default are restarting, with garnishments of wages, tax refunds and Social Security benefits once again on the table. 

In an April interview with Fox Business, Secretary of Education Linda McMahon urged Americans to act swiftly. “It’s very simple, we’ve announced that by May 5, you must start to repay your loan,†McMahon said. “This is not meant to cause hardship. There are several different payment plans available.†

What This Means for St. Joseph Residents 

According to the most recent data from the Department of Education, Buchanan County has a significant number of residents with student debt, and many of those loans are currently in default. Local borrowers who have fallen behind could now face renewed garnishments or negative credit reporting if they do not act quickly. 

For St. Joseph resident Beth Crumpler, the return to repayment is daunting. “Right now I haven’t been navigating them because I haven’t had to pay with the forbearance going on,â€Crumpler said. “But I’m just going to have to work probably until the day I die. I’ll just be working to pay what I have to pay.”

The Fresh Start initiative, a temporary program from the Department of Education, allows borrowers in default to return to good standing and avoid collections. Borrowers can: 

Remove the default status from their loans, re-enter regular repayment plans, restore eligibility for federal financial aid, and prevent wage or benefit garnishment. 

Borrowers must act soon, as Fresh Start is not automatic. To enroll, visit myeddebt.ed.gov or contact your loan servicer. 

“I don’t know if it was worth it to have the loans but college prepared me for my job absolutely,” Crumpler said.

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Leah Rainwater

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW ) — The United Democrats of Northwest Missouri Club will hold it’s annual Truman dinner celebration on Tuesday, May 6.

The event will be held at Bandana’s Bar-B-Q, located at 4225 Frederick Ave.

Social hour will begin at 5:30 p.m., where attendee’s will be able to order food. The event will start at 6:30 p.m.

Historian and NW Missouri League of Women Voters president, Jenna Sanders will deliver the keynote, “Truman and Post WWII Tariffs”.

The dinner is open to the public. To receive additional information, attendee’s are directed to contact Jill Miller, the president of the United Democrats Club at milljill@stjoelive.com, or by calling (816) 271-3405.

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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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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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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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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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Jenna Wilson

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW)–The St. Joseph Police Department continues to crack down on shoplifting at the North Shoppes, following an incident last weekend which put an officer at risk.

A woman who was shopping at the North Shoppes was caught stealing from a store, and shortly after was approached by police to address her actions. 

A video that has since gone viral- recorded and shared by a local resident- captures the moment a woman accelerated to drive away, as law enforcement officers clung to her vehicle before eventually letting go.

Video Courtesy of St. Joseph resident:

Sgt. Jeremy Peters of the St. Joseph Police Department addressed the incident and credited the citizen who recorded it, helping build a stronger case against the individual, who was ultimately arrested. 

“Obviously, that one got a lot of attention when it happened,” Peters said. “We’re glad to see situations like this get attention because any time an individual tries to flee by vehicle, it poses a big risk for officers and the public. An officer can be struck, run over or the driver could even crash into another citizen and that’s something we have to take into consideration when we’re responding to these types of calls.”

SJPD said the case has been submitted to the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office for handling, but in the meantime, SJPD is increasing patrols at the North Shoppes and other surrounding shopping centers where they said theft tends to happen more often.

“People are opportunistic,” said Peters. “They try this more at bigger stores where they know there’s more employees staff have to keep an eye on and they’ll try and work different angles while they’re inside the store.”

Residents who frequent the North Shoppes shared their opinions on shoplifting, with some saying it’s best not to interfere, while others expressed a desire to hold the suspect accountable.

“”I try to stay low key, and it’s not something I’ve really noticed or looked for, but I don’t think I’d approach them,” said resident Sondra Allen. “People are just too crazy nowadays, but I might mention it to a staff member if they’re nearby.”

“I try to stay lowkey and it’s not something I’ve really noticed or looked for, but I don’t think I’d approach them,” said resident Sondra Allen. “People are just too crazy nowadays, but I might mention it to a staff member if they’re nearby.”

Residents Jenna Williamson and Lori, who didn’t want to be identified by last name, stated that they will always speak out if they witness someone committing theft. 

“I’d tell them I saw what they did,” Williamson said. 

“I’m going to always try and be careful when approaching someone, but I’d say something to them,” Lori said.

The SJPD said it appreciates when the community helps with their work, but their main priority is ensuring public safety. If interference seems risky, it should be avoided and left to the authorities. 

“We have our property crimes detectives that focus on these reports as they’re coming in,” said Peters. “If our officers aren’t able to intervene while it’s in progress, It’ll get kicked over to our property crimes detectives and their full time job Monday through Friday is following up on these cases, trying to recover property for victims and making arrests and, submitting cases to the prosecutor, as often as possible.” 

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Charles Christian

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — The death of Pope Francis, who had served for twelve years as Supreme Pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church, means Catholics are looking back upon his legacy and looking ahead to the Church’s future.

Just hours after making a surprise appearance on Easter Sunday at the Vatican in Rome, Pope Francis, who had been struggling with illness for several months, died early on Easter Monday morning.

Since then, over 1.5 billion Catholics worldwide, including Catholics in the St. Joseph area, continue to reflect on the unique legacy of Francis, while also asking questions about the future.

Jacob and Paulina, both students at Benedictine College, said the late Pope left a big impression on them.

“Pope Francis liked to focus upon those who didn’t feel accounted for,” Jacob said. “That included those who were left out and on the fringe of society.”

Paulina, who met Pope Francis at an event in 2024, said, “Meeting him was a great experience. He was very humble and cared a lot about the community — especially the Church.”

Benedictine professor Dr. Matt Muller, said that Francis had a unique leadership style that was very different from his predecessors.

“I think his unique style inspired many people, but sometimes his statements caused some confusion,” Muller said. “I don’t think that was an accident, though. I think part of his vision was to stir things up.”

Part of this stirring up, according to Muller, was to remind Catholics of the need for the Church to connect more strongly with the poor, marginalized and overlooked.

Francis, who grew up in Argentina, was the first Jesuit pope, a group within the Catholic Church known for its concern for the poor, among other things. He was the first pope from the Americas and the first pope from the Southern Hemisphere.

Muller said his papacy was marked by a return to simplicity, both in how he appeared and how he connected with a wide variety of people.

“His impact,” Muller said, “has been a reminder for those of us in the church to have a merciful look at the world around us.”

Father Stephen Hansen, of the Cathedral of St. Joseph, agreed with Muller’s assessment.

“When he was an archbishop and cardinal in Buenos Aires, he would take public transit whenever he traveled,” Hansen said. “This was unusual for someone of his prominence, but he did these kinds of things on purpose to set an example for church members and leaders.”

Hansen also said that Francis was a “pope for the poor and those on the periphery.”

When asked to pick one word to describe the papacy of Francis, Hansen replied, for him, it was simple.

“While all of us are called to show mercy,” Hansen said, “Pope Francis can really be called ‘a pope of mercy’.”

The inclusion and mercy shown by Francis, included extending conversations to those in the LGBTQ+ communities and to those outside of the Christian faith, while simultaneously offering critique to consumerism, overdevelopment and populism.

Francis was particularly vocal about the plight of immigrants worldwide.

All of these things, according to both Muller and Hansen, both expanded the conversation of the Church into new areas, while at times causing controversy among those who were longtime Catholics.

This has led to more intense conversations and debates that usual about who the next pope will be.

“Pope John Paul II was a philosopher and world traveler, Pope Benedict XVI was a conservative and traditional theologian,” Muller said. “Pope Francis emphasized the pastoral role of the pope above all else.”

This, he said, leaves the Church with a wide range of approaches for the Cardinals to choose from when they meet in conclave in the weeks ahead.

Father Hansen, who was a seminarian during the time of Pope John Paul II and was also ordained during the papacy of Benedict XVI, said the Church has benefitted from the approaches of all three recent popes, thus giving him no reason to worry for who will take over.

“I love what Pope Francis said: ‘Our God is a God of surprises’,” Hansen said. “When you know that the Holy Spirit is involved in picking the pope, then you know the Holy Spirit will give them the clarity they need.”

For Catholics, who represent about one out of every six people on earth, the spiritual direction and the global connection of the Catholic Church will be involved in prayers for the next leader of the Church.

A 2/3 super majority will be required of the votes submitted by Cardinals tasked with selecting the pope in the coming days.

The Cardinals will also keep the impact of a new pope in mind as they make their decisions.

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Cameron Montemayor

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — Fans of arts and entertainment will get the full experience in St. Joseph this season with a mix of iconic music, Irish dancing and comedy.

The Performing Arts Association, which now goes by an all-new stage name called “816 LIVE”, announced its 2025-26 season lineup Thursday with seven-performances scheduled to take place at the Missouri Theater.

Shows will kick off on Sept. 20 with a special appearance by country music legend Randy Travis, followed by a comedy show on Oct. 4 featuring longtime Seinfeld writer Pat Hazell.

Single ticket sales will begin on May 26. Season tickets can be purchased now by calling the box office at 816-279-1225. Tickets and more information can be found at TicketsToTheShow.com, by calling 816-279-1225 or visiting their social media page.

Performing Arts Association 2025-2026 schedule

Saturday, September 20, 2025 | Randy Travis – More Life TourThe season kicks off with a special appearance by country music legend Randy Travis for a special celebration of his legendary career, taking the audience on a nostalgic journey through his greatest hits. With guest vocalist James DupréTickets: $45–$75

Saturday, October 4, 2025 | The Wonder Bread YearsSeinfeld writer, Pat Hazell takes us on a journey of the 60’s and 70’s with sharp wit that feels hysterically nostalgic. Hazell reflects on growing up, celebrating family life, pop culture, and simpler times that is filled with a LOT of laughter!.Tickets: $44–$49

Thursday, November 20, 2025 | Artrageous!Get ready for a high energy, interactive experience like no other. Feel the adrenaline as world class musicians light up the stage and brilliant artists bring canvases to life right before your eyes. It is bold, it is fun, it is wildly entertaining… and it is a show you will not want to miss. Whether you are an art lover, music enthusiast, or just looking for an unforgettable night out, this one of a kind event delivers the thrill. “GO SEE THIS SHOW” – CBS NewsTickets: $44–$49

Friday, December 12, 2025 | Christmas in KillarneyA spectacular holiday celebration bursting with the spirit and magic of Ireland! This high energy, Broadway style event is an unforgettable experience featuring beloved Christmas carols, breathtaking Irish dancing, and a dazzling cast of talented performers who sing, dance, and act with incredible skill. From the first note to the final curtain, it is a joyful, heartwarming celebration that will leave audiences cheering and full of holiday cheer!Tickets: $45–$65

Saturday, February 14, 2026 | Barron Ryan: Songs for LoversValentine’s Day gets a romantic upgrade with concert pianist Barron Ryan and his Songs forLovers concert.. Ryan, who has sold out venues across the country and built a strong socialmedia following, blends elegance and charm in an unforgettable musical evening. Guests willenjoy a complimentary wine tasting before the show, making it the perfect date night experience.Tickets: $44–$49

Saturday, March 14, 2026 | MJ The IllusionExperience the thrill of MJ the Illusion, a spectacular show combining a jaw-dropping performance with the iconic music of Michael Jackson. This is not a tribute act! it’s a Michael Jackson Concert Experience!Tickets: $45–$60

Saturday, May 2, 2026 | The DrfitersThe Drifters’ iconic sound has defined generations… and you know their hits! “Under The Boardwalk,†“Save The Last Dance For Me,†“There Goes My Baby,†“Stand By Me,†“This Magic Moment,†“Some Kind of Wonderfulâ€â€¦ and so many more!Tickets: $45–$65

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