Author: News-Press NOW

Praji Ghosh

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — The City of St. Joseph is rolling out a new safety initiative aimed at addressing illegally parked and abandoned vehicles left on public streets. 

Under the new program, any vehicle parked on the street must meet several requirements: it must have valid license plates, be insured, be in working condition and be parked correctly. 

To help enforce these rules, the St. Joseph Police Department has added two civilian parking enforcement officers. Their job is to patrol neighborhoods, issue tickets, and place tow tags on vehicles that don’t comply with city ordinances. 

The goal is to improve customer service and respond more effectively to ongoing parking complaints from the community. 

“A lot of parking calls that we would get be on our lower priority calls, by implementing this type of parking enforcement, we can go ahead and our officers can focus on higher priority calls,” said Sgt. Richard McGregory with the SJPD.

This new enforcement effort builds on the city’s existing Downtown parking program — but now, it’s expanding across St. Joseph to tackle issues citywide. 

The SJPD has assigned specific enforcement teams to write tickets and address violations.  

Sgt. McGregory said it’s still early, but the department is monitoring public feedback.  

“That’s going to be something that we later have to deal with and see how the community is responding to it because I only had a few calls from people about this concern,” Sgt. McGregory said.  

Some community members are already welcoming the move.

Desire Hayes, a St. Joseph resident, believes stronger enforcement is long overdue.  

“It’s just unacceptable that you can’t park your car over there because there’s a van parked over there where it’s not supposed to I think this enforcement will do good on a community level,” Hayes said.  

Hayes said she hopes the stricter parking rules will push more drivers to follow the law.  

Parking measures like this are designed to strengthen enforcement and encourage residents to follow the rules put in place by the city.  

“I think having enforcement like this will help the community in a good way because I see things around me all the time, but I can’t do anything about it because my word won’t matter,” Hayes said.  

As officers continue to issue tickets and tow tags, residents are also encouraged to play a role by reporting illegally parked vehicles through the city’s website.  

News-Press NOW tried speaking to residents across St. Joseph who might be against the matter, but was declined for any interviews.

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News-Press NOW

DAVIESS COUNTY, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — Two people suffered serious injuries in a one-car Daviess County crash Sunday.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reports the crash occurred around 6:38 p.m. on U.S. Route 69 North, about five miles south of Pattonsburg, Missouri.

A 21-year-old King City, Missouri woman drove off one side of the road, overcorrected, and went off the other side of the road, flipping her car.

She and a 28-year-old Winston, Missouri man riding with her suffered serious injuries.

First responders took the driver to Mosaic Life Care and the passenger to KU Medical Center by helicopter.

The driver was wearing a seat belt, but the passenger was not, according to the crash report.

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Praji Ghosh

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — A community-wide school supply drive is underway to help local students gear up for the upcoming school year. 

The drive will wrap up with a final drop-off event on Saturday, Aug. 17, at the Open-Door Food Kitchen. 

Community members are encouraged to donate essential items such as pencils, markers, crayons, calculators, sticky notes, and other school supplies. All donations will go directly to students in need as they prepare for the 2025-26 academic year. 

Donations are being accepted now and will continue through the Aug. 17 deadline. 

“Its helpful, we have all been there and we know that its a struggle to get the supplies ready to go for the first day of school and we like to give back because we understand that pressure,” Katie Burris, Executive director of Open Door Kitchen said.  

The team at Open Door Food Kitchen is gearing up to distribute supplies as part of their ongoing effort to support the local community. 

This year marks the 41st anniversary of the non-profit, which serves hot meals seven days a week—including holidays—to anyone in need.  

“Its a nice little community here, we have 200 meals a day that we serve so its a busy place for all of us working here,” Burris said.  

For volunteer Steve Doles, giving back is personal. He believes one of the most important parts of life is making sure people get proper nutrition.  

He believes one of the most important things in life is making sure people get the nutrition they need — that’s what inspired him to start volunteering and serving meals.  

“We are providing a service for the people that come here and I don’t know if this is the only meal they get in a day, it might be, especially with the food prices being so high,” Doles said.  

Beyond meals, the organization is also handing out backpacks filled with hygiene products and snacks to help unhoused and marginalized community members stay prepared.  

Young volunteer Mckinley Hennigan, who’s been involved since she was seven, said the team always welcomes extra hands.  

“They can always use the help, I have been volunteering since I was seven and the people in the community can always come in volunteer,” Hennigan said.  

For more information on donation drive or volunteering opportunities, visit our website newspressnow.com 

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News-Press NOW

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — The community is invited to kick off United Way’s Annual Campaign during a breakfast event.

The breakfast will begin at 7:30 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 4, at The Metropolitan, located at 107 S. 6th St.

By 8 a.m., the community is welcome to meet the Campaign Co-Chairs, celebrate Pacesetter results and view the 2025 Campaign video.

Those interested must register by Friday, Aug. 29, and can do so by visiting stjosephunitedway.org or by calling (816) 364-2381.

Registration is $10 per person or $75 for a group of eight.

United Way’s Annual Campaign is a fundraising initiative and tradition carried out by the community to support lasting change in the areas of education, health and financial stability in Northwest Missouri and Northeast Kansas.

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Rebecca Evans

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — It was more than just football at Missouri Western State University on Saturday as the Kansas City Chiefs welcomed fans to Family Fun Day at training camp, transforming the field into a festival of red, gold and smiles.

While fans packed the stands to catch a glimpse of star players during practice, kids and families enjoyed a full lineup of activities just steps away from the field.

Some traveled long distances to attend. Rebecca Mansir made the trip from California with her son as part of their annual family vacation.

“No matter where they are in the country, we’re always cheering for them,” Mansir said. “Wherever they’re playing, and we try to go to as many games as possible.”

The family zone featured a bounce house, obstacle course drills and a rock climbing wall. Interactive stations allowed fans to test their arm strength by throwing to various yard lines or see if they had the leg to make a field goal.

Jeff Evans, a longtime Chiefs fan, shared his excitement for the upcoming season.

“To the Chiefs players: Look, there’s been a lot of doubt for us this year,” Evans said. “Let’s come in and do what we know we are here to do. We’re back to the Super Bowl this year!”

Photo opportunities with cheerleaders and the team mascot, KC Wolf, kept phones snapping throughout the morning.

Quinten Colquhoun and his grandfather, Warren McElwain, came together to watch the players on the field.

“I love the Chiefs. We wanted to come last year, but tickets were sold out,” Colquhoun said. “We got tickets right when they opened. We’re gonna have a perfect season this year.”

McElwain, a fan since the late 1960s, also expressed optimism for the team’s future.

“I like Nick Bolton because he’s from the University of Missouri, and I’m from the University of Missouri,” McElwain said. “I think this is gonna be a good year for us.”

Family Fun Day remains one of the most popular events during training camp, giving fans a chance to make memories while watching their favorite team gear up for another big season.

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News-Press NOW

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — The St. Joseph Friends of the Animal Shelter will hold its next “Doggy Day Out” at the end of the month.

From 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 30, FOTAS volunteers and supporters are invited to “spoil” shelter dogs with walks, treats, space to play and more.

For more information on how to sign up, contact the St. Joseph Animal Shelter at (816) 271-4877, or visit www.signupgenius.com/go/10C054CADAD2AABFDC52-55820313-dogday?useFullSite=true#/.

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News-Press NOW

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — Animal lovers and golfers alike will be able to participate in a tournament to benefit the St. Joseph Animal Shelter’s Animal Services.

The “Puttin’ for Mutts” Charity Golf Tournament will take place at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 23 at Fairview Golf Course, located at 3302 Pacific St.

The registration fee is $300 per team. All proceeds will support St. Joseph Animal Services with care, medical treatment and helping “furry friends” in need.

Hotdogs and hamburgers will be served and there will also be prizes and raffles.

To register, go to petforu.com/golf-tournament-registration.

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Associated Press

By MATTHEW BROWN and COLLEEN SLEVIN

ANACONDA, Mont. (AP)– A shooting at a Montana bar left four people dead Friday, prompting a lockdown in a neighborhood several miles away as authorities searched for the suspect in a wooded area.

The shooting happened around 10:30 a.m. at The Owl Bar in Anaconda, according to the Montana Division of Criminal Investigation, which is leading the investigation. The agency confirmed four people were pronounced dead at the scene.

The suspect, who was identified as 45-year-old Michael Paul Brown, lived next door to the bar, according to public records. Authorities said his home was cleared by a SWAT team and that he was last seen in the Stump Town area, which is just west of Anaconda.

More than a dozen officers from local and state police converged on that area, locking it down so no one was allowed in or out. A helicopter also hovered over a nearby mountainside as officers moved among the trees, said Randy Clark, a retired police officer who lives there.

Brown was believed to be armed, the Montana Highway Patrol said in a statement.

As reports of the shooting spread through town, business owners locked their doors and sheltered inside with customers. At Caterpillars to Butterflies Childcare, a nursery a few blocks from the shooting scene, owner Sage Huot said she’d kept the children inside all day after someone called to let her know about the violence.

“We’re constantly doing practice drills, fire drills and active shooter drills, so we locked down the facility, locked the doors, and we have a quiet spot where we play activities away from all of our windows and doors,” Huot said.

Anaconda is about 75 miles (120 kilometers) southeast of Missoula in a valley hemmed in by mountains. A town of about 9,000 people, it was founded by copper barons who profited off nearby mines in the late 1800s. A smelter stack that’s no longer operational looms over the valley.

The owner of the Firefly Café in Anaconda said she locked up her business at about 11 a.m. Friday after getting alerted to the shooting by a friend.

“We are Montana, so guns are not new to us,” café owner Barbie Nelson said. “For our town to be locked down, everybody’s pretty rattled.”

Brown reported from Billings, Montana, and Slevin from Denver. AP writer Lisa Baumann in Bellingham, Washington, contributed to this report.

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Cameron Montemayor

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — Construction of an all-new $1.6 million Buchanan County Fairgrounds Arena took a huge step toward reality as county officials confirmed a contractor to develop the future home for livestock showcases and events.

Buchanan County Commissioners announced the selection of St. Joseph-based Al J. Mueller Construction Company for a design-build contract to develop a 160-by-250-feet arena in Easton, Missouri. The venue will be capable of hosting a wide range of 4-H and FFA events, as well as larger events like rodeos and car shows, among other year-round possibilities.

“We’ve had a lot of information that said all we need is a venue. We don’t have one, so we’re making one,” Buchanan County Presiding Commissioner and Fairgrounds Board member Scott Nelson said. “It’s the old adage ‘Build it and they will come,’ … We think there’s a lot of potential.”

By comparison, the new arena will be the same width as an NFL football field and nearly 3/4 the length.

As the county inches closer to breaking ground on the project, longtime farmer and Buchanan County Farm Bureau president Tim Gach called it a long-awaited and much-needed development for county residents and future generations of agriculture and livestock enthusiasts after decades without a true fair.

“We’ve been working on this now for about three years. The county’s been needing this for a lot of years,” said Gach, a fellow Fairgrounds Board member. “Front and center of the whole project is a facility for 4-H and FFA to be able to have livestock shows.”

Pending sale of the necessary land, the arena will be located east of the former East Buchanan Middle School building, a key component of the fairgrounds project. A new East Buchanan Middle School in Gower is well underway and scheduled to open for the start of the 2025-26 school year.

“We’ve made some significant progress on purchasing the land to the east … once that is closed, then we can start the dirt work,” Nelson said. “Our next step is to fine-tune all the little ancillary things with the contractor.”

The arena is one key piece of the overall plan. The middle school building and surrounding 9.2 acres of land were recently acquired by the Buchanan County Fairgrounds Board and will act as a nearby hub for a host of community and fairgrounds-related activities.

“Optimistically, we’re hoping to have this new building up and going next summer,” Gach said. “I think it’s going to be a great day for Buchanan County. I think it’ll be a great day for our 4-H and FFA kids to have an arena to showcase their livestock.”

Nelson said one of the deciding factors for selecting Al J. Mueller is its plan to use St. Joseph company Varco Pruden to manufacture steel locally.

“So 60% to 70% of the cost of the $1.6 million is the materials. So now we have all those dollars staying in St. Joseph. And I think that that is a big deal,” Nelson said.  

Gach said they’ve heard consistently from the equine community about having a nearby venue to hold horse-related events and showcases, a growing market they’re eager to provide space for. The arena is also being designed to allow for rodeo-type events.

“If you have that length, you can have any rodeo event in there. You can have barrel racing,” Nelson said.

County leaders stressed the importance of developing a versatile and sustainable facility that accommodates a variety of livestock events and shows for year-round use, providing a strong pair with classrooms, a gym and many other facilities within the middle school building.

“There’s nice-sized rooms that people could be able to rent and use for a variety of things, whether it’s community theater, whether it’s practicing your band, whether it’s a 4-H project that you need a dedicated space for all of those things,” Gach said. “We’re hoping for a lot of activity to happen.”

With the fairgrounds board owning the school building, Nelson said the county will be renters for the most part, with a fee schedule to be worked out later.

Organizations like 4-H and FFA will largely be the ones in charge of putting on future events at the arena, though the county will assist as needed and make space available at the middle school building.

“We’re going to have to develop a team to work with 4-H and FFA at the facility at the school building so that they can have a presence there,” Nelson said.

A 4-H member in his youth, Gach praised the work and life skills taught by the organization, as well as FFA. He expects an abundance of opportunities to be available for county residents to help support the organization’s volunteer efforts when the state-of-the-art arena comes to fruition.

“4-H is only as successful as the people who volunteer. If you’re someone who knows how to weld and you want to teach a few youngsters how to weld, you can do that,” Gach said. “I’m hoping that the people of Buchanan County will step up.”

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Praji Ghosh

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) —  The St. Joseph School District has introduced its first-ever Kagan Cooperative Learning training session, bringing a nationally recognized teaching strategy to local classrooms. 

This initiative aims to enhance instructional practices by promoting student engagement, collaboration and creative thinking. 

The goal is to empower both teachers and students with strategies that go beyond traditional methods—encouraging learners to think more critically. 

“Our goal in the district is to improve the peer-to-peer opportunities that students have to learn from each other and get them away from their devices,” said Tabitha Keyser, director of curriculum, instruction and assessment.  

The Kagan program emphasizes teamwork, structured learning activities and equal participation among students.  

As part of this initiative, some teachers are traveling to Maryville for training, while others are engaging in summer learning sessions locally — all aimed at helping educators bring Kagan strategies directly into their classrooms.   

According to Erin Smith, a reading interventionist at SJSD, the Kagan model provides tools that not only engage students but also ensure every voice is heard.  

“I knew that Kagan training would provide those strategies for me, and they were research-based and I could close the achievement gap for all learners in the classroom,” Smith said. 

One of the key goals of the program is to create a learning environment where students feel confident sharing ideas, building relationships, and learning from each other.  

Sam Ebling, an academic lead lab teacher, believes the impact will go beyond academics.  

“It’s going to really help their communication skills with listening and speaking because everybody has a turn and everyone has a role and they can teach each other, which is powerful,” Ebling said.

Teachers encourage collaboration and shared responsibility through the program, which also aims to boost students’ self-confidence, improve classroom culture and reduce bullying.  

“We learned the importance of making students feel a positive interdependence with each other so they feel a sense of individual accountability, which is a big piece of equal participation,” Smith said.  

District educators hope this cooperative learning structure will not only improve academic outcomes but also make the classroom a more inclusive and fun space for all students. 

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