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Jazsmin Halliburton

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Gov. Mike Kehoe has repealed certain provisions of Proposition A, by signing House Bill 567 into law.

Kehoe signed the measure into law Thursday afternoon at the State Capitol.

Proposition A passed in November 2024 with support from more than 57% of Missouri voters, and it took effect on May 1. It guaranteed workers one hour of paid sick time for every 30 hours worked. However, two weeks later, on May 14, Republicans forced a vote to repeal the sick leave portion of the bill.

There were concerns about Proposition A’s legality, and a lawsuit was filed shortly after it was approved by voters. The lawsuit claimed that voters were misled in the initiative petition used to get Prop A on the ballot.

Yellow Dog Bookstore owner Joe Chevalier has been in business for 12 years and has three part-time employees. He says he will continue to offer paid sick leave, but the overturn is a disappointment.

“I’m really disappointed with the Republicans in the legislature and overturning the will of the voters,” Chevalier said.

However, Chevalier said the change in law puts other workers in a tough spot.

“You have to make that choice of working while you’re ill and getting paid and staying home and getting paid and for many people, that’s really not an option,” Chevalier said.

President and CEO of the Missouri Chamber of Commerce Kara Corches believes the change will protect Missouri’s economy overall.

“We applaud Gov. Kehoe signing this bill into law because it was incredibly vital to protect our business climate,” Croches said. “By signing this bill, we knew Prop A as passed in 2024 was indeed a job killer, so we are really pleased to see this across the finish line and signed into law to protect businesses and jobs in our state.”

Mandated sick pay will no longer be required for businesses after Aug. 18. It will then be up to each employer to decide whether to continue offering the benefit.

Corches said the law created limits for employers, especially in certain industries.

“You can’t ask why they are sick, which is problematic if you think about a health care setting or a food setting where you do have to know why someone is out sick in case they have communicable disease,” Corches said.

For Chevalier, he says if his small Columbia bookstore can offer paid sick leave, so can other businesses. He says it helps businesses in the long run.

“Your success depends on the people who work for you, and if they’re happy, if they feel taken care of, they’re going to do better work and the business will prosper from that,” he said.

However, Corches says mandatory paid sick leave would have hurt Missouri businesses’ budgets. She said more than 550 businesses joined the chamber to oppose Prop A.

HB 567 raises the minimum wage to $13.75 per hour this year, then to $15 starting in 2026. Thursday’s signing, however, eliminated a future increase to minimum wage.

Supporters of Prop A have filed papers to place a constitutional amendment on the ballot during the 2026 election cycle. If passed, it would reinstate the paid sick leave mandate and the increase to minimum wage.

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Cameron Montemayor

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — Students across the Show-Me state will see sweeping new cell phone restrictions starting in the upcoming school year in K-12 classrooms, part of a new law signed Tuesday that includes exceptions for certain emergencies.

The measure is part of a wide-ranging education bill — Senate Bill 68 — that was signed Wednesday by Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe. The policy states that beginning in the 2025-26 school year, each Missouri K-12 school district, including charter schools, must have a written policy restricting students’ use of phones.

The policy must include prohibiting students from displaying or using the device during the entire school day, including during instructional time, mealtimes and between classes, with certain exceptions for things like medical emergencies, natural disasters and other circumstances identified by a district. 

In a statement to News-Press NOW, St. Joseph School District Superintendent Ashly McGinnis said the district will be updating its handbooks and suggesting policy changes for the board that align with the new law, as well as providing communication to staff and families.

“Senate Bill 68 addresses several school-related issues, including the impact of student cell phone use. Research continues to show that phones can be a major distraction from learning and lead to increased discipline challenges for teachers. We believe this part of the bill will support a focused learning environment for all students,” the statement read.

Currently, the St. Joseph School District prohibits cell phone usage at any point of the day for elementary students. For middle and high schoolers, they are only allowed to have their phone before school, during lunch and after school. Cell phones are regularly monitored by teachers, campus supervisors, principals, lunchroom staff and other adults in the building.

On the first offense, phones are confiscated and picked up at the end of the day by the student. On subsequent offenses, phones are confiscated and picked up at the end of the day by a parent, consequences may include loss of privilege and the development of an individualized check-in plan.

The bill does not require phones to be locked away, meaning school board officials will have to decide whether devices will be put in designated areas or if students can keep the devices with them.  

“It will be a big change,” St. Joseph Board of Education President LaTonya Williams said. “As a member of the school board I know the importance of eliminating as many extra distractions in the classroom as we can … so I think it’s a good thing. I want for people to realize what you did before cell phones, you were still able to contact your children at school if need be.”

She anticipates changes will receive push back from students and even parents who have become dependent on cell phones for direct communication during school. 

Williams said cellphone overuse is a challenge that isn’t limited to K-12 schools, calling it the “number one” challenge for many before and after-school programs locally as well. She stressed that parents will have to be a critical part of the equation to build healthier cell phone habits outside of school that can then be applied to school and life.

“I’m just asking the parents. We need your help. I know these are your children, and you want access on your children at all times, but our job at the school district is to educate those kids,” she said. “If the parents will help us implement these rules, it will be easier on the district to implement them.”

Each district will be required to describe how it intends to discipline students if they violate the policy, as well as any exceptions to allow for cell phone usage in certain circumstances. Phones are also permitted when necessary to ensure compliance with federal laws like the Americans with Disabilities Act, including for Individualized Education Programs (IEP). 

Polling conducted by Saint Louis University and YouGov this year showed widespread voter support for banning cell phones in schools, with over 70% of likely Missouri voters favoring prohibiting students from accessing cell phones during regular instructional activities across all K–12 schools.

The bill also says that a school district or charter school employee or volunteer will be immune from any liability if the employee or volunteer acts in good faith and follows the proper disciplinary procedures.

CORRECTION: A previous version of this story has been updated to correct the spelling of Ashly McGinnis. News-Press NOW apologizes for this error.

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Rebecca Evans

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — The St. Joseph Police Department recently conducted a comprehensive active shooter training event designed to enhance officer readiness and improve community safety in the face of potential critical incidents.

The training comes as schools across the nation continue to face the grim reality of gun violence. According to an Education Week analysis, there have already been 7 school shootings this year, resulting in injuries or deaths. Since 2018, there have been 228 of these shootings nationwide. These sobering figures highlight the urgent need for preparedness and swift action in the event of a school shooting or other active shooter scenario.

The recent drill, held at Skaith Elementary School, brought together law enforcement personnel to participate in realistic, scenario-based drills under the guidance of the department’s Training Unit.

“We just want to reassure people that we are doing everything we can to make sure things are as safe as possible,” said Shannon Nulte, Director of Student Services with St. Joseph School District. “In this world, we just don’t know when these kinds of threats might pop up, but we are as prepared as we can be. We continue to learn. We continue to grow and keep things safer and safer.” 

Led by Major John Olszowka and Officer Peters, the event emphasized quick response tactics, coordination between units, threat neutralization, and civilian rescue operations.

Officers engaged in multiple high-stress simulations designed to mirror real-life active shooter scenarios, focusing on both individual decision-making and team-based strategies

“It kind of gives you the sense of how you’d react in these situations,” said one of SJPD’s newest officers, Matthew Weathermon, “ It’s something that not a lot of people really think about how or what they’ll do in a scenario like this so it’s good to get the exposure.”

As threats and challenges evolve, the SJPD remains proactive in ensuring its officers are prepared—not only to respond but to lead with professionalism and confidence during any emergency.

For more information on officer training visit the Police Training website.

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Associated Press

By HOLLY RAMER and MIKE CATALINI – Associated Press

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — A federal judge in New Hampshire said Thursday he will certify a class action lawsuit including all children who will be affected by President Donald Trump’s executive order ending birthright citizenship and issue a preliminary injunction blocking it.

Judge Joseph LaPlante announced his decision after an hour-long hearing and said a written order will follow. The order will include a seven-day stay to allow for appeal, he said.

The class is slightly narrower than that sought by the plaintiffs, who originally included parents as plaintiffs.

The lawsuit was filed on behalf of a pregnant woman, two parents and their infants. It’s among numerous cases challenging Trump’s January order denying citizenship to those born to parents living in the U.S. illegally or temporarily. The plaintiffs are represented by the American Civil Liberties Union and others.

At issue is the Constitution’s 14th Amendment, which states: “All persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States.” The Trump administration says the phrase “subject to the jurisdiction thereof” means the U.S. can deny citizenship to babies born to women in the country illegally, ending what has been seen as an intrinsic part of U.S. law for more than a century.

“Prior misimpressions of the citizenship clause have created a perverse incentive for illegal immigration that has negatively impacted this country’s sovereignty, national security, and economic stability,” government lawyers wrote in the New Hampshire case.

LaPlante, who had issued a narrow injunction in a similar case, said while he didn’t consider the government’s arguments frivolous, he found them unpersuasive. He said his decision to issue an injunction was “not a close call” and that deprivation of U.S. citizenship clearly amounted to irreparable harm.

Cody Wofsy, an attorney for the plaintiffs, and his team have been inundated by families who are confused and fearful about the executive order, he said. Thursday’s ruling “is going to protect every single child around the country from this lawless, unconstitutional and cruel executive order,” he said.

Several federal judges had issued nationwide injunctions stopping Trump’s order from taking effect, but the U.S. Supreme Court limited those injunctions in a June 27 ruling that gave lower courts 30 days to act. With that time frame in mind, opponents of the change quickly returned to court to try to block it.

In a Washington state case before the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, the judges have asked the parties to write briefs explaining the effect of the Supreme Court’s ruling. Washington and the other states in that lawsuit have asked the appeals court to return the case to the lower court judge.

As in New Hampshire, a plaintiff in Maryland seeks to organize a class-action lawsuit that includes every person who would be affected by the order. The judge set a Wednesday deadline for written legal arguments as she considers the request for another nationwide injunction from CASA, a nonprofit immigrant rights organization.

Ama Frimpong, legal director at CASA, said the group has been stressing to its members and clients that it is not time to panic.

“No one has to move states right this instant,” she said. “There’s different avenues through which we are all fighting, again, to make sure that this executive order never actually sees the light of day.”

The New Hampshire plaintiffs, referred to only by pseudonyms, include a woman from Honduras who has a pending asylum application and is due to give birth to her fourth child in October. She told the court the family came to the U.S. after being targeted by gangs.

“I do not want my child to live in fear and hiding. I do not want my child to be a target for immigration enforcement,” she wrote. “I fear our family could be at risk of separation.”

Another plaintiff, a man from Brazil, has lived with his wife in Florida for five years. Their first child was born in March, and they are in the process of applying for lawful permanent status based on family ties — his wife’s father is a U.S. citizen.

“My baby has the right to citizenship and a future in the United States,” he wrote.

___ Catalini reported from Trenton, New Jersey.

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News-Press NOW

ANDREW COUNTY, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — One man is seriously injured after being ejected during a crash in Andrew County on Wednesday evening.

The 37-year-old male driver of a 2014 Jeep Wrangler was southbound on Business 71, approximately four miles south of Savannah, Missouri, when he traveled left off the east side of the road into the median, striking an embankment, becoming airborne and crossing a crossover.

The vehicle then struck the ground again and began overturning, ejecting the driver, who was not wearing a seatbelt.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol responded to the crash at 5:45 p.m. on Wednesday, July 9.

The driver, from Savannah, Missouri, was transported to Mosaic Life Care by the Andrew County Ambulance.

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News-Press NOW

ANDREW COUNTY, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — A Savannah, Missouri man suffered serious injuries in a one-car Andrew County crash Wednesday.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reports the accident occurred at 5:45 p.m. on Business 71, four miles south of Savannah.

A 37-year-old man from that town, driving south, went off the road and into the median.

That launched his car into the air; it flipped after landing, ejecting him.

First responders took him to Mosaic Life Care by ambulance for serious injuries.

He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the crash report.

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Jenna Wilson

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — Demolition has begun on a Downtown building that has stood vacant for more than three decades.

The building, located between 408-412 South Eighth Street and adjacent to the St. Joseph Fire Department, is being torn down to make way for an expansion of the fire station’s headquarters. 

The St. Joseph Fire Department is working in collaboration with the Environmental Protection Agency, Environmental Works Inc., and Cornelius Wrecking on the project. 

“The plan is to renovate headquarters with our CIP tax funds in 2028-2029 and this plan includes a parking lot for our staff,” said Jamey McVicker, SJFD assistant fire chief. “We’d also like to add a drive-through bay at headquarters so we’re not backing a $2 million truck into the station. We’re thinking ahead and trying to make that happen with this space.”

Fire officials said Downtown residents are excited to see the building come down. It has stood in its original location for nearly 40 years, and revitalizing this part of town is important to the community. 

This is one of several projects the fire department has on its agenda this year, including the new Fire Station 10 planned for the South end, aimed at providing a more reliable work environment and ultimately enhancing public safety.

“There’s a lot we’ve been working on within the fire department and now some of those efforts are finally coming to fruition,” said Ivan Klippenstein, St. Joseph fire chief. “We’re making progress on Fire Station 10, we’ll soon receive Ladder 5, which has been in development for several years for the Frederick station and Rescue 10 will also be replaced in the south end. These are all in the works and will begin happening very soon.”

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News-Press NOW

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — The St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce will honor new leaders in the St. Joseph business community at a New Leaders Welcome on Wednesday, Aug. 6

The event will be from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at inspireU Children’s Discovery Center, located at 521 Felix St.

The purpose of the event is to recognize and welcome those who are new to leadership positions in St. Joseph. They could be newly promoted or transferred into St. Joseph from another location.

“This is a great opportunity to recognize leaders in our companies,” said Natalie Hawn, President and CEO of the St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce. “We encourage businesses to take a look around their offices or facilities and see who has taken on a leadership role this year. Take a lunch hour out of their schedule and honor them for their accomplishments.”

Lauren Sobaski, a dedicated attorney who brings a unique blend of expertise and personal experience to her practice, will be the keynote speaker for the event.

The luncheon is open to more than 1,200 business members of the Chamber of Commerce. It is $50 to attend and includes lunch for everyone, recognition and a goodie bag for new leaders.

The last day to nominate and register new leaders and attendees is Wednesday, July 30.

To register, visit saintjoseph.com and click on the Calendar of Events. If a business official isn’t currently a Chamber member, but is interested in joining, they can also visit the website or email luke@saintjoseph.com.

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Cameron Montemayor

ST. JOSEPH, MO (News-Press NOW) — Coffee lovers will notice a new aroma emanating from north St. Joseph this year, potentially just in time for pumpkin spice season this fall.

Kingdom Coffee Roasting Co. announced it will make the move to St. Joseph with a new location at 4797 Siena Lane, next to HOTWORX and adjacent to the Shoppes at North Village.

“We’re really excited. We’ve got about 2,000 square feet of space,” owner Ken Burnett said. “We just started construction maybe two weeks ago on the inside.”

If all goes well, the hope is for the new business to be open this fall, potentially as early as September, the latest addition for the fast-growing Tuscany Village area.

Burnett and his wife started the business three years ago and are eager to bring their popular blend of hand-crafted coffee drinks and cafe food items to St. Joseph, their third location including Cameron, Missouri, and Chillicothe, Missouri.

Both of those locations have strong reviews on Google from more than 500 customers, including cumulative ratings of 4.9 out of 5 for both stores.

“I always tell people we’re more of a cafe that specializes in coffee,” Burnett said. “We have a large food menu that has breakfast, lunch and dinner. From fresh salads to homemade cream cheeses for bagels to wraps for lunch to even little breakfast tacos.”

The drink menu features a variety of non-coffee beverages such as fresh-made lemonade, teas and other frozen drinks.

Ownership of a large-scale roasting facility allows Kingdom Coffee Roasting Co. to produce their own fresh beans each week from Arabica coffee grown in Brazil, beans that can be used for their stores or sold to other coffee shops.

“We want to be consistent. We buy high quality equipment for our espresso and our food. We use high quality ingredients for everything,” he said.

The business will include a drive thru — expected to be one of the largest in St. Joseph — and will be open seven days a week from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Burnett said Kingdom Coffee Roasting Co. prides itself on preparing high-quality food and beverages, but just as important is creating a welcoming and encouraging environment for customers and staff as a faith-based business. A portion of every purchase goes towards supporting local charities.

“We just wanted to create a space where anybody is welcome and they just feel like it’s a neighborhood place where we get to know your name, get to know who you are,” Burnett said. “And creating a culture where people want to work … we’re not here to push anything on anyone.”

With years of prior experience in the restaurant industry, including opening St. Joseph’s Texas Roadhouse and corporate experience with Dunkin Donuts, Burnett said the business is focused on providing high-quality training and customer service, comparable to popular restaurants like Chic-Fil-A.

The business is always looking for opportunities to incorporate new menu items by popular demand when feasible, such as a “dirty” Dr. Pepper, a new fad that combines the soda with coconut syrup and a splash of lime juice.

Burnett said one of the biggest upgrades with the new location is the amount of kitchen space to store product and ingredients.

“This location will be a lot more modern with earthy tones to it,” he said. “St. Joe’s a hub for all the smaller towns and communities that surround it … we decided let’s do it because this is the place to be.”

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Rebecca Evans

SAVANNAH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — A new Milk Depot has officially opened at the Andrew County Health Department in Savannah, Missouri, expanding access for approved breast milk donors in the region.

Operated in partnership with The Milk Bank, a nonprofit milk bank serving Missouri, this site is the 18th Milk Depot in the state and the first to open in Andrew County.

The Milk Depot is now open to the public. Approved donors can drop off milk Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., at the Andrew County Health Department, located at 106 North 5th Street, Savannah, Missouri.

A grand opening celebration will be held on Wednesday, Aug. 6, from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.

The celebration will take place during World Breastfeeding Week, a global campaign that promotes education, awareness and community support for breastfeeding and human milk donation.

The Milk Depot provides a convenient drop-off location where pre-screened donors can contribute excess breast milk. Once collected, the milk is sent to The Milk Bank’s processing facility, where it is analyzed, pasteurized, tested for safety and distributed to neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) across the state.

This donor milk provides essential nutrition to premature and medically fragile infants—those born too small or too sick to breastfeed.

Founded in 2005, The Milk Bank is a non-profit organization that dispenses over 600,000 ounces of pasteurized donor human milk each year to hospitals and families across the region.

To date, it has provided over 15.6 million feedings to vulnerable infants. The Milk Bank follows safety protocols guided by the CDC and FDA and is a member of the Human Milk Banking Association of North America (HMBANA).

To keep up with growing demand, The Milk Bank screens more than 150 new milk donors every month. Just one ounce of donated milk can provide up to three feedings for a premature infant.

Those interested in becoming a milk donor can begin the pre-screening process or learn more about eligibility by visiting themilkbank.org/donate-milk.

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