Author: News-Press NOW

Patrick Holleron

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — Safety experts are sharing tips to stay prepared during National Preparedness Month.

The annual campaign has been in place since 2004 to encourage safety precautions for emergencies and natural disasters such as tornadoes and flooding.

In talking to Frank Till, the executive director of the St. Joseph Safety and Health Council, he advised residents to keep some key points in mind regarding preparation for natural disasters. 

“Sit down with your family and establish a safety and emergency plan,” Till said. “Have evacuation routes, meeting routes in place to determine where we’re going to meet if something goes bad and your separated. And also have first aid kits, emergency kits and water.”

According to the National Weather Service, 120 tornadoes have been confirmed in Missouri and 44 in Kansas in 2025. The only states with more tornadoes than Missouri are Kentucky (155) and Texas (148).

Additionally, the Missouri Climate Center reported that Missouri experiences roughly 30 tornadoes per year.

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Rebecca Evans

GRANT CITY, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — The search continues for a missing ram in Northwest Missouri, with the reward now raised to $10,000 for his safe return.

The ram, named Panic, disappeared from his pen the night of Sept. 1 in Grant City, Missouri. His owners believe he may have been stolen.

Picture of the missing ram during the 2025 Oregon State Fair. Photo courtesy Christie Anderson

Emily Anderson, who has been raising naturally colored sheep since she was nine years old, spent the last decade raising the small flock Panic belongs to.

She’s preparing for her last junior show at the North American International Livestock Exposition, now without the most elite sheep she’s ever raised.

Friends, family and members of the community quickly came together to raise funds, which boosted the reward for Panic’s return.

“We feel very supported by our community,” said Christie Anderson, co-owner of Anderson Farms and the missing ram, “It shows that there are far more good people than bad.”

The missing ram as a baby. Photo courtesy Christie Anderson

Panic has been competing all over the country this year and has won several titles, including National Champion, natural colored sheep for medium wools in Albany, Oregon.

The family said Panic will be worth the full $10,000 reward if returned alive and able to breed by Sept. 22. If he is returned in non-breeding condition or deceased, the reward will be $6,500.

While the owners have alerted sale barns, they say it is unlikely he would show up at one. They are asking anyone with possible leads, no matter how small, to call Anderson Farms at 660-988-3503, day or night.

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News-Press NOW

By: Matthew Sanders

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Missouri House has sent the Senate a new congressional map that could eliminate a safe Democratic seat.

The House approved the new map, which carves up U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver’s Fifth District, on a 90-65 vote early Tuesday afternoon. Earlier in the morning, the House also sent a plan to reform the state’s ballot measure process to the Senate.

The House gave initial approval to the bills on Monday. The initiative reform bill was taken back up on Tuesday morning and passed by a vote of 98-58.

The new map, called “Missouri First” by Gov. Mike Kehoe, came about after the White House said Missouri should redraw its map — a process that usually takes place only after the census.

House members debated the legality of redrawing the map between censuses, as well as whether the new districts were fair to Missourians.

House Republican leadership wants to reform the state’s initiative petition process by requiring a ballot question to win support of a majority of voters statewide and in each of Missouri’s eight congressional districts.

House members spent hours debating the bills before their final votes.

Check back for updates to this developing story.

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Carter Ostermiller

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — September is known as National Hunger Action Month, and Second Harvest is working to bring awareness to the nationwide campaign.

Created in 2007 by the Feeding America network of food banks, the Hunger Action Month movement is a nationwide movement to end hunger in local American communities.

Second Harvest’s Mackenzie Bally talks about how to get involved in this nationwide movement.

“You can donate through our website at shcfb.org, or there are also many volunteer opportunities, which you can give us a call or sign up for events through our website,” said Bally.

Bally said that getting involved will help around 41,000 people in the local area who face food insecurity.

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Praji Ghosh

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) —  High school students in the St. Joseph School District got a taste of college life during the Early College Academy orientation at Missouri Western State University. 

Students toured the campus, checked out classrooms and even picked up their photo IDs — all part of getting started with the program.  

The Early College Academy gives juniors and seniors the chance to take dual credit courses, earning college credit while still in high school. Classes are available online, in school or in person at MoWest.  

“They can take them on their computers at school, and they can also take a shuttle out to Missouri Western that we use twice a day to take those classes as well,” said Brent Corey, a librarian at Lafayette High School.

Corey said the program is all about giving students a head start with the introduction to MoWest. Some classes have as few as three students, making the experience even more personal. 

“A lot of English courses, high-level math courses and science and communication courses, is what students generally take in the program,” Corey said.  

For students like senior Emily Dulcan, the program is already paying off. She’s enrolled in history, biology and communication.  

“I am taking communication because to work on my speaking in front of people, and it just makes me more comfortable. I also have labs for biology, but I can just do that in the library here,” Dulcan said.

Dulcan expressed that the program not only saves money on tuition but also helps her prepare for her future career in the professional world.  

“I want to be a biology teacher and so making sure that I speak to the kids confidently will help them out and will help me with my career,” Dulcan said.  

According to Dulcan, the program has been helpful because it assists students, especially those taking rigorous courses like nursing, when they get into the field.  

The program is open to juniors and seniors at all SJSD high schools, giving them the chance to knock out general education courses before officially stepping onto a college campus.  

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News-Press NOW

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — The St. Joseph Public Library recently received a grant from the Region D Recycling and Solid Waste Management District, which went toward helping physically protect books.

The $3,000 grant provided partial funding for a project to purchase book covering machines for each of the four SJPL locations and recyclable book covers.

The book covers are used on some paperback books to protect them from wear and tear. Prior to purchasing the book covering machines, the plastic covers put on the books weren’t recyclable.

“St. Joseph Public Library wants to reduce the waste we contribute to the landfill. The new book covers and covering machines will help us meet this goal, because we will no longer have to throw away worn-out book covers,” said SJPL Director, Mary Beth Revels. “We’ll be able to recycle them instead.”

For more information about the project, contact Mary Beth Revels at 816-232-4038.

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Carter Ostermiller

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — Planes, trains and buses are standard public transportation methods that are used every day. But utilizing these methods of transportation may mean amping up public protection.

Expectations when taking public transportation are a safe ride to your desired destination, but that may not always be the case.

On Aug. 22, in North Carolina, Iryna Zarutska was riding on a Charlotte commuter train and was fatally stabbed by suspect Decarlos Brown Jr.

In Zarutska’s tragic case, these things cannot always be avoided.

News-Press NOW spoke to the Executive Director of the St. Joseph Safety and Health Council, Frank Till, on safety tips to keep in mind while riding public transportation.

Till believes awareness of our surroundings is vital.

“If we’re in a setting like that and something doesn’t feel right, we’re around a group of people. It doesn’t feel right. We need to move.” Till said.

Till also said carrying defense devices such as mace and tasers is a great way to protect yourself. Additionally, having someone know where you’re going is important and easy with the phone tracking apps.

If something does not feel right, Till said to trust one’s instincts, as travelers can always get on another train or bus.

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Praji Ghosh

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — The St. Joseph School District Board of Education held a work session meeting on Sept. 8, where several big topics were on the table. 

One of the main discussions was the focus on school boundaries, looking at enrollment numbers and the percentage of students receiving free or reduced lunches. 

Superintendent Dr. Ashly McGinnis explained that when it comes to Title schools, some buildings automatically qualify based on a process called “direct certification.” 

“So some of the districts or some of those school buildings become automatic and we would go back to the drawing board next year to get those free and reduced lunch forms signed,” Dr. Ashly McGinnis, superintendent said. 

Board members also took a closer look at a proposed feeder system, designed to keep students together as they move from elementary to middle school and then on to high school. 

McGinnis said the discussion helped the team narrow down options and set a clearer direction.  

“When we talk about repurposing or remodeling the building its important that we look at enrollment counts and how those building are being used so that we maximize the efficiency within our school district,” McGinnis said. 

Another key point on the agenda is early childhood education. With growing demand in the community, leaders will talk about ways to expand programs to better serve young learners.  

McGinnis says  that strong early education helps prepare students with the skills they need to adapt and succeed once they start school.  

“And so they come in with being ready to learn skills and it helps them overall just adapt to going to school,” McGinnis said.  

The board also briefly touched on long-term plans for a new high school, which would not happen until at least April 2027. No decisions were made during the work session. 

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News-Press NOW

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — In its second year, St. Joseph Reads is kickstarting its annual community read, “WE READ 2025”.

The book selected is The Midnight Library by Matt Haig.

The event will kick off at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 13, at The Story Collective, located at 114 S. 7th St.

St. Joseph Reads has provided 300 free copies of the book, which will be available at the St. Joseph Public Library, the Rolling Hills Library and around town.

The Community Reads season will end on Oct. 10; however, several scheduled events during the week of Oct. 6 through Oct. 10 will discuss the themes in the book.

For more information, visit stjosephreads.org.

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Charles Christian

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — A St. Joseph man was convicted on Friday, Sept. 5 for first-degree statutory sodomy.

According to a press release from Buchanan County prosecutor Michelle Davidson, a jury deliberated for just over an hour before finding Russell Barbeau, age 70, guilty.

According to a probable cause statement by the St. Joseph Police Department, the victim was 12 years old. The incident took place on Jan. 21, 2025, in St. Joseph.

The case was tried by Assistant County Prosecutor Monica Morrey, with the assistance of Buchanan County paralegal Haley McKee.

Sentencing for Barbeau will be held on Oct. 21 at the Buchanan County Courthouse.

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