Author: News-Press NOW

News-Press NOW

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) — Lawyers for the family of Riley Strain, a University of Missouri student who died on a trip with his fraternity brothers, and for the Delta Chi fraternity, Barrister Capital Corporation, and 39 of Strain’s former fraternity brothers have until Dec. 10 to provide backing for their claims to Boone County Judge Josh Devine.

The Strain family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the fraternity chapter, Barrister Capital and the 39 others in March. They say the fraternity did not follow safety protocols during a fraternity “formal” event in Nashville that led to Strain’s death. The lawsuit also claimed Strain’s fraternity brothers “abandoned him” by not accompanying him back to the hotel when he was kicked out of a bar, and didn’t check on him until later.

This undated photo provided by Chris Whiteid show Riley Strain on Jan. 2.

Strain went missing on March 8, 2024, after being kicked out of Luke’s Bridge 32 bar at Broadway and Third Avenue just before 10 p.m. Police found his body in the Cumberland River on March 22, 2024. Strain’s death was ruled a drowning, with a toxicology report also finding alcohol and other substances in his system.

The hearing revisited the defense’s request to dismiss the lawsuit. The defense argued that Strain’s fraternity had no legal duty to protect him from harm because they did not have a “special relationship” under Missouri Law. Examples of a special relationship include a bus or train company and its passenger or a school and its student.

Strains lawyers argued that while the brothers may not have had a contractual agreement, the special relationship began when they took their oath to be initiated in the organization. By taking that oath, all the brothers undertook responsibility for one another as members of the institution.

Strains lawyers also claimed procedural errors by the defense, arguing that it was premature to file a motion to dismiss the case because there had not been ample time for discovery on either side.

The defense cited previous court cases to defend their requests for dismissal and said nothing in Missouri law prevents Strain’s lawyers from conducting discovery on their own and refiling their case.

The judge noted a lack of supportive case law to define the relationship between fraternity brothers as a “special relationship.” On Dec. 10, both sides will submit any further amended documents, new motions, and further case law examples to support their claims for the judge to take under advisement.

Devine said in the courtroom on Tuesday that he wants clarity from both parties by Dec. 30 on whether the lawsuit will continue.

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Mitchell Kaminski

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) — Legal sports betting went live in Missouri on Monday, with more than 2 million people attempting to access sportsbook apps on launch day.

Circa Sports, one of the first two companies in Missouri to receive an online betting license, now operates in six states. The first bet placed on Circa was a $15 wager on the St. Louis Blues to beat the Anaheim Ducks in regulation. While the Ducks took down the Blues 4-1, Derek Stevens, Circa’s owner and chief operating officer, described the moment as a relief.

“We had dinner Sunday night at a great place in suburban Saint Louis, and when the dinner was over, we all got back to the hotel, we all immediately were on the phones with our I.T. department and customer service department,” Stevens said. “Our customer service department had been fielding a lot of phone calls and emails throughout the day, and we just kind of waited for the clock to strike 12. And then, that moment when the first bet came in, we all had like a little sigh of relief. Everything worked out perfectly.”

Ryan Butler, senior news analyst at Covers, was in St. Louis for the launch and said he observed strong interest from bettors.

“I talked to multiple sportsbook operators who were impressed. They use terms like ‘they saw a lot of pent-up demand; for bettors who have been wanting to for a long time,” Butler said. “I think part of it might show that they were familiar with it. They would go across state lines. I talked to people who do that every Sunday for NFL games, things like that, and now that they have an opportunity to do it from home, I think we’re seeing those numbers already show results.”

According to Butler, geolocation data showed 2.6 million people logged into a sportsbook or attempted to log in on launch day. About 250,000 accounts were active on Dec. 1, with 188,000 accounts created prior to the launch.

Stevens declined to give an exact number of wagers placed, but said Circa was pleased with the activity.

“We were positively enthused with the number of bets. I was happy with the average size of the bets we took. We took a lot of four-figure bets. So I was real happy with that. Lots of bets over $1,000,” Stevens said. “We had a pretty diversified set of bets. It wasn’t just the Blues game because that was the opening event, effectively. But it kind of covered the gamut from NBA to pro football futures, college basketball,  a good amount of English Premier League soccer. So it was really diverse, I really liked that as well.”

Circa is one of just two companies in the state to receive an untethered license,  which allows operators to take bets without sharing revenue with a casino or sports team.

Circa, DraftKings, and FanDuel had pitched the Missouri Gaming Commission in August for an untethered license. The commission ultimately chose Circa and DraftKings, citing Circa’s business model as a way to attract different types of high-dollar bettors.

Missouri was an attractive state for Circa’s low-hold model. Stevens said that they won’t invest in states with a high tax rate because a low-hold model would not be able to make a return.

“As an example, we really don’t want to get into the state of New York, I know the volume is huge, but we want to be able to overcome those taxes,” Stevens said. “When we saw the regulatory framework that was going to come out in the state of Missouri, we felt that Missouri set themselves up to be really a leader in the sports betting industry for a long time. We thought they did a real good job from a tax perspective as well as the regulatory perspective, so we determined we wanted to get into Missouri.”

Because Circa received an untethered license, it did not have to negotiate a revenue-sharing deal with a sports franchise to operate, unlike other sportsbooks such as FanDuel, which partnered with St. Louis City SC.

“We just went directly to the state initially, and then we never subsequently had to negotiate a skin deal with one of the sports franchises. Of course, we’re going to work with all the sports teams, but more on a marketing relationship type of thing,” Stevens said.

Butler also highlighted the advantage of Missouri’s low tax rates, which make the state attractive to sportsbooks.

“This absolutely helps the business aspect of it. The sportsbooks are very excited. That’s why you saw eight sportsbooks jump in and invest a lot of money in here,” Bulter said. “Illinois has some of the highest tax rates. Now it’s only $0.25 or $0.50, depending on the book, but it’s just annoying that it’s there. So you see that it would definitely encourage me to maybe go over to Missouri or the Missouri side with it. So that absolutely helps with it.”

While the state’s low tax rate is beneficial for operators, it could impact how much revenue Missouri brings in.

“Your downside is the state might be missing out on some tax revenue,” Butler said. “Ten percent of gross gaming revenue is one of the lower rates in the country.”

The Missouri Gaming Commission called Monday’s launch “successful and largely uneventful,” crediting staff for implementing a fair, secure, and responsible sports wagering framework on time.

“Monday marked the successful and largely uneventful first day of legal sports wagering in Missouri—an important milestone made possible by the constitutional amendment narrowly approved by voters in the last general election,” the commission said in a statement. “This smooth launch reflects the tremendous effort and professionalism of our rules-writing staff, who worked tirelessly to meet the constitutional deadline of December 1, 2025. Their dedication ensured that Missouri could implement a fair, secure, and responsible sports wagering framework on time and with confidence.”

The commission said financials and overall wagering statistics will not be released until mid- to late January, but monthly reports will be available on the Gaming Commission’s website, similar to how casino financials are published.

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Cameron Montemayor

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — An expert with the Conservation Department will teach outdoor enthusiasts the skills to identify and maintain various species of trees in St. Joseph this month.

The Missouri Department of Conservation is inviting the public to attend a tree care workshop from 5 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 18, at the Northwest Regional Office at 701 James McCarthy Drive in St. Joseph.

Central to biodiversity, oxygen production and the survival of many ecosystems, Missouri has over 180 native and naturalized tree species, including the flowering dogwood, the state tree.

The workshop will featuring forester Timothy Wolfe teaching basic tree pruning practices and how to properly care for the surrounding environment. Pruning is the process of cutting away branches, stems, and other parts of a plant to manage its growth and improve its structure and health.

Participants will also learn to identify species of trees and understand various elements of tree health.

Registration is required to attend this free program. To register, visit mdc-event-web.s3licensing.com/Event/EventDetails/213549.

Those with additional questions are encouraged to email timothy.wolfe@mdc.mo.gov before the workshop.

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Patrick Holleron

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — Whether it’s wagering on the game-winning touchdown, three-point shot or home run, the world of sports betting is now live in St. Joseph and the Show-Me state with the touch of a button.

Following passage of a statewide ballot measure last November, sports betting markets were officially launched in Missouri on Monday, meaning bettors can start creating accounts and placing bets within the state.

That means no more driving across the border to Kansas to place bets through a casino or mobile betting app, such as Bet365, FanDuel, Circa Sports or any of the other popular companies.

“If you look at how our society has gone the last few years it’s become more and more prevalent,” Missouri Western Athletic Director Andy Carter said. “They have the apps and even people in Missouri would go over to Kansas to place their bets. I think it’s something they’re going to have to manage.”

According to ESPN, Missouri became the 39th state to legalize sports betting and the first since North Carolina in March 2024. One of the top concerns with sports gambling, especially in the current era where its more accessible than ever before, is gambling addiction.

Universities like Missouri Western and nonprofit organizations like Family Guidance Center now offer specific gambling-related counseling services to assist anyone.

MoWest is specifically part of the Partners in Prevention Coalition, made up of 27 colleges and universities across the state, to provide guidance and assistance.

Katie Miron, director of counseling at Missouri Western, explained the recent launch of sports gambling platforms will be discussed at this month’s PIP meeting because of the potential risks.

“One of our big goals is making sure we’re getting students the information they need and connecting them with those resources,” Miron said. “I can’t speak to whether or not there will be a spike (in betting) particularly here. As far as people in general go, it’s really easy to hit some buttons and place some bets. We want to make sure people betting safely and making sure they have the necessary information to make informed choices.”

While the ability to place online sports bets could attract an entirely new audience of betters, some students at Missouri Western think the amount of people won’t change dramatically.

“I don’t think it matters that much. People are going to gamble whether they want to or not,” Missouri Western Junior Tyler Hollingsworth said. “There’s a very big uprising with gambling advertisements and on the things we watch like Instagram reels and TikTok. I see a lot it being prominently promoted now. I don’t think it changes that much, the industry of sports gambling industry as a whole is going to pop off.”

In addition to students, collegiate athletes are another group susceptible to sports gambling risks. Current NCAA rules prohibit any student athlete and staffer from betting on professional and collegiate sports.

Carter said legalization creates “one more distraction” for everybody.

“It’s obviously a normalized activity in society now, but I think there are some dangers we have to be wary of. Most of our young people don’t have the money to lose, they’re trying to pay for school. We’re a partial scholarship at Division II, there’s very few full scholarship student athletes here. Money’s tight, and they must be able to manage what they have.”

More information on gambling-related counseling services can be found by calling the Family Guidance Center at 816-676-7237. The national gambling hotline is 1-800-522-4700

Students at Missouri Western can reach out to the counseling center at 816-271-4327 or by emailing counseling@missouriwestern.edu.

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By: Zac Scott

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (KQTV) — A women’s group is doing its part to help individuals who may need winter clothing to make it through the cold weather.

The Beauty From Ashes Christian women’s group opened a donation drive to collect hats, gloves, scarves, socks and ear muffs to keep people warm over the winter. All items are in heavy demand as the women’s group prepares for the next wave of snow.

Beauty From Ashes Member and Author Cindy Weeks wanted to do everything she could to help.

Weeks said the inspiration from the drive came from a woman she met while working with the Southside Food Kitchen.

“A woman that we knew came in and she said that she was living in a tent and didn’t have even a blanket or winter coat or a pair of gloves,” said Weeks. “Our heart went out to her, and we did what we could to help her, but we immediately knew that there were probably a lot of other people in the St Joseph community who were in the same situation.”

Weeks said donation boxes can be found at Ace Hardware, Dollar General, Hy-Vee, Samson’s Thrift Store, the Belt Center and both North and South Belt Walmart’s.

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TaMya Bracy

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (KQTV) — Hitting the roads in St. Joseph will be easier due to all the major roads and interstates in the area being mostly clear after Monday’s snowfall.

The Missouri Department of Transportation worked on clearing state-maintained roads and interstates in the Northwest District. According to MoDOT, there were about 180 trucks working to clear the roads in the Northwest district.

Adam Wood, MoDOT district maintenance and traffic engineer, said crews were out last Friday and Saturday.

With snow falling for most of the day Monday, MoDOT crews were out nonstop working to clear the roads.

“We focused on the interstates and the majors first,” Wood said. “By the end of the day, we were able to start moving some of those crews over to some of the minor and secondary routes.”

St. Joseph streets and infrastructure focused on snow emergency routes and neighborhoods during Monday’s cleanup. The department said it has completed its main operation, so crews focused on spot treatments Tuesday.

Jackson Jones, superintendent of streets and infrastructure, said all St. Joseph roads have been treated.

“As of about 8 o’clock this morning, every road in town has been treated. Every road and town had been treated and we were going out and checking with complaints and treating as necessary,” he said.

Even though the roads are clear, MoDOT wants to remind the public to still be cautious.

“It’s always good to be cautious for black ice or refreezing. We do have crews out there looking for those treating those.  But bridges are always going to be a little bit of concern,  especially with tomorrow, the low temperatures going down on Wednesday,” Wood said.

Overall, Wood said, with Tuesday’s sunlight, road conditions have improved drastically.

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By: Zac Scott

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (KQTV) — A professional boxer is asking the St. Joseph Community for assistance with funding for her next fight.

Katelyn Radtka is trying to move forward in Missouri’s women’s boxing scene. After her first professional fight at the Showdown N Joe Town, Radtka is currently 0-1. The woman who used to train in garages to prepare for fights now has her next match scheduled, but it comes with a twist.

“She’s fighting for free. She’s literally getting in the ring. We’re taping her up, wrapping her up, putting her gloves on, and she’s fighting,” said Bear Den Boxing owner Byron Polly. “Every punch she throws is for free. She is not getting paid one time.”

Polly put in over $2,000 to bring Radtka’s opponent from Louisiana to Missouri to fight at the Carriage Club in Kansas City. Polly asks that the community support Radtka the same way they did at her professional debut at Showdown N Joetown. 

“She had a lot of people come watch her. They love Katelyn.” said Polly. “If you love her and you want to keep seeing her, go to get this win. She needs help. Contact her directly. Contact me, contact the gym. Anything I’m telling you, $100 a piece helps this young lady keep going.”

Radtka wants to be able to continue with her fighting career and hopes that St. Joseph can help her journey forward. 

“I trust my coach, Byron, and he feels like this is the best move for me right now. And of course, I love fighting. I want to be doing it. Of course. I don’t want to do it for free, but I will,” said Radtka.

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Prajukta Ghosh

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (KQTV) — The St. Joseph School District decided to declare an Alternative Methods of Instruction, or AMI day, on Monday, Dec. 1 due to inclement weather.  

The district pre-planned six AMI days into this year’s calendar and Assistant Superintendent of Academics and Educational Services, Stacia Studer, said it’s important to use those before shifting to traditional snow days.  

“We want to carry the momentum of learning that happens in the classroom. We don’t want that pause in learning,” Studer said.  

Once all six AMI days are used, the district will begin calling snow days, which come with scheduled make-up days. 

Studer said families are given instructional packets at the end of the first quarter so they’re prepared if extreme weather calls for an AMI day.  

“We also provide an electronic link that has all the materials for our six AMI days scheduled for this year and if a student struggles to finish the assigned work from home, they can bring it in the classroom and a teacher will provide support,” Studer added.  

Students have up to five days to complete AMI assignments. Studer noted, many students were already turning in their packets on Tuesday morning.  

Teachers also host a one-hour live office hour on AMI days so students can ask questions or get help with assignments.  

“AMI days provide us with that instructional momentum that, you know, comes with emergencies such as a power outage or a weather-related issue,” Studer said.  

She added that students who lose their printed packets can request a new copy at any time, and teachers are happy to provide replacements. 

SJSD now sits with five AMI days left for the school year.

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Cameron Montemayor

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — Multiple juveniles are believed to be involved in an early morning shooting on Monday near the Pleasant Heights Apartment complex, an incident that resulted in no injuries but notable damage to surrounding property.

The St. Joseph Police Department confirmed an investigation is ongoing into a shooting that occurred Monday around 1:30 a.m. near the 3200 block of South 36th Street at the Pleasant Heights Apartment complex.

No one was injured, but juveniles of an unknown age are believed to have been involved in the incident, one that saw gunfire reportedly strike the exterior of an apartment multiple times, causing damage to the front door and entrance.

Unconfirmed security camera footage posted online by a resident at the complex shows a vehicle driving through the parking lot around the time of the shooting.

Police could not confirm how many juveniles were involved, the suspected ages of the individuals, or if any suspects are in custody at this time. Details on the cause of the incident remain under investigation.

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Leah Rainwater

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (KQTV) — As crews demolish the nearly 50-year-old building once filled with childhood memories, the smell of popcorn and family traditions, the St. Joseph community is mourning its loss.

After a fire on June 22 closed B&J Skate Center, one of St. Joseph’s long-time sources of entertainment, the fate of the building came into question.

The fire burned for almost three hours and melted the frame of the building, according to a statement from B&J on Facebook.

Excavating crews were seen tearing down the building on Tuesday afternoon.

The Facebook statement continued, “B&J Skate Center is not going to be back the way it was. We are going to redevelop the land, but it won’t be the same and we know how hard that is.”

B&J said it will share when plans are ready for what’s going to be done at the location at 6421 N. Belt Highway.

Also included in the Facebook statement, the skating rink said that after hosting free Sunday skating sessions for the Noyes Home for Children, any money raised to support B&J in its future after the fire is being donated to the Noyes Home to support future outings for the children.

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