Author: News-Press NOW

Rebecca Evans

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — The East Hills Library will host a special presentation at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 21, exploring one of America’s most chilling unsolved crimes, the Villisca Axe Murders of 1912.

The exterior of the Villisca Axe Murders house, courtesy of murderhouse.com

The event will be led by paranormal investigator Becky Ray, who will guide attendees through the grim and mysterious history surrounding the infamous Iowa murders.

The brutal killings of eight people inside a quiet family home over a century ago shocked the small town of Villisca, Iowa, and the case has remained unsolved ever since.

Six of the eight victims from the murders in 1912, courtesy of murderhouse.com

Ray, known for her work investigating paranormal phenomena, will delve into the many theories surrounding the case and examine reports of ghostly encounters tied to the Villisca Axe Murder House. Often cited as one of the most haunted locations in the Midwest, the home has been the subject of intense interest from both historians and paranormal researchers.

Inside the attic of the house, courtesy of murderhouse.com

Titled The Villisca Axe Murders of 1912: Unsolved and Haunted, the presentation is free and open to the public, though intended for adults ages 18 and older due to the disturbing nature of the topic.

The event will be held at the East Hills Library, located at 502 Woodbine Road.

Attendees requiring accommodations are encouraged to contact the library’s ADA coordinator at 816-232-4038.

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News-Press NOW

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — An annual fall tradition in St. Joseph is back for another year and is welcoming vendors ahead of the pumpkin-filled weekend.

Pumpkin fans will want to mark their calendars for Friday, Oct. 3, Saturday, Oct. 4, and Sunday, Oct. 5 for the 2025 Pony Express PumpkinFest.

Year after year, the exciting event has featured different local vendors, fall-themed snacks, games, entertainment and the renowned Pumpkin Mountain.

For more information, visit www.ponyexpress.org/pumpkinfest.

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Carter Ostermiller

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — Tuesday morning, students around St. Joseph returned to the classrooms after a long summer.

Lines of cars packed the street outside of Edison Elementary, and students lined up on the sidewalks with their backpacks.

The safety patrol helped fellow students cross the street on their first day of school.

Energy was high, and some kids were just as excited to start the school year compared to their parents.

Some kids were looking forward to meeting new friends.

“I want to get friends,” said PJ, an incoming Kindergartner at Edison Elementary.

Although each kid had their own motivation for the school year, educators also showed excitement about the upcoming school year.

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Abigail McCluskey

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — Beef prices continue to climb across the United States, recently reaching record highs.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average price of beef rose to $6.25 per pound in July. That’s more than 10 cents higher than the previous month and nearly a dollar more than the same time last year.

This trend shows no signs of slowing down.

In fact, rising beef prices have been a long-term issue. Over the past decade, prices have steadily increased due to a combination of environmental and economic factors.

Years of drought and dry conditions across much of the country have forced cattle farmers to rely heavily on supplemental feed like hay and corn, rather than allowing cattle to graze on pastureland.

Tim Gach, a local farmer in Buchanan County, offered insight into the growing challenges in the cattle market.

“We can’t put them out on the pasture if the pasture’s all dried up,” Gach said. “So you start feeding them hay, and hay’s expensive. When you start putting pencil to paper, you realize you’re putting more into that cow than you’ll get back at the sale barn.”

When the cost of maintaining a herd outweighs the potential profit, farmers are left with difficult decisions.

“This is what a lot of guys do — they sell the herd,” Gach explained. “Those cows go to market, which can temporarily help with meat prices. But in the long run, that cow no longer produces a calf, and that lowers the population.”

This cycle not only affects the individual farmer’s operation, but also contributes to the broader decline in cattle numbers nationwide — a trend that’s driving beef prices higher for everyone.

At the same time, demand for beef has remained strong. As the U.S. population grows and consumer appetite for beef products increases, supply has struggled to keep pace.

A July cattle inventory report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) found just 94.2 million head of cattle and calves in the country—the lowest mid-year total since the USDA began releasing these reports 52 years ago.

July 2025 cattle inventory report from the USDA.

With shrinking herds, high production costs, and persistent consumer demand, beef prices are likely to remain elevated. Unless alternative protein sources become more widely adopted, or the cattle industry experiences a major turnaround, consumers should expect the cost of beef to continue rising—especially as local farmers face mounting challenges.

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Cameron Montemayor

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — Local officials are joining efforts to take fire training to the next level in St. Joseph.

Members of the St. Joseph Fire Department and the 139th Airlift Wing are working to develop a new joint training facility that will be utilized by both city firefighters and firefighters with the 139th.

“The opportunity for training new recruits and our current firefighters is going to be huge,” said Kurt Fuehrer, chief training officer with SJFD. “And the air base is a big part of this community.”

The plan is for the facility to be located at the Air National Guard base pending the outcome of a grant submitted by the city this July. City Councilmembers approved a resolution on Monday, Aug. 4, to apply for the Military Community Reinvestment Grant through the Missouri Department of Economic Development.

If awarded, the city intends to contribute $120,000 in matching funds to purchase a $240,000 modular fire training simulator, a large structure that provides realistic live fire training scenarios for firefighters.

Often built with durable, weather-resistant materials like steel and concrete, modular training systems can be configured in various layouts and sizes to simulate different fire scenarios and building types, often incorporating features like adjustable burn rooms, interior and exterior access points and safety systems to ensure a controlled and effective training environment.

“The (139th) brings in an aircraft training prop, and it probably costs them about $20,000 every time they do it,” Fuehrer said. “To get something permanent over there that they could use and we could use would be big.”

The entrance to the Missouri Air National Guard’s 139th Airlift Wing is shown in 2024 in St. Joseph.

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Praji Ghosh

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — The first day of school always brings a mix of emotions—some kids are excited to be back with friends, while others feel nervous or unsure about what the new year will bring. 

Teachers were all smiles Tuesday morning, welcoming students into their classrooms and embracing the busy start to the day. 

It’s not just students getting used to new routines—school leaders are setting fresh goals and expectations for both staff and students as they kick off another academic year. 

“I just hope they have a great day, get to know your teachers because they really want to get to know you and we are excited to get the kids back,” said Ashly McGinnis, the superintendent of the St. Joseph School District.

McGinnis said the district is excited to kick off another academic year and is eager to see how things unfold for both students and staff.  

“Today is day one and we had a great convocation yesterday so today will all be about getting kids to those classes where they need to be and making sure schedules are a good fit for them,” McGinnis said.  

The hope is for students not only to learn but also enjoy the experience—walking out at the end of the day feeling confident, happy and ready for what’s ahead. 

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News-Press NOW

By Marie Moyer

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ) — With Attorney General Andrew Bailey set to head to Washington, D.C., this September to work for the FBI after being tapped by Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel, Gov. Mike Kehoe has appointed a new attorney general.

Kehoe said Tuesday that Catherine Hanaway will take over Sept. 8. She will be the first female attorney general.

Hanaway was a Republican House Speaker from 2003-2005, the first and only woman to hold the post.

Bailey, a Republican, previously challenged COVID-19 masking in schools as well as gender-affirming care such as puberty blockers. Bailey also created the anti-human trafficking task force and was a strong supporter of pro-law enforcement legislation.

Bailey also has a record as a state official loyal to President Donald Trump, supporting administration policies with dozens of legal filings since he took office in January 2023. Former Gov. Mike Parson appointed Bailey in 2022, and he was elected to AG in 2024.

Democratic House Minority Leader Rep. Ashley Aune said in a statement Monday that the House Minority Caucus hopes Kehoe will appoint a “competent attorney general.”

“Bailey’s departure gives the governor an opportunity to appoint a competent andprofessional attorney general who will defend the rights of all Missourians instead of wastingtaxpayer money on frivolous culture war lawsuits that regularly get laughed out of court,” Aune said.

Hanaway works for the law firm Husch Blackwell, representing white collar clients in areas such as lobbying law, fraud and money laundering. One of her clients is the Grain Belt Express, a renewable energy project that Bailey staunchly opposed.

Kehoe, in making the announcement, said Hanaway was a champion for conservative Missouri values.

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News-Press NOW

Gabrielle Teiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Pope Leo XIV has chosen Father Ralph O’Donnell as the Bishop-Elect for the Diocese of Jefferson City, according to a press release.

The Diocese will hold a press conference at 1 p.m. Tuesday at the Cathedral of St. Joseph on W. Main St. in Jefferson City.

O’Donnell was born in Omaha, Nebraska and was ordained as a priest there in 1997. He is currently the pastor of St. Margaret Mary Parish in Omaha.

“I’m grateful to the Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, for this appointment. I look forward to coming to know and to serve the people of the Diocese of Jefferson City with joy. Let us pray for one another in the days ahead,” says a statement from O’Donnell.

O’Donnell was chosen as the fifth bishop to lead the diocese after Most Reverend Shawn McKnight was installed as Archbishop of Kansas City, Kansas, back in May. McKnight was chosen to lead the diocese by the late Pope Francis in April.

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Cameron Montemayor

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — A prominent local businessman raised concerns to city officials on Monday about a lack of transparency that he believes played a role in one company being improperly picked for a high-level airport service agreement.

During Monday’s City Council meeting, well-known local businessman Steven Craig accused city officials of selecting Excelsior Springs aviation group Apex Aero Center as the new Fixed Base Operator (FBO) at Rosecrans Memorial Airport despite the company’s proposal reportedly being ranked lower than competing proposals from local groups, including his.

FBO’s are organizations granted the right to operate at an airport and provide a broad range of general aviation services for private and recreational flying, including refueling and maintenance services.

“I think this decision by the City Council is a mistake,” he said. “We followed the process as presented by the city and requested.”

Monday’s agenda included a bill for first reading to authorize the lease and operating agreement with AAC, a leading FBO network with locations in Kansas City, Dallas and Oklahoma.

Craig’s group was one of four companies — two from St. Joseph — who reportedly submitted applications last year for the lease and operating agreement.

He claims he was informed by those closely involved in the decision-making process that his proposal scored higher on not only one but two different rounds of voting.

“For whatever reason (that) didn’t sit well with the powers to be. So they decided they needed to go a different route. They opened it back up. We all re-submitted, but three of the groups never had the opportunity to present to the people evaluating. Only one group did,” he claimed.

Craig called for greater transparency and asked councilmembers to table the measure and form an independent commission composed of three aviation board members, councilmembers and business leaders to re-examine all four of the proposals.

Councilmember Kenton Randolph was the lone member to support a motion for the move.

“Let all four groups present and let’s see what the community thinks in terms of an opportunity. Let them score it,” he said.

According to city documents, Apex was selected as the awardee after receiving the highest overall score in the evaluation process, consistently ranking at or near the top in qualifications, operational ability and preparedness.

The document indicates that the city’s Purchasing Department utilized a panel of outside aviation professionals to conduct an independent evaluation of the proposals. The panel included Melissa Cooper, A.A.E., Aviation Director for the City of Kansas City, Missouri; Dave Schaumburg, A.A.E., Springfield-Branson National Airport; and Joe Peska, Aviation Consultant, Woolpert.

“Collectively, these evaluators brought decades of leadership in airport management, commercial development, and aviation infrastructure, ensuring an impartial and industry-informed selection process,” the document reads.

Evaluators highlighted Apex’s proven success operating multiple FBOs in the Midwest, its readiness to begin operations at Rosecrans Memorial Airport without delay and its well-defined operational plan.

In addition to operational enhancements, Apex has committed to significant financialinvestments at Rosecrans Memorial Airport.

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Associated Press

Kacen Bayless – The Kansas City Star (TNS)

Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey will resign next month to serve as a co-deputy director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, signifying the Missouri litigator’s rapid ascent in Trump’s political orbit.

Bailey announced his resignation, which will be effective on Sept. 8, in a press release Monday evening. Bailey will serve in President Donald Trump’s administration alongside Dan Bongino, the FBI’s current deputy director.

“My life has been defined by a call to service and I am once again answering that call, this time at the national level,” Bailey said in a statement on Monday. “But wherever I am called, Missouri is and always will be home.”

The announcement had been rumored in Missouri GOP circles most of the day on Monday. The move marks another example of a Missouri attorney general’s quick rise to a federal post. But Bailey will move to an administrative role while his most recent predecessors, Eric Schmitt and Josh Hawley, used the office as a pathway to more visible positions in the U.S. Senate.

As co-deputy director, which does not require Senate confirmation, Bailey will serve as second-in-command to FBI Director Kash Patel under U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi. The office has come under withering criticism in recent weeks due to the Trump administration’s reported mishandling of documents related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Bailey, a soldier-turned-lawyer, had never held elected office before former Republican Gov. Mike Parson named him attorney general to fill a vacancy in late 2022. He went on to win a full term in 2024, including defeating one of Trump’s lawyers, Will Scharf, in the Republican primary.

In his more than two years as attorney general, Bailey was largely viewed as a conservative firebrand. He often used the office to insert himself and Missouri into politically explosive fights in support of Trump, filing headline-grabbing lawsuits and rarely-used legal maneuvers that pushed the boundaries of the office.

Bailey distinguished himself among national conservatives through a barrage of litigation, legal threats and incendiary social media posts that often went further than his Republican predecessors.

He attempted to use state law to ban transgender health care for both adults and kids. He deployed rare legal mechanisms to remove from office elected officials across the state. He regularly fought against the expansion of abortion rights after voters enshrined a right to the procedure in the state constitution. And he wielded the office to take on former President Joe Biden, while championing efforts by the federal government under Trump.

Before becoming attorney general, Bailey served as Parson’s general counsel where he faced sharp criticism for his role in helping draft talking points that the governor used to argue that a journalist should be prosecuted for uncovering a security flaw on the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education website.

Parson’s effort to prosecute the journalist was roundly criticized by free press advocates and the Cole County prosecutor declined to pursue charges.

As attorney general, Bailey often appeared on TV and online shows with national conservative talk show hosts and touted many of the culture war political causes elevated by Trump supporters. But he also faced extensive criticism from both Democrats and some Republicans, who argued that he incompetently managed the attorney general’s office.

Bailey’s appointment means that the Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe will have the power to appoint the state’s next attorney general. The office is one of the most sought-after positions in Missouri and largely viewed as a political golden ticket to climb to a higher office.

Schmitt was elected to the U.S. Senate just four years after Parson appointed him as attorney general while Hawley began his successful Senate campaign less than a year after being sworn into the office. Before them, attorneys general John Danforth, John Ashcroft and Jay Nixon all used the office as a path to a more visible position.

Parson said he picked Bailey to bring stability to the office, which had seen four different attorneys general since 2017. When asked in 2022 whether he planned to seek higher office, Bailey told The Star that he was “focused on being the kind of Attorney General that Missourians deserve and that is my driving motivation.”

Kehoe appears to have moved quickly to fill the position in an effort to avoid an extensive and chaotic interview process. The Republican governor has called a press conference to announce Bailey’s successor on Tuesday. One name being floated in Republican circles as a potential candidate is Catherine Hanaway, a former federal prosecutor, Missouri House speaker and candidate for governor.

In an email to The Star prior to Bailey’s appointment, Hanaway did not say whether she had been approached by Kehoe about the job.

“I didn’t realize that Andrew Bailey was no longer AG,” Hanaway said in the email on Monday.

A spokesperson for Kehoe did not immediately respond to a request for comment about Bailey and his potential successor.

While Kehoe prepares to announce Missouri’s next attorney general, Bailey’s appointment appeared to solidify the Missouri Republican Party’s influence within the Trump administration. While some of the tenures have been rocky, several top Missouri officials have been placed in high-profile positions by the Republican president.

Scharf, Bailey’s former opponent, serves as the White House staff secretary. Former Missouri Solicitor General D. John Sauer is Trump’s U.S. Solicitor General. Trump also picked two employees in Bailey’s office, Josh Divine and Maria Lanahan, for federal judge posts.

Former U.S. Rep. Billy Long, a Missouri Republican, briefly served as Trump’s Internal Revenue Service commissioner before being fired earlier this month. Trump also chose Ed Martin, a former chair of the Missouri GOP, for U.S. attorney for Washington, D.C., before the Republican president pulled the nomination.

©2025 The Kansas City Star. Visit kansascity.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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