Author: News-Press NOW

News-Press NOW

By: Zac Scott

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (KQTV) — Two people sustained minor injuries after three cars were involved in a crash at Frederick Avenue and Woodbine Road.

According to local law enforcement, one car was heading west on Frederick Avenue and tried to make a left turn south on Woodbine Road on a flashing yellow light.

While the first car was turning, a second car traveling east couldn’t see the first car, which caused a collision.

The force of the collision pushed the two cars into a third vehicle facing north on Woodbine Road.

Local law enforcement reported two minor injuries, with a ticket issued to the driver of the first vehicle.

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Praji Ghosh

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (KQTV) — A Lafayette High School junior is stepping up to make sure local families get to enjoy Thanksgiving this year.

Brandon Gregg decided to launch a food drive, collecting holiday staples for families who might not be able to afford a big meal. 

Gregg said he’s grateful to have a table full of food and family to share it with — but he knows that’s not the case for everyone, which pushed him to take action. 

“So I wanted to start…to start something so that many people… they don’t have to worry about that. They can have a good meal, and with this, hopefully several good meals, and not having to worry about not being eaten,” Gregg said.  

All the donated food will be handed out on Tuesday, Nov. 25, giving families enough time to prep for their Thanksgiving dinner. 

To get the word out, Gregg passed out flyers around school and posted on social media, hoping more people would pitch in.  

“Having people come up to me in the hallways and just because they saw a sign…to help people and this is every single one of this food has been donated by people in this school and their families and students, staff, teachers,” Gregg added.  

Ultimately, Gregg said he hopes families can relax and enjoy Thanksgiving together — something they might not have been able to do otherwise. 

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TaMya Bracy

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KQTV) — With Thanksgiving quickly approaching, numerous Americans will be traveling to see loved ones all over the country.

According to AAA, about 82 million Americans will travel over 50 miles from home, an increase of 1.6 million travelers compared with last Thanksgiving.

About six million travelers are expected to fly domestically over the Thanksgiving holiday, a 2% increase from last year.

Justin Meyer, KCI deputy director of aviation, said the airport is already seeing a peak of travelers leaving for the holiday.

“We’re busier than normal, and we’ll be busier than normal through Wednesday. Thursday is a really light day,” he said. “Friday is a really light day, and then Saturday is busy. Sunday will be our busiest day of the year.”

Meyer said the number one tip for flying this holiday season is to give yourself plenty of time.

“We’re encouraging travelers to arrive 2 hours. That’s a standard number that we say,” he said. “But certainly, if you are a frequent flier, you’re checking bags, you’re parking in the garage, you’re getting dropped off. You can modify that as you’re comfortable.”

TSA has a packing section on its website, which shows what items can go in checked bags and carry-on bags. Meyer said it’s important for travelers to understand what items belong in each type of bag.

“It’s important to know what the difference is, one of which is lithium batteries. So if you’re carrying a laptop or an extra phone charger, make sure that’s in your carry-on suitcase in with you in the cabin and not in the checked bag,” he said.

Meyer recommends staying patient when traveling with children.

“Recognize that holiday travel is stressful for everybody, and kids as well, that are maybe on a different sleep schedule than normal. But just be patient with your kids,” he said. “If they needed a little additional screen time, maybe to help them settle down. That’s not the worst thing you could do.”

Triple AAA spokesperson Nick Chabarria said he recommends downloading your airline app the keep track of your flight.

“If there are cancellations and delays and working through the app is usually the easiest way to make changes to your itinerary if you need to while you’re away from home or at the airport, for example, he said. “So that’s the best way to stay informed with your flight directly.”

Meyer said one of the most important things the public can do to make the process smoother is to have a plan for picking up loved ones from the airport.

“So if you have someone flying in from out of town that you’re picking up, we certainly want to encourage travelers or hosts that are picking up travelers to make use of the cell phone lot at the airport rather than circling and circling encircling,” he said. “That just causes unnecessary traffic and slows everybody down. Please don’t park on the arrivals curb; that is prohibited.”

Overall, officials say preparation and patience are key to navigating the busy holiday travel season.

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Cameron Montemayor

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — The Missouri State Highway Patrol is reminding motorists to prepare for increased traffic and obey traffic laws as they ramp up their presence over the Thanksgiving holiday.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol announced it will participate in Operation C.A.R.E (crash awareness and reduction effort) in preparation for one of the busiest travel periods of the year.

Over the 2024 Thanksgiving holiday counting period, 11 people were killed and 571 injured in 1,664 traffic crashes.

The counting period for the upcoming 2025 Thanksgiving holiday is scheduled from 6 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 26 to 11:59 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 30.

During that time, drivers will see increased law enforcement on the roadways to help enforce traffic laws and assist the public. MSHP reports that drivers should expect more traffic, prepare for possibility of delays throughout the weekend and be aware of work zones.

Due to ongoing road construction throughout the state, the Patrol suggests that travelers use the MoDOT Traveler Information Map to plan their travel days. The map provides up-to-date information such as road closures, delays, construction zones, and alternative routes.

“If being on or near the water is part of your Thanksgiving holiday weekend plans, remember that the water is becoming colder, and hypothermia is a concern. The body loses heat 25 times faster in water than in the air of the same temperature. The proper use of life jackets is imperative,” a press release from MSHP states.

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Euphenie Andre

COLUMBIA, MO. (KMIZ)

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, medical experts are reminding families to keep safety at the heart of their celebrations. Overeating and holiday stress can pose health risks, especially for people with underlying conditions, according to experts, so planning your meals carefully is key.

Macaroni, mashed potatoes and sweet potatoes are staples on many Thanksgiving tables. While these comfort foods are a favorite, Dr. Regina DePietro with MU Health Care emphasized the importance of having a balanced plate to avoid bloating and other post-meal issues.

“Try to arrange your food so that you’re getting a good amount of fiber in your food,” DePietro said. “So, that would be like half of your plate is fiber and vegetables, a quarter of your plate, protein and then a quarter of your plate are those delicious, rich foods like mashed potatoes and corn casserole.”

DePietro also advises people to eat smaller meals throughout the day to avoid overindulging once dinner is served. Starting your meal with vegetables or fiber can help prevent overeating and control blood sugar spikes.

According to the American College of Emergency Physicians, heavy meals and holiday stress can trigger health complications, particularly for those with pre-existing health issues.

“Sometimes overindulging can increase your risk of having a health event later in the day, especially if you’re adding alcohol into the mix. So, just be careful of not overeating and not overdrinking during the holidays,” DePietro said.

If you find yourself feeling sleepy after a meal, it’s often due to too many carbohydrates. Balancing your meal with proteins, carbs, and fats can help maintain steady energy levels.

DePietro recommends staying upright for about an hour after eating and taking a walk to aid digestion. While it’s normal to indulge during the holidays, being mindful of portion sizes and food choices can keep your celebration safe and enjoyable.

Medical experts also warn that foodborne illnesses can mimic flu-like symptoms, though they typically do not cause a fever. The American College of Emergency Physicians estimates that each year:

48 million people get sick from foodborne illnesses

128,000 are hospitalized

3,000 die

Food poisoning can be caused by bacteria, such as salmonella or clostridium botulinum. Most cases resolve within a few days, but symptoms may include:

Headache

Nausea

Vomiting or diarrhea

Stomach cramps

More severe symptoms can include blurred vision, fatigue, and dry mouth. Symptoms usually appear within two hours to two days after consuming contaminated food.

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News-Press NOW

By: Alexis Kuhnert

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (KQTV) — Eight individuals graduated from the 11-month Buchanan County Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Paramedic program Monday morning.

The program has been around for three years.

One instructor, Joseph Pike, said the program starts off with about five weeks of studying anatomy and physiology, which is a requirement for paramedics. 

Afterwards, students gain experience through being part of simulations for instruction.

One graduate, Jordan Pearson, first took an interest in EMS in high school.

“I did my EMT program through Hillyard my senior year, and then this program. I waited about a year and a half before I came to do this,” Pearson said.

Now that Pearson has graduated, he said he’s in shock and other graduates said they feel the same way.

The next step is to take the National Registry of Emergency Technicians (NREMT).

“After we pass that, they test for minimum competency to make sure we can operate as a safe provider,” Pearson said. “After we pass that, and we’ll come get our state licensure level and we’ll be able to operate as paramedics.”

Julie Mason, another graduate, started as an EMT before the program and worked in the field for two years.

As Mason watched the medics she worked with, it inspired her to follow a path to this program.

“I wouldn’t have traded it for anything,” Mason said. “This has truly been the best experience that I could have went through. It’s accelerated, it’s intense, but it’s home.”

Pike said there’s a need for paramedics now more than ever.

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News-Press NOW

By: Chris Roush, News Director

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (KQTV) — St. Joseph was once known as a “modern wonder,” outperforming Kansas City and Chicago, and while that might not be realistic today, there are some local business leaders who want to see the city grow again.

This river town was built on the backs of trading, railroads and manufacturing. According to the Chicago Times in 1886, St. Joseph “is a modern wonder…wholesale trade as large as Kansas City and Chicago combined.”

It’s been almost 140 years since the newspaper article was published, and a lot has changed. St. Joseph has changed. 

For St. Joseph in 2025, the city is facing a declining population as communities diminish. The birthrate has also fallen below the death rate. 

According to one local business leader, one way the city can reverse the declining population is a thriving school district.

“When you look at any thriving community in America, one of the foundations is a thriving school district,” said Kevin Kelly, former LifeLine Foods CEO.

The St. Joseph School District’s Board of Education is set to decide the future of the district Monday night, and Kelly is urging the board to move the district and city forward.

“When you have that, you have got families, you’ve got kids, and you’ve got a business community all working together to make sure that the town moves forward in a positive direction, and quite frankly, we don’t have a thriving school district,” Kelly said.

Kelly, who just retired, said St. Joseph is a great community, but is concerned about its future.

The concern stems from the direction of the school district.

He has worked on previous district bond issues, which were passed, and believes the district can be a big motivator for the community.

“Long term, if we don’t improve the school district, the town is going to suffer,” Kelly said. “Businesses are not going to come here. They’re not going to expand here. Jobs will go away. Tax revenue will go down.”

According to data from the St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce, almost 25% of jobs in St. Joseph are in education or healthcare. There are another 20% in manufacturing, but not all of the individuals and families who work in St. Joseph live in St. Joseph.

“I don’t think it’s necessarily hard to understand why we sometimes have difficulty getting employees with families to move to St. Joseph,” Kelly said. “They’re aware of some of the school district issues, and as such, they go to the surrounding communities and drive in for their job.”

Some families have also chosen to live outside of the city and send their kids to other districts around St. Joseph.

Other families choose local private schools like St. Joseph Catholic or St. Joseph Christian.

According to data from St. Joseph Christian, student enrollment has doubled from 265 students in Pre-K through 12th grade during the 2014-15 school year to 507 in Pre-K through 12th grade in 2025-26.

School district officials have stated the district-wide model needs to change because of its falling enrollment; however, several community members want to keep the three high school model because they love their neighborhood schools.

Kelly understands the desire to keep SJSD’s current model, but wants to see the city move forward.

“Help me understand, are you still using a rotary dial phone? Are you still using a fax machine? Did you commute in horse and buggy? No. No. And no,” Kelly said. “Progress happens. St. Joseph needs to progress.”

During recent SJSD school board public hearings, other business leaders have spoken up.

Pat Dillon, Mosaic Life Care’s Chief Government and Community Relations Officer, shared what would happen if the school district didn’t improve at the board’s first public hearing. 

“Too many families are going to continue to move out of St. Joe and move to other communities because of their school district,” Dillon said. “And when that happens, we continue to lose population, we continue to lose enrollment and we continue to lose a tax base.”

St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce president Natalie Hawn spoke during a November public comment session.

“Straying from a long-range plan will affect the growth here in St. Joseph,” Hawn said. “Local businesses need a well-educated workforce and an environment that attracts families. Parents are attracted to outdated, undersized or inefficient schools.”

St. Joseph is not the biggest city in Missouri, but is still in the Top 10. According to data, St. Joseph has the 9th largest population throughout the state.

St. Joseph is also the third largest exporter in the state, according to data from the Chamber of Commerce.

St. Joseph won’t catch Chicago or Kansas City soon, population-wise, but people like Kelly believe its community can still thrive.

Kelly said, for the community to thrive, it must start with the school district and the leadership of the board.

“I would ask the school board to please make decisions that are going to improve the school district, regardless of the hate mail, emails and social media responses you get,” Kelly said. “It’s not easy to be a leader, but we expect it out of the board because that’s what’s going to drive positive change in the school district.”

SJSD’s board is scheduled to vote on the long-range plan at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 24, at its board meeting in Central High School’s Auditorium. 

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Cameron Montemayor

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — Labor unions for St. Joseph police officers and 911 dispatchers have agreed to terms on new working contracts to boost salaries between 3% and 6%, measures that now head to City Council for formal approval.

Monday’s City Council meeting featured two amended contract agreements for first reading with the Fraternal Order of Police, Lodge #3, as well as the Emergency Communication Operators, Lodge #1, which represents the City’s communication operator classifications and 911 dispatchers.

The agreement with FOP will see the city appropriate $450,000 in Police Sales Tax funds to implement a 6% salary increase for the St. Joseph Police Department retroactive to June 30, 2025. The agreement also includes a 4% salary increase for fiscal years 2026-27 and 2027-28, with a minimum adjustment of 2.5%.

Four St. Joseph Police officers talk near 16th and Grand streets in 2024 in St. Joseph. 

The FOP Lodge #3 represents commissioned police officers, detectives, and sergeants for the purpose of collective bargaining.

A second agreement with the Emergency Communication Operators, Lodge #1, would raise salaries by 3% for fiscal years 2025-26, 2026-27 and 2027-28.

“I wanted to thank both the FOP and the Emergency Communications Lodge #1, it really was a good process through labor management and I really appreciate them working with the city,” City Manager Mike Schumacher said Monday.

Other changes in the police contract include revisions to overtime requirements and allowing the Chief of Police to designate overtime as mandatory for large-scale events when operationally necessary. 

The contract with dispatch includes updates to overtime procedures, revisions to the shift selection process and the removal of the discipline and point-based system.

The agreement also includes an Out of-Title pay adjustment for Lead Operators to align compensation practices with those applied to other City employee groups when performing higher-level duties.

Final approval of both contract agreements will take place at the next City Council meeting on Dec. 8.

FOP Working AgreementDownload

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Leah Rainwater

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (KQTV) — The Missouri State Highway Patrol announced it will pay tribute to fallen officers throughout the holiday season.

General Headquarters, division offices and troop headquarters will display blue lights starting Monday, Nov. 24, through Friday, Jan. 2, as part of the “Project Blue Light” initiative.

MSHP said 31 members throughout the patrol’s history have given their lives providing service and protection to Missouri’s citizens.

Project Blue Light serves as a way to honor the 31 troopers and the more than 700 other law enforcement officers in Missouri who have made the ultimate sacrifice while performing their duties.

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Cameron Montemayor

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — In the event of a fire, search and rescue or other emergency situation, local personnel could have a new set of eyes in the sky backing them up.

A contract for first reading on Monday’s City Council agenda, if approved, would authorize a five year agreement with Axon Enterprise to purchase six Skydio drones and two Skydio docking “nest” systems for $1,372,616, with $274,523 to be appropriated for the first year payment.

Capable of moving up to 45 mph and equipped with advanced 360-degree cameras, spotlights, night vision and enhanced AI, Skydio’s state-of-the-art drones would provide a critical vantage point for police, firefighters, public works and transit, boosting response times and safety for residents and public safety officers.

Skydio’s technology enables drones to autonomously launch from fixed stations in response to any location that a bus can travel to, all emergency calls, all the while providing real-time video and data to responding staff or officers.

Using dispatch and CAD systems, drones can respond automatically within seconds, serving as first responder units, assisting police officers and firefighters before they arrive on scene and providing rapid situational awareness at transit stops or transit vehicles, among numerous capabilities.

Drones would even be able to help snow plow crews by evaluating snow routes and verifying completion of snow removal, among other useful capabilities.

Additional capabilities with drone technology

Can be used to inspect bridges for damage.

Bus shelters can be inspected, saving manpower.

Monitor real-time traffic and transit conditions

Identify obstructions or route hazards, and provide early alerts for congestion or delays.

Enhances the City’s ability to prioritize maintenance and ensure safe travel for transit users and the public

The contract on Monday’s City Council agenda also includes all of the necessary software, accessories, equipment and product warranties. A likely final vote on the measure will take place at the next Council meeting on Dec. 8.

Axon agreementDownload

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