Author: News-Press NOW

TaMya Bracy

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (KQTV) — The AFL-CIO Community Services’ annual Adopt-a-Family Christmas program is back for its 43rd year, and it’s seen an increase in applications this year, compared to others.

The program is designed to help disadvantaged families with children, disabled adults and seniors in St. Joseph to have a good Christmas.

The non-profit started accepting applications on Monday and has already received over 300.

Applications can be picked up in person or online. There’s a $2 application fee for paper applications and a $3 application fee for online applications.

Ashley Luthans, AFL-CIO Community Services program coordinator, said this year will be big for the program.

“I think we’re going to have a lot of applicants this year, and with that, we’re going to need a lot of adopters and we’re going to need a lot of volunteers,” she said.

Luthans said the reason the program will be seeing more applications is due to the economy.

“Which is very unfortunate…and it makes me sad that more people are struggling and that more people are going to need help,” she said. “But it also makes me happy that we have this program and we’re able to offer that help to those who need it.”

Nichi Seckinger, AFL-CIO Community Services executive director, said this program is important because the holiday season is hard for a lot of families.

“You know, there’s a lot of people that really live paycheck to paycheck…The added expenses of Christmas are just more than they can do,” she said. “So, without having programs like these, they just won’t be able to do things for their kids. But every kid deserves to have Christmas.”

Seckinger said the program has a long-lasting impact on the community, community involvement and support.

“It’s really incredible to know that people are willing to step up and help and that we have that kind of a larger group than just the five people we have on staff,” she said.

The applications for adopters open on Nov. 14.

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News-Press NOW

By: Darren Doyle

BUCHANAN COUNTY, Mo. (KQTV) — Buchanan County Sheriff Bill Puett has released the 2025 Halloween compliance numbers for registered sex offenders in the county.

A total of 252 registered sex offenders were checked on Halloween. Of those, 210 were found to be compliant with the Missouri statute, which prohibits their participation in Halloween-related activities.

Thirty-seven of the offenders were verified as being at work during the checks, while 17 unhoused offenders reported to the lobby of the Sheriff’s Office that evening.

Twenty-three violations were submitted to the Buchanan County Prosecuting Attorney for potential charges resulting from the compliance checks. Twenty-one of those were violations of the Halloween statute, and two were related to residency restrictions.

The evening’s operation was led by Investigator Kenny Shryock and Sex Offender Analyst Cindy Ownby, assisted by 34 Sheriff’s Deputies, three administrative aides from the Sheriff’s Office, as well as a member of the St. Joseph Police Department and a Deputy from the U.S. Marshals Service.

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Praji Ghosh

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (KQTV) —  College can be stressful enough — classes, exams and everything in between. For some students at Missouri Western State University, there’s an added worry: not having enough food or basic necessities.

That’s where the Campus Cupboard steps in. 

Tucked inside the Dean of Students Office under the Division of Student Affairs, the Campus Cupboard has been serving MoWest students since 2015.

The Cupboard is stocked with frozen food, canned goods and hygiene items– essentials to help students get through the week.  

Megan DeShon-Runge, MoWest’s director of student activities and engagement, said the Cupboard has become an important resource to bridge the gap for students facing food insecurity. 

She said she’s noticed an increase in students using the cupboard this year — a trend likely tied to recent reductions in SNAP benefits that have impacted many families.  

“We have seen a lot more frequent visits to the cupboard. They can take 10 pounds of stuff, per visit, twice a month. Everything goes into one bag and will get weighed,” DeShon-Runge said.  

DeShon-Runge emphasized how important the Campus Cupboard has become — especially now, as many students are reaching a point in the semester when dining dollars or meal plans start running low. 

She said it’s easy for students to access the cupboard. All they need to do is show their student ID and sign in so staff can keep track of visits and items taken.

“All of the information is taken down and put into our database so we know how many students are visiting and how many pounds are being taken, so it helps us budget and keep track of it,” Runge said.  

Student worker Morgan Saavedra said she started at the Campus Cupboard back in January, and the job quickly became personal for her. She shared that the mission hits close to home because she knows what it’s like to face financial struggles. 

Saavedra added, most of the food items available are canned or pre-packaged, making them easy to prepare — usually with just a stove or microwave.  

“I think having this has made students feel more relaxed, just so they don’t have to worry too much about buying food or groceries and concentrate more on their school work and be more at ease,” Saavedra said.  

Saavedra shared that growing up reliant on food stamps often made life financially uncertain, which is why working at a place like the Campus Cupboard feels especially meaningful to her.  

“We provide basic stuff to students just to kind of get them through the end of that next paycheck or month when times can be a little rough,” Saavedra added.  

Saavedra hopes to keep the cupboard fully stocked so more students can use it and learn about the support it offers.

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Patrick Holleron

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — Stargazers and astronomy enthusiasts of St. Joseph will want to mark their calendars next week.

The Bushman Planetarium at Missouri Western State University is set to host a dual-showcase of “Nine Planets and Counting” and “Journey to the Stars” starting at 7 p.m. next Friday, Nov. 14.

Participants will take part in an immersive tour exploring the variety of objects that populate the solar system, including an in-depth look at a wide-range of planets, from rocky worlds to gas giants.

The planetarium features a Digistar 4 projection system and a dome that is tilted slightly for easier viewing. The event will feature images captured by telescopes on Earth and in space, combined with never-before-seen images of physics-based simulations.

Tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for children age 13 and under, students, employees, military, and senior citizens age 60 and up.

Planetarium tickets must be purchased in advance, either online at missouriwestern.edu/planetarium or in person between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Anyone seeking additional information is encouraged to call 816-271-4288 or email planetarium@missouriwestern.edu.

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Patrick Holleron

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — Snow plow crews are staying prepared for whatever mother nature potentially throws their way this winter.

St. Joseph’s Street Maintenance Department is plowing ahead with training for dozens of workers who will take to the streets this winter for snow removal operations.

Thursday’s training, held at the facility off Stockyards Expressway, featured a combination of classroom sessions to review snow routes, department policies and hands on training to operate the snow plows.

“We do this hands-on training because guys need to get a feel for what it feels like to drive a snow plow,” Senior Field Supervisor Steve Kendall said. “We love to put the plow down on the ground and get familiar with (the plows) before they get out on the street on their own.”

This year’s training class included more than a dozen trainees from the year before, jumping from 20 to around 32. The bigger group will help provide more flexibility when scheduling people to clear roads and snow paths.

In addition to operating the plows during winter operations, street crews will also be de-icing roads and assisting emergency services such as ambulances and dispatchers.

“Last year was a little bit shorter (for our group),” Kendall said. “This year we’re looking pretty good on boys. We have a bigger crew this year than we did last year.”

The work shifts for crews will be split into two 12-hour periods that switch at 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.

The crews are called upon when an Emergency Snow Ordinance is enacted by the city, with multiple phases in place. Phase I is issued once the first snowfall occurs and stays in effect through the end of winter. Phase II is issued if 2+ inches of snow has fallen and/or a significant amount is expected.

The training comes after last year’s winter blizzard in January made some notable history, being the first time since December 2009 that St. Joseph and nearby areas witnessed double-digit snowfall.

The National Weather Service confirmed 16 inches of snow fell during the event in St. Joseph, while nearby areas had 14 to 16 inches.

Despite historic snowfall last year, the event didn’t force any significant changes in operations or training, which is conducted every fall.

“The blizzard was really nothing out of the normal, it was just more snow than normal,” Kendall said. “You go out (to plow) and it’s no different than any other snow, just a little deeper.”

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News-Press NOW

By: Darren Doyle

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (KQTV) — Despite new coaching staffs for both basketball programs, Missouri Western State University’s Athletics continued its annual tradition of Play Unified Day.

Play Unified Day was co-hosted by Special Olympics Missouri, which brought together athletes from diverse backgrounds at MWSU Fieldhouse in the Looney Complex for a night of basketball drills, games, and fun. The night concluded with pizza, and every camper received a commemorative t-shirt. 

The idea to continue this positive impact on the community was straightforward, according to Ryan Menley, senior associate athletic director of external relations for MoWest Athletics. 

“(Play Unified) has been one of the things that a lot of our student athletes look forward to, and a lot of our Special Olympians do too,” Menley said. “Obviously, a staff regime change. But I think that’s what’s really cool, is something that Coach Hood started back in 2021 continues to this day with a bunch of new coaches, because they recognize the importance and the fun of it too”.

Familiar faces in Tom Smith court are rare; however, returning Senior Meredith Rieker was able to communicate to her new teammates and coaches how much Play Unified means to the community. 

“(This is) so much bigger than basketball. I mean, this is what we do, and we came to college for this, but outside of the court, and like we come to play, but there’s so much more to who we are as people,” Rieker shared. “Who we are as a team, who our coaches are. This is why we’re here for basketball, but it goes so far beyond that.”

Learning about this tradition was crucial for Brooks McKowen, who is entering his first year as head coach of the Griffons Men’s Basketball team.

McKowen was happy to get to know his team better in this unique environment as they welcomed individuals from the community.

“I think that’s one of the coolest parts about this, too, is our men’s team and women’s team are doing it together, and they’re performing it together. So I get to know some of the women’s players better than I did before, and our guys will get to know them,” McKowen said. “It’s just a collaboration of everybody here at Missouri Western Athletics and Special Olympics coming together to make a great event.”

For more information on MoWest Athletics, click here.

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Praji Ghosh

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (KQTV) — The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) released statewide Annual Performance Reports (APR) for the 2024-2025 school year.  

These results are a reflection of the Missouri School Improvement Program, which includes the expectation of school practices, student outcomes and college readiness goals.  

St. Joseph School District Assistant Superintendent of Academics and Education Services, Stacia Studer, said SJSD has seen an increase in its APR from 67.5% in the 2023-2024 school year to 74.7% in the 2024-2025 school year.

Studer said this marks a strong and steady improvement — showing both how well students are performing and how much progress is happening in classrooms. 

“The St. Joseph School District has not only worked to improve but also to move forward with a purpose that tells a story of growth, resilience and expectations for all scholars in the community,” Studer said.  

This progress showed up across all secondary schools in St. Joseph, with several elementary schools — including Eugene Field, Pershing, Oak Grove, Ellison, Lindbergh and Edison — also posting strong results. 

Studer explained that teachers have been supported through model lab classrooms, where they can observe and share effective teaching strategies. 

The district also implemented a hands-on instructional coaching system, pairing coaches with teachers to collaborate closely, have meaningful conversations, and make sure the right work is happening in classrooms every day. 

 “Looking at student work and driving and reteaching and going back into the classroom to make sure students can understand what is being taught to them,” Studer said.  

Educators also took part in ongoing professional development to strengthen their teaching practices. 

English Language Development Coordinator Michelle Schulze said these improvements are happening across the board — not just for a select group of students. 

Schulze noted, students in programs such as free and reduced lunch, special education and English language learning all showed growth in English Language Arts, math, science and social studies  

“They were on track, so right here it shows the importance that we are giving to making sure all students are learning and not just some,” Schulze said.  

Studer said the goal isn’t just about seeing growth — it’s about making sure students receive a strong, well-rounded education. That’s why the district is focused on using evidence-based resources to guide student learning moving forward.  

“It’s rigorous and it’s hard and I would say that our teachers would definitely say that it’s up to us to provide the scaffolds that our students can get to that level,” Studer added.  

Studer emphasized, this achievement was a true team effort — made possible by strong district leadership and a supportive community that continues to encourage students to work hard and succeed academically. 

Also in the Northwest Missouri area, the North Platte School District ranks second out of 79 districts in the region.

North Platte APR 2025Download

North Platte scored a 91.9% out of 100%, placing the district in the top 7% of the state.

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Leah Rainwater

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (KQTV) — A patchwork project, originally scheduled for late October, is set to take place Thursday on the Belt Highway.

Work is scheduled to take place from 8 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 6, to 6 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 7.

Crews will begin patching at the north end of the Belt Highway near the intersection of Interstate 29 and will work south toward the intersection of Route 169 and Easton Road.

Vance Brother, Inc., in partnership with the Department of Transportation, is working on the project.

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TaMya Bracy

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (KQTV) — The United Way of Greater St. Joseph has received a $100,000 grant from Mosaic Life Care and the Mosaic Life Care Foundation to assist with food insecurity in the community.

Kylee Strough, president of United Way of Greater St. Joseph, said some of the grant money will go towards creating meal kits.

“We will be using some of that money to source more food and purchase it so that we can have those meal kits assembled and continue to distribute them throughout the next couple of weeks,” she said.

Strough said United Way felt grateful to receive the grant from Mosaic Life Care.

“They saw the need and internally said they want to help, and I think also we were really humbled that they selected United Way to be their partner in caring because there’s a lot of directions they could have gone,” Strough said.

Julie Gaddie, president of the Mosaic Life Care Foundation, said they were motivated to donate because of the challenges residents were facing due to the reduction in SNAP benefits.

“We knew this is an opportunity to partner with Mosaic Life Care and other community agencies and businesses to try to support families during this challenging time,” she said.

Strough said United Way will address the needs of the community over the coming days and weeks.

“We’re also open to hearing, I guess, you know, meal kits, this one strategy that if you are a part of an organization or an agency or your household and you’re saying and seeing all these things offered, but they’re not meeting my need, please let us know,” she said.

United Way is working to make food accessible to local households in need.

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News-Press NOW

By: Darren Doyle

ATCHISON, Kan. (KQTV) — Benedictine College’s new library is nearing completion, as the multi-million dollar building recreating history is set to continue on the college’s pride in the country. 

The previous library was built in 1967 for a much smaller student body. Now, the much larger building, which resembles Independence Hall in Philadelphia, where the Constitution was signed, will have much more room for books and students. 

“(The building) demonstrates our commitment to academic excellence, and so now we have a place for our students to go. They can study. This knowledge surrounds them; their intellectual senses will be heightened by being in this building,” said Stephen Minnis, Benedictine College’s president.

Even inside the hall, a recreation of the Assembly Room where the signing of the Constitution happened will be showcased, along with a recreation of the Liberty Bell.

Minnis said a big part of their inspiration to make the library resemble a historical landmark, along with more intricate details about its debut, centers on the college’s plan to Transform Culture in America. 

“At our groundbreaking ceremony, our student government president said that the youth of today are taught to hate their country, but we believe in America,” President Minnis shared. “We think the last best hope on earth should be celebrated, and that those values of self-government and individual liberty and civic virtue should be passed on from one generation to the next.”

The building is expected to be completed on July 4, 2026, with opening celebrations later in the fall featuring reenactors of the founding of our country.

Resources are available to current students in Benedictine’s Student Success Center. Other materials are also available online and can be transferred from other libraries to Ravens on campus. 

For more information on this project, click here.

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