Author: News-Press NOW

Leah Rainwater

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — The Albrecht-Kemper Museum of Art announced it has a new, upcoming exhibit.

AKMA will unveil it’s new exhibition during an opening reception at 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursday, May 9.

Our Very Nature by artist, Rachelle Gardner-Roe, is an immersive and interdisciplinary body of work and will be available to view from May 9 through August 10.

The exhibit offers a vibrant, meditative journey into the natural world, uniquely expressed through the artist’s blend of fiber art, sculpture, painting and poetry.

The exhibition invites viewers to reconnect with the idea of being part of nature- not separate from it. The works range in tone from joyfully explosive to serenely devotional, each piece encouraging contemplation and continued curiosity.

“Through this body of work, Gardener-Roe reminds us that art, like nature, is both deeply personal and universally resonant,” said Madison McKinley, the marketing and communications manager for AKMA. “It’s a powerful invitation to slow down, observe and feel a part of something greater.

AKMA’s new exhibit is free and open to the public.

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Jenna Wilson

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — The REAL ID Deadline for Missouri is just one week away and residents could see longer wait times at the St. Joseph License Office. 

Outside of the St. Joseph License Office, residents have shown up at certain times of the day, aiming to beat the rush. 

“I tried to get here about lunchtime, hoping everyone was out getting lunch at this time,†said St. Joseph resident Ronald Miller. 

The deadline to purchase a REAL ID is Wednesday, May 7, otherwise, those without a REAL ID won’t be able to fly domestically or enter certain federal buildings.

Those without a REAL ID will be at risk for being stopped by TSA, where you’ll be prompted to present other documents to prove citizenship.

News-Press NOW spent time talking with Miller outside the St. Joseph License Office, who soon discovered, his license was marked as “Not For Real ID Purposes.”

Miller, who is an OTR truck driver said, instead of going through the hassle of waiting in the long lines, he’ll likely use another form of transportation to travel, other than airlines. 

“I just got off a flight because some of these trucking companies will easily fly you from point A to point B,†Miller said. “But if I have to go through all the hassle after May 7, I’ll just hop on a Greyhound to get where I need to go.â€Â Â Resident Tyler Mendez, was among the many others waiting in line at St. Joseph to get his REAL ID before traveling for work in a few weeks. 

“I’m getting ready to fly down to Florida on the 19th for work,†Mendez said. “I’m a little behind but I had to get this done soon.â€Â Â Despite the long wait times, depending on when patrons visit the DMV, Miller said he got through with no problem, having the right documents. 

“I know a lot of people were upset about the process but that’s mainly because they’re not bringing the required documents,†Mendez said. “Overall, it wasn’t a terribly long process. I just had to pull up some bills and different stuff to prove my address.†

Starting May 7, 2025, all residents of U.S. states and territories must present a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license or identification card—or another form of identification approved by the Transportation Security Administration—to board federally regulated domestic flights. 

More information about the Missouri REAL ID and requirements to obtain one can be found at, https://dor.mo.gov/driver-license/issuance/real-id/.

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Kirsten Stokes

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — A surge of scam texts posing as toll payment alerts is hitting Missouri phones, prompting warnings from state officials. 

According to the Federal Trade Commission, more than 5,200 scam text complaints have been filed by Missourians in 2024 alone, a 26% spike compared to 2023. The messages claim the recipient has unpaid toll fees and must click a link to resolve the issue or face penalties. 

The state of Missouri doesn’t have tolls and Sgt. Shane Hux of the Missouri State Highway Patrol said, these messages are nothing more than a fraudulent attempt to steal personal information. 

“The Missouri State Highway Patrol, or any agency, for that matter, will never call or text people requesting money,” Sgt. Hux said. “These scammers are becoming more clever, but we urge people not to respond or click on any links. Verify everything through official sources.” 

The scam messages often mimic legitimate toll road or vehicle service providers, sometimes even displaying local area codes to appear authentic. 

One St. Joseph resident, who wanted to be referred to as ‘Nick’ for the purposes of this story, is a frequent car renter. Nick explained, the scam doesn’t fool him because he knows exactly where legitimate messages should originate.

“When I travel, and I travel quite frequently, it usually comes through my email and usually from a rental car company if I owe a toll or miss a toll,” he said.

The Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) confirmed that it does not contact individuals via text about toll fees. Officials encourage anyone receiving such messages to report them to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov and to delete the message without responding. 

Tips to Avoid Text Scams: 

Never click on links from unknown or suspicious numbers. 

Contact toll authorities directly if unsure about any charges. 

Do not share personal or financial information via text. 

Authorities said, while no scam is new, the technology and targeting used in recent weeks make this particular campaign more dangerous.

Hux advises to go to the attorney generals office website to put your name in a no call list, as well.

“This is a reminder to slow down and think before clicking,” Sgt. Hux said. “A few extra seconds could protect your identity and your finances.”

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Chris Fortune

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — County board members continue to plan the development of a livestock show arena for local kids. 

Members of the Buchanan County Commission and Fairgrounds Board are touring East Buchanan Middle School on Wednesday afternoon and discussing a contract with the district superintendent. 

Part of the contract involves transferring the memorandum of understanding Buchanan County had with the school district to the Fairgrounds Board. 

“We will fund the Fairground Board,†Buchanan County Presiding Commissioner Scott Nelson said. “Part of our funding would be for the purchase of that building, but that (contract) gets us removed from owning anything. The Fairground Board will own that.†

Construction on the new East Buchanan Middle School is well underway in Gower. The progress can be seen in a social media post from Al J. Mueller Construction.  

The post from earlier this week states that they are on track to open for the 2025-2026 school year. Another provision in the contract allows construction to begin in the summer if the fairgrounds were built to the west of the school at 301 N County Park Rd. in Easton. 

“That would allow us to start over the summer, if in fact, we could do anything, whether it’s pouring footings or things like that while the kids weren’t there,†Nelson said. 

Negotiations on the purchase price of the property are ongoing, but Nelson said prior discussions involved paying up to $250,000. 

“That’ll be something that the Fairground Board will negotiate,†he said. 

Members of the board discussed the livestock arena size in February and decided on an enclosed 160 by 250-foot structure. 

“Concrete would hopefully be started in the summer sometime and be ready to go after the dirt work’s done,†Nelson said. 

Other factors in the construction timeline include the availability of steel and the availability of a contractor to erect the livestock arena. 

One company told Nelson that if the board were to approve construction on March 1, its team would not be available until October. He estimates that the show at the arena will be held next spring. 

“I mean, it seems like a long time, but not when somebody says, ‘Hey, by the way, we’ll start putting it up in October,’†Nelson said. “It’s exciting, but I’d love for it to move faster.†

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Cameron Montemayor

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — St. Joseph is opening new doors in an effort to boost the development of middle to high-income rental properties, a growing need in the community.

City officials are proposing a new grant program that would make federal funds available as early as July for developers to either rehab existing structures into rental properties or create new ones, with a focus on accommodating moderate- to high-income households.

St. Joseph Planning and Community Development Director Clint Thompson said the program will encourage development in St. Joseph’s older neighborhoods, particularly with vacant/blighted structures or lots in the Downtown and Midtown areas.

“That will be key, not only to provide that additional opportunity for housing, but also for the revitalization of our own neighborhoods,” he said. “So “We’re looking forward to the opportunity to use some of these older structures that may been originally a single family use be converted into duplex or fourplex potential.”

Thompson said the plan is to re-allocate a portion of federal funds from the city’s underutilized Community Development Block Program to create the new rental rehab program, which offers a new avenue for affordable rental development with existing programs geared toward homeownership and exterior improvements only.

Grants agreements are designed to not only spur development of rental properties but ensure that rents are in line with market-rate or moderate-income rental costs, a key condition to ensure compliance.

“The cost itself of rehabbing these structures will be borne by the developer,” Thompson said. “These funds are utilized on a reimbursement basis.”

A 2024 infill housing studied identified a critical shortage of rental units affordable for moderate- and above-moderate income households. The city has just 348 rental units to accommodate nearly 17,000 households in St. Joseph that cite affordable rents costs as being between $1,100 and $1,700 for middle income, or $1,700 and higher for high income.

Dani Coats is one of many individuals who works in St. Joseph but chooses not to live here due to challenges finding options that are both decent and affordable.

“It is very hard,” said Coats, who works Downtown. “I feel if people have the stability to pay the money, you know, some of the criteria needs to be brought down a little bit.”

Thompson said the program will allow for a wide range of rental re-development, from duplexes and fourplexes to larger complexes with 20 rental units.

“We think that’s a key ingredient with housing costs increasing over the past number of years, interest rates, the ability for individuals coming into the workforce, whether they’re out of college or just starting out where it’s difficult to to qualify for a loan for homeownership,” he said.

A budget for the initial round of grant funding will be determined when the city’s budgets are finalized in the coming weeks. Roughly $1.5 million dollars in CDBG funds were allocated for fiscal year 2023-2024.

“We’ll start off with the initial amount, you know, see how the program success is … If the project program is successful, we have the ability to add to that,” Thompson said.

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Leah Rainwater

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — Mayor John Josendale will present his annual State of the City address at the St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce’s next Public Affairs Coffee.

The event will be held at 7:30 a.m. on Wednesday, May 14, 2025 at the inspireU Children’s Discovery Center, located at 521 Felix St.

Chamber members are required to register and pay a $15 fee to attend, to cover the cost of the full breakfast. Registration and a cost of $20 are required for members of the general public.

If residents are unable to attend, but would still like to hear the address, it will be available on the City of St. Joseph website, as well as social media channels.

Registration can be done at saintjoseph.com or by calling (816) 232-4461 by Friday, May 9.

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Jenna Wilson

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — As part of Governor Mike Kehoe’s statewide anti-crime initiative, Operation Relentless Pursuit will focus on capturing dangerous fugitives through targeted policing tactics and joint efforts among law enforcement agencies.

According to Executive Order 25-02, the strategies employed in this enforcement initiative will include:

The designation of full-time Missouri State Highway Patrol Division of Drug and Crime Control (DDCC) investigators to each of the nine troop regions, and allocate budget funds to support one new deputy sheriff per troop dedicated to task force operations, including targeted efforts against criminal activity.

Buchanan County Sheriff Bill Puett said the department has assigned one member from their special operations group to work with a local Missouri State trooper on a relentless pursuit.

“The only thing that we’re involved with, and what everybody needs understand, is that this is about wanted fugitives,” said Buchanan County Sheriff Bill Puett. “This is not about anyone undocumented or anything along those lines. This is about people who are wanted for part one crimes. Murder, rape, robbery and violent assault. This is an effort to make this community a better and safer place.”

Puett said the commitment to bring justice to families has been a driving force for law enforcement in removing criminals from the streets — a key reason they quickly joined the initiative.

“There are so many victims out there, worried about where the person is who committed these violent acts against them,” said Puett. “These victims need justice, protection, and comfort knowing that the person who harmed them is in custody. That’s always a key part of our motivation to go out and actively search for wanted fugitives.”

Local agencies began initial training last month and are now focused on identifying and gathering information about fugitives in the area to ensure their apprehension.

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Leah Rainwater

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — The St. Joseph School District Board of Education has approved appointments of four administrators for the 2025-2026 school year.

Tom Evans has been appointed the principal of Edison Elementary.

Evans previously served as the assistant principal at Oak Grove Elementary since 2021. He began his career in education in 2014 and has spent the past six years in leadership roles within the St. Joseph School District.

Sarah Stapleton will serve as the principal of Bessie Ellison Elementary.

Stapleton began her career with SJSD in 2012, serving as a teacher and behavior interventionist before transitioning in to 2019 to her current role as a process consultant.

Colin Pettegrew has been appointed as the assistant principal of Lafayette High School.

Pettegrew has spent his entire 12-year career in the SJSD. For the past three years, he has served as the district’s instructional coach with a focus on secondary math and science.

Prior to becoming an instruction coach, Pettegrew taught math at Robidoux Middle School for nine years and was also a basketball coach, department chair, summer school site director, new teacher mentor and math curriculum writing team member.

Brian Weed will assume the role of Assistant Director at Hillyard Technical Center.

Weed began his career with SJSD 15 years ago in the maintenance department, where he spent six years as a carpenter before transitioning into the classroom. For the past nine years, he has been the carpentry instructor at Hillyard Technical Center, where he played a key role in shaping future trades professionals.

All appointees will take their positions on July 1, 2025.

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News-Press NOW

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — The Missouri Supreme Court ruled to uphold Missouri’s Prop A bond measure, which supports paid sick leave and an increase in wages.

Voters approved the measure in the November 2024 election by 57.6%.

Shortly after the election, a petition was brought to the Missouri Supreme Court to overturn the proposition, noting the summary statement and fiscal note summary were, “misleading that they constituted an irregularity of sufficient magnitude to cast doubt on the fairness of the election and validity of results.”

The law is set to begin on Thursday, May 1, where employers with business receipts greater than $500,000 a year are required to provide at least one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked.

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Patrick Holleron

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — To help preserve Missouri’s natural resources, the Missouri Department of Conservation is providing support to landowners through funding resources.

The assistance provided by MDC aims to protect wildlife habitats and restore forests while also assisting landowners in maintaining their properties.

“We have private lands, conservationists and some of the things that they can recommend would be things like invasive species control, converting fescue and other grasses into native grasses and plants,” MDC Media Specialist Erin Woodiel said. “We do, forest and woodland improvements, recommend prescribed burn on properties every now and then. Burning a property is sometimes a very healthy way of keeping that flora rejuvenating.”

MDC recently worked with landowners, Jim and Linda Strauch to create a forest opening and wildlife watering facility to help the wildlife occupying areas of their property and areas near it.

Additional information on programs and resources assisting conservations efforts can be found on the MDC Community Conservation Funding Opportunities homepage.

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