Author: News-Press NOW

TaMya Bracy

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — The United Way of Greater St. Joseph has released a list of warming centers and emergency warming centers in the community.

There are six warming shelters and three emergency shelters in St. Joseph.

Some of the warming centers include:

Carnegie Library, located at 316 Massachusetts St.

Downtown Library, located at 927 Felix St.

East Hills Library, located at 502 N. Woodbine Road

Rolling Hills Library, located at 1904 N. Belt Highway

The Salvation Army, located at 602 Messanie St.

Washington Park Library, located at 1821 N. 3rd St.

Some of the three emergency shelters include:

Community Missions (CMC) My Brother’s House, located at 700 1/2 Olive St.

The Salvation Army Booth Center, located at 318 S. 6th St.

YWCA Shelter, located at 304 N. 8th St.

Additionally, the list has the Rolling Hills Library listed as a warming shelter, which is located in Savannah.

The warming centers are ADA-compliant and most have restrooms and water fountains available.

Businesses that qualify as a warming center want to remind guests that:

Some sites may close for holidays or other reasons.

Disruptive patrons may be asked to leave.

Each site may have restrictions on what is allowed, including but not limited to: alcohol,weapons, smoking and pets.

Jodi Flurry, the director of community investment at the United Way of Greater St. Joseph, said it’s important to have warming centers for people who don’t have adequate heating sources in their homes or have another place to go.

“So having these warming centers is really important. It’s also it’s good for your mental health, it’s good for your physical health,” Flurry said.

Jen Wildhagen, manager of the St. Joseph downtown library said during the winter there are influx of people coming to warm up.

“We get a lot of people who need to come in and get out of the harsh cold or even just warm up for a while. They have access to fresh water from the water fountain, restroom and then they can just be here as long as they comply with the other rules that apply to everyone at the library,” she said.

Wildhagen said that the library does its best to keep the heat working since its an old building.

“The same can go for the heating systems in the buildings, but we really do our best to be sure that we have areas where people can be warm when it’s cold outside for cool when it’s really hot outside,” Wildhagen said

Any agency interested in serving as a warming center is encouraged to contact United Way.

“We’re always looking to add more agencies and safe places for people to go,” said Flurry. “So please contact the United Way if your agency is able to serve as a warming center, this one this winter.”

More information about local warming centers can be found on United Way’s website.

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Patrick Holleron

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — Local businesses and organizations are preparing to host family-friendly celebrations on Halloween.

Different Halloween activities and trunk-or-treat stations will be set up at multiple locations around town.

Families are invited to Trick-or-treat with Rally, the St. Joseph Mustangs mascot, and other Mustangs’ players. The event will take place from noon to 1 p.m. at Phil Welch Stadium on Halloween.

Holsey Chapel will host a trunk-or-treat from 5 to 7 p.m. on Friday at 1001 S. 14th St.

Businesses at the Shops of East Ridge Village will host a trick-or-treat event from 2 to 5 p.m. at 3829 Frederick Ave. Families are encouraged to stop in the shops and restaurants for treats, games and specials.

The All Hallow’s Eve Festival will host a trunk-or-treat from 5 to 9 p.m. on Halloween at 3414 S. 22nd St. All families are welcome, and can even stay later for haunted house fun.

To view or submit other Halloween activities, visit www.newspressnow.com/events.

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Alison Patton

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Special benefits for low-income mothers are safe for now, despite the ongoing federal shutdown, the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services announced Wednesday.

Benefits under the Special Supplement Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children program, known commonly as WIC, will be dispersed for November, but might not last the whole month without changes, the agency says.

WIC, like SNAP, is federally funded through congressional appropriations. That money is then sent to the states to administer the program. DHSS said Wednesday that it found savings in its October benefit payments that can keep the program going into November.

In its news release, the department didn’t specify how much money it saved or exactly how long funding will last.

DHSS said it will let people know if the benefits run out in the second half of November.

WIC is a program to help low-income young mothers and their children with food and other benefits. Like SNAP, also known as food stamps, WIC’s federal funding will run out next month unless Congress acts.

Other states have taken steps similar to Missouri’s to keep WIC funded, including Hawaii, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Oregon and Wyoming, according to The Hill. Some states have stepped up to provide SNAP funds, but Missouri has yet to make that move.

Wednesday marks day 29 of the government shutdown, and is nearly a week shy of surpassing the last government shutdown.

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Alec Pascuzzi

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — Lindbergh Elementary School implemented a new reading buddy program for its second-grade students.

Once a week from 10:40 a.m. to 11:40 a.m. on Wednesdays, individuals throughout the community volunteer their time to read with the second-grade students. 

Lindbergh follows the St. Joseph School District’s procedures when it comes to vetting volunteers.

Each Wednesday, excitement is through the roof from not only the kids, but also the volunteers.

“This program has already seen some successes. Our students are very excited for Wednesdays to meet with their reading buddy. If they happen to be out of the room doing something else prior to their reading buddy, the time they make sure they tell that staff member that they have to make it back because their reading buddy is going to be here,” said Dr. Kaleb Johnson, the assistant principal of Lindbergh Elementary School.

The staff, as well as volunteers, have already noticed positive improvements in the students’ reading skills. Students have reportedly shown improvements in their fluency levels as well as a notable increase in enthusiasm for reading.

Not only has the new reading buddy program helped the students grow in their reading skills, but it has also begun to forge new connections.

“What I enjoy the most is that I get to work with the same three little boys every Wednesday, and we’re falling in love with each other. I mean, it’s just like, I cannot wait to see them. And then I see their faces light up when they see me. Yeah, there’s just no better feeling,” said Volunteer Margie Shean.

The reading buddy program was implemented just four weeks ago. The program will continue to take place each Wednesday up until Christmas break on Dec. 17.

Once the program ends for the fall semester, Lindbergh faculty will re-evaluate the need for the program in the spring semester.

 

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Patrick Holleron

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — With SNAP suspensions potentially coming into play at the beginning of November, United Way kicked off its first Caring Connection volunteer session.

Meal kits were prepared for those who may be potentially impacted by the government shutdown. The kits will include common household items to make meals such as tuna casserole and chicken tacos.

All 40 of the available time slots for the volunteer sessions were filled, requiring the need for a waitlist.

“It’s a huge testament to show people want to help their friends and neighbors,” United Way President Kylie Strough said. “And they’re willing to take action. They are asking ‘How can I make a difference’ when these issues are caused at levels that aren’t directly connected to state government and federal government.”

Strough also added that with the second session also at full capacity, there may be a third volunteer session held sometime in November.

“I plan to appeal to our board and ask, ‘How do you feel about allocating a few thousand more dollars’ to make more meal kits,” Strough said. “What we’re hearing from agencies is clients are stressed about what’s going to happen in November. The reality is kids go to school less days in November, and some people lose out on the work days and hours in because of the holidays.”

The second volunteer session will take place from 9 to 11 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 31, at the United Way Agencies located at 118 S. 5th St.

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News-Press NOW

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — A job posting on the St. Joseph School District’s website revealed that a position is open for a Benton Girls Basketball Head Coach, after recently hiring Ross Barelli in May.

SJSD School Board president, LaTonya Williams, confirmed with News-Press NOW Tuesday that Barelli is no longer Benton’s head coach.

Ross Barelli on the court, coaching a game. Courtesy of Ross Barelli on Facebook.

The Benton Girls’ Basketball team will have its first game at 5:30 p.m. on Nov. 24 at St. Michael the Archangel in Lee’s Summit, Missouri.

The Benton girls finished their unforgettable 2024-2025 season with 24 wins and a second-place state finish.

News-Press NOW will provide the latest developments on Benton’s search for a new head coach.

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Patrick Holleron

EDITOR’S NOTE: This article has been edited to reflect a correction. It previously mentioned and alluded to the fact that the AFL-CIO was the parent company of the Pregnancy Resource Center. The AFL-CIO does not own or operate the PRC. The AFL-CIO’s role was to distribute the information below to media outlets and the community.

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — The Pregnancy Resource Center announced it has received a supply of baby food from the Convoy of Hope. 

All local area agencies, daycares or individuals are eligible to receive baby food by contacting the PRC. All requests will be accepted and distributed on a first request basis.

For more information on the baby food or other resources, call the PRC at 816-387-8090.

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Payton Counts

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — Broadcast meteorologists, emergency management officials, MoDOT representatives and public health employees from Northwest Missouri and Northeast Kansas met to discuss ways to improve weather communication.

The meeting took place in Lee’s Summit, Missouri, at the Missouri State Highway Patrol Troop A headquarters for the National Weather Service’s Integrated Warning Team meeting.

News-Press NOW’s Storm Tracker Weather Team participated in this year’s session, which focused on reviewing major weather events from the past year and improving communication and public safety during severe weather.

This year’s discussion centered on the Jan. 4, 2025 blizzard and the two tornadoes that touched down in the Kansas City area on June 3, 2025.

Jonathan Kurtz, a warning coordination meteorologist with the National Weather Service, explained the purpose of the meeting.

“It is primarily to bring together the stakeholders within the region. Emergency management, the media, and anyone involved in public safety, especially with weather alerts,” said Kurtz. “We discuss challenges to make sure we’re on the same page, and ensure we’re serving the public to the best of our ability.”

These meetings also help build relationships and strategize how to respond more effectively when hazardous weather strikes.

Looking ahead, one major event expected to test coordination between weather and public safety officials will be the 2026 FIFA World Cup, scheduled in Kansas City over the summer.

Matches include the Round of 32 on July 3, 2026, and the quarterfinal on July 11, 2026.

Weather information will need to be communicated in multiple languages, with major concerns focused on dangerous heat and severe thunderstorms.

As a Weather-Ready Nation, your Storm Tracker Weather Team will continue to grow and learn from each weather event to help ensure the safety of our entire viewing area.

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TaMya Bracy

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — The annual Sugarplum Festival kicks off next week at the Albrecht-Kemper Museum of Art.

The festival will take place for three days from Nov. 6 through Nov. 8.

The festival will include 30+ small businesses, local entrepreneurs and crafters, live music and performances, delicious cafe lunch and more.

Second Harvest will be hosting a food drive and will be collecting non-perishable items to help support local families in need.

Donations can be dropped off at designated areas during festival hours.

Presale tickets start at $8 and can be purchased up until the festival. Tickets are available at the Albrecht-Kemper Museum of Art, Casentino’s Price Chopper, Hy-Vee, Mosaic Life Care and St. Joseph Convention and Visitors Bureau. Tickets can be purchased for $10 at the festival.

The festival offers two types of parking. Free parking is available on Noyes and Clay Streets. A shuttle will be available for free parking. Paid Museum parking costs $5, cash only.

There are three exclusive ticket packages ranging from $60 to $100.

Madison McKinley, the marketing and communications manager of the AKMA, said she looks forward to how the festival gets everyone into the Christmas spirit.

“They’re spending time with their friends and family. You get that same feeling during the Sugar Plum Festival, and that’s what I always look forward to, is just the excitement and the holiday cheer that people bring with it,” she said.

The Sugarplum Festival has provided a fun and unique shopping experience for the St. Joseph community for 40 years. It serves as a way to encourage families to shop ahead of the busy holiday season, while also supporting local businesses.

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Charles Christian

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — A local non-profit is highlighting its thrift store while providing a fun event for kids in the St. Joseph community.

From 4 to 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 29, the Pivotal PointThrift Shoppe in St. Joseph will host a Trunk-or-Treat event.

The event will be indoors and will feature several tables where kids can retrieve candy and other treats while trying out their Halloween costumes.

Store manager Angel Hovey said this is a great way to have a safe family event, regardless of the weather, while also discovering the Thrift Shoppe and all it has to offer.

“It will be in store, so the kids will be able to walk around and have a great time,” Hovey said. “In addition to tables that will contain a variety of treats, we will also have a chocolate milk bar, and everybody’s going to be dressed up in costume.”

Pivotal Point Director Rick Lipira said, in addition to providing a fun outlet for kids and families, highlighting the Thrift Shoppe is important because it provides great deals to families, has a wide range of low-cost items and is the main fundraiser for all of Pivotal Point’s services to the homeless community.

“We want to make sure people are aware of this ministry and of the overall work of Pivotal Point while they are having fun for Halloween,” Lipira said.

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