Author: News-Press NOW

News-Press NOW

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (KQTV) — As the St. Joseph School District’s Board of Education wrestles with deciding on a long-range plan, a Chamber of Commerce executive speaks up about the future of the school district. 

During Monday night’s board work session and public comment, St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce president and CEO Natalie Hawn spoke about the long-range plan for the school district. 

Hawn encouraged the district administration and the board to move forward after a significant amount of time was spent on developing a long-range plan through Vision Forward. 

In a statement to KQ2 Tuesday, chamber officials provided additional thoughts on the current situation. 

“Our organization is singularly dedicated to ensuring our community is well-positioned for growth. We know there is a strong link between schools and community economic vitality. The District’s long-range plan is data-informed, includes public input and should be the guidepost for decision making. We cannot allow political games to dictate the future of our school district. Our children and our community deserve better.”

During Hawn’s speech Monday night, she said that the Chamber does not favor any specific school closings and never has done so.

“For the record, the Chamber board isn’t in favor of any certain school closing and never has been. Our board supports having a long-range plan and strategy as well as taking action to move our district forward. As well as supporting the administration.”

Here is the transcript of Hawn’s full comments at the board work session Monday night:

“We spent many hours working on the long-range plan through Vision Forward with many community meetings. We would like to encourage you to stay on a path forward.

Reasons would be:

1 • The district’s fall 2025 enrollment dipped to 9,781 students — the lowest in recent history. Birth rates are down and the student population will continue to decline unless the community and district act proactively. These facts mean that we cannot simply maintain the status quo. The school district must adapt to remain efficient, sustainable, and capable of delivering excellent educational outcomes.

2 • Many of the district’s buildings are over 60 years old; updating or consolidating is not only prudent, but necessary to provide a competitive learning environment that attracts families and businesses. Forward-thinking facility planning supports academic excellence and helps control long-term costs (maintenance, utilities, staff, etc.).

3 • Straying from the long-range plan affects the growth of St. Joseph. Local businesses need a well-educated workforce and an environment that attracts families. Parents aren’t attracted to outdated, undersized or inefficient schools. If young families don’t want to send their kids to school here, they won’t want to work for our companies, which will affect St. Joseph’s ability to retain businesses.

4 • As Mrs. Studer addressed, the long-range plan rightly identifies teacher recruitment and retention, and student performance improvement as key areas of focus. When we invest in our people, we strengthen not only our classrooms but the entire community’s future.

5 • The choices the Board makes now (about facility consolidation, redrawing boundaries and school configurations) will affect the district, the city, and our region for decades.

For the record, the Chamber board isn’t in favor of any certain school closing and never has been. Our board supports having a long-range plan and strategy as well as taking action to move our district forward. As well as supporting the administration.

We urge the Board to act with vision, courage and a willingness to invest in the future.”

SJSD’s Special Board of Education Meeting is meeting at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Troester Media Center. The board will continue the district’s facility plans. 

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Patrick Holleron

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — The St. Joseph School District Board of Education has opted to further explore a modified version of Plan 2B to shape the future of St. Joseph public schools, this coming after two high-profile board meetings this week.

Wednesday’s meeting at the Troester Media Center comes after the previously-discussed Plan E was shelved during a Monday work session, with the board requesting more time to review facility details for Plan E, Plan 2B and Plan 7B.

In reviewing details of Plan 2B, the majority of the board decided that the two high school model was the best path and wanted to examine additional modifications made to Plan 2B (Lafayette/Central) over Plan 7B (Benton/Central).

Additionally the board wanted to look at the possibility of a four-middle school model and changing some of the feeder systems.

One parent present in the audience, Aaron Westlake, explained why it was important for him to speak to the board before they began discussions of which plan to hone on.

“I’ve spoken at a couple of these meetings now. I’m the parent of a child that goes to Bessie Ellison,” Westlake said. “We found they are an absolutely amazing school, the sense of community there was stronger than I could have believed. I find it to be a school worth fighting for.”

After the meeting, Board President LaTonya Williams felt she could take a “sigh of relief” with clarity and a sense of direction in place with Plan 2B moving ahead for further conversations. Williams explained that while people will be upset, a decision had to be made.

“I understand that it can be frustrating, but we had to make a decision. Williams said. “We had lots of people contact us, I received lots of emails and I read every one. But I’m not able to answer to everyone. I do apologize, but I need to listen to the people.”

Williams then added that her family is among those who will be impacted by the choice to move forward with Plan 2B.

“I want for people to know I have a child in these schools. My kids and my organization are also in these schools,” Williams said. “My own kid will be moving to a different high school. As a mother, I don’t want that. As a president of this the board I have to make the right decision. And at times we have to make a good decision that isn’t going to be the one that everyone likes. And that’s okay.”

A follow-up meeting is currently scheduled for 5:30 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 17, in the Troester Media Center located at 3401 Renick St.

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News-Press NOW

By: Zac Scott

ST. JOSEPH, Mo (KQTV)– Local boxers are preparing for a popular “Showdown” at East Hills Mall.

The “Showdown N Joetown IV” features 10 amateur bouts and six professional bouts, including Dakota Amy and Jacob Thrall, who will be fighting to see who will stay undefeated.

The fighters will check into Tipps Sports Bar for medical checks and to see their opponent for the first time before the event.

Showdown N Joetown IV Co-Promoter, John Carden, has been promoting fights in St. Joseph for almost 20 years.

Carden shared how he set up his latest fight card, or boxing lineup. Carden also said the Showdown competition had been building up before fight night.

“It’s an excellent opportunity to see the up-and-comers, because it is a Pro-Am (professional and amateur fights) show,” said Carden. “Dakoda Lynn is coming back. He hasn’t fought for a while here in town. Katelyn Radtka is making her debut. She’s somebody that I’ve known of for quite some time. Her background is primarily in MMA, but she’s fighting a girl out of South Dakota, so that should be a very, very exciting, entertaining fight.

Carden said spectators and fans will be able to see some pretty good bouts.

“As far as competitiveness, this is probably the most, if not one of the most, competitive cards I’ve put on here,” said Carden.

Amateur bouts will start at 5 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 15, at the East Hills Mall. Professional bouts will begin at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 15, at the East Hills Mall.

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Cameron Montemayor

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — The Pony Express Museum will provide a forum for community members to connect and learn about experiences of grief and healing.

The longstanding club announced it’s latest program titled “Pathways of Hope: Building a Safe, Connected, and Meaningful Circle of Support,” will take place at the museum on Nov. 18.

Th event will feature longtime Missouri educators and philanthropists Lisa and Kirk Thacker of Our Hearts Are Home, a faith-based nonprofit organization that offers support to grieving parents and families.

The two will share their personal discovery of healing processes following grief. In 2020, Lisa and Kirk unexpectedly lost their son Dalton to suicide.

The event will begin with lunch at 12:05 p.m. before program discussions begin at 12:30 p.m. The Pony Express Museum is

Founded in 1894 in St. Joseph, the Runcie Club continues to be one of the longest standing women’s organizations in St. Joseph, dedicated to promoting science, literature and education.

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Cameron Montemayor

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — Cinema-goers and residents alike will get a unique opportunity this week to hear from Hollywood royalty at Missouri Western.

MoWest’s Cinematic Arts Program is set to host a special clinical talk with Academy Award winning writer Kevin Wilmott at 2:30 p.m. on Thursday at the Bebe and Crosby Kemper Recital Hall located in Leah Spratt Hall room 101. The event is free and open to the public.

Willmott won both an Academy Award and British Academy Award for co-writing the feature film “BlacKkKlansman” with Spike Lee. The film was nominated for six Oscars including best picture, director, supporting actor and soundtrack.

Award-winning films written and directed by Willmott include “Ninth Street,” “CSA: Confederate States of America,” “The Battle for Bunker Hill,” “Jayhawkers” and “Destination Planet Negro.”

The program is part of a series of clinician speaking events sponsored by MoWest cinema, offering students and community members a chance to learn from top professionals in the film and media arts production industries.

Wilmott, a native of Kansas, is also a longtime film professor at the University of Kansas, reaching emeritus status earlier this year.

He and Lee co-wrote the feature film “Da Five Bloods” for Netflix which was named the best film of 2020 by the National Board of Review. He also co-wrote and is the executive producer of the critically acclaimed film “Chi-Raq,” also directed by Spike Lee.

Documentaries directed by Willmott include “From Separate to Equal: The Creation of Truman Medical Center,” “Gordon Parks Elementary,” “Fast Break: The Legendary Coach John McLendon,” “William Allen White: What’s the Matter with Kansas,” “No Place Like Home: The Struggle Against Hate in Kansas” and the upcoming “The Heroic True-Life Adventures of Alvin Brooks.”

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Praji Ghosh

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (KQTV) — The St. Joseph School District’s Finance Committee met Tuesday afternoon to review a series of proposed budget reduction measures developed by one of its administrators.

While the meeting covered several key topics, one of the main points of discussion centered around staffing — part of the district’s larger conversation about strengthening internal controls and maintaining financial balance. 

Assistant Superintendent for Business and Operations, Robert Hedgecorth, also walked committee members through how attendance and enrollment directly affect the district’s state funding.

Hedgecorth explained that Missouri’s current funding formula takes into account several factors — including student enrollment, attendance rates and academic performance, along with local contributions from taxes and other sources. 

“So the hiring role that you have here with your attendance, and some other calculations and including what your IP percentages or ll percentage, your previous less percentage, all multiplied on the SAT, subtract out your local effort. And that’s what you get for your funding formula. So enrollment is definitely a factor in that,” Hedgecorth said.  

In simpler terms, the more students who are enrolled and consistently attending school, the more funding the district is likely to receive from the state. 

However, that formula could soon be changing. State officials are exploring possible adjustments that would divide funding evenly, according to Hedgecorth. The funding division would be 50% based on enrollment and 50% on attendance. 

“Something that they did with the funding formula is they’ve changed it to where it is now 10% enrollment, 90% attendance in the waiting,” said Hedgecorth. “It’s going to land at 50/50, where now they’re going to try to get to have enrollment, have attendance and kind of balance it out.”

In addition to funding discussions, Hedgecorth also highlighted how district programs, such as free and reduced lunch options, can open doors for additional sponsorships and grant opportunities. 

He added, expanding summer school programs could also be a smart move for the district, not only offering more learning opportunities for students but also helping increase financial support tied to student participation. 

“(Something) I’ve seen a lot of districts do is charged activity if you participate in an extracurricular. I’ve seen some districts that played it for free lunch, if you’re eligible for…for those students. I’ve seen something charged off that it was, that’s definitely one that would increase our revenue,” Hedgecorth said.  

The Finance Committee will continue to review cost-saving strategies and funding possibilities as the district works toward balancing its budget for the upcoming school year. 

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News-Press NOW

By: Rusty Summers

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (KQTV) — A bill to relocate waste in the St. Joseph Landfill’s “Trash Mountain” had its first reading at St. Joseph’s City Council meeting Monday night.

If the bill passes, MCON would receive the contract for the city landfill waste relocation project, beating out Nail Excavating due to incorrect pricing, which voids the company’s bid.

The city said, as a result of Cell 7-B filling up faster than predicted and with the delays associated with Cell 8, waste was temporarily relocated to an area known as “Trash Mountain”.

The city received a vertical expansion from the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) while Cell 8 was being finished.

“We knew the whole time that some of that trash needed to be relocated to the new cell,” Director of Public Works Abe Forney said. “So, that’s what this contract will do. It will move the  trash that was in that area that was not approved by the vertical expansion to be relocated over to cell number eight.”

If the council passes the project, the city will not be fined for the extra trash added to Trash Mountain. The project is not to exceed $1,902,150.15.

The passage of the bill will bring the projected landfill fund balance down from about $21 million to about $19 million.

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By: Zac Scott

LEAVENWORTH, Kan. (KQTV) — Veterans from Missouri and Kansas gathered to celebrate Veterans Day at a longstanding tradition in Leavenworth.

The parade itself has been a staple in Leavenworth for 106 years, and is also known as one of the oldest Veterans Day observances in the nation and the largest parades west of the Mississippi.

“It’s a nice tribute to all of our veterans, past, present,” Army Veteran Don Studnicka said. “Our active duty folks all over the world to honor them and their sacrifices that they make for this country.”

Studnicka retired in 1992 while stationed at Fort Leavenworth. Even though he lives in Lansing, Kansas, Studnika visits Leavenworth for its Veterans Day parade because of the way the community honors its veterans.

“The only thing I’d want to say to the people of Leavenworth is keep honoring our veterans and honoring them in the way that they have been doing,” said Studnicka.

Infantry Veteran Tom Switzel is a consistent visitor to the Leavenworth Veterans Day Parade. Switzel said he had visited the last 50 parades in the hope of meeting new friends.

“I look for friends every year when I come down here and usually run into a few, and it’s a good chance to meet up again and meet new people,” said Switzel.

Leavenworth native and 33rd Armored Division Veteran Michael Lay has been attending the parade since 1964. Lay is proud to see that opinions about veterans have improved since the Vietnam era.

“I wish that when our soldiers came out of Vietnam, they were honored more, and they get more honor now than they did when they first came out of Vietnam, and that has changed,” said Lay.

Kansas and Missouri veterans hope the traditional Veterans Day parade in Leavenworth continues for current veterans and those who will visit in the future. 

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Cameron Montemayor

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — Local authorities have released the numbers from Saturday’s joint law enforcement operation aimed at improving roadway safety and deterring dangerous driving.

A coordinated law enforcement operation involving both St. Joseph Police, the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Aircraft Division resulted in a total of 77 traffic stops on Saturday, Nov. 8.

Officers and troopers issued a total of 43 citations and 73 warnings for various traffic violations. The operation also led to:

Three arrests for Driving While Intoxicated (DWI)

The recovery of a stolen vehicle

Possession of a controlled substance

Driving while revoked

Clearing of five outstanding warrants, including three felony warrants

During the operation, four motorists failed to stop for police, but all were safely apprehended with the assistance of the Highway Patrol’s helicopter. The cases will be referred to the Buchanan County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office for consideration of aggravated fleeing charges.

“Operations like this demonstrate our shared commitment to keeping our community safe,” Chief Luster said. “By working together, we can more effectively identify unsafe drivers, remove impaired motorists from our roads, and ensure everyone arrives home safely.”

SJPD credited the assistance of the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the Patrol’s Aircraft Division for continued partnerships that help address traffic safety concerns.

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Leah Rainwater

ST. JOSPEH, Mo. (KQTV) — A heavily used Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) medication is being recalled because users aren’t able to get the full effect.

Lisdexamfetamine Dimesylate Capsules, the generic form of Vyvanse, is being recalled, according to the Food and Drug Administration.

The recall was announced on Oct. 28 for the capsule, which is already in short supply.

The Board of Pharmacy said the recall involves several medicine dosages, such as 10 mg, 20 mg, 30 mg, 40 mg, 50 mg, 60 mg and 70 mg.

According to the Board, the recall was initiated in response to out-of-specification (OOS) results observed in the product’s dissolution test for the 60 mg capsules in Batch AD50896.

Based on the Health Hazard Evaluation, “Dissolution is important for drugs to be absorbed and have a physiological effect on the human body, they must be in solution. The impacted capsule would not be able to deliver optimal level of medicine and may impact therapeutic efficacy of the product.”

Sun Pharmaceutical Industries, Inc. initiated the shipment of the product between May 1, 2024, and Nov. 13, 2024. Each lot in the shipments contained 100-count bottles.

According to a study done by the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, there has been an increase in ADHD diagnoses due to increased awareness.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that between 2020 and 2023, 10% of children ages 3 through 17 were diagnosed with ADHD in the state of Missouri.

The same CDC report also shows a total of 70.2% of Missourians were treated with the disorder between 2020 and 2023.

Patients who have and are currently taking the recalled medication have been encouraged to contact their doctor or pharmacy for replacement or refunds.

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