Author: News-Press NOW

Kendra Simpson

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — The Second Harvest Food Bank asked the community to help fill stomachs and minds Thursday with its Fill the Van food drive outside Sam’s Club.

Shoppers at Sam’s Club were asked to purchase food to donate to Second Harvest and the numerous food pantries in schools around the community.

“A lot of people don’t realize that there’s such a need for (food assistance) in the community,” James Marmaud, Second Harvest’s food sourcing coordinator, said. “Just participating in something like this can help bring awareness. People realize that there are people out there, even your neighbors, that might be suffering from hunger.”

Ruthanna Odette, a volunteer for Second Harvest for more than a decade, faced food insecurity throughout her life and said volunteering with the organization is her way of saying thanks. Seeing others donate brought tears to her eyes.

“It makes me want to cry,” she said. “That’s what it’s all about. Because of the times and the economics of everything, it’s tough being a senior, it’s tough being a young parent, a single parent. So any time where we can help with the food pantries, Backpack Buddies, any of that, I know that the people are giving in St. Joe.”

Thursday’s donations will go to local elementary, middle and high schools as well as college campuses.

“Campus pantries are very important for the education of our children, too. Full stomach, bright mind,” Odette said.

Second Harvest will accept donations of nonperishable foods, canned goods, oatmeal packages, soups and vegetables.

The organization also hosts several mobile food drives at various locations to ensure everyone in Buchanan and surrounding counties is food secure. For upcoming food drives, visit Second Harvest’s website at www.shcfb.org.

Leah Rainwater

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — A scary activity for some, downhill mountain bike racing has become not only a hobby, but a career for 18-year-old Carson Brooks.

“So, downhill is the discipline, and so like, cross-country is the same as cross-country running, but on a bike you’re only times on the downhills,” Brooks said. “You generally would just study one track over your week, or all of your practices and then the downhill race would just be one day. It’s generally a three-minute run down a specific track down a mountain.”

Brooks, a Savannah High School senior, didn’t always have an interest in the sport.

“Around 2020, whenever COVID came, there wasn’t really anything to do,” Brooks said. “So I just went out and rode my bike and found out it was what I really loved doing and started competing in 2021.”

Brooks currently competes in Category 2 racing. For now, he is focusing on honing his skills, especially after just competing in his first national race in North Carolina last weekend.

“I did place pretty good in this race. I got fourth,” Brooks said. “Which is pretty good for my first national race at this level.”

Brooks said moving up in levels also comes with sponsorships, ambassadorships and brand representation.

“At the moment, I have one sponsorship that I’m under contract with,” said Brooks. “I have a few ambassadorships, which, one of them is a glove company, so they just supply me with discounts and free gloves here and then.”

The support from brands comes as a big help, especially as Brooks’ sport racks up the bills.

“It’s very expensive. Just to race, it’s almost $200,” he said. “And then you have to actually get there, so there’s a lot to it.

Brooks also said equipment also plays a big part.

“Helmets generally cost around $500 to $800, shoes around $200, jersey and pants can be $300 to $500,” said Brooks. “A good race bike can be anywhere from $5,000 to $10,000.”

Brooks said he doesn’t let the costs get in his way.

“I think the community in cycling is really awesome. It’s like everybody wants to support you,” he said. “Everyone’s just like a family, basically.”

Brooks hopes to move up to Category 1 next year and eventually wants to race at the professional level.

News-Press NOW

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — The St. Joseph Museums is taking residents back in time to visit a well-known local leisure spot.

“Rewind: A Time-Traveling Soirée to Lake Contrary,” will be held from 6 to 8:30 p.m. on Friday, May 30, at the St. Joseph Country Club, located at 50 Ridgeland Road. The fundraiser will include a virtual recreation of the Lake Contrary Amusement Park, a traditional Lotus Club menu and games, historical reenactors and other entertainment.

Proceeds will support the museum’s educational outreach programs, which involve SJSD early learning centers, Big Brothers Big Sisters of St. Joseph, senior programming at the Joyce Raye Patterson 50-plus Center, events at Rolling Hills Library, teacher summits and professional development days, classroom learning and Black History Month activities.

Individual tickets are available for $100. Table sponsorships for eight guests are $750. Quanites of both are limited. To purchase tickets or become a sponsor, visit stjosephmuseum.networkforgood.com/events/81090-rewind-a-time-traveling-soiree-to-lake-contrary.

Cameron Montemayor

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — Plans are in motion for the development of a new $7.5 million TownePlace Suites hotel at 1401 N. Woodbine Road.

TownePlace Suites, a Marriott-operated hotel brand, is eyeing a four-story building with 129 rooms, a breakfast area, a fitness area, an indoor pool and an outdoor patio.

The hotel would be located on a 4.7-acre plot of land next to Stoney Creek Hotel. The land is currently owned by Altira St. Joe Hotel LLC.

“We’ve received plans on that project. Once permitted … you’ll see development occur quickly on that one,†said Clint Thompson, St. Joseph’s director of planning and community development. “The project, based on the current time frame, would be able to be finished prior to end of this calendar year.â€

The St. Joseph City Council will hear a bill for first reading on Monday to accept $9,778 from TownePlace Suites for a portion of future development costs, including building plan review services from the city’s consultant GBA. Additional permit fees collected by the city will provide the funds needed to fully compensate GBA for the services it performs in connection with the new hotel project.

TownePlace Suites has more than 500 locations across the United States and Canada, including several in Kansas City.

Christian Mengel, director of Marketing and Communications with the St. Joseph Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, said 129 new hotels rooms would infuse millions in revenue into the local economy.

“To put in perspective, last year (the tourism industry) was a $237 million industry just in Buchanan County,†Mengel said. “Growth is absolutely necessary for hotel rooms in St. Joseph. The tourism industry is growing, and it has consistently year over year.”

The hotel marks the latest bid to improve St. Joseph’s lagging hotel landscape, which recently saw the addition of a My Place Hotel on North Village Drive. A Hilton-affiliated hotel is also in the works for an area behind the YMCA nearby.

Hotels rooms, which were already a growing need in St. Joseph, have become an even greater priority over time as facilities like the Ramada Inn, America’s Value Inn and the Downtown hotel — among others — have closed down.

With approximately 900 hotel rooms across St. Joseph, the city is still 600 short of where it has been in previous years. An infusion of 380 new rooms — 129 from the Woodbine Marriott hotel and potentially 249 from two new boutique hotels and convention center on Frederick Avenue — would go a long way in improving St. Joseph’s shortage.

“It’s absolutely going in the right direction. It’s starting to feel like boxes are actually getting checked off by more rooms here, more rooms here,†Mengel said. “That last thing that would really bring it home is if we do get something Downtown.”

Despite a failed deal last year to build a new Downtown hotel due to financing shortfalls with hotel developer HDDA, Thompson confirmed that the city is actively working to attract and market property for a hotel in Downtown St. Joseph.

“You look at Joplin, a smaller size community with 20,000 less people and they have, you know, 1500 to 2000 hotel rooms. We have a shortage in the market. We have a high demand occupancy rate that leads the state. So I think we have room to grow still,” Thompson said.

Jenna Wilson

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — A survivor shared her story at the Crime Victims’ Rights Week Breakfast on Friday, offering hope and strength to those affected by violence. 

Officials and community members gathered at Missouri Western State University for the annual Crime Victims’ Breakfast, hosted by the Buchanan County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, to support local victims of crime and honor the stories of those who did not survive. 

Brandi Dredge, the speaker at this year’s breakfast, shared how, with the help of law enforcement, she came to understand that she was a victim of a sex crime.

At the age of 16, the reality of her marriage finally became clear to her after a sergeant revealed she was the victim of one of her husband’s crimes — statutory rape — and her son’s DNA was the evidence the prosecution needed to convict him.

Dredge stood in front of dozens to share how crime can impact a person and her gratefulness for those who fought for her.

“I never dreamed I would share a room with the people who make such a difference in our community,†Dredge said. “At the time, I couldn’t see so many things. But now, with hindsight, I can see all the ways they fought for me and they helped get justice for not just myself but the other survivors.â€

The ceremony played a contributing slideshow honoring victims of crimes who didn’t survive and awarded a detective with the Buchanan County Crime Victim Service Award.

Detective Stefen Hernandez-Gross with the St. Joseph Police Department’s detective division was awarded the Buchanan County Crime Victim Service award.

After many years working as a dispatcher, Hernandez-Gross, a LGBTQ+ liaison for the police department, began working with the Family Crimes Division in 2023, investigating countless child sex cases and building connections with the victims.

“It means a lot going through all the work to help these victims,†Hernandez-Gross said. “Reaching out to witnesses, getting evidence, all the stuff it takes to build a case and submit it to the prosecutor to get these victims the justice that they deserve and need, that itself is rewarding enough and then to be recognized for it is just over the top.â€

Dredge shared a message of support for all victims of crime who may still be struggling.

“Be kind to yourself because it is a healing process and the path of healing can be messy, but it is beautiful,†Dredge said. “You just have to keep showing up day after day.â€

The Buchanan County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office has been honoring the victims of crime all week. Voices of Courage Child Advocacy Center hosted a community event and conference on Monday and Tuesday addressing child exploitation. On Wednesday, a small ceremony was held at the Crime Victims’ Memorial at the Remington Nature Center.

Leah Rainwater

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — Students across the St. Joseph School District participated in Earth Day activities at Robidoux Middle School.

Although the event happened just before Earth Day, which is Tuesday, April 22, it gives students a chance to participate in promoting environmental stewardship, scientific exploration and community collaboration.

“I think the biggest takeaway that I always get from these students when they walk through or go through these programs is understanding how energy, recycling, renewable is kind of the whole Earth Day theme,” said Peter Hinkle. “Creates good stewardship with them at a young age.”

“These activities are designed to show our students that caring for our planet can be fun,†said Dr. Gabe Edgar, superintendent of St. Joseph School District. “We’re hoping to help them see what a future in different STEM fields could look like.â€

The Earth Day event is not just about celebrating environmentalism, it also shows students how to act on it.

“It’s important to like, save energy and just like, use your resources around you for certain things,” said Baylee, a student at Robidoux.

Esmirna is also a student at Robidoux, who has a few suggestions on how create a sustainable environment.

“We should pick up trash, we should save some energy and turning off lights,” said Esmirna.

Ariona is another student at Robidoux, who says it’s important to take care of the Earth.

“The Earth we live on… we have to, we want to take care of it,” said Ariona. “It’s like taking care of your house, you want to make sure it’s clean so you can live in it.”

Some activities students participated in include building miniature solar homes, pollinator gardening, a local pollution cleanup and a workshop on developing sustainable businesses.

Kendra Simpson

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) The Friends of the Animal Shelter and UPCO Pet Supplies are offering pet owners the opportunity to receive affordable medical care for their pets.

St. Joseph residents can apply for the Friends of the Animal Shelter’s new Spay and Neuter Assistance Program. It helps pet owners cover the cost of spaying or neutering in hopes of limiting St. Joseph’s stray animal crisis.

“Spaying and neutering is vital to management of the pet population, reducing shelter overcrowding and helps to create safer and healthier communities,” Friends of the Animal Shelter wrote in a Facebook post.

Pet owners must live within St. Joseph and have proof of vaccination, which they can receive at a discount over the weekend thanks to UPCO Pet Supplies’ Vaccine Clinic.

“The healthier you keep your pets, the longer they’re going to live, the longer they’ll be your life companion,” Eric Evans Green, vice president of UPCO, said. ” It’s kind of like, you know, keeping yourself healthy with doctor checkups and things like that, things that are required just to help them live a longer, happier, healthier life.”

The vaccine clinic will include essential vaccines for dogs and cats, including rabies, distemper and kennel cough for $10 or $20.

“Rabies is the important one. The city of St. Joseph requires it to get your city license here in town,” Evans Green said.

The clinic will be open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 12, inside UPCO, 3705 Pear St. All dogs must be on a leash, and cats must be in carriers.

For those with unruly pets, call UPCO ahead of arriving to receive tips so all pets can get their vaccines.

Ashley Luthans

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — High school students learned about the connection between mental health and substance use through a summit hosted by the Youth Alliance on Friday.

The substance use prevention program at emPowerU included freshmen, sophomores and juniors from the St. Joseph public high schools. It includes games and activities, breakout sessions and speakers.

Robin Hammond, executive director of the Youth Alliance, explained more about the purpose of the event.

“We want young people to be educated,” Hammond said. “We want them to learn about the effects of substances on their brain. We know that that really helps them to make better choices if they are armed with information, and we want them to have the right information versus what they might learn from their peers or they might learn online. We want them to know the real truth about it.”

Benton High School junior Joslynne Gromowski attended the event and said the topic is an important one to discuss.

“It’s bringing light onto problems that shouldn’t be hidden,” Gromowski said. “It’s something that we aren’t scared to talk about and stand up for, which I think is really important because we need to be able to bring light to these topics so that people can understand that it’s OK to be in this scenario and it’s OK to get help and it’s OK to understand that it’s normal what you’re going through and there are people around you that are willing to help you.”

Another attendee from Benton, sophomore Savannah Royer, said programs like this are helpful to teens.

“It’s extremely important to spread awareness, but also having the proper education on these things helps you create a more sustainable and effective way of change,” Royer said. “And this overall just helps spread awareness.”

Landon Williams is a freshman at Central High School who has been involved in the Youth Alliance for the past two years. He said the event is beneficial to teens like him.

“To teach kids to not use drugs and to also spread the word to other students or adults that don’t know more about drugs and what it can do to you,” Williams said.

Royer said the summit was not only educational, but it also helped students step out of their shells.

“It was extremely informational, but also it was collaborative,” Royer said. “A lot of these people here I know aren’t comfortable with getting out of their comfort zone … and I feel like a lot of people did get out of their comfort zones today and it was effective.”

Hammond said she wants students to feel like they can make a difference after the summit.

“We want them to feel empowered to make change in their school,” Hammond said. “So, it’s always great to make change in your community and to make your community a better and safer place. But we ultimately want young people to have a voice, and we want them to be able to make their school buildings their safe zone or their safe place.”

Cameron Montemayor

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — St. Joseph could issue $60 million in revenue bonds to help finance the development of two new boutique hotels and one conference center on Frederick Avenue, proposals show.

On Monday, April 14, St. Joseph City Council members will vote on a resolution supporting the issuance of the bonds and other tax incentives as part of an agreement with STJ Hotel Group and property owner Steven Craig.

The massive development project would include 249 hotel rooms and a host of amenities, including fitness centers, lobby bars, restaurants, pools and roughly 12,640 square feet of conference center and ballroom space. Plans include more than 300 parking spaces to accommodate the facilities.

“We’re working with the property owner right now to finalize plans for that site. The ultimate goal is to be ready for the World Cup, to put St. Joseph in the position to be able to attract visitors to the area, to make sure that we have enough hotel rooms to accommodate that overflow from Kansas City.”

The 2026 World Cup tournament is set to kick off next June, with Kansas City being one of just 16 host cities selected across all of North America for matches.

Christian Mengel, director of marketing and communications with the St. Joseph Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, said boutique hotels are a unique amenity that many businesses and corporations often seek when hosting conferences and meetings.

“Conference and meeting space is another huge aspect, especially when it’s on site at a place that has a hotel. Stoney Creek is currently the only place that has a true meeting space with a hotel attached,” Mengel said. “And the boutique hotel, it absolutely adds to our pitching ability for Saint Joseph.”

If approved by council members, the city will help finance the project from the proceeds of the bonds, which would be repaid from revenue generated from the project. The agreement also includes real and personal property tax breaks and sales tax exemptions for the company.

The facilities would be located on a 7.7-acre site at the southeast corner of Woodbine Road and Frederick Avenue, which previously was occupied by the former Ramada Inn, Americas Value Inn and Applebee’s.

As part of the tax break agreement, STJ Hotel Group would pay real property taxes in full in the form of a PILOT (payment in lieu of taxes) for the duration of construction and the first 15 years after the project is complete. The company would then receive a 50% break for about 10 years afterward.

The agreement also includes personal property tax breaks on project equipment, 100% for years one through 15 and 50% for years 16 through 25. Construction material purchases would also be exempt from local and state sales taxes.

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The project marks the second large hotel construction project in the works for the area. TownePlace Suites is in the initial phases of developing a new $7.5 million hotel just a few blocks away at 1401 N. Woodbine Road.