Author: News-Press NOW

Praji Ghosh

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — Missouri Western State University is gearing up to celebrate the opening of its new Student Collaboration Center.

The new space is dedicated to George S. Richmond, a longtime faculty member and administrator who made a lasting impact after moving to St. Joseph and joining MoWest.  

A ribbon-cutting will be held at 4 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 9, in Potter Hall on MoWest’s campus.

News-Press NOW will update the story.  

Click here to follow the original article.

TaMya Bracy

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — Area drivers may come across deer while traveling during peak months for activity, like October and November.

Deer are most active during dawn and dusk, especially in the fall. Sgt. Shane Hux with the Missouri State Highway Patrol said deer movement can be unpredictable.

“They just go wherever they want to go,” Hux said. “That’s what’s so unpredictable, I mean, you may see them standing on a certain side of the road thinking they’re going to go one direction, when actually, they turn and come toward the vehicle.”

According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Missouri consistently ranks 10th to 15th in the country in deer-vehicle collisions each year.

In 2024, there were 2,952 crashes with deer, with four deaths and 420 injuries reported. In Buchanan County, there were 39 crashes involving deer.

Matthew Stein, MoDot area engineer for the Northwest District, discussed what to do if drivers come across a deer in the roadway.

“We don’t want to swerve to avoid a deer because if you swerve, you could end up (going) into oncoming traffic or you could swerve off the road, and you could potentially overturn your vehicle,” Stein said.

Stein also reminded drivers to not follow too closely to a vehicle ahead of you on the road in case they need to make a sudden stop to avoid a deer, and shared that if a driver sees one deer, it is likely that other deer are close.

Hux said if a driver hits a deer, they can call the Missouri State Highway Patrol or Missouri Department of Transportation to help remove the deer carcass off the road.

“So, it’s important that we remove those from the roadway and then we can contact MoDOT,” Hux said. “Or if we have a trooper in the area, we can dispatch a trooper over to that area and at least remove it from the roadway.”

Stein provided some additional safety tips for drivers to follow to stay safe on roadways.

“Always remember the ‘buckle up, phone down.’ You want to watch your speed, you don’t want to drive too distracted and always try to stay alert,” Stein said.

Click here to follow the original article.

TaMya Bracy

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — The Buchanan County Prosecutor’s Office and St. Joseph School District are partnering together to address student absenteeism.

Absenteeism has increased since the pandemic and remains a serious problem in the state, including in St. Joseph.

According to the U.S. Department of Education, Missouri’s chronic absenteeism was at 21% during the 2022-23 school year.

SJSD’s Annual Report Card on the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) also states it saw a 78.2% total proportional attendance rate during the 2023-2024 school year.

Statewide annual school “report cards” through DESE are released for the prior school year at the end of November.

Missouri law requires parents and guardians of children to ensure their children attend school regularly. A conviction for violation of that law can result in a jail sentence of 15 days and/or a fine of upto $750.

Dr. Ashly McGinnis, SJSD superintendent, said that the district’s focus is on supporting studentsand families before legal action becomes necessary.

“We know that when students are in school consistently, they are more likely to succeed academically.”McGinnis said. “This partnership with the Prosecutor’s Office is about accountability, but it’s also aboutsupport. We want to work alongside families to remove barriers, encourage attendance, and give everychild the best chance to succeed.”

Click here to follow the original article.

Rebecca Evans

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — The second weekend of October is shaping up to be a busy one, from shopping and local vendors to self-defense training, there are plenty of ways to get out there. It’s time to See St. Joseph!

Downtown St. Joseph will be buzzing this Saturday for Second Saturdays, a monthly celebration of local shops, food and community fun.

Visitors can expect fall vibes, unique finds and plenty of specials and freebies from businesses throughout Downtown. It’s the perfect time to shop, eat, explore and enjoy a stroll through historic Downtown St. Joseph.

Courtesy of The Den

Also on Saturday, over at East Hills Shopping Center, local makers and small business owners will fill the Center Court for the 2025 Fall Craft Fair.

The fair runs from 11 a.m. to 7 pm. on Saturday, Oct. 11 and continues from noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 12.

With dozens of booths, it’s a great way to spruce up your home décor, try new self-care products or even get a head start on holiday shopping.

Courtesy of East Hills Shopping Center

For those looking to learn something new while giving back, the Kiwanis Club of St. Joseph is once again teaming up with the Ali Kemp Foundation and YWCA to host the 11th Annual TAKE Defense Training Course.

This free event empowers women ages 12 and up with hands-on self-defense techniques, inspired by the legacy of Ali Kemp.

Those interested can register online through the Kiwanis Club’s website.

Courtesy of YWCA St. Joseph

Whether you’re shopping Downtown, browsing local crafts or learning to defend yourself, there’s no shortage of ways to connect with the community this weekend.

Tune in every Thursday to News-Press NOW for more ways to See St. Joseph!

Click here to follow the original article.

News-Press NOW

PLATTSBURG, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — A Lathrop, Missouri man suffered serious injuries in a utility task vehicle crash Wednesday night.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reports the crash occurred around 7:45 p.m. on private property near Depot Street in Plattsburg, Missouri.

A 58-year-old Lathrop man driving a UTV made a sharp turn, causing it to skid and flip.

He and a back seat passenger were ejected.

While the passenger avoided injury, the Lathrop man was not wearing safety gear, according to the crash report.

First responders took him to Mosaic Life Care for serious injuries.

Click here to follow the original article.

Jaden Miller

DEKALB COUNTY, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — Five people were injured in a single-vehicle crash Wednesday afternoon, two miles west of Stewartsville, Missouri.

According to a Missouri State Highway Patrol crash report, a 2006 Ford F-150 was traveling westbound on U.S. Highway 36 when the driver overcorrected the vehicle, veered off the roadway into an embankment and overturned. The vehicle came to rest on its drivers side.

One person sustained serious injuries while the other four occupants sustained minor to moderate injuries.

All occupants were transported to Mosaic Life Care in St. Joseph for their injuries.

Click here to follow the original article.

Ryan Eslinger

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — Week 7 of high school football saw some dominating wins and big losses for teams from around the area.

SportsZone’s Game of the Week featured two teams across the border as the Riverside Cyclones hosted the Troy Trojans in what was likely the last time these two teams would meet for the foreseeable future. The Cyclones pulled off a big win in this rivalry matchup, with the Cyclones moving to 5-1 on the season as the Trojans fell to 4-2.

Here are the final scores from the week’s matchups:

Riverside Cyclones defeat the Troy Trojans 28-0

Central Indians lose 42-20 against the Park Hill Trojans

Benton Cardinals lose to the Monroe City Panthers 44-6

Lafayette Fighting Irish fall to the Cameron Dragons 20-8

Bishop LeBlond Golden Eagles beat Northland Christian Trailblazers 56-22

St. Joseph Christian Lions lose to the Pattonsburg Panthers 32-60

Savannah Savages win 35-0 over the Chillicothe Hornets

Mid-Buchanan Dragons win 56-24 over the North Platte Panthers

East Buchanan Bulldogs lose against the West Platte Blue Jays 50-7

DeKalb Tigers fall to the Stewartsville WildCards 58-20

All games were played at 7:00 p.m. Friday, Oct. 10, unless stated otherwise.

Click here to follow the original article.

Patrick Holleron

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — Residents in St. Joseph will be seeing a new method to provide feedback for city officials.

Signs with QR codes are set up to be scanned at city facilities where citizens interact with employees daily. Scanning the code will direct citizens to a short survey to provide anonymous feedback on their engagement with city staff.

QR codes will be posted around the City. Courtesy of the City of St. Joseph on Facebook.

Signs will be located at payment centers, recreational facilities, administrative offices and other city customer service locations.

The implementation of the surveys is a result of the citizen survey conducted this past spring to gain information on where people felt leaders should focus their attention.

For additional information, the QR codes can be found on the City of St. Joseph’s Facebook Page.

Click here to follow the original article.

Cameron Montemayor

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — St. Joseph’s sports landscape is set to welcome a premier Division II basketball tournament to the Civic Arena for the first time beginning in 2027.

League officials with the Great Lakes Valley Conference announced Wednesday it will be moving the Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championship Tournaments to St. Joseph, Missouri, for a three-year period from 2027 to 2029.

The tournament has been held for the last three years at Lindenwood University’s Hyland Arena in St. Charles, Missouri. The 2026 contest will be held at University of St. Louis’ Mark Twain Building before relocating to St. Joseph.

“We are looking forward to showcasing the talents of the student-athletes from 16 teams to a new neutral site venue for the GLVC,” GLVC Commissioner Jim Naumovich said in a press release Wednesday. “The St. Joseph community and the Sports Commission have a long history of supporting post-season basketball events and we believe playing in Civic Arena with the local fan interest will be a significant championship enhancement for all the participating teams.”

The announcement marks another significant agreement for the city, which has hosted multiple NCAA Division II Women’s Basketball National Championships, including the NCAA Division II Women’s Basketball Elite Eight & National Championship in 2024.

Capable of accommodating 3,800 fans in the spectator seating area, St. Joseph’s Civic Arena has undergone a complete transformation in recent years with close to $12 million in renovations, from new seating, lighting and scoreboards to restrooms, locker rooms, HVAC and paint work.

All 14 GLVC tournament games will be streamed live on the GLVC Sports Network according to a press release from league officials. Games can be viewed on GLVCSN.com or GLVCSN apps available on Android and iOS mobile devices, as well as platforms on Roku, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV, and Apple TV.

“We are absolutely thrilled for the opportunity to partner with the GLVC and their confidence in us to help create a championship experience here in St. Joseph,” said Brett Esely, the Executive Director of the St. Joseph Sports Commission. “We’ve had the good fortune of hosting many high magnitude events over the past few years and feel our expertise in this area will be a great fit as the new home of the GLVC Men’s & Women’s Basketball Championships moving forward!”

The Great Lakes Valley Conference member institutions include:

Drury University Panthers – Springfield, Missouri

University of Illinois-Springfield Prairie Stars – Springfield, Illinois

University of Indianapolis Greyhounds – Indianapolis, Indiana

Lewis University Flyers – Romeoville, Illinois

Lincoln University Blue Tigers – Jefferson City, Missouri

Maryville University Saints – Town and Country, Missouri

McKendree University Bearcats – Lebanon, Illinois

Missouri S & T Miners – Rolla, Missouri

University of Missouri-St. Louis Tritons – St. Louis, Missouri

Quincy University Hawks – Quincy, Illinois

Rockhurst University Hawks – Kansas City, Missouri

Southwest Baptist University Bearcats – Bolivar, Missouri

Truman State University Bulldogs – Kirksville, Missouri

Upper Iowa University Peacocks – Fayette, Iowa

William Jewell College Cardinals – Liberty, Missouri

Future championship dates include:

March 4 to March 7, 2027

March 2 to March 5, 2028

March 1 to March 4, 2029

Click here to follow the original article.

News-Press NOW

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — The St. Joseph School District Board of Education will hold a district reorganization public hearing to discuss options for its facility reconsolidation.

After multiple options were presented to convert SJSD into a two-high school model, the administration is now focusing on two:

Lafayette and Central High Schools

Benton/Hyde and Central model

Other alternative options considered in reconsolidation discussions were a Benton and Lafayette model and a one-school Central model.

SJSD ruled out the Benton/Lafayette model due to insufficient capacity, the requirement of major conditions and parking concerns.

The total optimum capacity of the Benton/Lafayette model would be 2,134, compared to the total of 2,878 high school students in the district.

For the one-school Central model, the high school’s total maximum capacity is 1,732, which would not support the 2,878 high school students. Its solo use would require major additions and would be considered the largest high school in the state, with almost 500 more students than Blue Springs High School.

According to the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, SJSD’s K-12 enrollment rate was 10,156 during the 2023-2024 school year. The number is down from 10,732 during the 2019-2020 school year.

The infographic explains the options discussed and how SJSD came to their “possible action” decisions. Courtesy of SJSD.

According to the SJSD School Board Policy Manual, the board may permanently or temporarily close, consolidate or reorganize a school for any of the reasons below:

Efficiency- enrollment has declined, or the space in the facilities isn’t being used efficiently.

Physical condition of building- if the physical condition makes continued operation of the site cost-prohibitive or continued occupancy is unsafe.

Alternative use of school facilities- the board may close a school to use its facilities for other programmatic or educational purposes.

Change in education focuses- closure, consolidation or reorganization may be necessary to address educational needs, such as implementing new curricula or programs.

When it comes to SJSD’s process for school closings, consolidations and reorganizations, the BOE will convene a hearing, or a series of hearings, to get public comment.

During the public comment period, the BOE will allow three minutes for each speaker; no individual will be permitted to speak more than once during this period, discussion will be limited to facilities and district reorganization and all speakers must provide their names and address before speaking.

The district reorganization public hearing will be held at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 13, at Benton High School.

Click here to follow the original article.