Author: News-Press NOW

TaMya Bracy

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (KQTV) — Local businesses joined together Monday to discuss marketing for the upcoming FIFA World Cup in Kansas City.

This is the second World Cup readiness session the St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce has hosted in efforts to ensure that local businesses are prepared for the influx of travelers coming to St. Joseph.

Susan Campbell of SJC Marketing gave tips and tricks for marketing to international travelers. Annette Weeks with Aspire Business Consulting said the World Cup is bringing a whole new clientele to St. Joseph.

“There’s definitely things that businesses need to know in marketing to the world and internationally,” she said. “What SEO (Search Engine Optimization) words to use, how to get your website prepared, and what’s the digtal marketing is needed?”

Weeks said promoting the culture in St. Joseph is huge.

“When they come here, they want the experience, and one of the things we’re known for is The Pony Express. We’re recommending that they embed that into the marketing for their business,” she said. “We’ll come together as a community and market that experience.”

Due to the popularity of the World Cup, Weeks said it’s important for the community and local businesses to come together.

“In the United States, we think the Super Bowl is huge, but the World Cup is massive,” she said. “Many countries will take four to six weeks off to come to this. They base their whole year around attending the World Cup. It’s so exciting that we get to participate in an opportunity like this.”

An overall takeaway from the workshop was the marketing strategy local businesses should look into during the World Cup.

“St. Joseph has a great story to tell from many aspects, but especially with the Pony Express that we embrace. It’s just a great opportunity to expand who we are and what we are and brag about it, and let others know our history,” Weeks said.

Weeks said being proactive and working together can help St. Joseph be that destination place.

“That’s why we are having these workshops,” she said. The community is already discussing it, there is a committee along with that as we pull in and educate the small business owners and the nonprofits, with all of us coming together with a unified understanding and unified voice whats really important.”

The next meeting will take place at 10 a.m. on Feb. 9 at The Launch Pad. Speakers will share more about how businesses can be financially ready as the World Cup approaches.

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Cameron Montemayor

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — Millions of Missourians could see changes in their monthly car insurance payments pending the outcome of new legislation introduced this session.

Senate Bill No. 852 filed in December by Missouri Sen. Karla May (D-St. Louis) seeks to forbid automobile insurance companies from utilizing credit scores to determine automobile insurance rates in the state of Missouri.

The measures specifically states that no automobile insurer will utilize information obtained “directly or indirectly” from a consumer reporting agency or any insurance credit score that relies on information for the purpose of determining automobile insurance contract rates.

The measure would apply to future automobile insurance contracts beginning Aug. 28, 2026.

Credit scores are a key factor utilized by automobile insurers to assess risk and determine rates, with poor credit scores potentially leading to much higher premiums, sometimes double.

Studies conducted by Zebra, a leading online insurance comparison marketplace, indicate drivers with very poor credit scores (under 523) pay an average of $6,254 a year for their car insurance as opposed to drivers with exceptional credit scores (823 and above), who pay just $1,673 per year — even if both drivers have similar driving records.

The Senate bill has already had a first and second reading in the 2026 legislative session that began Jan. 7, with the measure now being referred to the Senate Insurance and Banking Committee for further review.

Four states, including California, Hawaii, Massachusetts and Michigan, have all banned insurance companies from using credit scores to price or deny insurance policies. Maryland, Oregon, and Utah have all restricted the use of credit scores as a factor in denying or canceling policies.

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Prajukta Ghosh

ST. JOSEPH, Mo (KQTV)– The St. Joseph School Board of Education met Monday to discuss several key agenda items, including district reorganization and program updates. 

A major focus of the meeting was the district’s ongoing reorganization process. Administrators reviewed the current plan and outlined potential next steps. 

“The big thing for tonight was having a time frame in mind. We have a facilities plan online, but with the failure in (the) bond of 2025, we now need to update that plan,” SJSD Superintendent Ashly McGinnis said.  

McGinnis noted the reorganization remains a work in progress and will continue to be a collaborative effort, incorporating feedback already received from the community.  

She said the next phase of the facilities reorganization will focus on determining what is best for students and the community moving forward.  

“In the early stages of the district reorganization plan, we had been to all the buildings, had conversations with all the staff, gain their input as far as how we should go with staffing moving forward,” McGinnis said.  

She added that the district is now holding one-on-one conversations with staff at Pershing Elementary, Lafayette High and Roubidoux Middle schools to review certifications and years of service to better plan staffing for the upcoming school year.  

The board also received updates on Early Childhood Programming. District leaders are considering changes to some early childhood programs for the 2026–2027 school year.  

According to SJSD, the goal is to continue serving roughly the same number of students as in the current school year.  

However, the programming may look slightly different as the district will work to reduce costs and remain within specific revenue streams.  

Another item on the agenda was the potential purchase of supplemental materials for English Language Learners.  

These materials would be used to support student help succeed with the Tier 1 benchmark curriculum.  

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Cameron Montemayor

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — A Kansas City-based contractor has been selected to replace the Gene Field Road Bridge as project crews now prepare to kick off construction as early as this week.

The Missouri Department of Transportation announced Clarkson Construction Company was awarded the bid Jan. 9 to carry out the emergency bridge replacement project on Gene Field Road in St. Joseph, a $5.5 million project according to MoDOT.

MoDOT is now working with the contractor to establish a timeline to replace the bridge after it was struck by an oversized load on Nov. 10 and forced to close, impacting thousands of St. Joseph drivers.

The earliest construction may begin is Friday, Jan. 16. The goal — weather permitting — is to complete the 63-year-old bridge replacement project in July.

An evaluation carried out on the bridge in November showed the crash was significant enough to cause one of the four main support girders to separate from the bridge deck, compromising its structural integrity.

MoDOT was able to get the project declared an emergency through the state to help expedite funds and move it forward. Prior to the collision, the aging bridge was originally scheduled to be replaced in 2027.

Traffic data shows roughly 6,500 vehicles use the Gene Field Road bridge every day, a vital east-to-west corridor for residents. The closure has had a considerable impact on traffic volume along routes like Frederick Avenue.

More information on the upcoming project can be found on the project webpage at: https://www.modot.org/projects/gene-field-road-bridge-replacement-over-interstate-29-buchanan-county. 

Similar to the 2024 bridge rehabilitation project on Cook Road over Interstate 29, the highway is expected to be closed during certain portions of the Gene Field Road bridge replacement project, with future detour routes planned for Interstate 229 and Route 36.

Designs show the new bridge will be expanded slightly from 22 feet to 26 feet, including concrete barriers and new 5-foot-wide sidewalks on both sides, a boost for pedestrian safety.

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Marie Moyer

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

Planned Parenthood Great Plains and Great Rivers is returning to the courthouse against the state Monday to reinstate abortion in Missouri.

Voters approved access to abortion in November 2024 through Amendment 3. In December 2024, Jackson County Judge Jerri Zhang temporarily blocked enforcement of Missouri’s existing abortion restrictions, saying that state regulations on abortion centers were unfair and conflicted with what voters just passed. Abortions were set to resume in February 2025.

The Missouri General Assembly drew up joint resolutions to repeal Amendment 3 and add exceptions to the procedure, approving House Joint Resolution 73 in May 2025. HJR 73 would also add exceptions back to the bill text, only allowing abortions up to 12 weeks in cases of rape, incest and medical emergencies, and when there is a fetal anomaly.

After additional legal battles between the state and abortion rights groups on ballot wording, the resolution was put on the ballot for voters in 2026.

Also in May, the Missouri Supreme Court overruled Zhang, claiming she used the wrong legal standard in her injunction to block abortion restrictions. The ruling again closed access to abortions in the state.

Missouri’s ban was blocked again by Zhang in July, with Zhang ruling that the state’s regulation can cause irreparable harm and “is directly at odds with Amendment 3.”

The move reopened abortion access that same month.

Zhang will oversee Monday’s trial. The trial is set to last two weeks and will start at 9 a.m. in the Jackson County Courthouse.

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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) — A Missouri bill could force Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in the state to identify themselves, if passed. The bill’s introduction follows a deadly shooting in Minneapolis involving an ICE agent and a civilian.

Rep. Ray Reed (D-St. Louis) introduced the bill Wednesday where it received a first reading on the opening day of the 2026 legislative session. If passed, it would require ICE agents to refrain from wearing masks or helmets that could obstruct the person’s identity, according to the bill language.

The bill excludes medical masks, like the ones used during the COVID-19 pandemic or masks that are used to avoid breathing in toxic chemicals.

If an agent violates these rules, that person could be subject to a class A misdemeanor, which is punishable with up to a year in jail and could come with up to $2,000 in fines.

“Across our country, people are now fearful when federal agents operate in plain clothes, without clear identification, and without accountability,” Reed said in a press release.

He also posted on Facebook after the deadly Minnesota shooting.

“In moments like this, we can’t give in to fear or let ourselves be divided. We should demand transparency and accountability while staying peaceful, looking out for one another, and keeping our neighbors safe. That is why I filed legislation to unmask ICE agents working in our state,” Reed wrote.

Protests and vigils were held across the nation Saturday and Sunday for Renee Nicole Reed, the Minneapolis woman killed by an ICE agent, with some in mid-Missouri.

Protesters in Jefferson City called out ICE brutality Saturday, with many people expressing their dislike of the Trump Administration’s crackdown on immigration.

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Leah Rainwater

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (KQTV) — The Missouri State Highway Patrol said driver examination stations across the state will be closed in observance of a holiday.

Exam stations will be closed on Monday, Jan. 19, in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

Exam stations will be open for normal hours of operation on Tuesday, Jan. 20.

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Cameron Montemayor

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — A central Missouri senator is proposing legislation this session to support children, stepchildren and spouses of disabled veterans and servicemembers killed in active duty through a new college tuition assistance program.

A first reading was held Wednesday for legislation sponsored by Sen. Travis Fitzwater (R-Holts Summit) which seeks to create the “Missouri Disabled Veterans’ Dependents Tuition Waiver” program to provide college tuition waivers for children, stepchildren, and spouses of certain veterans.

Waivers would available for eligible dependents of members of the Armed Forces who died on active duty, died of a service-connected disability, died after discharge from the military as a result of injury or illness, is rated as permanently and totally disabled by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, or is classified as missing in action or a prisoner of war.

Senate Bill No. 1048 covers any state college or university or public community college receiving appropriations from the state for operating expenses, with tuition awards going as high as what the University of Missouri-Columbia charges a Missouri resident, which is $15,548 to $19,516 for 12 to 18 credit hours. The bill does not specifically list coverage for housing and dining fees.

A tuition waiver would be valid for one degree, diploma, or certificate from a community college and one baccalaureate degree from a state college or university. The legislation, which

Children and stepchildren of veterans must be under 26 years old to qualify, unless the dependent serves on active duty with the Armed Forces of the United States, in which case the eligibility period can be extended by five years to the person’s 31st birthday.

The Missouri Veterans Commission would work with the Coordinating Board for Higher Education to implement the provisions of the act, including establishing the application process and certifying future applicants.

The bill does not specify how much in state funding would be appropriated each year for waivers.

Any student who receives a waiver would also be ineligible for any other state-funded veteran-dependent tuition grant, waiver, or scholarship, such as the Wartime Veteran’s Survivors Grant Program or the Survivors of Vietnam Veterans Scholarship Program.

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Carter Ostermiller

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (KQTV) — A monthly celebration in Downtown St. Joseph is helping small businesses kick off their 2026.

Sponsored by local speakeasy The Den, ‘Second Saturdays’ is a downtown Saint Joseph event that helps small businesses bring in traffic with new offers on every second Saturday of the month.

The Black Kat Salvage Antique Store is a 2nd-year participant that is offering discounts on its antiques and a chance to win a $50 gift certificate. 

Manager Jan Ruoff has already noticed the impact of the special day.

“Oh, yeah, it’s been really, really busy today. So I think it does increase the traffic,” said Ruoff.

The popular Seventh Street Cafe downtown is also participating for their second year, offering a free macaron with a $10 purchase. 

Owner Brennon Calvin thinks the event is a great incentive for local shoppers to visit Downtown St. Joseph.

“To drive people downtown to get people out shopping, to come out even when the weather is not the greatest, to give them some incentive, to get down here and you know, really see more than just 1 or 2 businesses,” said Calvin.

The event occurs monthly on every second Saturday and has a full list and more details on the St. Joseph website.

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Patrick Holleron

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — A local Midtown youth academy will take its new workforce readiness program to the next level with the help of a donation from Buchanan County on Friday.

Buchanan County Commissioners approved a $50,000 donation during their regular Friday meeting to help support MidCity Excellence and its new “Kids Biz” youth workforce initiative, a burgeoning program offering hands-on entrepreneurship opportunities to develop kids into career-ready individuals and business people.

With professionals, community mentors and college students working alongside them, kids within the program are able to gain valuable real-world business experience and sharpen their skills in financial planning and marketing — among other areas — using marketing-based principles to train in food and product presentation.

“The youth are learning how to become entrepreneurs, how to market a product, save and manage money into creative wealth projects. They will be able to translate these into business skills into the real world, into real markets and in many different spaces,” said Kimberly Warren, founder and CEO of MidCity Excellence. “Our number one goal is to have a positive and engaging program for teenagers. I think it’s important that kids have an outlet and don’t get bored because that can potentially lead to risky behaviors.”

Along the way, students also learn about the importance of credit, saving, budgeting, investing, and long-term wealth creation.

With the help of a “Kids Biz” food truck operated by MCE, students — many of them teenagers — got the taste of working in a real business setting Friday, helping take orders, prepare food and hone in on critical skills like problem solving, communication, teamwork and conflict resolution.

MCE student Leilani Bell has benefitted greatly from the program by being able to prepare food at different events the truck goes to, learning about responsibility when managing others. She also believes her communication skills have improved, calling it an “outlet” for her and many others.

“I feel like the program has helped me socialize and communicate with others,” she said. “Running the food truck, taking orders, and communicating with my peers as were serving people their food are some of the things I’ve gotten to do. These type of activities keep us connected with each other and lessen our time being online. We feel motivated in the work that we do.”

MidCity Excellence’s next event will be their 12th annual MLK Jr. Solutions Summit, which is set for Monday, Jan. 19, at 11 a.m. inside the Word of Life Church located at 3902 NE Riverside Road.

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