Author: News-Press NOW

News-Press NOW

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — The Missouri Supreme Court ruled to uphold Missouri’s Prop A bond measure, which supports paid sick leave and an increase in wages.

Voters approved the measure in the November 2024 election by 57.6%.

Shortly after the election, a petition was brought to the Missouri Supreme Court to overturn the proposition, noting the summary statement and fiscal note summary were, “misleading that they constituted an irregularity of sufficient magnitude to cast doubt on the fairness of the election and validity of results.”

The law is set to begin on Thursday, May 1, where employers with business receipts greater than $500,000 a year are required to provide at least one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked.

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Patrick Holleron

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — To help preserve Missouri’s natural resources, the Missouri Department of Conservation is providing support to landowners through funding resources.

The assistance provided by MDC aims to protect wildlife habitats and restore forests while also assisting landowners in maintaining their properties.

“We have private lands, conservationists and some of the things that they can recommend would be things like invasive species control, converting fescue and other grasses into native grasses and plants,” MDC Media Specialist Erin Woodiel said. “We do, forest and woodland improvements, recommend prescribed burn on properties every now and then. Burning a property is sometimes a very healthy way of keeping that flora rejuvenating.”

MDC recently worked with landowners, Jim and Linda Strauch to create a forest opening and wildlife watering facility to help the wildlife occupying areas of their property and areas near it.

Additional information on programs and resources assisting conservations efforts can be found on the MDC Community Conservation Funding Opportunities homepage.

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Kyle Schmidt

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW)– The Northside and Southside pride, originated from Lafayette and Benton high schools, carries through today and helps give pride to the city of St. Joseph.

The third public city school, Central High School has its own kind of pride for those who wear blue.

“We didn’t have that northside southside stuff,” Former Central Indian, Jeff Wallace said. “Our big thing was family all in.”

Wallace graduated from Central in 1986 and wound up coaching at his alma mater from 2010-2015. As a coach, he worked with many young kids coming from different areas.

“The North and the South End, you probably went to school, elementary school together, probably went to middle school together and then they went to high school together,” Wallace said. “When you come on to play freshmen football at Central, chances are you didn’t know many of those guys… Our job was to take all those kids from all those different background and teach them how to love and care about each other like brothers.”

As a player, Wallace said he felt the bigger rivalry was Lafayette. A contributing factor, was growing up playing with some of the people who went to Lafayette. Similar to the North and South Side, the pride for each school came with the rivalries.

“Rivalries were so huge when we played each other in football,” Wallace said. “Everybody wanted those bragging rights for the year.”

The school was not an outcast in the City with rivalries either. Wallace shared, prior to a Lafayette vs. Central game, an effigy of the Lafayette quarterback was hung off the press box.

“That’s how big of a deal the rivalry was at the time,” He said. “We won 26 to nothing that game, by the way.”

Although Wallace’s goal to coach at Central was achieved, an opportunity arose prior to his time-served at Central. Wallace was able to interview with the St. Joseph School District to coach football at Lafayette in the 1990s.

“In the end I couldn’t do it…” He said. “Just because you graduate doesn’t mean you lose your color. You are who you are and that just really never goes away.”

Currently, Wallace is the offensive coordinator for Atchison high school’s football team.

Still in the area of St. Joseph, he continues to see the pride for red, green and blue. Similar to the North and South Side, the pride for Central trickles into the community once students graduate

“It comes to a point once your not competing against each other it becomes go St. Joe, go St. Joe,” Wallace said.

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Cameron Montemayor

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — Drivers commuting along North 22nd Street across Frederick Avenue will see notable detours lasting for more than a month, starting in May.

Starting at 8 a.m. on Monday, May 5, North 22nd Street will be closed on both sides of Frederick Avenue as crews work to upgrade a traffic signal at the intersection. North 22nd Street is expected to reopen on Friday, June 27, weather permitting.

The entire outdated signal system is being replaced with new mast-arm poles as part of the $350,000 project.

Traffic on Frederick Avenue is not expected to be impacted by the work.

Traffic on 22nd Street will be routed along the following detours:

Northbound traffic will detour from 22nd Street west onto Union Street to Frederick Avenue and continue just east on Frederick to North 18th Street. From there, drivers will go north on 18th to Holman Street before heading east back to North 22nd Street.

Southbound traffic will detour from North 22nd west onto Holman Street to North 18th Street and then turn south to Frederick Avenue. Drivers will head west on Frederick to Union Street before turning east on Union to return to North 22nd Street.

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Leah Rainwater

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — The St. Joseph School District’s Prop 2 bond measure was not passed by voters in the April 8 General Municipal Election, now SJSD wants to understand the ‘why’.

SJSD is asking community members to participate in a brief survey consisting of 10 questions, which will take about two minutes to complete.

In a press release sent on Tuesday, April 29, the district said, “Your feedback is important to us and will assist us in making decisions to meet the needs of our students, families and staff moving forward.”

Those interested can visit sjsd.info/communitysurvey.

The survey will close on Wednesday, May 7.

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Leah Rainwater

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — The St. Joseph School District Board of Education announced it will begin accepting applications on Tuesday, April 29 to fill a recently vacant BOE seat.

The Board requires all individuals who wish to be appointed, to meet the following eligibility requirements.

Be a U.S. citizen

Be a voter of the SJSD

Reside in Missouri for a minimum of one year

Be at least 24 years of age

Not be delinquent in the payment of any state income taxes, personal property taxes, municipal taxes or real property taxes on your place of residence

Not have been found guilty of nor pled guilty to a felony under the federal laws of the United States or to a felony under Missouri law or an offense committed in another state that would be considered a felony in Missouri.

Have filed, or the treasurer of any existing candidate committee has filed, all required campaign disclosure reports with the Missouri Ethics Commission for all previous elections in which you were a candidate.

Anyone interested must submit an application, letter of intent (reason for wanting to serve on the Board), accompanied by three reference letters.

Applications are available online or picked up at the district’s Central Office at 1415 N 26th Street. Those interested are asked to enter Door #5.

Applications and supplemental documents should be mailed or delivered to: Donna Baker, Board Secretary at 1415 N. 26th Street St. Joseph, MO 64506.

The last day to mail or turn in applications is at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, May 13. No faxes or emails will be accepted.

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Cameron Montemayor

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — A potential sewer rate increase in 2025 will be the topic of discussion at an upcoming public hearing scheduled for 5:30 p.m. on Monday, June 9 at City Hall.

City Manager Mike Schumacher made the announcement during Monday’s City Council meeting, adding that a separate announcement will also be posted in Friday’s Weekender newspaper.

“It’s important that we share our costs. We know everything’s going up across the board, whether it’s the grocery store or the plumbing supply store, everything has gone up,” Schumacher said. “So that’s part of the discussion .. making sure the city is as transparent as possible”

Schumacher said the results of the latest Cost of Service Sewer Rate Study will be discussed at length — something he said he’s anxious to see himself — in addition to a review of the next phase of the city’s sewer maintenance plan.

“We have a very old sewer system, so both the maintenance needs and any future growth is something we need to look at and make sure we have funds available,” he said. “I thought it was only fair to speak to it verbally to the public that, ‘Hey, you’re going to see this notice that this is what’s going on.”

Sewer rates were raised by approximately $3.17 a month in 2024 and roughly 4.25% in 2023. Prior to the 2023 increase, the city went six years without a sewer rate adjustment. A previous council voted to use about $5 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding to keep sewer bills stable for several years.

Many customers underwent double-digit percentage rate hikes for nearly 10 years when the city first embarked on more than $152 million in EPA-mandated upgrades to its collection system, wastewater treatment and stormwater systems to prevent sewage overflows. That included increases of 19% in 2009 and 17% in 2014.

Councilmembers approved a grant Monday for $2.1 million from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers — which will be paired with $7.5 million in CIP funding — for a critical blower replacement project at the Water Protection Facility, the latest of needed improvements.

“We’re in full compliance with that EPA consent decree. And we’re really in a pretty good spot,” Schumacher said. “Nobody likes rate adjustments or increases. I don’t, however, if you don’t keep up on the cost of your system, you end up in a corner and that will lead to significant increases in problems.”

An increase in sewer rates would add to a growing list of rising utility costs from regional providers. Gas and water rates are expected to increase this year by anywhere from $14 to $20 a month respectively , with electric bills already seeing a 7% increase last December.

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Leah Rainwater

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — The St. Joseph Police Department was dispatched to the intersection of Calhoun and N. 23rd Streets in response to a residential shooting.

Officials told News-Press NOW that one person was sent to Mosaic with moderate injuries to the pelvic area.

Detective Jeff Pearl said the incident was contained to a residence at the intersection.

The incident happened around 3:30 p.m. on Monday, April 28.

SJPD said the investigation is still developing and is on-going.

News-Press NOW will update this article when more information becomes available.

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Jenna Wilson

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — The St. Joseph School District Board of Education held it’s monthly meeting on Monday, April 28 at the Troester Media Center, located at 3401 Renick St.

Last month’s BOE meeting covered important topics across the district, including proposed salary schedules, curriculum, and attendance reports.

The board also discussed the district’s long-range plan and outlined its next steps.

Rick Gehring, a St. Joseph School District Board of Education member, announced his resignation at the board’s annual reorganization meeting on April 14. The SJSD is looking to fill this position.

Regarding the open seat on the St. Joseph school board, officials said a special meeting will be held to review applications, followed by another meeting to conduct interviews.

The SJSD School Board also discussed a ‘Plan B’ following the failure of Proposition 2 on the April election ballot, which would have funded the construction of two new high schools in the St. Joseph School District.

Superintendent Gabe Edgar said at Monday night’s board meeting that district officials still support a two-high school model, but they will need to determine how to move forward in achieving that goal.

“We’ve begun discussions, but we’ve only had one administrative meeting so far,” Edgar said. “It’s too early for me to say anything definitively, but we’ve brought the architect back into the conversation, and hopefully, he can put together a timeline for what that looks like.”

Edgar mentioned that the district should not focus solely on the two high schools, but also prioritize addressing issues at local middle and elementary schools.

“You can’t sit back and ignore the issues,” Edgar said. “We have a middle school model that’s broken, and our feeder patterns are also broken. So, I think it’s important to discuss the system as a whole, not just focus on the two high schools.”

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