Category: knpn-local-news

Rebecca Evans

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — A piece of Downtown St. Joseph’s history is getting a modern makeover.

The city’s first designer apartments and retail spaces are set to open soon at 716-718 Felix Street, across from Coleman Hawkins Park in Downtown.

Developed by Juniper Lane and Fox Creek Design LLC, the project is transforming a 150-year-old building into a blend of high-end residential living and retail opportunity. The redevelopment will preserve much of the building’s historic character, while adding modern design elements and upscale finishes.

“This building has been vacant my whole life. We could use some more retail spaces just to bring people Downtown and get people shopping,” Jamie Donaldson, a developer, said.

Once complete, the space will feature eight luxury apartments on the upper floors and retail suites on the street level, bringing new energy and investment to the area of town.

Developers said the goal is to create a destination supporting both stylish, urban living and the growth of small businesses in the city’s historic core.

“It’s right on the square to get more traction…,” Donaldson said. “And also have some more housing available for people Downtown.”

Construction is well underway on the long-standing property. Retail spaces are currently being preleased and preleasing for the apartment spaces will begin in the spring.

The estimated cost for a unit is $1,975 a month. Leasing terms are flexible and a free rent promotion is offered with an early lease agreement. For more information or to apply call 816-617-8797.

The team hopes the mix of retail and residential will not only bring new life to Felix Street but also inspire others to invest in Downtown.

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Carter Ostermiller

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — The Buchanan County Sheriff’s Office’s new ‘Seek Then Speak‘ program has just been announced as a new online resource for sexual assault victims.

The program can be accessed through an application, which provides survivors with steps to seek help and create a report.

News-Press NOW reached out to the Buchanan County Sheriff’s Office to discuss the goal of the new program.

“If we can increase the reporting of sexual assault and, you know, the removal of suspects from the street, then obviously we’re making our community a safer place,” Sheriff Bill Puett said.

According to a Facebook post from the Buchanan County Sheriff’s Office, “SEEK helps survivors and supports people gathering information and exploring options, while SPEAK provides a way for survivors to begin the process of reporting to law enforcement by completing a self-guided interview and generating a report.”

More information about the app and program can be found at www.evawintl.org/seek-then-speak-resources/.

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Cameron Montemayor

BUCHANAN COUNTY, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — The Missouri Department of Conservation confirmed a rare sighting of a mountain lion this September in Northwest Missouri near St. Joseph, one of just four confirmed sightings in the last four years of the elusive and shy cat in the region.

Department officials confirmed to News-Press NOW the authenticity of trail camera footage of a mountain lion captured just before 10 p.m. on Sept. 22 in northeast Buchanan County.

“Mountain lion sightings are not very common in northwestern Missouri, but they do happen on rare occasions. Our last confirmed sighting in the region was in February, and there have only been about three in the northwest in the last four years,” said Erin Woodiel, media specialist with MDC’s Kansas City and Northwestern regions.

The owner of the trail camera told News-Press NOW the images were captured in Buchanan County, following earlier sightings of the large feline making its way through Andrew County, coming as close as Amazonia.

The camera was located just 15 miles northeast of St. Joseph — just west of Clarksdale, Missouri — when it captured footage of the mountain lion, also known as a cougar. Photos posted on Facebook earlier this week by another Northwest Missouri resident appear to show a mountain lion near Savannah on Sept. 19, a sighting unconfirmed by the department.

This trail camera screenshot shows a mountain lion walking through a field west of Clarksdale, Missouri, just before 10 p.m. on Sept. 22, roughly 15 miles northeast of St. Joseph.

“Mountain lions don’t tend to linger in one spot for too long, and they have a fairly large range of movement, so it is much more likely that other sightings in the area would be of the same cat moving through as opposed to multiple individuals,” Woodiel said. “As with any wild animal sighting, we remind the public to Keep Wildlife Wild and to not approach or attempt to interact with or feed the animal. If it doesn’t feel threatened or cornered, it won’t bother the public and will continue on its way.” 

She said a majority of sightings statewide have been single male mountain lions likely grown up and traveling along the Missouri River corridor in search of their own territory. Genetic samples in the past from cougars found traveling through Missouri suggest many are coming from western states, according to the department’s website.

Measuring up to 8 feet long and weighing between 64 and 265 pounds, depending on whether it’s male or female, mountain lions are solitary animals and attacks on humans are rare. Missouri does not have an established breeding population, and no evidence has been recorded of reproduction.

“Mountain lions are naturally shy of people and seldom cause problems, even in states with thriving populations,” a page on MDC’s website reads. “The danger of a mountain lion attack is highly unlikely compared to many other familiar dangers we encounter every day. Fatal mountain lion attacks have averaged one every seven years since 1980.”

As of late 2024, the Missouri Department of Conservation had confirmed roughly 120 mountain lion sightings and reports since 1996. More than a dozen official sightings have occurred statewide in 2025.

Each year, MDC’s Large Carnivore Response Team investigates hundreds of mountain lion reports.

Of the thousands of reports received since 1994, less than 1% have yielded enough physical evidence to clearly confirm the presence of a mountain lion, although sightings have increased since 2006, in large part due to the popularity of trail cameras.

Woodiel said the public is encouraged to report sightings to a local conservation agent, particularly if physical evidence or photo/video evidence is available. Residents can also email the LCRT team at mountain.lion@mdc.mo.gov to contact the Response Team directly.

More information on mountain lions can be found on the department’s website at mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/mountain-lion.

State game agencies estimate mountain lion populations in the U.S. to be between 20,000 and 40,000.

This undated photo provided by the U.S. National Park Service shows a mountain lion photographed in the Santa Monica Mountain range in California.

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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.  

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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.

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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.”

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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!

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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.

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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.

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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.

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