Category: knpn-local-news

Prajukta Ghosh

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (KQTV)– The St. Joseph Board of Education sat down for a financial audit review led by Linda Quinley, the executive finance director with the Missouri School Board Association, on Nov. 24.

Quinley started the review by breaking down the district’s state revenue and walking community members through the last five years of Average Daily Attendance and weighted Average Daily Attendance. She pointed out a steady decline in revenue, which mirrors the district’s drop in enrollment over the past few years. 

“She’s talked about some opportunities for improvement, for us to get those in a more narrow band, meaning, for us to be 1 to 2% off on some of those projections, instead of a higher percent, that we’ve been in the past,” Robert Hedgecorth, Assistant Superintendent for Business and Operations, said.  

Hedgecorth explained that some of the projections—especially those tied to employee counts and salary schedules—ended up being underestimated compared to earlier forecasts.  

“There wasn’t anything mishandled or mismanaged. It was basically the forecasting of what was incorrect meaning, if you add a certain amount to the salary schedule, how much is that going to cost the district over time?” Hedgecorth said.  

He added that Quinley offered several helpful recommendations moving forward, including having three or four budget amendments throughout the year. 

He said more frequent amendments would allow the district to work with more accurate numbers, especially since assessed valuation and tax rates aren’t set until later in the fiscal year. 

“Preliminary budget is going to be a little more varied. But when you do your October budget amendment, you know your enrollment, valuation and tax rate, which are a good indicator of what you will receive from the state and local revenue,” Hedgecorth added.  

He said the district’s goal is to narrow that variance and present more accurate budgets going forward, something that will require more research and a stronger focus on data.  

Hedgecorth also warned that the district could face a crisis if reserves drop to the 3% mark—the point at which the state would step in which was also what Quinley highlighted during the meeting.   

“In two short years, we’ve fallen 16% or about 8% a year. And so in another year or two, if that trend continues, we would hit that 3% and so that would be a crisis,” Hedgecorth said.  

He said the district is taking steps to get back on solid financial health by looking for ways to reduce expenses, avoid deficits and operate within its budget. 

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Cameron Montemayor

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — A local nonprofit is enlisting the help of the St. Joseph community this holiday season to support thousands of households facing food insecurity.

United Way of Greater St. Joseph is asking residents to lend a helping hand as part of a volunteer “blitz” event beginning Dec. 9 and leading right up to Christmas, a multi-day series with 10 opportunities to volunteer.

Over the course of 10 sessions from Dec. 9 through Dec. 22, volunteers will help assemble 3,000 meal kits to support local households experiencing food insecurity during the holiday season, part of United Way’s Caring Connection volunteer program.

Meal kits assembled this December will be distributed through partner agencies, schools, and local organizations to ensure families have access to nutritious food during the holidays — a time when many resources are stretched thin. A total of 15 hours will be spent assembling meal kits to ensure enough are available.

The large-scale effort to support local families was made possible thanks to a grant from Mosaic Life Care and the Mosaic Life Care Foundation. With the help of the grant, United Way is able to expand its Caring Connection volunteer program to meet continued needs within the community.

10 Days of Caring Connection Crew: Holiday Helpers Sessions

(All sessions take place at United Way of Greater St. Joseph, 118 South 5th Street.)

Tuesday, Dec. 9 | 5:30 to 7 p.m.

Wednesday, Dec. 10 | 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m.

Friday, Dec.12 | 1 to 2:30 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 13 | 9 to 10:30 a.m.

Monday, Dec. 15 | 5:30 to 7 p.m.

Tuesday, Dec. 16 | 8:30 to 10 a.m.

Wednesday, Dec. 17 | 5:30 to 7 p.m.

Thursday, Dec. 18 | 8:30 to 10 a.m.

Saturday, Dec. 20 | 9 to 10:30 a.m.

Monday, Dec. 22 | 10 to 11:30 a.m.

Sessions are open to individuals, families, workplace groups, and volunteers of all ages. Tasks include sorting, assembling, and packaging Meal Kits—hands-on work that has an immediate and direct impact for neighbors in need.

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Cameron Montemayor

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — A newly-restored instrument once played by the founder of St. Joseph more than 150 years ago is revealing the storied history of music runs deeper than previously thought.

An artifact dating back to the earliest years of St. Joseph now sits on display at the Robidoux Row Museum as the crown jewel of its new music history exhibit: a fiddle roughly 150 years old, recently found to have been owned by Joseph Robidoux.

Like any new exhibit seeking to tell a unique story in history, it begins with a creative idea, or a discovery.

“I was walking around in Joseph’s bedroom, looking around, and I saw a fiddle sitting inside of a display case,” Robidoux Row Museum Director Megan Wyeth, a native of St. Joseph who took over the position in January, said. “It made me think, was Joseph a musician?”

A restored fiddle owned by Joseph Robidoux is shown at the Robidoux Row Museum in November.

Although the case was marked as Robidoux’s, the fur trader and founder of St. Joseph in 1843 wasn’t a well known musician, let alone a talented one as Wyeth would come to learn.

“I learned that he was invited to parties and weddings in hopes that he would play the fiddle,” she said, adding that little is documented about Robidoux’s musical abilities.

Hoping to learn more and preserve the item, Wyeth had the fiddle taken to Kansas City to an instrument repair specialist in Kansas City to restore it with the help of a local donation this November.

Not only was the item restored to a near-perfect condition, specialists were able to pinpoint a specific design feature — the way the neck attaches to the body — to date it to the 1850s when Robidoux was still alive in St. Joseph.

“I realized what was happening with Joseph Robidoux and his fiddle in the past, I thought, ‘Oh my gosh,'” she said. “It just took off from there because I’ve known that Saint Joe has very significant music history.”

With that, the music room was born.

A launchpad for Robidoux Row’s new exhibit

It was only fitting the founder of the city would help inspire the museum’s new exhibit on the history of local music, a result of weeks of work transforming a room located next to Robidoux’s bedroom.

Opened in late November with the help of Nancy Schmidt-Brunson with the Saint Joseph Symphony, the exhibit offers an in-depth look at an array of historic items and figures like Coleman Hawkins who have shaped the history of music, both locally and across the world.

This photo shows an area of the new music historic exhibit at the Robidoux Row Museum in St. Joseph.

“The whole idea of the music room is to celebrate the musical fabric of St. Joseph. I think of people who live near and even people who grew up here, like Megan and I did, don’t really realize the importance of music to the history of the city,” said Brunson-Schmidt, managing director of the Symphony and partner in the project.

One unique musical fact about St. Joseph: Katherine Kennicott Davis, born in 1892 in St. Joseph and prominently displayed at the museum, was the writer of the beloved Christmas song “The Little Drummer Boy.” in 1941.

It’s one of the many ties to music that Schmidt-Brunson and Wyeth hope will inspire and open the public’s eyes to how prominent St. Joseph’s music history truly is.

Within the exhibit is a large number of items donated by the Symphony after being kept inside their Downtown building for years, including a historic baton from Karl Winkler, director of the Rosenblatt Band, one of the first musical organizations to perform in Saint Joseph as early as 1868.

A baton owned by Karl Winkler is shown on display at the St. Joseph music history exhibit at the Robidoux Row Museum in November in St. Joseph.

A poster and various conductor items are displayed inside a case at the Robidoux Row Museum in St. Joseph.

Other historic items on display include a pump piano and a pair of gold epaulets over a 100 years old from the Rosenblatt Band.

“Nobody ever gets to see these items, all of this history of music in St. Joe. It’s exciting to know and I’m so grateful to Megan for really making my dream come true and sharing that with the general public. This is so important for people to know,” Brunson-Schmidt said.

She said a perfect example is the recently-discovered connection between music and Joseph Robidoux, something she was unaware of until now despite growing up in the city as a passionate musical performer.

Now, the museum, the St. Joseph Historical Society and SJ Symphony are planning to celebrate the sound of the historic instrument in front of the community.

“We’re thinking of ideas of how we can get this fiddle played so that people can hear it in a concert. With a smaller orchestra maybe, really let that instrument speak the way that it did when Joseph Robidoux played it. What a moment that would be to hear.”

The museum is already planning future phases focusing on the history of the Saint Joseph Symphony and some of its most talented performers. The Symphony has an abundance of artifacts not included in the current display.

“I want people to understand and see how broad of a range our music history is and how it’s reached all over the world. We have several musicians on the wall here that have reached the world and in so many different ways with so much talent and incredible skill,” Wyeth said.

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Leah Rainwater

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KQTV) — As portions of Missouri continue to see snowfall, the Missouri State Highway Patrol shares safe driving practices as drivers hit the roadways.

MSHP said drivers need to pay attention to weather conditions and make smart decisions regarding travel. Motorists are able to check road conditions on MoDOT’s Road Condition Map.

If traveling, motorists are encouraged to follow certain safety behaviors:

Make sure the vehicle is completely clean of snow

Lower your driving speed if it is snowing or raining and the roads are wet or icy

Do not use cruise control if rain or snow is present

Be aware of elevated roadways, such as bridges or ramps, which may freeze faster

Drivers need to leave at least five seconds between their vehicle and the vehicle in front of them

Use headlights to increase visibility

Missouri law states, if windshield wipers are being used, headlights must be on.

MSHP also suggests keeping fuel tanks at least half full, as well as placing battery booster cables, blankets, extra coats, gloves, water, non-perishable food, an ice scraper, a first aid kit, flashlight, small shovel and a bag of sand or cat litter in the trunk of the vehicle being driven.

Motorists can reach the Patrol emergency line by dialing *55 on a cellular phone. The nearest troop headquarters will receive the call and will be available to assist drivers.

MSHP said to avoid using cell phones while driving and to park vehicles off the roadway or in a parking lot before placing a call.

Highway Patrol also said to remember to buckle up, pay attention, be courteous and obey all traffic laws. When weather conditions make driving hazardous, drive only when necessary.

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Leah Rainwater

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KQTV) — The Missouri State Highway Patrol announced Gallatin native and Bureau Commander Major Scott A. Shipers will retire Jan. 1 after 30 years of service.

Shipers was appointed to the Patrol on Jan. 1, 1996, as a member of the 71st Recruit Class. Upon completing his training at the Patrol’s Law Enforcement Academy, he was assigned to Troop H, Zone 3 in Harrison and Gentry Counties.

Shipers was promoted on April 1, 2001, to corporal and designated assistant zone supervisor of Zone 7 in Clinton and Caldwell Counties. He was then promoted to sergeant on June 27, 2004, and designated supervisor of Zone 7.

Shipers took on the role of lieutenant on Sept. 1, 2011, and was assigned to Troop A Headquarters in Lee’s Summit. He was promoted to captain and designated commanding in that capacity. Some roles involved direct oversight for the Budget and Procurement, Governor’s Security, Research and Development divisions and governmental affairs.

Shipers grew up in Gallatin, Missouri and graduated from Gallatin High School in 1992. He earned a Bachelor of Science in justice systems from Truman State University in Kirksville, Missouri, in 1997.

In 2015, Shipers graduated from Northwestern University School of Police Staff and Command. He completed the Police Leadership, West Point Model course in 2019.

Shipers and his wife, Andrea (Trussel), have two children, Broday and Briggs.

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Leah Rainwater

ANDREW COUNTY, Mo. (KQTV) — The Andrew County Sheriff’s Office warned residents about a new area scam.

According to a Facebook Post, the Sheriff’s Office received multiple phone calls Monday about a scam that claims people have missed jury duty and that a warrant is out for their arrest.

The Sheriff’s Office said not to give out any personal or banking information. The Sheriff’s Office will not call to inform residents that they have missed jury duty.

Residents are encouraged to just hang up; however, if any personal or banking information has been given, residents should visit the Andrew County Sheriff’s Office to file a report.

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Cameron Montemayor

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — Three motorists, including a 44-year-old woman from Union, Missouri, were killed in motor vehicle crashes over the Thanksgiving holiday according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reports three people died in traffic crashes during this year’s Thanksgiving holiday counting period, a decrease from six fatal crashes in 2024.

The counting period took place from 6 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025, through 11:59 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 30, 2025. There were no boating crashes or drownings.

Traffic statistics for 2025 Thanksgiving Holiday (preliminary):

Crashes ─ 304Injuries ─ 82Fatalities ─ 3DWI Arrests ─ 87

Two traffic fatalities occurred on Nov. 27, 2025. A 40-year-old female from Branson, Missouri, was killed when the vehicle she was driving north traveled off the right side of the road, struck an embankment, became airborne, and overturned. The female driver was not wearing a seat belt and was ejected from the vehicle. The driver was pronounced deceased at University Hospital in Columbia, Missouri. The crash occurred on Missouri 135, at Lang Road, in Cooper County.

Also on Nov. 27, a 44-year-old female from Union, Missouri, was killed when the vehicle she was driving north on Interstate 29 began to skid and traveled off the left side of the roadway. The vehicle began to overturn in the median and came to rest in the southbound lanes. The female was not wearing a seat belt and was ejected from the vehicle. She was pronounced deceased by the Atchison County Coroner. The crash occurred on Interstate 29, one mile north of Watson, in Atchison County. The Patrol was assisted at the scene by the Atchison County Sheriff’s Office, Rock Port Fire Department, and the Atchison-Holt Ambulance District.

On Nov. 28, 2025, an 11-year-old female from O’Fallon, Missouri, was killed when the when the vehicle she was a passenger in was traveling north on Missouri 79 and failed to yield to a southbound vehicle while making a left turn. The front of the southbound vehicle struck the right side of northbound vehicle, causing it to travel off the roadway and strike a guardrail. The juvenile female was wearing a seat belt. She was pronounced deceased at SSM Health St. Joseph West in Lake St. Louis, Missouri. The 57-year-old driver of the southbound vehicle sustained minor injuries in the crash. He was not wearing a seat belt. The 40-year-old driver of the northbound vehicle sustained serious injuries in the crash. He was wearing a seat belt. The crash occurred on Missouri 79, at Missouri Route M, in St. Charles County. The Patrol was assisted at the scene by the O’Fallon and St. Charles County Police Department’s.

Previous year’s traffic crash data

During the 2024 Thanksgiving holiday counting period, troopers investigated 462 traffic crashes, which included six fatalities and 158 injuries. Statewide, 11 people died and 571 people were injured in 1,664 traffic crashes over last year’s Thanksgiving holiday. Troopers arrested 106 people for driving while intoxicated during the 2024 Thanksgiving holiday counting period.

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Leah Rainwater

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (KQTV) — The City of St. Joseph announced it has enacted Phase I of its snow ordinance, as snow continues to accumulate across the region.

Phase I is declared during the first snowfall of the season and stays in effect through the end of winter.

All-season/snow tires or chains are required on vehicles at this time. Drivers who do not have snow tires or chains and become stalled on any street could be ticketed, according to a news release.

The City currently has a dozen crews out salting the streets.

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Cameron Montemayor

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — See an up-to-date list of winter weather closings in the viewing area.

Phase I of the Emergency Snow Ordinance has been put into effect as of 7:59 a.m. this morning and will remain in effect for the remainder of the winter season. Currently, salting operations are underway with 12 trucks out on the routes.

ST. JOSEPH PUBLIC SCHOOLS & ADULT BASIC EDUCATION CENTER: Classes cancelled todayThis is an AMI day. Employees should refer to Scenario A regarding work.

Classes cancelled today:

Cameron R-I: Classes cancelled today

Chillicothe R-II: Campus closed today

EAST BUCHANAN C-I: Classes cancelled today

HELEN M. DAVIS STATE SCHOOL: Classes cancelled today

HELEN M. DAVIS STATE SCHOOL: Classes cancelled today

KING CITY R-I: Classes cancelled today

MARYVILLE R-II: Campus closed today

MID-BUCHANAN R-V: Classes cancelled today.

NORTH PLATTE R-I: Classes cancelled today

STANBERRY R-II [WEB]: Classes cancelled today

UNION STAR R-II: Classes cancelled today

WEST PLATTE SCHOOL DIST: Classes cancelled today

ALL FALLS CITY PUBLIC & CATHOLIC SCHOOLS: Opens 2 hours late

Businesses and organizations closed today:

MARYVILLE SENIOR CENTER: Closed today; The Nodaway County Senior Center will be closed Monday, Dec. 1 due to weather

UCP OF NORTHWEST MISSOURI: Closed today

JOYCE RAYE PATTERSON 50+ ACTIVITY CENTER: Fitness classes and activities are cancelled for Dec. 1.  The fitness center and billiard room is open.

ANDREW COUNTY SENIOR CENTER: Closed today

HOLIDAY PARK AT KRUG PARK: Closed today

NOYES HOME FOR CHILDREN: Closed today

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Danielle Bailey

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — Parents and guardians looking to learn how to protect their child in the online world have the chance to hear from an expert.

The St. Joseph Public Library will host cybersecurity expert Byron Gorman in a two-part series at 6 p.m. Monday, Dec. 1, and Wednesday, Dec.11. The first seminar will touch on topics such as online risks and cyberbullying, while the second will focus on online predators.

Gorman has 27 years of experience and expertise in cybersecurity and digital forensics.

The series is adults-only and registration is required. To register, visit the calendar of events on www.sjpl.lib.mo.us. All library programs are free and open to the public.

Those who require ADA accommodations should call the ADA coordinator at 816-232-4038. The series will be held at the East Hills branch at 502 N. Woodbine Road.

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