Category: knpn-local-news

Charles Christian

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — An upcoming free lunch and learn event at Benedictine Living Community in St. Joseph will help caregivers prevent burnout.

Maleah Hess of Aseracare Hospice will give a one-hour presentation especially designed for caregivers that addresses self-care and burnout prevention.

Lunch will be served from 11:30 a.m. to noon on Monday, Aug. 11, at the Benedictine Living Community, at 1202 Heartland Road, in St. Joseph.

Hess will then present her workshop from noon to 1:00 p.m. Both the lunch and the seminar are free.

Sales and Marketing Manager Karen Cannon said this event is part of a long-running monthly series seeking to address the needs of senior adults and their caregivers in the community.

For more information about the series, or to register for the Aug. 11 presentation, contact Karen Cannon at (816) 671-8542, or by email at Karen.Cannon@benedictineliving.org.

The September Lunch and Learn will take place on Monday, Sept. 8, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and will address issues regarding retirement and social security.

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News-Press NOW

By: Mitchell Kaminski

NEWTON, Iowa (KMIZ)

Tucked in America’s heartland is a 7/8 mile oval in the middle of a cornfield, dubbed the “Fastest Short Track on the Planet.” Despite being located in the hills of Newton, Iowa, its origins have ties to the Show-Me State. 

After the Newton City Council approved plans for the proposed $30 million race track in 2003, Rusty Wallace was named the leading designer of the project. Wallace is one of 41 drivers from Missouri to compete in NASCAR. In 2004, the St. Louis native inked plans for a D-shaped, asphalt oval, becoming the first professional stock car driver in recent history to design a racing circuit. 

“You can definitely tell a driver designed the race track,” 2012 Cup Series Champion Brad Keselowski told ABC 17 News. “ A lot of things that just make sense, the tracks designed with progressive banking, which allows for it to race with two separate lanes and create side-by-side racing and passing. Rusty deserves a lot of credit for that vision.” 

Missouri features over 50 different types of race tracks across the state, including dirt tracks, drag strips, and ovals. Like many grassroots racers in the Show-Me State, Wallace thrived on short ovals, specifically Richmond, logging six of his race wins there. After getting a call from investors a year before he retired in 2005, Wallace decided to bring an improved version of Richmond to the Midwest, which has presented a variety of challenges to drivers.

“This is one of the very few tracks, especially ovals, where I kinda feel like I’m out in left field a little bit with kind of understanding what I need to do to go fast here,” Denny Hamlin, who is just two wins shy of his 60th Cup Series victory, said. “It’s certainly shaped uniquely,  very similar to Richmond, but different. This is certainly something that’s important in this region to have a racetrack, and certainly the fans will turn out in big numbers.” 

Two years after Wallace completed his design plans, Iowa Speedway opened its doors and began hosting a variety of racing series, including the NASCAR Xfinity Series, Truck Series, and IndyCar.  The track quickly became a favorite for drivers and fans alike, producing several memorable moments. Nearly a decade after opening, Iowa Speedway finally hosted its inaugural NASCAR Cup Series race.  

“It was always my favorite race track on iRacing. I remember coming here in 2016 and just wondering if how I felt about it on iRacing would be the same as in real life and was able to come here and literally the first lap on the racetrack, it felt just like iRacing and just kind of fell in love with the place,” Chase Briscoe told ABC 17 News hours before winning pole position for the second Cup Series race at Iowa. “The repave changed my opinions on that, but still love coming out here.” 

“You roll in and you see almost nothing for hours and hours and you just roll into this beautiful racetrack set up in the hills. Really is an amazing facility,” Chris Buscher, driver of the No. 17 Ford Mustang for RFK Racing, added.  

Buescher couldn’t help but grin as he recalled how much the racing surface and the experience have changed over the years. 

“I remember this was one of the hottest races I ever ran in an ARCA car. But it was so much fun back then,” Buescher said as he cracked a smile. “We actually moved around basically all the way to the wall and just to see that progression since that day and see how many races moved around and widened the place out was awesome. Obviously the repave has taken that upper half of the racetrack away from us for the time being. But it was also pretty rough.” 

Erik Jones, driver of the No. 43 Toyota for Legacy Motor Club, got his first taste of Iowa Speedway while in the NASCAR Truck Series. Like Buescher, he has fond memories of coming to the track. 

“In 2013, I came here and ran a truck race, not the same place at all, that’s for sure.  But I liked it right away. I had success here in Trucks and Xfinity and won some races.  I always enjoyed coming,” Jones said.  “It’s definitely way different with the patch than what it was then, and  the way you race and track and move around and how treacherous it is. This place never seemed so treacherous.” 

The patch Jones referenced, which was part of a repave before the inaugural Cup Series race in 2024, has drawn the ire of several drivers. It has also made the track even more challenging, with fewer lanes to move around in. 

“From the first time I came here, it was a bit tricky to figure out. Short tracks weren’t really my thing. But as the tires wear out, you can kind of move around, so that kind of saved me a little bit.  Getting going I couldn’t really make speed unless you’re able to move up and move around,” Tyler Reddick, driver of the No. 45 Toyota for 23XI Racing, said. “That game changed a little bit with repaved corners, but you’re still moving around searching on those patches.” 

Despite the driver concerns, the track has produced sold-out crowds in each of its first two Cup Series races. 

“Whether the racing is great or not, they show up, hopefully we put on a good show every time,” Carson Hocevar, driver of the No. 77 Chevrolevte for Spire Motorsports, said. 

Drivers say the packed grandstands speak to the racing culture in the Midwest, a region that has an appetite for racing. 

“I think the culture is different in motorsports, definitely in different pockets of the country. But the Midwest region is certainly my favorite,” Briscoe, an Indiana native, said. “ Iowa is just such a core motorsports fan base and they just love racing, you know, whether it’s NASCAR, IndyCars or sprint cars or late models, it just doesn’t matter, it’s just a ton of fans, especially grassroots fans, especially in this area.” 

Jones, who got his start racing in his hometown state of Michigan, offered a similar sentiment. 

“I think there’s really a love for it here that’s probably a bit understated,” Jones said. ” You look at the history of guys who have come out of the Midwest and have been successful not just in NASCAR, but on the short track side, and it’s guys that I look up to from the short track world. They’re all from the Midwest.”

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Cameron Montemayor

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — Construction of a new $796,000 pickleball complex by Corby Pond and funds for ongoing work on a new animal shelter received the green light from City Councilmembers.

Among the agenda items approved at Monday’s City Council meeting was a contract with McConnell and Associates for development of a new pickleball complex by Corby Grove on North 22nd Street, a project funded by parks tax and CIP funds. The complex will be located in the same spot where the former Corby tennis courts once stood.

The complex is being constructed with eight regulation-size pickleball courts, enhanced lighting for evening play, seating areas and minimal landscaping to preserve the natural character of the park. New sidewalks will also provide stronger connectivity.

“Pickleball is still growing by leaps and bounds here locally,” St. Joseph Parks and Recreation Director Jeff Atkins said. “So we’re anxious to to be able to add to the the pickleball population here in town and easily by this time next year they should be playing pickleball there.” 

Pickleball claimed the title of ‘fastest growing sport’ in the U.S. for a third consecutive year in 2024 according to Sports & Fitness Industry Association, with participation rising by a staggering 223.5% in the last three years.

Councilmembers also approved a $225,000 contribution from the Friends of the Animal Shelter to provide additional funding for ongoing construction of the $5 million shelter on the South Belt Highway.

The latest contribution pushes the non-profit’s total funding amount closer to $2 million for the long-awaited shelter, a 13,000-square-foot facility taking shape at 3405 S. Belt Highway.

Shelter officials said during a groundbreaking ceremony in June that the goal is to have animal shelter staff moved into the new facility in late June of 2026. The new shelter comes with an additional 5,000 square feet of space compared to the aging and outdated facility at 701 S.W. Lower Lake Road.

City to invest close to $1 million for technology upgrades

Monday’s agenda also includes an ordinance to provide funding in an amount not to exceed $997,659 for investments to the city’s technology services to address infrastructure modernization.

Funds will be used for components such as servers, firewalls, networking equipment, data storage solutions, and improved backup processes. It will also allow for the implementation of professional services and tools necessary to manage the evolving demands on the City’s technology environment.

The proposed ordinance says the city has many platforms that are aging and now require upgrades to ensure they remain reliable, efficient, and aligned with current standards.

New seating on deck for Phil Welch Stadium

St. Joseph’s historic Phil Welch Stadium will see all new seating installed following the Mustangs’s MINK League Championship this summer, the latest upgrade for the beloved ballpark.  

Council members authorized a $336,814 contract with Mid-State School Equipment on Monday to remove aging and deteriorating seats and install new seating at Phil Welch Stadium utilizing parks sales tax funds. 

The project could begin this fall and will provide a needed upgrade for fan seating once complete. The stadium was opened back in 1939 and has undergone significant renovations in recent years. 

City commits long-term costs for closure of landfill

While St. Joseph’s landfill is more than two decades away from closing, city officials took required steps toward long-term financial planning for its eventual closure by committing $19.8 million for closure and post-closure costs in 2047.  

Post-closure is a DNR-mandated 25-year obligation that takes place after a landfill closes, including covering the landfill, monitoring methane gases and numerous other environmental requirements to ensure safe closure. 

Other agenda items approved by Council

Contract in the amount of $95,000 and a change order in the amount of $107,550 with Auxier Construction Company for the construction of the Hyde Park maintenance building construction project utilizing parks sales tax funds.

Filing of an application with the Missouri Department of Economic Development for a Military Community Reinvestment Grant under which the city will provide matching funds in the amount of $120,000 for a total grant amount of $240,000 for a modular training simulator at Rosecrans Air National Guard base.

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Mitchell Kaminski

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A new bill introduced by Sen. Josh Hawley could provide American families with rebate checks worth thousands of dollars, using revenue generated from tariffs under the Trump administration.

The proposal came just days before President Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday night imposing steep tariffs on 66 countries—including the European Union, Taiwan, and the Falkland Islands—set to take effect on Aug. 7. The tariffs were initially proposed for April but had been postponed twice, most recently to Aug. 1.

Hawley unveiled the legislation on Monday, aiming to return tariff revenue directly to U.S. households in the form of rebate checks.

Hawley says he got the idea from Trump, who floated the idea of rebate checks. This prompted the Missouri senator to draft legislation similar to the one he co-sponsored with Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) that provided rebate checks to people during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Hawley’s American Worker Rebate Act of 2025 aims to hand out at least $600 per person and dependent child, with up to $2,400 for a family of four. If the bill passes, the rebates would be issued as refundable tax credits linked to the 2025 tax year, potentially beginning later this year or in early 2026. However, the rebate would be reduced by 5% for joint filers earning more than $150,000 and individuals making more than $75,000.

“I want to be clear, it would phase out for upper incomes,” Hawley told ABC 17 News. “What a great message to send to the working people of Missouri and the whole country that Trump’s policies are working for them and their government is working for them. I can’t think of a better thing to do than give them a piece of this wealth that frankly, they have earned.”

Some of Hawley’s constituents have poured cold water on the idea, like Sen Ron Johnson (R-WI), who suggested that the money should go toward paying down the deficit.

When asked if the idea of offering rebate checks would be counterintuitive to some of the cuts that DOGE made to reduce the deficit, Hawley brushed off the concern, saying that it isn’t new spending but rather extra money the government has gotten “because of the success of the president’s policies.”

“The reason that the tariff money is coming in is because we’ve got all of these companies that want to do business in the United States of America,  that want to have access to American workers and are willing to pay for it, Hawley said. “I notice that the Wall Street crowd they get whatever they want, whenever they want it in terms of tax rules and special treatment and loopholes and all the rest, all the corporations get it. Why shouldn’t working people get a piece of this new wealth that, frankly, their labor is creating?”

The proposal emerges amid growing concerns about rising costs driven by tariffs on imported goods.

Hawley says that the US is on track to raise over $150 billion from tariff revenues this year. Through June, the US has already raised $108 billion in tariff revenue alone. The Treasury Department also said on July 25, that the U.S. government posted a $27 billion surplus in June.

According to a July 28 analysis from The Budget Lab at Yale, Trump’s tariffs could cost U.S. households an average of $2,400 in 2025, as companies pass higher tariff costs on to consumers through increased prices.

Joe Haslag, a professor in the University of Missouri’s Department of Economics, says that while tariffs do generate revenue, they also distort markets by altering supply, demand, or prices. Prices ideally reflect the true economic cost of production—including wages, equipment, and profits—but tariffs push prices away from that baseline. As a result, markets become less efficient, and consumers end up paying more for products while getting less of them in return.

“What Senator Hawley is proposing is to take the revenues from that and just give it back to people, that’s going to get rid of the transfer part of the tariff.  It won’t get rid of the distortion,” Haslag explained.  “In other words, the tariff itself is going to create this problem and there’s a technical name for it. The technical name is dead weight loss.”

Haslag emphasized that the rebates don’t undo the underlying harm caused by tariffs.

“Just a simple return of that check will make their pockets feel better. But it’s not going to get rid of the deleterious effects of the tariffs,” Haslag said. “They distort prices and they end up harming U.S. consumers.”

However, Haslag added that handing out rebate checks does have a return on investment for lawmakers.

“There’s a potential political return, right?  I mean, you can you can curry a lot of favor with people if you’re putting money back into their pockets,” Haslag said. “But there are a lot of options on the table, reducing the government deficit,  which seems to be coming down.”

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News-Press NOW

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — One woman is dead following a vehicle vs. pedestrian accident in the southbound lane on Missouri Interstate 29 early Sunday morning.

According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the accident occurred around 2:55 a.m. in the southbound lane of I-29 at the 47.8 mile marker, just south of the Frederick Avenue exit.

The 50-year-old male driver, from Papillion, Neb., was driving a 2023 Freightliner tractor-trailer, traveling south on I-29.

A 35-year-old pedestrian, a St. Joseph woman, was lying in the southbound driving lane when the Freightliner struck the pedestrian.

The woman was pronounced deceased at the scene by the Buchanan County Medical Examiner.

MSHP said the incident is currently under investigation.

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Praji Ghosh

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — The City of St. Joseph is rolling out a new safety initiative aimed at addressing illegally parked and abandoned vehicles left on public streets. 

Under the new program, any vehicle parked on the street must meet several requirements: it must have valid license plates, be insured, be in working condition and be parked correctly. 

To help enforce these rules, the St. Joseph Police Department has added two civilian parking enforcement officers. Their job is to patrol neighborhoods, issue tickets, and place tow tags on vehicles that don’t comply with city ordinances. 

The goal is to improve customer service and respond more effectively to ongoing parking complaints from the community. 

“A lot of parking calls that we would get be on our lower priority calls, by implementing this type of parking enforcement, we can go ahead and our officers can focus on higher priority calls,” said Sgt. Richard McGregory with the SJPD.

This new enforcement effort builds on the city’s existing Downtown parking program — but now, it’s expanding across St. Joseph to tackle issues citywide. 

The SJPD has assigned specific enforcement teams to write tickets and address violations.  

Sgt. McGregory said it’s still early, but the department is monitoring public feedback.  

“That’s going to be something that we later have to deal with and see how the community is responding to it because I only had a few calls from people about this concern,” Sgt. McGregory said.  

Some community members are already welcoming the move.

Desire Hayes, a St. Joseph resident, believes stronger enforcement is long overdue.  

“It’s just unacceptable that you can’t park your car over there because there’s a van parked over there where it’s not supposed to I think this enforcement will do good on a community level,” Hayes said.  

Hayes said she hopes the stricter parking rules will push more drivers to follow the law.  

Parking measures like this are designed to strengthen enforcement and encourage residents to follow the rules put in place by the city.  

“I think having enforcement like this will help the community in a good way because I see things around me all the time, but I can’t do anything about it because my word won’t matter,” Hayes said.  

As officers continue to issue tickets and tow tags, residents are also encouraged to play a role by reporting illegally parked vehicles through the city’s website.  

News-Press NOW tried speaking to residents across St. Joseph who might be against the matter, but was declined for any interviews.

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News-Press NOW

DAVIESS COUNTY, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — Two people suffered serious injuries in a one-car Daviess County crash Sunday.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reports the crash occurred around 6:38 p.m. on U.S. Route 69 North, about five miles south of Pattonsburg, Missouri.

A 21-year-old King City, Missouri woman drove off one side of the road, overcorrected, and went off the other side of the road, flipping her car.

She and a 28-year-old Winston, Missouri man riding with her suffered serious injuries.

First responders took the driver to Mosaic Life Care and the passenger to KU Medical Center by helicopter.

The driver was wearing a seat belt, but the passenger was not, according to the crash report.

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Praji Ghosh

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — A community-wide school supply drive is underway to help local students gear up for the upcoming school year. 

The drive will wrap up with a final drop-off event on Saturday, Aug. 17, at the Open-Door Food Kitchen. 

Community members are encouraged to donate essential items such as pencils, markers, crayons, calculators, sticky notes, and other school supplies. All donations will go directly to students in need as they prepare for the 2025-26 academic year. 

Donations are being accepted now and will continue through the Aug. 17 deadline. 

“Its helpful, we have all been there and we know that its a struggle to get the supplies ready to go for the first day of school and we like to give back because we understand that pressure,” Katie Burris, Executive director of Open Door Kitchen said.  

The team at Open Door Food Kitchen is gearing up to distribute supplies as part of their ongoing effort to support the local community. 

This year marks the 41st anniversary of the non-profit, which serves hot meals seven days a week—including holidays—to anyone in need.  

“Its a nice little community here, we have 200 meals a day that we serve so its a busy place for all of us working here,” Burris said.  

For volunteer Steve Doles, giving back is personal. He believes one of the most important parts of life is making sure people get proper nutrition.  

He believes one of the most important things in life is making sure people get the nutrition they need — that’s what inspired him to start volunteering and serving meals.  

“We are providing a service for the people that come here and I don’t know if this is the only meal they get in a day, it might be, especially with the food prices being so high,” Doles said.  

Beyond meals, the organization is also handing out backpacks filled with hygiene products and snacks to help unhoused and marginalized community members stay prepared.  

Young volunteer Mckinley Hennigan, who’s been involved since she was seven, said the team always welcomes extra hands.  

“They can always use the help, I have been volunteering since I was seven and the people in the community can always come in volunteer,” Hennigan said.  

For more information on donation drive or volunteering opportunities, visit our website newspressnow.com 

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News-Press NOW

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — The community is invited to kick off United Way’s Annual Campaign during a breakfast event.

The breakfast will begin at 7:30 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 4, at The Metropolitan, located at 107 S. 6th St.

By 8 a.m., the community is welcome to meet the Campaign Co-Chairs, celebrate Pacesetter results and view the 2025 Campaign video.

Those interested must register by Friday, Aug. 29, and can do so by visiting stjosephunitedway.org or by calling (816) 364-2381.

Registration is $10 per person or $75 for a group of eight.

United Way’s Annual Campaign is a fundraising initiative and tradition carried out by the community to support lasting change in the areas of education, health and financial stability in Northwest Missouri and Northeast Kansas.

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Rebecca Evans

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — It was more than just football at Missouri Western State University on Saturday as the Kansas City Chiefs welcomed fans to Family Fun Day at training camp, transforming the field into a festival of red, gold and smiles.

While fans packed the stands to catch a glimpse of star players during practice, kids and families enjoyed a full lineup of activities just steps away from the field.

Some traveled long distances to attend. Rebecca Mansir made the trip from California with her son as part of their annual family vacation.

“No matter where they are in the country, we’re always cheering for them,” Mansir said. “Wherever they’re playing, and we try to go to as many games as possible.”

The family zone featured a bounce house, obstacle course drills and a rock climbing wall. Interactive stations allowed fans to test their arm strength by throwing to various yard lines or see if they had the leg to make a field goal.

Jeff Evans, a longtime Chiefs fan, shared his excitement for the upcoming season.

“To the Chiefs players: Look, there’s been a lot of doubt for us this year,” Evans said. “Let’s come in and do what we know we are here to do. We’re back to the Super Bowl this year!”

Photo opportunities with cheerleaders and the team mascot, KC Wolf, kept phones snapping throughout the morning.

Quinten Colquhoun and his grandfather, Warren McElwain, came together to watch the players on the field.

“I love the Chiefs. We wanted to come last year, but tickets were sold out,” Colquhoun said. “We got tickets right when they opened. We’re gonna have a perfect season this year.”

McElwain, a fan since the late 1960s, also expressed optimism for the team’s future.

“I like Nick Bolton because he’s from the University of Missouri, and I’m from the University of Missouri,” McElwain said. “I think this is gonna be a good year for us.”

Family Fun Day remains one of the most popular events during training camp, giving fans a chance to make memories while watching their favorite team gear up for another big season.

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