Category: knpn-local-news

Kyle Schmidt

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — The journey to run a marathon, or longer, in all seven continents started before Candice Knuteson set it to be her goal.

After completing the six world marathon majors from 2021-2023 (Boston, New York City, Chicago, Berlin, London and Tokyo) Knuteson had ran on three continents. She scooped up her fourth continent shortly after this year’s Boston Marathon.

“I got kind of two benefits out of that training block, where I can run Boston, recover real quick for like a week,” She said. “Then basically turn around and run a 50 kilometers race to accomplish my fourth continent.”

The 50-kilometer race, over a week after the Boston Marathon, was in South America at the Patagonia International Running Festival. Not only adding a continent to the tally but also coming in first place for her age group, a feat her father, David Graf, said he was most impressed with.

“The fact that she won her class and she was the second female total,” Graf said. “It strikes me as quite an accomplishment.”

Sydney, Australia will be added as the seventh world marathon major which Knuteson said she will run in August to achieve her fifth continent. After that a trip to Antarctica is set for March 2026.

“The one I laughed at was when she said she was going to run in Antarctica,” Graf said. “I understand people run with bulls in Pamplona, I didn’t know anybody runs with penguins.”

The final continent, saved for last, is Africa. This is the continent Knuteson said is special to her.

“Part of my history is I actually did a study abroad program in Africa and that’s actually what gave me the bug to travel internationally,” Knuteson said. “I want to finish there because I feel like for me, that’s where it all started.”

As a local runner, Knuteson ran on every street in St. Joseph and said the city is a fun place to run and has a great park system. A member of the Measly Mile Mafia, Knuteson has the running nickname “Run Bun.”

“I always tell my hairstylist, please you got to leave enough for the run bun,” She said.

Knuteson said while running she is able to process things and figure stuff out. Between her thoughts and the nature she can embrace all over the world, she said she doesn’t listen to music when she runs.

“My music is on an iPod shuffle so if that tells you how long it’s been since I’ve listened to music,” Knuteson said. “Some people say they have shower thoughts, I have running thoughts.”

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Charles Christian

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — Those interested in filling the ever-present need for social workers, especially in rural areas of Northwest Missouri, can receive training through a growing program at Missouri Western State University.

The bachelor’s program in social (BSW) has been accredited for nearly 40 years. However, a few years ago, the administration and faculty decided to begin a master’s program for social work (MSW) which will soon begin its third full year.

Department Director, Dr. Grey Endres, said this third year represents a milestone for the program in regard to full accreditation.

“Pre-candidacy is year one. Then, in year two…you reach what is called full candidacy,” Endres said. “When you clear the hurdles of year three…you get what’s called your full accreditation.”

This coming year has the potential of clearing those hurdles for the new program, which means the graduates from both years will also receive credit for having graduated from a fully accredited program.

In order to fully achieve their career goals in social work, recent program graduates, like Theresa Sullivan, know that being connected with an accredited program is key. However, for Sullivan, the support of professors and staff in this MSW program have made all the difference.

“The staff and professors are very personable and easy to approach,” Sullivan said. “As a working mom, the commitment the university has shown to this degree is crucial, because it can be hard for working parents to get to Kansas City or other areas for a master’s level program.”

Sullivan added that a program like this getting off the ground in St. Joseph will benefit the entire region, especially in rural areas.

Endres said the program is part of the vision the faculty, staff and administration had in mind when designing an accredited program for social work.

Endres said, given the size of the faculty, he feels the program could accommodate around forty students. MWSU graduated 12 MSW students in year one, and expects to graduate 16 this year, counting the May and December 2025 graduating class.

In addition to providing graduate-level training for the wide range of care social workers provide — from dealing with child abuse to assisting all ages with mental health needs — Endres said the program also provides a boost to caregivers and non-profit organizations in the community.

“Because of the practicum requirements for our MSW students, we have been able to provide around 32,000 hours of service to Northwest Missouri since our beginning,” Endres said. “One of our practicum students even assisted a local school in rescuing a child who was being groomed for human trafficking this past year.”

In the Fall of 2025, the program will partner with Voices of Courage by allowing students to open up a mental health clinic for parents and children at VoC, giving both a practical education opportunity for students and a much needed mental health resource for the community.

For recent MSW graduate Sullivan, the diversity of courses and the wide range of backgrounds among the professors expand the opportunities for training and allow graduates a wide range of choices when it comes to the next steps in their careers.

“This program is beneficial for any aspect of a social work career, because of the diverse course offerings,” Sullivan said.

According to the social work department guidelines, there are two tracks for the MSW program: one for those with an undergraduate degree in social work (BSW), as well as a track for those whose undergraduate training is in a related field like education, criminal justice or psychology.

“We are fortunate to have the facilities we have at Missouri Western,” Endres said. “We have classrooms that mirror real-world places, like hospitals, and we also have practicum requirements that place students in real-world experiences.”

To find out more about the program and qualifications for admission, visit www.missouriwestern.edu/social-work.

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Kirsten Stokes

ST. JOSEPH, MO (News-press NOW) — As heart disease remains the leading cause of death in Americans, local physicians are continuing to use new technology to improve heart health.

Dr. Jane Schwabe, a cardiothoracic surgeon at Mosaic, has worked in the profession since 1997. While an advocate for no smoking and vaping use, Dr Schwabe said prevention is the key to ensuring Americans keep their hearts healthy, especially in the Northwest Missouri area.

“The best way to treat a disease is to not let it ever happen,” Schwabe said. “So, preventing heart disease, lung disease, stuff like that starts in childhood.”

Some ways people can intervene and prevent heart disease include: educating yourself on family history, incorporating the right nutrition in diet and not smoking.

Dr. Schwabe said new stent technology called TAVR allows for physicians to cut down scar tissue growing inside of the valves.

“We now have what are called drug-eluting stents, where they’re coated with basically chemotherapy to kind of cut down scar tissue to grow inside the stents,” said Schwabe.

According to the American Heart Association, about 48% of Americans have heart disease. As it continues to be the leading cause of death in the United States, Dr. Schwabe said symptoms can look different, especially in women, since they tend to have smaller frames.

“We’ve got what’s called a tab or program so we can do valve replacement without having to do open heart surgery,” Schwabe said. “That’s a problem called aortic stenosis, which tends to be a little more female heavy than male heavy in the older ages.

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News-Press NOW

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — The St. Joseph Police Department was able to capture and arrest a suspect who fled the scene of a stabbing the evening of Thursday, May 22.

A 56-year-old man suffered serious injuries when he was stabbed at an outdoor location in the 1300 block of Frederick Avenue by a man he knows.

The victim was driven to a nearby site and police were called at 8:02 p.m. for assistance.

Police quickly gathered information about the suspect’s vehicle, which was relayed to officers on street patrol.

At 8:46 p.m., the vehicle was located at 22nd and Messanie streets, where the suspect was arrested.

The victim was taken to Mosaic Life Care for treatment of his injuries. The suspect remains in custody, and the case has been forwarded to the Buchanan County Prosecutor’s Office.

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Jenna Wilson

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) –While more than 100 shooting incidents have been reported in St. Joseph since the beginning of the year, fewer than half have been linked to violent crime, according to the St. Joseph Police Department.

Since January 2025, SJPD has received 162 reports of shootings. However, Deputy Chief Jason Strong clarified that not all reports result in actual shooting cases.

Of those 162 reports, only 26 were confirmed as shooting cases which warranted police investigation. Breaking it down further:

19 involved property damage

6 were shootings resulting in injuries, two of which were self-inflicted

1 involved an animal that had to be euthanized

“Sometimes people look at the number of reported shootings and assume all are acts of violence,†Strong said. “While any shooting is serious, it’s important to understand that not all are intentional or violent in nature. However, each report is treated as a priority because crime is a priority for our department.â€

To better address violent crime in the community, the department recently hired a crime analyst to support its precision policing model and enhance crime prevention strategies.

“We are working collaboratively with our partners in Northwest Missouri—including other law enforcement and criminal justice agencies—through weekly intelligence meetings to tackle violent crime,†Strong said. “We believe we’re on the right path to strategically reducing violence in our community.â€

Police urge residents to report all crimes, emphasizing that every report is taken seriously and is thoroughly investigated.

To report a crime online, visit stjosephmo.gov/597/Online-Crime-Reporting. For emergencies or crimes in progress, call 9-1-1.

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Kendra Simpson

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — The Rolling Hills Library is building a new library and reading skills this summer with their Summer Reading Program, “The Building Readers” program.

“Summer is a nice time; a lot of people have some extra time to read,” the branch manager of the North Belt Rolling Hills Library, Kelly Morris, said. “It’s especially important for kids, maybe who have some downtime between school. You don’t want to lose those reading skills.”

The program challenges readers of all ages to complete 10 books from June 1 to July 31. The challenge also includes activities like walking a dog, going for a bike ride or visiting a library branch.

“We’re asking for people to read 10 books, or we do allow people to do a combination of reading books and activities,” Morris said. “We understand that some people take longer to read or read longer books or maybe you just have a lot of things going on during the summer. So we kind of try to add some flexibility in there.”

Those who complete the challenge will receive rewards and be entered into a drawing for a grand prize. Prizes include a variety of items including free books, gift baskets, Big Sky Donuts coupons, St. Joseph Mustangs baseball tickets, toys and more.

The Building Readers program goes from June 1 to July 31. In addition to the reading challenge, the Rolling Hills Library will host several fun and educational events over the summer, including the Orrick Acres Petting Zoo, EpicStyle Reptiles, the Fishin’ Magician and more.

Participants can log their read books using a paper log that can be picked up from the library, or through the Beanstack app starting June 1.

For a complete list of Rolling Hills’ summer activities, visit the library’s website at rhcl.org.

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Leah Rainwater

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — St. Joseph’s new fire chief will be honored in a special ceremony at the Tuesday, May 27 City Council meeting.

Ivan Klippenstein, who began his duties as chief on Monday, May 19 will be recognized by Major John Josendale, take an oath of office and have his new rank pinned on his uniform at the start of the meeting.

Tuesday’s City Council meeting will be held at 5:30 p.m. in the Council Chamber at City Hall. City Council meetings are open to the public.

Klippenstein joined the St. Joseph Fire Department in January 2002 and has served in several roles, including: firefighter, first responder, confined space technician, driver, captain and training officer.

He began his career in 1989 and worked with several other agencies before coming to St. Joseph.

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Steve Booher

PLATTE CO., Mo. (News-Press NOW) — A Platte County jury has convicted a Fort Wayne, Indiana man of rape in the second degree for having sex with a 20-year-old woman while she was passed out. Christopher John Heath was found guilty on Thursday, May 22, after a four-day jury trial.

Platte County Prosecuting Attorney Eric Zahnd said, “Having sex with someone who is unable to consent is a crime. This victim had the courage to speak out, and the jury answered her call for help.”

At trial, prosecutors proved the victim, Heath, and a group of others had gone to a winery and a bar on May 14, 2021. 

When the victim returned to her step-mother’s house, she eventually went to bed in an upstairs bedroom. Her step-mother checked on her, and found her sleeping heavily.

The victim later awoke to Heath asking, “Do you know who I am?,” while he was on top of her, having sex with her.

The victim got away from Heath and locked herself in another bedroom for the rest of the night. She reported the crime to authorities the next day. 

Heath’s DNA was found on sheets taken from the victim’s bed. 

Heath faces up to seven years in prison. He is currently being held in lieu of a $100,000 cash bond and is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Megan Benton on August 8, 2025.

Zahnd said, “While DNA helped prove this defendant was in the victim’s bed, this case turned on the victim’s compelling testimony. Sex crimes happen behind closed doors, and this jury believed the victim when she told them the truth about what happened to her.”

The case was investigated by the Platte County Sheriff’s Department. It was tried by Assistant Prosecuting Attorneys Justin Kalwei and Lynnette Lockhart. 

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Patrick Holleron

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — As the temperature starts to rise in the coming summer months, pet owners are encouraged to prioritize the health of their outdoor pets.

To help these animals, the St. Joseph animal shelter is continuing its “Digs for Dogs” program, which provides shelter and suitable environments for outdoor pets.

“Over the years, we’ve probably helped hundreds of dogs,” St. Joseph Animal Services Manager, Holly Bowie said. “Not always with the dog house because the funding for that is limited, but in other ways.

“Whether it’s providing a tether or sometimes we’ll assist them in repairing a dog house. The officers have what we call toolkits where they can go out and if the dog house needs a little bit of repair, they can provide that.”

The program is accepting new or used dog houses and donations to provide to dogs in need of outdoor shelter.

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Jenna Wilson

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — Missouri drivers are seeing some relief at the gas pump as the Memorial Day travel period kicks off.  

According to AAA, gas prices in the state are down 34 cents per gallon, compared to this time last year. 

The latest AAA Missouri Weekend Gas Watch reports the statewide average for a gallon of regular unleaded fuel is $2.87. That’s just one cent higher than a week ago, but significantly lower than the $3.21 average recorded on this day in 2024. 

One resident said, gas prices dropping before the holiday weekend is a welcome sight. 

 “I’m happy that gas prices are going down ahead of a holiday weekend,” said Gary Haer. “We all know gas is never cheap.”

As gas prices drop, local travelers like Nicholas Radka are taking advantage before hitting the road.

“Gas prices will certainly play a role in my weekend travel,” Radka said. “I’m heading to the East Coast and saving six bucks at the pump matters when you’re constantly filling up.”

AAA Spokesperson Nick Chabarria, states the decline is linked directly to crude oil prices.

“Crude oil makes up about 60% of what drivers pay at the pump,” Chabarria said. “So as crude oil goes, so do gas prices.”

In Missouri, AAA expects 2.3 million people to travel over the year-end holidays, with 2.1 million driving. That’s a 3% increase from last year, though still 4% below 2019 levels.

As the long weekend begins, officials are reminding drivers to prepare for heavier traffic and to follow Missouri’s new Hands-Free law.

“This is the first major travel holiday with full enforcement of the Hands-Free cell phone law,” Chabarria said. “Drivers in Missouri can’t hold their phones while driving. You can still use navigation or music apps if your phone is mounted, but it’s best to let a passenger handle any texting.”

To avoid traffic delays, travelers should steer clear of peak commuting hours and consider leaving early in the morning or after the evening rush.

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