Category: knpn-local-news

Kirsten Stokes

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — A new piece of Missouri legislation, Senate Bill 68, is sparking conversations about the role of technology in classrooms.

The bill, sponsored by State Sen. Mike Henderson, R-Desloge, proses a statewide policy that would restrict the use of personal electronic devices, such as cellphones, during the entire school day.

In an X post made by State Sen. Henderson in February, he thanked the Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe for support on SB 68.

“Removing cellphones from classrooms are important for the wellbeing and education of Missouri’s students.,” State Sen. Henderson said on X. “Students deserve to learn in distraction-free environments and this bill is a big step in the right direction.”

This bell-to-bell ban would encompass class time, lunch breaks and passing periods. Exceptions are outlined for emergencies, health-related needs and instructional purposes when authorized by a teacher.

While the SJSD board of education hasn’t discussed this bill as a whole, Board President Latonya Williams said it will take effort for administrators, teachers and parents to keep children off their phones during class.

“If this is a rule, everyone needs to be involved in the implementation of that rule. Administration will need a lot of the buy-in from parents as well,” Williams said.

The ban does allow individual school districts the flexibility to determine how the rule is to be implemented, choosing methods like phones in lockers, locking devices in magnetic pouches or stricter timeframes for phone access.

For upper grades, Williams said the current rules of cellphone usage in schools includes using phones at the beginning of the day, during lunch and after the final bell. However, she said the implementation is the problem.

“It just kind of depends on the school as much as I’m aware,” Williams said. “I know that the admin are doing as much as they are able to do but implementation on a phone is really difficult.”

In addition to the no cellphone policy in the bill, it’s accompanied by Get the Lead Out of School Drinking Water (Section 160.077), Cardiac Emergency Response Plans (Section 160.482) and Stop the Bleed Act (Section 160. 485), along with others.

With the support of Gov. Kehoe the bill will likely be signed into law.

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Kyle Schmidt

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — Residents lined up outside of $10 Shoes N’ Boots for their grand opening at 10 a.m. Tuesday, May 20.

Store owner Laura Munsell said her and her family have been working on this project for two to three months prior to opening.

“(We) really want to offer affordable footwear for our local community,” Munsell said. “We know things are expensive so (we’re) looking to give everyone a great deal.”

Munsell’s niece Jennifer Moore said she spent over $200 buying shoes for her five kids at a different store.”I could have gotten twice as many shoes for my kids for half the price if I had come here,” Moore said.

The store offers a variety of shoe and boot brands for kids or adults to choose from, with about 4,000 pairs of shoes on display in the store front and more in the back.

One South Side resident was surprised everything was $10 and shared what it means to have a new business in town.

“It means a lot,” Peggy Steele said. “I just moved to the South Side less than a year ago and I’d like to see more business here.”

The family-operated shop is run 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday at 6948 King Hill Ave.

“We are so excited to be here in the community,” Munsell said. “We are really hoping everybody will come out and give us a chance and find some great footwear.”

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Crystal Olney

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — A 49-year-old woman is dead following a four-vehicle crash Monday on Missouri Route 6, near Bessie Ellison Elementary.

The multi-vehicle crash around occurred around 3:30 p.m. as a 49-year-old Clarksdale, Missouri, woman was traveling east on State Route 6 in a 2017 Lincoln MKZ and crossed the center line, according to a Missouri State Highway Patrol crash report.

Her vehicle struck the rear driver’s side of a 2021 Nissan Rouge occupied by a 63-year-old St. Joseph woman and a 9-year-old girl, of St. Joseph. The Nissan went off the roadway and hit a concrete barrier. The 63-year-old and 9-year-old sustained minor injuries.

The driver of the Lincoln then went off the roadway, struck a concrete barrier, returned to the highway, crossed the center line and clipped the rear driver’s side of a 2016 Ford F150. The Ford was driven by a 44-year-old St. Joseph man who was not injured.

After hitting the Ford, the 49-year-old driver struck the front of a 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe driven by a 37-year-old St. Joseph woman, who had minor injuries. A 9-year-old boy, who sustained moderate injuries, and 12-year-old girl, who had minor injuries, were passengers in the Tahoe.

The 49-year-old Clarksdale woman was pronounced dead at Mosaic Life Care in St. Joseph, according to the crash report.

All occupants and drivers in the crash were wearing seat belts, except the 37-year-old St. Joseph woman.

The Missouri Department of Transportation and law enforcement closed down State Route 6 from Route W to Hurlingen Road for several hours Monday night.

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Kirsten Stokes

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — Law enforcement personnel responded to a multi-vehicle crash Monday evening on Missouri Route 6, near Bessie Ellison Elementary.

According to a Missouri Department of Transportation press release, State Route 6 is now open from Route W to Hurlingen Road, after being closed for several hours.

News-Press NOW reached out to local law enforcement for updates on the multi-vehicle crash and is waiting to hear back from officials.

News-Press NOW will continue to update this story.

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News-Press NOW

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — The St. Joseph Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) reported a record-breaking $237.5 million in tourism dollars spent in 2024.

The previous year, the CVB made $229.8 million the previous year. These dollars support more than 4,000 tourism-related jobs, making up one in every 14 jobs in the county.

While hotel bookings saw a slight decrease from 2023, hotel revenue climbed to $23.7 million, thanks in part to a rising average daily rate of $128.82.

Strategic marketing remains the CVB’s top priority, accounting for 87% of its total budget. Digital marketing efforts yielded nearly 20 million impressions and over 211,000 ad clicks in 2024.

Website traffic also continues to climb, with the top five cities viewing St. Joseph tourism content being: Kansas City, Chicago, Il., St. Louis and Dallas, Tx.

The CVB also announced $167,000 in new cooperative marketing grants to support 501(c)(3) tourism-related organizations in 2025, bringing the total investment in these efforts to $2.5 million over the life of the program.

Key focus areas continue to include convention marketing, sports tourism, group tours, leisure travel and local education efforts, such as the “Show Me St. Jo!” initiative.

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News-Press NOW

Collier County, Fla. (News-Press NOW) — During the first day of trial, a felony charge against Central High School activities director, David Lau, has been dropped.

Lau pled ‘no contest’ to a breach of peace and disorderly conduct misdemeanor charge in a May 12, 2024, incident in Naples, Fla.

According to a probable cause statement, an officer responded to a club called Blue Martini on May 12 after its management said one of its employees was battered by a customer.

In return, Lau was given six months’ probation and is required to complete 100 hours of community service.

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News-Press NOW

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — The St. Joseph Performing Arts Association is hosting an immersive theatrical experience where audience members are the guests and everything starts to comedically “fall apart” in different ways.

“St. Joe’s Comedy Wedding” will be performed at 7 p.m. on Saturday, May 24 at the Scottish Rite Temple, located at 515 N 6th St.

The evening kicks off with a “ceremony” in the auditorium, followed by a reception in the dining room, featuring a dinner from Chef Gina. As well as a silent auction, a dessert auction and a cash bar.

For ticketing information, those interested are encouraged to call the Performing Arts Association Box Office at (816) 279-1225.

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Jared Shelton

UPDATE: A Tornado Watch is in effect until 11 p.m. on Monday, and a Flood Warning is in effect until 12 a.m. on Tuesday.

A Tornado Watch has been issued for all of Northwest Missouri and Northeast Kansas through 9 p.m. Monday evening.

Stay weather aware and have a way to receive warnings as storms fire over the next several hours.

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Crystal Olney

ANDREW COUNTY, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — One man was seriously injured after being ejected from a motorcycle around 11:55 a.m. Saturday on Interstate 29, four miles west of Savannah, Missouri.

The 56-year-old Gretna, Nebraska, driver was traveling south on I-29 on a 1996 Honda Goldwing when he went off the roadway and struck the ditch.

The motorcycle overturned and the man was ejected, according to a Missouri State Highway Patrol crash report.

He was transported to Mosaic Life Care in St. Joseph by Andrew County EMS for his injuries.

The driver was wearing a helmet, according to the crash report.

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