Category: knpn-local-news

Leah Rainwater

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KQTV) — Over 250 Northwest Missouri citizens, business leaders, educators and government officials are expected to be in Jefferson City from Feb. 3 to Feb. 4 for the 2026 Great Northwest Day.

The event is aimed at educating legislators on the region’s critical issues and promoting the “Great Northwest”.

“Great Northwest Day at the Capitol is a wonderful opportunity for leaders across our region to come together to speak as one voice on the important issues we see in our communities,” said Joe Hegeman, the chair of Great Northwest Day. “We’ve learned over the many years of Great Northwest Day that this approach has proven to be very powerful.”

The two-day event will include introductions on the House and Senate floors, followed by panel discussions on regional priority issues.

A reception on the first day will provide attendees with the opportunity to meet with legislators, staff and department dignitaries, and will feature the presentation of the Northwest Missouri Citizen of the Year award.

The Great Northwest Day Priorities Committee identified a few different topics, which remain a top priority for the region in 2026.

Expanding rural healthcare access, increasing childcare opportunities, investing in higher education, supporting K-12 education, expanding workforce housing and ensuring sustainable tax reform are high on the list of discussions for attendees.

Registration for the event is $80 if completed before Jan. 27. For more information on the event, visit www.greatnorthwestday.com.

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Prajukta Ghosh

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (KQTV) — The City of St. Joseph is rolling out a new parks and recreation safety initiative aimed at making local parks safer by reducing crime. 

The program focuses on simple, preventative steps that help address safety concerns before problems arise. 

Using a strategy called Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design, the city plans to improve sightlines, clearly define access points and keep parks well-maintained.  

Terra James, a local runner, said she welcomes any changes to the city’s parks and recreation system, especially those aimed at improving safety.  

“Depends on what you are doing and whether or not you feel safe going out at night but I will tell you if the city is going to work hard to increase those visibility in the park system, then that’s absolutely welcomed,” James said.  

She noted that she prefers running during the daytime, referencing information from a city press release that found 64 percent of residents feel unsafe using park facilities at night.  

A city survey conducted last spring showed that only nine percent of respondents felt unsafe during daylight hours.  

“As a runner its really important. I love Krug and I will tell you a lot of people enjoy running Krug if they are going to have lights to Krug, it’s going to be huge, especially at nighttime,” James added.  

James said well-lit trails would be a major benefit for runners, giving them a safer place to exercise and drawing people away from running on city streets and onto park trails instead.  

She acknowledged that runners are often forced onto streets during colder months when frozen ground makes trails difficult to use.  

“No one can control Mother Nature so adding lights to those parkway systems can be beneficial and it will show that the city is stepping up and saying we see the influx of runners and will do our best to keep them safe,” James said.  

Park staff and police will team up for park walks, increase patrols during peak hours and improve lighting and litter cleanup to help parks feel safer for everyone.  

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News-Press NOW

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — See a list of restaurant inspections carried out for the month of December by the St. Joseph Health Department.

1st BARREL BREWING

510 Edmond St.

No violations.

ARBYS ROAST BEEF

1604 N. Belt Highway

Noncritical: Sink is used for other purposes than hand washing (warning).

ARBYS ROAST BEEF LEONARD

4601A S. Leonard Rd.

No violations.

CASEY’S

4101 N. Belt Highway

No violations.

CASEYS GENERAL STORE #2471

2423 N. Woodbine Rd. 

Noncritical: Food uncovered. Dirty non-food contact surface.

DOMINOS PIZZA

2110 Messanie St.

No violations.

DUNKIN DONUTS SB

1106 S. Belt Highway

Noncritical: Dirty non-food contact surface.

FELIX STREET SPECIALTIES LLC

722 Felix St.

No violations.

FELIX STREET SPECIALTIES LLC ROOFTOP

722 Felix St.

No violations.

FELIX STREET SPECIALTIES LLC | Room 108

722 Felix St.

Critical: Sanitizer in the three-compartment sink or warewasher must be at the proper level.

FORDS DRIVE IN

5028 Lake Ave.

Critical: Leaking plumbing/plumbing in disrepair (corrected during inspection).

Noncritical: Air vents for heating/cooling/return must be clean.

GREEN HILLS INC #2

3225 N. Belt Highway

Critical: Baby formula past their use by date.

Noncritical: Dirty nonfood-contact surfaces. Air vents for heating/cooling/return must be clean. Torn or broken door seals or hinges.

GREEN HILLS INC #2, GREEN HILLS DELI

3225 N. Belt Highway

No violations.

HI HO BAR & GRILL

1825 Calhoun St.

No violations.

HORNBILL ASIAN MARKET

601 S. Belt Highway

Noncritical: Setup of three compartment sink must be correct. Three compartment sink required for manual warewashing.

KENTUCKY FRIED CHICKEN

813 S. Belt Highway

Noncritical: Dirty non-food contact surface.

MR GOODCENTS SUBS & PASTA #1023

4315 Commonwealth Ct.

No violations.

NORTH VILLAGE STADIUM #122

5405 N. Belt Highway

No violations.

NORTYS BAR & GRILL INC

1123 Frederick Ave.

Critical: Equipment food-contact surfaces and utensils, wares must be clean to sight and touch.

OPEN DOOR FOOD KITCHEN

615 8th St.

No violations.

PANDA EXPRESS #1087

5301 N. Belt Highway, Suite 101

No violations.

PIZZA HUT S-BELT

1617 S. Belt Highway

No violations.

REVOLUTIONS LANES & FUN CENTER

6938 KING HILL AVE.

No violations.

Ricky Dean’s

3620 N. Village Dr.

No violations.

RIVERBLUFF BREWERY

1224 Frederick Ave.

Noncritical: Dirty non-food contact surface. Air vents for heating/cooling/return must be clean. Damaged floor/floor tiles/holes in walls/missing ceiling tiles.

ROBIDOUX RESIDENT THEATER – The Ruby

615 S. 10th St.

Critical: Sanitizer in three-compartment sink or warewasher must be at proper levels.

SENIOR CENTER

100 S. 10th St. 

No violation.

SODEXO-BOEHRINGER INGELHEIM

2621 N. Belt Highway

No violations.

SODEXO-BOEHRINGER INGELHEIM E

3902 Genefield Rd.

No violations.

STARBUCKS COFFEE #7993

324 N. Belt Highway

No violations.

ST JOSEPH HAVEN

610 Olive St.

No violations.

TACO JOHNS N BELT

2205 N. Belt Highway

Noncritical: Damaged floor/floor tiles/holes in walls/missing ceiling tiles (repeated violation).

TACO JOHNS S-BELT

1315 S. Belt Highway

Noncritical: Dirty nonfood-contact surfaces.

THE CAFE BELLE EPOQUE

1141 Frederick Ave.

No violations.

THE DEN

519 Felix St.

No violations.

TOPSY’S POPCORN

3702 Frederick Ave. #45

No violations.

VFW POST

#1668 821 N. 4th

No violations.

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Danielle Bailey

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. — The Glore Psychiatric Museum will host an event exploring the psychology of “dark tourism” with author and psychologist Chad Scott, PHD, on Jan. 22.

Scott will discuss themes and insights from his acclaimed book “Beyond the Darkness: Transformative Journeys Through Dark Tourism,” which explores why people visit places marked by tragedy and how those experiences shape understanding of memory, morality and meaning. The event will culminate with a book signing.

Drawing on 25 years of experience in mental health, 18 years of teaching psychology and his own lived experiences, Scott examines how places like Ground Zero, Auschwitz and the Paris Catacombs help people confront suffering and finding meaning in their lives.

The free event will be held from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. in-person at the museum and online through the museum’s website. For more information, contact the St. Joseph Museums at 816-232-8471 or email kami@stjosephmuseum.org.

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Cameron Montemayor

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — Missouri lawmakers could take a closer look at new legislation aimed at supporting development of workforce housing in rural communities across the state of Missouri.

A new state-funded grant program to support rural housing development through Missouri’s Department of Economic Development is being proposed in a new bill filed this session by Missouri Sen. Jason Bean (R-Holcomb).

If passed, the bill would create the “Rural Workforce Housing Investment Act,” a program allowing nonprofit development organizations to apply for grants to establish a workforce housing investment fund for development.

Grants would be awarded on a competitive basis and matching funds would be required to receive funds. The measure was filed in December and recently had a first reading Jan. 7.

The act states no more more than $1 million will be awarded to any one nonprofit development organization over a two-year period, and no more than $2 million to any one nonprofit development organization for the period ending on June 30, 2029.

If a nonprofit development organization fails to engage in qualified activity within two years of receiving initial grant funding, the organization is required to return grant funds to the department.

If a nonprofit development organization fails to allocate any remaining grant funds to qualified activities within two years of the commencement of initial qualified activity, such organization shall return all unallocated grant funds.

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Patrick Holleron

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — Information on the district’s reorganization and facilities plan took center stage as St. Joseph School Board members and district administrators gathered for a work session Monday to discuss the next steps.

A key part of Monday’s discussions focused on potential timeframes for implementing long-term updates to the district’s modification plan after the Prop 2 school measure failed to pass in April 2025, a plan for two new high schools.

Additionally, the board also discussed making modifications to the ongoing facilities plan on a yearly basis.

“The big thing for tonight was having a time frame in mind (for the the facilities plan),” SJSD Superintendent Ashly McGinnis said. “We have a facilities plan online but with the failure of the bond in 2025, we’re in the process of updating the plan. It will be a work in progress that is a collaborative effort.”

Regarding potential changes in district staffing levels in wake of the plan, the district administration has been in contact with faculty members from schools most affected by the reorganization to understand where they currently are with staffing. Feedback will be used to determine the best course of action for students, staff and the community.

“Early on we made visits to all our buildings to have conversations with the staff. They provided input on how we should proceed with staffing changes,” McGinnis said. “We made follow-up visits to places such as (Eugene) Field and Pershing (Elementary Schools) to have the necessary one-on-one meetings. We’re looking at information like certification and years of service, but also want to know where they believe is the best fit for them to serve our students.”

The next board of education meeting will be on Monday, Jan. 26, at 5:30 p.m. at the Troester Media Center located on 3401 Renick St.

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Leah Rainwater

WATHENA, Kan. (KQTV) — No injuries were reported in a structure fire at a Wathena, Kansas home Wednesday evening.

Local law enforcement received calls for a structure fire at the 1400 block of Saratoga Road just after 4 p.m. Wednesday.

When KQ2 reporters arrived on the scene, a small structure was found with significant damage as a whole.

Local law enforcement said no one was in the structure when the fire happened, and the cause of the fire is under investigation.

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Leah Rainwater

By: Darren Doyle

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (KQTV) — For adults interested in Safety Town or those who might have missed out, the time is now to discover the magic that has been teaching kids about day-to-day safety for decades. 

Safety Town is a long-standing program from the St. Joseph Safety and Health Council to teach kids how to navigate the world safely.

From 5 to 9 p.m. on Jan. 30, the council will host Safety Town After Dark, a special version of the long-standing classic aimed to give adults the same opportunity and help the program’s mission continue through fundraising.

This idea came from United Way’s Director, Kylee Strough, according to St. Joseph Safety and Health Director Frank Till.

“(Kylee) approached me about doing an adult safety town, and my incredible employees and I worked on it for two years and came up with this idea,” Till said. “Safety Town After Dark, which is basically an adult version of Safety Town, will go on at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church”.

The fun is for adults 18 years and older at the church’s location at 4503 Frederick Ave.

Entry to the event is $75 per ticket, and attendees will also receive a meal. Throughout the evening, guests can purchase tickets for raffles, games and special activities. 

“All this money will go to that. I mean, every bit of it will go to help fund those programs,” Till said. “Come out, be a part of this, a table of eight people for $500, great meal and a good time.”

For more information on purchasing a ticket or sponsoring this event, visit the St. Joseph Safety and Health Council’s event page.

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Carter Ostermiller

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (KQTV) — A new program is giving small businesses preparation for the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Kansas City, Missouri, is set to host six FIFA World Cup games, and the Missouri and Kansas areas are expected to attract hundreds of thousands of fans for the World Cup.

To prepare for the large influx of visitors, VISA and Commerce Bank have launched a new small business readiness program for the FIFA World Cup coming to Kansas City.

The online program provides resources and a defined checklist, covering six main topics:

Fraud mitigation and cybersecurity

Contactless and mobile payments

Alternative forms of payment

Payment infrastructure

Language accessibility and cultural awareness

Digital marketing and promotional efforts

St. Joseph President of Commerce Bank, Brendon Clark, believes the program is going to directly help communities like St. Joseph.

“St. Joe, specifically, is a community that’s going to benefit from all of those guests. And just being an hour up the road, I think a lot of visitors are going to be interested in visiting our unique attractions and restaurants and lodging, and we’ll make sense that it will see a positive impact from the World Cup this Summer,” said Clark.

The program is accessible to anyone and can be found at commercebank.com/soccer26.

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Cameron Montemayor

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — A Daviess County teenager was transported to the hospital Tuesday evening following a two-vehicle crash on Interstate 35 south of Bethany, Missouri.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reports a two-vehicle collision involving a semi-truck and an SUV occurred around 5:20 p.m. Tuesday on southbound I-35 roughly a mile south of Bethany, Missouri, in Harrison County.

A 16-year-old female from Coffey, Missouri, was approaching the rear of a 2000 Kenworth semi-truck when she overcorrected in a 2007 Chevy Impala while attempting to change lanes to avoid the semi.

The teen overcorrected and struck the driver’s side of the semi, forcing the Impala to leave the east side of the highway before coming to rest upright.

The teen was taken by North Missouri EMS to Harrison County Community Hospital with moderate injuries. Both drivers were wearing seat belts at the time of the crash.

The driver of the semi-truck, a 71-year-old man from Ottumwa, Iowa, was able to come to a controlled stop after the collision and was unharmed, according to a crash report from MSHP.

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