Category: knpn-local-news

Ryan Eslinger

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — The top two teams in Class 2 District 8 are set to face off Friday night in a matchup that could decide who places first in the class.

In week five of high school football, the undefeated Mid-Buchanan Dragons will host the 3-1 Lawson Cardinals in Facuett, Missouri, for News-Press NOW SportsZone’s Game of the Week.

The Dragons have been electric, posting a 4-0 record to start the season for the fifth time in six seasons. The fast start is helped by an offense led by senior quarterback Raife Smith, averaging 44 points per game, and a defense headed by senior defensive tackle Ledger Mignery, who only allows four points per game.

For the first time in almost a month, the Mid-Buchanan Dragons are back at home, and this game means a little bit more for the community as the Dragons prepare to celebrate homecoming.

Aaron Fritz, Dragons head coach, said the stadium will be packed, and the team needs to show out for fans to make sure homecoming is presented in the best way.

“We’re excited to be back here. It’s going to be a big crowd,” Fritz said. “There is no homecoming if you don’t go out there and play your best and give a good effort.”

While the Dragons are undefeated so far this season, the Lawson Cardinals will not be a pushover opponent — posting a 3-1 record and coming into this matchup on a three-game winning streak led by junior running back Grayson Smith and senior quarterback Brogan Crawford.

Smith ranks fourth in the state of Missouri in rushing yards with 670 and is tied for first in the state in total touchdowns with 11.

Despite the running ability from Lawson’s Smith, Mid-Buchanan’s Mignery said the defense just needs to do what they have been learning for years.

“We know he (Grayson Smith) is a very good running back, but that won’t affect how we play,” Mignery said. “We just got to stick to what we’ve been taught, what we’ve been doing for the past four, three, two years.”

Even though the Dragons have started off hot this season, coach Fritz said it does not matter when you go up against a powerhouse school like Lawson.

“Our kids are working hard, all the little stuff we want to do, we’ve done well so far, but none of that matters now,” Fritz said. “We’re about to play a giant Class 2 from decades ago and are still really good. We’re going to be in for a battle Friday night.”

Fans can tune in to News-Press NOW SportsZone this Friday, Sept. 26, for highlights from this game and updates from other games around the area.

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Rebecca Evans

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — In the heart of St. Joseph, the Twin Spires Complex towers above its surroundings, not just in height, but in craftsmanship.

Built during a time when architectural ambition met deep religious devotion, the Gothic Revival-style church and its accompanying buildings now serve as a striking contrast to modern construction.

Courtesy of Richard Mahoney

The centerpiece of the complex, now the Pro-Life Shrine of the Immaculate Conception Church, otherwise known as Twin Spires, was completed in 1908 after a fire destroyed the original structure.

Designed by famed local architect Edmund J. Eckel, the church features soaring twin spires, pointed arched windows, a grand, symmetrical entrance and a steeply pitched gable roof. Hallmarks of a time when buildings were designed to inspire.

The limestone exterior features hand-carved tracery, detailed stonework guiding the eye skyward. This wasn’t just a building; it was an expression of faith, craftsmanship and permanence.

Inside, the artistry continues. Ribbed vaults stretch across the ceiling, creating design while also supporting structure.

Slender columns branch like trees, forming elegant fan patterns above. Every detail is deliberate, rooted in centuries-old cathedral design tradition.

“Sacred architecture reflects what it signifies, and so our faith is known by what we see,” said Richard Mahoney, the current owner of the Twin Spires. “The churches all face east because in the Bible, our Lord Jesus will return in glory from the East. And they are also built in the shape of a cross.”

Courtesy of Richard Mahoney

The Twin Spires complex once served St. Joseph’s German Catholic community and included a convent, rectory and school, two of which remain among the oldest buildings in the city.

Though the Diocese of Kansas City–St. Joseph later considered closing and demolishing the site, but parishioners and preservationists formed Twin Spires Inc., securing ownership and funding for restoration.

The stained-glass windows were imported from Innsbruck, Austria, nearly 5,000 miles away from here. They are embedded 18 inches into the walls and depict the life of Mary, Mother of Jesus. 

Courtesy of Richard Mahoney

Mahoney hopes to restore the church to its former glory.

“It’s one of two churches that have windows dedicated to the Virgin Mary in the United States,” said Paul Helmer, architect. “It really is something to be very, very proud of, it’s something you don’t get in a lot of cities.”

According to construction experts, today’s materials prioritize efficiency and cost.

“The cost is always a huge driving factor. People want as nice and as much quality as they can get for as cost-effective as possible,” said Lucas Weaver, owner of Epic Construction. “Buildings like that, there was a tremendous amount of time, effort, and craftsmanship that went into it.”

Ornamentation becomes impractical. Modern building codes add additional constraints, including fire safety, insulation and accessibility. All crucial, but often at the expense of aesthetic detail.

Few clients today have the budget for hand-carved stone or custom stained glass. The artistry of the past has become a luxury many simply cannot afford.

“The guys that were building back then were true craftsmen,” said Weaver, “A lot of the commercial buildings today, they’re kind of LEGO sets, you just put them together. Back then, their hands were on every aspect of it.”

Twin Spires wasn’t just constructed; it was crafted. Every element serves both a structural and aesthetic purpose.

In an era focused on speed and efficiency, these Twin Spires stand as a quiet testament to what we can create when we build not just for function, but for beauty.

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News-Press NOW

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — According to the St. Joseph Police Department, Benton High School went on a soft lockdown on Thursday due to a parental threat and not an active shooter situation.

The lockdown was lifted before 2 p.m. on Thursday, according to the St. Joseph School District. Students were able to resume normal activities and students and staff remain safe.

Just after noon on Thursday, News-Press NOW received calls that Benton High School was on lockdown.

Captain Todd Derr with SJPD confirmed to News-Press NOW that a parent had called Benton High School and made threats of violence.

Capt. Derr said there was never a weapon involved, and this is not an active shooter situation.

In a released statement, the St. Joseph School District said, “Benton High School and Hyde Elementary School are currently in a No Entry lockdown due to suspicious activity reported near the buildings. This means no one is allowed to enter the schools at this time. The School Resource Officers are aware and on alert. Students and staff are safe inside the buildings. We will provide an update as soon as the situation changes.”

The above statement was also sent to the families of Benton and Hyde students.

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Cameron Montemayor

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — St. Joseph YMCA officials provided the latest timeline on the anticipated kickoff for construction of a new community indoor aquatic facility on North Village Drive.

Construction is expected to begin on the 35,000-square-foot facility in early 2026, with design work on the $15.6 million project ongoing. The community facility will be located on the YMCA’s campus at 3601 N. Village Drive and is currently scheduled to open in 2027, an estimated 18-month project.

Plans for the facility include a 50-meter pool with 10 lanes, capable of hosting local, state and even national events, as well as a second four-lane wellness pool, a multi-purpose room, locker rooms, spectator seating, offices and on-site food and beverage concessions, among other amenities.

The wellness pool is a dual recreational and therapeutic pool that includes a play area and four lanes for water safety and swim lessons. The aquatic center will also have the ability to offer lifeguard training year-round.

Residents will be able to access the facility by purchasing day passes for $8, while YMCA members will have access to the pool using their membership. St. Joseph residents will receive a $2 discount and children under 3-years-old will get in for free.

A hybrid indoor/outdoor section is also in the works to provide a level of outdoor recreation.

The YMCA will remain open during construction. When finished, the plan is to have it open seven days a week with similar hours as the YMCA.

The latest developments come after City Councilmembers approved an agreement in May with the YMCA to provide $7 million toward construction of the community facility. including $270,000 a year for operational costs for a 20-year term.

The ongoing design phase includes coordination with local companies such as E.L. Crawford Construction Inc. and Ellison-Auxier Architects, as well as an outside aquatic design consultant.

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Praji Ghosh

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — The St. Joseph Police Department is inviting community members to check out its Citizen Ride-Along Program. 

It’s a chance to spend six hours in the passenger seat with an officer, seeing firsthand what a typical shift on patrol really looks like. 

“Our citizens can sign up to do a ride-along on our website two times a year and catch six hours of our shift. They can attend the roll calls and understand what our shift briefing is like,” said Sgt. Jeremy Peters, with SJPD.

Residents can hop in with an officer for a shift, riding along as they respond to calls and getting a real feel for how officers interact with the community  

Peters said anyone who participates in the ride-along might even see officers making arrests, checking out crime scenes or handling traffic stops. Giving them a clear, firsthand look at what the job is really like.

“A lot of times this is utilized by people that are interested in careers in law enforcement and they get hands-on experience if this is something that they want to do,” Peters said.  

Peters points out, while there can be some action on the job, it’s not quite like what you see on TV shows.  

“There’s a lot of hard work that goes in behind the scenes and a lot of paperwork that’s involved in the process which we follow,” Peters said.  

There’s no deadline to sign up for a ride-along. Anyone can apply anytime through the department’s website, and after a quick background check, they’ll be cleared to ride along with an officer.  

Officers work different day and night shifts, meaning calls can be very different depending on the shift. That gives ride-along participants a real sense of how daytime patrol compares to overnight shifts. 

“I think it’s a benefit to the department because they get to interact with people who are more than likely not having contact with the police or not know much about the job,” Peters said.  

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Patrick Holleron

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — When State Rep. Brenda Shields (R-St. Joseph) announced her decision to end her campaign for Missouri’s 34th Senate district on Wednesday, it generated plenty of attention.

The attention came as a surprise to Shields, who didn’t think her announcement would make waves among her supporters in the way it did.

“I’m just humbled. And I just didn’t expect the outpouring of support I’ve heard from people that I haven’t heard from in 40 years that reached out to me,” Shields said. “My heart is really warm over that. I can’t thank the people of St. Joseph and the community enough for caring so much.”

In a statement made to her supporters, she detailed her main reasons for withdrawing were to recover from an upcoming cardiac surgery and to mitigate potential stroke-related complications.

“I will say for everyone, it’s really important to visit your doctor on a yearly basis,” Shields said. “We’ve known my history. I have visited my doctor yearly and nothing had changed until this year…This is what’s creating the need to have immediate heart surgery, as well as what we now know what’s happening with my stroke risk.”

Brenda Shields statementDownload

She also noted that her first grandson was born within the past year and she wanted to see him grow.

Before all is said and done, Shields hopes to accomplish one more goal by the end of the year by creating affordable, safe and reliable childcare for families.

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Rebecca Evans

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — Starbucks said it will close some U.S. coffeehouses and cut about 900 non-retail jobs as part of a nationwide restructuring plan.

The company said the closures will affect stores that don’t meet customer expectations or show long-term financial potential. Workers at closing stores will be offered transfers when possible, with severance packages for those who can’t be placed. 

“That’s the one place that we come to to meet up with friends,” said Camila Grantham, a student at MoWest. “I started an 8 a.m. this semester and coming here before class is actually one of the best things.”

Starbucks has not said what locations will be impacted, but they will notify affected employees early Friday. St. Joseph currently has five stores that remain open.

“It’s what gets me out of bed in the morning,” said another student, Addisyn Hartman.

The company expects its North American store count to fall by about 1% this year before growing again in 2026.

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News-Press NOW

GENTRY COUNTY, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — Gentry County prosecutors filed charges against Lynsey N. Chan in relation to the death of a man in July in King City, Missouri.

On July 28, the Gentry County Sheriff’s Office, King City Police Department and MSHP’s Division of Drug and Crime Control responded to a residence located on South Grand Street in King City, where an adult male was found dead in the yard.

Chan is facing charges of delivery of a controlled substance, first-degree manslaughter and second-degree manslaughter, according to court documents.

A probable cause statement filed in the case said Chan knowingly supplied fentanyl, a controlled substance, to the victim. A witness in the case said she observed the man take multiple hits of the drug by smoking it off of aluminum foil.

According to a felony complaint document in the case, Chan forced the victim to leave her residence and watched him through security footage, as he was showing signs of overdose, and failed to call for emergency assistance. The court document also said she advised others not to call for medical assistance.

The controlled substance charge and first-degree manslaughter are class C felonies that carry a range of punishment of a prison term of years not less than three and not to exceed 10 years, a fine not to exceed $10,000, or both imprisonment and a fine, according to a felony complaint document

The second-degree manslaughter charge, a class E felony, is punishable by a prison term of years not less than one year and not more than four years, by a fine of no more than $10,000 or both.

A warrant for Chan’s arrest was filed Wednesday.

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Carter Ostermiller

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — Two weeks ago, conservative activist and Turning Point USA co-founder, Charlie Kirk, was assassinated at Utah Valley University. Now, different organizations nationwide have held vigils to mourn and honor the influencer.

The Catholic Newman Center is a registered student organization (RSO) at Missouri Western State University with plans to have its own vigil for Kirk.

On Thursday, Sept. 18, staff from the MoWest Division of Student Affairs and University Police met with representatives of the Catholic Newman Center to discuss plans for the vigil, which would be held “potentially outside on campus property”.

Soon after the meeting, on Saturday, Sept. 20, the MoWest Catholic Newman Center posted on its Facebook page, stating, “Join us this Wednesday, September 24th at 7-9PM at the Catholic Newman Center for a candlelight prayer vigil for Charlie Kirk. All are welcome!”

The MoWest staff claimed they then believed the discussion about the vigil event had been resolved.

Soon after the Facebook post, the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph sent a request for a response from MoWest President, Elizabeth Kennedy, on Monday, Sept. 22, as to why staff members denied a vigil on campus grounds.

“It kind of took us by surprise because we just hadn’t had that conversation. In fact, even before that letter, we had reached out on Monday from Student Affairs to say we saw your post,” said Kennedy.

On Tuesday, Sept. 23, an article was posted by The Lion, stating the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph wanted a response from President Kennedy about the alleged vigil denial.

MoWest released a statement following the posted article, highlighting the discussions staff had with representatives of the Catholic Newman Center.

According to the statement, during the meeting, representatives requested to hold the vigil in the MoWest Spring Sports Complex, a gated facility where the University’s baseball and softball teams play home games.

Given the potential size of the event and the desire to use the Spring Sports Complex, University staff explained, University policy states that liability insurance is required of all entities reserving non-traditional public forum spaces for events.

The groups also discussed the costs associated with hiring security for the event to maintain the safety of participants.

MoWest said, during the meeting with the Catholic Newman Center, other locations both on and off campus were discussed, but a definitive location was not identified.

“We’re still in conversation with the diocese. We will continue to provide them with the information that they’ve asked for. But again, we just want to make sure that accurate information is out there and that everyone knows that we support the First Amendment, that we support free speech,” said Kennedy.

Kennedy adamantly expressed the shock felt by university staff and wanted to remain transparent.

“We were just a little taken aback that what we thought was kind of a conversation, that then, the folks in the conversation decided to go in a different direction, but somehow it ended up that we were accused of doing something that we didn’t.”

Now, the Charlie Kirk vigil is still scheduled for 7 to 9 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 24, at the Catholic Newman Center, located at 4518 Mitchell Ave.

The vigil will feature local leaders speaking, praying and mourning the loss of Kirk. The vigil will also be held for the community to gather as a way to honor those who have lost their lives due to violence.

News-Press NOW reached out to the Catholic Newman Center and the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph for a statement and has yet to hear back.

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Alec Pascuzzi

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — The Missouri Air National Guard’s 139th Airlift Wing hosted a career fair.

The event took place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 23.

Attendees met with various airmen representing over 50 different careers the 139th offers at Rosecrans. Some of those careers include: aviation, communications, air traffic control, firefighting, civil engineering and medical.

One of the main goals of the career fair is to help the community better understand all that the Air National Guard has to offer.

“Education is big. So we love to educate people about benefits, opportunities and really what all they can do for their country. And we love assisting them and making them more knowledgeable,” said Sgt. Andrew Rivera, a public affairs specialist at Rosecrans.

The Missouri Air National Guard’s 139th Airlift Wing will host the second day of the fall career fair from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 25, at 100B NW Rosecrans Road.

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