Category: knpn-local-news

Cameron Montemayor

Editor’s note: A previous version of this story has been changed for clarification.

John Zimmer, President and CEO of HNB Bancorp, Inc. (“HNB”) and HNB National Bank (“HNB Bank”), jointly announced with Keith Doss, Chairman of Kearney Trust Company (“Kearney”), a subsidiary of Trustco Bankshares, Inc. (“Trustco”), that the two financial institutions have executed an Agreement of Merger and Plan of Reorganization (the “Agreement”). The Agreement provides for the merger of Trustco with and into HNB and the merger of Kearney Trust Company with and into HNB Bank.

Keith Doss, Chairman of Kearney Trust Company, indicated this merger will allow us to better serve our community. “After thoughtful consideration and with a continued commitment to our customers and community, Kearney Trust Company today announced an agreement to join HNB National Bank, a well-established financial institution with expanded resources and services. This partnership positions our bank to continue its community-focused mission while bringing additional benefits to the people and businesses we serve.” Doss said.

For generations, Kearney Trust Company has been proud to support local families, farmers, and small businesses with personal service and local decision-making. By partnering with HNB, our customers will gain access to a broader range of financial products and services, including enhanced digital banking tools, expanded lending capabilities, and additional financial planning resources—while maintaining the hometown service they expect.

“Partnering with HNB allows us to preserve our local relationships and values while providing greater convenience, technology, and most importantly, long-term stability for those who trust us with their financial needs,” said Scott Middleton, President of Kearney Trust Company.

Customers and staff can expect continuity in their day-to-day banking experience. There are no immediate changes planned to branch locations and our local staff. Familiar faces will remain in place and will continue to handle our customer’s financial needs.

Equally important, this partnership reinforces a shared commitment to community involvement. HNB shares our belief in supporting local schools, nonprofits, and civic organizations, and we look forward to continuing our community investment together.

“We are very excited to become part of the HNB family.” Said Scott Middleton, President and CEO of Kearney Trust Company. “This will provide enhanced services and capabilities to our customers and greater opportunities for our staff”.

Commenting on the transaction, HNB President John Zimmer stated: “We view this as a tremendous opportunity for both institutions. We both have a long history in community banking and we share a commitment to our customers, employees and communities. We are excited for the expanded opportunities in the communities served by Kearney.”

Kearney is a Missouri State-Chartered Depository Trust Company headquartered in Kearney, Missouri, with total assets of approximately $313 million, as of September 30, 2025.

HNB Bank is a National Banking Association headquartered in Hannibal, Missouri, with total assets of approximately $957 million as of September 30, 2025. HNB National Bank operates 15 branches throughout Northern Missouri including locations in St. Joseph, Savannah, Stanberry, Hannibal, Perry, Palmyra, Bowling Green, Louisiana, Monroe City, Wentzville and Troy.

The transaction is subject to customary regulatory approvals and is expected to be completed in the 2nd quarter of 2026.

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Marie Moyer

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A 43-year-old Warsaw man was seriously injured after being hit by a car in Benton County on Tuesday, according to a Missouri State Highway Patrol Crash Report.

The crash happened at around 10:53 p.m. when a 31-year-old Warsaw woman was driving a 2008 Mercury Mariner southbound on Highway 63 at the MO-7 exit when she hit the man.

The man was transported to University Hospital.

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Nia Hinson

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is reducing the number of “universal vaccine recommendations” for children to 11, down from the previous total of 17. One Missouri doctor worries the change may lead to confusion for families.

The CDC announced on Monday that it was cutting the number of recommended vaccinations from disease, effective immediately. The change came after President Donald Trump directed the US Department of Health and Human Services to look into how other countries go about their recommendations.

Vaccinations are now split into three categories: Vaccines for all children, those who are considered “high risk” and on a shared-decision making basis, meaning families and physicians discuss what’s best for the child. Vaccinations against illnesses such as influenza, rotavirus, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, some forms of meningitis and COVID-19 are among those no longer universally recommended.

Those recommended for all children still include vaccines against measles, whooping cough, polio, tetanus, chickenpox and human papillomavirus, or HPV.

Dr. Thuylinh Pham, who is the vice president of the Missouri Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, said she worries the move will lead to uncertainty for parents when trying to decide whether or not to vaccinate their child.

“We already have lots of conversations with families prior to these recommendations on vaccinations and the risk and benefits but adding this brings another level,” Pham said. “‘Well what is high risk? I mean why or why not? Should I be getting these vaccines?’ And I feel like it just puts another barrier that less and less people will choose to vaccinate.”

National reporting shows doctors across the country have criticized the move, claiming it was made without evidence that the current vaccine schedule is harming children and that it was made without consulting with an advisory committee. Some also fear that the decrease could lead to certain diseases resurfacing.

Vaccination rates have also been slipping across the country and preventable diseases– such as measles and whooping cough– rose in the U.S. last year. More than 2,000 cases of measles — which had previously been declared eliminated in 2000 — were reported around the country in 2025.

When asked if she believed the new recommendations could possibly lead to an influx of illnesses within children in Missouri, Pham said it’s too early to know for sure.

“What I can speak on is we are already having vaccine preventable illnesses and outbreaks within our community. We’ve already seen the measles outbreak across the country. We’re seeing outbreaks of whooping cough and pertussis within our communities and it’s definitely hitting children who are unvaccinated much harder,” Pham said.

Pham said the state typically sees pockets of unvaccinated children and with that, comes the risk of putting the community at risk. She said since the COVID-19 pandemic, child vaccination rates have declined, which is largely in part due to misinformation, barrier access and insurance problems. Pham believes Monday’s announcement will make things worse.

Board President of the Missouri Immunization Coalition Lynelle Phillips also said the change makes her concerned for children’s safety and emphasized the domino effect one child not getting vaccinated can have on a community.

“As soon as you have a cohort of children that are not getting vaccinated and we lose that threshold of immunity, then we’re looking at disease transmission among other children that are really vulnerable,” Phillips said.

According to HHS officials, the change will not affect the amount of vaccines available or health insurance coverage of vaccines.

Boone Health spokesman Christian Basi said the change only impacts the hospital’s maternity ward, which welcomes roughly 100-150 babies each month. Basi said doctors always practice having conversations with parents about the recommended vaccines and decide together what is best for the child.

Basi said he encourages parents and families to continue to have those conversations with their child’s doctor, and said he doesn’t expect to see much of a change at Boone due to the new recommendations.

“Our doctors are still going to be providing their recommendations based on the scientific evidence and their experience,” Basi said. “Which for us means you’re dealing with doctors who have had decades of experience with newborns and they are very up-to-date on the latest scientific information, on the latest studies and understand all of the different types and options of vaccines that are out there.”

MU Health Care was not available for an interview on Tuesday, but a spokesman sent ABC 17 News the following statement via email:

“Our childhood immunization protocols are based on the best medical evidence for how to protect children/patients. We use guidance from multiple sources to create our protocols and always include parents in the decision-making process,” spokesman Eric Maze wrote. “It’s also important to note that there is no change to the insurance coverage of childhood vaccinations.”

Pham said she urges people to continue having conversations with their doctors moving forward to make informed decisions about their child’s health.

“The science has not changed. The American Academy of Pediatrics and experts have come up with the vaccination schedule that is really tailored to our population here in the United States where we have different diseases than other locations and a different health care system,” Pham said.

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Cameron Montemayor

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — The Northwest Missouri Republican Club will hold their January monthly meeting with a special mayoral candidate forum in advance of the Feb. 3 primary election.

The club announced its monthly meeting will take place at Bandanas BBQ on Jan. 15 with a social hour at 5:30 p.m. followed by the candidate forum at 6:30 p.m.

The forum will feature all four candidates in the running for mayor in 2026, including:

Mayor John Josendale

Jonathan McClain

Larry Miller

Kenneth Reeder

The forum will provide an opportunity for each candidate to present their positions, ideas and concerns with the community, including goals for office.

Each candidate will have the opportunity to respond to every question asked by a moderator at the forum. A second mayor debate through the St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce is expected to take place on Jan. 28th at Stoney Creek Hotel.

As part of the Feb. 3 mayoral primary, the top two vote-getters will move on to the April general election, unless either candidate receives more than 50% of the vote, in which case they will automatically be appointed to office.

While the mayor’s race marks the lone question on February’s primary ballot, the April election also includes races for all eight city council seats and municipal judge.

The positions of mayor and four at-large councilmembers will be elected to serve four-year terms, while the four district councilmembers will be elected to an initial two-year term.

The April ballot will also include races for two open Board of Education seats.

Bandanas BBQ is located at 4225 Frederick Avenue.

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Cameron Montemayor

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — Preliminary crime statistics for 2025 indicate St. Joseph experienced a sizable reduction in violent crimes compared to the year prior, according to local authorities.

While data for the month of December has yet to be finalized, violent crime stats released by the St. Joseph Police Department this week show a total of 209 “Part I” violent crimes occurred in 2025 thus far, significantly less than 391 cases in 2024 and 401 in 2023.

“Part I” crimes include murder, aggravated assault, robberies, motor vehicle thefts and other serious offenses designated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Overall, the city reported a 60% reduction in violent crime cases in 2025, pending the outcome of December data.

Data also shows a notable month-over-month reduction in violent crimes from October to November 2025, decreasing by 63% from 24 cases in October to just nine cases in November.

The November 2025 figure marks a 42% decrease from the same time period last year, when 34 violent crimes occurred.

A full report with an entire breakdown of crime statistics for 2025 is expected to be finalized and released in February as part of a press conference with the St. Joseph Police Department.

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Patrick Holleron

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — What started off as a job to work alongside close friends eventually blossomed into a decorated career for Battalion Chief Dave Richey, a retiring veteran of the St. Joseph Fire Department who proudly wore the uniform for one last time Tuesday.

For more than 36 years, Richey worked alongside an extended family in the St. Joseph Fire Department, eventually climbing the ranks to become battalion chief.

Through all the years and changes that have occurred, from evolutions in technology to personnel, the memories and connections made along the way were some of his most cherished moments.

“There’s a lot of moments. We’re a tight knit group that’s had a lot of fun,” Richey said. “There’s been a lot of laughing, crying and talking to each other about things we see in the field. I’ve seen so many changes in technology, equipment and personnel.”

“One of my favorite moments has been seeing some of our first female firefighters, to now having female firefighters promoted to positions like driver engineer.”

Battalion Chief Dave Richey holds his piece of the brass pole and an axe during his retirement ceremony on Jan. 6.

As Richey was celebrated by peers and family during a retirement ceremony Tuesday, he was also presented with a celebrated piece of the department’s history: one of its original brass poles with his name and years of service engraved.

“St. Joseph is one of the first cities to have fire poles. The brass pole means something to us because it was something we kept when redoing the old fire stations,” Richey said. “When you retire, they give you a little piece of the brass pole, which to me signifies what our fire department stands for. If you talk to any of the retired firefighters, that’s what they look forward to the most. It carries a lot of meaning.”

Among the things he will miss the most in retirement is the thrill of putting out fires in the field and working alongside the people he calls his family.

“I will miss the adrenaline rush of going to a fire, that excitement is hard to replace. It’s a little addictive,” Richey said. “I’ll miss the people here, they are my family. The relationships you build over the years are special and a lot of them are here to see me off. Not seeing them every day, is what I’ll probably miss the most.”

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Cameron Montemayor

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — Neighborhood residents will notice new parking restrictions enforced on two multi-block areas of Olive and Pacific streets moving forward. 

City Councilmembers approved a measure Monday from St. Joseph Public Works and Transportation to amend the city’s code of ordinances to create new parking restrictions on both streets following months of public discussion and requests from both residents and organizations. 

Under new restrictions, parking is now prohibited on the north side of Olive Street from Sixth to Eighth streets. A second change will see parking now prohibited on the south side of Pacific Street from 33rd Street all the way out to the Belt Highway, a near five-block stretch of roadway. Parking is now forbidden on both sides of the street.

This google maps image shows the area of Olive Street between Eighth and Sixth streets. Parking is now prohibited on the north side of the street.

The city began to explore the possibility of parking changes back in June when the St. Joseph Traffic Commission heard a request from a local resident about parking restrictions along Pacific Street, one of multiple requests.

The section of Pacific Street contains steep ditches and is a known area for speeding according to residents and law enforcement, putting parked vehicles in harms way and making it difficult for authorities to safely pass when cars are parked along the roadway.

It was also determined through a “No Parking” trial that restrictions on both sides helped provide additional sight distance, roadway safety and overall traffic movement. 

Requests for changes along Olive Street were prompted by the nonprofit group Community Missions, which has seen increased pedestrian activity on the roadway associated with the facility, creating unsafe conditions along a busy corridor. 

The Public Works Traffic Division and the Police Traffic Division reviewed the request and reported no concerns with the proposed change as adequate off-street parking is available nearby. A “No Parking” trial was also implemented, which showed noticeable improvements both in traffic flow and safety.

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News-Press NOW

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (KQTV) — Brian Helm pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 28 years in prison for his part in the murder of Dustin Allen Graham in November 2024.

According to court documents, Helm pulled into a parking lot behind Graham’s vehicle near the 1900 block of Jules Street on Nov. 10, 2024, blocking Graham in.

Helm exited his vehicle and approached Graham’s, striking the window with an object and then firing a single shot from a firearm at Graham.

Graham was able to back into Helm’s vehicle and was able to pull out onto Jules Street, traveling east before stopping at the intersection of 20th and Jules Streets. Graham was transported to Mosaic Life Care before he was pronounced dead.

Helm fled the scene following the incident. At the time, he also had an active parole violation warrant for burglary and possession of a controlled substance.

Helm was charged with armed criminal action and second degree murder. He pleaded guilty to both charges, saying, “I shot the confidential victim during the course of an attempted robbery and he died from his wounds…“

Helm was sentenced to 25 years in prison for the second-degree murder charge and an additional three years for the armed criminal action charge, to be served consecutively.

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Leah Rainwater

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (KQTV) — The St. Joseph Mustangs said Phil Welch Stadium is ready for the next steps in a more than $1 million project funded by St. Joseph’s Capital Improvements Program Parks and Recreation tax.

A recent Facebook post by the Mustangs showcased the new concrete around the entire stadium.

Courtesy of the St. Joseph Mustangs.

Right now, the concrete is smooth around the entire stadium, including in the seating areas behind both baselines. Soon, the concrete will no longer be empty.

The stadium will see new seats, which include bleachers as well as brand new seats for the reserved box seats with chair backs, which are still for sale.

Courtesy of the St. Joseph Mustangs.

The Mustangs have a limited number of box seats available for season ticket purchase, as well as general admission tickets. Fans can reserve a spot by calling 816-279-7856.

The CIP project is expected to be completed before the Mustangs’ 2026 season.

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Prajukta Ghosh

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (KQTV)– A recent mountain lion sighting near the St. Joseph area has residents talking and taking extra precautions, especially those living near wooded and rural areas. 

Wildlife officials said Mountain Lion encounters in Missouri are rare; however, one DeKalb County resident shared her story as she came face-to-face with the animal just steps from her home last spring.  

“I let my dogs out at night, and it was just in my back field, along the fence by my big tree, and he was just standing there doing his own business, and my dogs actually scared him off,” Jessiy Hayes said.  

Hayes lives in a rural area where wildlife sightings are not uncommon. Despite her close encounter, she said she was never terrified of the mountain lion.

Neighbors in the area have shared stories of their own close calls, raising concerns about safety. 

“He minds his own business, but just recently this person was out doing his cattle and he did get scared because of one of them was was trying to attack him,” Hayes said.  

Hayes raises chickens and other farm animals on her property. She said the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) permitted her to shoot the animal if it poses a threat to her livestock.  

According to the MDC, there were five confirmed mountain lion sightings in the state in 2025. 

MDC Spokesperson Maddie Fennewald said large cats are highly mobile, which means they can travel long distances in a short amount of time, making sightings unpredictable. 

“By nature, mountain lions are very mobile and most of the mountain lions that we get in Missouri just kinda wander through…Since Missouri has so much open space its a luck of the draw if we spot them,” Fennewald said.  

The MDC also recommended keeping pets indoors when possible, securing livestock and avoiding walking alone in areas with dense vegetation when mountain lions are most active. 

According to the National Park Service, mountain lions are typically more active during dusk and dawn.

The Idaho Fish and Game reports that mountain lions are seen throughout the year, but observations and incidents tend to increase during the winter months due to fresh snow making their tracks more visible, along with increased numbers of deer and elk moving onto their winter ranges.

also emphasized that encounters between humans and mountain lions in Missouri are extremely rare.  

“Most of the mountain lions are going to be coming from (the) Western States of Wyoming, South and North Dakota, Colorado and Texas,” Fennewald said. “We don’t have any proof of an established breeding population in Missouri.”

She said sightings like these serve as a reminder that Missouri is home to a wide range of wildlife. While encounters are rare, residents are encouraged to stay alert and informed. 

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