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TaMya Bracy

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — On Wednesday afternoon, the Missouri Air National Guard’s 139th Airlift Wing honored a former active-duty Air Force captain.

Guy Gruters was a prisoner of war (POW) for five years during the Vietnam War. He shared multiple stories, including ways he would communicate with the Vietnamese soldiers, the torture he and other American soldiers endured and staying connected to his faith.

Gruters said, even though his time in the prison camp was horrible, he has learned forgiveness.

“So I learned to forgive the people that were hurting me and torturing me,” Gruters said. “And I learned forgiveness in prison camp. I learned terrible hatred in prison camp. But at the same time, I learned forgiveness. So it was a wonderful thing for me to learn that,” he said.

Gruters said being a POW was probably the best thing that happened to him because it knocked down his pride.

“You know, you have real troubles and torture with pride and you have real trouble in a communist prison camp with pride, Gruters said. “And you know, the worst thing you can do? You got the love and you got pride,” he said.

Towards the end of the cermony, John Josendale, St. Joseph, mayor, issued a special proclamation recognizing Gruters.

Gruters said he wants the soldiers to take away two things from his story: doing the right thing and trusting God.

“I just hope they take apart, take out the two things that everything in life depends on doing the right thing and praying and trusting in God to make the big picture happen because we don’t have control over the big picture, you know,” Gruters said. So what you really want to do is just set up the circumstances where he makes good things happen, he said.

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Jazsmin Halliburton

(Editor’s note, 9/10: The story corrects the day of the week that the state senate will begin taking up legislation in the special session.)

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

Missouri Democrats will hold a rally and press conference on Wednesday in response to state Republicans taking one step closer to officially redrawing Missouri’s congressional maps.

This comes after the House of Representatives approved Gov. Mike Kehoe’s “Missouri First” map Tuesday in a 90 to 65 vote. The approved map would change Congressman Emanuel Cleaver’s fifth district in Kansas City by cutting the city into three districts.

Several groups, including Missouri Jobs with Justice, Indivisible and the Missouri Democratic Party, plan to rally on the south steps of the Capitol.

According to a press release from the Missouri Democrats, this decision came despite bipartisan opposition and ignored the testimony of thousands of Missourians who voiced concern over the maps.

The “Missouri First” initiative by Gov. Kehoe arose after the White House suggested that Missouri should redraw its map — a process that typically occurs only after the census. Republicans are aiming to protect their narrow majority in the U.S. House with mid-term elections coming up next year.

The Missouri House of Representatives also voted Tuesday to send initiative petition reform, along with redistricting bills, to the Senate in a 98 to 58 vote. Joint House Resolution three would require all initiative petitions to get approval from a majority of voters across the state and from each district.

The state Senate will be taking up both the redistricting and initiative petition reform bills at noon Wednesday.

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News-Press NOW

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — The St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce invites all runners, walkers and donut lovers to its “Donut Dash” 5k+.

The race will take place at 8 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 11, where it will start at the Patee House Museum, located at 1202 Penn St., and will end at Gold-N-Glaze Donuts & Coffee Shop, located at 1825 Frederick Ave.

Afterward, participants are invited to have brunch at an after-party at Hi-Ho Bar & Grill.

The race, totaling 3.82 miles, goes through historic Mount Mora Cemetery and also features the Robidoux Row Museum.

During the family-friendly 5k+, participants can stop at designated watering holes to take a quick drink and enjoy Gold-N-Glaze’s donut holes.

Proceeds from the race will benefit Mount Mora, Robidoux Row and the Patee House.

The race will cost $35 for participants who pre-register by noon on Sept. 26. Those who register on the day of the run will pay $45.

For children 12 years old and younger, the race price will be $15.

The race is timed, with runners being given tags for their shows. Cost includes a t-shirt (for those who have pre-registered), participant medals, drinks, a full donut and fun at the finish line.

“The Chamber enjoys hosting this event because it’s great for our community and raises funds for three important historic organizations,” said Natalie Hawn, president and CEO of the St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce. “It blends a little food, a little history and a lot of positivity. Runners are always excited for the Donut Dash.”

Packet pick-up will be from 3 to 6 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 10, at Farmers State Bank (FSB), located at 2211 N. Belt Hwy, and from 6:30 to 7:45 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 11, at the Patee House Museum.

Online registration will end at 7:30 a.m. the morning of the run.

Those interested can register through the RunSignUp website at www.runsignup.com/Race/MO/SaintJoseph/DonutDash2020 or at www.saintjoseph.com. No cash will be accepted on site.

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Cameron Montemayor

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — A longstanding nonprofit in Midtown St. Joseph is taking its mission to new platforms by giving youth hands-on experience as multimedia journalists and content creators.

From interviewing and video editing to scriptwriting and other lessons, local youth are getting the chance to experience and document the world as multimedia journalists as part of MidCity Excellence’s new “Youth City” initiative launched this summer.

“We have our YouTube show that the kids are participating in that includes recording and editing. We’ve partnered with some of our business owners here in town who are going to offer interviews to our students,” said Program Director Erica Green, a marketing major at Missouri Western State University.

Students with MidCity Excellence pass a microphone around during a practice broadcast during an afternoon program in September.

Students had the chance to visit and interview with local businesses like Kingdom Cuts Barbershop and Will Woods State Farm Insurance this summer, documenting as journalists but also learning about entrepreneurship and business development along the way.

The newfound program combines the nonprofit’s core mission of youth mentorship and educational support with reporting that emphasizes healthy and drug-free lifestyles, one of many initiatives, including its well-known drumline, theater and dance programs, among others.

“They will come up with many different reasons that kids are saying, ‘I want to live a drug free, opioid free, healthy lifestyle. I want to achieve my goals,'” MidCity Excellence CEO and founder Kimberly Warren said. “We do that by presenting vibrant alternatives … developing young people so they can achieve academic and career success.”

MCE student Isabella Mccallon has developed into one the programs top young mentors and thinks the program fits perfectly with the rising popularity of tech and video production, especially with teenagers.

“It’s very exciting. So the cool thing is, whenever we go to different places, we get to record, we get to talk to different people, see different things. It’s never just like the same one day. Every day is different. So a lot of opportunity,” she said.

MidCity students officially posted their first multimedia show on YouTube in August and are well underway with two more video segments. The program is open to any and all students who wish to attend MCE’s summer or afterschool sessions at 604 S. 20th St.

Green and Warren are eager to see the first group of students develop and take the reins on future projects, passing down knowledge to future students.

Program instructor Erica Green, left, helps students with MidCity Excellence go through practice TV broadcast with scripts and a cellphone camera during an afternoon program in September.

Founded in 2001, the nonprofit prioritizes education through interactive and engaging lessons as opposed to traditional lectures or classes, instilling a sense of ownership and pride that boosts creativity and motivation.

“It has to be some life lessons that are vibrant, that are exciting, and that speaks their language and gives them creative control,” Warren said.

With many students being exposed to or directly impacted by drug use, violence or other unsafe habits at an early age — actions that can drastically impact their health and chances of future success — she said new and existing programs can be a life-changing outlet for many.

The nonprofit was recently awarded $11,000 through the Opioid Settlement Review Board to expand its programming and provide new healthy alternatives to substance use, including purchasing opioid prevention curriculum, providing access to Narcan and offering training for lead coaches and instructors.

“We have had kids that have overdosed before. We’ve had kids that wound up at the hospital before, some of them, on purpose, have taken things that they thought would numb them. And we have to fight for them to stay on this side of life and to fulfill their God given purpose,” Warren said. “If we don’t do anything to prevent and intervene, we will continue to lose lives. It takes so little to engage so many. So the time is now.”

In addition to Youth City, MidCity Excellence is preparing to launch a new business-themed program that teaches the values of entrepreneurship, money management and planning, enlisting the help of local business experts to provide insight along the way.

Mccallon praised the program for helping establish valuable connections between MCE students like herself and community leaders and businesses.

“I think it’s very influential because you get to interact with all sorts of different people with different careers, different opinions and interests. Some of those people I could potentially get jobs with or could potentially be my bosses someday,” she said with a smile.

For students, that means developing key skills such as branding and product design, creating business plans and giving formal presentations at City Hall committees.

“We have an upcoming entrepreneurial truck where they’ll be making their own T-shirts and hats and mugs and we may venture into the food business a little bit,” Warren said. “When you start a business, we’re going to talk about the investment, the money side of it. How they earn MidCity bucks.”

To keep students engaged along the way, the nonprofit offers a system that rewards students with points for strong attendance and putting cellphones away in “phone jails.”

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News-Press NOW

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — A 10-year-old child is in stable condition after sustaining a gunshot wound during a Wednesday morning shooting in the 900 block of South 18th Street.

The St. Joseph Police Department responded to the scene of a shooting around 3:20 a.m., in which a duplex had been struck by gunfire.

The 10-year-old was asleep in an upstairs bedroom of the duplex when the child was shot in the left thigh. The child was transported to Mosaic Life Care, according to a press release from SJPD.

There were no other injuries or fatalities reported during the incident.

SJPD blocked off South 18th Street from Olive to Lafayette streets, where officers recovered over 40 shell casings, including a mixture of rifle and handgun ammunition, located across the street from the duplex.

Two parked vehicles on South 18th Street were also struck by gunfire, according to SJPD.

A reporter at the scene Wednesday morning observed evidence tags on the ground and members of the police department canvassing the area.

The police department said the investigation is ongoing.

Anyone with information about the incident is encouraged to call SJPD at 816-271-4777 or submit an anonymous tip through the TIPS Hotline at 816-238-TIPS (8477) and receive up to a $1,000 reward.

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Cameron Montemayor

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — Three sitting City Councilmembers and one newcomer are planning to throw their hats into the ring for next year’s municipal election.

City officials confirmed an early list of candidates who picked up petitions on Tuesday to run for district and at-large city council seats in 2026, including three incumbents and one newcomer.

Petition requests:

Madison Davis, seeking reelection for third term in District 1

Marty Novak, seeking reelection to third term at-large

Randy S. Schultz, seeking reelection to second term at-large

Collin Clibon, seeking election to first term as at-large

St. Joseph Mayor John Josendale also confirmed plans on Tuesday to run for a second term.

Tuesday marked the official start of next year’s municipal election process with petitions becoming available for those interested in running for mayor, city council and judge. All petitions must be filed with the city clerk between Tuesday, Oct. 7 and Tuesday, Oct. 28.

St. Joseph’s Primary Election will take place on Tuesday, Feb. 3, followed by the General Election on Tuesday, April 7.

Petitions for at-large seats must be signed by a minimum of 250 qualified voters. Petitions for candidates for district councilmember seats must be signed by no less than 75 qualified voters of the district.

The 2026 municipal election will feature races for mayor and all eight City Council seats. Four at-large councilmembers will be elected to serve four-year terms while four district councilmembers will be elected to an initial two-year term, with a subsequent district election to occur in 2028.

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News-Press NOW

PLATTE COUNTY, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — On Monday, the Platte County Commission unanimously voted to terminate its participation in the Clay Platte Ray Mental Health Board (CPR).

“This is an important first step to improving and expanding mental health services for Platte County residents and we expect this action will actually result in increased federal funding for mental health services in Platte County,” said Platte County Presiding Commissioner Scott Fricker.

Fricker also said the withdrawal will pave the way for the Platte County Mental Health Board to oversee approximately $3 million annually in Platte County property tax revenue earmarked for mental health services in the county.

The withdrawal comes as, in 2025 alone, Platte County has contributed $3 million to CPR; however, according to the county commission, persistent issues with CPR’s oversight and administration have raised serious concerns about the value of the partnership for residents.

One of the concerns includes the lack of control from the county, which only has two seats on CPR’s nine-member board.

Another concern was the lack of transparency. For eight months, the Platte County Presiding Commissioner has sought documentation to confirm that Platte County funds were being used for Platte County residents.

According to a press release from Platte County, CPR staff gave initial resistance, but it was later reported that Platte County tax dollars have been subsidizing services in Clay and Ray counties.

Additionally, the Platte County Commission said there was no program evaluation, stating, “CPR lacks meaningful assessments of program effectiveness, leaving taxpayers without assurance that funds are achieving intended outcomes.”

CPR, a publicly funded non-profit, has also had an absence of financial audits, despite managing a $10 million annual budget.

After withdrawing from CPR, the Platte County Commission opted to redirect its $3 million annual mental health budget to a “to-be-formed” Platte County Mental Health Board, stating the “new entity will prioritize transparency, financial oversight, and services tailored to the needs of Platte County residents”.

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Cameron Montemayor

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — St. Joseph’s incumbent mayor has officially announced he will seek four more years in office come next year.

St. Joseph Mayor John Josendale confirmed to News-Press NOW on Tuesday that he plans to seek a second term in office, aiming to build off four years that saw notable job growth and capital investments in manufacturing and workforce development, along with widespread upgrades to civic facilities.

“I thought about it and talked it over with my family. My health is good, and I am very committed to St. Joe,” Josendale said. “I look forward to trying to be the mayor again for four more years.”

A native of St. Joseph and longtime executive at Wire Rope Corporation of America, Josendale was first elected by voters in April of 2022.

During his four years in office, the city saw more than $300 million in large capital investments for a range of sectors, helping create and retain upwards of 500 jobs, including new industries like Nortian Foodtech or large expansions by local employers like Daily’s Premium Meats, Triumph Foods and Hillyard, Inc.

Additional achievements include revitalizing St. Joseph’s park system and key local facilities like Rosecrans Memorial Airport and Civic Arena, along with the development of new facilities like an animal shelter, InspireU Children’s Discovery Museum and hotel/convention center on Frederick Avenue.

“I think we’re moving a lot of things the right way and I look forward to being able to do it again,” he said. “St. Joe’s all about the people. From day one, I’ve enjoyed getting to meet a lot of people and there are a lot more that I’d like to continue to meet.”

He said some of the top priorities moving forward will be continued efforts to improve housing and workforce development, with the ultimate goal of boosting and retaining highly-skilled workers to address St. Joseph’s declining population.

A new apartment complex planned for the North Shoppes area, along with MoWest’s new Houlne Center for Convergent Technology and a UMKC School of Medicine campus in St. Joseph represent major investments in that area, a byproduct of strong community partnerships with the county and top local employers.

“When you talk about new jobs, where do they come from? We have to grow some of those internally. What can we do to keep them to stay? Working on that and making that part of our objective as we go forward I think is extremely important,” he said. “Having us all on the same page.”

Improving community appearances, code enforcement and strengthening communication with residents mark other key areas of focus. The city has made strides by identifying top areas of need through community surveys and holding new bi-monthly work sessions with department leaders to plan and gauge progress on those improvement efforts.

The 2026 municipal election will feature races for mayor and all eight City Council seats. Four at-large councilmembers will be elected to serve four-year terms while four district councilmembers will be elected to an initial two-year term, with a subsequent district election to occur in 2028.

Tuesday marked the official start of next year’s municipal election process with petitions becoming available for those interested in running for mayor, city council and judge. All petitions must be filed with the city clerk between Tuesday, Oct. 7 and Tuesday, Oct. 28.

St. Joseph’s Primary Election will take place on Tuesday, Feb. 3, followed by the General Election on Tuesday, April 7.

The 2022 mayoral race saw four candidates vie during the primaries, with Josendale later defeating opponent Gary Wilkinson with a 53% approval among voters.

News-Press NOW will continue to update this story.

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Patrick Holleron

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — Safety experts are sharing tips to stay prepared during National Preparedness Month.

The annual campaign has been in place since 2004 to encourage safety precautions for emergencies and natural disasters such as tornadoes and flooding.

In talking to Frank Till, the executive director of the St. Joseph Safety and Health Council, he advised residents to keep some key points in mind regarding preparation for natural disasters. 

“Sit down with your family and establish a safety and emergency plan,” Till said. “Have evacuation routes, meeting routes in place to determine where we’re going to meet if something goes bad and your separated. And also have first aid kits, emergency kits and water.”

According to the National Weather Service, 120 tornadoes have been confirmed in Missouri and 44 in Kansas in 2025. The only states with more tornadoes than Missouri are Kentucky (155) and Texas (148).

Additionally, the Missouri Climate Center reported that Missouri experiences roughly 30 tornadoes per year.

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Rebecca Evans

GRANT CITY, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — The search continues for a missing ram in Northwest Missouri, with the reward now raised to $10,000 for his safe return.

The ram, named Panic, disappeared from his pen the night of Sept. 1 in Grant City, Missouri. His owners believe he may have been stolen.

Picture of the missing ram during the 2025 Oregon State Fair. Photo courtesy Christie Anderson

Emily Anderson, who has been raising naturally colored sheep since she was nine years old, spent the last decade raising the small flock Panic belongs to.

She’s preparing for her last junior show at the North American International Livestock Exposition, now without the most elite sheep she’s ever raised.

Friends, family and members of the community quickly came together to raise funds, which boosted the reward for Panic’s return.

“We feel very supported by our community,” said Christie Anderson, co-owner of Anderson Farms and the missing ram, “It shows that there are far more good people than bad.”

The missing ram as a baby. Photo courtesy Christie Anderson

Panic has been competing all over the country this year and has won several titles, including National Champion, natural colored sheep for medium wools in Albany, Oregon.

The family said Panic will be worth the full $10,000 reward if returned alive and able to breed by Sept. 22. If he is returned in non-breeding condition or deceased, the reward will be $6,500.

While the owners have alerted sale barns, they say it is unlikely he would show up at one. They are asking anyone with possible leads, no matter how small, to call Anderson Farms at 660-988-3503, day or night.

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