Category: knpn-local-news

Cameron Montemayor

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — St. Joseph is strengthening its parking enforcement capabilities with the hiring of two new positions designed to target illegally parked vehicles, efforts that will ramp up beginning next week.

The St. Joseph Police Department announced the hiring of two new civilian parking enforcement officers on Thursday to patrol the city and issue tickets and tow tags for vehicles not following city traffic ordinances.

All vehicles parked on a city street must display valid license plates, have current insurance, be operational and be parked properly following all road signage and in the direction of traffic flow. Vehicles failing to meet these requirements will face a fine and may be towed.

The new civilian officers started enforcement measures over the last few weeks during a recent training period. Their efforts will increase as they begin patrolling streets throughout the city full-time next week. The officers will be driving marked cars that differ from the look of the police department’s patrol vehicles and in a uniform that designates their role.

The new program is part of an effort to improve customer service related to frequent parking concerns.

“This program reflects our continued commitment to keeping St. Joseph’s neighborhoods safe, clean and accessible,” St. Joseph Police Chief Paul Luster said in a statement. “By addressing abandoned and improperly parked vehicles, we’re not only enforcing the law but also responding directly to the concerns of our residents. Our goal is to enhance the quality of life and ensure our streets remain welcoming for everyone.” 

While the officers will be looking for violations and issuing tickets and tow orders accordingly, citizens can also help by reporting illegally parked vehicles on the city’s website at www.stjosephmo.gov.

After clicking the “Report a Concern” button on the home page, residents can enter information about the vehicle and its location for officers to respond. Citizens can also call the police department’s non-emergency number at 816-271-4777 to report a concern.

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Rebecca Evans

Are you not entertained? The lights are on, the stage is set, and the weekend is ready to steal the show. Let’s take a front-row seat. Here’s what to look forward to in this week’s edition of See St. Joseph. 

FRIDAY JULY 18TH

27th Annual Sounds of Summer Concert Series – Vinyl Revival.

The night will be packed with good tunes and good people. Enjoy amazing live music under the summer sky in the heart of downtown brought to you by the Downtown Association of St. Joseph. 

6:30-9:30pm

at Coleman Hawkins Park for free.

Enchilada Lady and The Crossing at Concessions

There will be a beer tent open with refreshing beverages available for purchase. No coolers or outside beverages are allowed.

SATURDAY, JULY 19TH 

FIRE AND FLOW JAM

This is a family friendly, Leave No Trace, drug and alcohol free event focused on building community, making connections, practicing art, and lifting each other up. Invite your friends and make sure you bring a blanket or chair to sit on. These performances are every month, weather-permitting, and are different each time with a variety of performers of all ages and abilities.

Fire performers start at sunset. 

In the parking lot of Remington Nature Center. 

Everyone is invited to bring your skates, hover boards, and  longboards, an hour early to skate and hang out while the performers set up. 

FRIDAY, SATURDAY, SUNDAY – JULY 18TH, 19TH, 20TH 

THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK MOVIE SCREENING

The Saber Arts Club of St. Joseph and the Trail Theatre join forces for a special premiere night of The Empire Strikes Back to celebrate the movie’s anniversary.

This Friday: Doors open at 6:30pm, at 6:45pm a special performance of the Force and martial arts will take place. The movie will play at 7pm. 

This Saturday: Screening 1-4pm

This Sunday: Screening 1-7pm 

Admission is $10 for adults and $7.50 for children.

Popcorn, soda, and movie treats will be available at the concessions. Bring the whole family for this one of a kind cinema experience.

That’s all for this weekend. Be sure to tune in every Thursday for more ways to See St. Joseph. 

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News-Press NOW

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — An event hosted by the wives and significant others of Kansas City Royals players aims to raise funds to grant life-changing wishes for children battling critical illnesses across the region.

The inaugural “Royals Wives for Wishes” event, taking place on Wednesday, July 30, at Kauffman Stadium, will provide an exciting lineup of activities for Make-A-Wish children in Missouri and Kansas.

Activities include: silent and live auctions, exclusive experiences and the opportunity to meet Royals players, their families and other local celebrities.

“We’re honored to partner with the Royals family to bring this event to life,” said Stephanie Hampton-Boeglin, Chief Operating Officer of Make-A-Wish Missouri and Kansas. “The compassion and dedication of the Royals’ Wives, paired with the support of the Kansas City community, will help us bring joy and hope to more local children when they need it most.”

All proceeds from the Royals Wives for Wishes will benefit Make-A-Wish Missouri and Kansas, directly supporting wish-granting efforts for children across the region. Every wish granted brings renewed strength, emotional healing and lasting memories for kids and their families.

To reserve a spot or learn more, visit wish.org/mokan/royals or email Stephanie Hampton-Boeglin at shampton-boeglin@mokan.wish.org.

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Kirsten Stokes

ST. JOSEPH, MO (News-Press NOW) — Buchanan County EMS and the St. Joseph Police Department responded to a two-vehicle crash, resulting in minor injuries, around 3 p.m. on Wednesday at the corner of South 35th and Duncan Streets.

Officer Jill Green, with SJPD, described the details of the incident. 

“The white car was traveling south, stopped at a stop sign. The black car was traveling west, had the right of way. The white car began to go and the black car struck the white car as they began to go to the stop sign,” Green said.

Green confirmed there were minor injuries.

When News-Press NOW arrived on the scene, a woman was taken to the hospital for minor injuries and another person was able to walk out of their car. 

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Rebecca Evans

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — Missourians will join a nationwide movement on Thursday, July 17, to honor the legacy of the late Congressman and civil rights leader John Lewis.

Under the banner “Good Trouble Lives On,” peaceful rallies will take place in both Maryville, Missouri, and St. Joseph as part of more than 1,500 events happening across the country.

The coordinated effort includes marches, rallies, teach-ins, and voter registration drives aimed at promoting democracy and social justice.

The nationwide day of action echoes the message of John Lewis, who famously urged citizens to get into “good trouble” in the fight for civil rights.

In Maryville, participants will gather between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. on the public sidewalk at the intersection of Wal-Mart Drive and South Main Street.

In St. Joseph, two separate events are planned throughout the evening:

The St. Joseph Persisterhood will host a rally from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the busy intersection of Belt Highway and Frederick Avenue.

EM-PAC (Empowering People – Ensuring Participation) and the St. Joseph NAACP will hold an action rally from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the St. Francis Baptist Church parking lot, located at 1610 Angelique Street.

According to organizers, the rallies are intended to be peaceful, powerful reminders of the ongoing struggle for justice and equality.

“These times are not normal,” said Dr. Jane Frick, co-facilitator of the St. Joseph Persisterhood and a long-time member of St. Joseph Christian Church. “Our faith calls us to stand up peacefully—while we still can—against what’s happening in our country. John Lewis was right when he said we must make ‘Good Trouble’ to redeem the soul of our nation.”

More information on the “Good Trouble Lives On” campaign can be found at goodtroubleliveson.org, and details on the St. Joseph events are available at facebook.com/PersisterhoodSJ.

For questions or further details, contact Dr. Jane Frick at mjanefrick@gmail.com or 816-294-4410.

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News-Press NOW

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — Herzog Contracting Corp., working with the Missouri Department of Transportation, has delayed a concrete patching project on I-229.

The project would close the southbound I-29 ramp onto northbound I-229.

The project was originally supposed to start on Monday, July 21. Both Herzog and MoDOT have agreed to push the project back until Monday, Aug. 18.

The ramp will be closed from 7 a.m. on Monday, Aug. 18, until 7 a.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 19.

All work is weather permitting and the schedules are subject to change.

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Jenna Wilson

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — The Buchanan County Sheriff’s Department is testing a new mobile application designed to keep the public informed and alert. 

The initial $10,000 in funding to launch the Sheriff App comes from Buchanan County’s opioid settlement funds. A vital component of the app will be providing information related to the local opioid epidemic, as well as alerts about scams and criminal activity.

“It’ll give us a platform to do opioid education as well as push out messages and safety tips,” said Buchanan County Sheriff Bill Puett. “It’ll also be a broader platform where we’ll be able to notify the public on information pertaining to jail records.”

One key feature county jail officials hope the community finds valuable is the ability to search for inmates. 

“I know that some victims are looking to see if the perpetrator of their crime is still incarcerated or whether they’ve been released,” Puett said. “There are going to be several aspects on this application we hope will be helpful for our citizens and ensure their safety.”

The Sheriff’s Office is aiming to launch the application in the next couple of months, although the timeline depends on completing testing, securing licensing, and ensuring the app runs smoothly to avoid frustrating users.

“We don’t want there to be any errors with this so it can be something that continues indefinitely,” Puett said. “This application will include vital educational pieces on issues I know the community is concerned about, such as online predators and elder abuse scams. We’ll have all that available in one plac,e people can access right from their hands.”

Educational content covering a range of local concerns will be posted to the free app monthly. 

News-Press NOW will continue to follow and report on the development of the application as it moves forward. 

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News-Press NOW

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — Area first responders, law enforcement and community leaders will be out and about during an annual “National Night Out” event to meet community members and foster community engagement.

The event is free and open to the public and will take place from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 5, at Civic Center Park.

The St. Joseph Police Department, Fire Department and area emergency responders will be at the event with vehicles and equipment from various area agencies on display.

The band, The Arsonists!, will be performing, Sack’s Ice Cream will be on site and bounce houses will be available for kids.

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Cameron Montemayor

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — One of the longest-standing service clubs is spreading the wealth from a recent grant to support an array of non-profit and youth organizations.

Members of the Sertoma Club of St. Joseph gathered with local community leaders Tuesday to present $1000 awards to the Noyes Home for Children, Second Harvest Community Food Bank and Scouting America of St. Joseph.

The Sertoma Club was awarded a $5,000 grant from Sertoma International in April in honor of 111 years of service to St. Joseph, opting to use newfound funds the way they know best: supporting the community.

Donations and support for businesses and donors are critical for privately funded non-profits like the Noyes Home for Children, according to director Chelsea Howlett, helping them ensure they can meet the needs of more than 200 children they serve every year.

“They’ve been an amazing supporter as long as I’ve been with the Noyes Home and many years before that … from taking our kids shopping around Christmastime, back to school shopping,” Howlett said. “I’m so grateful they were willing to include us.”

The award comes as Noyes Home gears up for its largest and most impactful annual fundraising event on Sept. 13 at Missouri Western called “Take A Seat: Light the Way.”

For Chad Higdon, CEO of Second Harvest Community Food Bank, the award means an additional 3000 meals will be able to be distributed to the community.

“For every dollar donated, we can turn that into about three meals,” Higdon said. “Especially in the summer when school’s out … and the work we’re doing with senior boxes and families through our mobile pantry program and partnerships … it really does mean a lot.”

Sertoma Club participates in and sponsors numerous efforts and events each year in support of the community and local organizations, including the annual Thanksgiving Day Turkey Trot and placement of American Flags throughout St. Joseph in honor of 9/11 and other holidays.

With large groups of scouts coming from more than a dozen states to visit Camp Geiger each summer in St. Joseph, Pony Express Council District Director Erik McGuire said the award will not only help with infrastructure improvements but open the door for aspiring scouts to attend.

“We really need the support to keep our camp looking good and and have all the infrastructure that it needs and to support camperships for scouts to be able to attend who have more modest financial means,” he said.

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Praji Ghosh

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — The inspireU Children’s Discovery Center is highlighting a milestone, after admitting over 50,000 visitors in the six months it’s been open.

InspireU is a facility for children ages 10 and under, where the key purpose is to emphasize Movement, Nutrition, Mindfulness, Curiosity and Connection.    

Those interested in visiting are encouraged to purchase tickets online at inspireu.com.

Tickets cost $10 per person and $9 for veterans. Kids under 1 year old are admitted for free.  

The center is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sundays from noon to 5 p.m. It remains closed on Mondays. 

Admission is available at the door for families, while schools and daycares are encouraged to reserve tickets online through the center’s website for a smoother experience. 

“It’s really nice to have people connecting, learning and enjoying time together,” said Katherine Patterson, Director of the Discovery Center.

The open-access format allows children to roam, play, and discover at their own pace.

Each section of the center is tailored to kids’ interests—from sensory rooms to activity-based stations, all designed to spark creativity and joy. 

“It’s all open, so if you come in and buy a ticket, you’re good for the whole day,” Patterson added. “It’s free for members, so they can come in anytime.” 

The inspireU Discovery Center aims to welcome 60,000 visitors this year, building on the momentum of reaching 50,000 in the six months it’s been open.

“I love being here, it’s really joyful—and it’s because of all the slides that I love the most. And the messy room—I love the messy room,” said Chloe Jones, a young visitor.

Whether through movement-based fun or creative exploration, inspireU is making learning enjoyable and meaningful. 

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