Category: knpn-local-news

Patrick Holleron

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — The Lions Clubs of St. Joseph held their 63rd annual Scholiastic Honors Luncheon event for students around the district.

The top 10% of 2025 graduating honors students from schools in the St. Joseph School District, St. Joseph Catholic Academy and the St. Joseph Christian Academy were celebrated for their academic achievements and milestones.

“It means a lot to me,” Bishop LeBlond student Sophie Kozol said. “And I’m also able to set an example for the younger students at LeBlond and just the whole Catholic Academy. Now the academy is including kids as young as three to all the way up to juniors and seniors in high school. It’s good to set an example for the whole academy.”

For some of the students, the moment of recognition and applause also serves as a reminder to keep working hard as they begin to embark in their post-high school endeavors.

“From this moment, I think I look forward to hopefully getting more recognition in college,” Central student Alexander Patterson said. “I think it’s kind of like a spark. It’s motivated me to work harder for the future.”

The Lions club will continue to support and encourage students to help serve as a motivator for their success.

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Leah Rainwater

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — Law enforcement responded to a traffic accident Thursday morning off State Route O in south St. Joseph.

Access to southeast 50th Road at southeast State Route O, which leads to the St. Joseph Sanitary Landfill and Pigeon Hill Conservation Area, was blocked off for more than an hour as a result.

The accident caused disruptions for a large number of trash hauling companies that use the roadway, which is the only access point for both facilities.

Officers with the Buchanan County Sheriff’s Office were on scene.

News-Press NOW has a reporter on scene and will provide updates when they become available.

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Ashley Luthans

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — The Hickory Creek Bridge on Holt County Route B, originally built in 1938, is set to be replaced.

Construction will begin on Monday, May 5 and is expected to be completed by December 2025. All work is weather-permitting.

Route B will be closed at the Hickory Creek Bridge during construction, so drivers will need to use an alternate route.

More information about the project can be found at modot.org/projects/route-b-bridge-replacement-holt-county.

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Chris Fortune

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — An evaluation looking at the viability of an Amtrak line connecting to St. Joseph will be finished in the coming months.

The Missouri Department of Transportation selected Crawford, Murphy & Tilly to conduct a feasibility study looking at options for a proposed Amtrak line to St. Joseph a year ago. MoDOT expected the study to be finished this spring, but it faced a delay.

“The feasibility study consultant requested an extension to complete the work, which was granted,†MoDOT spokesperson Jenna Keyes said in an email statement. “They now expect to have it completed late this summer.â€

One St. Joseph resident who is from California likes the idea of an Amtrak line in the city.

“It is a lot faster, and it is, of course, better for the environment, you know, 100 people riding on a train versus a hundred people in a car,†Gwendolyn Lack said.

But Lack would like to see other issues, like drug abuse, handled before a project like this would begin.

“It would probably benefit the city later on, but now there’s so many issues with Saint Joe, I think money is spent better else place,†she said.

MoDOT’s study, funded by federal grant money, is looking at a line connecting St. Joseph to Kansas City, which another St. Joseph resident supports depending on the end destination.

“If they go to Union Station or to the airport, people can go from here to there and then go on to the final destination,†Stephen Seufert said.

Seufert remembers riding on the train with his grandmother. It’s an experience he shared with his nephew so he could experience the scenery and sounds on the ride.

He recalled relaxing rides, getting snacks in the dining car, and bringing his own food and beverages.

“Even if you don’t need to ride for transportation, it’s just nostalgic to go back and ride a train,†he said.

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CNN Newsource

By Kaitlan Collins, Kevin Liptak, Kristen Holmes, Alayna Treene and Zachary Cohen, CNN

(CNN) — National security adviser Mike Waltz is expected to depart from the Trump administration in the coming days, two sources familiar with the matter told CNN, the first major staff shakeup since the president took office in January.

Waltz’s job has been in limbo after it was made clear to him earlier this week that his time leading the National Security Council had come to an end, according to a source familiar with the matter. Alex Wong, the deputy national security adviser, will also exit the White House, according to another person familiar.

Special envoy Steve Witkoff, a real estate developer and friend of President Donald Trump, is under consideration to replace Waltz as national security adviser, that person said, though no decision has been made. Witkoff has led discussions with Russia and Iran as Trump looks for international deals.

Waltz has been on shaky ground and lost most of his influence in the West Wing after he inadvertently added a reporter to a group chat about military strikes. Trump stood by him at the time, but Waltz’s standing never really recovered, according to four sources. He had also lost clout with top aides inside the West Wing.

Trump considered firing him at the time, but declined because he didn’t want to provide his enemies a perceived victory. He also hoped to avoid the type of chaos that colored his first administration.

But 100 days in, Trump no longer appears as concerned about the appearance of disorder. Multiple people familiar with the matter have increasingly described Waltz’s potential ouster as a matter of “when, not if.â€

His influence internally had been waning for weeks, illustrated best by Trump’s decision to dismiss several staffers from the National Security Council at the urging of conspiracy theorist Laura Boomer, who told him they were disloyal. Waltz boarded Marine One with Trump on Tuesday, but when his colleagues boarded Air Force One about ten minutes later, he remained on the tarmac at Joint Base Andrews instead. One White House official said he was never slated to travel with Trump to Michigan, but the move was viewed as odd by other aides inside the administration.

Behind the scenes, some administration officials had begun quietly discussing an offramp for Waltz over the last several days. Trump has expressed frustration with him on multiple fronts, including the Signal episode. He was also irritated the Florida congressional race to replace Waltz was closer than expected, two sources familiar with the conversations told CNN.

Discussions around Waltz have focused on both finding a place to move him for a soft landing, and having someone ready in the wings to move into that position, those sources said.

But on Thursday, one administration official suggested the search for a soft landing spot is no longer a top priority.

“President Trump lost confidence in him a while ago,†this source said.

The-CNN-Wire™ & © 2025 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.

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Kendra Simpson

St. Joseph will feel the spring vibes over the weekend with warm temperatures, sunny skies and plenty of flowers. News-Press NOW’s Kendra Simpson found the weekend’s top entertainment in this week’s edition of See St. Joseph.

Starting the weekend of floral-focused events, Robidoux Resident Theatre presents the hilarious and touching comedy-drama, Steel Magnolias.

At Truvy’s beauty salon, all the ladies who are “anybody†come to have their hair done. It’s here that six women live their lives together, find strength and humor and depend on one another when things go wrong. See the RRT’s production that inspired the award-winning film. Curtains open 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 2 p.m. Sunday at the Ruby Theatre, located at 615 S 10th St. Tickets can be purchased at the door or online at rrtstjoe.org.

Of course, thousands of St. Joseph residents are most excited for one of the town’s oldest traditions. This weekend is the long-awaited Apple Blossom Parade, with this year’s theme being “Salute.”

For over a hundred years, St. Joseph residents have lined the streets of Downtown St. Joseph to see the town’s biggest parade. Apple Blossom royalty, huge parade floats, sleek vintage cars and candy galore await St. Joseph residents for another year of family fun. Awards for Best Float, Best Themed Float, Best Vintage Vehicle, Best Walking Unit and Best Band will be given out. The parade begins at 9:30 a.m. Saturday on Noyes and Frederick and will make its way to Felix and 6th street. To learn more about the Apple Blossom Parade, its history or a last-minute float entry, visit the event’s website at appleblossomparade.com.

Or maybe some don’t want to walk the parade, but rather want to run it! Well, lucky for the fitness enthusiasts in town, there’s the second annual B-Fit CrossFit Apple Blossom 5K.

Whether running, walking, holding 50 pounds, or keeping pace with friends, this race is prepared for it all. Runners can test their endurance and speed while doing good for the community. All proceeds for the 5K will benefit the non-profit, Sisters of Solace. The 5K will begin at the Aquatic Park, head up Noyes to Frederick and then join the Apple Blossom Parade route to finish. The 5K begins at 9 a.m. Saturday in the Aquatic Park parking lot. To register for the race, visit the event’s website runsignup.com.

When out there this weekend, make sure to stop and smell the flowers because St. Joseph will be full of them. Tune in to News-Press NOW every Thursday for more See St. Joseph.

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Calvin Silvers

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – St. Joseph Sports Inc. hosted its 2025 high school scholar-athlete, coach of the year and community engagement awards presentation Thursday night inside Missouri Western’s Spratt Hall Atrium and theater.

The two-hour event opened with a casual reception before transitioning into the formal awards presentation. The evening recognized 20 standout student-athletes and five high school coaches for their excellence on the field, in the classroom and in the community.

This year’s Coach of the Year nominees included Joshua Walters of Lafayette, Johnny Coy of Benton, Kathryn Runyan of St. Joseph Christian, Gregg Mrkvicka of Bishop LeBlond and Callene “Callie†Farrell of Central.

The award went to Johnny Coy, who guided the Benton Cardinals baseball team to a second-place finish in the Class 4 state tournament. Coy, also named MEC Coach of the Year, led Benton to a 32-4 overall record and continues to serve as head coach of the St. Joseph Mustangs, a franchise with nine MINK League championships.

“It’s really humbling, I mean, there are so many coaches in Saint Joe that weren’t even, you know, nominated and probably should have been,†Coy said. “This is an award for, you know, all 

The Scholar-Athlete of the Year award was split into male and female categories, with the top honorees each receiving a $1,000 scholarship. The remaining finalists were awarded $500 scholarships.

In the female category, nominees included Sadie Sanders (Lafayette), Abigail Robinson (St. Joseph Christian), Kennedy Sponseller (Central), Emma Loehnig (Benton) and Claire Heater (Bishop LeBlond).

Emma Loehnig earned the honor, as the senior and three-sport standout qualified for state in golf twice and earned All-District recognition in golf, volleyball and basketball. She ranks fourth in her senior class academically.

“It really means a lot, it feels like all my hard work is really paying off,†Loehnig said. “But to be picked out of the females that were over there, like hearing everyone’s stories and like, their journey and all of that, I mean, like it was a tough competition and I’m just honored that I was chosen to represent this and represent my school and I’m just very happy.â€

In the male category, finalists included Elias Chapin (Lafayette), Logan Hubble (St. Joseph Christian), Amonttay Henderson (Central), Chris Coy (Benton) and Jacob Winkelbauer (Bishop LeBlond).

Winkelbauer took home the award after a decorated two-sport career. He earned multiple Academic All-State honors in football and baseball and served as a team captain in both sports while helping his teams to district and state-level success.

“It’s huge for me,†Winkelbauer said. “My biggest goal has been to balance sports and athletics, and I’ve been trying to do that for the past four years, and it really shows that my work paid off.â€

The evening also recognized Community Engagement Award of Excellence winners in both the male and female divisions.

Christian Anderson of Bishop LeBlond was honored for his work with Second Harvest Food Kitchen and two other volunteer organizations, while Alexia McDaniel of St. Joseph Christian was recognized for her service at Mosaic Cancer Center and seven additional organizations.

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Patrick Holleron

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — Finals week poses as a stressful time for college students, marking the start of Mental Health Awareness Month.

According to the 2023 Healthy Minds Study, 76% of college students have reported moderate to severe physiological distress. Among students, 36% of students reported anxiety and 28% having feelings of depression.

Local organizations are working to help bring attention and support for college students during a stressful month.

“Missouri Western has done a lot of good things around here for us as students,” Missouri Western student Nathaniel Fortney said. “The student academic center does a good job of bringing people in, helping them out. In my stats class, the professor was recommending people to go to the student academic center and get the help that they feel they need.

Some of the support includes help from the Samaritan Counseling Center, which will be active in the community for their “May Day Flowers for a Cause” sale. The center will sell bouquets for $30, proceeds will go toward services offered by the center.

Missouri Western is also holding a “Finals Feeding Frenzy” on Sunday, May 4 as a way for students to have a good meal and socialize with others.

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Leah Rainwater

ATCHISON, Kan. (News-Press NOW) — Benedictine College announced it will hire deans to head it’s School of Osteopathic Medicine.

Marla DePolo Golden, DO, MS, FACEP will be the founding dean of the proposed Benedictine College School of Osteopathic Medicine.

Prior to accepting the position, Golden served as the dean of the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine program at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine in south Georgia.

Deacon Kevin Tulipana, DO, MS has been appointed associate dean.

Tulipana comes from City of Hope, Phoenix, a National Cancer Institute designated cancer center and a top 10 cancer center in the United States, where he served as president. Tulipana is also an ordained deacon with the Catholic church.

Benedictine College president, Stephen D. Minnis said the development moves the college several steps closer to the goal of the proposed Benedictine College School of Osteopathic Medicine.

“Benedictine College is very blessed to have found such amazing medical professionals for our proposed medical school,” said Minnis. “This is one of the last pieces we need for this project.”

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Leah Rainwater

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — The Albrecht-Kemper Museum of Art announced it has a new, upcoming exhibit.

AKMA will unveil it’s new exhibition during an opening reception at 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursday, May 9.

Our Very Nature by artist, Rachelle Gardner-Roe, is an immersive and interdisciplinary body of work and will be available to view from May 9 through August 10.

The exhibit offers a vibrant, meditative journey into the natural world, uniquely expressed through the artist’s blend of fiber art, sculpture, painting and poetry.

The exhibition invites viewers to reconnect with the idea of being part of nature- not separate from it. The works range in tone from joyfully explosive to serenely devotional, each piece encouraging contemplation and continued curiosity.

“Through this body of work, Gardener-Roe reminds us that art, like nature, is both deeply personal and universally resonant,” said Madison McKinley, the marketing and communications manager for AKMA. “It’s a powerful invitation to slow down, observe and feel a part of something greater.

AKMA’s new exhibit is free and open to the public.

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