Category: knpn-local-news

News-Press NOW

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — A Community Safety Fair, courtesy of the City of St. Joseph, will be offered for residents in the College Hill Park neighborhood over the weekend.

The new safety initiative aims to lower crime, improve the appearance of the neighborhood and the livability for residents.

The first area chosen in the new initiative is the College Hill Park neighborhood with boundaries of North 9th Street and Mount Mora Road on the west and east, and Lincoln Street and Frederick Avenue on the north and south.

The Fair will take place from noon to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 25 in College Hill Park, located at 12th and Henry streets.

The Fair will also include the city’s police, fire, health, planning and community development and public works departments, along with the American Red Cross and the Family Guidance Center.

Dumpsters will be made available to get rid of unwanted items. Free smoke detectors and batteries will be made available, donated by Home Depot and Shelter Insurance Matt Cathey and John Anderson.

Information on health vaccines, WIC services and microchips for pets will also be available. An ice cream truck will also be on hand for visitors to enjoy. Residents will be able to talk with city staff in a non-enforcement setting.

The city’s public works department will help pick up items that College Hill Park residents are unable to transport to the dumpster site.

Those requesting assistance should email crimeprevention@stjosephmo.gov by 4 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 24, and are asked to have items to be picked placed next to the curb in front of their homes by noon on Saturday, Oct. 25.

The College Hill Park neighborhood was selected as the first focus of the new initiative based on crime and code violation data.

Staff from the police department and codes division have walked through the area together to identify concerns and look for ways to address them.

An increased law enforcement presence has been added, parking enforcement has been stepped up and code officers have identified areas in need of cleaning and week abatement, along with any vacant buildings that should be secured or potentially moved toward demolition, according to a City of St. Joseph press release.

A second neighborhood will be chosen in the spring for the next phase of the initiative, while efforts in College Hill Park will remain ongoing. A second Community Safety Fair also will be planned in that area.

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Cameron Montemayor

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — Parks officials are set to kick off the next step of a multi-million dollar renovation effort for the 50-year old Bode Ice Arena, starting from top to bottom.

A $588,000 roof and insulation replacement project, funded by Parks Sales Tax funds, is currently on schedule to begin in late November or early December at the popular facility, home for many ice skaters, hockey clubs and community activities.

Opened in 1975, the current roof has numerous areas with large holes and exposed insulation, causing leaks and other challenges for the 30,000-square-foot facility where climate controlled temperatures are critical.

Numerous holes are shown on the southwest corner of the roof inside Bode Ice Arena in St. Joseph.

“If we have the air temperature too high, the surface of the ice tends to want to sweat. It’s not really melting, but it’ll want to sweat,” said Jeff Atkins, St. Joseph Parks and Recreation Director. “Trying to control the humidity in here is a delicate balance and keeping the weather outside is a must. We’ll get all that addressed at the same time.”

In other cases, condensation can build up in the rafters and drip onto the ice, issues he and the department are eager to address with funding from the voter-approved Parks Sales Tax.

The project was initially scheduled as one of the last to occur around 2030, but recent increases in leakage and reshuffling of other projects allowed them to move it up without issue.

“Not only will we be getting a new roof, we’ll be getting an extra layer of insulation too. The (lobby) building will get an entire new roof. The (arena) will be an overlay,” Atkins said.

He said residents and users will still be able to access the arena during normal hours once construction begins. Construction is expected to last through the winter and conclude next spring.

With huge interior upgrades planned for the facility in either 2027 or 2028, including $4.4 million for a brand new ice arena floor and other improvements, Atkins said the timing made sense to carry out roof repairs in advance of both projects.

“This is the original floor has been here for 50 years now, and they’ve only got about a 25 to 30-year lifespan. So we’ve we’ve been on borrowed time,” Atkins said. “When the building is shut down for those two future remodels, we’re going to have a good secure roof on top of them because you hate to come in and do any, renovation work with a leaky roof.”

Unlike the roof replacement project, larger interior upgrades in the future will require the arena to be closed to the public. In addition to St. Joseph, the facility sees users from cities like Kansas City and Des Moines.

In a typical year, over 115,000 people visit the ice arena between July and May, according to city data.

“It’s a very popular facility, not only just to our citizens in Saint Joe,” Atkins said. “It’s just one of the many, many things that drastically needed attention. And without the parks tax, we would still be struggling trying to figure out how are we going to take care of these structures.”

Skaters enjoy an evening session at Bode Ice Arena in October in St. Joseph.

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Carter Ostermiller

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — The annual Battle of the Badges community blood drive is back, and donors will get a chance to vote for their favorite local first responder department.

Donors will receive a poker chip to put in a jar to vote.

The two-day drive will take place at the Community Blood Center’s Donor Center, located at 3122 Frederick Ave.

The drive is from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 28, and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 29.

If interested in donating visit savealifenow.org or visit the St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce’s Facebook post.

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Charles Christian

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — An event organized by AR Workshop and the St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce shines a light on local women-owned businesses in St. Joseph.

The “She Means Business” Shop Crawl will be held on Friday, October 24, from 5:00 to 9:30 p.m. Its mission is to raise awareness of small businesses in town owned by women, highlighting October as National Women’s Small Business Month.

Amy Brooks, owner of AR Workshop, said she is happy to take the mantle of her predecessor at AR Workshop in helping to organize this event.

“We partner with the Chamber and invite a few of the women-owned businesses in St. Joe to take part,” Brooks said. “We really want to highlight the gals who are in charge of these businesses.”

Participants can purchase passports to the event for $30 each. Then, each participating business on the tour will provide special gifts to participants and discounts on purchases in the stores. Participants will also receive a treat bag and the opportunity to win a grand prize in a drawing that will be held the following week.

Trina Clark, a participating business owner in this year’s crawl, said this event allows each store to demonstrate its individual contributions to the community, while also reminding the public of the diversity of businesses in the area.

 “We each have a unique take on things,” Clark said. “We’re all going to be doing a lot of special, fun things for participants in the shop crawl. Our overall message is to ‘shop local,’ and to realize that we have unique opportunities right here in our community.”

This year’s participating Show Crawl women-owned businesses are AR Workshop, Polished Pretty by Em, Hazel’s Coffee Company, Merle Norman Cosmetics, Juniper Lane, Garden Gate, Jamie’s Secret Garden, Narrative Home and Solace Market.

Passports for the “She Means Business” Shop Crawl can be purchased by going to www.arworkshop.com.

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Carter Ostermiller

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — St. Joseph residents are welcome to attend an evening of literary haunting at the Downtown St. Joseph Public Library.

The Haunted Library will be held from 7 to 10 p.m. on Saturday, Oct 25.

Admission is $5 per person, and the night will offer a horror spin on classic stories. 

The event is recommended for adults and teens, but children can be accompanied by an adult; no chicken exits are available.

Restrooms and elevators will be unavailable for the event.

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Charles Christian

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — While people are more aware of skincare in the sunshine of summer, autumn brings its own challenges for your skin.

Ultraviolet rays from the sun are still a factor as the temperature drops. The American Academy of Dermatology says the combination of falling outdoor temperatures, rising indoor temperatures and dry air can disrupt the skin’s barrier in the fall and into the winter.

Natalie Duncan, a physician’s assistant at Epiphany Dermatology in St. Joseph, said as fall begins, it’s common to see more flare-ups of chronic skin conditions like eczema, psoriasis and overly dry skin.

“One of the things we really try to encourage people to do is to emphasize maintaining of the skin barrier,” Duncan said. “What that looks like for most people is ‘moisturizer, moisturizer, moisturizer.’”

Duncan recommends a daily skin routine that shows awareness of not only the cooler and drier conditions, but also remains aware of the importance of sun protection.

“UV rays don’t go away in the fall,” she said. “Sunscreen or lotions with a high SPF protection are still recommended, even in the fall. This is especially true if you plan to be outside.”

The American Academy of Dermatology’s website suggests a “survival kit” for when the seasons change. This kit should include a facial cleanser, a body cleanser, a body moisturizer, skin rejuvenating products, and sunscreen. The site adds that year-round sunscreen is recommended for all areas not covered by clothing.

Duncan added that if a normal skin routine or consistent moisturizer is not working on key areas, or if your skin shows signs of ongoing flare-ups or bouts of eczema, a trip to the dermatologist can usually provide a relatively quick solution.

“Many times the skin just needs extra help,” Duncan said, “and prescription medications can often work quickly on problem areas.”

For daily moisturizers, dermatologists recommend gentle, fragrance-free products. For more recommendations, contact your local dermatologist.

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Carter Ostermiller

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — The St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce’s Shop St. Joseph holiday program is inching closer as the winter months approach.

The program starts Wednesday, Nov. 12, and ends Monday, Dec. 15.

Participating retailers are giving one free Shop St. Joseph ticket to shoppers and then another ticket for every $10 spent for a chance to win prizes.

Participation is available for traditional shops, restaurants and service providers; however, Chamber members receive a discount on the cost.

There is a $10,000 grand prize and a $2,500 prize. Shop Small Business Bonus drawing will be on Dec. 17. Smaller second-chance prizes will be available.

Businesses looking to participate in the program will need to pay a small fee, but the cost differs depending on business size.

Chamber members who own his or her own business and have only one additional employee will need to pay $100; two to five employees, $200; six or more employees, $250.

Businesses that aren’t Chamber members and have five or fewer employees will pay $300. If a non-Chamber member has six or more employees, the price is $375.

Applications to register for all business types can be found at saintjoseph.com.

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News-Press NOW

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — Elementary students at St. Joseph Christian School tapped into their musical talents to honor the nation’s upcoming semi-quincentennial anniversary.

Students in first through sixth grades released a two-and-a-half-minute music video called “This Land is Your Land” at a recent Faith Promise event. The video also coincides with SJCS’s annual theme of “Let Freedom Ring.”

The video was a collaboration with the Development Office and the elementary music department, led by Sharon Waters. It was produced by longtime SJCS parent and former teacher, Steve Juhl.

Faith Promise events at SJCS are used to provide financial assistance for families and to meet other financial needs not covered by tuition.

The focus of current fundraising at the school is to help cover the need-based tuition assistance for over 115 qualifying families.

Additionally, SJCS is nearing completion of its over $10 million gymnasium and classroom construction, some of which is shown in the music video.

The school has reached nearly 99% of the capital campaign goal for its construction project.

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News-Press NOW

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — The Friends of the Animal Shelter of St. Joseph (FOTAS) announced it received a large check thanks to the help of community members.

In a Facebook post shared on Friday, FOTAS shared that over $20,000 was raised through a “Raise a Pint for Pets” event held by Purina with River Bluff Brewing.

The group expressed thanks to community members who donated, shared posts, volunteered time, adopted animals and helped in any way possible with the event and the animal shelter.

“This community is something we are incredibly proud to be a part of. Your donations help so many animals that have been lost, forgotten, or abandoned. We cannot do this alone and MAN are we grateful to have you on our team,” the post said.

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Kyle Schmidt

ST. JOSEPH, Mo (News-Press NOW) — The St. Joseph Police department teamed up with the Missouri State Highway Patrol to conduct a joint operation leading to multiple arrests.

The roughly six-hour operation took place on Oct. 4. Of the 57 traffic stops, 49 citations, 39 warnings and three DWI arrests were made during the operation.

“What we want to do is we want to keep the streets safe obviously and with a helicopter added in as a resource it’s good because it allows us to keep an eye on the actual suspects from the air,” said St. Joseph Police Department Sergeant Richard McGregory. “And we can send less cars that are driving at higher rates of speed after the car. We can slow down, be more efficient in our apprehension and be more precise too.”

Sgt. McGregory said they have conducted similar operations in the past. These operations allow them to pursue vehicles not cooperating, and having support from highway patrol through the air helps make this capture safer.

“They’re pilots are great, they’re spot on, I think they have the best in the business right now,” he said. “I think every time we utilize them, it’s always a success.”

Thermal and night vision helped contribute to the pursuit. The operation covered the whole city and did not target specific areas. Sgt. McGregory said they will continue to be transparent with the community.

“We are always in discussions on how we can do our job more efficiently, keep the streets safer, keep the community safe,” Sgt. McGregory said. “We’re always in discussions of that but some of those discussions are something that we don’t want to let out to the public because we obviously want to always have the upper hand in these situations.”

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