Category: knpn-local-news

Crystal Olney

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — Christian Mengel, with the St. Joseph Convention and Visitors Bureau, was honored by the Missouri Division of Tourism for his work in the industry.

Mengel, who serves as the director of communications for the CVB, was awarded the Film Industry Champion Award at the Missouri Governor’s Conference on Tourism, held Oct. 7 to 9 in Lake Ozark, Missouri.

The Film Industry Champion Award recognizes an individual who works to expand the film industry’s presence in Missouri.

The Show MO Motion Media Tax incentive, along with Mengel’s advocacy for film projects, helped draw film crews to St. Joseph in 2024 for movies like ‘25 Miles to Normal‘ and ‘A Chrismystery.’

Mengel is also credited with reviving the St. Joseph Film Commission and helped the CVB join the Association of Film Commissioners International, according to the Missouri Division of Tourism.

Eight other awards were presented at the banquet, according to a press release from the Missouri Division of Tourism. A full list of winners can be found here.

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News-Press NOW

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) –The St. Joseph Public Library is hosting an upcoming Horror Trivia, presented by the Final Girl Book Club.

The event, which will serve as a fundraiser, is scheduled for 6 p.m. Friday, Oct. 17, at the Remington Nature Center, located at 1502 McArthur Drive. The doors will open at 5:45 p.m., according to a press release from the St. Joseph Public Library.

The event will feature eight rounds of questions, with prizes for the best team after each round and a grand prize for the winning team. Participants must be 18 years of age or older.

The cost to participate is $90 per table with teams of up to six adults. Participants are encouraged to dress in costume. Those attending the event are allowed to bring their own snacks and non-alcoholic beverages, according to the press release.

To register a team, visit the library’s website or contact Jenna Sanders at 816-232-8151 or jsanders@sjpl.lib.mo.us for more information. Teams can also pay at the door but it is encouraged to reserve a table by paying in advance.

Proceeds from Horror Trivia will be used to support the library’s Archives and Genealogy Collection.

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Rebecca Evans

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — St. Joseph Goats Arena Football is giving local businesses a chance to win big and join the team’s growing community of supporters.

The team has announced a $5,000 Partnership Giveaway for one standout business or organization in St. Joseph or a surrounding community, such as Savannah, Gower, Cameron or Maryville.

Anyone can nominate a business, nonprofit, school or organization that represents the spirit of the community. Submissions will be narrowed down to five finalists by the end of the month and fans will have the final say in choosing the winner.

“Ultimately, our goal is for everyone to benefit from the Goats, whether it’s enjoying watching the team play or growing your own personal business by collaborating with us,” said Ted Sweeney, managing partner of the Goats Arena Football Team. “We’re just here to do whatever we can for everyone in town.”

From there, the chosen business will receive a $5,000 partnership with the team, a boost meant to strengthen local ties heading into the 2026 season.

Organizers encourage everyone to nominate, share and vote.

The Goats played their first year in Kansas City at the Municipal Auditorium. Originally, the team looked at St. Joseph but things didn’t work out. For their second year, the Goats reached out to St. Joseph Civic Arena and the dates worked out. 

“We came up and spent a couple weeks in St. Joe and just fell in love with the place. We knew our team would love being here and the city would love us here,” Sweeney said.

Their regular season begins in May and consists of eight games, with four home games and then up to two playoff games. Playoffs begin in mid-July. 

Sweeney is confident in his team’s ability to secure a playoff spot this year, as last year the team lost a tiebreaker for the fourth seed. 

Tickets start at $15 for general admission and go up to $45 a ticket for 50-yard line seating.

The Goats are supported by their corporate sponsors and money goes directly back into the team. Players are paid by game and include bonuses for wins and statistics. 

“There’s always incentive and that’s part of the reason why you see maximum effort on the field by everyone in Goats uniforms,” Sweeney said.

The Goats host open try outs twice in the winter. There will be one in St. Joseph and one in Kansas City.  

“Whether it’s guys flying in to try out or just people from the area, we want to look at everybody,” Sweeney said.

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ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — We the People 3 Schools is a new political action committee (PAC) raising concerns about a key part in the St. Joseph School District’s long-range plan.

We the People 3 Schools PAC, organized by taxpayers in the district, aims to provide the best learning environment for SJSD students within the confines of the current budget, according to a press release from the committee.

The PAC will to present a plan to the Board of Education that includes:

Preserving Central, Benton and Lafayette high schools.

Preventing overcrowding at the city’s middle and elementary schools.

Reducing commute time for students and bus transportation costs for the district.

A long-range plan that will attract new families to St. Joseph.

Meetings are open to the public and We the People 3 Schools posts the meetings to their Facebookpage.

For more information, residents can contact Dottie Watt at 816-508-7425 or by email at wethepeople3schools@gmail.com.

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Charles Christian

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — Area residents will get a unique opportunity to see the legal system in action at Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph.

The Western District Court of Appeals for Missouri will hold public hearings starting at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 14, in Spratt Hall Room 101 on MoWest’s campus.

The three-judge panel will consist of Judge Janet Sutton, Judge Gary Witt and Judge W. Douglas Thomson. The panel will hear oral arguments on four cases, according to a press release from MoWest.

Suzanne Kissock, an attorney and dean of the School of Business and Professional Studies at MoWest, said the appeals court is different from the lower court proceedings many people are familiar with.

“This event will allow the community to see up close and personal how the appellate court system works,” Kissock said. “It will educate the public about the analysis that goes into the review of lower court decisions.”

The court of appeals reviews cases already decided upon. The judge panel can render review decisions that include affirming the lower court’s decision, reversing the lower court’s decision or remanding the case back to the lower court for additional actions.

The four cases being publicly reviewed at MoWest include a first-degree murder case, a parental rights case and a property dispute case. For each case, lawyers will present reasons for appeal and the panel of judges will render a decision.

“A trial in the traditional sense doesn’t happen at the appellate level,” Kissock said. “The focus of this part of the process is upon the legal doctrines and legal rulings of the cases in question.”

Judge Dan Kellogg, presiding judge for the Fifth Judicial Circuit in St. Joseph, is familiar with this process. He said the appeals court has been taking their process ‘on the road’ for quite some time, and he is glad St. Joseph can witness firsthand what is often an unseen aspect of the legal system.

“Watching the appellate court in action is something you don’t typically see on TV or in the movies,” Kellogg said. “This will be especially important for students enrolled in legal studies courses and those interested in a future in law.”

For more information, including a full description of the four cases to be reviewed, visit missouriwestern.edu/news.

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Rebecca Evans

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — A longtime favorite for vintage fashion lovers celebrated a milestone and a comeback over the weekend.

After a challenging summer, a local vintage clothing and accessories store marked 13 1/2 years in business with a celebration and storewide sale Saturday. The shop is located at 718 Francis St.

The Lucky Tiger is known for its mix of vintage clothing, accessories, vinyl records and other unique finds. At the special event on Saturday, shoppers enjoyed 25% off the entire store, including new fall arrivals that the owner said are ‘absolutely stunning.’

“One of the first things that I’ve noticed with fast fashion is they don’t even have a reverse side, it’s just white. That to me is not good quality,” Amy Heath, owner of the Lucky Tiger, said.

Beyond the sale, the celebration was a showcase of what makes high-quality vintage fashion so special. Each piece in the store carries a story, from hand-stitched dresses to durable leather jackets that have lasted decades. In an era of fast fashion, some shoppers are drawn to the craftsmanship and sustainability of vintage clothing.

“Real leather items whether they’re new or vintage, they last forever. You know we’re not going to run out of vintage anytime soon in this town,” Heath said.

Trying on some of the store’s new arrivals reveals that quality firsthand. A 1970s jacket still feels sturdy, with stitching intact and fabric soft. Even small accessories, from vinyls to jewelry, carry a sense of character that only time can give

The celebration featured racks filled with freshly curated collections from recent sourcing trips.

The store, that had to temporarily close back in May, is now open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, offering shoppers a chance to explore a mix of vintage treasures and one-of-a-kind items five days a week.

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Praji Ghosh

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — Kris and Kate’s ice cream parlor is wrapping up the season for this year on Oct. 12, Sunday.  

With colder weather on the way, the team will be taking a break until next summer — when the pink cone will be back serving up your favorite treats once again.  

Kris and Kates employee Madison Gerstner said it’s always a little bittersweet wrapping up the season.  

“Today is out last day of the season and we are open till 9, depends on when we run out of the stocks but we will open again by mid-March, depending on the weather,” Gerstner said.  

She also pointed out that while Kris and Kates is closed, it’s a great chance for folks to stop by Baskin-Robbins and treat themselves to something sweet.  

She mentioned they’re offering 50% off everything on the menu and encouraged people to swing by, grab their favorites, and help clear out the remaining stock.  

“We usually spent the winter planning for the next season and what flavors can be added to the menu,” Gerstner said.  

Gerstner explained that they close each fall because business slows down once the weather cools off, while summer is when they’re busiest and sell the most.  

“Summertime flew by really fast and its sad for sure but since we don’t get much business in the winter or we don’t have heat in the building, we will be back in the summer again,” Gerstner said.  

One young customer at Kris and Kates said his favorite flavor is Oreo Twist — and he plans to keep coming back just for that.  

“I would probably get the same thing again because I like it a lot and I would rate this flavor a 9 out of 10,” Jackson Petty said.  

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News-Press NOW

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — The St. Joseph Fire Department worked the scene of a structure fire Friday evening on North 24th Street.

The residential structure fire occurred near the intersection of North 24th and Jones streets. The initial call came in around 4:28 p.m. Friday, according to Casey Crockett, fire investigator with SJFD.

A reporter at the scene witnessed heavy smoke in the area and fire trucks blocking off the roadway. A video submitted to News-Press NOW showed flames engulfing a section of the structure around the back of the building.

According to Crockett on Monday, the back porch of 902 N. 24th St., which is where the fire is believed to have started, was completely destroyed and the rest of the unit has significant water and smoke damage.

The fire department also said one cat and one dog died in the fire. No injuries were reported during the incident and unknown number of other pets were rescued from the residence.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

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By Marie Moyer

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) — As the federal government shutdown nears the two-week mark, Columbia College is stepping in to support military students by launching a tuition assistance program.

The college announced the creation of the “You Stand For Us, We Stand By You” program in a news release on Monday. The release states that the program is for active service members, reservists and National Guard members.

Military members could miss a paycheck on Wednesday if Congress doesn’t agree on some type of funding for salaries.

“Service members have stood in harm’s way for us countless times. When they need us, we must answer the call,” Columbia College President David Russell said in the statement. Russell is a retired U.S. Army lieutenant colonel.

The program will provide full tuition for affected military students through the fall semester, which ends Dec. 13. Students will get relief upon verification. New military students who enroll in Columbia College during the shutdown will also be assisted. Students who have dropped courses due to funding concerns will also be supported.

Columbia College has historically been a military-friendly institution. According to the release, of the college’s alumni, around 34,000 are veterans, active-duty service members or military family members.

Students can contact the Ousley Family Veterans Service Center for assistance.

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Carter Ostermiller

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — Every second Monday in October, people across the United States celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day.

Some have mixed views on the holiday. Recently, President Donald Trump signed his own proclamation to “reclaim” Columbus Day, even though in 2021, former President Joe Biden became the first U.S. president to issue a presidential proclamation recognizing Indigenous Peoples’ Day.

Indigenous Peoples’ Day is used to celebrate and recognize the history and culture of Indigenous Peoples in America.

News-Press NOW visited the St. Joseph Museums, located at 3406 Frederick Ave., to learn more about the history behind the day.

Tori Zieger, archaeologist and the NAGPRA coordinator, shared some rich history of Native Americans in and outside of St. Joseph.

“All of this material was excavated either in 1966 or 1972 on King Hill here in St. Joseph,” Zieger said. “These artifacts represent the people who were living here around the year 1700. They are part of a cultural phase called the Oneota.”

The excavated artifacts from King Hill show things, like the mano and metate, the Oneota used for grinding corn and grains.

The archaeology exhibit also shared how stages of the excavation worked and skeletal remains animals the indigenous would hunt, such as mammoth and mastodon.

The Native American Galleries at the museum contains historical information from around the U.S. as well, such as southwestern Navajo jewelry made out of turquoise and baskets that show off the artistic and cultural differences between tribes. 

Zieger stressed the importance of this holiday and urged people to learn more about Indigenous culture by experiencing the exhibit for themselves.

“I think it is important to really think about why there is controversy and what harm it is, and to celebrate people that are different and beautiful and developed. And were here before us,” Zieger said.

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