Category: knpn-local-news

Jenna Wilson

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — The Buchanan County Sheriff’s Department is set to launch a new app designed to improve communication and keep the public informed with crime alerts and other essential services. 

The Sheriff’s department is collaborating with the Sheriff App brand to develop the key features of the app, which will include: scam alerts, press releases, weather information and educational content. 

“Our goal is to stay as engaged with our citizens as possible,†Buchanan County Sheriff Bill Puett said. “This application will even include a way to perform inmate look up. Everybody has a phone in their hands and it makes more sense that the quicker we put out important information to our citizens, the better off our community is.â€Â 

According to Puett, the application will cost $10,000 to establish its first year and will cost $10,000 maintenance each consecutive year.  

The department is currently exploring funding options to help get the application running and it is expected to be released in a few months.  

For the Buchanan County Sheriff’s Department, the primary purpose of the application is to educate the public monthly about dangers circulating in the community—whether it’s a new form of opioids or emerging social media trends. 

“The educational notification pieces will also be a primary focus for us when this application rolls out,†Puett said. “Once a month we’d like to do something to update the community on cyber scams and even threatening social media trends. 

The Sheriff’s department will keep the community informed about the application’s progress and announce when it is ready for use on social media platforms and news outlets. 

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Cameron Montemayor

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — Riders are wasting no time putting St. Joseph’s new state-of-the-art skatepark to the test.

Developers with skatepark specialist Spohn Ranch have all but finished construction of the $450,000 Maple Leaf Skatepark, located at 1942 Mapleleaf Boulevard, with some of the first skateboarders and bike riders already taking to the much-anticipated facility in the last week.

“I was pretty excited. I had fun riding it for the first time,” local resident and avid skateboarder Travis Chapman said. “We never really had a park like this.”

Growing up, Chapman says he would often make do in various spots across Downtown, now he’s relishing the chance to teach his kids on St. Joseph’s first true skatepark, a long-awaited upgrade from current and smaller skatepark features located at Bode Sports Complex and Hyde Park.

“It’s pretty cool that the kids have something better to ride than we had,” he said. “For us all to come to one spot, it’s pretty cool .. teaching each other new tricks that we wouldn’t have learned by ourself.”

From young kids and teenagers to adults, Maple Leaf Skatepark has seen riders of all ages honing their skills and testing out a variety of tricks amid a week of beautiful weather.

22-year-old skateboarder Jonathan Lara hasn’t missed a day since the park opened. 

“I was pretty hyped,” he said. “Seeing how smooth it is and how it flows … you can really learn some new things.”

The park sports a modern concrete layout with terrain that accommodates all skill levels and riding styles. It features a below-grade bowl, a mini half-pipe section and several street elements including rails, ledges and pads.

St. Joseph parks officials told News-Press NOW an official ribbon cutting ceremony will be held at a later date, potentially in May, once some of the last secondary construction items are complete, including replanting grass around the park.

Recent Lafayette High School graduate Garrick Lake had been closely watching the park’s construction over the last few months and jumped at the chance when he saw it was open. 

“Honestly at first I kind of thought it was just going to be another little, weak track. But it turned out really well … way better than I expected.” Lake said. ” … Now we don’t have to go to Kansas City for something nice.”

The park was designed and developed over several years with a considerable amount of public engagement with the local skateboarding community.

Funding for the project comes from the 2019 Capital Improvements sales tax. Maple Leaf Skatepark also includes spectator seating, a quarter-pipe ramp in the southwest corner and a pathway connecting the sidewalk to the new park for ADA access.

If the crowds of people already gathering each afternoon are any indication of the community’s excitement for the facility, participation isn’t likely to slow down anytime soon.

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Chris Fortune

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — Stock markets enjoyed another good day, rising over two percent Wednesday morning on the heels of a volatile month affecting 401(k) plans. 

A wealth advisor with Gertsema Wealth Advisors said, paying attention to a 401(k) balance is important, but it may not be beneficial to react immediately to the latest developments during volatile times in the stock market. 

“Money is emotional, you’ve worked hard for it, you put it into that account, you’re expecting it to grow,” CEO Nick Gertsema said. “But part of the natural market cycle is its ups and downs.” 

The latest rise in the S&P comes after President Donald Trump said he had no intention of firing Federal Reserve Chair, Jerome Powell, following recent criticisms for not cutting interest rates. 

Interest rates also influence 401(k) plans. Gertsema said as interest rates go up bond values typically go down and when interest rates go down, bond values tend to go up. 

“That’s why it’s important to have a diversified portfolio of both stocks and bonds,†he said. “That moves with what your risk appetite is as you get closer to retirement.†

Gertsema said when you have a 401(k), it’s in the market in one form or another, through investments like stocks or bonds. 

“The S&P 500 has been volatile, but volatility is the price you pay for the long-term returns,†he said. 

Gertsema recommends paying attention to long-term changes in 401(k) plans versus day-to-day changes if the funds will not be touched for more than five years. 

“If you are within five years from retirement or even right about in that window, it’s time to put together a plan so that when one of these events happens, because they do happen, volatility happens—it’s natural, it’s normal—your plan is insulated from that so you don’t have to change your plan based on what the markets do,†he said. 

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Leah Rainwater

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — The St. Joseph Downtown Library is hosting a program to share the beauty of central Mexico ahead of Cinco de Mayo.

The program will be shared by Master Gardener, Tracy Svec, who will take the audience on a virtual journey of her once in a lifetime trip.

It will feature pictures and videos of hibernating monarch butterflies, tropical plants and local architecture.

The program will start at 11 a.m. on Saturday, May 3 at the Downtown Library, located at 927 Felix St.

This program is free and open to the public. Persons with disabilities who wish to participate, should call the ADA coordinator at (816) 232-4038.

Those interested can also learn more by going to sjpl.lib.mo.us.

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Cameron Montemayor

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) – Veteran local prosecutor Laura Chavez was officially appointed to serve as St. Joseph’s next municipal judge.

St. Joseph City Councilmembers voted unanimously during a special council meeting Tuesday to appoint Chavez, a city prosecutor for the last 10 years, to the open position. Chavez was sworn in by both Buchanan County Presiding Judge Kate Schaefer and St. Joseph City Clerk Paula Heyde.

Chavez will finish out the remainder of the term following the death of Municipal Judge Ted Elo on March 30, a position she’s honored to fill.

“He was really inspiring people to do better and hold people accountable,” Chavez said of the late Judge Elo. “I hope to continue that legacy for him and help people make better choices.”

A native of St. Joseph and graduate of Bishop LeBlond High School, Missouri Western State University and Creighton University, Chavez’s first day on the job will be Wednesday, April 22, and will last until the April 2026 general election.

Chavez told News-Press NOW she intends to run for a full four-year term next April.

“I’m really looking forward to it and starting my campaign in the fall and hopefully continuing my career as a municipal judge for the next four years,” Chavez said.

St. Joseph’s municipal judge position handles a wide variety of cases, from assault and trespassing to lower offenses like traffic violations.

“I’m expecting a lot to go on and I’m anxious to see all I have to do and get in there and see people in court,” she said. “I’m ready to move St Joe forward. Be more efficient in court. But also have a fair and impartial thought process when people come in front of me.”

Councilmembers previously signaled their approval for Chavez following a closed session last Thursday, where interviews were conducted with her and another candidate.

According to a social media post from the City, Tuesday’s special meeting was originally planned for the April 28 council agenda but was moved up due to the unavailability of the city’s temporary municipal court judge.

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