Local News

By Ashley Luthans Benton High School teachers and staff started their Wednesday with a free coffee from Hazel’s Coffee truck thanks to the St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce and Missouri Western State University. The Chamber has partnered with businesses and organizations throughout the area in order to provide coffee and break room supplies to educators

By NewsPress Now A Ravenwood, Missouri man was seriously injured in a Gentry County crash Tuesday Night.  The Missouri State Highway Patrol reports the accident occurred around 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, on Route O, about five miles East of Ravenwood, as 21-year-old Ravenwood resident Freeman J. Miller drove a horse and buggy West.  45-year-old Cody L.

By NewsPress Now The Missouri Supreme Court announced Tuesday that it has overruled a St. Joseph man’s motion for a new trial.  In 2018, Shawn P. Flaherty shot his wife with a handgun during a family argument and melee. That next year, a jury found him guilty of second-degree domestic assault and he was sentenced

By Cameron Montemayor With the surprise 2024 Royals firmly in the playoff race with just four weeks left in the season, fans are holding out hope for another October filled with postseason baseball. Coming off a 2023 campaign where the Kansas City Royals tied a franchise low for most losses in a single season, the

By Chris Fortune A Downtown group wants to spruce up Felix Street before the grand opening of the Children’s Discovery Center. Main Street St. Joseph, a Downtown strategic action group, and the city of St. Joseph are taking steps to ensure the block around the inspireU Children’s Discovery Center at 521 Felix St. is presentable

By Cameron Montemayor St. Joseph parks officials are looking to make a big splash in spring 2026 with the opening of two new aquatic facilities in both north and south St. Joseph. While variables remain, if all goes according to plan, the new $2 million Northside Splash Park and $3.7 million Hyde Activity Pool will

By NewsPress Now A Farmington, Minnesota woman is dead and five people are injured after a pair of early morning crashes in Dekalb County Sunday. The Missouri State Highway Patrol reports the first accident occurred at 5:00 a.m. as 38-year-old Luci N. Pineda of Farmington, Minnesota drove her 2000 Toyota 4Runner on I-35 South, just

By Leah Rainwater The St. Joseph Animal Shelter has done a lot to clear the kennels this year, but for adopters, it can still take a lot of time and money to care for a pet. Some organizations make an effort throughout the year to reduce costs. While adoption specials can take away many costs

By Cameron Montemayor After more than 85 years, Mother Nature is beginning to take a toll on a longtime centerpiece of Downtown and symbol of St. Joseph’s history. The Pony Express Monument has welcomed residents to Downtown St. Joseph on Frederick Avenue since it was first constructed in 1938, but decades of exposure are causing

By Chris Fortune The Savannah Fire Department chief is taking steps to correct an error that could cause home insurance premiums to rise in Savannah and Country Club. An email from the Insurance Services Office sharing deadlines to provide paperwork to establish an ISO rating was overlooked after it went to Fire Chief Brian Roarty’s

By Cameron Montemayor and Leah Rainwater City Hall will be bathed in purple light Thursday as local organizations and residents gather to remember those who have suffered the death of a loved one due to overdose. The Buchanan County Alliance for Substance Abuse Prevention has planned a remembrance event for International Overdose Awareness Day to

By NewsPress Now An Oregon, Missouri, woman is dead and two others are seriously injured after a two-car crash early Sunday morning in Holt County. According to a Missouri State Highway Patrol report, the accident occurred at 3:29 a.m. Sunday on U.S. 59, a half mile southeast of Oregon. Troopers report that 21-year-old Fillmore, Missouri,

By Kendra Simpson A woman sustained minor injuries after crashing into a tree near 18th and Holman Streets Sunday afternoon. The driver was going north on Holman Street when the St. Joseph Police Department attempted to pull her over for a registration violation. Sergeant Brian McClintick confirmed the driver attempted to evade the traffic stop

By Chris Fortune Two women died in a single vehicle crash in Andrew County on Saturday morning. The Missouri State Highway Patrol reports the accident happened at 10:15 a.m. as 70-year-old Christie Petersen of Sheridan, Mo., drove north on Highway 71, 22 miles south of Maryville, with 47-year-old Kelly Taute of Merced, CA. Petersen reportedly

By Kirsten Stokes A group of dedicated clerks for the postal service have each served over 30 years in the St. Joseph community. “The people and the job itself. It’s good benefits, it’s great vacations. And I get to work inside and with the public,” said Renee Munson, a postal clerk of 35 years. More

By Cameron Montemayor The St. Joseph Public Library is giving adults the chance to open their eyes to the world of drawing with a new multi-week series starting in September. Starting Sept. 10, the East Hills Library will kick off the “Creative Aging Drawing Class Series,” a free eight-week pilot program created to help adults

By Charles Christian A church that has been a fixture on the South Side of St. Joseph for over a century has broken ground in a new location. Journey Baptist Church, formerly known as King Hill Baptist Church, recently broke ground on new land at the intersection of Highway A and Interstate 229 in St.

By Chris Fortune Construction is in full gear as exhibits begin to take shape at the inspireU Children’s Discovery Center. New carpet and hand-painted walls are bringing the second floor, where many of the exhibits are located, to life. The next step for discovery center director Katherine Patterson-Paronto is to begin hiring leaders in the

By Cameron Montemayor In the eyes of Mayor John Josendale, appointing St. Joseph’s next city manager will be one of the most important decisions the city council makes in its entire tenure. Josendale anticipates a five- to six-month process will be needed to identify, interview and select the next candidate to succeed Bryan Carter after

By NewsPress Now A year after crowds made their way to Gower to see the body of a nun whose remains were seemingly incorrupt after her death, examinations have come back with no real answers as to why she didn’t experience normal decomposition. Sister Wilhelmina Lancaster founded the Benedictine Sisters of Mary, Queen of the

By Cameron Montemayor Area transportation planners are seeking community feedback for the next quarter century of transportation improvements across St. Joseph and surrounding communities. The St. Joseph Area Transportation Study Organization recently unveiled a interactive portal survey as part of its 2050 Metropolitan Transportation Plan process. The survey is designed to gather community input on

By Chris Fortune Local architects recently helped visitors imagine a redeveloped Coleman Hawkins Park. Redevelopment at Coleman Hawkins Park will focus on moving the stage, most likely to a location on the south side of the park, to provide better viewing and seating on the hill near where the stage currently sits. Goldberg Group Architects

By NewsPress Now A 66-year-old St. Joseph man drowned over the weekend at Smithville Lake after diving in after a child who had drifted away from their boat. An incident report from the Missouri State Highway Patrol shows that 66-year-old St. Joseph resident David Moore drowned at Crow’s Creek Cove at Smithville Lake on Saturday, Aug.

By NewsPress Now A Spickard, Missouri man is dead after a one-car Mercer County crash Sunday night. The Missouri State Highway Patrol reports the accident occurred around 7:12 p.m. Sunday, as 18-year-old Henry J. Stutzman drove South on Harmonica Road, one mile South of Princeton.  Stutzman reportedly traveled off the west side of the road,

By Chris Fortune A man riding a minibike suffered injuries after being hit by a car at South 12th and Pacific Streets Saturday afternoon. The driver of a blue Pontiac Vibe collided with the man on the minibike, and the motorcyclist suffered head injuries. The injuries were described as minor to moderate, according to Sgt.

By Chris Fortune Two women suffered injuries after their vehicle ran off the road and struck a pole at N. 19th and Highly Streets. The St. Joseph Police Department received the call at 2:06 p.m. One woman suffered moderate injuries and the other woman suffered serious injuries, according to Sgt. Chris Thomas. “The car flipped