Editorials

By NewsPress Now When contemplating this year’s tumultuous presidential election campaign, consider one startling piece of information. It’s not even Labor Day. Who knows what kind of October surprise is in store for us? An economic downturn and a wider war in the Mideast are possibilities that would jolt the campaign and make things more

By NewsPress Now The Interstate 229 double-decker bridge looms large on the western edge of St. Joseph. In the not-too-distant future, this bridge will exist only in personal memories and on social media pages devoted to the “good old days.” It’s debatable how good those days really were. Downtown’s demise roughly coincided with the bridge’s

By NewsPress Now A proposed 60% pay increase should send morale through the roof, but some observers noticed a surprisingly tepid response to a significant development in starting salaries for Missouri teachers. It isn’t that school officials lacked appreciation for legislation that seeks to raise starting pay from $25,000 to $40,000 in Missouri, where teaching

By NewsPress Now If a large employer is considering an expansion, some sort of tax incentive would be offered. If the Chiefs need updates to their training facility, local officials would move heaven and earth to make it happen. Younger Americans aren’t shy about advocating for student loan forgiveness, pointing out how the cost of

By NewsPress Now Buchanan County’s legislative delegation should send a big “thank you” bouquet to the person who picked the morning of June 28 for a public affairs gathering to discuss the 2024 regular session in Jefferson City. Lawmakers were able to walk into the Stoney Creek Hotel and talk up all the money they

By NewsPress Now Joe Biden entered the June 27 presidential debate with one job to do. He needed to appear mentally sharp and vigorous enough to dispel any notion that he is not up to the task of a second term. The 81-year-old president failed miserably. His befuddled appearance and incoherent answers amplified concerns about

By NewsPress Now This year, the training camp schedule brings something other than a sense of excitement for Kansas City Chiefs fans. Events surrounding the team this offseason – and we’re not talking about a certain kicker’s commencement speech – should create a sense of angst among the St. Joseph fanbase as the Chiefs prepare

By NewsPress Now Given the sad state of Lake Contrary, all those books, postcards and nostalgia-themed Facebook pages generate a powerful appeal. Look at the boaters, swimmers and jet skis. Behold the roller coaster and other old-school amusement park rides. You can practically smell the cotton candy. Why, even Teddy Roosevelt was said to have

By NewsPress Now It came as no surprise that Missouri voters supported the legalization of recreational marijuana in 2022. In the last two decades, public opinion has changed significantly on cannabis. Big Marijuana capitalized on this sentiment and rolled up victory after victory in campaigns for legalization across the country, including approval of Amendment 3

By NewsPress Now Even in this era of iPhones and video games, summer days at the pool bring a universal appeal. Kids today aren’t that different from previous generations. They need a place to soak up the sun, get wet and test their courage on the big diving board. Fortunately, there are plenty of modern

By NewsPress Now Once upon a time, St. Joseph counted itself as a safe city. It wasn’t as exciting or glamorous as a large metropolitan area, but St. Joseph could always boast a low crime rate and a quality of life that made it a good place to raise a family. That sense of safety

By NewsPress Now A sudden power outage gave nearly 30,000 St. Joseph-area electric customers plenty to contemplate one day last month. Businesses and individuals with critical power needs were left wondering how long it would take to restore service. Conspiracy theorists speculated on the possibility of a cyberattack, a scenario that isn’t far-fetched based on

By NewsPress Now The deadline for filing income taxes came and went this month with hardly a visible wisp of activity at the U.S. post office in Downtown St. Joseph. Not so long ago, vehicles lined the streets outside the building as procrastinators dropped off income tax returns before the midnight deadline. The big change

By NewsPress Now In a certain part of town, a vacant building in St. Joseph was once sprayed-painted with a simple, two-word message: Vote no. That’s St. Joseph in a nutshell. It doesn’t matter what the issue is. If it’s on the ballot, specifically if it involves forking over tax dollars, then it’s best to

By NewsPress Now Gov. Mike Parson taps into the political Zeitgeist with his $2.3 million plan to send National Guard personnel and Missouri State Highway Patrol troopers to the U.S. border. National polling is starting to show border control surpassing the economy as a top concern among voters, something that should deeply concern the Biden

By NewsPress Now Editor’s note: Tuesday’s local election ballot includes Proposition 6, which would remove the requirement to post public notices in local newspapers. The following is Missouri Press Association’s position on public notices, one that the News-Press heartily endorses. We urge citizens to vote “no” on Proposition 6. Public notices inform citizens of the

By NewsPress Now If voters pass a $20 million bond proposal for the St. Joseph School District, the immediate impact is easy to see. This measure would provide $1 million for science and technology programs, $3.2 million for arts program upgrades, $2 million for an intercom system to enhance school safety, $2 million for roadways

By NewsPress Now Let’s just say that things have gone less-than-smoothly for the St. Joseph Board of Education in recent years. If you take away all of the recent baggage, a seat on this board still demands thick skin and a significant commitment of time. It can seem like a thankless assignment. All 10 candidates

By NewsPress Now Whitney Lanning received 1,883 votes in the election that put her on the St. Joseph Board of Education last spring. Previously, she claimed about 1,500 votes in an unsuccessful bid for mayor. It’s clear that Lanning has a base of public support in this community, or at least enough to get elected

By NewsPress Now Korea is often called the forgotten war. Combat on the Korean Peninsula occurred after World War II and before Vietnam, making it all too easy to overlook the significance of what happened between 1950 and 1953. It’s not just the general public or the history books. When was the last time you’ve

By NewsPress Now As far as Downtown St. Joseph goes, the area around Eighth and Faraon streets could be much worse. A couple of new houses appear forlorn as the wind whistles through the well-tended grass on an otherwise lonely city block. To the north, a roundabout intersection doesn’t exist to control local traffic as

By NewsPress Now Many of us feel a sense of satisfaction in getting through another work week. If you’re reading this and can almost smell the finish line, keep telling yourself: “Almost there, almost there.” Teachers in the St. Joseph School District might be getting there a little more quickly in the near future. The

By NewsPress Now Four years ago, the University of Missouri’s Institute of Public Policy produced a study that showed families paid an average of $9,880 a year for center-based infant care. To put it in perspective, the cost of child care for newborns exceeded the average annual tuition at a state university. The economic burden

By NewsPress Now To grasp how far the Super Bowl has come, consider the halftime show when the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Minnesota Vikings in 1970. The Southern University marching band provided what the TV announcer at the time called “fast-stepping, toe-tapping” entertainment at Tulane Stadium in New Orleans. It took years, until the

By NewsPress Now The St. Joseph School District faces an uphill battle – more so than some would like to believe – in getting a $20 million bond issue passed this spring. Yes, the Board of Education can legitimately call this modest proposal a “no tax increase” bond issue, but the approach to putting this

By NewsPress Now The city of St. Joseph sets aside about $5.4 million a year for street maintenance, a figure that includes funding for snow and ice removal when winter weather hits. Boy, did it hit this month. Drivers encountered plenty of frustration and city street crews experienced their share of headaches when several rounds

By NewsPress Now A win’s a win, but last Saturday’s playoff game didn’t look like much fun for those fans who braved ice-bowl conditions at Arrowhead Stadium. Maybe those who endured the Lambeau Field-in-January experience could draw comfort in looking six months into the future. On a blessedly hot, humid day in July, many of

By NewsPress Now Red vs. blue battle lines exist in the Missouri legislature, but they aren’t the sole source of friction in Jefferson City. Sometimes the real conflict is between rural and urban, with suburban areas and mid-sized cities like St. Joseph playing an important role in determining the outcome. For example, the urban-rural split

By NewsPress Now Heading into this year’s legislative session, it might be worth examining one of the Missouri General Assembly’s accomplishments in 2023. A law prohibiting texting while driving took effect on Aug. 28. This measure replaced the previous law that was limited to drivers under the age of 21, a piece of legislative nonsense