Editorials

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