Public Safety

By Jenna Wilson Missouri voters rejected an amendment that would allow for court fees to fund sheriff and prosecutor retirement benefits, leaving questions about the future of the sheriffs’ retirement fund. Amendment 6 was voted down with 61% of ballots opposed to the measure versus 39% in favor according to final tallies from the Missouri

By Chris Fortune Two drivers were taken to the hospital with minor injuries after a car crash Tuesday afternoon. The accident happened at about 1 p.m. Tuesday and involved one vehicle flipped on its side. The drivers of both vehicles involved were taken to the hospital in an ambulance. “Vehicle one was going east on

By NewsPress Now A woman is dead following a medical issue that caused her to drive off Riverside Road and through a fence onto the St. Joseph Christian School football field. The incident happened Tuesday morning. St. Joseph police said Patsy Donahoo, 81, of Amazonia, Missouri, later was pronounced dead at Mosaic Life Care.

By NewsPress Now A Maryville, Missouri, woman suffered serious injuries in a one-car crash late Monday. The accident occurred at about 11:20 p.m. Monday on Interstate 29 at Missouri Route 273, near Tracy and Platte City. The driver, a 50-year-old Kansas City, Missouri, man, failed to negotiate a curve and hit the median barrier, according

By Ashley Luthans Drivers traveling through Frederick and Leonard will be without a stoplight at the intersection for several days beginning on Tuesday. Temporary stop signs will be up at the location while signal improvements are made to accommodate the new QuikTrip location. Improvements include replacing signs, adding flashing yellow arrows and updating electronics. Work

By NewsPress Now A Council Bluffs, Iowa, motorcyclist suffered serious injuries after colliding with a deer Sunday night in Atchison County, Missouri. The crash occurred at about 9 p.m. as the 48-year-old driver traveled south on Highway AA, three miles north of Rock Port, according to a Missouri State Highway Patrol report. The man struck

By NewsPress Now A Lathrop, Missouri, man is dead after a Sunday afternoon crash in Clinton County. The 59-year-old Lathrop resident was traveling east on 240th St., about five miles southeast of Lathrop at around 12:30 p.m. when he traveled off the south side of the road and struck a guardrail, according to a Missouri State

By Jenna Wilson More than 100 inmates die in Missouri prisons each year and that number is continuing to rise, bringing attention to the state’s correctional system. The Missouri Prison Reform organization collects data from the Missouri Department of Corrections about once a month, and trends are showing deaths in state prisons are at an

By Kyle Schmidt Those who look at Missouri State Highway Patrol crash reports online may notice something is missing. Beginning on Nov. 1, the patrol no longer includes the names of those involved in traffic crashes and boating/drowning incidents in the reports posted on its website. Sgt. Shane Hux with the patrol’s Troop H based

By NewsPress Now Officials at the Chillicothe Correctional Center are reporting the death of an inmate. Sheila Phillips, 61, died at the prison at 6:39 a.m. on Nov. 3, of apparent natural causes, officials said. She began serving a six-year sentence for voluntary manslaughter, armed criminal action and tampering with physical evidence from Stone County

By NewsPress Now A Chillicothe, Missouri, teen is hospitalized with serious injuries following a crash Monday morning on Highway V. The accident happened when an 18-year-old driving south on Livingston County Route 251 just east of Chillicothe failed to yield when crossing Highway V and was hit by a westbound truck, according to a Missouri

By NewsPress Now Two Missouri men suffered serious injuries after colliding with a semi Sunday morning. The accident occurred at about 11:39 a.m. on Nov. 3 as an 18-year-old Oregon, Missouri, man drove his truck north on Interstate 29 near Mound City, according to a Missouri State Highway Patrol crash report. Troopers say the truck

By NewsPress Now Lake Avenue from King Hill to Alabama will be closed for resurfacing beginning Monday, Nov 4. Two lanes of traffic will remain open during the resurfacing, but there could be temporary lane closures. Work is planned to last all week and drivers are encouraged to avoid the area if possible.

By Jenna Wilson The St. Joseph Safety and Health Council is offering a new driver’s education course for adults. The council felt a growing need for the program locally as many adults driving on the roads don’t understand all the traffic laws. “What I found is some young people don’t get their driver’s license until

By NewsPress Now Residents are being warned not to fall for scam calls from anyone claiming to be a sheriff’s deputy and demanding payment over missed jury duty. Buchanan County Sheriff Bill Puett said such scams have been active in the area this week. He urges people not to give those making threats by phone,

By NewsPress Now A Gallatin, Missouri, woman suffered serious injuries in a one-car accident on Thursday afternoon.  The accident occurred about a mile from Winston at about 4:56 p.m. as 78-year-old Sylvia J. Berry drove eastbound on U.S. 69, according to a Missouri State Highway Patrol crash report. Her car traveled off the road, struck

By Kirsten Stokes The Buchanan County Sheriff’s Department will be out this Halloween evening conducting sex offender compliance checks around the area. Before going out on patrol, officers at the law enforcement center had a meal and briefing from 5 to 5:30 p.m. to go over protocol and where each officer will do checks. Sheriff

By Leah Rainwater Although Halloween serves as a night full of fun and frights, the St. Joseph Police Department is giving some safety “tricks” for those out getting treats. In a Facebook post, officials with the SJPD listed ways to stay safe.  That includes making sure that costumes are bright and reflective. Adding glowsticks or

By NewsPress Now St. Joseph police responded to a crash at the intersection of Alabama Street and Memorial Highway early Wednesday morning. Police said a man driving on Alabama got to the train tracks and froze when the signal arm descended. Officers told News-Press NOW that it was unclear if a train collided with the

By Jenna Wilson The November election is sparking theft and vandalism of political campaign signs in Buchanan County. Local campaign sign destruction is seemingly rising ahead of the Nov. 5 election, but residents are reporting incidents on social media rather than to law enforcement — or just keeping them to themselves. Despite people deciding to

By NewsPress Now A St. Joseph man sustained serious injuries following a crash around 6:08 p.m. Monday in Gentry County, just west of Darlington, Missouri. The crash occurred as Michael S. Cole, 56, of Fish Creek, Wisconsin, was eastbound on Route E and Brandon M. Church, 43, of St. Joseph, was westbound, according to a

By Jenna Wilson Police are warning citizens to be on the lookout for credit card skimmers appearing in the community. St. Joseph residents have taken to social media to warn people about the increasing threat of card skimmers in the area after noticing unauthorized charges to their bank cards. Credit card skimmers are illegal devices

By NewsPress Now Two people are in the hospital with serious injuries following a UTV crash early Monday morning in Polo, Missouri. Justin Chapman, 46, of Polo was driving the UTV at 12:40 a.m. in a field south of Templeton Drive with a passenger, Elizabeth Gutierrez, 27, of Holt, Missouri, on board when he hit