Public Safety

By NewsPress Now An inmate at the Chillicothe Correctional Center in Chillicothe, Missouri, died early Monday. Connie Sanders-Ford, 74, was pronounced dead at 4:45 a.m. on Aug. 26, according to officials with the Missouri Department of Corrections. She was serving a life sentence for first-degree murder and armed criminal action from McDonald County and had

By Jenna Wilson The Buchanan County Sheriff’s Office is rolling out security upgrades to the county jail, including intercoms and wristbands to monitor inmates and their health. With the help of grant funding, the sheriff’s office has 100 percent video surveillance coverage of all buildings and grounds, intercoms are being added to the cells and

By Jenna Wilson The St. Joseph Police Department has made progress with its recruiting efforts amid a nationwide shortage, but local officers are still hoping to fill remaining vacancies with new hire testing next week. The department has made some strides in its staffing, but it still has 18 vacancies to fill as soon as

By Leah Rainwater Ally S. Scott was last seen on Dec. 20, 2023 in her home and reportedly ran away on Dec. 21, 2023. Since then the search has been on to find the missing 14-year-old. Scott is described as a white female with shoulder-length brown hair and hazel eyes. She is 5 feet, 4 inches

By NewsPress Now The Country Club Police Department is looking for tips in the search for a 14-year-old girl who ran away in December 2023. Ally S. Scott was last seen Dec. 20, 2023, at her home in Country Club Village, Missouri.  She is described as a white female with shoulder-length brown hair and hazel

By NewsPress Now A man has been charged with second-degree murder and armed criminal action after a shooting in the parking lot of Walmart off of Barry Road. Surveillance video shows Taquiza V. Johnson allegedly getting into an altercation with another man in the parking lot of the Walmart at 8551 N. Boardwalk Ave. around

By Jenna Wilson Road safety is a two-way street between drivers and pedestrians, but teaching kids some tips can help keep them out of harm’s way as they head to school. Kids are particularly vulnerable because they are small, less visible to drivers and do not always make safe decisions near streets. “When a child

By Jenna Wilson Local law enforcement agencies partnered over the weekend to conduct a saturation patrol and promote safety along the Belt Highway. According to a press release from the St. Joseph Police Department, officers conducted a four-hour saturation patrol on Friday using marked patrol vehicles to enforce hazardous moving violation laws, focusing on violations

By Jenna Wilson St. Joseph police officers are warning drivers to take preventative measures against car theft, especially if they drive vehicles that are more susceptible due to a security flaw. From August 2023 up until last week, the St. Joseph Police Department documented 246 reports of stolen vehicles in the city, with a majority

By Jenna Wilson As students head back to school, officials are taking preventative measures to warn against the dangers of fentanyl and other drugs. The start of a new school year can be stressful for students, leading to them searching for different coping mechanisms. “There’s all kinds of stressors kids deal with when starting school,”

By Chris Fortune A bridge on South 29th Street near Pickett Road is closed to drivers after part of the pavement caved in, causing a large hole in the roadway. Jackson Jones, superintendent of streets and infrastructure, said calls initially came in reporting the hole around 7:30 a.m. Friday morning. The hole is about the

By Jenna Wilson Buses will soon be out in full force in St. Joseph as the first day of the academic year nears, and law enforcement is making student safety a top priority by stepping up patrolling near school zones. Sgt. James Tonn with the St. Joseph Police Department said it can be difficult to

By NewsPress Now A boating safety course will be offered in St. Joseph by the Missouri State Highway Patrol this weekend. The course, offered from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 17, at Troop H Headquarters, 3525 N. Belt Highway, meets the national boating educational standard. Missouri law requires everyone born after Jan.

By Jenna Wilson A recall of marijuana products has been issued after it was improperly tracked. The Missouri Division of Cannabis Regulation announced the recall of more than 2,600 cannabis products sold to statewide dispensaries and other facilities by C&C Manufacturing, LLC. The recalled products included flowers, ground flowers and pre-rolled joints in various packaging

By Ashley Luthans A quick call can save a headache for homeowners working on a yard project. Utility companies recognized Aug. 11 as National 811 Day, serving as a reminder for people to call 811 before digging outdoors. A call to the safety number can prevent injuries or damage to underground utility lines. Flags and

By NewsPress Now The St. Joseph Police Department worked the scene of a two-vehicle crash around 8 p.m. Friday. The crash occurred near the intersection of N. 13th and Faraon streets. When News-Press NOW arrived, officers and other first responders were on the scene. News-Press NOW will provide updates as details become available.

By NewsPress Now Two longtime former St. Joseph Police Department officers have died in recent days. James “Jim” Connors, 79, died on Aug. 2. After stints including horse jockey, radio personality, television weatherman, wrestling announcer, shop owner and car salesman, Connors served as a police officer for 33 years, retiring as a commander from the

By NewsPress Now A Fillmore, Missouri, man was seriously injured after crashing his motorcycle and leaving the scene late Friday night. Kiefer Gillenwater, 27, of Fillmore, was southbound on Route H near Fillmore in a 2005 Yamaha WR 450F when he lost control and the vehicle fell on its side and slid, according to Missouri

By NewsPress Now A 47-year-old woman suffered serious injuries after a rollover crash on Saturday afternoon near Savannah, Missouri. Deanna Stewart, of St. Joseph, was traveling north in a 2016 Kia Soul on U.S. Route 71 when she traveled off the roadway and struck an embankment, according to Missouri State Highway Patrol crash reports. The

By Jenna Wilson With the recent heat wave, Buchanan County EMS crew members are seeing an uptick in weather-related calls and cautioning the public to stay hydrated. Summer months can bring on extreme temperatures and lead to people experiencing distress, whether it’s from working in the yard, exercising outdoors or attending a social event. “We’re

By NewsPress Now A 17-year-old was hospitalized with serious injuries after being ejected from an ATV on Wednesday afternoon in Andrew County. The boy was driving a 2004 Polaris Predator 500 on County Road 243, 3 miles southeast of Union Star, Missouri, when he lost control on the gravel road and traveled off the side,

By NewsPress Now A Kansas City, Missouri, man suffered serious injuries in a one-vehicle Clinton County crash Monday afternoon. The Missouri State Highway Patrol reports that the crash occurred around 1:50 p.m. Monday, as 85-year-old Dannie R. Cornwell drove his 1999 Lincoln Continental south on I-35. Troopers report that Cornwell’s Lincoln began braking for an

By NewsPress Now One person was taken to the hospital following a lunchtime crash Tuesday at 10th and Messanie streets. The accident happened about 12:45 p.m. when a silver vehicle headed east on Messanie St. ran a red light and stuck a northbound white vehicle, according to Sgt. James Tonn, St. Joseph Police Department traffic

By Jenna Wilson The St. Joseph Police Department arrested a suspect involved in a stolen vehicle case after a lengthy standoff Monday. Police investigators and detectives approached the 36-year-old man, who was suspected of stealing a vehicle, on Monday afternoon, but he then fled into a residence near Eureka Street and West Valley Street. The

By Jenna Wilson The Missouri Department of Transportation’s Traveler Information Map is now accessible on internet browsers on mobile devices. This update allows the map to be displayed on mobile devices without having to download the Traveler Information App and provides drivers with traffic updates, road conditions, closures and winter road updates. As of 2023,