Local News

By Cameron Montemayor City leaders moved one step closer to finalizing the 2024-25 fiscal year budget as discussions continued with a work session on Wednesday at City Hall. Discussions were largely focused on changes to operating budgets for the city’s Health and Planning and Community Development departments. Additionally, administrative department budgets for mayor and city

By NewsPress Now Fans of the classic “Beauty and the Beast” will have a chance to catch a special production of the show on ice this weekend.  The St. Joseph Figure Skating Club show is a musical production, with sets, lights and all the works, plus the extra frill of being on skates. The cast

By Cameron Montemayor St. Joseph flyers making their plans for spring or summer airline travel will have one less headache to worry about in the near future. New regulations laid out by the White House this month would standardize the process of getting a refund when extended airline delays or cancellations occur. Currently, each airline

By Jazmine Knight Whether it be underpasses, buildings or local parks, graffiti has become the unfortunate norm for many St. Joseph areas, and city officials are struggling to curb the problem. Jeff Atkins, assistant director of St. Joseph Parks, Recreation and Civic Facilities, has been with the department for over 39 years, and he said

By Riley Funk Plans for a local indoor pool project took another step forward Monday. The St. Joseph City Council approved a resolution on Monday night that states the city’s intent to contribute up to $7 million in capital funds to help construct an indoor aquatic facility on the local YMCA campus. This is on

By Chris Fortune A voluntary program utilizing inmate help to clean county roads and assist community service organizations continues to make a difference 10 years later. The Buchanan County Inmate Trash Clean-up Crew program began in April 2014 with the help of Buchanan County Commissioner Ron Hook and the coordination of county judges and sheriffs

By Cameron Montemayor One of the allures of the American dream is being able to enjoy the later years of life in retirement after decades of hard work, but for a growing number of people in the U.S., the odds of successfully retiring remain a long shot. Nearly a quarter of adults age 50 or

By Marcus Clem Authorities in Washington have approved a total ban on almost all employment deals that are meant to keep workers from taking their talents elsewhere after they leave their jobs, and this could have local effects. The Federal Trade Commission, an independent agency of the U.S. government, voted 3-2 on Tuesday to implement

By Kendra Simpson A couple from St. Joseph traveled to Guatemala to support an orphanage. Now, they’re hoping their hometown will lend a helping hand toward their mission. Cole and Sarah McCauley both grew up in St. Joseph and have been helping to run a Christian orphanage in Guatemala for several years. The couple is

By Riley Funk Outages and unreliable service can present challenges for those who rely on consistent internet for work or school, but local businesses and community hubs can help bridge the gap when interruptions happen. Several public spots, like the Downtown branch of the St. Joseph Public Library, offer free Wi-Fi for guests. Jen Wildhagen,

By Riley Funk Two area country clubs are finding success after new leadership helped revitalize their facilities in much-needed ways. Moila Country Club was facing a tough situation on multiple fronts in 2020. GreatLIFE KC was transitioning out of managing the course, and the COVID-19 pandemic presented new challenges. Moila’s golf course closed in 2020

By Chris Fortune The annual Crime Victim Memorial gave families the opportunity to honor their loved ones and bond with others who have shared a similar experience. During National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, the Buchanan County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office held a memorial ceremony at the Remington Nature Center. “They can come (here) besides going to

By Jazmine Knight A nonprofit aimed at rehabilitating houses in need of fixing up for first-time buyers celebrated the ribbon-cutting of its first completed property. Housing Improvement Initiative recently celebrated its first project, a property at 417 A St., going on the market. The three-bedroom, one-bathroom house was originally purchased in 2023 with various structural

By Riley Funk The QuikTrip project is rolling forward in St. Joseph, with construction set to begin this summer. A representative for the convenience store told News-Press NOW that things are going according to plan. “We are on track to open the location with no delays. The start of the construction will take place in

By Kyle Schmidt Those looking for a career in law enforcement will have a chance to find out if it’s right for them, as the police department is hosting new-hire testing dates this month. The St. Joseph Police Department hosted its first testing date on Monday morning, and will host additional testing on April 24

By Riley Funk Many parks facilities will soon see various renovations, including restroom upgrades, to modernize and enhance accessibility for visitors. The project will use $420,275 in Capital Improvements Program sales tax funds and $381,127 in parks sales tax funding to complete the work, making the total project cost $801,402. The CIP funding will go

By Kirsten Stokes The YWCA is raising funds and accepting reservations for its annual event to honor impactful women in the community. The 23rd annual Women of Excellence Awards Luncheon, themed S.E.T for Success: Support, Engage, Thrive, will take place at 11:30 a.m. on June 6 at the Civic Arena. The event will feature guest

By Cameron Montemayor One of St. Joseph’s oldest pools will call this summer its last, paving the way for a new state-of-the-art facility in the coming years. Built in 1958, Krug Pool will open for its final season at the end of June and wrap up at the end of July. Significant costs to renovate

By NewsPress Now A video that is accompanied by audio of an incident between two St. Joseph Board of Education members is gaining traction on social media sites. The video is posted along with an article on the websites of The Heartlander and The Lion. It purports to show an incident between Whitney Lanning and

By Cameron Montemayor As Mayor John Josendale stood at the podium during the State of the City address, he wore his emotions on his sleeve when showing his appreciation for everyone working to further St. Joseph. “I am emotional because I am St. Joe proud,” the St. Joseph native said. “And as I looked around

By Riley Funk The Joyce Raye Patterson 50+ Activity Center is working to make sure temperatures remain comfortable for seniors socializing and participating in programs this summer. The center will be receiving upgrades to its heating, ventilating and air conditioning system. The Senior Center Foundation donated $18,310.42 to complete the project. This agreement was authorized

By Cameron Montemayor 2024 is shaping up to be a milestone year for the expansion of high-speed fiber internet access in St. Joseph and Buchanan County. Two of the leading fiber internet providers in St. Joseph, Metronet and United Fiber, announced that more than half of their fiber networks have been constructed to date. The

By Kyle Schmidt April 15 marks the deadline to file taxes or for an extension, and while some residents may have been busy this Tax Day working last minute, others were able to cool down from the stressful season. Local resident Pam Walace was not in a crunch to finish her taxes but still had

By Jacob Meikel Kevin Kerns of Walkoff Wood Bat Company in Savannah wanted to take advantage of the rich talent pool of local high school baseball players by showcasing their skills in a wood bat tournament sponsored by his company. Kerns and his company had sponsored youth tournaments in the past, but decided it was