Feature

By Riley Funk A police K-9 is putting his best paw forward to protect the Buchanan County community. Blaize is a K-9 with the Buchanan County Drug Strike Force that assisted in a drug bust that located nearly 20 pounds of methamphetamine on Monday. A 37-year-old woman was arrested in connection to the drug recovery.

By Jazmine Knight A St. Joseph home and its owners will be seen on nationwide TV later this month. Will and Amanda Unzicker will be featured on season 5 of Magnolia Network’s hit show, “First Time Fixer,” with their episode airing on Friday, April 26. Will, the owner of Upstanding Contracting, and Amanda, the owner

By Kendra Simpson Earning a degree isn’t always an easily achievable task, and historically, it’s been even less accessible for women. Today, women at Missouri Western State University are taking the higher education journey in stride, and supporting each other along the way. Missouri Western student Patty Lashbrook is seeking her bachelor’s degree while also

By Kirsten Stokes Basketball is about more than making every shot. For Bishop LeBlond head coach Jackie Steltenphol, it’s about the legacy and the family that you build along the way. “It’s definitely been an honor to coach at my alma mater and I feel like it’s been my home since being in high school,”

By Charles Christian Spring brings out a specific type of hunter in Northwest Missouri, one who is armed with a bag and a keen eye. Morel mushrooms are considered a delicacy by many and places to find them are often a closely guarded secret. These honeycombed, capped mushrooms grow from 2 to 12 inches high

By Ashley Luthans A St. Joseph leader was one of 10 to receive a statewide Women of Achievement Award. Natalie Hawn, the president of the Chamber of Commerce in St. Joseph, was awarded the honor from Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe this year out of more than 500 women nominated from across the state. Hawn was

By Ashley Luthans With fewer stores in St. Joseph selling formal dresses as prom season approaches, a local business is turning to an unconventional source for affordable options — the closets of area residents. Landers Flowers in St. Joseph is hosting a pop-up prom shop where dresses can be bought and sold by locals. There

By Kirsten Stokes A Lafayette High School sophomore has made it her mission to share the story of Lloyd Warner, a Black 19-year-old who was lynched by an angry mob in St. Joseph in 1933. Through her research and activism, Nevaeha Leidy hopes to teach others, state and nationwide, about Warner and advocate for Black

By Jazmine Knight Being born on leap day might sound unappealing to some since it only comes around every four years, but for one St. Joseph woman, it makes her birthday all the more special. Claudia Tapia De Dominguez will be enjoying a dinner with her children and loved ones for her “17th” birthday on

By Kirsten Stokes A good morning message played over the intercom on Wednesday as Lindbergh Elementary cafeteria worker Heather Steele greeted students and asked what they would like for lunch that day. “Would you like chicken nuggets or a deli sandwich?” Steele asked as kids filtered into school. At around 8:40 a.m. each day at

By Kirsten Stokes A good morning message played over the intercom on Wednesday as Lindbergh Elementary cafeteria worker Heather Steele greeted students and asked what they would like for lunch that day. “Would you like chicken nuggets or a deli sandwich?” Steele asked as kids filtered into school. At around 8:40 a.m. each day at

By CAMERON MONTEMAYOR Newfound author Carley Smith is proof that it’s never too late in life to pursue a dream. “There was a saying my mom always said, ‘Do what you love and love what you do,’” Smith said. After a long career as a special education teacher, the 77-year-old Smith is following her late

By Kirsten Stokes A group of women who have dedicated their time and donations to local charities for the last 16 years recently added another local organization to their growing list of recipients. “Thank you for thinking of us,” said Trenisha Thomas, Community Missions coordinator and latest donation recipient. “I’m overwhelmed and my cup is

By Jazmine Knight It seems like a story out of a movie. Brothers Reid and Bryden Swink attend the Chiefs training camp yearly. For the 2023 training camp, the brothers decided to paint pictures for their favorite players, Justin Reid and Isiah Pacheco. For Reid, Justin Reid happens to be his favorite because the two

By Jenna Wilson Travis Kelce may or may not be the one some fans are looking forward to seeing the most at Super Bowl LVIII. If you’re a Kansas City Chiefs fan, you’ve probably heard the name ‘Taylor Swift’ countless times to this point. Swift’s high-profile relationship with the Chiefs’ tight end has generated Kansas

By Ashley Luthans A local man has skirted death twice in the past year. Although he lost his leg in the process, Mark Adams has remained positive and has worked hard toward recovery. Adams, a resident of St. Joseph, had a tumultuous 2023. The year began with issues carrying over from October 2022, when he

By Jazmine Knight Fostering a child comes with a lot of responsibilities. One unexpected one is the preparation it takes to bring in children of different ages on a short notice.  Many foster families can feel overwhelmed when purchasing various materials for children of all ages. Here in St. Joseph, Kaden’s Kloset, is helping foster

By Kendra Simpson Recently, Downtown St. Joseph has become a hot spot for entertainment, eclectic restaurants, family friendly activities all encompassed by a rich history. But what’s considered a center for community today was not always this lively. For many St. Joseph residents, memories of Downtown are limited, since there weren’t many shops, restaurants or