November 21, 2009
Lisa Crawford -
Recent Stories
Rent-to-own business booming
Monday, Aug. 3, 2009
With the economy hitting America’s pocketbook, consumers have started looking at other ways to make expensive purchases.
Instead of buying outright, some St. Joseph customers have been taking advantage of rent-to-own retail stores.
The Sales & Lease Ownership division of Aaron’s Inc. increased its revenues in the first six months of 2009 to $890.2 million, an 11 percent jump from the same period a year ago.
Sunday, Aug. 2, 2009
Trevor Langle drove for the first time when he was 14. In a battered old pickup, he would drive the back dirt roads around the farm where he lived.
Now a retired grandfather living in Savannah, Mo., Mr. Langle drives his dream truck, a red pearl Toyota Tacoma crew cab he bought new in 2006.
Though President Barack Obama’s decision to increase average fuel economy standards could make big pickups more expensive or harder to get, motorists like Mr. Langle aren’t interested in converting to smaller vehicles.
Where’d the summer go?
Saturday, Aug. 1, 2009
While an abnormally cool July may be a splendid treat for some who would normally be cursing the hot and humid Missouri heat, others have been left hoping hotter temperatures will make an appearance any day now.
Ryan Cutter, meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Pleasant Hill, Mo., said the average temperature for the first 29 days of July this year was 73.9 degrees.
“It’s going to be one of the coldest Julys on record,” Mr. Cutter said. If the average remained 73.9 degrees all month, it would most likely end as the third coolest July on record.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Thirteen students from South Korea and three students from Panama will join more than 100 other high school students this fall at Northwest Missouri State University for the Missouri Academy of Science, Mathematics and Computing. As part of the two-year accelerated program, students will live on campus, attend classes with college students and eventually earn an associate degree of science, and a high school diploma.
Cronkite’s legacy starts in St. JosephFriday, July 24, 2009
At the southeast corner of 15th and Edmond streets is a large brick building serving as a residential care facility. But the building has a more vibrant past belonging to two separate, famous Americans.
Originally the home of Isaac Parker, commonly remembered as the “Hanging Judge” of Fort Smith, Ark., the house was eventually transformed into Gray’s Maternity Hospital and became the birthplace of Walter Leland Cronkite Jr.
“There are no plaques denoting that either of these two famous people are connected to the building,” said Gary Chilcote, director of the Patee House Museum. “There are a number of famous people from St. Joseph that have been totally ignored, to the point most people don’t realize they were ever famous.”
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Walking into the Buchanan County Courthouse, one might have sworn the tuxedo-clad man by the staircase was heartthrob actor Leonardo DiCaprio.
Employers cite challenges as minimum wage risesTuesday, July 21, 2009
The federal minimum wage will increase Friday from $6.55 to $7.25 an hour, but Missouri will only increase by 20 cents from the current required state minimum wage of $7.05. While those making less than the new wage will see a little more in their paychecks, others are wishing the wages were lower. “The minimum wage is encouraged to be a positive impact on the economy,” said Dr. Rebecca Travnichek, family financial education specialist with University of Missouri Extension. “Hopefully it will all balance out.”
‘The leaders of tomorrow’Saturday, July 18, 2009
Charlotte Jackson began bottle-feeding calves on her family’s dairy farm in Macon, Mo., when she was 5. Now a senior agricultural education major at Missouri State University, Ms. Jackson is pursuing her dreams as a member of the Agriculture Future of America Student Advisory Team.
Economy doesn’t slow casino’s roll
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Tom Lenahan, like many other St. Joseph residents, hasn’t let the sour economy keep him from relaxing after work with friends and co-workers playing card games at Terrible’s St. Jo Frontier Casino.
“But I never take more (money) than I can afford to lose,” Mr. Lenahan said.
Even amid the economic downturn, St. Joseph’s local casino is floating along like normal. At the end of the 2009 fiscal year, Terrible’s saw a 2 percent increase in revenue and admissions, and a 3 percent increase in customers.
Craig Travers, Terrible’s general manager, said there are a couple of things that he attributes to the increases.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
As a networking Web site, Facebook can reunite lost friends and classmates. But can it build a fresh-water well for more than 400 people in Africa? That’s what David Hugger, pastor of Third Day Christian Fellowship of St. Joseph, was hoping for when he created the Facebook group “100 people who made a difference!” “It just happened because I felt I wasn’t doing enough,” Mr. Hugger said. After reading a book that focused on some of the hypocrisies of the church, Mr. Hugger said he asked God what he could do to make a difference.
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