November 24, 2009
Ray Scherer - Regional Reporter
Bargains, timing draw out Thanksgiving shoppers
Tuesday, Nov. 24, 2009
The hunt for food to serve on Thanksgiving Day is now officially at full tilt at all of St. Joseph’s grocery stores. The scene at Ray’s Green Hills Super Market on the North Belt Highway, for example, began to resemble a mad rush Monday afternoon. Among shoppers queued up at the meat department was Marcia Boggess of St. Joseph, who said she’s already bought a turkey. She painstakingly searched for just the right ham that would easily fit in her refrigerator.
Area’s hunger needs illustrated at annual mayors’ dinnerMonday, Nov. 23, 2009
K.C. Clifford admits she was ignorant that some people go to the Salvation Army for their meals rather than to make a donation.
It was part of the entertainer’s education about hunger in America that helped transform her life. Ms. Clifford shared the story and how she learned about the plight of the hungry Sunday night at the 23rd Annual Mayors’ Thanksgiving Dinner at Civic Arena.
Saturday, Nov. 21, 2009
Rising utility bills and other expenses have forced some residents beyond their budgets as Christmas approaches.
AFL-CIO Community Services recently launched its annual Adopt-A-Family Christmas program, which assists needy families and individuals in the St. Joseph area. Assistant Director Penny Adams said 238 families had applied for the aid through Wednesday. This first rush means the agency will take only the first 50 persons who apply daily, Ms. Adams said.
Friday, Nov. 20, 2009
Missouri Western State University officials Thursday approved plans to build a spring sports complex on campus.
The university’s Board of Governors gave the go-ahead to St. Joseph contractor E.L. Crawford’s $3.49 million bid for the project. Crawford’s proposal was among 11 submitted by area firms.
“We should see work begin in the next few weeks,” said architect Jeff Ellison. The construction is expected to be completed by next September.
Friday, Nov. 20, 2009
William David Arnold Sr. let go of the horrors of World War II whenever he grabbed a fishing pole at a peaceful Missouri lake.
Home sales rise 47 percentWednesday, Nov. 18, 2009
Home sales in the St. Joseph area remain headed in the right direction, according to a new report by the St. Joseph Regional Association of Realtors.
Statistics for the association’s multiple listing service in October show an increase of more than 47 percent over the same month a year ago — rising to $12,816,140, from $8,685,501 in 2008. For the year to date, home sales have decreased by slightly more than 2 percent — falling from $113,917,816 to $111,569,156 for the same period a year ago.
Home sales fell to $131,569,462 last year, from $152,673,963 in 2007.
Shoppers in St. Joe have chance to win $10K
Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2009
A total of 45 local merchants have signed up to participate in this year’s Shop St. Joseph holiday program, which starts today. That’s two more than last year, but one fewer than 2007, the program’s inaugural year.
Western students take ‘food fight’ to the hungryMonday, Nov. 16, 2009
Missouri Western State University students organized themselves Sunday night into a fight against local hunger and homelessness.
A “food fight” competition will involve various student organizations that will collect food items for hunger programs throughout the week. A portion of the food will be prepared into meals for homeless individuals, according to student Tasha Hayes, an intern in the university’s Center for Multicultural Education.
Monday, Nov. 16, 2009
St. Joseph and the region began preparing Sunday for at least the potential of the season’s first measurable snowfall.
Early shoppers try to beat holiday rushSunday, Nov. 15, 2009
Grandparents in search of children’s clothes are among the first throngs of St. Joseph’s early holiday shoppers. It may be a sign that at least some consumers prefer to fill their shopping lists ahead of the upcoming rush. J.C. Penney store manager Jason Schimke said he’s noticed an uptick in holiday traffic in recent weeks.
Economy misfires as deer season gets under way
Saturday, Nov. 14, 2009
A sluggish economy may hamper the usual robust activity that businesses notice from Missouri’s firearms deer season that kicks off today.
At Dean’s Gun Shop, for instance, owner Dean Parr said nationwide ammunition manufacturers are unable to keep up with consumer requests — a phenomenon that’s filtered down to the local level. The shortage consequently impacts ammunition for deer hunting season.
KCP&L offers bill-paying advice
Friday, Nov. 13, 2009
Diane Redden of St. Joseph spent Thursday trying to find a way to pay for her family’s high utility bills.
She walked into a Kansas City Power & Light Energy Resource Fair with a $1,300 electric bill and a $500 gas bill, worried about her financial circumstances with winter fast approaching.
“If you want a desperate situation, that’s pretty good,” she said. “We are just sinking fast. The economy is just doing us in.”
Monday, Nov. 9, 2009
St. Joseph archaeologist Mike Fisher will tell anyone just how much he’s dug the summers of the past 45 years.
Shop St. Joseph season nears
Monday, Nov. 9, 2009
A St. Joseph Area Chamber of Commerce holiday promotion continues to seek business participants on the eve of its third consecutive year.
Shop St. Joseph is designed to help increase customer traffic and improve profits for the participating merchants for the upcoming shopping season. Organizers said the program also stimulates customer loyalty, retains sales revenue and enhances public awareness of products available at local retailers during the holidays. The promotion kicks off Nov. 17 and concludes with a $10,000 grand prize awarded to a shopper at a Dec. 21 drawing.
Sunday, Nov. 8, 2009
KING CITY, Mo. — Brenda Spiking can continue to thank the benefits of wind energy for steady traffic at the Gentry County restaurant she and her husband operate.
Holt County voters approve 911 taxWednesday, Nov. 4, 2009
OREGON, Mo. — A majority of Holt County residents Tuesday approved a quarter-cent sales tax hike to fund improvements to the 911 emergency telephone network.
Older Worker honoree relishes fresh start
Monday, Nov. 2, 2009
Katherine Bruns realized it was time for her to take action after she was laid off from her job five years ago. “I knew I needed to do something,” she said. Ms. Bruns has now come full circle since that difficult period. She was recently selected as a regional finalist for Missouri’s 19th Annual Older Worker of the Year contest, competing with 12 other people for the title. She is the office manager for Slayton Chiropractic Health Center in St. Joseph.
Weather lengthens, confounds harvest completion
Sunday, Nov. 1, 2009
Jeff Gaskill remembers a time in the late 1980s when his soybean harvest didn’t wrap up until around Christmas.
The Weston, Mo., area farmer said activity on his farm has slowed up recently due to the lingering cool, wet weather. The situation does remind him of that late harvest — something he doesn’t believe will occur quite so badly this time around.
Still, most of the fall work on Mr. Gaskill’s farm should have been finished by now. He and other farmers are stymied by muddy fields that mire the operation of combines and other equipment.
'A brighter, more prosperous future'
Friday, Oct. 30, 2009
Gov. Jay Nixon exhorted Northwest Missouri business leaders Thursday to join him in reviving the state’s sagging economy.
Mr. Nixon used a St. Joseph Area Chamber of Commerce economic summit luncheon to speak on an economic resuscitation effort. The event, held at Missouri Western State University, drew dozens of local and area officials and Chamber members.
“We see this as a real key of our state,” Mr. Nixon said of the St. Joseph area.
Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2009
Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica Inc. of St. Joseph said Monday it has closed its deal with Pfizer to acquire a large portion of a Fort Dodge, Iowa, animal health business.
Smoke-free in Maryville?
Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2009
Two sides of a proposed expansion of Maryville’s smoking ban aired their opinions before City Council members Monday night.
The proposal seeks to enact a workplace smoking ban, prohibiting smoking in public places and places of employment. Mayor Chad Jackson said the council sought public opinion as a means of gauging interest in the issue.
Those who favored an ordinance spoke first, led by Teri Harr, health education coordinator and patient advocate at St. Francis Hospital & Health Services.
Monday, Oct. 26, 2009
Shauna Martinez realized Sunday that many of the people she’s helped as a registered nurse are now coming to the rescue in a health crisis.
Danger with 4 wheels
Sunday, Oct. 25, 2009
Missouri truck driver Sandy Long drove along Interstate 94 near Battle Creek, Mich., Thursday morning, embroiled once again in a familiar battle with texting motorists.
“It could’ve been ugly,” she said of an incident she witnessed on the Michigan freeway. “We run into that a lot.”
Saturday, Oct. 24, 2009
Regional cities took several of the top honors at the Oct. 19 Missouri Community Betterment contest in Jefferson City.
Albany schools closing due to fluThursday, Oct. 22, 2009
ALBANY, Mo. — Officials with the Albany R-3 School District have decided to cancel all classes today and Friday due to the spread of general flu-related illness throughout the system.
Welcome center to celebrate new muralSaturday, Oct. 10, 2009
The Missouri Department of Transportation will hold an artist’s reception Nov. 4 to celebrate the completion of a mural at the Eagleville, Mo., welcome center on Interstate 35.
Healing continues for Kimberlings a decade after shootingWednesday, Oct. 7, 2009
Purposeful healing from tragedy 10 autumns ago still flows through the family of the late Sgt. Robert G. Kimberling. His loved ones annually recall Oct. 6, 1999 — when 24-year-old Jason Friske of Wisconsin shot and killed Mr. Kimberling as the Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper made a traffic stop on Interstate 29. Mr. Friske had fled a Faucett, Mo., truck stop without paying for $24.69 in gasoline. Mr. Friske later shot himself to death at the scene. Mr. Kimberling was a 14-year veteran of the patrol who was the agency’s 20th uniformed member to die in the line of duty. To his widow, Kelly, the past decade has turned out to be a time of gradually training herself to persevere.
Patrol’s oldest retiree celebrates 100th birthdayMonday, Oct. 5, 2009
Walt Wilson can tell you about the time a milkman helped him nab a serial burglar-arsonist back in 1946.
The former Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper also can relate stories about the different makes of cruisers he drove over the region’s highways.
Mr. Wilson celebrated his 100th birthday Sunday afternoon with dozens of family and friends at Country Squire.
Monday, Oct. 5, 2009
KIDDER, Mo. — A Cheyenne American Indian plans to transform the former Thayer Learning Center into an intertribal school.
“We’re starting clean slate here,” said owner-operator Lakota John. “This is going to be a spiritual academy.”
Lakota told the News-Press he purchased the academy’s property from its owners several weeks ago, after learning of its availability on the market. John and Willa Bundy, of St. George, Utah, opened Thayer in the fall of 2002 as a private boarding school for teenagers suffering from behavior-related problems.
Monday, Oct. 5, 2009
Sarah Negozio’s family walked out of the East Hills Library Sunday afternoon armed with a load of books.
Ms. Negozio said she couldn’t believe it was her final opportunity to use the facility on a Sunday, one of her favorite days to head to the library.
“I hope I remember it,” she said. “I don’t think it’s going to affect us (her family) too much ... It’s unfortunate.”
The final Sunday of service for the library and the St. Joseph Public Library featured numerous computer users and others interested in researching genealogy or just checking out a favorite DVD. Library officials announced in mid-September that both branches will close Sundays as of Oct. 11 due to declining revenues, cash reserves and rising expenses.
Saturday, Oct. 3, 2009
The James Edward Gray American Legion Post 100 of Maryville will celebrate the parent organization’s founding in 1919 with events set for Oct. 15.
Veterans air concerns at listening post
Thursday, Oct. 1, 2009
Staff Sgt. Daniel Salcedo wants to find out all about accessing the benefits due him upon his impending military retirement.
Sgt. Salcedo was injured in March when an improvised explosive device detonated while he performed duties with the Missouri Air National Guard in Afghanistan. On Wednesday night, he used crutches to walk around the Mayes Memorial Armory — in search of answers to questions about veterans’ benefits.
Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2009
A new animal shelter servicing four Northwest Missouri counties could become a reality within a year and a half, according to organizers.
Annual CROP Walk raises funds for hungerMonday, Sept. 28, 2009
Naomi Hepburn and her dog both got quite a workout Sunday afternoon during St. Joseph’s annual CROP Walk at Hyde Park.
St. Francis Xavier celebrates 100th birthdayMonday, Sept. 28, 2009
Until Sunday, Sister Beverly Ann Bodnar had not seen her beloved St. Francis Xavier parish buildings since the 1970s. The Catholic parish’s celebration of the 100th anniversary of the present church building gave her the opportunity to reconnect.
Maryville to review DREAM projectsSaturday, Sept. 26, 2009
Officials in Maryville, Mo., will review the progress of Downtown Revitalization and Economic Assistance (DREAM) projects Thursday at the Nodaway County Administration Building’s meeting room.
Fire’s aftermath ‘surreal’ for displaced familyThursday, Sept. 24, 2009
Wednesday was supposed to be the day LeRoy and Mary Ellis hoped to scrape up enough money to pay off their overdue utility bill.
Instead, an early morning house fire changed those plans. Now, the family of five must find a new place to call home and get their lives back on track.
“It’s kind of surreal,” Mrs. Ellis said.
Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2009
Preparations for a potential outbreak of the H1N1 flu virus are well under way in Missouri, a state health official said Monday night.
Southside Fall Festival wraps up with baby show
Monday, Sept. 21, 2009
Babies nibbled funnel cakes, had their hair combed and held hands with parents Sunday afternoon at the Southside Fall Festival.
Students to compete in seat-belt challengeSaturday, Sept. 19, 2009
The Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety is sponsoring the 2009 Battle of the Belt Challenge from Oct. 5 to Nov. 20 for the region’s school districts.
Harley club set to ride Pony Express trailThursday, Sept. 17, 2009
The throaty rumble from hundreds of Harley-Davidson motorcycles filled Downtown St. Joseph Wednesday, previewing a ride once popular in the early 1860s. Among the ride’s participants is Willie Davidson, grandson of one of the company’s original founders and a leader on the design team. History has proven to be a suitable guidepost in planning Harley-Davidson rallies. In 2002, a rally traced the path Lewis and Clark took to reach the Pacific Northwest.
Former lawmaker Creason dies at 91Thursday, Sept. 17, 2009
He was known for the jaunty angle he wore his hats, but also for his smiling geniality and interest in furthering Missouri agriculture.
Shared facility plan nixedWednesday, Sept. 16, 2009
Chillicothe senior citizens will no longer have to envision the prospect of sharing their facilities with local middle school students.
Defendant in monkeys case gets shock timeTuesday, Sept. 15, 2009
A rural Agency woman was ordered Monday afternoon to serve shock time for receiving two stolen exotic monkeys early last year.
Harlem Ambassadors to visit Falls CitySaturday, Sept. 12, 2009
The Harlem Ambassadors will visit Falls City, Neb., Sept. 23 to play in a fundraising basketball game.
Exhibit opening begins final Freedom Fest
Friday, Sept. 11, 2009
Sue Abrams beams when she talks about her brother-in-law, a U.S. Army paratrooper who paid the ultimate price in the Vietnam War.
Ms. Abrams succeeded in locating the name of Sgt. 1st Class David Ray Karr of Quitman, Mo., on a traveling replica of the National Vietnam Veterans Memorial wall.
“We done found him,” she said Thursday night when asked about her search among the wall’s thousands of names.
The wall — and other tributes to fallen veterans from all wars to the present day — are stationed for this weekend only at Wildcat Park in Skidmore, Mo., for Freedom Fest. Ms. Abrams and other families have already begun the task of “rubbing” impressions of their loved ones’ names etched into the wall.
Friday, Sept. 11, 2009
From Walter Cronkite to Walt Disney, U.S. Highway 36 contains a treasure of history that has the potential of drawing tourists to the region.
Toward that goal, a small group of regional officials has embarked on an effort to promote the highway as a destination and path to much of the area’s heritage, culture and recreation. It’s a nod to a passage once renowned as the “Pike’s Peak Ocean-to-Ocean Highway” and “Appian Way of America” — which in the early 20th century connected New York and San Francisco. It also dovetails with the state’s current four-lane expansion of Highway 36 across north Missouri, which is slated for completion next summer. A related objective is offering the highway as an east-west alternative to the congested Interstate 70.
The endeavor has so far been dubbed “Missouri Highway 36 — The Way of American Genius” — in a nod to the proximity of personalities and attractions that have developed along the way.
Monday, Sept. 7, 2009
Farmers like the Juhl family of Doniphan County know how to pass on their history from one generation to the next. The proof? Numerous family members participated in Sunday’s Wathena Fall Festival Parade, showing spectators just what it means to live and work off the land back to the time of immigrants.
Chillicothe has high hopes for Tour’s impactSunday, Sept. 6, 2009
The city’s population is expected to more than double next weekend, when huge crowds are expected to watch more than 100 cyclists zip through Livingston County in the Tour of Missouri bicycle race.
Saturday will mark the first time Chillicothe will serve as a location for a leg (Stage 6) of the multi-city tour. Officials, who have worked since early January to prepare, are confident the race and other weekend events will draw major crowds.
“Immediately, we thought this will be the biggest event ever,” said Amy Supple, director of the Greater Chillicothe Visitors Region. “We’re truly hoping for 10,000 (visitors).”
Saturday, Sept. 5, 2009
Princeton, Mo., officials continue planning events for the annual Calamity Jane Days, Sept. 18 to 20, that celebrate the life of Wild West legend Martha Jane Canary.
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