Susan Mires
Business Editor

Contact Susan via e-mail
Call Susan at 816-271-8560.

A darn good dog
by Susan Mires
Saturday, July 4, 2009

It’s a winner of a wiener.
Two St. Joseph businesses are part of the nation’s No. 1-selling beef hot dog.
Ball Park hot dogs are produced at the Sara Lee plant in Mitchell Woods Business Park. Sales of the brand grew 13 percent in 2008. Sara Lee gives credit for the increase to its Angus beef hot dog, launched last year.

A good goat story
by Susan Mires
Thursday, July 2, 2009

The goat was unforgettable. ust a little kid, he weighed less than a pound. The farmer who raised him was delighted to talk to a News-Press reporter about the adorable little creature.

Widowed mother of five learned to lean on God
by Susan Mires
Thursday, July 2, 2009

Heart heavy with each step, Julia Moore walked around the perimeter of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.
Her husband, Donald, lay dying with cancer. Their five children faced an uncertain future. Anguish had driven Julia from bed in the middle of the night to pace and pray.
Donald had enrolled at seminary in Dallas, Texas, with dreams of serving God as a bi-vocational minister. However, the discovery of Hodgkins lymphoma meant a much different path. As Julia walked the sidewalks that night, she begged God not to waste the experience, but to use it for something good.

Up and down business
by Susan Mires
Tuesday, June 30, 2009

For Dennis Smith, business is going up. And down. Mr. Smith opened Express Elevator Co. earlier this year, putting his 23 years of experience to work. As an independent business, Mr. Smith said he can offer personal service at an affordable rate.

Camp should provide economic boost
by Susan Mires
Saturday, June 27, 2009

The Kansas City Chiefs training camp could arrive at just the right time for St. Joseph, some local leaders believe.

Vektek workers planning garage sale
by Susan Mires
Friday, June 26, 2009

The recession has taken a toll on many workers.

Lake Avenue Sonic one of top 300 in nation
by Susan Mires
Thursday, June 25, 2009

The Sonic Drive-In crew at 5810 Lake Ave. in St. Joseph one step closer to qualifying for the National Finals of the 16th annual Dr Pepper Sonic Games.

Raising a glass to owners of small firms
by Susan Mires
Thursday, June 25, 2009

If you’re feeling down about the future of American business, may I suggest buying milk.

Boehringer expands in Mitchell Woods
by Susan Mires
Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica is expanding in Mitchell Woods Business Park.

Dairy dazzles ag official
by Susan Mires
Saturday, June 20, 2009

Leroy Shatto poured the Missouri Director of Agriculture a sample of an experimental flavor of milk: Cotton candy. Director Dr. Jon Hagler exclaimed it was excellent.

Navigating Facebook, one friend at a time
by Susan Mires
Thursday, June 18, 2009

Of all the things Facebook has given our society, the greatest, I believe, is that it has transformed the word friend into a verb.

St. Joe’s future rides its history
by Susan Mires
Thursday, June 11, 2009

Dueling mayors attended the send-off for the Pony Express this week. Mayor Ken Shearin, standing tall in a Stetson, administered the oath to the riders who on Tuesday morning re-enacted the historic event of the first letter to leave St. Joseph for the West Coast.

Higher KCP&L rates OK'd
by Susan Mires
Thursday, June 11, 2009

Electric rates will be increasing for customers of Kansas City Power & Light.
The Missouri Public Service Commission reached a settlement Wednesday on KCP&L’s request for more income to pay for environmental upgrades at its coal-fired power plants, including Iatan in Platte County.
The final agreement approves an 11.85 percent hike. That amounts to $8.58 more per month for the average customer. KCP&L figures the average customer uses 700 kilowatt hours in the winter and 1,200 in the summer, said Katie McDonald, company spokeswoman.

More employers looking at social networking sites
by Susan Mires
Tuesday, June 9, 2009

If you’re looking for a job, you may want to do more than brush up your resume.
You may also want to re-examine your Facebook page.
More and more, employers are prowling social network sites — such as Facebook, MySpace and Twitter — to check on potential new hires.

Chester’s opens restaurant on St. Joseph Avenue
by Susan Mires
Saturday, June 6, 2009

A new fast food option is now available on St. Joseph Avenue. Chester’s opened Friday adjacent to the Fastgas convenience store at 1702 St. Joseph Ave. The fried chicken restaurant opens each day at 6 a.m. serving breakfast sandwiches and biscuits and gravy, said store manager Michael Payne.

The potholed path to progress
by Susan Mires
Thursday, June 4, 2009

Fear of a flat tire kept me from making it all the way down the next great Avenue of Progress.

WireCo reduces hours
by Susan Mires
Tuesday, June 2, 2009

About 200 workers with WireCo World Group are having their hours reduced.

Looking for justa few more signs of light
by Susan Mires
Thursday, May 28, 2009

On the quiz “How Missouri Are You?” I earned the top score.

Legal experts stress Sotomayor's credentials
by Susan Mires
Wednesday, May 27, 2009

The nomination of Sonia Sotomayor for the U.S. Supreme Court has pleased at least one local attorney.
Ms. Sotomayor is a woman and the first Hispanic nominated for the court, but Pam Cone is pleased about another characteristic.

Truck staging area part of bridge plan
by Susan Mires
Tuesday, May 26, 2009

The first step has begun to build a bridge over the railroad tracks in the South Side.
The St. Joseph Regional Port Authority has purchased 16.42 acres that will be used for a truck staging area adjacent to the proposed bridge.
The land was purchased for $262,000 from Canal Capital Corp., which owns the St. Joseph Stockyards. The empty property is located just north of Beaver Street, which will link with the new bridge from King Hill Avenue.
“It fits very nicely into the overall scheme,” said Brad Lau, executive director of the Port Authority.

A mirage vision of Downtown
by Susan Mires
Thursday, May 21, 2009

Consultants, with the trendiest of vocabulary, recently met with “stakeholders” to “map out” a “vision” for revitalizing Downtown St. Joseph.

Small businesses now able to receive recovery funds
by Susan Mires
Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Bailouts aren’t just for big banks and auto manufacturers anymore.
For the first time, small businesses can receive money through America’s Recovery Capital. The loans offer exceptional terms: no collateral is required and no interest is charged.
The loans could provide a lifeline to family businesses trying to stay afloat in the recession.

No invitations, no problem for these newlyweds
by Susan Mires
Friday, May 15, 2009

The guests came for a graduation party. Family and friends of Melissa Steadman and Jake Johnson gathered at Krug Park Saturday evening to celebrate their graduation from Missouri Western State University earlier that day.

Garden is where the heart is
by Susan Mires
Thursday, May 14, 2009

The sun broke through the light haze of a July morning in Northwest Missouri.

Housing on the rebound?
by Susan Mires
Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Spurred by low interest rates and government rebates, the housing market may have turned a corner.

Home canning workshops offered in region
by Susan Mires
Monday, May 11, 2009

As interest grows in gardening and home canning, workshops will be offered to teach food preservation skills.

Herzog
by Susan Mires
Thursday, May 7, 2009

Herzog celebrates its 40th anniversary today.

Here’s a tip for the tight-fisted
by Susan Mires
Thursday, May 7, 2009

The teacher can be pleased that she motivated me to do some math.

Ethanol standing gets a little gas
by Susan Mires
Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Ethanol supporters are encouraged by two developments on the national scene Tuesday.

Farmers fret as rain delays planting
by Susan Mires
Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Wet weather has put planting behind, but farmers are hopeful dry weather will hold. “It’s dry on top, but there’s still a lot of wet holes,” said Donnie Miller of St. Joe AgriService. Corn planting in Missouri is 18 days behind the normal pace, according to Missouri Agriculture Statistics Service. By the beginning of May, farmers usually have about two-thirds of the corn crop planted. This year, only 29 percent is planted in Northwest Missouri.

Swine flu outbreak fuels tracking concerns
by Susan Mires
Sunday, May 3, 2009

An outbreak of swine flu may impact the region’s animal agriculture.
The biggest challenge for pork producers is that people associate the disease with pork.
“It has nothing to do with pigs,” said Don Nikodim, executive vice president of the Missouri Pork Association.

Landfill will continue to accept sludge
by Susan Mires
Saturday, May 2, 2009

Industrial sludge that is the focus of lawsuits will continue to go into the St. Joseph Sanitary Landfill.
The sludge is produced at National Beef Leathers, formerly known as Prime Tanning, in St. Joseph.
Bruce Woody, director of public works for the city, said in a memo to the City Council that the landfill has accepted loads of sludge from Prime Tanning in the past and will continue to do so.
“Prime Tanning/National Beef Leather’s sludge has been tested and shown to have only 2 percent of the allowed chromium content. There is no regulatory reason to refuse this sludge,” the memo states.

Sometimes industry stinks
by Susan Mires
Thursday, April 30, 2009

A drive down Stockyards Expressway is like a field trip for your nose.

A possible vaccine for swine flu?
by Susan Mires
Tuesday, April 28, 2009

A potential solution to swine flu could come out of St. Joseph.
Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica has developed a vaccine for swine flu that is currently waiting for regulatory approval from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
“It won’t be the solution, but it is one tool,” said George Heidgerken, president and chief operating officer of Boehringer.

Swine flu not affecting Triumph Foods
by Susan Mires
Monday, April 27, 2009

Swine flu is having a minimal impact on local pork-related businesses today. Triumph Foods is operating as normal, said Patt Lilly, chief administrative officer.

Tannery continues to dispute lawsuit claims
by Susan Mires
Saturday, April 25, 2009

Prime Tanning continues to dispute claims linking it to health problems in the area.

Company reacts to findings
by Susan Mires
Friday, April 24, 2009

Prime Tanning and others are disputing claims that chromium 6 is to blame for an outbreak of tumors.
Environmental activist Erin Brockovich told a group in Cameron, Mo., that sludge from Prime Tanning spread on farm fields could be linked to brain tumors and other health problems in the area. Two residents filed a lawsuit against the company on Wednesday.

Green light to new power
by Susan Mires
Thursday, April 23, 2009

The bronze age required bronze; the iron utilized iron.

Why the school issues failed
by Susan Mires
Thursday, April 9, 2009

Bravely, I will bear the burden of being proven right.

Lending young farmers a hand
by Susan Mires
Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Craig Evans lives in the same house where he grew up, on the farm his grandfather bought 64 years ago and where he and his wife, Kelly, are raising their three children. Visiting the Evans farm near Lathrop Tuesday, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack praised that heritage. “It’s important to be rooted, which is one of the values rural America provides, to be rooted and connected to the land,” Mr. Vilsack said.

Johnson Controls cuts 54 jobs
by Susan Mires
Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Johnson Controls has laid off 54 workers in St. Joseph. The company employs more than 300 employees in St. Joseph, producing automotive batteries. The company employs more than 300 employees in St. Joseph, producing automotive batteries.

54 Johnson Control Workers Cut
by Susan Mires
Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Local workers fall victim to automotive parts slowdown.

Heartland may outsource some technology services
by Susan Mires
Friday, April 3, 2009

Heartland Regional Medical Center is considering outsourcing some of its technology services.

Business leaders rally for issues
by Susan Mires
Friday, April 3, 2009

A global economy demands new schools, business leaders say.

Heartland considers changes to technology department
by Susan Mires
Thursday, April 2, 2009

Heartland Regional Medical Center is considering outsourcing some of its technology services. The move could cause jobs to be eliminated at Heartland.

Triumph buy of plant just 'speculation'
by Susan Mires
Thursday, April 2, 2009

Triumph Foods downplayed a report linking it to a packing plant in Illinois.

Time for tea and taxes
by Susan Mires
Thursday, April 2, 2009

With April 15, as well as the April 7 election, breathing down our necks, taxes have been in my thoughts a lot lately.

Businesses see long-term benefit in school issues
by Susan Mires
Sunday, March 29, 2009

As far as business leaders see it, the road to the future leads through St. Joseph’s elementary schools. The business community has come out strongly in favor of the school district’s proposed school bond and renewal of the operating levy. “It’ll help us grow and ultimately attract new businesses to the community,” said Dr. Gary Clapp, director of the Institute for Industrial and Applied Life Sciences.

We need to grow our own farm team
by Susan Mires
Thursday, March 26, 2009

He always liked to hire farm kids, a retired businessman told me, because they had a sense of what needed to be done and jumped in and did it.

Interest in science has taken her far
by Susan Mires
Wednesday, March 25, 2009

St. Joseph, with its research labs and factories, has played a pivotal role in developing many animal health products.
This month, the first animal vaccine to combat deadly E. coli bacteria achieved federal approval, and a Lafayette High School graduate was involved in the research.
Ashley Thornton conducted efficacy trials for the drug for her thesis in veterinary biomedical science at Kansas State University. She said the cattle vaccine, licensed by Epitopix of Willmar, Minn., is a huge step toward fighting the deadly food safety issue.