Chamber to Rally Local Businesses and Residents for Community Blood Drive

The drive will take place on Wednesday, Dec. 2, from noon to 4 p.m. at the Kearney Commercial Center. To make stopping by as convenient as possible, the donor bus will be parked on the west side of the Kearney Early Childhood Center.

Chamber organizers have set an ambitious goal of collecting at least 20 units of blood during the four-hour event, noting that every single donation provides a vital, lifesaving resource for patients and families in need.

To help surpass that target, the event is sparking a bit of friendly competition among the local business community. Chamber organizers are challenging area businesses to rally their teams and see which workplace can bring in the highest number of donors.

"This Small Business Season, we’re celebrating the many ways we can show up for one another — and sometimes the most meaningful gift we can give is our time," the Chamber shared in their announcement, tying the event to the seasonal message, “It’s the Thought That Counts.”

As an added incentive for community members to participate, everyone who donates blood during the drive will automatically be entered into a raffle to win a prize basket.

Residents are encouraged to mark their calendars, bring a friend, and take part in a simple act of kindness that directly impacts the Kearney community. Sign up at savealifenow.org/group and use group code EX20.

KPGZ News - Brian Watts contributed to this story.

Kearney Student Musicians Earn 34 All-District Honors

Kearney School District student musicians earned 34 honors at the Northwest All-District Band auditions Saturday, Nov. 7, in St. Joseph.

Students from Kearney Middle School, Kearney Junior High School and Kearney High School completed 38 auditions, earning recognition in four categories: Junior High Band, High School Honor Band, High School Concert Band and High School Jazz Band.

Students selected for the High School Honor Band will also have the opportunity to audition for the Missouri All-State Band on Saturday, Dec. 5.

The district credited the results to the students’ dedication and hours of practice, and recognized its band directors for supporting the musicians.

KPGZ News – Brian Watts contributed to this story.

Kearney Seeks Residents’ Input on License Plate Cameras

Kearney residents have until December 11, 2026, to weigh in on the city’s use of Flock automated license plate reader cameras through a community survey.

The Board of Aldermen is seeking feedback on whether residents support keeping the cameras, want additional restrictions or oversight, or oppose their use. The results will be presented to the mayor and aldermen to help guide future discussions about the program.

The survey is hosted on Polco, an online community engagement platform. Anyone may participate, but a Polco account is required. Because aldermen represent Kearney residents, the results presented to the board will focus on responses from verified city residents.

Residents must complete Polco’s verification process to have their responses included in those results. Participants who have not yet been verified will have an opportunity to complete that step after submitting the survey.

The survey is available HERE.

Information about how Kearney uses the cameras, the policies governing them and the Flock transparency portal is available at KearneyMO.us/Flock.

KPGZ News – Brian Watts contributed to this story.

Kearney Graduate Earns Chapter’s First American FFA Degree

Kearney High School graduate Stella DePrenger has become the first member of the Kearney FFA chapter to earn the American FFA Degree, one of the organization’s highest honors.

DePrenger, a member of the KHS Class of 2025, received the degree Oct. 24 at the 99th National FFA Convention & Expo in Indianapolis. She was among more than 5,800 members nationwide who received the honor this year.

Fewer than 1% of FFA members nationwide earn the American FFA Degree. The award recognizes achievement in agricultural education, leadership, career development and community service.

To qualify, recipients must demonstrate substantial hands-on experience through a supervised agricultural experience program, along with leadership and civic involvement. They must also complete at least 50 hours of community service.

DePrenger is now a sophomore at Northwest Missouri State University, where she is majoring in agricultural science.

Her recognition marks a first for the Kearney FFA chapter and a milestone for the district’s agricultural education program.

KPGZ News – Brian Watts contributed to this story.

Clay County seeks Applicants for Vacant Western District Commission Seat

The Clay County Commission is accepting applications through Dec. 11, 2026, from qualified Western District residents interested in filling a vacant seat on the commission.

The person appointed will serve the remainder of the current term, approximately two years. The application period opened Nov. 9.

Applicants must live in the Western District and be registered voters in both Clay County and the district. By the date they take office, they must have been county residents and registered voters for at least two years. The application requirements also call for at least one year of residency and voter registration in the Western District before taking office.

The appointee must remain a resident and registered voter of the county and Western District throughout the term and be committed to completing the remaining two years.

Candidates should expect to spend roughly five to 10 hours a week, at a minimum, on commission duties. That includes meetings, preparation, communication with constituents and other county business. The time commitment may vary depending on individual responsibilities and commission activities.

Applicants must also be familiar with the current Clay County Constitution and the qualifications and responsibilities of serving on the commission. Section 2.03 of the constitution sets the county residency and voter registration requirements, along with the district residency requirement for district commissioners.

KPGZ News – Brian Watts contributed to this story.