Lauren Schwentker
Multimedia Journalist

Lauren shoots, writes, and edits stories for the evening KY3 newscasts.
Lauren is a Missouri native. She graduated from the University of Missouri School of Journalism where she studied Broadcast Journalism with an emphasis in reporting and anchoring.
Education
Updated: Nov. 7, 2023 at 5:37 PM CST
|By KY3 Staff and Lauren Schwentker
That program, known as the Autism Support Can Empower New Directions (ASCEND) Program, will now be known as the TJ Swift House ASCEND Program.
Updated: Oct. 23, 2023 at 9:26 PM CDT
|By Lauren Schwentker
Now that recreational marijuana is legal in Missouri, law enforcement is looking for the right way to look for impairment behind the wheel.
Updated: Sep. 26, 2023 at 7:31 PM CDT
|By Lauren Schwentker and Andrew McMunn
Temu seems to offer customers almost anything from clothing to electronics at prices that could be too good to be true.
Updated: Jul. 26, 2023 at 10:03 PM CDT
|By Lauren Schwentker
Missourians can apply for a license to run a marijuana micro-business starting Thursday.
Updated: Jun. 6, 2023 at 9:36 PM CDT
|By Lauren Schwentker
Missouri is working to get more teachers into the classroom, and a critical test they must take to qualify to teach specific courses will be free.
Updated: Jun. 2, 2023 at 9:36 PM CDT
|By Lauren Schwentker
The report shows a slight decline in the high vacancy and turnover rates experienced in 2021 but were still higher than historical rates.
Updated: Mar. 14, 2023 at 10:58 PM CDT
|By Lauren Schwentker
Missouri is on track to set a record for marijuana sales in the United States.
Updated: Feb. 15, 2023 at 9:51 PM CST
|By Lauren Schwentker
The state’s program director expects this to happen when eligibility renewals resume on April 1 after a three-year-long hiatus due to the pandemic.
Updated: Jan. 20, 2023 at 9:52 PM CST
|By Lauren Schwentker
A West Plains man lost thousands of dollars after trying to buy a puppy from an online business that goes by the name “Royal City Paw.”
Updated: Jan. 19, 2023 at 9:52 PM CST
|By Lauren Schwentker
Teacher pay in Missouri ranks among the lowest in the country. Governor Parson proposes to change that.
Updated: Dec. 27, 2022 at 9:03 PM CST
|By Lauren Schwentker
The recent arctic blast burned a hole in some pocketbooks of boaters paying thousands in towing and repairs.
Updated: Dec. 19, 2022 at 9:00 PM CST
|By Lauren Schwentker
Below zero temperatures are headed our way so local plumbers say now is a good time to prepare your pipes before the arctic blast.
Updated: Nov. 30, 2022 at 10:27 PM CST
|By Lauren Schwentker
Eighty-seven school shooting threats have been reported in 2022 to the Missouri State Highway Patrol through their “Courage2Report” app.
Updated: Aug. 28, 2022 at 8:03 PM CDT
|By Lauren Schwentker
A new law requires Missouri voters to show a photo ID to vote. The law also removes mail-in ballots while allowing certain absentee ballots.
Updated: Jul. 5, 2022 at 4:09 PM CDT
|By Lauren Schwentker
Missouri is changing its teaching requirements to combat a widespread shortage.
Updated: May. 22, 2022 at 6:45 PM CDT
|By Lauren Schwentker
Storms Saturday knocked out power to thousands in the Ozarks.
Updated: Apr. 8, 2022 at 12:58 PM CDT
|By Lauren Schwentker
City leaders and Evergy held a ribbon-cutting ceremony Friday morning.
Updated: Mar. 11, 2022 at 4:54 PM CST
|By Lauren Schwentker
Law enforcement officers and first responders around southwest Missouri paid respects to fallen Joplin officer Ben Cooper on Friday morning as he was escorted to Republic.
Updated: Feb. 25, 2022 at 4:29 PM CST
|By Lauren Schwentker
Missouri Governor Mike Parson signed a supplemental budget giving the go-ahead for the distribution of the money.
Updated: Jan. 9, 2022 at 9:21 PM CST
|By Lauren Schwentker
January is National Human Trafficking prevention month as it marks the anniversary of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000.
Updated: Dec. 17, 2021 at 5:06 PM CST
|By Lauren Schwentker
One family from the Southern Hills Neighborhood is shocked after porch pirates targeted their home Thursday morning, stealing a pair of Christmas angels off of their front porch.
Updated: Oct. 17, 2021 at 10:14 PM CDT
|By Lauren Schwentker
Family and friends are searching for answers in the death of Tim Blackburn as authorities continue a manhunt for two suspects wanted in the investigation.
Updated: Oct. 5, 2021 at 12:20 PM CDT
|By KY3 Staff and Lauren Schwentker
The “Slap a Teacher” challenge is making the rounds. And it put many school districts on high alert.
Updated: Oct. 3, 2021 at 10:07 PM CDT
|By Lauren Schwentker
If you drive down the highway and see something unfamiliar on the side of the road you are not alone.
Updated: Aug. 26, 2021 at 9:16 AM CDT
|By Lauren Schwentker
The Missouri pediatricians and the Missouri Foundation for Health recently teamed up to create a campaign that aims to protect kids from COVID-19 by increasing adult vaccinations throughout the state.
Updated: Jul. 5, 2021 at 5:35 PM CDT
|By Lauren Schwentker
Mercy Springfield is treating more than 100 patients for COVID-19, and the hospital is running short on ventilators.