Triggering a quick reaction

With all the talk of increased federal regulations on gun ownership, state lawmakers want the General Assembly to place extra protections for Missouri's residents from some of those federal regulations.

And several hundred Missourians are planning a rally at the Veterans Memorial at 1 p.m. Saturday, on the Capitol's north side, "to show that we are responsible people who are standing for our (2nd Amendment) rights."

Thursday morning, state Sen. Kurt Schaefer, R-Columbia, proposed a state constitutional amendment that would add protection of the family as a reason for owning a weapon.