News for Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Blue Tigers swept away at Truman

Lincoln women fall to No. 7 seed in MIAA Tournament while men are eliminated from playoff contention.

Jays end season with 74-60 loss to Hickman

Jefferson City was finally getting it together. The Jays stopped turning the ball over and started getting stops while erasing an early eight-point deficit. Then Douglas Johnson happened.

Helias heads to district title game after 66-25 rout of Boonville

Up by 18 points at the half, the Helias Crusaders didn’t really need a great effort to finish off Wednesday night’s game against the Boonville Pirates.

Missouri not alone in diverting mortgage settlement money

The ink wasn’t even dry on a settlement with the nation’s top mortgage lenders when Gov. Jay Nixon laid claim to a chunk of the money to avert a huge budget cut for public colleges and universities.

National meth lab busts up in 2011

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Methamphetamine lab seizures rose nationally again in 2011, further evidence the powerfully addictive and dangerous drug is maintaining a tight grip on the nation’s heartland, according to an Associated Press survey of the nation’s top meth-producing states.

High court torn over law banning lies about medals

WASHINGTON (AP) — Free speech cases before the Supreme Court often lead justices to consider far-fetched scenarios, and Wednesday’s argument over a law making it a crime to lie about having received top military honors was no exception.

Teenage girl dies after inhaling helium at party

EAGLE POINT, Ore. (AP) — Last weekend, 14-year-old Ashley Long told her parents she was going to a slumber party. But instead of spending the night watching videos and eating popcorn two blocks away, she piled into a car with a bunch of her friends and rode to a condo in Medford, Ore., where police say the big sister of one of her friends was throwing a party with booze and marijuana.

Congressional offices receive mailed threats

WASHINGTON (AP) — Some congressional offices outside Washington and media organizations have received threatening letters containing a suspicious powdery substance that was tested and proved to be harmless, the FBI and the Senate’s top law enforcement officer said Wednesday.

2 shot, 1 dead at Va. Wal-Mart distribution center

DINWIDDIE, Va. (AP) — An employee of a Wal-Mart Stores Inc. distribution center in Virginia shot and wounded his manager Wednesday, then killed himself as deputies approached him, authorities said.

Stepmom, grandmother charged in Ala. girl’s death

GADSDEN, Ala. (AP) — The grandmother and stepmother of a 9-year-old Alabama girl who died after witnesses said she was forced to run for three hours as punishment for lying have been charged with murder and are being held in jail.

Oil price lower after 4-day rise

NEW YORK (AP) — A four-day rise in oil prices stalled Wednesday following a weak report on Chinese manufacturing and lingering concerns about Greece’s bailout.

Home sales jump more than 4 percent in January

WASHINGTON (AP) — Sales of previously occupied homes rose in January to the highest pace in nearly two years, a hopeful sign ahead of the spring-buying season.

Mo. House votes to pare back election recounts

The Missouri House has passed legislation limiting the ability of losing candidates to seek recounts in close elections.

Panel works to draw new Mo. Senate districts

A bipartisan commission is meeting in Jefferson City to draw new boundaries for Missouri’s 34 state Senate districts.

UM leader urges vote on domestic partner benefits

The new president of the University of Missouri system wants curators to soon decide whether to offer domestic partner benefits to campus workers.

Mo. senator calls for debate on I-70 tolls measure

A Missouri senator says he wants the full chamber to debate a measure allowing tolls on Interstate 70.

MoDOT meeting today for Callaway Co. bridge replacements

MoDOT will hold an open-house community briefing today from 4:30 - 6 p.m. to discuss plans to replace three bridges located in Callaway County. The bridges include:

Mo. attorney general seeks $3M to remodel offices

The Missouri attorney general’s office is proposing to use money from consumer fraud cases to renovate its office space.

Your Opinion: Concerned about unlabeled GMO foods

We’re being poisoned. Every day Americans are buying food with Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) in them.

Your Opinion: Federal health care in the schools

The Health and Human Services (HHS) mandate which has been considered by some an attack on religious liberty may turn out to be the gift that keeps on giving.

Our Opinion: Continue to offer driver's test in foreign languages

We still have reservations about proposed legislation to end Missouri’s process of offering driver’s license tests in foreign languages.

Koster to appeal MOSIRA ruling

Attorney General Chris Koster said this morning he will appeal Cole County Circuit Judge Dan Green's Monday ruling that the Missouri Science and Innovation Reinvestment Act, known as "MOSIRA," is unconstitutional.

Springfield council certifies E-Verify requirement

The Springfield City Council reluctantly certified a voter-approved ordinance requiring employers to use a federal program to check their employees’ immigration status.

Theft suspect falls 50 feet at rock quarry

A man suspected of trying to steal scrap metal is hospitalized after falling more than 50 feet from a cliff at a rock quarry in St. Louis County while trying to elude police.

Woman falls asleep, crashes into restaurant

A woman is expected to face charges after falling asleep at the wheel while waiting for her food at a McDonald’s in St. Louis County, then crashing into a neighboring restaurant.

Mo. county steps up investigation of overdoses

Another rash of drug overdose deaths is leading to greater scrutiny in eastern Missouri’s Franklin County.

Missouri state parks see rise in attendance

Attendance at Missouri state parks has risen for the third straight year after a 10-year decline.

Mo. senator pushes for broader ’move over’ law

Missouri drivers could have to move over for more than just emergency vehicles under legislation pending in the state Senate.

Feds could help fund storm shelters at Mo. fair

Campers at the Missouri State Fairgrounds could get new shower facilities thanks to a federal grant for storm shelters.

Mo. Supreme Court to examine state House map

The Missouri Supreme Court will hear arguments next week on a fourth challenge to the state’s political redistricting process.

Downtown churches coordinate Lenten services

Various congregations across town enter into the Lenten season today with their own Ash Wednesday services.

MOSIRA foes hail ruling against law

The group that challenged the MOSIRA law is happy with Cole County Circuit Judge Dan Green’s ruling on Monday that the law is unconstitutional.

Congress targets federal workers for savings

Federal workers have become the go-to targets as Congress, and the White House, search for ways to lower the deficit, pay for tax cuts and put off looming reductions to defense spending.

Russellville High School students evacuated

An electrical problem led to an evacuation of students Tuesday morning at Russellville High School.

Increase in Capitol security proposed

An eastern Missouri resident upset about rising gasoline prices sent an e-mail to state Senate President Rob Mayer early Tuesday morning with a message that included: “S--t may hit the fan. Hey! How is GIFFORDS?”

Senators debate birth control measure

Several Democratic senators raised concerns Tuesday about a Missouri proposal that would let employers refuse to provide health insurance coverage for birth control, abortions and sterilization procedures.

State board OKs No Child waiver

The Missouri Board of Education voted Tuesday to allow the state to request a waiver from the federal No Child Left Behind education law’s requirement all students be able to do math and reading at grade level by 2014.

Ex-judge in Massachusetts defends forced abortion ruling

A retired Massachusetts judge on Tuesday defended her decision to order a mentally ill woman to have an abortion and be sterilized against her wishes, and she blasted Boston University for rescinding a job offer after her ruling sparked controversy.

House rejects plan to increase some farm taxes

Missouri lawmakers took an initial step Tuesday toward rejecting a proposal that would lead to higher property taxes for the state’s highest-producing farms.

Fulton businessman objects to county plan to drop lease

The owner of downtown Fulton offices leased to the county is objecting to a recent decision by the Callaway County Commission to purchase a building instead of leasing from him.

Southern Baptist leaders OK ‘Great Commission’

Some Southern Baptists worry their denomination’s name still carries the stigma of a 19th century split with northern Baptists over slavery.

Romney says Obama has ‘fought against religion’

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney said Tuesday that President Barack Obama’s administration has “fought against religion” and sought to substitute a “secular” agenda for one grounded in faith.

Muslim monitoring sparks outrage

New York City’s mayor faced off with the president of Yale University on Monday over efforts by the city’s police department to monitor Muslim student groups.

Obama promotes modest American dream

This time around, President Barack Obama’s message can sound decidedly down-to-earth.

Duo's lawyer blames fans for Indiana injuries

Fans who were killed and injured when stage rigging and sound equipment collapsed onto them as they awaited a Sugarland concert at the Indiana State Fair failed to take steps to ensure their own safety and are at least in part to blame for their injuries, the country duo’s attorneys said.

Santorum blasts Obama’s motives on power, abortion

A surging Rick Santorum is making increasingly harsh remarks about President Barack Obama, questioning not just the president’s competence but his motives and even his Christian values.

NJ man charged with repeatedly running over lover

A man angry that his girlfriend was trying to break up with him struck her with his car and repeatedly backed over her body, prosecutors said Tuesday in charging him with murder.

Authorities say children tied to bed in Texas home

The eight children confined in a small, dark bedroom with a piece of plywood over the window included two 2-year-olds tied to a bed and a 5-year-old girl “in a restraint on a filthy mattress,” the child welfare worker who discovered them said in a court document.

Court: Rights don’t have to be read to prisoners

The Supreme Court said Tuesday investigators don’t have to read Miranda rights to inmates during jailhouse interrogations about crimes unrelated to their current incarceration.

Munch’s ‘The Scream’ to sell in NY

One of four versions of Edvard Munch’s masterpiece “The Scream” will be sold this spring in New York, Sotheby’s auction house announced Tuesday.

Helias focused on semifinal matchup with Boonville

The Helias Crusaders are taking it one game at a time.

US apologizes for Quran burning

The U.S. apologized Tuesday for the burning of Muslim holy books that had been pulled from the shelves of a detention center library adjoining a major base in eastern Afghanistan because they contained extremist messages or inscriptions.

Greek bailout wards off disaster

A second $172 billion bailout and a deep debt write-off for financially stricken Greece will ward off a financial disaster in Europe.

UK court OKs legal claim to be served via Facebook

Status update: You’re sued.

Must win for Lincoln against Truman St.

It’s going to take something just short of a miracle.

Jays to face Hickman in district opener

Jefferson City gets a new life. A season plagued by injuries and player dismissals led to a late-season fade that saw the Jays drop nine straight games to end the year. Now with Class 5 District 9 Tournament play set to get under way, Jefferson City gets a chance to start anew.

News for Wednesday, February 22, 2012

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