(AP) – Federal officials say Stockton Dam in southwest Missouri is expected to begin generating hydroelectric power by early June after an upgrade made to its turbine blades.

In 2009, one of the turbine blades at the dam broke, sending vibrations through the dam’s powerhouse. The turbine was welded back on and put back into service but it was always considered only a temporary fix.

A week ago, the last of seven curved blades – each weighing 17,200 pounds – was successfully attached to a giant metal hub.

Rod Hendricks, operations project manager of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers dam at Stockton Lake, says it was the first major upgrade to the hydroelectric system since it went into operation in 1973.

(AP) – The new chief executive of Build-A-Bear Workshop Inc. sees a comeback in the near future for the Missouri-based company.

The company, which allows customers to customize and “build” stuffed animals, has seen its sales decline since in 2007, with only one profitable year in the last four years.

Sharon Price John, who became chief executive officer of the Overland-based company six months ago, says she is optimistic that changes initiated recently will help the company turn around.

John made her case to investors in a meeting last week at a conference in Florida.

She says the company declined in part because it did not respond to economic changes. Among other moves, the company is closing 60 underperforming stores and is updating its marketing.

 (AP) — Topeka police say a special operations division made several important arrests last year that helped take armed robbers off the streets.

In one case, seven people arrested last year have admitted to committing more than 40 armed robberies in the last six years. The seven were all charged under a federal statute and face long prison sentences.

Police Maj. Mike Haugen, the commander of the special operations division, says his division also helped break up a multistate robbery crew that hit Topeka. He says five people were involved in that ring, and they are all in federal custody. They are accused of robbing a Family Dollar and EZ Payday Advance in Topeka, as well as robberies throughout the Midwest and in Utah.

Congressman Kevin Yoder will hold a Town Hall Forum on Tuesday, January, 21st at Leawood City Hall. The Town Hall Forum is open to the public and open to the media.

“I always value the feedback I receive from constituents, and these town hall forums are a great way for me to hear directly from the Kansans I represent,” Congressman Yoder stated. “I look forward to giving an update on current legislation before Congress and answering questions from those who attend.”

Town Hall Forum Details

WHAT: Leawood Town Hall Forum

WHEN: Tuesday, January 21

1:30 PM – 2:30 PM

WHERE: Leawood City Hall – Community Center (lower level)

Oak Room

4800 Town Center Drive, Leawood

 (AP) — A Kansas law that regulated home inspectors has expired, raising concerns from home inspectors who helped write the law.

The law, which took effect in 2009, required Kansas home inspectors to follow certain practices and standards. But it had a provision that allowed it to expire five years after taking effect. The fifth year was 2013.

Gov. Sam Brownback vetoed a measure that would have allowed the law to continue, saying he didn’t see evidence that large numbers of Kansans were being ripped off by home inspectors.

Kerry Parham, president of the Kansas Association of Real Estate Inspectors, and Jeff Barnes, a Mulvane-based home inspector, helped write the law.

Parham said  the law kept incompetent or unethical inspectors out of the business, protecting the public.

U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill released the following statement after news that Cerner Corp. in Kansas City announced an expansion at the new Three Trails Crossing:

“This is terrific news for Kansas City jobs-and it’s further evidence that, far from the continued partisan bickering in Washington about the Affordable Care Act, the law is working to protect Missourians, expand insurance, and provide a boost to business opportunities. If ‘Obamacare’ is threatening the economy as some elected officials claim, then somebody forgot to tell the economy.”

Cerner has rapidly expanded over the past few years, with a significant portion of that growth attributed to federal information technology (IT) resources included in the Affordable Care Act, as well as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Cerner was previously identified as a company especially poised to benefit from the health care law-and last year, the company’s Executive Vice President was quoted in the Kansas City Star as saying that the Affordable Care Act has been the “full employment act” for health care IT professionals.

McCaskill also noted that the failure of the Missouri Legislature to expand Medicaid coverage as provided for in the Affordable Care Act, with the federal government covering most of the costs of the expansion, is harming the state economically. While health IT provisions-which cannot be blocked by the Missouri Legislature-are enabling companies like Cerner to add jobs, the failure to expand Medicaid in Missouri means that thousands of Missourians will not get access to healthcare coverage, that Missouri hospitals are being squeezed financially, and that thousands of jobs may be at risk or lost.

“One thing that we know that is threatening Missouri jobs, is the Legislature’s failure to expand Medicaid coverage,” McCaskill added. “Expanding Medicaid coverage will mean more folks in our state get the protection of health insurance, will provide resources for Missouri hospitals and doctors, and will create jobs. Every day that the Legislature delays expanding Medicaid means Missourians’ federal tax dollars are being spent in to other states.”