(AP) — Sheriff’s officers in western Missouri have recovered the body of an unidentified woman from railroad tracks in Cass County.
Union Pacific officials reported the discovery near Pleasant Hill to the sheriff’s office Thursday morning.
Investigators said the woman appeared to have been hit by a train within the previous 24 hours. A vehicle was found nearby, and investigators hoped it would help identify the woman.
Pleasant Hill is located about 25 miles southeast Kansas City.
U.S. Senator Roy Blunt (Mo.) co-sponsored an amendment introduced yesterday by U.S. Senator Jim Inhofe (Okla.) to the Senate’s unemployment insurance extension bill (S.1845) that would prohibit the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from finalizing any new regulation until it publicly reports how the agency’s existing regulations under the Clean Air Act are impacting the economy and job creation.
“I continue to hear from struggling job creators and small business owners in Missouri and nationwide that excessive regulations and high utility bills remain some of the biggest obstacles to job creation and economic growth,” Blunt said. “If we really want to address our long-term unemployment problem, it’s time that the EPA and the Obama Administration actually take into account the economic impact of their costly and onerous regulations.”
“Our economy has struggled to regain lost jobs from the 2008 recession largely in part to the Obama Administration’s costly regulatory agenda,” Inhofe said. “While the President likes to tout that the economy is recovering, behind closed doors his administration is creating regulations that are stifling innovation, production and job creation. Under the Obama Administration, the EPA has finalized countless regulations affecting every industry and preventing millions of American jobs from being created. My amendment is a common-sense solution to help bring an end to our long-term unemployment crisis and to bring much-needed transparency to the EPA’s reckless regulatory policies.”
The amendment would enforce section 321(a) of the Clean Air Act, which requires the EPA to conduct a study on how its regulations are affecting employment across the economy. In addition to Blunt, the amendment is also co-sponsored by U.S. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) and U.S. Senators John Cornyn (Texas), and David Vitter (La.).
URGENT – WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE KANSAS CITY/PLEASANT HILL MO
…MINOR ICE ACCUMULATIONS EXPECTED LATE TONIGHT AND FRIDAY MORNING…
.FREEZING DRIZZLE AND FOG ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP SOUTH OF INTERSTATE
70 LATER TONIGHT IN ADVANCE OF AN APPROACHING WARM FRONT.
PRECIPITATION WILL SPREAD NORTHWARD FRIDAY MORNING…AND WILL BECOME
STEADIER AND MORE WIDESPREAD IN THE FORM OF FREEZING RAIN. A GLAZING
OF ICE IS EXPECTED BEFORE TEMPERATURES STEADILY RISE ABOVE FREEZING
FROM SOUTH TO NORTH FRIDAY MORNING.
ATCHISON KS-DONIPHAN-LEAVENWORTH-WYANDOTTE-ATCHISON MO-NODAWAY-
WORTH-GENTRY-HARRISON-MERCER-PUTNAM-SCHUYLER-HOLT-ANDREW-DE KALB-
DAVIESS-GRUNDY-SULLIVAN-ADAIR-BUCHANAN-CLINTON-CALDWELL-
LIVINGSTON-LINN MO-MACON-PLATTE-CLAY-RAY-CARROLL-CHARITON-
RANDOLPH-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF…ATCHISON…TROY…LEAVENWORTH…
TARKIO…MARYVILLE…GRANT CITY…ALBANY…STANBERRY…BETHANY…
PRINCETON…UNIONVILLE…LANCASTER…DOWNING…MOUND CITY…
OREGON…SAVANNAH…CAMERON…GALLATIN…JAMESPORT…TRENTON…
MILAN…GREEN CITY…KIRKSVILLE…ST. JOSEPH…PLATTSBURG…
HAMILTON…POLO…CHILLICOTHE…BROOKFIELD…MACON…LA PLATA…
PARKVILLE…PLATTE CITY…WESTON…LIBERTY…EXCELSIOR SPRINGS…
RICHMOND…CARROLLTON…SALISBURY…KEYTESVILLE…MOBERLY
348 PM CST THU JAN 9 2014
…FREEZING RAIN ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 5 AM TO NOON CST
FRIDAY…
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN KANSAS CITY/PLEASANT HILL HAS
ISSUED A FREEZING RAIN ADVISORY…WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 5 AM TO
NOON CST FRIDAY.
* THIS ADVISORY IS FOR AREAS NORTH OF INTERSTATE 70 TO THE IOWA AND
NEBRASKA BORDERS.
* AREAS OF FREEZING DRIZZLE AND FREEZING RAIN ARE EXPECTED TO SPREAD
NORTH ACROSS THE ADVISORY AREA VERY LATE TONIGHT…AND ESPECIALLY
AFTER DAY BREAK. PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED TO BECOME STEADIER AND
MORE WIDESPREAD FRIDAY MORNING…ESPECIALLY EAST OF INTERSTATE 35.
PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED TO CHANCE TO PLAIN RAIN OR DRIZZLE
BETWEEN 9 AND NOON AS TEMPERATURES WARM INTO THE MID 30S.
* A GLAZE OF ICE WITH AMOUNTS LESS THAN A TENTH OF AN INCH IS
POSSIBLE ACROSS THE ADVISORY AREA THROUGH THE MORNING HOURS…WITH
CONDITIONS RAPIDLY IMPROVING THEREAFTER.
* IMPACTS…ROADWAYS WILL LIKELY SLICK AND HAZARDOUS FRIDAY MORNING ONCE
THE PRECIPITATION BEGINS. THE GREATEST IMPACTS WILL BE ON SECONDARY
COUNTY…RURAL ROADS AND SIDEWALKS THAT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN TREATED
FROM PREVIOUS RECENT WINTER EVENTS. SOME MINOR ICE ACCUMULATION MAY
ALSO OCCUR ON TREES AND OTHER ELEVATED SURFACES.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
A FREEZING RAIN ADVISORY MEANS THAT PERIODS OF FREEZING RAIN OR
FREEZING DRIZZLE WILL CAUSE TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE PREPARED FOR
SLIPPERY ROADS. SLOW DOWN AND USE CAU
The st. Joseph Metro Chamber will officially announce a name change and new logo at the group’s 94th annual Banquet on saturday, Jan. 11. The organization now will be called the st. Joseph Chamber of Commerce.
“The name better identifies the organization as a representative of the business community,” said R. Patt lilly, President/CeO of the st. Joseph Chamber of Commerce.
In 2011, the Chamber changed its name from the st. Joseph area Chamber of Commerce to the st. Joseph Metro Chamber.
“At the end of the day, the new name better describes that our focus is on the st. Joseph community,” Mr. lilly said. “while we partner with others in the region on a variety of issues, the truth is we are focused
on business and economic development in st. Joseph. The Chamber of
Commerce name has a national recognition, so simply calling ourselves the
st. Joseph Chamber of Commerce falls in line with other like entities.”
The new logo fits in the same logo family as the
Chamber’s economic Development Partnership logo. It is
important that the Chamber’s branding shows that economic development
and the Chamber are one and the same for the st. Joseph community.
The economic Development Partnership will focus marketing efforts in the
Kansas City area in 2014 and will encourage site selectors and those in the
Kansas City business community to “Think Outside the limits” and consider st. Joseph for business expansion.
The spark in both logos is representative of the partnership between private, public and not-for-profit sectors that are a part of a prosperous business community.
Chamber staff slowly started using both logos near the end of 2013, but will formally announce the
new name and logo on saturday night at its annual Banquet, which is the Chamber’s annual meeting of members. More than 800 people are expected to attend. The banquet will begin at 6:30 p.m. at the Civic arena. Reservations for this event have closed, however media is invited to attend to cover the event. The event’s theme is “The 1920s — a Roaring Good Time.” The event is presented by Commerce Bank.
(AP) — Police in northeast Kansas are investigating why a woman smashed her car into a payday loan store, pinning an employee behind a desk.
The incident happened around 10 a.m. Thursday at Ameribest Payday Loans and Check Cashing, located in a strip mall in the city of Olathe.
Police said the 65-year-old driver was trying to park her car but instead crashed through the store’s front window and an interior wall. A female employee suffered an ankle injury and was briefly pinned by her desk and debris. She was taken to a hospital to be checked.
Authorities are investigating whether the driver confused the brake and gas pedal.
(AP) Former Springfield City Councilman Nick Ibarra has been sentenced to 120 days in jail for two assault counts, armed criminal action and evidence tampering.
The 33-year-old Ibarra also was sentenced Thursday to five years’ probation. He pleaded guilty to the charges in November.
Ibarra’s ex-wife and Councilwoman Cindy Rushefsky spoke in his support before he was sentenced.
Ibarra resigned from the council in January 2012.
ST. JOSEPH – Shella Kay Wineinger, 57, passed away Wednesday, January 8, 2014 at a local hospital following a lifelong illness. Shella was born March 24, 1956 to Galen Wayne Sr. and Elizabeth Opal Ray Higdon in St. Joseph, where she resided her entire life.
In 1974 she graduated Benton High School. She was a charter member of Community Christian Church. On April 29, 1977, she married William Wineinger. Shella was a homemaker. She volunteered with CASA and also was a licensed hairdresser. She enjoyed creative writing, spending time with her grandchildren and family outings.
Preceding her in death was her father, Galen Higdon Sr.; brother, Forest Frederick Higdon; and nephew, Thomas Ray Higdon.
Survivors include her husband, William of 36 years; her mother and step-father, Elizabeth and Rudy Mejia; son, Bill Clayton (Lacy) Wineinger; brother, Galen Jr. (Lou Anne) Higdon, of St. Joseph; half-brother, Mark Paul Cannon, of Kansas City, Mo.; step-brother, Joey Mejia, of St. Joseph; step-sister, Terresa (Pepe) Rodriguez, of Raytown, Mo.; two grandchildren, McKinley Marie and Hudson Wade Wineinger; several nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews.
Services will be 11 a.m. Saturday, at Community Christian Church with pastor Brian Williams officiating. Interment will follow service in Bethel Cemetery, DeKalb, Mo. Visitation will be after 2 p.m. Friday, at Clark-Sampson Funeral Home, where family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to Community Christian Church. Online obituary and condolences at www.clarksampson.com
ST. JOSEPH – Darrell K. Meeker, 62, died Wednesday, January 8, 2014, at Heartland Regional Medical Center.
He was born May 24, 1951, to Jack and Phyllis (Landes) Meeker in Kansas City, Mo. He married Kathy C. Adams on September 24, 1978. She survives of the home. Darrell worked at the University of Missouri as a Business & Industry Specialist.
He loved God and family, giving his children eye-opening experiences, boy scouts, singing in the choir and reading.
He was preceded in death by his father.
Additional Survivors: children, Erika Berlin (Adam), New York City, N.Y.; Daniel Meeker, Kansas City, Mo.; and David Meeker, Nevada, Mo.; sisters, Donna Adamowicz (Kevin) and Julie Orahoske; brother, Tim Kistner (Angela); and mother.
Memorial Service: 2 p.m. Saturday, St. Paul Lutheran Church. For those wishing to make contributions, the family requests they be made to St. Paul Lutheran Church in lieu of flowers. Online guest book and obituary at www.meierhoffer.com
CareFusion Corp. has agreed to pay $40.1 million to settle allegations it paid kickbacks and promoted its medical technology products for uses not approved by the Food and Drug Administration.
The Justice Department announced the settlement Thursday with the California-based company of a whistleblower lawsuit unsealed in U.S. District Court in Kansas.
The deal also resolves claims that CareFusion paid more than $11.6 million in kickbacks to a physician who co-chaired the Safe Practices Committee at the National Quality Forum, a nonprofit group that recommends health care practices.
Dr. Cynthia Kirk, a former CareFusion vice president, initially filed the whistleblower lawsuit under provisions of the False Claims Act. The Justice Department says her share of the settlement is $3.26 million.
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — A northeast Kansas woman has pleaded guilty to trying to drown her two young daughters in a bathtub.
24-year-old Johnna Green, of Kansas City, Kan., entered the pleas Thursday to two counts of attempted second-degree murder. Wyandotte County prosecutors initially charged her with attempted first-degree murder.
Green called 911 last April 2 saying she had just killed her daughters, ages 1 and 4, by drowning them because they were sick. The dispatcher told her to take the girls out of the bathtub, and a police officer who found them unconscious on the floor began resuscitation efforts until an ambulance arrived.
Attorneys in court Thursday did not discuss the girls’ current conditions.
Green’s plea agreement calls for a sentence of nine years and 10 months.
(Update) 2:17pm — A Maryville teenager has pleaded guilty and been granted probation in a case that drew national and international attention.
Matthew Barnett will not face the more serious, sexual assault charges that were dismissed earlier.
A special prosecutor, Jackson County Prosecuting Attorney Jean Peters-Baker, gave the case a second look, and says the evidence does not support the more serious charge.
Peters-Baker on Thursday said a plea agreement has been in the works for some time. Barnett was required to write an apology to the victim Daisy, who remains hospitalized after a suicide attempt.
Barnett was ordered to serve two years probation.
He is also required to serve 100 hours of community service, and pay $1,800 in restitution to the victim.
Peters-Baker was brought in to take another look at the case last October. Nodaway County Prosecutor Robert Rice said he dismissed the original charges against Barnett because the victim and her mother quit cooperating, an assertion they both deny.
On January 8, 2012, Daisy, then 14, and a 13-year-old friend, said they were given alcohol and raped during a get-together with Barnett and two other students. One of the boys reportedly recorded part of the incident on video, but investigators said they have never seen the video.
The second degree misdemeanor charge stems from leaving the passed out, teenage girl outside her home with no shoes in the bitter January cold. She was found there by her mother.
Barnett is the grandson of a prominent, Nodaway County Republican. There were widespread accusations that Rice, also a Republican, gave the youth preferential treatment.
