(AP) Columbia police have arrested one man and are seeking two others in connection with a shooting death of a 23-year-old man.

Martrell T. Smith was charged Tuesday with second-degree murder in the death of Dontay Tolston last week in north-central Columbia.

Tolston died Thursday after being shot in what police say was a drug deal gone bad.

(AP) – It’s opening day at the Missouri Capitol, where lawmakers are gathering for the start of their annual session.

The session that begins at noon Wednesday will officially be known as the Second Regular Session of the 97th General Assembly. It will run through May 16.

The agenda will be topped by an effort for the second straight year to cut income taxes, and proposals to revamp a Missouri law allowing students in unaccredited districts to transfer to other nearby schools.

For the first time in a while, lawmakers also will be operating under different revenue projections than Gov. Jay Nixon. Those financial differences could be magnified when the Democratic governor outlines his budget proposals Jan. 21.

Republicans outnumber Democrats 108-52 in the House and 24-9 in the Senate.

 (AP) — An adventurous peacock had to be rescued by Chicago-area firefighters after he flew from his heated pen to a nearby tree and froze to a branch in subzero temperatures.

The Blue the peacock is recovering after Tuesday’s misadventure that lasted about 90 minutes.

Blue managed to fly from his enclosure at the Randall Oaks Barnyard Zoo in Dundee and perched atop a nearby pine.

Firefighters with a ladder helped zoo staff pluck the wayward bird from the tree. Temperatures at the time were 12 degrees below zero.

Brian Mangiaracina is Randall Oaks’ park and division manager. He says the whole thing was a “freakish accident” and that Blue is in quarantine.

Dundee is about 35 miles northwest of Chicago.

(AP) — Kansas City Power & Light Co. says it will expand its use of wind energy and other energy-efficiency programs.

The company announced Tuesday it will double its wind-generating capacity and open rebate programs to all Missouri customers.

The Kansas City Star reports (http://bit.ly/1kqnZ8a ) KCP&L plans to buy 400 megawatts of power from two new wind turbine facilities, increasing its wind energy portfolio to 939 megawatts. The sites will be in Coffey County, Kan. and Holt County, Mo. They are expected to produce power by early 2016.

No rate increase is expected because of the expansion and KCP&L says it doesn’t plan any increases in the next two years.

The utility also says it wants to expand energy-efficiency programs that promote such things as improved lighting and recycling older appliances.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Topeka officials and travelers celebrated as the first regularly scheduled commercial flight in years flew out of the city’s airport.

The first flight from Topeka to Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport took off as scheduled Tuesday afternoon, despite weather concerns that had canceled other flights across the country, including nearby Kansas City.

The United Airlines flight was the first commercial flight out of Topeka’s airport in six years.

Flights will depart at 6 a.m. and 3:14 p.m. daily for Chicago, with the return flights leaving Chicago at 1 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.

About one-third of the 36 people on the flight were local dignitaries or media members.

(AP) – A Missouri House member wants to cap fines at $50 for traffic offenses that don’t add points to a driver’s license.

Republican T.J. Berry, of Kearney, has filed his proposal for the annual legislative session that was starting Wednesday.

Berry says the measure targets automated speeding cameras that assess fines but don’t affect a driver’s standing. Current law allows speeding cameras to be posted in school, work and designated “Travel Safe” zones.

Berry says traffic offenses serious enough to carry heavy fines should also carry points. He added that his measure could also affect red light cameras and other parking tickets.

Following a New Year’s announcement of new actions to crack down on fraudulent and pervasive weight-loss scams, U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill is asking Missourians to weigh in with their personal experiences with deceptive advertising of fake weight-loss products, as she lays the groundwork for a Senate hearing into the issue.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the nation’s top consumer protection agency, announced $34 million in settlements against marketers of fraudulent weight-loss products who deceived consumers with baseless claims for products that include food additives, skin creams, and dietary supplements. Additionally, the FTC issued updated guidance for publishers and broadcasters on how to spot phony weight-loss claims when screening ads for publication.

McCaskill applauded the new guidelines and enforcement actions by the FTC, but said she is certain there is more to be done.

“It’s a good thing that action is being taken against these scam artists, but I refuse to believe these fraudsters are the only ones out there” said McCaskill, Chairman of the Consumer Protection Subcommittee. “I think this is just the tip of the iceberg, and that’s why I’m calling on folks across Missouri to tell me their personal experiences with these types of scams, so we can raise the curtain on these deceptive practices, and rein them in. Losing weight and improving our health is tough enough as it is, and the last thing consumers need is a dead-end product that delays their goal of a healthier, more fulfilling life.”

To report weight-loss scams, Missourians can use the ‘Submit Your Scam’ tool at www.McCaskill.senate.gov, which
allows constituents to submit personal stories and tips to help McCaskill crack down on scams and protect consumers.

McCaskill is also calling on publishers and broadcasters to quickly implement the FTC’s new guidelines for spotting false weight-loss claims in advertising. By adhering to these new rules, media outlets will be able to protect their reputations and prevent harming their customers by running claims known to be false.

After collecting Missourians’ first-hand accounts about weight-loss scams, McCaskill plans to lead a Senate hearing during the first half of 2014 to shine light on the widespread deception being aimed at consumers by marketers of weight-loss products and to determine what more can be done to protect consumers from these abuses.

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — A spokesman says developers of a state-owned casino in Kansas City, Kan., want more time to start building a promised hotel.

Vice president of marketing Dean Doria said Tuesday that Hollywood Casino won’t be able to break ground on the hotel in February. The casino is at Kansas Speedway.

The Kansas Lottery owns the rights to the gambling and receives some profits, but developers built the casino and manage it. They had promised to start building a 250-room hotel within two years of its February 2012 grand opening, or pay financial penalties.

Casino officials are scheduled to outline their new plans later this week to the commission of the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kan.