TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Relatives of a man who died while serving a life sentence for killing a northeast Kansas woman are seeking $1 million in damages and threatening to file a lawsuit.

The family of Roger Hollister sent letters last month to the Kansas Department of Corrections, the Nemaha County Attorney’s Office, the Atchison County Sheriff’s Office, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation and a former prison health care contractor.

The letters allege that infirmary staff at the El Dorado Correctional Facility failed to adequately treat Hollister before the 61-year-old died March 20. He was convicted in 2011 of first-degree murder in the death of 58-year-old Patricia Kimmi, of rural Horton.

Kimmi disappeared in November 2009, and her remains weren’t found until May 2010.

MoDOT is warning motorists about refreezing on Northwest Missouri highways overnight.

The new year started with a new snow storm and Missouri Department of Transportation crews have been working around the clock to clear roadways.

As the sun sets and temperatures begin to fall, however, melting snow and wet roads can refreeze making black ice a concern on roadways, especially on bridges and overpasses. MoDOT urges renewed caution when driving even if roads appear to be clear.

“Our crews have been out working to clear state highways in Northwest Missouri since the first flakes started to fall,” said MoDOT Northwest District Engineer Don Wichern. “They’ve been able to get many roads back to a clear or near normal state, but that could mean wet and wet roads have the potential to refreeze.”

Currently, all major routes in Northwest Missouri are clear of snow and ice, but they could be wet or even refreeze as the temperatures drop. MoDOT crews will continue to work to plow lower volume roads over the next few days.

The State of Missouri has seen a dramatic drop in traffic fatalities since 2005.

Colonel Ron Replogle, superintendent of the Missouri State Highway Patrol, announced some encouraging year-end statistics from the highways of the Show Me State.

Missouri recorded 741 traffic fatalities in 2013. This is a 41 percent decrease from the 1,257 fatalities recorded in 2005.

Each year for the past seven year period, with the exception of 2012’s slight increase, the number of traffic deaths has dropped.

This is only the second time since 1949 that Missouri has experienced less than 800 traffic fatalities.

The total number of traffic crashes has decreased as well. While the total crash information for 2013 is not available at this point, from 2005 to 2012 the total of all Missouri traffic crashes decreased 21%.

“This is an important trend that the Patrol would like to see continue,” said Col. Replogle. “Every trooper is committed to working with other agencies to further reduce the number of traffic deaths in our state. We believe education and enforcement encourage safe driving, which results in fewer traffic fatalities. I want to thank the public for helping to make this year safer than last year.”

Of the 741 people killed in traffic crashes in 2013, 63% of those required to be restrained, were not at the time of the crash. The Patrol encourages motorists to protect themselves by making sure everyone in the vehicle is properly restrained in a seat belt or child restraint.

Kansas City Chief Dustin Colquitt will be the keynote speaker at the Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast in Saint Joseph. Mayor Bill Falkner says the Pro Bowl punter is an exciting choice for the May first event.

Colquitt was a consensus first-team All American at the University of Tennessee, a third-round draft pick of the Chiefs in 2005. Last year he signed a five-year contract that made him, at that time,  the NFL’s highest-paid punter. In 2010 he won the Ed Block Courage Award, presented annually to players voted by their teammates as role-models of inspiration, sportsmanship, and courage.

The Center for Multicultural Education and the Division of Student Affairs at Missouri Western State University are calling for nominations for the Drum Major for Justice Award, honoring the legacy and selfless leadership of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

The award will be presented to individuals who are committed to social justice, multicultural education, service and, for student nominees, academic excellence. It is given to one Missouri Western student, one Missouri Western employee, and one member of the St. Joseph community.

All nominees will be invited to the Martin Luther King Banquet on Jan. 22, 2014, where the winners will be announced.

To nominate an individual, download and complete an application form at www.missouriwestern.edu/cme. Completed forms must be returned to the Center for Multicultural Education by 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 15. Forms can be returned in person at Blum Union 210; by mail to 4545 Down Drive, St. Joseph, Mo., 64507, or by email at [email protected].