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Suspect in assault might be connected to KC homicides

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kansas City police are working to determine if a man arrested in the assault of three people at a motel is connected to a triple homicide in another part of the city.

Police say the man was arrested shortly before midnight as he walked along an interstate in north Kansas City. His arrest occurred about two miles from a motel where three people had been assaulted Tuesday afternoon. The victims of the assault were not seriously injured.

Investigators have not positively linked the man to a shooting in a south Kansas City neighborhood earlier Tuesday that left three dead and two wounded. They say in a news release that a vehicle taken from that homicide scene was found within blocks of the motel where the assaults occurred.

Mo. man injured when Hummer goes airborne

Missouri Highway Patrol  MHPINDEPENDENCE- A Missouri man was seriously injured in an accident just before midnight in Cass County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2004 Hummer driven by Byron N. Ohare, 40, Kingsville, was eastbound on MO 58 just east of Beattie Road. The vehicle ran off the right side of the road, struck a culvert, became airborne and overturned.

Ohare was transported to Centerpoint Hospital.

The MSHP reported Ohare was not wearing a seat belt.

Local Pro-Life Supporters Optimistic About Life At Conception Act

choose lifePro life supporters in Northwest Missouri say the Life At Conception Act recognizes the right to life of every unborn baby. Pat Baker of Saint Joseph, a member of Missouri Right to Life, says the Life at Conception Act is simple and straightforward: It answers the “when does life begin?” question that has kept Roe versus Wade on the books since 1973.

Congressman Sam Graves and five other Missouri members of the House have signed on as co-sponsors. Neither of Missouri’s two US Senators are on board as cosponsors of the Senate version.

The Life at Conception Act has yet to come to a vote in either chamber.

 

Holt County Fall Festival Kicks Off Wednesday

Holt County Fall Festival 2014Holt County celebrates starting Wednesday with a wide range of activities.

The 62nd annual Holt County Autumn Festival starts Wednesday with a baby contest, and ends on Saturday with a rock band and a bunch of men competing in drag in the Ugly Woman Contest.

The festival is Sept. 3-6 on the town square in Oregon. This year’s theme is “The Roaring ’20s.”

There’s a Children’s Parade Friday and the adult version on Saturday.   Live music is on tap Friday and Saturday.

The festivities on Saturday also include a 5K Fun Run starting 8am, a garden tractor pull, and a vintage car and tractor show.

The event is free and open to the public. You can find out more at the festival’s Facebook page.

Evans receives Outstanding Innovator award for business development

Evans
Evans

Northwest Media Release

Rebecca Evans, director of the Northwest Missouri State University’sSmall Business Technology and Development Center (SBTDC), has been named Outstanding Innovator for 2014 by the University of Missouri Extension Business Development Program.

Evans won the award at the program’s annual conference for creating a SBTDC Boot Camp for new counselors.

“Rebecca recognized a challenge and responded superbly,” said Steven L. Devlin, Business Development Program director. “In this case, the challenge was internal: How to best orient new staff and get them up to speed to become fully participating members of the BDP team, creating new businesses, jobs and prosperity. Through her own initiative, she created a curriculum and then delivered it to new counselors. We’ll be using this curriculum from here on in, thanks to Rebecca.”

This isn’t the first time Evans has been publicly recognized by the Business Development Program. In 2012, she was named the organization’s State Star, or top state counselor, for her contributions to local business growth.

Evans joined the Northwest SBTDC in 2007, serving in St. Joseph. She was named Northwest associate regional director in 2013 and assumed the regional director role earlier this year. She has advised or coached up to 200 businesses each year, creating sales increases of nearly $30 million for these businesses, investment increases of $10.5 million and 218 new jobs.

“One of the signs of a high-functioning organization is that when great work is done, those doing it make it look easy,” Devlin said. “Rebecca has a knack for solving complex problems in elegant ways. She is a tremendous asset to the BDP and northwest Missouri.”

Evans is a certified business coach, a Six Sigma Green Belt in process improvement and a Certified Economic Development Finance Professional. She also served on the board of examiners for the 2013 Missouri Quality Awards at the Excellence in Missouri Foundation. She holds a master’s degree from Missouri State University and a bachelor’s degree from Louisiana Tech University.

The Northwest SBTDC is sponsored by the U.S. Small Business Administration and covers 17 counties spanning from Atchison County, south to Platte County and east to Livingston County. It consists of three offices with a regional office at the Dean L. Hubbard Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship on the Northwest campus in Maryville and additional offices in Chillicothe and St. Joseph. For more information about the Northwest SBTDC, call 660.562.1701 or visit www.nwmissouri.edu/services/sbtdc/.

The Business Development Program works with Missouri companies to address management, marketing and financing issues. For more information on how the program may assist with finance, management and other small business management issues, visit www.missouribusiness.net.

Mo. workers’ comp insurance costs could fall

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri businesses could see a decline in their workers’ compensation insurance premiums next year.
The state insurance department says a new report by the National Council on Compensation Insurance indicates that insurers are likely to see a 3.7 percent drop in their “loss costs” for claims in 2015. Those loss projections typically are used by insurers when setting rates.
Insurance Department Director John Huff says the potential decline in workers’ compensation premiums is due largely to a decrease in the overall costs of medical claims.
At this time last year, the national council was projecting an 11.6 percent increase in “loss costs” for Missouri’s workers’ compensation insurers. That was due partly to a new law that shifted some injury claims to the workers’ compensation system from the state’s Second Injury Fund.

Kansas governor to unveil last part of platform

Governor Brownback meets students on the campaign trail
Governor Brownback meets students on the campaign trail

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback is preparing to outline the final part of his re-election campaign platform, focusing on protecting the state’s natural resources.

Brownback scheduled a news conference Wednesday morning at a Kansas River boat ramp inside Kaw River State Park in Topeka. He also planned a Wednesday afternoon event at Cheney Reservoir, west of Wichita.

The governor has been announcing the goals he’ll pursue if he wins a second, four-year term. Previous announcements have covered the economy, education and resisting federal regulations.

Brownback calls his platform “Road Map 2.0,” casting it as a follow-up to the “Road Map for Kansas” platform he outlined in 2010.

Brownback faces Democrat Paul Davis and Libertarian Keen Umbehr in the Nov. 4 election.

Report: 7 percent of corn harvested in Kansas

corn harvestWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Some Kansas farmers are busy preparing for fall seeding of their winter wheat crop, while others are harvesting this season’s corn crop.

The latest report from the National Agricultural Statistics Service on Tuesday says about 7 percent of the corn crops in Kansas have been cut. At this time last year none had been cut, but progress this year is closer to the 10 percent average for early September.

The agency rated corn condition as 17 percent poor to very poor, 29 percent fair, 42 percent good and 12 percent excellent.

About 5 percent of the sorghum crop in Kansas has now matured, and 6 percent of the soybeans have begun dropping leaves. The weekly report also said about 86 percent of the sunflower crop is blooming across Kansas.

Perez drives in go-ahead run in 8th as Royals top Texas 2-1

RoyalsKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Royals had the go-ahead run on second base with nobody out in the eighth inning. Jarrod Dyson got the sign to bunt and failed miserably on two strikes, then chopped a grounder to first base that got his teammate thrown out.

“I was real frustrated,” Dyson said later, shaking his head.

So he did something about it.

The speedster swiped second base and then third, getting into position for Salvador Perez to drive him in with a scorching liner off the glove of third baseman Adrian Beltre for a single. The run proved to be the decider in a 2-1 victory over the Texas Rangers on Tuesday night that kept Kansas City atop the AL Central by a half-game over Detroit.

“When I got to first, I knew I had to make up for it. I had to steal a couple of bags,” Dyson said. “Then Salvy did a great job. Good piece of hitting to get me in.”

Jason Frasor (4-1) left runners on the corners in the eighth against his former team, and Aaron Crow worked around a two-out single in the ninth for his third save of the season.

All-Star closer Greg Holland was unavailable after pitching three consecutive days.

“Phenomenal job,” Royals manager Ned Yost said of Crow, who had just been recalled from Double-A Northwest Arkansas. “I knew if we got to the ninth with the lead, it’d be Aaron.”

The Rangers’ Derek Holland and counterpart Jeremy Guthrie pitched to a stalemate through seven innings before the Royals broke through against Michael Kirkman (0-1) in the eighth.

The Royals’ Nori Aoki and the Rangers’ Daniel Robertson drove in the game’s other runs.

Holland looked unhindered by the knee surgery that had kept him out all season, working around a double in the first and breezing through the middle innings.

“It’s my first game back. It’s in the big leagues, a big time-atmosphere, especially with a playoff team over here,” Holland said. “I wanted to make sure I stayed calm.”

His only trouble was hardly of his own doing. Alcides Escobar doubled leading off the third, a fly ball that left fielder Ryan Rua should have caught near the wall. Two batters later, Aoki hit a fly ball to shallow left field that Rua whiffed on with an awkward slide for an RBI double.

“People make mistakes,” Rangers manager Ron Washington said.

Meanwhile, Guthrie kept dodging trouble until the fifth, when Roughned Odor tripled to start the inning. Robertson drove him in with a groundout to tie the game.

Guthrie proceeded to battle through two more innings on a night when the Royals were short on bullpen help. Top relievers Kelvin Herrera had also pitched three straight nights.

Francisley Bueno recorded one out for Kansas City. Frasor and Crow handled the rest.

RANGERS RECORDS

The Rangers have used 61 players after Holland and Kirkman made their season debuts, setting a new major league record. The club has also used a record 38 pitchers.

LACK OF RISP-ECT

The Royals were just 2 for 15 with runners in scoring position, and are batting .140 in such situations the last five games. Texas was worse, going 0 for 7 with runners on second or third.

MAKING MOVES

The Royals also recalled INF Christian Colon, OF Terrance Gore and RHP Liam Hendriks from Northwest Arkansas before the game. … The Rangers recalled RHPs Nick Tepesch and Lisalverto Bonilla and INF Luis Sardinas while promoting Kirkman from Triple-A Round Rock. Kirkman took the loss while Sardinas made the final out as a pinch-hitter.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Rangers: RHP Miles Mikolas, who is not making his scheduled start Thursday, will likely miss at least one more start with shoulder fatigue, manager Ron Washington said.

Royals: DH Josh Willingham (sore back) took batting practice and was available to pinch hit.

UP NEXT

Rangers: Tepesch (4-8), who grew up in nearby Blue Springs, Missouri, will make his first start at Kauffman Stadium. He is 0-1 with a 4.26 ERA in two starts against the Royals.

Royals: LHP Jason Vargas has been feast or famine during his first season with the Royals. He has a 1.24 ERA in his 10 wins, a 6.25 ERA in his seven losses.

— Associated Press —

St. Louis defeats Pittsburgh as Wainwright wins 16th, drives in three runs

CardsST. LOUIS (AP) — To earn his 16th win, Adam Wainwright really needed his bat.

Wainwright matched his career best with three RBIs, an unexpected boost that helped carry the St. Louis Cardinals to a 6-4 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday night.

“There’s usually two or three games a year that you swing the outcome if you can provide something offensively,” Wainwright said. “I just made a couple of good swings.”

The bottom of the order was the difference in the fourth win in a row for the NL Central leaders. Eighth-place hitter Peter Bourjos singled twice with an RBI, and seventh-place hitter Daniel Descalso walked twice and scored twice.

Randal Grichuk added three hits and made a nice diving catch in right field to rob Starling Marte of a go-ahead extra-base hit.

“I feel like we’re really ready to take off,” Bourjos said. “We’re getting contributions from everybody.”

Wainwright (16-9) prevailed despite allowing three home runs to match his career worst. He left after Starling Marte’s two-run shot shaved the lead to 5-4 with none out in the seventh. It was the first time he had allowed more than one homer all season.

He has been getting by with less than his best stuff for a while, and like most of his recent starts, he believes he is close.

“You can look at the three balls in the middle of the plate that got hit out, but I think most of the time I was much better than I have been,” Wainwright said.

“That’s what we see too,” manager Mike Matheny said. “I think he’s off just a hair sometimes.”

Russell Martin and Jordy Mercer homered with the bases empty for the Pirates, who have lost three in a row and were frustrated to get beaten by Wainwright’s bat. He doubled his season RBI total and is batting .203 overall.

“We treat him like a hitter,” Martin said. “He gave some up but he took some back and that’s just the type of competitor he is.

“He was one of the toughest outs.”

Despite the damage, Wainwright didn’t face any batters with runners in scoring position. He lost his previous two outings, the last at Pittsburgh when he allowed three runs in six innings.

Wainwright had thrown 28 1/3 consecutive scoreless innings at home against Pittsburgh before Martin homered in the second.

The first four Cardinals reached base in a three-run fourth that snapped a 2-all tie. Wainwright’s two-run single chased Jeff Locke (6-4), who walked five and was charged with five runs — four earned. Wainwright also had a run-scoring groundout in the second and matched a three-RBI game he had against the Brewers on July 4, 2010, in which he also threw a complete game in a 7-1 win.

Locke allowed a run in 7 1/3 innings with two walks against the Cardinals his last time out. He worked around a season-worst six walks to win at Milwaukee on Aug. 22 and was 4-0 with a 2.90 ERA in five August starts.

“I just didn’t have any command, fell behind everybody,” Locke said. “They were really in the driver’s seat the whole time.”

Jhonny Peralta doubled to start the seventh and scored on a wild pitch by John Axford that put St. Louis up 6-4. Trevor Rosenthal got a day off, and Pat Neshek finished for his fifth save in eight chances.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Pirates: Pedro Alvarez missed his sixth straight game with left foot discomfort. Charlie Morton (hip) threw 76 pitches in a four-inning simulated game earlier Tuesday and could join the bullpen soon.

Cardinals: Kolten Wong didn’t start for the second straight game after banging his head making a catch. He pinch hit in both games, and his homer tied it on Monday.

UP NEXT

Pirates: Edinson Volquez (11-7, 3.45) has won seven of his last eight decisions. He is 4-6 with a 5.06 ERA in 14 career starts against the Cardinals.

Cardinals: St. Louis seeks a sweep behind Shelby Miller (8-9, 4.19). The right-hander is 2-6 with a 4.98 ERA against Pittsburgh, including 2-2 this year.

TEMPER, TEMPER

Cardinals 3B coach Jose Oquendo was ejected at the end of the third inning, apparently for arguing balls and strikes with home plate umpire James Hoye.

— Associated Press —

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