ALAN SCHER ZAGIER, Associated Press

BERKELEY, Mo. (AP) — Protesters have dispersed after a failed attempt to block part of Interstate 70 near the St. Louis suburb where a police officer fatally shot unarmed 18-year-old Michael Brown.

The planned rush-hour traffic shutdown fell through Wednesday after a wall of officers in riot gear blocked demonstrators from walking onto the highway.

Officers from the city, county and Missouri Highway Patrol warned the roughly 150 demonstrators to stay off a road near a highway on-ramp. Those who refused were arrested.

Sgt. Al Nothum of the state Highway Patrol says 35 people were arrested. Nothum also says protesters threw rocks, concrete blocks and bricks.

Organizers said the protest was designed as an act of nonviolent civil disobedience.

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — A body found in a Lawrence creek last month has been identified as that of a 57-year-old man.

Two people walking in Burcham Park discovered the decomposed remains Aug. 31, in a small creek near a bridge over the Kansas River.

Police said Wednesday the Douglas County coroner has identified the man as Lawrence resident Mark Kemberling. Officers said there was no sign of foul play, but the cause of death may not be known for several weeks.

Investigators also don’t know how long Kemberling had been dead. They’re asking to hear from anyone with information about the case.

ROB MAADDI, AP Pro Football Writer

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) — A law enforcement official says he sent a video of Ray Rice punching his then-fiancee to an NFL executive three months ago, while league officers have insisted they didn’t see the violent images until this week.

The person played The Associated Press a 12-second voicemail from an NFL office number on April 9 confirming the video arrived. A female voice expresses thanks and says: “You’re right. It’s terrible.”

The official, speaking to the AP on condition of anonymity because of the ongoing investigation, says the NFL never followed up. The person can’t confirm if anyone at the NFL watched the video.

The person said he shared the video — which he was unauthorized to release — because he wanted the NFL to have it before deciding on Rice’s punishment.

TOPEKA — Gov. Sam Brownback today ordered flags to be flown at half-staff from sun-up to sundown on Thursday in observance of Patriot Day.

Congress designated Sept. 11 of each year as Patriot Day, and by Public Law 111-13, approved April 21, 2009, requested the observance of Sept. 11 as an annually recognized National Day of Service and Remembrance.

“This is a day of remembrance and unity across our nation, and the lowering of the flags is one of the many ways we can honor those who lost their lives on that terrible day 13 years ago,” Gov. Jay Nixon said.

In accordance with state law, the United States and Missouri flags at all government buildings statewide will be flown at half-staff on Thursday (Sept. 11) to honor those who died in the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Democratic nominee Chad Taylor is refusing to answer questions about his petition to the Kansas Supreme Court to have his name removed from the ballot as a candidate for the U.S. Senate.

Taylor told reporters Wednesday that he wouldn’t discuss the case for now.

Taylor ended his campaign last week. Some fellow Democrats nudged him out of the race in an attempt to give independent Greg Orman a better chance of defeating three-term Republican Sen. Pat Roberts in the Nov. 4 election.

The Democrat sent a letter of withdrawal to Republican Secretary of State Kris Kobach.

But Kobach said Taylor didn’t comply with state election laws and has kept his name on the ballot.

Taylor filed a petition Tuesday with the state Supreme Court to force Kobach to relent.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri senators have voted to repeal a law that places big businesses on defense in tax disputes with the state.

At issue is Gov. Jay Nixon’s veto of a bill that will shift the burden of proof to the Department of Revenue in those tax disputes.

Current law already places the burden of proof on the Revenue Department in tax disputes with individuals and most businesses. But businesses worth more than $7 million that employ more than 500 people currently bear the burden of proof in tax disputes.

Business groups say Missouri’s current law presumes big businesses are guilty until proven innocent.

Nixon vetoed the bill while citing concerns that it could be a drain on state revenues.