Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds. Photo courtesy Lieutenant Governor’s website.
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds has appointed eight people to a medical marijuana advisory board created under a new state law.
The Republican governor announced appointments to the medical cannabidiol board Wednesday, though one slot remains vacant. The positions are unpaid and not subject to Senate confirmation.
The board was one of several provisions in a medical marijuana law that went into effect this summer. It expanded Iowa’s existing cannabis oil program by allowing the sale and manufacturing of such oil within the state.
Iowa’s new law also allows use of cannabis oil for several ailments. The board can recommend adding or removing medical conditions and is expected to work with state officials on creating the new manufacturing system.
Iowa still bans smoking marijuana, vaporizing it or eating pot-laced food.
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri education officials say results from two statewide tests can’t be used to gauge how well school districts are educating high school students.
Missouri Education Commissioner Margie Vandeven on Wednesday said the high school Algebra I and English II end-of-course assessments from this past school year are being tossed out.
She says the tests lacked year-to-year comparisons and won’t be used in determining how well districts are doing. Vandeven says results from the two tests still are OK to factor into students’ grades and to determine students’ eligibility for what’s called the A+ Scholarship for community college.
Vandeven says the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education is holding the test developer Questar accountable. A request for comment to Questar was not immediately returned Wednesday.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback has issued an executive order to help commercial vehicles headed to Texas to help with Hurricane Harvey recovery.
The governor’s order issued on Wednesday applies only to commercial vehicles participating in relief and restoration efforts in Texas. The order waives some carrier fees and regulations for those vehicles.
On another front, the Kansas National Guard is on standby to deploy if asked by the disaster operations command. And Kansas is also the coordinating state for the Emergency Management Assistance Compact in charge of coordinating relief efforts with other states.
WASHINGTON (AP) — A private survey says U.S. businesses added a healthy 237,000 jobs in August with broad gains across several industries including construction, manufacturing and leisure and hospitality.
Payroll processor ADP says the hiring was spread among large companies with more than 1,000 employees and medium and small firms with fewer than 500 workers. Manufacturers added 16,000 jobs and builders hired 18,000. The leisure and hospitality sector — which includes restaurants — added 51,000 workers.
The figures indicate that employers still expect the economy to expand, so they’re bolstering their staffs.
Analysts predict the government’s jobs report, to be released Friday, will show a decent 180,000 jobs were added, according to data provider FactSet.
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri Attorney General Josh Hawley is widening his investigation of opioid manufacturers.
Hawley, a Republican, said Wednesday he is asking seven additional companies for information related to their opioid marketing practices and their involvement with industry organizations that promote opioids. The companies are Allergan, Depomed, Insys, Mallinckrodt, Mylan, Pfizer, and Teva Pharmaceuticals.
Hawley in June sued three other companies, saying they violated state consumer protection laws by misleading doctors and consumers in misrepresenting risks posed by opioids. Those companies are Endo Pharmaceuticals, Purdue Pharma, and Janssen Pharmaceuticals.
Hawley says in a statement that the goal of the investigation is to make Missouri healthier and help end the opioid epidemic.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on President Donald Trump’s tax overhaul (all times local):
1:50 p.m.
President Donald Trump says he wants to work with Republicans and Democrats alike to “bring back Main Street” by reducing the tax burden on companies and workers.
Trump says in Springfield, Missouri, that his tax overhaul plan will be “pro-growth, pro-jobs, pro-worker and pro-American.” His speech is laying out his vision for rewriting the tax system for the first time since the mid-1980s.
He says overhauling the nation’s tax system will be at the foundation of his economic agenda. And he’s calling on Congress to work with him. Trump tells supporters, “I think Congress is going to make a comeback.”
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11:15 a.m.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer says President Donald Trump’s tax plan should not include tax cuts for the wealthiest 1 percent of Americans.
Schumer tells reporters that the tax overhaul plan should not increase budget deficits and should be written by both parties, not just the president’s fellow Republicans.
The New York senator was outlining Democrats’ approach to the tax overhaul ahead of the president’s tax event in Missouri later in the day. Schumer says if Trump wants to use populism to sell the plan, “he ought to consider actually putting his money where his mouth is” and cut taxes for the middle class.
Schumer says Republicans shouldn’t use “fuzzy math or brazenly partisan estimates” to claim their tax plan wouldn’t add to deficits.
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6 a.m.
President Donald Trump will kick off his lobbying effort for a tax overhaul at an event in Missouri, with a manufacturing backdrop and some economic tough talk.
But he is not expected to offer a detailed proposal. Instead, in Springfield, Missouri, Wednesday, Trump will give remarks that the White House says will focus on his “vision” for spurring job creation and economic growth by cutting rates and revising the tax code.
After a year with no major legislative wins, the stakes are high for the White House and GOP leaders, who face mounting pressure to get points on the board before next year’s midterm elections.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas Department for Children and Families is offering some workers a raise — if they give up the right to appeal disciplinary decisions.
DCF Secretary Phyllis Gilmore said the agency has offered 118 classified workers a 2.5 percent pay raise. Another 598 classified and unclassified employees would get the same offer if the Department of Administration approves. Gilmore says of the 118 who were offered the raise, 49 accepted and 69 declined.
The Topeka Capital-Journal reports the offer comes after some state workers didn’t receive a pay increase approved this spring by the Legislature.
Robert Choromanski, executive director of the state employees union, says the offer would make it easier for the state to fire employees. Employees who keep their classified status can appeal firings, demotions or suspensions.
COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — The University of Missouri is offering to house students’ family members who have been displaced by Hurricane Harvey.
The Columbia Missourian reports that Chancellor Alexander Cartwright said in an email to students Monday that the university “is here to help those of you who have been affected in some way by Hurricane Harvey.” The temporary housing is available through a guest housing office.
Residence halls have room because of a large dip in freshmen enrollment. Seven of the halls were taken temporarily offline to save money. The school is still recovering from student protests in fall 2015 over the administration’s handling of racial issues.
Cartwright said in the email that, “We care about you.” Students also were urged to contact the financial aid office if they have concerns.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The sale of The Kansas City Star’s 106-year-old headquarters in downtown Kansas City is expected to be completed Thursday.
Star Publisher Tony Berg announced the scheduled closing to employees on Wednesday. The building will be sold to Kansas City-based 3D Development, through an entity called 1729 Grand Boulevard LLC. It is led by developer Vince Bryant.
The Star reports about 200 employees will move across the street into paper’s Press Pavilion. The move is expected within a year.
Berg says The Star will rent space in the headquarters and build a modern newsroom during the year before the move.
Photo courtesy NPS Looking up at the Gateway ArchST. LOUIS (AP) — With renovations of the Gateway Arch grounds nearly complete, one of the nation’s largest Fourth of July celebrations is moving back to its original location.
Organizers of Fair St. Louis announced Wednesday that the 2018 event will return to the Arch grounds after four years at Forest Park.
The CityArchRiver project that includes a $380 million renovation of the Arch grounds and surrounding areas will be completed by next year’s fair. Fair St. Louis originated in 1981.
The 2018 fair will be July 4, July 6 and July 7. In addition to food, music, fireworks and other activities, organizers say the air show will return.
The CityArchRiver project is a partnership between the National Park Service and several private and public organizations.
