ST. LOUIS (AP) — Universities in Ohio, St. Louis and Las Vegas have been chosen to host the 2016 presidential debates, while a university in Virginia will host the vice presidential debate.

The Commission on Presidential Debates announced the sites Wednesday. They were among more than a dozen schools and cities that submitted bids in April to host the 2016 debates.

The first presidential debate next year will be Sept. 26 at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio. Washington University in St. Louis will host the second presidential debate on Oct. 9, followed by the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, on Oct. 19.

Longwood University in Farmville, Virginia, will host the vice presidential debate on Oct. 4.

The commission has sponsored the official presidential and vice presidential debates since 1988.

CALIFORNIA, Mo. (AP) — A prosecutor says central Missouri police were justified in shooting and wounding a man accused of grabbing an airsoft rifle that is designed to look like an AK47 but shoots nonlethal projectiles.

The Jefferson City News-Tribune reports that Nicholas Rodriguez was wounded Sept. 4 in the town of California as officers were serving an arrest warrant. He was charged Tuesday with second-degree assault of a law enforcement officer. The Moniteau County prosecuting attorney said in announcing that the shooting was justified that the Missouri State Highway Patrol had concluded its investigation.

The patrol says the airsoft rifle was “very realistic.” The orange tip that was supposed to distinguish it from an actual firearm was covered with black electrical tape.

No attorney is listed for Rodriguez in online court records.

BERLIN (AP) — Prosecutors in Germany say they are considering whether to open an investigation into the Volkswagen emissions scandal.

The prosecutors’ office in Braunschweig, near VW’s Wolfsburg headquarters, says Wednesday that it is considering opening an investigation against employees of VW who might be responsible. It didn’t specify any names, and no one has yet been identified as being to blame for the manipulation of software in diesel vehicles.

Prosecutors say they are collecting information after receiving “several” criminal complaints. Anyone can file a criminal complaint in Germany, and prosecutors have to examine whether to act on them.

Lower Saxony state’s justice ministry says it couldn’t give any information on the number or contents of the complaints.

ST. LOUIS (AP) — A 34-year-old man is recovering from minor cuts and abrasions after fending off an attacker who was wielding a machete.

The attack happened Monday afternoon as the victim was walking in a St. Louis alley. Police say a 53-year-old man approached him and the two began to argue about personal matters.

The victim walked away. Police say the suspect left but returned with a machete and began swinging at the victim.

The victim suffered cuts to both hands when he grabbed the machete. He was treated at a hospital.

No arrests have been made.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A proposal that called for Kansas City’s minimum wage to increase to $15 per hour won’t appear on the November ballot.

A Jackson County Judge on Tuesday ordered the measure’s removal. Presiding Circuit Judge Justine Del Muro said a new Missouri law clearly prohibits Kansas City from adopting its own minimum wage.

A citizen group had collected enough signatures to force a minimum wage vote.

Assistant City Attorney Sarah Baxter told Del Muro that Kansas City shouldn’t be forced to spend $500,000 for an election on an issue that state law forbids.

But backers of the petition initiative argued the new state law is flawed and can be challenged in court, if Kansas City voters signal their approval for a higher minimum wage.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon is recovering after undergoing knee replacement surgery on both legs.

Nixon spokesman Scott Holste says the governor had the surgery performed Tuesday and expects to remain in the hospital for several days.

Holste declined to identify the hospital, or even the city, where Nixon’s surgery was conducted. Holste says Nixon retained his gubernatorial powers, has been in contact with staff and will continue to work through the recovery period.

Nixon has long had issues with his knees. He had four previous procedures on them, the most recent occurring last year.

Nixon is an avid basketball player and sports enthusiast. Holste said the knee operation was not the result of any recent injury.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A group led by the Peter Kiewit Foundation has been purchasing properties in downtown Omaha where it will create an “arts and trades” district.

Future Forward LLC is investing about $7 million to buy buildings.

They hope to offer affordable leases to entrepreneurs, artisans, techies and other creative tenants. The group has assembled more than 25 acres with buildings containing 175,000 square feet of space in an area north of TD Ameritrade Park.

A spokeswoman for Future Forward says the investors don’t intend to develop the land. But they plan to clean up and make structural improvements to the neighborhood.

The investors hope the district will revitalize the area formerly dominated by heavy industry and commerce.

KETCHIKAN, Alaska (AP) — A commercial fisherman found guilty of criminally negligent homicide in the death of a Kansas diver who died while harvesting sea cucumbers was sentenced to three years in prison.

A judge suspended two years of the sentence for 33-year-old Joshua Wodyga. A jury in January convicted him on the lesser charge but found him not guilty of manslaughter.

Prosecutors argued that Wodyga’s negligence in maintaining an air compressor and air filter led to the death of 32-year-old Levi Adams, of Leawood, Kansas. He died of carbon monoxide poisoning and drowning while he and Wodyga were diving in October 2013 in waters off Mountain Point.

Wodyga’s public defender, Mark Osterman, said he plans to appeal the sentence.

Prosecutors charged Wodyga after concluding the air compressor on Wodyga’s boat was marked as not for human use. They also said Wodyga had not properly maintained the air compressor.

A defense attorney at Wodyga’s arraignment said the Coast Guard had concluded the death was accidental.

PLATTSMOUTH, Neb. (AP) — A December trial has been scheduled for a 35-year-old eastern Nebraska man accused of shackling his teenage nephew to a bed to keep the boy from going out and misbehaving.

Cass County District Court records say Wade Merry, of Plattsmouth, on Monday pleaded not guilty to felony child abuse. His trial is set to begin on Dec. 2.

Police say the 14-year-old was shackled to the bed at least a dozen times. A court document says Merry told police he restrained the boy while Merry worked overnight shifts at a bakery. Merry says he was frustrated by the boy’s behavior problems.

Police say Merry gave the boy a cup in case he needed to use a bathroom while shackled.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt has obtained a court order that prevents the judiciary from having its funding cut off through mid-March.

Schmidt’s office filed a petition Tuesday in Neosho County District Court to block enforcement of a law enacted earlier this year by legislators. The law tied the judicial branch’s entire budget to a change in how chief judges of district courts are selected.

Neosho County District Judge Daryl Ahlquist granted Schmidt’s request, preventing enforcement of the law until March 15. The Legislature reconvenes in January.

The same law is being challenged in a separate lawsuit in Shawnee County District Court by four district judges.

Under an earlier policy enacted last year by legislators, local judges pick their chief justices, stripping the Kansas Supreme Court of the decisions.