Associated Press – Page 600 – St. Joseph Post Archive

Former Blue Valley North tennis player earns a Wimbledon title

Posted on July 5, 2014July 5, 2014

LONDON (AP) — American Jack Sock a graduate of Blue Valley North High School in Overland Park and Canadian Vasek Pospisil made their first tournament together a championship-winning one.

The pair defeating Bob and Mike Bryan 7-6 (5), 6-7 (3), 6-4, 3-6, 7-5 in the all-North American Wimbledon doubles final on Saturday.

Sock and Pospisil broke the Bryan brothers’ service in the final game on their fifth match point.

The 21-year-old Sock was 80–0 in his Kansas 6A High School tennis career, winning four consecutive state championships.

On Saturday became the third-youngest player to win both a Grand Slam men’s doubles title and a Grand Slam mixed doubles championship in the Open era, adding to the mixed title he won with American Melanie Oudin at the U.S. Open in 2011.

Todd Woodbridge and John McEnroe, both 20, were the only men to win both titles at a younger age, with McEnroe being the youngest.

Chiefs OL Watkins suspended 4 games

Posted on July 3, 2014July 3, 2014

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The NFL suspended Chiefs backup offensive lineman Rokevious Watkins for four games Thursday for violating its substance-abuse policy.
The league said it suspended Watkins without pay for the first four games of the 2014 regular season. He’ll eligible to return to the Chiefs’ active roster Sept. 30, the day after Kansas City’s Monday night game against the New England Patriots.
No details of the violations were disclosed. The league said Watkins is eligible to participate in all offseason and preseason practices and games.
Watkins is in his third NFL season. He played in one game for St. Louis in 2012 and three for Kansas City last year, including one start.
St. Louis chose Watkins in the fifth round of the 2012 draft.

Big 12 sticking with roman numerals in new logo (VIDEO)

Posted on July 1, 2014July 1, 2014

IRVING, Texas (AP) — The Big 12 is redesigning its logo, sticking with the same roman numerals for the 10-team conference.

The second rebranding since the league formed in 1996 features a rounded, modern-looking “XII” to replace a more traditional block design. The new look was unveiled Monday, a day before the July 1 start of the athletic year for colleges.

The league said earlier this year there were still no plans to change the name despite realignment that resulted in a net loss of two schools.

Conference officials have said they aren’t considering expansion but haven’t ruled it out.

NFL agrees to remove cap on concussion damages

Posted on June 25, 2014June 25, 2014

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The NFL has agreed to remove a cap on concussion-related damages after a judge questioned whether a proposed settlement provided enough money to cover retired players.

Hall of Famers Albert Lewis and Art Still are among nine former Kansas City Chiefs players who joined a lawsuit that contends the team hid the risks of permanent brain injuries from repeated concussions.

A revised settlement agreement filed Wednesday also eliminates a provision that barred anyone who gets concussion damages from the NFL from suing the NCAA or other amateur football leagues.

U.S. District Judge Anita Brody had denied preliminary approval of the deal in January that set a $675 million cap on damages, because she worried the money could run out sooner than expected. The settlement is designed to last at least 65 years and cover retirees who develop Lou Gehrig’s disease and other neurological problems.

More than 4,500 former players have filed suit, some accusing the league of fraud for its handling of concussions.

Also joining the lawsuit were former Chiefs Dino Hackett, Todd McNair, Fred Jones, Tim Barnett, Walker Lee Ashley, Emile Harry and Chris Smith, along with the wives of several of them.

Roll Call Vote On Veto Override

Posted on May 6, 2014May 6, 2014

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — The 109-46 roll call by which the Missouri House voted Tuesday to override Gov. Jay Nixon’s veto of an income tax measure. Supporters needed all the Republicans and at least one Democrat to vote “yes” in order to reach the required two-thids majority needed to override. Democrat Keith English, Florissant, supported the measure, saying he was looking for a way to stimulate the economy.

GOP Reps. Delus Johnson of St Joe and Jim Neely of Cameron voted “yes.” Democrat Pat Conway of St Joe voted “no.”

Voting “yes” were 108 Republicans and one Democrat. Voting “no” were 46 Democrats. Four Democrats did not vote.

REPUBLICANS VOTING YES
Sonya Anderson, Springfield
Kevin Austin, Springfield
Kurt Bahr, O’Fallon
Jay Barnes, Jefferson City
Mike Bernskoetter, Jefferson City
T.J. Berry, Kearney
Rick Brattin, Harrisonville
Wanda Brown, Cole Camp
Eric Burlison, Springfield
Mike Cierpiot, Lee’s Summit
Kathie Conway, St. Charles
Steve Cookson, Poplar Bluff
Robert Cornejo, St. Peters
Stanley Cox, Sedalia
Sandy Crawford, Buffalo
Gary Cross, Lee’s Summit
Paul Curtman, Pacific
Charlie Davis, Webb City
John Diehl, Town and Country
Dean Dohrman, LaMonte
Tony Dugger, Hartville
Kevin Elmer, Nixa
Kevin Engler, Farmington
Sue Entlicher, Bolivar
Scott Fitzpatrick, Shell Knob
Paul Fitzwater, Potosi
Tom Flanigan, Carthage
Lyndall Fraker, Marshfield
Diane Franklin, Camdenton
Keith Frederick, Rolla
Doug Funderburk, St. Peters
Elaine Gannon, De Soto
Chuck Gatschenberger, Lake St. Louis
Don Gosen, Ballwin
Jeff Grisamore, Lee’s Summit
Casey Guernsey, Bethany
Elijah Haahr, Springfield
Marsha Haefner, Oakville
Kent Hampton, Malden
Jim Hansen, Frankford
Ron Hicks, St. Peters
Galen Higdon, St. Joseph
Dave Hinson, St. Clair
Denny Hoskins, Warrensburg
Lincoln Hough, Springfield
Jay Houghton, Martinsburg
Tom Hurst, Meta
Delus Johnson, St. Joseph
Caleb Jones, Columbia
Jeffery Justus, Branson
Shelley Keeney, Marble Hill
Mike Kelley, Lamar
Andrew Koenig, Manchester
Glen Kolkmeyer, Wellington
Bart Korman, High Hill
Mike Lair, Chillicothe
Bill Lant, Pineville
Jeanie Lauer, Blue Springs
Mike Leara, St. Louis County
Donna Lichtenegger, Jackson
Warren Love, Osceola
Steve Lynch, Waynesville
Nick Marshall, Parkville
John McCaherty, High Ridge
Joe Don McGaugh, Carrollton
Jeffrey Messenger, Republic
Rocky Miller, Osage Beach
Chris Molendorp, Belton
Mike Moon, Ash Grove
Lynn Morris, Ozark
Dave Muntzel, Boonville
Jim Neely, Cameron
Myron Neth, Liberty
Mark Parkinson, St. Charles
Donna Pfautsch, Harrisonville
Don Phillips, Kimberling City
Randy Pike, Adrian
Jeff Pogue, Salem
Craig Redmon, Canton
Holly Rehder, Sikeston
Bill Rieboldt, Neosho
Tim Remole, Excello
Shawn Rhoads, West Plains
Todd Richardson, Poplar Bluff
Jeanie Riddle, Mokane
Robert Ross, Yukon
Caleb Rowden, Columbia
Lyle Rowland, Cedarcreek
Dwight Scharnhorst, Valley Park
Dave Schatz, Sullivan
Ron Schieber, Kansas City
Noel Shull, Kansas City
Lindell Shumake, Hannibal
Sheila Solon, Blue Springs
Chrissy Sommer, St. Charles
Bryan Spencer, Wentzville
Rick Stream, Kirkwood
Kathy Swan, Cape Girardeau
Mike Thomson, Maryville
Noel Torpey, Independence
Nate Walker, Kirksville
Bill White, Joplin
Paul Wieland, Imperial
Kenneth Wilson, Smithville
David Wood, Versailles
Anne Zerr, St. Charles
Tim Jones, Eureka

DEMOCRAT VOTING YES
Keith English, Florissant

DEMOCRATS VOTING NO
Ira Anders, Independence
Linda Black, Desloge
Bob Burns, Affton
Michael Butler, St. Louis
Jon Carpenter, Gladstone
Mike Colona, St. Louis
Pat Conway, St. Joseph
Courtney Curtis, Berkeley
Randy Dunn, Kansas City
Brandon Ellington, Kansas City
Vicki Englund, St. Louis County
Michael Frame, Eureka
Kimberly Gardner, St. Louis
Ben Harris, Hillsboro
Penny Hubbard, St. Louis
Jacob Hummel, St. Louis
Chris Kelly, Columbia
Jeanne Kirkton, Webster Groves
Michele Kratky, St. Louis
Jeremy LaFaver, Kansas City
John Mayfield, Independence
Gail McCann Beatty, Kansas City
Tom McDonald, Raytown
TJ McKenna, Festus
Kevin McManus, Kansas City
Margo McNeil, Hazelwood
Sue Meredith, St. Louis County
Bonnaye Mims, Kansas City
Gina Mitten, Richmond Heights
Genise Montecillo, St. Louis County
Stacey Newman, Richmond Heights
Mary Nichols, Maryland Heights
Charlie Norr, Springfield
Bill Otto, Maryland Heights
Sharon Pace, Northwoods
Josh Peters, St. Louis
Tommie Pierson, Bellefontaine Neighbors
John Rizzo, Kansas City
Jeff Roorda, Barnhart
Joe Runions, Grandview
Ed Schieffer, Troy
Jill Schupp, Creve Coeur
Clem Smith, Velda Village Hills
Jay Swearingen, North Kansas City
Rochelle Walton Gray, Black Jack
Stephen Webber, Columbia

DEMOCRATS NOT VOTING
Steve Hodges, East Prairie
Karla May, St. Louis
Judy Morgan, Kansas City
John Wright, Rocheport

Tax Cuts Become Law; Missouri House Overrides Veto

Posted on May 6, 2014

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri’s Republican-led Legislature has enacted a highly contested income tax cut by overriding the veto of Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon.

The legislation will cut Missouri’s top individual income tax rate for the first time in almost a century and make Missouri just the third state to enact a special deduction for business income reported on personal tax returns. The cuts will occur only if revenues keep growing.

Republicans have large majorities in the House and Senate but still needed Democratic help to achieve the two-thirds majority required for an override.

Nixon had denounced the cut as a reckless financial experiment that could jeopardize funding for public education and state services.

Republicans made the measure a priority after failing last year to override Nixon’s veto of a more expansive tax cut.

Mound City Wind Farm Draws Opposition From Bird Lovers

Posted on May 5, 2014

MOUND CITY, Mo. (AP) — Environmental groups have raised concerns about a proposed wind farm in northwest Missouri near a national wildlife refuge that attracts migratory birds.

Element Power of Portland, Ore., wants to build Missouri’s largest wind farm on 25,000 acres east of the Squaw Creek National Wildlife Refuge.

The Kansas City Star reports (http://bit.ly/1mrOXxJ ) Element Power plans to break ground soon for the $400 million Mill Creek Wind Energy Project, which will have 84 to 118 wind turbines.

The Audubon Society and the American Bird Conservancy are predicting a slaughter as birds and bats fly into the turbines as they head into or out of Squaw Creek.

Element Power acknowledges that some birds would be killed but says most species at Squaw Creek fly too high to hit the turbines.

Missouri Supreme Court Sets Another Death Date

Posted on April 9, 2014April 9, 2014

ST. LOUIS (AP) – The Missouri Supreme Court on Wednesday set a May execution date for convicted killer Russell Bucklew, continuing a trend of scheduling one execution per month.

Bucklew is set to die by injection at 12:01 a.m. May 21 for killing a man in Cape Girardeau County in 1996.

Missouri has executed five men since November – one each month through March. William Rousan is scheduled to be put to death April 23 for killing a St. Francois County couple in 1993.

Bucklew’s attorney, John William Simon, says he will continue efforts in the courts to halt the execution, and will seek clemency from Gov. Jay Nixon.

Bucklew was convicted in the fatal shooting of Michael Sanders, a romantic rival, then abducting and raping Bucklew’s ex-girlfriend.

Lawsuit seeks to end NCAA’s ‘unlawful cartel’

Posted on March 17, 2014March 18, 2014

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — A new federal lawsuit claims the National Collegiate Athletic Association should allow college football and basketball players to get some of the money they make for their schools.

The suit filed Monday in Newark comes on the eve of the NCAA men’s Division I basketball tournament, its most prominent showcase.

The lawsuit calls the NCAA an “unlawful cartel” that makes billions of dollars from exploiting football and men’s basketball players by limiting their compensation to scholarships.

Among the plaintiffs are Rutgers basketball player Jonathan Moore and Clemson defensive back Martin Jenkins. The lawsuit also names as defendants the Southeastern Conference, Atlantic Coast Conference, Pac-12, Big Ten and Big 12.

The suit seeks monetary damages and a declaration that the NCAA’s practices violate antitrust laws.

An NCAA spokeswoman didn’t immediately comment.

Delta flight loses piece of wing, lands safely

Posted on March 17, 2014

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — A Delta flight from Orlando, Fla., landed safely in Atlanta after declaring an emergency because a part of the plane’s wing was missing.

The Federal Aviation Administration says Flight 2412 landed about 7:10 p.m. Sunday at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. The airplane, a Boeing 757, stopped on the runway and was towed to the gate.

After the flight landed, Delta officials told the FAA that a four-foot by eight-foot panel from one of the airplane’s wings was missing.

The FAA is investigating. There was no word from Delta on how many passengers were on the plane. No injuries were reported.