WASHINGTON (AP) — The productivity of American workers fell in the first quarter by the sharpest amount in a year, while labor costs increased.

The Labor Department says productivity declined at an annual rate of 0.6 percent in the January-March quarter after rising at a 1.8 percent rate in the fourth quarter. It was the biggest decline since a 0.7 percent rate of decline in the first quarter of last year.

Labor costs rose at a 3 percent rate, up from a 1.3 percent rate of increase in the fourth quarter.

Productivity, the amount of output per hour of work, has been weak through most of the current recovery. Many analysts believe it is the biggest economic challenge facing the country, but there is no consensus on the cause of the slowdown.

ST. LOUIS (AP) — St. Louis’ embattled minimum wage hike will take effect Friday following a two-year legal fight over the city’s effort to require employees to pay workers at least $10 an hour.

A circuit court judge lifted an injunction on Thursday that had blocked a 2015 ordinance from becoming law.

Under the ordinance, St. Louis’ minimum wage will rise again in January, to $11 per hour, significantly higher than Missouri’s $7.70 minimum.

The city says it’s mailing notices to employers. Those who refuse to pay workers the new minimum could face criminal prosecution and loss of their business licenses and occupancy permits.

About 40 cities made similar moves in recent years, including Seattle, Los Angeles and Chicago.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kansas City International Airport has been asked to stop a recently added screening procedure that required passengers to remove all paper products from their carry-ons while going through security checkpoints.

The Kansas City Star reports the Transportation Security Administration asked the airport’s security agency Akal Security Inc. to stop the policy Tuesday because it was affecting operations.

The procedure required passengers to remove all paper items including books, loose-leaf paper, Post-It notes and files so they could be screened to make sure no dangerous items were hidden inside.

The TSA says random and unpredicted screening measures may be implemented at airports if they follow TSA guidelines.

The agency says it has no plans to adopt the paper screening policy on a larger scale.

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (AP) — A woman in Kansas has been charged in the death of a 7-month-old boy who died earlier this year at her day care.

The Kansas City Star reports 54-year-old Bilma Maese-Sanchez of Overland Park was charged in Johnson County District Court on Wednesday with aggravated child endangerment and unlawfully operating a child care facility. She was released from custody the same day after posting a $5,000 bond.

Court documents show Gabriel Omar Rivera-Contreras died in February at Maese-Sanchez’s home after reportedly not breathing. She isn’t accused of intentionally harming the child.

The charges allege the woman “recklessly” placed Gabriel in a situation where his “life, body or health is injured or endangered.”

Maese-Sanchez’s next court hearing is scheduled for May 11. She is banned from owning, operating or working at any day care facility as part of her bond.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa governor has ordered all flags on the Capitol grounds to be flown at half-staff to observe the Iowa Peace Officer Memorial Ceremony this week.

Gov. Terry Branstad ordered the flags lowered from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday, the day of the ceremony at the Oran Pape State Office Building.

During the ceremony, state leaders will honor four officers killed in the line of duty, including Urbandale Officer Justin Scott Martin and Des Moines Sgt. Anthony David Beminio, who were killed minutes apart on Nov. 2 in separate ambushes as they sat in their patrol cars.

Flags at the Iowa Peace Officer Memorial will be flown at half-staff from May 15-19 in honor of National Peace Officer Week.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A Missouri man and woman have admitted using online ads for sexual services to find victims for armed robberies.

Thirty-four-year-old Nicole Covey, of Sugar Creek, pleaded guilty Wednesday in federal court in Kansas to conspiracy to commit robbery and five counts of aiding and abetting.

And 22-year-old Devon Davis-Aumua, of Independence, pleaded guilty to the same charges.

Prosecutors say Covey’s picture was posted on Craigslist, Backpage and Skout in ads offering sexual services. Those who responded were confronted by other people, who robbed them at gunpoint.

Federal prosecutors said that the group robbed seven people in 2015 and 2016.

A third defendant in the case, 35-year-old Sage Harrison, also of Independence, pleaded guilty on Tuesday to conspiracy and to two counts of aiding and abetting robbery.

NEW YORK (AP) — A U.S. government study finds that a majority of homes and apartments now rely solely on cellphones to communicate.

The study says that in the latter half of 2016, 50.8 percent of homes and apartments had only cellphone service. It’s the first time such households attained a majority in the survey. About 45.9 percent of households still have landline phones. The remaining households have no phone service at all.

Renters and younger adults are more likely to have just a cellphone, which researchers attribute to their mobility and comfort with newer technologies.

Nearly half of U.S. households still have a landline phone, even though it might seem redundant in the mobile-phone era.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Health Interview Survey doesn’t get into why people ditch or keep landlines.

Landline users reached by The Associated Press cite a range of reasons. Some people want one for emergencies, others for older relatives to call. Telemarketers can also be sent straight to the answering machine.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas regulators are being asked to reconsider their rejection of the proposed sale of the state’s largest electric company to a Missouri firm.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — A drop in funding means about 20 percent of gauges used in Missouri to measure floodwaters will go offline this summer.

The U.S. Geological Survey’s Water Science Center in Rolla maintains 247 gauges across the state. The Springfield News-Leader reports 49 of those instruments are scheduled to be deactivated after June 30.

The instruments collect water data used by agencies such as the National Weather Service and the Army Corps of Engineers.

The gauges are funded by several entities and funding varies depending on the priorities of groups that partner with the Geological Survey.

Amy Beussink, director of the water science center, says some of the agency’s partners are facing budget reductions but she wouldn’t say which agencies were not able or willing to fund the gauges.

ST. LOUIS (AP) — A former Missouri state trooper is blaming a drunken driver who struck his patrol car for his injuries and two St. Louis nightclubs for ending his career in law enforcement.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports Jeremy Potocki was hit when Michael Haley’s car slammed into his during a traffic stop three years ago. Potocki says the crash caused severe injuries.

Potocki’s lawsuit filed April 27 says Haley was negligent for driving while intoxicated. It also claims Rehab Bar & Grill and JJ’s Clubhouse were negligent for not refusing to serve a “visibly intoxicated” Haley, who was at the two clubs prior to the accident.

An online obituary says Haley died April 18 with the cause of death still unavailable.

Rehab and JJ’s didn’t immediately respond to phone messages left by the Associated Press seeking comment.