JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — A Missouri lawmaker from the Kansas City area has been hospitalized following a car accident.

University Hospital confirmed that Lee’s Summit Republican Rep. Rebecca Roeber was in critical condition as of Tuesday morning.

Missouri State Highway Patrol records show the 60 year old was driving eastbound on U.S. 50 around noon on Monday when her sedan crossed the center line. She hit an oncoming car traveling west.

The 58-year-old man driving the other car was taken to Bothwell Hospital in Sedalia for minor injuries.

Roeber has been hospitalized in Columbia since Monday.

Both vehicles were totaled.

KANSAS CITY — Hundreds of Kansas Citians attended Monday’s long awaited launch of the construction phase of the a $1.5B modern single terminal at Kansas City International Airport. The event included the ceremonial first turning of the dirt and the start of demolition activities at Terminal A, according to a media release from FlyKCI.com

.@MayorSlyJames and Airport Committee members turn dirt at the @KCIAirport New Terminal Groundbreaking event. #BuildKCI pic.twitter.com/wiW474bTgw

— Kansas City, MO (@KCMO) March 25, 2019

Standing room only! What a turnout for the #BuildKCI New terminal groundbreaking ceremony! Thank you all for coming out. Soon we will reward attendees with an epic photo opp. pic.twitter.com/JyZO2fRYjz

— BuildKCI (@BuildKci) March 25, 2019

“On behalf of the entire airline community, we are excited to be part of this journey and celebrate such an incredible milestone for the city,” said Kyle O’Neal, Senior Regional Leader, Airport Affairs at Southwest Airlines. “The new terminal will support more efficient airline operations and allow airport users to enjoy the convenience of modern air travel in a facility with updated technology and amenities, close parking, spacious gate areas, and ample food and beverage options.”

At just over one million square feet, the Kansas City International Airport New Terminal is the largest single infrastructure project in the City’s history. It will have a profound and lasting economic impact on the region in the form of new jobs, opportunities for local and small businesses, and a first-class traveler experience for airport users. The facility will open with 39gates and the ability to expand up to 50 gates in the future. The project will also include a 6,300space parking structure, which will be constructed adjacent to the terminal building, a central utility plant, and landside and airside improvements.

“We’re excited to move forward on this landmark project for Kansas City and eager to put men and women to work,” said Geoff Stricker, Edgemoor Managing Director. “This has been a great partnership with the City and airline partners, and we look forward to building on that to delivering an exceptional new terminal for travelers and the airlines alike.”

Edgemoor has partnered with design-builder Clark | Weitz | Clarkson (CWC) to construct the New Terminal. The construction joint venture, which is comprised of Clark Construction Group, LLC, The Weitz Company, and Clarkson Construction Company, has collectively delivered more than 40 aviation projects nationwide; Skidmore Owings & Merrill is the project designer.

The New Terminal project is expected to generate up to 5,000 construction-related jobs. Sixty local partners are already at work on the project, including 41 minority- and women-owned businesses. Edgemoor has pledged to maximize opportunities for local minority and women-owned firms, setting ambitious participation goals for 20% minority-owned and 15% women-owned businesses for professional and construction services, respectively.

The new KCI is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to benefit working families and our broader community in a number of ways,” said Alise Martiny with the Greater Kansas City Building & Construction Trades Council. “Kansas City has one of the strongest and best qualified labor communities in the country. This will be an outstanding project with all the skilled trades and crafts from throughout our region, working together.”

The New Terminal project will be funded using 100 percent tax-exempt debt – the most cost efficient approach for the project. When complete, the new facility will replace the airport’s aging terminals, which opened in 1972.

“With the launch of the ‘Build KCI’ phase of the project, it will serve as the official source for up-to-the-minute construction news for passengers and members of the greater Kansas City community,” said Pat Klein Kansas City Aviation Director. “We will continue to champion the benefits of the new single terminal and how it will be a valued asset to Kansas City.”

The New Terminal will be built in the footprint of the airport’s existing Terminal A, which has been decommissioned. Interior demolition operations will begin this spring; structural demolition is expected to begin to mid to late-April. The new terminal is expected to open in early 2023.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri House lawmakers have passed legislationto allow public schools to offer elective social studies classes on the Bible.

The Republican-led House voted 95-52 to pass the bill Monday.

Some critics argued that public K-12 schools can already teach about the Bible and other religious texts.

But Republican bill sponsor Rep. Ben Baker says current law has sometimes been interpreted to mean full courses on the Bible are not permitted. Baker says his bill is aimed at clarifying that those classes are allowed in Missouri.

Missouri House lawmakers previously voted down a proposal to specify that schools can also offer courses on the Book of Mormon.

The bill now heads to the state Senate for consideration.

STONE COUNTY — One person died in an accident just after 1p.m. Monday in Stone County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2000 Ford Ranger driven by Daniel W. Cantrell, 68, Marionville, was southbound on MO 413 just south of Route M. The pickup crossed the center line and struck a 2008 Chevy HHR driven by Barbara J. Sutherland, 82, Crane.

Sutherland was pronounced dead at the scene. EMS transported Cantrell to Mercy Hospital. Both drivers were properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the MSHP.

OLATHE, Kan. (AP) — U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids of Kansas says she is committed to expanding health care access and combatting climate change.

Thank you to everyone who attended or watched our first town hall – it was a great chance to talk about the issues facing our community and country directly with the people of #KS03. And thank you to the @shawmissionpost for moderating! pic.twitter.com/IlQwXQzbl5

— Rep. Sharice Davids (@RepDavids) March 24, 2019

But during a town hall meeting Sunday in Olathe, Davids stopped short of endorsing “Medicare For All” or a “Green New Deal” pushed by many leading Democrats.

Davids says she is focusing on health care legislation that would get bipartisan support. She says she can’t say yet whether she supports a bill to give all Americans access to government-run health care.

She notes she is co-sponsoring legislation to give states incentives to expand Medicaid eligibility.

Davids said she isn’t currently backing the Green New Deal because it contains some specific policies she doesn’t support. But she agrees the country needs to find bold ways to address climate change.

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Dashcam video released Monday shows a Kansas police officer shooting and wounding a man in a case in which the rookie officer told investigators she mistakenly fired her firearm instead of her Taser.

The video provided in response to an open records request is from the patrol vehicle of an officer who pulled over 35-year-old Akira Lewis for a suspected seatbelt violation in May 2018 near downtown Lawrence.

Lewis is heard in the video telling the white officer that he was pulled over because he is black and insists on seeing a supervisor. When he refuses to provide identification and continues arguing, backup officer Brindley Blood, who also is white, was summoned.

She is seen shooting Lewis when he punches and tackles the officer who initiated the traffic stop. Blood, who resigned from the police force in January after being placed on paid leave, is charged with aggravated battery. Lewis was treated at a hospital and is charged with several misdemeanors, including battery against a law enforcement officer.

The affidavit in the case against Blood said she didn’t realize she had shot Lewis until she looked for the Taser wires to see if they had hit their mark and realized there weren’t any. She said during her interview with investigators, “I shot, shot him, I pulled my firearm instead of my Taser,” the affidavit said.

The city initially denied the Journal-World’s request for the video, saying at that time the materials were “part of an ongoing investigation” and “criminal investigation records.” The newspaper again requested the video last week, after it was played in Douglas County District Court during a hearing for Blood.

Judge Peggy Kittel is weighing whether to bind Blood over for trial. Her attorneys argue that while Blood made a mistake she was not reckless, as the charge alleges, and that the case against her should be dropped. Kittel is scheduled to announce her ruling later this week.

Lewis’ attorney, Shaye Downing, said in a statement Monday that during the officers’ attempt to arrest Lewis for a “seatbelt violation” the officers “initiated physical contact and escalated a situation that could have been easily de-escalated by any number of interventions.”

“After this incident, there are serious concerns about the training officers receive and ongoing certification required to ensure that if an officer is faced with a situation where force is used, that they use only that level of force reasonably necessary for the given circumstances,” Downing said.

She also said Lewis has not received any help from the city of Lawrence for medical expenses for injuries he suffered during the confrontation.

 

 

 

MARSTON, Mo. (AP) — A Missouri man jailed in Texas is now charged with killing a woman at an Interstate 55 rest area in October.

27-year-old Eliot Bonner of St. Charles was charged Friday with first-degree murder, armed criminal action and unlawful possession of a firearm. He does not yet have a listed attorney.

The body of 50-year-old Monica Keenlance of Morton, Illinois, was found Oct. 31 at a rest area along I-55 near Marston, Missouri.

ST. CLAIR COUNTY — One person died in an accident just after 2:30a.m. Monday in St. Clair County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2000 Dodge Dakota driven by Brent G. Green, 51, Appleton City, was westbound on Highway 52 just east of Appleton City.

The pickup crossed the center line and struck a semi head-on.

Green was pronounced dead at the scene and transported to Hill and Son Funeral Home. A private vehicle transported the semi driver Jackie N. Davis, 39, Appleton, to Elliot Memorial for treatment of minor injuries.

Davis was not wearing a seat belt. The MSHP did not have information on Green’s seat belt usage.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas House gave first-round approval Monday to a bill that would require medical facilities and doctors to inform women that some medically induced abortions could be “reversed” if a doctor intervenes.

Opponents of the bill say the “reversal” method is scientifically unproven and disputed in medical circles, while supporters contend women should be made aware of the option.

The bill passed by a voice vote after more than two hours of debate. After a final vote Tuesday, it’s expected to head to the Senate, The Kansas City Star reported .

Medical abortions involve women taking Mifepristone, generally called RU-486, followed by a medication called Misoprostol. The bill approved Monday would require women be told that an abortion can be stopped after the first medicine is taken if a doctor administers a dose of progesterone.

Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly, a strong supporter of abortion rights, was skeptical about the bill.

“I’m not sure that’s based on science,” she said during a news conference Monday.

The bill claims “it may be possible to reverse its intended effect if the second pill or tablet has not been taken or administered. If you change your mind and wish to try to continue the pregnancy, you can get immediate help by accessing available resources.”

“I want you to understand clearly this is a pro-women’s health bill, said Rep. John Eplee, R-Atchison, a physician who introduced the measure in committee. “We’re not putting a gun to their head, we’re not forcing them to have this procedure. We’re giving them an option.”

However, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists in 2017 disputed the usefulness of the procedure.

“Claims regarding abortion ‘reversal’ treatment are not based on science and do not meet clinical standards,” the group said. “Unfounded legislative mandates represent dangerous political interference and compromise patient care and safety.”

Democratic opponents of the bill repeatedly referred to the medical group’s statement and questioned whether the process detailed in the bill is safe.

“I think this really inserts politics into a private discussion between physician and patients and complicates that and interferes with that relationship,” said Rep. Eileen Horn, D-Lawrence.

If passed, any private office, surgical outpatient clinic, hospital or other facility that fails to post a sign about the reversal process could be fined up to $10,000. If a medical abortion is provided without the notification, the woman, the father of the unborn child, or the grandparent of a minor undergoing the abortion could sue for damages.

___