Bomb threats were made to three Walmart stores over the weekend in Kansas.

The stores temparaly closed after someone called in the bomb threats, just days after at least eight false threats were called in to stores in Missouri.

Someone called a store in Gladstone, Missouri just before 4:30 a.m. Sunday to say a bomb had been planted at a store in Leavenworth, Kansas. That store was emptied out while investigators looked for explosives but found none.

Lawrence police were called just before 2:30 a.m. Sunday to both of that city’s Walmart stores after managers received threats from a male caller.

Similar threats were made Friday to stores in at least eight Missouri communities, and a store in Claremore, Oklahoma was briefly closed Wednesday after a threat there, as well.

In a far turn compared to last year, the Missouri river reservoirs in northern states are giving the river a boost during this years severe drought.

The same reservoirs that brought record flooding last year have helped the Missouri River hold its depth within a foot of normal in some place downstream of Kansas City, according to the Corps of Engineers.

The Missouri River level Monday morning in St Joseph was recorded at 6.89 feet.  That’s not far from record-low levels.  In the 1988 drought, the Missouri River was recorded at 4.30 feet.  The record low was recorded in 1957 at -2.30 feet.

The Mississippi River on the east side of the state, and waterways in Kansas and Nebraska, aren’t so fortunate.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers began tapping into reservoir water Friday after depleting the year’s supply of snowpack and rain. Corps officials say there is plenty of water in the northern reservoirs to keep the river moving.

 

Searchers have found the body of a missing fisherman in Smithville lake over the weekend.

The Missouri Highway Patrol’s water patrol division found the body of 72-year-old Gordon Carr around 1:15 Sunday afternoon.

His boat was found Friday in the lake without the man and his car was parked near a dock.

Troopers searched the water Saturday as family members sat nearby. The search was called off but resumed Sunday morning.  An autopsy is scheduled this week.

 

 

 

Missouri’s attorney genera’s office is investigating well drillers who may have been charging more for their service during the current drought.

While not providing specifics, Attorney General Chris Koster announced he was looking into reports that drillers of water wells may have spiked prices for their services in northwest Missouri.

Missouri is under a state of emergency because of the prolonged drought and price-gouging in a declared disaster is illegal under state law.

“My office will move aggressively and immediately against any business that engages in price-gouging in the midst of the most extreme drought conditions in Missouri in 50 years,” Koster said. “Whether it involves drilling wells for farmers or maintenance of air conditioners for senior citizens, substantial and unwarranted price increases so long as we remain under the State of Emergency will not be tolerated.”

Gov. Jay Nixon declared a state of emergency on July 23 and also made $7 million in state funds available to help farmers with drilling, deepening water wells or expanding their irrigation systems.

Koster says he urges anyone who suspects price gouging related to the drought to contact his office.

Koster urges anyone who suspects price-gouging in any service or product related to the drought to contact his Consumer Protection Hotline at 800-392-8222 or to file a consumer complaint online at ago.mo.gov.

 

Poultry feed made in St Joseph by a Minnesota company was recalled because the products lack added vitamin D.

Land O’Lakes Purina Feed LLC says that insufficient vitamin D in a bird’s diet for more than a couple weeks can cause bone problems and other issues in the poultry.

The company says there haven’t been any reports of illness associated with the products.

The recalled products were manufactured between May 23rd and July 20th at feed plants in Milford, Indiana; Nashville, Tennessee; and St. Joseph, Missouri. They were sold nationwide under certain Purina and DuMOR poultry feed brand names.

The company says more information on the recall can be found online.