(Missouri News Service)KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Researchers are issuing a dire warning with a hint of hope: Our republic is at risk, but solutions can be found – in Missouri and across the nation.

Dr. Peter Levine, an associate dean at the Tisch College of Civic Life at Tufts University, said an increasing number of Americans say they dislike or even loathe people who support different political views than their own. Deep distrust of institutions – from the federal government to organized religion and public schools – is also increasing.

Levine said the nation is at risk if these divisions continue.

“Falling apart; our basic political institutions not functioning or not functioning nearly adequately, and our people becoming increasingly polarized and angry at each other,” Levine said, “to the point where we’re not really governable.”

Levine co-authored a new report that said part of the solution is to require students to take courses on civics, government, law and related topics to ensure they’re better informed and more likely to vote.

Missouri, unlike many states, requires students to pass a civics exam to graduate high school, but Levine said additional social studies and civics courses are needed. More professional development is encouraged, as well.

Levine noted that large civic associations that were more popular in the 20th century – such as organized religion and unions – have given way to narrower agendas. In the meantime, American society has become more diverse, yet more intolerant.

“That is one ingredient to our dilemma today that civic education can help to address,” he said, “because civic education can teach young people to manage differences and talk to people who are different from them, and understand differences.”

The report includes a chart that summarizes the key civic learning policies in each state and pinpoints what the research team sees as the areas of greatest need. It’s available online at civxsummit.org.

(Missourinet) – The Missouri Supreme Court in Jefferson City heard a case Tuesday challenging whether a 2014 state law is constitutional. The statute allows prior sex crimes to be used in new cases if the victim is under 18 years old.

The argument against the law is that it violates due process rights by prejudicing juries against defendants. The 2015 Cass County conviction of Travis Williams on sodomy charges was the vehicle for debate over the statute in the Supreme Court.

Attorney William Swift said Williams previous crimes were used to bias the jury into thinking he was likely, or had a “propensity”, to commit the same offense against the victim in his trial.

“It was the entire focus of the opening statements,” said Swift. “The jury was instructed that this evidence was to only be considered for propensity, and propensity only. And it couldn’t be considered for some other purpose. I think that’s highly prejudicial.”

Federal laws allow previous crimes to be admitted in new cases of sexual assault and child molestation. But Swift claims they are only allowed to confirm, or corroborate a defendant’s actions, not establish its likelihood.

He mentioned one example in which there was a signature feature of the offender’s activity. “The evidence was found to be corroborative, because in those situations when the defendant committed his sexual abuse, he had little girls always dressed in bathing suits, so that’s corroboration.”

Arguing for the state, Assistant Attorney General Shaun Mackelprang cited four cases where previous crimes were allowed with the understanding they weren’t only being used to prove likelihood, or propensity.

“Basically, you cannot base a conviction of guilt in the case solely on the fact that the defendant had a prior conviction,” said Mackelprang. “That’s doesn’t mean they can’t consider it for propensity. In fact, the jury can consider it for any it for any purpose under the federal rules. And the courts made that plain.”

Mackelprang contends that in the Williams case, jury instructions prevented any bias from being caused by previous crimes.

“(The instructions) require the jury to find, specific elements for each offense beyond a reasonable doubt, before they can find the defendant guilty of the charged offense. So there really is no risk that the jury is going to find the defendant guilty solely because of the existence of the prior conviction.”

Briefs filed by Williams attorney Swift contained excerpts from the jury selection process. In one passage, “Many” jury pool members acknowledged that they would convict Travis because of his prior conviction.

During questioning by defense counsel, one prospective juror said “If you are honest in here, it’s going to be hard to separate it (the prior conviction from the present allegations). The person also said that Travis did not enter with a “level playing field” because of his prior conviction.

Briefs prepared by state attorney Mackelprang describe how over time Williams sexually assaulted his stepdaughter numerous times, beginning when she was eight years old.

The state charged Williams with three counts of first-degree statutory sodomy against his stepdaughter, two before the girl was 12 years old and one before she was 14 years old.

An agreement was made that Williams’ accuser in his previous conviction would not testify at his 2015 trial under the acknowledgement that the conviction itself would play a prominent role instead.

He was convicted on all three counts by the jury in Cass County near Kansas City. The court sentenced him, as a predatory sexual offender, to concurrent sentences of 50 years in prison with the possibility of parole. He’s currently incarcerated at the maximum-security Crossroads Correctional Center in Cameron, Missouri.

His attorney is asking the Supreme Court for a new trial under the contention that the law allowing previous crimes into evidence is unconstitutional.

Child advocates say the law helps put sex offenders away for longer periods of time and ultimately protect children.

(Missourinet) – A three day statewide gathering on transportation is underway in mid Missouri’s Columbia.  The 2nd Annual combined Highway Safety and Traffic Blueprint Conference offers 15 workshops for industry professionals and the public aimed at improving road safety.

This year’s program includes traffic engineering topics with a focus on what the organizers refer to as the four E’s of highway safety (engineering, education, enforcement and Emergency medical services).

The conference includes topics ranging from bike and pedestrian safety to new vehicle technology.

One of the major presentations to kick off the gathering Wednesday looked at the program called Missouri’s Blueprint – A Partnership Toward Zero Deaths.

It’ll feature the city of Columbia’s Vision Zero plan.  The concept to strive for the elimination of traffic deaths started in Sweden in 1997.

The first U.S. city to adopt the program was New York City in 2014.  Columbia became the 22^ndmember of the network of American Vision Zero cities earlier this year, which has since grown to about 35.

The Columbia effort’s program manager, Heather Cole, says Vision Zero is focused on “transportation design”.

“There are three basic philosophies that go along with that – that safety is the most important factor, that traffic deaths and severe injuries are preventable and that transportation systems should be designed so that a user error does not result in a fatality,” said Cole.

Each city designs its own Vision Zero program based on factors such as demographics and population.  Columbia has chosen to categorize its approach through engineering, education and enforcement.

Cole says a goal set by the city council is to have zero traffic fatalities and serious injuries in Columbia by the year 2030.  “We’re doing that, basically, in three-year action plan chunks.  Our first action plan, we’ve broken down in three years, and we’ve broken it down into those key categories of engineering, education and enforcement.”

The Columbia program is funded for the first three years by a $171,000 budget provided through the city council.

According to Cole, the flagship program in Sweden has set the standard for U.S. cities to strive for.  “They have 10 years of data that shows even though they have increasing population and traffic volume, they still showed 73% reduction in fatalities and a 50% reduction in pedestrian fatalities.”

Among the three general session presentations being offered Friday morning before the conference adjourns is “Marijuana’s Impact Relating to Highway Safety & Law Enforcement”.

Cole says the three components of engineering, education and enforcement have proven to be effective ways to move the needle toward achieving the goal.  Those same three categories are the focus of the 12 workshops taking place Thursday between 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Education:

• hOUR Program & application of program by other agencies
• Bike and pedestrian safety program
• The Confident Communicator – Developing Your Media Skills
• Child Passenger Safety

Engineering:

• Highway Safety Manual (HMS) Implementation
• Traffic Signal Timing
• Innovative Roundabouts/Intersections/Interchanges – How are they working?
• Safe Highway Work Zones

Evidence Based Traffic Enforcement StrategiesEnforcement:

• First Impact Graduated Drivers License (GDL) Program for Parents
• The Prescription Impaired Driver – Strengthening Your Case
• The Shocking Truth About Fatigued Law Enforcement Officers

The Highway Safety and Traffic Blueprint Conference is taking place at the Holiday Inn Executive Center 2200 Interstate 70 Dr SW, Columbia, MO.  The event is sponsored by the Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety and the Traffic and Safety Conference. The Conference Chairs are Charlie Nemmers of the University of Missouri, Michelle Gibler of ThinkFirst, John Miller of MoDOT Highway Safety and Traffic Blueprint and Bill Whitfield of MoDOT Highway Safety and Traffic Blueprint

(Missourinet) – The nation’s largest chicken producer has pleaded guilty in federal court in Springfield to two criminal charges of violating the Clean Water Act, stemming from discharges at its slaughter and processing facility in southwest Missouri’s Monett.

The Justice Department says the charges to which Tyson Poultry pleaded guilty arose from a spill after the company mixed ingredients in its chicken feed at its Aurora feed mill.

Federal prosecutors say 108,000 fish were killed in the Clear Creek.

Prosecutors say Tyson will have to pay a $2 million dollar criminal fine and serve two years probation, and must pay $500,000 to maintain and restore waters in the Monett area.

Federal prosecutors note these are criminal charges against the company, not against any individual person.

“Tyson’s admitted criminal conduct caused significant environmental damage, including a large-scale fish kill,” Western District of Missouri Acting U.S. Attorney Tom Larson said in written statement. “Today’s plea agreement not only holds Tyson accountable for its actions in Missouri, but requires the company to take steps to insure compliance with the Clean Water Act at its poultry facilities throughout the United States.”

Arkansas-based Tyson has issued a statement on its website, taking full responsibility for the 2014 Monett incident.

Tyson’s statement reads, in part: “An unfortunate mistake was made by our company in May 2014 that resulted in the accidental release of an animal feed ingredient into the city of Monett’s wastewater treatment system. The release disrupted the treatment system and resulted in a fish kill in a nearby stream. We deeply regret the mistake that was made and have taken corrective action to make sure it doesn’t happen again. We’re committed to doing better in all areas of our business, especially when it comes to protecting the environment.”