ST. LOUIS (AP) – The annual study of moving trends by the nation’s largest moving company shows that Oregon and the Carolinas are seeing more people move in, while people are leaving the Northeast.

United Van Lines released details of its 38th annual study on Friday. The St. Louis-based company each year tracks the states its customers move to and from.

For 2014, the states with the highest percentages of inbound movement were, in order, Oregon, South Carolina, North Carolina, Vermont and Florida.

Two northeastern states, New Jersey and New York, had the highest percentages of people moving out, followed by Illinois, North Dakota and West Virginia.

Missouri trended toward the outbound – 53 percent of moves were leaving instead of arriving.

The study includes Washington, D.C., but excludes Alaska and Hawaii.

POWHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — The Sac and Fox Casino in northeast Kansas will reduce its late-night hours for the next few weeks while renovation work is underway.

The gaming area of the casino will close from 2 a.m. to 8 a.m. on weekdays, starting Monday. General Manager Bruce McClure says late night hours will continue on weekends. The casino near Powhattan is expected to resume normal hours in about five weeks.

The Topeka Capital-Journal reports  the work will include removing wallpaper and painting the walls, replacing some lighting and cleaning the carpets and ceiling. Some slot machines will be relocated and a wall will be built near the player’s club area to create a focal point for contests and promotional events.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Topeka police are sponsoring a benefit for a Kansas corporal killed in the line of duty.

The Topeka Capital-Journal reports a ‘Zumbathon’ is scheduled for 2-4 p.m. Jan. 17 at Washburn University’s Lee Arena for Cpl. Jason Harwood’s family.

Harwood was making a car stop Sept. 7 when Ross Preston Lane opened fire on him. Lane was charged with capital murder for 15-year police veteran’s death.

Attendees at the fundraiser will participate in a Zumba-style, dance-inspired workout. A $5 minimum donation is suggested.

The money will pay for Cpl. Jason Harwood’s family to travel to Washington, D.C. for a workshop made to support families who have experienced similar tragedies.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A monthly report shows an improved economic outlook over the next three to six months for nine Midwestern and Plains.

A survey report issued Friday says the overall Mid-America Business Conditions Index jumped to 54.4 in December from 51.3 in November.

Creighton University economist Ernie Goss oversees the survey, and he says drops in grain and fuel prices have helped companies with close ties to consumers.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — A Missouri lawmaker is proposing the state create incentives for health clinics at rural schools.
State Rep. Jay Barnes recently filed legislation to encourage health centers at schools with large populations of students from low-income families.
The bill from the Jefferson City Republican would require the Department of Social Services to make incentives for schools.
The legislation applies to public elementary and secondary schools if at least half of their students qualify for free- or reduced-price lunch.
Those clinics would be banned from providing abortions or forms of contraception.
Parents’ permission would be required for children to receive care.
The state would need federal approval before moving schools could implement the clinics.

ST. LOUIS (AP) — A St. Louis man is facing charges for allegedly tweeting about killing police and an explosion at the St. Louis City Justice Center.

The St. Louis Circuit Attorney’s office said Thursday that 35-year-old Jason Valentine is charged with 10 counts of making a terrorist threat meant to frighten people.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that Valentine is being held on a $100,000 cash-only bail. It’s not clear from online court records whether he has an attorney.

The probable cause statement says Valentine tweeted about “kill a pig night” throughout December. It also says Valentine threatened an explosion at the Justice Center on Wednesday.

Many of the tweets allegedly mentioned Ferguson, where a black 18-year-old was shot and killed by a white police officer. Valentine’s Twitter account has been suspended.

CHARLES BABINGTON, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Governors across the political spectrum are hitting the same roadblock in their bids to expand Medicaid with federal funds: Republican legislators who adamantly oppose “Obamacare.”

Some of these governors themselves have criticized the president’s health care law in general. But they’ve come to see Medicaid expansion as too generous to reject.

Now they’re battling conservative lawmakers who say it’s better to turn down billions of federal dollars than to expand Medicaid under the 2010 law.

The federal government will pay the full expansion cost for the first three years. The subsidy eventually is 90 percent.

Partisan politics have driven states’ Medicaid decisions ever since the Supreme Court ruled in 2012 that expansion was optional under the new law.

All Democratic governors backed expansion. Most Republican governors did not.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Topeka has recorded the lowest number of homicides in nearly a decade with seven reported in 2014 in the Kansas city.

The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that’s the fewest slayings since 2005, which also had seven.

Kansas Bureau of Investigation records show 11 homicides occurred in 2013. There were 15 in 2012 and 2011, the highest number of slayings in the past decade.

Killings in 2014 include the fatal shooting of Topeka police Cpl. Jason Harwood, who was shot while making a car stop Sept. 7. Ross Preston Lane was charged with capital murder for 15-year police veteran’s death.

Wichita police also fatally shot an armed man after he pointed his gun at police. Officers shot Joseph Michael Rodriquez on Dec. 13 when he refused to drop his weapon.