FERGUSON, Mo. (AP) — Suburban St. Louis gun dealers are reporting a surge in sales, especially among first-time buyers, as fearful residents await a grand jury’s decision on whether to indict the police officer who fatally shot Michael Brown.
Steven King of Metro Shooting Supplies says he’s sold two to three times more weapons than usual in recent weeks as the jury prepares to conclude its three-month review of the case. Private lessons and concealed-carry training classes at the store near the St. Louis airport are full through the end of the year.
Other dealers report comparable sales spikes, similar to the increases reported soon after the Aug. 9 shooting of Brown by Ferguson officer Darren Wilson.
The owner of a tactical-supply store says law enforcement officers are also buying more gear.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The mayor of a central Nebraska community is bemoaning the public fervor over a resident’s sign about President Barack Obama.
The Lincoln Journal Star reports Minden Mayor Ted Griess says he’s asked the property owner who posted the sign to remove it. The sign read, “AIDS Ebola Obama — Thanks Africa.” Griess says the owner has removed the sign from his private property.
Griess says he told the owner that the sign sends the wrong message about the community with a population of just under 3,000. He says the owner had the right to express his political views, but that he and others saw the sign as very “distasteful.”
Nebraska state Sen. Jeremy Nordquist posted on Twitter on Tuesday that he disliked the sign.
CAMDENTON, Mo. (AP) — One of four suspects in a triple homicide in southwest Missouri has pleaded guilty in the deaths.
Benjamin Stidham pleaded guilty Tuesday in the October 2009 deaths of a couple and a man who was dating their daughter. Stidham, who was 16 at the time of the crimes, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the death of Zachary Porter in Lebanon. He also pleaded guilty to two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of Jeff and Glenda Smith at their home in Phillipsburg.
KYTV reports prosecutors dropped four other charges.
The Smiths were the parents and Porter the boyfriend of Miranda Smith, an ex-girlfriend of another defendant, Joshua Reyes. Reyes and Smith had two children. The three other suspects have pleaded guilty or were convicted of the crimes.
LONDON (AP) — The creator of Paddington Bear says he’s “amazed” that authorities have found mild adult content in a film version of the famous British children’s books.
The British Board of Film Classification has given the “Paddington” movie a parental guidance rating, saying it contains “dangerous behavior, mild threat, mild sex references and mild bad language.”
Michael Bond, the bear’s 88-year-old creator, said he had not yet seen the film, but told the Daily Mail newspaper that he couldn’t imagine what the sex references were.
The authority on Tuesday changed “mild sex references” to “innuendo” after the movie’s distributor objected. The description refers to a scene of flirtation involving a cross-dressing man.
The board said the film’s scenes of dangerous behavior include Paddington hiding inside a refrigerator.
DETROIT (AP) — Volkswagen is recalling 442,000 Jettas and Beetles to fix a problem that can cause rear suspension failure if the cars aren’t fixed properly after a crash.
The recall covers 2011 through 2013 Jettas and 2012 through 2013 Beetles.
VW says in documents posted by U.S. safety regulators that if rear trailing arms are damaged in a crash and not repaired correctly, they can fracture suddenly. That can cause loss of control and possibly a crash. Trailing arms connect the axle to the frame.
The company says there have been no crashes or injuries in the U.S., but there were reports of fractured trailing arms mainly in Asian countries.
Dealers will inspect trailing arms for damage and install sheet metal to help prevent a loss of vehicle control.
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — The state’s aviation office is considering whether to allow qualified seaplanes to use state lakes that are managed by the U.S. Corps of Army Engineers.
The Wichita Eagle reports a petition is being circulated to gauge interest in opening some of the state’s lakes to seaplanes. The petition is the first step in a lengthy process.
The state transportation’s aviation director, Jesse Romo, says the decision will depend on whether the corps finds enough interest in the idea. He says several pilots have expressed early interest.
The seaplanes land in open spaces on the lake, then operate as a boat on the water.
TOPEKA — A federal agency has sent notice that Medicare payments to overcrowded Osawatomie State Hospital will be terminated, but state officials say they will address concerns before the deadline and avoid the termination.
Kari Bruffett, secretary of the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services, said Tuesday that she is aware of the termination notice from the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. But she said the state has until Dec. 8 to correct deficiencies and will do so.
“I actually have a plan of correction that will be released no later than tomorrow,” Bruffett said.
Bruffett said the plan will address concerns about the number of mental health patients at Osawatomie State Hospital, an ongoing problem at the facility.
As of Tuesday the hospital was serving 221 patients, which is 15 above its 206-bed capacity. Bruffett said eight patients were scheduled to be discharged Tuesday.
Osawatomie State Hospital is the largest of the state’s two inpatient facilities for adults with severe and persistent mental illnesses. Prior to admission, most of the hospital’s patients have been declared a danger to themselves or others.
Bruffett said she is working with community partners, hospitals and behavioral health centers to find alternatives for Osawatomie patients. She said state law allows the facility to bar voluntary admissions in order to keep numbers down, but that should be a last resort.
“We don’t want that to be the outcome,” Bruffett said.
Angela de Rocha, a spokeswoman for KDADS, said the discharge process is complex and takes time, but it is working at Osawatomie State Hospital. She said the facility has a readmission rate that exceeds the standards of the Joint Commission, a national hospital accrediting organization.
De Rocha said overcrowding in mental health centers is a national phenomenon.
“Kansas isn’t alone,” de Rocha said. “There’s pressure on psychiatric facilities all over the country.”
Greg Valentine was superintendent of Osawatomie State Hospital from 2005 to 2011. Valentine, now CEO of the Delaware Psychiatric Center, said the Osawatomie facility received a similar termination notice shortly after he took over there and staff had to work hard for recertification.
“I’ve been through it, and you take it very seriously,” Valentine said.
Valentine said once the current administration puts its corrective plan in place at Osawatomie State Hospital, the facility will be surveyed again. Surveyors will be looking to see if the previous deficiencies have been addressed and for any new deficiencies, he said.
“They haven’t completely lost yet, the hospital,” Valentine said. “But it’s pretty serious; I don’t mean to diminish that.”
Andy Marso is a reporter for Heartland Health Monitor, a news collaboration focusing on health issues and their impact in Missouri and Kansas.
KANSAS CITY- A Kansas man was injured in an accident just before 11 p.m. on Tuesday in Wyandotte County.
The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2000 Lincoln Town Car and a 2004 Honda Accord driven by Edwin Ricardo Mendez-Chavez, 40, Kansas City, were eastbound on Interstate 70 at the Lewis and Clark Bridge in Kansas City.
For an unknown reason the Lincoln came to a stop in the number two lane. The Honda rear-ended the Lincoln. The occupants of the Lincoln fled the scene.
Mendez-Chavez was transported to Truman Medical Center.
The KHP reported he was properly restrained at the time of the collision.
The accident remains under investigation.
SPRINGFIELD (AP) – Married same-sex couples will be eligible for health benefits from the Springfield school district, starting Dec. 1.
The school board on Tuesday approved an amendment to the district’s health plan to include same-sex couples who are married in any state that legally recognizes their marriages.
The Springfield News-Leader reports it is unclear how many additional people would be covered by the change. The district’s self-insured health plan covers about 6,000 people.
The change comes as Missouri’s constitutional ban on same-sex marriage is being challenged in court. District officials say several large employers in the city and state are expanding benefits to same-sex couples, partly to attract top employees.
The change is also expected to impact on other employment policies, such as sick days and family medical leave.
GRANT CITY- A Missouri man was injured in an accident just after 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday in Worth County.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol Reported a 2009 International semi driven by Hubert S. Grinstead, 70, Cameron, was southbound on U.S. 169 three miles south of Grant City.
The vehicle hit a cow. The driver lost control of the truck. It traveled off the east side of the road and down an embankment.
Grinstead was transported to Northwest Medical Center in Albany.
The MSHP reported he was properly restrained at the time of the accident.
FERGUSON, Mo. (AP) — Suburban St. Louis gun dealers are reporting a surge in sales, especially among first-time buyers, as fearful residents await a grand jury’s decision on whether to indict the police officer who fatally shot Michael Brown.
