FERGUSON (AP) – The Ferguson-Florissant and Clayton school districts are reminding parents of emergency procedures ahead of the upcoming decision by a St. Louis County grand jury in the Michael Brown shooting.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that both districts sent letters home to parents discussing possible school cancellations or early dismissals, should safety concerns emerge.

The two districts are also asking for updated phone numbers and emergency contacts. The note to Ferguson parents discusses possible road closings that would affect school bus routes.

Schools typically send reminders before the start of winter on inclement weather procedures. But the two districts, along with the Riverview Gardens system, want parents to be especially alert over the next few weeks.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A United Express flight has made an emergency landing at a southwest Missouri airport after experiencing a cabin depressurization problem.

KSPR-TV  reports that the Denver-bound flight landed after 5 p.m. Friday at Springfield-Branson National Airport. Airport spokesman Kent Boyd says passengers and crew were treated for symptoms of depressurization, including as nose and sinus problems.

The flight originated in Birmingham, Ala.

KANSAS CITY (AP) – Attorneys for a suburban Kansas City man who confessed to killing the wife of his prayer group leader say his statements to police came after an exorcism when he wasn’t in his right mind.

Former Grandview resident Micah Moore is charged with first-degree murder in the October 2012 death of Bethany Deaton, whose body was found in her minivan parked at Longview Lake. A coroner initially ruled her death as a suicide because of a note and empty 100-count bottle of acetaminophen found inside the vehicle.

The 25-year-old told police he killed her at the behest of her husband, the charismatic leader of a tight-knit prayer group affiliated with the International House of Prayer.

Moore’s attorneys are seeking to exclude his confession from trial, scheduled to begin next month.

LOUISBURG, Kan. (AP) — The husband of a state senator is working to oust a northeast Kansas trial judge who ordered the court clerk to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples.

The Kansas City Star reports Brian Baumgardner is targeting Johnson County Chief District Judge Kevin Moriarty.

Moriarty faces a retention vote Nov. 4 in the 10th Judicial Circuit,

which is made up of Johnson County. Baumgardner — husband of Republican state Sen. Molly Baumgardner — lives in neighboring Miami County but told The Star on Friday that “a bad judge harms everybody.”

Moriarty issued his order Oct. 8 after the U.S. Supreme Court let stand lower-court rulings striking down bans on gay marriage as unconstitutional. The Kansas Supreme Court has halted the issuance of any licenses pending a hearing scheduled Nov. 6.

 

DALLAS (AP) — A Texas company is stopping shipments of a common highway-guardrail system and conducting more crash tests after it lost a $175 million jury verdict.

Trinity Industries Inc. says that it would stop selling the ET-Plus system until testing is complete.

Earlier this week, a jury in federal district court in Marshall, Texas, decided Trinity should pay at least $175 million for misleading regulators. A whistle-blower charged that the company changed the design of caps that go on the ends of the guardrails but didn’t tell regulators until several years later. Trinity criticized the decision and hinted that it would appeal.

Critics say that when vehicles strike the guardrail ends, the guardrails don’t crumple as they should, but instead become spears that impale cars and their occupants.

CLAYTON, MO.  (AP) —Missouri Auditor Tom Schweich says he’s excited about a big success that’s been years in the making.

He’s not talking about his likely re-election on Nov. 4.

Schweich is hyped up about his recent purchase of a rare autograph and photograph of old-time Hollywood actress Greta Garbo. The hard-to-find items are the latest additions to Schweich’s extensive collections, which including old movie memorabilia, coins and historical documents.

Schweich says he pursues collecting as a getaway from the intensity of politics and public service.

But this year, Schweich’s campaign is not quite as tense. The Republican incumbent faces no Democratic challenger. His only opponents are Libertarian Sean O’Toole and Constitution Party candidate Rodney Farthing, who have not been spending money against him.

 

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (AP) — Several dozen leaders in Johnson County are supporting U.S. Sen. Pat Roberts’ re-election and are talking him up as a likely Agriculture Committee chairman if Republicans recapture a Senate majority.

The Roberts campaign released a letter Friday from legislators, mayors and other prominent county residents. Johnson County is the state’s most populous county and home to affluent Kansas City suburbs.

The letter praising the three-term Republican incumbent included endorsements from 29 GOP state legislators and four mayors.

They wrote that a potential Agriculture Committee chairmanship would be vital to Kansas. Roberts serves on the committee.

Roberts is in a tight race with independent candidate and Olathe businessman Greg Orman.

Orman’s campaign Friday cited news reports showing the senator has missed 65 percent of his Agriculture Committee meetings.

 

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama says the U.S. must be guided by science — not fear — as it responds to Ebola.

In his weekly radio and Internet address, Obama says he was proud to give Texas nurse Nina Pham a hug in the Oval Office after she was cured of Ebola. He says the other nurse who contracted Ebola is also improving.

Obama is praising New York’s quick reaction to its first Ebola case. He says he’s promised local officials any federal help they need.

Obama is reminding Americans they can’t contract Ebola unless they come into direct contact with a patient’s bodily fluids.

The president says the U.S. can beat the disease if it remains vigilant. He says the best way to stop it is at its source in West Africa