DUQUESNE, Mo. (AP) — Duquesne Mayor Denny White has resigned amid an investigation of his working relationship with the council and allegations of improper use of city equipment.

White said in his letter of resignation that he was leaving because he bought a home outside the city and out of concern for his health.

The Duquesne Board of Aldermen accepted White’s resignation Tuesday but delayed a decision on his replacement.

The Joplin Globe reports the board voted in September to seek White’s resignation.

Some board members accused White of not attending board meetings or communicating with the board, using city equipment on private property and a slow reaction to replacing police vehicles after a pursuit in June left the department with only one functioning vehicle.
White denied all the allegations.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Health Subcommittee, released the following statement regarding the first confirmed case of Ebola in the United States:

“This is a serious development and reiterates the need for us to heighten coordination and vigilance to address this health crisis. While Ebola is not easily transmitted, it is important that we fully utilize our public health infrastructure to detect possible infections, as well as safely screen, isolate and treat any patients who may need care. I will continue to be in touch with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and its Director, Dr. Tom Frieden, to monitor the national and international responses to this outbreak.”

On Sept. 16, 2014, CNN published an op-ed written Sen. Moran about the importance of the U.S. involvement in the Ebola response.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A new poll says the U.S. Senate and governor’s races in Kansas remain close.

The survey of 500 likely Kansas voters released Wednesday said independent Senate candidate Greg Orman was favored by 46 percent. Three-term Republican incumbent Pat Roberts was backed by 41 percent, with 11 percent undecided.

The poll was conducted by USA Today and Suffolk University in Boston from Sept. 27 through Sept. 30 and had a 4.4 percent margin of error.

The poll said in the governor’s race, Democrat Paul Davis was favored by 46 percent and Republican incumbent Sam Brownback by 42 percent. Six percent were undecided.

In the hotly contested secretary of state’s race, Republican incumbent Kris Kobach was favored by 45 percent and Democrat Jean Schodorf by 40 percent, with 14 percent undecided.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) — A Springfield man has been sentenced to more than 12 years in federal prison after authorities found crack cocaine hidden in an oven mitt.

The Springfield News-Leader reports 37-year-old Ulysses Johnson was sentenced Wednesday to 12 years and six months in prison without the possibility of parole. He pleaded guilty in April to being a felon in possession of a firearm and to possessing crack with the intent to distribute.

KANSAS CITY-Two drivers were injured in separate accidents just before 10 p.m. on Wednesday in Wyandotte County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported at 9:18 p.m., a 2006 Volvo Semi driven by Peter C. Danna, 37, Port St. Lucie, FL., was westbound on Interstate 670 at the Interstate 70 interchange when he lost control, striking the inside barrier wall.

Just after 9:40 p.m. a 1998 Ford Ranger driven by Randy E. Smith, 46, Kansas City, was northbound on Interstate 635 when he lost control in the rain and the vehicle rolled.

Danna and Smith were transported to KU Medical Center.

Both drivers were properly restrained at the time of the accidents.

JEFFERSON CITY (AP) – A Jefferson City man sentenced to die for murdering a woman in 2009 is arguing police violated his rights by tracking his location through his cellphone.

The man will appeal the case before the Missouri Supreme Court on Thursday.

David Hosier is set to be executed for killing a woman with whom he had a relationship while she was separated from her husband, who was also shot to death.

Angela and Ronald Gilpin were found dead in September 2009 at Angela’s Jefferson City apartment. Prosecutors said Angela Gilpin had an affair with 58-year-old Hosier while separated from her husband, but the Gilpins were trying to reconcile.

Hosier is arguing against the sentence and says police committed an unreasonable search and seizure when they tracked his cell phone before arresting him.

JEFFERSON CITY (AP) – Missouri is taking part in a multi-state earthquake drill designed to teach participants to “drop, cover and hold on.”

The Missouri Department of Public Safety says more than 400,000 residents are registered to participate in the Great Central U. S. “ShakeOut” earthquake drill on Oct. 16. Last year, more than 2.4 million people in 10 states took part.

Many Missouri residents live within the New Madrid seismic zone, one of the most active in the country.

State Emergency Management Agency Director Ron Walker said in a news release that he encourages schools, businesses and families to consider participating in the drill.

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Prosecutors say they’re investigating a Twitter post claiming that grand jurors hearing evidence in the police shooting of an unarmed black 18-year-old near St. Louis haven’t seen enough evidence to justify prosecuting the officer.

The Twitter user claimed Wednesday that a friend serving on the grand jury told her the panel lacked evidence to warrant an arrest of Darren Wilson, the white officer who shot Michael Brown on Aug. 9.

The tweet and Twitter account have since been deleted. A county prosecutor’s spokesman says there’s no evidence to suggest information in the tweet is credible.

The AP hasn’t confirmed the poster’s identity.

Grand jurors are expected to complete their work by early November. A juror’s sharing of information from the secret proceedings could amount to misconduct.

JEFFERSON CITY (AP) – The Democrat and Republican parties are weighing in on a pair of proposed constitutional amendments on Missouri’s ballot.

The Missouri Democratic State Committee has passed a resolution opposing proposed Constitutional Amendment 3. The measure would require public school teachers to be evaluated based on student performance and would limit tenure protections.

The Missouri Republican State Committee has voted to endorse proposed Constitutional Amendment 2. That measure would allow allegations of past criminal acts to be used against people facing sex-related charges involving victims younger than 18.

The official actions by the political parties will allow them to campaign on the measures as part of their get-out-the-vote efforts for the Nov. 4 election.

DETROIT (AP) — General Motors says a new high-performance version of the Chevrolet Corvette can go from zero to 60 miles per hour in under three seconds.

The 2015 Corvette ZO6 is the fastest car GM has ever made. The company says it can hit 60 mph in 2.95 seconds and can finish a quarter-mile in just under 11 seconds. It can reach 127 mph in one-quarter mile.

GM spokesman Monte Doran says GM believes it to be the first front-engine, rear-wheel-drive production car to break the three-second barrier.

The Z06 that achieved the times is equipped with an eight-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters. It has a supercharged V8 engine that puts out 650 horsepower.

The Z06 goes on sale early next year and will cost just shy of $80,000.