BELTON, Mo. (AP) — A new online reporting service is allowing some students to report bullying without fearing retaliation.

In northwest Missouri, the service, called Spirgeo, is being used at Belton middle school, as well as Park Hill and Platte County school districts.

The Kansas City Star reports administrators in the Belton and Park Hill districts believe Sprigeo can help reduce bullying, in part because students are reporting bullying incidents earlier than in the past. And they say students no longer have to worry about being seen reporting bullying to administrators.

In Belton, middle-school students have reported 12 bullying incidents since school began in mid-August. Assistant principal Deanna Feeback says almost all the reports came from students’ homes, meaning they had time to consider the incidents and talk to their parents.

HAMILTON- A Missouri man was injured in an accident just before 8 a.m. on Monday in Caldwell County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2006 Toyota Camry driven by Richard W. Keller, 28, Kidder, was southbound on Business U.S. 36 one mile west of Hamilton.

The vehicle failed to yield and pulled into the path of a 2001 Chevy S-10 driven by Gary W. McCampbell, 50, Savannah.  The Chevy struck the Toyota in the passenger side.

McCampbell was transported to Cameron Regional Medical Center. Keller was not injured.

The MSHP reported McCampbell was not wearing a seat belt.

Forty-six projects that will improve intersections and road deficiencies in Kansas cities have been selected for funding through two Kansas Department of Transportation programs.
Seventeen cities will receive a combined total of approximately $9 million in state funding under the Geometric Improvement (GI) program. And, 29 cities will receive a combined total of about $5.4 million under the City Connecting Links (KLINK) program, which funds improvements to state highways that extend through cities.

Under the GI program, a city contributes up to 25 percent of the project cost based on its population. Cities under 2,500 in population aren’t required to provide a match. GI projects typically improve drainage, capacity and intersections, add turning lanes and more.
KLINK projects involve maintenance work such as resurfacing and are funded up to $200,000.
“These programs are very popular with Kansas cities, and every year we receive many more requests for projects than we can fund,” said Kansas Transportation Secretary Mike King.

“As a result, funding for the GI program next year will be increased by $2 million, for a total annual commitment of $8 million. And, to catch up with inflation, the maximum state contribution per project under the KLINK program next year will go up 50 percent to $300,000.”

The maximum state contribution for a GI project will be increased to $1 million. Cities selected for the GI program and the maximum state contribution include: Seneca, $400,000; Silver Lake, $125,000; Clifton, $700,000; Grandview Plaza,
$650,000; Russell, $650,000; Hoxie, $700,000; Sharon Springs, $50,000; Baxter Springs, $650,000; Ottawa, $400,000; Hutchinson, $65,000; Wellington, $725,000; Dodge City, $600,000; Elkhart, $500,000; Leavenworth, $750,000; Osborne, $700,000; Brownell, $700,000; Independence, $650,000.
Cities selected for the KLINK program and the amounts awarded include:
Emporia, $200,000; Alma, $180,106; Oskaloosa, $144,407; Atchison, $200,000; Lawrence, $200,000; Concordia, $200,000; McPherson, $151,148; Clay Center, $200,000; Junction City, $200,000; Moundridge, $200,000; Abilene, $200,000. Coffeyville, $149,999; Pittsburg, $167,592; Independence, $185,184; Parsons, $200,000; Hoisington, $146,081; Lyons, $200,000; Larned, $200,000; Pratt, $160,800; Great Bend, $169,418; Hutchinson, $170,277; Sterling, $200,000; Wichita, $200,000; Winfield, $200,000; Caldwell, $200,000; Wellington, $200,000; El Dorado, $200,000; Garden City, $173,931; Ness City, $200,000.

MOUND CITY (AP) – An Oregon-based company says it no longer plans to build what would have been the state’s largest wind farm in northwest Missouri.

The proposed Mill Creek Wind Energy Project was to be built near Squaw Creek National Wildlife Refuge in Holt County. Environmentalists, state conservation officials and birding groups had said the 84 to 118 wind turbines would endanger the millions birds and bats that migrate through the area.

The St. Joseph News-Tribune reports said Element Power officials recently notified Holt County commissioners that the company was canceling the project because measures that would be required to protect wildlife meant it was not financially feasible.

Element said it was considering other areas of Missouri for the project but did not specify where it was looking.