CAROLYN THOMPSON, Associated Press

Professors in the United States want universities to cut ties with Confucius Institutes on campuses unless they see better guarantees of academic freedom.

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Legislation pending before Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon could allow medical school graduates to start seeing patients sooner.

The bill would create a classification of “assistant physician” for graduates who have passed licensing exams but have not completed residency training. They would be allowed to provide primary care and prescribe drugs in rural or urban areas where there are shortages of doctors.

The Missouri State Medical Association told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that the proposal could help attract recent medical school graduates to Missouri.

Nixon has not said whether he will sign the legislation.

JOPLIN, Mo. (AP) — A southwest Missouri church is hoping to increase its membership with promotions such as raffling semi-automatic rifles to men on Father’s Day.
Joplin-based Ignite Church gave away two AR-15 rifles in the raffle, which lead pastor Heath Mooneyham says was aimed at males between 18 to 35 years old, a demographic the church hopes to draw into its ranks.
The Joplin Globe  reports the gun giveaway drew some heated response online from people who don’t think a church should be condoning weapons, violence or war.
Ignite Church made headlines in 2011 when it sponsored billboards urging married couples to have more sex to avoid vices like pornography and adultery.

KANSAS CITY (AP) – Kansas City police say a 7-year-old boy drowned Sunday at an apartment complex pool.

The boy was pronounced dead at a hospital after his body was pulled from the pool at the Willowind Apartments.

His mother told emergency crews that the boy was playing with other children in the 3-foot-end of the pool and she did not immediately notice when he went into deeper water.

The child’s name was not released. Police say the death is being investigated as an accident.

KIMBERLING CITY, Mo. (AP) — The body of a 30-year-old Nebraska woman was found in a Missouri lake two days after she went missing.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol says Sara Deines, of Lincoln, Nebraska, disappeared Friday evening at Table Rock Lake near Kimberling City while diving with a group.

Sgt. Terry Sanders says Deines was separated from a diving partner after she went under water with 40 minutes of air. Rescue officials were called when she did not resurface with only 20 minutes of air remaining.

An investigation into the drowning is continuing.

DALLAS (AP) — U.S. mayors gathered in Texas will decide whether to endorse a call for cities to use nature to fight the effects of climate change.

Attendees of the U.S. Conference of Mayors are set to vote Monday on a resolution encouraging cities to use natural solutions to “protect freshwater supplies, defend the nation’s coastlines, maintain a healthy tree cover and protect air quality,” sometimes by partnering with nonprofit organizations.

It’s backed by Austin Mayor Lee Leffingwell, Houston Mayor Annise Parker and Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton.

Since the resolution “encourages” steps rather than mandating action, Leffingwell believes it will easily be approved since it quickly passed through the committee Friday.

EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy said the mayors could turn the climate change debate into a discussion about economics, public safety and health.

JEFFERSON CITY (AP) – A Missouri law allocating money to various cultural causes has received an extended life.

State law currently divides the income tax revenues from visiting athletes and entertainers among five general beneficiaries.

The Missouri Arts Council is to get 60 percent of the money, with the humanities council, libraries, public broadcasting and historic preservation each getting 10 percent.

The law prescribing how that money is used was set to expire at the end of 2015. But Gov. Jay Nixon has signed legislation extending the law through 2020.

The law is somewhat symbolic, because legislators can ignore the specific percentages when crafting the annual state budget.

SPRINGFIELD (AP) – Springfield police are investigating the death of a 52-year-old man who was killed after being struck by a vehicle while he was walking across the street.

Police say Springfield resident James Cashier was struck at 11:02 p.m. Saturday by a vehicle driven by 27-year-old Jordan Fairchild of Springfield.

Cashier was taken to a local hospital where he later died from his injuries.

JEFFERSON CITY (AP) – The state auditor is cautioning there could be significant costs stemming from a proposed constitutional amendment to enhance Missouri residents’ right to bear arms.

A measure on the Aug. 5 ballot will ask voters whether the state should declare that the right is “unalienable.” The measure also would subject any gun-control measures to strict legal scrutiny.

The official financial summary prepared by the auditor’s office notes that the measure “will likely lead to increased litigation and criminal justice related costs” that “could be significant.”

A similar constitutional amendment was adopted two years ago by Louisiana voters. Since then, the Louisiana attorney general’s office says it has provided aid to district attorneys in about 200 cases to defend against challenges to criminal laws involving the gun-rights amendment.

DAN SEWELL, Associated Press