ROLLA (AP) – A funeral is planned in Rolla for a soldier killed in shootings at Fort Hood, Texas, earlier this month.
The Saturday morning service for Sgt. Timothy Owens will be at First Baptist Church in Rolla. A procession with his casket was Friday evening. He is to be buried with full military honors.
The 37-year-old Owens is originally from Effingham, Ill., and attended Rolla High School in the 1990s. Owens joined the Army in 2004.
Three people were killed and 16 others wounded in the shooting spree on April 2. The suspect, Spc. Ivan Lopez, killed himself.
The governors of both Illinois and Missouri have ordered flags flown at half-staff for Owens.
In the 1970s, Missouri and several other states adopted laws prohibiting the ownership of farmland by foreign entities. These laws were prompted by concerns that increasing foreign investment in American farmland could compromise our national security and domestic food production capabilities. Missouri’s prohibition did not apply to farmland used for non-farming purposes and foreign owners who became “bona fide” residents of the United States.
Missouri Farm Bureau has had longstanding policy adopted by members supporting the state’s prohibition on foreign ownership of Missouri farmland. However, last year a provision enacted into law as part of a larger bill amended Missouri’s prohibition to allow foreign ownership of up to 1 percent of Missouri farmland.
One percent might not seem like much, but it is significant given the current worldwide interest in snatching up productive land.
Globally many foreign interests are in the market for farmland and agricultural businesses. Countries such as China, Saudi Arabia and South Korea that have financial resources but lack productive land are actively seeking farmland and agricultural facilities. Last year’s acquisition of global pork producer Smithfield Foods by Shuanghui International set a record for the largest buyout of an American company by a Chinese company. This transaction involved assets in more than a dozen states, including an estimated 50,000 acres of Missouri farmland.
Farmland is one of our nation’s most precious resources, and total farmed acreage is declining. The USDA’s 2012 Ag Census revealed that since 2007 Missouri has lost 3 percent of its farmland. This trend combined with growing global demand magnifies the need to vigilantly protect this resource for future generations.
Missouri’s law prohibiting foreign ownership of farmland must be reinstated without delay. Missouri Farm Bureau is working this legislative session to reinstate the prohibition of foreign ownership of farmland in Missouri. As proposed, new foreign ownership after enactment of the bill would be prohibited.
Leslie Holloway, of Jefferson City, Mo., is director of state and local government affairs for the Missouri Farm Bureau, the state’s largest farm organization.
TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) — Federal investigators say identity thieves who’ve claimed billions of dollars in bogus tax refunds in recent years are finding ways to get around increased surveillance.
Tax fraud thieves this year have been linked with swiping the Social Security numbers and identities of schoolchildren in Miami and teachers in Seattle.
The IRS paid out nearly $4 billion to people using stolen identities in 2012. It has made stopping identity theft fraud a priority.
Tax fraud thieves have evaded detection lately by getting refunds loaded onto prepaid debit cards instead of receiving them by check.
It all adds up to frustration for legitimate taxpayers who have had their personal information stolen. They often face lots of paperwork and months of waiting for their refunds.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Roy Blunt (Mo.) issued the following statement today after President Barack Obama officially announced the resignation of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius:
“As I’ve repeatedly said, ObamaCare is more than a website. It’s also more than a resignation. Secretary Sebelius’ departure doesn’t change the fact that the president’s health care law is fundamentally flawed.
“American families, workers, and small businesses continue to suffer from ObamaCare’s skyrocketing premiums and out-of-pocket costs, canceled coverage, lost doctors, and devastating job losses. That’s why I’m fighting to repeal ObamaCare and replace it with common-sense health care solutions.”
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) — An Atlantic City casino is suing a big-time gambler, claiming he won $9.6 million in a card-cheating scheme.
The Borgata filed a federal lawsuit Tuesday against Phillip Ivey Jr.
The suit alleges Ivey and an associate exploited a defect in cards made by a Kansas City manufacturer that enabled them to sort and arrange so-called “good cards” and gave him an unfair advantage in baccarat.
The casino claims the technique, called “edge sorting,” violates New Jersey casino gambling regulations.
Ivey didn’t immediately respond to a message sent to his Twitter account Friday. A message left with a lawyer who previously represented Ivey wasn’t immediately returned. Ivey’s website did not include a contact email or a phone number.
Ivey is renowned for his poker playing, considered one of the best worldwide.
ST. LOUIS (AP) — Missouri wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham, once heralded as the No. 1 recruit in the nation out of high school, has been kicked off the team.
The move was announced Friday, a day after police in Columbia, Mo., said no charges would be filed in a suspected burglary because of reluctant witnesses fearing retaliation.
Green-Beckham was suspended indefinitely from the team on Monday for unspecified violation of team rules.
Coach Gary Pinkel said in a statement that Green-Beckham needs to be focused on getting help, and that the school would do all it could to help the player.
Green-Beckham led Missouri with 59 receptions as a sophomore last season and scored 12 touchdowns, including a school single-game record of four scores against Kentucky.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — An attorney for Kansas City Chiefs receiver Dwayne Bowe has filed a motion to suppress evidence related to his arrest for possessing marijuana.
Bowe is scheduled to appear Wednesday on a misdemeanor drug charge in the Kansas City suburb of Riverside, where he was pulled over Nov. 10 for speeding. During the stop, an officer detected a strong marijuana odor in the car.
Bowe was arrested after an officer found a black bag with his wallet, driver’s license and two containers of what the officer suspected to be pot.
Bowe told a local radio station he thought he had been racially profiled, but he took that back Friday in a statement to The Kansas City Star and said he said he was treated with respect during the stop.
Manhattan, KS – Today the Governor’s Water Vision Team shared input received so far with the Kansas Water Authority. This was the first time the KWA and attendees heard input from the stakeholder meetings that have been held throughout the state to date.
What are some barriers of water reuse that needs to be addressed in the Water Vision? Great discussion Friday in Manhattan-photo KS Water Office
“The purpose of the workshop today was to define the major issues, priorities and ideas that will be used by the Vision Team to develop a first draft of the Vision,” Tracy Streeter, Kansas Water Office Director. ‘Over the next four to eight weeks the Vision team will be taking the guidance provided today to serve as the basis for the initial draft.”
The Team shared that while thousands of comments have been received, there have been many consistent themes and priorities shared by stakeholders to be addressed in the Vision. Attendees participated in a facilitated discussion related to the four following themes: Water Management, Water Conservation, Technology and Crop Varieties and New Sources of Supply.
Secretary of Agriculture Jackie McClaskey encouraged Kansans to be prepared to provide comment and direction during the next phase of the development of the Water Vision.
“To this point nearly 8,000 Kansans have participated in over 140 meetings,” McClaskey said. “As the first draft version is completed, the Vision Team will be hosting meetings throughout the state in June and July for public input of the preliminary document. The Vision Team wants feedback and direction on the themes and priorities that are being established today.”
Over 150 people participated in the workshop including members from the Kansas Water Authority, Kansas State Board of Agriculture, Governor’s Cabinet, Basin Advisory Committee Chairs, Ogallala Aquifer Advisory Committee, Reservoir Advisory Committee, State Conservation Commission Board, Governor’s Council of Economic Advisors as well as members of the general public.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House says President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama paid just over $98,000 in taxes on income of nearly half a million dollars last year.
The couple’s 2013 income tax returns were posted on the White House website four days before the tax filing deadline.
The 42-page return shows the president and first lady reported donating more than 12 percent of their adjusted gross income to 32 different charities.
Their largest charitable gift was nearly $9,000 to the Fisher House Foundation. Fisher House supports military families.
The Obamas also released their Illinois income tax return. It shows they paid more than $23,000 in state income taxes.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Police have connected 12 shootings targeting vehicles on Kansas City-area roads and highways since early March.
Three drivers have been wounded by gunfire, though none of the wounds was considered life-threatening. Police have said they were looking into as many as 20 reported highway shootings, but that number has fluctuated as investigators address new reports and rule out others.
Most of the shootings were reported in an area in the southern part of Kansas City, Mo., known as the Grandview Triangle, where three interstate highways and U.S. 50 intersect. In all cases someone fired shots just before reaching a highway exit ramp or road split, then veered off in a different direction from the victim’s vehicle.
A reward for information leading to an arrest has been increased to $10,000.
ROLLA (AP) – A funeral is planned in Rolla for a soldier killed in shootings at Fort Hood, Texas, earlier this month.
