JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Time is running short for people contemplating a run for elected office in Missouri.
Candidates must file paperwork by 5 p.m. Tuesday to appear on Missouri’s August primary ballot.
The top office on this year’s ballot will be state auditor. So far, Republican incumbent Tom Schweich (schwyk) doesn’t face much opposition. No Republican or Democrat has filed against him. His only challenger at the start of Tuesday was Constitution Party candidate Rodney Farthing.
Missouri’s ballot will include races for half the state Senate and all of Missouri’s U.S. and state House seats.
The state has no election this year for U.S. Senate, governor or most other statewide executive offices.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) – In case there was any doubt, several Republican state senators are making it clear that there will be no expansion of Medicaid eligibility this year in Missouri.

Five GOP senators took to the Senate floor Monday as the Legislature returned from spring break to say they will block any attempt to expand Medicaid eligibility during the session that ends in mid-May.

Their strong pronouncement came a day before a House committee is to hear testimony on a proposal that would expand Medicaid coverage to thousands of lower-income adults, partly by subsidizing their enrollment in private health insurance policies. The House legislation would link the Medicaid expansion to a broader overhaul of the program.

States that expand Medicaid eligibility can get extra federal money under President Barack Obama’s health law.

RUSSELLVILLE, Mo. (AP) – A resident of a small town in central Missouri is facing federal drug and weapons charges after a search of his home last week.

The U.S. Attorney’s office says 21-year-old Emmanuel Guillen was charged Monday with possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute and illegally possessing a firearm while in the U.S. without permission.

Guillen is a citizen of Mexico who has been living in Russellville, a Cole County town about 15 miles west of Jefferson City.

Officers searched Guillen’s home Thursday as part of a federal investigation of alleged drug sales. The officers reported finding more than 680 grams of meth, 21 firearms and more than $15,000 in cash.

Guillen did not have a lawyer as of Monday.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Missouri House has advanced legislation allowing Sunday sales of motorcycles at dealerships.
Missouri law now prohibits the sale of cars, trucks and motorcycles on Sunday. The House legislation would be limited to motorcycles.
Proponents said the measure would make Missouri more competitive with states that allow dealerships to sell motorcycles on Sunday. Some dealers in western Missouri told lawmakers they were losing sales to competitors in Kansas.
House members approved the legislation by voice vote on Monday. It needs another affirmative vote before moving to the state Senate.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) — Police and the FBI are investigating a holdup at a credit union in southwestern Springfield.
Investigators said a woman entered the CU Community Credit Union shortly after noon Monday and gave a teller a note demanding money. Police say the woman mentioned a weapon, although the teller didn’t see one.
The woman was given an undisclosed amount of cash and fled in a gray or silver Ford Taurus that had no license plates and was missing the right rear hubcap.
Witnesses described the robber as white, 25 to 30 years old, about 5-foot-5 and weighing about 140 pounds. She wore sunglasses, dark pants and a dark hoodie covering her hair.

JEFFERSON CITY (AP) – Missouri’s auditor is raising concerns about state payments to subsidize child care costs for lower-income families.

Auditor Tom Schweich  criticized the state Social Services Department for not having enough quality control over the payments. The findings were included in an audit issued Monday of nearly $12 million in federal funds received by Missouri.

Schweich found that one-third of the payments reviewed by his office were not supported by proper documentation or were not in compliance with department guidelines.

The audit also questioned five welfare cases where benefits were paid to recipients who might not have been eligible for the program.

In a response included with the audit, the department says it “partially agrees” with Schweich’s conclusions on the child care payments. It agrees with the audit’s welfare findings.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas Lottery says that someone is holding a Powerball ticket worth $1 million.

The ticket for Saturday night’s drawing in the multistate game was sold in the northeastern part of Kansas. Lottery officials said Monday it matched the first five numbers in the drawing, but not the Powerball.

Saturday’s numbers were 13-28-31-55-58, Powerball 15. A single ticket sold in Missouri hit the jackpot of $96.5 million.

Holders of winning tickets have one year to claim their prizes. Kansas law allows winners to remain anonymous if they choose.

 

MARILYNN MARCHIONE, AP Chief Medical Writer
A study suggests that women with a faulty breast cancer gene might have a greater chance of developing rare but deadly uterine tumors despite having their ovaries removed to lower their main cancer risks.

Doctors at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York say four cases of aggressive uterine cancers were found in about 300 women years after they had preventive surgery to remove their ovaries. That rate is 26 times greater than expected.

The problem was only seen in women with flawed BRCA1 genes. Doctors say that until more research confirms this link, it is too soon to advise such women to have their uterus removed along with their ovaries, but that it is worth discussing.

The study was reported Monday at a cancer conference in Tampa, Fla.

Union Pacific Railroad will strengthen Missouri’s transportation infrastructure by investing nearly $11.8 million in the rail line between near Kansas City, Mo., and near Marshall, Mo. The project, funded entirely by Union Pacific without taxpayer dollars, began March 18 and is scheduled to be completed by June 2, 2014.

The railroad will replace 89,900 railroad ties and install 39,700 tons of rock ballast. In addition, crews will renew the surfaces at 103 road crossings. The project is one of nearly 1,500 Union Pacific will complete across its 32,000-mile network this year to help improve train operating efficiency, reduce motorist wait times at crossings and enhance safety.

“Union Pacific helps businesses connect with consumers, suppliers and markets across the nation and around the world,” said Donna Kush, Union Pacific vice president – Public Affairs, Northern Region. “In addition to helping move our customers’ goods safely and efficiently, our investments support communities by reducing traffic congestion, facilitating industrial development and promoting economic expansion.”

Improved and additional freight rail capacity helps reduce highway congestion and contributes to a cleaner environment. One Union Pacific train can take up to 300 trucks off America’s roads, and Union Pacific can move one ton of freight nearly 500 miles on a single gallon of diesel fuel.