St Joseph police are investigating after a hiker found human remains in a tent in the woods behind the Hollywood Ten Theaters in the Shoppes at North Village, 5404 North Belt Highway.
Because of the cold weather, crime scene investigators did not begin their work at the scene until Tuesday.
Captain Jeff Wilson could offer no details on the state of those remains, how long they’d been there, or if the victim was living in the tent. Wilson says this type of crime scene investigation is a very methodical process, and it could be a day or two before we know more.
In the weeks ahead, Kansas — led by Republican Gov. Sam Brownback (right) and a GOP-dominated Legislature — is expected to reconsider expanding Medicaid eligibility as provided for under the Affordable Care Act. In Missouri, Gov. Jay Nixon, a Democrat, has been urging the Republican-controlled General Assembly to do the same.-KHI News photo
By Phil Cauthon, Jim McLean & Mike Sherry-KHI News Service
The political dynamics are a bit different in Kansas than in Missouri, but in both states supporters of expanded Medicaid programs are taking the same tack in hopes of persuading reluctant Republican policymakers to eliminate the so-called “Medicaid gap” that is leaving more than 340,000 low-income Kansans and Missourians without health insurance.
The Affordable Care Act, as written, would have expanded Medicaid in every state, including Missouri and Kansas where the eligibility restrictions are relatively tight. But the U.S. Supreme Court in 2012 ruled that expansion was a decision for each state to make on its own.
Kansas and Missouri are among the 24 states that so far have chosen against broadening the program, despite entreaties from hospitals, doctors, consumer advocates and others.
Kansas, led by Republican Gov. Sam Brownback and a GOP-dominated Legislature, is expected to reconsider the issue in the weeks ahead.
In Missouri, Gov. Jay Nixon, a Democrat, has been urging the Republican-controlled General Assembly to do the same.
In this package of stories, KHI News Service looks at the latest developments in each state as their legislatures prepare to convene 2014 sessions.
Also included are profiles of families in each state that earn too much to qualify for Medicaid as it is currently configured, but too little for the subsidies intended to help people (earning between 100 percent and 400 percent of federal poverty guidelines) buy private health coverage through the new marketplaces created by the Affordable Care Act. By Phil Cauthon, Jim McLean & Mike Sherry-KHI News Service
(AP) – The Kansas City Animal Shelter says it is bulging at the seams with animals brought in as bitter cold settled over the region.
The shelter says about 90 animals have been brought in to the shelter in recent days, either by the public or animal control officers. Some were taken from yards with little or no shelter and frozen water bowls.
City officials on Monday reminded citizens that animal control officers will impound pets found outside in freezing conditions and issue citations to their owners.
Shelter spokeswoman Tori Fugate says the shelter is getting “close to desperate” and need the public’s help finding homes for the animals.
Beginning Friday, the shelter will offer special rates for some pet adoptions.
(AP) A Missouri man was sentenced a total of 14 years in prison for a fatal traffic accident that killed his 3-year-old son and injured four other people.
34-year-old John Clark of Sparta was sentenced Friday to four seven-year prison sentences. He will serve two of the sentences concurrently, then serve the other two sentences concurrently. Clark pleaded guilty in October to first-degree involuntary manslaughter and three counts of second-degree assault.
Kohen Clark died after the three-vehicle accident on Missouri 14 between Ozark and Nixa in November 2012. The car his dad was driving went across the center line and caused two collisions. The arresting officer reported he smelled alcohol on Clark’s breath and Clark refused to take sobriety tests.
(AP) – A southwest Missouri lawmaker wants to let motorists push the pedal down a little farther when they’re driving on rural highways.
Rep. Mike Kelley, a Republican from Lamar, pre-filed a bill Monday to raise the maximum speed limit to 75 mph in rural parts of the state. The state’s current limit is 70 mph.
His measure would apply to cars and trucks traveling on parts of interstates and other four-lane roads that lie outside urban areas.
The change would put Missouri in line with Kansas’ rural highway limit. Missouri’s current speed limit was put in place after Congress repealed the 55 mph federal limit in 1995.
Missouri lawmakers are scheduled to begin their annual session Wednesday.
(AP) – A Missouri man who drove to Maine with a car full of guns intending to kill his estranged wife and her boyfriend has been sentenced to more than eight years in prison.
Benjamin Lee was sentenced Monday in U.S. District Court in Portland to eight years and four months behind bars.
He was convicted in September of two counts of interstate stalking after a five-day trial.
The 52-year-old Lee was arrested in September 2012 after he was spotted driving past the couple’s Limerick home.
Police say they found five guns, three of which were loaded, ammunition, a machete, handcuffs, duct tape, and other items in his car.
His lawyer says Lee only made threats while under the influence of medication he was prescribed for pain sustained in a car crash.
Board Finance Committee Meeting
Rescheduled for Tuesday January 7. 2014 6:00 p.m., Board Conference Room, 925 Felix Street
Call to Order
Approval of Committee Meeting Minutes
Approval of Board Finance Committee Meeting Minutes Action
Items for Discussion
Cook Road street improvements for the new northeast elementary school. Action
Discussion of appropriate reserve(fund) balance Info
Adjournment
(AP) — The University of Kansas Medical Center and Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, Mo., are moving closer to combining their pediatric program.
The hospitals announced in a joint news release that Children’s Mercy has been named the primary teaching hospital for University of Kansas Medical Center students. Pediatrics programs at both institutions will be overseen by Dr. Michael Artman.
Plans to develop a single, integrated pediatric program were first announced in December 2012.
Artman says the partnership will give patients and families greater access to high-quality clinical care. Artman also says medical students and residents will learn from the best in the field, and physicians and researchers will be able to consult and collaborate more easily.
The two institutions already collaborate on training, clinical trials and pediatric research.
(AP) – Authorities in northeast Missouri suspect that two people found dead in a home died as a result of a murder-suicide.
Adair County authorities received a 911 call at 1:30 a.m. Sunday. Offers went to a home south of Kirksville and found a man and woman shot to death. The victims were identified as 33-year-old Kristen Campbell Johnson and her husband, 36-year-old Riley Johnson.
An autopsy is planned to determine the shooter.
Sheriff Robert Hardwick says three small children and two other adults were also in the home, and were unharmed.
(AP) — The owners of a Roswell company mired in legal disputes over its attempts to resume domestic horse slaughter have notified New Mexico Attorney General Gary King they intend to sue his office for slander, harassment, conspiracy and abuse of process.
Valley Meat Co. attorney Blair Dunn Monday sent letters to the state risk management division, giving the required 30-day notice of its planned legal filing.
King has filed a lawsuit that has blocked Valley’s planned opening this month, alleging the horse slaughter plant would violate state environmental and food safety laws.
Dunn contends the state lacks jurisdiction over the federally regulated plant.
A federal lawsuit brought by animal protection groups was thrown out last year, and is currently on appeal. After the appellate court last month lifted an order blocking Valley and a plant in Missouri from opening, citing the plaintiffs’ inability to show a likelihood to prevail, King filed the state suit. A Santa Fe judge has issued another temporary order putting the business on hold until a hearing next week.
Dunn says King is conspiring with the animal protection groups, the Humane Society of the United States and Front Range Equine Rescue, to block a lawful business with a frivolous lawsuit to further his gubernatorial bid.
“They are trying to drive Valley out of business,” Dunn said. “They don’t agree with the lawful business so instead of changing the law they decided they will try to destroy Valley. HSUS and Front Range have stated their goal is to drive Valley out of business.”
Dunn has also accused King’s spokesman, Phil Sisneros, of making defamatory statements about him and questioning his legal capabilities.
Sisneros did not immediately respond to calls and emails seeking comment.
Valley Meat and companies in Missouri and Iowa last year won federal permits to become the first horse slaughterhouses to operate since Congress effectively banned the practice by cutting funding for inspections at plants in 2006. The last of the domestic plants closed in 2007. Congress in 2011 reinstated the funding.
Valley Meat Co. owner Rick De Los Santos has led the effort to force the Department of Agriculture to permit the horse slaughter plants, sparking an emotional, national debate on whether horses are livestock or companion animals.
Animal protection groups argue the practice is barbaric.
Proponents argue it is better to slaughter unwanted horses domestically than have them shipped thousands of miles to Canada or less humane facilities in Mexico.
The Iowa plant switched to cattle after the federal lawsuit blocked the plants from opening in August. Rains Natural Meats in Gallatin, Mo., had, like Valley, hoped to open this month. But it is currently waiting for state approval of a wastewater permit.
Rains Vice President David Rains said politics is also to blame for the delays in Missouri.
St Joseph police are investigating after a hiker found human remains in a tent in the woods behind the Hollywood Ten Theaters in the Shoppes at North Village, 5404 North Belt Highway.
