A nationwide group representing atheists, agnostics, and humanists says Missouri’s Public Prayer Amendment could institute a slew of religious privileges. The Coalition says the “vague wording” of the amendment could allow everything from sectarian prayer at school board and legislative meetings to exemptions from school assignments for religious students.

It calls provisions in the amendment “blatant overreaches” that could harm Missouri’s public education system by expanding the role of religion on the public sphere and jeopardizing First Amendment protections.  Amendment 2 passed with 83 percent support statewide and 88 percent support in Buchanan County.

A fire and explosion caused a scare this morning at the Iatan 1 Power Plant near Weston.

The explosion happened around 9:30 this morning and was contained quickly, according to Kansas City Power and Light spokeswoman Courtney Hughley.

All approximately 250 employees were accounted for and no one was injured.

The fire occurred in what’s called the “B Coal Bunker” at the coal powered plant.

The power plant was able to continue operations. The Iatan Generating Station is comprised of two coal-fired power plants. Iatan 1 opened in 1980, and has a 651 megawatt generating capacity. Iatan 2 opened in 2010 and has generating capacity of over 850 megawatts.

 

 

 

 

 

A Livingston County man died when a truck overturned in a pasture early Wednesday morning.

The Missouri Highway Patrol says 33-year-old Patrick Kinsella of Wheeling was killed when he was thrown out of the truck and the truck rolled on top of him.

The accident happened on private property around 1:15 Wednesday morning at Livingston County road 216. The Patrol says he was driving the 1984 Chevy truck in an unsafe manor when the accident occurred.

 

 

 

 

All lanes on Interstate 29 are open near mile marker 32 after a fatality accident closed traffic north and southbound this morning.

The St Joseph Police Department announced all lanes of traffic  opened around 12:30 pm.  The passing lane both directions will remain closed until the clean-up and investigation is complete.

The accident happened just a couple miles north of Dearborn, between Dearborn and Faucett. The rollover accident occurred just before 9 am.

Witnesses reported emergency vehicles on both sides of the interstate and more than one ambulance responded.  One victim was killed in the accident and has not been identified.

A Buchanan County judge on Tuesday sentenced Larry Gawatz, 71, to 12 years in prison for the ongoing abuse of a six year old child.

Gawatz pleaded guilty to the charge of statutory sodomy in June. Authorities say the youngster was abused over the course of two years.

 

According to court documents, Larry Gawatz was accused of fondling the genitals and exposing himself to the child.

State troopers say a homemade dune buggy was rear-ended on a Gentry County highway Tuesday, totalling the dune buggy and sending a passenger to the hospital.

According to an online report from the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Moses Borntreger was driving on Missouri Route B north of Stanberry.

The accident happened at about 2:45 pm Tuesday.

A Mercury driven by Robert Grantham of Ravenwood hit the vehicle from the rear. Investigators say the dune buggy came to rest off the roadway in pieces.

Barbara Borntreger, 49, of Gentry, Missouri, was a passenger in the dune buggy, and suffered moderate injuries. She was taken by ambulance to the Northwest medical Center in Albany, Missouri.

The drivers were not hurt.

Voters said Amen in a big way with overwhelming approval of the Missouri Prayer Amendment. The amendment to the Missouri Constitution affirms that rights to religious expression cannot be infringed, that children have a right to pray voluntarily in school, and that all public schools shall display copies of the Bill of Rights to the US Constitution.

The amendment won 83 percent approval statewide, and the margin was even bigger in Buchanan County, where 88 percent said yes.

In Statewide races from Tuesday night’s primary, Local state senator Brad Lager lost his challenge to be the republican candidate for Missouri Lieutenant Governor.

Incumbent Peter Kinder beat out Lager by roughly 15,000 votes.  Kinder will face locally known democratic candidate Susan Montee in November.

Meanwhile Incumbent Gov. Jay Nixon handled the other lesser known democratic candidates, getting more than 260,000 votes.

Dave Spence took the republican nod for Gov. and will go on to face Nixon in November.

In the republican primary for the US senate seat currently held by Claire McCaskill,  Todd Akin became the winning candidate and will face McCaskill in November.

Akin had more than 200,000 votes and beat-out candidates Sarah Steelman and John Brunner. Steelman and Brunner both conceded to Akin and vowed to support his campaign.