Dems Propose Ethics Legislation

Missouri House Democrats are proposing new ethics legislation after the state Supreme Court rejected the most recent law because of how it was approved.



House Democrats said Monday their measure would cap donations to candidates for legislative and statewide offices at $5,000. Contributions of more than $2,000 would need to be reported within 48 hours. The proposal would also bar require lawmakers from becoming lobbyists within one year of leaving office. Democrats said their legislation is modeled on the 2010 law struck down by the Missouri Supreme Court in February. That law included a requirement to publicly report campaign contributions of more than $500 within 48 hours when the Legislature is meeting. It also allowed the Ethics Commission to begin investigations on its own without first receiving complaints.

Spence Accuses Nixon of Selling Veto

Republican gubernatorial candidate Dave Spence is accusing Gov. Jay Nixon of selling recent decisions to veto a pair of bills.




Nixon, a Democrat, vetoed bills last week that would have made it harder to win workplace discrimination cases and brought occupational diseases under the scope of Missouri's workers' compensation system. Nixon said they represented a step backward for workers. But Spence claims that the governor's decisions are for sale. He cited recent campaign contributions to Nixon from attorneys opposed to changing workplace laws. Nixon's campaign referred questions to the Democratic Party. A party spokeswoman said Spence's claim was "absurd," adding that Spence has no room to criticize money in politics, because he served on a bank board that didn't repay a federal bailout.

Accused Murderer Takes the Fifth

A man charged with killing his 9-year-old stepdaughter has invoked his right not to incriminate himself during the trial of another man charged in the girl's death.



The defense for 37-year-old Christopher Collings called 29-year-old David Spears to the stand Saturday to testify. Both men are charged with raping and murdering Spears' 9-year-old stepdaughter, Rowan Ford, of Stella, in November 2007. The Joplin Globe reported that after Spears invoked the Fifth Amendment, Collings' defense obtained a finding from the judge that Spears had made himself unavailable as a witness. The trial continues Monday in Phelps County, where the case was being heard on a change of venue from Barry County. The jurors were chosen in Platte County and are being sequestered. Spears is scheduled to be tried separately.

Mike Marsh Runs for MO House

A museum director and retired high school teacher, has entered the race for the Missouri House, joining Republicans Josh Bill and Holly Rehder.


Mike Marsh joins Republicans Josh Bill and Holly Rehder. Marsh's decision means there will be opposition in the Nov. 6 general election between Marsh and whoever wins the Aug. 7 Republican primary. Marsh describes himself as a moderate who believes both parties should work together to find the best possible solution to problems. Marsh is a 1973 graduate of Sikeston High School and a graduate of Southeast Missouri State University. He was sports editor of the Sikeston Standard Democrat for a time before he worked for 24 years as a high school social studies teacher in the Scott County school system. Since retiring in 2007, he has served as the director of the Sikeston Depot Museum.

Midwest Economy

-- Higher fuel prices haven't slowed the economy much in rural areas of 10 Midwest and Plains states.










A monthly survey of rural bankers showed no change in March. The overall economic index registered 59.6 again this month, and any score above 50 suggests the economy will grow. The bankers appear quite optimistic about the next six months because the confidence index rose to 63 in March from February's 60.3. Creighton University economist Ernie Goss says there is still a fair amount of uncertainty about the economy, so many farmers and businesses are reluctant to expand. The hiring index rose to 60 in March from February's 53.7, suggesting businesses are hiring. The survey covers Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming.

Occupy the Midwest Conference

Organizers of the Occupy the Midwest conference in St. Louis expect up to 600 people from nearly 20 Midwestern cities.









The conference begins with a march to the Gateway Arch starting at 5 this evening. Events through Sunday will include workshops and at least four protests, including one against St. Louis-based Monsanto over its role in the food supply, and one against Bank of America. The Occupy movement began in New York in September over concerns about economic issues, particularly high corporate profits and income inequality. Organizers say the regional Occupy event in St. Louis is part of the next phase of the movement they say will continue to grow.

Ameren License Challenged

Environmental activists want the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to take a longer look at Ameren Missouri's request for a 20-year license renewal at the state's only nuclear power plant.









The federal agency held two public meetings in Fulton on Ameren's license renewal application for the Callaway plant. Ameren's application runs to 1,500 pages. Ed Smith of the Missouri Coalition for the Environment asked the NRC officials to extend the public comment period on the application beyond the standard 60 days deadline, which would end April 24. Ameren's current 40-year operating license for the Callaway County plant expires in 2024.

Redistricting Lawsuit Dropped

Opponents of a new Missouri Senate map have dropped their federal lawsuit challenging the redrawn districts.









The plaintiffs voluntarily dismissed their lawsuit Tuesday -- the day after a bipartisan state redistricting commission unanimously approved the final map for the 34-district Senate. The commission had made several adjustments from an earlier version to smooth out population differences. Dismissal of the federal lawsuit brings some clarity to a chaotic redistricting process just two weeks before the deadline for candidates to file for this year's elections. Senate districts were redrawn based upon the 2010 census. The lawsuit claimed the earlier version of the map violated equal protection rights and favored urban voters at the expense of those in rural areas.

Three Charged with Murder

Three people are charged with killing an elderly southeast Missouri couple whose bodies were found in their burned-out home in June 2010.










Charges of first-degree murder and armed criminal action were filed Tuesday in Ripley County against 47-year-old David Youngblood; his 19-year-old daughter, Chantele Youngblood; and 19-year-old Keith Boyles. All are from Doniphan. Investigators say Loyd and Irene Piatt were shot to death in their Doniphan area home, which was then set on fire. The three suspects have pleaded not guilty to the same charges for the similar deaths of 81-year-old Edgar Atkinson and 69-year-old Bonnie Chase in July 2010. They were also found dead in a burning Ripley County home.

Redistricting Commission

A bipartisan commission has agreed to new boundaries for Missouri's 34 state Senate districts after making some adjustments to an earlier proposal to smooth population differences.









Chairman Doug Harpool says the changes are designed to distribute population more evenly and are not likely to affect the political characteristics of the districts. This is the second attempt to draw new Senate districts based on the 2010 census. A different bipartisan panel deadlocked on a map last year, handing the task to a special panel of appellate judges. The Missouri Supreme Court in January rejected the panel's map. The tentative redistricting plan criticized by some St. Louis Republicans was challenged in a federal lawsuit.

Incentives for Invensys

Missouri is offering $1.1 million of incentives for an expansion at a West Plains business that Gov. Jay Nixon says could create 200 jobs.









Nixon highlighted plans Monday for Invensys Controls to add eight production lines as part of a $6.9 million expansion. The south-central Missouri company makes gas delivery control systems for appliances such as ovens and stoves. Nixon says Invensys plans to add about 100 jobs soon, with the potential to create up to 200 jobs within two years. The governor says some of those jobs could be transferred back to the U.S. from Mexico, where the company is closing a plant. The Department of Economic Development is offering tax credits under Missouri's enterprise zone program, as well as aid for job training and employee recruitment.

Man Charged with Killing Toddler

Prosecutors have charged a southwest Missouri man with killing his fiancée's 18-month-old son






28-year-old Eric Hicks was charged Friday in Jasper County Circuit Court with second-degree murder in the death of Emjay Corn of Joplin. The probable-cause affidavit says police were called to the residence of Hicks and the child's mother, 32-year-old Nichole Hall, on Oct. 27. The visit resulted in Hall being taken for the mental-health evaluation. Hicks is accused of fatally beating the toddler the next day. Police were called to the residence again Oct. 29 and found the child dead in his crib. The coroner said he had died of blunt force trauma to the head.

Bob Parker in Congressional Race

A Raymondville rancher is throwing his hat into the 8th Congressional District race.





Bob Parker announced Saturday that he will run for Missouri's largest district. Parker, who has raised beef cattle for 35 years, previously ran in the 2010 Republican primary against 16-year incumbent Rep. Jo Ann Emerson of Cape Girardeau. In a news release, Parker said "We are tired of being tired here in southern Missouri". Parker spoke at Lincoln Day events all across the district Saturday.