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Opponents use parental rights and anti-trans messages to fight abortion ballot measures
Read full article: Opponents use parental rights and anti-trans messages to fight abortion ballot measuresAs voters in nine states determine whether to enshrine abortion rights in their state constitutions, opponents are using parental rights and anti-transgender messages to try to undermine support for the ballot proposals.
A Texas execution is renewing calls for clemency. It's rarely granted
Read full article: A Texas execution is renewing calls for clemency. It's rarely grantedTexas rarely grants clemency for death row inmates, but that's not stopping a group of bipartisan lawmakers from showing their support for a man scheduled to be executed in October.
Missouri executes a man for the 1998 killing of a woman despite her family’s calls to spare his life
Read full article: Missouri executes a man for the 1998 killing of a woman despite her family’s calls to spare his lifeA Missouri man has been executed for the 1998 fatal stabbing of a woman despite calls by her family and the prosecutor’s office that put him on death row to let him serve out the rest of his life in prison.
Missouri Supreme Court and governor refuse to halt the execution of man convicted of 1998 killing
Read full article: Missouri Supreme Court and governor refuse to halt the execution of man convicted of 1998 killingMissouri's top court and governor have each rejected requests to cancel a Missouri man's scheduled lethal injection.
NAACP president urges Missouri governor to halt execution planned for next week
Read full article: NAACP president urges Missouri governor to halt execution planned for next weekThe president of the NAACP is urging Missouri's governor to halt the execution of Marcellus Williams scheduled for Tuesday, writing that executing a Black man who says he was wrongfully convicted would amount to a “horrible miscarriage of justice.”.
Court appeals, clemency petition seek to halt execution of Missouri man who claims innocence
Read full article: Court appeals, clemency petition seek to halt execution of Missouri man who claims innocenceThe St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office will appeal to the Missouri Supreme Court a judge’s ruling upholding the conviction and death sentence for Marcellus Williams, whose execution is one week away.
Missouri judge rejects innocence claim of Marcellus Williams who faces execution
Read full article: Missouri judge rejects innocence claim of Marcellus Williams who faces executionA judge has declined to vacate the conviction and death sentence of Missouri inmate Marcellus Williams, who is facing execution for killing of a woman in her home in 1998.
Missouri death row inmate agrees to new plea in deal that calls for a life sentence without parole
Read full article: Missouri death row inmate agrees to new plea in deal that calls for a life sentence without paroleA Missouri death row inmate has dropped his innocence claim and entered a no-contest plea in an agreement that calls for a new sentence of life in prison without parole.
AP Decision Notes: What to expect in Missouri's state primaries
Read full article: AP Decision Notes: What to expect in Missouri's state primariesWhile a high-profile primary challenge in Missouri highlights a divide among Democrats, Republicans running for office in the state are showing just how united they are — at least when it comes to their loyalty to former President Donald Trump.
Missouri judge overturns the murder conviction of a man imprisoned for more than 30 years
Read full article: Missouri judge overturns the murder conviction of a man imprisoned for more than 30 yearsA Missouri judge has overturned the conviction of Christopher Dunn, who has spent more than 30 years in prison for a killing he has long contended he didn’t commit.
Chiefs set deadline of 6 months to decide whether to renovate Arrowhead or build new — and where
Read full article: Chiefs set deadline of 6 months to decide whether to renovate Arrowhead or build new — and whereThe Chiefs have set a deadline of six months from now to decide on a plan for the future of Arrowhead Stadium.
Missouri governor says new public aid plan in the works for Chiefs, Royals stadiums
Read full article: Missouri governor says new public aid plan in the works for Chiefs, Royals stadiumsMissouri Gov. Mike Parson says he expects the state to put together an aid plan by the end of the year to try to keep the Kansas City Chiefs and Royals in Missouri.
A Missouri mayor says a fight over jobs is back on. Things to know about Kansas wooing the Chiefs
Read full article: A Missouri mayor says a fight over jobs is back on. Things to know about Kansas wooing the ChiefsThe mayor of Kansas City, Missouri, says an economic ‘border war’ between his state and Kansas has restarted.
Missouri governor turns down clemency for inmate facing execution on Tuesday
Read full article: Missouri governor turns down clemency for inmate facing execution on TuesdayMissouri Gov. Mike Parson has turned down a clemency request for condemned inmate David Hosier, a move that likely clears the way for his execution.
The Missouri governor shortens the DWI prison sentence of former Chiefs assistant coach Britt Reid
Read full article: The Missouri governor shortens the DWI prison sentence of former Chiefs assistant coach Britt ReidMissouri Gov. Mike Parson has shortened the prison sentence of former Kansas City Chiefs assistant coach Britt Reid for a drunken driving crash that seriously injured a girl.
AP Decision Notes: What to expect in Missouri's GOP caucuses
Read full article: AP Decision Notes: What to expect in Missouri's GOP caucusesThe Missouri Republican Party will hold presidential caucuses this Saturday, giving voters their chance to weigh in on who should represent the party on the November presidential ballot.
Gun rights are expansive in Missouri, where shooting at Chiefs' Super Bowl celebration took place
Read full article: Gun rights are expansive in Missouri, where shooting at Chiefs' Super Bowl celebration took placeA shooting that killed a person and wounded more than 20 others during the Kansas City Chiefs’ Super Bowl victory celebration occurred in a state with few gun regulations and historic tension over how cities handle crime.
Missouri prosecutor seeks to overturn the conviction of an inmate who has spent decades on death row
Read full article: Missouri prosecutor seeks to overturn the conviction of an inmate who has spent decades on death rowA Missouri prosecutor now believes that inmate Marcellus Williams is innocent of the crime that landed him on death row and very nearly cost him his life, and is seeking to overturn his conviction.
60 Missouri corrections officers, staffers urging governor to halt execution of 'model inmate'
Read full article: 60 Missouri corrections officers, staffers urging governor to halt execution of 'model inmate'Dozens of Missouri Department of Corrections staff members are urging Gov_ Mike Parson to grant clemency to a man scheduled to die in April for killing his cousin and her husband, with a former warden calling him a “model inmate.”.
A flamethrower and comments about book burning ignite a political firestorm in Missouri
Read full article: A flamethrower and comments about book burning ignite a political firestorm in MissouriA longshot Republican candidate for Missouri governor and his supporters describe his use of a flamethrower at a recent “Freedom Fest” event outside St. Louis as no big deal.
Missouri clinics halt transgender care for minors in wake of new state law
Read full article: Missouri clinics halt transgender care for minors in wake of new state lawAt least two Missouri health care centers have stopped prescribing puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones to minors for purposes of gender transition, citing a new state law that gives former patients broad leeway to sue.
Missouri governor rejects mercy plea from man set to be executed for killing 6-year-old girl
Read full article: Missouri governor rejects mercy plea from man set to be executed for killing 6-year-old girlMissouri Gov. Mike Parson has denied a clemency request from a man scheduled to be executed for the 2002 death of a 6-year-old girl in St. Louis County.
Missouri governor signs ban on transgender health care, school sports
Read full article: Missouri governor signs ban on transgender health care, school sportsTransgender minors and some adults soon will be limited from accessing puberty blockers, hormones, and gender-affirming surgeries under a bill signed by Missouri’s Republican governor.
Missouri governor picks ex-federal prosecutor to replace Kim Gardner as St. Louis circuit attorney
Read full article: Missouri governor picks ex-federal prosecutor to replace Kim Gardner as St. Louis circuit attorneyRepublican Missouri Gov. Mike Parson on Friday named Gabe Gore, a former assistant U.S. attorney, as the new chief prosecutor in St. Louis, three days after Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner’s sudden departure.
Kim Gardner steps down as St. Louis prosecutor 2 weeks sooner than planned
Read full article: Kim Gardner steps down as St. Louis prosecutor 2 weeks sooner than plannedEmbattled St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner, who this month announced she would resign effective June 1, says she is leaving office immediately, ending a turbulent tenure marked by frequent criticism, especially from Missouri’s Republican leaders.
Kansas City declares itself a LGBTQ+ sanctuary city
Read full article: Kansas City declares itself a LGBTQ+ sanctuary cityOfficials in Missouri’s largest city approved a resolution Thursday to declare it a sanctuary for people seeking or providing gender-affirming care, defying state lawmakers who voted a day earlier to ban such care for minors and restrict it for some adults.
Defying the state, Kansas City would be a sanctuary for people seeking gender-affirming health care
Read full article: Defying the state, Kansas City would be a sanctuary for people seeking gender-affirming health careOfficials in Missouri’s largest city are moving to declare it a sanctuary for people seeking or providing gender-affirming care.
20 attorneys general warn Walgreens, CVS over abortion pills
Read full article: 20 attorneys general warn Walgreens, CVS over abortion pillsAttorneys general in 20 conservative-led states are warning CVS and Walgreens that they could face legal consequences if they sell abortion pills by mail in those states.
Transgender woman's scheduled execution would be US first
Read full article: Transgender woman's scheduled execution would be US firstUnless Missouri Gov. Mike Parson grants clemency, Amber McLaughlin will become the first openly transgender woman executed in the U.S. She is scheduled to die by injection Tuesday for killing a former girlfriend in 2003.
Missouri governor denies clemency to death row inmate
Read full article: Missouri governor denies clemency to death row inmateMissouri Gov. Mike Parson has declined to grant clemency to death row inmate Ernest Johnson, despite requests for mercy from the pope, two federal lawmakers and thousands of petition signers.
Millions to lose jobless aid as claims fall to pandemic low
Read full article: Millions to lose jobless aid as claims fall to pandemic lowMillions of jobless Americans who have depended on federal unemployment aid as a financial lifeline are about to lose those benefits just as the delta variant of the coronavirus poses a renewed threat to the economy and the job market.
Justice Dept.: Missouri governor can't void federal gun laws
Read full article: Justice Dept.: Missouri governor can't void federal gun lawsThe Justice Department is warning Missouri officials that the state can’t ignore federal law, after the governor signed a bill last week that bans police from enforcing federal gun rules.
The Latest: Australia seeks vaccine aid for Papua New Guinea
Read full article: The Latest: Australia seeks vaccine aid for Papua New GuineaCANBERRA, Australia — Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison says he is working with U.S., Indian and Japanese partners to provide emergency coronavirus vaccine to Papua New Guinea. Australia has provided 8,000 AstraZeneca doses from its own stockpile to its nearest neighbor after an explosion of infections in the South Pacific island nation in recent weeks. Morrison said Friday that the European Union has yet to respond to his recent request for 1 million AstraZeneca doses contracted by Australia to be sent to Papua New Guinea as soon as possible. It has an agreement with ImmunityBio, which has a COVID-19 vaccine in clinical trials, to produce the vaccine sometime next year. Biovac, based in Cape Town, has the capacity to produce between 20 million and 30 million vaccines in a year.
Texas prices for lodging, necessities skyrocket amid storm
Read full article: Texas prices for lodging, necessities skyrocket amid stormHouston and several surrounding cities are under a boil water notice as many residents are still without running water in their homes. Even bottled water prices doubling or tripling overnight. The Texas Attorney General's Office urged residents who suspect they are victims of price gouging to file a complaint with their office. AdDallas hotelier Larry Hamilton said that while there may be legitimate complaints of price gouging, he also wondered if some complaints lacked merit. If not, a visit from a state or local investigator to a company accused of price gouging is usually all it takes for prices to return to normal.
The Latest: Coronavirus vaccine provided to US Supreme Court
Read full article: The Latest: Coronavirus vaccine provided to US Supreme CourtSenior Airman Marisol Salgado, medical technician, administers a Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine to Army Capt. Parrish was the first BAMC staff member to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. (U.S. Army photo by Corey Toye)WASHINGTON — The justices on the U.S. Supreme Court are being provided with doses of the coronavirus vaccine. Health officials have raised alarm about a looming shortage in hospital beds and intensive care units. ___RIO DE JANEIRO — Brazil’s Supreme Court says coronavirus vaccination can be made mandatory, delivering a blow to the nation’s nascent anti-vaccine movement.
The Latest: Minnesota to keep indoor restaurants closed
Read full article: The Latest: Minnesota to keep indoor restaurants closedNurse Banu Mufale administers a Pfizer-BioNtech COVID-19 vaccine to physical therapist Becca Mamrol on Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2020, at Providence Alaska Medical Center in Anchorage, Alaska. ___THE VIRUS OUTBREAK:A health worker in Alaska suffered a severe allergic reaction after receiving the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. U.S. health officials have given the OK to another rapid coronavirus test that people can use at home with results in 20 minutes. The governor’s office announced Wednesday that the state has received all of its initial allotment of coronavirus vaccine doses. The state Health Department on Wednesday said 58 more people died from the illness caused by the virus.
The Latest: Emperor's New Year greeting cancelled in Japan
Read full article: The Latest: Emperor's New Year greeting cancelled in JapanExperts have urged the government to reduce social and business activity before the holiday season because of a rise in serious coronavirus cases. The 583 new cases reported Thursday was the first time that South Korea’s daily tally had exceeded 500 since March. KCCI reports that the Iowa Department of Public Health reported 3,331 new positive COVID-19 cases as of 10 a.m. to bring the total to 222,278. The 14-day cumulative number of COVID-19 cases per 100,000 of population, a recognized measure of the pandemic’s spread, also fell Thursday, to 325. The Reno-Sparks area has recorded 59 COVID-19 deaths the last 30 days — half of those this past week.
Montana goes red; it's status quo in other governor races
Read full article: Montana goes red; it's status quo in other governor racesMike Parson, and State Auditor Nicole Galloway are seen onstage before the Missouri gubernatorial debate at the Missouri Theatre in Columbia, Missouri. Democrats are hoping to gain control of more state legislative chambers after Republicans scored huge wins in 2010. The only governor's job to change parties is in Montana, where Republican U.S. Rep. Greg Gianforte defeated Democratic Lt. Gov. The national Democratic and Republican governors associations and the campaigns themselves have contributed more than $24 million to the race. In Missouri, incumbent Mike Parson, a Republican, defeated Nicole Galloway, the state auditor who was the Democrats' best chance to pick up a seat.
Virus hospitalizations surge as pandemic shadows US election
Read full article: Virus hospitalizations surge as pandemic shadows US electionMissouri, Oklahoma, Iowa, Indiana, Nebraska, North Dakota and New Mexico all reported record high hospitalizations this week. Wisconsin health officials reported 5,771 new coronavirus cases Tuesday, a new record. Meanwhile, Iowa hospital officials warned that facilities and staff could be overwhelmed without serious efforts to curtail the virus spread. Suresh Gunasekaran, CEO of University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, said the state is entering its third peak, one that is higher than previous ones in May and July. Missouri's health department reported 1,659 hospitalizations statewide Monday, surpassing by 10 the previous record set a day earlier.
Midwestern states with few virus rules have low unemployment
Read full article: Midwestern states with few virus rules have low unemploymentMidwest governors credit their lack of restrictions for low unemployment rates, but economists and others say other factors might be more important in the states low jobless rates. That would be very deadly and push unemployment rates back up,” said Ernie Goss, an economist at Creighton University in Omaha. That contrasts with states that rely on tourism, such as California, Nevada and Hawaii, which have the nation’s highest unemployment rates. More recently, though, many of those rural areas have seen some of the nation’s highest virus rates. Despite the low unemployment figures, all of the states now have fewer jobs than before the pandemic hit.
Races for governor take top billing in Missouri, Montana
Read full article: Races for governor take top billing in Missouri, MontanaFILE - In this Sunday, Oct. 25, 2020 file photo, Missouri Republican Gov. Its the most hotly contested of the nations 11 governors races this fall. Which party holds the governor's office could be especially consequential over the next few years. In governor’s races, many of the attack ads are funded by each party’s governors association. In the governor’s race, he said Gianforte’s financial support of a Montana museum dedicated to creationist beliefs was a big problem.
Gun-wielding St. Louis couple seek prosecutor's removal
Read full article: Gun-wielding St. Louis couple seek prosecutor's removalST. LOUIS – The attorney for a St. Louis couple facing felony charges for waving guns at racial injustice protesters who marched near their home asked a judge Wednesday to remove the city's top prosecutor and her entire office from the case. The McCloskeys' attorney, Joel Schwartz, cites emails referencing the case that were sent to potential donors ahead of Gardner’s primary election victory in August. “There's no place in our system, in our judicial system, for a political trial,” Schwartz told Judge Thomas Clark II. In charging the McCloskeys, Gardner drew criticism from President Donald Trump, Missouri Gov. They've been in frequent contact with Trump, Schwartz said earlier this month and again on Wednesday.
Conservative PAC draws charges of racism in Missouri
Read full article: Conservative PAC draws charges of racism in MissouriMike Parson speaks during a news conference in St. Louis. Parson, a former sheriff running for reelection on a law-and-order platform against Nicole Galloway, Missouri's state auditor. Nicole Galloway, Missouri’s state auditor, is trying to unseat Republican Gov. Aldridge represents a St. Louis district in the Missouri House. A Star editorial on Wednesday accused Uniting Missouri of “using an ugly tactic in their campaign” against Galloway.
The Latest: California governor tests negative for virus
Read full article: The Latest: California governor tests negative for virusThe governor’s office said Newsom was tested on Wednesday after someone in the governor’s office tested positive. The staff member who tested positive had not interacted with Newsom or anyone else who often sees the governor. ___HARTFORD, Conn. -- Dr. Deborah Birx of the White House coronavirus task force says she is concerned about the uptick in coronavirus cases in the Northeast. The virus has killed at least 5,416 people in Louisiana, according to the state health department. A cluster of fewer than 20 people tested positive for the virus at the Nashville Rescue Mission’s facility for women and children, Brian Todd said.
Missouri governor returns to office after battling COVID-19
Read full article: Missouri governor returns to office after battling COVID-19FILE - In this Aug. 6, 2020 file photo, Missouri Gov. Parson, a Republican who has steadfastly refused to require residents to wear mask, and First Lady Teresa Parson tested positive for COVID-19, Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2020. – Missouri Gov. Mike Parson said Sunday he has been cleared to return to the office after battling the coronavirus. Missouri continues to have one of the highest rates of positive cases of the virus in the nation.
No course correction for state Republicans after Trump test
Read full article: No course correction for state Republicans after Trump testAlso Friday, Republicans who control the Louisiana House of Representatives supported a package of measures aimed at unraveling the state’s coronavirus restrictions imposed by Gov. It's not clear how many Republican lawmakers from the state interacted with Trump — who was there Tuesday for the debate with Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden — or his entourage in recent days, Smith said. Rep. John Becker, a Republican from Cincinnati who has led efforts to undo the coronavirus restrictions and mask mandate imposed by Gov. Tom Wolf's power to impose coronavirus restrictions. The virus is a leading issue in the campaign for governor in Missouri, where Republican Gov.
The Latest: UN chief cites pandemic's 'unprecedent toll'
Read full article: The Latest: UN chief cites pandemic's 'unprecedent toll'Nearly 550 students have tested positive for the virus since in-person classes resumed last month. The reservation is located on parts of six counties that accounted for 62 new coronavirus cases and one death in Tuesday’s update. J.B. Pritzker will quarantine for two weeks after a member of his administration tested positive for the coronavirus. Naidu recently attended a session of India’s Parliament that was cut short after more than 20 lawmakers tested positive. India’s Home Minister Amit Shah tested positive last month and recovered in a hospital.
Virus cases rise in US heartland, home to anti-mask feelings
Read full article: Virus cases rise in US heartland, home to anti-mask feelingsNow the coronavirus outbreak is heating up fast in smaller cities in the heartland, often in conservative corners of America where anti-mask sentiment runs high. Wisconsin is averaging more than 2,000 new cases a day over the last week, compared with 675 three weeks earlier. Health officials said if virus cases in these neighborhoods continue to build, the city might roll back the reopening in some places and require businesses to close back down. In Joplin, Missouri, a mask ordinance was allowed to expire in mid-August as virus fatigue grew. Since then, the number of positive cases there and in surrounding Jasper County — a deeply conservative county that Trump won by more than 50 percentage points over Hillary Clinton in 2016 — has risen about 80%.
Missouri governor, opponent of mandatory masks, has COVID-19
Read full article: Missouri governor, opponent of mandatory masks, has COVID-19FILE - In this Aug. 6, 2020 file photo, Missouri Gov. Parson, a Republican who has steadfastly refused to require residents to wear mask, and First Lady Teresa Parson tested positive for COVID-19, Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2020. – Missouri Gov. Two other Republican governors also have tested positive for COVID-19, though one of those turned out to be a false positive. Kevin Stitt in July became the first governor to announce he'd tested positive.
Baseball season teeters, while states resist mask rules
Read full article: Baseball season teeters, while states resist mask rulesNebraska's online virus tracker on Monday showed 800 cases were confirmed Friday through Sunday, bringing the state's total to 24,618 since the outbreak began. Florida reported 191 new deaths, another one-day high for the state, while Arizona recorded 104, and Arkansas had a single-day record with 20. Mississippi Republican Gov. His return came on the same day the state reported over 1,400 new cases the second consecutive day of record highs. The storm pounded the Rio Grande Valley, where hospitals have been overwhelmed with coronavirus cases.
White House decries gun charges for St. Louis couple
Read full article: White House decries gun charges for St. Louis coupleO'President Donald Trump believes St. Louis top prosecutor committed an egregious abuse of power in charging a couple who displayed guns during a protest against racial injustice last month outside their mansion, White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said Tuesday. McEnany appeared on the Fox News program Fox & Friends and was asked about St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardners decision to file felony unlawful use of a weapon charges against Mark and Patricia McCloskey. Gardner, St. Louis' first Black circuit attorney, said in an interview with The Associated Press that she will not seek jail time but will recommend a diversion program such as community service. The demonstration on June 28 was among many in St. Louis and across the country in the nearly two months since George Floyd's death in Minneapolis. Parson said Monday evening on The Hannity Show, we were not some bloodthirsty, rampaging mob, state Rep. Rasheen Aldridge said.
Kansas City, St. Louis leaders urge lakegoers to quarantine
Read full article: Kansas City, St. Louis leaders urge lakegoers to quarantineAlthough Missouris social distancing order gives enforcement authority to both the state and local health departments, Republican Gov. Osage County has had so few coronavirus cases that an ordinance allowing for enforcement lapsed last month, Health Administrator Shawn Brantley said. Kansas City Health Director Rex Archer echoed Krewsons call for a 14-day self-quarantine for anyone who failed to practice social distancing at the lake, as did the Kansas health department. Parson allowed businesses and attractions to reopen May 4, but the state order requires 6-foot social distancing through at least the end of May. St. Louis and St. Louis County are just now phasing in reopening because COVID-19, the illness caused by the virus, was so devastating there.