News

The Missouri House has endorsed a pair of early voting measures, though some Democrats contend they could create confusion for a proposed initiative petition that seeks to go further in allowing advanced voting.

House members gave first-round approval Wednesday to a constitutional amendment and companion bill. It would allow early voting for nine days, ending the week before state and federal elections. Polls would be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. during the week and four hours on Saturday. There will not be early voting on Sunday.

A physician regarded as the father of osteopathic medicine has been inducted into the Hall of Famous Missourians during a ceremony at the state Capitol.

Andrew Taylor Still founded the American School of Osteopathy, now called A.T. Still University, in Kirksville in 1892. His form of medicine focused on the body, mind and spirit. There now are more than 82,000 osteopathic physicians.

Family members, medical students and physicians were among those watching Wednesday's induction ceremony in the state House chamber.

Officials from Missouri's public universities are raising concerns about reduced revenues for education as state lawmakers consider an income tax cut.

A statement signed by the governing board presidents of nine state universities cites concerns that legislation could limit the money available for education.

Although the letter does not specifically mention the proposed income tax cut, the executive director of the Council on Public Higher Education said that is the subject of the concerns.

The Missouri Senate has endorsed legislation to renew an expiring prescription drug benefit for over 200,000 low-income and disabled seniors.

The Missouri Rx Program is scheduled to expire in August, but the measure endorsed on Wednesday would extend the benefit until 2017. State officials estimate more than 9 million prescription drug claims will be filed for 230,000 Missourians during the current budget year. Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon has called on lawmakers to renew the program.

Journalists often end up catching illegal activity on video or in photographs? When should they turn those images over to law enforcement? Also, Sen. Al Franken’s fight against the Comcast-Time Warner merger, coverage the Boston Bombing anniversary and why a big-city newspaper nixed reader comments from its website . From the Missouri School of Journalism professors Amy Simons, Earnest Perry and Jim Flink.

Initiative petitions touching on 19 different issues are circulating right now to get on the ballot in November. They range from allowing early voting to eliminating teacher tenure. Signature gatherers are out, clipboards in hand, to get the thousands of signatures necessary by May 4. The catch is this: Most of these initiatives won’t make it on the ballot. KBIA's Justin Paprocki found out just what it takes to get an issue on the ballot.

Today Paul Pepper and VERA MASSEY, University of Missouri Extension, talk about the importance of being happy and optimistic! 

Native or new-comer? No matter how long you and your family have called the Great State of Missouri home you can't claim a longer continuous lineage here than the paddlefish. This week on Thinking Out Loud, KBIA's Trevor Harris talks to anglers and conservationists about the fish that has called central Missouri's Osage River home for more than 300 million years.

The University of Missouri's new chancellor says he is prepared to make the school "accountable and responsible" after an independent review faulted its response to a former swimmer's rape claims.

The Missouri Supreme Court has overturned 30 years of precedent with a ruling that gives greater legal protections to injured workers who are fired from their jobs.

Missouri's unemployment rate increased in March, though the size of payrolls also grew.

Officials from Missouri's public universities are raising concerns about reduced revenues for education as state lawmakers consider an income tax cut.

The Missouri House of Representatives has proposed adding $48 million in federal and state funds to next year’s Medicaid budget to cover adult dental care. Last week the Senate Appropriations Committee agreed to the additional $48 million, but with some caveats. The money would only be used to pay for preventative dental care, like maintenance and extraction procedures. Part of the $48 million would also go towards paying dentists more for these procedures. Currently, the state only reimburses dentists up to 35 percent of usual and customary costs.

  Missouri House members have endorsed legislation that could offer additional financial assistance to persuade more top students to stay in the state after graduation day.

Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) is the leading voice in Congress, urging colleagues to say no to the proposed merger between Comcast and Time-Warner.

If allowed, the merger will combine the nation's number one and number two cable and internet providers -- something that Franken says is bad for consumers and bad for America.

Ashley Parker, New York Times: “Franken’s campaign against Comcast is no joke”