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Missouri at 1 p.m.
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EARLY VOTING
JEFFERSON CITY — An early voting initiative petition is prompting a Missouri lawmaker to propose another version that could lead to voters deciding between competing plans. A House committee this past week endorsed a constitutional amendment and companion legislation that would establish an early voting period. That comes as the Missouri Early Voting Fund is using professional petition circulators and volunteers to gather thousands of required signatures from registered voters in hopes of getting its proposal on this year's ballot. By Chris Blank. Sent: 530 words.
FAMILY MASSACRED-SERIAL KILLER
ST. LOUIS — More than a quarter century later, the grisly, unsolved slaughter of Joeann Dardeen's son, his pregnant wife and their young son in southern Illinois still haunts her. Bludgeoned with a baseball bat along with her 3-year-old son, 30-year-old Ruby "Elaine" Dardeen gave birth during that 1987 attack in the family's home in the 2,500-resident village of Ina. The killer took no mercy on the newborn either, ending her life as quickly as it began. The household's patriarch, Russell "Keith" Dardeen, turned up dead the next day in a wheat field, his body mutilated. By Jim Suhr. Sent: 700 words.
WWII MEDALS RETURNED
KANSAS CITY — A Purple Heart and other military medals belonging to a Kansas soldier killed in World War II were returned to his family during a ceremony Saturday. Capt. Zachariah Fike, founder of Purple Hearts Reunited, presented the medal awarded decades ago to Pfc. Alvie Leroy Scott to Scott's niece, Mary Strotkamp, during a ceremony at the National World War I Museum at Liberty Memorial. Sent: 430 words.
DIAPER SHORTAGE
ST. LOUIS — Disposable diaper shortages among needy families are harming infants and their parents, according to health care providers and advocates for the poor. Local food pantries receive countless requests for diapers but are unable to meet the demand. Melinda Ohlemiller, CEO of Nurses for Newborns, said the organization would need as many as 10,000 diapers a day for its mostly poor clients but can only supply a dozen diapers per person in an emergency. Sent: 450 words.
IN BRIEF:
— RIVERWAYS-DEBATE — Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder and state Rep. Chris Kelly are scheduled to debate the future of the Ozark National Scenic Riverways.
— SOLDIER'S FUNERAL — A funeral is planned in Rolla, (RAH'-lah) Mo. for a soldier killed in shootings at Fort Hood, Texas, earlier this month.
WEEKEND FEATURE EXCHANGE:
EXCHANGE-BARBERSHOP REVIVAL
JOPLIN — Singers call it the "angel's voice." The phenomenon occurs when a group of singers reach an identical chord, voices blended together as one, the harmonics justly tuned and balanced, creating a new frequency of sound that can "literally raise up the hair on the arm," said Don Snow. By Kevin McClintock, The Joplin Globe. SENT: 680 words.
EXCHANGE-JAILHOUSE ROOTS
JEFFERSON CITY — Delores Shirley has enjoyed the reaction she gets when she tells people, "I was born in jail." But it was Shirley who was reacting this week, when she stood in what likely was the front bedroom in 1938, when her mother, Sophie Walz, delivered her last child in the Cole County Sheriff's House. By Michelle Brooks, Jefferson City News Tribune. SENT: 830 words.
EXCHANGE-HEALING WITH FOOD
ST. LOUIS — Certain places have reputations for serving bad food. Places where you're stuck with few options under cramped conditions. Airplanes. Jails. And, of course, hospitals. Robert Grotha, executive chef at St. Louis Children's Hospital, doesn't think that way about hospital food. To him, the job is an opportunity to surprise patients, families and staff who expect not much more than chocolate pudding and soggy pizza. By Blythe Bernhard, St. Louis Post-Dispatch. SENT: 1,300 words.
SPORTS:
BBA--ROYALS-TWINS
MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota Twins take on the Kansas City Royals in the second game of a three-game series. Ricky Nolasco (0-1, 9.00 ERA) tries to bounce back from two rough starts to begin his Twins career, and James Shields (0-1, 2.70 ERA) takes the mound for the Royals. UPCOMING: 700 words, photos. Game starts at 1:10 p.m. CDT. With hometown lead on losing team.
BBN--CUBS-CARDINALS
ST. LOUIS — St. Louis Cardinals ace Adam Wainwright (1-1, 1.29) opposes the Chicago Cubs and Carlos Villanueva (1-2, 4.26) in the second game of a three-game series. UPCOMING: 700 words, photos, hometown lead on losing team.
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