• Originally published March 4, 2010 at 2:32 p.m., updated March 5, 2010 at 12:11 a.m.

The supervisor is Margaret Stafford, followed at 1 p.m. by Dana Fields. They can be reached in the Kansas City bureau at 800-852-4844 or 816-421-4844. AP stories, along with photos that accompany them, can be obtained from http://www.apexchange.com. Reruns are available from the Service Desk (800-838-4616) or through the Kansas City bureau.

Please send stories of interest to other AP members by electronic carbon or by e-mail at kane(at)ap.org.

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HOG LAWSUIT-AWARD

UNDATED — A Jackson County jury awarded more than $11 million on Thursday to plaintiffs in a lawsuit over the odors from a Premium Standard Farms hog operation in northern Missouri. The awards included $825,000 for each of the 13 plaintiffs. A 14th plaintiff was awarded $250,000, and the 15th got $75,000, according to Mary Jacobi, spokeswoman for the Jackson County Circuit Court. By Bill Draper.

MISSOURI BUDGET

JEFFERSON CITY — The Republican House budget chief proposed Thursday that Missouri provide public schools with the full amount of money called for by the state's financing formula, even as others raised new concerns about whether it could afford to do so. House Budget Committee Chairman Allen Icet released a $23.8 billion spending plan for the 2011 budget year, but acknowledged that it likely will have to be trimmed. By David A. Lieb.

MISSOURI-DOMESTIC PARTNERS

COLUMBIA — The University of Missouri took preliminary steps Thursday toward expanding employee benefits to cover same-sex domestic partners. A resolution on the topic was unanimously approved by 25 members of the Faculty Council at the flagship Columbia campus. The measure calls for "access to all of the same rights, privileges and benefits to which opposite-sex spouses currently are entitled" and notes that more than 300 colleges and universities already have such perks in place for faculty and staff. The faculty senate at Missouri-St. Louis had adopted a similar resolution. By Alan Scher Zagier.

ETHICS PROPOSALS

JEFFERSON CITY — Missouri senators passed legislation Thursday strengthening the state's political ethics rules while House members filed a proposal that would go even further. The House bill would restore campaign contribution limits at $5,000 per election for all candidates. It also would ban lawmakers from working as political consultants and require at least a yearlong waiting period before they could become lobbyists. By Chris Blank.

SCHOOL SHOOTING PLOT

BLOOMFIELD — The younger brother of a teenage girl accused of a school shooting plot in southeast Missouri has been removed from the home, after authorities searching for evidence found it cluttered with trash and animal waste. Juvenile officials told Judge Joe Satterfield at a hearing this week that conditions in the home prompted removal of the boy, who was placed with the Missouri Children's Division and later with grandparents, the Daily American Republic reported Thursday.

MISSOURI TAXES

JEFFERSON CITY — Advocates of replacing Missouri's income tax with a broader sales tax presented a new plan Thursday that would phase in the tax changes over five years instead of making an abrupt switch. A proposed constitutional amendment outlined Thursday in the Senate would eliminate corporate income taxes in 2013 and begin gradually reducing individual income taxes that year. By 2018, all state income taxes would be gone. By David A. Lieb.

EDUCATION GRANTS-MISSOURI

JEFFERSON CITY — Missouri found out Thursday it lost in the opening round of a federal competition for education grants. The U.S. Department of Education said Missouri's application for nearly $750 million under the "Race to the Top" program is not among the finalists. But Missouri Education Commissioner Chris Nicastro said the state plans to submit a revised application by the next deadline on June 1. By Sarah D. Wire.

FARMING RULES

JEFFERSON CITY — Regulations for Missouri farmers would need to be based only on science and could not be changed by ballot measures under a proposed constitutional amendment approved Thursday by the House. The House proposal declares it a right for residents to raise livestock humanely and bars state laws that create an "undue economic burden." Restrictions on crop or livestock farming would need to be based on scientific principles and approved by the Legislature. By Chris Blank.

ALSO:

— MISSOURI-GIRL SLAIN — Lawyers for a central Missouri teenager charged with killing her 9-year-old neighbor want the suspect to appear in court in her own clothes.

— UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS — Gov. Jay Nixon has signed legislation providing up to 20 extra weeks of benefits for unemployed Missourians.

— SOYBEAN FACILITY — Pioneer Hi-Bred will build a soybean seed production facility outside New Madrid in southeast Missouri.

— POWERLESS CAPITOL — Renovation work will leave the Missouri Capitol in the dark this weekend.

— UNCLAIMED MEDALS — The Missouri state treasurer wants to keep the state from selling off unclaimed military medals.

— NIXON-TRAINING GRANT — Another Missouri community college is receiving a grant to educate students in growth industries.

— HEALTH OVERHAUL-STATES — The leader of the Missouri Senate is holding up a proposed constitutional amendment that would bar government mandates to have health insurance.

— SOUTHWESTERN RIVERS-PLANS — The state Department of Natural Resources is accepting comments on a draft plan for water quality improvement in two southwest Missouri rivers.

— FEMALE FARMERS — The University of Missouri Extension office is holding a series of one-day conferences for female farmers across the state.

SPORTS:

BBO--RANGERS-ROYALS

SURPRISE, Ariz. — This is a pitcher-catcher partnership that Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Rich Harden could like. Harden, in his Texas debut, pitched two innings of one-hit ball and Saltalamacchia and Matt Brown each hit a three-run homer, leading the Rangers to a 13-3 win over the Kansas City Royals on Thursday. By Sports Writer Doug Tucker.

AP Photos AZCN104, AZCN107, AZCN108.

BBA--ROYALS-MOORE

SURPRISE, Ariz. — Nearly four years after Dayton Moore was hired to turn the Kansas City Royals around, they still aren't turned. Judged solely by wins and losses, last year was even a step backward. Hampered by injuries, the Royals wound up 65-97, 10 fewer wins than the year before in spite of Zack Greinke's Cy Young Award season. Without exception during the still-young Moore era, the Royals have remained in or near last place in the AL Central. By Sports Writer Doug Tucker.

AP Photo AZCN110.

BBO--CARDINALS-METS

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — Jason Bay's debut was low key, but David Wright homered in his first at-bat and the New York Mets beat the St. Louis Cardinals 17-11 on Thursday. Bay, a former Red Sox left fielder, went 0 for 2 with a walk and a strikeout in his first game of the spring and first live action with the Mets since signing a four-year, $66 million contract in December.

Also:

— FBN--CHIEFS-VRABEL — The Kansas City Chiefs say they've signed a contract extension with veteran linebacker Mike Vrabel.

— BBN--CARDINALS-TICKETS — Baseball's regular season is a month away, and single-game tickets for St. Louis Cardinals games were going on sale Friday.

— BBA--ROYALS SIGNINGS — First baseman Billy Butler and second baseman Alberto Callaspo, Kansas City's two top hitters last season, have agreed to one-year contracts.

— BKC--MVC-DRAKE-S ILLINOIS.

— BKC--MVC-MISSOURI ST-EVANSVILLE.

— HKN--BLUES-STARS.

The AP-Kansas City

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