Associated Press

Survivors of an elderly Columbia couple who died in a natural gas explosion four years ago have settled a wrongful death lawsuit against Ameren Missouri.

The Columbia Daily Tribune reports that Boone County court officials were told of the settlement Monday, one day before the case was to go to trial.

The blast in March 2008 destroyed the home of 87-year-old Carl Sneed and his 85-year-old wife, Merna. Both were retired professors at the University of Missouri. Carl Sneed taught mechanical engineering; his wife taught home economics.

A Missouri House committee plans to review the effectiveness of the state's job-creation incentives.

State Rep. Jay Barnes says his committee will look into the Missouri Quality Jobs program and other economic development tax credits when the Legislature convenes in January. Barnes is a Republican from Jefferson City and chairman of the House Committee on Government Oversight and Accountability.

Two anti-war activists have been convicted in federal court of misdemeanor trespassing at central Missouri's Whiteman Air Force Base to protest the use of unmanned military drones.

A federal judge will hear arguments Tuesday in a lawsuit over Missouri's new law making it a crime to disturb a worship service.

Attorneys for the American Civil Liberties Union are seeking a temporary injunction to block the law that took effect last month.

The law makes it a misdemeanor to intentionally disturb or interrupt a "house of worship" with profane language, rude or indecent behavior or noise that breaks the solemnity of the service. Violators could face up to six months in jail and a $500 fine. Repeat offenders could get up to five years in prison.

Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon is extending his declaration of a state of emergency until mid-November because of drought, heat and the risk of fire.

Two anti-war protesters are going on trial in federal court on misdemeanor charges of trespassing at central Missouri's Whiteman Air Force Base.

Ron Faust is a retired minister from Kansas City and Brian Terrell is a member of the Catholic Worker Movement from Maloy, Iowa. Their trial is scheduled Monday in U.S. District Court in Jefferson City.

Faust and Terrell were charged after entering the base near Knob Noster without permission in April during an organized protest of the use of unmanned military drones. Their lawyers said the men planned to plead not guilty.

Missouri deer hunters who head out during the fall season are being asked to help the state determine the spread of chronic wasting disease, especially in northern counties.

The Department of Conservation will take tissue samples from Sept. 15 through Jan. from deer killed in Adair, Chariton, Linn, Macon, Randolph and Sullivan counties. Hunters are asked to take their deer to collection points that will be set up in those areas.

Joe Jerek is a spokesperson for the MDC. He says it’s easy for hunters to get samples and it’s crucial to the MDC’s containment efforts.

A southeast Missouri man is hospitalized in St. Louis after being diagnosed with West Nile virus.

Missouri has tapped a state reserve fund for cash flow purposes for the second consecutive month. The Office of Administration said Wednesday the state has borrowed $100 million from the Budget Reserve Fund, the same amount borrowed the previous month. The funds must be repaid by next May 15.

Missouri State Budget Director Linda Luebbering says the reserve fund can be used if monthly revenue collections do not meet monthly expenditures.

Republican Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder has found some common ground with Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon.

Kinder said Wednesday that he does not believe the Republican-led Legislature should override Nixon's veto of a bill that would retroactively re-impose local sales taxes on vehicles.

Like Nixon, Kinder says the local taxes should go to a vote of the people. Kinder says he also has concerns about the constitutionality of retroactively taxing people.