Associated Press

A state House member from southwest Missouri says he'll seek a recount after a narrow loss in his Republican primary election.

Election results certified in Greene County this week show incumbent Thomas Long losing to challenger Jeff Messenger by 28 votes in the Aug. 7 primary. Long told the Springfield News-Leader on Wednesday he'll ask to have the ballots in the 130th House District counted again.

Missouri law allows candidates to request recounts if they lose by less than 1 percent of the total vote.

A University of Missouri veterinary professor says farmers need to be careful when feeding drought-damaged corn to their livestock.

Two University of Missouri heart researchers are accused of plagiarism after a medical journal retracted an article they co-wrote.

The Columbia Missourian reports that the American Journal of the Medical Sciences pulled the February 2012 article after determining that the authors "plagiarized significant aspects" of a 2006 article in the journal Heart.

A new report says Missouri's unemployment rate edged higher last month while the number of nonfarm jobs declined.

The Department of Economic Development says the jobless rate rose one-tenth of a point in July to 7.2 percent. That compares with a national rate of 8.3 percent.

The Missouri agency also reported Tuesday that nonfarm payroll employment decreased in July by 7,700 jobs.

Officials said record heat and severe drought affected outdoor jobs in such areas as construction, landscaping, lawn care and recreation.

The head of the Missouri State Highway Patrol says drivers need to be careful now that the state has granted drought-related waivers that will result in more farm machinery on the roads.

The Missouri Department of Transportation granted the waivers because the drought is forcing some farmers to travel longer distances to obtain hay, silage and grain.

Patrol Superintendent Ron Replogle encouraged farmers to review regulations related to farm vehicles and the transportation of goods.

A Missouri judge has scheduled two hearings this month on a challenge to the ballot language of a health care measure that goes before voters in November.

The lawsuit by Republican Lieutenant Governor Peter Kinder and several top GOP lawmakers contends the ballot summary is unfair and misleading. Secretary of State Robin Carnahan, a Democrat, wrote the summary.

Online court records show Cole County Circuit Judge Dan Green will hear arguments Friday and again on August 28th.

A northwest Missouri dairy has resumed operations less than a week after some of its products were recalled by the state Department of Agriculture.

Missouri's Milk Board on Tuesday reinstated the plant permit for Shatto Dairy of Osborn after tests showed its pasteurization process was working.

Agriculture officials temporarily suspended the dairy's operations Aug. 8 after test results showed some of its milk products may have been unpasteurized or improperly pasteurized.

Many homeowners are seeing the impact of the drought with cracked walls in the basement, forcing thousands of dollars in repair bills that insurance generally doesn't cover.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that basement repair companies are overwhelmed with calls from customers about cracking and shifting foundations.

The drought has drained moisture from the soil for several feel underground. Drying clay shrinks, which undermines support beneath basements.

The Missouri Supreme Court has declined to set execution dates for six condemned killers, saying doing so is "premature" until the courts decide if Missouri's new execution method passes constitutional muster.

Missouri GOP candidates for statewide office are starting their fall campaigns with a call for teamwork among Republicans.