bransonglobe.com STATE Missouri’s Sen. Blunt wants more federal police reviews JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri’s Republican U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt on Wednesday called on the U.S. attorney general to act in response to nationwide protests against police brutality following the death of George Floyd. “In the wake of the recent tragic deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery, Americans are rightfully demanding justice and accountability,” Blunt wrote in a letter to U.S. Attorney General William Barr. Blunt asked him to launch more pattern-of-practice reviews, which are reviews of police agencies, possible misconduct and their handling of protests. The U.S. Department of Justice previously used that process to investigate Ferguson’s police department following months of 2 dogs die in hot car while owner was in training class HIGH RIDGE, Mo. (AP) — Two dogs died in a hot car at a dog training center near St. Louis as their owner attended a lecture on how to become a paid dog trainer, the center’s owner said. Tom Rose of the Tom Rose School told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that the deaths were the result of a “terrible accident.” The owner left her car running, with the air-conditioner on high, while she was inside for the approximate 90-minute lecture on Wednesday, a day when the high temperature topped 90 degrees. Rose said the car quit running without the owner knowing it. By the time she got outside the dogs — a Labrador retriever and a German shepherd — were dead. Rose said the car may have run out of gas. “It was just a terrible accident,” Rose said. “The owner of the dogs was incoherent. It’s a horrible thing, and she was so upset.” Rose said police weren’t notified because “there was no negligence involved.” Council rejects University of Missouri early start COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — The University of Missouri Faculty Council has rejected a a proposal to start fall classes 10 days early. KMIZ-TV reports that the council voted 23-6 Thursday against a proposal to begin the fall semester Aug. 12 and hold classes on Labor Day. The plan also called for ending in-person classes at the Thanksgiving break on Nov. 20, with finals starting ten days later. The university said in a news release Wednesday that the proposal would have to pass the council before going before the Board of Curators. University leaders had suggested the change in part to cut down on travel in months when viral illnesses are more active. The council instead voted to start classes on Aug. 24 and include a Labor Day break. The council approved a proposal to move to online-only classes after Thanksgiving break and to have finals remotely if needed. the winter protests after the fatal police shoot of unarmed, black 18-year-old Michael Brown in 2014. Local police promised change through a consent decree. “Unfortunately, news reports indicate that the Department of Justice has walked away from pattern-or-practice reviews in recent years,” Blunt wrote to Barr. “Additionally, the Department of Justice implemented a policy change in November 2018 that placed tighter restrictions on the use of consent decrees, making it more difficult to pursue reforms where they are needed.” Blunt called for more pattern-of-practice reviews and consent decrees. An Associated Press request for comment to the U.S. Department of Justice wasn’t immediately returned Thursday. June 7-9, 2020 • 11
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