The Joplin River of Life Ministries has appealed a state order that they shut down their group homes.

The state's order came after a fire that killed 11 persons at one of the organization's facilities in southwest Missouri.

Both the House Speaker and Senate President Pro Tem cited the school district's problems in their opening-session addresses.

In the Senate, it was one of only two specific issues cited by Sen. Mike Gibbons.  The other was restructuring Medicaid.  Gibbons said he has asked the Democratic Senate leader to sponsor the bill dealing with the city school system.

On Medicaid, Gibbons called on legislators to declare "war on the high cost of healthcare."

House Speaker Rod Jetton said his top priority was tax cuts, particularly taxes on Social Security benefits. 

Attorneys representing about one-half of Missouri's school districts told the Cole County circuit court that the state's current funding system does not provide enough money for local schools and leads to unequal levels of per-student funding.

But an attorney for the state argued there was no constitutional requirement for equal levels of spending on education for students.

Testimoney is expected to take weeks.  Fourteen years ago, the legislature passed a large statewide tax increase after the state lost a similar lawsuit against the school funding system.  The attorney in that case is the same lead attorney for the current case.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported Wednesday that the victorious Senate candidate had asked for an exemption from federal rules restricting the size of campaign contributions.

While federal law restricts the size of contributions, Missouri's new campaign finance law removes the limits.  McCaskill is asking to be covered by the state rather than federal restriction in order to recoup a $1.6 million loan she had made to her campaign, the paper reported.

Gov. Matt Blunt announced Tuesday that he would appoint Susan Montee to the auditor's office on Thursday.

The office will become vacant that day when Claire McCaskill resigns to take office as Missouri's U.S. Senator.

The Republican governor's appointment of the Democratic State Auditor gives Montee just a few days head start.  Her full four-year term begins Monday.

The state audit found that state-financed cell phones had been used at night and weekends when most state offices are closed.

The audit reported that one cell phone at 421 calls when the employee who had the phone was on vaction.