Region/state digest 12/27/03

Man stabbed on South Hanover Street in Cape

Police and medical crews responded Friday afternoon to a stabbing at 317 S. Hanover. An unidentified man in his 20s suffered a small knife wound to the left flank of his lower back. Officers eventually located an unidentified female suspect, 32, and took her into custody. No formal charges have been filed. "The gist of it is that this stemmed from an argument," said the investigating officer Paul Zajicek. "It was more of an accident, really. She just displayed it to get him off of her." The man was well enough to walk to the ambulance and had lost little blood. He was taken to Southeast Missouri Hospital.

More felons facing weapons charges

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The number of felons charged in western Missouri with illegally possessing firearms rose by nearly 30 percent this year, federal prosecutors said. In federal fiscal year 2003, U.S. Attorney Todd Graves' office filed charges against 330 defendants, up from 255 the year prior. Convictions also rose, to 223 defendants in 2003 from 216 in 2002. The focus on prosecuting felons was started as part of Project Ceasefire, which began in Kansas City in 1999 and has since spread into other western Missouri communities.

Bill would tie future of homeland security offices

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- A Missouri lawmaker plans to file a bill that would require the state to keep its Office of Homeland Security as long as the federal government maintains such an office. Under the proposal by Washington, Mo., Republican state Sen. John Griesheimer, the state's homeland security office would cease to exist six months after the federal government abolished its department. All signs point to that not happening for a long time, he said. Tim Daniel was appointed by Missouri Gov. Bob Holden as the state's special adviser on homeland security two years ago.

-- From staff, wire reports