State briefs 2/23/16

Remains believed to be of missing boy

ST. JAMES, Mo. -- Human remains have been found along a southern Missouri creek where a 13-year-old boy last was seen in July, the area sheriff said Monday. Phelps County Sheriff Richard Lisenbe said forensic tests are being conducted on the remains. But he said it's unclear whether they belong to Johnathan Shay, who was reported missing July 9 after he and an 11-year-old cousin left his grandmother's yard in St. James. The younger boy was found the next day walking along a creek. Lisenbe said other items, including a tennis shoe like the one Shay had been wearing, also were recovered from the area where the remains were found, about a half-mile from the home where the children had wandered.

Cattle referendum clears challenge

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- A referendum on raising the fees cattle farmers pay has cleared its first legal challenge, though a final court decision remains weeks away. A Cole County court scheduled a hearing for March 21 on whether to halt the April election. Judge Patricia Joyce on Thursday declined to issue a temporary restraining order that would have stopped election preparations. The referendum would ask cattle farmers to approve doubling per-animal checkoff fees from $1 to $2. The money would go to the Missouri Beef Industry Council, which spent more than $500,000 on advertising and outreach in 2015. Opponents say the election was designed in violation of open-records laws and asks farmers to reveal confidential business information.

Auto firm accused of deceptive tactics

ST. PAUL, Minn. -- Minnesota's attorney general is suing a Missouri company, accusing it of misleading consumers into buying unnecessary coverage for auto repairs. The lawsuit by Attorney General Lori Swanson was filed Monday in Dakota County against United Auto Defense. The lawsuit alleges UAD solicits Minnesotans into buying "vehicle service contracts" that provide third-party coverage for certain auto repairs. It said the company misleadingly poses as a manufacturer or dealership and tells consumers via direct mail there may be issues with their car or that their warranty has expired. The attorney general says some Minnesota consumers bought coverage for as much as $4,750 through UAD.

-- From wire reports