State briefs 3/1/16

Longtime lawmaker 'Jay' Russell Sr. dies

FLORISSANT, Mo. -- A former state legislator from the St. Louis County town of Florissant has died. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported James C. "Jay" Russell Sr. died Wednesday after being diagnosed with skin cancer six months ago. He was 87. Russell was a fixture in Democratic politics and in Florissant. He first was elected to the Missouri House in 1962 and served through 1990. He also was a longtime Democratic committeeman and proprietor of BJ's Bar and Restaurant. Russell was a Marine on leave from Camp Pendleton when he met his wife of 61 years, Delphie, who survives.

Luetkemeyer files for re-election

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer officially is seeking a fifth term in Congress. Luetkemeyer filed for re-election Monday for Missouri's 3rd District, which consists of 13 counties in central and eastern Missouri. The 63-year-old Republican first was elected to Congress in 2008. No Democrats have filed to oppose Luetkemeyer, but he faces opposition from Libertarian Party candidate Dan Hogan of St. Peters and Constitution Party candidate Doanita Simmons of St. Peters.

Student earns perfect SAT score

CHESTERFIELD, Mo. -- A suburban St. Louis high school student has achieved a rare feat -- a perfect score on the SAT college entrance test. The Parkway School District said Friday that Parkway Central High School senior Sharanya Kumar scored a perfect 2400 on the entrance test, a score typically accomplished by about 0.02 percent of those who take it. Kumar hasn't decided what to study in college but is leaning toward bioengineering or computer science. She also is deciding where to attend.

Services set for 4 found slain

EDGERTON, Mo. -- Services are set for four northwest Missouri family members authorities said were slain and set afire earlier this month by another relative. Private services for Russell and Shirley Denham, who were in their 80s, will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Edgerton's Zion Baptist Church. The funeral for Heather Denham and her 3-month-old son, Mason Schiavoni, will be at 2 p.m. Sunday at Park Lawn Northland Chapel in Liberty. Platte County authorities said the four were found dead outside the elder Denhams' burning home near Edgerton early Feb. 20. The elder Denham's grandson and Heather Denham's brother, Grayden Denham, later was arrested in Arizona and has been identified as a person of interest in the deaths, though he has not been charged with them.

-- From wire reports