A daily digest of headlines from KCUR.
- Missouri House OKs Spending Limits
- Charity Head Pleads Guilty To Fraud
- Painting What He Sees
Missouri House OKs Spending Limits
One day after giving it first-round approval, the Missouri House has passed a proposed constitutional amendment to place spending caps on the state budget. During final debates, State Representative Jeanette Mott Oxford (D, St. Louis) argued that limiting spending to the yearly inflation rate and population growth could make it very hard for lawmakers to address critical needs in the future. Find out the details here.
Charity Head Pleads Guilty To Fraud
The former director of two Kansas City charities could go to federal prison for thirty or more years after pleading guilty to embezzling at least $100,000. The prosecutor in the case said the fraud damaged programs of Westport Cooperative Services and the Epilepsy Foundation of Kansas and Western Missouri. Read more here.
Painting What He Sees
About half of the year, you'll find artist Wilbur Niewald standing in front of a canvas outdoors, painting a stand of trees in Loose Park, or the freeway circling around buildings in the West Bottoms. Or, he'll be inside a studio, painting a cluster of apples and a pitcher, or his wife of more than 60 years and patient model, Gerry. Niewald is a professor emeritus of painting at the Kansas City Art Institute, draws and paints from direct observation – what he sees around him. KCUR’s Laura Spencer has more here.