Both sides of the abortion debate agree that state funds cannot be used to fund the use of the pill, according to legislation that dates back to 1986.

The state is suing the Missouri Health Department and state Planned Parenthood chapters after the department continued to fund the family-planning organization in spite of an appropriations law the legislature says forbids such action.

Although the construction is not driven by the Americans with Disabilities Act, all renovations to the Capitol will comply.

Other some broken marble, there have been few problems and construction should be finished by the start of the January legislative session.

The commission's first request for testimoney was in the form of subpoenas which the executives disregarded. This time, the request is not backed by subpoenas.

Gambling licenses for two boats operated by the company expire in a few months.

And for the second day in a row, Sen. John Ashcroft did not respond to the Democrats' call that the spokesman, Daryl Duwe, be fired.

"I'm not going to call for his dismissal," Talent told Jefferson City's KLIK radio.

"This type of vicious personal attack has no place in political discourse," said Joe Carmichael, the Missouri Democratic Party's Chairman, in a statement. "I call on (Republican leaders) to publicly apologize on to Ms. McCaskill and to terminate (the spokesman)."

Initial efforts to reach the Republican leaders singled out -- gubernatorial candidate Jim Talent, Sen. John Ashcroft, and party chairwoman Ann Wagner -- were unsuccessful.

Talent and Holden discussed methamphetamines, education, and more during the hour-long debate.

Despite the odds against them, third party candidates don't concede defeat.

The national Children's Health Insurance Program allocated over $4 billion in 1997 to all fifty states with the requirement that they each spend their allocation within three years.

Just days before the September 30 deadline, it looks like forty states will not meet this requirement and their money will therefore be reallocated to states which did meet the spending requirement, such as Missouri.

The state contends an appropriations law prohibitting state money from going to facilities that promote abortions apply to Planned Parenthood.

The group, however, says its family planning and abortion sevices are sufficiently separate to receive state funds.

Experts say Missouri nectar will provide the food the birds need.