Army field band to play in Kennett, Nov. 14

KENNETT, Mo. -- The biggest musical event ever to be held in Kennett. has been confirmed for Nov. 14.

The 65-member U.S. Army field band and the 30-member soldiers' chorus will appear in concert at 7:30 p.m. at the Kennett High School Gym. The event is sponsored by the Kennett High School band and The Daily Dunklin Democrat.

The U.S. Army field band will appear in Branson, Mo., on Nov. 10; in St. Louis on Nov. 12; and in Kennett on Nov. 14. From there they travel to Kentucky.

The high school gym will be set up for a capacity crowd of 1,500 people. Admission is free, but a ticket is required. Tickets will be available at The Daily Dunklin Democrat and by mail. Send a self-addressed envelope to The Daily Dunklin Democrat, 203 First St., Kennett, Mo. 63857. There is a limit of four tickets per person.

Kinder aims to end state funding for family planning

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The Republican leader of Missouri Senate said Saturday that he hopes to eliminate all state funding for family planning services as a way to stop grants from going to abortion provider Planned Parenthood.

Senate President Pro Tem Peter Kinder may lack support for his idea, however, from key Republicans on the Senate's budget-writing committee.

The state has provided family planning money to government and privately run health centers for about 10 years

During that time, the Legislature's anti-abortion majority has tried repeatedly -- by inserting restrictive language in budget bills -- to prohibit any of that money from going to Planned Parenthood. But the state health department has awarded grants to Planned Parenthood anyway, after determining that family planning money wouldn't be used to support abortions.

Kinder said he hopes to end the annual fight, which has spilled over from the Legislature to the federal and state courts.

"It is my intent to zero out the money for family planning this year and make this a moot issue," said Kinder.

29 counties designated drought disaster areas

WASHINGTON -- Severe drought has led to a federal disaster declaration for 29 Missouri counties.

Another 13 counties in Missouri adjacent to the disaster area are also eligible for federal assistance, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said Friday.

The designation means qualified farmers in the counties may apply for low-interest federal loans to help cover part of their actual losses due to drought.

Missouri counties in the primary disaster area are Andrew, Atchison, Bates, Buchanan, Caldwell, Carroll, Cass, Cedar, Clinton, Daviess, DeKalb, Gentry, Grundy, Harrison, Henry, Holt, Jackson, Johnson, Linn, Livingston, Mercer, Nodaway, Platte, Putnam, Ray, Schuyler, Sullivan, Vernon and Worth.

The counties adjacent to the disaster area are Adair, Barton, Benton, Chariton, Clay, Dade, Lafayette, Macon, Pettis, Polk, St. Clair, Saline and Scotland.

-- From wire reports