The supervisor is Margaret Stafford, followed at 1 p.m. by Dana Fields. They can be reached in the Kansas City bureau at 800-852-4844 or 816-421-4844. AP stories, along with photos that accompany them, can be obtained from http://www.apexchange.com. Reruns are available from the Service Desk (800-838-4616).

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PHARMA ON CAMPUS

ST. LOUIS — In their quest for the next big drug discovery, pharmaceutical companies are increasingly teaming up with some of the nation's top universities, recruiting campus scientists as partners and offering schools multimillion-dollar deals to work on experimental drugs in development. Big Pharma has long sought to profit from academia's innovations in more limited arrangements. Now the two sides are often joining forces as equals. But the drug makers' aggressive pursuit of university research has drawn the ire of academic purists who question whether the partnerships put profits ahead of, or on equal footing with, science for science's sake. By Alan Scher Zagier.

AP Photos CAJC201, CAJC202, CAJC203, CAJC204, CAJC205.

PRESCHOOL FUNDING

JEFFERSON CITY — Public school districts could receive state money for preschool programs under a measure a Missouri senator proposed Thursday that was embraced conceptually by key colleagues but panned because of its potential multi-million-dollar hit on the state budget. Sen. Joseph Keaveny filed two versions of his plan to fund preschool programs through the state formula that currently distributes money for K-12 education. One would provide state aid for all preschool students ages 3-5 in schools that also have full-day kindergarten programs; the other would pay only for lower-income students in those schools. By David A. Lieb.

CONNELL-OBIT

SANTA FE, N.M. — Evan S. Connell was virtually unknown to the general public, but to critics and students of graduate writing programs, the adventurous author was regarded fondly and often praised for his diversity of interests. Connell's Depression-era Kansas City in the twin novels "Mrs. Bridge" and "Mr. Bridge" was even made into a movie starring husband and wife movie actors, Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward.

DROUGHT-RIVER SHIPPING

ST. LOUIS — Shippers who have idled towboats and lightened barge loads as the Mississippi River shrinks from drought credit the waterway's stewards for averting their worst fear: a potentially crippling shutdown of the artery used to move everything from corn and grain to construction materials and petroleum. Barge operators still are being squeezed financially because of restrictions on the waterway. But "the Army Corps of Engineers has done a great job of pulling rabbits out of their hat" by scrambling to rid one crucial river stretch of treacherous bedrock while strategically releasing water from lakes into the Mississippi to raise the river, said Rick Calhoun, president of Cargo Carriers, Cargill Inc.'s shipping arm with 1,300 barges. By Jim Suhr And Jim Salter.

JOPLIN TORNADO-INSURANCE CLAIMS

JOPLIN — The May 2011 tornado in Joplin, already the largest insurance event in Missouri history, is on track to rack up a $2 billion price tag. As of Oct. 31, losses paid by insurance companies on 19,870 private and commercial claims totaled $1.65 billion. A Missouri insurance official says the state believes the claims will reach $2 billion.

ALSO:

— RETAIL-MUSEUM PROJECT — Construction is under way in northeastern Kansas on a massive retail and housing development that will also feature an American Museum of Natural History exhibition hall.

— MISSOURI COUPLE SLAIN — One of five people charged with murder in the 2011 deaths of a southwest Missouri couple has bonded out of jail.

— COLUMBIA COLLEGE-PRESIDENT — The president of central Missouri's Columbia College is preparing to retire after 18 years in which the school has added campuses nationwide and created a strong online presence.

— MISSOURI SENATE-COMMITTEES — The Missouri Senate announced Thursday the leaders for the chamber's 18 committees. Majority Republicans will lead all but one of the panels.

— BANK ROBBERY SUSPECT — A man hospitalized after a St. Louis County police chase is suspected in several recent bank robberies.

— CHILD SHOT — A 4-year-old girl was in critical condition after accidentally being shot in the head at a south Kansas City home.

— ABANDONED BABY — The mother of a 3-month-old child found abandoned inside a St. Louis County apartment building died of a gunshot wound to the neck.

— TAX PREPARER-INDICTMENT — A former southeast Missouri tax preparer is facing federal charges for filing nearly 100 returns that under-reported income, and having the refunds placed into her own account.

— MISSOURI LEGISLATURE-ABSENT LAWMAKER — A Missouri House member who missed the start of the 2013 legislative session now has taken office.

— PAROLED MURDERER — A man on parole for the 1975 killing of an Illinois sheriff's deputy has been arrested in Missouri for trying to steal an ATM.

— EDUCATION RANKINGS-MISSOURI — Missouri's public schools are 41st in the country in Education Week's annual rankings.

SPORTS:

SOC--MLS-ALL-STAR GAME

KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Major League Soccer is bringing its All-Star game to the home of Sporting Kansas City. MLS Commissioner Don Garber announced Thursday that Livestrong Sporting Park would host the July 31 game between MLS All-Stars and an international club still to be determined. It will be the 10th time that MLS All-Stars have played an international opponent. By Sports Writer Dave Skretta.

Also:

— BKW--T25-MISSOURI-TENNESSEE. Thursday night's game at Knoxville. By Sports Writer Steve Megargee. With hometown lead on losing team.

The AP-Kansas City