St. Louis Public Radio News Quiz for Jun 20, 2014

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Among the decisions made this past week by the state board of education about the new Normandy was the retention of Ty McNichols as superintendent, but he will be an at-will employee with no contract. Dale Singer reported that with all contracts lapsing at the end of June, hiring of teachers and others for the upcoming school year is continuing.

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Winfield was the fifth person put to death by lethal injection in Missouri this year. Chris McDaniel reported that the execution took place in spite of concerns over the state's secret drug supplier, as well as the state's likely intimidation of a correctional officer who supported clemency for the inmate.

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The museum’s board voted to lease the land at 5863 Delmar to St. Louis’ Loop Trolley Development District. Nancy Fowler reported that the site, whose purchase contributed to the departure of former museum president Robert Archibald, will be used to store materials and equipment for the Trolley project, at a cost of $10 a month for two years.

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Records show that Ameren spent $91,649 on lobbying in the 24-month period, according to the Lobbying Missouri website run jointly by NPR and St. Louis Public Radio. Chris McDaniel reported that in the first four months of this year, lawmakers accepted $558,813.68 worth of gifts, about on par with past years.

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Thousands of Missourians are still waiting for state income tax refunds, nearly two months after the April 15 filing deadline, but state officials say they should have all of the checks out by the end of June. Marshall Griffin reported that the delay can be partially blamed on Missouri's revenue collections in May, which were 3 percent, or nearly $20 million, below what they were a year ago at this time.

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The Virginia-based Institute for Justice, a libertarian advocacy group, brought the suit challenging the constitutionality of Missouri’s requirement that African-style hair braiders to get cosmetology licenses. Rachel Lippmann reported that the action was filed on behalf of the owners of two braiding shops in St. Louis — neither of whom has a cosmetology license.

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The Missouri Development Finance Board voted for up to $15 million in incentives, which would be used to cover half the cost of private donations that total around $30 million. Marshall Griffin reported that the deal also needs approval from the Office of Administration and the Department of Revenue, which have not acted yet.

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KWS, a German agricultural company, is opening a research center at BRDG Park in the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center’s campus. Maria Altman reported that KWS chose St. Louis over many other cities including North Carolina’s Research Triangle Park, where several major seed companies have a presence.

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Pearson’s novel “The Red Room” is the third book in his Risk Agent Series. Camille Phillips reported that his protagonists enter the world of the illegal art trade and in the process encounter an Iranian nuclear physicist who has become a target of the Mossad, Israel’s intelligence agency.

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The title of the work by composer Ricky Ian Gordon and librettist Royce Vavrek refers to the address of the Paris apartment of Gertrude Stein and Alice B. Toklas, at 27, rue de Fleurus. Robert W. Duffy says the production focuses the spotlight of truth on a situation of extraordinary moral complexity.