RIVER RADIO NEWS 122313
ELLINGTON MAN FATALLY INJURED IN WEEKEND CRASH
A weekend traffic crash has claimed the life of an Ellington man.
According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, 23 year old Kirk E. Odell was killed when a second vehicle pulled into the path of the vehicle Odell was driving. The crash happened at around 2 am Sunday on Route M, near County Road 100 in Carter County.
A passenger in Odell’s car, 23 year old Tasha L. Parks, of Ellington, received minor injuries. According to the Patrol, Parks was wearing her safety device. Odell was not.
TWO FROM FISK KILLED WHEN HIT BY CAR
Two Fisk residents are dead after being hit by a car Saturday night.
Authorities say 28 year old Dustin Binkard and 29 year old Charles Price were lying in the roadway on Highway B in Butler County when they were struck by a vehicle. Both men were pronounced dead at the scene.
Officials say no charges are being sought against the driver at this time.
JONESBORO POLICE INVESTIGATE ARMED ROBBERY
Police in Jonesboro are investigating the Friday night armed robbery of a local business.
Authorities say the incident happened shortly after 9 pm at Advanced Auto, when a black male entered the business, armed with a gun. The suspect was able to escape with an undisclosed amount of cash.
JONESBORO FAST FOOD EMPLOYEE ARRESTED FOR STEALING FROM CUSTOMERS
An employee of a Jonesboro fast food restaurant has been cited for allegedly stealing from customers.
According to authorities, 18 year old Dezirae Schulz was adding an extra $10 to the bills of customers who paid with credit cards, then pocketing the extra cash. Authorities say Schulz admitted to adding the money to the tabs of at least seven customers. The stolen money has been returned to the restaurant, which will return it to their customers.
Schulz is scheduled to appear in court December 30th.
WEEKEND FLOODING FORCES RESCUES
Flash flooding across Butler and Ripley Counties over the weekend forced the rescue of at least 15 people. According to authorities, by 6 pm Saturday evening, nearly five inches of rain had been measured at the Poplar Bluff Airport in 24 hours. No serious injuries were reported due to the flooding.
KINDER FOCUSING ON MISSOURI HOUSING CREDITS
Lt. Governor Peter Kinder is preparing to announce efforts to preserve Missouri's low-income housing tax credits.
Kinder was traveling Monday to St. Louis for a news conference with lawmakers and a city alderwoman.
The tax credits are awarded to developers of low-income housing. The Missouri Housing Development Commission this month delayed about $14 million annually in tax credits to build apartments for low-income residents. Kinder was the lone commission member to vote against the move.
The delay came shortly after Missouri lawmakers approved legislation authorizing up to $1.7 billion in tax incentives over two decades for Boeing Co. to build a plant in the St. Louis area. Those incentives and the housing tax credits were linked informally as part of negotiations between Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon and Republican senators.
MISSOURI LAWMAKER PROPOSES SEPTEMBER TO MAY SCHOOL YEAR
Summers could extend a little longer for school kids under a proposed Missouri law that also seeks to require students to spend more time in class and attend summer school if they don't perform well.
Districts would be required to make summer school enrollment mandatory for students who score less than proficient on statewide tests. Plus, the regular school year would be occur between Sept. 1 and May 31 while the state's minimum class time would increase.
Sponsoring House member Steve Cookson says summer school would help prevent students from falling further behind. He says more uniform school calendars can help families who move between communities.
The Missouri School Boards' Association says local officials should have flexibility to set academic calendars and that summer school would add costs for districts.
RURAL MISSOURI RESIDENTS MORE LIKELY TO BE UNINSURED
Missourians who live in rural areas are far less likely to have health insurance than those living near big cities, according to U.S. Census data.
The Associated Press examined county-by-county data for 2011, the most recent year available.
The numbers show the uphill climb facing President Barack Obama's health care overhaul in Missouri, which opted against setting up its own exchange and instead allowed the federal government to run it.
Missouri overall ranks right in the middle of the nation in the percentage of uninsured residents under age 65 - tied with Washington state at 25th with 16 percent uninsured. But in 34 of Missouri's 115 counties, one-fifth to one-quarter of non-senior residents lack health insurance. Twenty-seven of those 34 counties have fewer than 25,000 residents.
