RIVER RADIO NEWS 123113
POPLAR BLUFF MOTHER URGES FLU SHOTS AFTER SON DIES FROM H1N1
A Poplar Bluff mother is urging citizens to get a flu shot after her 29 year old son died of what may be the first case of H1N1 flu of the season in Butler County.
Alene Porter told KFVS that her son, Kevin Light, went to a local doctor who diagnosed him with a cold. She says Light’s condition worsened and he was taken to Barnes Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, where he was diagnosed with H1N1 and died.
According to the Butler County Health Department, there has been one confirmed case of H1N1 in the county, but they were unable to confirm that the case was Light.
TRIAL SET IN SOUTHEAST MISSOURI MURDER CASE
A southeast Missouri man accused of first-degree murder will go to trial in March.
The Southeast Missourian reports that a judge on Monday scheduled a March 11 trial for Glen Scott Evans of Dexter. He is accused of killing 34-year-old Sean Crow, whose body was found inside a pickup truck in February outside a fast-food restaurant in the town of Advance.
A trial date has not been set for co-defendant Matt Cook, also of Dexter. A status hearing for Cook is Jan. 6.
Evans' attorney said in a Dec. 12 court hearing that Evans was too drunk and sleep-deprived to know what he was doing when he waived his Miranda rights and talked to police after his arrest.
FATAL JACKSON FIRE RULED ACCIDENTAL
A Sunday fire at a Jackson apartment complex that left one person dead has been ruled as accidental.
Authorities with the Missouri State Fire Marshal’s office say the cause of the fire has been determined as accidental, caused by smoking.
61 year old Sandra Riggins died in the fire. There were no other injuries reported in the incident.
CARUTHERSVILLE POLICE INVESTIGATE SATURDAY SHOOTING
Authorities in Caruthersville are investigating a weekend shooting incident that resulted in several reports of damaged property.
According to police, the shooting occurred early Saturday morning in the neighborhood of East 19th Street. No injuries were reported.
Anyone with information about the case is asked to call 573-333-0216 or 573-333-4101.
JONESBORO POLICE LOOK FOR FORGERY SUSPECT
Police in Jonesboro are looking for a woman they believe stole checks from a local man and used them to purchase items at Walmart.
Authorities say the victim, R. L. McGinnis of Jonesboro, reported that someone had stolen some of his checks and used them to overdraw his account. McGinnis told investigators that he thought the checks had been taken by a woman he knew only as Velencia, who had cleaned his apartment.
Officers discovered the suspect had used an Arkansas driver’s license when writing the checks. The license number was traced back to a female from Wynne.
The suspect has not yet been located, however authorities say she could be charged with felony forgery and misdemeanor theft.
CAPE POLICE ARREST MAN FOR ARMED BREAK-IN
A man accused of breaking into a Cape Girardeau home and threatening a woman early yesterday morning has been arrested.
Authorities say Demetruis Willis, who was armed with a gun, allegedly kicked down the back door of a home on Hickory Street. They say Willis made threats to a woman in the home, before fleeing the scene on foot.
Officers found Willis a short time later. He is being charged with first degree burglary, domestic assault and unlawful use of a weapon.
MORLEY MAYOR ARRESTED FOR SHOPLIFTING
The mayor of a small southeast Missouri town is facing a court date after being caught attempting to allegedly shoplift several items.
Authorities say Jonathan McNeely, the mayor of Morley, was detained by loss-prevention officers at the Cape Girardeau Walmart on Saturday after being observed concealing several hunting and fishing items in a shopping cart with a coat and then leaving the store without paying for the items.
McNeely is scheduled to appear in municipal court in February on the charge.
ROUTE PP IN CAPE GIRARDEAU COUNTY TO CLOSE FOR ACCIDENT CLEAN-UP
A section of Route PP in Cape Girardeau County will be closed today for clean-up of accident. The affected section of roadway is located between Route 72 and County Road 330. Work will take place today from 7 am to 3 pm.
MISSOUR POPULATION GROWTH RATE LAGS NATIONAL AVERAGE
Missouri's population continues to grow at a slower rate than the national average.
New estimates released by the U.S. Census Bureau show Missouri's population of 6 million grew by fewer than 20,000 people from 2012 to 2013. That's a growth rate of about one-third of a percent.
Nationally, the population is estimated to have risen by 0.7 percent from 2012 to 2013.
Missouri's growth of 0.3 percent was typical for the Midwest. It was better than Illinois, about the same as Arkansas, Kansas and Kentucky, but lagged behind the rest of its neighboring states.
Missouri's population growth rate ranked 35th nationally.
The Census Bureau says North Dakota, Utah, Colorado and Texas had the fastest growth rates.
