RIVER RADIO NEWS 010214
CARUTHERSVILLE POLICE ARREST MAN ON RAPE WARRANT
Authorities in Caruthersville arrested a Hayti man who reportedly had an active warrant for rape.
According to the Caruthersville Police Department, 32 year old William Cherry was taken into custody Saturday night.
The warrant included charges of first degree child molestation, forcible rape, first degree statutory rape, armed criminal action, and felonious restraint.
According to Missouri Case Net, the charges stem from an incident in 2011.
JONESBORO POLICE LOOKING FOR MAN WHO ALLEGEDLY ATTACKED A WOMAN
Jonesboro police are investigating an alleged attack that occurred Tuesday night.
According to KAIT, a woman reported to police that a man chased and attacked her on South Culberhouse. The woman suffered several injuries.
Anybody with information about that attack is asked to contact Crimestoppers at 870-935-7867.
LILBOURN MAN ARRESTED ON BURGLARY AND DOMESTIC ASSAULT CHARGE
Kennett authorities have taken a Lilbourn man into custody in connection to an incident early Tuesday morning.
According to the Kennett Police Department, officers were dispatched to a location on East Washington at 1:15 am Tuesday morning to take a report of a domestic disturbance.
Officers arrested 27 year old Demarcus Redman on charges of first degree burglary and first degree domestic assault. Redman reportedly also had warrants out of Kennett, New Madrid County, and Craighead County.
EAST PRAIRIE MAN ARRESTED ON DRUG CHARGE
An East Prairie teenager was arrested New Year’s Eve on a drug charge.
According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, 18 year old Austin S. Peters was arrested shortly after 11 pm Tuesday on charges of driving while intoxicated and felony possession of a controlled substance, Xanex.
The arrest occurred in Mississippi County.
AUTHORITIES INVESTIGATING POSSIBLE MAIL THEFT IN WAPPAPELLO
The United States Postal Inspection Service is investigating a mail theft that may have occurred in the Wappapello area.
Christopher Eby with the Inspection Service told KFVS that the investigation is concerning residents on Route 3 in Wappapello and that a suspect is in mind.
Residents reportedly received a letter recently saying that mail theft might have occurred.
BOLLINGER COUNTY RECEIVES FAIR RATING IN STATE AUDIT
Bollinger County has been given a fair rating in a recent audit by state officials.
State Auditor Tom Schweich announced the rating on Monday.
According to a release from the Auditor’s office, the sheriff maintains two bank accounts outside the county treasury, which is not allowed by state law. Other issues were also cited in the report, which is available on the Auditor’s website.
A fair rating means the entity needs to improve operations in several areas. The rating scale goes poor, fair, good, and excellent.
RICHARDSON PLANNING TO PROPOSE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT CONCERNING GOVERNOR’S POWER OVER BUDGET
Missouri lawmakers are considering changes to the governor's authority over the state budget.
The discussion comes after budget disputes in recent years. Most recently, Governor Jay Nixon froze $400 million in the current year's spending plan, while citing concerns lawmakers would override his veto of a tax cut.
The veto was sustained and all but $134 million for capital improvements has since been released.
Republican House member Todd Richardson plans to propose a constitutional amendment for the annual legislative session starting next week.
Richardson says he wants governors to have the ability to restrict spending when it is needed to keep the budget balanced, while also protecting the Legislature's power to decide how funds are spent.
Nixon says Missouri governors' current tools for managing the budget are needed.
GRANT MONEY AWARDED TO MULTIPLE ARKANSAS HOUSING AUTHORITIES
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has awarded 16 Arkansas public housing authorities a total of $638,701 in grants to help residents receiving housing assistance.
Included in the funding award are housing authorities in Jonesboro and Mississippi County.
The funding is to help public housing authorities hire or retain service coordinators who will work directly with families to connect them to support services and to help residents find jobs.
GOVERNOR NIXON BACKING MISSOURI MEDICAID EXPANSION
Missouri Governor Jay Nixon is renewing his push to expand Missouri's Medicaid health care program to cover more lower-income adults.
The Democratic governor said Tuesday that he hopes lawmakers who rejected a Medicaid expansion in 2013 will reconsider in 2014 as they see federal dollars start flowing to other states that have expanded eligibility.
Republican legislative leaders have said they are reluctant to expand eligibility without first overhauling the Medicaid program to make it more efficient and effective.
Nixon said he's open to many of those proposals, such as penalties for Medicaid patients who make unnecessary emergency room visits. He's also open to an expanded use of managed care policies.
States that expand Medicaid eligibility for adults can receive enhanced federal funding beginning in 2014.
