RIVER RADIO NEWS 032514
WOMAN DIES IN PARAGOULD FACTORY ACCIDENT
Officials say a woman has died while working at a food packaging plant in Paragould.
Few details have been released at this time, however, it is known that Lori Turner was fatally injured Sunday evening during an unspecified incident at Anchor Packaging.
TWO BROTHERS ARRESTED IN CONNECTION WITH SIKESTON BAR SHOOTING
A second person has been taken into custody in connection with a weekend shooting at a Sikeston bar that injured four people.
Witnesses initially identified the shooter as 32 year old Antonio Marcel Flenoid, of Sikeston. Flenoid was arrested early Saturday morning.
According to police, one of the shooting victims and a witness approached law enforcement on Sunday, saying they believed the shooter was actually Antonio Flenoid’s brother, 32 year old Ericonta Flenoid, also of Sikeston. The two reported that Antonio and Ericonta look alike.
Authorities then took Ericonta Flenoid into custody at a home on W. Gladys Street, at which time they discovered him to be in possession of a handgun with the serial numbers filed off. Ericonta Flenoid has been charged with four counts of first degree assault and armed criminal action.
CAPE MAN ARRESTED AFTER WAVING GUN DURING ARGUMENT
A Cape Girardeau man is facing a weapons charge after being accused of waving a gun around after an argument.
According to authorities, 54 year old Percy J. Parrow has been charged with unlawful possession of a firearm.
They say a witness told officers that Parrow had been in a verbal argument with someone, when he pulled out a handgun and began waving it around.
Officers responded to the area and found Parrow, who appeared to be intoxicated. Police say they saw Parrow fall down between two vehicles, and that they located a handgun on the ground near where he had fallen.
NORTHEAST AKANSAS JUDGE ADMONISHED
A Northeast Arkansas judge has been admonished by the Arkansas Judicial Discipline and Disability Commission.
Authorities say Craighead County District Judge Keith Blackman received the admonishment for imposing a fee on some criminal defendants who changed their pleas.
The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reports that commission director David Sachar says in a letter to Blackman that the judge violated rules on impartiality, fairness and compliance with the law.
Blackman charged a $35 fee to some defendants who changed their pleas from not guilty to guilty. Blackman called the fees a "witness fee" and a "contempt fee." He told the commission that the fee was intended to prevent people from abusing the legal process.
THREE RIVERS INSTRUCTOR RECEIVES “EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING” AWARD
An instructor at Three Rivers College has received a statewide award for innovation and quality teaching.
Greg Hicks, Instructor of Business at Three Rivers College, received the Governor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching at a Missouri Community College Association awards luncheon in Jefferson City. The award is given to the top community college instructors in Missouri each year.
Hicks has taught at Three Rivers for over 25 years, specializing in information systems and technology.
In addition to the award, Hicks will receive a proclamation from Missouri Governor Jay Nixon celebrating his achievement.
COUNTY JUDGE SEES ARKANSAS MILL WORK BY MID-JUNE
The Mississippi County judge says he expects construction to begin by mid-June on a $1.1 billion steel mill near Osceola.
An administrative law judge last week cleared a hurdle for the plant, and County Judge Randy Carney told the Jonesboro Sun on Sunday that he expects hiring to begin in May.
Big River Steel plans to hire up to 600 people for the plant, though about 2,000 workers will be used during construction.
Neighboring Nucor Steel had challenged pollution-control permits for the proposed mill, saying they didn't meet state or federal standards. An administrative law judge rejected the challenge last Thursday.
Arkansas anti-pollution board has a meeting Friday but a spokeswoman said Monday the matter is not on its agenda.
Nucor has said it would appeal an adverse decision.
MISSOURI AUDITOR QUESTIONS CHILD CARE SPENDING
Missouri's auditor is raising concerns about state payments to subsidize child care costs for lower-income families.
Auditor Tom Schweich criticized the state Social Services Department for not having enough quality control over the payments. The findings were included in an audit issued Monday of nearly $12 million in federal funds received by Missouri.
Schweich found that one-third of the payments reviewed by his office were not supported by proper documentation or were not in compliance with department guidelines.
The audit also questioned five welfare cases where benefits were paid to recipients who might not have been eligible for the program.
In a response included with the audit, the department says it "partially agrees" with Schweich's conclusions on the child care payments. It agrees with the audit's welfare findings.
MISSOURI HOUSE OKs SUNDAY MOTORCYCLE SALES
The Missouri House has advanced legislation allowing Sunday sales of motorcycles at dealerships.
Missouri law now prohibits the sale of cars, trucks and motorcycles on Sunday. The House legislation would be limited to motorcycles.
Proponents said the measure would make Missouri more competitive with states that allow dealerships to sell motorcycles on Sunday. Some dealers in western Missouri told lawmakers they were losing sales to competitors in Kansas.
House members approved the legislation by voice vote on Monday. It needs another affirmative vote before moving to the state Senate.
MISSOURI GOP SENATORS VOW TO BLOCK MEDICAID EXPANSION
In case there was any doubt, several Republican state senators are making it clear that there will be no expansion of Medicaid eligibility this year in Missouri.
Five GOP senators took to the Senate floor Monday as the Legislature returned from spring break to say they will block any attempt to expand Medicaid eligibility during the session that ends in mid-May.
Their strong pronouncement came a day before a House committee is to hear testimony on a proposal that would expand Medicaid coverage to thousands of lower-income adults, partly by subsidizing their enrollment in private health insurance policies. The House legislation would link the Medicaid expansion to a broader overhaul of the program.
States that expand Medicaid eligibility can get extra federal money under President Barack Obama's health law.
HOUSE OKs INCENTIVE FOR BUSINESSES COMING TO MISSOURI
Missouri House members have approved legislation that would create an incentive for business to relocate to the state.
The measure would offer businesses a tax credit worth up to 20 percent of their eligible expenses for coming into Missouri. The incentive program would be capped at $10 million annually.
Sponsoring House member John McCaherty says the intent is to limit the incentives to businesses that previously have been in Missouri, left and now are returning.
The House had delayed a vote on the bill because of concern that it would apply more broadly. Changes were made, and the bill was approved 136-17 on Monday. It now moves to the state Senate.
