RIVER RADIO NEWS 050714
POPLAR BLUFF CITY MANAGER CONTRACT TERMINATED
The leadership of Poplar Bluff will be looking for a new city manager after the city council decided Monday to terminate the contract of Doug Bagby.
The decision was made at Monday evening’s city council meeting by a four to two vote.
Officials say Mark Massingham has been appointed as interim city manager.
According to KFVS, Poplar Bluff Mayor Angela Pearson says the decision was made because the city is moving in a new direction.
PUXICO WOMAN ARRESTED ON IDENTITY THEFT CHARGES
A Puxico woman has been arrested after being accused of trafficking in stolen identities.
Authorities say 24 year old Jennifer Marie Jerls allegedly used credit devices without authorization for the purpose of obtaining property from June 2011 until October 2013.
According to the Stoddard County Sheriff’s Department, when confronted with the crime, Jerls initially blamed her now deceased mother, but eventually confessed to using one of the credit devices.
ONE ARRESTED IN CONNECTION TO GROCERY STORE BREAK IN
One man has been arrested in connection to an alleged break in at a Northeast Arkansas grocery store.
According to KAIT, 28 year old Phillip Michael Walker, of Hardy, was allegedly found inside a Sharp County Price Chopper after store hours.
Walker reportedly fell during the incident, causing serious injuries. The incident occurred Sunday.
BBQ GRILL REPORTED STOLEN FROM AREA UNTIED STEELWORKERS UNION HALL
Authorities in New Madrid County are looking for more information about a grill that was reported stolen earlier this week.
According to the New Madrid County Sheriff’s Department, a BBQ Grill that was mounted on a trailer was reported stolen Monday morning from the United Steelworkers Union Hall in Marston.
The grill was last seen Friday evening. If anyone has information about the theft, they are asked to contact Sergeant Danny Ware at 573-748-2516.
CORNING MAYOR DECLARES MAY AS HISTORIC PRESERVATION MONTH
The mayor of Corning, Arkansas has declared May as Historic Preservation Month.
Mayor Dewayne Phelan joins 111 other officials in 60 counties in making the declaration, according to the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program.
More information is available online at www.arkansaspreservation.org.
PAVEMENT REPAIRS SCHEDULED FOR TODAY IN PEMISCOT COUNTY
Pavement repairs have been scheduled for today in Pemiscot County.
Highway 84 in Pemiscot County will be reduced to one lane beginning at I-55 and extending east a little over half a mile. Work will take place today from 7:30 am to 4 pm.
MODOT CREWS TO BE IN NEW MADRID COUNTY THROUGH EARLY NEXT WEEK
East and westbound Highway 60 in New Madrid County will be reduced to one lane so Missouri Department of Transportation crews can wash bridge decks.
This work zone will be located between Highway 61 and Route E.
Weather permitting, work will take place through Tuesday, May 13th from 7 am to 4 pm daily.
HIGHWAY 61 TO BE REDUCED TODAY IN NEW MADRID COUNTY
Highway 61 in New Madrid County will be reduced to one lane today as Missouri Department of Transportation crews perform shoulder repairs.
Work is scheduled to be performed today from 7 am to 4 pm.
The work zone is located between County Roads 728 and 634.
LEGISLATURE OVERRIDES GOVERNOR NIXON’S TAX CUT VETO
Missouri Governor Jay Nixon says a tax cut enacted despite his veto is a "very real threat" to the state's principles of fiscal discipline.
The Democratic governor said Tuesday the tax cut bill cut doesn't prioritize or adequately protect education. He says families and businesses know that public education is the best economic development tool.
The tax cut measure gradually reduces Missouri's top individual income tax rate and phases in a new deduction for business income reported on personal tax returns.
Missouri's Republican-led Legislature overrode Nixon's veto of the bill. Supporters contend the tax cut will help the economy and keep Missouri competitive with other states that have enacted tax cuts.
SCHOOL FUNDING INCREASES AGREED ON BY MISSOURI LEGISLATORS
Missouri lawmakers have agreed on funding increases for public schools, colleges and universities for the upcoming year.
Public schools would get a $115 million increase on top of their current $3.1 billion in basic funding. But if revenues met Governor Jay Nixon's more optimistic projections, schools could get up to a $278 million increase.
Missouri's higher education institutions would get a $43 million increase to be distributed based on whether they have met performance goals. That would amount to an average of a 5 percent increase.
The chairmen of the House and Senate budget committees announced the funding levels Tuesday at the start of a conference committee to resolve differences in the two chambers' budgets. There were no public negotiations among lawmakers.
LEGISLATORS FACING DEADLINE TO PASS BUDGET
The state Senate's budget chief says there are no plans to revise Missouri's financial projections despite a recent decline in tax revenues.
House and Senate negotiators were to begin work Tuesday on a final version of Missouri's more than $26 billion budget for the fiscal year starting July 1. They expect to get it done before Friday's constitutional deadline for passing a budget.
Missouri's revenues fell 5 percent in April compared with the same month in 2013 and are up just 0.5 percent through the first 10 months of the 2014 fiscal year.
But Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Kurt Schaefer says lawmakers aren't adjusting next year's revenue projections.
Legislators had projected revenues to rise by 2 percent this year and an additional 4.2 percent next year.
