RIVER RADIO NEWS 060414
JONESBORO POLICE SEEK PUBLIC HELP IN IDENTIFYING ROBBERY SUSPECT
Police in Jonesboro are asking the public for help in identifying a suspect in a Sunday night robbery.
Authorities say a man, who claimed he was armed with a gun, robbed the Family Dollar store on Johnson. Surveillance video shows the man, dressed in black clothes, black and white shoes and a Florida State baseball hat.
Anyone with information about the robbery is asked to call Crimestoppers at 870-935-STOP.
TWO ARRESTED IN NEW MADRID COUNTY ON FELONY DRUG CHARGE
Two men were taken into custody early this morning on a felony drug charge.
According to the Highway Patrol, 21 year old James McCain, of Catron, and 20 year old Savon Jones, of Sikeston were arrested at 12:28 Wednesday morning in New Madrid County.
Each man is facing a felony charge of possession of a controlled substance, hydrocodone.
MAN SENTENCED ON FIREARM CHARGES
A man has been sentenced in Northeast Arkansas on firearms charges.
According to KAIT, Jacob Brown has been sentenced to six years in prison. In March, Brown entered a guilty plea to charges of possession of a firearm by certain persons and possession of a defaced firearm.
Brown had allegedly pointed a gun at officers who were attempting to arrest him in November of 2013. An officer shot Brown in the incident, but the shooting was ruled justified.
POPLAR BLUFF CITY COUNCIL TO SEEK BIDS FOR NEW FIRE TRUCKS
The Poplar Bluff City Council approved a motion on Monday to seek bids for two new pumpers for the city fire department.
According to the Daily American Republic, Poplar Bluff Fire Chief Ralph Stucker says that the cost of the pumpers is estimated to be approximately $900,000, with $600,000 of that needing to be financed.
OVER 400 MISSOURI SCHOOL BUSES DEEMED TO NOT BE SAFE FOR STUDENTS
The Missouri State Highway Patrol has completed their annual inspection of the state’s school buses.
Of the almost 12,000 buses inspected over 400 were deemed to not be safe for students. 405 buses were rated as out of service, which means the buses were found to have one or more defective items, which may compromise the safe transportation of students.
1,431 buses were rejected, which is described as having one or more defective items, but deemed to be safe for the transport of students. 10,161 buses were found to have no defective items.
TRC PRESIDENT NAMED AS CHAIRMAN OF MISSOURI COMMUNITY COLLEGE ASSOCIATION COUNCIL
The President of Three Rivers College, Dr. Devin Stephenson has been chosen to chair a council for a Missouri college advocacy organization.
Stephenson was chosen as the chairman of the Missouri Community College Association's Presidents/Chancellors Council. The chairman leads the Council and supports MCCA's mission of community college advocacy.
Stephenson’s one year term will begin in July.
ARKANSAS REVENUE DOWN COMPARED TO LAST YEAR
State finance officials say an expected drop in corporate income tax collections in May pushed Arkansas' revenue below predictions and below the same month last year.
The Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration said Tuesday the state's net available revenue in May totaled $315.4 million. That's $18.8 million below last year and $24.7 million below forecast.
The state's revenue for the fiscal year that began July 1 is $52.9 million above forecast.
Most of the drop last month was due to a shift in corporate income tax collections, which were higher than expected and above last year's figures in April. The state also saw sales tax collections drop below expectations and below forecast last month
Individual income tax collections in May were above last year but below forecast.
STATE REVENUES NOT HIGH ENOUGH FOR REFUND
The Missouri auditor's office says state revenues are under a cap that triggers refunds to taxpayers.
A state constitutional provision, commonly known as the Hancock Amendment, triggers a refund after state revenues hit a certain cap. The auditor's office reported Monday that revenues for the budget year that ended last June 30, 2013, fell about $3.6 billion below that limit.
The last time Missouri's revenues exceeded the cap was for the budget year ending June 30, 1999. During the past five years, revenues have ranged from $2.7 billion to $4.4 billion under the revenue cap.
MISSOURI REVENUES UNDER PROJECTIONS
Missouri appears increasingly likely to finish its budget year with less revenue than had been expected.
The state budget office state Tuesday that Missouri's net general revenues are up just 0.2 percent through the first 11 months of its 2014 fiscal year.
The Legislature had projected 2 percent growth, and Governor Jay Nixon had forecast 2.8 percent growth for the year.
State sales tax revenues actually have increased by 2 percent over the previous year. But Missouri's individual income tax collections - which are the state's primary revenue source - are down 0.7 percent.
The 2014 fiscal year runs through June 30.
The sluggish revenues have led Department of Revenue to slow down the pace of issuing income tax refunds to thousands of Missouri taxpayers.
