RIVER RADIO NEWS 061114
MALDEN MAN SENTENCED TO ALMOST FOUR YEARS IN PRISON
An area man has been sentenced for his role in a Poplar Bluff bank robbery.
According to the Daily American Republic, 27 year old David Lee Joiner, of Malden, was sentenced to 46 months in prison after previously pleading guilty to a single count of bank robbery.
Joiner reportedly entered the Poplar Bluff Federal Credit Union and handed a teller a note that demanded money and said he had a bomb strapped to his chest. Joiner then fled the building with $1500.
He was arrested a short time later and told authorities that he did not have a bomb at the time of the robbery.
PROSECUTORS DROP DEATH PENALTY IN CONNECTION TO MURDER CASE
Prosecutors in southeast Missouri have dropped plans to seek the death penalty in the case of a man accused in a 2010 killing.
Prosecutors charged Allen McCoy and his wife, Angela McCoy, with first-degree murder, armed criminal action and first-degree robbery, and originally planned to seek the death penalty for Allen McCoy.
Questions have been raised about McCoy's mental competency. Earlier this year, the Missouri Department of Health ruled that McCoy is in fact competent for trial.
Still, the Dexter Daily Statesman reports that Stoddard County prosecutor Russell Oliver has decided not to seek the death penalty.
Angela McCoy is serving a 20-year sentence after pleading guilty to second-degree murder in April 2013.
TWO ARRESTED IN MISSISSIPPI COUNTY ON FIREARMS CHARGE
Two people were arrested early Wednesday morning in Mississippi County on firearms charges.
According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, 30 year old Barrett Swan, of Cape Girardeau, was arrested on charges of unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, unlawful use of a firearm, possession of marijuana, and unlawful use of drug paraphernalia.
26 year old India McCluney, of Charleston, was also taken into custody. She is facing a charge of unlawful use of a weapon.
JACKSON POLICE RECOVER NUMEROUS ITEMS BELIEVED TO BE STOLEN
Jackson police are seeking help in identifying the owner of several items recently recovered during the execution of a search warrant.
According to authorities, the items were discovered on May 29th at a Jackson residence and are believed to be stolen from either storage units or residences.
A chainsaw, game system, and home theatre system were included among the items. The full list is available on our Facebook page.
Anyone with information about the items is asked to contact Sergeant Toby Freeman, with the Jackson Police Department.
TWO IN CUSTODY FOLLOWING KNIFE ASSAULT
Two people are in custody in connection to an assault involving a knife.
According to authorities, the alleged assault occurred Tuesday in Dunklin County. The names of those involved were not available; and the incident is under investigation.
There were no serious injuries in connection to the incident.
TWELVE ARRESTS MADE DURING BUTLER COUNTY CHECKPOINT
Twelve people were arrested during a sobriety checkpoint held this past weekend in Butler County.
According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, 124 vehicles were stopped during the four hour operation on June 7th.
Of the arrests, seven were for driving while intoxicated, two were drug arrests, two were misdemeanor criminal arrests, and the other arrest was for a felony warrant.
EMINENCE CLINIC TO CLOSE AT THE END OF JUNE
Mercy Hospital System says it plans to close its clinic in Eminence but expand the hours of the nearby Birch Tree clinic.
The hospital system said its Eminence clinic will close June 30th. All employees will move to Mercy Clinic Family Medicine in Birch Tree, which will begin operating five days a week, rather than the current two days.
The hospital system notes that the Birch Tree clinic is closer than the Eminence clinic to Mercy St. Francis Hospital in Mountain View.
Mercy also has a family medicine clinic in Summersville and a clinic in Mountain View.
Mercy Hospital System recently announced plans to lay off 300 people in Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri and Arkansas.
MODOT TO HOLD MEETING NEXT WEEK IN POPLAR BLUFF
The Missouri Department of Transportation will be holding an open house meeting next week in Poplar Bluff.
The meeting will be held from 4 to 7 pm on Tuesday, June 17th at the Poplar Bluff Chamber of Commerce. The public will be able to speak to regional planning partners and MoDot representatives during the meeting.
No formal presentations will be made.
MARKET FORCES RESPONSIBLE FOR SPIKE IN PROPANE PRICES ACCORDING TO ATTORNEY GENERAL
Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster says market forces rather than manipulation drove this winter's spike in propane prices.
Koster reported Tuesday on results of an investigation requested by lawmakers after consumers reported prices rising from less than $2 a gallon in December to more than $5 in January.
The report blames low supplies on a combination of factors, including record propane exports and high demand for propane to heat homes during an unusually cold and early winter. It also cites heavy use of propane to dry a record corn crop that was harvested later than normal.
Koster's office says it reviewed about 250 customer complaints about propane prices and interviewed 80 consumers. The office has been involved in mediating 75 cases and has recovered more than $3,000 for consumers.
