RIVER RADIO NEWS 081914
INFORMATION FROM OVER 4 MILLION PATIENTS TAKEN IN HOSPITAL CYBERATTACK
Hospital operator Community Health Systems said a cyberattack took information on more than 4 million patients from its computer network earlier this year.
The company said Monday that no medical or credit card records were taken in the attack, which may have happened in April and June. But Community said the attack did bypass its security systems to take patient names, addresses, birthdates, and phone and Social Security numbers.
The information that was taken came from patients who were referred to or received care from doctors tied to the company over the past five years.
Community Health Systems Incorporated is notifying patients affected by the attack and offering them identity theft protection services. The company owns, leases, or operates 206 hospitals in 29 states, including the Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center and the Twin Rivers Regional Medical Center in Kennett.
The hospital operator said it believes the attack came from a group in China that used sophisticated malware and technology to get the information. Community Health has since removed the malware from its system and finalized "other remediation efforts" to prevent future attacks.
INMATE CONVICTED OF RAPE AND ATTEMPTED MURDER FOUND DEAD IN PRISON CELL
Arkansas prison officials say a 24 year old state inmate has been found dead in his cell at the maximum security Varner SuperMax unit in Grady.
A spokeswoman says Steven Hill Jr. was found dead at 2:50 am Monday by security staff delivering breakfast. Spokeswoman Shea Wilson says Hill hanged himself with a sheet attached to an air vent in the single-person cell.
Hill was serving a 62½ year sentence for rape and attempted murder convictions in Craighead County; a second degree sexual assault conviction in Mississippi County; and a second degree battery conviction in Lincoln County.
NAMES RELEASED OF TWO KILLED IN NORTHEAST ARKANSAS TRAIN COLLISION
The two Union Pacific train crew members killed after two freight trains collided head on early Sunday have been identified.
Railroad spokesman Jeff DeGraff says engineer Chance Gober of White Hall, Arkansas, and conductor Roderick Hayes, of McKinney, Texas, died in the crash.
DeGraff says both were in the train traveling southbound and died of their injuries.
DeGraff says two other employees were injured.
Sunday's collision happened at about 3 am in Hoxie. A resulting fire took about seven hours to extinguish.
WOMAN ARRESTED IN KENNETT FOR REPORTED BURGLARY
A Kennett woman was taken into custody in connection to an incident over the weekend.
According to the Kennett Police Department, officers were dispatched to a residence Saturday afternoon in connection to a reported burglary in progress.
Officers were told that the victim had the suspect detained.
When they arrived, officers arrested 39 year old Alecia Parnell, of Kennett, for first degree burglary, resisting arrest for a felony, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
POLICE INVESTIGATE AUTO VANDALISMS IN DEXTER
Police in Dexter are investigating after receiving reports of at least three cases of vehicle vandalism.
Authorities say in each case, a vehicle was spray painted.
The incidents happened on Mulberry and Elm streets.
POPLAR BLUFF LIBRARY RECEIVES CLEAN AUDIT
The Poplar Bluff Municipal Library District has received a clean audit for the 2013 Fiscal Year.
The audit, conducted by Boyer and Associates, says that they “did not find any deficiencies in internal control” or “instances of non-compliance or other matters that are required to be reported”
The audit also showed that the Library is meeting its goals for financial stability by having a positive balance of almost $400,000 at the end of the year.
The full audit is available online at Poplarbluff.org/trustees.html.
HIGHWAY PATROL URGES SAFETY FOR LABOR DAY WEEKEND
With Labor Day less than two weeks away, the Missouri State Highway Patrol is urging everyone to be safe during the holiday weekend.
The Highway Patrol will be participating in Operation C.A.R.E. over the Labor Day holiday weekend. All available officers will be patrolling Missouri’s roadways enforcing Missouri’s speed limit, seat belt, and alcohol laws, in addition to being available to assist motorists.
Troopers throughout the state will also be participating in a 20-Mile Trooper operation on August 29th and again on September 1st. This operation will include Interstates 29, 44, 55, and 70, and U.S. Highways 60 and 61.
Last year, eight people were killed and 404 injured in Missouri over the Labor Day holiday in 967 traffic crashes. Also, 119 people were arrested for driving while intoxicated by the Highway Patrol during the holiday.
ROAD WORK TODAY IN BUTLER COUNTY
Route CC in Butler County will be reduced to one lane today and tomorrow as Missouri Department of Transportation crews perform pavement repairs.
This work zone is located from Highway 51 to Route U.
Weather permitting, work will take place today and tomorrow from 7:30 am to 4 pm each day.
PAVEMENT REPAIRS TO CAUSE DELAYS IN STODDARD COUNTY
Route AD in Stoddard County is being reduced to one lane through next Wednesday so crews with the Missouri Department of Transportation can perform pavement repairs.
Weather permitting, work is scheduled to be done from 6:30 am to 5 pm daily through August 27th. The work zone is located from US 60 to the end of state maintenance.
