RIVER RADIO NEWS 110514
BUTLER COUNTY ELECTION RESULTS
Less than 35 percent of Butler County voters went to the polls Tuesday to cast a vote in the general election.
According to Butler County Clerk Tonyi Deffendall, a total of 8,592 ballots were cast, which comes out to 34.6 percent.
In the contested race for Butler County Collector of Revenue, Emily Clark Parks took the seat with just over 47 percent of the vote. Write in Tammy Marler was 2nd at 42 percent, and M. Chris Michel got 10 percent.
In the race for the 153rd District of the Missouri State House of Representatives, Steve Cookson was reelected to the seat.
MAN ARRESTED IN CONNECTION TO REPORT OF SHOTS FIRED IN POPLAR BLUFF
One man was arrested earlier this week following a report of shots being fired in Poplar Bluff.
According to the Daily American Republic, the report of shots being fired at an occupied vehicle was made to police early Tuesday morning.
Police arrested 30 year old Joseph Lee Johnson Jr. on suspicion of first degree assault, unlawful use of a weapon, and armed criminal action.
Johnson also had a warrant for probation violation.
SIX YEAR OLD HONORED FOR SAVING FAMILY’S LIFE DURING HOUSE FIRE
A six year old Poplar Bluff boy was recently honored for saving the lives of his family during a house fire.
Hunter Schmidt reportedly saw smoke coming from a wall one Friday evening last month and awoke the adult of the house, who was able to get the rest of the children out of the structure.
Schmidt was presented with a bravery award from Poplar Bluff Mayor Angela Pearson. He was also given a fire hat and badge by Poplar Bluff Fire Chief Ralph Stucker, Captain Kevin Edgar and firefighter Bob Caswell.
HARRISBURG, ARKANSAS MAN SENTENCED TO 40 YEARS FOR CHILD PORN
A northeast Arkansas man charged with 150 counts of child pornography crimes has pleaded guilty to four of the counts in a deal with prosecutors.
The Jonesboro Sun reports 38 year old Jason McDonald was sentenced to 40 years in prison on Monday after taking the deal. Jonesboro police arrested him in September 2013 for possessing and distributing the material.
Police found more than 200 videos and pictures, a pistol, a shotgun and marijuana when they searched his home. Firearm and drug charges were dropped in the deal, as well as most of the pornography charges.
McDonald received the maximum sentence of 10 years in prison on each charge.
AUTHOR TO SPEAK IN PIGGOTT ON THURSDAY
An area author will be launching a national book tour on Thursday in Piggott.
Jen Teachenor will be at the Hemingway-Pfeiffer Museum, in Piggott, Arkansas, this Thursday night for their annual fall writer's retreat.
Teachenor will be reading from her debut novel, “Beautiful Life,” which has become an Amazon Best-Seller in both paperback and Kindle formats since its release on October 28th. Following the reading, there will be a meet and greet and book signing.
The event will begin at 5:30 pm and is open to the public.
JASON SMITH REELECTED TO UNITED STATES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Jason Smith has been reelected to the United States House of Representatives.
The republican defeated Democrat Barbara Stocker and others for the congressional seat that represents Southeast Missouri.
Smith won a special election for the seat in 2013 to take over for a resigning Jo Ann Emerson.
Missouri Auditor Tom Schweich was also reelected on Tuesday.
MISSOURI VOTERS APPROVE TWO AMENDMENTS
Missouri voters decided on four proposed constitutional amendments on Tuesday.
Voters approved Constitutional Amendments 2 and 10.
Constitutional Amendment 2 allows previous allegations of criminal acts to be used against people facing sex-related charges involving victims under 18 years old.
Amendment 10 allows the Legislature to override a governor's decision to freeze or slow spending on items in the state budget.
The amendment also takes away governors' powers to assume new revenues from policy proposals when making budget recommendations to the Legislature.
Voters rejected a proposal that would have allowed six days of early voting for general elections as well as a proposal that would have linked teacher evaluations to student performance and limited tenure protections.
MINIMUM WAGE MEASURE PASSES IN ARKANSAS
Arkansas voters have approved a ballot measure that will gradually increase the state's minimum wage to $8.50 by 2017.
The proposal on Tuesday's ballot had enjoyed widespread support from Democrats and some Republican candidates, too. Democrats had pushed the wage increase, touting it as a way to boost turnout in the election.
Arkansas' minimum wage is now $6.25 an hour. The state is among the few in the country with a minimum wage below the U.S. level of $7.25 an hour.
Voters also turned down a proposed constitutional amendment that would have legalized alcohol sales in all 75 counties.
MISSOURI FIREARMS HUNTERS TAKE 5700 TURKEYS
Missouri conservation officials say hunters took nearly 5,700 turkeys during fall firearms season, down about 200 from last year.
The season ran October 1st through October 31st. The Conservation Department said Monday that Greene County had the highest number of turkeys checked at 165, followed closely by Franklin and St. Clair counties.
The agency also reported selling about 14,000 fall firearms turkey hunting permits this year. That's a decline of 5 percent from last year.
Central Missouri saw an 8 percent increase in the number of turkeys checked. Most other regions recorded decreases from last year.
