POPLAR BLUFF MAN CHARGED WITH ENTICING A CHILD
A Poplar Bluff man is facing a felony charge in connection to an alleged incident involving a child.
According to the Daily American Republic, 23 year old Geren William Klusmeier has been charged with enticement of a child.
Klusmeier is alleged to have pulled his pants down and asked a child, who was less than 14 years old, to inappropriately touch him. Klusmeier reportedly denied the allegations.
ONE DEAD FOLLOWING FIRE IN WALNUT RIDGE
A Northeast Arkansas man was found dead following a house fire on Tuesday.
According to KAIT, the body of 52 year old Timothy Harris, of Walnut Ridge, was found in the home.
The cause of the fire is under investigation; however Walnut Ridge authorities say that foul play is not suspected in the death.
WOMAN ARRESTED FOR ALLEGEDLY PULLING GUN ON MAN
A woman has been arrested following a report that she pulled a gun on in a man during an argument.
According to the Caruthersville Police Department, officers received the report Sunday from a man who said the 27 year old woman pulled the handgun on him while they were both in a vehicle.
The female was questioned and then arrested. She was held pending the filing of formal charges of armed criminal action and unlawful use of a weapon. The name of the woman was not released.
$3,000 DONATED TO POPLAR BLUFF SCHOOL
An area business has donated thousands of dollars to Poplar Bluff Schools.
$3,000 was donated by the Briggs and Stratton Corporation Foundation on December 22nd.
The school has not released what the money will be used for; however previous years donations have gone towards the purchase of playground equipment at Eugene Field Elementary and the Kindergarten Center.
SEVERAL POPLAR BLUFF STUDENTS HONORED FOR THEIR PATRIOTISM
Several Poplar Bluff students were recently honored by the Veterans of Foreign Wars and its Ladies Auxiliary for their patriotism.
On December 15th, Poplar Bluff High School juniors Chase Burch, Nikkia Hickman and Stephanie Hobbs were awarded by VFW Post 6477 for their winning essays in the Voice of Democracy contest. Hickman was also named a district winner. The theme was why veterans are important to our nation’s history and future.
Two teachers, Gail Rosmarin and Craig Hamilton, were also given awards for promoting America’s history and traditions effectively, instilling a sense of national pride in their students.
MOBILE OFFICE SCHEDULED FOR THURSDAY IN CHARLESTON
Staff members of Untied States Senator Roy Blunt will be in Charleston tomorrow to host a mobile office.
A mobile office is an opportunity for Missourians to discuss their questions or concerns with the federal government one-on-one with members of Senator Blunt’s staff.
The meeting will be held from 9:30 am to 10:30 am Thursday at the BANC Service Corporation in Charleston.
INTERSTATE 57 TO BE REDUCED IN MISSISSIPPI COUNTY
Missouri Department of Transportation crews will be performing bridge repairs over the next week and a half in Mississippi County.
Northbound Interstate 57 will be reduced to one lane at the Route UU overpass during the repairs.
Weather permitting, work is scheduled to be performed daily from 7:30 am to 3 pm through Friday, January 16th.
MISSOURI LEGISLATIVE SESSION TO BEGIN TODAY
Missouri lawmakers are vowing to address ethics, education and issues related to the fatal shooting of a black 18-year-old by a white Ferguson police officer during their 2015 legislative session.
The annual session starts today and ends May 15th.
Republicans head into the session with a veto-proof majority in both chambers, including never-before-seen numbers in the House with 117 Republicans. Legislators also could use new budget powers to override spending restrictions by Democratic Governor Jay Nixon.
Priorities for lawmakers include revisions to Missouri's ethics laws and student transfer laws for struggling schools.
Other proposals would curb traffic fines and require police to wear body cameras in an attempt to address issues raised after Ferguson police Officer Darren Wilson shot Michael Brown.
HEALTH INSURANCE COMPANY AGREES TO PAY MISSOURI FOLLOWING FALSE CLAIMS
A health insurance company is agreeing to pay Missouri more than $161,000 for falsely claiming a state law required customers' policies be replaced with Affordable Care Act benefits.
The Missouri Department of Insurance on Tuesday announced Humana Insurance Co. agreed to pay a $161,800 to the Missouri State School Fund for the misstatements.
A Humana spokesman had no immediate comment Tuesday.
A statement from the insurance department says the company sent notices to 1,618 Missourians in August 2013 stating that their policies would be canceled and replaced with Affordable Care Act benefits.
The department says Humana falsely claimed the changes would be made because of a Missouri law.
No such state legislation exists.
Humana contended in the settlement agreement that the notices were false but not intentionally misleading.
STATE SENATOR PUSHING DEER LEGISLATION
A Missouri lawmaker is again pushing legislation that would shift regulation of farm-raised deer to state agriculture officials.
Republican Senator Brian Munzlinger of Williamstown recently refiled a bill to define farmed deer as livestock instead of as wildlife.
The measure failed after it was combined with other agricultural proposals last session. Democratic Governor Jay Nixon vetoed the bill because of the captive deer provision.
Legislative leaders have said they plan to address agriculture measures individually instead of as a package to avoid another veto.
If passed, the deer-farming bill would allow farmers to sell the animals' meat, which wouldn't be subject to sales taxes.
Farms couldn't keep more than seven deer per acre of land and would be subject to annual inspections by the Department of Agriculture.
