RIVER RADIO NEWS 022715
CADET MAN NOT GUILTY IN SHOOTING DEATH OF SON-IN-LAW
(AP) - A southeast Missouri man has been found not guilty in the shooting death of his son-in-law.
The Daily Journal newspaper in Park Hills reports that a jury deliberated about two hours Wednesday in the case of 49 year old Martin Gorse of Cadet. He was charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action.
Gorse's son-in-law, 31 year old Ronald Coleman Jr., died in April 2012. The first trial in the case, in 2013, resulted in a hung jury.
Defense attorney Scott Rosenblum told jurors that Gorse was acting in self-defense. But Washington County prosecutor Josh Hedgecorth said Gorse acted with deliberation when he shot Coleman.
Gorse testified that Coleman became upset when Gorse asked him about getting a job, prompting an argument that led to the shooting.
POLICE CALL DEATH OF MISSOURI AUDITOR “APPARENT SUICIDE”
(AP) - Missouri Auditor Tom Schweich is dead in what police are describing as an "apparent suicide" at his suburban St. Louis home.
The shooting occurred just minutes after Schweich had called The Associated Press to invite a reporter to his home for an afternoon interview.
Schweich said he wanted to go public with accusations that the Missouri Republican Party chairman had made anti-Semitic remarks about him. The GOP chairman denied the accusations Thursday.
Clayton police say paramedics responded to an emergency call at 9:48 a.m. and Schweich was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead from a single gunshot wound.
The 54 year old Schweich had been auditor since 2011 and had recently announced his candidacy for governor in 2016.
FORMER DUNKLIN COUNTY PROSECUTING ATTORNEY JOINS STATE AGENCY
A Dunklin County attorney has joined a Missouri State Agency.
Governor Jay Nixon announced earlier this week that Stephen Sokoloff, of Kennett, will be joining the Department of Public Safety as a deputy director.
Sokoloff had served as prosecuting attorney for Dunklin County for 25 years. He had also served in private practice and as city attorney in Holcomb, Kennett, and Clarkton.
GOVERNOR NIXON MAKES APPOINTMENT FOR NEW MADRID COUNTY
Missouri Governor Jay Nixon has appointed a new District 1 Associate Commissioner for New Madrid County.
Thomas Bradley was chosen for the position previously held by Mark Baker. The post became vacant when Baker was elected as Presiding Commissioner.
Bradley had previously been elected New Madrid County Treasurer five times before retiring in 2012.
THREE RIVERS COLLEGE BOARD ACCEPTS NURSING GRANT
Three Rivers College recently accepted a $100,000 grant to purchase equipment for nursing classes.
According to the Daily American Republic, the College’s board accepted the grant from the Delta Regional Authority on Wednesday. The equipment will go to nursing education classes in Sikeston and Kennett.
HIGHWAY PATROL TO HOLD DWI SATURATION IN MARCH
The Missouri State Highway Patrol is planning to hold a driving while intoxicated saturation enforcement operation next month in Southeast Missouri.
A DWI Saturation is a mobile operation in which troopers saturate a specific area in an effort to arrest intoxicated drivers. The operation will be conducted in Butler, Cape Girardeau, Scott, Stoddard, Dunklin, Pemiscot, and New Madrid counties.
The Highway Patrol will be aided in the saturation by local law enforcement agencies.
RAILROAD REPAIRS TODAY IN STODDARD COUNTY
Railroad repairs will cause a Stoddard County road to be reduced today.
According to the Missouri Department of Transportation, Highway D in Stoddard County will be reduced to one lane today between Highway 25 and County Road 717.
Work is scheduled to be done from 7 am to 4 pm.
MISSOURI LAWMAKER WANTS TO CUT FUNDS FOR COMMON CORE TESTING
(AP) - Missouri House Speaker John Diehl says the state will strip $4.5 million in funding for membership to a group that makes tests for the national Common Core education standards.
Diehl said Wednesday that cutting the money will ensure Missouri's partnership with the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium ends.
Common Core guidelines for educating children in K-12 schools have attracted critics, who say they were adopted without enough local input.
Supporters say they create consistent, rigorous standards across state lines.
Diehl's proposal follows a Tuesday ruling by a Cole County circuit judge that Missouri's partnership with the Common Core testing group is unconstitutional. But the education department says that doesn't prevent them from buying the tests.
A spokeswoman for the state attorney general's office, which represents Missouri, says they're reviewing the ruling.
