RIVER RADIO NEWS 042415
NAMES RELEASED OF TWO PEOPLE KILLED IN NORTHEAST ARKANSAS HOUSE FIRE
Officials in Northeast Arkansas have identified the two people that were found dead following a Tuesday house fire.
According to authorities, 39 year old Atlas Smith and 23 year old Jamie Ashford are believed to have died from smoke inhalation. A cause for the fire is being investigated.
CHASE LEADS TO CRASH IN WAYNE COUNTY
A Piedmont man has serious injuries after crashing his vehicle while in a chase with police.
According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, 49 year old John Wicker was fleeing from law enforcement in Wayne County when his vehicle began to slide and then struck a tree.
Wicker was taken to Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center.
Authorities have not released what prompted the chase; however an arrest report has charges of assault on a law enforcement officer, careless and imprudent driving involving an accident, and driving while intoxicated listed for Wicker.
FOUR ARRESTED ON DRUG CHARGES IN BUTLER COUNTY
Four people were arrested Thursday evening in Butler County on drug charges.
According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, shortly after 5 pm officers arrested 29 year old Jennifer Leutert, of Qulin, 28 year old Dustin Rodgers, of Harviell, 28 year old James Mesey, of Bernie, and 23 year old Brittany Burkett, of Cape Girardeau.
They are each facing felony charges of possession of a controlled substance for methamphetamine and cocaine.
FISK WOMAN ARRESTED ON METH CHARGE
A Fisk woman is facing a meth charge following her arrest Thursday afternoon in Butler County.
According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, 23 year old Katrina Hofer was taken into custody on charges of possession of a controlled substance, methamphetamine; and possession of drug paraphernalia.
ONE MILLION DOLLAR PRIZE FOUND ON SCRATCHERS TICKET BOUGHT IN SIKESTON
Two Sikeston residents have won a million dollars from a Missouri Lottery Scratchers ticket.
According to the Missouri Lottery, Samantha Lankheit and Ashley Rogers claimed their prize on April 14th, after uncovering the $1 million top prize on a “Millionaire Riches” Scratchers ticket. The lottery says the friends plan on splitting the prize.
The ticket was purchased from a business in Sikeston.
CROSS COUNTRY CYCLING RIDE TO STOP THIS WEEKEND IN POPLAR BLUFF
A cross country cycling ride will be stopping this weekend in Poplar Bluff.
Ride for World Health will be participating in a program Sunday from 12:30 to 3 pm the Poplar Bluff Municipal Library.
Ride for World Health is a non-profit organization which has a group bicycle from the Pacific to the Atlantic each year with the mission of fundraising for global and rural health organizations, as well as providing basic healthcare information to those they meet along the way.
This year, they are sending funds to Remote Area Medical, a group that provides basic healthcare access to residents of Appalachia, and Empower & Advance, which helps train emergency workers in rural Haiti.
GOSPEL CHOIR FESTIVAL TO BE HELD SATURDAY AT TINNIN FINE ARTS CENTER
Three Rivers College will be hosting a gospel choir festival Saturday in the Tinnin Fine Arts Center.
The festival, “Shall We Gather at Three Rivers,” will feature choirs and singers from across the region.
The First United Methodist Church Chancel Choir, the Pleasant Hill Mass Choir, and the Three Rivers College Choir will be the featured choirs at the festival. The event will begin at 3 pm and general admission is free.
36TH ANNUAL MERCHANTS SHOWCASE TO BE HELD THIS WEEKEND
The 36th Annual Merchants Showcase will be held this weekend at Three Rivers College.
Over 60 booth vendors will be present at the Showcase which will run from 10 am to 3 pm Saturday. Admission is $1, with children under the age of 5 getting in for free.
While adults are visiting the vendors, children can visit the free petting zoo that will be available.
If you would like more information, call 573-785-7761.
MAN WHO KILLED TWO GETS EXECUTION DATE
(AP) - The Missouri Supreme Court has set a June execution date for a man convicted of fatally stabbing his girlfriend and her 2-year-old daughter in 2000.
The court on Thursday ordered 48 year old Richard Strong to be executed June 9 for the deaths of Eva Washington and her daughter, Zandrea Thomas.
The victims were found dead October 23rd, 2000, in Washington's apartment in the St. Louis suburb of St. Ann. A large butcher knife and the uninjured 3 month old daughter of Washington and Strong were sitting on a bed next to a pool of blood.
Strong was convicted of first-degree murder in May 2003 and sentenced to death. The state Supreme Court affirmed the conviction and sentence in August 2004.
MISSOURI LEGISLATURE PASSES CUTS TO SOCIAL SERVICES FUNDING
(AP) - The Missouri Legislature has approved more than $46 million in spending cuts for social services programs next fiscal year.
Lawmakers on Thursday passed an $8.6 million budget for the Social Services Department. That includes a more than $500,000 general revenue cut for the agency compared to this year.
The bill now heads to Governor Jay Nixon for approval.
The measure was perhaps the most controversial of a package of bills to guide $26 billion in state spending next year.
The bill garnered bipartisan criticism for slashing money for the department at a time when department officials have said demand for services is increasing.
Another contested provision in the bill would expand the state's managed care program. Under that plan, Missouri pays private companies to manage Medicaid patients' health care.
MISSOURI LEGISLATURE APPROVES $84 MILLION MORE FOR K-12 BASIC AID
(AP) - Missouri lawmakers have passed a measure granting $84 million more in basic aid to K-12 public schools.
But the spending plan passed Thursday by the House and Senate still falls nearly $400 million short of what's needed to provide full funding.
Also passed Thursday was a measure that ups the amount of performance funding for the state's colleges and universities. The $12 million increase is 1.3 percent more than what schools received this year, but is less than the more than $27 million in additional funding that senators wanted.
The bills now head to Governor Jay Nixon, who can veto spending for specific programs or services.
