RIVER RADIO NEWS 071015
ONE DEAD FOLLOWING AFTERNOON WRECK IN ARKANSAS
One person has died following a two vehicle wreck Thursday afternoon in Baxter County.
According to the Arkansas State Police, the wreck occurred on State Highway 201, when a vehicle driven by 53 year old James Baumbach, of Gassville, allegedly crossed into the path of another vehicle and struck it head on.
Baumbach was killed in the wreck.
MAN RAN OVER NEAR QULIN
A 34 year old Broseley man has moderate injuries after he was reportedly run over by a vehicle in Qulin.
According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the incident occurred on Missouri Highway 53 Thursday morning. Joshua Vandermark was attempting to get into a vehicle that was being towed from a ditch when the vehicle ran him over.
He was taken to an area hospital for treatment.
NORTHEAST ARKANSAS SINKHOLE CLOSES STREETS, THREATENS SEWERS
(AP) - Hoxie city officials say a cavernous sinkhole has shuttered two city streets and threatened sewer service to at least 600 homes.
Mayor Lanny Tinker told the Jonesboro Sun that workers dug up the street and surrounding area after being alerted to the sinkhole on Monday. The hole is now more than 16-feet deep and more than 10-feet wide.
City workers have been manually pumping sewer lines while repairs are being completed to nearby lines. They want to complete repairs to the line by Friday.
Tinker says the sinkhole will cost at least $30,000 to repair. It's unclear when the road will be reopened.
WEATHER SERVICE CONFIRMS TORNADO TOUCHDOWN IN SCOTT COUNTY
The National Weather Service has confirmed that a tornado touched down Wednesday in Scott County.
The EF-1 tornado tracked from near Kelso to Thebes, Illinois and had an estimated peak wind of 95 miles per hour.
Numerous trees were uprooted or snapped off and several outbuildings were destroyed due to the tornado. The National Weather Service also reports that three camper trailers were rolled onto their side or top, with one suffering major damage.
RIVER RADIO BLOOD DRIVE TO BE HELD TODAY
The River Radio Blood Drive will be held today in Poplar Bluff.
The blood drive will run from noon to 6 pm at the Sacred Heart Catholic School Gym. All presenting donors will receive a free commemorative St. Louis Cardinals Blood Drive T-shirt, while supplies last.
You can schedule an appointment by going online to redcrossblood.org and using the sponsor code CARDS.
OVER 50 PIECES OF OFFICE FURNITURE DONATED TO POPLAR BLUFF SCHOOLS
Over 50 pieces of office furniture has been donated to Poplar Bluff School by a local bank.
The donation of desks, chairs, tables, cabinets and shelves was made by Commerce Bank. The furniture recently became available as a result of consolidation.
This is not the first time the bank has made a major furniture donation to the district, according to school officials, who say every piece will be put to good use.
MISSOURI LAW ADDRESSES CONCERNS AFTER FERGUSSON SHOOTING
(AP) - Missouri Governor Jay Nixon has signed into law the first significant measure state lawmakers have taken to address concerns raised after last summer's fatal police shooting of a black, unarmed 18-year-old in Ferguson.
Nixon announced the bill signing Thursday in St. Louis, near the suburb where a white police officer fatally shot Michael Brown in August.
The legislation caps fines for minor traffic violations and reduces revenue most cities can collect from traffic fines and fees.
Supporters say the legislation will address the predatory revenue-generating practices detailed in a U.S. Justice Department report on Ferguson.
Some residents and legal advocates said the use of police to collect revenue through traffic fines and court fees added to the predominantly black community's distrust of a generally white police force.
LAWSUIT FILED AGAINST MISSOURI FOR LETHAL INJECTION PROTOCOL
(AP) - A group of Missouri taxpayers and former lawmakers has sued the state Department of Corrections over lethal injection policies used for executions.
The lawsuit filed Thursday claims the state illegally obtains the drug pentobarbital that is used to put inmates to death. It also alleges that the state receives the drug through an illegal prescription.
The Missouri Attorney General's Office is representing the Department of Corrections. A spokeswoman for the office declined to comment on pending litigation.
Former Democratic lawmaker Joan Bray is heading the lawsuit, along with former Democratic representative Jeanette Mott Oxford.
Attorney Justin Gelfand says he hopes a Cole County Circuit judge will temporarily halt what he called illegal executions. He says a hearing is scheduled for Friday, just days before an execution scheduled for Tuesday.
