ONE DEAD IN CONNECTION TO OFFICER INVOLVED SHOOTING IN POPLAR BLUFF

Authorities in Poplar Bluff are investigating an officer involved shooting from Tuesday morning.

According to Lieutenant Josh Stewart with the Poplar Bluff Police Department, at approximately 8 am, officers were dispatched to the 700 block of North 11th Street regarding a male subject walking in the area.

Officers located the man walking on North 12th Street. The subject was covered in blood and appeared to have a knife in his hand. Stewart says that when officers contacted the subject, he began inflicting bodily harm to himself with the suspected knife.

The subject then charged at the officers, who fired their weapons, striking the man. He was transported to a Poplar Bluff hospital where he was pronounced dead. No officers were injured during the incident and all three have been placed on administrative leave.

Butler County Coroner Jim Akers says that his office is working with the Missouri State Highway Patrol for the investigation.

We will keep following this story for you and bring you updates as they become available.

AREA MAN SENTENCED TO 90 YEARS IN PRISON FOR STATUTORY RAPE AND SODOMY

A Southeast Missouri man is set to spend the rest of his life behind bars for a statutory rape charge.

According to Cape Girardeau County Prosecuting Attorney Mark Welker, on Monday, 56 year old Timothy Meding, of Kennett, was sentenced to serve 90 years in the Department of Corrections for statutory rape in the first degree and four counts of statutory sodomy in the first degree.

In April of 2020, an investigation was conducted by the Cape Girardeau Police Department regarding Meding sexually assaulting two children. The victims in the case were less than 12 years old.

In January, a jury deliberated for approximately one hour and 40 minutes before returning guilty verdicts on the charges.

DATE ANNOUNCED FOR 2023 SARAH JARBOE WHITE UCAN WALK

A date has been set for the 2023 Sarah Jarboe White UCAN walk.

According to the United Cancer Assistance Network, the annual walk will be held on Saturday, April 29th, beginning at 9:30 am.

Officials say that over $350,000 has been raised over the past 12 years of the event.

The money has gone to help cancer patients with transportation, utilities, groceries, medical expenses, housing, nutritional supplements, and many other necessities while they are going through chemotherapy and radiation and are unable to continue to work.

For more information, contact the United Cancer Assistance Network at 573-776-1892.

STODDARD COUNTY WOMAN PLEADS GUILTY TO SELLING MACHINE GUN CONVERSION DEVICES

A Stoddard County woman has pleaded guilty to selling devices to turn semiautomatic rifles into machine guns.

Officials with the United States Attorney’s Office tell KWOC News that 41 year old Sidney Scowden, pleaded guilty Monday to one count of conspiracy to transfer a machine gun and three counts of transfer of a machine gun.

In her plea, Scowden admitted that in 2022, she sold seven “lightning links” for $500 each to someone working with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Lightning links, also known as drop-in auto sears, convert a semiautomatic AR-15-style rifle into an automatic weapon. Even if not installed in a firearm, they are considered machine guns under federal law.

Scowden is scheduled to be sentenced on May 9th. The conspiracy charge carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both. The charge of transfer of a machine gun carries a maximum sentence of 10 years and the same fine.

FATAL WRECK REPORTED IN SOUTHERN BOLLINGER COUNTY

A Marble Hill woman is dead in connection to a single vehicle wreck in southern Bollinger County.

According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, 73 year old Ida Koenig was driving on Highway AD when her vehicle ran off the side of the road, struck a tree, and overturned.

Koenig was pronounced dead at the scene by Bollinger County Coroner Calvin Troxell.

MDC OFFERING FREE CLASS ON FIREARM CLEANING AND STORAGE

The Missouri Department of Conservation is offering a free class tonight on the need for care and maintenance of firearms.

The Firearms Basic Care and Cleaning free virtual class will be held from 6 to 7:30 p.m.

The class will cover cleaning techniques and safe storage of rifles and shotguns. Handguns will not be covered in the class.

The virtual firearm cleaning and storage class is open to all ages, but registration is required. To register, visit Short.Mdc.MO.Gov/4YN.