LADY ROYALS CHRISTMAS CLASSIC RESUMES TODAY
The Lady Royals Christmas Classic in Broseley will resume today with the semi-finals.
Five seed Poplar Bluff will take on top seed Doniphan in the first semifinal this evening at 6 pm. The second semi-final between Neelyville and Portageville will tip off at 7:30 pm.
The fifth place bracket semifinals will begin at 3 pm with Kennett facing East Carter, followed by Dexter taking on Twin Rivers at 4:30 pm.
The consolation bracket semifinals will feature Holcomb vs. New Madrid County Central at noon and Malden facing Greenville at 1:30 pm.
All games of the 2024 Lady Royals Christmas Classic will be broadcast on the KWOC Facebook page and River Radio Youtube page.
MAN FACING MULTIPLE CHARGES AFTER FIRING AT LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER IN DEXTER
A man is in custody after allegedly shooting at a law enforcement officer in Dexter.
According to Dexter Police Chief Hank Trout, shortly after 8 pm Wednesday night, dispatch received a call from a male who said he wanted to die by suicide by cop and that he would shoot at the police when they arrived at the residence.
Dexter police officers were dispatched to the area, with a Stoddard County Deputy and a member of the Missouri State Highway Patrol assisting.
When the deputy was arriving on the scene, he observed a male subject, later identified as 29 year old Steven Parks, of Dexter, standing on the front porch.
The deputy observed Parks point a handgun in his direction and fire. The deputy began to back his patrol car down the street, when Parks pointed the handgun in his direction a second time and fired another shot.
Parks then walked from the residence into the street where he was taken into custody without further incident. A loaded handgun was later recovered on the front porch.
Parks is being held in the Stoddard County Jail on charges of assault 1st degree, armed criminal action, and unlawful use of a weapon.
LAW ENFORCEMENT TO BEGIN ISSUING CITATIONS FOR CELL PHONE USE WHILE DRIVING
Missouri police officers will begin issuing citations next week for using a cell phone while driving.
In Missouri, it is illegal to hold or support a cell phone, or an electronic communication device, in your hand, lap, or other parts of the body while driving on Missouri roads.
Drivers can still make or receive calls via hands free devices, such as speakerphones, connecting their phone to their vehicle, or using aftermarket bluetooth devices.
Law enforcement officers will begin issuing citations for violations of the hands-free law beginning on January 1st.
THREE PEOPLE KILLED IN MISSOURI TRAFFIC CRASHES DURING HOLIDAY COUNTING PERIOD
Three people were killed in traffic crashes in Missouri during the Christmas holiday counting period.
According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, troopers worked 65 traffic crashes, which included 38 injuries and and three fatalities.
This year, troopers also made 17 DWI arrests during the Christmas holiday counting period which ran from 6 pm on Tuesday to 11:59 pm on Wednesday.
TWO BRIDGES IN OZARK NATIONAL SCENIC RIVERWAYS DESIGNATED AS MEMORIALS FOR FALLEN WORLD WAR TWO SOLDIERS
Two bridges in Southeast Missouri have been designated as memorials for area soldiers who lost their lives during World War Two while serving their country.
According to Ozark National Scenic Riverways, the Highway 106 Bridge over the Jacks Fork at Alley Spring now memorializes Seaman First Class Thomas Wilburn Hunt, who resided in Alley before the war and was assigned as Boatsman Mate on the USS Chevalier.
Seaman Hunt was declared MIA after the Chevalier was sunk during an attack on a group of Japanese destroyers. Seaman Hunt was awarded the Purple Heart.
The Highway 17 Bridge near Summersville is now memorialized for Corporal Theodore Bernard Padberg. Corporal Padberg resided in Summersville prior to the war and enlisted in the Army on February 10, 1943.
He was declared MIA and awarded the Purple Heart after the S.S. Paul Hamilton, on which he was a passenger, was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea by a German bomber.
BRIDGE TO BE REPLACED AFTER BEING STRUCK BY AN OVER-HEIGHT VEHICLE
A Southeast Missouri bridge will have to be replaced next year after the bridge was struck by a vehicle.
According to the Missouri Department of Transportation, bridge damage has been found on the Route AA bridge over Route 60 in Sikeston. The bridge was damaged from an over-height vehicle last week.
MoDOT Project Manager Donna Philpot says that MoDOT has executed an emergency contract, hired a consultant to begin design work, and determined a May 16, 2025, letting date.
Philpot tells KWOC News that with the accelerated timeline, construction could begin as early as July 2025.
