RIVER RADIO NEWS 091313 MAN IN CUSTODY IN CONNECTION TO SIKESTON HOMICIDE
Police in Sikeston are investigating a Thursday morning shooting that left one woman dead.
Captain Jim McMillen with the Sikeston Department of Public Safety says officers responded to a domestic disturbance call around 3 am Thursday. When they arrived, they found 26 year old Nyketia Lott with a gunshot wound to the head.
The SEMO Major Case Squad was activated and approximately two hours later, investigators located Lott’s husband, 41 year old Stevie Lott, and took him into custody.
Stevie Lott has been charged with second degree murder, armed criminal action, felon in possession of a firearm, endangering the welfare of a child and leaving the scene of a shooting.
The incident is still under investigation.
AREA POLICE OFFICER INJURED DURING PURSUIT
A Steele police officer was injured Wednesday while in pursuit of a drug suspect.
According to the Steele Police Department, officer Logan Pritchett’s patrol car was struck on the driver’s side door at an intersection. The patrol car had its emergency equipment activated.
Officer Pritchett was taken to an area hospital with minor injuries. The driver of the vehicle that struck him also suffered minor injuries and is facing charges of driving while intoxicated and possession of a controlled substance.
LEOPOLD MAN SENTENCED ON DOMESTIC ASSAULT CHARGE
A Leopold man was in a Butler County courtroom yesterday after pleading guilty to domestic assault.
30 year old Robert J. Reynolds has been sentenced to four years in the Missouri Department of Corrections on a charge of second degree domestic assault. The charge stems from an incident in June of 2012.
The case was moved to Butler County from Bollinger County on a change of venue.
ST FRANCIS HEALTHCARE PURCHASES LAND IN DEXTER FOR OUTREACH HEALTHCARE FACILITY
St. Francis Healthcare System will be building an outreach healthcare facility in Dexter.
St. Francis announced yesterday the purchase of 18 acres of land at U.S. 60 Outer Road and Harris Drive that will be used for the facility. Current plans for the facility call for ambulatory services, primary care, rehabilitation therapies and wellness. Specific building plans will be revealed at a later date.
LISTENING POST MEETING TOUR TO STOP IN DEXTER
Staff members with United States Senator Roy Blunt will be stopping by Dexter next week to meet with local constituents.
A listening post meeting has been scheduled for Wednesday, from 1 to 2 pm at the Bootheel Regional Planning Commission in Dexter.
Listening Posts are intended for Missourians to share their questions and concerns during meetings with members of Senator Blunt's staff.
CONGRESSMAN JASON SMITH TO OPEN OFFICE IN POPLAR BLUFF
United States Congressman Jason Smith will be in Poplar Bluff on Monday to celebrate the opening of his new office.
The office will be located at 2911 North Westwood Boulevard. Congressman Smith will be on hand to officially open the office and to meet with his constituents. An event will be held for the opening of the Poplar Bluff District Office from 10 to 11 am on Monday.
TODD RICHARDSON TO PUSH FOR AMENDMENT TO MISSOURI CONSTITUTION
A lawmaker plans to push for a Missouri constitutional amendment to limit the governor's power to cut the budget.
Governor Jay Nixon this year froze spending of $400 million while waiting to see if the Legislature would override his veto of a tax-cutting bill. On Thursday - one day after the veto was sustained - Nixon said he is releasing $215 million.
House Republican Todd Richardson, of Poplar Bluff, says Nixon froze the money to exert political pressure on lawmakers. Richardson says he believes governors are limited in their budget-cutting power to times of emergency or funding shortages. However, he said Nixon's actions have created uncertainty.
Missouri lawmakers return to the Capitol in January for the 2014 session. A constitutional amendment would require approval from voters.
MISSOURI LOSES TOBACCO ARBITRATION CASE
Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster says the state has lost an arbitration case and will refund money it receives through a multi-state settlement with tobacco companies.
The attorney general's office says it is reviewing the order to determine how much Missouri will need to refund. The funds will be deducted from a payment the cigarette manufacturers make this upcoming April.
A three-judge arbitration panel sided with more than 30 cigarette manufacturers' claims that Missouri and several other states had failed to diligently enforce state tobacco laws in 2003 as was required in a 1998 legal settlement with 46 states. The tobacco settlement agreement was reached in 1998.
Missouri's share of the tobacco settlement was about $150 million in 2003.
