RIVER RADIO NEWS 092013
NAME RELEASED OF BODY FOUND IN POCAHONTAS
Authorities in Arkansas have released the identity of a body that was found this week in Pocahontas.
The body was that of Matthew St. Amant, a carnival worker from Louisiana. He had been reported missing earlier this month by a relative.
According to Pocahontas authorities, the body was found beside the Randolph County Fairgrounds on Wednesday. A cause of death has not been released.
SIKESTON OFFICIALS WARN OF IMPERSONATOR MAILING ENFORCEMENT VIOLATION LETTERS
Officials in Sikeston are warning local residents of an impersonator who is mailing out code enforcement violation letters.
The letters are regarding the improper deposit of debris on sidewalks, streets and alleys; however they lack a city of Sikeston letterhead and are also unsigned.
Anyone who receives such a letter is being asked to call 471-2512.
CHARLESTON MAN FACING MULTIPLE DRUG RELATED CHARGES
A Charleston man is facing multiple drug related charges following his arrest yesterday morning in Mississippi County.
According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, 55 year old Tony K. Vinson was arrested shortly before 10 am on felony charges of possession of a controlled substance, reportedly for methamphetamine and xanax.
Other charges include driving while intoxicated, driving while revoked, and 2 counts of unlawful use of drug paraphernalia.
GRANT ALLOWS WALKING TRACKS TO BE ADDED AT POPLAR BLUFF ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS
The Poplar Bluff School District has received funding for walking tracks at four local elementary schools.
The funding, totaling almost $30,000, was used to build asphalt walking tracks at Eugene Field, Lake Road, Oak Grove and O’Neal Elementary Schools that are eight feet wide with varying lengths, depending on the size of the schoolyards.
The money came from the Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention as a part of a study concerning the correlation between increased physical activity and academic success.
AREA SCHOOL NAMED ONE OF BEST IN STATE
An area school has been named one of the best schools in the state.
According to information from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, Oak Ridge R-VI School District earned 136 out of 140 points in their most recent Annual Performance Report.
The score is based on MAP and End of Course assessment data, ACT scores, advanced courses, career education courses, college placement, career education placement, graduation and attendance rates.
The Oak Ridge R-VI School District was organized as a high school district in 1874 and has been recognized as the oldest continuous public high school district west of the Mississippi River.
Oak Ridge School District is comprised of sections of Cape Girardeau, Bollinger and Perry Counties.
OLD GREENVILLE DAYS KICKS OFF THIS WEEKEND
This weekend has been set for the 22nd Annual Old Greenville Days.
There will be children’s games, arts and crafts demonstrations, food, music, and more available from 9 am to 6 pm both Saturday and Sunday. The event is free for the public to attend and is located just south of Greenville on Highway 67.
For more information, call 573-222-8562.
HIGHWAY 21 REPAIRS UNDERWAY IN CARTER AND RIPLEY COUNTIES
Highway 21 in Carter and Ripley Counties will be reduced to one lane through the beginning of November, so contractor crews can haul dirt and perform grading on the shoulders.
The work zone is located from US 60 in Carter County to US 160 in Ripley County.
Weather permitting; work will take place through Friday, November 1st from 6 am to 6 pm daily, including weekends as necessary.
NEW APP TO AID THOSE WHO LIKE TO LOOK AT FALL FOLIAGE
Missouri's Conservation Department expects trees to be especially colorful this fall, and the agency is making it easy for leaf-peepers to find good place to behold the foliage.
The department has activated its "MO Fall Color" app for smartphones and other mobile devices and will keep it active through November. The app provides weekly fall color reports from places around Missouri, with GPS navigation information.
Users can also add their own fall color photos through the app, which is available for download on the Department of Conservation website.
The department's forestry program manager says this year's wet spring and cool summer produced healthy trees with plentiful leaves. The final element needed for vibrant colors is a fall with sunny days and cool nights but no frost or high winds.
MISSOURI MEDIAN INCOMES FELL ACCORDING TO CENSUS DATA
New U.S. census data shows that Missouri is 1 of just two states where median incomes fell in 2012 from the previous year, as many residents continue to grapple with a slow-to- recover economy.
Median household income in the state was $45, 321 last year. That's a 1.6 percent decline from 2011. Nationally, the median income for U.S. households in 2012 was $51, 017. That figure remained flat after two previous annual declines.
The federal Census Bureau also reported a statewide poverty rate of 11.7 percent. But for single mothers with dependent children, the poverty level hovers around 44 percent.
Statewide, nearly 270,000 of the 1.5 million families who participated in the annual American Community Survey reported household incomes under $24,999.
