RIVER RADIO NEWS 062014
BLYTHEVILLE MAN CONVICTED OF SECOND DEGREE MURDER
A Blytheville man has been sentenced to over 40 years in prison on a murder charge.
According to Prosecuting Attorney Scott Ellington, Jimmy Northern was convicted by a Mississippi County jury on a charge of second degree murder.
The charge is in connection to the 2012 death of Thomas Essig, of Blytheville. A circuit judge sentenced Northern to 41 years in the Arkansas Department of Corrections.
PORTAGEVILLE MAN FACING STATUTORY RAPE CHARGE
A Portageville man has been arrested on a felony statutory rape charge.
According to Missouri Case Net, 23 year old Toby Charles Lee was arrested by the New Madrid County Sheriff’s Office on a felony charge of second degree statutory rape.
Further details about the arrest have not been made available.
THREE ARRESTED ON METH CHARGES IN WAYNE COUNTY
Three area residents are facing drug related charges after their arrests yesterday afternoon in Wayne County.
According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, 26 year old Elizabeth P. Rogers, of Greenville, and 44 year old Jennifer D. White and 25 year old James R. White, both of Williamsville, are each facing felony charges of possession of a controlled substance, methamphetamine; and unlawful use of drug paraphernalia.
CARUTHERSVILLE AUTHORITIES REMINDING CITIZENS TO NOT USE FIREWORKS INSIDE CITY LIMITS
Independence Day is two weeks from today, and the Caruthersville Police Department is reminding area residents that discharging fireworks is prohibited in the Caruthersville city limits.
People who violate the ordinance could face up to a $500 fine or up to 90 days in jail for each charge. Police have said that they will be enforcing the ordinance.
GIDEON TO GET POLICE DOG
The city of Gideon will soon have a new crime fighter in town, one with four legs instead of two.
Police Chief Charles Youngblood announced Thursday that the department had secured the funding for a K-9 unit. Youngblood will attend the required training next week and the dog, Trexx, should be on duty beginning July 1st.
The funding was received through area fundraisers and donations; however fundraising will continue in order to buy additional equipment.
MANY MISSOURI MEDICARE PATIENTS MAY HAVE TO SWITCH DOCTORS
Thousands of Missourians may have to switch doctors after UnitedHealthcare notified more physicians that they will be removed from the company's Medicare Advantage plan on September 1st.
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that it is the second round of cuts to UnitedHealthcare's Medicare Advantage physician ranks. UnitedHealthcare is the largest carrier of Medicare Advantage plans for seniors and has about 95,000 plan members in Missouri.
Cardiologist Joseph Craft III, president of the St. Louis Metropolitan Medical Society, says the decision will affect thousands of patients in the St. Louis area alone.
UnitedHealthcare terminated nearly 100 Missouri doctors from the Medicare Advantage plan in April, saying that eventually 5 percent to 7 percent of the more than 10,000 physicians in Missouri would be eliminated this year.
PERFORMANCE BASED FUNDING APPROVED FOR MISSOURI UNIVERSITIES AND COMMUNITY COLLEGES
Governor Jay Nixon has signed legislation that enacts performance-based funding for Missouri's public universities and community colleges.
Funding increases for the schools would be based on how well they meet criteria they have submitted and had approved by Missouri Coordinating Board of Higher Education. Schools also would need to develop a goal for student job placement.
Missouri has used performance standards to determine higher education funding increases in the current year's state operating budget and in the spending plan that will take effect next month. The legislation seeks to ensure the practice continues.
Nixon said the measure he signed Thursday builds on existing state efforts to implement an "outcomes-based funding model."
ECONOMIC SURVEY SUGGESTS SLOWER GROWTH IN MIDWEST AND PLAINS STATES
The overall index for a monthly economic survey of bankers in 10 Midwestern and Plains states has fallen from May but remains in positive territory, suggesting slower growth in the near future.
The Rural Mainstreet Index fell to 53.6 in June from 55.6 in May.
The survey indexes range from 0 to 100. Any score above 50 suggests growth in the months ahead.
Creighton University economist Ernie Goss oversees the survey. He says June's results indicate that areas highly dependent on agriculture and energy are experiencing slower growth than a year ago.
Almost half of bankers surveyed reported that higher beef and pork prices have increased overall economic activity in their area.
Bankers from 10 states including Missouri and Illinois were surveyed.
