Region briefs 9/16/04

Poplar Bluff students arrested for selling drugs

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- Following their arrests Tuesday afternoon, two Poplar Bluff High School seniors admitted to allegedly selling marijuana and cocaine on campus and intending to sell more. Justin Lee Parks and Hunter Reed Dicken, both 17 and of Poplar Bluff, may face drug possession charges based on an investigation that began at about 1 p.m. Tuesday when Poplar Bluff police patrolman Kit Skaggs received information indicating Parks allegedly had marijuana on his person. A bag containing a green substance, believed to be marijuana, and two bags containing a white substance, believed to be cocaine, were found on Parks, Skaggs said in his report. Marijuana was later found in Dicken's car.

Trail of Tears offers open house, folk concert

The Missouri Department of Natural Resources is holding an open house at Trail of Tears State Park from 1 to 7 p.m. Saturday at the park's visitors center. At Saturday's open house, Trail of Tears park staff will be available to answer questions and discuss recently completed projects and future projects. Refreshments will also be served. This year's open house is the same day as the annual fall folk concert. The concert, featuring the Dowden Sisters, will get underway at 7 p.m. in the park's amphitheater behind the visitor's center. For more information, contact the park at 334-1711.

KC rejoices after arrest of serial killing suspect

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- An inner-city neighborhood that had lived in fear after the bodies of drug users and prostitutes were found on vacant property rejoiced after a man with a lengthy criminal history was charged with one of the six deaths. "I'm glad they got him," said Fred Simpkins, 59, as he walked through the neighborhood Wednesday. "After they started finding them bodies, you didn't see no one on the streets." On Tuesday, prosecutors charged Terry A. Blair, who turns 43 on Thursday, with one count of first-degree murder in the death of Sheliah McKinzie, 38. Semen found on McKinzie's body linked Blair to the crime. Then on Wednesday, police announced they had asked prosecutors to charge Blair in three assault/rape cases, as well as the deaths of the other five women whose bodies were found recently.

Highway 74 closed for bridge construction

Highway 74 in Cape Girardeau will be closed today and Tuesday to install a pedestrian bridge over the highway, Missouri Department of Transportation officials said. The highway will be closed from West End Boulevard to Sprigg Street from 4 a.m. to 5 p.m. today and next Tuesday from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m., weather permitting. Traffic will be detoured on West End Boulevard, Southern Expressway and Sprigg Street, MoDOT officials said.

-- From staff, wire reports

State inmates move to new capital prison

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- State inmates were making the move Wednesday from Missouri's oldest prison to its newest. The state Department of Corrections said staff from other state prisons, the state Highway Patrol and local sheriff's and police officers all were helping with the inmate transfer. The new, high-tech Jefferson City Correctional Center will house some of the state's most violent criminals. It opened its doors to the public in June. About 1,350 inmates were moving there Wednesday.

Report: Construction companies fail to withhold taxes

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Many out-of-state construction companies aren't making their workers pay enough income taxes to Missouri, the state Revenue Department said Wednesday. The department said a task force found that some contractors and subcontractors not based in Missouri don't properly withhold taxes from their employees for work done in Missouri. The task force report said that by the time the state realizes this, the company and its employees have left the state, and there's little that can be done to collect those taxes owed.

Ammunition at school leads to dad's convictionKANSAS CITY, Mo. -- A man faces a prison sentence after his son brought two shotgun shells to school. David R. Knutter, 34, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court Tuesday to being a felon in possession of a firearm. Authorities began investigating in May after Knutter's son showed up at Sugar Creek Elementary School with the shells. Police were contacted, and the child told him he found them in the basement of his home and also said his father had a rifle hung in his sister's bedroom. Officers searched Knutter's home and found the .22-caliber rifle and ammunition -- illegal for him because he had three felony conviction in 1989, for stealing, burglary and second-degree murder.

-- From staff, wire reports