Region digest 03/08/03

Three people arrested in death of Ellsinore man

ELLSINORE, Mo. -- Three people are being held by the Carter County Sheriff's Department after allegedly confessing to the murder of an Ellsinore man.

According to the sheriff's department report, Russell D. Adams, 47, had been missing since Feb. 24. His body was found Thursday in rural Carter County.

Officers interviewed Adam's wife, Lori A. Adams, 39; Dustin D. Adams, 19; and Phillip W. Catlett, 29, all of Ellsinore. After allegedly making the confessions, the suspects were arrested.

According to the report, Adams was killed with a .22-caliber revolver.

Formal charges were expected to be filed Friday.

I-55 ramp at Route AB to be closed today

The Missouri Department of Transportation plans to close the northbound Interstate 55 on-ramp at Route AB today so the contractor on the Diversion Channel bridge project can move a concrete barrier.

Motorists traveling on Route AB and wanting to go north on I-55 will have to proceed south on the interstate to the Scott City exit and then get back on the highway, MoDOT officials said.

"It is an inconvenience but it is necessary to move traffic to the completed section of the new Diversion Channel Bridge so work can begin replacing the remaining half," said MoDOT engineer Bob Wilson.

State gets grant to help 175 unemployed in Ozark

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Missouri has been awarded a $557,000 federal grant to help about 175 workers laid off by Fasco Industries in Ozark, Mo.

Fasco, which produced fractional and electric motors, closed in December 2002 to move its operations to Mexico. About 400 people who worked for Fasco were laid off at various times throughout the year.

The National Emergency Grant is intended to supplement job training programs the state already has in place for the dislocated workers.

"Unfortunately, some companies continue to be heavily impacted by the sluggish economy, and we have seen a large number of layoffs as a result," said Joe Driskill, director of the state Department of Economic Development.

Two KC administrators suspended during probe

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Two Kansas City elementary school administrators have been suspended amid claims that they did not react properly after being told about a student-on-student sexual assault, the Kansas City Missouri School District said in a release Friday.

A 13-year-old student at East Elementary School told police Feb. 20 that two classmates had assaulted him in the school bathroom.

According to police documents, a paraprofessional and a counselor supposedly had known about the allegations for about two weeks.

State law requires school administrators to immediately report sexual assaults to police, but there is no penalty for not doing so. District policy requires such incidents be reported to police as soon as possible, usually within 24 hours.

-- From staff, wire reports