Racial disparities continue among motorists

A new report by Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster reveals that black motorists are still more likely to be pulled over than white motorists.

Overall, African Americans were 65 to 70 percent more likely to be pulled over than white motorists.

Hispanics were less likely to be pulled over than white drivers, but more likely to be searched. Blacks were also more likely to be searched than Caucasians.

White motorists had the highest contraband hit rate among all groups.

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New skate park proposed for Arena Park

CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO (KRCU) - Citizens who visit Arena Park may soon have more activities available to them.

The Cape Girardeau Skate Park Association is proposing plans to the park advisory board and the city council. Chris Hutson, a local businessman affiliated with the group, explains that the proposed park would be a great improvement on the city’s current skate park and provide a space for skateboarders, rollerbladers, and bicyclists of all experience levels.

“We’re looking for to maximize our dollars get the most obstacles for the money, and also have the maintenance, have no maintenance for at least twenty years is the goal and other than just maybe something small,” Hutson said.

Hutson says the project has already been awarded a grant from the Ronald McDonald House. The skate park is expected to cost under 150 thousand dollars.

Cara Wilson, KRCU

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New skate park proposed for Arena Park

CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO (KRCU) - Citizens who visit Arena Park may soon have more activities available to them.

The Cape Girardeau Skate Park Association is proposing plans to the park advisory board and the city council. Chris Hutson, a local businessman affiliated with the group, explains that the proposed park would be a great improvement on the city’s current skate park and provide a space for skateboarders, rollerbladers, and bicyclists of all experience levels.

“We’re looking for to maximize our dollars get the most obstacles for the money, and also have the maintenance, have no maintenance for at least twenty years is the goal and other than just maybe something small,” Hutson said.

Hutson says the project has already been awarded a grant from the Ronald McDonald House. The skate park is expected to cost under 150 thousand dollars.

Cara Wilson, KRCU

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President declares more disaster areas in Missouri

President Barack Obama declared six more Missouri counties as disaster areas following the April 19 storms and the subsequent flooding.

Bollinger, Dunklin, Pemiscot, Reynolds, St. Francois, and Phelps Counties are now added to the list that already included much of Southeast Missouri.

Individuals affected by the floods and storms who reside or have a business in these counties may qualify for tax relief or other assistance.

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Holt County preparing for flood

HOLT COUNTY, MO (KXCV) - Just as the Army Corps is ready to release water upstream, Missourians living along the Missouri River are already bracing for flooding.

In extreme Northwest Missouri about 40 residents in the Big Lake State Park area have voluntarily evacuated as they anticipating flooding by this weekend.

County clerk Kathy Kunkel serves with the county’s emergency management operations there and says local authorities are getting ready.

"Our emergency management center is open, the dispatch is set up to handle phone calls with a breach- how we’re going to be actionable about that. We’ve sped up our preliminary operations with Red Cross to do temporary sheltering if someone is in need of that," Kunkel said.

Holt County is not issuing mandatory evacuation orders yet but “strongly urging” residents in the Missouri River floodplain to evacuate in the coming days.

Kirk Wayman, KXCV

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Farmington to host US Championship Anvil Shooting Competition

Farmington’s Country Days festival will host a unique attraction this weekend: The U-S Championship Anvil Shooting Competition.

The premise is simple. Contestants stuff black powder underneath an anvil, light it, and blast the 100-pound anvil up to 150 feet in the air.

Points are assigned for height and for landing the anvil near the launching pad.

The Farmington Chamber of Commerce organizes Country Days. CEO Doug McDermott credits former mayor Gay Wilkinson for drawing the event to Farmington.

"He has been in the anvil shooting world for a long time. He’s very much a goodwill ambassador on behalf of anvil shooting. So he had generated some recognition along with some other folks in town who shoot anvils," McDermott says. "It just became the right thing to do and we thought it was a great opportunity to bring all of those folks together to make Farmington Country Days even a little bit more special."

Tory Belleci of the Mythbusters will be in Farmington to shoot a special for the Science Channel.

Farmington Country Days take place June 1 through June 5. The anvil shooting will be held on Saturday.

Jacob McCleland, KRCU

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Rebuilding begins in Joplin

JOPLIN, MO (KBIA) - Amid the destruction caused by the tornado that hit Joplin, Mo., May 22nd, residents are beginning to pick up the pieces and think about rebuilding their city.

One man has already found a new home.

Surrounded by family, friends and volunteers, Joplin resident Dan Florry is sorting out his life, searching through a pile of rubble that once was his home. It’s been a tiring ordeal. Florry is helping volunteers pack up several items he missed last week: tools, a deep freezer and some food. He says he hasn’t stopped working since last week.

"It was kind of incredible to me," Florry said. "The tornado was Sunday night, and Tuesday at lunch time, my wife told me my face was dirty and I needed to wash it. And when I put the soap in, I realized that was the first time I had soap in my hand was Tuesday."

With the help of friends, Florry and his wife have signed a contract for a new home across town, in a less affected area. He says he still hopes to eventually restore this home – to help with what he sees as an inevitable housing shortage. But rebuilding his home – and Joplin – will be a much longer process.

Courtney Flatt, KBIA

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