Stories from Tuesday, February 26, 2013

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Children younger than 16 could avoid future federal regulation and continue to work on their parents' farm under a bill scheduled for a vote this week in Missouri's Senate. In 2012, the federal government proposed rules that would have prevented children from doing certain agricultural work. The plans were scrapped after opposition from lawmakers, but Missouri's Senate is looking to pass a law just in case...

Jack Norman continues to be on hand at Cox Corner from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m. on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday to offer free tax return assistance to those in need. Norman previously offered the same service through AARP at the O.AK.S. Nutrition Center. His service is now offered through the University...

Cathy Cato, president of the Stoddard County Long Term Recovery Committee, is shown accepting a $500 check from Davy Crockett, exalted ruler of local Elks Lodge 2439. The money will be utilized to help Stoddard County residents whose homes have been damaged by natural disasters in recent years such as the floods of 2011 and the tornado of February 2012...

DEXTER, Mo. -- Central may have shown its mettle, but Notre Dame showed its might. Notre Dame prevailed in a matchup of Cape rivals Monday night, winning 64-41 in a Class 4 District 1 semifinal game that was much closer than the final score indicated...

Dexter, Notre Dame to meet in district final

DEXTER -- The fifth-seeded Dexter Bearcats saw their season come to a close Saturday with a 73-36 loss to fourth-seeded Kennett in the opening round of the Class 4, District 1 tournament. "We struggled scoring and once we got down a little bit we started trying to play up and down with them," Dexter head coach Rob Nichols said. "We'd like to play fast, but we just can't do that this year."...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Missouri lawmakers are seeking to collect taxes from some online and out-of-state retailers in a move that could both bolster the state's finances and aid traditional stores in their competition for customers. Support has grown in the House and Senate for legislation that would tighten the requirements for when businesses must collect Missouri taxes on their sales. ...

Once again, police are cautioning local residents to keep their unoccupied vehicles locked, even when parked in their own driveways. A rash of thefts were reported over the recent weekend, all involving items taken from unlocked vehicles or items not secured at local residences...

Local Boy Scouts took part in the 2013 Pinewood Derby Saturday morning, Feb. 23. This year's event was held at the old Park Lane gym. At left, members of Pack 200 cheer their fellow Scouts across the track. Additional photos from the event may be found in Photo Galleries...

BLOOMFIELD, Mo. -- Stoddard County Emergency Management Director Kent Polsgrove presented the Stoddard County Commission with a map of the emergency siren systems in the county and also a cost for the purchase and installation of a Whelen warning system. The cost was $28,817.50 per unit as quoted by Outdoor Warning Consulting, LLC...

BLOOMFIELD, Mo. -- The two men charged in connection with the Tuesday, Feb. 19 murder of Sean Crow have been identified. According to Stoddard County Sheriff Carl Hefner, Matthew Brandon Cook, 29, and Glen Scott Evans, 46, are each charged with one count of the Class A felony of murder in the first degree, one count each of the Class A felony of robbery in the first degree and two counts each of the unclassified felony of armed criminal action...