A new judge has been assigned to handle the trial of Edward Meerwald, 50, Noel, who is charged with involuntary manslaughter in connection with the drunk driving related death of a Neosho man and his granddaughter.
A 3 p.m. Feb. 1 pre-trial conference will be held in Judge Joseph Schoeberl's courtroom in the Jasper County Courthouse at Carthage, according to court records. Meerwald's case is being held in Jasper County on a change of venue from Newton County.
Schoeberl was assigned to the case after the Missouri Court of Appeals removed Newton County Circuit Court Judge Timothy Perigo at the request of Meerwald's lawyer.
Meerwald allegedly was driving drunk July 31 when his car left Highway 86 and struck James Dodson, 68, and his granddaughter, Jessica Mann, 7, Joplin, as they were walking in his driveway.
Meerwald is also facing wrongful death lawsuits filed by the families of Dodson and Miss Mann.
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KOAM's website reports that funeral arrangements for Jamison Alexander, 18, the Joplin High School senior who was killed by a hit-and-run driver a week ago, will be held at 1 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 27, at the Joplin Family Worship Center. Visitation is scheduled 4 to 6 p.m. Wednesday at the Worship Center. Mr. Alexander's family removed him from life support over the weekend after doctors determined he was brain dead.
Travis Wyrick, 18, Joplin, has been charged with leaving the scene of an accident. Court records indicate that this is a second offense for him, but the only other case involving Wyrick that is listed on the court website is an amended charge of misdemeanor marijuana possession for which he pleaded guilty in May. Whether that charge was originally leaving the scene of an accident is not in the portion of the court files that are on the internet. Court records indicate the amended charge came as a result of a plea agreement.
The case will be heavily covered by the news media. Media representatives filed a motion in Jasper County Circuit Court today to have cameras in the courtroom whenever Wyrick has hearings. Wyrick's arraignment has not been scheduled.
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Missouri school districts will have to make a stronger effort to put out information to the public if HB 297 proposed by 121st District Rep. David Pearce, R-Warrensburg makes its way through the General Assembly.
The bill, which had its first hearing today, would require school districts to provide their annual report cards to "any household with a student enrolled in the district."
The bill says the reports must be given to all media outlets serving the district, under Pearce's bill.
The annual report cards provide information about students, staff, finances, academic achievement, and other information, including enrollment, experience level of faculty, pay level of faculty and administrators.
I would strongly suggest some additions to the bill. I would like to see the public informed just how much individual administrators make in a school system, so comparisons can be made between school districts. This will help the taxpayers to determine if their elected representatives are making wise decisions regarding how much they are paying administrators.
In the past, school district report cards included information on how much money was being spent on extracurricular activities. That needs to makes a comeback, with information broken down as to how much is spent on each activity, including the amount paid to coaches. Taxpayers also need to know how much money each of these activities makes. That shouldn't be the only consideration, obviously, but it is something taxpayers need to know.
The report cards as they are currently constituted, are handy tools, but do not really let taxpayers see if their money is going toward the best education possible.
I would even add that I would have no problem with listing the annual salary of every school employee. The taxpayers of the Joplin R-8 School District have every right to know how much money I am making as a teacher or how much any other employee is making. It's their money, whether it be coming to the school district through local, state, or federal funds.
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Reports are reaching me through some of the postings on Wildcat Central that Diamond R-4 Board of Education President Wayne Webb may be preparing to push for an extra year on the contract of Superintendent Mark Mayo, who is already under contract through June 30, 2006.
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The Missouri Senate's Gubernatorial Appointments Committee will review the reappointment of Charles McGinty to the Missouri Southern State University Board of Governors when the committee meets 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 26, in the Senate Lounge.
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Echostar is continuing its nationwide protests over cable rate increases, according to Satellite Industry Daily News. The satellite company's latest target was the Time-Warner cable franchise in Syracuse, N. Y. In what is referred to as guerilla marketing, Echostar has been staging protests in locales across the country, including Joplin. In Syracuse, Time-Warner recently increased its rates 8 percent. Reportedly, Echostar's protesters have not carried signs noting that Echostar is increasing rates for its DISH Network 4.3 percent as of Feb. 1.
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Attorneys for former Newton County Sheriff Ron Doerge have asked a federal court judge to grant a summary judgment against a former inmate who is suing because he claims he was denied proper health care.
According to documents filed today in U. S. District Court for the Southern District of Missouri, Doerge's lawyers claim Donald Allen has no legitimate claim against the former sheriff.
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It apparently does not take much to get State Representative Kevin Wilson of Neosho excited about our new governor.
In his weekly column, which runs in The Neosho Daily News and The Newton County News, Wilson talked about the speech that Matt Blunt gave at his inauguration. Wilson wrote, "A throng of people had gathered outside of the Capitol to witness the swearing-in and a drizzle of cold rain started as the new governor began his remarks. Matt gave a great speech but in respect for those gathered he did cut it a little short."
Then Wilson gushed, "In my mind, that is a true leader- one who thinks more of others than of himself. I am excited about the next four yeas because I truly believe the greatest days of Missouri are ahead of us."
I hate to see what Rep. Wilson is going to write when our new governor actually does something.