The Missouri Public Service Commission has given Empire District Electric Company authorization to increase its revenues by $25.3 million a year, according to a PSC press release.
An additional $8.2 million will be passed on to the company's customers to allow it not to lose any money on paying for fuel and power costs. The release says this is the company's first rate increase since 2002.
Empire will provide $155,000 a year to help low-income customers, the release said.
Rates for an Empire residential customer using 1,000 kwh (kilowatt-hours) will increase by approximately $7.72 a month, the release said. That same customer will also see an interim energy charge of approximately $2.13 a month.
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Nothing has been posted on case.net yet, but KOAM-TV is reporting that drunk driver Edward Meerwald, 51, Noel, pleaded guilty to manslaughter charges this morning in Newton County Circuit Court and was sentenced to 14 years in prison.
Meerwald was charged in connection with the July 31 death of James Dodson, 69, Neosho, and Dodson's granddaughter, Jessica Mann, 7, Joplin. The two were in Dodson's driveway at his home when Meerwald, driving while intoxicated, left the road and hit them, killing them.
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It's beginning to look as if Martin Eck will never get a chance to prove that his teeth are worth $10 million.
Lawyers representing the Jasper County Sheriff Archie Dunn and the Jasper County Commission filed a motion today asking a federal court judge Richard E. Dorr to dismiss the convicted child molester's suit against them.
Judge Dorr, in a Feb. 16 ruling, gave Eck 20 days to answer questions from Jasper County lawyers. The lawyers came to prison to interview him Jan. 28, but he refused to answer questions, saying that he wanted to have his attorney with him and that his mother was hiring one for him.
Today's motion asks either that the judge dismiss the case or order Eck to submit to questioning.
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I have heard from three sources today that Monett High School band director Craig Smith, whose resignation was officially accepted at the last school board meeting, was put on a leave of absence after defying an order from an administrator.
That information matches up with what I had heard right after he was placed on leave. Thanks to those of you who were kind enough to contact me.