Missouri Highway Patrol

MT. VERNON, Mo.-- Law enforcement will be meeting with cattle farmers on February 7th to discuss a recent rash of cattle thefts in the Lawrence County area. Several farms have been targeted in recent weeks. The meeting is scheduled for Thursday, February 7th at the University of Missouri Research Center located on Highway H just south of Mt. Vernon. The meeting begins at 7:00 pm. Representatives from the county sheriffs' offices will be on hand, as well as members of the Missouri Highway Patrol and prosecutors from Lawrence and Dade County.

SPRINGFIELD -- In an effort to curb dangerous driving, the Springfield Police Department and the Missouri Highway Patrol teamed up on Friday to conduct another "Operation Safe Ride. " Law enforcers targeted traffic violators who pose a threat to motorcyclists. Officers concentrated on hazardous moving violations such as speeding, running red lights, and driving carelessly. Out of the 55 vehicles stopped, 41 citations and 34 warnings were issued. In addition to drivers receiving moving violation tickets, two people were arrested on outstanding misdemeanor warrants, one person was arrested on an outstanding felony warrant, and three people were cited for having open containers of alcohol in a moving vehicle.

MONEGAW SPRINGS, Mo. -- The Water Patrol division of the Missouri Highway Patrol says a 58-year-old man from Osceola died after an accident on the Osage River.  Investigators say Richard Harrington was in a utility boat with another man on Wednesday morning.  When he stood to check a trotline, the boat capsized. Harrington tried to swim to shore, but stopped in the water and started floating face down in the water.  He was unresponsive and not breathing by the time he was pulled ashore.  The second man on board was able to swim to shore and was not injured.  An autopsy may help investigators determine the exact cause of Harrington's death.

The number of fatality crashes in Missouri during the Christmas holiday counting period was only two this year. The Missouri Highway Patrol began counting crashes from 6:00 pm on December 23 through 11:59 pm Sunday night. That's the lowest ever for a counting period that covered 78 hours. “The Missouri State Highway Patrol would like to emphasize the decrease in crashes, injuries, and fatalities during the 2010 Christmas holiday counting period,” said Colonel Ron Replogle, superintendent of the Patrol.

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Missouri 3rd District Congressman Blaine Luetkemeyer says he is seeking answers from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF)concerning whether it was involved in acquiring Missouri's list of Conceal and Carry permit holders. Luetkemeyer calls the sharing of the list by the Missouri Highway Patrol with investigators at the Social Security Administration a "clear violation of personal privacy. "  The congressman recieved an apology from the SSA's inspector general Tuesday for "sloppiness" in handling questions regarding the issue and secured a meeting with the IG on Thursday.

WILLARD, Mo-- Several weeks after her son was killed, the mother of a Willard student is desperately seeking information about how he died. In the parking lot at Willard High School, friends have created a memorial to Steeler Seaburn. He would have graduated next month. Seaburn's mom Genny Sexton wears his dog tag around her neck and a pink bracelet in his memory. "It's amazing, you can go around the school and see how many of these or these-so I know that they are looking for answers, too," said Sexton.

WILLARD, Mo. - A small-engine plane crash has killed multiple passengers on board near Willard, Missouri. The plane crashed north of Highway 123 after midnight Saturday.  The Missouri Highway Patrol believes the airplane was heading to the Springfield-Branson National Airport.  It was a four-seat aircraft. Four family members from Springfield are among the dead following a plane crash in Willard. Local authorities say a 2002 Cirrus SR22 went down just after midnight in a field north of farm road 123, killing all five passengers on board.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The office of Missouri 3rd District Congressman Blaine Luetkemeyer says the Inspector General of the Social Security Administration (SSA) has apologized for errors it made in reporting aspects of what happened regarding the handling of Missourians' private information. The apology occurred in a telephone conversation, but U.S. Social Security Administration Inspector General Patrick O'Carroll, Jr. agreed to a face-to-face meeting with Luetkemeyer later this week.

GREENE COUNTY, Mo-- If you plan to drive on Interstate 44 this weekend, be prepared to see plenty of law enforcement. Officers from the Oklahoma state line all the way to the Illinois state line are teaming up  to watch out for people speeding, drinking and driving and not wearing their seat belt. It's all part of the Heat is On summer campaign. This is the last weekend for the enforcement. "The goal of this project is to reduce the number of traffic injures and fatality accidents through aggressive enforcement of impaired driving, speeding, seat belt usage and other agressive type driving behavior," said Sergeant Jason Pace with the Missouri Highway Patrol.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo.--  After our investigation on KY3 News at 10 Monday night about the death of a teenage boy from synthetic drugs, we heard from a lot of viewers today. Several business owners who sell these types of products contacted KY3 saying they want a voice in this, however, of the dozen we talked to today, none were willing to go on camera. Several families also contacted us as well, who say their lives have been destroyed by synthetics. Even medical personnel reported to KY3 about getting beat up and bitten by people who come in on the drugs.