Scott Co. war memorial to be discussed Monday

BENTON, Mo. -- The first public meeting will be held to discuss the Scott County war memorial at 6:30 p.m. Monday in the County Commission meeting room at the courthouse in Benton. Families of war dead and those interested in contributing to the project are welcome to attend.

DNR will hold meeting on two Bootheel sites

EAST PRAIRIE, Mo. -- The Missouri Department of Natural Resources will hold an informational meeting at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday to discuss issues related to Big Oak Tree State Park and Towosahgy State Historic Site. The meeting will be held at the office at Big Oak Tree State Park, 14 miles south of East Prairie on Highway 102, and is open to the public. Staff members will discuss developments at both locations.

Meth lab discovered in Miner; three arrested

MINER, Mo. -- Three Southeast Missouri residents are in the Scott County Jail after the seizure of a working methamphetamine lab in Miner. Justin B. Scallion, 27, and April Jeffords, 22, both of New Madrid, and Charles Shands, 39, of Miner, were charged with attempting to manufacture methamphetamine, possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia and endangering the welfare of a child. Bond for Jeffords and Shands was set at $50,000; bond for Scallion was set at $75,000.

Jail adding exercise yard for illegal immigrants

VERSAILLES, Mo. -- A rural mid-Missouri jail that makes money by housing illegal immigrants will add an exercise yard to meet federal requirements. Morgan County commissioners met with architects this week to begin planning for the 15,000-square-foot yard, expected to cost up to $180,000. The Morgan County Sheriff's Department has had a contract with Immigration and Customs Enforcement for the past three years that lets the agency place detainees in the 91-bed jail. Sheriff's Lt. Tim Harlin said the jail typically has 30 to 40 detainees at a time. The jail, built in 1999 at a cost of $4.8 million, has an indoor exercise room and is in compliance with all other immigration regulations. However, the federal agency's rules require that prisoners who stay longer than six months be provided with an exercise yard.

-- From staff, wire reports