Around Southeast Missouri 1/5/07

Murder suspect pleads not guilty

A 28-year-old Puxico, Mo., woman charged with second-degree murder in connection with the drug overdose that killed her husband pleaded not guilty Dec. 20. Amy Graves was charged with murder after toxicology results showed that her husband, Charles P. Graves II died July 3 from a lethal dose of morphine allegedly supplied by Graves. She pleaded not guilty before Circuit Judge Stephen R. Sharp. Investigators allege Graves stole morphine from a client she was caring for and gave it to her husband. She is also charged with felony stealing and felony distributing a controlled substance.

-- The Daily Statesman, Dexter

Man in critical condition after pit bull attack

A Dunklin County man was attacked and severely injured by his large pit bull Dec. 1. Keith A. Sawyers, 54, is in critical condition at Regional Medical Center in Memphis, Tenn., Wednesday, according to a hospital representative. A family member found Sawyers about 2:05 a.m. injured in his back yard. Sawyers sustained injuries to his face and head. Family members said the dog was never aggressive in the past.

-- The Daily Dunklin Democrat, Kennett

Survey: Interstates 70 and 44 'most improved'

Interstates 44 and 70 in Missouri are among the nation's most improved highways, according to a new survey of truckers nationwide. The survey results show that I-44 in Missouri is the second-most improved stretch of highway in the country, with I-70 coming in third. More than 400 truckers offered their opinions on highway conditions in the survey conducted by Overdrive magazine, a publication serving the commercial motor carrier industry. "No one knows road conditions better than truckers, so I'm very pleased they've found Missouri's interstates among the most improved," said Pete Rahn, director of the Missouri Department of Transportation. "Our work on the Smooth Roads Initiative is already paying off." This two-year initiative, completed earlier this month, brought the state's 2,200 most heavily traveled highways up to good condition, including allinterstate highways. Two years ago, three-fourths of these highways were in fair to poor condition. Improvements included smoother pavement, brighter signs and stripes, median guard cable and emergency reference markers. Truckers drive 4.5 million miles a day on interstates 70 and 44 in Missouri.

-- Marshall Democrat-News, Saline County