Fourth Missourian dies from West Nile virus

ST. LOUIS -- An 88-year-old suburban St. Louis man has become the fourth Missourian to die from the West Nile virus, state health officials said Wednesday.

The St. Charles County man died Sunday, the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services said without releasing his name. Preliminary testing late last month showed he had the mosquito-borne virus, the department said.

The state's three other fatalities all were from St. Louis, dating to early August.

As of Wednesday, the state said, about 140 Missourians have been afflicted by the virus.

The virus is expected to be around until a hard frost kills mosquitoes.

Sikeston man found guilty of cocaine charges

A Sikeston, Mo., man was found guilty Wednesday on charges of possessing cocaine base with the intent to distribute.

Following a two-day jury trial, Derrick D. Scott, 26, was found guilty in the courtroom of U.S. District Judge Rodney Sippel.

On Feb. 8, Sikeston police officer Andy Cooper stopped Scott for operating a motor vehicle while his driver's license was suspended. During a search of the car, officers found three packages of crack cocaine and about $3,000 in Scott's pants.

At trial, Scott testified that he did not possess the cocaine and accused the officers of fabricating the incident.

He now faces a maximum of life in prison and a $4 million fine. Sentencing was set for Jan. 8.

Miner mayor refuses symbolic suspension

MINER, Mo. -- The Miner Board of Aldermen meeting Tuesday evening opened and closed with comments regarding Mayor Frank Tatum's refusal to accept the board's Sept. 17 symbolic suspension.

The board first approved the minutes from the Sept. 10 regular meeting and the Sept. 19 special meeting, but the minutes of the Sept. 17 special meeting failed to get enough votes, with alderwoman Betty Barnes not voting to approve them and alderman Tom Brock's absence due to his symbolic suspension by the board.

Tatum was out of town for the Sept. 17 meeting, citing "prior commitments."

Tatum added that his symbolic suspension "don't mean a thing" although "Brock can miss if he wants to."

The board had voted Sept. 17 to symbolically suspend Tatum and Brock for 30 days after months of arguing between the two.

Police sting nabs two 'gypsy cabs'

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- Two Poplar Bluff men accused of driving "gypsy cabs" were arrested late Tuesday in a sting operation.

Roy Lee Mellon, 58, and Donald Lee Rushin, 52, were arrested on suspicion of operating a business without a license, operating a cab service without a license, failure to file an application to operate a cab service, operating a cab without the driver being licensed in the city and failure to file a $250 fee with the city as a cab service.

St. Joseph teenager to be retried in February

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. -- The second trial for a 16-year-old accused of raping and killing a classmate will be held in February.

Jury selection for the second trial of Zacheriah Tripp is scheduled to begin Feb. 20 in Buchanan County Circuit Court. The new date was set Tuesday after a teleconference between attorneys and Buchanan County Judge Randall Jackson.

Tripp is charged with murder, rape and kidnapping in the death of Sarah Beth McCoy, a 15-year-old from Easton who disappeared last Dec. 3. Her body was found two days later in a Clinton County creek. Tripp and McCoy were classmates at East Buchanan High School.

Tripp has pleaded innocent to all charges. The first trial ended in a mistrial last week when jurors deadlocked on a 10-2 vote after 17 hours of deliberation.

Tripp is being held in the Buchanan County Jail without the possibility of bail.

-- From staff, wire reports