News
An open forum will be held tonight from 6:00 to 8:00 the Salem City Hall Auditorium to introduce interested Republican candidates to replace long-time U.S. Representative Jo Ann Emerson in Missouri’s 8th District. The final candidate will be chosen by the district’s Republican committee in Van Buren. The forum will begin with a social hour where the public may present questions for the candidates that will be accepted by the Dent County Republican Committee for a question and answer session with the interested candidates. Among some of those who are interested in being the Republican candidate are Jason Smith of Salem, Sarah Steelman of Rolla, Dan Brown of Rolla, Wendell Bailey of Willow Springs, Bob Parker of Raymondville, Lt. Governor Peter Kinder of Cape Girardeau, and many others.
Attention 4-H Shooting Sports Members!!! A Mandatory paperwork meeting will be held this Friday, January 11th at the New Harmony Church gym beginning at 7:00 pm. You must bring your insurance information and Hunter Safety numbers. A parent or legal guardian must attend to have signatures notarized. 4-H members cannot participate in the Shooting Sports program unless this paperwork is completed. A Shooting Sports Safety Course will then be held on Saturday, January 12th at the Extension Conference Room from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm. Children should be sure to bring a sack lunch and parents don’t have to stay. The Shooting Sports Safety Course is MANDATORY for all 4-H’ers enrolled for the first time in a Shooting Sports project unless you have a hunter safety card from Missouri Department of Conservation. This course is offered only once each year and will not be repeated.
The Salem Police Department released their report for the month of December. During the month, they wrote four equipment repair orders, 24 summons to appear in court, 20 warning tickets, and 37 traffic tickets. The Salem Police Department investigated 10 accidents, two assaults against a law officer, one assault, two burglaries, two reports of counterfeiting, two reports of disorderly conduct, one report of domestic violence, three reports of driving while intoxicated, two reports of driving while revoked, two reports of forgery, one report of leaving the scene of an accident, and one report of a lost and/or stolen license plate. The department also investigated one report of a peace disturbance, six reports of property damage, one report of receiving stolen property, 17 reports of stealing, one report of tampering, two reports of trespassing and two 96-hour commitments. They also investigated one report of manufacturing amphetamine, two reports of possession of amphetamine, two reports of possession of marijuana and two reports of possession of drug paraphernalia. The police department received 2,085 calls for service during the month, handled 62 walk-ins to the station, and redirected 42 calls to the animal control officer. They spent 27 hours in court testifying, four hours as court bailiff and spent 12 hours teaching D.A.R.E. The calls included 23 calls for escorts, two calls for an intoxicated driver, one call for a prowler, one call for a suspicious person and/or vehicle, five calls for domestic disputes, and five calls for a wrecker. There were five 911 calls, five calls for a peace disturbance, 11 calls for alarms sounding, three calls for fights in progress, nine ambulance assist calls, and two fire calls. The department drove a total of 8,489 miles and arrested 17 males and 12 females during the month.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol released their arrest reports for Dent County. On Saturday, January 5th at 8:18 in the evening, 37-year old Jamie Wilkinson of Viburnum was arrested and charged with a DWI first offense, no valid proof of insurance, and no seatbelt. He was held at the Viburnum Police Department. On Sunday, January 6th at 12:25 in the morning, 26-year old Jeremy Asher of Salem was arrested and charged with a DWI third offense and speeding. He was held in the Viburnum Police Department and was later released.
The 2013 Ozark Rivers Solid Waste Management District (ORSWMD) Earth Day Poster and Trash Art Competition–“Tomorrow’s Earth is today’s responsibility”, is underway. Students can learn this valuable life lesson and share it with others by participating in the contest, which has two categories–poster and trash art. Students entering the trash art category will have the opportunity to experience this as they re-purpose garbage into three-dimensional pieces of art. Poster entries should echo the theme of the contest while also focusing on what individuals, schools and communities can do to protect and enhance the environment. The contest is open to students in kindergarten through the 12th grade in Crawford, Dent, Gasconade, Maries, Phelps, Pulaski, or Washington counties. Homeschool students meeting these criteria are eligible and encouraged to participate. Entries for both categories are open until March 21st, and may be left at the county clerk’s office of your local courthouse or at Meramec Regional Planning Commission, located at #4 Industrial Drive in St. James before March 22nd. Earth-friendly prizes will be awarded to first and second place winners in both categories for each grade level. Posters must not exceed 28”x22”, and trash art projects must not exceed 12”x12”x12”. All entries must be clearly marked with the student’s name, grade, school district, school name and teacher’s name. For contest rules, email press@meramecregion.org.
Sports [TOP]
The Salem Lady Tiger basketball team will be back in action tonight, as they’ll host the Houston Lady Tigers at the SHS gym. The JV will start things off at 6:00 with the varsity to follow. Salem is 7-7 on the year and 1-1 in the SCA. You’ll be able to hear the varsity game on KSMO Radio 1340 AM and online at ksmoradio.com. You can also watch the game at fidelitylocal6.com.
The City of Salem Youth Winter Basketball Program FINAL signups will be held this today and Friday, January 11th from 4:00 to 6:00 pm at the Salem Freedom Activity Center (formerly the National Guard Armory) at 1200 West Rolla Road and Saturday, January 12th from 9:00 am to 12:00 (noon). The Youth Winter Basketball Program is for all boys and girls that are currently in the 1st through 6th grades. The cost is $20 per child and for more information, call Greg Nash at the Parks & Recreational Department at 729-6290. Volunteers to coach are also needed for the Youth Winter Basketball Program and are also asked to attend these signups.
Missouri State safety Caleb Schaffitzel, a sophomore from Fair Grove, has been named the FCS National Defensive Back of the Year by the College Football Performance Awards. Schaffitzel was also named to the Associated Press All-America third team, AFCA All-America Team, and Capital One Academic All-America second team this season.
The National Hockey League has ratified a new Collective Bargaining Agreement. The Board of Governors gave its approval on Wednesday by a 30-0 vote, and it was formally announced by chairman Jeremy Jacobs. The last remaining step towards an official start to the season will be the NHLPA's ratification of the same.
Obituaries [TOP]
Funeral services for Helen R. Keeney to be held at the Hoffmeister South County Chapel in St. Louis Friday morning at 9:30 in the funeral home chapel. Visitation will be held Thursday from 4-8 p.m. Interment will be in the Miner Cemetery in Salem. Memorials may be made to The Baptist Home, P.O. Box 87, Ironton, MO 63650.
Weather [TOP]
