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An accident happened Thursday evening at 7:19 in Phelps County on Interstate 44 at the 187.2 mile marker. According to the highway patrol report, a 2015 Kenworth Tractor Trailer Unit traveling eastbound and being driven by 41-year old Kent Cook of Hammond, Il., was changing lanes and struck a 2006 Pontiac Grad Prix being driven eastbound by 21-year old Michael Gearhart of Salem. Suffering moderate injuries were passengers in the Grad Prix: 46-year old Lana Akins of Salem and 18-year old Landra Botkin of Salem. Both were transported to the Phelps County Regional Medical Center. Everyone was wearing seat restraints at the time of the accident except for Botkin. The Pontiac sustained extensive damage and was removed from the scene by Ron Dishman Towing, while the Kenworth had only minor damage and was driven from the scene.

The Salem R-80 Board of Education met for their regular meeting Thursday evening at the district administrative offices. Superintendent Steve Carvajal said he would like to have a Board Recognition Night at the Salem High School Basketball game on February 3^rd. He said only two people have signed up for the two open slots on the board and they are incumbents Chris Heavin and Carrie Snyder. The last day to sign up for the school board position is Tuesday. January 20^th. Carvajal said the school is still OK with their school calendar after the last two snow days to go along with the three days of starting late and one missed day in December. The building principals then gave their reports. Kriste Crocker gave the Preschool and Kindergarten SMART progress from William Lynch Elementary and said that students of the month were Clara Ball, Bailey Stewart and Nevaeh Lee. Melanie Wisdom gave the report for the Upper Elementary and said the students of the month were Makynna Thompson, Lindsey White, Raegan Neff and Caleb Land. Wisdom said the school started a “Pennies for Paper” campaign to assist the local food pantries in getting toothbrushes, toilet paper and toothpaste. She reported that DARE graduation will be held February 5^th and the next round for the DESE Statewide Collaborative Initiative assessment data is due on the 23^rd of this month with writing being this year’s focus. Scott Roberts reported on the middle school and said the students of the month were Alyvia Lunn, John Mysklinski, Harly Coffman, Brady Pierce, Destiny Remster and Tyler Dooley. He said a new Middle School Final Exams Exemption Policy has been approved by the staff and it will be adopted in May. He also congratulated 8^th grade science teacher Debbie Ritchey who had an article published in the MSTA magazine “School and Community” that highlighted the Salem Middle School Traveling Teacher Award. John Smith congratulated the students of the month: Sam Swindell and Brooke Rogers; and he said all eight students who have taken the HiSet this year have been successful. He said a Parent Financial Aid Informational meeting would be held January 27^th from 6:00 to 8:00 in the High School Library. Smith stated that Salem would host the SCA Conference Quiz Bowl Tournament this year on January 22^nd at 6:00 and the Girls Softball team was selected to the Academic All-State Team with a cumulative GPA of 3.8. Smith went on to say the FFA Degree Ceremony would be Thursday, January 29^th at 7:00 at the City Hall Auditorium and Natalie Leathers would be singing with the All-State choir on January 31^st. The board approved allowing Sarah Brown, a non-resident home school student, to take Advanced Math at the Salem High School. Her family will pay a pro-rated portion of tuition for the one-hour they are in school. The board accepted the resignations of William Lynch Elementary Aide Juliana Bermudez immediately, plus 8^th grade math and algebra teacher Rona Keniston, elementary school music teacher David Jett and High School Math teacher Weston Hines at the end of the school year. The board went into closed session to discuss personnel and hired John McCulloch as the new Superintendent with a 7-0 vote to replace Steve Carvajal. The meeting was then adjourned.

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