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The Salem R-80 Board of Education met on Tuesday night February 28^th. The Board met in closed session for two hours and with a vote of 7–0 approved the contract of newly hired Superintendent Steve Carvajal. Mr. Carvajal is currently the Superintendent of the La Plata School District in La Plata, Missouri where he has served for four years. The board had conducted several evenings of interviews last week and finalized the selection process Tuesday evening. The board is excited about Mr. Carvajal’s leadership skills and looks forward to introducing Mr. Carvajal and his family of four children to the entire Salem Community in the coming weeks.    

The Salem Police Department has released their report involving the skeletal remains located in a wooded area next to Wal-Mart at 1101 West Highway 32 in Salem found on Thursday, January 26^th at 11:00 that morning. Officer’s arrived on the scene, processed and collected evidence from the area. An identification card was collected which led officer’s to start looking for family from the Texas County area. Family members were located and were able to provide medical and dental records, which were forwarded with the skeletal remains to the University of Missouri in Columbia. Test’s conducted by medical examiners yielded results identifying the skeletal remains as Danny M. Fleming, age 49 from Licking. The exact cause of death is still pending, no foul play is suspected.

An accident occurred on Wednesday, February 22^nd at 6:35 in the morning at the intersection of Highway 32/72 in Salem. According to the Salem Police report, a 2000 Lincoln Town car driven by Jack Cole of Salem was traveling East on highway 32, while attempting to make a left turn onto Highway 72 and failed to see a 1998 Chevrolet driven by Mark Nash of Salem traveling West on highway 32. Cole and Nash were transported by EMS to the Salem Memorial District Hospital. A passenger in the Lincoln reported no injuries. Both vehicles sustained extensive damage and were towed from the scene.

An accident happened at 11:22 pm on Friday, February 24^th at the intersection of Truman and Water Streets in Salem. According to the Salem Police report, a 2002 Pontiac driven by Amber Kearbey of Salem was traveling West on Truman Street. The Pontiac ran off the right side of the roadway and struck a two of mailboxes attached to a wooden frame. The Pontiac continued along the ditch and struck a second plastic mailbox before crossing a driveway and coming to a stop. The Pontiac backed up freeing itself from the mailboxes and returned to the roadway. The Pontiac traveled further down the roadway and the stopped in a private drive. The row of mailboxes entered the windshield and was lodged in the Pontiac until the Pontiac stopped. Kearbey stated that a blue passenger car swerved into her lane as it was traveling toward her and that she swerved to avoid the vehicle and then struck the mailboxes. A female passenger went to the Salem Memorial District Hospital to be checked due to being pregnant. The Pontiac sustained moderate damage and the mailbox framework was destroyed.

There will be a Steer Weigh-In at the Salem Livestock Barn on Saturday, March 3^rd from 8:30 to 10:30 am. All steers will be weighed, tagged and wormed. The first steer is free, additional steer weighed in is $5.00.

The opening of trout fishing season officially begins at 6:30 this morning at Roaring River State Park near Cassville, Bennett Spring State Park near Lebanon and Montauk State Park near Salem. For many fishermen, it is the unofficial start of spring. For other anglers, it is the beginning of a summer-long passion that runs until the season’s end on Oct. 31. With opening day falling on a Thursday this year, Missouri State Parks officials are anticipating that many eager anglers will make the event a four-day weekend to maximize time in the state parks and in the water. All of the communities around benefit from trout fishing season with busy hotels, motels, restaurants and retail stores. Opening day fishermen in all three state parks will find numerous improvements ranging from new roofs, fresh coats of paint, several remodeled cabins and four-plexes, and energy-efficiency projects such as solar water heaters in the shower houses. 

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