News

The Dent-Phelps R-III School has CANCELLED CLASSES for TODAY, THURSDAY and FRIDAY of this week…due to the FLU!!

A new National Park Service (NPS) report shows that 1,416,529 Ozark National Scenic Riverways visitors in 2010 spent $63,351,000 in and around the park and local communities. That supported 888 jobs in the local area. Most of the spending/jobs are related to lodging, food, and beverage service (52 percent) followed by other retail (29 percent), entertainment/amusements (10 percent), gas and local transportation (7 percent) and groceries (2 percent). The figures are based on $12 billion of direct spending by 281 million visitors in 394 national parks and nearby communities and are included in an annual, peer-reviewed, visitor spending analysis conducted by Dr. Daniel Stynes of Michigan State University for the National Park Service. Across the U.S., local visitor spending added a total of $31 billion to the national economy and supported more than 258,000 jobs, an increase of $689 million and 11,500 jobs over 2009. For more information, phone (573) 323-4236 during business hours Monday through Friday 8:00 am to 4:30 pm or visit the park’s website at www.nps.gov/ozar. Ozark National Scenic Riverways preserves the free-flowing Current and Jacks Fork Rivers, the surrounding natural resources, and the unique cultural heritage of the Ozark people. 

Troop I, of the Missouri State Highway Patrol, recorded two traffic fatalities during the month of January 2012. This is one more than January 2011. There were a total of 156 accidents with 36 injuries and two fatalities reported for January 2012 compared to 179 accidents with 64 injuries and one fatality in January 2011. Crawford County recorded 27 accidents with four injuries and two fatalities, Dent County recorded 16 accidents with four injuries and Laclede County recorded 25 accidents with seven injuries. Also reporting in January were Phelps County/Eastern Maries County with 61 accidents and 13 injuries and Pulaski County/Western Maries County reported 27 accidents with eight injuries.

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will conduct a public meeting on Tuesday, March 27^th at the Fire Department Training Building located at #80 Highway 49 in Viburnum from 6:30 to 8:00 pm. The purpose of the meeting is to present information on EPA’s recommended alternatives to clean up the Viburnum Trend Haul Roads Superfund Site (VTHR). The Viburnum Trend Haul Roads site is located in southeastern Missouri within Reynolds, Iron and Dent counties on residential properties adjacent or near to the haul road segments along Highways 21, 32, 49 and 72 as well as Routes AC, B, J, KK, N, O, Y and TT. The first alternative is to take no additional protective measures while the second alternative is to consider the removal of the surface soils in yards with the total lead concentrations greater than 400 parts per million and backfilling with clean material. A 30-day public comment period starts March 7^th and will run through April 7^th. Comments may be submitted by mail to Belinda Young, Community Involvement Coordinator, U.S. EPA, Office of Public Affairs 901 North 5^th Street, Kansas City, Kansas 66101, call toll free at (800) 223-0425 or email young.belinda@epa.gov.

The Salem Upper Elementary had 19 students shoot in the Southwest Regional NASP tournament in Willard, MO on Saturday the 3^rd of March. They captured 1^st place in the elementary division with a team score of 2,722.  Sixth grader Kristen Pike ranked 2^nd overall in the elementary female division with a score of 257 out of 300. The entire elementary team now moves on to the state competition in Warrensburg, MO on the campus of Central Missouri State University on March 24^th. 

An accident happened at 1:00 in the afternoon on Sunday, March 4^th in St. Francois County on the off road vehicle area in the St. Francois State Park. According to the highway patrol report, a 2005 Kawasaki ATV driven by 23-year old Emily Walls of St. James was traveling north and drove into a gulley on the sand and was ejected. Walls suffered moderate injuries was taken by private conveyance to the Parkland Hospital in Farmington. She was wearing a safety device at the time of the accident. The 2005 Kawasaki ATV sustained no damage.

The Southwest Baptist University-Salem Campusis sponsoring the Tuesday, March 13^th Chamber Members luncheon meeting.  This meeting will be held at Southwest Baptist University located at 501 South Grand, beginning at noon. Philip Giacomelli will be speaking on new and upcoming programs as well as the formation of their new community service student organization and various other SBU related topics. There will be a drawing for the top 3 “premier” booth spaces for the Business Expo – members must be present to win!  There is no cost for lunch but please RSVP by Friday, March 9^th to chamber@salemmo.com or call 729-6900.

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