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As temperatures become warmer, motorists will see an increase in road construction in Missouri. Please be patient when you approach construction or work zone areas. These crews are working hard to improve the roadways for everyone. Speed limits may be lowered in these areas for your safety and the safety of the work crew. Please obey the construction zone speed limit. It’s the law. In highway construction zones, the roadway usually has been narrowed to accommodate the work. This leaves less room for drivers to react if the vehicles in front of them slow down or stop suddenly. Please keep this in mind as you approach a highway construction zone. Pay attention to your driving and slow down when driving in construction zones. Before you take off on your spring or summer vacation or even just a weekend trip, check to see where construction zones are located. Call the Road Condition hotline at 1-800-222-6400 before you leave or go to www.modot.org. The hotline and website will inform you of long-term road construction taking place along your travel route. Knowing where construction is allows you to prepare—extra time and patience are good things to take with you into a construction zone.  In 2007, six people were killed and 782 were injured in construction or work zone involved traffic crashes. The number one cause of these types of crashes is driving too fast. Slow down when approaching construction zones. Pay attention to reduced speed limits, narrowed lanes, and other changes in traffic patterns. Road construction is temporary--please be patient!

The Dent County University of Missouri Extension will be offering a Private Pesticide Applicator Training Program on April 3rd at 6:30 pm at the Extension Office Conference Room located on the second floor of the Judicial Building in Salem. By participating in this training session, individuals will meet the Missouri Department of Agriculture requirements to obtain a license to purchase and apply restricted-use pesticides for private use.  Those individuals who need to renew an expiring restricted-use pesticide license are eligible to attend this session to have those licenses renewed. There is no charge for this course; however, optional instructional materials and guidebooks may be purchased. Please call the Dent County Extension office at 729-3196 by April 2nd to reserve a seat or if you have further questions about this program.

School will dismiss early tomorrow due to a teacher in-service. William Lynch will dismiss at 11:15, Salem R-80 Upper Elementary will dismiss at 11:20, Salem R-80 Jr/Sr High Schools will dismiss at 11:30, and the rural schools, Oak Hill R-I, Green Forest R-II, Dent-Phelps R-III and Northwood R-IV will all dismiss at 11:45.

The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education will honor 35 school districts in the south-central Missouri area at a banquet. About 300 school board members, administrators, teachers and students are expected to attend on Monday, March 31^st. The annual “Distinction in Performance” banquet, sponsored by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and the Regional Professional Development Center will begin at 6:00 at the Havener Center (St. Pat’s ballroom) in Rolla on the Missouri University of Science and Technology campus. The Distinction in Performance Award is one of the state’s most prestigious honors for local school districts. There will be a dinner followed by the presentations. Schools in our area to receive the award include, Oak Hill R-I, Green Forest R-II, Dent-Phelps R-III, Bunker R-III, Rolla and Sullivan.

The Missouri Department of Conservation and the Ozark Natural and Cultural Resource Center invite the public to attend “An Evening with Wildlife” tomorrow night from 6:00 to 8:30 at the Ozark Natural and Cultural Resource Center. “An Evening with Wildlife” is designed to provide people the opportunity to learn about outdoor activities, private conservation organizations, and state and federal government conservation agencies in a sport-show like environment. Everyone is invited and the admission is FREE!!!

Sports [TOP]

The Salem Baseball Tigers will host the Potosi Trojans today at 4:30 at the Salem high School Baseball Complex. Salem is 1-0 on the year. You can hear the game on KSMO Radio and online at www.ksmoradio.com.

The Salem Tiger Golf Team will be at Mountain View today at 4:00 while the Salem Tiger Tennis Team will be at Willow Springs at 4:00.

The Salem Tiger Track Teams will host the Salem Open today at 4:00.

Adam Wainwright pitched six solid innings in his final spring training tuneup and Ryan Ludwick drove in two runs, as the St. Louis Cardinals rolled to an 8-2 victory over the Baltimore Orioles. Wainwright yielded just two runs on four hits with two walks and four strikeouts in six innings. Ludwick doubled twice and also scored a run in his two at-bats. Yadier Molina and Skip Schumaker each registered a pair of hits and drove in a run for the Cardinals, while Albert Pujols, Troy Glaus and Aaron Miles also knocked in a run apiece.

St. Louis Cardinals have placed outfielder Juan Gonzalez on the temporarily inactive list. They also reassigned pitchers Hugo Castellanos, Chris Perez and Cliff Politte to the minor league camp.

Brad Wilkerson homered drove in three runs as the Seattle Mariners upended the Kansas City Royals, 8-5, in Cactus League play. Gil Meche was touched for five runs while allowing seven hits in five innings. Miguel Olivo and Jason Smith each homered off Bedard in the second inning, and both knocked in a pair.

Kansas City Royals have acquired pitcher Ramon Ramirez from the Colorado Rockies for a player to be named; designated pitcher Jorge De La Rosa for assignment; traded first baseman-outfielder Justin Huber to the San Diego Padres for a player to be named later.

Missouri State University has named Cuonzo Martin as the head men's basketball coach. Martin replaces Barry Hinson, who was fired after guiding the team for nine years, compiling a 169-117 record and taking the school to the NIT on four occasions. The Bears, who went 17-16 overall and 8-10 in the Missouri Valley Conference last season, are expected to return two starters for Martin's initial season.

Obituaries   [TOP]