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The Salem R-80 Board of Education held their monthly meeting Thursday evening. Superintendent Steve Bryant updated the Board on legislative issues including Senate Bill #558, the A+ Scholarship program. The program “Mo Promise” is expected to eliminate bill #558 and although it will still require students to meet the same qualifications of a 3.0 grade point average, it will also require them to obtain an Associates Degree, they will have to pass drug and alcohol free testing, and do 50-hours of community service for a 4-year tuition paid scholarship at a Missouri school. The governor is expected to sign the bill in early June with the “MO Promise” program going into effect in August of this year. Bryant told the Board that the MSBA meeting would be held in Houston on April 23rd. The Board then honored Professional Development Committee chairperson Joey Crossgrove for 10-years of service as she has resigned. The new chairperson is Christa Barnes and co-chair person is Lisa Nash. Bryant presented to the Board a Certificate for Outstanding Achievement from the Missouri State High School Association for the Salem High School Girls softball team for maintaining a 3.3 grade point average. In new business, Assistant Superintendent Cindy Rumpf then presented to the Board numerous presenters of the Salem R-80 staff at the CIA conference. Senior High Computer Science IV students then did demonstrations of not only the use of technology that they have obtained, but they also presented programs that were written by the students themselves. Salem did receive one of 30 asthma grants in the state for $700, and there will be a Community Asthma Health Fair on Thursday, April 30th at the Salem Upper Elementary from 5:30 to 8:00. After approval of the health services evaluation, the Board then approved staying with the health consortium but changing to Anthem for health insurance coverage for the district. The benefits and coverage will all stay the same but the district will save over $200,000 next year as the rates will drop to $325 per employee per month next year compared to $407 per employee per month this year. The Board then approved keeping the meal prices the same for the 2009/2010 school year. The Board approved the facilities and grounds evaluation, which also consisted of looking into all the options available for the district to do as much work as still needed on existing structures such as roofs and parking lots. The board also approved the request from the Project Graduation Committee for transportation for the graduation party festivities. The Board had previously approved the lease agreement for new buses and approved the resolution needed to go along with that. They approved the student accident insurance, which will be the same package for the same rate. The Board accepted the resignation of Kathy Peterson as a cook at the Upper Elementary as of April 13^th. Wade Jadwin was elected as the delegate and Greg Nash was elected as the alternate delegate to represent Salem R-80 for the Missouri School Board Association. The Board then went into Closed Session where they employed Holly Asberry as an Upper Elementary School nurse; Rebecca Schnelle as an Upper Elementary teacher; Robert Stagner as a Senior High math instructor; and Nic Zenker as a Senior High PE and Alternative classroom teacher. The board also re-employed 89 non-certified support staff. Nic Zenker was also employed for the boy’s varsity basketball position. The extra duty staff which includes vocal music, various sponsors, and athletic coaches were also employed. The meeting was then adjourned.

The Salem Board of Aldermen will hold their regular meeting tonight at the city hall council chambers starting at 7:00. At the meeting, the board will discuss the tax collection agreement between the city of Salem and the Dent County Collector’s office to collect the city real estate and property taxes. The board will then approve bills before the canvassing of the election results from the Municipal Election of April 7^th. After that, the oath of office will be administered to the elected officials. The organization of the board will be done before the city treasurer is appointed. The appointment of the standing committees and boards will then presented by the mayor before the reports from the aldermen will be heard as well Mayor Gray Brown’s comments. The meeting will then adjourn. The meeting tonight is open to the public.

The Salem FFA Chapter placed fourth in the Missouri FFA Parliamentary Procedure Career Development Event at the 81st Missouri FFA Convention. The team members are Chairperson Kendra Case, Ashley Greenshields, Lane Howard, Eddie Fleetwood, Kimberly Land, Ryan Tiefenthaler, and alternates Chandra Sullins and Taylor Fry. The Salem FFA advisors are Heather Johnson and Robert Parsons. The Parliamentary Procedure Career Development Event, sponsored by Grand River Technical School, consists of both a written test and a team demonstration that tests the team's knowledge of parliamentary law based on Robert's Rules of Order. The Missouri FFA has 24,410 members representing 317 chapters.

Sports [TOP]

The Salem Baseball Tigers won their tournament this past weekend by dominating their opponents in all three games. Salem blasted St. James Friday by the score of 15-2. Then on a wet Saturday, Salem beat Licking by the score of 10-5, and shutout Iberia, 13-0, to sweep the tournament. Salem is now 9-2 on the year and they will host the Mountain View/Liberty Eagles today at 4:30 in SCA play. Salem is 3-0 in the SCA. You can hear that game on KSMO Radio and online at ksmoradio.com.

The Salem Tiger Golf Team will be at Mountain Grove today, while the Salem Track Teams will be at Ava today starting at 3:30.

The finale of a four-game set between the Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals at Wrigley Field has been postponed due to rain. The Cubs took two of three from the Cardinals in the series. The game will be made up as part of a July 12th day-night doubleheader.

Michael Young belted a solo homer to left- center field in the bottom of the ninth inning to lift the Texas Rangers to a 6-5 victory over the Kansas City Royals in the final game of a three-game set. Kyle Farnsworth (0-3) came in to pitch the home half of the ninth for the Royals with the tilt tied at five. Young, the first batter of the frame, drove a 1-0 fastball over the left-center field wall to end the game. Mike Jacobs and David DeJesus each hit a home run for the Royals, who won two of three games in the series. Kyle Davies allowed three runs on as many hits while striking out eight and walking five in a six-inning start for Kansas City. Kansas City will head to Cleveland on Tuesday for a three- game series with the Indians.

Steve Bernier netted the game-winner early in the third period, as the Vancouver Canucks edged the St. Louis Blues, 3-2, in Game 3 of their Western Conference quarterfinal series. Roberto Luongo was solid between the pipes, stopping 24 shots for the third- seeded Canucks, who lead the best-of-seven series, 3-0, and will look to complete the sweep Tuesday in St. Louis. David Backes and Andy McDonald both registered a goal and an assist for the Blues, who had won their last five on home ice to conclude the regular season. Chris Mason made 23 saves in defeat. Game Four will be Tuesday night in St. Louis at 7:00. The Blues MUST win the game to send the series back to Vancouver on Friday night.

Obituaries   [TOP]

Funeral services for David P. Bogle of Chamois, age 59, will be held Wednesday at 11:00 at the Morton Chapel in Chamois with Chaplin Bruce Gardner officiating. Visitation will be Tuesday from 4:00 to 8:00. Interment will be in the Lane Cemetery.

Funeral services for Richard Wilbur of Salem, are incomplete at this time, but are under the direction of the Dent County Memorial Chapel.

Weather [TOP]