News

Scroll Down for Sports, Weather and Obituaries! For State-Wide News, go to the MissouriNet! To read previous editions of Your World Today please visit our Archives Page.

Sho-Me Power has scheduled a power outage that will kill electric power to the City of Salem today at 10:00 a.m. The outage is projected to last about one hour so the electric should be back on by 11:00 a.m. Sho-Me is repairing the switch gear that turns the power on and off to the city in emergency situations. After Sho-Me Power repairs the switch gear, they will need to put it back in service which means they will again kill power to the City of Salem on Thursday August 1^st at 10:00 am. Once again, it should only take one hour for the repairs to be completed, the same as the first outage. If you are a person that is dependent on electricity for medical or for daily living needs, please make alternative arrangements on those days to safeguard your health. The Old City Hall and the Oak Grove Church will be open and operating on generator during this time today if you need to use them. The City of Salem and Sho-Me Power apologizes for any inconvenience this causes.

The Crawford County Sheriff's Department has charged 59-year old James Crocker of Steelville with 2nd-degree murder in the Saturday afternoon killing of 48-year old Paul F. Dart, Jr.of Robertsville, MO who was floating on the Meramec River. A probable cause affidavit filed in Crawford County states that Crocker was upset because someone was urinating on or near his property which is along the river and near the shooting scene. A group of floaters stopped on a gravel bar when one of the male floaters urinated on property near the river. The statement indicates that several of the male floaters argued with Crocker when he fired warning shots at them. At some point, Dart approached Crocker and was shot in the face from about three feet away.

In closed session last Thursday, the Salem R-80 Board unanimously approved the addition of a part-time central office secretary. The Board also by unanimous vote approved hiring Michelle Steelman as a kindergarten teacher, Laine Schafer as a 2^nd grade teacher and to hire Rich Beckett as Junior High Football Coach. The meeting was then adjourned.

Monday morning at the Dent County Courthouse, the Dent County Commissioners met for their regular meeting. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Dennis Purcell said that grading was being done on Dent County Roads 6240 and 6670, while materials were being added and grading was being done on Dent County Roads 5220 and 6660. He indicated that brush would be cut on Dent County Road 6520. District 2 Commissioner Gary Larson stated that grading would be done on Dent County Roads 3223, 3240, 5225, 6140 and 6160, while materials would be added and grading would be done on county road 2340. He said that brush would be cut on Dent County Roads 2070 and 3250, and materials were going to be added to county road 4060. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles reported that he attended at Region I Homeland Security Oversight Committee meeting in St. James. He said that a mobile Motorola radio became available from the last go around of funding for half the cost of the radio. The committee voted to provide that radio to the Salem Memorial District Hospital for $1,440.50, which is half the initial cost of $2,881.00. The committee then allocated grant funds of $54,132.32 from the six grant applications received totaling $90,030.58. Skiles said that the hospital received a grant of $2,881 to buy a second mobile Motorola radio. Four other grants were approved that made up for the remaining balance. The next meeting of the Dent County Commissioners will be Thursday morning at 9:00 at the courthouse and the meeting is open to the public.

The Dent County Sheriff’s Office released a report. On Wednesday, July 17^th at 10:12 in the morning, Deputies with the Dent County Sheriff’s Office made contact with 28-year old Michael Richards at his residence on Highway FF in Dent County. Richards had an active warrant for his arrest that had been issued by the Salem Police Department for Shoplifting. A consent search of the residence revealed numerous pieces of jewelry and tools. These items had been reported stolen on Tuesday, July 16^th from a burglary and theft of a residence located on Route O in Lecoma. Also located in the residence were a 12-gauge shotgun and numerous items of drug paraphernalia. Richards was incarcerated in the Dent County Jail and is currently being held on charges of burglary, stealing, unlawful possession of a firearm and shoplifting. Richards’s bond has been set at $40,250 cash only. Also located in the residence were a “LG” flat screen TV, a “Stihl” straight shaft weed eater and a “Task Force” band saw. These items were only recovered and no victims have been identified. Anyone in the Dent/Phelps area missing these items should contact the Dent County Sheriff’s Office. The above information is just a mere accusation, and is not evidence of guilt. Evidence in support of any charge must be presented before a court of competent jurisdiction whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.

Sports [TOP]

The St. Louis Cardinals had the day off yesterday but will start a three-game series with the Philadelphia Phillies tonight at Busch Stadium. St. Louis currently leads the Pirates by 1½ games in the NL Central and the Cardinals will have Shelby Miller on the mound tonight. You can hear the game on KSMO Radio, starting with the pre-game show at 6:40.

J.J. Hardy went 3-for-5 with a home run and three RBI to highlight an 18-hit onslaught that powered the Baltimore Orioles past the Kansas City Royals, 9-2, in the opener of a four-game set. Wade Davis (4-9) didn't make it out of the third inning and was charged with four runs -- two earned -- on seven hits and three walks. He fell to 0-4 with a 10.91 ERA (19 ER, 15 2/3 innings) in his last four outings. The Royals did not record an extra-base hit and lost for the seventh time in the last nine games. The Royals and Orioles will play again tonight.

In their search for depth and experience at linebacker, the St. Louis Rams turned to a familiar face Monday morning, signing Will Witherspoon to a one-year contract. Witherspoon will be embarking on his second tour in St. Louis after he spent the prime of his career, from 2006 to 2009, with the Rams. Witherspoon led the Rams in tackles with 136 in 2006 and followed with 132 in 2007.In an 11-year career, Witherspoon has played 173 games with 150 starts, posting 938 tackles, 26 sacks, 11 forced fumbles, 7 fumble recoveries and 13 interceptions along the way.

Obituaries   [TOP] 

Funeral services for Ricky Willis of St. James, age 53, will be held today at noon at the St. James Chapel of the James and Gahr Mortuary. Visitation will be from 10:00 until time of service. Interment will be in the Corinth Cemetery in Dent County.

Memorial services for Barbara Loretta Arnett of Salem, age 73, will be held this evening at 6:00 at the Wilson Mortuary in Salem. Visitation will be this evening from 5:00 until time for the memorial service. Interment will be at North Lawn Cemetery at a later date. Memorials may be made to Project Win.

Funeral services for Hazel Josephine Aaron of Rolla, age 89, will be Thursday at 11:00 at the James and Gahr Mortuary in Rolla. Visitation will be Wednesday from 5:00 to 7:00 at the Chapel. Interment will be in the Roach Cemetery in Rolla. Memorials may be made to the Shriners Hospitals for Children of the Phelps County Homecare Hospice.

Funeral services for Elder Berlie Turnbough of Steelville, age 77, will be held Friday at 11:00 at the Britton-Bennett Funeral Home in Steelville. Visitation will be Thursday from 5:00 to 8:00.

Weather   [TOP]