News
The Dent County Commissioners met for their regular meeting Monday morning at the Dent County Courthouse. At the meeting, Deloris Gray Wood, President of the Dent County Historical Society, came in to ask if the commissioners would consider waiving the burn ban for the Skirmish at Ashley Creek this upcoming Saturday at the Mount Olive Baptist Church at 10:00. The commission will see what Dent County Fire Chief Brad Nash has to say about it since the area did receive some substantial rain last week and make a decision on Thursday. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Dennis Purcell said that grading would be done on Dent County Roads 2450, 2460, 4210 and 5520, while brush would be cut on Dent County Roads 5170 and 6150. He also said that maintenance is going to be done on Dent County truck #115 and on the asphalt machine. District 2 Commissioner Gary Larson said that grading would be done on Dent County Roads 2050 and 3120, and that materials would be added and grading would be done on Dent County Road 4380. Larson stated that brush would be cut on Dent County Roads 2030 and 2070. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles said that he would be attending a Meramec Regional Emergency Planning Meeting today. At the last meeting, Emergency Management Director Brad Nash visited with the commission about the temporary burn ban and after talking with other fire departments, he suggested that the burn ban remain in effect. Dent County Surveyor Craig Ruble asked the commission for 10 more re-monumentation corners but no decision was made. The next meeting of the Dent County Commissioners will be held Thursday morning at 9:00 and that meeting is open to the public.
The Salem Board of Aldermen held their regular meeting Monday night at the City Hall Council Chambers. At the meeting, the board held a public tax hearing to establish the tax rate for 2012 for real estate and personal property in the City of Salem. The current rate is $0.06243 per $100 assessed valuation and alderman discussed no change in the rate. After no public comment, City Administrator Clayton Lucas informed the board that it would cost the city about $22,175 in material plus labor in repairing the clarifiers. The board rejected the previous bid to repair all three and approved the city doing the work instead on one clarifier. Lucas then reported that he still had not received the appraisal on the Old Middle School. Alderman Jerry Randell asked that all bids on the property be rejected and that vote ended up 2-2 with Randell and Alderman Kenneth Nash voting to reject while Aldermen Haydn Powell and Phillip Giacomelli voted to not reject the bids. Mayor Brown then broke the tie voting not to reject the bids. This item has been postponed until the next meeting. Lucas then presented a letter from CM Archer Engineering concerning the lift station at Dilworth and if it could handle the flow from the Ranch Motel and adjacent buildings. After reviewing the report, the Board directed Lucas to get cost figures on the project. Lucas also submitted to the board information concerning the water and sewer line to the property at the junction of Highway 72 and Route J. A couple water line options were presented with a parallel line to the current water line that would cost about $180,000 and the second option would create a loop running north of the golf course that would cost about $194,134. There would also need to be a lift station at the Route J and Highway 72 junction and that would cost about $183,037. The board will review these numbers as they were requested by Mr. Midyett who was interested in buying the property at the intersection. Lucas stated that Flag Football signups would be held this Thursday and Friday in the Salem Freedom Activity Center from 4:00 to 6:00, on Saturday from 9:00 am until noon. Signups would also be held next Thursday and Friday from 4:00 to 6:00. He also reported that the City Pool this past summer lost $9,560, and that the concessions at the Little League and Pool lost $7,560 which included staff personnel. Mayor Gary Brown reported that work on MacArthur would begin in 2014 and that the MRPC has asked Salem to host their annual awards banquet in November. He said that the storm water grant work at the housing authority has begun and that people should not be putting yard sale signs on electric poles. He indicated that 1,195 people used the Salem TCRC in July and another 1,291 used the Salem Fitness Center. The board approved Ordinance #3262 that established the tax levy at $0.06243 per $100 assessed valuation for the 2012 personal property and real estate tax in the city of Salem for the General Revenue Fund. The board approved paying Vandevanter Engineering $5,663.35 for the repair of the pump at the lift station on Dilworth Lane. They also approved adding Renee Skaggs to the Planning and Zoning Board to replace Mickey Davis who resigned. Her term will expire in 2014. The board also approved hiring Ray Walden as the new Economic Development Director beginning October 1st. Mayor Brown read a statement in response to Alderman Nash’s letter at the last meeting indicating that there was no illegal activity and that the city has nothing to hide as he had been given copies of how the budget is doing every month or quarter. The board then went into closed session.
Sports [TOP]
The St. Louis Cardinals will start a three-game series with the Houston Astros tonight at Busch Stadium. Adam Wainwrght will take the mound for the Cards, who are eight games back in the NL Central but only 1½ games back from the final Wild Card spot. You’ll be able to hear the game on KSMO Radio at 6:40.
Jeremy Hellickson struck out six over seven strong innings Monday as the Tampa Bay Rays topped the Kansas City Royals, 5-1, in the opener of a three-game set at Tropicana Field. Will Smith (4-5) was tagged with the loss after giving up four runs on eight hits and two walks in 3 2/3 innings. Alex Gordon finished with two hits and knocked in the lone run for the Royals, who had a three-game winning streak snapped. The Royals and Rays play again tonight.
The NFL has announced that Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Tamba Hali has been suspended without pay for the team's first 2012 regular-season game and fined one additional game check for violating the NFL policy on substance abuse. Hali will be eligible September 10th.
THE 1ST SALEM TIGER HOME FOOTBALL GAME FOR FRIDAY, AUGUST 24TH...HAS BEEN RESCHEDULED FOR SATURDAY, AUGUST 25TH AT 7:00 PM.
Obituaries [TOP]
Funeral services for Ruby Barker of Doolittle and formerly of Salem, age 75, will be Wednesday at 1:00 at the James and Gahr Mortuary in Salem. Visitation will be tonight from 5:00 to 7:00. Interment will be in the Empire Cemetery in Gladden. Memorials may be made to the Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital
Memorial services for Rachel Leigh Pruett of Ackworth, Iowa and formerly of Columbia, age 16, will be held Wednesday night at 6:00 at the James and Gahr Mortuary in Rolla. Memorials may be made to the future Rachel Leigh Pruett Scholarship Fund.
Funeral services for Lisa Louise Persicke of St. James, age 44, will be held Friday at 11:00 at the James & Gahr Mortuary in St. James. Visitation will be Thursday from 5:00 to 9:00. Interment will be it the St. James Cemetery. Memorials may be made to the St. James Sports Club.
Funeral services for Kenneth Charles Piatt of Salem, age 53, will be held Friday at 1:00 at the Wilson Mortuary in Salem. Visitation will be from 11:30 until time of service. Memorials may be made to the Kenneth C. Piatt family.
Weather [TOP]
