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The Dent County 4-H and FFA Livestock Auction Saturday brought a total of $104,763.60 for 14 lambs, 49 hogs and 25 steers. This total included contributions of $700 by Wathen Grain and $1,000 by Donald Lawn and Farm as well as the commercial heifer ribbon sales of $750. The sale of the lambs raised $4,245.40, the sale of the hogs raised $38,240.65, and the sale of the steers raised $59,827.55. The leading purchaser was Canoak as they bought nine hogs and seven steers for $20,716.45. The Bank of Salem was also active as they purchased two lambs, four hogs, and four steers for a total of $15,558.08. There were 17 different purchasers who bought more than one animal during the auction. A total of 31 buyers purchased animals during the auction and twelve of them were resold. Six new buyers then bought the animals that were resold. Those proceeds were then donated to a specific beneficiary such as a 4-H club, the 4-H Washington trip, the Salem FFA Chapter or the Salem Crisis Center. The sale of one hog raised by Cody Wofford for $1,800 went to help with the medical expenses of Jacob Brooks who is recovering from an ATV accident.

The Salem Memorial District Hospital Board of Directors held their tax rate hearing Thursday afternoon prior to their regular meeting. The tax rate last year was at 20 cents per $100 assessed valuation and the assessed valuation for 2009 was estimated at $225,175,750 from the four counties it serves which is about five million dollar higher than 2008. The hospital already budgeted $425,000 in property tax income to be used for equipment purchases. The board elected to reduce their tax rate to $.195 per $100 assessed valuation that should still produce $439,093 if all taxes are collected. With no public objection, the tax rate was approved by the board. In the regular monthly meeting, the hospital showed an excess of revenues over expenses of $66,365 due to reduced expenses as well as increased outpatient registrations and emergency room visits. Collections also increased during the month providing a $336,000 increase in cash at the end of the month. Director of Nursing Carol Lacy reported that there were 870 emergency room visits in July with only 64 transfers. The emergency room turnaround time was at 120 minutes which is the goal of the hospital every month. There were 174 ambulance runs with 30 dry runs, 15 surgeries, 251 Home Health visits, 8,124 lab tests, 1,109 radiological procedures, 283 CT scans, 36 MRI scans, 26 nuclear med scans, 307 rehab treatments, 139 dialysis treatments and 293 clinical visits. Hospital Administrator Dennis Pryor reported that the hospital auxiliary approved the purchase of eight 26-inch LG LCD flat screen TV’s with the Crest Excel Digital Pillow Speakers for $1,003 each for patient rooms. He also reported that there are 48 participants in the Employee Commitment to Health Challenge and they have lost 111.5 pounds. Pryor stated that the Physicians Office Building 3 now has a completion date of November 1^st and the total expenditures to date are $775,214. The Finance Committee was appointed by Board Chairperson Joe Brand and it will include chairperson Leon Kreisler, Joe Hayes and Dennis Fiebelman. The board approved the budgeted purchase of two printers from Automated Business Systems for $200 to replace the printer in Radiology and get a new one for Human Resources. They also approved the budgeted purchase of a wall mount thermometer for Long Term Care from Burrows for $175. In non-budgeted purchases, the board approved the bid from Salem Refrigeration for a GE/Hotpoint refrigerator for $494 for Long-Term Care, approved the bid from Global Computer for two telemetry Online Tripplite UPS units for a total of $846 for Acute Care and the Emergency Room, approved the purchase of Vertiflex Rolling File Cart for Medical Records for $161 from Quill, and approved the purchase of Broselow Pediatric Resuscitation Cart and System for the Emergency Room for $3,556 from Armstrong Medical. The board also approved the purchase of a new Gambro CWP system for $82,500 to comply with the new federal regulations that go into effect on October 1^st. The board then moved into closed session.

Sports [TOP]

The City of Salem Fall Youth Soccer Program will begin soon. The Salem Parks and Recreation Department will be holding signups for boys and girls ages 4 through 12 from 4:00 to 6:00 PM with final signups this Thursday and Friday, August 28^th and 29^th. The cost per child is $15.00. ALL signups will be held in the lobby of the Salem Freedom Activity Center (the old Armory.) For more information about the soccer league signups, call the Salem Parks and Recreation Department at 729-6290.

The high school sports season opens today as the Salem Lady Softball Tigers travel to Newburg to face the Lady Wolves at 4:30. Tomorrow the Lady Tigers will travel to face the Waynesville Lady Tigers. Their first home game will be Thursday at 4:30 against Bakersfield at the Salem City Park Fields.

Albert Pujols went 2-for-2 with a two-run homer and three walks, and Braden Looper threw seven solid innings to lead St. Louis to a 6-3 win over Atlanta in the rubber match of a three-game set. Looper (12-10) picked up the win after allowing three runs on six hits and two walks, with five strikeouts. He has now pitched seven innings in each of his last six starts and not allowed more than three runs in any of them. Brian Barton finished 3-for-3 with a double and two RBI, while Joe Mather doubled, drove in two and walked twice for the Cardinals, who have won or tied four straight series. St. Louis trails Milwaukee by 3 1/2 games for the NL Wild Card spot and they will face the Brewers tomorrow night in a two-game series at Busch Stadium.

Jose Guillen homered and Mark Teahen drove in three runs, as the Kansas City Royals topped the Detroit Tigers, 7-3, to avoid a three-game sweep and halt a seven-game losing streak. Esteban German and Miguel Olivo also knocked in a run for Kansas City, while Alberto Callaspo finished 3-for-3 with a walk and a run scored. Brandon Duckworth (1-0), who had his contract purchased from Triple-A Omaha before the game, picked up the win after he allowed three runs on seven hits and four walks in five innings of work. The Royals face the Texas Rangers tonight.

Chad Pennington threw for 94 yards, including a 17-yard touchdown pass to Anthony Fasano, and Ted Ginn Jr. returned a punt 59 yards for another score as the Miami Dolphins defeated the Kansas City Chiefs, 24-0, in preseason action. Brodie Croyle finished 12-of-21 passing for 110 yards with an interception for Kansas City (1-2). Larry Johnson had 13 carries for 36 yards in defeat.

Marc Bulger threw for 182 yards and two touchdowns on 18-of-25 passing to lead St. Louis past Baltimore, 24-10, in preseason action. Keenan Burton caught three balls for 63 yards and a score for the Rams (2-1). Lance Ball added 48 yards and a TD on 13 carries.

Kansas City Royals third baseman Alex Gordon was placed on the 15-day disabled list Saturday with a torn muscle in his right leg. Infielder Alberto Callaspo was activated from the disabled list and recalled from a minor league rehab assignment to take Gordon's roster spot.

Obituaries   [TOP].

Today..Mostly sunny, high of 82.
Tonight..Mostly clear, low of 58.
Tuesday..Partly cloudy, high of 85.
Tuesday night..Mostly clear, low of 59.
Wednesday..Mostly sunny, high of 88.
Wednesday night..Partly cloudy, low of 65.
Thursday..Partly cloudy, high of 88.
Thursday night..Partly cloudy, low of 68.
Friday and Friday night..Partly cloudy, high of 89, low of 62.