Your World Today - October 28, 2010

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All of Ameren Missouri’s 127,000 natural gas customers will pay a lower price for natural gas this winter than last winter under a new Purchased Gas Adjustment (PGA) that was approved by the Missouri Public Service Commission (PSC) and becomes effective November 1st. Ameren Missouri cites lower costs from its suppliers due to lower demand and lower transportation costs as the reasons for this winter’s lower price to customers. For most residential customers, the savings will average about $1.60 per month during the winter heating season of November through March, but for customers in Rolla, Salem and Owensville, the savings will average about $33 per month due to lower transportation charges from one pipeline that carries gas to those areas. The lower transportation charges resulted from a settlement reached with MoGas Pipeline LLC in a transportation rate case before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).  Ameren Missouri actively intervened in support of lower transportation charges in the case. The PGA reflects the wholesale cost of natural gas from Ameren Missouri’s suppliers, plus the cost of transporting that gas to the Ameren Missouri system.  Wholesale gas costs are not regulated and go up or down based on market conditions of supply and demand.  Since these wholesale costs are volatile and can vary widely throughout the year, the PGA also includes an adjustment to compensate for any under- or over-collection of actual costs in previous periods. Ameren Missouri passes these costs on to customers, dollar-for-dollar, through the PGA without any “markup” in price. Ameren Missouri makes no profit from the PGA. For residential customers, the PGA accounts for about two-thirds of a customer’s total gas bill, excluding taxes. Under the adjustment approved by the PSC, the PGA for most customers will be 73 cents per Ccf—about 3 percent lower than last winter when it was 75 cents per Ccf.  But for customers in Rolla, Salem and Owensville, the PGA will be 84 cents per Ccf—a 35 percent reduction from January 2010 when the PGA was $1.30 per Ccf. Ameren Missouri is required to file a request for a new PGA once a year—to become effective November 1st, which is traditionally the start of the winter heating season. Because the cost of gas from its suppliers can vary significantly throughout the year—both up and down—Ameren Missouri may also request up to three additional PGA changes per year if the effective dates of these changes are at least 60 days apart.

The Salem R-80 Board of Education will conduct their monthly meeting tonight at the district administrative offices boardroom beginning at 6:00 pm. After the Board of Education Yearbook pictures, approval of the agenda and communications, Superintendent Cindy Rumpf will update the Board on the September membership count. She will then give a facilities report and give an MASA update. In new business, the Board will adopt the standard complaint resolution of homeless children and youth, approve a revision to Board Policy IKF, and approve the November Board meeting date. There will hear a budget update with possible revisions and the Board will hear resignations. The Board will then vote to go into Closed Session for the purpose of discussing personnel and discipline. The regular monthly meeting of the Salem R-80 Board of Education tonight is open to the public.

State Treasurer Clint Zweifel announced that for the first time ever, Missourians may sign-up online at www.ShowMeMoney.com to receive e-mails notifying them when they may have Unclaimed Property. Treasurer Zweifel said his administration is the second in the nation to offer the time-saving service. In June, Treasurer Zweifel also launched a paperless claims process making his administration the fifth state in the nation to offer the service. Missourians can visit www.ShowMeMoney.com 24 hours a day to search for Unclaimed Property that belongs to them, and most can file using the paperless system. In the Mid-Missouri Region, which includes Dent, Phelps, and Pulaski Counties, had $20.5 million in over 220,000 accounts of Unclaimed Property found. In the Southeast Region, which includes Iron and Reynolds Counties, had $12.3 million in nearly 140,000 accounts found. In the Southwest Region, which includes Shannon and Texas Counties, had $29.5 million in nearly 320,000 accounts found. For more information about Unclaimed Property, go to www.ShowMeMoney.com.

The Salem Area Chamber of Commerce and the City of Salem invite you to participate in the 2010 Christmas Parade entitled, “Rocking Around the Christmas Tree” that will be held on Saturday, December 4th beginning at 5:30 pm. The parade is to provide a family friendly, fun, community activity that all can enjoy. The parade route runs from the old Fairgrounds (corner of South Grand and Franklin) to the Dent County Courthouse. Entry forms and rules are available at the Chamber office located at 200 South Main Street or by e-mailing them at chamber@salemmo.com and must be returned no later than Friday, November 26th. For more information call the Chamber at 729-6900. Line-up positions will be available December 1st.

Sports [TOP]

The Salem Football Tigers will tangle with the Indians from the School of the Osage tonight starting at 7:00 at the Salem High School Football Field. Tonight will be Senior Night where this year’s senior class will be honored along with their parents before the game. Each team comes into the contest with identical records: 6-3 overall and 1-1 in the contest. The winner of the game will advance in the state playoffs as the wild card of District 8. You can hear the game on KSMO Radio and online at ksmoradio.com.

The St. Louis Blues will be in Nashville tonight to face the Predators starting at 7:00. KSMO will air the third period after Salem Tiger Football. The Blues have won their last two games and have only one regulation time loss this year.

The St. Louis Blues announced that defenseman Roman Polak would undergo surgery to repair a severed tendon in his right wrist today. The injury occurred in Saturday night's game against Pittsburgh. The 24-year-old Czech, who will be sidelined indefinitely, has one goal and six penalty minutes this season.

The St. Louis Blues have activated forward Cam Janssen from injured reserve. St. Louis also recalled defenseman Nathan Oystrick from Peoria of the American Hockey League.

The Kansas City Chiefs signed veteran linebacker Mark Simoneau on Wednesday. Simoneau, 33, hasn't played in the NFL since 2007 while with New Orleans. The Kansas State product has recorded 525 tackles, seven sacks and one interception in 123 games (68 starts) with Atlanta, Philadelphia and the Saints. The Chiefs also added wide receiver Jeremy Horne to the practice squad and released defensive end Atiyyah Ellison.

Obituaries   [TOP]

Funeral services for Alta Land of Salem, age 86, will be held today at 11:00 at the James & Gahr Mortuary in Salem. Interment will be in the Midlawn Memorial Garden in St. Clair. Memorials are suggested to the Alzheimer’s Association.

Graveside Committal services for Oneta T. Blake of Hillsboro, Illinois, age 86, will be held Friday at the Delmar Cemetery in Bunker after visitation from 10:00 to 12:00 at the James and Gahr Mortuary in Salem. Memorials are suggested to the Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church in Litchfield, Illinois.

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

Weather [TOP]

Today..Mostly sunny and cooler, high of 58.
Tonight..Mostly clear and cold with a Freeze Warning in effect from midnight until 9:00 AM.
Friday..Mostly sunny, high of 62.
Friday night..Mostly clear, low of 38.
Saturday..Mostly sunny, high of 67.
Saturday night..Mostly clear, low of 45.
Sunday..Mostly sunny, high of 69.