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.

The final event of the 2010 Sesquicentennial Committee, led by Jerry Craig, was the burial of a time capsule near the flagpole at the City Administrative Offices held Monday evening. The capsule was donated by Wilson Mortuary of Salem and the stone marker with the inscription “Salem Sesquicentennial, 1860-2010” was donated by Salem Monument Works. City crews dug the hole and lowered the time capsule into place. People in attendance at the ceremony were allowed to throw a shovel of dirt onto the capsule if they desired. Items included in the time capsule are local phone books; shirts, mugs and other Sesquicentennial memorabilia, a leaf from trees planted during the Sesquicentennial, children’s essays of the future, political items, local business cards, Sesquicentennial newspaper, Walking Tour book, photographs of the Sesquicentennial events and current Salem businesses as they appear today; tourism brochures; vacuum sealed seeds, a David Plank paintbrush, a letter to the people that open the capsule in 50 years asking them to display the items at the Museum and Library and numerous other items. Chairman Jerry Craig and Mayor Gary Brown thanked the members of the Sesquicentennial Committee and especially Jay Anderson who collected items for the time capsule.

The Dent County Commissioners meeting was held Monday morning at the Dent County Courthouse. In the road report, both District One Commissioner Dennis Purcell and District Two Commissioner Gary Larson reported that conditions are too wet for grading. Both districts have workers installing insulation on the East and West walls out at the shop. Purcell reported that a worker would replace a stolen road sign, and a crew would be inspecting roads and the loop around Bunker that firefighters have been using in fighting the recent fires as well as getting equipment ready for cold weather. Larson reported that gravel would be screened using the portable screener, and a crew would checking for downed signs and water levels due to recent rains in the area. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles reported that Interop-Solutions, LLC would be in Dent County next week to begin the installation of the hardware portion of their system. Skiles also wanted to remind everyone that a reception for Ray Walden would be held on Tuesday from 4:00 to 6:00 pm at the Salem TCRC. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley reported that she and the Treasurer balanced on All Accounts for the month of October. The next meeting of the Dent County Commission will be held Thursday morning at 9:00 at the Dent County Courthouse and the meeting is open to the public.

According to the latest press release from the Forest Service, the Mark Twain National Forest firefighters continue to patrol and check the 5,000-acre Minninghaw wild fire near Salem, Missouri. Mark Twain National Forest Fire Management Officer Jody Eberly said rain expected over the next two days should result in totally containing the 5,025 acre Minninghaw wild fire by Wednesday, November 9th meaning that the likelihood of the wild fire moving across the fire containment lines will be low. Two contract firefighting crews from Asheville, North Carolina left Monday to return home. They arrived November 3rd to supplement Mark Twain National Forest firefighting crews. According to Mark Twain National Forest District Ranger Thom Haines, the completed and ongoing timber sales since the May 2009 derecho, or inland hurricane, helped reduce wild fire fuels on Mark Twain National Forest’s wild fires near Salem, Missouri. Since May 2009, when the wind event cut a 15 to 20-mile wide swath across Dent, Shannon and Reynolds counties continuing across to Fredericktown, Missouri, forest fuels significantly increased from an average 2 tons per acre to 50-100 tons per acre. From May 2009 to November 2011, Mark Twain National Forest’s Salem Ranger District completed 12 roadside salvage projects totaling approximately 4,100 acres, with another 2,100 acres through regular salvage sales. That’s twice the district’s annual average. Haines said that their primary focus has been public and firefighting safety. Haines stated that they have been fortunate to work with a number of area logging operators and small lumber mills to salvage the downed wood where they can get to it. He said that even with ongoing and planned future timber sales, there’s still a lot of downed wood. Haines said several more salvage sales are planned through 2013 to remove downed wood.

Sports [TOP]

Senior Ricardo Ratliffe led five Tigers in double figures with 21 points as the University of Missouri men's basketball team concluded exhibition action with an 88-70 win over the University of Central Missouri Monday night at Mizzou Arena. The Tigers finished exhibition play with a perfect 3-0 mark. Mizzou shot over 50 percent from the field for the third straight exhibition contest, as the team made 33-of-64 shots on the night for 51.6 percent. Ratliffe's 21 points came on 10-of-16 shooting from the floor, while he also grabbed a game high nine boards. Junior Michael Dixon posted 17 points on 5-of-7 shooting, senior Marcus Denmon scored 15 points, senior Kim English notched 13 and senior Matt Pressey added 12. Additionally, sophomore Phil Pressey dished out a game high nine assists. Missouri will open up the regular season Friday night, as they’ll host Southeast Missouri State University.

The St. Louis Blues will be hosting the division leading Chicago Blackhawks tonight at 7:00. This will be the first game for the Blues since Ken Hitchcock was named coach. The Blues have a 6-7-0 on the year.

Obituaries   [TOP]

Funeral services for Donald “Don” Ray Harmon of Steelville, age 64, will be held today at 2:00 at the First Assembly of God Church in Steelville. Interment will be in the Pleasant Point Cemetery in Steelville. Memorials may be made to the St. Judes Children Research Hospital or Assembly of God Royal Rangers. All arrangements are under the direction of the Britton-Bennett Funeral Home in Steelville.

Funeral services for James R. Cowan of Salem, age 69, will be held Wednesday at 11:00 at the James & Gahr Mortuary in Salem. Visitation will be tonight from 6:00 to 8:00, with a Masonic Service at 6:00. Interment will be in the Carty Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to the Carty Cemetery.

Funeral services for Charles Ray Gibbs of Salem, age 71, will be held Thursday at 1:00 at the Wilson Mortuary in Salem. Visitation will be Wednesday from 6:00 to 8:00. Interment will be in the Edgar Cemetery.

A Celebration of Life will be held for Gregory Allen Harrison of Salem, age 40, on Thursday night at 7:00 at the Salem United Methodist Church. Visitation will be from 5:00 until service time. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the family.

Funeral services for Dianna L. Thomason of Salem, age 60, will be held Friday at 1:30 at the Wilson Mortuary in Salem. Visitation will be from 11:30 until service time. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the family.

Graveside service for Frieda Morrison of Salem, age 93, will be held Saturday at the Cedar Grove Cemetery in Salem starting at 11:00. All arrangements are under the direction of the Dent County Memorial Chapel of Salem.

Funeral services for Lloyd Franklin Wilson of Jerome, age 63, are incomplete at this time but under the direction of the James and Gahr Mortuary in Rolla.

Weather [TOP]