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Your World Today will not be published this Thanksgiving Day or Friday. The next edition of YWT will be on Monday, December 1^st.

On Monday, the Dent County Sheriff’s Department surveillance cameras identified 57-year old Allen Gott of Salem, as he allegedly intentionally drove a pick-up truck into a Missouri State Highway Patrol vehicle in the afternoon around 3:41. The patrol car was parked in the Dent County Sheriff’s Department lot while the trooper was appearing in court. The impact shoved the highway patrol car into a Sheriff’s Department vehicle next to the highway patrol car. Both the Sheriff’s vehicle and the highway patrol vehicle sustained significant damage. Gott was arrested minutes later by the Salem Police officers at a local motel. He is currently incarcerated in the Dent County Jail pending formal charges. Gott was on probation for a similar offense at the Salem Police Department earlier in the year.

The Salvation Army Service Unit of Dent County would like to announce that this year’s Christmas kettle campaign would begin today and run every weekend until Saturday, December 27^th. The kettles will be located at Wal-Mart, Country Mart and Dollar General. Counter Kettles will be placed at various locations around Dent County. The 2008 goal is $20,000 and, with the continuation of a local mail appeal and the hundreds of volunteer hours donated by individuals, businesses and clubs to ring the bell at the Christmas kettle, The Salvation Army is confident that local citizens will support this campaign generously as they have in the past. Honorary Christmas Campaign Chairman Liz Gruendel, wants to thank everyone, in advance, for their donation of money, time, or both during the Christmas season to help make a brighter 2009 for those less fortunate. The funds raised during this campaign will be used to assist the citizens of Dent County with gas, utility assistance, and prescriptions.  The Salvation Army also supplies local school children with backpacks, assistance to fire victims and gifts to the residents of local nursing homes. The generosity of the citizens of Dent County will enable the local Salvation Army to continue to meet the needs of those who need assistance in 2009. If you need additional information about the local Salvation Army, please call Jim and Diane Boulware at 729-6685 or Sherry Lea at 729-8163.

The 2008 Christmas Parade of Lights entitled, “Home For the Holiday”, will be held on Saturday, December 6^th beginning at 5:30 pm. Immediately following the parade, there will be a lighting ceremony on the square to officially light the Dent County Courthouse for the 2008 Christmas season. Those wishing to participate in the 2008 parade need to fill out a parade form. The deadline to turn in those entries for the parade is Monday, December 1^st at the Chamber office located at 200 South Main or call 729-6900 for more information.

The Salem Area Chamber of Commerce will once again be sponsoring a Holiday Decorating Contest. Enter your own home or someone else’s, to be the winner of the 2008 Holiday Decorating Contest. A $100 prize will be awarded to the “best overall” display. Second place wins $50 and third place will receive $25. The deadline to enter the contest is Thursday, December 18^th. Winners will be announced on Monday, December 22^nd. You can pick up an entry form at the Chamber office located at 200 South Main, call the Chamber at 729-6900 or e-mail the director at chamber@salemmo.com. Each entry needs to be completed with the address of the home to be entered, a contact phone number for both the person entering the home and the homeowner of the home being entered. If the home is out of town, be sure and include driving directions.

The “Trees and Trains” exhibit is on display at the Ozark Natural and Cultural Resource Center now through Wednesday, December 24^th. The exhibit consists of lighted Christmas trees furnished and decorated by local individuals, organizations and businesses for the pleasure of others. This exhibit also features some miniature train displays and memorabilia. The Ozark Natural and Cultural Resource Center is open Monday through Saturday from 9:00 am to 5:00 PM. For more information call the ONCRC at 729-0029.

Sports [TOP]

This Saturday it will be the Border War with Missouri and Kansas battling it out at Arrowhead Stadium in Big 12 football action. Last year, this game was for the Big 12 North Championship, but this year, it will just be the last regular season game for Kansas. Game time is set for 11:30 and you can hear the game on KSMO Radio.

The University of Missouri signed head football coach Gary Pinkel to a new seven-year contract that will keep him on the sidelines with the Tigers through the 2015 season. Pinkel had previously inked a five-year deal last December -- which originally retained his services through 2012 -- but this contract now replaces it. The contract will compensate the 56-year-old Pinkel $2.3 million annually, which includes a base salary of $350,000.

Missouri's Jeremy Maclin is a finalist for The Biletnikoff award, an award handed to the best receiver. The other finalists include Oklahoma State's Dez Bryant and Texas Tech's Michael Crabtree, last year's winner.

The Missouri Boys Basketball Tigers will be facing Oral Roberts on Sunday afternoon at 3:00. KSMO will air the second half of the game on a taped delayed basis after St. Louis Blues Hockey starting at about 4:30.

The Salem Boys and Girls Basketball Teams will be playing in Rolla at the Tip-Off Classic on Saturday against Northwest High School from St. Louis. The Boys JV will play at noon and the varsity game will follow at 1:30. The Girls varsity will play at noon with the JV to play at 1:30. KSMO will not be airing any of these games due to the Missouri-Illinois Football game.

Chris Mason stopped all 47 shots he faced through three periods plus overtime, then closed the door twice in the shootout to lead the St. Louis Blues to a 1-0 victory over the Nashville Predators at Sommet Center. David Perron was credited with the game-winning goal for the Blues, who have won three straight games and four of their last five overall. Mason made 15 saves in the first period, 12 more in the second, 11 in the third and was at his best with nine saves in overtime. St. Louis will now travel to Denver for a matchup against the Avalanche tonight at 8:00 and you can hear the game on KSMO Radio.

 NHL Scores:

Atlanta 6, Toronto 3
Calgary 6, Los Angeles 2

Obituaries   [TOP]