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The Dent County Commissioners held their regular meeting at the Dent County Courthouse Thursday morning. At the meeting, Commissioners Bobby Simpson and J.J. Tune both reported that conditions are too wet for grading. Commissioner Simpson did say that District 1 crew members would be checking speed limit signs and catching up on routine maintenance and Commissioner Tune said that part of the District 2 crew would be on Dent County Road 212 working on back slopes and the rest would be checking bridge signs.  Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles reported that he would be attending the Rightway Manufacturing Company open house and ribbon cutting ceremony this afternoon in the Industrial Park. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley wanted to remind everyone that the last day to register to vote for the February Primary Election is  January 9^th.  Dent County Assessor Brenda Bell stopped in to have the Commission sign off on a two-year assessment and maintenance plan that has to be submitted to the Tax Commission by the first of the year. The Commissioners also wanted to remind everyone that the courthouse will be closed Monday and Tuesday in observance of Christmas and they wanted to wish everyone a safe and Merry Christmas. The next meeting of the Commission will be Thursday at 9:00 and the meeting is open to the public.

The Salem R-80 Board of Education held their regular meeting Thursday evening at the district administrative offices. After the consent agenda, Board President Steve Watson announced that Superintendent Steve Bryant has been named as the “Superintendent of the Year” by the South Central Missouri Association of Scholastic Administrators. He will be honored at a banquet in April. Bryant announced that the school’s insurance company, MUSIC, will award six $2,000 scholarships this year to students. The board heard and approved the program evaluations on vocational programs hearing from Bob Parsons, Heather Johnson and Jo Medlock. The board then saw examples from four different upper elementary teachers about how they used differentiated instruction where a textbook is not used to teach. The board approved the Comprehensive School Improvement Plan, approved a resolution authorizing a $225,000 prepayment of the R-80 general obligation bonds and set the tentative graduation date for Friday, May 16^th, 2008. The board reviewed long range plans that dealt with  education this year and differentiated instruction, then begin a different phase in the educational process next year called Measurable Learner Objectives along with working on the master plan for school expansion which may include a bond issue in November during the general election. In the 2009-2010, the district is looking at implementing the Professional Learning Communities model they have been developing as well as starting on the renovation and addition to facilities. The plan also includes the moving of sixth grade to the middle school and the 9^th graders moving to the high school as the renovations will be complete as well as the additions for the 2010-2011 school year. The board will review this plan and discuss it again at a later meeting. The board approved renewing their insurance through MUSIC with an assessed premium of $150,819 as well as an additional $4,000 for umbrella coverage but the district will get a credit from this year of about $13,000 that will be deducted from their premium. The board made an expenditure revision of $249,388 consisting of $114,000 in DNR grant projects, $54,700 in additional construction and $77,650 for the purchase of property. The board then approved the Reading Recovery Consortium Membership agreement, approved the resignations of para-professionals Kendra Schmidt and Alicia Jones, and accepted the retirement at the end of the contract year of Junior High Principal Larry Maxwell. Bryant then explained the Salem R-80 district offers a number of educational courses to the community through their partnership with the Salem TCRC at the Salem Freedom Activity Center. They also have working relationships with SBU and RTI in Rolla. The board approved the report and went into closed session where the board hired Tammy Arnett as the school nurse for the junior and senior high. The meeting was then adjourned.

Sports [TOP]

The Salem Lady Tigers will travel to St. Clair tonight to face the Lady Bulldogs. The JV game will start at 6:00 and the varsity contest will follow. The Lady Tigers are 6-1 going into the game.

The Missouri Basketball Tigers and Illinois will play their annual “Bragging Rights” game Saturday night at 7:00 at the Scottrade Center. Missouri goes into the game with an 8-3 record. You can hear the game on KSMO Radio.

Ben Roethlisberger completed 16-of-20 passes for 261 yards and three touchdowns and the Steelers held on for a 41-24 win over the St. Louis Rams on Thursday night. Marc Bulger completed 18-of-35 passes for 208 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions for the Rams (3-12), who dropped their third straight. Steven Jackson gained 85 yards on 12 carries, and had a touchdown catch, and Isaac Bruce had seven grabs for 87 yards and a score.

Keith Tkachuk and Lee Stempniak both scored in the third period as the St. Louis Blues rallied past the Detroit Red Wings, 3-2, before a boisterous crowd at the Scottrade Center. Brad Boyes also tallied, Paul Kariya had a pair of assists and Manny Legace made 34 saves for the Blues, who snapped a four-game skid, their longest losing streak since Andy Murray took over as head coach last December. St. Louis leads the season series, 2-1, with both wins coming at home. The attendance was 19,150 and marked just the seventh sellout for the Blues this season. The Blues will be at Boston Saturday at noon and Sunday will host the Atlanta Thrashers at 5:00. You can hear both games on KSMO.

The Kansas City Royals have signed left-handed reliever Ron Mahay to a two-year contract. Financial terms were not released, but the deal is believed to be worth $8 million. The 36-year-old Mahay was 1-0 with a 2.25 earned run average in 30 games for Atlanta last season after being acquired, along with first baseman Mark Teixeira, in a July 31 trade from the Texas Rangers.

Obituaries   [TOP]

Funeral services for Martin Gnemi of St. James, age 86, will be held Thursday at 10:00 at the James & Gahr Mortuary in St. James. Visitation will be Wednesday from 6:00 to 8:00. Interment will be in the Catholic Cemetery in St. James. Memorials are suggested to the St. James Catholic Cemetery.

Funeral services for Jill Mosher of Rolla, age 50, will be held Friday at 10:00 at the St. John Lutheran in St. James. Visitation will be Thursday from 6:00 to 8:00 at the James & Gahr Mortuary in Rolla. Interment will be in the High Baptist Cemetery in High Gate.

Funeral services for John F. Hudspeth of Salem will be held Friday at 1:00 at the Dent County Memorial Chapel. Visitation will be Thursday from 6:00 to 8:00. Interment will be in the Cedar Grove Cemetery with Military Honors. Memorials are suggested to the American Heart Association.

Weather [TOP]