Local News – Monday, January 25th, 2021
The Salem Police Department has released their report for the month of December. They served 13 summonses to appear in court, gave 52 warning tickets, and issued five traffic tickets. They also served nine fugitive warrants. The Salem Police investigated ten traffic accidents, wrote five property damage reports, 16 stealing reports, and investigated three dog bites. The department investigated three reports of driving while having a license revoked or suspended, one resisting or interfering with an arrest report, two possession of drug paraphernalia charges, and three reports of possession of a controlled substance. They investigated two domestic violence reports, and responded to 2 shots being fired in the city limits and one nuisance violation. The department was also dispatched for 42 animal calls, 12 ambulance assist calls, and performed 82 traffic stops for the month. The Department also conducted 28 follow-up investigations, investigated a leaving the scene of an accident report and responded to four suspicious circumstances. The Salem Police Department received 814 calls for service during the month of December and had 31 walk-ins to the station. The department drove 9,450 miles during the month of December. There were 13 males and seven females arrested in December. The Police Department also served four hours during the month as court bailiff for the month.
The Salem R-80 Board of Education in closed session Thursday evening discussed Superintendent Dr. Lynne Reed’s evaluation and then voted to extend her contract through the 2023-2024 school year by a unanimous vote. The board also called for a special meeting at 5:30 Tuesday evening in the High School Library. The meeting is called to address the Hybrid Model at the high school and Athletic Event Restrictions. That meeting will be open to the public.
Missouri’s 2020-2021 deer-hunting season ended January 15th with the Missouri Department of Conservation reporting a preliminary total deer harvest for the season of 296,516. Of the deer harvested, 140,468 were antlered bucks, 28,587 were button bucks, and 127,461 were does. Top harvest counties for the overall deer season were Franklin with 5,786 deer harvested, Howell with 5,367, and Callaway with 4,989. Hunters harvested 285,873 deer during the 2019-2020 deer hunting season with 134,092 being antlered bucks, 27,970 being button bucks, and 123,811 being does. Although harvest was down slightly during the November portion of firearms deer season, when most of the deer harvest occurs, increases in most of the other season portions contributed to about a four-percent increase in this year’s total deer harvest over last year. Deer hunting ended with the close of the archery season. Preliminary data from MDC showed that hunters checked 67,180 deer during the 2020-2021 archery deer season. Hunters checked 61,407 deer during the 2019-2020 archery deer season. Fall archery turkey hunting also ended January 15th. Preliminary data from MDC showed 2,905 turkeys harvested. Top counties for the fall archery turkey season were Greene with 84, Franklin with 78, and Texas with 61. Hunters harvested 2,406 turkeys during the 2019-2020 fall archery turkey season. The Department of Conservation reported four firearms-related hunting incidents during the 2020-2021 fall deer and turkey hunting seasons. The incidents were all self-inflicted and non-fatal.
A one vehicle accident happened Wednesday night around 9:45 in Phelps County on Highway 68 two miles north of St. James. The report from the highway patrol states that a 2017 Toyota Rav4 being driven by a 16-year old female of St. James was traveling north when she traveled off the right side of the road. The Toyota then struck a guardrail, became airborne, struck a fence and overturned striking several small trees. The teen was transported by a private vehicle to Phelps Health hospital for treatment of minor injuries. The driver was wearing a seat restraint according to the report. The Toyota was totaled and removed from the scene by Spurgeons Towing.