Local News – Monday, March 18th, 2019
Barry McKenna and co-driver Leon Jordan captured 1st place in the "Rally in the 100 Acre Wood" presented by the American Rally Association as they took advantage of an electrical fault to the car of David Higgins and co-driver Craig Drew who had a commanding lead. The electric fault slowed their time nearly five minutes but their early pace and healthy lead allowed them to still finish in 3rd place. The Higgins/Drew team are the defending ARA Champs and they led nearly the entire rally and were within sight of the win when the electrical fault occurred. The electrical problem allowed the team of 17-year old Oliver Solberg and his co-driver Aaron Johnston to capture 2nd place and they finished just 6.8 seconds behind the team of McKenna/Jordan. It was Solberg's debut rally in North America and his first gravel rally in an AWD rally car.
A fatality accident occurred in Shannon County Thursday evening at 5:57 on Highway 60 at the intersection of Highway 19. According to the highway patrol report, a 2009 Cadillac CTS, being driven by 36-year old Kevin Howell of Eminence was northbound when it pulled into the path of a 2019 Freightliner PT125 being driven westbound by 67-year old Martha Dodd of Joplin. Howell was pronounced dead at the scene by Shannon County Coroner Tim Denton and taken to Yarber Funeral Home in Mountain View. Dodd was transported by ambulance to Ozarks Medical Center in West Plains for treatment of minor injuries. The Cadillac was totaled and removed from the scene by Sartin’s Towing of Winona. The Freightliner received extensive damage and was also removed by Sartin’s Towing. According to the report, both drivers were wearing safety restraints at the time of the accident.
The Salem Board of Aldermen will hold their regular meeting tonight at 7:00 at the City Hall Council Chambers. At the meeting, the board will hear bids on a new mower for the Park and Recreation Department and also bids on a 10-foot heavy weight snow plow blade. After the consent agenda, the board will address unfinished business and that includes a request from Black’s A-1 Septic LLC to dump port-a-potty waste in the Waste Water Treatment facility. City Administrator Ray Walden will inform the alderman what he found out from the engineers. In the reports of city officials, board and committees, Park and Recreation Director Tye Lydon will give a report on the Park and Recreation Board meeting held on March 5th and City Administrator Walden will give his report. The board will then hear Bill #3410 that would allow the mayor to execute an agreement between the City of Salem and the 2019 Project Graduation Committee for services provided. The board will also hear a request from Park and Recreation Director Lydon to apply for a Summer Food Service Program Grant that would provide a free lunch this summer for the summer program participants and school-aged children. The board will also discuss the sale of two surplus vehicles: a 1989 Chevy 70 Series Flat Bed Dump Truck and a 1998 International 4700 Dump Truck. The meeting will then be adjourned. The Salem Board of Alderman meeting tonight is open to the public.
The Salem Memorial District Hospital Board of Directors will hold their regular meeting at 6:00 on Tuesday night at the hospital library. Administrator Kasey Lucas will report the summary of operations for the month of February, hear the report from CNO Debbie Hines, get the report on the hospital Foundation from COO Chris Strickland and hear the auxiliary report from Lucas. The board will also hear the marketing and community perception report from Chris Strickland on their new TV ads, radio ads, and their involvement with different events. After the Chief of Staff’s report, the board will discuss the fiscal year 2020 Finance Committee meeting report before reviewing purchases. The board may then vote to go into closed session before adjourning. The regular meeting of the Salem Memorial District Hospital Board of Directors is open to the public.
Dent County Prosecuting Attorney Andrew Curley was in court in Dent County Thursday in front of Judge Megan Seay. Curley reported that Jerry Phillips, Sr. had his probation amended to require that he complete a one year program in the Department of Corrections as recommended by the state. Also on Thursday, Andrew Arvin pled guilty to Possession of Controlled Substance, Delivery of Marijuana, Felony Stealing charges and for being a felon in Possession of a Firearm. Seay sentenced Arvin to a total of 14 years in the Department of Corrections under Missouri State Statutes 217.362.