Local News – Thursday, January 5th, 2023

The City of Salem Park and Recreation Board met Wednesday evening at the Salem Community Center@The Armory. At the meeting, the board elected new officers. The board elected Carlos Lopez as the new President of the Board with Caleb Shepherd elected Vice-President. Angie Curley was elected as the Secretary before Park and Recreation Director Melissa Dubois presented her report. She reported the City Winter basketball Leagues have six 1st and 2nd grade teams and six 3rd and 4th grade teams. There are also two cheer teams as a total of 149 children signed up for the basketball program. Dubois reported registration for the football “Skills and Drills” camp is going on now through January 24th that is being held in conjunction with Salem Youth Football and Coach Barnes. She said the 2023 Spring Soccer league signups will begin the 1st of February. Dubois said the poles and lighting have been installed at the Al Brown Field, but the electric is not yet hooked up. A contractor is ready to install the electric lines to the poles once ESP frees up funds to complete the project which will occur when their other projects with the city are completed. Dubois said the “blue” softball field at the Salem City Park drainage issue has been resolved in a project completed with the help of the Salem R-80 High School. The Park and Recreation Department along with the City Street and Electric Department provided the labor while the school purchased the supplies. The field is draining and holding up during the rain and snow. The “blue” field is where the Salem Lady Softball Tigers will play this spring. Dubois said the poolhouse floors have been stripped and an epoxy floor covering will be done this spring. She also said the city is working with the Center in Rolla on getting current lifeguards recertified. Dubois showed income and expenses for the swimming pool for 2021 and 2022 seasons and while the revenues increased in 2022 from 2021, revenues from concessions went down in 2022 from 2021 while the concession expenses increased. Dubois said there was just under 30 displays this year for the “Light up the Park” and the city received a large donation of metal displays from the late Vivianne Powell. Some will need to be repaired and they will all have to have new lights. She also stated the 1st Annual “Pictures with Santa” sponsored by Riverways Federal Credit Union at the Salem City Park was a success. The budget for the Salem Park and Recreation Department was reviewed by the board. Former Park Board President Stan Podorski explained to the new board members the Certificate of Performance payments for the Alice Lou Craig Municipal Swimming Pool and poolhouse renovation that comes to about $110,000 per year, and also the $25,000 that is being paid back to the City of Salem Capital Improvement Sales Tax Fund to repay the $100,000 loan to help purchase the property that was “old fairgrounds” on Franklin to be used for soccer fields. He believed there were two payments left, one this budget year and one more in the next budget year. The board then voted to go into closed session.

A one vehicle accident happened Tuesday morning in Franklin County on northbound Highway 47 near Moreland Drive. According to the highway patrol report a 2008 Chevrolet Impala being driven by 76-year-old Judy Adams of Steelville, failed to stop for stopped traffic ahead, then began slowing and sliding on wet pavement. Adams then overcorrected, crossed the centerline of the road, then traveled off the right side of the roadway and struck a barbed wire fence. Adams, who was wearing a seat restraint, was transported by Union ambulance to Mercy Hospital in Washington for treatment of minor injuries. The Chevrolet sustained moderate damage and was removed from the scene by Sturm’s Towing.

Colonel Eric T. Olson, superintendent of the Missouri State Highway Patrol says that two people died and 75 were injured in 243 traffic crashes during the 2023 New Year’s holiday counting period, which began at 6 p.m. Friday, December 30, 2022, and ended at 11:59 p.m. Monday, January 2, 2023. There were no boating crashes and no drownings over the 2023 New Year’s holiday counting period. Of the 243 traffic crashes, 75 involved injuries. Both fatalities happened in Troop E. as a crash in Stoddard County took the life of a 63-year-old man from Piggot, Arkansas. The other claimed the life of a 55-year-old man from Benton, Missouri in Scott County. The highway patrol also made 104 DWI arrests. During the 2022 New Year’s holiday counting period, one person was killed and 331 injured in 1,045 traffic crashes statewide. Highway patrol troopers worked 321 of those crashes which included 98 injuries and no fatalities while arresting 96 people for driving while being intoxicated.

Preliminary data from the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) shows that deer hunters in Missouri harvested 8,599 deer during the alternative methods portion of the firearms deer season, December 24th through January 3rd. Top harvest counties were Franklin with 200 deer harvested, Harrison with 186, and Macon with 162. Totals from counties in our area include Texas County with 109 deer harvested, Shannon County with 83 deer taken, Dent County reported 67 deer taken, Phelps County had 65 deer harvested, Reynolds County had 61 deer taken and Crawford County had 60 deer harvested. The harvest total for last year’s alternative methods portion was 10,038. The archery deer and turkey season runs through January 15th.