Local News – Tuesday, April 20th, 2021
An accident happened Monday morning at 2:30 in Phelps County on the old Wire Outer Road about one mile west of Rolla. According to the highway patrol report, a 2019 Ford Fusion driven westbound by 22-year-old Zak Eplin of St. Louis, went off the left side of the roadway, struck a concrete culvert and overturned. A passenger in the vehicle, 25-year-old Shelby Sapaugh of Salem, suffered serious injuries and was life flighted to the University Hospital in Columbia. Eplin suffered moderate injuries and was taken by ambulance to Phelps Health and will be transferred to the University Hospital in Columbia. Eplin was wearing a seat restraint at the time of the accident while Sapaugh was not. The Ford was totaled and removed from the scene by Dishman’s Towing.
A one vehicle accident happened Monday afternoon just after 3:30 on Route M in Jasper County about five miles north of Alba. According to the report from the highway patrol, a 2001 Ford F-150 being driven by 21-year-old Dakota Patton of Rolla was eastbound when he ran off the left side of the roadway, overturned and struck a tree. Patton, who was wearing a safety restraint, was taken by ambulance to Freeman West Hospital in Joplin for treatment of moderate injuries. The Ford was totaled and removed from the scene by S and S Wrecker Service.
The Salem R-80 Board of Education met Thursday evening for their reorganizational meeting following the Municipal Election as well as their regular meeting. Assistant Superintendent John Smith swore in board members Chris Heavin and Steven Patterson. Superintendent Lynne Reed then served as the temporary chairperson during the election of the new board president and vice president. The board elected Dustin Howard as the President of the board and Holly Erway as the Vice-President. The board also elected Amanda Walker as secretary and Chris Heavin as the board treasurer. The board also appointed Steven Patterson as the MSBA delegate and Andrew Wynn as the alternate MSBA delegate. In the regular meeting, Superintendent Lynne Reed explained to the Board that budget revisions would be completed in June. After the building reports from each principal, the board approved the bid from Schultz, Wood, and Rapp to provide audit services in the amount of $9,500, and they selected Energy Solution Professionals as a performance contractor. After some discussion, the board selected Scott Schroepfer Insurance as the school district’s insurance broker. They also set the 2021-2022 tuition rate at $8,000 per student and approved the surplus list of equipment to be sold. The items that are available are on the Salem R-80 website. The board approved lifting the mask mandate for the rest of the year and also approve allowing field trips with certain restrictions. The board also accepted the bid from CDWG for 375 chromebooks in the amount of $96,000. The board then accepted the retirement of Robin Wells from the Central Office specializing in Payroll and Human Resources; Jordan Conway who served as an alternative school paraprofessional; and Will Hubbs as a quiz bowl sponsor. In closed session, extra-duty contracts were approved for Robyn Taylor for the high school yearbook; Amy Halinar for the upper elementary yearbook; Tania Wood for the middle school yearbook; Mary Beth Patrick for the William Lynch Elementary school yearbook; Alec Conner for high school student council; Elaine Russell in music; Scott Frederickson for the band; Charles Mosley as assistant band director; Susan Sheeley and Sarah Sanders as quiz bowl sponsors; Robyn Taylor as the junior class sponsor, and Herman Blau in federal programs. The board approved the employment of Makayla Schafer as a high school art instructor. The board also approved employing Phillip Karr as the High School Head Football Coach by a 5-2 vote, but Karr declined the position. The meeting was then adjourned.
Congratulations to Mr. Marty Anderson who was named South Central Missouri Association of Secondary School Principals high school principal of the year. Dr. Jim Pritchett surprised him during the school assembly Friday.
The Salem Memorial District Hospital Board of Directors will conduct their April meeting this evening in the hospital library beginning at 6:00. After the call to order and roll call, District 2 board member Mike Swyers will be sworn in by Hospital Attorney Mark Weaver. Following the approval of the minutes from the March 16th meeting, Hospital Administrator Kasey Lucas will report on the summary of the operations and statistics for the month of March followed by the Chief of Nursing Report from Debbie Hines. A report on the hospital foundation, plus the marketing and community perception report will be given by Chief Operating Officer Jason Edwards. Lucas will then go over the COVID-19 update and provide an update to the board on the Hospital expansion and renovation, Cerner conversion, the Conflict of Interest Policy and the Finance Committee Meeting report. New business may consist of the review of purchases since the last meeting. The board may vote to go into closed session. The SMDH Board meeting is open to the public provided they wear a mask to the meeting.