Local News – Tuesday, February 16th, 2021
On Sunday, the City of Salem received word electric providers across the Midwest are seeing an unprecedented demand on the power grid due to extreme weather conditions. Utility providers are being asked to encourage their customers to reduce their energy consumption if possible to help maintain cost effective service to homes, businesses, and critical facilities throughout these exceptional weather conditions. Some ways you can conserve energy is to turn down your thermostat at least 2-3 degrees from your normal setting. Customers who are elderly or who have medical conditions complicated by the cold should not lower their thermostat. You can also limit the use of plug-in electric space heaters and turn down the temperature setting of your electric water heater. It will also help if you seal around drafty doors and windows, change your furnace filters and turn off nonessential lights. Conservation is especially appreciated during the hours of 5:00 in the morning until 6:00 in the evening. The City of Salem appreciates your understanding during these unprecedented cold temperatures.
The City of Salem Board of Aldermen meeting scheduled for this evening has been postponed due to a city ordinance canceling the meeting if Salem R-80 cancels school. The agenda for the meeting included Wendell Light from1300 South Wines who wants to talk about his utility bill. Under bids, the aldermen will hear a bid for a grinder pump at the Salem City Park Little League ball fields. After the consent agenda, the board will hear an update from Planning and Zoning Chairman Gary Brown on the subdivision of 805 and 807 North Henderson. They will also get an update from City Administrator Ray Walden on city projects. The board will hear Bill #3472 to lease tower space for one year to Wave Internet Technologies; and Bill #3473 to allow Mayor Brad Nash to execute a change order between the City of Salem and Smith and Edwards Construction, Inc for the Waste Water Treatment Facility Phase 1B improvements. This change will add the replacement of pump equipment at the Westwood Grinder Pump Station and the Ballpark Grinder Pump Station as well as extend the completion date. The board will also hear Resolution #4-2021 that would allows the City of Salem to pursue entering into a guaranteed energy savings contract with Energy Solutions Professionals. In new business, the board will appoint a city representative to the Dent County Extension Council before going into closed session to discuss the attorney and client privilege. The meeting will be rescheduled.
Missouri turkey hunters can now apply online for 2021 spring turkey managed hunts through the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) website at mdc.mo.gov/springturkeyhunts. Managed hunt details and application procedures are outlined on the webpage. Drawing results will be posted starting March 15th. Due to limited hunter-education classes and classroom sizes from COVID-19 restrictions, MDC has suspended hunter-education requirements for youth applying for spring manage turkey hunts. Youth who do not have hunter-education certification must hunt in the presence of a hunter who is certified in hunter education. The spring turkey hunting youth portion will be April 10th and 11th with the regular spring season running April 19th through May 9th. Detailed information on spring turkey hunting will be available in the MDC 2021 Spring Turkey Hunting Regulations and Information booklet, available where permits are sold beginning in March. People can buy Missouri hunting permits from numerous vendors around the state, online at mdc.mo.gov/buypermits, or through the MDC MO Hunting app available for download through Google Play for Android devices or the App Store for Apple devices.
Agricultural producers wanting to enhance current conservation efforts are encouraged to apply for the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP)-Classic, formerly known as CSP-General. The Conservation Stewardship Program is a great opportunity for Missouri farmers, ranchers and foresters to maintain and expand on existing conservation efforts according to Scott Edwards, Missouri State Conservationist of USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). While applications are accepted on a continuous basis, applications must be submitted by February 26, 2021 to be considered for fiscal year 2021 funding. Through CSP, agricultural producers and forest landowners earn payments for actively managing, maintaining and expanding conservation activities on all the land they operate. The variety of CSP conservation activities offer producers a lot of freedom to select enhancements, practices, and bundles that help meet producer’s management goals. Producers interested in CSP are encouraged to contact the local USDA Service Center in Houston by calling 417-967-2028 or visit www.nrcs.usda.gov/GetStarted on line.
An update to the story yesterday in Your World Today about the accident on Route K at Akers that took the life of 86-year old Virginia Lomax of Rolla. She was driving a Toyota Prius southbound at the time of the accident. It was removed from the scene by Whitaker’s Towing of Salem.
The Mark Twain Beekeepers will be holding a Beginners Bee Class sometime in mid to late March at a location in Salem to be determined by the interest in the class. The deadline to register is this Saturday, February 20th and payment will be due on or before March 13th once the date and location has been determined. The cost is expected to be under $40 and lunch will be provided during the class. For more information, contact the Mark Twain Beekeepers by e-mail at marktwainbeekeepers@gmail.com. You can also contact Gregg Tivnan at 573-689-2254 for any questions you may have.