THE SALINE COUNTY HEALTH BOARD DISCUSSED H1N1 ISSUES AT THEIR REGULAR MEETING TUESDAY NIGHT.
THE BOARD WAS UPDATED ON EFFORTS FROM THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT TO HELP KEEP H1N1 FLU FROM SPREADING DURING THE EARLY PARTS OF SPRING, AS PEOPLE BEGIN TO GET OUTDOORS, AND INTERACT WITH MORE PEOPLE.
EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS PLANNER RUSS DONNELL SAYS THEY HAVE GIVEN SHOTS TO THOUSANDS IN THE COUNTY, WITH MORE ON THE WAY.
DONNELL ADDS NEXT YEARS DOSES OF SHOTS WILL TREAT BOTH THE REGULAR FLU, AND H1N1 FLU.
THE BOARD ALSO RECEIVED AN UPDATE ON THE CHEMICAL RELEASE INCIDENT PLAN, AND WHERE INFORMED THE USDA FINANCING ON THE BUILDING SHOULD BE READY BY THE END OF THE MONTH.
IF YOU LIKE HOT DOGS, REALLY LIKE HOT DOGS, THEN THE BURNS ATHLETIC CENTER MAY BE THE PLACE FOR YOU WEDNESDAY NIGHT AS THE HELP FOR HAITI HOT DOG SHOWDOWN TAKES PLACE.
THE HOT DOG EATING CONTESTS WILL FEATURE REPRESENTATIVE FROM A NUMBER OF VALLEY SPORTING TEAMS AND CAMPUS ORGANIZATIONS, ALONG WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS PARTICIPATING TO HELP RAISE MONEY FOR A GOOD CAUSE.
RYAN CARNEY WITH MISSOURI VALLEY SAYS THEY ALREADY ABOUT 20 ENTRANTS PUTTING DOWN THEIR 50 DOLLAR ENTRANCE FEE.
ADMISSION FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO WATCH THE HOT DOG EATING CONTEST WILL BE ONE DOLLAR.
THE HOT DOG SHOWDOWN TAKES PLACE WEDNESDAY NIGHT AT 7 O'CLOCK AT THE BURNS ATHLETIC CENTER ON THE VALLEY CAMPUS.
A PLANNED SURVEY OF AN AREA WHERE A CIVIL WAR BATTLE TOOK PLACE HAS BEEN POSTPONED.
BACK IN THE FALL MISSOURI VALLEY COLLEGE ANNOUNCED PLANS WITH THE MISSOURI CIVIL WAR HERITAGE FOUNDATION, AND OTHER ARCHAEOLOGISTS TO SURVEY THE SITE OF THE 1863 BATTLE OF MARSHALL, THAT WORK HAS BEEN PUSHED BACK TO COLUMBUS DAY WEEKEND, TO BETTER SUIT THE SCHEDULES WITH THOSE INVOLVED.
PROFESSOR OF ANTHROPOLOGY AT MISSOURI VALLEY PETER WARNOCK SAYS THE SUBJECT WILL BE DISCUSSED WEDNESDAY IN MARSHALL, FOR THOSE INTERESTED IN TAKING PART OF THE SURVEY.
THE MEETING TAKES PLACE WEDNESDAY AT 3PM AT BOGEY'S IN MARSHALL, AND WARNOCK INVITES ALL THOSE INTERESTED IN THE SURVEY TO ATTEND.
THE LEXINGTON NATIONAL GUARD ARMORY WILL BE THE SITE OF A NEW COMMAND HEADED BY A BRIGADIER GENERAL..
THE 35TH INFANTRY DIVISION RECENTLY ANNOUNCED THAT BRIGADIER GENERAL DAVID IRWIN, OF BALDWIN, HAS BEEN NOMINATED AS THE ASSISTANT DIVISION COMMANDER FOR SUPPORT. HIS OFFICE WILL BE LOCATED IN LEXINGTON, WHILE HE WILL DRILL AT FORT LEVENWORTH WHERE THE 35TH INFANTRY DIVISIONS LOCATED.
THE DIVISION COMPRISED OF UNITS FORM KANSAS, MISSOURI, ILLINOIS AND NEBRASKA.
THE NOMINATION OF IRWIN TO THE POSITION MARKS THE RETURN OF A COLONEL OR HIGHER LEVEL COMMANDER TO LEXINGTON.
CONGRESSMAN IKE SKELTON OF LEXINGTON IN MAKING THE ANNOUNCEMENT SAYS THE TOWN OF LEXINGTON HAS A ROBUST MILITARY TRADITION, HOME TO BOTH AN ACTIVE GUARD UNIT AND WENTWORTH MILITARY ACADEMY...
PRESENTLY THERE ARE THREE GUARD UNITS STATIONED AT THE LEXINGTON ARMORY..
THE SALINE COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE IS SEARCH FOR AN APPARENT STOLEN TRUCK FORM THE CENTRAL MISSOURI AGRI SERVICE IN MALTA BEND... THE TRUCK, A RED, CHEVROLET, SILVERADO, WITH A BLACK FLAT BED, HAD BEEN PARKED IN AN OPEN BUILDING.. THE KEYS HAD BEEN LEFT IN THE VEHICLE.. THE LICENSE NUMBER ON THE VEHICLE IS 668-749. THE TRUCK WAS TAKEN OVERNIGHT, AND DISCOVERED MISSING ABOUT 7:30 THIS MORNING.. THE TRUCK HAD BEEN DRIVEN AROUND CLOSED GATES TO GET IT FROM THE PROPERTY
THE MARSHALL BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS HELD THEIR REGULAR MEETING TUESDAY MORNING, HEARING ABOUT A POSSIBLE INCENTIVE PROGRAM FOR THEIR CUSTOMERS.
THE GROUND SOURCE HEAT PUMP INCENTIVE PROGRAM WAS DISCUSSED, TO HELP ENCOURAGE CUSTOMERS TO HAVE THE EQUIPMENT, AND TO HELP REDUCE ENERGY COSTS.
ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES DIRECTOR KEN GIERINGER SAYS THE INCENTIVE PROGRAM WOULD HELP BOTH THE CUSTOMER, AND THE UTILITIES.
ALSO THE BOARD APPROVED SOME CHANGES TO BENEFITS, INCLUDING AN EMPLOYEE RECEIVING 40 HOURS OF VACATION TIME AFTER THEIR FIRST 6 MONTHS, WITH AN ADDITIONAL 40 AFTER THEIR FIRST YEAR, AND MMU WILL PAY FOR EMPLOYEE MONTHLY MEMBERSHIP FEES TO THE YMCA OR SNAP FITNESS.
THE BOARD TABLED A DECISION ON POSSIBLE WAGE INCREASES UNTIL THEIR NEXT MEETING ON MARCH 30TH.
THE BOONVILLE SCHOOL BOARD HAS MADE SOME CUTS AND PUT OFF DECISIONS ABOUT OTHER CUTS AT A SPECIAL MEETING..
. THE DISTRICT WILL CUT SUMMER SCHOOL TO TWO COURSES.. REDUCE EXTRA DUTY STIPENDS BY 20 PERCENT..CUT OR REDUCE SPONSORSHIP FOR A NUMBER OF EXTRACURRICULAR PROGRAMS A THE HIGH SCHOOL AND MIDDLE SCHOOL, AN DCUT DISTRICT WIDE TUTORING..
ALSO GATEKEEPING DUTIES GO FROM BEING A PAID POSITION TO A VOLUNTARY ONE..
THE DISTRICT IS ALSO ELIMINATING DISTRICT ISSUED CELLPHONES..AND CUTTING IN DISTRICT TRAVEL STIPENDS. ALL OF THOSE CHANGES AMOUNT TO CUTS IN THE BUDGET OF MORE THAN 150-THOUSAND DOLLARS..
THE BOARD TABLED DECISIONS ON COMBING THE DISTIRCTS 7TH AND 8TH GRADE ATHLETIC PROGRAMS.. AND ITS 9TH GRADE AND JV ATHLETIC PROGRAMS..
AFTER A DIP LAST MONTH, REVENUE FROM THE SALINE COUNTY HALF CENT SALES TAX REBOUNDED AGAIN IN THE CHECK RECEIVED THIS MONTH, TO TOP THE CORRESPONDING MONTH LAST YEAR...
THE COUNTY RECEIVED A CHECK FOR A LITTLE UNDER 87-THOUSAND 300 DOLLARS THIS MONTH.. THAT LEAVES THE SALES TAX AHEAD FOR THE YEAR BY ABOUT 3-THOUSAND DOLLARS OR A LITTLE UNDER ONE AND A HALF PERCENT...
THE SALINE COUNTY COMMISSION ALSO THIS MORNING APPROVED THE PAY OUT OF TAX REVENUES RECEIVED FOR THE ROAD DISTRICTS.. AMBULANCE AND FIRE DISTRICTS, ALONG WITH THE SHELTERED WORKSHOP AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT..
THESE WERE ADDITIONAL PAYMENT OF PERSONNEL PROPERTY TAXES THAT HAD BEEN RECEIVED BY THE COUNTY
THE TAX FOUNDATION A NATIONAL ORGANIZATION THAT STUDIES STATE TAX BURDENS ON CITIZENS, TO SEE WHERE MISSOURI RANKS, SAYS TAX FREEDOM DAY FOR MISSOURIANS WILL BE APRIL 6TH THIS YEAR.. THE FOUNDATION SAYS AS OF THAT DATE MISSOURIANS WILL HAVE WORKED ENOUGH TO PAY THEIR TOTAL TAX BILL FOR TH EYEAR.. MISSOURIANS WORKED A WEEK LESS THAN THE NATIONAL AVERAGE AND RANKED 34TH AMONG THE 50 STATES IN THE NUMBER OF DAYS NEEDED TO PAY ALL OF THE TAXES THEY PAY..
THE MARSHALL FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED OUT LATE YESTERDAY AFTERNOON TO A RESIDENTIAL FIRE ON ROUTE "WW" SOUTHEAST OF MARSHALL..
THE CALL WAS TO THE RESIDENCE OF JOE TOPEL. MARSHALL FIRE CHIEF JOHN RIEVES SAYS THE HOME WAS A TRAILER HOME WITH A ROOM ADDED ON, AND FLAMES WERE SHOWING OUT OF THE STRUCTURE WHEN THEY ARRIVED. THE FIRE APPARENTLY STARTED IN THE ROOM THAT HAD BEEN ADDED , AND THE CAUSE IS SUSPICIONED TO HAVE BEEN ELECTRICAL IN NATURE.
TOTAL DAMAGE WAS ESTIMATED AT 22-THOUSAND DOLLARS..
SWEET SPRINGS MAYOR RAYMOND KINNEY SAYS HE WANTS TO EASE THE MINDS OF SOME PEOPLE WHO ARE WORRIED ABOUT THE LAGOON IN THAT TOWN
IN OTHER BUSINESS OF THE COUNCIL, THEY HAVE VOTED TO SCHEDULE A WORK SESSION ON THE BUDGET NEXT MONDAY NIGHT AT 5 O'CLOCK, WITH A SPECIAL MEETING FOLLOWING THAT WORK SESSION AT 6 O'CLOCK TO APPROVE THE BUDGET..
ON THE QUESTION OF A PROPOSED CHANGE TO LOT SIZE REQUIREMENTS FOR BUILDING A HOME.. THAT PROPOSED ORDINANCE WAS SENT BACK TO THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION FOR FURTHER WORK
SPOTTING SEVERE WEATHER IS KEY OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS, TO HELP WARN OTHERS OF POTENTIALLY DAMAGING STORMS.
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PLEASANT HILL HAS A PROGRAM IN PLACE THAT ALLOWS PEOPLE ON THE LOCAL LEVEL A CHANCE TO HELP THEM OUT WHEN SEVERE WEATHER STRIKES.
ANDY BAILEY WITH THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAYS THE 2 HOUR COURSE WILL GIVE PEOPLE A GOOD IDEA OF WHAT TO EXPECT.
A SKYWARN SPOTTER COURSE TAKES PLACE TONIGHT IN NEW FRANKLIN AT THE HOWARD COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT STARTING AT 7PM.
THE NEXT UPCOMING COURSE IN OUR AREA WILL BE IN BOONVILLE ON MARCH 18TH, AND FOR A FULL LIST, CLICK HERE.
A TWO VEHICLE ACCIDENT MONDAY MORNING IN COOPER COUNTY RESULTS IN A FATALITY.
ACCORDING TO THE HIGHWAY PATROL THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED WHEN THE VEHICLES DRIVEN BY 58 YEAR OLD JOSEPH MCDONALD, AND 65 YEAR OLD SHERYL GANN, BOTH OF PRAIRIE HOME, WERE TRAVELING ON ROUTE 87 JUST NORTH OF APPLE DRIVE.
THAT'S WHERE THE TO VEHICLE COLLIDED HEAD-ON, WITH MCDONALD SUFFERING MODERATE INJURIES AND TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL IN COLUMBIA.
AS PART OF SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK IN MISSOURI, THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IS TALKING ABOUT A MAJOR CHANGE TO ONE TORNADO SAFETY RULE. ANDY BAILEY IS WITH THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN PLEASANT HILL
AND BAILEY SAYS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING, IF YOU ARE IN A CAR OR ANYWHERE ELSE.. .FIND SHELTER
AS PART OF SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK, THE TORNADO SIRENS ARE SCHEDULED TO BE TESTED .
DUE TO A SMALL CHANCE FOR SEVERE WEATHER DURING THE AFTERNOON ON TUESDAY, THE TORNADO DRILL HAS BEEN POSTPONED UNTIL THRUSDAY AFTENROON AT 1:30
SEVERAL AREA STUDENTS QUALIFIED FOR THE STATE SPEECH AND DEBATE TOURNAMENT OVER THE WEEKEND..
THE STUDENTS QUALIFIED AT DISTRICT TOURNAMENTS. IN SEDALIA..
FROM MALTA BEND, JUNIOR, KELSEY FORQUERAN TOOK SECOND IN ORIGINAL ORATORY, AND FRESHMAN AMANDA CARMACK PLACED SECOND IN RADIO SPEAKING TO QUALIFY FOR THE STATE TOURNAMENT NEXT MONTH .
FROM MARSHALL HIGH SCHOOL, CASSI JOHNSON TOOK SECOND LINCOLN DOUGLAS DEBATE, AND SASHARY WHITE TOOK THIRD IN DRAMATIC INTERPRETATION..
ALL THOSE QUALIFYING AT DISTRICT WILL NOW TAKE PART IN THE STATE TOURNAMENT IN APRIL IN COLUMBIA..
ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY STUDENTS FROM MARSHALL HIGH SCHOOL WERE AMONG NEARLY 25-HUNDRED PARTICIPATING IN THIS YEARS CENTRAL METHODIST UNIVERSITY MUSIC FESTIVAL IN FAYETTE...
RATINGS WERE USED TO JUDGE PERFORMANCES WITH A ONE BEING AN OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE TO A FIVE RATING A POOR PERFORMANCE..
THE MARSHALL HIGH SCHOOL SINGERS, CHORALIERS, AND FRESHMAN CHOIR EACH EARNED A ONE RATING FOR THEIR PERFORMANCES.. WITH THE CHORALIERS BEING GIVEN A ONE-PLUS FOR THEIR PERFORMANCE AND WERE TOLD BY THE JUDGES THEY WERE THE BEST CHOIR OF THE DAY...
IN ADDITION A SMALL ENSEMBLE FROM MARSHALL HIGH SCHOOL EARNED A ONE RATING, AND SOLOISTS JACOB PHILLIPS, NATHAN FOREMAN, LIZZ LOCKHART , LEXIE MCDANEL, SUSAN SKOGSBERG AND DYLAN FORNSHELL ALSO EARNED ONE RATINGS..
THE CHOIRS FROM MARSHALL HIGH SCHOOL WILL BE PARTICIPATING IN THE STATE CHOIR FESTIVAL LATER THIS WEEK IN BOONVILLE.
THE SWEET SPRINGS BOARD OF ALDERMEN MEET THIS EVENING.. THE BOARD WILL FIRST HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING AT 6:30
TO DISCUSS THE BUDGET FOR THE CITY FOR THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR,ALONG WITH A PROPOSED CHANGE TO THE PLANNING AND ZONING LOT SIZE REQUIREMENTS.
DURING THE REGULAR MEETING AT 7 O'CLOCK, THE BOARD WILL TAKE UP AN ORDINANCE TO CHANGE THE SEWER MINIMUM FEE, ALSO AN ORDINANCE CHANGING THE BOARD MEMBERSHIP REQUIREMENTS FOR CERTAIN BOARD, AND AN ORDINANCE ADOPTING THE BUDGET FOR THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK BEGINS TOMORROW, BRINING ATTENTION TO DANGEROUS SPRING AND SUMMER STORMS.
THE FOCUS OF THE WEEK IS TO REMIND PEOPLE OF THE DANGERS, STRONG THUNDERSTORMS, FLASH FLOODING AND TORNADOES POSSES.
ANOTHER ASPECT OF SEVERE WEATHER, IS THE ABILITY TO SPOT THESE STORMS AS THEY ARE DEVELOPING.
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFERS A TRAINING COURSE, CALLED SKYWARN SPOTTERS, TO IDENTIFY STORMS, AND THE WEATHER SERVICE'S ANDY BAILEY SAYS THIS IS A GOOD WAY TO GIVE BACK TO YOUR COMMUNITY.
SKYWARN COURSES ARE HELD THROUGHOUT THE AREA OVER THE LATE WINTER AND EARLY SPRING, WITH THE NEXT COURSE TAKING PLACE IN NEW FRANKLIN TOMORROW STARTING AT 7PM AT THE HOWARD COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT.
THE SEDALIA CITY COUNCIL HAS APPROVED AN ORDINANCE PROHIBITING TOBACCO USE INSIDE ALL CITY FACILITIES AND VEHICLES. THE COUNCIL WAS TOLD THE ORDINANCE IS PART OF THE CITY'S HEALTH AND WELLNESS PROGRAM TO ENCOURAGE HEALTHY HABITS FOR EMPLOYEES.. THE NEW POLICY GOES INTO EFFECT APRIL FIRST.
THE SEDALIA COUNCIL ALSO GOT A LOOK AT THE PROPOSED CITY BUDGET FOR THE NEXT FISCAL PROJECTED SPENDING IN THE DRAFT BUDGET IS PUT AT 28.3 MILLION DOLLARS.
IT IS BEING PROJECTED THAT THE CITY WILL START THE FISCAL YEAR WITH A BALANCE OF MORE THAN 9-MILLION DOLLARS IN THE GENERAL FUND.
Dan Markle
