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The General Fund Balance for the district was two million, five-hundred-twenty-thousand, one hundred-sixty dollars and ninety-five cents, with the Schoolhouse Fund balance two million, twenty thousand, four hundred thirty-nine dollars and twenty-nine cents as of November 30th, 2012.

Three bids were discussed for a new roofing project, with the winning bid going to Brockway Mechanical and Roofing for one hundred seventeen thousand, seven hundred eighty dollars.  The board voted unanimously to accept that bid.

In other business, the board approved the purchase of two buses from Thomas Bus Sales in the amount of one hundred seventy-eight thousand and seventy-eight dollars.  That purchase also met with unanimous approval.  The board also discussed bandwidth at Van Buren Elementary School, and unanimously approved the Windstream contract for three thousand dollars monthly for 50 M Internet Fiber.  The board also approved the purchase of a new Driver’s Education vehicle from Fessler Auto Mall in the amount of seventy-five hundred dollars, and agreed to send out requests for bids for the purchase of a new utility vehicle.

In addition to other business, as policy, the board heard the first reading of Code 504.5, regarding school activities on Wednesday and Sunday.  The board approved a number of fundraising projects, and designated the next board meeting date as January 16th, 2013 at 6:00 p.m., with the third Planning for the Future Public Forum to follow from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m..

Local donors kindly donated to twenty-seven families with seventy-three children, a number that slightly increased over last year, with numbers steadily increasing since the program was implemented several years ago in the Memphis area.

Thanks to donations from individuals and sponsoring groups, each child received at least one new clothing item and an item from their “wish” list.

The “Santa’s Helpers” program appreciates all donations.

Are you traveling this holiday season?  Here are some phone numbers and web addresses you might keep handy if you would like to check some road conditions in areas you may be traveling over the holidays?

In Missouri, the toll-free number for road conditions is 1-888-275-6636, or log onto www.modot.gov, and click on the Traveler Information Map.

In Iowa, call 1-800-288-1047, or go to www.511ia.org, and click on the Traveler Information Map.

In Illinois, call 1-800-452-4368.

In Kansas, call 1-800-585-7263.

In Nebraska, call 1-402-471-4583.

Sixteen residences and four businesses entered the Memphis Area Chamber of Commerce decorated lighting contest this holiday season.

Four judges from outside the Memphis area traveled to Memphis this past Saturday night to rate residences and businesses who had registered for the contest at the Memphis Democrat newspaper office.

Judges were very impressed with the decorated residences, with third place and  forty dollars in Memphis bucks going to the Scott and Debbie Goff residence at 414 North Market.  Second prize and sixty dollars in Memphis bucks went to the home of Leon and Hazel Buford at 115 North Adams, and first place  and eighty dollars in Memphis bucks went to the home of Boyd and Jeannie Bissell at the corner of Jackson and Monroe street.

Best decorated business honors went to Scotland County Pharmacy.  The pharmacy will receive a gift basket.

Other businesses entered in the competition included The Daisy Patch; Memphis Funeral Home; KMEM Radio on north highway 15; and Primrose Realty, on the northwest corner of the Memphis square.

Other Memphis residences entered in the competition include the home of Bill and Doris Atwater at 414 North Lincoln; the Anita Cline home at 315 Green Street; the Larry Arnold home on north highway 15; the Kris and Suzy Lister home at 1032 Mi-Lor Street; the Eric Dickerson home at 117 Lincoln; the Lois Courtney home at 214 West Missouri in Memphis, and the rural country homes of Duane and Sandra Ebeling near Wyaconda and Nelda Billups on North Highway 15, then East on Rudy Lane.

Officials report the arrest of an Adair County couple on December 1st following a report of a gas drive off in Downing.  Also a Shopko employee who was arrested on December 4th, is facing a felony stealing charge.

The two from Adair County were arrested by a Memphis Police Department officer who was following up on a report of a gas drive off Saturday afternoon December first from The Cheese Post in Downing.

21 year old Robert B. Helton of Brashear was driving the vehicle involved in the incident.

During an investigation, a search of the car, a passenger, 20 year old Katelyn Bowens of Kirksville was charged with possession of up to 35 grams of Marijuana, a misdemeanor.  Bowens was also issued a warrant for possession of any Methamphetamine precursor drug with intent to manufacture, a class “D” felony.  Bowens was also cited for being a minor, visibly intoxicated. 

The Memphis Ploice Department was assisted in this instance by the Scotland County Sheriff’s Department.

A court date for Bowens was set for December 18th.

Shopko Employee 28 year old Ashlee Danielle Stott of Arbela was arrested December 4th at the Shopko Store in Memphis by officers of the Memphis Police Department.  Company personnel at the store recently uncovered nearly $2,000.00 missing from the store’s registers over a three month period.  The shortages were traced back as far as October.  Video footage from the store helped identify Stott as a suspect.

Stott has been charged with a class “C” felony of  theft and stealing over $500.00 and less than $25,000.00.

Overall, $1,845.00 was reported stolen in six separate incidents.

Stott was booked at the scotland County Sheriff’s Office, and released on her personal recognizance.

Arraignment for Stott has been set for December 18th at 9:00 a.m. in Scotland County Court before Judge Karl DeMarce.

Information on both of these arrests was provided by the Memphis Police Department as well as the Memphis Democrat newspaper, and through the Missouri Courts Systems Casenet reports.

The good news is the group has recently received a monetary grant they hope to use to pour a cement walkway from the trail entrance at the North Elementary School down to the trail around the pond.  Thw walkway is expected to be around nine feet wide, and the group hopes to get the cement poured sometime in the near future.

Local volunteers have worked hard recently to clear brush up along the trail around where the old pond used to be.  The pond area has been drained, and the group is exploring was to continue to develop that area again.

The trail around the pond is eight feet wide, and while that area was developed years ago, the trail needs to be resurfaced again.  The trail around the pond and adjoining area offers a quiet serenity where anyone can enjoy looking at everything from trees to wildlife.  The area also offers an outdoor classroom and a covered Rock House featuring rocks that have been collected from all fifty states.  Rocks were donated by Mr. and Mrs. John Connor, and the display was constructed in 1975.

Local volunteer Harlo Donelson says the group is also exploring the possibility of building a 40-foot covered bridge in a wooded area along the trail.

Anyone wishing to help with the Tiger Trail may contact Lori Jack at the Scotland County Health Department at 660-465-7275.

The local Tiger Trails group typically meets the first Wednesday of the month at 6:00 p.m. at the Scotland County Health Department. 

Once the new walkway is poured, the group is also looking for someone, or perhaps a local group that will adopt and continually maintain an area from the North Elementary entrance down to the trail where flowers or shrubs might be planted to make the area look nicer.

A petition has now been filed in the case by former Clark County prosecuting attorney Scott Summers, who was appointed to the position two years ago by Missouri Governor Jay Nixon.

In the November election, a race was on the ballot for the Schuyler County Prosecutor’s office, and voters in Schuyler County selected Lindsay Gravett to fill the office.

Summers has now filed a petition in the case citing a state statute that Summers claims says he should remain in the position until the office is scheduled for election in 2014.

Schuyler County Clerk Bree Shaw and Gravett have been named as defendants in the case.

Shaw’s attorney has filed a response that cites another statute that they claim mandates that any vacancy in county office filled by the governor is to serve until January after the following election.  It is also claimed that Summers allegedly failed to file his petition in time, claiming the petition should have been filed within five days of the election certification.

Gravett’s attorney has filed a motion to dismiss the claim.

A court hearing on the case has been scheduled for Monday December 10th in Schuyler County.

Lately in Memphis, the Santa’s Helper’s program has already taken off.  Names of needy children are currently on cards on a tree at ShopKo.  Anyone wanting to help fulfill a child’s wish list is asked to take a card from the tree.  On the bottom of the card is a tag where the person who is adopting the child needs to write their name and phone number.  Tear that tag off.  On the tree is a red box.  Place the tag inside the box.  Take the card with the child’s wish list.  After you purchase the gift or gifts, attach the card to the bag or box the gift is in.

PLEASE DO NOT WRAP THE GIFTS.

You may leave the gift at Shopko, or drop it off at City Hall.  The deadline to turn the gifts back in is December 10th.

Monetary donations may be left at the Bank of Kirksville, Memphis Branch.  Checks may be made out to “Santa’s Helper’s”.  Monetary donations will be used to purchase any remaining gift requests on the tree or finish other gift requests.

Parents are responsible for picking up the gifts at the Memphis Fire Station Monday December 17th between 5:30 and 6:30 p.m…

Anyone with any questions may call 660-216-6226.

Kahoka State Bank is also sponsoring an Angel Tree sign up  for the needy at the Family Services Office at 320 West Main Street in Kahoka.  Sign up for the Angel Tree program runs now through Friday, December 14th. 

For those in the community who wish to help with the Angel Tree, you can select a child from the tree at Kahoka State Bank at their Kahoka or Wayland locations.  Donors then need to return their wrapped gifts to the Kahoka State Bank Kahoka branch no later than Monday, December 19th.

The holiday season kicked off with kiddie train rides, Christmas open houses at area businesses, some holiday caroling, comments from Memphis Mayor William Reckenberg, and even a visit from Santa Claus on the Scotland County Courthouse square this past Saturday afternoon.

Memphis Area Chamber of Commerce President Laura Willier attributed the sizeable crowd to warm weather conditions as a number of holiday revelers gathered on the west side of the square for the Memphis Bucks drawings.

Ten dollar Memphis Bucks winners included Linda Briggs, Alyssa Clair, Angel Chance, Jessica Campbell, Keith Chance, Kim Smith, Tonya Anders, Laura Dalton, Susan Rynearson, and Sierra Smith.  Twenty dollar Memphis Bucks winners were Tina Parrish, Sharleen Snyder, Kristi Eggleston-Wood, Mike Smith, and Kristi Eggleston-Wood.  The fifty dollar Memphis Bucks winner was Brooke Smith.

The Memphis Area Chamber of Commerce has announced that they are sponsoring the annual Decorated Lighting Contest.  Anyone wanting to enter their residence or the residence of a neighbor, may do so by stopping in and signing up at the Memphis Democrat on the west side of the Memphis square during their regular hours.

Winning residences will receive Memphis Bucks, with third place receiving $40.00, second place $60.00, and first place $80.00.  The best decorated business will receive a holiday- themed gift basket. 

The holiday light judging will take place on the evening of Saturday, December 15th.

According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, 47-year old Paul A. Hawn of Kirksville was northbound on highway 63 just south of Queen City, when the vehicle he was driving crossed the center line and struck a southbound vehicle driven by 71-year old Nancy E. Replogle of Glenwood in the side.  Replogle sustained moderate injuries in the accident, and was transported by Schuyler Co. EMS to Northeast Regional Hospital for treatment.  The vehilce Hawn was driving continued northbound and struck another southbound vehicle driven by 51-year old Carolyn S. Leaver of Lancaster.  The accident occurred around 9:20 a.m..

As a result of the accident,  Hawn has been charged with a felony of assault with a motor vehicle, felony DWI, a probation warrant for domestic assault in the third degree, failure to have insurance, and failure to drive on the right half of the roadway.  At last report, Hawn was being held in the Schuyler County jail.