SCHOOL SPORTS CO-OP UPDATE
SEE PAGE 2B
Lewis County
Serving the communities of Lewis County, Mo. since 1862
Thursday, December 22, 2011
(USPS 088-820) Vol. XXXIX New Series, No. 51 Canton, Mo. 63435 • 24 Pages • 2 Sections • 55 cents
NAUGHTY OR NICE?
BREAKING NEWS UPDATES AT
CANTON POLICE TAKE DELIVERY OF NEW TRUCK
Photo by Dan Steinbeck
The Canton Police Department have taken delivery of a 2011 Ford F150 four-wheel drive truck from Lovegreen Motors in Palmyra. The truck has the new Ford EcoBoost engine. A truck allows the police to respond to service calls in all weather, transport any sized animal or street barricades as needed. Chief Hayes Shelley said the truck purchase would allow a better tradein allowance toward a new vehicle when the time arises. The decals have been redesigned for better visibility. It also includes decals from Culver-Stockton College and Canton Tigers on either side of the truck. The Police Department traded a 2004 sedan for the truck.
COUNTY BOARD FILINGS ARE UNDERWAY
Filing started Dec. 13 for a number of Lewis County area boards. Early names on the ballot are Terry Faulconer and Bryan Jennings for the R-4 Fire Board; Beckie Ledbetter for Lewis County Ambulance District 3, John Waterman for Lewis County Ambulance district 5; Terry Faulcolner for Southern District for Lewis County E-911; Aaron Lay, south Ward for the City of Lewistown; and Randy Eaton, at-large member for the Lewis County E-911. There are a number of boards including schools municipalities and others where no candidate had filed as of Dec. 19. Filing for all these boards continues through Jan. 17, 2012.
PRESS-NEWS JOURNAL HOLIDAY HOURS The Press-News Journal will be closed Monday, Dec. 26. We will reopen with normal business hours on Tuesday, Dec. 27. We will also be closed on Friday, Dec. 30 and will re-open Monday, Jan. 2 with regular business hours. The staff of the PressNews Journal would like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas!
Photo by Dan Steinbeck
Santa visits with these two children at the LaBelle Depot Saturday Dec. 10. The jolly old elf has been spotted at various locations across Lewis County this week, as area children prepare their lists.
Truck stop construction progresses The fast-food partner for the Ayerco Travel Plaza has been identified
By Dan Steinbeck, Editor dan@lewispnj.com
Construction work is progressing at the Ayerco Travel Plaza truck stop in Canton. Canopy columns and footwork for some of the structure has been set, and fuel tanks were buried last week. Shortridge Construction is doing some of the current building work. Steve Ayers, President of Ayers Oil Company, said the structure would be 7,400 square feet, including 3,400 for a convenience store, 2,400 for a fast food restaurant. The rest of the space is a common area between the two with restrooms. Ayers confirmed a long-rumored option, Steak and Shake, would be the fast food partner for the business. Ayers said the Steak and Shake would have a drive through for auto traffic. It will be different from many other such Steak and Shakes, as it will be a “signature series” Steak and Shake, with at-counter ordering, as opposed to others with sit-down service. Ayers said Steak and Shake hasn’t partnered with many truck stops, and the
Photo by Dan Steinbeck
Shortridge Construction has been at work building the structure for the Ayerco Travel Plaza and Steak and Shake. The business may open in mid 2012, weather pendng.
signature series is a potential market they would like to better establish. There will be shower facilities, a truck driver’s lounge, and weigh scales as trucker amenities, and there will be initial parking for approximately 40 trucks. The Ayers company owns further land north of the truck stop site, for consideration of
future facility development. Otherwise, Ayers said the Travel Plaza would have similar amenities of other such company facilities. Although weather is a huge factor, Ayers is hoping for a possible opening in late June, 2012.
LABELLE TO SEEK WATER BOND ISSUE By Dan Steinbeck, Editor dan@lewispnj.com
The City of LaBelle has agreed to put a $2.5 million bond issue on the February 7, 2012 ballot for water improvement issues. The bond issue will be for totally replacing the city’s outdated water lines and to construct a new water tower.
Mayor Larry Hackemack said he would like to see the city have a new 75,000-gallon water tower, but the Missouri Department of Natural Resources is recommending a 100,000-gallon tower. Hackemack said the city tried to get funding for the water projects from USDA Rural Development, but said their funding “has gone south for areas
hit by the storms.” This left the bond issue as the main funding mechanism. The Clarence Cannon Water District serves LaBelle and other communities, and the bond issue projects would be for the LaBelle water distribution system. A public meeting to explain further details will be January 16 at 7 p.m. at the LaBelle Fire Station.
All you can eat......
s t Sea Food Buffet r a t S at . m Saturday, Dec. 31 . p 4
GR Dr EAT in S AL peci k L N als IG
Crab Legs, Fried Shrimp, Shrimp Scampi, Peel & Eat Shrimp, Clam Strips, Baked Scallops, HT Clam Chowder, Baked Tilapia, Fried Fish, and Much, Much More... Offer available ‘til Christmas
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305 Lewis Street, Canton, Mo 573-288-3986 www.riversidesmokehouse.com We are closed Christmas Day!!