LEWIS COUNTY LEADER
SEE PAGE 4A
Lewis County
Serving the communities of Lewis County, Mo. since 1862 (USPS 088-820) Vol. XL New Series, No. 4 Canton, Mo. 63435 • 20 Pages • 4 Sections • 55 cents
Thursday, January 26, 2012
BREAKING NEWS UPDATES AT
TRUCK STOP PROGRESSING
STANDUP COMEDIAN PERFORMS LOCALLY
Photo by Dan Steinbeck
BY RITA COX Reporter rita1@lewispnj.com
Dustin Diamond, comedian, better known as Screech from the TV show Saved By the Bell, performed his stand up comedy act Saturday evening, Jan. 21, at the Lewis Street Playhouse in Canton. See story on page 3A
ELEMENTARY PRINCIPAL SEARCH BEGINS BY DAN STEINBECK Editor dan@lewispnj.com
The Canton R-V Elementary Principal is stepping down from her post to return to teaching. The district is advertising for someone to replace Darla Gaus, who has been GAUS the principal for five years, whose resignation is effective June 30. She will continue to work in the district. “I want to get back in the classroom. I miss working with the kids in the classroom,” Gaus said. She has taught for five years in Canton before becoming Elementary Principal, 13 years in the C-1 School District, and two years at Bowling Green. Gaus said he passion is special education and intends to be Canton’s elementary special education teacher and director of the special education and federal programs for the R-V district. “I feel like we’ve made a lot of strides in student achievement. I resigned early so the district would have time to hire a quality replacement,” Gaus said. Applications are being accepted through Jan. 31.
With concrete poured weeks ago, the walls are starting to take shape at the new truck stop and Steak and Shake fast food restaurant coming to Canton. It is located at the junction of Route P/U.S. 61.
City, police officer sued by dog owner BY DAN STEINBECK Editor
court against the city of LaGrange and police officer Doug Howell. dan@lewispnj.com Howell shot the dog twice and killed The man it, and although a Youtube video from a whose dog police –onboard video camera shows an was shot by often docile mixed pit bull dog, the dog a LaGrange had apparently shown aggression to a police ofchild before police arrived. ficer in The three-count lawsuit alleges How2010, has ell’s shooting and killing of the dog confiled suit in stituted a violation of Mays civil rights, U.S. Disnamely “a seizure under the Fourth trict Court Amendment”; and the city failed to train, against the supervise, and control police. The suit officer and seeks unspecified compensatory and puthe city that nitive damages, and attorney fees. employs LaGrange City Attorney Jeff Curl was him. on vacation this week and couldn’t be James W. reached for comment. Police Chief Dale MAYS Schottel, McNelly also could not be reached for Jr., the attorney for Marcus Mays of La- comment. The posting of the video on Youtube Grange, filed suit Jan. 19 in the federal
was viewed by thousands, many sharing their comments. Area law enforcement later met with Humane Society officials about dealing with animals. In June of 2010, Mays, who defended himself, was found guilty in LaGrange municipal court for one charge each of failure to register a dog for rabies prevention, and failure to leash or muzzle a vicious animal. Mays was previously convicted in 2007 for animal abuse, at which he was ordered not to own dogs for two years and pled guilty in 2006 to second degree domestic assault, resulting in a prison sentence. In June 2011, after federal grand jury indictment, Mays was arrested for a felon in possession of a gun, a 9mm caliber pistol and ammunition. He pled guilty in September, and is to be sentenced in Feb. in Iowa.
Preliminary hearing set for second man in motel arson BY DAN STEINBECK Editor dan@lewispnj.com
WASCHENBACH
While one man charged in the November 2011 Canton Motel fire has been sentenced, the legal process continues for another defendant. The case of Brian Waschenbach, 39, of Kahoka, was continued Jan. 17 in Lewis County Associate Circuit Court, with a preliminary hearing set for March 5 at 10:30 a.m. at the Monticello Courthouse with Judge Fred Westhoff. Waschenbach, owner of the Motel, is alleged
to have offered financial incentives to Abel Rosales for the Nov. 6, 2011 fire, which caused extensive damage. Both Waschenbach and Rosales have been charged with second-degree arson. Rosales was sentenced in Circuit Court Jan. 5 to three years in the Missouri Department of Corrections. Waschenbach had owned the motel and Rosales was the manager. The Canton Motel had been closed for several months before the fire, and there were no utilities to the building at the time of the fire.
METH USE ON THE RISE Northeast Missouri Drug Task force sees surge in meth. The Northeast Missouri Drug Task Force is again seeing an increase in the manufacture of methamphetamines, after a period of declining use. In a press release from the Task Force, the most prevalent increase seems to be in “Shake and Bake” or “One-Pot” methods of meth cooking, allowing a faster, more mobile manufacture of the substance.
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While aware of arguments against a medical prescription for pseudoephedrine, requiring a script would significantly reduce the illegal meth production. Other states have made that decision. The Task Force said another drug on the rise is heroin, especially “buttons” (capsules) with “an explosive” increase reported by Missouri law enforcement agencies. The Northeast Missouri Drug Task
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Force relies heavily on public involvement in curbing drug use. People should be aware of suspicious activity, unusual smells, and brief, multiple visits at homes and neighborhoods. People suspecting illegal drug activity may call the Task force at 573-2215200 or local law enforcement agencies. The Task Force covers communities in four Northeast Missouri counties, including Lewis.
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