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Lewis County
Serving the communities of Lewis County, Mo. since 1862 (USPS 088-820) Vol. XL New Series, No. 20 Canton, Mo. 63435 • 28 Pages • 4 Sections • 55 cents
BREAKING NEWS UPDATES AT
Thursday, May 17, 2012
NATIONAL NURSING HOME WEEK KICK-OFF
GRADUATION EVENTS SET FOR HIGH SCHOOLS IN LEWIS COUNTY Graduation ceremonies are held at the two public schools this weekend. Highland graduation is Friday at 7 p.m. at Highland High School. Canton’s graduation is at Canton R-V School large gym Sunday at 2 p.m. It is being held in the gym for a wheelchair-bound graduate.
MODOT TO SELL MONTICELLO PROPERTY BY DAN STEINBECK Editor dan@lewispnj.com
The Missouri Department of Transportation will sell the former Monticello highway shed and property at auction May 24. Last year, MoDOT announced major statewide restructuring, including the closing of the Monticello and LaBelle highway shed properties, and reassigning the employees. MoDOT officials say there are no current plans to sell the LaBelle property at this time. Area MoDOT Engineer Amy Crawford has met with the Lewis County Commission about the possibility of the County or the city of LaBelle taking over the property, with MoDOT retaining use of a salt storage shed at LaBelle, according to Southern Commissioner Jesse Roberts. However there has been no decision early this month on the proposal. An ad for the sale of the Monticello property is listed in this issue. The Monticello property is almost 2.5 acres with several buildings on Route 16 at the south village limits of Monticello. It was originally built in 1958, but there have been improvements and other structures added since then. In 2011, MoDOT announced statewide restructuring to cut 1,200 jobs, 135 facilities, and 740 pieces of equipment, and cut money for new road projects. There were two employees at each the LaBelle and Monticello facilities last year before the buildings closed. One retired prior to the closure and the others were reassigned to other MoDOT facilities.
Photo by Rita Cox
Residents and staff of the Lewis County Nursing Home kicked off Nursing Home Week with a balloon release May 14. The bright sunny day was the perfect setting the watch the balloons float high in the sky. A variety of activities are planned this week and the Lewis County Nursing Home appreciates and encourages visitors.
Culver-Stockton kicks off “A vision for our future” campaign BY BRIANNA BARTLETT Editorial Assistant brianna@lewispnj.com
On May 11, 2012, Culver-Stockton kicked off it’s new “A vision for our future” campaign with a ceremony held in the Carl Johann Memorial Library. With help from a group of Culver-Stockton students, President Richard Valentine showed the crowd of approximately 30 people a total of $8,515,333 the college has already been accounted for towards the $10.4 million campaign. “Currently, around 96 percent of Culver alumni make donations to the college,” said President Richard Valentine. Renovations have already begun in the library, including a new stairwell, a new circulation disk and a reconfigured space for a larger classroom and additional
The Durham Community Center and Ballpark will host slow pitch coed softball league. There will be three games played each Monday evening beginning at 6:30 p.m. starting May 21. A full concession stand with family prices will be available. For more information or questions, contact organizer Pat Jones at (573) 248-9337.
$2.3 million, thus allowing the school to give more scholarships, have more lecture series’, etc. The last $3.6 million of the $10.4 million the college intends to place into its annual giving fund which will also assist the scholarship fund. Currently, more than 90 percent of C-SC students receive financial aid from the college. “I am proud to say that this project of “A vision for our future” will simply set the stage for the next way we can enhance the student experience at CulverStockton,” Valentine remarked. Valentine urges alumni to give what they can afford because every gift assist them in reaching their goal. He reminded everyone that the money goes to a good purpose- that of maintaining the campus and ensuring decent facilities, providing scholarships, and keeping the college safe.
CONSTRUCTION CONTINUES ON GRAIN ELEVATOR BY DAN STEINBECK Editor dan@lewispnj.com
DURHAM BALL PARK HOSTING CO-ED SUMMER LEAGUE
computers. Additional renovations wanted for the library include a coffee shop for the college. The college also intends to erect a new $3.5 million recreation and wellness center. In 2003, the college lost the Charles Field House in a tornado, and the board of trustees responded by constructing a building in an attempt to “fill the void” until a new Charles Field house was erected. The current building continues to serve as an activity and recreation center, but only has a small fitness center. The wellness center is listed to be a top priority by the board of trustees and their peers. Other new additions and renovations include a $750,000 campus beautification project, which would include a new parking lot and road paving. The college would also like to increase it’s current endowment fund of $21 million by another
There is a flurry of activity at Canton’s south city limits with a multimillion dollar construction project. Ursa Farmer’s Cooperative is putting a grain elevator complex in Canton. According to Duane Shaffer of Shaffer Construction of Ursa, Ill., the concrete cap of the first of several passthrough bins was poured this week. That cap was added to the first of two eventual 140,000-bushel bins. A third elevator bin will be 200,000-bushel capacity. Leg support towers for the bins have been erected, and will be moved into proper positions later. The complex will also have an office, a scale, and three separate dump pits to receive the grain from the trucks.
Shaffer said the bins under construction would basically hold the grain just long enough for it to be loaded onto barges. A belt conveyor of over 1,100 feet long will move the grain from the temporary bins to barges, and will pass over the levee and Burlington-Northern Santa Fe tracks. Shaffer said the conveyor would be some 40 feet in the air. “We had to get permission from DNR (The Department of Natural Resources), The Corps of Engineers, and the railroad,” Shaffer said. That’s what took us so long. They all have signed off on it. A metal shed will be a shop for equipment and some repairs. Shaffer said eventually, more
permanent grain storage bins will be constructed. There are more than 20 construction workers from several companies working at various times on the project. Shaffer is not sure when the project will be operational.
LaGrange Appreciation Day May 19 Parade 10am Main St • Other Events in Washington Park Free Meal Provided By Mark Twain Casino and City of LaGrange • 4:30-6:30 Booths • Games • Food • Petting Zoo • Free Bounce House • Train Rides Scout Derby • Lip Sync Show, 7pm
Bring The Whole Family!
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