1) Salem High School was shocked by the August deaths of two of its students within 24 hours. Sixteen-year-old Sarah J. Batstone was killed in a car crash north of Salem on a Monday morning, while the day before, Salem High School senior Zoe Myers committed suicide in Pulaski County. Batstone, a junior, was killed when her 2002 Chrysler ran off the left side of the roadway on a curve and struck a tree, according to the Highway Patrol report.
2) Just to prove how far reaching the Internet is, essays written for The Salem News by Salem High School students rank in the top two. The Salem News and Missouri Press Association sponsored a local “It Can Wait” essay contest, along with AT&T. Students write about the dangers of texting and driving. Similar contests are held across the country, and apparently the essays are shared among many, many people.
3) A Salem woman was held in the Dent County jail in November on felony drug charges after a medical emergency involving meth and a possible new drug to the area. The Dent County Sheriff’s Office reported that methamphetamine was mixed with Krokodil, a new and deadly drug.
4) Dr. J.J. Tune was elected mayor in April’s municipal election. Tune was elected by a margin of 27 votes, beating alderman Philip Giacomelli 465 to 438. “It was a hard race, but I love Salem and am happy to be its mayor,” said Tune. In other races, newcomer Molly Coffman Zettel ousted tenured West Ward Alderman Kenneth Nash with 62 percent of the vote.
5) A Dent County Jail inmate was found dead in his cell in December, according to Sheriff Rick Stallings. Jason A. Hall, 34, of Owensville, was discovered by a jailer unresponsive at approximately 8:15 p.m. The jailer then contacted emergency services. Hall was pronounced dead on the scene by Dent County Coroner Gina White, according to the sheriff’s news release. Stallings reported that Hall was housed in an isolation cell due to an unrelated medical condition.
6) A feature story written by staff writer Tyler McConnell on the death of Myers. Eric and Rebecca Myers, parents of 17-year-old Salem High School senior Zoë Myers, said they wished to turn their daughter’s tragic death into a positive, uplifting legacy. “If you want to honor Zoë’s memory, practice your instruments with the same intensity that Zoë did,” said Eric Myers to the tear-filled room full of Myers’ bandmates. “There’s nothing she would appreciate more. Music was the main thing that brought Zoë joy in life. I hope you’ll let it do the same for you.”
7) A 6-year-old boy drowned in July at Fugitive Beach, a swimming site in Phelps County, according to the Highway Patrol. Noah Cook of Fenton was in a flotation device in the presence of family members just prior to his disappearance around 1:30 p.m. Fugitive Beach, an old quarry, is located on Highway 72 eight miles from Rolla.
8) An August episode of “On the Case with Paul Zahn” featured the 1982 Judy Spencer murder and a 2009 trial on the Investigation Discovery Channel. Donald “Doc” Nash was convicted of the murder in 2009 following a cold-case investigation. The Supreme Court upheld his conviction in 2011, and he remains in state prison in Bonne Terre. Zahn conducted interviews in New York, and production staff was in Rolla and Salem earlier this year conducting interviews and obtaining video for the show.
9) Evacuation of the Salem Walmart in November turned out to be a prank, according to Salem Police Chief Keith Steelman. “It was a prank call that indicated that an explosive was there, but nothing was located,” Steelman said. “We are now investigating to determine where the call came from.” Steelman said the store was evacuated as a precautionary measure to ensure safety of shoppers and employees. A thorough check of the store found no irregularities.
10) A motion for an additional count on a writ of habeas corpus, requesting that his innocence be declared or a retrial be granted on new DNA evidence, was filed in June for Donald “Doc” Nash, 71 . Nash is being represented on a pro bono basis by Charles Weiss, a partner working out of the St. Louis office of megafirm Bryan Cave, LLC.
