News – Tuesday, May 9th, 2017
Once the water recedes, there will be damage not covered by insurance or other resources. Meramec Regional Community Foundation stands ready to help its Meramec counties during this devastating flood disaster. After flooding in 2015, Meramec Regional Community Foundation in partnership with the Meramec Regional Planning Commission, Community Foundation of the Ozarks and the MRPC’s eight counties established separate disaster funds to help with local recovery efforts. Those funds are still in place and stand ready to help with recovery from the flood of 2017. Disaster relief funds are ready to accept financial donations to benefit Crawford, Dent, Gasconade, Maries, Osage, Phelps, Pulaski and Washington counties. Distributions from the funds collected will be made only to local governments, nonprofit organizations and religious institutions participating in immediate and long-term recovery efforts within the designated community with oversight provided by the regional planning commission. Donations are tax-deductible. Contributions by check should be made payable to the fund of choice, as there is a fund setup for each of the eight counties in the region, and those can be mailed to the MRPC located at #4 Industrial Drive, St. James, MO. 65559 or CFO P.O. Box 8960, Springfield, MO. 65801. Online donations can be made at cfozarks.org/Meramec.
The City of Salem Utility Committee will conduct a meeting, called by Alderman Chad Heithold, Chairman of the Committee, tonight at the Salem Community Center @ the Armory beginning at 7:00 pm. The purpose of the meeting will be the reviewing of rates for 2017-2018. The meeting of the City of Salem Utility Committee is open to the public.
An accident occurred at 3:45 last Tuesday afternoon on South Washington Street at Highway 32 in Salem. According to the Salem Police report, a 2006 Ford Taurus SE driven by Serina Cottrell of Salem was southbound on South Washington stopped at a stop sign. The Ford started to make a right turn onto Highway 32 and made contact with a 2006 Ford F-150 driven by Hugh Plumley and owned by Nancy Caldwell of Salem that was traveling westbound in the outer lane of highway 32 approaching Washington Street. The Ford Taurus SE sustained minor damage. The Ford F-150 sustained moderate damage. A rear passenger sustained minor injuries and was transported by ambulance to the Salem Memorial District Hospital for treatment. The driver and a front passenger in the Ford F150 sustained probable, not apparent injuries and were transported by private transportation to the Salem Memorial District Hospital for examination. The crash was not investigated at the scene.
An accident occurred at 2:00 on the afternoon of Thursday, May 4th on Babb Lane in Salem. According to the Salem Police report, a 1999 Toyota Tocoma driven by Albert McCarter of Salem was traveling east on Highway 32 approaching Babb Lane. A 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee driven by Vanessa Downing of Boss was also traveling east on Highway 32 approaching Babb Lane and was slowing for an incident ahead on Craig Industrial Drive. McCarter failed to see the Jeep slowing for the incident ahead and made contact with the Jeep. The Toyota Tacoma sustained moderate damage and was towed from the scene with no injuries reported. The Jeep Gran Cherokee sustained moderate damage. Downing complained of a slight neck injury and south her own medical treatment. Both vehicles were moved prior to the officer’s arrival.
Today is the day some Dent County non-profits – Riverways Pregnancy and Family Resource Center, Bonebrake Center, and Salem Public Schools Foundation – will be participating in “Give Meramec”, a one-day, online fundraising event for agency partners of the Community Foundation of the Ozarks. To donate, please visit givemeramec.giveozarks.org.