Archive for 2017

The City of Bunker is no longer under a Boil Water Order. The order was issued last Wednesday when the city’s routine bacteriological water samples resulted in total coliform positive samples. The appropriate measures were taken and the latest tests have all come back negative coliform samples.

The Dent County Sheriffs office released some reports. On Sunday October 29th, deputies conducted a traffic stop on Route H near Dent County Road 2315. As a result, a 31-year old Salem woman was arrested for driving while being intoxicated. She was fingerprinted, issued a citation and released. On Monday, October 30th, deputies conducted traffic stop at Casey’s on Highway 32 East. After a consented search of the vehicle, a 33-year old Salem man was arrested for driving while being intoxicated and possession of a controlled substance. He was taken to the Dent County Jail and incarcerated. Later that same day, deputies conducted a well-being check at a residence on Dent County Road 5070. After a consented search was conducted, a 24-year old Salem woman was arrested for possession of a controlled substance. She was taken to the Dent County Jail and incarcerated. On Tuesday October 31st, deputies responded to a residence in the 38000 block of Highway 72 for a report of a domestic assault. The primary aggressor, a 50-year old Salem man was arrested for 3rd Degree Domestic Assault. He was taken to the Dent County Jail and incarcerated. On Friday November 3rd, deputies responded to a residence on County Road 3090 for a report of a missing mailbox. Deputies discovered that the mailbox had been completely taken and the cedar post had been pulled from the ground. This report is still under investigation. On Saturday November 4th, deputies responded to the Enrichment Services on Highway 19 South for a male subject sitting in vehicle and acting strange. After a short investigation, a 23-year old from Mayther, California was arrested for possession of a controlled substance. He was taken to the Dent County Jail and incarcerated. If you have information regarding any ongoing investigation, please call the Sheriff’s Department at 729-3241.

The Salem R-80 Quiz Bowl Team held their annual fall meet on Saturday with the Salem Varsity taking 4th place in the competition. The Salem JV Team placed in the varsity bracket and took 5th place. Individual medals were given to three Salem players: Arley Gale who took a 4th Place Individual Medal, Richard Parks who captured a 6th Place Individual Medal and Sam Swindell who earned a 7th Place Individual Medal. Thayer won the varsity division while Rolla captured 1st place in the JV Division. This was the first tournament of the year for the Salem Teams who are coached by Susan Sheeley and Will Hobbs.

Denise Rea Barner of Rolla was sentenced to a term of imprisonment of 15 months in the Federal Bureau of Prisons for fraudulently using her employer’s debit card for personal gain. Barner was further ordered to pay restitution to the victim in the amount of $125,576.80. According to court documents, Barner was an employee of the Robert L. Kyle Center Home for Semi-Independent Living Inc. from July 1991 to February 25, 2016. She was named as a “Director” of the Kyle Center in about November of 2004 and her duties included general accounting. Beginning in about November 2007 and ending in February 2016, Barner falsely and fraudulently used the Kyle Center debit cards to make unauthorized personal purchases and ATM withdrawals. The Kyle Center sustained a loss of between $95,000.00 and $150,000.00. The 54-year old Barner pled guilty in July to one felony count of access device fraud and appeared for sentencing before United States District Judge Rodney W. Sippel. Access device fraud carries a maximum penalty of 10 years and/or a fine of up to $250,000.00 or both. In determining the actual sentences, a Judge is required to consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, which provide recommended sentencing ranges. This case was investigated by the Rolla Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Roy handled the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

An accident happened in Dent County at 7:10 Tuesday morning on Highway 32 about two miles west of Salem that took the life of a Dent County man. According to the highway patrol report, a 1995 Chevy Lumina driven westbound by 40-year Jamie Hatcher of Salem, crossed the centerline and struck a 2005 Honda Goldwing driven eastbound by 54-year old Ron Caraway of Salem head on. Caraway was pronounced dead at the scene at 7:47 in the morning by Dent County Coroner Gina White. His body was taken to the Wilson Mortuary in Salem. Hatcher suffered moderate injuries and was transported to Mercy Hospital St. Louis. Caraway was wearing his safety gear at the top of the accident while Hatcher was not. The Lumina sustained extensive damage while the Goldwing was totaled. Both vehicles were towed from the scene by Whitaker’s Towing.

Intercounty Electric Cooperative Association announced Monday afternoon it is negotiating to purchase a major internet provider in Texas County. The Texas County Rural Area Information Network would become an Intercounty subsidiary as the organization says it plans to eventually offer broadband service within the 10 counties where the cooperative currently provides electric service. The two sides are working out the details of the agreement. The Texas County Rural Area Information Network current employees will join Intercounty. Intercounty says the focus of 2018 will be the “integration, planning and strengthening while continuing to serve TRAIN’s existing customers and establishing future operating procedures.” Both organizations said there won’t be rate changes for current TRAIN customers, although additional service options and pricing structures may be available in the future. In their release, the interest for Intercounty is not revenue driven, but to eventually provide high speed internet services to their rural communities. Intercounty said it will begin focusing on underserved areas beyond 2018.

The City of Salem Board of Aldermen met for their regular meeting at the City Hall Council Chambers Monday evening. At the meeting, the board heard from Greg and Jason Rowden of County Fuels of Eminence who opened the Sinclair Gas stop on Highway 32-72 West. They wanted to introduce themselves to the board and let them know they were interested in putting up a convenience store at their location. They would like to get started after the first of the year. Currently they are working with the Corp of Engineers on rerouting the drainage ditch on their property as well as their engineers on getting the property designed for a throwback 1920’s version Sinclair Station. They were asking the city for any help they could provide and said the investment would be between 700,000 and 900,000 dollars. They are waiting on a permit and hope to hear from the Corp of Engineers in a week or so. After the consent agenda was approved, City Administrator Ray Walden told the board WCA has put out the new trash carts as well as recycling carts for each residence as per their new contract, and Walden said he is asking for the publics patience as the city is trying to get as much information out as quickly as possible to answer the most frequently asked questions. He is hopefully that will clear up some of the misconceptions. Walden said Westport Pools is now on site and working on the Alice Craig Municipal Pool in getting ready for next year. He said the offices would be closed Friday for Veteran’s Day and the Salem Community rezone the property on Highway 19 South from Commercial to Manufacturing owned by Gary Fiebelman, approved Bill #3347 that allows the mayor to execute an agreement with Foraker Center@The Armory had 5,894 participants in October. The board approved Bill #3346 to Enterprises, Inc d/b/a My Splash Pad for the installation of a splash pad in the city park; and approved Bill #3348 that allows the mayor to execute an agreement between the city and Hellmuth & Bicknese, Drury University, Archer-Elgin Engineering and Environmental Operation, Inc. for a comprehensive visioning for the old middle school and related tasks for the city. The groups will work with Drury University as Spring Semester Project that would allow the conceptual vision to match with the engineering necessities to provide options for the property. There is $35,000 budgeted in this years budget for the work, and based on their findings in the spring, the board will have a platform from which they can use for the 2018-2019 budgeting process. Walden also brought invoices to the board of $18,079 for the down payment on the Splash Pad installation in April which the board approved, and numerous invoices totaling $350,000 for the construction of Billie’s Playground at the Salem City Park. Those dollars were all budgeted in a previous year’s budget. Walden said he along with Park and Recreation Director Tye Lydon and Park and Recreation Board President Stan Podorski will meet soon to discuss the financing for the new pool as well as the playground and possibly the pool house. Once that is done, Walden said a budget adjustment recommendation will be brought back to the board for their approval. The board then went into closed session.