Archive for 2018

Volunteers for AARP will be conducting free tax filing assistance at the Salem Community Center@ the Armory computer lab this year. This free tax filing assistance will begin on Friday, February 2nd and continue every Friday until April 13th. AARP Foundation Tax-Aide volunteers are trained in filing certain tax forms and schedules, including the Form 1040. However, the Volunteer Protection Act requires that our volunteers stay in the scope of the program. If counselors feel they do not have adequate knowledge or your return is too complex, you may need to seek another qualified counselor or paid tax assistance. Items you need to bring to have your tax returns prepared include: Proof of identification – Picture ID; Social Security Cards for you, your spouse and dependents or a Social Security Number verification letter issued by the Social Security Administration or; birth dates for you, your spouse and dependents on the tax return. Wage and earning statement(s) Form W-2, W-2G, 1099-R, 1099-Misc from all employers; Year-end Social Security Statements showing total SS received and Medicare payments; Interest and dividend statements from banks (Forms 1099). A copy of last year’s federal and state returns if available; Proof of bank account routing numbers and account numbers for Direct Deposit, such as a blank check or deposit slip. To file taxes electronically on a married-filing-joint tax return, both spouses must be present to sign the required forms. The Salem Community Center @ the Armory is located at 1200 West Rolla Road. Appointments for the AARP can be made by calling the Salem Community Center at 729-8163.

The vendor who provides the Missouri State Parks online survey services will be performing maintenance this Friday beginning at 7:00 that will last approximately 12 hours. During this time, citizens will be unable to submit comments about the proposed Jay Nixon State Park in Reynolds County through our online surveys. Therefore, Missouri State Parks is extending the comment period through January 6th. They apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. Missouri State Parks held a series of public meetings in early December to discuss the future of three different state park properties. The three properties, which have not been developed and are currently closed, are Ozark Mountain State Park in Taney County, Bryant Creek State Park in Douglas County and Jay Nixon State Park in Reynolds County. The meetings also kicked off a month-long comment period originally set to close on Friday, but it has now been extended through Saturday at midnight. For more information and to complete an online survey, go to mostateparks.com.

The Salem Police Department has released a couple of reports. At approximately 10:43 in the morning on Friday, December 22nd, an officer was sent to a residence in the 900 block of North Park reference a theft. The investigation of the report revealed that a person or persons unknown took $1900.00 cash from inside the residence. The report is under investigation. On Thursday morning, December 28th at about 1:06, an officer was contacted in reference to a theft from a storage unit located at Highway 32 and Sligo. The investigation of the report revealed that a person or persons unknown broke into a unit and took items valued at $750.00. The report is under investigation. If anyone has information about any ongoing investigation, please contact the Salem Police Department at 729-4242.

The Community Blood Center of the Ozarks (CBCO) will hold a blood drive in Salem TODAY from 8:30 this morning until 2:30 this afternoon at the Salem High School Agriculture Building. O negative, A negative and B negative blood is in short supply, with less than a two-day reserve level for those types. To be eligible to give blood, you must weigh at least 110 pounds, be in good health, and present a valid photo ID. For more information, contact Heather Johnson (573) 729-6641.

The Salem Board of Aldermen met Tuesday night at the city hall council chambers with Alderman Shelton attending via video. After approval of the consent agenda, City Administrator Ray Walden reported that the city has removed the recycling bins that were located at the Salem Upper Elementary School since the City residents now have curbside recycling service. The city is still looking for a local source to continue the recycling program for county residents. Walden noted that future utility bills will list the recycling dates for the east and west side. Walden reported that he would like to include any CDL license requirement into the appropriate job descriptions and not have it included in the differential pay schedule. He will bring proposed position descriptions at a future meeting. The next alderman meeting will be held on Tuesday, January 16 and city offices will be closed because of the MLK holiday. Walden recommended and the board approved moving the February 5th Alderman meeting to the Salem Community Center @ the Armory. This meeting will immediately follow a public meeting that is being held with the Drury Visioning project. The board approved Bill No. 3356, an ordinance authorizing the mayor to executive a memorandum of agreement between the city and the Salem Area Chamber of Commerce. They also approved Bill No. 3357, an ordinance authorizing the mayor to execute an agreement between the city and the Salem High School 2018 Project Graduation. The board also approved a payment of $5,000 to the Chamber. The board then adjourned.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reports that there were seven fatalities during the New Year’s holiday counting period from 6:00 Friday evening, December 29th until 11:59 Monday night, January 1st. Troopers investigated 229 traffic crashes, which included 77 injuries and five of the seven fatalities. The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and Sullivan Police Department each investigated one traffic crash fatality during the counting period. In addition, troopers made 129 arrests for driving while intoxicated and 49 drug arrests during the 2018 New Year counting period. There were no boating crashes or drownings during the 2018 New Year’s holiday counting period. There were no fatalities in the Troop I area. Last year over the New Year’s holiday counting period, Missouri law enforcement agencies reported 539 traffic crashes, which injured 302 people. There were eight fatalities during the 2017 New Year’s holiday counting period. In addition, troopers made 103 arrests for driving while intoxicated and 67 drug arrests. There were no boating incidents or drownings during the 2017 New Year’s holiday counting period.

If you have a need for infant and toddler size gloves, mittens, hats, and children’s blankets during this bitterly cold weather, feel free to stop by the Dent County Health Center at the corner of Franklin and McArthur. The health center will have available a “Warming Tree” loaded with those items in their foyer and they are free to those who need them to stay warm. The tree will stay up through February. If you would like to help restock the items people have already taken from the tree, you can donate gloves, mittens, all sizes of hats and children’s blankets to the “Warming Tree.” For more information about the “Warming Tree” or about donating items to the “Warming Tree” at the Dent County Health Center, feel free to call them at 729-3106 or stop by Dent County Health Center at 601 S. McArthur.

Healthy Dent County is unrolling its first ever Dent County Youth Community Calendar. This calendar will consist of events and programs that are designed for children 18 years of age and younger in the Salem area. There will be a physical calendar released to the community and the schools every four months. In addition there will also be an online calendar. The online calendar will be continually be updated as events and programs get added throughout the year. All you have to do is visit this website: dentcountyyouthcalendar.org. If you would like more information about adding events and/or programs to the Dent County Youth Community Calendar, please contact Kelsey Schatz at kelsey@salemcommunitycenter.org or call 729-8163.