Archive for 2018

The Dent County Commissioners met Thursday morning at the Dent County Courthouse. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles was unable to attend due to a previous commitment and Dent County Clerk Angie Curley appointed Commissioner Dennis Purcell as Acting Presiding Commissioner. The commissioners heard from Don Hagler and Brad Turner about concerns with the jail project and how long it is taking to get it moving forward. The commission would like to have these gentlemen attend their next meeting with the architect and project manager. They both stated they would like to attend. In the road report, Purcell indicated materials would be added and grading done on Dent County Roads 4080 and 6580, while only grading would be done on county roads 5400 and 5490. Purcell went on to say workers would be installing a driveway culvert and adding materials to Dent County Road 5013. District 2 Commissioner Gary Larson stated grading would be done on Dent County Roads 2320 and 2330 while brush would be cut on county road 3330. Larson did say he had two men delivering materials to the fishing ponds at Howes Mill through an agreement with the U.S. Forest Service. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley reported the county was undergoing a Workman’s Comp audit Thursday morning. She went on to say absentee voting continues up to April 2nd, in her office on Saturday, March 31st from 8:00 in the morning until noon; and the last day to mail out a ballot will be Wednesday, March 28th. Curley also said she would be testing the electronic voting machines on Friday, March 23rd at 9:00 at the courthouse. The next meeting of the commission will be Monday morning at 9:00 at the courthouse and the meeting is open to the public.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol wants to remind everyone that boating season is upon us and according to state statutes, every person born after January 1, 1984, or as required pursuant to section 306.128, who operates a vessel on the lakes of this state shall possess, on the vessel, a boating safety identification card issued by the water patrol division or its agent which shows that he or she has successfully completed a boating safety course approved by the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators and certified by the water patrol division. The boating safety course may include a course sponsored by the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary or the United States Power Squadron. The water patrol division may appoint agents to administer a boater education course or course equivalency examination and issue boater identification cards under guidelines established by the water patrol. If you have to have a boater ID card, there will be an upcoming boating safety course on Saturday, March 24th from 8:00 in the morning until 5:00 in the afternoon at Troop I Headquarters in Rolla at 1301 Nagogami Road. Only 20 people may attend this class. You can register online by going to the MSHP website at www.mshp.dps.missouri.gov. Once there, scan down the left side of the page and find Boating Safety and Education Certification and click on it. Find the Rolla location, click in the circle to the left of the class and go to the bottom of the page and click register. You can find out more information by calling (573) 368-2345. Any class with less than 10 students registered two days prior to the class being held may be cancelled. In the case of a class being cancelled, attempts will be made to contact the registered students in a timely fashion but not guaranteed. Check the MSHP website the day of the class or call to make sure the class is still being held. You can also take the course online, but there is a cost to do it that way.

There is currently a petition drive to have a state funeral for the last Medal of Honor recipient from World War II that would honor all 16 million of those courageous men and women who fought to protect the freedoms we enjoy today. Of that sixteen million, only 464 received the Medal of Honor, of which only four recipients remain alive today. Back in September of 2017, a nationwide petition drive was launched to convince the President of the United States to designate a state funeral in Washington D.C. for the last surviving Medal of Honor recipient from World War II. This single state funeral would provide special recognition for all Medal of Honor recipients, and serve as a final salute to the “greatest generation” of men and women who served during World War II. Petitions are located in various business locations in Salem, Dent County and surrounding counties. Signers of the petition must be a registered voter. If you have questions or concerns feel free to contact Richard LaBrash, State Chairman of the World War II Salute Initiative in Missouri, at (573) 729-1394 or people can go online at WorldWar2Salute.org to sign the petition.

This St. Patrick’s Day weekend, make sure your luck doesn’t run out by planning ahead for a sober ride home should you choose to take part in the celebration. The Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety reminds motorists of the various options available to get everyone home safe. Designating a sober driver, or staying home and celebrating are just a few of those options. Preliminary 2017 data indicates that 185 people were killed and 592 were seriously injured in crashes involving at least one substance-impaired driver. Fifty-one of those drivers were under the age of 21. Missouri’s Zero Tolerance Law states that drivers under 21 years old caught with even a trace of alcohol in their system will have their licenses suspended. Besides driving completely sober, motorists are advised to put their cell phones down while driving and always buckle up..everyone, every trip, every time. Buckle Up, Phone Down.

Do you have your table reserved for the SACBA “Trivia Night” this Friday night at the Salem Community Center@ The Armory? Time is running out to be a part of the fun that starts at 6:00 with the doors opening at 5:30. The cost is $100 per team for a table which can be made up of as many as eight players. Test your trivia knowledge in ten categories with ten questions in each category. Prizes will be awarded to the top three teams as well as the team with the cleverest name. The 1st place team will receive $200 cash and take home the annual traveling trophy. Soft drinks and popcorn will be served. Teams are welcome to bring food for your team at your table. Reserve your table today by calling Judy at 729-8163 or e-mail her at judy@salemcommunitycenter.org. “Trivia Night” will again be hosted by David Massengale. Everyone is welcome to be a part of the fun!

Congressman Jason Smith presented James “Dave” Pace with his second Bronze Star with Valor this past Monday that he earned during the Vietnam War, but his discharge documents only listed one Bronze Star and no Valor was recognized. Pace was concerned his military records weren’t complete and he reached out to Congressman Smith’s office for help. Pace worked with Smith’s office to submit evidence of the second incident for which he was awarded his second Bronze Star with Valor. Representative Smith was able to successfully share this information with the Army, prompting them to recognize Pace’s rightfully earned medals, amend his discharge documents and update his VA benefits. Smith’s office has helped hundreds of Veterans navigate the often cumbersome and complex VA process. Any veteran in need of assistance is encouraged to contact Representative Smith’s office so that ‎help can be provided as quickly as possible. If you have issues with the VA, contact Jason Smith’s office in Rolla at 573-364-2455 or stop by at 830A South Bishop.

There will be a meeting for those interested in becoming vendors at the Salem Farmers Market this year tonight at the Salem Area Chamber of Commerce office starting at 7:00. Stop by if you are interested, but if you can’t make it to the meeting, call Tom at 247-7952 to get all the details about becoming a vendor.

The Salem R-80 Board of Education will hold their regular board meeting at 6:00 this evening at the Salem District Administrative Offices Boardroom. At the meeting, the Board will hear from Superintendent John McColloch who will report on Summer School for 2018, give a health insurance update, and a budget update. The principals from all the schools will also give their reports. In new business, the board will set an organizational meeting date and April regular meeting date, approve MSBA Policy Service Agreement and consider MSBA 2018A updates. The board will accept resignations before adjourning and going into closed session. The Salem R-80 Board of Education meeting Thursday will be at the District Administrative Office Boardroom at 6:00 and the regular meeting is open to the public.

This month, a ReproGene 2018 workshop will be held in South Central Missouri. The workshop will deal with the remarkable technology available to beef producers and how producers can use these tools to increase profits. The workshop will be led by MU Extension’s David Patterson and Jared Decker. Topics will include overviews of AI synchronization protocols for heifers and cows, evaluation of protocols for two-year-old cows, split-time AI and use of sex-sorted semen, Expected Progeny Difference (EPD) and Genomic prediction basics, plus using genetic and Genomic predictions for increased profitability. The South Central Missouri workshop will be held March 26th at 4:30 pm at the Recklein Auditorium in Cuba, Missouri and will be coordinated by University of Missouri Extension, Livestock Specialist, Ted Cunningham. Cunningham can be contacted by phoning (573) 729-3196. Early registration is $20.00, which includes dinner. Registrants are asked to register a minimum of one week prior to the workshop. The registration fee is $25.00 at the door. For information contact Jared Decker at (573) 882-2504 or online at DeckerJE@missouri.edu.

The Meramec Regional Emergency Planning Committee (MREPC) in conjunction with Missouri Emergency Response Commission (MERC) is offering training this month about Chemical Suicide: Information for Emergency Responders. The training will be held March 28th at Missouri S&T’s Havener Center in the Carver Turner Room in Rolla from 8:00 until 11:30 in the morning. The course will provide background on the history of chemical suicide in the U.S; as well as, provide a detailed look at the chemicals most commonly used during chemical suicide, their effect on the victim and precautions the responder should take to protect themselves during the response. Several case studies of chemical suicides within the United States will be discussed, and finally, the class will discuss basic emergency response practices that a first responder should take into consideration when faced with a chemical suicide response. Due to the subject matter of the course, participants are suggested to 18 years or older. Those interested in participating should register on the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) training webpage at training.dps.mo.gov. For more information contact Lisa Jobe at 573-526-9241.

The 100-Acre Wood Road Rally is back with 64 entries as of March 13th. This year the race format has changed considerably with Stages 1 through 7 being run in both Dent and Crawford Counties on Friday with the Stages 8 through 17 scheduled to run Saturday in Dent, Crawford and Washington Counties. In Dent County, the Scotia South Stage 4 is expected to begin 5:00 Friday afternoon and return for Stage 6 starting at about 7:30 in the evening that will feature Spectator Points 4 and 6. The Southern Loop in the Gladden area includes Stage 5 starting at about 5:25 Friday afternoon with Stage 7 returning later that evening 7:55. The only Saturday Stage in Dent County will be Stage 8 at the intersection of Dent County Roads 4330 and 4370 at about 10:30 in the morning which is Spectator Location 8. Another spectator location close to Dent County is at Stages 2 and 9 at the intersection of county road 4020 and Camel Hump Road Friday at about 2:00 and Saturday morning at 11:10. This is Spectator Point 2 and 9. The public is invited to join in the festivities, see the cars up close and meet the teams at the Parc Expose on Fourth Street in Salem on Saturday morning from 8:30 until 10:00. Spectators are also welcome at the service sessions at the Dent County Commons Friday and The Huzzah Valley Resort Saturday as well as the Victory Celebration at The Commons at 7:20 Saturday evening. There is no admission charge for any of these events. Race brochures are located in various locations in town and in Tuesday’s edition of the Salem News. For more information on the course, spectator points and a list of the participants, visit www.100aw.org. Spectators can also sign up for email and text alerts by going to www.rainedout.net and signing up or by texting 100AW to 84483.

The Missouri Department of Conservation has announced it will now offer used department vehicles, boats, motors, tractors, trailers, farm equipment, office equipment, and other items for sale through the online auction website Govdeals.com. GovDeals.com is an online auction exclusively for government and educational agencies. The new online auction is available 24/7 from the convenience of a computer or smart device. It will replace the semi-annual live auctions the department has held in June and October at its Maintenance Center in Salem. According to the General Services Supervisor Jeff Arnold, who coordinates the Department’s auction activities, the all-online auctions with offerings posted throughout the year makes it easier and more convenient for many people to see, bid on, and buy items offered by the Department. He went on to say it also provides significant time and cost savings for the department by eliminating the need to transport and store auction items from throughout the state to the Salem Maintenance Center, then prepare each item, advertise, and staff the live auctions. To find out what auction items are available from the Missouri Department of Conservation, go to www.govdeals.com and enter “Missouri Department of Conservation” in the search box. Auction items are posted throughout the year as they become available. Each auction item listed will include pictures and detailed information on what is being offered, where it is located, inspection information and options, bid dates and other bidding details and payment methods. The site will also privide information on the removal or collection of the item by the buyer, any special instructions, and the availability to submit questions about the item.

The Dent County Sheriff’s Department has released a number of reports. On Thursday March 8th, deputies responded to a residence on Route ZZ for a burglary alarm. A rear door appeared to have been forced open. This report is still under investigation. Later that day deputies responded to a residence on Route WW for a report of a theft. It was reported that $1,500 was taken from a safe inside of the residence. This report is still under investigation. On Friday March 9th, deputies conducted a search warrant at a residence in the 8000 block of Route K. Deputies discovered a 47-year old Salem man with a Capias warrant hiding under furniture. He was found to be in possession of a glass pipe with blue electrical tape in his pocket. The pipe tested positive for methamphetamine. Also located was a baggie that field tested positive for methamphetamine. A 45-year old Salem woman was arrested for the baggie. They were taken to the Dent County Jail and incarcerated. If anyone has any information regarding any ongoing investigation, please contact the Dent County Sheriff’s Office at 729-3241.

The Salem Police Department has released some reports. On Monday morning, March 5th at about 11:41, an officer was dispatched to a traffic accident near the 1300 block of South Macarthur. The investigation of the crash led to the arrest of a 54-year old male of Salem for driving while being intoxicated and leaving the scene of an accident. The suspect was issued summonses to appear in court and released. That evening at about 6:08, an officer was detailed to Wal-Mart in reference to a shoplifter. The investigation of the report led to the arrest of a 36-year old male of Salem for stealing merchandise valued at $42.08. The suspect was issued a summons to appear in court and released. Even later that evening at 7:20, an officer located a 24-year old male of Salem at the Salem Hospital who had an active warrant for his arrest. The suspect was taken into custody on the warrant and incarcerated pending a court appearance. On Wednesday morning, March 7th at 8:31, an officer was detailed to the Salem High School in reference to a theft from a student. This investigation revealed a male juvenile had stolen $400.00 from another juvenile student. The suspect was detained and released to a parent. The report will be forwarded to the Juvenile Office. If you have any information regarding an ongoing investigation, please contact the Salem Police Department at 729-4242.