Archive for 2018

The Dent County Commissioners met Thursday morning for their regular meeting in the Dent County Courthouse. Due to the death of Dent County Clerk Angie Curley’s grandmother and illness in the County Clerk’s office, Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles recorded the minutes of the meeting. In the road report, District One Commissioner Dennis Purcell said that grading would be done on Dent County Roads 5620, 6380, 6420 and 6280, while two crossover pipes would be installed and materials would be added to county road 2470. Purcell noted that Wednesday he received a call about a broken limb on Dent County Road 5380. Upon inspection it was determined that the limb, which had broken off and had become lodged on another, was too high to safely be removed. Purcell added that he had received a call inviting the Commissioners to a meeting in Shannon County about the feral hog problem. He said the meeting was being sponsored by Farm Bureau and the Cattlemen’s Association and would be held March 22nd at 7:00 pm at the old gym in Eminence. District Two Commissioner Gary Larson said that grading would be done on Dent County Roads 4030, 2020 and 2083, plus materials would be added to county road 2200. He added that grading would be done and materials would be added on county road 5300, and that brush would be cut on county road 3330. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles said that he would be attending a Meramec Regional Enhancement Corporation meeting Thursday afternoon and the MRPC meeting Thursday night. Skiles extended the County’s condolences to Angie Curley on the loss of her grandmother. Dent County Collector Dennis Medlock was in to present the Commissioners with the Collector’s Annual Settlement Form 205 and answer questions. He noted that the collections for March 1, 2017 through February 28, 2018, which is the County Collectors fiscal year, were $7,854,195.70. It was noted that the collections were up $530,000.00 when compared to the previous year. The next meeting of the Commissioners will Monday morning at 9:00 and the meeting is open to the public.

The Missouri Department of Conservation and the Conservation Federation of Missouri thank the thousands of Missouri deer hunters who donated 289,292 pounds of venison to the state’s Share the Harvest program this past deer season. The donated deer meat will help feed hungry Missourians all around the state. This season’s total of 289,292 pounds of venison included nearly 5,600 whole deer. Hunters donated 198,277 pounds of venison the year before. Since the program was started in 1992, Share the Harvest has provided nearly 4 million pounds of lean, healthy venison to help feed hungry Missourians. Share the Harvest is coordinated by MDC and CFM. It works by deer hunters donating their extra venison to more than 100 participating meat processors throughout the state who grind the deer meat into ready-to-use packages. The packaged venison is then given to local food banks and food pantries for distribution to Missourians in need of food assistance. For more information on Share the Harvest, visit short.mdc.mo.gov/Zoz.

Thom Haines from the National Forest Service wants to remind youngsters between the ages of 15 and 18 that they have the opportunity to be a part of the Youth Conservation Corps this summer in the Salem Forest District. The program is a summer youth employment opportunity that engages young people in meaningful work experiences on the Mark Twain National Forest. Interested youngsters must be at least 15 years of age at the start of the program and cannot turn 19 years of age before the completion of the program. They have to be a US Citizen, must have a Social Security Number and be able to be at work on time starting May 29th and lasting through July 20th. If a youngster cannot commit to the entire eight week program, please do not apply. YCC members are expected to work up to eight hours a day for a total of 40 hours per week, and will be paid the minimum wage. Youngsters interested should be aware this is outdoor physical work and they will be exposed to insects, adverse weather as well as poison ivy and oak. Applications for the program are available at the Salem High School in Ms. Adamick’s office and at the Forest Service Office on Highway 19 south behind Mobil. Three people will be selected with one boy and one girl selected randomly from all applications submitted, while the other applicant will be selected based on their application. For more information, call the Forest Service Office at 729-6656.

There will be a meeting for those interested in becoming vendors at the Salem Farmers Market this year on Thursday, March 15th 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 details about becoming a vendor.

The Salem Area Community Betterment Association will hold their annual “Trivia Night” on Friday, March 16th at the Salem Community Center@ The Armory starting at 6:00. There will be 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. The cost is $100 per team at a table which can be made up of as many as eight players. Soft drinks and popcorn will be served, but teams are welcome to bring dinner in for your team at your table. For more information or to reserve your table, call Judy at 573-729-8163 or e-mail her at judy@salemcommunitycenter.org. “Trivia Night” will be hosted by David Massengale and is a major fundraiser for SACBA and they work they do in the community. Everyone is welcome to be a part of the fun!

The Salem Police Department released this accident report that occurred Monday morning, February 26th, at approximately 7:51. According to the report, a 2002 Chevrolet Silverado Z-71 4X4 was eastbound in the outer lane on Highway 32 approaching Chafin when the driver, Timothy Riggs of Salem, passed out due to a medical issue. The Chevrolet veered to the left crossing all traffic lanes and ran off the Highway 32 into the north ditch. The Chevrolet made contact with the Intercounty Electric primary pole and the CenturyLink telephone pedestal box on the southeast corner of Chafin. The Chevrolet then continued for 260 feet northeast across the Lighthouse Assembly Church property, made contact with a wide ditch, became temporarily airborne and final came to rest wet of Sinclair County Fuels. Riggs stated that he was eastbound when he started feeling weak and passed out and when he awoke he was in the ditch west of County Fuels. The events of the accident were verified by a witness. Riggs suffered minor injuries and was transported to Salem Memorial District Hospital by private means. The Chevrolet, the electric pole, and the telephone pedestal box all sustained extensive damage, while there was minor damage to the cable lines and church landscape.

The Dent County Sheriff’s Department has released a few reports. On Sunday, February 25th, deputes conducted a traffic stop at Route ZZ and Route K. The driver, a 33-year old Columbia man, was arrested for possession of marijuana. He was fingerprinted, issued a citation, and released. On Monday, February 26th, deputies received a report of a stolen ATV from the 900 block of Route O. Reported stolen was a green 1999 Polaris Magnum 500 CC. This report is still under investigation. On Friday, March 2nd, deputies conducted a traffic stop in the 1000 block of Highway 19 South. Two baggies of marijuana were located in the vehicle and the driver, a 37-year old Beulah, Missouri female was arrested. She was fingerprinted, issued a citation, and released. Later that day, deputies conducted a traffic stop on Dent County Road 2480 near Highway 32. A consent to search the vehicle was given and was conducted by deputies and a baggie with residue that field tested positive for methamphetamine was located. The driver, a 37-year old Salem woman, was arrested and taken to the Dent County Jail. Charges are being sought for possession of a controlled substance. If anyone has information regarding any ongoing investigation, please contact the Dent County Sheriff’s Department at 729-3241.

The “Gift of Grace” Annual Banquet for the Riverways Pregnancy and Family Resource Center will be held Tuesday, March 20th at 6:00 at the Salem Community Center@The Armory. RSVP by Monday, March 12th to 739-4673 if you want to attend. The doors will open at 5:30.

The Salem Park Board met Thursday night at City Hall Council Chambers. Park and Recreation Director Tye Lydon gave an update on the Outdoor Adventure Camp, Youth Soccer, Alice Lou Craig Swimming Pool, Lifeguards, and Summer Kick off Sponsorship. The Outdoor Adventure Camp will offer a number of different activities for children and will start June 2nd. It will be held from 8:00 in the morning until noon, Monday-Friday. Each camper will receive a free healthy lunch. A person will come each day of the week through June and teach different skills. The cost of the total camp has not yet been determined, but Lydon wants to have an option of allowing participants to be able to pay day to day. Lydon said the Youth Soccer League will start April 7th through 28th on four consecutive Saturdays with five different age groups with more players this year than last. He reported on the work being done on the pool. New guttering is in place around the pool and through the shallow end for water return. The piping has been completed in the shallow end, and the concrete is being readied to be poured for the deck, zero depth area and behind the gutters. Crews are still working in the pump room. The pool will be completed by the 1st week of May. Lydon said he is still accepting lifeguard applications and he has 15 guards that are already hired. They will take part in the lifeguard training course taught at the swimming pool from May 21st-25th. He will have 5-6 guards at the pool at all time due to the water features and high volume of swimmers. Lydon reported Fidelity Communications will sponsor our bandstand at the Summer Kick off June 2nd. The sponsorship is $500 and they will have their banner on the stage. Lydon also reported on a grant he applied for called “Pitch in for Baseball.” This grant is for gently used Baseball equipment and he received that grant. Once soccer season is finished and signups for baseball takes place, he will know how much equipment he will need. Tye reported that Church League Signups are going on now for $250/team and the league will be on Monday nights starting April 2nd. The board discussed two Pool House bids that were received. The bid for renovation was advertised as required by ordinance and 2 bids were received. Cahill’s Construction Co. and Westport Pool Co. bid, but Cahill’s proposal did not have a stated dollar amount in the packet and was deemed to be an RFQ. After discussion, the board voted to recommend the Westport Pool Company’s proposal with option to change the sound system to the Board of Aldermen who approved the recommendation. Pool fees were also discussed but no decision was made yet on single day admission, family passes and parties. Joyce Bradley, with the Salem Garden Club came in to discuss planting seven additional trees at the entrance of the City Park that they will play for. The board approved recommending her proposal to the aldermen and the alderman approved the recommendation. Bradley presented the board with an idea for an Park Entrance sign that would be easy to see and read from both directions that would be made out of stone. The Garden Club will put $500 toward the sign and hoped the concrete work could be provided by the city. The meeting was then adjourned.

The deadline to sign up for the “Freeze Branding Workshop” at the University of Missouri Wurdack Farm, near Cook Station this Friday is TODAY! The workshop will be held from 3:00 to 5:30. The program is hosted by the University of Missouri Extension. There are still some openings available for those interested. The cost of the workshop is $10 per person. This workshop is designed to provide participants with “hands-on” training required to successfully administer freeze brands to their livestock. Topics for the workshop will include all necessary steps required for properly freeze branding livestock using liquid nitrogen or dry ice, as well as information pertaining to the Missouri Brand Law. To provide hands-on instruction, participants will have the opportunity to assist in freeze branding replacement heifers at MU Wurdack Farm. For more information or to reserve a space, please contact Ted Cunningham, Livestock Specialist at the Dent County MU Extension Office at 729-3196.

An accident happened in Dent County on Route C about five miles west of Salem Tuesday morning at 5:30. According to the highway payroll report, a 1994 Chevrolet Silverado driven westbound by 36-year old Randy Turner of Edgar Springs, crossed the centerline and struck head-on an eastbound 2006 Ford Freestyler driven by 35-year old Jovan Young of Rolla. Young suffered serious injuries and was taken to the Salem Memorial District Hospital before being flown to SSM St. Clare Health Care in Fenton. Young was wearing a seat restraint at the time of the accident while Turner was not. Both vehicles were totaled in the accident and were removed by American Muffler and Tire.

The Salem Area Arts Council is sponsoring “Art Across the Ages” now through March 30th at the Ozark Natural and Cultural Resource Center (ONCRC) in Salem to celebrate Youth Art Month. This is a wonderful display of the amazing talent found within this area, and the work of artists of all ages and all types of media. The display is free to visit at the Ozark Natural and Cultural Resource Center is located at 202 South Main in Salem.
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