Archive for 2018

The Dent County Sheriff’s Department has released some reports. On Friday, December 29th, deputies received a report of items stolen from trucks belonging to Intercounty Electric Cooperative Association. The trucks were parked on Route JJ. The items include a back up camera, radio, harness for bucket work, air hose, rain suit, traffic cones, first aid kit, chipper battery, battery from truck, and various hand tools. This report is still under investigation. On Tuesday, January 2nd, deputies attempted to stop a vehicle on Route VV. After a short pursuit, deputies located the vehicle and the driver at a residence on Route VV. As a result of the stop, a 28-year old Salem man was arrested from driving while having his license revoked and for resisting arrest, traffic stop ands detention. He was fingerprinted, issued a summons to appear in court, and released. That same day, deputies took a report of two vehicles being damaged at a residence on Highway 19 North. This report is still under investigation. On Thursday, January 4th, a 30-year old woman from Black was being booked into the Dent County Jail and a plastic baggie containing methamphetamine was located in her bra. She was charged with delivery of a controlled substance to a jail and given a $10,000 cash only bond. That same day, deputies took a report of property damage to a vehicle at Highway 68 and Dent County Road 3305. It was discovered that a 19-year old Salem man had kicked the door to a vehicle at the intersection after an argument. He was arrested, fingerprinted, issued a citation for 2nd Degree Property Damage, and released. If anyone has any information regarding ongoing investigations, please contact the Dent County Sheriff’s Department at 729-3241.

A new session of online core training to become a certified Master Gardener begins January 22nd. The popularity of the online classes has grown steadily since MU Extension began offering them in 2013. In the past, some people had to travel many miles to attend Master Gardener classes. State horticulture specialist for University of Missouri Extension David Trinklein and MU Extension regional horticulture specialist Sarah Denkler teach the 14 online sessions. Classes are delivered as a series of scripted and narrated PowerPoint presentations. To pass the course, participants need a composite score of 70 percent on chapter quizzes. Subjects include basic botany, soils and plant nutrition, vegetable gardening, fruit production, insects and diseases, landscaping and landscape plants, turf management, and pesticide safety. Core training is the first step toward Master Gardener certification. Trainees must also complete a minimum of 30 hours of volunteer service. Local Master Gardener chapters help online trainees find volunteer opportunities to meet the service hour requirements. The registration deadline for the online spring session is Monday, January 15th. For more information, call 573-729-3196. The course also may be taken for personal enrichment only (no volunteer requirement) for a higher registration fee.

The Missouri Department of Conservation and the Missouri Department of Transportation invite Missouri public, private, and home-schooled students in grades Kindergarten through 8th grade to help fight litter in a creative and fun way by participating in the 2018 “Yes You CAN Make Missouri Litter-Free” trash-can-decorating contest. The contest encourages school classes and school groups to join in the fight against litter by decorating and displaying a large trash can with the “No MOre Trash!” logo and a litter-prevention message using a variety of creative media. Schools may submit one entry in each competition category: K-2, 3-5, and 6-8. Entries are judged based on creativity, adherence to contest rules, and effective use of theme and logo. First-place winners from each competition category will receive $200 awarded to the sponsoring schools. All first-place winners are then eligible for a grand prize of a trophy and $600 awarded to the sponsoring school. There is no entry fee for the contest. Participating school groups must submit a completed entry form online with no more than three photos to nomoretrash.org by Friday, March 16. Contest rules, entry forms, logo, and past contest entries and winners can also be found at nomoretrash.org. There is no entry fee for the contest

It is the final full week where candidates can file for school board of education openings, the hospital board opening, the Dent County Health Board vacancy, the Dent County Fire Protection District Board as well as for offices for the City of Salem. Filing will continue through the close of business on Tuesday, January 16th. For those interested in filing, Monday will be Martin Luther King Day and almost all of the registration locations will be closed. As of Friday, January 5th, Oak Hill R-1 school had three persons sign up for the school board openings and they are James Terrill, Nathan Ragsdale and Amanda Dooley. Persons signing up for the Green Forest R-2 school board openings are Dee Moser and Michael Jones. At Dent-Phelps R-3, Alisha Brookshire is the only person to file, while three persons have filed for the Northwood R-4 school board openings and they are Dave Tiefenthaler, Dawn Ros and Chris Welch. For the Salem R-80 board openings, Chris Heavin, Carrie Snider and Kevin James have all filed. The Salem Memorial District Hospital Board has one seat available for a six-year term for District 5 and incumbent Ray Bruno has filed for that seat. For the Dent County Health Board of Trustees seat, Dennis Floyd has filed for the position. The City of Salem has one West Ward Alderman seat and one East Ward Alderman seat available as well as the Mayor’s position. Incumbent Kim Shelton has filed for the East Ward Aldermanic position, while incumbent Molly Zettel has filed for the West Ward Aldermanic seat along with former Aldermen Kenny Nash. Incumbent Brad Nash has filed for the mayor’s position. Those interested in filing for a position on any school board or the hospital board should file at each particular entity and there is no cost to file. Those wishing to file for a position on the Dent County Health Board need to go to the Dent County Clerk’s office to file. Those wishing to file for either Aldermanic position or the mayor’s position for the City of Salem should file at the City Administrative building and there is a $25 fee to file and you must be current with your city utilities. Again, the deadline to file for any of these positions is Tuesday, January 16th at the regular close of business.

The University of Missouri Extension Dent County Council is currently holding their election for council members that will assist in the planning and the carrying out of extension programs in the county. They will also provide local extension governance and will represent the diversity of the county’s changing population. The University of Missouri Extension offers educational programs addressing high priority areas like agriculture, horticulture, nutrition, consumer and family economics, business and industry, community development and youth development including 4-H. There are three districts: the Central District (which includes those living in the City of Salem and close outlying areas); the Northern District (Watkins, Norma, Shortbend, Meramec and Osage Townships); and the Southern District (Texas, Franklin, Linn, Sinkin, Gladden and Current Townships.) On the ballot, only vote for the people who live in your district. If you do not know which district you live in, call the extension office at 729-3196. Ballots must be postmarked by Friday, January 12th, or you can drop them off on the second floor of the Judicial Building until 4:30 Friday afternoon. Ballots are available at the extension office, in Monday’s Your World Today, in Tuesday’s Salem News and at Vandivort Drug. You can also vote online at www.extension.missouri.edu/dent by Friday.

Preliminary data from the Missouri Department of Conservation shows that deer hunters in Missouri harvested 10,025 deer during the alternative-methods portion of the fall firearms deer season, which ran December 23rd – January 2nd. Of the total harvest, 2,827 were antlered bucks, 1,312 were button bucks, and 5,886 were does. Top harvest counties were Howell with 249 deer harvested, Franklin with 215, and Oregon with 214. The harvest total for last year’s alternative-methods portion was 10,602 consisting of 2,787 antlered bucks, 1,496 button bucks, and 6,319 does. Deer hunting continues for this season with statewide archery hunting through January 15.

The Salem VA Clinic will have a DAV Van to provide transportation for local Veterans with appointments at the VA Hospitals in Columbia and Poplar Bluff. There is an immediate need for volunteer drivers. It is preferred that volunteers would be able to commit to a certain day or two per week. The van will be a valuable asset for Veterans traveling long distances due to the recent changes in reimbursements for travel. Anyone interested in helping should contact Richard LaBrash at (573) 729-1394.