Archive for 2019

The Salem R-80 Board of Education met Thursday evening at the district administrative offices. At the meeting, Superintendent John McColloch announced the Open House dates and times for all the schools. The Open House for William Lynch Elementary will be on Monday, August 12th from 5:30-6:30, the Upper Elementary on Monday, August 12th from 6:30-7:30, the Middle School on Tuesday, August 13th from 6:00-7:30 and at the High School on Tuesday, August 13th from 4:30-6:00. McColloch gave the Board an update on the campus. The custodians are making great progress on the floors at all the buildings and everything should be done in plenty of time for the start of school. He also discussed some drainage work being completed in front of the Vo-Ag building and between the band room and tin gym. He went to report some electrical work was also done at the Vo-Ag building. The board then approved numerous product bids for the 2019-2020 school year including milk from Hiland Dairy, bread from Country Mart, food and other supplies from US Foods, fuel from MFA, and the pest control bid from Integrity Pest Solutions. The board approved setting the tax rate hearing for August 15th at 5:55 in then afternoon to be followed by the regular August Board meeting, approved the the 2019-2020 Professional Development Plan, and approves a 2019-2020 budget revision of $34,940.55 to cover the district’s cost of having the school resource officer on campus for the 2018-2019 school year. The board heard a letter of resignation from Jillian Doddema, a high school counselor. The resignation was not accepted due to a lack of a motion. The board then went into closed session where they employed Karen Pace to instruct high school math and also discussed a personnel issue before they went back into open session and adjourned the meeting.

The Salem Police Department has released their report for the month of June. The Salem Police issued 2 equipment repair orders, 10 summonses to appear in court, 2 warning tickets, and 6 traffic tickets, plus they also served 3 city warrants and five fugitive warrants. The Salem Police investigated 6 traffic accidents, two burglaries, made one death investigation, and a lost or stolen license plate. They also wrote one missing person report, 2 property damage reports, one stealing report, and 4 trespassing reports. The department investigated five reports of driving while having a license revoked and suspended, three possessions of a controlled substance reports, two possessions of drug paraphernalia reports. The department was also dispatched for 45 animal calls, 29 ambulance assist calls, 40 well being checks, 11 requests for information, and performed 46 traffic stops for the month. The department received 970 calls during the month of June and 80 walk-ins to the station. The department drove 9,357 miles during the month of June and spent 8 hours in court testifying and 10 hours as court bailiff. There were 17 males and seven females arrested in June.

Friday afternoon’s 4-H and FFA Expo livestock judging started with the 1:00 Sheep and Goat Show where Judge Distler selected Stetson Mobray’s 117 pound lamb as Class 1 winner, Preslie Strader’s 137 pounder as Class 2 winner and tapped Londyn Cook’s 155 pound lamb as winner of Class 3 winner. Strader’s market lamb was awarded the Grand Champion, while Cook’s lamb was the Reserve Champion. Cody Lundy exhibited a 68 pound lightweight lamb. Strader also exhibited the Champion and Reserve Champion Crossbred Ewes, while Tyffany Lucerne showed the Champion Suffolk Ewe. Supreme Grand Champion Ewe of the show was won by Strader’s Ewe and Lucerne’s was named Reserve Grand Champion. Wyatt Lundy and Preslie Strader exhibited class winning Crossbred Rams. Champion Crossbred Ram was won by Strader and Cole Elliott’s Crossbred Ram was named Reserve Champion. Strader’s Ram was named Supreme Champion, while Lundy’s was the Reserve Grand Champion winner. Market Goat classes were won by Charlton Lerma’s 68 pounder and Kallen Garrison’s that weighed 91 pounds. Champion Market Goat went to Kallen Garrison’s with Kaden Garrison’s 82 pound goat winning Reserve Champion. Sheep Showmanship went to Senior Shaylee Harrison, Intermediate to Isaac White and Junior to Preslie Strader. Goat Showmanship Intermediate division was won by Charlton Lerma and the Junior division winner was Brady Schafer.

An accident occurred Tuesday morning at 10:27 in Phelps County on Route F about two and a half miles southeast of Rolla. According to the highway patrol report, a southbound 2000 Chevrolet Silverado pickup driven by 17-year-old Kyle Middleton of Rolla, failed to yield to a westbound 1994 Western Star Dump Truck driven by 74-year-old Stanley Parsons of Edgar Springs. As a result, the dump truck struck the Chevrolet. A passenger in the Silverado, 17- year-old Griffin Bowen of Rolla, suffered minor injuries and was transported by the Phelps Health Ambulance to Phelps Health. Middleton suffered minor injuries as well, but sought his own medical treatment. The report stated that Parsons and Middleton were wearing seat restraints at the time or the accident, but it was unknown if Griffin was. The Chevrolet was totaled and removed from the scene by Ron Dishman’s Towing. The Western Star sustained moderate damage and was removed from the scene by Big Boy’s Towing.

The Dent County Commission met Monday morning for their regular meeting at the Dent County Courthouse. Terry Cunningham was in attendance representing the LAD Foundation and wanted to let the Commission know that they are in support of the ban of not allowing hunters to shoot feral hogs in the Mark Twain National Forest. He said the ban would create a collaborative effort with the National Forest and Missouri Department of Conservation to trap the feral hogs. He said the Pioneer Forest and LAD Foundation have six of their own traps and over the years have killed over 200 feral hogs without the use of hunters. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles said that everyone here is on the same side in the attempt to eradicate the hogs. He read the letter the commission is sending to the Forest Supervisor of the Mark Twain National Forest that states the Dent County Commission opposes the ban of hunting feral hogs on the national forest land “without provisions allowing landowners adjoining the National Forest to take whatever measures necessary, including hunting and shooting feral hogs that are destroying their property.” Skiles states in the letter that the commissioners commend the efforts of the state and federal agencies in working toward a goal of eradicating feral hogs. They also need to somehow include in this effort the individual landowner adjacent to that property. Cunningham acknowledged that is a concern of which there is no easy solution and thanked the commission for allowing him to speak at the meeting. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Dennis Purcell said his district received over 4.5 inches of rain Sunday night into Monday and crews would be out checking roads for washouts, do patch grading where needed and look for downed trees and limbs. He mentioned brush would be cut on county road 4080 and a man would be going to Springfield to get oil for chip and seal road repairs. Purcell also reported that shipments of trap rock for the chip and seal overlay continues to be stockpiled at the shop. District 2 Commissioner Gary Larson stated his crews would also be out checking for washouts in his district as well. He said two men would be hauling and stockpiling rock and another crew would be putting in new bearings in the brush cutter. Commissioner Skiles said he would be attending a CCAM board meeting Wednesday where they will start planning for the commissioner’ annual training that occurs in February. Collector Shannon VanKirk brought in the real estate and personal property tax collection agreement with the City of Salem that pays the county $12,000 and the collector $5,500 each year for their services. The contract was retroactive to the first Monday in March and will expire on February 28th, 2023 which coincides with the term of the county collector. All the commissioners, the collector, clerk and treasurer signed the agreement. The next meeting of the Dent County Commission will be Thursday morning at 9:00 at the courthouse and it is open to the public.

The 2019 4-H and FFA Expo kicked off early Friday morning at 7:00 with the hog show with seven classes of market hogs. Class 1 winner was Bailey Martin with a 238 pound barrow, class 2 winner was Katarina Morris with a 240 pound hog and class 3 was won by Preslie Strader’s 258 pound hog. Class 4 was won by Isaac Westerman with a 266 pound hog, Class 5 winner was Bryce Martin’s hog, Class 6 winner was Wyatt Martin with a 300 pound hog and Class 7 was won by Riley Case with a 315 pound hog. Judge Abby Distler from Russellville, Missouri selected Preslie Strader’s hog as Grand Champion and Bailey Martin’s as Reserve Champion. A lightweight class of market hogs was won by Alexis Black with a 203 pound pig. Breeding class gilt winners were Nathan Williams, Kennedy Major, Corbett Ball and Wyatt Martin. Martin’s Gilt won Champion Crossbred and Champion Commercial Gilt, while Corbett Ball’s gilt won both the Reserve Champion Crossbred and Reserve Champion Commercial Gilt. Judge Distler selected Bailey Martin as Senior Showmanship Champion, Landon Cook as Intermediate Showman and Wyatt Dunlap was tapped as the Junior Showmanship winner.

The morning judging at the Expo on Friday wound down with the small animal show, which started at 11:00. Judge Brad Buttram from Hollister, Missouri selected Isaac White’s Market Meat Chicken Pen as Grand Champion and Aaron White’s as Reserve. Grand Champion Market Meat Rabbit Pen went to Zeph Kunkel and Connor Montoya won Reserve Champion. Both Champion Buck Rabbit and Champion Doe Rabbit went to Alexis Rogers. Rogers also won Champion Cockerel, while Colton Lerma had the Reserve Champion. Colton Lerma also exhibited the Champion Pullet and the Reserve went to Caleb Lerma. Champion Poultry Pair went to Colter Lerma and Caleb Lerma won Reserve. Poultry Showmanship winners selected were Caleb Lerma in the senior division, Alexis Rogers as intermediate and Aaron White as Junior showman. Rabbit Showmanship awards went to Intermediate Alexis Rogers and Junior Charlee Duncan.

An accident occurred Friday evening at 6:05 in Texas County on Route AT about five miles northwest of Licking. According to the highway patrol report, a 2006 Dodge Ram Pickup driven by 60-year old Ronald Thomas of Licking was traveling southbound when the Dodge struck a horse drawn buggy. The horse drawn buggy was driven by 39-year old Mattie Nunschwander of Licking and was traveling northbound when the buggy was hit. Nunschwander suffered serious injuries and was transported by Air Ambulance to Barnes Hospital in St. Louis. The other occupants of the buggy: six-year old Sam Nunschwander and four-year old Jonas Nunschwander each suffered serious injuries and were transported to the St. Louis Children’s Hospital by Air Ambulance. The horse drawn buggy was totaled and removed from the scene by owner. The Nunschwanders are exempt from wearing any type of seat restraints in the horse drawn buggy. The Dodge sustained moderate damage and was removed from the scene by owner. The highway patrol was assisted by Cpl. T.R. Nelson, Officer Goodwin and Officer Algire of Licking.

An accident occurred Saturday morning at 6:30 in Crawford County on Highway 19 about three miles south of Steelville. According to the highway patrol report, a 2009 Ford escape driven by 32-year old Alicia Walker of Cook Station was traveling northbound when she fell asleep. The Ford traveled off the right side of the road and struck a Chevron sign and a tree. Walker was wearing a safety restraint at the time of the accident. She suffered minor injuries and will seek medical treatment on her own. The Ford was totaled and removed from the scene by Mile’s Towing.

The Salem and Dent County 4-H and FFA Livestock Auction was held this past Saturday at the Commons. A total of 118 animals as well as cured ham and bacon plus ribbons were auctioned off. This year there were three pens of rabbits, three pens of chickens, seven market goats, seven market lambs, 55 market hogs and 36 market steers. Also auctioned were two cured bacon, a cured ham as well as two junior heifer ribbons and two junior gilt ribbons. The auction set a new record with a total of $232,402.70. Top buyers at the auction this year were the Bank of Salem who purchased nine animals comprised of one goat, three hogs and five steers; Salem Livestock Auction who purchased eight animals broken down into one lamb, four hogs and three steers; Phil-Mart who purchased seven animals made up of a lamb, two hogs and four steers; Smith Valley Angus who bought five animals comprised of one lamb, two hogs and two steers; Interstate Regional Stockyards who purchased five animals and they consisted of one goat, one lamb, one hog, and two steers; Quality Machine and Fabrication who bought a total of five animals that were made up three hogs and two steers; and Steelman Abstract who bought five animals consisting of a pen of rabbits, two hogs and two steers. Numerous buyers this year purchased more than one animal or ribbon to help with the cause. There were 54 different buyers this year at the auction. The Salem FFA Chapter and all the Dent County 4-H Clubs thanks everyone who attended the auction this year.

There will be a Community Blood Center of the Ozarks Blood Drive this afternoon from 1:00 until 5:00 at US Foods at 502 South Carty Street in Salem. “O” negative and “A” positive blood levels are desperately low and if you have those blood types, please attempt to make it the blood drive today. Of course all blood types are needed! You must weigh at least 110 pounds, be in good health and brig a picture ID to donate. You will also receive a green adventure T-Shirt for donating this summer!