Archive for 2019

A FINAL REMINDER! Dent County Collector Shannon VanKirk wants to remind anyone who still has delinquent real estate taxes from 2016 that you will need to pay them IN FULL by THIS Friday during regular business hours from 8:00 in the morning until 4:30 in the afternoon at the collector’s office in the courthouse. If you fail to do so, then on July 1st, the taxes from 2016, 2017 and 2018 will ALL be declared due by August 23rd, 2019. If not paid by then, your parcel will be sold at the Delinquent Tax Sale that will be held on Monday, August 26th, 2019 on the courthouse steps. Check payments will no longer be accepted so you will need to pay with cash, cashier’s check, money order, debit or credit card. This is very important so do not put it off any longer. Call the Dent County Collectors Office at 729-3911 with any questions you may have or stop by the Dent County Courthouse. Also, after this Friday, there will be an additional $25 per parcel added to the tax bill to pay for advertising costs in the Salem News. Remember only the taxes for 2016 need to be paid IN FULL by this Friday, June 28th to give you another whole year to pay the other outstanding years.

The Salem Police department has released reports from June 6th through 11th. On Friday night, June 7th, at about 9:21, an officer located a 36-year-old male of Salem near the 800 block of South Hickory who had an active arrest warrant from Jefferson County. The suspect was taken into custody on the warrant and was incarcerated pending extradition. About an hour later that same night, an officer was dispatched to a residence in the 800 block of East Ellis in reference to someone trying to break into a residence. The investigation of the report revealed a 21-year-old male of Hillsboro broke a door in of the residence, assaulted the resident, then fled the scene on foot. The report is under investigation. Then on Saturday afternoon, June 8th, at around 5:36, an officer located a 22-year-old male of Salem near Craig Industrial Drive and Highway 32 who had two active arrest warrants from the City of Salem. The suspect was taken into custody on the warrants and incarcerated pending a court appearance. On the morning of June 9th at about 7:35, an officer was dispatched to the area of Center and Hickory Streets in reference to a suspicious vehicle. The investigation of the vehicle led to the arrest of an 18-year-old male of Salem for being a minor in possession of intoxicants. The suspect was issued a summons to appear in court and released. Later that same evening at approximately 8:40, an officer located a 51-year-old male of Salem near Highway 32 and Highway 19 who had an active arrest warrant from Dent County. The suspect was taken into custody on the warrant and incarcerated pending a court appearance. Please contact the Salem Police Department at 573-729-4242 if you have any information regarding any ongoing investigation.

The Salem Area Chamber of Commerce and the City of Salem present this year’s Independence Day Parade in Salem with the theme an “Ozark 4th” Parade. Entry forms are now available for the parade that will begin at 6:00 in the evening on July 4th. This year’s route will be the same as it has been in the past starting from the SBU Salem campus and traveling east on Franklin, then moving north on McArthur before heading east on 4th Street and finishing up around the courthouse square. If interested in being in the parade can pick up a copy of the parade rules at the Salem Area Chamber of Commerce office. Entry forms need to be submitted by July 1st and can be dropped off at the chamber office, e-mail them to chamber@salemmo.com, or fax them to 573-729-6741. Following the parade, the annual Independence Day Fireworks display will again be held at The Commons starting after 9:00. If you have questions, contact Tabitha at the Chamber of Commerce office at 729-6900.

The Salem Police Department has released the following accident report. On Thursday afternoon, June 20th, at approximately 3:05 a 2000 Dodge Ram, owned and operated by Mark Brockling of Lake St. Louis, was westbound on Highway 32 approaching the Highway 19 intersection. A 2000 Peterbilt driven by Eric Pierce of Salem and owned by Thompson Trucking and Excavating of Salem was eastbound on Highway 32 and making a left turn on Highway 19 to travel north. The Peterbilt collided with the Dodge in the intersection of Highways 19 and 32. Brockling suffered minor injuries and was transported to Salem Memorial District Hospital. The Dodge sustained extensive damage and there was only minor damage to the Peterbilt.

In a recent report from the Dent County Prosecutor’s Office, Andrew Curley reports that on February 3rd, 2017, Don Eugene Merrell, II of Salem, was charged with two counts of statutory sodomy in the first degree. The defendant pled not guilty. A jury trial was conducted on June 19th and 20th of this year and was presided over by the Honorable Judge Randall Head. Prosecutor Andrew M. Curley and Assistant Prosecutor James Weber represented the state. Defendant was represented at trial by Stephen Daniels. At the conclusion of the trial, the jury found the defendant guilty of one count of statutory sodomy in the first degree involving a minor under the age of 14 years old. His sentencing is scheduled for August 26th at 9:00 in the morning in Crawford County. The range of punishment authorized for this offense is for a term of years not less than 5 years and up to life imprisonment in the Missouri Dept of Corrections.

The Dent County Sheriffs Department has releases some reports for June 5th through the 11th. On Wednesday, June 5th, deputies conducted a traffic stop at the intersection of North Warfel and East 5th Street. During the course of the traffic stop, a 47-year-old Salem man was arrested for driving while having his license revoked or suspended, a second or subsequent offense. The man was transported to the Dent County Sheriff’s Office where he was fingerprinted, issued a summons and released. The next day, June 6th, deputies attempted to initiate a traffic stop with a vehicle on Dent County Road 3260. The vehicle accelerated at a high rate of speed and failed to stop for deputies. The vehicle then went out of control and wrecked through two fences and several trees. The driver and passenger of the vehicle fled on foot prior to deputies catching up to the vehicle. A K-9 unit from Salem Police Department was requested to assist in the search for the subjects. The K-9 tracked one of the subjects to a nearby pond where a 26-year-old Centerville man was attempting to hide in the water. The man was arrested for resisting arrest, stop or detention by fleeing, creating a substantial risk of serious injury or death to any person, and for assault in the 4th degree. He was transported to the Dent County Sheriff’s Office and incarcerated. On Friday, June 7th, deputies traveled to the 200 block of West Hunt to attempt to serve an arrest warrant. During the course of the incident, a 24-year-old Salem man was arrested for an active warrant for his arrest through Dent County. The man was also arrested for the possession of a controlled substance. The man was transported to the Dent County Sheriff’s Office Jail and was incarcerated. On Saturday, June 8th, deputies traveled to a residence on Dent County Road 4155 due to a report of subjects fighting. During the course of the investigation, a 29-year-old Salem man was arrested for an active warrant through Dent County. The man was transported to the Dent County Sheriff’s Office where he later posted bond and was released. On Monday, June 10th, deputies conducted a traffic stop at the corner of Route U and Dent County Road 3210. During the course of the traffic stop, a 27-year-old Salem man was arrested for operating a vehicle on a highway without a valid license, a 1st offense. The man was transported to the Dent County Sheriff’s Office, fingerprinted, issued summons and released. And finally on Tuesday June 11th, while assisting Missouri State Highway Patrol with a safety checkpoint on Route HH, a 51-year old Salem man was arrested for operating a motor vehicle with no valid license, exceeding the posted speed limit by 11-15 MPH, and operating a motor vehicle with no financial responsibility. The man was transported to the Dent County Sheriff’s Office, fingerprinted, issued a summons and released. If anyone has information regarding an ongoing investigation, please contact the Dent County Sheriff’s Office.