Archive for 2019

The Dent County Commissioners met for their regular meeting Thursday morning in the Dent County Courthouse. In the road report District One Commissioner Dennis Purcell said that grading would be done on Dent County Roads 5510, 5600 and 2400, while materials would be added and grading done on county roads 6420 and 6435. He also reported that a driveway culvert would be installed for a resident on county road 4110 and patching of chip and seal would be done on county road 4180. Purcell noted that a crew member was moving materials at the Road and Bridge Department to make room for the chips that are to be used in the Chip and Seal Project later this summer. District Two Commissioner Gary Larson reported that grading would be done on Dent County Roads 4300, 4290 and 4480, plus materials would be added and grading done on county road 2050. He also noted that brush would be cut on county road 3230. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles said that he attended the IDA meeting Wednesday night where Economic Development Director Sally Burbridge gave an update. He noted that in order to fill a vacancy IDA will be presenting someone for appointment to the board. Skiles said he planned to attend the Economic Development Strategic Planning Workshop Thursday night at the Dent County Firehouse. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley said that payroll had been approved on Tuesday and that the Commissioners were approving bills for payment. Commissioner Purcell said that he would like to seek bids for the purchase of a pickup for the Road and Bridge Department with advertisement being in next week’s Salem News. He said bids would be due to Curley’s office Monday, June 17th by 10:00 am. The Commissioners approved the motion 3-0. The next meeting of the Commissioners will be Monday morning in the Courthouse and the meeting is open to the public.

Celebrate National Trails Day with Ozark National Scenic Riverways and Missouri State Parks! Join us for a special hike-float event on the Current River, beginning at Echo Bluff State Park at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, June 1. This event is free and open to the public. The program will begin at 8:30 a.m. at Echo Bluff State Park, with a 4-mile hike on the newly constructed Current River Trail to Current River State Park. From Current River State Park, participants will float four miles to the upper landing at Round Spring. All participants will need to stage their own vessel and paddling equipment with park staff at Current River State Park prior to the hike, and arrange for a shuttle back to Echo Bluff State Park at the conclusion of the event. Participants should bring paddling equipment, a Personal Flotation Device, a sack lunch, and water for the day. Everyone is strongly encouraged to bring sunscreen, insect repellent, and any other personal gear for hiking or paddling. Participants are also responsible for making their own arrangements for a shuttle between Round Spring and Echo Bluff State Park at the end of the day. This National Trails Day event will introduce the “Current River Challenge”, a unique hike-float opportunity that visitors can enjoy at any time. Ozark National Scenic Riverways and Missouri State Parks are partnering in 2019 to promote hiking and floating between Round Spring, Echo Bluff State Park and Current River State Park in celebration of the recently completed trails in the area. Participants can pick up their challenge card at Round Spring Visitor Center and collect stamps at each location. For more information about this event, call the Round Spring Ranger Station at 573-323-8093. Each year, on the first Saturday of June, American Hiking Society invites Americans of all ages and abilities to celebrate National Trails Day by in the area. Participants can pick up their challenge card at Round Spring Visitor Center and collect stamps at each location. For more information about this event, call the Round Spring Ranger Station at 573-323-8093. Each year, on the first Saturday of June, American Hiking Society invites Americans of all ages and and abilities to celebrate National Trails Day by finding their own adventure and discovering their unique story at one of the thousands of events hosted throughout the country.

What are those strange sounds that we hear during the night? Come to an interactive program to learn about birds that add to spring and summer night noise; the owls and nightjars! Meet at the amphitheater on Saturday, June 8th at 8:30, to view photos of these feathered friends and learn why they are so unique. Afterwards, participants will take a short walk in hopes of hearing the owls and nightjars along the creek, while parks staff attempt to call in more of these birds! This event is free and open to public. Participants are encouraged to dress appropriately for the weather and wear sturdy shoes for the short walk. Insect repellent is also recommended. Echo Bluff State Park is located on Highway 19, approximately 25 miles south of Salem and 14 miles north of Eminence. For more information about this and other events at the park call 573-751-1224.

The Dent County Health Center Board of Trustees met Monday evening, May 20th. Minutes of the April regular meeting and closed meeting were reviewed and approved. Health Center Director Kendra Mobray reported that lab services were provided to 88 clients during the month of April. She reported that an application for Breastfeeding Peer Counselor funding has been submitted to Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services and that WIC numbers increased slightly last month. Mobray will be attending the Responding to the Rural Substance Use Crisis Event in June. One case of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, one case of Strep Pneumoniae, one case of Campylobacteriosis and an ongoing case of M. Bovis were investigated in April, plus one animal bite. With warmer weather and increased outdoor activities the Health Center encourages residents to keep their pets current on rabies vaccines and to avoid contact with stray animals. Mobray noted that an MOU with the Department of Health and Senior Services to provide treatment to those who test positive for Gonorrhea and Chlamydia and their contacts. A closed session was conducted with no votes being taken. After the closed session Dent County Health Center expenses for March and April were approved. The next regular meeting of the Health Center Board of Trustees will be at 4:00 Monday, June 24th.

Preliminary Reports Indicate seven people died in traffic crashes over the 2019 Memorial Day weekend. During the counting period of 6 p.m., Friday, May 24, through 11:59 p.m., Monday, May 27, 2019, the Missouri State Highway Patrol investigated 298 traffic crashes with 106 injuries. Troopers made 95 driving while intoxicated arrests and 93 drug arrests. Last year, 16 people were killed in traffic crashes over the three-day weekend. In 2018, troopers investigated 294 traffic crashes, which included 124 injuries. Troopers also arrested 121 people for driving while intoxicated and made 102 drug arrests over the 2018 Memorial Day weekend. There was one boating fatality over the 2019 Memorial Day weekend. Marine operations troopers investigated six boating crashes involving three injuries. There were no drownings during the 2019 Memorial Day holiday. Marine operations troopers arrested nine boaters for boating while intoxicated and made 27 drug arrests. The only 100 percent survivable traffic crash is the one that never happens. Make sure everyone in the vehicle is properly restrained in a seat belt or child restraint. Every day as we travel on Missouri’s roadways, we trust that every driver on the road is going to obey the speed limit, pay attention, and drive sober. Don’t Violate The Trust.

The Salem Park and Recreation Department invites all children six and above to attend the Summer Kids Camp starting June 3rd and lasting through July 17th at the Salem City Park. There will be numerous activities for the children to enjoy from games to life skills and more. The camp starts at 8:00 in the morning and lasts until 12:00 noon, and lunch is included. The cost of the entire camp is $150, but parents have the option of paying $25 per week or a daily fee of $6.00. The food served at the Summer Kids Camp is provided by the Summer Food Service Program which is available to any child 18 years of age and below even if they do not attend the Summer Kids Camp. To sign up your child for the Summer Kids Camp or to find out more information about the camp or the Summer Food Service Program, contact Melissa Dubois at 729-8163. You can also e-mail her at melissa@salemcommunitycenter.org.

Take advantage of a limited opportunity to explore the far reaches of Cathedral Cave at Onondaga Cave State Park. Join an experienced naturalist from 10:00 in the morning until 3:00 in the afternoon on Saturday, June 8th, as he guides you off trail on a wild adventure of the Cathedral Cave’s lower passage leading to its natural entrance situated just above the Meramec River. You will discover that there is more than meets the eye when you traverse nearly a mile of additional passage not normally seen on a regular lantern tour of the cave. This tour is limited to 15 participants. There is a fee for the tour, and payment can be made online at onondagafriends.org. All proceeds benefit the Onondaga Friends Association a non-profit organization enhancing interpretive services at the park. Conditions in the cave include limited lighting, concrete walkways, metal handrails, cool temperature (57 degrees F) and high humidity (nearing 100%). Participants are encouraged to dress in layers of warm clothing and wear sturdy, closed-toe shoes or boots. Additional tours will be held July 13th, August 10th and September 14th. To request a registration form, to receive more information about equipment requirements, or to get general information about the tours, contact the park at 573-522-3760. Onondaga Cave State Park is located seven miles southeast of the Leasburg exit off of Interstate 44 on Route H. For more information about the park and other events, contact the park at 573-245-6576.

Join Onondaga Cave State Park staff for an invigorating hike, at 10:00, Saturday morning, June 1st during National Trails Day. Named after the famed Onondaga Cave, this park offers visitors plenty to see above ground too. Led by the park naturalist, the hike will follow a loop around the park touching all three trail systems; Blue Herron, Oak Ridge and Deer Run trails. See captivating views along the Meramec River with bluffs more than 100 feet high, pass through beautiful glades and shady wooded areas, and step back in time with a stop at the old dam and millrace constructed in 1886. The hike will be easy to moderate, cover approximately 6 miles of trail and includes a stop for lunch. It will start from the Blue Herron Trail trailhead on the visitor center side. We encourage you to dress weather appropriate for the hike, wear appropriate hiking shoes, and bring water and a sack lunch. Insect repellent is recommended. For more information, call the park naturalist at 573-522-3760. Onondaga Cave State Park is located 7 miles southeast of the Leasburg exit off I-44 on Highway H. For more information about the event, call the park at 573-522-3760. For more information about Missouri state parks and historic sites, visit the web at mostateparks.com. Missouri State Parks is a division of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.

The Dent County Sheriff’s Department has released some reports. On Tuesday, May 14th, deputies observed a male subject near the 900 block of North Pershing. Deputies knew the male to have active warrants through Dent County. The 40-year-old Salem male was arrested and transported to the Dent County Sheriff’s Office Jail where he was incarcerated. On Wednesday, May 15th, deputies conducted a traffic stop at the 1300 block of Highway 32 West. During the course of the traffic stop, a 30-year-old Salem man was arrested for possession of a controlled substance and driving while having his license revoked and/or suspended. Also arrested was a 39-year-old Salem woman for possession of a controlled substance. Both subjects were transported to the Dent County Sheriff’s Office Jail and incarcerated. On Friday, May 17th, deputies conducted a traffic stop on Route HH. During the course of the traffic stop, a 38-year-old St. Roberts man was arrested for possession of a controlled substance. The man was transported to the Dent County Sheriff’s Office jail where he was incarcerated. On Saturday, 18th, deputies traveled to the 2000 block of Dent County Road 2570 in reference to a man calling the Sheriff’s Office. The man said he had a gun pointed at him by a woman. The man said the woman told him she was going to shoot him or herself. Deputies arrived on scene and during the course of the investigation a 69-year-old Salem woman was arrested for two counts of unlawful use of a weapon. The woman was transported to the Dent County Sheriff’s Office Jail and incarcerated. If anyone has any information about an ongoing investigation, please contact the Dent County Sheriff’s Department at 729-3241.

Visit the grounds of the Missouri Mines State Historic Site at 11 a.m., every Saturday, June through August, for an outdoor guided tour of the historic headframe and mill buildings. For much of the 20th century, these structures were the surface hub of a vast underground mine system extending beneath the communities of Missouri’s Old Leadbelt. It was here that lead ore, after being hauled underground for miles, was brought up the mineshaft to the surface, then run through the mill crushed, separated and prepared for shipment to the smelter. This program is free of charge. For safety reasons, the headframe and mill buildings to be buildings will be seen from the outside only. For further information, contact the park at 573-431-6226.The historic site is located south of St. Louis, on the south side of Highway 32 at the Flat River Drive overpass in Park Hills. For more information on state parks and historic sites, visit the web at mostateparks.com. Missouri State Parks is a division of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.

The Dent County Fire Protection District Board of Directors will hold their monthly meeting Tuesday, June 4th, beginning at 6 PM at #2 South Main. After the call to order and roll call the board will approve the consent agenda and review minutes from the previous meeting. Following the financial report and approval of bills there will be a calendar review and monthly reimbursement report then any old business and new business will be addressed. The board may vote to go into closed session if necessary. The date will then be set for the July 2nd meeting at 6:00 at the Fire Station prior to adjournment. The meeting is open to the public.