Archive for 2019

The Meramec Regional Planning Commission will be presenting a “Meramec Morning” titled “Grants 101: Strategies For Success,” this morning at 10:00 at the Salem Community Center @ the Armory. Local elected officials, community leaders, non-profits, and all interested citizens of Dent County are invited to attend and share information on projects, hear about grant opportunities to assist with those projects, and learn how to better position your community or organization for grants. Donuts and coffee will be served during the meeting.

The Salem Cosmopolitan Club will hold their 68th Variety Show and Miss Salem Competition this Saturday at the Salem City Hall Auditorium stating at 7:00. This year’s theme is “Denim and Diamonds.” There will be 12 girls vying for the title of Miss Salem at the show and they are Katarina Morris sponsored by Hubbs Tire, Ceceilia Reed sponsored by Annie’s Grill, Jainey Pettus sponsored by Vandivort Drug, Emma Southards sponsored by Wells Land and Cattle, Hailee Stringer sponsored by Martin Trucking Service, Lauren Grogan sponsored by VIP Properties, Vanessa White sponsored by Hair By Whitney, Trinity Lewis sponsored by Indian Trail Archery Bow and Gun, Paige Harris sponsored by the Salem Church of Christ, Claudia Chilton sponsored by Ozark Healthcare, LLC, MacKenzie Thompson sponsored by Lake Road Steel and Emma Brakefield who is sponsored by Country Mart Pharmacy. David Massengale will be the emcee for the event that will also feature the talents of three groups of dancers from Linda Maledy’s Academy of Dance, plus performances by Christabel, the Salem Upper Elementary 5th grade teachers, ATA Taekwondo, and Rachel Privett and Friends. Judges from Springfield and South Central Missouri will determine this year’s Miss Salem as well as the first and second runner-ups. The girls will vote on the Miss Personality title. The 2018 Miss Salem, Katelyn Schwartz, will crown the new Miss Salem at the event. Admission is $5 for adults, $3 for kids.

The Dent County Sheriff’s Department has released a number of reports. On Thursday, February 13th, deputies traveled to the 100 block of Dent County Road 3220 for a report of an assault. During the course of that investigation, a 39-year old Salem man was arrested for assault in the 4th degree. That same day, deputies conducted a traffic stop on McArthur Street. During the course of the traffic stop, a 35-year old Salem man was arrested for driving while being intoxicated for alcohol content. Both men were transported to the Dent County Sheriff’s Office where they were fingerprinted, issued summons and released. On Friday, February 15th, deputies traveled to the 7000 block of West Highway 32 for a wellbeing check. During the course of the investigation, a 41-year old Salem man was arrested for Harassment in the 1st degree and domestic assault in the 4th degree. The man was transported to the Dent County Sheriff’s Office and incarcerated. If anyone has information about an ongoing investigation, call the Dent County Sheriff’s Office at 729-3241.

A meeting on how opiods are affecting the small towns and communities was held at the Salem Community Center@The Armory Monday night. Around 20 people were in attendance to learn that the opiod death rate from 1999 to 2015 has quadrupled for young people ages 18-25. The data suggests that over 130 people die everyday from opiod overdose and addiction which comes to over 28,000 every year. The seminar was presented by Your Community Cares rural Health Coalition, which is funded by a grant through Your Community Health Care in Rolla. Felisha Richards was the monitor for the meeting. The group discussed evidence based strategies on how to treat opiod addiction and the obstacles of getting treatment for a number of reasons: either it is not readily available locally, the person doesn’t believe they have a problem, or they don’t want to admit they have a problem due to social pressures. They also discussed faith based assistance and support to those who have been afflicted. This can be accomplished either through substance abuse centers, the 12 step program or long term residential services and strategies. All are viable options as no one treatment works for everyone. The group also discussed the availability of Narcan and that local law enforcement in Dent County carry it with them. People can also get Narcan without a prescription. This is especially important to know if they have someone in their own home who may have an opiod problem. Further seminars are expected to be held on these types of problems that are now in small towns and communities in the Ozarks. For more information, you can check out this link: https://www.yourcommunitycares.net/

The new state record brown trout caught this past Saturday on Lake Taneycomo by Paul Crews of Neosho has a Salem tie. Crews used a rod and reel to catch the record brown trout that weighed in at 34-pounds, 10-ounces. The new record beats the previous state-record by 6 pounds and 2 ounces. Crews was fishing with 4-pound test line with a sculpin colored marabou jig. Crews and his partner Jim Rayfield Sr. from Salem were out fishing in the Vince Elfrink Memorial Trout Tournament when he caught the state-record brown trout. Crews said that after about 20 minutes of fighting the trout, he and Rayfield were able to get it netted and brought onto the boat. Missouri Department of Conservation staff verified Crews’ record-weight fish using a certified scale at Shepherd of the Hills Fish Hatchery. Crews took pictures and got dimensions of the fish to make a replica, then released the trout back into Lake Taneycomo.

The Dent County Commissioners met Monday morning at the courthouse for their regular meeting. Dent County Treasurer Denita Williams reported on the CART monies the county received last week. Williams said the county received $57,583.79 and that is more than last year’s figure of $55,925.21 in February. So far this year, the CART receipts are up $111.55. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Dennis Purcell stated materials would be added and patch grading would be done on Dent County Roads 5390, 5450 and 6290 as well as on some other roads. Materials only will be added to county road 6240. District 2 Commissioner Gary Larson said materials would be added and patch grading would be done on Dent County Roads 3140 and 5280 while patch grading only would be done on county road 5300. Larson said materials would also be added to county roads 3180 and 6130 and brush will be cut on county road 4030. Larson went on to say the end bits on grader #31 would be changed. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles said on Thursday he attended the Transportation Advisory Committee meeting in St. James where the group was updated on the bridge initiative of Governor Parson that would repair the worst 250 bridges in the state. This would be paid for through bonding. Of the 250 bridges, one of those is in Dent County and it is the one on Route FF off of Highway 68 over Norman Creek. They also discussed the flooding study on Interstate 44 near Jerome. The study showed for each day the interstate is closed, it costs the state 2.4 million dollars of economic impact. The solution discussed would be to raise both the eastbound and westbound lanes of the interstate eight feet just past the Little Piney River bridge. That would be one foot higher than where the highest flood rivers have reached. The cost of the project would be 12 million dollars. There was no discussion as to when this project would be done. Skiles also said the MRPC received a clean audit report. He went on to remind people the parking lot east of Iron Street will be closed after Wednesday due to the delivery of steel for the jail project, so those who normally use that lot will need to park elsewhere. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley said the last day to register to vote in the April 2nd Municipal election would be March 6th. She said she attended the South Central Missouri County Clerks Regional meeting in West Plains on Friday where Chrissy Peters from the Missouri Secretary of State’s office spoke. She discussed the new election laws, canvass maintenance and the new Missouri Centralized Voting System used by the county clerks. At the last meeting, Nick Smith and Dwight Ransburg from Septagone Construction, Sheriff Bob Wells and Travis Sprenger from Shive-Hattery were in attendance. An update on the jail project was given and the budget was reviewed. Payments made this month were $571,438.53 and the revised budget is $12,893,956 with still over 10.5 million dollars to pay on the project. Also, CenturyLink made a proposal of $29,985.40 to relocate 500 feet of 1,000 pair copper cable due to the new jail construction. They wanted to be paid in advance before they started. The county commission approved their bid, but they will not pay for the work until the project is completed. The next meeting of the commissioners will be Thursday morning at 9:00 and the meeting is open to the public.

The Salem Police Department has released a number of reports. On Friday, February 15th at approximately 1:46 in the afternoon, an officer was dispatched to Riverways Credit Union in reference to a counterfeit bill. The investigation of the report revealed a counterfeit one hundred-dollar bill had been taken in with deposits. The bill was collected and the report will be forwarded to the United States Secret Service. That evening at about 10:38 in the evening, an officer transported a 32-year-old female of Cuba, Missouri from Crawford County Jail to Dent County Jail. The female suspect was incarcerated on an active arrest warrant from the City of Salem pending a court appearance. On Monday, February 18th at 3:31 in the afternoon, an officer located a 35-year-old female of Salem in the 100 block of Fourth Street who had an active arrest warrant from the City of Salem. The suspect was taken into custody on the warrant and incarcerated pending a court appearance. On Wednesday, February 20thth at about 4:34 in the afternoon, an officer was contacted in reference to damage to a vehicle. That investigation revealed that a person or persons unknown broke a window valued at $200.00 on a 1989 Ford truck that was parked near Center and Pershing. The report is under investigation. Please contact the Salem Police Department at 729-4242 if you have any information regarding an ongoing investigation.

Dent County Prosecuting Attorney Andrew Curley has released results from court proceedings held on Wednesday, February 20th. The court revoked the probation of Josh Benton and he was sentenced to four years in the Department of Corrections under state statute 559.115. Also on Wednesday, February 20th, Dekota Brege was sentenced to four years of suspended execution of his sentence with five years of probation and parole on a charge of failure to register as a sex offender. The state had sought a term of four years in the Department of Corrections requiring the defendant to complete 120 days in custody of the Missouri Department of Corrections. Brege’s counsel sought a jail sentence. Also on Wednesday, February 20th, Cletus Conklin pled guilty to failing to register as a sex offender. Over the objection of the state, Conklin was sentenced to four years of suspended execution of his sentence with five years of probation and parole. The state had sought a term of four years in the department of corrections under State Statute 559.115. Conklin’s counsel sought a jail sentence.