Archive for 2020

The Dent County Commissioners met Monday morning for their regular meeting. Salem and Dent County Economic Development Director Sally Burbridge was in attendance to go over the August economic development report that showed unemployment in Dent County dropped in August to 5.1% which is better than the state and national averages. She said there were two new projects considering Dent County, but they did not respond when she contacted them. She still has numerous ongoing prospects. She said the new city, county and chamber website should launch between the end of October and end of November. She also said she is still working on the Certified Site Application for the Masters Industrial Park, but she is still waiting the MDC Heritage Review report and she will have to get an archeological survey before any work can be done. Treasurer Denita Williams presented the sales tax dollars received by the county in September from the state. The General Revenue Fund received $112,462.35 which was about $4,400 less than what was received in 2019 in September, but year-to-date the collections are up $36,694.02. This amount is virtually the same as the Law Enforcement Sales Tax Fund. In the Road and Bridge Fund, sales tax monies received came in at $54,404.38 and that is about $1,500 less than last September. Year-to-date, the Road and Bridge Fund is up $22,784.74. Williams said both the operation and trust funds for the new jail came in at $118,811.98 each. That is down about $2,500 from last year’s receipts, but year-to-date, those funds are up $44,378.55. She also said she is making the budgeted transfer of $30,000 from the Inmate Security Fund to the New Jail Operation Fund. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Dennis Purcell said grading would be done on Dent County Roads 5160, 5170 and 6220. He indicated materials would be added to county road 5520, brush would be cut on county road 2400 and a man would be installing a new coolant line to the air compressor on truck #121. District 2 Commissioner Gary Larson reported grading would be done on Dent County Roads 2515, 2533, 2550, 2560, 2590, 2595 and 2600. Larson also stated brush would be cut on county roads 2070 and 2080, and materials would be added to county toads 3050 and 3300. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles said this week the Ozark Rivers Solid Waste Management District Executive Board will meet to review applications for solid waste reduction grant applications. Skiles also wanted to remind businesses and public entities that the county still has CARES Act funds available. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley said her office balanced with the Treasurer’s office on all accounts in August, and that her office also balanced with the collector and assessor on all collections, add-ons and abatements for the month of August. She said the last day to register to vote for the General Election in November will be October 7th and absentee voting will begin on September 22nd and last through November 2nd in her office. The last day to request a mail-out ballot will be October 21st. She also said the US Postal service is mailing out a post card for those who want to vote by mail, but there are some mistakes. An absentee ballot and a mail-in ballot is not the same as mail-in ballots must be notarized and mailed back. Also, you need to request the ballot 13 days before the election, not 15 as indicated on the post card. Also, mail-in ballots MUST be received by November 3rd in the regular mail to be counted, and they cannot be hand delivered. If anyone has any questions, they should call the Dent County Clerk’s office at 729-4144. The next commissioner meeting will be Monday, September 21st at 9:00 and the meeting is open to the public.

The Dent County Sheriff’s Department has released a number of reports. On Thursday, August 27th, a deputy conducted a traffic stop on Highway 72 near Dent County Road 3210. During the course of the traffic stop, a 20-year-old Cuba man was arrested for driving while having his license revoked or suspended. He was transported to the Dent County Sheriff’s Jail where he was fingerprinted, issued summons and released. On Saturday, August 29th, Dent County Deputies traveled to an address in the 300 block of West 9th Street to serve an arrest warrant. During the course of the incident, a 25-year-old Salem man was arrested for active warrants through the Dent County Sheriff’s Office and Crawford County Sheriff’s Office. He was transported to the Dent County Jail and incarcerated. On Sunday, August 30th, a deputy traveled to a residence on Dent County Road 2340 for a report of a subject shooting towards a residence on the county road. Deputies traveled to the area and during the course of the investigation, a 40-year-old Salem woman was arrested on two charges for the unlawful use of a weapon, subsection 4 and subsection 7. The woman was transported to the Dent County Jail and incarcerated. That same day, the Dent County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a vehicle driving at high rates of speed and discharging a firearm out of the vehicle in the 300 block of Dent County Road 2270. Dent County Deputies traveled to the area and located the vehicle. During the course of the investigation, a 37-year-old Salem man was arrested for an active warrant through probation and parole. Also arrested during the incident was a 32-year-old Rolla woman who had an active warrant through Phelps County. Both subjects were transported to the Dent County Jail and incarcerated. If anyone has any information regarding an ongoing investigation, please call the Dent County Sheriff’s Office at 729-3241.

A one vehicle accident happened at 8:30 Thursday evening in Dent County on Highway 32 near Dent County Road 4400 about three miles west of Boss. The report from the highway patrol states that a 2004 Hyundai Sonata being driven west by 30-year old Ethan Gott of Salem, traveled off the right side of the roadway. Gott then overcorrected causing the vehicle to overturn. Gott suffered serious injuries and was transported by the Iron County Ambulance to the Salem Memorial District Hospital for treatment. The Hyundai was totaled in the accident and removed from the scene by Whitaker’s Towing.

A one vehicle accident happened Saturday morning shortly before 11:00 in Crawford County on Route Y about five miles west of Viburnum. According to the highway patrol report, a 2003 Ford Windstar being driven by 63-year old Rose Young of Viburnum, was northbound when the passenger side mirror of the Ford struck 45-year old Britani Glenn, also of Viburnum, who was walking on the shoulder of the road. Glenn suffered minor injuries and she was transported by Iron County Ambulance to Phelps Health in Rolla. The Ford sustained minor damage and was driven from the scene.

On Friday, September 11, 2020, the Salem R-80 School District was notified that one staff member at William Lynch, one district staff member, one student from the high school, and one student from the Upper Elementary have tested positive for coronavirus (COVID-19). The students, their families, and other staff members in close contact with these individuals are being notified by the Dent County Health Department as it relates to possible quarantines. The district is working closely with them to assist with contact tracing and have been advised that a full district closure is not necessary at this time. The Salem R-80 School District will continue to work closely with local health officials to monitor these evolving circumstances and revise any school plans as needed. Thank you for your understanding as we continue to work to keep our schools safe, healthy, and open.

The Salem R-80 School has also released their district COVID-19 report as of Friday, September 11th. District wide their have been six cases of COVID-19 that have been detected with three coming from the high school, two from the Upper Elementary School and one from William Lynch Elementary. A total of 46 children have been tested with 20 of those coming from the high school, nine from middle school, six from upper elementary and 11 from William Lynch Elementary. Currently at Salem R-80, 44 children are quarantined which breaks down to nine at the high school, four at the middle school, 12 at the upper elementary and 19 from William Lynch Elementary. Already this semester, 19 children have returned from quarantine from the high school, 15 from the upper elementary school and six from William Lynch Elementary.

The Dent County Health Center on Thursday reported there are currently 16 active cases of COVID-19 in Dent County out of 68 confirmed cases. Of the 68 cases that have been identified in Dent County, 51 of those people have been released from isolation. There is currently one person in the hospital from COVID while two hospitalized patients before have been released. There have been no deaths associated with the coronavirus in Dent County. A total of 1,959 COVID-19 tests have come back negative. With the results reported Thursday, the percentage of people in Dent County that have tested positive with the COVID 19 virus comes to 3.25%.

The Salem Memorial District Hospital is reminding everyone they extended their health fair screenings the entire month of September. You will need to pre-register and all tests will be held at the hospital from 7:00 until 11:00 in the morning, Monday through Friday. You can register for the health fair profile blood test for a cost of $35. Other tests being offered include ahemoglobin A1C, TSH, Urine microalbumin, and PSA test for men. Each of these tests will be $15 each. A DEXA test can also be scheduled for $35, however, this test will require and order from your physician. To schedule an appointment and pre-register you may call Karen Brown Monday through Friday from 8:00 in the morning until 4:00 in the afternoon at 573-729-6626 extension 4005.