Archive for 2020

Intercounty Electric Cooperative Association will be reinstating it’s disconnect and late fee policies effective Wednesday, July 1st. Members who are unable to bring their account current by the end of July will need to contact customer service at the cooperative at 866-621-3679 to request a payment arrangement. A partial payment and signature will be required. Any unpaid accounts, without a signed payment arrangement will be subject to disconnection after July 31st.

An accident involving a Dent County Sheriff’s Department vehicle happened Wednesday afternoon, June 3rd, at 3:45. According to the Salem Police report, a 2006 Kia Sorento owned and operated by Julie Shirley of Cherryville was traveling north on Highway 19 and failed to yield at the intersection of Highway 19 and Highway 32 striking a 2009 Dodge Charger belonging to the Dent County Sheriff’s Department and being driven by George Ball. The sheriff’s department vehicle was going through the intersection with both emergency lights and sirens activated. Shirley and passengers stated they heard the emergency
siren but continued through the intersection without yielding. Both vehicles sustained moderate damage and both were towed from the scene. No injuries were reported in either vehicle.

A one vehicle accident happened Thursday morning shortly before noon in Phelps County on Interstate 44 eastbound around the 186 mile marker. The highway patrol report says that a 2005 Dodge Ram being driven by 28-year old Vincent Potter of Rolla, traveled off the left side of the road and struck a concrete barrier. The vehicle then traveled off the right side of the interstate. Potter was transported by Phelps Health Ambulance to Phelps Health for treatment of minor injuries. The Dodge sustained extensive damage and was removed from the scene by Big Boys Towing. According to the report, Potter was wearing a safety restraint at the time of the accident.

The Dent County Sheriff’s Department is continuing to offer free public tours of the new Dent County Jail through Saturday. Jail staff will conduct tours in groups of five or less and anyone taking the tour is being asked to wear a mask. Tours will start at the public entrance weekdays from 11:00 in the morning until 6:00 in the evening. The tours on Saturday will be given from 9:00 in the morning until 4:00 in the afternoon. For more information, contact the Dent County Sheriff’s office at 729-3241.

City of Salem Public Works Director Mark Nash has reported the pump has been replaced at the water department building at 3rd and Grand streets and the city is once again selling water from that location. The city thanks you for your patience while this repair was made.

KSMO Video Productions now has the 2020 Salem Graduation DVD’s available for sale at the KSMO Radio studios at 800 South Main in the basement of the Wisdom Building. You will need to enter from the front of the building on Highway 19 and come down the steps and enter through the glass door on the left. Once inside the front lobby, please make your way through the door on the right and come down the hallway. The cost is $15 per DVD. KSMO Radio doors open just before 8:00 in the morning and stay open until 4:30 weekdays. On Saturday, the studio is open from 10:00 in the morning until 1:00 in the afternoon. For more information, call KSMO at 729-6117.

The Salem Area Chamber of Commerce has announced the Independence Day Parade will be held on Saturday, July 4th at 6:00 PM. The theme will be “An American Holiday” with George Flint as the grand marshal. The Chamber is NOT assigning lineup positions for this parade, so participants can line up on a first-come, first-serve basis! The Chamber will reserve spots #1 through 11 for the Salem Police Chief, Color Guard, Grand Marshal, VFW and Corporate Sponsors. All other entries can line up from spots 12-120. The parade will follow the normal parade route but will be extended past the Courthouse to Pershing Street at the top of East 4th Street hill. For more information, call 729-6900 or stop by the new office at 1139 South Main St.

Dent County Collector Shannon VanKirk wants to remind anyone who still has delinquent real estate taxes from 2017 that you will need to pay them IN FULL by Tuesday, June 30th during regular business hours from 8:00 in the morning until 4:30 in the afternoon. If you fail to do so, then on July 1st, the taxes from 2017, 2018 and 2019 will be declared due by August 21st, 2020. If not paid by then, your parcel will be sold at the Delinquent Tax Sale that will be held on Monday, August 24th, 2020. Check payments will not be accepted after June 15th so you will need to pay with cash, cashier’s check, money order, debit or credit card after that date. If you are not sure this applies to you or you do not understand how the system works, you need to call the Dent County Collector’s Office immediately so that it can be explained to you. This is very important so do not put it off any longer. Call the Dent County Collectors Office at 573-729-3911 with any questions you may have or stop by the Dent County Courthouse. Starting July 1st, 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 2017 need to be paid IN FULL by Tuesday, June 30th to give you another whole year to pay the other outstanding years.

The Dent County Sheriff’s Department has released a number of reports. On Wednesday, May 27th, a deputy conducted a traffic stop at the intersection of North Highway 19 and Highway 68. During the course of the traffic stop, a 23-year-old Salem man was arrested for driving while having his license revoked or suspended, a 1st offense. The man was transported to the Dent County Sheriff’s Office where he was fingerprinted, issued a summons and released. On Thursday, May 28th, a deputy conducted a traffic stop on Dent County Road 5015. During the course of the traffic stop, a 23-year-old Salem man was arrested for operating a vehicle upon a highway without a valid license, a 1st offense. The man was transported to the Dent County Sheriff’s Office where he was fingerprinted, issued a summons and released. On Saturday, May 30th, a deputy responded to the 400 block of Dent County Road 3260 for a report of a burglary. Upon arrival, deputies discovered that a 53-year-old man was the reported victim. Suspect information was obtained from the victim. The deputy then left the residence. A short time later, deputies located the suspect, a 33-year-old Salem man at a residence also in the 400 block of Dent County Road 3260. The man was arrested for trespassing in the 1st degree and property damage in the 2nd degree. The man was transported to the Dent County Sheriff’s Office where he was fingerprinted, issued a summons and released. That same day, a deputy traveled to a residence in the 300 block of West 5th Street to serve an arrest warrant. During the course of the incident, a 48-year-old Salem man was arrested for an active warrant through the Phelps County Sheriff’s Office. The man was transported to the Dent County Sheriff’s Office Jail where he later posted bond and was released. If anyone has information about an ongoing investigation, please call the Dent County Sheriff’s Office at 729-3241.

The Dent County Commissioners met Monday morning at the Dent County Courthouse. Due to a previous commitment District 2 Commissioner Gary Larson was not in attendance. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Dennis Purcell reported that he had two operators out so grading would be done and materials would be added to Dent County Road 6190, plus patch grading would be done on county road 6435. He went on to say that ditch work would be done and a crossover pipe installed on county road 5450. Purcell also noted that brush would be cut on county road 6280 and shop maintenance would be done. District 2 Road Foreman Sam Gorman reported that grading would be done on Dent County Roads 2050, 4010, 4020 and 4380. He also said that materials would be added to county road 4380 and brush would be cut on county roads 3223, 3260 and 3280. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles wanted to remind residents that the Dent County Sheriff’s Office would be giving tours of the new jail Wednesday through Friday from 11:00 AM until 6:00 PM and Saturday from 9:00 AM until 4:00 PM. He said groups would be limited to about five people. Skiles said that there are just a couple of very small final details to be completed at the jail and he was very complimentary of the job done by Septagone and construction manager Dwight Ramsburg. Skiles said on Thursday he would be attending a number of meetings in St. James including Meramec Regional Enhancement Corporation, the Transportation Advisory Committee, Public Health Advisory Board, MRPC External Relations and MRPC Board Meeting. Skiles reported for Dent County Clerk Angie Curley and stated that she and the treasurer balanced on all accounts for the month of May, and the Commissioners were approving bills for payment. Dent County Collector Shannon VanKirk was in to report May collections were $136,257.10, which is up $21,876 from May of 2019. She also wanted to remind anyone who still has delinquent real estate taxes for 2017 that they will need to pay hem in full by June 30th. To find out why this is so important, call the collector’s office at 573-729-3911. The next meeting of the Commission will be Monday morning at the courthouse and the meeting is open to the public.

The Dent County Health Center Board of Trustees met May 21st at the Health Center at 1010 East Scenic Rivers Blvd. Health Center Administrator Kendra Mobray updated the Board on the Health Center’s response to COVID-19. She has conducted numerous meetings with local officials, briefings with community stakeholders, weekly calls with Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services and Governor Mike Parson, radio interviews and responded to 100’s of phone calls, messages, emails, etc., answering questions about COVID-19 and Governor’s orders. Nurses have worked diligently to communicate with numerous hospital infection preventions staff to follow pending tests, quarantined patients, and executing contact tracing. Health Center Staff returned to normal schedules after Memorial Day. All services are still being provided by appointment only at the Health Center. Employees are wearing masks and clients are encouraged to do the same. Dent County has had 1 confirmed case of COVID-19, the patient is compliant with quarantine, and as of the meeting no close contacts have developed symptoms. Mobray reported that outpatient labs were provided to 62 clients in April. A drive through school shot clinic will be scheduled during the month of June and the date is to be determined, plus shots are available daily by appointment. Also, nurses will give required immunizations at senior registration. Kindergartners must be up-to-date on immunizations to start school in August. Eighth graders are required to have one dose of meningitis and one dose of T-Dap. Seniors are required to have two doses of meningitis unless the first dose was administered to a student who was 16-years of age or older, in which case only one dose is required. At least one dose must be given after 16-years of age. The Dent County Health Center currently bills most insurance companies and offers state vaccine for uninsured, underinsured, and Medicaid clients. To make an appointment for vaccinations or for questions please call the Health Center at 573-729-3106. In contract updates she noted that the Pubic Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP) funding for FY20, which runs through June 30, 2020, has been exhausted as of March 31st with a deficit of $6,702.02 due to COVID-10 response. Local public heath agencies have been instructed to track expenses for COVID response and bill their county for reimbursement from CARES Act funds. The Health Center investigated 1 case of E. Coli in April. DCHC expenses were approved, the next regular board meeting was set for June 18th at 5:00, and the meeting was adjourned.