Archive for 2020

An accident happened Saturday evening at 11:35 in Dent County on Highway 72 about 1000 feet west of Dent County Road 3175 took the lives of a Rolla woman and Salem man. According to the highway patrol report, a 2006 Hyundai Sonata driven by 46-year old Tabatha Copeland of Rolla was traveling westbound and passed a witnesses vehicle at a high rate of speed causing the front of the Hyundai to strike the back of a 2004 Buick Park Avenue driven by 43-year old Greg Pugh of Salem who was traveling eastbound. Both drivers were pronounced dead at the scene by the Dent County Coroner’s office at Sunday morning at 12:18. Both subjects were transported to the Dent County Coroner’s Office. Pugh was wearing a safety restraint at the time of the accident while Copeland was not. Both vehicles were totaled and removed from the scene by Whitaker’s Towing.

An accident occurred Saturday evening at 6:55 in Crawford County on Route E about six miles northeast of Steelville. According to the highway patrol report, a 2003 GMC Sierra driven by 25- year old Bradley Yewell of Bridgeton, was traveling northbound when he traveled off the right side of the roadway. Yewell overcorrected and the Sierra returned to the roadway, then traveled off the left side and Yewell overcorrected again. The Sierra returned back to the roadway before traveling back off the right side of the roadway again when Yewell again overcorrected, and the Sierra returned to the roadway before traveling off the left side of the roadway, overturning into a ditch. Yewell was ejected from the vehicle through the driver’s side window. The vehicle came to rest on its wheels in the ditch. Yewell suffered serious injuries and was flown by Air Evac #13 to Mercy Hospital in St. Louis. A passenger in the Sierra, 24-year old Kacie Woods of St. Ann, also suffered serious injuries and was flown to the Mercy Hospital in St. Louis by Air Evac #6. Neither Woods nor Yewell was wearing safety restraints at the time of the accident. The Sierra was totaled and removed from the scene by Miles and Son’s. Troop I was assisted by Crawford County Sheriff’s Department.

An accident happened in Phelps County on Route EE and Phelps County Road 1280 Saturday afternoon at 3:50. According to the highway patrol report, a 2005 Honda Rincon Four-Wheeler driven northbound by 49-year old Ronald Galvin of St. Louis, traveled off the right side of the roadway and struck a fence. Suffering moderate injuries were Galvin and two juvenile passengers: a boy who was six-years of age and a girl who was 14-years of age. The juveniles were wearing safety equipment while Galvin was not. All three were taken to Phelps Health by EMS. The Honda had only minor damage and was secured by the owner.

An accident occurred Thursday evening shortly after 5:00 in Phelps County on Highway 68 just south of Route JJ. According to the report from the highway patrol, a 2013 Kenworth tractor was being driven east by 30-year old James Drury of Salem when the load of the vehicle shifted causing the vehicle to overturn and travel off the right side of the road. Drury, who was wearing a safety restraint at the time of the accident, was transported by a private conveyance to Phelps Health for treatment of moderate injuries. The Kenworth sustained extensive damage and was removed from the scene by Whitakers Towing.

Dent County Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles reported the new Dent County Jail will be opening soon and be in full operation. Before that happens, the Dent County Commissioners and the Dent County Sheriff’s Department wanted to open the new facility to the public. So beginning this Wednesday, June 10th and continuing through Saturday, June 13th the Dent County Sheriff’s Office will be conducting public tours of the new county jail. Jail staff will conduct tours in groups of five or less. People going on the tour are asked to wear a mask. Tours will start at the public entrance on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 11:00 in the morning until 6:00 in the evening. Tours on Saturday will be given from 9:00 in the morning until 4:00 in the afternoon. The tours are free. For more information, contact the Dent County Sheriff’s office at 729-3241.

Captain Eddie A. Blaylock, commanding officer of Troop I, announces additional locations will resume driver’s license testing. Locations include the Salem City Hall at 202 North Washington from 9:15 AM to 3:45 PM on the second, fourth, and fifth Wednesday of the month. There will be no road tests after 3:15 PM. Testing will also be at the Missouri State Highway Patrol Troop I Headquarters at 1301 Nagogami Road West in Rolla from 8 AM to 5 PM every Tuesday, Friday, and the first and third Wednesday of the month. There will be no road tests after 4:30 PM. Due to limited capacities at these locations and to avoid extended wait times, we encourage applicants to call prior to testing. All times and locations listed can be found on the Missouri State Highway Patrol’s website.

A public hearing will be held tonight at 7:00 at the City Hall Council Chambers to consider changes to the floodplain management ordinance. The hearing was called my Mayor Brad Nash and is open to anyone. Remember that social distancing guidelines will be followed by the city. Following the public hearing, a special meeting of the Salem Board of Aldermen will be held at 7:15 to consider making changes to the city’s floodplain management ordinance. The board will then review and possibly approve Bill #3451 that would set out provisions for flood damage prevention within the city of Salem. The meeting would then be adjourned. The meeting was called by Mayor Brad Nash and the meeting is open to the public following social distancing guidelines established by the governor and put into place by the city.

Tonight at 7:00 at the SHS Football Field, the 135th graduating class of the Salem High School will hold their commencement exercises with social distancing measures taken. There are 136 students who are expected to receive their diplomas from the Class of 2020. Because of school being out for so long, there will be no performances by the SHS Band or the Choir, but three students: Phoebe Callicutt, Mallorie Dittman and Kennison Parker, will sing the National Anthem. The Salem High School Class of 2020 had three Salutatorians and 18 Valedictorians. The Salutatorians included Reese Dodson, Lydia Owen and Emily Pruitt. The Valedictorians were comprised of Taylor Bradshaw, Jana Cook, Jodie Dean, Ashley Donovan, Easton Ingram, Anna McDaniel, Christopher McSwain, Bailee Pace, Katrina Parks, Victoria Pope, Ceceilia Reed, Brenden Smith, Emma Southards, Hailee Stringer, Mallorie Dittman, Malia Terrill, Melody Whitman and Madison Woolf. The ceremony will feature the presenting of the Senior Class Citizenship Awards and Best All-Around Boy and Girl Awards. Student recognition will follow the presentation of awards and feature six valedictorian speeches. The awarding of the diplomas will follow the student recognition. At the conclusion of the ceremony, school officials will be leading one half of the students from the exercise to exit the stadium to the circle drive while the other half will spread out on the eastern side of the track before exiting. Salem R-80 is asking you to please not congregate to the track and keep your social distancing. Gates will open at 5:30 and you must have a ticket to get in. Once inside the gates, you cannot leave and re-enter. Visitors may bring lawn chairs and sit to the north or south of the bleachers, or sit in the bleachers in every other row, but remember to keep six feet away from the next group. The track will also have 250 chairs set up in groups of five. For those who can’t make it or get a ticket, or prefer to stay at home, KSMO Radio will stream the event live from their website, www.ksmoradio.com. Go to the site click the “listen live” to access Twitch TV. You can also gain stream access from the Salem R-80 website at https://www.salemr80.org. The direct link to Twitch TV is https://twitch.tv/ksmo1340. In case of inclement weather, the 1st alternative rescheduling will be Saturday morning at 10:00 and the 2nd alternative rescheduling will be Saturday afternoon at 5:00.

An accident happened in Dent County Wednesday afternoon at 3:30 on Highway 32 about six miles east of Salem. According to the highway patrol report, a 2005 Pontiac Vibe driven westbound by 31-year old Matthew Church of Salem, ran off the south side of the roadway and overturned. Church and a passenger, 28-year old John Fann of Salem, each suffered minor injuries in the accident. Fann refused treatment at the scene while Church was taken by a private vehicle to the Salem Memorial District Hospital. The Vibe was totaled and removed from the scene by Whitaker’s Towing. Everyone was wearing their seat restraints. The highway patrol was assisted by the Dent County Sheriff’s Department and the Salem Ambulance.

The Missouri Department of Conservation invites the public to get hooked on fishing through its Free Fishing Days that will be held Saturday, June 6th and Sunday, June 7th. During Free Fishing Days, anyone may fish in the Show-Me State without having to buy a fishing permit, trout permit, or trout park daily tag. Free Fishing Days is an annual MDC event that takes place statewide during the Saturday and Sunday following the first Monday in June. Aside from not needing permits, other fishing regulations remain in effect during Free Fishing Days, such as limits on size and number of fish an angler may keep. Special permits may still be required at some county, city, or private fishing areas. Trespass laws remain in effect on private property. The Department of Conservation reminds anglers in Missouri that fishing permits are required before and after June 6 and 7, unless an angler is exempt by age or other factors. All other fishing regulations are also in effect. It is still critical to continue to heed all recommendations for physical distancing, avoiding overcrowding, handwashing, and other public health measures during outdoor activities. Learn more about Free Fishing Days in Missouri at huntfish.mdc.mo.gov/fishing.

Currently on the Salem R-80 Website, parents can register their child for kindergarten for the William Lynch Elementary School. If you have a child who will be turning 5 before August 1st, you can register them now online. Once you have filled out the form, you will be contacted at a later date at the phone number you put on the form.

Congressman Jason Smith has announced the Cape Area Student Winner of 2020 Congressional Art Competition as well as the top 20 Pieces submitted from the district. Madi Holt of Advance High School has been selected as the overall winner for Missouri’s Eighth Congressional District. Holt’s work “Patriotism Lives On” will be displayed in the U.S. Capitol Building for one year. Two Salem High School students had their works selected as part of the top 20 and they were “Polaroid” by Lara Stevens and “Frisco Station” by Luke Bartlett. Congratulations to all those students who submitted their work for the art competition.