Archive for 2020

To reflect estimated changes in the wholesale cost of natural gas, Union Electric Company d/b/a Ameren Missouri natural gas customers will see rates decrease under a filing that will take effect TODAY, June 1st. Residential customers currently pay approximately $0.40 per Ccf (per hundred cubic feet) of natural gas. Under this filing, the rate will drop to approximately $0.35 per Ccf, a decrease of approximately $0.05 per Ccf. This change will affect Ameren Missouri natural gas customers in areas such as Columbia, Rolla, Salem, Owensville, Jefferson City, Mexico, Wentzville, Cape Girardeau and Marble Hill. Approximately 50% to 55% of a customer’s current natural gas bill reflects the cost of natural gas from wholesale suppliers. The wholesale cost of natural gas (the cost your local natural gas company must pay to its suppliers for natural gas) is not regulated by the Missouri Public Service Commission. The wellhead cost of natural gas is unregulated and is primarily driven by supply, demand and the weather. The Missouri Public Service Commission does conduct an annual regulatory review to ensure that regulated natural gas companies make prudent decisions in securing natural gas supplies for their customers. Ameren Missouri serves approximately 131,500 natural gas customers in Missouri.

The highway patrol worked two separate accidents on Thursday. The first accident happened shortly after 7:00 Thursday evening in Laclede County on Highway 32 about 14 east of Lebanon. The report states that 17-year old Hance Bryson of Licking was going east on Highway 32 driving a 2000 Ford Mustang when he traveled off the right side of the road and struck a concrete culvert. Bryson suffered moderate injuries and was taken by his family to the Mercy Hospital in Lebanon. The Mustang was totaled and removed by C & L Towing. The second occurred in Phelps County on Highway 68 and Route YY at 8:20 in the evening. According to the report from the highway patrol, a 2005 Kawasaki motorcycle being ridden north by 40-year old Matthew Pollard of Salem traveled off the right side of the roadway striking a sign and overturning. Pollard was taken by private vehicle to Phelps Health in Rolla for treatment of serious injuries. The Kawasaki received extensive damage and was removed from the scene by a family member.

The Salem Public Library will be open to the public again starting TODAY. Several procedures have been put in place based on guidelines provided by the Missouri State Library, the American Library Association, and public health officials. These guidelines will be in place until further notice and include only 10 patrons in the library at a time. Everyone entering the library will be given hand sanitizer and will be required to maintain six feet of distance with anyone who is not related to them whether it is library staff or other visitors. Upon entering the main library, users will have 20 minutes to browse, pick up materials and check out with no lingering or socializing. All materials being returned need to be dropped off in the book depository or at the designated location inside. Signs will be posted to let patrons know where those return points are located. All other programming and events are cancelled until further notice. While there won’t be a limit of time patrons may use the computer for business purposes, they do ask you conclude your business as quickly as possible. Hours will be Monday through Friday from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Thursday from 10:00 AM until 7:00 PM and Saturday from 10:00 AM until 1:00PM. If you’re sick please stay home and if you enter the library and are displaying symptoms of illness you will be asked to leave the building.

The City of Salem Board of Aldermen will be meeting this evening at the city hall council chambers. At the meting, the board will hear a request from Bill Parsons to close a portion of East 4th Street from Water Street to Pershing Avenue and Water Street from East 4th Street to East 3rd Street. He would also like to use three barricades for the streets. After the consent agenda, City Administrator Ray Walden will give his report that will give the board an update on items concerning the city as well as a discussion on the city’s auditing service. The board will also hear a report from Salem Park and Recreation Director Melissa Dubois about an ice cream truck coming into the city park and selling concessions near the pool that is hurting the concession sales at the pool. The board will hear and discuss Resolution #12-2020 which is an agreement with N.B. West Contracting out of Sullivan to do pave selected streets with a Type A Nova Chip with a firm price of $7.50 through August. The board will also hear and discuss Resolution #13-2020 to sign an agreement with the Dent County Commons for the discharging of fireworks on July 4th. The board will hear and discuss Bill #3450 that would ban food trucks, trailers, carts and ice cream trucks from doing business within the Salem City Park that would interfere with the concessions already provided within the city park. The board will then adjourn. The meeting of the Salem Board of Aldermen is open to the public.

A Municipal Election will be held Tuesday from 6:00 AM until 7:00 PM that will feature many school board races, an issue to establish a Montauk Fire Protection District with a 30 cent levy and also to create and elect a board of directors, an aldermanic race for both the east and west side for Salem and a race for an aldermanic seat in Bunker. Five candidates are vying for the Salem R-80 School board and they are incumbents Holly Erway and Larry Maxwell as well as Michael Pettus, Andrew Wynn and Amanda Walker. There are six people interested in serving on the Dent-Phelps R-3 School Board and they are Dana Gorman, Mike Radford, Bill Manthey, Nick Gover, Brandon Schloemer and Caleb Gidcumb. Six persons are also vying for the Oak Hill R-1 School Board and they include Michael Connors, Jonathan Hoffman, Sarah Hoffman, Nikki Eaton, Allison Parks and Duane Blackwell. For the Northwood R-4 School Board, five persons are registered and they include Aaron Brooks, Milton Lindsey Jr., Jenna Dunn, Robert Hemmann and David Massengale. In each school district, voters will select three candidates. In the aldermanic races for the city of Salem, the East Ward race features three candidates and they are incumbent Kim Steelman, Carl Plank and Jerry (Jay) Gibbs, Jr; while the West Ward race has two new candidates and they are Greg Parker and Joshua Gordon. In Bunker, three people are competing for the one open aldermanic seat. Those three are Tricia Rowland, James McClanahan and Thomas Case. Remember, you MUST bring a form of identification with you when you vote. If you have moved and are not sure where you vote, or are not sure what type of ID to bring with you to vote, contact the Dent County Clerks office TODAY at 729-4144.

The Missouri Department of Conservation reminds Missouri hunters that the application period ends May 31st for Missouri’s first elk hunts this fall. MDC will offer Missourians the state’s first elk-hunting season in modern history starting this October. MDC will issue five permits for hunting bull elk with four being general permits for the public and one permit reserved for qualifying area landowners. Applicants must be Missouri residents at least 11 years of age by the first day of the hunt. Those selected to receive a permit must have their hunter-education certification or be exempt by age before they may purchase the permit. Apply for the random elk-permit drawing online by May 31st at mdc.mo.gov/buypermits, through MDC’s free MO Hunting app, through a permit vendor, or by calling 1-800-392-4115. Applicants can check to see if they have been selected for an elk-hunting permit online starting July 1 at mdc.mo.gov/buypermits after logging into “Manage Your Account” and selecting “View My Special Hunt History.” Missouri’s first pending elk hunt comes after years of restoration efforts of the once-native species by MDC, numerous partners including the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, and many supporters including local communities and area landowners.

The Dent County Sheriff’s Office has released some reports. On Tuesday, May 19th, a deputy conducted a traffic stop on Highway 72 near Highway 32. During the course of the traffic stop, a 43-year old East Lynne man was arrested for driving while being intoxicated. The man was transported to the Dent County Sheriff’s Office where he was fingerprinted, issued a summons and released to a family member. On Saturday, May 23rd, a deputy conducted a traffic stop on Highway 72. During the course of the traffic stop, a 29-year old Bunker man was arrested for driving while having his license revoked or suspended, a 2nd or 3rd offense. The man was transported to the Dent County Sheriff’s Office where he was fingerprinted, issued a summons and released. On Sunday, May 24th, a deputy conducted a traffic stop on Pershing Street. During the course of the traffic stop, a 48-year old Salem man was arrested for driving while having his license revoked or suspended, a 2nd or 3rd offense. The man was transported to the Dent County Sheriff’s Office where he was fingerprinted, issued a summons and released. If you have any information regarding and ongoing investigation, please call the Dent County Sheriff’s Office at 729-3241.

The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) is seeking initial public input on a proposed limited and highly regulated hunting season for black bears, which would be open only to Missouri residents. If approved by the Missouri Conservation Commission, a season could occur as soon as the fall of 2021. MDC is asking for initial public comments through June 5th. According to MDC, over the last 50 years bear numbers in the Missouri Ozarks have increased significantly and today Missouri is home to between 540–840 black bears. Bear numbers are currently increasing each year and bear range in the state is expanding. MDC Furbearer Biologist Laura Conlee said that with Missouri’s growing black bear population, MDC is proposing the development of a limited and highly regulated bear hunting season. The timing and length of the season, restrictive methods, and permit allocation coupled with a harvest quota will initially be limited to ensure a sustainable harvest of our growing black bear population. Conlee added that limited black bear hunting will be an essential part of population management in the future as Missouri’s bear numbers continue to grow. Learn more about a potential black bear hunting season in Missouri online and submit comments through June 5th at mdc.mo.gov/bears.

The City of Salem will be doing curbside yard waste pick-up the first full week of each month. Items that will be picked up by the city include limbs and branches that are cut to a length of 4 feet or less and leaves that are bagged in recyclable leaf bags which can be purchased at the city utility office $2.50 for ten bags. The city will pick up yard waste that has been properly bagged, cut, and placed at the edge of the curb or sidewalk. They ask that you do not block the sidewalk or place items in the street. The city of Salem reserves the right to charge for exceptionally large volumes of yard waste or to recommend removal by a private company. Items that will not be picked up include appliances, household trash, tires, electronics, lumber or building materials, furniture, or recyclables. Items must be ready and set out for pickup on the first Monday of the first full weeks of each month.

A one vehicle accident occurred Wednesday night around 10:30 on Route E about five miles north of Rolla. The report from the highway patrol states that a 2008 Ford Explorer being driven by 19-year old Julia Rufe of Rolla crossed the centerline and traveled off the left side of the road where the Explorer struck a culvert and overturned. Rufe, who was wearing a safety restraint at the time of the accident, was transported by EMS to Phelps Health for treatment of minor injuries. The Explorer was totaled and removed from the scene by Dishman’s Towing.

The Salem Public Library at 4th and Jackson Streets will reopen on Monday, June 1st for their regular hours of operation. There will be new procedures to safeguard patrons and staff. A maximum of ten patrons will be allowed in the building at one time. Patrons will be given hand sanitizer upon entering. People should maintain six feet of distance with anyone who is not from their household. It will be asked that patrons limit their time in the library to twenty minutes with the exception of those using computers. All programs and events are cancelled until further notice. For additional information, call the Salem Public Library at 729-4331.