Archive for 2020

The Salem Park and Recreation Board met Wednesday evening at the Salem Community Center@The Armory. Salem Park and Rec Director Melissa DuBois gave her report and said the youth basketball season went very well with trophies handed out for the 1st and 2nd place teams, MVP awards for the best boy and girl and a Coach of the Year Award. She reported the “Skills and Drills” football camp was a huge success with 135 children participating. She wanted to express her biggest thanks to Andrew Wynn for his help in keeping the event organized and Salem R-80 Head Coach Dylan Wyrick for bringing some high school players and working with the kids. DuBois explained that she was able to help Healthy Dent County find six retractable basketball goals through govdeals.com and then was with them through the bidding process. This process helped save Healthy Dent County over $20,000 for goals that far exceeded what was expected to be installed. Dubois said 33 children and their parents are signed up for the “Start Smart” Soccer program and late signups for the Youth Soccer Program will continue until Friday at 4:30. She said she is working on the Summer Program this year and it will be a two week all day camp. She is trying to make sure that the camp is held during a time when very few other events are happening. DuBois said the Park and Rec Department was able to purchase five metal picnic tables that used to be at Scoops and put them in front of the baseball concession stand and in the park playground pavilion. DuBois discussed with the board about selling shaved ice at the pool this year and buying a new machine. She also discussed with the board about getting new cheese warmers and a popcorn machine for events. The board approved her request to purchase these items for the concession areas this year. The board reviewed admission prices for the Alice Lou Craig Swimming Pool and also pavilion rentals. The pool prices will remain the same as last year: $4.00 for children and senior citizens and $5.00 for adults. Family pool passes will stay at $160 for two adults and two children with an additional $45 charge for any other family member over those four. Individual pool passes will also stay at $75. Water Aerobics and swim lessons will also remain the same at $50 per month for aerobics and $45 for swim lessons. Pool parties will be unchanged at $150 for the first hour with each additional hour $50. Pavilion rentals will also be the same as last year with $45 for the day for the large pavilion and $35 for the day at the small pavilion. Dubois did request having a pre-season sale of family pool passes for $130 and individual pool passes for $60. She also wanted to offer discounts on private and shared pool parties as well as offering to rent out the Pool Pavilion for parties for $75 for two hours. These pre-season special prices will only be offered in March and April. The board approved her request to offer the pre-season sale. Dubois did report that a Memorandum of Understanding between the Park and Recreation Department and Healthy Dent County for the use of the gym has been negotiated and is all but ready to be signed by both parties. The board also discussed and reviewed the application for the LWCF grant for the new soccer park that is to be submitted by midnight Friday night. Informational discussions on the City Auditorium Theatre improvements, the skate park and possibly adding a concrete ping pong table at one of the pavilions were held with no decisions being made. The meeting was then adjourned.

The Salem Police Department has released a number of reports. On Thursday evening, January 30th at about 8:58, an officer was dispatched to the Salem Police Department to speak with a female about a domestic disturbance that had occurred on Warfel Street. An investigation was conducted and as a result of that investigation, a 23-year-old Salem man was arrested and issued summons to appear in court. On Saturday morning, February 1st at about 1:21, an officer attempted to make a traffic stop on a vehicle for a speeding violation. The vehicle refused to stop right away. After a short pursuit the vehicle stopped near the intersection of Warfel and Third Streets. As a result of the investigation, two 22-year-old males were arrested and issued summons to appear in court for possession of Marijuana as well as a DWI and traffic offences for the driver. On Tuesday morning, February 4th at about 8:08, the School Resource Officer was contacted by school officials about a juvenile being in possession of alcohol on school grounds. After an investigation it was found that a juvenile student was in possession of a vape device and also cans of beer. The juvenile was detained, and the case is being forwarded to the Dent County Juvenile office for further investigation. That afternoon at about 4:56, an officer was dispatched to area of Grand and Third Streets for a report of a stolen vehicle. An investigation was conducted. Later in the evening the vehicle was located in Cabool. The suspect and driver of the stolen car were arrested and placed in the Dent County Jail on a 24-hour hold pending the application of warrants. The suspect is a 30-year-old female from Springfield, Missouri. On Thursday, February 6th near 3:30 in the afternoon, an officer was dispatched to the Salem Memorial District Hospital to transport a 38-year old male of Alton, Missouri to Joplin for a 96-hour evaluation. Please contact the Salem Police Department at 729-4242 if you have information regarding an ongoing investigation.

The Harry S. Truman Memorial Veterans’ Hospital and the Columbia Vet Center are teaming up to provide area Veterans with services such as Veterans Health Administration enrollment as well as counseling for post-traumatic stress disorder and military sexual trauma TODAY at the Wal-Mart Supercenter in Rolla at 500 South Bishop from 9:00 in the morning until 1:00 in the afternoon at their Mobile Vet Center. The Mobile Vet Center is a 37-foot-long mobile resource unit that not only allows veterans to enroll and seek counseling, but also provides services such as bereavement, marriage and family counseling. They also can provide additional resources for Veterans that include VA benefits information and suicide prevention referrals. The customized MVC vehicle is equipped with confidential counseling space to extend access to these VA services to Veterans, service members and their families, especially those living in rural or remote communities. The Mobile Vet Center also provides readjustment counseling and information resources to Veterans to assist them in the difficult transition between military and civilian life. For more information, call (573) 814-6206.

Gary Brown, Chairman of the Planning and Zoning Board of Commissioners, has called for a Public Hearing by the Board for Tuesday evening, February 18th, at 6:30 in the City Hall Council Chambers, 202 North Washington. The Public Hearing is relative to the proposed annexation of commercial property at 1805 South Main owned by Charles W. and Janet L. Cunningham Trust. Immediately following the closing of the Public Hearing, the Board will conduct a Public Meeting at the same location to discuss annexation and zoning of the property at 1805 South Main, short-term rentals, and wineries and meadery. The public hearing and public meeting are both open to the public.

The Salem Rotary Club Annual Pancake Day will be held this Saturday morning from 7:00 until 11:00 at the Salem Middle School. The cost is $6.00 for adults and $3.00 for children that are 12 years of age and under. Rotary members will be serving up “all you can eat” pancakes, sausage, coffee and milk. Tickets are available from any Rotary Club member in advance or you can buy your tickets at the door. The money that is raised goes toward community projects and scholarships.