Archive for 2021

The Dent County Commissioners met Monday morning at the Dent County Courthouse. At the meeting, District 1 Commissioner Wes Mobray said workers will be pouring the concrete bridge floor and sides on Dent County Road 4210 this week, weather permitting. He also said he was almost finished with his Local Public Agency training for the MoDOT FLAP project and that it is still moving forward. District 2 Commissioner Gary Larson was not in attendance, so Travis Turner from District 2 gave the report. He said brush was being cut on county roads 3250 and 3260, and maintenance work was being done on trucks #69 and 75, and workers are also working on the tailgate for truck #116. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles said he and Commissioner Mobray attended the Regional Economic Development meeting held on Tuesday, September 14th at Echo Bluff State Park. Skiles said it was very good meeting with over 45 people attending from numerous counties as well as Senator Blunt’s office and other officials to discuss the needs of the region, and talk about how they may be able to work together to help one another. Skiles also said he attended the Salem Area Community Betterment Association meeting last week and they will be having a “Trivia Night” on Saturday, October 23rd at the Farmers Market Pavilion starting at 5:30. Skiles stated Economic Development Director Sally Burbridge invited him to a meeting with Steelville Telephone Exchange Representative Kent Sherrow. Sherrow indicated they are looking to expand fiber optics into Dent County and Salem to provide additional high-speed Internet services. To find out how interested people are in having this service, Skiles said Steelville Telephone Exchange has targeted individuals that have slow or no Internet services to receive a survey in the mail with a QR Code that they can access through their smart phone. The response they receive will help them determine if there is enough interest from the people for the project to move forward. Dent County Health Center Director Zach Moser came by to visit with the commissioners. Dent County Treasurer Denita Williams last week attended the Missouri County Treasurer’s Association Conference at Old Kinderhook in Camdenton. Williams was elected president of the association and will serve in 2022 and 2023. The next meeting of the commission will be Monday morning at 9:00 at the courthouse and the meeting is open to the public.

The University of Missouri will be conducting a Home Food Preservation class the evening of Thursday, September 23rd from 6:00 until 8:00 at the Salem Community Center@The Armory. The class entitled Salsa, is a class that focuses on safe and correct food preservation methods in the home setting. Whether you are new to canning, or you just need a refresher on something you’ve been doing for years, University of Missouri Extension’s Food Preservation Series can help you preserve your produce safely and efficiently. Each participant will take part in hands on training in preparing and canning salsa! Due to the 2-hour time period of the class, the canned salsa produced in class will not be shelf stable. Home canned products must rest undisturbed for 12-24 hours after canning. The products of this class should be refrigerated and eaten within 7 days because they will be transported following canning. Don’t worry they will be tasty! The cost of the class is $25 and to register contact Rachel Buenemann online at rachelbuenemann@missouri.edu or call (573) 458-6260.

The Creative Arts Center in Salem will be offering a beginner’s oil painting class. The class will be one day per week for four weeks beginning Thursday, September 23rd then on September 30th and October 7th and 15th. Classes are being held from 9 until noon. The class will be taught by professional artist Tana Kettner. Necessary supplies will be provided. You will learn about color theory, painting techniques and other skills. No previous experience is necessary. The cost is $120 for all 4 session or $35 per 3-hour session. For questions or to register you may email salemartscouncil@outlook.com.

The City of Salem Utility Committee will be meeting Thursday evening at 6:00 at the Salem Community Center@The Armory. The meeting was called by the committee chairman, Shawn Bolerjack. The Utility Committee will be updated on utility billing, hear an update on the audit of the utility meter and billing project, hear an update on the utility bills layout, discuss the fiscal year 2021-2022 Utility and Street Department projects update, and receive an update on the Exceleron pre-paid project. The meeting will then be adjourned. The Utility Committee meeting is open to the public.

An accident happened at 12:15 Sunday afternoon in Laclede County at the intersection of Wildwood Drive and Cedar Bluff Road that left four individuals with injuries. According to the highway patrol report, a Kawasaki 400 ES four-wheeler driven northbound by a 17-year-old juvenile of Salem failed to negotiate a curve at the intersection. The Kawasaki crossed the roadway and impacted the ground, ejecting the girl driving the Kawasaki as well as the passengers. Suffering serious injuries in the accident were three passengers: 18-year-old Hailey Conway of Salem, a 15-year-old female from Falcon, Missouri, and a nine-year-old female from Falcon. Also suffering moderate injuries was the 17-year-old female juvenile driver from Salem. Everyone injured in the accident was taken by a private conveyance to the Mercy Hospital in Lebanon. The Kawasaki sustained only minor damage and was removed from the scene by the owner.

The Salem R-80 Board of Education met last Thursday evening at the high school library. The board heard a report from Middle School ELA teachers Tina McKee and Abrie Enloe on the Middle School 40 book challenge that their students are participating in this year. The board also heard from Chris Salzman from ESP on potential building projects. The board approved negotiating a contract with ESP for a variety of facility improvements, plus they also hired ESP to create a final design for the tin gym remodel and expansion as well as the locker room remodeling project. In the Superintendent’s report, Dr. Lynne Reed stated Brad Wegman from L.J. Hart will be invited to the October Board meeting to discuss a potential bond issue for construction of a new elementary school. She also discussed former Salem football Coach Bill Schuchardt’s induction into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame and provided an update on the school’s virtual program. The building principals gave their reports and enrollment at the elementary school is 243, the upper elementary has 327 students, the middle school has 259 students, and the high school has right at 600 students. It was reported the high school has 47 students that are earning 351 dual credit hours. The board approved the bus routes presented before approving the Special Education Compliance Plan. The board then changed policy SRCSP that includes a mask mandate at the Salem R-80 schools for all staff pre-kindergarten through the 12th grade, all students in the 6th through the 12th grade, and that strict cohort classes be held at the Upper Elementary and William Lynch Elementary school. This was to go into effect today. The board approved revising the assistant superintendent’s job description and approved board policy GBDBDA. The board discussed and approved renaming the road behind the middle school and high school in honor of retired Salem R-80 Transportation Director Jim McDaniels. After closed session where the board approved raising the base pay for assistant kitchen managers and kitchen managers, the board returned to open session where they agreed to change the time of the next regular meeting to 5:00 with a discipline hearing to follow the meeting. The meeting was then adjourned.

An accident occurred Friday morning at 11:10 in Dent County on Route ZZ about two miles west of Jadwin. According to the highway patrol report, a 2000 Kawasaki KLR driven by 58-year-old Judy Ivery of Festus, was traveling westbound and struck a deer. Ivery suffered moderate injuries and was flown by Arch Air to Mercy St. Louis. The Kawasaki sustained minor damages and was towed by private vehicle.

An accident occurred Friday morning at 8:29 in Phelps County on County Road 6120 about 971 feet from Highway 63. According to the highway patrol report, a bicycle being rode by 63-year-old John Boley of Rolla was travelling westbound in the eastbound lane. A 2004 Taurus driven by 20-year-old Joseph Raymond of Edgar Springs was traveling eastbound and struck the bicycle. Boley suffered serious injuries and was flown from Phelps Health to University of Columbia. The bicycle was totaled and taken to family members residence. The Ford sustained moderate damage and was driven from the scene.

Dent County Prosecutor Andrew Curley reported on three cases heard in Dent County on Friday, September 10th, in front of Judge Megan Seay. In the first case heard that day, Rebecca Hall of Salem pled guilty to the possession of fentanyl and benzodiazapam while on felony probation. Hall was sentenced to serve seven years in the Department of Corrections as requested by the prosecutor. In another case, Todd Harget of Licking pled guilty to the distribution of methamphetamine. Harget is a prior and persistent felony offender and was sentenced to serve 12 years in the Department of Corrections as requested by the state. In the final case heard last Friday, Heather Parker of Salem pled guilty to the possession of fentanyl and felony stealing. Judge Seay sentenced her to serve seven years in the Missouri Department of Corrections as requested by Prosecutor Curley.

The Salem Police Department has released their report for the month of August. They served 16 summonses to appear in court, gave out 40 warning tickets, and seven traffic tickets, plus they also served 15 fugitive warrants and two city warrants. The department investigated ten traffic accidents, had 20 ambulance assists, wrote 12 property damage reports, eight stealing reports, and two resisting or interfering with an arrest reports. The department investigated seven driving while having a license revoked or suspended reports, wrote a missing person report, had one unlawful use of a firearm or weapon charge, conducted three death investigations, had four possession of a controlled substance charges, two possession of drug paraphernalia charges, as well as three domestic violence reports. The department also investigated four trespassing reports, two reports of tampering, investigated three intoxicated pedestrians, responded to six assaults or fights and responded to 43 animal calls. The Salem Police Department conducted 56 follow up investigations and responded to two shots fired. The police department performed 22 well-being checks, responded to three suicidal person calls, investigated ten suspicious vehicles and 11 suspicious subjects, and investigated one sexual offense. The department drove 7,911 miles during the month and served 4 hours as court bailiff. The department had 896 calls for service and had 49 walk-ins to the station. There were 19 males and 13 females arrested during the month of August.

A three-vehicle accident happened Thursday afternoon just after 12:30 in Phelps County on Highway 63 at Phelps County Road 2110. According to the highway patrol report, a 2008 Honda Odessey being driven by 62-year-old Tammy Nail of Rolla, was traveling north and had stopped to make a left turn. At that time, a 2006 Dodge Grand Caravan being driven by 73-year-old William Bleckman of Rolla had also stopped and was behind the Honda. The report says a 2007 Sterling 9000 being driven by 43-year-old Zebulon Cramer of Belle was also traveling north and struck the rear of the Caravan. The Dodge then traveled off the right side of the roadway. The Sterling traveled off the right side of the roadway and overturned. A passenger in the Dodge Caravan, 69-year-old Deborah Bleckman of Rolla was transported by Phelps Health Ambulance to Phelps Health Hospital for treatment of minor injuries. All involved in the accident were wearing safety restraints at the time of the accident. The Honda had only minor damage and was driven from the scene. The Sterling and Dodge Caravan were both totaled. The Dodge was towed from the scene by Ron Dishman Towing and the Sterling was removed by Big Boys Towing.

The Taste of The Arts Expo 2021 is coming up tomorrow from 3:00 until 7:00 at The Creative Arts Center behind the ONCRC, at 202 South Main in Salem. Taste of The Arts will be a small carnival style family fun day complete with many small art activities for both kids and adults alike. There will be a sidewalk chalk contest, a children’s table with art activities, screen printing, wheat weaving, quilting, pottery, painting, air brushing, concessions and vendors. For more information, contact Danielle Norris at 573-247-5306 or Tana Kettner at 573-247-0651.