Archive for 2021

According to Dent County Assessor Jamie Homeyer, the 2022 Dent County Assessment Lists will be mailed the first week of January 2022. To avoid a late filing penalty, your completed assessment forms will be due in the assessor’s office by March 1st. Online filing will also be available from January 2nd through April 30th. In addition to being able to file online, there is a drop box in front of the courthouse, as well as a drop box inside the courthouse by the office door, or you may also mail your completed form back to the Dent County Assessor at 400 N Main St, Salem, MO 65560. The assessor’s office is open from 8:00 in the morning until 4:30 in the afternoon, Monday through Friday and you may call us at 573-729-6010. If there is no answer, please leave them a message and they will return your call as soon as possible.

The Dent County Fire Protection District Board of Directors met Tuesday evening at 6:00. After approval of the consent agenda, the minutes from the November meeting were reviewed and approved as presented. Changes to the policies and procedures were then presented by Weber and Associates to the board for review. The changes will again be reviewed and discussed at the January meeting. Bills were reviewed and approved, showing an ending balance of 127,312.91 as of November 30th. A motion was made and carried to adopt the 2021 budget for the beginning of 2022 until the new budget can be completed and entered into the new software. Once that is done, it will then be reviewed and approved by the board. Treasurer Dave Wells asked the board to transfer funds to the building payment fund out of this year’s budget as per USDA guidelines, which was then approved by the board. The monthly reimbursement report was presented which showed a total of 29 call for the month including five structure fires, five brush fires, one car fire, six first responder calls, four vehicle accidents, one mutual aid, four hazmat calls, two training calls and one call listed as “other.” Total calls year-to-date for the department stands at 278 with an average cost per call of $98.20. Fire Chief Brad Nash reported to the board that Ladder Truck 81 was still being repaired. The date for the next meeting will be January 4th at 6:00 at the fire station at #2 South Main Street and the meeting will be open to the public.

You are invited to join a town hall meeting Monday, December 13th, from 11:45 in the morning and lasting until 1:00 at the Salem Community Center@the Armory, 1200 West Rolla Road. A panel of students will discuss substance use affecting teen in our community. You’ll also learn about the JAG program from local, participating students, and join a discussion about local substance use prevention programs. Lunch will be provided and registration is required. For more information or to register, please call 573-729-8163. The town hall meeting is being sponsored by Your Community Health Center, Prevention Consultants of Missouri, and Health Dent County.

Staff members at Current River State Park invite the public to create ready-to-gift Christmas cards and ornaments from 11:00 to 1:00 Saturday, December 11th. The program will start with a short history of Christmas cards and then participants will make Christmas cards and ornaments that can be given to friends or family or used to decorate their own trees. For more information, contact Connie Weber at 573-751-1224 or connie.weber@dnr.mo.gov. The public is strongly encouraged to follow social-distancing guidelines and be proactive in protecting themselves and others. Current River State Park is located on Highway 19, approximately 23 miles south of Salem and approximately 15 miles north of Eminence. For more information on state parks and historic sites, visit mostateparks.com. Missouri State Parks is a division of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.

Interpretive staff at Echo Bluff State Park invites the public to pick up a new Christmas craft each Saturday throughout the month of December. Visitors can pick up a different craft bag each week and learn about nature and Missouri animals while crafting with the family. A new craft bag will be available at the front desk of the lodge each Saturday of December while
supplies last. Bags can be picked up from 7:00 in the morning until 7:00 at night. The craft bags will include deer on December 11th, mouse on December 18th and the Christmas Bird Count on December 25th. Echo Bluff State Park is located at 35244 Echo Bluff Drive between Eminence and Salem off of Highway 19 South in southeast Missouri. For more information, please contact Echo Bluff State Park at 573-751-5211.

The North Wood R-IV School food drive will end tomorrow, December 10th. All the food products they raise will be going to local food pantries. They have partnered with local businesses this year to expand their mission beyond just the North Wood R-IV School patrons. Their local business partners are Bank of Salem, Country Mart, Dollar Tree, Phil-Mart, Town and Country Bank, American Legion Walker-Rooney Post, Beehive Florist, Casey’s, Main Street Cafe, and Salem News. Items can also be dropped off at the Northwood R-4 School during the day. Local businesses have boxes for your convenience to drop off your cans or non-perishables. They are very proud of their families, students, and staff for being able to sponsor this food drive for the last 18 years. Help them fight hunger in our community and share the gift of giving! For more information, please call Northwood R-4 School at 729-4607, and ask for Stacy Smith.

Filing started Tuesday for those interested in running for an elected city position such as mayor or alderman in the City of Salem or City of Bunker, or if you want to file as a director the Salem Memorial District Hospital board, numerous school boards as well as for the Dent County Fire Protection District Board. If you want to file for a position with the City of Salem, you must meet these requirements. To qualify for the East or West Ward Aldermen positions you must live in and have been a resident of that ward for at least one year and be 21-years-of-age. To qualify to serve as mayor, you must have been a citizen of the city for at least one year and be 25-years-of-age or older. There is a filing fee of $25 for any candidate filing for a city mayor or alderman position. The last day to file will be December 28th. Filing will be held at the city administration building and the hours will be from 8:00 in the morning until 5:00 in the afternoon. Filing will be done in the city clerk’s office. You must also have all your personal property and real estate taxes paid up to date. If you have any questions, please call 729-4811. To file for the hospital board, school boards of the fire district board, you will need to file for those positions at the entity you have an interest in. Any questions about eligibility should be directed to those entities.

The Dent County Sheriff’s Department has released some reports. On Wednesday, December 1st, a deputy conducted a traffic stop on Dent County Road 3253. During the course of the stop, a 27-year-old Salem woman was arrested on a warrant out of Dent County. She was transported to the Dent County Jail and incarcerated on the warrant. On Friday, December 3rd, a deputy conducted a traffic stop on Main Street in Salem. During the stop, a 21-year-old Salem woman was arrested for the Unlawful Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. She was transported to the Dent County Jail where she was fingerprinted, issued a summons and released. If anyone has any information regarding an ongoing investigation, please contact the Dent County Sheriff’s department at 729-3241.

An accident occurred in Dent County Sunday evening at 5:13 on Dent County Road 6510 approximately 2 miles south of Jadwin. According to the highway patrol report, a 1996 Chevrolet pickup came out of gear and struck 53-year-old Jerry Myers of Jadwin who was working on the pickup. Myers suffered minor injuries and was transported by Salem EMS to Phelps Health in Rolla. There was no damage to the pickup, and it was removed from the scene by family.

An accident happened Monday morning just before 8:30 in Phelps County on eastbound Interstate 44 near the 189-mile marker. According to the report from the highway patrol a 2005 Cadillac CTS being driven by 47-year-old Tabitha Juarez of Rolla changed lanes and struck the rear of a 2018 Freightliner being driven by 52- year- old James Adams of Lesterville. Juarez was taken by EMS to Phelps Health Hospital for treatment of minor injuries. The Cadillac sustained moderate damage and was able to be driven from the scene. The report went on to state that both drivers were wearing seat restraints at the time of the accident.

An accident occurred in Dent County Tuesday morning at about 7:00 on Route U approximately six miles north of Salem. According to the highway patrol report, an eastbound 2014 Ford Escape, driven by 74-year-old Lynda Cheatham of Salem, was attempting to negotiate a curve when Cheatham lost control of the Ford. The Escape then traveled off the roadway and struck a utility pole. Cheatham suffered minor injuries and was transported by Salem Ambulance to Phelps Health in Rolla. The report stated that the driver was wearing a safety restraint at the time of the accident. The Ford Escape suffered extensive damage and was removed from the scene by Whitaker’s Towing.

“Santa Paws” is coming to town! The Dent County Animal Welfare Society will be hosting a pet adoption event this Saturday at the Salem Community Center@The Armory from 11:00 in the morning until 2:00 in the afternoon. Bring the kids and get pictures with Santa as well as the Grinch and play with beautiful puppies looking for homes. There will be a bake sale if you need a snack! If you have any questions about adopting or about supporting the Dent County Animal Welfare Society, please call 729-3556 or stop by the Community Center@The Armory this Saturday for Santa Paws and speak with staff members.

The USDA Forest Service office in Salem on Highway 19 south will be closed on Thursday from 10:00 in the morning until 3:00 in the afternoon for a retirement celebration. The office will be open after 3:00 Thursday and will have normal hours on Friday. If you need more information, call the office at 729-6656.

The Spring Creek Artisans will hold their Christmas Fest Arts & Craft Show and Sale at the Creative Arts Center behind the Ozark Natural and Cultural Resource Center this Friday night from 5:00 until 8:00 and Saturday from 9:00 in the morning until 2:00 in the afternoon. Come out and do some Christmas shopping for one-of-a-kind hand-crafted gifts and visit with the local artists! Lots of holiday activities to enjoy! Free coffee, cider and cookies while you shop; a craft table for the children, a visit from Santa himself and demonstrations! Everyone is welcome to stop by and browse!

The Salvation Army has once again partnered with Wal-Mart for the annual Angel Tree program. Local residents have always enjoyed adopting a child, shopping for clothing, coats, hats, and toys. Some families use this time of year to teach their children the importance of giving during the holiday season. The Angel Tree at Wal-Mart is now available with the final date to adopt an angel being Friday, December 18th. If you need more information about the Angel Tree, call Sherry Lea at 729-8163 or e-mail sherry@salemcommunitycenter.org.

The Dent County Commissioners met Monday morning at the courthouse for their regular meeting. Healthy Dent County Director Sherry Lea was in attendance to discuss the rural addressing contract with the commission. They have been providing this service since 2008 and the cost has remained at $12,000 per year. They are in charge of providing rural addresses for any new structures in the county and are constantly updating their data bases. At a webinar attended by Lea and Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles Friday about NG911, it was found that Dent County’s addressing is 86% accurate which is better than most counties and is even better than the state of Missouri. Lea also said that if people have a home off the road where the house numbers can’t be seen, please get an address sign indicating your home is down that driveway or at that location. This is a necessity for emergency vehicles looking for your home. Those signs with posts can be purchased from the Dent County Scenic Rivers Industries (Sheltered Workshop) at a very reasonable cost and they are reflective signs that can be seen for some distance. The Sheltered Workshop is located at Franklin and Grand and their phone number is 729-6264. The commission approved renewing the contract. Salem and Dent County Economic Development Director Sally Burbridge provided the commissioners with her report for the month of November. She said she has one new active prospect for a business in Salem that does not already exist here. She continues to work with current businesses on expansions and retentions. Burbridge said she has added a new addition to the City of Salem part of the website called “How Do I?” which will let people know how to call for about a wild animal, start a business and more. She reported Salem is still in the running for the FHLB Affordable Housing Grant for $600,000 to rehab up to 25 occupied homes. That winner will be announced later this month. She also said the Salem Housing Authority’s 3rd house that was flipped is now under contract. The unemployment in Dent County rose slightly in October from 2.7% to 3.0%. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Wes Mobray indicated grading would be done on Dent County Roads 5400, 5420 and 6460 while brush would be cut on county roads 5150 and 5160. Mobray said ditch work would be done on county road 4170 at the Adams Subdivision and a crew will be cleaning up a trash dump on Dent County Road 5440. District 2 Commissioner Gary Larson said materials would be added and grading done on Dent County Roads 4437 and 5340 while only grading would be done on county roads 3220 and 6160. Larson stated brush would be cut on county roads 3330 and 4060 and maintenance was going to be performed on county truck #122. Larson did say the stop sign on county road 3210, better known as the Hospital Road, was going to be straightened up and a crew would be repairing a pothole on that road. Presiding Commissioner Skiles said he attended the Ozark Rivers Solid Waste Management District Annual Awards Banquet last Tuesday where nine groups were saluted for their waste reduction efforts. One of those recipients was Lori Cody from Montauk State Park who was funded about three years ago to start a recycling program in the campsite that has now caught on and is used in a lot of the state park campgrounds in Missouri. Skiles reiterated he attended the NG911 meeting on Friday at the Salem Community Center@The Armory with Sheriff Wells and deputies Pabin and Roderman. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley said she will continue to work on the county 2022 budget. At the last meeting, the commissioners set the 2022 budget hearing for January 27th at 10:00 at the courthouse and the tentative budget would be available to the public on January 18th in the Dent County Clerk’s office. The next meeting of the Dent County Commissioners will be Monday, December 13th at 9:00 and the meeting is open to the public.

The City of Salem and the Salem Area Chamber of Commerce will be holding another Business Christmas Window Decorating Contest with the winner being announced on the afternoon of Monday, December 13th. This is your chance to put your window decorating skills on display to capture the grand prize of $250.00! The theme this year is “A Storybook Christmas.” To be a part of the contest you MUST call or e-mail the Salem Area Chamber of Commerce to be included on the judging form by the end of the day Wednesday, December 8th. You should also indicate if your window will just going be painted, will be lit and feature decorations, or will be a combination of both. All window decorations MUST be completed by the late afternoon of December 10th as the judging will take place from December 10th through the morning of December 13th with the winner awarded the $250 check at 4:00 in the afternoon on December 13th. The contest is open to all Salem businesses. For more information, call Tabitha at the Salem Area Chamber of Commerce at 729-6900 or e-mail her chamber@salemmo.com.