Archive for 2021

The City of Salem Public Water Supply Annual Water Quality Report has been released and there were no violations that occurred for the calendar year 2020. All levels of contaminants found were lower than required by government regulations. If you would like to see the City of Salem Annual Water Quality Report, a copy can be found at the City of Salem Administration Building at 4th and Iron Streets, at the Water Department Office or at the KSMO Radio studios.

The Dent County Sheriff’s Department has released some reports for the week of April 3rd through the 8th. According to the sheriff’s department, a deputy conducted a traffic stop On Roosevelt and Main Street on Saturday, April 3rd. During the traffic stop, a 27-year-old Salem man was arrested for driving while having his license revoked or suspended. He was transported to the Dent County Jail where he was fingerprinted, issued a summons and released. Later that same day, a deputy responded to Dent County Road 4160 for a report of a stranded motorist. During the course of the incident, a 52-year-old Salem man was arrested for having an active arrest warrant through Salem Police Department. Also arrested during the incident was a 32-year-old Salem man for having active arrest warrants through the Ray County Sherriff’s Department and Licking Police Department. Both men were transported to the Dent County Jail and incarcerated. Also on April 3rd, a deputy conducted a traffic stop in the 2500 block of Highway 68. During the traffic stop, a 30-year-old Cook Station woman was arrested for an arrest warrant through the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office. The woman was transported to the Dent County Jail and incarcerated. On April 7th, a deputy conducted a traffic stop on Dent County Road 6190. During the traffic stop, a 23-year-old Jadwin woman was arrested for operating a motor vehicle on a highway without a valid license, a 1st offense. She was transported to the Dent County Jail where she was fingerprinted, issued a summons and released. On Thursday, April 8th, a deputy conducted a traffic stop on Route W and Route EE. During the course of the traffic stop, a 26-year-old Salem woman was arrested for having an active arrest warrant through Dent County. She was transported to the Dent County Jail where he was fingerprinted, issued a summons and released. If anyone has any information regarding an investigation, please call the Dent County Sheriff’s Department at 729-3241.

A one vehicle accident happened late Monday afternoon just before 5:15 in Phelps County on Phelps County Road 7480 about eight miles southwest of Rolla. According to the report from the highway patrol, a 2017 Ford Edge being driven by 55-year-old Jeri Boulware of Rolla traveled off the right side of the roadway and partially into a ditch. The vehicle then struck a driveway and a mailbox then overturned. The Ford then re-entered the roadway before traveling off the right side of the roadway before coming to a rest on its wheels. The driver was wearing a safety restraint according to the report. She suffered minor injuries and chose to seek her own medical treatment. The Ford had extensive damage and was towed from the scene by Lucas Towing.

The Salem FFA Alumni will be conducting their 11th Annual Scholarship Fund Labor and Dessert Auction this Friday evening at 6:30. The auction will be conducted at the Smith Valley Angus Barn on Route HH in Salem. All the proceeds will go toward scholarships for Salem FFA members. A meal will be served at 5:30 at no charge to auction supporters. Salem FFA Chapter members will be providing 4, 6 or 8 hours of labor of various types ranging from farm labor to cooking, cleaning, gardening, lawn work and more. There will be delicious homemade pies, cakes, pastries and other desserts auction as well. Come out and support the Salem FFA Alumni Scholarship Fund tonight. For more information, call 739-2016 or 729-7990, extension 2.

Salem Memorial District Hospital and the Dent County Health Center will hold a mass vaccination event for COVID-19 to include ALL Missouri residents over the age of 16 at the Dent County Fire Station this Friday. The booster vaccine being held at the same location on Friday, May 7th. Please go to the Dent County Health Center or Salem Memorial District Hospital Facebook page for more information and how to register for this event. There is also a registration link on the Salem Memorial District Hospital website at SMDH.net.

The Dent County Commissioners met Monday morning at the courthouse. Dent County Treasurer Denita Williams brought in some sales tax monies received by the county on Thursday, but only in two of the five funds. The General Revenue Fund received $17,855.87 and the Law Enforcement Sales Tax received $17,853.22. Last year, each of those funds received over $80,783. Skiles did say that attorney Travis Elliott has been in touch with the general counsel of the Missouri Department of Revenue and they indicated they were not aware of the sales tax withholding situation but would investigate the matter. Williams checked with the department about monies for the other three funds but there has been no response from them. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Wes Mobray stated grading would be done on Dent County Roads 5410, 5420 and 6470. He said two men were going to Springfield to get oil for chip and seal repair. Mobray went on to say a crew would be checking the chip and seal roads to determine which ones would receive an overlay this year. Mobray also reported on the diesel fuel bids taken last week and MFA Oil was lowest bid at $1.9754 per gallon. District 2 Commissioner Gary Larson reported materials would be added and grading done on Dent County Roads 3120 and 4280 while only grading would be done on county road 4290. He also said brush would be cut on county roads 2515 and 2610. Larson also recommended and the commission unanimously approved putting out bids for prices to purchase culverts and grader blades that will be due in the clerk’s office by 10:00 on Monday, May 3rd. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles said at the Transportation Advisory Committee meeting last Thursday, MoDOT announced the highway and transportation commission approved scoping for a new bridge to be built on Route TT at Sligo to replace the low water crossing. He also said the STIP plan shows the bridge on Highway 19 at Gladden is to be replaced in 2023. Overall, Skiles said there were nine projects in the Meramec Regional Planning Commission area in the STIP program. Skiles said the discussion at the MRPC Board meeting dealt with the American Rescue Plan, but everything discussed was just speculation. He wanted to congratulate the City of Salem receiving a $384,000 TAP grant to improve the sidewalks and lighting on 4th Street in downtown Salem. Skiles said he would be in Jefferson City Wednesday to testify on county commission priorities. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley said she balanced with the collector and assessor on all collections, add-ons and abatements for the month of March, and that she balanced with the treasurer on all accounts for March. At the last meeting, the commissioners unanimously agreed to award a proposal from Anderson and Associates to do outside work on the courthouse at a cost of $7,700 plus lift rental expenses. Commissioner Skiles said there will be no commission meeting on Monday, April 19th due to a County Commissioners meeting. The commissioners may call a special meeting that week if there is business that need to be addressed.

Missouri Department of Transportation crews will be making pavement repairs on Highway 19 in Crawford County this week. MoDOT crews will be removing the top layer of pavement in order to apply a new driving surface on Highway 19 between Highway 8 and Cuba City Limits. Work is scheduled to take place today through Thursday, April 22nd. One lane will be closed between 6:00 in the morning and 4:30 in the afternoon each day. Flaggers will be in place to guide motorist through the work area. Drivers are encouraged to slow down through work zones, obey all traffic signs and watch for workers on the road. Some delays are possible and MoDOT appreciates the patience of travelers while the work take place. This work is weather permitting and could be delayed. For more information and updates about this project or other transportation-related matters, please call 1-888-ASK-MoDOT (275-6636) or visit www.modot.org/central. You can also follow the MoDOT Central Missouri District on Facebook and Twitter for project updates.

Preliminary data from the Missouri Department of Conservation shows that young turkey hunters in Missouri harvested 2,771 birds over the past youth weekend held April 10th and 11th. Top harvest counties were Miller with 73 birds checked, Texas with 71, and Callaway with 68. Young hunters checked 2,712 turkeys during the 2020 spring youth weekend. The regular spring turkey season runs April 19th through May 9th. For more information on spring turkey hunting in Missouri, visit huntfish.mdc.mo.gov.

The Missouri Department of Transportation crews will be working on highways in Salem and Dent County this week for driving surface repairs. MoDOT crews will be making pavement repairs on Highway 68 in Phelps County starting Monday. Crews will close one lane on Highway 68 at Highway 8 and Route NN from 7:00 in the morning until 4:30 in the afternoon. Another crew will be patching pavement on Highway 19 between Fourth Street and Spring Creek Bridge. The work will take place starting this Tuesday and will require one lane to be closed. That closure will take place from 6:00 in the morning to 4:30 in the afternoon. Flaggers will be in place to guide motorist through the work area. Drivers are advised to slow down through work zones, obey all traffic signs, and give crews plenty of room to work. This work is weather permitting and could be delayed. For more information and updates about this project or other transportation-related matters, please call 1-888-ASK-MoDOT (275-6636) or visit www.modot.org/central.

An accident happened in Osage County Sunday morning at 7:05 on Route E at Highway 63. According to the highway patrol report, a 2021 Chevrolet Silverado driven westbound by 20-year-old Darren Delanois of Rolla failed to yield at the intersection of Route E and Highway 63. The Chevrolet traveled across Highway 63 and struck a ditch, a hill, and a tree before traveling down an embankment and coming to rest on Highway 63. Delanois suffered moderate injuries and was taken to the University of Missouri at Columbia Medical Center by ambulance. Delanois was not wearing a seat restraint at the time of the accident. The Chevy was totaled and removed from the scene by 4J’s Towing.

An accident happened in Crawford County on Route CC about five miles east of Highway 19 Sunday afternoon. According to the highway patrol report, a 17-year-old male juvenile from Cuba was driving a 2005 Ford F250 westbound when he traveled off the right side of the roadway. The driver overcorrected causing the Ford to go off the left side of the roadway, overturn and strike a tree. The boy sustained serious injuries and was follow by Air Evac to the Mercy Hospital in Creve Coeur. The Ford was totaled and removed from the scene by Patriot Towing. The male juvenile was not wearing a seat restraint at the time of the accident.

An accident happened Wednesday afternoon at 2:50 in Crawford County on Highway 19 near the entrance to the Rafting Company. According to the highway patrol, a 2000 Dodge Ram driven westbound by a 17-year-old female juvenile of Cuba, Missouri, failed to yield and struck a 1989 Chevy Silverado driven southbound by 62-year-old Kenneth Martin of Davisville. Martin suffered minor injuries and sought his own treatment. Everyone involved in the accident was wearing seat restraints. Both vehicles had minor damage and were driven from the scene.

The National Park Service and Ozark National Scenic Riverways park managers are pleased to announce planned improvements to facilities and infrastructure within the Big Spring District including the historic dining lodge and 16 historic structures as well as the rental cabins and other features that were constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1934-1937. The facilities house an existing concession operation that dates back to their construction and is the park’s only dining and lodging operation. A concessioner uses the historic lodge and cabins to provide visitors with a unique and rich experience in one of the most heavily visited areas of the park during the summer months. The National Park Service plans to rehabilitate the historic structures and landscape, recreation area, boat dock, utility systems, and other features, allowing the park to reduce operation and maintenance costs while they improve visitor and staff safety, re-establish a concession contract, improve visitor experience, and improve accessibility by bringing Cabin 413 and the boat dock into Architectural Barriers Act Accessibility Standards compliance. While the lodge, cabins, and boat dock will be closed during restoration activities, the Big Spring campground, pavilions, and nearby hiking trails will remain open throughout the course of this project. The park intends to begin construction of the project in October 2021, which is anticipated to last 16 months. They look forward to inviting visitors back to enjoy the lodging, dining, and recreation facilities once the restoration is complete. For more information, call park headquarters at (573) 323-4236 or visit the website at www.nps.gov/ozar.