Archive for 2022

Cancellations are on the KSMO Cancellation and Closure page

The Dent County Fire Protection District Board of Directors met Tuesday evening at 6:00. After approval of the consent agenda, bills were reviewed and approved, showing an ending balance of $119,717.25 in the General Fund as of December 31st. The fire district is still working off the 2021 budget as work continues on the 2022 budget. The monthly reimbursement report was presented which showed a total of 32 calls for the month including one structure fire, five brush fires, four trash or rubbish fires, a car fire, three motor vehicle accidents, six medical assist calls, four gas leak or carbon monoxide calls, four calls cancelled en route, a search for a person call, and three other miscellaneous calls. Changes have to be made to the Policies and Procedures that were presented at the last couple of meetings by Weber and Associates, but they were tabled until they could have a full board present. There was no new business presented, but in old business Chief Brad Nash reported that Ladder Truck #81 has been repaired and put back in service while Engine #85 is still being repaired from being struck by a deer. Nash said all the ladders had been tested and passed except for ladder #81 which was in St. Louis being repaired at the time of the inspection. It will have to be tested later. Nash also stated the UTV’s are almost complete and ready to be outfitted and placed into service. The date for the next meeting will be February 1st at 6:00 at the fire station at #2 South Main Street and the meeting will be open to the public.

An accident happened Wednesday morning at 2:35 in Phelps County on Phelps County Road 2030 about 500-feet south of Phelps County Road 2050. According to the highway patrol report, Lonnie Quick of Rolla was driving his 2020 TaoTao scooter northbound on County Road 2030 when he struck a dog. Quick suffered minor injuries and was taken by a passerby to Phelps Health in Rolla. Quick was not wearing any safety devices when the accident happened. The scooter sustained only minor damage and was released to the owner.

Preliminary data from the Missouri Department of Conservation shows that deer hunters in Missouri harvested 9,965 deer during the alternative-methods portion of the firearms deer season that lasted from December 25th through January 4th. Top harvest counties were Osage with 223 deer harvested, Franklin with 211, and Callaway with 201. In the KSMO listening area, Texas County harvested 195 deer while Dent County hunters took 149 deer, Crawford County hunters killed 139 deer, Reynolds County harvested 136, Phelps County had 102 deer taken while Iron County had only 62 deer killed. The harvest total for last year’s alternative-methods portion was 14,623.

The Cosmopolitan Club of Salem has announced that they are tentatively planning to proceed with the annual Variety Show and Miss Salem Pageant scheduled for March 5 at the Salem Civic Theater. The club is actively seeking candidates for Miss Salem at this time and interested girls are encouraged to contact Robyn Taylor at Salem High School for information. Candidates must be in grades 10-12. The Variety Show and Miss Salem pageant were canceled in 2021 due to COVID-19.

Bitter cold temperatures and periods of light snow forecast this morning could impact morning commutes for Missouri drivers. The Missouri Department of Transportation urges those who must travel this morning to use extra caution, anticipate a slower commute, and consult road conditions before you go. In temperatures this cold, any precipitation on the roadways could create slick conditions, especially on bridges and overpasses. MoDOT advises anyone who can, to stay off the roads in these conditions. Those who must drive should plan time to leave early and take it slow. Always buckle up and avoid distractions. If you’re involved in a minor crash or slide off the road, the safest place to be is buckled in your car as you wait for help. Equip your vehicle with a winter weather emergency kit before you travel in bitter cold temperatures. Include any necessary medications, a phone charger, a blanket, bottled water, nonperishable foods and a flashlight. For more items to include in a winter weather emergency kit, visit modot.org/winter. Before you travel, check all current Missouri road conditions on the Traveler Information Map at traveler.modot.org, or through MoDOT’s smartphone app, available for free for iPhone and Android phones. You can also find road conditions and warnings by following MoDOT on Facebook and Twitter or by calling 888-ASK-MODOT (888-275-6636) to speak with a representative 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.

The 2022 Dent County Assessment Lists have been mailed. You should receive those assessment lists in the mail this week. If you do NOT receive your assessment forms by Monday, January 10th or are not sure that you will be receiving any forms, contact the Dent County Assessor at 573-729-6010. Online filing is available now 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. To avoid a late filing penalty, your completed assessment forms will be due in the assessor’s office by March 1st. The assessor’s office is open from 8:00 in the morning until 4:30 in the afternoon, Monday through Friday, or call Assessor Jamie Homeyer them at 573-729-6010 with any questions. If there is no answer, please leave them a message and they will return your call as soon as possible.

The Dent County Sheriff’s Department has released a couple of reports. On Friday, December 31st, a deputy conducted a traffic stop on Center Street. As a result of the stop, a 24-year-old Salem man was arrested for driving while having his license revoked or suspended. The man was transported to the Dent County jail where he was fingerprinted, issued a summons and released. The next day on January 1st, a deputy conducted a traffic stop on Highway 19. During the stop a 51-year-old Salem woman was arrested for driving while having her license revoked or suspended. The woman was transported to the Dent County Jail where she was fingerprinted, issued a summons and released.

An accident happened Monday afternoon at 2:05 in Phelps County on Interstate 44 at the 185-mile marker. According to the highway patrol report, 20-year-old Dakota Cezar of Rolla was driving a 1993 Honda Prelude eastbound on Interstate 44 when he lost control of the vehicle. It then traveled off the left side of the roadway where the Prelude struck the median cable barrier and then a concrete wall. Cezar suffered minor injuries and was transported to Phelps Health in Rolla. The Honda was totaled and was removed from the scene by C&C Towing of Rolla.

The annual open enrollment period for health insurance through the Affordable Care Act has been extended through January 15, 2022. The extension will allow consumers more time to review their plan choices, seek in-person assistance, and enroll in the plan that best meets their needs. Many more Missourians may now be eligible for comprehensive health coverage, thanks to Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act. This is the perfect time for individuals to explore the options and make sure they are receiving all possible benefits. Aging Best’s certified navigators can assist with the process and answer questions about the program. They will also be able to determine if there are other money saving programs you may be eligible for. Please call 1-800-369-5211 to schedule an appointment with one of our specialists.

For the first time since 2006, Missouri’s traffic fatalities surpassed 1,000. According to preliminary data, 1,004 people were killed in Missouri traffic crashes in 2021, nearly a 3% increase over 2020 and marking the second straight year of growing fatality totals after nearly a decade of steady decline. Lack of seat belt use continues to be a common denominator in fatal crashes. Approximately two-thirds of vehicle occupants killed were not wearing a seat belt. Other preliminary data shows drivers using a cellphone were involved in more than 2,200 crashes in Missouri in 2021, although distracted driving remains widely underreported. The report also shows about 40% of the fatal crashes on the year involved speeding or driving too fast for the conditions. Missouri’s strategic highway safety plan, Show-Me Zero, focuses on four ways every Missourian can help eliminate traffic deaths by buckling up, putting your phone down, slowing down and driving sober.

A Dent County Festival Committee meeting will be held Wednesday, January 26th from 5:30-6.30 at The Salem Community Center@The Armory Rotary meeting room. A brainstorming session will be held to plan for upcoming events. The committee has discussed the possibility of a Spring/Summer vendor event, a Fall Festival, a Christmas Festival and maybe a tie-in event with the “Naturally Meramec” group for a “taste of Dent County” effort. The meeting is open to anyone. If you know of dates of events already scheduled in the area or surrounding towns, please bring those dates with you. The committee would like to set dates at this meeting so they can start planning for the first event. If you need more information or have an idea for an event, e-mail Tonya Sanders at Utilities3@salemmo.com.