Archive for 2022

There is still time to register for the Heroes Marathon event which will be held Saturday, November 19th. There are openings for the full marathon of 26.2 miles, the half marathon of 13.1 miles, and the marathon relay where a team of four will run established legs of the marathon. For those who don’t want to run that far or those just starting out, you can run a 10K or 5K run starting from and finishing at the Lions Club in Rolla. A new addition this year is the half mile Honor Walk from noon until 2:00 at the Lions Club Park. The three goals of the Heroes Marathon are to honor and benefit the area veterans, promote health and boost the beauty of our area for those who have never been to this part of Missouri. Since the first marathon in 2016, the Heroes Marathon has donated over $100,000 to local veteran causes. For those participating, the Heroes Marathon includes a free pasta party and expo on Friday evening, November 18th, at the Salem Community Center@The Armory with inspiring speakers. There are numerous water stations located along the route that include food, snacks and encouragement the day of the marathon. Marathoners and half-marathoners will be bussed from the Lions Club Park to their respective starting points at The Commons in Salem or to Lake Spring. Everyone will finish at the Rolla Lions Club Park. Right now, those who want to run the marathon can register for $95, half-marathoners can register for $75, marathon relay participants can register for $210 for their team, those who want to run the 10K can register for $55 and if you want to run the 5K, the cost for that run is $40. You can register the final week before the marathon from November 14th to the 18th for any of the events for an additional $5 to these quoted prices, but absolutely no registrations will be accepted the day of the marathon on November 19th. Volunteers are also needed if you would like to be a part of the event. To register or to volunteer, visit www.heroesmarathon.com or call or text 573-247-3005.

An accident happened Tuesday morning at 8:15 in Maries County on Highway 63 at Route FF. According to the highway patrol report, a 2022 Freightliner driven southbound by 56-year-old William Drew of St. James, struck a deer that went over the hood and through the windshield striking the driver. Drew suffered minor injuries and was taken by the Osage Ambulance to Phelps Health. The Freightliner sustained moderate damages and was towed from the scene by I-44 Trucking. Drew was wearing a seat restraint at the time of the accident.

An accident happened in Phelps County Tuesday afternoon at 5:04 on Phelps County Road 7240 about five miles south of Rolla. According to the highway patrol report, a 2009 Nissan Titan driven eastbound by 37-year-old Evan Thompson of Rolla, went off the north side of the roadway, stuck a tree and overturned. Thompson suffered moderate injuries and was taken by the Phelps Health Ambulance to Phelps Health. He was not wearing a seat restraint at the time of the accident. The Nissan sustained moderate damages and was removed from the scene by Ron Dishman’s Towing. The highway patrol was assisted by the Rolla Rural Fire Department and Phelps Health Ambulance.

The Missouri State Fire Marshal’s office recommends Missouri families invest the extra time gained this weekend as we “fall back” to Central Standard Time to take several simple steps to keep their families safe during autumn and winter. This Sunday morning at 2:00, clocks “fall back” one hour as daylight saving time ends. Having working smoke alarms in your home is one of the simplest and most important steps you can take to increase your family’s safety. The majority of home fire deaths occur in homes without working smoke alarms. This is why Missourians should test their smoke alarms and change the batteries when they move their clocks back each fall. The United States Fire Administration says the risk of dying in a home fire is cut in half in homes with working smoke alarms, plus one-half of home fire deaths occur between 11 PM and 7 AM when most people are asleep. Smoke Alarms should be tested monthly and replaced once they’re 10 years old. Each member of the household should know two ways out of each room. Make sure escape routes are clear of debris and windows can open easily. Designate an outdoor meeting place for the family. Regularly practice escape routes with all members of the family.

The Salem Creative Arts Center located at 204 South Main St in Salem will be offering a Seasonal Transfers Class Saturday morning from 10:00 until noon. Participants can choose between two project options. The first is mini breadboard or lantern and that cost is $25. The second option is a glass jar or glass decoupage and transfer and the cost for this option is $15. A minimum of six students is needed to hold the class. This class is for participants ten years of age and above. Walk-ins welcome, but pre-registration is appreciated to be sure enough supplies will be available The Creative Arts Center has two easy ways to sign up for events! You can call or text 247-0651 or go online at salemcommunitybetterment.com and look under programs for the Salem Creative Arts Center.

Preliminary data from the Missouri Department of Conservation shows that hunters checked 1,846 turkeys during Missouri’s fall firearms turkey season from October 1st through the 31st. Top harvest counties were Franklin with 70 birds harvested, Gasconade with 52, and Laclede with 50. Hunters harvested 1,836 during the 2021 fall firearms turkey season. County totals in the area was 48 turkeys being harvested in Dent County, 43 birds in Crawford County, 30 turkeys in Phelps County, 12 birds in Shannon County, 32 turkeys in Texas County, eight birds in Reynolds County and five turkeys in Iron County. The Fall archery turkey hunting continues through November 11th and will resume November 23rd and go through January 15th, 2023. Get more information about fall turkey hunting at mdc.mo.gov/hunting-trapping/species/turkey. The department of Conservation is also reminding Missouri turkey hunters to save and submit feathers from birds they harvest this fall for a research project that will improve the department’s ability to estimate turkey abundance across Missouri. Interested hunters are asked to retain a wing and 3-5 feathers from the breast after Telechecking their turkey. They will then be mailed a feather submission packet, including a postage-paid return envelope to submit feathers at no cost. To receive a feather submission packet, you can register at mdc.mo.gov/turkeyfeathers.

The Salem R-80 High School will be holding a special assembly on Veteran’s Day, November 11th, to honor our local veterans. The school will serve the veterans breakfast in the high school cafeteria starting at 8:15. The students will begin assembling in the gym at 8:30, and then the school plans to have the veterans enter the gym around 8:45 and take their place in special seats. High School Principal Dr. Tori Snitker will welcome them. Everyone will say the “Pledge of Allegiance” before the Salem High School Chamber Singers sing the National Anthem. The high school will have a former veteran who will be their guest speaker give a short 10 to 15-minute speech. The high school band will play a patriotic number followed by a slide show prepared by the yearbook staff. The assembly will close with one of Salem’s own teachers playing Jimmy Hendrix’s National Anthem on his electric guitar at which time our Student Council members will pass out some cards and thank you notes to the veterans in attendance. The whole assembly is expected to last 50-60 minutes. Veterans can park on the top of the circle drive in the bus lanes and enter in the front doors to the lobby in front of the gym or they can enter the main office doors to the high school which have a ramp if they are handicapped. If anyone has any questions, please call the Salem high School at 729-6641.

Do you want to see Missouri’s beautiful state parks from a new perspective? Join the Learn2 Climb program and learn the basics of outdoor rock-climbing, including safety and techniques, from a certified instructor, and then try it out on real rock. This beginner-level course will allow you to enjoy nature from new heights! From 9:00 in the morning until 2:00 in the afternoon this Saturday, November 5th and Sunday, November 6th, Missouri State Parks is introducing its very first beginner-friendly introductory rock-climbing program at Johnson’s Shut-Ins State Park. This opportunity allows participants to try a new activity while experiencing some of Missouri’s vertical attractions. All equipment (harness, helmet and climbing shoes) and expertise is provided; participants need to provide the enthusiasm and eagerness to discover nature and a new skill. They should wear appropriate clothing and footwear for hiking and rock climbing activities and bring a packed lunch and enough water for the day. This program is free, preregistration is required. Participants must be at least 10 years of age, and children ages 10-14 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian throughout the entire program. Parents or guardians are not required to climb. To register, visit icampmo.com and enter “Learn2” in the search box. This program is made possible by the Bronco Wild Fund, whose mission is to support agencies and organizations that are devoted to the great outdoors. Johnson’s Shut-Ins State Park is located at 148 Taum Sauk Trail in Middle Brook. For more information, contact 573-546-2450. For more information on Missouri state parks and historic sites, visit mostateparks.com.

To manage the deer population safely and effectively in some state parks, managed hunts are held in a coordinated effort between the Missouri Department of Natural Resources’ Division of State Parks and the Missouri Department of Conservation. For everyone’s safety in the area, the Montauk State Park will be temporarily closed November 5th and 6th, and the Mark Twain State Park will be closed November 5th and 6th and again on December 10th and 11th. Before heading to a Missouri state park, be sure to check the Park and Site Status Map at mostateparks.com for any temporary closures that may impact your visit. 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.