Archive for 2022

The update to the Flood Insurance Rate Map for Dent County is nearing completion. The new map will provide communities in Dent County with up‐to‐date flood risk information and tools that can be used to enhance local mitigation plans, and help local officials and residents make informed decisions about reducing flood risks and purchasing flood insurance. The local mapping project is being completed to make minor updates to the maps that became effective in 2020. The work in Dent County has been led by the Missouri State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), in partnership with local community officials. During the past couple of years, community officials throughout the county have worked closely with SEMA to ensure the floodplain maps provide an accurate picture of flood risks. This information will ensure that homes and businesses are insured appropriately against flooding, while also helping to make more informed decisions about how to protect Dent County from what might otherwise be devastating flood events. The new map is still a preliminary version. Dent County officials encourage property owners and lessees to review the proposed Flood Insurance Rate Map to learn about local flood risks and potential future flood insurance requirements, and to identify any concerns or questions about the information provided. The maps can be viewed in person at the Dent County Courthouse.

Have you seen this year’s Tree and Trains Exhibit yet? It’s at the Ozark Natural and Cultural Resource Center Monday through Friday from 9:00 in the morning until 5:00 in the afternoon. The Salem Area Community Betterment Association are sponsoring Trees and Trains this year! This Saturday, Trees and Trains will hold an evening open house from 7:00 until 9:00 with additional activities for those in attendance. And no Trees and Trains event is complete without a visit from Santa! He will be at the Creative Arts Center next to the ONCRC Saturday, December 17th and Sunday, December 18th from 2:00 until 5:00 with the Trees and Trains Exhibit also open at that time. This community event is only possible with the support of numerous organizations, businesses and individuals creating a unique collection of beautiful Christmas trees complimented by fun trains. SACBA also wants to send out their heart felt appreciation to all the volunteers who give of their time during the holidays to make this event special. Donations are encouraged to thank the Ozark Natural and Cultural Resource Center for hosting this festive event!

Preliminary data from the Missouri Department of Conservation shows that deer hunters in Missouri harvested 197,724 deer during the November portion of firearms deer season, which ran from November 12th through 22nd. Of the 197,724 deer harvested, 102,633 were antlered bucks, 16,929 were button bucks, and 78,162 were does. Top harvest counties were Franklin with 4,175 deer harvested, Texas with 3,609, and Callaway with 3,416. Top counties in our area were Dent County which harvested 2,537 deer, Shannon County had 2,366 deer tagged, hunters harvested 1,754 in Phelps County, Crawford County had 2,473 deer checked, and Reynolds County hunters checked in 1,625 deer. Last year hunters checked 188,928 deer during the November portion of firearms deer season with 102,054 being antlered bucks, 16,537 being button bucks, and 70,337 being does. The department noted that the colder weather during the season likely resulted in increased deer movements, contributing to this year’s higher harvest total. MDC reported one non-fatal firearms-related hunting incident during the November portion of the firearms deer season. It was self-inflicted and occurred in Bollinger County. Missouri’s archery deer and turkey season resumes now through January 15th, 2023. The antlerless portion of firearms deer season runs December 3rd through December 11th in open counties followed by the alternative methods portion running from Christmas Eve through January 3rd, 2023. You can get more information about deer season and hunting regulations from MDC’s 2022 Fall Deer & Turkey Hunting Regulations and Information booklet, available where hunting permits are sold and online at mdc.mo.gov.

The Creative Arts Center will be offering a Wheat Weaving Christmas Ornament class with Suzanne Douglass on Saturday December 3rd from 10:00 in the morning until Noon. Tied straw stars have been a traditional Christmas decoration throughout Europe for centuries. Two types of these beautiful stars will be taught during the class. The first is a five-point tied star made from the whole wheat straw. The second is a delicate snow crystal made of a form with split straw. The cost is $15 to make one ornament or $25 to make two ornaments. Walk-ins are welcome.! Call or text 573-247-0651, or go online at salemcommunitybetterment.com and look under programs for the Salem Creative Arts Center to sign up for the class.

Time is running out on you, your business or organization if would like to have a display at the “Light up the Park 2022” event this year at the Salem City Park. please get in touch with Salem Park and Recreation Director Melissa Dubois at 729-6290 or send her an e-mail her at salemparks@salemmo.com. The event will be held December 3rd and last until the 31st.

The Dent County Commissioners met for their regular meeting at courthouse. Dent County Treasurer Denita Williams reported on the CART Funds received in November which came to $71,737.92. That is up year-to-date about 11.61% over 2021. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Wes Mobray said grading would be done on Dent County Roads 5170, 5500 and 6580 while brush will be cut on county roads 5510 and 6245. Mobray said rock would be hauled to county road 5590 which is part of the Title II fund project. District 2 Commissioner Gary Larson said grading will be done on Dent County Roads 2050, 2240 and 2403 while brush was being cut on county roads 2550 and 2560. Larson said materials were being hauled to county road 2070 and men were going to Springfield to get a load of oil for chip and seal repair on county road 2250. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles reported on the broadband meeting he attended in Rolla on November 18th, and it was a very good meeting. Last week, several office holders were at the MAC meeting and conference. The commission agreed to stay with the MAGIC Consortium for employee health insurance which is through United Health Care with a $4,500 deductible for each employee. There are other options where the employee can buy up to a $3,000 or $2,000 deductible. The county agreed to pay up to $2,500 of the employee’s deductible once an employee has met their portion of their plan’s deductible. The commission agreed to purchase a new furnace for the annex from Victor Heating and Cooling. LLC for $4,900 installed which was in stock. The commission also discussed the current annual contribution for CERF and they agreed it should remain the same as before where employees to pay 4%. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley also wants to remind political entities candidate filing will be from December 6th through the 27th and they will need to advertise those filing dates and openings. At the last meeting, Skiles spoke with attorney Jack Garvey concerning the opioid litigation that Dent County was a part of and he said the county will be receiving $37,000 annually for 18 years with 15% of the money going to General Revenue and the other 85% going into a separate fund to be used for opioid abuse treatment and prevention programs. The next meeting of the commission will be Thursday morning at 9:00 at the courthouse and it is open to the public.

The Dent County Sheriff’s Department has released several reports. On Wednesday, November 16th, a deputy responded to the 11000 block of West Highway 32 for a report of a stolen camper from the owners who are from Farmington. It was reported their Dutchman camper was stolen by a person or persons unknown sometime in the previous five weeks. That investigation continues. The next day a deputy took a call for a report of child abuse to an 8-year-old Dent County child. The alleged perpetrator was the father of the victim. An investigation into that report is continuing. On Monday, the 21st of November, a deputy responded to Dent County Road 5380 for a truck that was reported to have been burned. The vehicle, a 2006 Ford F-250, was located by the roadside. Investigators from the Dent County Sheriff’s office and the Missouri Highway Patrol Vehicle Inspection Unit initiated an investigation which is continuing at this time. That same day, deputies assisted the Cole County Sheriff’s Office in recovering a stolen ATV from a Dent County address. Their investigation revealed that the ATV, a Yamaha YFZ450, was owned by a 22-year-old Salem man who had acquired the ATV in a trade for a pickup truck in Crawford County. The ATV was recovered by deputies and the investigation will continue by the other involved law enforcement agencies. Finally on Wednesday, November 23rd, a 44-year-old Salem woman came into the sheriff’s office to report her handgun had been stolen. The report was taken by a deputy, then shortly thereafter the victim called the office back and told them that she had found her handgun and that it had not been stolen. The case was then closed. If you have any information about any investigation, please call the sheriff’s department at 729-3241.

An accident happened Sunday afternoon just after 3:30 in Pulaski County at Route Z and Trout Road. According to the report released by the highway patrol, a 2008 Nissan Altima being driven by 23-year-old Shawn Allen of Rolla, traveled off the right side of the roadway before striking an embankment and overturning. Allen, who was not wearing a seat restraint, and a one-year-old girl, who was properly restrained, both suffered serious injuries and were both taken by Pulaski County ambulance to Mercy Hospital in Creve Couer. The Nissan was totaled and removed from the scene by Jacks Wrecker.

When you’re driving around town this holiday day season check out these businesses that entered the Salem Area Chamber of Commerce Window Decorating Contest: McDonald’s, Allen’s Treasure Chest & Den, American Family Insurance, VIP Properties, Pizza Hut, Trinty, Progressive Ozark Bank, Parsons Chiropractic, Edward Jones, the Ozark Natural Cultural Resource Center, Salem License Office, Country Chic Boutique, Tax Masters, and US Bank.

The Salem Memorial District Hospital regular board meeting was held last Tuesday evening in the Hospital Library. Hospital CEO Wayne Reid reported the Missouri Board of Pharmacy inspection was held and there were no deficiencies found. He also said the new Saturday walk-in clinic will begin at Salem Family Medicine in Physician’s Office Building 3 on Saturday, December 3rd. Reid said the hospital held an employment engagement survey and the board reviewed the results. In the summary of operations for October, there were 77 inpatient admissions with 267 inpatient census days. There were 82 swing bed days with an average length of stay of near 12 days. The hospital showed a loss from operations of $507,301. During the month, there were 635 emergency room visits with 45 admissions, plus there were 205 ambulance runs where 143 patients were transported. In October, there were 27 surgery cases, 1,381 outpatient registrations, 5,962 lab tests, 1,289 radiological procedures, 591 rehab treatments and 170 home health visits with 14 home health admissions. The days cash on hand was at 45 with $3.5 million in total cash. The board reviewed the 340B Pharmacy program and how it works to benefit the hospital before receiving the report from Chief Nursing Officer Ashley Sullins. The Hospital Foundation will hear some investment strategies from the Community Foundation of the Ozarks on December 7th, plus they will have a cornhole tournament March 11th, 2023 at the Salem Community Center@The Armory and “Dancing with the Salem Stars” will be held on February 17th, 2024. Reid said the transformer work and the pressure regulator valve replacement are now complete. Reid presented the kitchen drain proposal from Estarely, Schneider and Associates, Inc. and provided the board the SMDH Family Clinic architect update from Facility Design Group, LLC. Election filing for the hospital board seat for District 4 that will come up in April begins at the hospital administrative offices on December 6th and will last until December 27th during normal business hours. The board approved the purchase of a security system from Rommel’s Lock and Alarm to replace the old system for $32,562, and a new Reagent 25 cubic foot Storage Freezer for $6,126.51 to replace the current freezer with double the storage space. After the marketing and community champion report, the board will hold a strategic planning meeting December 8th with the Board of Directors and Medical Staff Holiday Dinner to be held on December 14th at 5:30. The board then went into closed session.

Preliminary data from the Missouri Department of Conservation shows young hunters ages 6 through 15 harvested 2,881 deer during Missouri’s late youth portion of the 2022 deer hunting season, November 25th through the 27th. Of the 2,881 deer harvested, 1,302 were antlered bucks, 322 were button bucks, and 1,257 were does. Top counties for the late youth portion were Lincoln with 82 deer harvested, Franklin with 65, and Osage with 52. Young hunters in Dent County harvested 23 deer, Phelps County youth tagged 28 deer, and Texas County had 34 deer tagged. Last year’s harvest total for the late youth portion was 3,534, with 1,498 being antlered bucks, 390 button bucks, and 1,646 does. This year’s harvest total was slightly below average, but that wasn’t unexpected given the rain that moved through portions of the state Saturday evening and Sunday morning. Archery deer season continues through January 15th, 2023. The antlerless portion of firearms deer season runs December 3rd through the 11th in open counties, followed by the alternative methods portion December 24th through January 3rd, 2023. Find more information about deer hunting from MDC’s 2022 Fall Deer & Turkey Hunting Regulations and Information booklet, available where permits are sold and online at mdc.mo.gov.

The Creative Arts Center will be offering a Seasonal Ceramic Christmas Ornament class. Participants will make beautiful handmade Christmas ornaments in this two-day class, with the assistance of Pottery instructor Connie Behrick. Clay, tools and acrylic paint or glazes will be available, or you may bring your own. Participants will make the ornaments out of clay on Saturday December 3rd from 10:00 in the morning till noon, let them dry, and they will bisque fire them for you in time to paint with acrylic paints on Saturday December 17th. Painted ornaments may be taken home on the 17th, in time to give as gifts or decorate your tree at home. The Creative Arts Center has two ways to sign up for events! Go online at salemcommunitybetterment.com, or call or text 247-0651 and look under programs for the Salem Creative Arts Center.

The Cosmopolitan Club will sponsor the “Christmas Tour of Homes” this Sunday, December 4th, from 2:00 until 4:00 in the afternoon. Homes on the tour will include the home of Harold Hamilton, the home of Dwayne and Lisa Blackwell, the home of Sherman and Marsha Odom, the home of Cam and April Greener and the Dent County Museum. Admission to the home tour is by ticket only and tickets are available at the Salem Area Chamber of Commerce office for $30 in the Crossroads Shopping Center.