Archive for 2022

The Dent County Commissioners met Monday morning for their regular meeting. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Wes Mobray indicated that brush would be cut on Dent County Road 2400 and materials would be added to county roads 2470 and 2480 where damaged culverts had been replaced. Mobray said crews will continue to replace damaged culverts this week. District 2 Commissioner Gary Larson stated brush would be cut on county roads 4350 and 4353 while materials will be added to county road 4055. Larson said a crew will be servicing Grader #32 and another crew will be patching chip and seal roads. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles reported all three commissioners attended the CCAM required training last Wednesday through Friday. He said a number of commissioners went to the capital last week to visit with representatives. Skiles said he would be attending a broadband meeting this afternoon at the City Hall Council Chambers. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley said she balanced with the collector and assessor on all collections, abatements, and add-ons for the month of January. She said filing for county offices will begin on Tuesday, February 22nd and that will be the same day that absentee voting will begin for the April 5th Municipal Election. She said the four finalists in the ”I Voted” sticker art contest, have been determined and the public can vote on their favorite in the county clerk’s office through February 23rd at the courthouse. At the last meeting. Commissioner Larson stated he checked the emergency generator at the Oak Grove Baptist Church, and it worked OK. The commissioners also discussed the county policy handbook when there is inclement weather. The policy will now state when the commissioner’s close county buildings due to inclement weather or other conditions, full time employees will be compensated in accordance with the county policy regarding paid holidays. This new policy was approved by a 3-0 vote by the commission. Dent County Collector Shannon VanKirk updated the commission on the January collection turnover of $177,641.00 from her office. The next meeting of the Dent County Commissioners will be Thursday morning at 9:00 at the courthouse and the meeting is open to the public.

Alderman Shawn Bolerjack, the Finance Committee and Capital Improvements Committee Chairman, has called for a joint meeting of the Finance and Capital Improvements Committees to be held at the Wilson Family Center at 1000 West International Street on this evening at 6:00. The committee will review the City of Salem budget process and a review of the fiscal year 21-22 budget and capital improvement projects. The meeting will then be adjourned. The joint meeting of the Finance and Capital Improvement Committee is open to the public.

The report released by the Dent County Sheriff’s office for the week of February 7th through the 12th. On Wednesday February 9th, deputies were dispatched to Dent County Road 6497 for a reported domestic violence incident. During the course of the investigation, a 55-year-old Jadwin man was arrested and placed on a 24-hour hold at the Dent County Jail. The next day on February 10th, a deputy was dispatched to the Dent County Jail for a report of property damage. During the course of the investigation, a 33-year-old Salem man, who was an inmate at the jail, was charged with damage to jail property. Then on February 11th, a deputy conducted a traffic stop on Highway 72. During the course of the stop, an 18-year-old Bunker man was arrested for driving with no valid driver’s license and operating a motor vehicle without maintaining financial responsibility. He was transported to the Dent County Jail where he was fingerprinted, issued two summons and released. Later that day, a deputy conducted a traffic stop at S. Hickory and Franklin Street. During the course of the stop, a 40-year-old Salem man was arrested for the possession of a control substance except for 35 grams or less of Marijuana or Synthetic Cannabinoid. The man was transported to the Dent County Jail where he was fingerprinted and released, pending formal charges by the Dent County Prosecuting Attorney.

Missouri State Parks will be launching an enhanced online reservation system beginning at 7:00 TOMORROW. In order to complete the upgrade, Missouri State Parks will NOT be accepting new reservations, changes or cancellations until Tuesday morning. This includes online reservations at icampmo.com, phone reservations through the call center and reservations made at a state park or state historic site locations. State parks and historic sites will be open under normal, off-season operations during this time. The new reservation system will offer many new features including the ability to buy and send Missouri State Parks eGift Cards. Interactive park maps and multiple photos to preview campsites. Easy-to-use search function, showing results up to 70 miles from your search area. The ability to reserve shelters online and the ability to sign up for tours online. As part of the new reservation system, there will be a $2 decrease in reservation fees for reservations made online and a $.50 decrease in reservation fees for reservations made through the call center. Beginning Tuesday morning, making an advanced reservation for campsites and group tent areas will result in the following nonrefundable reservation fees, $6.50 for reservations made online at icampmo.com and $8 for reservations made through the call center at 877-422-6766. Same-day reservations for campsites are accepted and do not incur a reservation fee. For reservations made with an arrival date beginning Sunday, January 1st, 2023, camping rates will increase $2 per night for basic and electric campsites; and $3 per night for electric and water 50 AMP and sewer, electric, and water 50 AMP campsites. For questions related to these changes, email moparks@dnr.mo.gov or call 800-334-6946. 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.

An accident occurred Saturday afternoon at 1:25 in Phelps County on County Road 8360 about a mile and a half west of Highway 63. According to the highway patrol report a 2003 Dodge Ram Pickup driven by 50-year-old Sheridan Blackwell of Rolla, was traveling westbound and traveled off the right side of the roadway and struck a tree. Blackwell suffered serious injuries and was transported to University Hospital in Columbia by Air Ambulance. He was wearing a safety restraint at the time of the accident. The Dodge sustained extensive damage and was removed from the scene by C&C Towing.

Healthy Dent County is planning to begin another Project RISE program that will empower individuals and offer support as they strive to lead their families out of poverty.  The goal is to have a new cohort of families begin this spring. This program will address root issues keeping families in poverty and work toward developing strategies to overcome these challenges and sustain long-term change.  Project RISE will help provide the tools and resources to solve-problems, create new habits and provide a forum for networking and creating healthy dialogue with mentors, experts and others who have found ways to achieve additional success. Families accepted in the program will work on reducing debt, improving credit scores, increasing income, strengthening confidence and gaining hope. Only 4-7 families will be selected for this two-year program, and they must meet these requirements: must have stable housing; they must reside in Dent County; and most importantly, the participants must be ready, willing and open to make changes to find new opportunities. To make this project a success, Healthy Dent County will work with social service agencies, churches, health care and employment specialists and community leaders. The wealth of knowledge from these professionals will be invaluable to improving the lives of these families for generations to come. Ms. Lacey Walker, Administrative Professional with Healthy Dent County, will serve as the coordinator for this program. There are a number of ways you can partner with Healthy Dent County on this project that includes referring families, volunteering to help make a presentation at one of the 16-weekly classes, sponsor a weekly meal by providing food or donating $150, or by sponsor a family by donating $250. All donations to Healthy Dent County are tax deductible. For more information on Project RISE or to determine a family’s eligibility, please contact Lacey Walker at 729-8163 or e-mail her at lacey@salemcommunitycenter.org.

On Wednesday night, two Salem FFA members took 1st place in the Area 13 SAE Proficiency Awards. Congratulations goes out to Kennedy Chapman on getting 1st Place in Diversified Livestock Production and Irvin Johnson for taking 1st Place in Beef Production Placement.

The Salem Police Department has released reports for the period from January 16th to February 4th. On Monday evening, January 17 at about 9:30, officers were dispatched to Wal-Mart for a report of trespassing. It was reported that a male subject had entered the store after being trespassed from the store for a prior shoplifting charge. The police talked with the man, and he admitted he was thinking about shoplifting again but ended up just leaving. The 30-year-old Salem male was issued a summons to appear in court. On Thursday morning, January 20th, around 9:00, an officer was sent to Dirt Cheap for a report of shoplifting. It was reported that a female had stolen lighters and alcohol valued at approximately $40. The police later made contact with the woman after she had stolen from the store again on January 23rd in the amount of approximately $15. As a result, the 38-year-old Salem woman was arrested and issued a summons to appear in court. On Monday, January 24th at about 9:45 in the evening, an officer was dispatched to Dirt Cheap for a report of a shoplifting. It was reported that a male subject had stolen headphones from the store. Upon further investigation, a 39-year-old Salem man was arrested and later released on a summons. Also, while investigating this matter, the police discovered the woman who had accompanied the man had an active arrest warrant out of Oklahoma. As a result, Miranda Fender of Boynton Beach, Florida, was arrested and incarcerated at the Dent County Jail pending extradition. At around 1:30 in the morning on Saturday, January 29th, an officer conducted a traffic stop for improper registration. The officer also noticed the subject was driving in a suspicious manner. As a result of the traffic stop, the officer investigated and found the driver to be intoxicated. The 30-year-old Salem man was arrested for a DWI and released on summons to appear in court. Around 6:00 Sunday evening, January 30th, officers arrested two subjects on “no bond” warrants because of a domestic violence investigation. The police arrested 24-year-old Antonio Quick and 24-year-old Stephanie Denney, both of Salem, and they were incarcerated at the Dent County Jail. Please contact the Salem Police Department at (573) 729-4242 if you have any information regarding an ongoing investigation.

The Salem Area Community Betterment Association, better known as SACBA, is bringing back their Gift of Time volunteer awards to recognize volunteers who have made a significant contribution to Salem and Dent County. Individuals or organizations who have volunteered or made a significant impact for our community from 2020-2021 are eligible. Nomination Forms are available at: The City of Salem Administrative Office, Chamber of Commerce, Salem Public Library, Healthy Dent County/Salem Community Center, Bank of Salem, and Steelman Abstract & Title Company. Nominations must be submitted by March 31st, 2022. This year’s nomination categories are: Education & Youth, Community Enhancement or Preservation, Arts & Culture, Humanitarian and Outstanding Youth Volunteer for those who are 18 and under. Only one category nomination per submission may be accepted. You can submit separate nominations if nominating a nominee for more than one category. Please refer to the Nomination Form for additional eligibility information and nominee questionnaire. In addition to the form locations, nominations may also be emailed to “sacba@salemmo.com”, or mailed to Salem Area Community Betterment Association, P.O. Box 732, Salem, MO 65560. An awards banquet to honor category winners, as well as an Open House at the SACBA complex at 200 S. Main St., will be held in May. For more information or for if you any questions, send an email to sacba@salemmo.com. As always, SACBA values the support of the community, and looks forward to honoring those who support our community.