Archive for 2022

Bryce Mobray, a Green Forest 4-H member, placed first the Percentage Simmental Heifers Born in April of 2021 class at the Cattlemen’s Congress in Oklahoma City. The Cattlemen’s Congress is a stock show for cattlemen and women managed by cattlemen and women. The Cattlemen’s Congress is an opportunity for breeders across North America to showcase their top genetics and connect with fellow beef producers in a central location, in the heart of cattle country. In 2020, the Cattlemen’s Congress was created by a group of visionaries led by Mr. Bob Funk. It’s goal was to provide a world class event specifically designed for cattlemen and women to gather, showcase and market their elite cattle genetics.

The National Park Service (NPS) is soliciting public input by March 7th on the proposed amendments to the special regulations for motorized vessels within Ozark National Scenic Riverways. These proposed changes were included in the park’s General Management Plan as part of the Preferred Alternative. The General Management Plan was finalized in 2015 after a long public planning process. The NPS proposes to create seasonal non-motorized zones along the upper stretches of the Current and Jacks Fork rivers where low water levels during the peak season typically restrict access for motorboats. These zones would provide areas without conflict between motorized and non-motorized users during peak visitor season, when it can be challenging for non-motorized vessels and motorboats to navigate narrow river channels at the same time. Peak visitor season usually begins the day after the last day of trapping season and end the day before gigging season, which would currently be April 1st through September 14th. The NPS is also looking for comments to legalize the use of 60/40 horsepower (HP) motors with jet propulsion. These motors are the most popular with motorboat users today. Under existing regulations for motorized vessels within Ozark National Scenic Riverways, the 60/40 HP motors are not legal because they exceed 40 HP at the powerhead. They are also looking for public comments on the and establish a 150 HP limit for jet propulsion and 105 HP limit for motors with a propellor on the Current River between Big Spring and the southern boundary of the park. These limits were proposed to address visitor concerns about safety, degradation of experience and increasing boat sizes resulting from no limits on boat motor size. Members of the public may submit comments on the proposed rule, identified with the Regulation Identifier Number (RIN) 1024-AE62, through March 7th, by going online to www.regulations.gov. In the Search box, enter 1024-AE62. Follow the instructions for submitting comments. You can also submit written hard copies by U.S. Mail or hand deliver to: Superintendent, Ozark National Scenic Riverways, 404 Watercress Drive, P.O. Box 490, Van Buren, MO. 63965. Only comments submitted online through the Regulations.gov site or by hardcopy will be accepted. For more information, call 573-323-4236.

Come join Artist Suzanne Douglas and learn the technique and skills to create a lovely traditional 10” Melon Basket out of wooden hoops and reeds. The 2 two-hour sessions will be held on Wednesdays, January 19th & 26th from 6:00 to 8:00 at the Creative Arts Center. The cost is $45 for both sessions and supplies. For more information or to register, call 247-0651 or 247-5306 you e-mail salemartscouncil@outlook.com.

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.

An accident happened Thursday afternoon just after 12:30 that left a Salem resident with serious injuries. According to the report from the highway patrol a 1995 Ford F-150 being driven by 59-year-old Harvey Carter of Salem was traveling west on Highway 32 about 4 miles from Salem when he ran off the right side of the road, striking a fence and a tree. Carter was taken by Air Evac to Cox Hospital South in Springfield for treatment. The report went on to state that Carter was not wearing a seat restraint at the time of the accident. The highway patrol was assisted at the scene by the Dent County Sheriff’s Department and the Dent County Fire Protection District.

An accident occurred Saturday morning at 9:10 in Dent County on Highway 32 about three miles west of Salem. According to the highway patrol report, a 2019 Dodge Caravan driven by 30-year-old Emily Inman of Salem was travelling eastbound when she lost control on a snow covered roadway. The Dodge crossed the centerline, travelled off the left side of the roadway, struck a culvert and overturned. Inman and a 10-year-old juvenile female of Salem, suffered moderate injuries and were taken to Salem Memorial Hospital by Ambulance. Inman was not wearing a safety restraint at the time of the accident. The juvenile was wearing a safety restraint. The Dodge was totaled and removed from the scene by Whitaker’s Towing.

An accident occurred Saturday morning at 11:20 in Phelps County on I 44 westbound near mile marker 199.6. According to the highway patrol report a 2015 Dodge Grand Caravan driven by 23-year-old Caleb Davis of Rolla was travelling in the left lane while passing a tractor trailer. The Dodge travelled back into the right lane, lost control, and travelled off the right side of the roadway, down an embankment, where its undercarriage struck the ground. Davis and 24-year-old April Krieter of Rolla, an occupant in the vehicle, both suffered minor injuries. She was transported to Phelps Health in Rolla by St. James Ambulance while Davis was not transported to the hospital. All parties in the car were wearing a safety restraint at the time of the accident. The Dodge sustained minor damage and was driven from the scene.

The Salem Airport Board Chairman Tyler Naramore has called for a meeting on Tuesday night at 6:00 at the City Hall Council Chambers located at 202 N. Washington. After the introduction of the committee members, aldermen and staff, the Board will approve the minutes of the last meeting and receive an airport lighting update, get an update on the fuel card reader, gate opener and new hangar construction; hear hangar lease suggestions and discuss hangar rates. The board will also talk about the termite damage to hangars/FBO, hear updates on FBO, get updated on the status of a rotary mower purchase and discuss other business. The meeting of the Airport Board is open to the public.

The Salem Memorial District Hospital Board of Directors will conduct their January meeting Tuesday night at 6:00 in the hospital library. Hospital Administrator Kasey Lucas will report on the summary of the operations and statistics for the month of December as well as the auxiliary report, followed by the Chief of Nursing Report with Ashley Sullins. Chief Operating Officer Jason Edwards will give the hospital foundation report as well as the marketing and community perception report. In old business, Lucas will update the board on how COVID-19 is affecting the hospital, give a report on the Cerner conversion, discuss the CLIA survey and talk about the election filing for the District 3 board seat that will becoming available in the upcoming April election. In new business, the board will discuss any purchases. The board may vote to go into closed session. The SMDH Board meeting Tuesday night at the hospital library is open to the public.

An accident happened Wednesday night in Dent County at 10:10 on Highway 32 about a mile west of Boss. According to the highway patrol report, a 2003 Chrysler Town and Country driven by 64-year-old Karen Salsman of Viburnum, swerved to miss a deer in the road and traveled off the left side of the roadway where the vehicle struck the ground and a fence. Salsman suffered serious injuries and was flown by Air Evac to the Mercy Hospital in St. Louis. The Chrysler sustained moderate damages and was removed from the scene by Abney’s Towing of Viburnum. Salsman was wearing a seat restraint at the time of the accident. The Dent County Sheriff’s Department assisted the highway patrol at the scene.

The Dent County Assessor Jamie Homeyer wants to remind the public with COVID cases again on the rise, the Dent County Assessor’s office is open, but would like to keep in person visits to a minimum. If you haven’t used the online filing system for your 2022 assessment form, they would encourage you to give it a try. If you have your assessment form, log into the link provided on the 2022 assessment form you received in the mail. You will need your account number and pin number from that form to enter your information online. You can always mail your signed form back in the return envelope provided, or you can drop it in the collector’s payment box out in front of the courthouse on the southwest corner of the courthouse lawn. If you have questions, call the office at 729-6010.

The Salem Police Department has released additional reports for the month of December. During the afternoon of Friday, December 10th around 1:00 an officer arrested 50-year-old Richard L. Labrash of Salem on an active capias for his arrest. Labrash was incarcerated at the Dent County Jail with no bond. Then on Sunday the 12th of December close to midnight, an officer conducted a traffic stop near the intersection of Hunt and Warfel Streets. It was apparent that the driver of the vehicle was under the influence of either drugs or alcohol. An investigation was conducted and the police found the subject to be operating the vehicle under the influence of narcotics. As a result, a 58-year-old Salem woman was arrested and issued a summons for driving while being intoxicated. On Wednesday afternoon, December 15th near 1:30, an officer arrested 28-year-old Ashlie Sapaugh of Salem for an active arrest warrant. Sapaugh was incarcerated at the Dent County Jail. During the afternoon of Saturday, December 18th around 4:30, an officer conducted a traffic stop at the intersection of Highway 19 and 32. The driver was found to be in possession of marijuana and paraphernalia. Due to the items located, a 33-year-old Salem man was arrested and later released on summons. The last report occurred on Tuesday, December 31st, an officer arrested Stephanie Tahssain for an outstanding arrest warrant out of the Uvalde Police Department in Texas. The bond amount was $5,000 in cash or surety. Tahssain was incarcerated at the Dent County Jail pending extradition or bond. Please contact the Salem Police at 729-4242 if you have information regarding any investigation.

The University of Missouri Extension is offering a webinar series on how to save money on your timber taxes. Many forest landowners pay more taxes on their timber than they should. Accountants can help calculate the taxes, but forest landowners need to understand how timber expenses should be reported and how they are taxed. When planning forest management activities, knowing the timber tax rules will help keep your records in line and save you money. The webinar series is part of the Woodland Stewards regional extension program for landowners. The webinar was created by a team of forestry extension professional from 10 programs, the United States Forest Service and more. The webinars are one-hour sessions that will be held on Tuesdays starting at noon beginning January 18th and lasting every Tuesday through February 15th. If you are interested in one or more of the webinars, please click place the following address in your browser: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ForestryTaxWebinars. For additional assistance, call the Dent County Extension at 729-3196.