Archive for 2023

Board filings for City of Salem aldermanic seats, the Dent County Fire Protection District Board, the Salem Memorial Hospital District Board of Directors, and the Dent County Health Center Board of Trustees came to end last Tuesday, December 27th for the Municipal Election to be held in April. Filings for the Salem Memorial District Hospital Board of Directors District 4 seat included incumbent Willie Strader as well as Joe Weber and Sarah Hoffman; while the two open board positions for the Dent County Health Center Board of Trustees were each filled by a single candidate so no election will need to be held. Incumbent Dennis Floyd filed for the remaining three years of the four-year term that will expire April of 2026, and Robert A. Graveley filed for the full four-year term for the board that will expire in April of 2027. The Dent County Fire Protection District had two seats available on their board: a six-year term and a two-year term. Filing for the six-year term was David Greenshields and filing for the two-year term was Jeff Stokes, Jr. and Leigh Ann Price. The City of Salem Board of Alderman have an east ward and west ward seat to be determined in April. Incumbent Shawn Bolerjack was the only person filing for the East Ward Alderman position while incumbent Amanda Duncan and former alderman Bill Riley have signed up for the West Ward Aldermanic position. The Municipal Election will be held April 4th, 2023. School board filings will be released once candidates are confirmed by the schools now that they are back in session.

A six-vehicle accident involving a Salem resident happened Monday morning at 9:40 in Webster County on Highway 60 in Seymour. According to the highway patrol report, the crash occurred as traffic was stopped for a redlight when a 2021 Freightliner Cascadia being driven by 51-year- old Kendra Brasel of Cassville, failed to stop and struck a 2012 Ford F-150 being driven by 71- year-old Margaret Thompson of Elk Creek, Missouri, and a 2010 Ford F-150 being driven by 42-year-old Jeffrey Watts of Cabool, propelling them into a 2019 Chevrolet Equinox being driven by 44-year-old Shonda Whittaker of Salem, and 2013 Chevrolet 2500 being driven by 61-year-old Mark Hutson of Macomb as well as a 2023 Peterbilt 389 being driven by 51-year-old Douglas Due of Harrison, Arkansas. Injured in the accident was Jeffery Watts, the driver of 2010 Ford. Watts suffered moderate injuries and was taken by ambulance to Cox South in Springfield. Both Ford F-150s and the Freightliner Cascadia were totaled and removed from the scene by Yates Boys of Seymour. The Chevrolet 2500 sustained moderate damage and was removed from the scene by Elliots Towing. The Equinox, being driven by Whitaker, had minor damage and was able to be driven from the scene. The Peterbilt received moderate damage but was also able to be driven from the scene. The report went on to state that all involved were wearing seat restraints except for Mark Hutson, the driver of the Chevrolet 2500.

The City of Salem Finance Committee meeting will be meeting this evening at 6:00 at the Salem Community Center@The Armory. At the meeting, the committee will review the budget before discussing proposals to create additional general revenue. The committee will discuss raising funds to help pay for the 2023 fireworks display and discuss holding a public meeting to increase the sales tax percentage for the General Revenue Fund which now gets 1% of sales of retail items in the city. The committee will also be discussing the ballot issue for the issuance of bonds for the sewer and wastewater project before adjourning. The meeting, called by Finance committee Chairman Kala Sisco, is open to the public.

A highway patrol trooper assisting a motorist Saturday evening at 6:20 on the South Outer Road of Interstate 44 near Sullivan was struck by a passing vehicle leaving the trooper with serious injuries. According to the highway patrol report, 25-year-old Colby Townsend of Rolla, was roadside checking on a pedestrian when 74-year-old William King of Cuba, failed to see the trooper and struck him with his 2017 Dodge Ram truck driven westbound. Townsend was flown by Air Evac to Mercy Hospital in St. Louis with serious injuries. The Dodge Ram sustained moderate damage and was towed by Patriot Towing from the scene. King was not injured in the accident.

An accident happened Thursday afternoon at 1:04 in Maries County on Highway 28 about a mile and a half east of Highway 63 that took the life of a man from St. James. According to the highway patrol report, a 1999 Chevy S-10 driven westbound by 71-year-old Gary Stearns of St. James, traveled off the right side of the roadway and overturned. Stearns, who was not wearing a seat restraint, was ejected from the S-10 and was pronounced dead at the scene by Maries Deputy Coroner Amanda Sandbothe at 2:48 Thursday afternoon. His body was taken by the Maries County Coroner’s office to the Boone County Medical Examiner’s Office. The Chevy S-10 was removed from the scene by Owens Towing.

Healthy Dent County is planning to begin another Project RISE program that will empower individuals to reach financial independence through support and education. The goal is to have a new cohort of families begin February 7th at 5:00 at the Salem Community Center@The Armory. This program will help families reach personal and financial goals through employment and career development, time management, goal setting, relationship building, money management and community involvement. The objectives of Project RISE are to increase support systems, resources and community connections as well as providing education that will allow families to develop tools that can improve their financial health and empowerment. While enrolled, families can earn gift cards and other financial incentives, plus meals and childcare are provided during the meetings. The program is 16 weeks long and only 4-7 families will be selected. Families will meet weekly during the evening hours to focus on succeeding in life. Ms. Lacey Walker, Administrative Professional with Healthy Dent County, will serve as the coordinator for this program. 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. Applications are available at the Salem Community Center@The Armory office. 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.

The Missouri Department of Natural Resources Division of State Parks is pleased to announce the 2023 grant application round for the Recreational Trails Program is now open. These grants are available to cities, counties and nonprofit organizations to be used to create motorized and nonmotorized trails for recreational use. Federal agencies can also apply for funding for motorized trails. For more information about this program, to download the grant application and to register for a grant application workshop, visit mostateparks.com and type “recreational grant” in the search box. For questions, contact the grants management team at mspgrants@dnr.mo.gov. The application deadline is February 16th, 2023. For more information on state parks and historic sites, visit mostateparks.com.

Join birders across Missouri for the 123rd annual Christmas Bird Count. This year, birders will meet at 9:00 this Wednesday morning at the Black River Center at Johnson’s Shut-Ins State Park. The Christmas Bird Count is a great way to get your family friends out in nature. Everyone is invited to attend; no experience is necessary. The park team encourages participants to dress for the weather, as well as bring water and snacks. Also, please bring binoculars if available. Limited supplies will be available. For more information about the event, please contact the park naturalist at 573-546-2450 ext.1003. Johnson’s Shut-Ins State Park is located at 148 Taum Sauk Trail in Middle Brook. 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.

The Creative Arts Center located at 204 S Main St, in Salem, will be offering a Woven Basket Hand-Building class with Connie Behrick & Susan Parker England on Thursday January 5th from 9:00 in the morning till noon. In this class you will make a hand-built woven basket. Participants can bring their own supplies including clay. The cost is $45 per person. To sign up for Creative Arts Center events, call or text 573-247-0651, or you can go online at salemcommunitybetterment.com and look under programs for the Salem Creative Arts Center.