Archive for 2023

Monday morning between the hours of 12:30 and 3:11, Officers from the Salem Police Department responded to an ATM alarm at the Progressive Ozark Bank. Upon arrival Officers discovered the ATM had been broken into and the cash boxes removed. A short time later Officers discovered a truck that had been used to facilitate the theft. The vehicle had been abandoned less than four blocks from the location of the theft. Officers also discovered during this same time, that the Riverways ATM located at Master Donuts had been broken into as well, and cash boxes had been removed. An Officer discovered that there had been an attempt to open the ATM at Town and Country Bank east location. Nothing was reported missing from the Town and Country location. Officials are working with the bank to determine how much money was stolen and are working to identify suspects, as the case remains under investigation. Anyone with information regarding the incidents is encouraged to contact the Salem Police Department at 729-4242.

The Dent County Commissioners met Monday morning for their regular meeting at the courthouse. Presiding Commissioner Gary Larson was not in attendance due to a previous commitment. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley appointed Commissioner Wes Mobray as the acting presiding commissioner for the meeting. Mobray gave his road report indicating grading would be done on Dent County Roads 4210, 5580 and 6633. He said District 1 and District 2 will have a total of three trucks delivering rock to Dent County Road 5600, also known as the Turtle Loop. The materials are being paid for out of Title II funds for this road that is servicing access to the Mark Twain National Forest. Mobray said the final paperwork for the FLAP 56 project that provided asphalt for the road to Tan Vat, has been signed and copies of the agreement will be at the courthouse. District 2 Commissioner Gary Polk said he will have workers delivering rock to Dent County Road 2120 where crews will be installing two culverts. He said another crew will be doing some backsloping work on Dent County Road 2150. Clerk Curley said Town and Country Bank has returned the signed lease/purchase agreement for the new graders. 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 Health Center (DCHC) Board of Trustees held their regular meeting Thursday, October 20th. The minutes of the September regular meeting were approved followed by Administrator Zach Moser’s report which included the communicable disease report and it showed 48 reported cases of COVID-19 for September. He said there were 37 active lead cases in September and nine sexually transmitted infection screenings were conducted during the month. Moser noted there were no influenza cases reported in September and that there were four animal bites reported last month. In the diagnostics report, Moser said 211 blood draw appointments were completed in September, plus there were 84 COVID tests and 11 lead tests performed. There were no vaccinations for COVID-19, while there were 22 influenza doses and 119 other vaccinations administered. A total of 508 appointments were held during September, plus WIC appointments that totaled 324. Moser noted there were 86 urine drug screenings conducted on behalf of the Dent County Treatment Court. Assistant Administrator Roma Jones gave the environmental report where two total inspections were conducted, there were no recalls, and nine environmental questions were fielded. In the Administrator’s report, Moser reported that Miller Glass has ordered the materials for the doors that are being replaced and they should be done in the next few weeks. He noted that the Board was directed to the DCHC website for the public service announcement regarding the Salem R-80 School District’s detection of lead in the drinking water. Moser reported that over 80 individuals were vaccinated during the Drive-Thru Clinic held October 12th. He reminded the Board of the upcoming Fall Health Fair October 26th, the Strategic Planning Session from 8:00 in the morning until 4:00 in the afternoon on Monday, November 13th, and the Youth Vaping Town Hall December 14th. The Health Center financial reports for September, including the review from H & R Block, were reviewed. Discussion was held on the balance sheet, income statement, and budget statements. After these questions were answered, the financial reports and the report from H & R Block were approved. In New Business, the Board approved a travel request for three DCHC employees to the CDC Lead Conference in Atlanta in December. The Public Health Infrastructure Grant budget was reviewed and explained by Moser. Since the grant money is spread over the next 4 years, no budget adjustment was necessary. The DCHC was awarded a NACCHO HAIAR Grant in the amount of $80,000. A budget adjustment in the amount of $12,000 was needed and was approved by the Board. Proposed food regulations were reviewed by the Board and they recommended the regulations be put out for public comment and reviewed at the November meeting. They can be found on the DCHC’s website. The next regular meeting of the Board was set for Thursday, November 16th at 5:00.

The Southwest Baptist University and the Salem R-80 Board of Education have reached an agreement to strengthen educational offerings in the community. The R-80 School District intends to purchase the SBU’s Gott Center for Christian Education for $750,000 and lease it back to university for $1 per year. SBU will continue to offer degree programs through the campus. Last Tuesday, October 17th, the SBU’s Board of Trustees authorized the university to sell the property and the Salem R-80 Board voted in closed session Thursday night to purchase the facility. According to Dr. Rick Nelson, the President of SBU, the agreement will be beneficial for Salem R-80 and SBU as the school district will gain needed space to cost-effectively expand instead of building from scratch, and SBU will retain the efficient use of the Gott Center for Education. The Salem R-80 School District has not finalized plans, but has discussed moving the administrative offices as well as preschool, first grade, and kindergarten classes into the building. In addition to the LPN bridge program in nursing, SBU offers associate’s and bachelor’s degrees in business, education, criminal justice, psychology, and health sciences on the Salem campus. Courses will continue to be offered face-to-face or through video conference in the evenings after sale of the building is completed. The purchase is scheduled to be completed in Spring 2024, after which time work will begin to make the space ready for Salem R-80 use for the 2024-2025 school year.

A former deputy sheriff from Phelps County was indicted Wednesday on charges that accuse him of soliciting and possessing child pornography was expected to appear in the U.S. District Court in St. Louis on Friday. The 42-year-old former deputy is Justin Bradley Durham was indicted by a federal grand jury on one count of sexual exploitation of children, two counts of possession of child pornography and two counts of altering or destroying records. The indictment says that between roughly December 2013 and December 2014, Durham induced and enticed an underage girl to engage in sexually explicit conduct and record it. Durham possessed explicit images of the girl during those same dates, the indictment says, as well as a second girl between about December 9th, 2017 and July 2nd, 2018. The final charges relate to the accusation that Durham deleted files in his DropBox account and destroyed his iPhone to impede an FBI investigation. A motion seeking to have Durham remain in jail until trial says he offered the first victim money for explicit pictures and later paid her $200 to come to his house, where they engaged in sexual activity. According to the motion, Durham met the second victim when he responded to a call for police assistance. During this investigation, additional women have come forward with allegations about Durham involving his demands for sex or sexually explicit images after making traffic stops. Anyone with information about Dunham who has not spoken with law enforcement should call the FBI at 314-589-2500. Charges set forth in an indictment are only accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty. The sexual exploitation of children charge carries a penalty of at least 15 years in prison. The child pornography charges each carry a penalty of between 5 and 20 years in prison, and the altering or destroying records charges each carry a penalty of up to 20 years in prison. The case was investigated by the FBI and the Missouri State Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Bateman will be prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.

U.S. Representative Jason Smith is accepting applications from young Missourians interested in attending our nation’s service academies. Nominations to the U.S. Air Force Academy, U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, U.S. Military Academy at West Point, and U.S. Naval Academy are available for qualified applicants. Smith said it’s an incredible honor to nominate southern Missouri students to attend our nation’s storied service academies. These historic institutions play a critical role in preparing young leaders with the skills, training, and education they need to pursue a military career. Individuals interested in a nomination from Smith must meet the following eligibility requirements for admission to a service academy: must be at least 17 years old and a U.S. citizen, must be a resident of Missouri’s 8th Congressional District, must be unmarried, not pregnant, and have no legal obligation to support children or other dependents, and must meet the medical, physical, and academic requirements of the academies. Students interested in a nomination should contact Smith’s Academy Coordinator, Donna Hickman at 573-756-9755 or send her an email at Donna.Hickman@mail.house.gov for more information. An application will be sent to interested students. Students who wish to be considered for nomination to attend a service academy in the fall of 2024 should return the completed application and supporting documents by October 30, 2023.

An accident happened in Phelps County Friday morning at 11:14 on Route HH, about three miles north of Rolla. According to the highway patrol report, a 13-year-old male juvenile of Rolla was riding a 2016 RPS ATV and made a right turn when the ATV began to skid. The ATV then overturned and struck a tree. The 13-year-old boy suffered serious injuries and was flown by Phelps Air to the University Hospital in Columbia. The teenager was not wearing safety equipment at the time of the accident.

“Drug Take Back” Day will be held Saturday from 10:00 in the morning until 2:00 in the afternoon in the parking lots at Country Mart on Highway 32-72 Easy and Wal-Mart on Highway 32-72 West. Bring your unused and/or expired medication to be safely disposed of. DO NOT FLUSH IT DOWN THE DRAIN!! If you can’t make it Saturday, there are permanent disposal boxes at the Dent County Sheriff’s Department at 112 East 5th Street and at the Salem Police Department at 500 North Jackson Streets.