Archive for 2023

The Dent County Sheriff’s Department has release several reports. On Thursday, September 7th, deputies responded to the 2900 block of Highway 19 North for a reported violation of ex-parte order. During the course of the investigation, a 37-year-old Salem man was found hiding on the property and was found to be in possession of a controlled substance. He was arrested and transported to the Dent County Jail where he was placed on a 24-hour hold pending the issuance of formal charges. On September 11th, a 24-year-old Salem woman came to the Dent County Sheriff’s Office to report her estranged husband was harassing and threatening her. The suspect was a 37-year-old East Prairie man. That investigation is ongoing. On Wednesday, September 13th, a deputy conducted a traffic stop in the 2700 block of East Highway 32. The driver, a 44-year-old Salem man, was found to be driving with an excessive blood alcohol content. He was arrested and transported to the Dent County Jail where he was processed per departmental procedures, issued multiple citations and released from custody. The next day, a deputy conducted a traffic stop on Highway 19 North. As a result, a 35-year-old Salem woman was arrested for being in possession of a controlled substance. She was arrested and transported to the Dent County Sheriff’s Office. Finally on Friday, September 15th, deputies responded to the 9300 block of Highway 19 South for a report of shots fired near a residence. Following an investigation, a 41-year-old woman was arrested for discharging a firearm while being intoxicated. She was taken to the Dent County Jail where she was placed on a 24-hour hold pending the issuance of formal charges. If you have any information regarding an ongoing investigation, please the Dent County Sheriff’s Department at 729-3241.

The Salem Park and Recreation Board met Tuesday afternoon at the Salem Community Center@The Armory. At the meeting, the board accepted the written resignation of Tiffin Felkerson from the Park Board. The board then agreed to accept applications from individuals interested in serving on the Park Board. They can fill out the committee volunteer form on the City of Salem website at salemmo.com. Go to the government heading, click on the heading “Board of Aldermen,” then click on the subtopic of committees, fill out the form and print it out. You can deliver the form to Park Board President Carlos Lopez at the Salem Community Center@The Armory by this Friday afternoon. In her report, Park and Recreation Director Melissa Dubois said she had 22 kids for the two week Kids Summer Camp this summer. She said 154 children signed up for flag football this year which is nine athletes less from last year. There are three 1st/2nd grade teams, four 3rd/4th grade teams and two 5th/6th grade teams as well as four cheer teams. Flag Football games will be at Al Brown Field starting in October. Basketball registrations will begin soon and the “Skills and Drills” football camp signups will be announced soon. Dubois gave her report on the pool this summer and said the wire and conduit for the light stanchions at Al Brown is now in. She said the “Light Up the Park” event will be held from December 2nd through the 31st at the Salem City Park. For the first two months of the fiscal year, the sales tax money received and the charges for the programs have generated $130,076 in revenues while the total expenses come to $105,843 leaving an excess of revenues over expenses of $24,233. The board heard from Jay Anderson and John Hambacker about suggested improvements to the Salem Walking Trail where the railroad tracks used to be from 3rd and Grand Streets to the treatment plant. The improvements include signs showing the beginning of the trail as well as signs placed along the trail at numerous points of interest from days gone by like the McGrath Dairy, Elmer Park, Salem Bottle Works and more. The board took no action until more research is done. The board then went into closed session.

Want to be part of National Public Lands Day? Join Ozark Riverways Foundation volunteers at 10:00 this Saturday morning at Alley Spring to celebrate the spirit of volunteerism with the painting of the old historic Storys Creek School. The project is expected to conclude by 1:00 in the afternoon. Volunteers will clean and oil the old desks and furnishings inside the school. Be sure to wear your painting clothes! In appreciation for your help, volunteers for this “National Public Lands Day” event will receive a “fee-free” coupon for free one-day entrance into a federal recreation site, in addition to an ONSR Volunteer t-shirt. The Storys Creek one-room school was built in 1896 just west of Eminence and welcomed area students until Shannon County schools were consolidated in 1957. The school was donated to the National Park Service and moved to Alley Spring in 1971. It withstood the 2017 historic flood which has contributed to paint peeling on the lower sections of clapboard siding. Alley Spring is located five miles west of Eminence on Highway 106. For more information on the event, call (573) 226-3945.

An accident happened Monday morning around 5:45 in Dent County on Highway 72 about seven miles north of Salem. According to the highway patrol report, 28-year-old Trent Corbett of Jefferson City, was driving a 2003 Chevrolet Tahoe eastbound when he fell asleep behind the wheel and crossed over the center line of the highway striking a 2015 Chrysler 200 driven westbound by 62-year-old Steven Hampton of Salem. Corbett and Hampton each suffered moderate injuries. Corbett was treated at the scene by the Salem EMS and was then released. Hampton was transported to the Salem Memorial Hospital by the Salem EMS. The Chevy Tahoe sustained moderate damages while the Chrysler sustained extensive damage. Both vehicles were removed from the scene by Whitaker’s Towing.

The Dent County Commissioners met Monday morning for their regular meeting at the courthouse. At the meeting, KSMO’s General Manager Stan Podorski stated Maria Bancroft from the MRPC will be interviewed Wednesday morning at 8:30 to let people or businesses looking for capital for their business, or trying to start or expand one, know there are numerous options available through the Meramec Regional Development Corporation. She will discuss SBA loans, revolving loan funds, and other local business resources to be considered. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Wes Mobray stated materials would be added and grading done on Dent County Roads 6040 and 6410, while only grading would be done on county road 5650. He said all the MoDOT paperwork on the Cooley Bridge FLAP project has now been completed. He also said the low phone bid on fuel went to Phil-Mart at $3.35 per gallon. District 2 Commissioner Gary Polk said extensive work would be done on Dent County Road 4280. Polk reported the ditches will be pulled, rock will be added and grading done on that road, plus signs will be installed on county roads 2590 and 3295. Presiding Commissioner Gary Larson reported on the Transportation Advisory Committee meeting, External Relations Committee meeting and the MRPC meeting he attended last Thursday. He said there were ten sidewalk improvement TAP projects submitted at the meeting for consideration and the one for Dent County came in 3rd in the voting. He said the External Relations Committee discussed the MRPC Annual Dinner and Awards banquet to be held on October 26th. Tickets are available for $40 for the dinner. To reserve or purchase tickets, call Linda Carroll at 573-265-2993 or e-mail lcarroll@meramecregion.org. Larson said Wes Hester, owner of Foxhole Technology, was at the MRPC meeting discussing Cybersecurity for local governments and grants that may become available. Larson said he would be attending the tourism tax committee meeting tonight. He also said Jill Hollowell from the MRPC said a semi-tractor truck picked up about eight tons of old tires from the county road and bridge department and from the special collection held in Salem with a value of $2,310.75. Larson said that there is an opening on the MRPC Board for a small business representative for anyone who may be interested, plus he said the county received a survey from the MRPC asking for input from the member representatives on state issues they may have concerns with that can be addressed in 2024. It needs to be submitted by the end of the month. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley said she balanced with the Treasurer on all accounts for the month of August. Engineer Corky Stack submitted a payment request of $263,018 and with the 10% contingency reduction, the amount the county would be issuing would be $236,718.47. The next meeting of the Dent County Commission will be Thursday morning at the courthouse and the meeting is open to the public.

The Salem Police department has released their report for the month of August. The department responded to 11 accidents during the month. Officers also responded to one alarm sounding and addressed 39 animal calls. The department investigated three assaults or fights in progress, four burglaries, performed 21 well being checks and 10 area checks during the month. The department also investigated 18 domestic disputes, conducted 57 follow-up investigations and provided ten escorts. They investigated two incidents of fraud, four harassment reports, took three missing persons report, and offered assistance to four motorists. The Salem police wrote ten property damage reports during August, plus made five stealing reports and five shoplifting reports. Officers investigated four intoxicated pedestrians, 17 suspicious circumstance calls, eight suspicious person calls and ten suspicious vehicle calls. Officers responded to two trespassing calls and attempted to serve 14 warrants in August. Officers conducted 95 traffic stops during the month. The police responded to a total of 564 in incidents in August. The average response time to calls during August was two minutes and 25 seconds and the average time spent on the scene was 19 minutes and 20 seconds.

Last Thursday at the Dent County Judicial Building in court in front of Judge Nathan Kelsaw, Michael Stagner of Salem pleaded guilty to the possession of methamphetamine and his probation was revoked. Stagner had previously been released from the Missouri Department of Corrections after completing the RSMO Section 559.115 program. Stagner was sentenced by Judge Kelsaw to serve 12 years in the Missouri Department of Correction as requested by Dent County Prosecutor Curley.