Archive for 2023

The judging at the 4-H and FFA Expo Friday afternoon kicked off at 1:00 with the Small Animal Show judged by Wally Buttrum. The Champion Market Meat Chicken Pen was exhibited by Isabel Thomas and the Reserve Champion Pen was shown by Abigail Thomas. Intermediate Junior Showmanship went to Baylee Parks and Hank Phelps won the Junior Division. In the Market Meat Rabbit Pen Division Hank Phelps exhibited the Champions, while Cooper Case showed the Reserve Champions. There were 21 breeding rabbits exhibited with class winners being Jenna Murr, Emily Miller and Cooper Case. Both Grand Champion Doe and Reserve Champion Doe went to Jenna Murr, while Cooper Case took home the Grand Champion Buck and Murr had the Reserve Champion Buck. The Showmanship competition consisted of all Intermediate Contestants and the winner was Emily Miller. The Livestock Shows at the 4-H and FFA Expo culminated in the Cattle Show Friday afternoon and evening. Breeding class winners were Bryce Mobray, Kohen Garrison, Preslie Strader, Levi Gillam, Ray Cunningham, Isabell Mutz and Liam Flowers. Champion Hereford Heifer went to Flowers and Gillam won Reserve Champion. Bryce Mobray’s Angus Heifer was selected as Angus Champion and Overall Grand Champion Heifer, while Ray Cunningham’s Angus Heifer was Angus Reserve Champion and Overall Reserve Grand Champion Female. Bucket Calf exhibitors were Cutter Brown and Jade Clancy. Participants in the non-competitive Pee-Wee Clinic were Lynlee Easter, Hadlee Tilley and Emeri Yates. The Market Steer show saw Judge Addie Theesen (Tayson) evaluate 46 steers and select class winners exhibited by Ross Dunlap, Anna Cato, John Cunningham, Brantley Thompson, Bryce Coates, Kallen Garrison, and Kash Howard. The Championship went to Kallen Garrison’s 1365-pound Charolais Cross steer with Kash Howard’s 1510-pound Angus Cross steer being selected as Reserve Champion. Eight Juniors, 17 Intermediates and 4 Seniors competed in the Beef Showmanship competition. In the Junior Division Quinntin Cooper won the award, while the Intermediate Division winner was Bryce Mobray and the Senior Division was won by Ray Cunningham.

The Missouri Department of Transportation is seeking individuals who are interested in a career to “come for the snow, stay for the mow” and keep Missouri moving during the winter season and beyond. MoDOT is currently hiring maintenance personnel for winter operations, with opportunities for year-round employment including mowing, striping and other maintenance functions. The department currently has hundreds of full-time and emergency maintenance positions available across the state. Maintenance worker position salaries begin at $19.08 per hour, depending on level of experience and area of operation, and is also eligible for an additional $3 to $6 per hour when working winter and emergency operations. MoDOT State Maintenance Director Natalie Roark said that these positions are critical to Missouri travelers once the snow starts to fall, but also include critical work to maintain our highway system throughout the year. If you’re a dedicated, hard-working individual looking for a job with excellent benefits where you can make a difference, there’s no better time to apply than right now.Career opportunity job postings can be found online at modot.org/careers. In addition, MoDOT is hosting hiring events across the state from late July through the month of August. These events will provide applicants an opportunity for an accelerated hiring process, including on-site interviews and potential job offers; followed by initiating criminal background checks, drug testing and work simulation physicals. Offers made could result in new employees starting within a week. For details on these events, and to learn more about these career opportunities, visit modot.org/opportunities-maintenance. Full-time maintenance employees receive training and a long list of benefits including paid leave, medical, vision and dental insurance, a retirement plan, and a culturally diverse workplace that is dedicated to safety and personal development. Applicants need to be at least 18 years old and successfully complete a criminal background check (a misdemeanor or felony conviction is not an automatic restriction to employment). It’s preferable for applicants to have a CDL permit, but assistance and training is available to help new employees achieve their CDL. For more information, call MoDOT at 888-ASK-MODOT (275-6636) or visit www.modot.org.

An accident happened early Tuesday morning at 1:15 in Texas County on Highway 63 about three and half miles north of Houston. According to the highway patrol report a 2008 Chevrolet Aveo being driven north by 19 year old Gabrielle Lewis of Cabool traveled off the right side of the road. Lewis then overcorrected, traveled off the left side of the roadway and overturned several times. Lewis, who was not wearing a seat restraint, suffered serious injuries and was taken by air ambulance to Cox South in Springfield. The Aveo was totaled and removed from the scene by Jay’s Towing.

The Salem Police Department have released reports from the first week of July from the calls received and traffic stops. On Monday night, July 3rd, at approximately 8:00 officers contacted and arrested 25-year-old Phylicia Tinker for an active warrant for her arrest. Tinker had no bond and was incarcerated at the Dent County Jail. The next morning at approximately 10:00 officers were dispatched to the City Park for a report of vandalism. It was reported that in the overnight hours subjects damaged and defaced park property. Video surveillance was obtained of the suspects and this incident is still under investigation. Then Thursday afternoon, July 6th, at approximately 5:00 officers were dispatched to Walmart for a report of a trespasser due to prior shoplifting. Contact was made with the 39-year-old Salem female and she was issued summons to appear in court and reminded not to be on Wal Mart property. At approximately 11:00 in the evening on Friday, July 7th, officers were dispatched to the 400 block of East Hunt for a report of a domestic disturbance. Once on scene officers were informed that a male subject was highly intoxicated and assaulting subjects at the residence. As a result a 44-year-old Salem male was arrested for disorderly conduct and placed on a 12-hour safekeep due to his level of intoxication. That same night at about midnight officers conducted a traffic stop for a vehicle failing to stop at a stop sign. During the traffic stop the officer observed signs of impairment from the driver. An investigation into Driving While Intoxicated was conducted. As a result of the investigation a 29-year-old Salem male was arrested for DWI. If you have any information about any ongoing investigation please contact the Salem Police Department at (573) 729-4242.

A Special Meeting of the City of Salem Board of Aldermen will be Tuesday at 6:00 in the City Hall Council Chambers at 202 North Washington. After the call to order and roll call, an Open Public Hearing on Floodplain Management will be heard. Interested parties may comment and will be limited to three to five minutes. There will be then be a second reading of Bill #3551 which relates to adoption of floodplain management regulations. The Special Meeting of the Board of Aldermen was called by Mayor Greg Parker.

The Salem Memorial Hospital Board of Directors meeting for Tuesday night has been postponed and will be rescheduled at a later date.

The University of Missouri Extension is holding a class for the ServSafe Food Protection Manager Certification exam. ServSafe training and certification is the most widely recognized food safety certification in all jurisdictions. The class will be held Tuesday, July 25th and Wednesday, July 26th in Rolla from 9:00 in the monring until 1:30 in the afternoon at 105 Fairgrounds Road at the Missouri Department of Mental Health Rolla Regional office. The cost is $125 to attend and includes the purchase of the ServSafe Food Manager Course book and exam. The class includes two days of lecture followed with an exam. Both days must be attended. All registered participants will receive a course book and exam. Please contact instructor Cece Kimmel for further course content questions: 573-458-6256; or call the Phelps County Extension Office at 573-458-6260.

The Missouri Department of Transportation has approved the proposed 2024-2028 Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP). Projects in the STIP for Dent County include a scoping engineering project on Route TT for bridge improvements over Crooked Creek in the next two years, the bridge replacement on Highway 19 South over Gladden Creek at an expected cost of $1,827,000 in the 2024 fiscal year, pavement improvements to Route K from Highway 19 to Route KK as well as on Route J from Highway 72 to Highway 32-72 at a cost of $2,071,000 in fiscal year 2025, upgrades to pedestrian facilities on Highway 32 to comply with the ADA Transition Plan at a total cost of $1,991,000 that will begin in fiscal year 2025 with the engineering and right-of-way purchase followed by the construction beginning in fiscal year 2026; the bridge improvement on Route B over Dry Creek at a cost of $1,330,000 in the 2026 fiscal year, and the bridge improvement on Highway 19 over Spring Creek for $231,000 in fiscal year 2027. The STIP program is available on MoDOT’s website: www.modot.org.

A lucky Missouri Lottery player got a little extra bang for his buck when his Mega Millions ticket won a $1 million prize in the July 4 drawing by matching all five white-ball numbers drawn. He purchased the winning ticket at Casey’s, 800 E. Scenic Rivers Blvd. in Salem. Mega Millions is a multi-state game that is drawn on Tuesdays and Fridays. In Fiscal Year 2022, players in Dent County won more than $3 million in Missouri Lottery prizes, retailers received more than $301,000 in commissions and bonuses, and more than $208,000 in Lottery proceeds went to education programs in the county.

The Dent County Commission met Thursday morning at the Dent County Courthouse. At the meeting, Tad Headrick talked to the commission about a concern that had spread on social media that after the governor appointed Gary Polk as the District 2 Commissioner, his road received immediate attention. Headrick wanted to bring this to the attention of the commission to address the rumors and chatter. Both Presiding Commissioner Gary Larson and District 1 Commissioner Wes Mobray stated the road he lives on simply came up on the county road rotation for maintenance and no special treatment was given. Headrick also asked if it was possible for the commission to do some gravel work around the Anutt Community Church where he said the there are a lot of ditches around the road that make it difficult for the elderly to use the church. Commissioner Polk said he would try to get someone out there today to take a look. Dent County Treasurer Denita Williams gave the sales tax report for the monies received in July. She said the General Revenue Fund and LEST Fund each received $89,128.26 which is $3,702.06 less than for July of 2022. Year-to-date, the GR and LEST funds are down $4,103.93. The Road and Bridge Fund received $41,921.42 in July which is down 2,080.61 from July of 2022. Year-to-date, that fund is down $1,551.80. The Jail Operating and Trust funds each received $84,264.63 and that is down $3,705.64 from July 2022 receipts. Year-to-date, that fund is down $115.38 These figures are all net of the monthly withholding by the Department of Revenue. Brian Williams from McCoy Construction and Forestry in Cuba was in to update the commission on the status of their new graders and they are still scheduled to be delivered to McCoy on September 22nd and the commission should have the graders the last week of September. In the road report, Mobray said work crews would be out checking roads from the storms Thursday morning. They also will be working on a brush cutter that shorted out on the road and they will be changing some fuses as recommended by company repair person who has not yet been to Dent County. They hope that will correct the problem. District commissioner Polk said grading was done on Dent County Road 3090 and grading on county road 3120 will be completed. He said stockpiling of rock continues at the county shed and Polk said materials would be added and patch grading done on county road 4260. Polk also said culverts would be installed on county road 3165 and crews will be checking for washouts. Presiding Commission Gary Larson said the county, in accordance with the Secure Rural Schools Act, would put $80,000 into Title I Funds and $20,000 into Title III Funds. Larson was also invited to the Missouri State Fair by Senator Josh Hawley in August. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley said she balanced with the assessor and collector on all abatements, add-ons and collections for the month of June. She also said she balanced with the treasurer on all accounts for the month of June. Curley brought to the commission Dent County Resolution #1 that comes from the Missouri Ethics Commission that establishes a procedure for certain elected officials to disclose any possible conflict of interest or substantial interests they may have with them holding office. The county clerk, presiding commissioner, prosecuting attorney and judges must file these forms every two years. The next meeting of the Dent County Commission will be Monday morning at 9:00 at the courthouse and the meeting is open to the public.

An accident happened Wednesday morning in Dent County at 11:30 on County Road 2400 five miles west of Salem. According to the highway patrol report, a 2012 Suzuki 400 being operated by 17 year old male juvenile of Albuquerque, New Mexico was traveling north when he entered a curve. The bike then traveled off the left side of road, overturned, and struck a barbed wire fence. The teen suffered serious injuries and was taken by Salem Memorial ambulance to Air Evac. The Suzuki sustained minor damage and was secured at the roadside. The report went on to state that the operator was not any wearing safety equipment.

The Creative Arts Center will be holding a two-day book binding workshop where you can learn to make your own journal. The workshop will be held Monday, July 17th and Tuesday, July 18th from 1:00 until 3:00 in the afternoon with Alexandra ‘Lexie” Mutch. Participants will be tearing down paper, cutting and gluing covers unique to their tastes, then sewing a strong and lovely binding for their own blank book. The cost is $30 per person for those 12 years of age and above and all supplies are provided. Sign up at the salemcommunitybetterment.com website under “Programs” for the Creative Arts Center. A minimum of three people will need to sign up to hold the class and it will be limited to no more than 12.

Residents of the City of Salem can place their limbs and branches blows down in the recent storms at the curbside next week for pickup. The city will be picking up the debris starting Monday, July 17th and continuing through Friday, July 21st. Please bundle your twigs and sticks together to make it easier on the guys picking up the limbs, twigs and sticks. There will be no charge for this service.