Archive for 2023

The Salem Area Chamber of Commerce and the City of Salem will hold their annual 4th of July Independence Day Parade Tuesday evening stating at 6:00. This year’s Grand Marshall is Keith Steelman. The parade will leave from the SBU-Salem campus and progress east on Franklin to MacArthur, then make a left turn and travel north to 4th Street where the parade will veer right and head down to the Dent County Courthouse. Everyone is invited to come out and enjoy the parade. Bring your lawn chairs and cold beverages to stay well hydrated. If you can’t make it to the parade, KSMO Media will be streaming the parade LIVE on the KSMO Stream Facebook page, the KSMO YouTube channel and on ksmoradio.com which is our Twitch channel. All three of the streams will be available at the KSMO website home page (ksmoradio.com). The parade will probably begin streaming around 6:15. There is no cost to stream the parade and if you can’t watch it live, it will be archived for playback at a later time.

This Fourth of July, the Ozark National Scenic Riverways is partnering with local law enforcement agencies to emphasize the importance of driving sober and saving lives on America’s roads. Visitors will see an increased presence of officers working together in and around the park during this holiday weekend to take impaired drivers off the roads. These expanded efforts to protect against impaired driving will be conducted in a fair and equitable way. You can “Beat the Heat” by making a commitment to sober driving. From 2017 to 2021, there were 1,460 drivers killed in motor vehicle traffic crashes over the Fourth of July holiday period and 38% of the drivers killed were drunk. Sadly, many people think driving impaired is no big deal. Though Missouri has legalized marijuana for recreational use, it is still illegal to use it on federal lands, including national parks like Ozark National Scenic Riverways. Driving while impaired by marijuana is illegal everywhere. If you plan on coming to the park for the holiday, be sure to celebrate safely. It’s important for everyone to understand that federal law prohibits any open alcohol containers in a motor vehicle, to include use by passengers, and that UTVs are also motor vehicles. A simple rule is to keep alcohol stowed away, out of reach, until arriving at your final destination –including taking a trip to national parks. This Fourth of July, commit to only driving 100% sober. Don’t lose your independence on Independence Day, and don’t be a deadly risk to yourself and other innocent people.

The Doe Run Company has promoted Brian Mangogna to the role of vice president of operations and chief operating officer. In his new role, Mangogna will oversee day-to-day operations for the company’s mining and metals operations, providing the oversight and strategic guidance for Doe Run’s battery recycling plant as well as its mines and mills. Mangogna will celebrate 25 years with Doe Run this September. He began his career as a metallurgist, advancing over the years as mill superintendent, mill manager and general manager for the company’s Southeast Missouri (SEMO) Mining and Milling Division. In 2021, he joined the executive team and was promoted to vice president of mining and milling. According to Mongogna, Doe Run has a long history of being a preferred global provider of lead, copper and zinc, the three base metals that enable modern society, but says they also have resources and technologies that can recover cobalt, nickel, tin and antimony from resources within our control, whether ore bodies or metal byproducts. He says these metals have never been more important to U.S. mineral security and he looks forward to bringing forward new technologies to diversify and sustain our operations for future generations. Mangogna received a bachelor’s degree in metallurgical engineering from University of Missouri in Rolla (now Missouri S&T) and a master’s degree in business administration from Webster University. The Mangogna family resides with his family in Salem, Missouri.

Do you own a kayak but want to increase your paddling skills? Have you wanted to learn how to safely paddle down the river? You’re in luck! Missouri State Parks’ Learn2 Paddle River program can help you learn more about kayaking on the river. The program requires preregistration but is FREE. Participants must bring their own kayaks, life jackets, paddles, lunches, sunscreen, hats and sunglasses and wear appropriate attire for getting wet. The program will include a ground school where there will be an in-depth discussion on river safety, plans, equipment and paddling technique before the water school where participants will learn river paddling skills including ferries, eddy turns and low braces. Those in attendance will also learn how to read the river and river rescues. Classes will be held at the Current River State Park on July 9th from 10:00 in the morning until 3:00 in the afternoon and you can register for that class now. To find out more infromation or to regsiter, go online to mostateparks.com/learn2-paddle-river. If a class is full, please enroll using the waitlist function. If an opening in the class becomes available, you will be notified by the Learn2 staff via email or phone call. If you have any questions, email Taylor.Ratcliff@dnr.mo.gov.

Recently, Missouri State Treasurer Vivek Malek reached $51,817,543.80 in returning unclaimed property to its proper owner for fiscal year 2023. This breaks the previous fiscal year payout record of $50.2 million dollars. The number of accounts returned record was also broken earlier this fiscal year. The record set in fiscal year 2022 was 233,769 and as of last week, Treasurer Malek had returned property from 255,627 accounts for fiscal year 2023. There is still a tremendous amount of unclaimed property in the Missouri State Treasury’s office and at last check, the number comes to about 1.39 BILLION dollars. To see if you or a family member may have unclaimed property, please go to ShowMeMoney.com. There is no charge to use the site and unclaimed amounts can be as little as a dollar to thousands of dollars.

The Salem Police Department want to remind persons fireworks may be discharged in the city beginning July first and may continue through July sixth. Persons wanting to discharge fireworks can do so from 8:00 in the morning until 10:00 at night except on July fourth when the hours shall be 8:00 in the morning until Midnight. Only Class 1.4G fireworks in unmodified form shall be discharged. The city ordinances say the possession of fireworks by anyone under the age of 18 years shall be unlawful unless under the direct supervision of a parent, guardian or person over the age of 18 years. The Salem Police also want to remind you that fireworks shall not be discharged on any public property or public roadway, nor from a motor vehicle. In the event of a burn ban, the Salem Emergency Management Director shall have authority to suspend the discharge of fireworks for public safety.

Dent County Collector Shannon VanKirk wants to remind anyone who still has delinquent Real Estate taxes from 2020 that you will need to pay them IN FULL by 4:30 TODAY!! If you fail to do so, then on July 1st, the taxes for the tax years 2020, 2021 and 2022 will be declared due by Friday, August 25th, 2023. If not paid by then, your parcel will be sold at the Delinquent
Tax Sale that will be held on Monday, August 28th. You will need to pay your 2020 taxeswith cash, cashier’s check or money order. If you are not sure this applies to you or you do not understand how the system works, you need to call the Dent County Collector’s office at (573) 729-3911 with any questions you may have or stop by the Dent County Courthouse. Starting July 1st there will be an additional $25.00 per parcel added to the tax bill to pay for the advertising costs in the Salem News.

The July Fourth holiday weekend is a great opportunity to enjoy one of Missouri’s recreational opportunities or a backyard barbecue, but no matter how you decide to celebrate, your smartest choice is to follow all Missouri traffic. The 2023 traffic counting period for the July Fourth holiday will be from 6:00 tonight to 11:59 Tuesday night, July 4th. During the 2022 counting period, 11 people were killed and 449 injured in Missouri over the holiday in 1,069 traffic crashes. Over the 2022 July Fourth holiday, troopers arrested 146 people for driving while intoxicated. The Highway Patrol will be participating in Operation C.A.R.E. (Crash Awareness & Reduction Effort). All available troopers will be patrolling Missouri roadways to enforce traffic laws, and offering assistance as needed. Anyone needing assistance or who witnesses criminal activity while traveling on Missouri’s roadways can contact the nearest Highway Patrol troop headquarters by calling the Patrol Emergency Report Line at 1-800-525-5555 or *55 on a cellular phone. Motorists may call 1-888-275-6636 to check for road construction along their travel route.

The Dent County Commission met Thursday morning at the courthouse. The commission wanted to remind everyone about the Salem Chamber of Commerce and City of Salem 4th of July Parade at 6:00 Tuesday from the SBU-Salem Campus to the Dent County Courthouse. In the road report, District 1 commissioner Wes
Mobray said crews are cleaning out the box culverts on Dent County Road 6220, patching a pothole on county road 5220, will be brush cutting on county road 6180 and are still working on the rebuilding of county road 5080 that will be chip and sealed in 2024. Mobray said workers are performing maintenance on a tractor and two trucks are stockpiling rock from Rolla at the county shed. He said Blevins Asphalt had completed their chip and seal work in District 1 and earlier this week, workers replaced three culverts on Dent County Road 8430. Presiding Commissioner Gary Larson gave the District 2 report and said materials would be added and grading done on Dent County Road 5310 while two brush cutters would be cutting brush on county roads 3220, 3230 and 3240. Larson also stated a man would be at the county shed on the loader to load the chips that are needed for the chip and seal work in District 2 in the Blevins Asphalt trucks. In his presiding commissioner report, Larson said he attended the Dent County Tourism Tax Committee Monday where they approved two applications for funding that were submitted, but not for the full amount requested. He said there were six reimbursement requests and five of them were approved and one was tabled. Larson said he and Commissioner Mobray decided to close the courthouse on Monday, July 3rd as well as on July 4th. Gary Polk was in attendance at the meeting and due to the courthouse being closed Monday, his swearing in as the new District 2 Commissioner will be held Wednesday, July 5th at 8:30 at the courthouse. The next meeting of the commission will be Thursday, July 6th at 9:00 and the meeting will be open to the public.

The 2023 July Fourth holiday weekend boating counting period for the July Fourth holiday will be from 6:00 tonight to 11:59 the night of Tuesday, July 4th. There were nine boating crashes, which included five injuries and no fatalities. One person drowned during last year’s July Fourth holiday. Troopers made 13 boating while intoxicated arrests over last year’s July Fourth holiday weekend. The Highway Patrol will be participating in Operation Dry Water over the July Fourth holiday. Operation Dry Water specifically targets impaired vessel operators. All available troopers will be patrolling Missouri waterways to enforce boating laws, and offering assistance as needed. Missouri’s boaters are asked to do their part by remaining alert for other boats and swimmers, and being courteous on the water. Never operate a vessel if you’ve consumed alcohol. Boaters need to be aware that it is illegal to discharge fireworks from a vessel so leave all fireworks in a safe place on shore. Remember to share the waterway and use common sense, good judgment, and courtesy to ensure the safety of all. Life jackets save lives so be sure to wear it. Anyone needing assistance or who witnesses criminal activity while traveling on Missouri’s waterways can contact the nearest Highway Patrol troop headquarters by calling the Patrol Emergency Report Line at 1-800-525-5555 or *55 on a cellular phone.

Ozark National Scenic Riverways will celebrate Independence Day with a summertime concert on Saturday night from 6:30 to 8:30 at Alley Spring and Mill. The Gasconade River Band will perform on the banks of Alley Spring in front of the historic Alley Mill. Alley Mill will be open for visitation during the event and a special tour will be held at 7:30. Alley Spring is located five miles west of Eminence on Highway 106. For more information, phone (573) 226-3945.