Archive for 2023

At a special Salem R-80 School board meeting held Friday, April 7th, the Salem R80 Board of Education accepted the resignation of Kevin Miles as teacher/head football coach/assistant AD for the 2023-2024 school year. The school board hired Neil Myers as the new head football coach and assistant AD. Mr. Myers had been hired at the March board meeting as a special education teacher and as assistant football coach. The meeting was then adjourned.

An accident occurred Friday evening around 6:49 in Dent County on Route HH just north of Dent County Road 6140. According to the highway patrol report, a 2010 Ford Edge driven by 51-year-old Steven Key of Jadwin, was traveling southbound and traveled off the right side of the roadway. The Ford struck a fence and overturned before the vehicle caught on fire. Key suffered minor injuries and was transported to Salem Memorial District Hospital by Salem Memorial District Ambulance. Key was not wearing a safety restraint at the time of the accident. The Ford was totaled and removed from the scene by Whitaker’s Towing.

Warmer weather usually means an increase in outside projects that may require digging or excavation work. If you are building a deck, planting a tree, or completing a large project, Missouri law requires anyone digging underground to notify Missouri 811 by calling 811 or placing a locate request online at www.missouri-811.org before any excavation begins. The call will be taken by the Missouri 811 Call Center, which then notifies all relevant utilities in the project area. Once Missouri 811 is notified, utility companies will mark the approximate location of their underground lines, request additional information or advise you that they do not have facilities at the excavation site. Hitting an underground line can cause serious injury, it could disrupt service to you and other customers and it could potentially result in fines and repair costs. Missouri Public Service Commission Chairman Scott Rupp said that it is very important to contact Missouri 811 at 811; or go online at www.missouri-811.org to place a locate request before starting to dig so underground utility lines can be marked. He went on to state that citizens will help protect yourself, your family and your property by making sure you call or click before you dig. Call before you dig. It’s free and it’s the law. For more information, please go to Missouri 811 at www.missouri-811.org.

The Dent County Fire Protection District Board of Directors will be meeting Tuesday evening at 6:00 at the fire station located at #2 South Main Street. After the roll call and approval of the consent agenda, the board will review the minutes from the March meeting before hearing the financial report. They will also approve bills and review the districts budget. Following the calendar review, the monthly reimbursement report will be heard along with any old or new business to be discussed. Fire Chief Brad Nash will then make his report to the board. The date will then be set for the May meeting before adjourning and the board any move into closed session if needed. The meeting Tuesday evening will be open to the public.

Come to The Creative Arts Center in Salem this Friday from 4:00 until 6:00 and make your very own tie dye riverbag with Laura Miller. You will make a drawstring bag made from heavyweight duck using professional dye that will not fade that is 18 by 24 inches. All supplies are included for the cost of $35 and you choose the colors. For more information, call or text 573-247-0651, or you can go online to register at salemcommunitybetterment.com and look under programs for the Salem Creative Arts Center.

The Ozark Natural and Cultural Resource Center will feature a Dent County History exhibit with artifacts from the Dent County Museum on display starting today lasting through May 20th.

A one vehicle accident happened Wednesday evening at 8:40 in Dent County on Highway P two miles south of Salem. According to the highway patrol report, a 2007 Pontiac GS being driven by 23 year old James Collins of Salem was traveling northbound when he traveled off the right side of the roadway and struck an embankment. Collins, and a passenger, 20 year old Emily Marrill-Hamm also of Salem, were both taken to the Salem Memorial Hospital for treatment of moderate injuries. The Pontiac sustained moderate damage and was removed from the scene by Whitaker’s Towing. The report went on to state that Collins nor the passenger were wearing seat restraints at the time of the accident.

The Dent County Commissioners met Thursday morning at the courthouse. At the meeting, Dent County Clerk Angie Curley named Gary Larson the acting Presiding Commissioner. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Wes Mobray said workers cleaned seven trees off roads in District 1 on Wednesday after the storm which dumped a lot of water in some areas and not so much in others. Mobray said patch grading was going to be done on Dent County Roads 4210, 6580 and 6590 and on any roads that need repair the workers find. Two trucks will also be stockpiling rock at the road shed. District 2 Commissioner Larson said crews would be repairing Dent County Road 4040 where a crossover pipe was partially washed out. They will be adding materials and readjusting the position of the pipe. Larson said grading was also going to be done on county roads 3333, 3335, 3337, 4060 and 4290 while materials would be added and grading done on Dent County Road 3330. He went on to say brush would be cut on county road 2120. Dent County Clerk Curley said only 13.09% of the registered voters eligible to vote in the county cast their vote. The Commissioners elected to close the courthouse today for Good Friday. Dent County Treasurer Denita Williams reported on the previous county depository bids that had been submitted and opened. The bids reflected the interest the county would earn on their deposits at a local financial institution. Progressive Ozark Bank’s bid was for 3.75% while The Bank of Salem’s bid was for 4.475%. Williams recommended and the commissioners approved going with The Bank of Salem bid. At the meeting, Corky Stack with Stack Engineering came in to discuss the previous contract change order on the courthouse repairs. It was previously reported the change was from 300 to 600 sheets of plywood which was incorrect. The actual change was from 300 to 600 linear board feet of lumber due to more rotten or broken wood. Dent County Collector Shannon VanKirk came in to give her monthly report for March where her office collected $185,521.93. The commission agreed to request the allocation of engineering funds for Flap Project 077 at $48,757.64, and that with the full allocation of funds, this will reduce the amount available for construction. The next meeting of the Dent County Commissioners will be Monday morning at 9:00 and the meeting is open to the public.

Healthy Dent County would like to invite everyone out to the fun community event, the “Non Newlywed Game” Show. You won’t want to miss this even as it is couple vs. couple in this hilarious version of the classic game show where you will discover just how much our couples know (or don’t know!) about their spouse! This fundraising event will be held next Friday, April 14th at the Salem Community Center @ the Armory beginning at 6:30 PM. Four local married couples have been selected to play the game, they are: George and Liz Gruendel; Mason and Ashlee Roper; Joel and Dottie Steelman; and Chris and Jody Heavin. These couples have graciously volunteered their time to play this fun game and entertain the audience. VIP sponsored tables can be reserved with a $300 donation. The VIP Tables includes reserved seating; free wine and sparkling cider and light refreshments. A concession stand and cash bar will be open during the evening. A limited number of individual tickets will be sold for $25 per ticket. The individual tickets will not have reserved seating. Lei’s will be sold throughout the night to support your favorite couple. Last year this event sold out with tickets not being available at the door so get your tickets now by calling 729-8163. The Salem Community Center @ the Armory is located at 1200 W. Rolla Road in Salem. The event begins at 6:30 PM and doors will open at 5:30 PM.

The Salem R-80 Board of Education will be holding a special meeting today at noon via zoom. The meeting will be held to discuss personnel in closed session.

The Salem Police Department during the week of March 11th through the 17th had a total of 116 calls for service. Officers conducted 24 traffic stops for various traffic violations with 6 resulting in a summons or arrest. Officers conducted two traffic accident investigations along with filing five informational reports. From those calls, these reports were generated. Early Sunday morning at about 4:30, March the 12th, officers were dispatched to the 200 block of South Jackson for a report of an assault. It was reported that a male subject showed up at a residence and during a disagreement assaulted one of the residents. The victim fled the scene and officers made contact with him. This investigation is still ongoing. Then on the morning of Tuesday, March 14th around 8:00, officers were dispatched to Dirt Cheap for a report of a person leaving without paying for fuel. It was reported that a woman in a Silver Lincoln Town car bearing license plate VH4-S0M pumped $20 worth of fuel and left without paying for it. This incident is still under investigation. On Thursday, March 16th at approximately 3:30 in the afternoon, officers concluded a short-term investigation and located two subjects that had warrants for their arrest. As a result of the investigation, 36-year-old David Myers of Salem and 19-year-old William “Chance” Gentry of Salem were arrested and incarcerated at the Dent County Jail. Please contact the Salem Police Department at (573) 729-4242 if you have any information regarding any ongoing investigation.

Time is running out if you need to order your trees and shrubs for your landscape. The Missouri Department of Conservation says to “Go native” with tree and shrub seedlings from the Missouri from the George O. White State Forest Nursery near Licking. Native trees and shrubs can help improve wildlife habitat and soil and water conservation while also improving the appearance and value of private property. The George O. White State Forest Nursery offers a variety of low-cost native tree and shrub seedlings for sale for reforestation, windbreaks, erosion control, wildlife food and cover, and other purposes. The nursery provides mainly one-year-old, bare-root seedlings with sizes varying by species. Seedlings varieties include: pine, bald cypress, cottonwood, black walnut, hickory, oak, pecan, persimmon, river birch, maple, willow, sycamore, blackberry, buttonbush, hazelnut, redbud, ninebark, spicebush, elderberry, sumac, wild plum, witch hazel, and others. Seedlings are available in bundles of 10 or increments of 25 per species. Prices range from 34 cents to $1 per seedling. Sales tax of 6.1 percent will be added to orders unless tax exempt. There is an $9 handling charge for each order. Receive a 15% discount up to $20 off seedling orders with a Heritage Card, Permit Card, or Conservation ID Number. The nursery grows millions of seedlings each year, but some species are very popular and sell out quickly and some seedlings occasionally succumb to harsh weather or hungry wildlife, despite the nursery staff’s best efforts. Even if a species is listed as “sold out,” customers can still place an order for those seedlings because other orders may get canceled, freeing up inventory. Customers won’t be charged for seedlings unless they are available to ship. Due to shipping costs tripling from past years, the nursery must now charge shipping fees for orders being shipped to Missouri addresses. This is the first time in the nursery’s 80-plus-year history that they have had to do this. Orders will be processed through April 15th so order now! Orders will be shipped or can be picked up at the nursery near Licking through May. You can learn more and place orders using at MDC regional offices and nature centers, or by calling the State Forest Nursery at 573-674-3229.

Century farms and ranches have shaped our nation and state. The Missouri Century Farm Program celebrates the lasting contributions farmers and ranchers have made to our country’s and state’s heritage. In 1976, the Centennial Farm project was initiated in Missouri, awarding certificates to persons owning farms that had been in the same family for 100 years or more. Ten years later, the University of Missouri Extension and the MU College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources created the annual Century Farm program and recognition. Since the program began in 1976, more than 8,000 Missouri farms have received the Century Farm designation. To have a farm be designated as a Missouri Century Farm, the same family must have owned the farm for 100 consecutive years or more as of December 31, 2023; the line of ownership from the original settler or buyer may be through children, grandchildren, siblings and nephews and nieces, including through marriage or adoption; and the present farm shall consist of no less than 40 acres of the original land and shall make a financial contribution to the overall farm income. The application period is open until May 1st and you can apply through our online application process. A fee of $140 is required to cover processing costs, a certificate, a booklet and one two-sided, 2-foot by 2-foot metal sign for each approved farm. No late applications will be accepted. To apply, go to extension.missouri.edu/programs/century-farms.