Archive for 2023

An accident happened in Dent County Saturday night on Dent County Road 2240 about a mile west of Salem. According to the highway patrol report, 24-year-old Ethan Newman of Salem, was driving a 2022 Kawasaki Teryx KRX1000 UTV eastbound when he lost control and traveled off the right side of the road. The UTV came back on the road and struck the side of a 2005 Ford F-150 driven westbound by 62-year-old Cary Nash of Salem. The UTV then overturned, ejected Newman who suffered serious injuries and was flown by Mercy to the Mercy Hospital in Creve Coeur. It was unknown if Newton was using safety devices at the time of the accident. Nash was not injuries in the accident and drove the Ford that sustained moderate damages from the scene. The UTV also sustained moderate damages and was towed from the scene by a private conveyance. Newton was charged with a DWI and failure to drive on the right half of the roadway resulting in a crash by the highway patrol.

Saturday at the Salem Civic Theatre (formally known as the City Hall Auditorium), the 71st Annual Variety Show and Miss Salem Contest was held sponsored by the Cosmopolitan Club with this year’s theme “A Night to Remember.” Ten girls were in the running for the 2023 Miss Salem crown and narrator Catherine Dent announced the winners. The 2023 Miss Salem was Tessa Gorman who was crowned by the 2022 Miss Salem, Sierra Rusco. She was sponsored by Vandivort Drug. The 1st-Runner-Up went to Brooke Yates sponsored by Progressive Ozark Bank, the 2nd-Runner up was presented to Neely Leathers sponsored by Inman Insurance and the Miss Personality Award which is voted on by the girls competing, went to Yadira Blanco sponsored by Bigos Mexican Restaurant. Congratulations to all the contestants.

The Dent County Fire Protection Board of Directors will be meeting tomorrow evening at 6:00 at the fire station located #2 South Main Street. After approval of the consent agenda, the board will review the minutes of the February meeting, hear the financial report and approve bills, then review the budget. After the calandar review, the board will view the monthly reimbursement report before hearing any old or new business. Fire Chief Brad Nash will then make his report to the board. The date will then be set for the April meeting before adjourning. The meeting this Tuesday evening will be open to the public.

The Salem Area Community Bettermemnt Assocation invites everyone out to the “Art Across The Ages” show at the Ozark Natural and Cultural Resource Center’s gallery room. Sponsored by the Salem Area Arts Council, the exhibit will be open starting today until March 31st from 9:00 to 5:00 weekdays with an Open House as well as a reception for the all the artists and their families tomorrow from 4:00 until 7:00. Come and enjoy this unique exhibit highlighting the talent of the artists of all ages in the area. There are a wide variety of artists who give many perspectives, adding to the vision of the artist evolving from childhood to adult. It is the goal of the Salem Area Arts Council to involve the public, displaying and recognizing local art and artists, and to bring art related activities to the area.

A four-week Bevel Leaded Stained Glass class with Jennifer Curry at the Creative Arts Center starts Tuesday from 5:00 to 8:00 where students will learn cutting, grinding, soldering, came pulling and cutting zinc came in order to build a leaded panel. The materials and equipment will be provided. The cost is $175 and at least two people must sign up for the class to be held with a maximum of six. The class starts Tuesday, March 7th and ends on March 28th. For more information, go online at salemcommunitybetterment.com and look under programs for the Salem Creative Arts Center, or call or text 573-247-0651.

The Salem Hospital Foundation will be holding a CornHole Tournament at the Salem Community Center@The Armory Saturday. Registration starts at 10:00 with the bags to fly at 11:00. This is a double elimination tournament and there is $1,000 in prizes. To register, call Clifton Parker at 647-9338 or go on the Scoreholio app.

To guide the state’s internet expansion and training efforts, the Missouri Office of Broadband Development and University of Missouri Extension are conducting a brief online survey on household internet access and use. The anonymous survey can be found online at muext.us/MissouriInternetSurvey. The survey, which takes about six minutes to complete, asks households about existing internet use such as devices used, connections and applications as well as barriers to Internet use such as financial obstacles, training and assistance needs. Allen Spell, assistant extension professor of community and regional economics at the University of Missouri, says broadband can boost a community’s economic growth and quality of life with benefits including gains in job growth, income and gross domestic product. Spell states realizing those benefits requires not just the physical availability of high-speed Internet connections but also the adoption and use of those connections for applications like telemedicine and expanded opportunities related to education, employment and business. According to B.J. Tanksley, the director of the Office of Broadband Development, hearing from citizens in urban and especially rural areas is an incredibly valuable part of understanding our state’s needs. Tanksley encourages everyone who has Internet service to complete the survey, and hopes those who do NOT have Internet service can find a public access location to go online and complete the survey which will be used to obtain community feedback to support the development of additional data-driven tools and outreach reinforcing the Office of Broadband Development’s broadband efforts across the state.

March is the annual observance of National Nutrition Month, a campaign to raise awareness of healthy eating and physical activity. Nutrition is especially important for older adults. Receiving proper nutrition is not only a vital part of healthy aging it can impact immunity, energy levels, heart health and much more. National Nutrition Month is the perfect time for older adults to educate themselves and consider the impact certain food choices have on their physical, mental, and emotional well-being. The Salem Senior Center can help with education on nutrition and how to live a healthy lifestyle. On Tuesday morning at 11:00, the Salem Senior Center will have Stephanie Wofford from the Dent County Extension Office in attendance to discuss nutrition information. This is a great way to learn more about health and nutrition while enjoying good food, visiting with friends, and having fun. For more information, contact Jody Schaefer, 573-729-2373, and see them on Facebook: Salem Senior Center.