Archive for 2024

The Dent County Commissioners met for their regular meeting Thursday morning at the Dent County Courthouse. Dent County Treasurer Denita Williams gave the sales tax figures the county received from the state this month. In the General Revenue Fund and the Law Enforcement Sales Tax Fund, the county received $84,554.26 which is down around $6,677.56 dollars from the February 2023 receipts of $91,226.82. Year-to-date, those funds are down $11,514.45. For the Road and Bridge Fund, the county received $39,154.40 and that is down $2,446.32 from the 2023 February figure of $41,600.72 received. Year-to-date, that fund is down $5,055.00. The Jail Operating and Trust Funds each received $78,730.38 this February and that was down $4,471.17 than the February 2023 receipt of $83,201.55. Year-to-date, those funds are each down $9,226.93. The amount received in January and February in 2023 was before the agreement was reached between the commissioners and Missouri Department of Revenue on how Dent County was to pay back the money received from the Department of Revenue by mistake. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Wes Mobray stated Dent County Road 5510 had been fixed. He also said rock would be added and grading done on Dent County Roads 6350 and 6370 while only grading would be done on county road 6320. Mobray also reported a loader would be moving the chips at the county road and bridge department. District 2 Commissioner Gary Polk said rock would be added and grading done on Dent County Roads 2160, 5300 and 5305 while rock only would be added to county road 2150. Polk said grading would be done on county roads 2165 and 2170 while brush would be cut on county road 4060. Presiding Commissioner Gary Larson said he attended the TAC and MRPC meeting Thursday evening in St. James and that the courthouse would be closed on Monday, February 12th for Lincoln’s Birthday; and on Monday, February 19th for President’s Day. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley said she balanced with the collector and assessor on all collections, add-ons and abatements for the month of January. At the last meeting, the commission agreed to put out a construction bid request to build a new salt shed with dimensions of 45 feet by 30 feet with 16 foot high walls. The commission also put out a notice to submit bids to provide the county road and bridge department with eighty 15-inch by 20- foot polypropylene culverts, and thirty 18-inch by 20-foot polypropylene culverts, as well as 30 heat treated grader blades for the Cat graders and 60 grader blades for John Deere graders, delivered to the Road and Bridge Department. The specs for all the bid notices are available at the Dent County Clerk’s office in the courthouse. Bids for the salt shed construction will be due by 10:00 in the morning on Monday, March 11th; bids for the culverts will be due by 10:30 that same morning, and finally bids for the grader blades will be due by 11:00 Monday morning, March 11th in the commissioner’s office. For questions on the grader blade or culvert specs, call 729-4144, and for questions on the salt shed construction, call Commissioner Wes Mobray at 729-7770 or 573-247-2788. The bids will be opened in the offices of the Dent County Commission on Monday, March 11th at the time due as established by the commission. The next meeting of the Dent County Commission will be Thursday morning at 9:00 at the courthouse and the meeting is open to the public.

Have you been dialing 573 before your local numbers? Most people haven’t but beginning February 24th, you will have to dial the 573 area code as well as your local seven digit number to complete a call. This is because a new area code of 235 is being added in our area as an “overlay” of the existing 573 area code and not replacing it. The overlay does not require customers to change their existing area code, but it will require them to dial the area code to complete local calls. The six-month permissive dialing period began back in August to give consumers adequate time to adjust to the dialing changes from seven to 10 digits. So starting Saturday, February 24th, all local calls made within the 573 area code must be placed using 10 digits (area code + the 7-digit telephone number). Calls placed using just seven digits will not be completed. Starting on March 24th, new telephone services may be assigned numbers using the new 235 area code as well as the old 573 area code.

Have you made your appointment yet with the Volunteers from AARP who are conducting free tax filing assistance at the Salem Community Center@ the Armory again this year on Fridays? Spaces are filling up fast!! This free tax filing assistance will continue every Friday until April 5th. Appointments can be made by calling the Salem Community Center at 729-8163. This is the 20th year that Healthy Dent County has partnered with AARP to provide this free tax service to our community and it is provided entirely by AARP trained volunteers. AARP Foundation Tax-Aide volunteers are trained in filing certain tax forms and schedules, including the Form 1040. However, the Volunteer Protection Act requires that our volunteers stay in the scope of the program. If counselors feel they do not have adequate knowledge or your return is too complex, you may need to seek another qualified counselor or paid tax assistance. Items you will need to bring with you to have your tax returns prepared include: Proof of identification such as a picture ID; Social Security Cards for you, your spouse and dependents; or a Social Security Number verification letter issued by the Social Security Administration. You should also bring birth dates for you, your spouse and dependents on the tax return. Also needed are wage and earning statement(s) Form W-2, W-2G, 1099-R, 1099- Misc from all employers; year-end Social Security Statements showing total SS received and Medicare payments; and interest and dividend statements from banks (Forms 1099). You should bring a copy of last year’s federal and state returns if available; plus proof of bank account routing numbers and account numbers for Direct Deposit, such as a blank check or deposit slip. To file taxes electronically on a married-filing-joint tax return, both spouses must be present to sign the required forms. The Salem Community Center @ the Armory is located at 1200 West Rolla Road. Appointments can be made by calling 729-8163.

An accident happened at 12:00 noon Tuesday in St. Charles County on Highway 79 at the Cuivre River Bridge. According to the highway patrol report, a 2004 Hyundai Santa Fe driven north bound by 66-year-old Cynthia McCleary of Pocahontas, Illinois, was passing in a “No Passing” zone when the Hyundai went off the left side of the roadway before returning to the road. At that time, a 1994 Chevrolet S-10 driven southbound by 69-year-old George Norvell of Louisiana, Missouri, attempted to avoid the Hyundai by swerving to the left. The front of the Santa Fe struck the front of the S-10. Suffering serious injuries were both drivers. Cynthia McCleary was taken by the Lincoln County Ambulance to Mercy Hospital in St. Louis while George Norwell was taken by Air Evac to Mercy Hospital in St. Louis. Two passengers in the Hyundai also suffered serious injuries including 54-year-old Carol Johnson of Steelville, who was flown by Air Evac to Mercy Hospital in St. Louis, and 28-year old Jeana Holland of St. Charles, who was taken by the St. Charles County Ambulance to Mercy Hospital in St. Louis. Only Holland was not wearing a seat restraint at the time of the accident. Both vehicles sustained extensive damage and were removed from the scene by B&B Towing.

A “Puppy Love” Kids Paint Party will be held at the Creative Ars Center on Friday, February 9th from 6:00 yo 8:00 with Danielle Norris. Get a head start on Valentines Day by bringing your kiddos age 5 and up for a paint party, while you and your significant other get dinner! Kids under 5 must have a guardian present. Or join your kiddo(s) for a fun night of painting. They will be taken step by step through this cute painting. All Supplies and light snacks will be provided! The cost of the paint party is $10 for kids and $15 for adults. Six people need to sign up for the class to be held and no more than 20 attendees will be allowed. Class registrations are first come, first serve basis with online registrations. Interested persons can sign up at the salemcommunitybetterment.com website for activities at the Creative Arts Center under “Programs.”

Mayor Greg Parker has called for a budget workshop to be held tonight at 5:30 with the Salem Board of Aldermen and the Finance Committee at the Salem Community Center@The Armory at 1200 West Rolla Road. They will discuss budget priorities and a mission statement if time allows. The budget workshop is open to the public.

Healthy Dent County and Curt’s Mobile Homes will be sponsoring a Valentine’s Dance Friday night at the Salem Community Center@The Armory at 6:30. The doors will open at 6:00 and the cost is $5.00 per person and the event is open to everyone who is 18-years-of-age and older. Candy and The Cowboy will provide the entertainment featuring country and pop music. Concessions will be available so come out and enjoy a fun night of food and dancing. For more information, call 729-8163.

The Salem Police Department has released a report for the week of January 20th through the 26th. On Saturday afternoon, January 20th at around 2:00, officers responded to a male subject that was acting under the influence near the intersection of First and Warfel streets. After investigating, the man was found to be in possession of capsules suspected to be fentanyl. As a result, the 37-year-old Salem man was incarcerated at the Dent County Jail. Later that evening near 6:00, officers were dispatched to the Truman Trailer Court for the report of an out-of-control subject. After arrival of officers, a 39-year-old Salem man was found to be uncooperative and under the influence. He was placed on a 12-hour safekeep. On Sunday, January 21st at approximately 4:00 in the afternoon, an officer concluded an investigation into shoplifting from Wal-Mart on more than one occasion. During the investigation, it was found a male subject had been previously charged and trespassed from Wal-Mart. As a result, a 44-year-old Salem man was arrested and issued a summons for Burglary in the 1st degree charges. On Monday, January 22nd around noon, officers arrested 24-year-old Deseray Fish of Salem for an active capias warrant for her arrest. Fish was then incarcerated at the Dent County Jail. On Thursday afternoon, January 25th at approximately 3:00, officers responded to an accident involving a school bus. It was reported that a vehicle crossed the center turn lane near the intersection of Center Street and Highway 19 and struck the school bus which was able to get stopped and sound its horn. After an investigation was conducted, and it was found the operator of the vehicle was intoxicated. As a result, a 56-year-old Salem woman was arrested and placed on a 24-hour hold pending the application of warrants. No injuries were reported or apparent in the crash. Please contact the Salem Police Department at (573) 729-4242 if you have any information regarding any ongoing investigation.

The Salem Memorial District Hospital Board of Directors has a vacancy for the Director of Election District one. The hospital bylaws and RSMO Section 206.090.1, provide that a vacancy on the board shall be filled by appointment by the remaining Board of Directors. The appointee will hold office until the municipal election to be held in April 2025. Candidates for director of the hospital district shall be citizens of the United States, voters of the election district one and who have resided within the state for one year preceding the election and who are at least 30 years of age. Persons interested in being considered by the Board of Directors shall complete and file a Request for Appointment. The Request for Appointment Form may be obtained in person at the Administrative offices of Salem Memorial Hospital located at 35629 Highway 72 in Salem between the hours of 8:00 in the morning and 4:00 in the afternoon, Monday through Friday, through February 16th, 2024. Applicants are expected to appear at the SPECIAL Board of Directors meeting that will be held on Friday evening, February 16th at 6:00 for a brief interview. District boundary information may be obtained at the Administrative Office of Salem Memorial District Hospital during regular business hours.

The Creative Arts Center is offering a Photography Fundamentals class on “Getting to know your camera better.” The class will be held on February 8th and 15th from 6:00 until 8:00 with Bob Phelan. Learn the fundamentals of how your camera does what it does, and how to interpret the information it gives you so that you can produce images that make you happy. Film or digital, it doesn’t matter. Want to take better pictures of your kids? Learn wildlife photography techniques? Shoot high school sports? Can’t figure out why you aren’t getting the results you want? That will all be covered. Class includes handouts and a camera cleaning kit! The class is open to persons 12 years of age and older. At least three students are needed for the class with a maximum of 20. The cost is $30 for both sessions and that includes all the supplies. Class registrations are on a first come, first serve basis with online registrations. Interested persons can sign up at the salemcommunitybetterment.com website by looking under “Programs” for activities at the Creative Arts Center.

An accident happened in Maries County Sunday afternoon at 4:34 on Highway 63 about two miles south of Vienna. According to the highway patrol report, a 2004 Honda Accord driven southbound by 19-year-old Lillie Register of Rolla, traveled off the right side of the roadway and went through a fence before coming to rest facing southbound. Register suffered minor injuries and she was taken by the Maries County EMS to Phelps Health. The Honda sustained minor damages and was removed from the scene by Plaza Towing. Register was wearing a seat restraint at the time of the accident.