Archive for 2025

On September 2nd, Your World Today reported that the Salem Public Library would be holding their Recollections meeting at 10:30 Tuesday morning. This is the scheduled time for the “Story Time” program that is returning to the library. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused. The Recollections meeting will be held on Wednesday, September 10th at 10:30. This program is for all adults 60 years of age and older. It is free, and no library card is required to attend.

City of Salem City Administrator Sally Burbridge responded to the talk regarding a citizen’s petition for a State Audit of the City of Salem. Burbridge says in a press release that she wants to be clear that the city welcomes opportunities to strengthen their processes and improve services for the citizens. She says her concern is not with the value of oversight, but with the significant cost that would ultimately be borne by local residents. Burbridge says a state audit is estimated to cost between $80,000 and $125,000. She puts that in perspective that the cost of an audit is comparable to projects already included in the city budget that directly benefit the community such as annual street paving that costs $120,000, the costs for new utility billing and citywide financial software upgrades that are coming in around $100,000 or more, the $109,000 annual debt payments for the Alice Lou Craig Municipal pool, the budgeted $110,000 which is half the cost of paving the T-Ball parking lot at City Park, the recently board approved upgraded storm siren system that will cost $88,900, as well as the annual debt payments of $103,411 for the water utility. Burbridge points out that while not all of these items come directly from the General Fund which is where the audit cost would be incurred, they illustrate the types of projects and obligations an audit of this size could displace. Burbridge says her responsibility as City Administrator is to ensure taxpayer dollars are used in ways that provide the greatest benefit to our community. That is the lens through which she views this potential expenditure.

Healthy Dent County is launching a Mentoring Makes a Difference program and seeking caring adults to mentor local students. The initiative matches mentors with youth in local schools to provide guidance, encouragement and support. Mentors will meet weekly with their matched student in a group school setting for one hour. They will play games, help with homework, listen and build relationships. Mentors help students develop confidence and life skills. Occasional family and recreational events are planned throughout the year. Mentoring sessions begin Wednesday, September 10th at three locations: North Wood R-4 School for 3rd through 6th grade students on Wednesdays from 3:45 to 4:45 in the afternoon; Salem R-80 Middle School for 6th grade students on Thursdays from 8:06 to 8:55 in the morning; and Salem R-80 Upper Elementary for 3rd through 5th grade students on Thursdays from 3:30 to 4:30 in the afternoon. Research shows mentored youth are less likely to misuse drugs or alcohol, more likely to respond positively to teachers and parents, more confident in themselves, and better at developing social skills. They are also less likely to feel isolated and more likely to do better in school. For more information, contact Liberty Ross at 573-729-8163 or email Liberty@SalemCommunityCenter.org.

The Dent County Fire Protection District is teaming up Sleep in Heavenly Peace, a national nonprofit with a local Dent County chapter that is dedicated to making sure every child has a bed to sleep in. On Saturday, September 13th,  firefighters, volunteers, and community members will gather at the Dent County Fire Station on South Main Street in Salem. Starting at 9 in the morning they’ll be building and assembling beds for children in need, at no cost to the family of the child that needs one. Fire Chief Dennis Floyd says the project goes beyond fighting fires, helping meet a basic need for some of the most vulnerable in the community. Sleep in Heavenly Peace Chapter President Patti McKeown adds that too many kids in the area are going to sleep each night without a bed of their own. The event runs until 1 in the afternoon and is open to volunteers, spectators, and donors. In addition to monetary support, donations of new twin-size bedding—like sheets, blankets, and pillows—are also needed. If you’d like to help or learn more, visit shpbeds.org or on facebook at Facebook.com/SHPDentCo.

Five people died in traffic crashes and one person drowned during the 2025 Labor Day holiday weekend, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol. The counting period ran from 6:00 Friday evening, August 29, through 11:59 Monday night, September 1. Troopers worked 222 traffic crashes with 104 injuries during the holiday period. They made 100 driving while intoxicated arrests and 14 drug arrests. Two people died Saturday, August 30. A 52-year-old man from Clarkton died when his motorcycle drove off a dead-end road into a ditch on a farm road one mile east of Clarkton in New Madrid County. He was not wearing a helmet. A 48-year-old female pedestrian from Excelsior Springs was killed while walking on southbound Missouri 291 north of Middlebrook Drive in Clay County. Two people were killed Sunday, August 31. A 46-year-old man from Bunker died when his vehicle traveled off the right side of westbound Missouri 72, overcorrected, went off the left side and overturned 10 miles east of Bunker in Reynolds County. He was not wearing a seat belt and was ejected from the vehicle. A 42-year-old male pedestrian was killed while attempting to cross Missouri 364 near Jungermann in St. Charles County. One person died Monday, September 1. A 16-year-old male was killed when the UTV he was driving overturned while making a turn on private property three miles east of Anderson in McDonald County. He was not using a safety device. On the water, troopers investigated three boating crashes with four injuries and no fatalities. They made nine boating while intoxicated arrests. One person drowned at Lake of the Ozarks at Public Beach Two in Camden County Saturday. The victim was a 19-year-old male from Glenwood, Illinois, who entered the water by unknown means and did not resurface.

The Missouri Department of Conservation indicates that orders can be submitted now through April 15th for shrubs and tree seedlings 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. A variety of low-cost native tree and shrub seedlings are sold 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. Seedling varieties include: pine, bald cypress, cottonwood, black walnut, hickory, oak, pecan, persimmon, river birch, maple, willow, sycamore, blackberry, buttonbush, hazelnut, redbud, ninebark, elderberry, sumac, wild plum, witch hazel, and others. New this year, MDC will offer four bundle types of seedlings: wildlife, pollinator, edible, and nut bundles. Each customer is limited to only two of each bundle. Seedlings are available in bundles of 10 or increments of 25 per species. Prices range from 40 cents to $1.17 per seedling. Sales tax will be added to orders unless tax exempt. There is a shipping fee and a $9 handling charge for each order. Receive a 15% discount up to $20 off seedling orders with a 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. Orders will be shipped or can be picked up at the nursery near Licking from February through May. The 2025-26 seedling order forms are available at MDC regional offices and nature centers, or you can contact the George O White State Forest Nursery at 573-674-3229. You can also request a form by e-mail StateForestNursery@mdc.mo.gov. Trees or shrub seedlings can also be ordered on the Missouri Department of Conservation website at mdc.mo.gov.

Missouri, traffic fatalities in the state are down – so far – for the third consecutive year. Preliminary data shows from January 1st through August 24th, 2025, 577 people were killed in Missouri traffic crashes, down from 589 during the same period last year. While the 2% decrease is encouraging, it’s too early to know if progress will hold, especially as Missourians transition to fall traffic patterns. Last year, 344 people lost their lives in a Missouri traffic crash after September 1st, through December 31st, 2024, and there were 364 such fatalities for the same time frame in 2023. If Missouri is to end the year with another reduction in traffic fatalities, continued gains in the final four months of the year will be crucial. MoDOT is encouraging all Missourians to help keep momentum by committing to four simple actions: Buckle up, phone down, slow down, and drive sober. Drivers can plan their trip ahead of time with MoDOT’s Traveler Information Map at www.traveler.modot.org, where they can find current work zones, closures and incidents. Missouri’s strategic highway safety plan, Show-Me Zero, provides more information for how all Missourians can do their part to achieve zero traffic fatalities. The plan can be viewed at www.savemolives.com.

Are you needing a gift for a birthday, or a thank you? You can now get gift certificates from the Creative Arts Center. Simply fill out the informational form at sacba.org/event-details/digital-gift-certificate, and either print it or have it emailed. The card is worth $25 and can be used towards any class or event now up to December 30, 2026.

The Salem Memorial Hospital Board of Directors held a public tax hearing last Tuesday evening at 7:00 in the Doctor’s Library, prior to their regular meeting. The board voted to maintain the current tax rate of $0.24 per $100 of assessed valuation on real estate and personal property. State Representative John Hewkin attended the meeting, where he introduced himself, spoke about his time in office, and shared his legislative goals. He noted that he had toured the hospital to better understand its operations and expressed his strong impression of the facility. Representative Hewkin added that he hopes to secure an appropriation for the hospital, though he could not yet estimate the amount. Following approval of the agenda and previous meeting’s minutes, CEO Brooke Bollman presented her report. She highlighted future efforts to transition hospital employees from a self-funded insurance plan with limited coverage to a state-funded plan offering improved benefits, with implementation targeted for January 2027. Bollman also discussed work on strengthening the hospital’s revenue cycle, updating the website, and her recent interview with KSMO Media, available on the station’s YouTube page. She announced that September 8–12 will be Salem Memorial Hospital’s anniversary week, and booths and activities will be announced later. Operational reports showed a decline in inpatient admissions, which the hospital plans to address in 2026. Outpatient registrations and ambulance runs increased compared to June, while emergency room visits declined. For July, gross operating revenue totaled approximately $1.5 million, while expenses reached about $2.4 million, resulting in a net loss of $816,012.38. Net 340B revenue was $60,094, slightly lower than the prior month. The hospital currently holds 28 days of cash on hand. After financials were approved, Chief Nursing Officer Amber Hogan delivered her report, noting the launch of a nursing education series, Basic Life Support training for Dent County Jail staff, and the upcoming EMT program scheduled to begin October 7. She also reported that a grant request has been submitted to the State Homeland Security program for new handheld and mobile ambulance radios. Hogan further noted ongoing recruitment efforts for several RN and CRNA positions. Bollman then presented the Human Resources Report, noting two new hires and six resignations, and stated that departments continue updating the Employee Handbook. Kendra Mobray followed with the Quality and Risk Report, highlighting 31 reported events, most related to documentation errors, which remain an area of improvement. In new business, the board voted to retain Wipfli LLP as the new audit firm for cost reporting and audit filings. The board also approved the recruitment of two international lab technicians, from either the Philippines or Dubai, due to local staffing shortages. Each candidate will sign a three-year employment contract, valued at $15,000–$18,000, under an H1B visa. The hospital is working with UB Greensfelder LLP, through the Delta Regional Authority, to expedite this process with immigration counsel. With no further business, the board adjourned into executive session.

The Dent County Health Center Board of Trustees met Thursday evening, August 31st, at 5:00. Three of the five trustees were present constituting a quorum. The tax rate hearing was held, and Health Center Administrator Zach Moser presented the relative data received from the State Auditor and County Clerk. With no citizens present no public comments were made and a motion was moved, seconded and adopted to set the Public Health Levy at $0.0960 per $100 assessed valuation. The rate will generate an estimated $200,584 in tax revenue. Board member Dennis Floyd had another obligation at 5:30, which would leave the Board without a quorum, so Moser asked to modify the agenda and the modification was accepted by unanimous consent. Moser proposed Resolution 2025-R002, which is a Conflict-of-Interest ordinance. The resolution was approved by the Board. Resolution 2025-R004 was proposed to join the MOSIP investment program. After discussion a motion to approve the Resolution was made, seconded and approved. Moser then presented bids for CD’s from MOSIP, Bank of Salem, and Progressive Ozark Bank. A motion was made to invest $150,000 in a 9-month CD with Bank of Salem at 4.25% and $100,000 in a 1-year CD with MOSIP for 4.35%. The motion was seconded and approved. With all urgent business attended to and the imminent loss of a quorum, the remainder of the agenda was suspended, and the meeting was adjourned at 5:25.

The Salem Public Library will host their monthly Recollections meeting next Tuesday morning at 10:30 in the North Basement meeting space, located at 403 N. Jackson Street, in Salem.