Archive for 2025

Yesterday’s edition of Your World Today reported grants through the Transformation of Rural Community Health (ToRCH) Project would have a maximum funding of $240,000 per grant for approved projects. We received a correction that clarified the $240,000 was the maximum funding available across all grants, not per grant as previously reported. There will be question and answer sessions held Friday, June 27th at 9:00 in the morning and 2:00 in the afternoon at the Salem Community Center @ the Armory. Organizations seeking information or applications should contact Tabitha Stanfast, ToRCH Program Manager, at tstanfast@smdh.net.

An accident occurred Monday afternoon around 3:50 in Crawford County on 3402 Highway O. According to the highway patrol report a 2003 Can-AM Rotax driven by an 8-year-old male juvenile from Houston travelled off the left side of a private road and struck a tree. The juvenile was ejected and suffered serious injuries. He was flown to Children’s Hospital in St. Louis by Phelps Air. The report goes on to state he was not wearing safety equipment.

As Missourians continue to recover from multiple severe weather events this spring, the Missouri Department of Commerce and Insurance (DCI) reminds consumers to take steps to protect their finances and avoid post-disaster scams and fraud. Unfortunately, disasters often attract scam artists, so staying vigilant and watching for signs of potential fraud is also key to protecting your financial security. Be cautious of loan offers that require upfront fees to obtain loan proceeds or companies offering loans or payment assistance that pressure you to act immediately. Ensure that any lender or financial service provider is authorized to conduct business in Missouri. Certain scams are more prevalent following natural disasters and could have a significant impact on your finances. Be on the lookout for these types of fraud: Contractor Fraud where unethical contractors misrepresent themselves as being affiliated with government entities and scam victims out of funds, resulting in shoddy repairs or no repairs at all; Price Gouging which is the practice of increasing prices of high-demand goods and services during a disaster; Forgery where scammers use a disaster as an opportunity to get access to victims’ personal information and documents to commit identity theft; and Charity Fraud where scammers pose as representatives from notable charities, including the Red Cross, to solicit funds from donors who want to help those affected. DCI’s Division of Finance and Division of Credit Unions encourage anyone who believes they have been a victim of fraud to act fast to secure all accounts and document details to share with their bank or lender. To report disaster related fraud, victims can call the National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, or visit www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud for more information. 

During the summer the hot weather months may present challenges for many consumers who struggle to cool their homes. Here are some more suggestions from the Missouri Public Service Commission. To improve cooling of living areas caulk and weather strip doors and windows that leak air. Residents can add insulation and seal air leaks to help keep the cool air inside. Be sure to close drapes, shades and blinds during the day to keep the sunlight from heating up your home. Turn off lights when they are not needed can add to efforts to cool a home. Turn off computers, monitors, printers and televisions during periods of non-use. These devices use energy even when in standby mode.

The Salem Area Chamber of Commerce and the City of Salem present “Vintage Americana” as the parade theme for this year’s 4th of July parade. Sign up is going on now to reserve your spot in the parade. The parade slots will be fall into line, first come first serve. Designated spots will be reserved for the Chamber parade leaders. Parade entry forms are due by June 27th, you can stop by the chamber and pick one up or email: chamber@salemmo.com. For any questions call the Chamber at 573-729-6900.

The Salem Memorial Hospital Board of Directors have called for a special business meeting this evening at 7:00 in the Hospital Library. After the call to order, roll call, and approval of the agenda the Board will hear public comments &/or public presentations which are limited to 3 minutes. No Old Business or New Business are included on the agenda. The Board will go into Executive Session for the discussion of personnel and legal issues. Any person that would like to attend the open session by telephone or electronic means should contact the SMH Administration office at 573-729-6626 extension 4005.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol would like to remind the public that driver examination stations throughout the state will be closed on Thursday, June 19, 2025, for the observance of Juneteenth. Normal operations will resume on Friday, June 20, 2025. For more news, follow the Missouri State Highway Patrol on X @MSHPTrooperGHQ

The Salem Memorial Hospital ToRCH Community Leadership Board is accepting applications for community grants through the Transformation of Rural Community Health (ToRCH) Project. Salem Memorial Hospital is one of six hospitals collaborating with MO HealthNet in the pilot program, which focuses on improving health outcomes for Medicaid patients by addressing social determinants of health. The hospital is partnering with Healthy Dent County, Compass Health, Dent County Health Center, Aging Best, South Central Missouri Community Area Action Agency, and Four Rivers Community Health Center on the initiative. Population health goals for Dent County include increasing dental care access for Medicaid members under 21, improving blood pressure and diabetes control among eligible Medicaid members, reducing emergency room visits for COPD patients, and increasing follow-up visits after emergency department visits for mental health or self-harm. Grants will address gaps in community services with funding available for expanding staffing, securing facilities, purchasing equipment, and overcoming logistical challenges. Categories include Community Service, Transportation, Behavioral Health Access, Diabetes Prevention, Food Insecurity, Maternal/Child Health, Obesity Prevention, Primary Care Access, and Quality of Life. Applications are due July 14, 2025, with awards announced by August 11, 2025. Total grant funding distributed by the Leadership Board will be $240,000 for projects running August 2025 through September 2026. Question and answer sessions will be held Friday, June 27th at 9:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. at the Salem Community Center @ the Armory. Organizations seeking information or applications should contact Tabitha Stanfast, ToRCH Program Manager, at tstanfast@smdh.net.

On Thursday, the USDA Forest Service will waive standard amenity fees for all visitors to national forest and grassland day-use areas. Thursday, June 19th celebrates the historic Juneteenth holiday. On this special fee-free days, standard amenity fees are waived for day use sites — like picnic areas, developed trailheads, and destination visitor centers. Some exceptions apply. To check if a site will be fee free and for safety alerts, contact your local national forest website. About 95% of national forest land can be enjoyed fee-free, year-round. Where fees are assessed, at least 80% of these funds are reinvested at the collection site, to provide needed maintenance and services or pay for future improvements. The Forest Service offers fee-free access a few times each year to encourage exploring national forests and grasslands. The remaining fee-free observances for 2025 are National Public Lands Day on Sept. 27th and Veterans Day on Nov. 11th. For more information about inter-agency passes, visit the Forest Service’s Passes and Permits page. The Forest Service encourages everyone to take advantage of these fee-free opportunities to experience the great outdoors. Get outside and connect with nature to reflect, exercise and make memories.

Friday morning, June 20th, at 10:00 there will be a Nature Journaling Workshop with Color Play at Echo Bluff State Park. This nature journaling workshop will revisit some of the tried-and-true methods of nature journaling and will also introduce new ideas to keep your journals fresh and interesting. Bring your own journal and favorite instruments for getting color on your page, and let’s color! Participants will also be playing with watercolors. Some watercolor paints and pencils will be provided, but you are encouraged to bring your own if you have them. Registration is required by calling 573-751-1224 or email connie.weber@dnr.mo.gov. Participants will meet at the Bluff Top Pavilion in the park located at 35244 Echo Bluff Drive near Eminence. For more information on state parks and historic sites, visit mostateparks.com. Missouri State Parks is a division of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.

Need fishing gear? The Missouri Department of Conservation works with your own Salem Public Library as well as other locations around the state to loan fishing gear for free! Call the Salem Public Library at 573-729-4331 or stop by at 403 North Jackson Street to learn more.

The Dent County Commission met this Monday morning at the courthouse. At the meeting, the commission was presented with an invitation to attend the recitation of the Declaration of Independence on July 2nd at noon at the multipurpose room of the Phelps County Courthouse at 200 North Main Street in Rolla by citizen Cindy Jones. She also stated that 2026 will be the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence and she was hoping that all counties would have a similar type of celebration at their courthouses. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Keith Green said no grading will be done due to the rain, so brush will be cut along chip and seal county road 4110 with the Mantis cutter. He also reported crews would be moving sand and gravel at the county road and bridge department in preparation for the new salt shed. Green stated other crews would be out checking roads for water or runoff damages. District 2 Commissioner Jimmy Williams also said it was too wet to grade, so brush will be cut on county roads 2315, 2620, 2630, 2640 and 3220. He also indicated workers would be out checking roads for washouts. Presiding Commissioner Gary Larson reported Mike’s Generator will be in town this week to check the county emergency backup generator at Oak Grove Baptist Church. They will check to make sure the fuel is still fresh and usable, plus also perform a full maintenance check on the operation of the backup generator. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley wanted to remind any Dent County business who has a liquor license needs to have their application for renewal into her office before June 30th. This Thursday the courthouse will be closed for Juneteenth and there will be no commissioner meeting. The next meeting of the commissioners will be Monday morning, June 23rd at 9:00 at the courthouse and the meeting is open to the public.

The Salem Area Community Betterment Association presents the Kids Summer Art Camp 2025 called “Splash into Creativity” will be held from June 23rd through June 27th from 8:00 in the morning until noon each day at the Creative Arts Center with Tana Kettner, Danielle Norris, Hannah Heithold, Nicole Curtis, Jenny Johnson and other teachers. This camp is targeted for those ages six to 16 years of age. The cost is $125 for the week of $30 per day. All the supplies for the week are included as well as a small snack each day. Your kids will get to do some amazing art projects, as well as learn valuable art skills. There will be visiting artists presenting special additional projects such as tie dye, clay hand-building, fibers, recycled art, glass fusing, acrylic painting, and so much more!  At least 12 people need to register and there will be no more than 50 attendees. Register by 12:50 Saturday morning, June 21st by going online to the SACBA website, click on Programs category and then go to the Salem Creative Arts Council link. If you have a question about any class, please email salemartscenter@salemcommunitybetterment.com

As summer approaches, the hot weather months may present challenges for many consumers who struggle to cool their homes. The Missouri Public Service Commission offers some suggestions on how to save on energy usage and reduce your bill. To aid in cooling the home make sure furniture and draperies are not blocking cooling outlets. Blocked outlets restrict air circulation, overwork the cooling equipment, and increase operating costs. Use ceiling fans to assist in cooling. In the summer, blades should rotate counterclockwise when viewed from below. Make sure the air conditioner filter is clean and replace filters as needed. Consider installing a smart thermostat, which are Wi-Fi enabled devices that automatically adjust your home’s heating and cooling, allowing for remote control and energy savings. They connect to your home’s internet network and can be managed through a smartphone app or web interface. Consider whether a time-based rate plan that adjusts electricity prices based on the time of day the energy is used is a good option for your household. For additional information on available rate plans, please contact your utility provider.

The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) and the National Deer Association (NDA) invite landowners and others interested in managing deer on their properties to join them online for a free webinar on forest and woodland management and how hunters and landowners can incorporate this into their deer management efforts. This live Zoom webinar on “Forests, Woodlands, and Whitetails” will be held on Tuesday, June 24th, at 6:00 in the evening. It will begin with a presentation from an NDA Deer Outreach Specialist followed by MDC and NDA staff answering participants’ questions. Save this link for the free Zoom webinar on “Forests, Woodlands, and Whitetails” and click on it on June 24 at 6 pm: short.mdc.mo.gov/4ya. For those who have not previously used Zoom on their selected device, click the link ahead of time and follow the prompts to install the free Zoom software. This webinar is the second of MDC’s and NDA’s free 2025 Missouri Deer Management Webinar Series via Zoom. Upcoming webinars are Wildflowers and Whitetails on August 26th at 6:00 and Utilizing Prescribed Fire for Deer Management on September 9th 6:00. Watch the previous webinar on Quality Deer Management at youtu.be/ckhMEytvync/. Learn more about deer management at mdc.mo.gov/your-property/improve-your-property/wildlife-management/deer-management