Archive for 2025

The Salem Police Department has recently released their report for the month of November. The department responded to 14 accidents during the month and addressed 39 animal calls while officers responded to seven alarms sounding, investigated four assaults or fights, three burglary calls, performed 18 well-being checks and conducted 12 area checks in November. Police investigated 14 domestic disputes, nine verbal disturbances and two physical disturbances, conducted 48 follow-up investigations and provided 26 escorts. They investigated seven harassment reports, two fraud reports, three missing person reports, three parking complaint calls, two drug offense reports, six intoxicated pedestrians, four motorist assist calls, a trespassing call and four property damage reports. The Salem Police wrote eight stealing reports, a shoplifter report, responded to 18 traffic complaints and had five peace disturbance calls. Officers responded to two reports of a suicidal person, 14 suspicious circumstance calls, a suspicious person call, and three suspicious vehicle calls. The Salem Police in November performed a pedestrian check, responded to ten life assist calls and four nuisiance violations. Officers attempted to serve five warrants and conducted 47 traffic stops during the month. The police responded to a total of 453 incidents in November with the average response time to calls being one minute and 58 seconds. The average time spent on the scene was 23 minutes and 48 seconds. If you have any information regarding any ongoing investigation, contact the Salem Police Department by calling their non-emergency phone number at (573) 729-6550 or speak with them in person at 500 N. Jackson Street in Salem. 

Do you love Missouri state parks and historic sites? Are you looking for a way to introduce the fun to someone else? Now is the perfect time to purchase a Missouri State Parks gift card for yourself and receive another card you can use as a holiday gift. The hard-to-buy-for person on your list is sure to love it. A Missouri State Parks gift card is a convenient way to make camping reservations or purchase state park merchandise. Through the month of December, purchase a gift card of $75 or more and receive a $25 e-gift card free! This offer can only be found online at icampmo1.usedirect.com/MSPWeb/Giftcards/Giftcardsale.aspx and is good for Missouri State Park gift cards only. Today is the deadline to receive your gift cards by December 25th. Missouri State Parks will send gift cards to the address on your customer account. Or you can enjoy faster delivery by purchasing an e-gift card delivered via email. Missouri State Parks will send promotional e-gift cards by email. For more information on state parks and historic sites, visit mostateparks.com.

Secret Santa’s Shopping returns to the Creative Arts Center on this Friday, December 12th and Saturday, December 13th during the same time that Santa is visiting! For this event, parents need to pre-register their children on the SACBA website for $5 per child which reserves their time slot and will go towards any gifts they choose to purchase for family members. All gifts in the Secret Santa’s Shop will be priced from $1 to $8  and are nice gifts of a greater value. Once purchased, the gifts will be placed in a gift bag with tissue and labeled with a gift tag for Mommy, Daddy, Sister, Brother, Grandma, etc. to be taken home and placed directly under the tree. This is a great way for children to show their love for their family members with a personally selected/purchased gift. Parents or guardians must stay while the child/children shop and may help their child if the child wishes. There will be a place for the adults to sit and wait if they prefer. The cost will vary on the number of gifts and the price on the gifts that your child selects. When parents pre-register, parents need to choose their time slot carefully and be on time when arriving. To register, go online to the SACBA website, click on Programs category and then go the Salem Creative Arts Council link.

The City of Salem Board of Aldermen will meet this evening at 6:00 at 202 N. Washington in the Old City Hall Auditorium. After the approval of the agenda, the board will hear a U.S. Small Business Administration presentation. Following that presentation and approval of the consent agenda, the board will hear any public comments. The board will hear about the asphalt bid from Public Works Director Steve Payne and Brent Young from the Street Department before hearing new and miscellaneous business which includes discussion of an amendment to the employee manual for the annual service hour pay and a new mobile devise policy for the city. City Administrator Sally Burbridge will discuss with the board Resolution #28-205 that would allow the city to apply for an emerging contaminant grant with the Missouri Department of Natural Resources for $792,326.94 with no local match to afford to dispose of biosolids from the wastewater treatment plant in a landfill of incinerator. The board will also hear the first and second readings of Bill #3693 which would create an ordinance that would annex certain adjacent property into the city limits of the City of Salem. After reports of city officials which includes the request for the board to approve the re-appointment of Dr. Nathan Wills and Dr. Jeff Dodson to the Enhanced Enterprise Zone Board, the meeting will then be adjourned. The meeting tonight of the City of Salem Board of Aldermen is open to the public.

The Dent County Commission met Monday morning at the courthouse. Stan Podorski from KSMO Media thanked all the businesses and organizations for participating in the Christmas “Parade of Lights” in Salem held Friday night. Podorski said he was impressed with the amount of beautiful floats prepared this year. Podorski’s comments about the parade were echoed by Presiding Commissioner Gary Larson. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Keith Green said work will be done on Dent County Road 2440 as much of the road is going to be rebuilt. He also stated that rock will be added to some roads in the Bunker area where needed. District 2 Commissioner Jimmy Williams reported some of his crew will also be working on Dent County Road 2440 with the District 1 crews, and two men will be going to Springfield to pick up County Truck 122 which has now been repaired. Presiding Commissioner Gary Larson said he would be attending the Ozark Rivers Solid Waste Management District Awards Banquet tonight where four awards will be presented. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley said today is the first day for candidates to file for offices for the April 7th Municipal Election for school boards, hospital boards, City of Salem alderman positions, etc. She said those who want to file will do so at the entities office, NOT at the courthouse, and if they have any questions about the qualifications to run for the position they choose, potential candidates need to contact those individual entities themselves, not her office. She also mentioned that her offices continues working on the budget for 2026. Dent County Treasurer Denita Williams had Commissioner Larson give the sales tax receipts report for December as she had a meeting to attend. The General Revenue and Law Enforcement Sales Tax Funds each received $83,675.14, which was down $26,253.29 from December of 2024. Year-to-date each fund is up $11,375.49 or about 1%. The Road and Bridge Fund received $41,837.05, and that’s down $9,993.41 from last December. Year-to-date, the Road and Bridge Fund is up $41,576.15 and that’s about 7.9% increase. Larson reported both Jail Funds received $84,095.34, which was down from December of 2024. Year-to-date each fund is up $83,248.71, an increase of 7.9%. Dent County Collector Shannon VanKirk gave the November turnover report and said she collected and deposited $1,980,784.02. The next meeting of the Dent County Commissioners will be Thursday morning at the courthouse at 9:00 and the meeting is open to the public. 

The Salem Public Library will close at 5:00 PM on Thursdays during the month of December.  Hours of operation will be Monday through Friday from 10:00 AM until 5:00 PM and Saturdays from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM.

The Dent County Fire Protection District Board of Directors will meet Tuesday evening at 6:00 at the Fire Station at #2 South Main. After the call to order, roll call, and approval of the consent agenda, will be the review of minutes, the financial report and approval of bills, plus the budget review, and the monthly reimbursement reports. During old business the board will discuss the Fidelity (CTI) Tower Lease, the quotes for rescue tools, and conduct a review of policy and procedures. Under new business the board will consider participation in the hospital fundraiser. The Chief will report, followed by the setting of the date for the next meeting. The board may vote to go in to closed session followed by adjournment.

The Department of Public Safety says there is over $750,000 in state grants available for volunteer fire departments with annual operating budgets of $50,000 or less, and now is the time to apply for up to $15,000 for the purchase of firefighting equipment. Eligible expenses include firefighter turnout gear, hand tools, chainsaws, interoperable radio equipment and wildland protective clothing. There is a 5% local cash match, which means for equipment costing $15,789.47, the local match share would be $789.47, and the state share is 95% which would be $15,000. It is estimated that there are over 300 small, largely rural, fire departments that would be eligible for these $15,000 grants. Department of Public Safety Director Mark James states that this grant was designed to provide an opportunity for these departments to acquire some of the most useful equipment that they determine will best equip the specific needs of their firefighters, but those who provide rescue services, emergency medical services, hazardous material response services, or special operations to a population within a fixed and legally recorded geographical area can also apply. A total of $1,455,000 in state funding was available for the program when it began and there is still over $750,000 left. The projected performance period for the grant is December 15th, 2025, to May 15th, 2026. This grant can help assist small volunteer fire departments with extremely limited funding, but many times their funding is so low they generally have no one experienced with writing applying for grants which is why the Kehoe administration feels there have been a low number of applicants. To find out more information or to see if your fire department qualifies, call 573-751-5432 or e-mail mike.oconnell@dps.mo.gov.

Come enjoy the holiday celebrations by bringing your kids and family to the Creative Arts Center for some fun and free activities! You can get pictures taken with Santa and Mrs. Claus, while enjoying a fun craft and snack! This is an event for the whole family and is free. Come out this Friday December 12th from 4:00 in the afternoon till 6:00 in the evening or on Saturday from 1:30 to 4:30 in the afternoon with Greg and Kathy Lough.

The Dent County Commission met Thursday morning at the courthouse. The commission approved the appointment of Dr. Nathan Wills and Dr. Jeff Dodson to the Enhanced Enterprise Zone as requested by the City of Salem Economic Development Director Carrie Sutterfield. Both of the terms were expiring, and they agreed to serve another term. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Keith Green said they should be finishing up brush cutting on Dent County Road 5610, plus maintenance work will then be done on the brush cutter. He stated county truck #119 has a muffler problem and the part that went out is no longer available. They are currently trying to find someone locally that could make the part they need. District 2 Commissioner Jimmy Williams said brush was being cut on Dent County Road 2240 and road signs were installed on county road 3180. Williams indicated workers were cutting up dead trees pushed aside by the county for fuel for their wood furnace at the road and bridge shed on Highway 32-72 West. He went on to say another crew would be picking up metal to replace the bridge railings on county road 3220. Williams said this was a FEMA project and the county has received that funding. Presiding Commission Gary Larson said he attended a meeting of the Ozark Rivers Solid Waste Management Board where their old management plan had to be updated as the Missouri Department of Natural Resources wants a new plan every two years instead of five. He said after a two-and-a-half hour meeting, a new proposed plan had been developed for the next two years, but it has not yet received final approval. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley said her office balanced with the collector and assessor for the month of November on all collections, abatements, and add-ons. She also said Tuesday, December 9th, will be the first day for candidates to file for offices for the April 7th Municipal Election for school boards, hospital boards, City of Salem alderman positions, etc. She said those who want to file will do so at the entities office, NOT at the courthouse, and if they have any questions about the qualifications to run for the position they choose, candidates need to contact those individual entities themselves, not her office. The next meeting of the Dent County Commissioners will be Monday morning at the courthouse at 9:00 and the meeting is open to the public.

The Salem Area Chamber of Commerce and the City of Salem will be holding their “Parade of Lights” tonight starting at 5:30 from the SBU Salem Campus at Grand and Franklin. About 48 entries are participating this year with the theme “Candy Cane Lane” with the Grand Marshall this year being the Salem Special Olympic Athletes and Coach Krystal Sims. The parade will move east on Franklin to MacArthur where the parade will travel north to 4th Street and then head east to the courthouse square. Everyone is invited to come out and enjoy the parade, but if you are unable to make it this year, KSMO Media will be streaming the parade LIVE from their post at the Corner of 4th Street and MacArthur. The broadcast should get underway close to 6:10 and can be seen on the KSMO Facebook Stream page, ksmoradio.com and the KSMO YouTube page. There is no charge to watch the parade and if you miss it, the parade will be available for playback at a later time. If you have any questions about the parade, please call the Salem Area Chamber of Commerce Office at 573-729-6900.

PJ’s & Pancakes with Santa is fun for the whole family and will be held this Saturday, December 6th from 8:00 to 11:00 in the morning at the Salem Community Center @ The Armory! This event is hosted by the Salem Fireworks Committee to help raise funds for next year’s show. There will be a pancake breakfast, coffee, balloon art, hot chocolate, pictures with Santa from 9:00 until 10:00 and much more! Tickets for the event are $15 for those 16 years of age and older; $5.00 for those youngsters seven years of age to age 15; while kids six and under are FREE! Tickets are available at the door at the Salem Community Center@The Armory.

Create a fluffy hat with large needles with M. Emilia Barbosa on Thursday December 11th from 6:00 in the evening until 8:00. All ages are welcome, children must be accompanied by an adult. In this two-day class you will learn how to knit in the round by making a fluffy hat with big needles! Explore different methods for knitting in the round and knit a fluffy hat with bigger needles. From double pointed needles to circular ones, magic loop and Addi FlexiFlips, there are many possible ways of knitting in the round. If you already know how to Knit and Purl and have gotten bored with just knitting straight ahead, come learn how to simply knit in the round with big needles. You will have a fluffy hat ready to wear in no time, which can become a cool Christmas gift or a treasure for yourself! The cost $35 per person and all supplies are included. A minimum of 3 people are needed to have the class and no more than 12. How do you sign up? Go to the SACBA website, click on the programs link, then Salem Creative Arts Center link.