Archive for 2026

The Dent County Commission met Thursday morning at the courthouse for its regular meeting. Not in attendance was Presiding Commissioner Gary Larson. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley appointed Second District Commissioner Jimmy Williams as Acting Presiding Commissioner. Under road reports, First District Commissioner Keith Green reported that crew members are hauling rock to and grading county roads 6220 and 6240. Ditchwork is being completed on county roads 4110 and 4120 to prepare for chipseal resurfacing. Pothole patching is also to be done today. In the second district, Williams reported that crew members are spreading asphalt and patching chipseal roads to prepare for resurfacing, including county roads 2250, 3233, 3230, 3220, and 3290. Hauling and spreading rock will be done on county roads 5260 and 5325. A tree will be removed from County Road 3355. Meanwhile, Curley reported that she has balanced with the collector and assessor on all monthly collections, abatements, and add-ons for the month of May. Bills are to be approved. Businesses are reminded that if they have a liquor license, those are due by June 30th. The first day to start absentee voting is June 23rd for the Aug. 4th Primary Election. Under public comments, commissioners heard from several residents advocating against Flock cameras and its Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) systems currently in use by the Dent County Sheriff’s Office. Resident Denver Ellis provided commissioners a proposal for a privacy and surveillance ordinance, modeled off an ordinance adopted by Camden County Commission, alongside a proposal for a ballot question to discontinue the county’s participation in the ALPR system. Sargent Lenny Pabbin with the Sheriff’s Office discussed the system with the residents, clarifying that the cameras document passing vehicles but lose the information after 30 days; the cameras do not track speed; and it does not have facial recognition software. Pabbin further clarified the system has only been in use for three weeks. Residents disagreed with the continued use of the system, citing privacy concerns. Ellis also asked commissioners if the proposed ordinance against data centers has been considered, to which commissioners claimed it cannot be enforced if put in place due to a lack of zoning laws. A resident asked regarding the progress being made on the slab crossing on County Road 4210. This is a FEMA bridge awaiting engineering plans. The next meeting of the Dent County Commission will take place at 9:00 in the morning Monday, June 8th at the courthouse and is open to the public.

For free fun for the family, Missouri Department of Conservation has Free Fishing Days coming up statewide the weekend of June 6th and June 7th. During Free Fishing Days, anyone may fish in Missouri without having to buy a fishing permit, trout permit, or trout park daily tag. This is an annual event which takes place statewide during the Saturday and Sunday following the first Monday in June. Other fishing regulations remain in effect, such as limits on size and number of fish an angler may keep. If you’re new to fishing or don’t have fishing gear, consider taking advantage of the Salem Public Library’s Rod & Reel Loaner Program. Through the Rod & Reel Loaner Program, individuals of all ages may check out fishing poles and tackle boxes for free using their library cards. The fishing poles are equipped with standard spin-cast reels. The tackle boxes are supplied with hooks, sinkers, and bobbers for basic fishing opportunities. Individuals need to provide their own live bait or desired lures to bait the hook. Equipment checks out for three days. It’s important to note that fishing rods and tackle boxes need to be returned to the circulation desk, not the book depository, and that items may not be renewed and are subject to overdue fines. For more information on the Rod & Reel Loaner program, contact the Salem Public Library at 573-729-4331.

Join Salem Public Library this Saturday from 10:30 in the morning to 1:00 in the afternoon for a meet the author and book signing event with local author Sarah Mason of “Riding the Line,” “Hell of a Ride,” and “Caught in the Crossfire.” This program is intended for adults. No fee or library card is required to attend.

The Salem Community Center @ the Armory will be hosting the Dueling Pianos on Aug. 7th. Dueling Pianos is a musical showdown where two pianists take audience requests and turn them into a live performance. These musicians are based out of areas all across the United States, including New York, Kansas City, St. Louis, and more. Doors will be opening early evening at 5:30 with the performance to begin at 6:30 and going until 9:30. Concessions and a cash bar will be available. Individual tickets will be $25 and a VIP table of six will be $250. Tickets are available @ the Armory. Visit flyingivories.com or facebook.com/flyingivories to learn more about the performers. For questions on the event, please contact 573-729-8163 or Jackie@SalemCommunityCenter.org.

The Statewide Transportation Improvement Program, or “STIP,” lists transportation projects planned by state and regional planning agencies and reflects the transportation needs of communities across the state, from high-volume interstate construction projects to low-volume routes in rural areas. The draft FY 2027-2031 STIP was presented to the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission (MHTC) at an open meeting, allowing for a 30-day public review and comment period on the proposal. This draft STIP makes available $13 billion of federal and state revenues for all modes of transportation over the next five years and details $9.3 billion in road and bridge construction contractor awards, averaging approximately $1.9 billion per year. In Dent County specifically, proposed highway and bridge construction projects include bridge rehabilitation over Spring Creek; repair slide 0.3 mile south of County Road 4050; bridge replacement over Huzzah Creek; bridge improvement over Dry Creek; scour repair and bridge painting at Dry Branch; bridge improvement over Crooked Creek; bridge improvements over Dry Fork Creek and Barnitz Prong Dry Creek and on Hwy. 32 over Dry Fork Creek and Pigeon Creek. There are also a few pavement resurfacing projects proposed, including from Hwy. 72 to Hwy. 32. Scoping for bridge improvements over Dry Fork of Meramec River is also among the proposed projects for Dent County. You can review the proposed STIP in full and comment at the website modot.org/DRAFTSTIP. Those interested in seeing the program or offering comments can also contact MoDOT by email at STIPcomments@modot.mo.gov; by calling customer service at 1-888-ASK-MoDOT (275-6636); or by mailing Transportation Planning, Program Comments, P.O. Box 270, Jefferson City, MO 65102. The formal comment period ends tomorrow, June 5th. A summary of comments will then be presented to MHTC. After review, the proposal will be considered for approval at the July 1st MHTC meeting. 

If you are planning a holiday weekend of cleaning out the basement or garage, be sure to designate items for the annual special waste collection event in Rolla coming up on June 13th. The annual collection will be from 8:00 in the morning to noon at the Brewer Science, Inc. parking lot located at 2401 Brewer Drive, Rolla. The collection is for residential items only – no materials from businesses will be accepted. Stoves, washers, dryers, hot water heaters, and other appliances will be collected free of charge. Free electronics also include computer components, laptop computers, keyboards, VCR/DVD players, cell phones, hair dryers, power tools or anything that runs on a cord or battery. Please note the following items will NOT be accepted: transformers, capacitors or ballasts not clearly marked “No PCBs”; smoke detectors; thermostats; medical waste; gas containers such as propane, oxygen, nitrous oxide; anything leaking oil or acid, such as batteries; broken ink or toner cartridges; alkaline batteries; broken CRT TVs or monitors. Fees on certain items will be collected including $25 for CRT TVs over 27 inches and wood console TVs; $20 for CRT TVs under 26 inches; $15 for flat screen TVs; $10 for all computer monitors and refrigerated appliances with Freon; and $5 for printers, scanners or copiers. Fees for tires are $3 each for passenger tires; $7.50 each for semi-truck tires; and $35 each for tractor tires. For more information on items accepted or the fee structure, please contact Jill Hollowell at MRPC at 573-265-2993 Ext. 109 or at jhollowell@meramecregion.org. 

Interested in learning how to safely preserve your favorite food at home? Join a hands-on Water Bath Canning Workshop on Thursday, June 18th from 6:00 to 9:00 in the evening at the Salem Community Center @ the Armory. Whether you’re brand new to canning or want a refresher on safe water bath canning techniques, this workshop will guide you step-by-step through the process. The cost is $25 per participant, and registration is required. Feel empowered and prepared as you learn techniques for safely canning high-acid foods, using equipment correctly, and following tested recipes. Build skills that protect your health, reduce food waste, and help you preserve nutritious foods for your family year-round. To register, visit MU Extension’s website at extension.missouri.edu and search “Water Bath Canning Workshop.” A registration link will be available at the first result.

The City of Salem’s Wastewater Treatment Plant upgrades are ongoing, with the city notifying residents on the west side of town they may notice a stronger than normal odor over the next month as work continues. As part of construction, the contractor will be temporarily transferring liquids from the oxidation basin to the temporary storm overflow area while improvements are made to the oxidation ditch. During this process, treatment plant staff and on-site contractors will do everything possible to help reduce odors; however, odors may remain above normal levels until work on the oxidation ditch is completed, materials are transferred back, and the new upgrades are fully operational. The odors may be unpleasant, but the city encourages and appreciates the community’s patience and understanding as the important infrastructure improvement project moves forward.

Our community has always shown up when people need it most, and now it’s time to rally around Zach Moser and his family. “We’ve Got Your Back, Zach” will be held Friday, June 19th from 5:00 to 9:00 in the evening at the Salem Community Center @ the Armory and will include an auction, dessert auction, concessions, T-shirts, and community support for a family facing an incredibly difficult battle with Stage 4 Sarcoma. Organizers are currently seeking auction item donations, dessert donations, monetary sponsorships for food and t-shirts, and businesses or individuals willing to support the event in any way. No donation is too small. If you would like to donate or help support this fundraiser, please contact Susie Cahill at susie@salemcommunitycenter.org. Items can be dropped off at the community center Monday through Friday from 8:00 in the morning to 4:00 in the afternoon with desserts being dropped off Friday, June 19th. In addition to auctions, organizers will also be holding a pickleball tournament on Saturday, June 20th beginning at 10:30 in the morning. Registration will be $25 per player. A competitive 3v3 basketball tournament will be held Saturday, June 27th, with registration at $60 per team. All proceeds from the fundraisers will help Zach and his family with treatment expenses, travel, and daily living costs as he continues his fight against cancer. For more information about these fundraisers, please call 573-739-1127 or email Susie@SalemCommunityCenter.org.

The August 4th Primary Election is just around the corner, so it’s important to keep in mind some key facts and upcoming deadlines. Not only will the primary election allow each political party to determine its nominee for the general election in November, but it will also contain four constitutional amendments. The last day to register to vote for the Primary Election is July 8th. Absentee voting at the Dent County Clerk’s Office will begin June 23rd and continue through August 3rd. No excuse absentee voting will begin July 21st. To stay up to date on upcoming deadlines and voting information, be sure to follow the Dent County Elections Facebook page by searching Facebook for “Dent County Elections/County Clerk-Angie Curley.” For more information, visit the Missouri Secretary of State website at sos.mo.gov/elections/goVoteMissouri.

Four constitutional amendments will be seen on the August 4th Primary Election ballot following signed proclamations from Governor Mike Kehoe. All ballot measures, if certified, will be on the November general election ballot. Amendment 1 – If approved by the voters, continues for 10 years the one-tenth of one percent sales/use tax that is used for soil and water conservation and for state parks and historic sites. Amendment 2 – if approved by voters, requires that all charter counties, including Jackson County, elect a county assessor and that such assessors comply with training requirements established by state law. Amendment 4 – if approved by voters, modifies current requirements that a simple statewide majority of voters may approve initiative petitions to amend the constitution, requires a majority of voters in each congressional district to approve initiative petitions to amend the constitution, and makes available to each voter the full text of initiative petitions with their ballot. Amendment 5 – if approved by voters, requires the phase out and elimination of the individual income tax based on revenue growth, requires the reduction of property taxes and other local taxes to offset any local sales tax revenue increases, while preserving local funding for public schools.

ServMO, a nonpartisan State Commission approved by AmeriCorps and consisting of 15-25 members appointed by the governor, will soon be accepting applications for the America 250 Missouri Mini-Grant opportunity in celebration of America’s 250th Anniversary. Organizations are invited to submit applications in support of meaningful, community-driven service projects in the month of September 2026. Mini-grants of up to $3,000 will be available to fund projects taking place on or around 9/11 Day of Service and/or Missouri Good Neighbor Week, September 28th through October 4th, 2026. The application cycle for the grant opportunity is now through June 19th, 2026. More information, including the application form and guidelines for all interested parties, are now available at serv.mo.gov/grant-opportunities.