Archive for 2026

An accident occurred in Dent County Monday afternoon at approximately 5:00 on Highway 19 at Dent County Road 4060. According to the Highway Patrol report, an eastbound 2005 Ford F150, driven by a 69-year-old Salem man, ran off the right side of the roadway. The driver overcorrected, and the Ford ran off the left side of the roadway where it overturned. The man suffered serious injuries and was transported by Salem Ambulance and then Air Evac. The report stated that the man was not wearing a safety restraint. The F150 was totaled and removed from the scene by Whitakers Towing of Salem. 

An accident occurred in Dent County Monday evening at approximately 7:00 on Highway H near Dent County Road 2380. According to the Highway Patrol report a westbound 2000 Dodge Ram 1500, driven by a 34-year-old Edgar Springs man, ran off the right side of the roadway and struck a tree. The man suffered minor injuries and was transported by Salem Ambulance to Salem Memorial Hospital. The report stated that the man was not wearing a safety restraint. The Dodge Ram was totaled and removed from the scene by the owner. 

This guide provided by Dent County Clerk Angie Curley provides essential information for residents for the general municipal election: The final day to vote no-excuse absentee in-person is next Monday, April 6th. Election Day will be next Tuesday, April 7th, and polls will be open from 6:00 in the morning to 7:00 in the evening. You must present a valid government-issued photo ID at your polling location. If your polling location is the Green Forest R-II School Gym, it will not be an active polling site for this election. If unsure of where your polling location is, contact the Dent County Clerk’s office at 573-729-4144. You can obtain a sample ballot also by contacting the Dent County Clerk’s office. Remember that there is no electioneering allowed within or near the polls on Election Day within 25 feet. This includes asking someone for their vote, distributing campaign literature, wearing campaign shirts, hats, pins, etc. Make sure all of your voting information is up to date, such as your address or name. 

According to a press release Salem R-80 District Superintendent Nate Wills provided this afternoon, the Salem High School was one of just 37 high schools, out of nearly 1,000 total statewide, to voluntarily participate in an initiative launched in 2025 to test wastewater for illicit drugs of concern. These schools support their communities and the state by helping to identify potential drug trends affecting students and the surrounding community. Participation demonstrates the district’s proactive commitment to prevention, awareness, and early identification of substance use trends. Wills clarified that the wastewater sample connected to the district was not collected from a dedicated sewer line serving only the high school and middle school. Instead, it intersects with the broader municipal system, meaning it reflects wastewater from the city at large, not exclusively from the school facilities. Sampling occurred between 8:00 in the morning and 3:30 in the afternoon over a 10-week period. During that time, a substance identified as a nitazene, a highly potent synthetic opioid, was detected in one week of the sampling. Because the sample was not exclusive to school facilities, this result cannot be necessarily attributed to the Salem R-80 students, staff, or campuses specifically. However, it reinforces the importance of continued awareness, education, and prevention efforts both in our schools and throughout the community. Earlier this week, district leadership met with Jamie Myers, Director of Prevention Consultants of Missouri; David Chirban, Coordinator of Drug Free Communities; Sherry L. Lea, Executive Director of Healthy Dent County; Carlos Lopez, Healthy Dent County Youth Prevention Coordinator; and Jessica Ricks, Population Health Director at the Dent County Health Center to review the findings and determine next steps on prevention and education. In addition to these partnerships, the district continues to actively implement prevention-focused programming for students. These efforts include Teens On Prevention, a student-led coalition that promotes healthy choices and leadership among peers; Teens Teach Prevention, a peer-to-peer model that empowers students to educate and support one another; and Too Good For Drugs, a research-based curriculum provided to students in grades 4–9 that focuses on building decision-making skills, resilience, and resistance to substance use. Data like this is critically important as communities and the State of Missouri work together to counteract dangerous drugs, protect lives, prevent addiction, and reduce the serious health, safety, and social consequences associated with substance use. Wills concluded that if the community has questions or would like more information about resources available to families, please contact any of the Salem R-80 building offices. The district will continue to partner with local organizations and keep the community informed on the issue.

The Salem Memorial Hospital Board of Directors will hold their regular meeting Tuesday at 7:00 in the hospital’s library. After the call to order, roll call, and approval of the agenda, the board will discuss approval of policies and procedures, including the infection prevention manual, pharmacy 340B policy, emergency department manual, and quality assurance performance improvement plan. Any registered public comments will be heard before the operational reports from Chief Executive Officer Brooke Bollman, Chief Nursing Officer Amber Hogan, and Quality Improvement Director Kendra Mobray. There is no unfinished business on this meeting’s agenda. Under New Business, the board will consider the approval of medical staff privileges; governing body bylaw; and medical staff bylaw. The meeting will then adjourn to executive session to discuss legal and personnel matters, before adjourning. Except for the executive session, the meeting of the Salem Hospital Board of Directors is open to the public. Anyone that would like to attend by telephone or electronic means should contact the SMH Administration office at 573-729-6626 Extension 4005.

The Dent County Commission held its meeting Monday morning at the courthouse. First District Commissioner Keith Green reported crew members are planning to grade county roads 5410 and 5170. Patching is planned for County Road 6100. The backhoe will be brought to county roads 6300 and 6500 to distribute rock. Second District Commissioner Jimmy Williams reported that crew members are planning on grading county roads 2110 and 4280, as well as hauling rock to 2110 and 2060. Cutting brush is planned for County Road 2570. A driveway pipe is planned to be installed on County Road 2060. Presiding Commissioner Gary Larson reported he will be attending a meeting with the Meramec Regional Community Foundation in St. James, the charitable partner of the Meramec Regional Planning Commission, to choose a scholarship recipient out of five finalists–three finalists were from Hermann, one from Owensville, and one from Salem, Ave Wofford. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley reported that no excuse absentee voting continues. This Saturday, the county clerk’s office will be open for voting from 8:00 in the morning to noon. Next Tuesday, April 7th, voting will be from 6:00 in the morning to 7:00 in the evening. Remember to bring your photo ID. Dent County Collector Shannon Vankirk came in to announce that the SB190 applications will be ready for pick up after April 1st in the Collector’s office. The courthouse will be closed this Friday in observance of Good Friday. The next meeting of the commission will be Thursday morning at 9:00 in the courthouse, and the meeting is open to the public.

Healthy Dent County and the University of Missouri Extension will be hosting an Alpha-Gal Syndrome educational session on Thursday from 5:30 to 6:30 at the Salem Community Center @ The Armory at 1200 West Rolla Road. Community members are invited to attend this informative session focused on understanding and managing Alpha-Gal Syndrome. Attendees will learn what Alpha-Gal Syndrome is, explore common symptoms and how screening works. The program will also provide practical prevention strategies and helpful tips for grocery shopping and reading food labels to avoid hidden sources of alpha-gal. This event is open to the public. The cost of this course is $5.00 per person, payable the night of the event.

An accident occurred in Phelps County Thursday evening at approximately 6:30 that left an 18-year-old Rolla resident with serious injuries. According to the Highway Patrol report, the man was operating a Kawasaki Dirt Bike on County Road 2038 one mile north of Rolla when it traveled off the roadway. The driver over corrected causing the westbound bike to overturn in the roadway. The report stated that he suffered serious injuries and was flown by Phelps Air to University Hospital in Columbia. It went on to report that he was not wearing a safety device. The Kawasaki sustained moderate damage and was removed from the scene by the owner. 

An accident occurred in Phelps County early Saturday morning at approximately 2:10, resulting in the fatality of a 23-year-old Rolla resident. According to the Highway Patrol report, the driver was eastbound on County Road 1000, one quarter of a mile east of Highway B of St. James. The accident occurred when the driver travelled off the right side of the roadway and struck a culvert before returning to the roadway. The driver then overcorrected, causing the vehicle to travel back off the roadway and overturn, ejecting the driver before striking a mail box and a tree. The driver was pronounced deceased on scene by Phelps County Coroner Ernie Coverdell. Assistance was provided by the Phelps County Sheriff’s Department, St James Police Department, St James Fire Department and St James Ambulance District. 

The Salem Memorial Hospital Board of Directors will hold a special meeting this morning at 11:00, or at the conclusion of the Medical Staff Meeting, in the hospital’s library. After the call to order, roll call and approval of the agenda, the board will discuss the 340B policy. The meeting will then adjourn. The meeting of the Salem Hospital Board of Directors is open to the public. Anyone that would like to attend by telephone or electronic means should contact the SMH Administration office at 573-729-6626 Extension 4005.

Intercounty Electric Cooperative recently announced their annual Washington, DC Youth Tour winners and Jefferson City CYCLE Tour participants following their interviews. The Youth Tour is an all-expenses paid trip to our nation’s capitol and selected this year from Licking was Lillian Godi; Emma Purcell was chosen from Salem; Gabriel Adams was chosen from St. James; and Ashton Stoney was chosen from Rolla. Congratulations to these winners! The students not selected for the Washington, DC Youth Tour are eligible to go on an all-expenses paid trip to participate in the Cooperative Youth Conference and Leadership Experience (CYCLE) in Jefferson City, Missouri. These students include Avery Stephens and Elisabeth Bonine from Licking; Ivan Brooks and Jhonine Maralit from Salem; Autumn French and Preston Hash from St. James; and Monay Lafatshe and Wyatt Stough from Rolla. Alternates were also selected this year, including Alivia Peterson from Licking; Carlnez Head from Salem; and Madison Bobbitt-Harris from St. James. Congratulations to all of these students as well as the Youth Tour winners and CYCLE winners in Mountain Grove, Houston, Plato, Summersville, and Cabool. If you’d like to learn more about the Youth Essay Contest held annually in February for high school juniors only, you can contact Intercounty Electric at 866-621-3679 or visit moyouthtour.com.

​The Love Thy Neighbor workweek will take place the week of June 7th through June 11th. LTN is a collaboration of local churches, coming together to meet the needs of the community—including the elderly, veterans, disabled individuals, and those facing financial hardship. The organization provides essential outdoor home improvements such as deck repairs, roofing, painting, and yard work, all at no cost to homeowners. Consider applying to be a volunteer by visiting ltndent.com/volunteer and filling out the online form by April 1st. There is something for everyone, such as being part of a work crew, kitchen crew, encouragers, prayer warriors, organizers, runners, etc. Most of the work will be done on Monday and Tuesday of the workweek. The “Community Fun Day” will be Wednesday, in which the community will visit the city park for food and fun. Crew bosses will be processing homeowner applications for this year’s workweek throughout this month and into April. For more information, visit the Love Thy Neighbor Facebook page at facebook.com/LTNdent or its website at ltndent.com.

The Dent County Commission met for its meeting Thursday morning at the courthouse. In the road reports, First District Commissioner Keith Green reported crew members have installed a pipe on Dent County Road 5150 and are planning to do ditch work on that same road. Crew members are hauling rock and grading on County Roads 6600 and 5150. Second District Commissioner Jimmy Williams reported crew members are planning on hauling rock and grading on Dent County Roads 2050 and 5110. Dump truck #122 has a hydraulic leak and requires maintenance. Crew members are planning on opening up culverts on County Road 4290. On County Road 4283, crew members will be retrieving washed off gravel with the backhoe and returning it to the roadway. Two pipes were replaced yesterday on County Road 5300. Williams emphasized many culverts have been filled with gravel due to the recent washouts from rainstorms, and crew members have been stretched thin due to the recovery efforts. He urged residents to grant them patience and grace as they work to restore the roads. Presiding Commissioner Gary Larson reported that MRPC’s Executive Director Bonnie Prigge reached out to presiding commissioners within the eight county region and urged them to contact their representatives regarding Senate Bill 1586, an act modifying and creating new provisions relating to solid waste management. Larson said the bill would eliminate solid waste management plans and create five new solid waste management regions; however, nothing in the legislation determines operations, leadership, or financial plans for the new regions. Larson shared that due to correspondence from the presiding commissioners, Senator Ben Brown of District 26, the sponsor of the bill, has placed the bill on an informal calendar to allow more time for public review and comment. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley reported that no excuse absentee voting continues through April 6th. From 8:00 in the morning until 12:00 noon Saturday, April 4th, the courthouse will be open for absentee voting in the county clerk’s office. On April 7th, polls will be open from 6:00 in the morning to 7:00 in the evening. Curley urged residents to make sure their addresses are correct in order to avoid confusion at the polls. Addresses may be changed up until the day of voting. Dent County Treasurer Denita Williams reported $84,166.81 in CART funds for the month. This is up year-to-date from last year 6.4%. The next meeting of the commission will be Monday morning at 9:00 in the courthouse, and the meeting is open to the public. 

The Salem Police Department works to keep the community safe, and invites residents to help make a difference. If you have any information, big or small, don’t hesitate to reach out and help keep Salem safe by submitting tips to email SPDTips@salemmo.com or 573-729-4242. Information related to the following investigations is accepted: narcotics activity, stolen property, murder investigations, or burglary incidents.