Archive for 2026

The City of Salem Parks and Recreation Board held a meeting Monday evening at the Old City Hall Auditorium located at 202 N. Washington Street. Only one item was on the agenda, and that was to amend the previously adopted motion on March 11th calling for a budget adjustment for Billy’s Playground fence replacement and repair in the amount of $10,500. The amount was increased to reflect the actual amount needed of $10,750. The amount was previously incorrect due to a typing error, explained Parks Director Melissa DuBois. The budget adjustment was approved to be amended.

The Dent County Health Center will be holding its monthly board meeting at 5:00 in the evening Thursday at the Dent County Health Center Annex Building, at 1014 East Scenic Rivers Boulevard, in the Conference Room. Tentative agenda topics include a call to order; approval of February minutes; old business, including operations reports, administrator’s report, and financial reports; new business, including a position request, audit draft approval, and leasing part of 1014 East Scenic Rivers Boulevard. This meeting is open to the public. 

Healthy Dent County announced a new addition to its roster of fitness classes with a Bungee Fitness class, a low-impact workout that combines cardio, strength training, and high-energy movement using a supportive bungee harness system. Classes are designed to help participants build strength, improve cardiovascular fitness, and enjoy a new style of exercise in a safe and engaging environment. Whether individuals are looking to change up their fitness routine or simply try something new, Bungee Fitness provides a dynamic workout experience suitable for a wide range of fitness levels. Classes are $10 for Fitness Center members and $15 for non-members. For the class schedule or more information, visit the Healthy Dent County Fitness Center Facebook page or call 573-729-8163.

Dent County Historical Society will be holding a “Fireside Chat” at 10:00 in the morning this Saturday at the James Family Center, located across the street from James & Gahr Mortuary in Salem. Terry Cunningham will be discussing the history of the timber industry in Carter, Dent, Reynolds, Ripley, Shannon, and Texas Counties, and how the wood products of the Ozarks shaped those communities. Cunningham spent his career in the forest after serving as a Second Lieutenant in the U. S. Army. He studied at the University of Missouri-ROTC, in which he earned a B.S. Degree in Forestry in 1971. He was hired by Leo A. Dry, owner of Pioneer Forest, in 1972. Cunningham retired after 41 years. For more information, call Deloris Gray Wood, Dent County Historical Society President, at 573-729-1496.

Receive a free native tree through a program offered by the Missouri Department of Conservation and its partners. Participants are invited to cut down one or more Callery pear trees on their properties and receive one free, native tree at the event. The replacement trees will be potted in three-gallon containers and will be between 2 and 4 feet tall. One free native tree will be provided to each registered participant at the selected location on the day of the event. Register for the 2026 Callery Pear Buyback from now through April 16th. Then pick up native trees in more than 20 communities around the state on April 21st: Cape Girardeau, Columbia, Doniphan, Hannibal, Jefferson City, Joplin, Kansas City, Kirksville, Lebanon, Liberty, Moberly, Park Hills, Parkville, Pineville, Riverside, Rolla, Sikeston, Springfield, St. Charles, St. Joseph, St. Louis, Warrensburg, and West Plains. For more information, visit moinvasives.org and click on “Pear Buyback.”

Warmer weather usually means an increase in outside projects that may require digging or excavation work. If you are building a deck, planting a tree, or completing a large project, Missouri law requires anyone digging underground to notify Missouri 811. Always remember to place your locate requests at least three working days before you dig. State and federal holidays are not considered a working day. Call 811 or place a locate request online at www.missouri-811.org before any excavation begins. The call will be taken by the Missouri 811 Call Center, which then notifies all relevant utilities in the project area. Once Missouri 811 is notified, utility companies will mark the approximate location of their underground lines, request additional information or advise you that they do not have facilities at the excavation site. Hitting an underground line can cause serious injury, it could disrupt service to you and other customers, and it could potentially result in fines and repair costs. Contact Missouri 811 at 811; or go online at www.missouri-811.org to place a locate request before starting to dig, so underground utility lines can be marked. For more information, please go to Missouri 811 at www.missouri-811.org.

Dent County Health Center’s community transportation service, CareCab, is here to help you get where you need to go. Whether it’s a trip to the grocery store, a local event, a job interview, or a visit with a friend, CareCab is a local ride service for Dent County residents who need dependable transportation, designed for residents without reliable transportation; older adults and caregivers; students, job seekers, and community members; and anyone in Dent County who needs a convenient way to get around. To book a ride with CareCab, visit dentcounthealthcenter.org/services/carecab or call 573-729-3106. Riders must be able to get in and out of the vehicle independently or with minimal assistance (such as using a cane or walker.) You are encouraged to contact SMTS for specialized services.

The Dent County Commission met for its regular meeting Monday morning at the courthouse. Both First District Commissioner Keith Green and Second District Commissioner Jimmy Williams reported crew members would be out checking for storm damages. Williams also reported crew members would be out checking the roads used for the 100 Acre Wood Rally. Presiding Commissioner Gary Larson shared that he attended several meetings last week, including for the Phelps County Housing Authority; External Relations; and the South Central County Commissioner Association. Larson will be attending a meeting with the Dent County Tourism Commission tonight and a meeting for the Ozark Rivers Solid Waste Management District tomorrow. At the South Central County Commissioner Association meeting held on Friday, commissioners reported it was a constructive meeting with plenty of legislative updates. Dent County Collector Shannon VanKirk has finished the annual settlement and sent it into the state. The total distribution to the districts was reported at $10,805,635.30. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley reported that bills are to be approved and that absentee voting continues. March 24th is the first day for “no excuse absentee” voting which will continue 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, voting will be open from 6:00 in the morning to 7:00 in the evening. The commissioners also held a closed session meeting from 9:30 to 10:00. No action was taken. The next meeting of the commission will be Thursday morning at 9:00 in the courthouse, and the meeting is open to the public.

The following is a list of general highway maintenance and construction work planned in the mid–Missouri area March 16th through the 22nd. Weather conditions may postpone scheduled work. Many projects will include lane closures which could cause delays. For all counties, in addition to the work listed below, other moving operations such as pothole patching, brush cutting, and pavement repairs continue in various locations. Motorists should travel with care and be alert for slow-moving equipment. All work is weather permitting, and schedules are subject to change. For Dent County, the following road work is planned: Route B is closed over Dry Creek bridge due to inspectors finding a sinkhole developing near one of the supporting structures. Motorists during the bridge closure can use Missouri Routes 19, 32 and 72 as detoured routes around the closure. Culvert replacement is planned on Route 19 from March 17th through March 19th at 7th street in the city limits of Salem. One lane will remain open, and crews will flag traffic through the work zone. For Route EE, pothole patching is planned March 17th through March 19th. One lane will remain open, and crews will flag traffic through the work zone. For Route F, culvert replacement is planned March 17th through March 19th from Missouri Route 32 to County Road 6400. One lane will remain open, and crews will flag traffic through the work zone. 

The Salem Public Library Board of Trustees held its regular meeting Thursday evening at 5:00 in the library’s conference room. After approving the minutes from the previous meeting, Library Director Kate McBride presented her reports, highlighting a decrease in paperback trades and internet usage during the month of February, along with an increase in passive programs and in e-book and e-audio circulation. Circulation of books and periodicals, as well as items received from and provided to the Missouri Evergreen Consortium, remained consistent. The board also discussed books members had recently read and ongoing maintenance work in the library’s south basement. Board President Angie Hamons read correspondence from two patrons. In new business, the board discussed the Trustee Handbook and reviewed several upcoming library events. The next regularly scheduled meeting of the Salem Public Library Board of Trustees will be held April 9 at 5:00 in the library’s conference room and is open to the public.

The Phelps County Public Housing Agency (PHA) will re-open its wait list and begin accepting applications for housing assistance on April 6th, after having been closed since November of 2024. The closure of the waitlist came as a recommendation from the U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development, the federal agency that provides the rental assistance funding, to head off a projected funding shortfall in 2025. Applications are accepted online at phelpsco.housingmanager.com or in-person Monday through Friday 8:00 to 4:00 at the Phelps County PHA office. Applicants must provide social security numbers and birth dates for every household member and are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. Individuals with a drug arrest in the last three years may be ineligible for assistance. The Phelps County PHA provides HUD Section 8 rental assistance to about 609 families in Crawford, Dent, Gasconade, Maries, Phelps (outside the city of Rolla) and Washington counties at a cost of $2.3 million annually. Persons needing more information should contact Tammy Rigsby at 573-265-4200 or via email at trigsby@meramecregion.org. The Meramec Regional Planning Commission (MRPC) provides staffing to the Phelps County PHA.

Congratulations to the players and coaches of the Bunker Eagles Boys Basketball team as Saturday they captured the Missouri State High School Activities Association Class 1 State Championship for the first time in school history with a 61 to 54 win over Brunswick at the Mizzou Arena in Columbia at the MSHSAA Show-Me Showdown. Read the entire story under Sports!

The Salem R-80 Board of Education held their regular meeting Thursday at 5:30 in the administration building located at 1409 West Rolla Road. After the call to order, the board approved the agenda and consent agenda. The board recognize several Pre-Kindergarten students from William Lynch Elementary, who lead the meeting through the Pledge of Allegiance. Under communications, Superintendent Nathan Wills shared communication from Heather Whitlock and announced Lion King Jr. was in production at the Upper Elementary. He further shared a letter from District 120 Representative John Hewkin thanking the board for its service, in light of School Board Appreciation Week. The Upper Elementary roof is complete, reported Wills in his Superintendent’s Report, aside from holes revealed during the recent heavy rains that contractors will be returning to fix, along with another leak within the awning connecting the Upper Elementary and the FEMA building. Wills updated the board on the Safe Room Operations Plan for the FEMA building, which he will be discussing with the Dent County Emergency Management Director Derrick Marfitt in order to finalize procedures by next week. Mailers will be sent out to those within a half-mile radius of the building. Wills is working on the budget for 2026-27. He provided legislative updates, including a bill that may impact open enrollment, among other items that may impact school funding. An executive order was signed by Governor Mike Kehoe requiring school districts to have an A through F report card, which will not be tied to the APR score, Wills further updated. Parent surveys were conducted with results presented to the board, with several parents seeking better communication on academics and attendance from staff. Student surveys are currently being conducted and will close next Friday. Laura Hurt has accepted the Mosis/Core Data and Food Service Director position offered, which she will begin in June. During Administration Reports, High School Principal Jodi Heavin reported that staff are working on an automated service coming this Monday which would notify parents when students miss assignments. Under New Business, the board approved the MOU with Missouri S&T, which enables the placement of student teachers within the district, along with an authorization for the administration to approve and process payment of all district bills, due to moving the board meeting’s date. The board also approved summer school dates for May 18th through June 5th, the annual career ladder plan, and the annual Apptegy contract. Finally, the board approved the Show-Me Technology Service Contract, which provides more bandwidth to the district, and extending the special education director’s salary schedule to 205 days. The board held a discussion on vaping policies, agreeing that School Resource Officer Lawrence Rictor should be able to write a probable cause statement and refer to juvenile for a student’s second offense. The board then entered  executive session to discuss personnel and student issues, followed by adjournment after returning to open session. The next meeting of the Salem R-80 School Board of Education is scheduled for April 16th in the Administration Building and will be open to the public.

Explore the newly launched interactive city project map provided by the City of Salem found on salemmo.com, clicking “City,” and searching “Plans and Projects Page.” Through the interactive map, residents are able to see where infrastructure projects like water system upgrades and street improvements are happening across town.

The Dent County Commission met Thursday morning at the courthouse. First District Commissioner Keith Green reported that crew members would be out checking roads and assisting the second district with its workload. Second District Commissioner Jimmy Williams reported crew members would be out grading and hauling rock to County Road 2540. Hauling rock is also planned for county roads 3190 and 3140. Patching is planned for County Road 3200. Crew members will also be checking a low water crossing installed by a resident, which is causing washouts. Meanwhile, Dent County Clerk Angie Curley reported that bills were approved. Curley further reported excused absentee voting continues, and March 24th is the first day for “no excuse absentee” voting which will continue 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, voting will be open from 6:00 in the morning to 7:00 in the evening. Presiding Commissioner Gary Larson reported that he would be attending an MRPC meeting in St. James this evening, and that the commissioners and Curley would be attending a South Central County Commissioner Association meeting in Texas County on Friday. The Cooperative Feral Hog Outreach Educator of Dent County’s MU Extension provided a feral hog report for 2026, sharing that there has been an 83% decrease in watershed occupancy by feral hogs since 2016. In 2025, there were 242 feral hogs removed from Dent County, ranking fifth in the state. Crider reported that feral hogs are more often observed in the south and eastern portions of the county. Further, the USDA is condensing the program and its positions due to its success. Funding remains for the program through 2031. Curt Faigle, representative of 100 Acre Wood Rally, visited the commission about the event this weekend. Dent County Collector Shannon Vankirk reported February totals, of which was $651,033.10. 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 City of Salem Parks and Recreation Board held a meeting Wednesday evening at the Old City Hall Auditorium located at 202 N. Washington Street. After roll call and approving the agenda, Parks and Recreation Director Melissa DuBois presented bids for replacing the ence surrounding Billy’s Playground, due to the damages resulting from a flood event. Two bids from fence contractors were received, including DNK Fencing and J&M Construction and Fencing LLC. DuBois recommended moving forward with DNK Fencing at $10,500. Funds would come out of the prior year fund balances, currently at $636,948. Funds expended for the fencing would be sent to FEMA for consideration for mitigation reimbursement. After discussion, the board approved the budget adjustment and fencing bed from DNK Fencing. In addition, the board approved recommending to the Board of Aldermen the placement of James Taylor to the Parks and Recreation board. The board then adjourned. 

The City of Salem is seeking dedicated volunteers to serve on advisory committees. Serving on advisory committees presents opportunities to make an impact and help guide decisions that shape the city. The mayor is currently looking for individuals to fill committee seats. The city is specifically in need of individuals interested in serving on the Utility Advisory Committee and the Planning & Zoning Commission. To apply, visit salemmo.com, click on “City”, and search “Committees” to find the committee sign-up form.