Archive for 2026

The Salem R-80 Board of Education held its regular meeting Thursday evening in the administration building. Following the call to order and the Pledge of Allegiance, the board approved an amended agenda, which included the addition of an item under communications, as well as the consent agenda. Board President Dru Howard then read a letter formally recognizing Superintendent Dr. Nathan Wills for earning a national certification for excellence in school finance and operations. Due to a miscommunication between the superintendent and the Salem High School principal, no student recognitions were presented; however, both noted they would be prepared for next month’s meeting. In his report, Dr. Wills provided updates on the district’s CSIP goals, roof repairs, faculty and student surveys, upgrades to the baseball dugouts, and the district leadership meeting. Following reports from the administrative team, the board moved on to new business. The board approved a conflict-of-interest ordinance and authorized the opening of a new checking account for electronic food service transactions. This account will allow the district to accept debit and credit card payments for student lunch balances. Following the first reading of MSBA policy updates, the meeting adjourned into executive session, during which personnel and student matters were discussed. Mackenzie Stoner was approved for hire as middle school physical education teacher, high school head volleyball coach, and middle school head volleyball coach, contingent upon satisfactory background verification. Two volleyball-related resignations were also approved. Hannah Terrill resigned as freshman volleyball coach, and Alaina Santhuff resigned as assistant high school volleyball coach. In student-related business, a unanimous vote was taken to deny unqualified student attendance appeals. Action was also taken on administrative contracts, with approval of an extension of  Assistant Superintendent Dan Copeland’s contract through June 30, 2028, and Superintendent Dr. Nathan Wills’s contract through June 30, 2029.  The meeting then re-entered the open session before adjourning. The next regularly scheduled meeting of the Salem R-80 Board of Education will be held February 19th in the administration building and is open to the public. 

On Thursday, January 8th, U.S. District Judge Zachary M. Bluestone sentenced 45-year-old Brian K. Ditch of Salem to 156 months in prison for neglecting his uncle, a U.S. Army veteran with quadriplegia, for years and concealing his corpse to fraudulently obtain $1.8 million in his uncle’s disability benefits. Ditch became solely responsible for his uncle’s care in 2008. At some point, instead of properly caring for his uncle, Ditch kept him locked away and subjected him to insufficient care and verbal abuse. Ditch fraudulently gained access to his uncle’s financial accounts and regularly wired himself money. After his uncle’s death around 2019, Ditch concealed his death from relatives, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Social Security Administration so that he could continue to steal his uncle’s money. Ditch hid the body in a shed behind his house, telling relatives that he had moved his uncle into a nursing home and police that his uncle was living with someone else. Since 2008, the VA’s Disability Compensation program deposited approximately $1.6 million into the victim’s account. Ditch’s uncle also received a total of $235,210 in benefits from the Social Security Administration. Ditch used the money for personal purchases, including exotic reptiles and firearms. As a convicted felon, Ditch is barred from possessing firearms. On January 8th, Judge Bluestone ordered Ditch to repay the money. Ditch pleaded guilty in October to four felony counts of wire fraud, one count of aggravated identity theft and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. The Salem Police Department, the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Derek Wiseman prosecuted the case. 

The Dent County Commission met Thursday morning at the courthouse. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Keith Green said a pipe would be installed on Dent County Road 4122, while other crews are stockpiling rock and getting the chips for the chip and seal road work this year. Green went on to say other pipes on various county roads were going to be checked to see if they need to be unclogged or replaced. District 2 Commissioner Jimmy Williams reported rock would be added and grading done on Dent County Road 3330 while only grading would be done on county road 4410. Williams stated brush would be cut on county road 2590 and maintenance work is being done on a hydraulic pump on a county dump truck. Presiding Commissioner Gary Larson stated he attended Industrial Development Authority meeting Wednesday where they went over financials, discussed payments from the IDA to the city for economic development, and also heard from Economic Development Director Carrie Sutterfield who discussed the new Spring Creek Ridge housing development project. The project will begin being constructed in November at a cost of over 13 million dollars. Larson also reported the courthouse would be closed Monday for the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday observation. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley stated the tentative preliminary budget is available to the public at the clerk’s office, or anyone interested can call them at 573-729-4144 and have the budget e-mailed to you. She again reiterated that all political subdivisions need to get their election or non-election certification submitted to her office by 5:00 on January 27th. Curley went on to say that she would be attending a Missouri Association of Counties board meeting on Thursday, January 22nd. Dent County Collector Shannon VanKirk said the county collected over $7,034,000 in taxes in December. She said $6,732,251.73 of the personal property and real estate taxes collected will be distributed to the political subdivisions while surtax that was collected in December will be held back for distribution in February. VanKirk also reported a total of $204,336.03 was collected for the railroad and utility taxes that will be distributed while the surtax amount of $28,732.76 will be held for distribution until February. At the last meeting, the county Road and Bridge Department sold a 2006 Ford 450 truck on Purple Wave for $18,500, and those funds were deposited in the Road and Bridge Fund. The county received a quote from Thomas Excavating on relocating furniture, building a stub wall and creating two workspace for $11,500 in the county assessor’s office due her office losing space for the building of a handicapped accessible bathroom on the east side of the courthouse first floor. The commission also approved to seek bids for chip and seal work. Those bids must be turned in to the county clerk’s office by 10:00 in the morning on February 19th at 400 North Main Street in Salem. If anyone has questions about the bid, they should call the commissioner’s office at 573-729-3044 between 9:00 in the morning and noon on Mondays and Thursdays. The commission will have the right to accept or reject all bids. 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 City of Salem Board of Aldermen held a workshop prior to its regular meeting Tuesday evening in the auditorium at 202 North Washington Street to discuss codes related to renting and leasing City Hall space. Topics included implementing a refundable damage and cleaning deposit, charging a flat rental fee regardless of in-town or out-of-town residency, and updating the event cancellation policy. City Administrator Sally Burbridge stated she will prepare a draft  policy and ordinance for review at the next workshop. Following the workshop, the Board of Aldermen called its regular meeting to order. After prayer and approval of the agenda and consent agenda, there were no public comments. Additionally, the representative from the U.S. Small Business Administration was not in attendance to deliver a scheduled presentation, and the meeting moved on to new and miscellaneous business. The board approved a request to have three effluent pumps rebuilt at a cost of $6,750 each, for a total of $20,250. This unplanned expense will be paid using prior-year funds. City officials noted that failure to rebuild the pumps could result in equipment failure, potentially shutting down the UV system and causing an overflow or sewage release. The pumps will be rebuilt while being serviced at the vendor’s facility and are expected to be back in service by April. A request to approve $12,563 for the repair and rebuild of the Wastewater Treatment Plant sewer jetting and clearing trailer was also approved. This repair was planned, with $15,000 previously set aside in the Water Department’s Equipment Maintenance account. The aldermen approved Resolution 1-2026, an agreement between the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) and the Salem Wastewater Treatment Facility to enter into a voluntary one-year Memorandum of Understanding for participation in wastewater surveillance for public health monitoring. Under the agreement, DHSS will coordinate sample collection and conduct approved testing for specific pathogens, including COVID-19, influenza, and RSV. The midyear budget adjustment for fiscal year 2025–2026 was approved. These adjustments are primarily related to damages incurred during the November 2024 flood. The budget reflects a total increase in revenues of $590,672.98 and an increase in expenditures of $388,829.60, resulting in an overall fund balance increase of $117,564.78. During reports from city officials, Mayor Greg Parker highlighted upcoming community events, and Alderwoman Catherine Dent discussed an upcoming beautification project expected to be completed by spring. City Administrator Burbridge also reported that she has contacted Salem R-80 Superintendent Dr. Nathan Wills about the possibility of students in the high school metallurgy class using their new plasma cutter to create trash receptacles for the downtown area. Alderwoman Dent expressed concern about the potential for hot metal trash cans to cause burns during the summer months. With no further official reports, the board adjourned to executive session to discuss legal matters. The next regular meeting of the City of Salem Board of Aldermen will be held January 27 in the auditorium and is open to the public.

Today is the last day to share your favorites in the 2026 Best of Rural Missouri Reader’s Choice Contest! From hometown diners to hidden hiking spots, Rural Missouri Magazine want to know the places and people that make Missouri shine. Your nominations decide who earns the title of “Best of Rural Missouri.” Simply enter the name and location of your nomination at ruralmissouri.org. Example: “Ha Ha Tonka State Park, Camdenton” Some past favorites have earned their spot in the Best of Rural Missouri Hall of Fame — meaning they’ve won five or more times since 2012 and now get to rest on their well-earned laurels. The current Hall of Famers are Missouri Hick Bar-B-Que in Cuba, Ha Ha Tonka State Park in Camdenton, St. James Winery in St. James, Silver Dollar City in Branson. The cities of Branson and Lake of the Ozarks. To keep things uniquely Missouri, please exclude national or out-of-state chains.