Archive for 2026

The Dent County 4-H and FFA Expo Exhibit Entries will be judged starting this morning at 10:00 at The Commons. This evening at 6:00 will be the Dessert Auction. On Thursday, July 16th, livestock registration will be from 9:30 until 11:30 and all livestock MUST be in place by 11:00. Weigh-ins are scheduled to start at 12:30 with the Small Animal Show beginning at 2:00. The “Pig Pals” practice will be at 5:00 with the show to follow at 5:30. The exhibitor and family supper will be held at 6:00. On Friday, July 17th, the shows will kick off at 7:00 in the morning with the hog show, followed by the Sheep and Goat Show. The Beef and Dairy Show will start at 1:00 Friday afternoon. On Saturday morning, July 18th, at 8:00, there will be a breakfast that will be followed at 9:00 with the highlight of the Expo, the 4-H and FFA Market Sale. The auction will be carried live on KSMO Radio (AM 1340 and FM 95.7) and also live streamed on KSMO Media (ksmoradio.com, KSMO Stream Facebook and the KSMO YouTube Channel.) For additional information, contact the Dent County Extension office at (573) 729-3196. Come out and support our hard working youth! 

The Salem R-80 Board of Education will be meeting Thursday at noon at the Salem R-80 Administration Office on J Highway. This meeting is open to the public. After reports of administrative staff, the board will consider the approval of the 2026-27 AMI Plan; MSBA 2026 policy updates; the 2026-27 Personnel Handbook; and meal prices for the 2026-27 school year. The board will also be setting a tax rate hearing time and date, alongside the next regular August board meeting time and date. The board will then adjourn and move into executive session to discuss personnel.

The City of Salem Board of Aldermen met for its regular meeting Tuesday evening. After approval of the agenda and consent agenda, the board heard a public comment from resident Dylan McGinnis who observed that the trailer court being constructed on Center Street had not yet continued its progress. He further expressed frustration at board members’ social media conduct. Meanwhile, Chris Vetter, an audit manager of the Missouri State Auditor’s office, informed that the audit of the city’s finances has begun and will be underway for the next few months. A rough estimate of the city’s payment for the audit was provided as between $80,000 – $125,000. The audit will focus primarily on Fiscal Year 2026, with the caveat that the audit may go further back at the discretion of auditor staff. Further, Vetter emphasized that the work being done is confidential until the report comes out. Next, Sue Hubbs was approved to fill the next four-year term of the Housing Authority Board of Commissioners. Under new and miscellaneous business, Public Works Director Steve Paine presented two purchases which were also approved by the board, including a purchase of a Vac-Truck remote replacement at a cost of $5,413.60 and meters, antennas, and supporting hardware from NexGrid at a cost of $26,875.92. Finally, the board approved several second readings, including a change order for the Salem Water System Improvements project and several ordinances establishing rates for electric services. A first and second reading was also approved in order to extend the interim bond with Town & Country Bank, utilized for the engineering design costs for Phase 2B of the Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) Improvement Project, through July 1st, 2027. City Administrator Sally Burbridge elaborated that the construction plans, design, and permit were all submitted to the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (DNR) in March of 2025 but have not yet been signed due to staffing shortages and ARPA projects. Under reports of city officials, Finance Director Stacey Houston reported that the total sales tax revenues collected for Fiscal Year 2026 is $4.9 million, including the General Fund, Parks and Recreation Fund, and the Capital Improvement fund. This is an increase of approximately 2.7%. For Fiscal Year 2026, the city has brought in 91% of the budgeted amount and spent 84% of the budgeted amount.  The ending total of all funds is $17.4 million. The board then went into closed session for real estate and litigation. The next regularly scheduled meeting of the City of Salem Board of Aldermen will be Tuesday, July 28th, and is open to the public. 

The Scenic Rivers Performing Arts, the community theater of Salem, will be performing “The Sound of Music” this July. The cast and crew will feature a talented cast from Salem and the surrounding areas. Showtimes on Thursday through Saturday will be 7:00 in the evening. There will be two matinees on Saturday and Sunday at 2:00 in the afternoon. Tickets will be available at the door, or you can search Facebook for “Scenic Rivers Performing Arts” to purchase your tickets online and in advance. Come out and support the arts!

An accident occurred in Phelps County Sunday afternoon at approximately 3:56 on Highway 63 300 feet south of Rolla. According to the Highway Patrol report a 2010 Toyota Sienna, driven by a 74-year-old Rolla woman, was northbound. A southbound 2013 Suzuki SX4, operated by a 41-year-old man from Oklahoma City, attempted to make a left turn into a parking lot and struck the Toyota. The woman suffered moderate injuries and was transported by Phelps County EMS to Phelps Health. The report stated that both drivers were wearing safety restraints. Both vehicles were totaled and removed from the scene by D and D Towing. 

The Dent County Fire Protection District (DCFPD) Board of Directors will be meeting tonight at 6:00 on 2 South Main Street. After the call to order and roll call, the board will consider the approval of the consent agenda which includes review of the previous meeting minutes, financial report, bills, and the budget. Under old business, the board will discuss the CTI tower lease and compressor quotes. Fire Chief Derek Thomas will present the monthly reimbursement reports. The next meeting date will then be set, and a closed session will be conducted if necessary. The board will then adjourn. This meeting is open to the public.

The City of Salem Board of Aldermen will be meeting tonight at 6:00 at the Old City Hall Auditorium on 202 North Washington Street. After the approval of the agenda, the board will consider approval of the consent agenda. The board will then hear any scheduled public comments. A presentation from the Missouri State Auditor will then be provided. An appointment of Sue Hubbs to the Salem Housing Authority will be considered for approval after recommendation by the Salem Housing Authority Board of Commissioners. Under new and miscellaneous business, the board will consider the approval of the purchase of Nexgrid Meters, Antennas, and supporting hardware at a total of $26,875.92, split between the electric and water department funds. The board will also consider the approval to purchase a Vac Truck remote replacement at a cost of $5,413.60, to come out of the wastewater equipment fund. A second reading of bills will be heard, including an ordinance approving a change order for the Salem Water System Improvements and several ordinances establishing rates for electric services. A first and second reading will be heard to extend the Interim Bond with Town & Country Bank, utilized for the engineering design costs for Phase 2B of the Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) Improvement Project, through July 1st, 2027. The board will then hear reports of city officials, if any, and then go into closed session. This meeting is open to the public. To watch city meetings live, visit youtube.com/@CityofSalemMissouri. To view the city agendas and meeting packets, go to salemmo.com and click “City,” mouse over the “Government” tab, and click “Agendas & Minutes.”

The Dent County Commission met for its regular meeting Monday morning at the courthouse. Commissioners shared their condolences and heartfelt sympathies toward families that have been affected by the flooding in southeast and central Missouri. Under road reports, District One Commissioner Keith Green shared that crew members are planning on hauling rock and grading on county roads 6570, 5530, and 4215. Cutting brush is planned for county roads 6320 and 6240. A load of chips will be hauled to the Dent County Commons for the Dent County 4-H/FFA Expo. District Two Commissioner Jimmy Williams reported that crew members plan to grade County Road 3190 and County Road 4480. Additionally, crew members will be in the Sligo and Boss areas to touch-up washouts. County Clerk Angie Curley reported that payroll is to be approved. No excuse absentee voting will begin next Tuesday, July 21st. Absentee voting continues through Aug. 3rd. The next meeting of the Dent County Commission will be Thursday morning at 9:00 at the courthouse and is open to the public. 

Flash flooding can happen fast, even if it’s not raining where you are. To keep your trips to Missouri’s State Parks safe and fun, be sure to check the weather forecast before you go and keep an eye on upstream conditions. Set up camp on higher ground. Avoid low-lying areas and dry creek beds (which can turn into raging rivers in minutes.) Know your exit route out of the campground, and be ready to pack up or move to higher ground if park staff gives the word. When in doubt, move out. If you see water rising or muddying up rapidly, don’t wait around to see what happens. Keep an eye on the conditions of Missouri State Parks by visiting the Park and Site Status Map located at the Missouri State Parks website at mostateparks.com and clicking the “Park/Site Status” button at the very top of the page.

The Missouri Department of Conservation reminds Missouri deer, turkey, waterfowl, and dove hunters that new booklets for upcoming hunting seasons are now available where permits are sold and online at mdc.mo.gov. Hunters and others can get the most current information on upcoming fall hunting from the MDC 2026 Fall Deer & Turkey Hunting Regulations and Information booklet and the MDC Migratory Bird and Waterfowl Hunting Digest 2026-2027. In the 2026 Fall Deer & Turkey Hunting Regulations and Information booklet, hunters will find detailed information on fall deer and turkey hunting seasons, limits, permits, managed hunts, regulations, conservation areas to hunt, post-harvest instructions, chronic wasting disease (CWD) updates including the CWD portion of firearms deer season being removed. The antler-point restriction has also been removed for all counties. In the Migratory Bird and Waterfowl Hunting Digest 2026-27, detailed information on waterfowl hunting along with hunting doves and other migratory game birds such as rail, snipe, and woodcock are discussed. It also has information on a different permit needed and duck-stamp requirements, hunting seasons and limits, hunting areas, regulations, an increase in the cost of a permit and more.

Governor Mike Kehoe signed Executive Order 26-16 on Friday, July 10th, declaring a State of Emergency in response to dangerous flash flooding in the central, south-central, and southeastern portions of the state. Under this order, the Missouri State Emergency Operations Plan has been activated, enabling state agencies to coordinate directly with local jurisdictions to expedite assistance. As much as 12 inches or more of rain fell within a matter of hours, beginning overnight in the areas of Crawford, Iron, Madison, Reynolds, and Wayne counties, resulting in a 1-in-1,000-year rainfall event in some of these locations.

Missouri National Guard Soldiers supported civil authorities during flood response operations on July 10th by using UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters to evacuate more than 200 children and staff from Camp Taum Sauk camp site in southeastern Missouri. Eight Missouri National Guard crews and aircraft safely transported citizens from the campsite to a designated safe location in Arcadia. The National Weather Service (NWS) declared a Flash Flood Emergency for Reynolds and Iron counties following historic heavy rainfall of 8-12 inches overnight. The Missouri National Guard worked alongside local and state emergency response partners to ensure the safe evacuation of those impacted.

The Missouri Department of Agriculture encourages residents to report missing or found livestock in light of the recent historic flooding. To report missing or found (live or deceased) livestock, contact the Missouri Department of Agriculture Animal Health Division by calling (573) 751-3377. Be prepared to report with the following information as best available: your name and contact information; species, quantity, and breed/color; identifying information; and, if found, the exact location and date and time found. For questions or more information, contact the Missouri Department of Agriculture Animal Health Division at animal.health@mda.mo.gov or (573) 751-3377. For producers who have deceased livestock due to the flooding, contact your local USDA Farm Service Agency office to inquire about indemnity.

The Salem Public Library Board of Trustees held its regular meeting on Thursday evening at 5:00 in the library conference room. During the Librarian’s Report, Library Director Kate McBride noted a slight decline in book and periodical circulation, children’s program attendance, and reference questions, while internet use, paperback trades, and e-book and audiobook circulation have increased. After approving the financial report, the board discussed ongoing renovations in the south basement. Under New Business, the board determined that a salary committee was unnecessary, as the matter had already been addressed during last month’s budget discussion. During the General Library Report, the board discussed upcoming library events and explored ways to increase attendance at summer activities. The next regular meeting of the Library Board of Trustees is scheduled for Thursday, August 20th, at 5:00 in the conference room and is open to the public.

The Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) has released a list of general highway maintenance and construction work planned for this week. The bridge over Dry Creek on Hwy. B remains closed for a bridge replacement project. A signed detour is in place, and the project is expected to be completed this month. During nighttime hours from 7:00 in the evening to 6:00 in the morning, resurfacing continues on Hwy. 32 within Dent County with the project expected to be completed by September. On Hwy. 19 and Hwy. 32, pedestrian facility upgrades continue in the city limits of Salem, with that project also expected to be completed in September. Keep up to date with road closures and upcoming road work through the MoDOT traveler information site located at traveler.modot.org/map.

Ozark Fly Fishers (OFF) will be hosting a three-day outing from Friday through the morning of Sunday at Montauk State Park dedicated to promoting the Missouri Stream Team program. This three-day outing is welcome for anyone interested, OFF member or not. On Friday evening at 5:30, there will be a potluck dinner and two presentations. On Saturday morning, organizers will demonstrate the Volunteer Water Quality Monitoring procedures. Learn first-hand what the biology of a stream can tell about its health. Following the in-stream monitoring, casting instruction will be held on the grassy area across from the Searcy Building. Two casting sessions are planned for the day, with one in the morning and one in the afternoon. At noon, OFF will be providing a barbecue lunch After lunch, visit the stream either by yourself or with a guide to help get you started. For dinner time, there will be leftovers and then an ice cream social. On Saturday evening, a presentation by Montauk State Park Naturalist Brian Waldrop will offer a unique perspective on streambanks throughout history. On Sunday morning there will be a Montauk State Park Stream Bank Cleanup. Those who participate will receive a Stream Team T-shirt to wear during the cleanup, and gloves, trash bags and bottled water will be provided. Consider lending a hand – stewardship can influence others in their care for our streams! Missouri Stream Team staff members from the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) and the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will be on hand to assist. This outing is based at the Searcy Building, located across from the Montauk Lodge and connected to the Park Office. This facility is air-conditioned and has restroom facilities. For more information, visit the Ozark Fly Fishers website at ozarkflyfishers.org or contact Scott Darrough, Director of Conservation, through phone at 314-560-1335 or email at swdarrough@yahoo.com. Learn more about the Missouri Stream Team at its website mostreamteam.org.

The County Commission met for its regular meeting Thursday morning at the courthouse. Under road reports, District One Commissioner Keith Green reported that crew members plan to grade and haul rock where needed on county roads 6570, 6255, 5525, and 4215. Green commented that County Road 6570 will be receiving the bulk of the work and requires reconstruction. Cutting brush is planned for county roads 6100 and 6110. District Two Commissioner Jimmy Williams reported that grading and hauling rock is planned for county roads 5320 and 5325. Cutting brush, meanwhile, is planned for county roads 2380 and 2300. Presiding Commissioner Gary Larson reported that the Ozark Rivers Solid Waste Management District (ORSWMD) has given notice that grants for 2027 are open until noon Aug. 21st, 2026.  Eligible projects encourage solid waste reduction within the seven-county region of Crawford, Dent, Gasconade, Maries, Pulaski, Phelps, and Washington. There will be a grant writing workshop from 10:00 to noon Wednesday, July 22nd at MRPC’s 4 Industrial Drive in St. James. Anyone interested may attend. County Clerk Angie Curley reported that she has balanced with the treasurer on all accounts for the month of June. She has balanced with both the collector and assessor on all monthly collections, abatements, and add-ons for the month of June. Absentee voting for the Aug. 4th Primary Election will continue through Aug. 3rd, with no excuse absentee voting to begin July 21st. If any voters have questions, need to update voting information, or need a sample ballot, contact the Dent County Clerk’s Office at 573-729-4144. You can also contact the office through email at dent@sos.mo.gov. Treasurer Denita Williams reported on sales tax received. For the General Revenue fund, the county has received $99,569.78. This is an increase from last July of $21,856.60 and an increase year-to-date of $48,130.06, or 7.6%. The Jail funds have received $99,991.43, an increase from last July of $21,858.98 and an increase year-to-date of $61,505.81, or 9.8%. The Road and Bridge fund has received $49,784.74, an increase from last July of $10,929.42 and year-to-date of $30,803.29, or 9.9%. Collector Shannon Vankirk turned over $121,746.96 for the month of June. Further, Denita and Vankirk discussed surplus property, and commissioners agreed 3-0 for the treasurer to turn funds over to the Circuit Clerk to complete the process. Sherman Odom, citizen, discussed with commissioners his new subdivision off of County Road 418. Commissioners accepted the new road, under the condition that Odom will provide two more loads of rock. Odom will be preparing the deed for the county. Rural Addressing will provide a new road number and assign addresses for the lots. Meanwhile, in the Friday, July 3rd edition of Your World Today, Treasurer Denita Williams was erroneously referred to as the “collector” We apologize for any confusion this may have caused. The County Collector is Shannon VanKirk. The next meeting of the county commission will be Monday morning at 9:00 at the Dent County Courthouse.

The Missouri Wing Civil Air Patrol is reaching out to teachers, home school coordinators, and other educators working with K-12 students to participate in its Aerospace Education Member aerospace and STEM education in classrooms, homeschools, museums, libraries, or other youth organizations. Participants receive STEM kits that do not have to be returned, curriculum materials for K-12 aerospace education, and Teacher Orientation Program (TOP) flight aboard CAP aircraft at local airports. The cost is $35 for the first year with no charge in following years if the educator wants to remain active in the program. For more information or to join, visit the Civil Air Patrol website at gocivilairpatrol.com and search “Educators: Join as a CAP AE Member.” Persons wanting additional information may contact Major Jason Unwin at (918) 616-0578 or by email at jason.unwin@mowgcap.org. There is no military service commitment with being an AEM or member of Civil Air Patrol.

The Neighborhood Leadership Academy (NLA) of University of Missouri St. Louis is now accepting scholarship applications and registrations for fall 2026. Through a project-based curriculum, participants gain practical skills in community building, leadership, project planning, and organizational management while connecting with changemakers from across Missouri. Whether you’re a neighborhood volunteer, community leader, nonprofit professional, business owner or local elected official, NLA provides the tools and network to help turn your vision into action. During the NLA, participants share and work on a community improvement project for their neighborhood. Choose from online evening or online daytime. The deadline to apply for scholarships is noon on Friday, July 24th. Learn more and apply through the University of Missouri – St. Louis website at umsl.edu and search “Neighborhood Leadership Academy.”

On Saturday, July 18th at 9:00 in the evening at Montauk State Park, join the Ozark Fly Fishers Club and the park naturalist in the campground between Loops 2 and 3 at the accessible fishing access to discover a hidden world of incredible insects. Moths (and other creatures) will be attracted for an up-close look at their amazing colors, patterns, and adaptations. This is a family-friendly program.