Local News – Tuesday, November 21st, 2023

The Salvation Army Dent County Service Unit volunteer bell ringers will begin raising funds for those in need at Country Mart and Wal-Mart around the familiar red kettle this Wednesday, then every Friday and Saturday through December 23rd. Counter kettles will also be located at various locations throughout the community. The kettles are the primary way funds are raised locally to continue to meet the needs of the less fortunate in our community. For those who do not want to handle cash, you can donate digitally with Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal, and Venmo at any Red Kettle across the country. Every donation helps hope march on for those in need, and all gifts stay within the community in which they are given. If you would like to volunteer to ring the famous Salvation Army bell, please call Susie at 729-6771 or 247-7099. You can also call the Salvation Army Dent County Service Unit office at 729-8163. Don’t forget the Salvation Army’s Angel Tree and Dent County Toy Drive signup on Monday, November 27th from 3:30 to 5:30 at the Salem Community Center@The Armory at 1200 West Rolla Road.

Colonel Eric T. Olson, superintendent of the Missouri State Highway Patrol, reminds everyone there will be an increase in traffic over the Thanksgiving holiday and drivers should remain alert to changes along their normal route. Regardless of traffic patterns, safety should remain a priority. The counting period for the 2023 Thanksgiving holiday weekend is from 6:00 this Wednesday evening through 11:59 Sunday night, November 26. Troopers will be participating in Operation C.A.R.E., enforcing all traffic laws, and available to assist the public. Over the 2022 Thanksgiving holiday counting period, nine people were killed and 482 injured in 1,355 traffic crashes. Drivers should make sure their vehicles are in good condition and that they are well rested before they start driving. Remember: There is never a reason to speed, drive aggressively, or drive impaired. If boating or fishing are part of your Thanksgiving holiday weekend plans, remember there is less daylight, which makes your vessel’s navigation lights essential. Check your lights and have extra bulbs on board before you head out. This time of year, the water is becoming colder and hypothermia is a concern. The body loses heat 25 times faster in water than in the air of the same temperature. If you take an unexpected plunge in cold water, it’s important to get out of the water and into dry clothes as soon as possible. Most boaters wear more clothing this time of year, so the proper wearing of life jackets and using caution to avoid falling overboard is even more important. The public is encouraged to call the Patrol’s Emergency Report Line at 1-800-525-5555 or *55 on your cellular phone if they witness criminal activity or experience an emergency. These phone numbers are operational for both highway and water emergencies. If your celebration includes alcohol, designate someone else to drive whether you are in your boat or your car. Please don’t become a statistic.

Staying warm in the winter should be everyone’s priority when the weather changes, but often too little attention is paid to the danger posed by prolonged exposure to the cold. According to the Department of Health and Senior Services, 52 people died in Missouri as a result of low body temperatures due to prolonged exposure to cold weather in 2022. Protect against frostbite and hypothermia by wearing warm, loose-fitting clothing in several layers. Avoid alcohol, limit time spent outdoors in frigid temperatures and stay indoors if possible. Once inside, make sure your heating sources are operating properly and for those burning fuels, proper ventilation is essential. Make sure alternate heat and power sources such as fireplaces, woodstoves, kerosene heaters and generators function properly. These sources can be dangerous and must be regularly maintained and operated. Keep the correct fuel for each source on hand in a safe location.. Properly install carbon monoxide detectors throughout your home and only operate generators outdoors. Remember that space heaters are potentially deadly when misused. Space heaters account for approximately one-third of home heating fires and 80 percent of home heating fire deaths. Supplemental heating sources like these should be turned off when leaving a room or going to bed. Keep anything that can burn at least three feet from heating equipment. For more information or safety tips, go online to CPSC.gov.