News – Monday, October 27th 2025

The Salem Police Department released a report that states on October 25, 2025, the Salem Police Department responded to a report of shots fired at a vehicle in the area of Warfel and East Scenic Rivers Boulevard. Upon arrival, officers initiated an investigation, processed the scene, and began gathering evidence. Preliminary findings indicated that a single shot had been fired into a moving motor vehicle occupied by three juvenile subjects. Following the initial response, investigators continued to collect evidence and work to locate the suspect. Through coordinated efforts with the Dent County Sheriff’s Office, officers identified and apprehended one individual in connection with the incident. The suspect, identified as Allen Smith, was taken into custody and transported to the Salem Police Department for further investigation. Smith was then transported to the Dent County Jail and held awaiting formal charges. A probable cause statement was submitted to the Dent County Prosecutor’s Office, which subsequently filed a Felony Complaint in the Circuit Court of Dent County. The Honorable Judge Kelsaw has issued a NO BOND warrant for the following charges: Three counts of Assault in the 1st Degree, one count of Armed Criminal Action, Unlawful Use of a Weapon, Unlawful Discharge of a Firearm, and Property Damage 2nd Degree. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Salem High School FFA members recently competed in 8 of the 11 Fall Public Speaking categories that were available. Most of the speech topics are based on commodity groups or cooperatives. FFAers select the topic they want to speak on, then do the necessary research, write and re-write the speech, and finally after hours and hours of practice enter competition. Salem’s FFA members were very successful bringing home five firsts, two seconds, and one sixth place. Maggie Hogan won 1st in the Soil & Water division, while Dalli Johnson was 1st in Young Farmers/Farm Wives division, and Abbi Terrill was 1st in Missouri Sheep Producers division. Makena Faulkner took 1st in Missouri Institute of Cooperatives and Konner Headrick was 1st in Missouri Cattleman’s division. John Cunningham came in 2nd in the Farm Bureau division, Madison King was 2nd in Missouri Forest Products division, and Sylvia McDonald was 6th in Missouri Teach Ag division. Congratulations Salem FFA Tigers on your outstanding performance.

Temperatures have dropped, and that nostalgic “fall feeling” has come. The Department of Conservation is reporting that the sweet spot of peak leaf color change is coming soon. This week all the oaks have begun to change. As usual, some are further along than others, but by now every oak should have at least a tinge of change. Other fall color highlights right now are the hickory species, including black, mockernut, shagbark, shellbark, pignut and bitternut. These trees are currently displaying brilliant shades of yellow with some even seeming yellowish orange. The red maples, sumacs, sassafras, dogwoods and black gums continue to make a show of red color, with some starting to fade. For more information you can visit the Missouri Department of Conservation website at mdc.mo.gov.

The 4th Annual Salem Trunk or Treat will be held Halloween night on 4th Street from Highway 19, also known as Main Street, to MacArthur. If your organization or your business would like to be a vendor at the event, you can still be included. Vendors will be handing out candy on 4th Street Halloween evening from 6:00 until 8:00. If you would like to help, the organizers are still accepting donations of prepackaged candy or monetary contributions that will be used to purchase additional candy for the event. If donating money, donation receipts for tax purposes can be provided. The “Trunk or Treat” event is being held to provide the children of the community a safe and controlled area to trick or treat with their parents. Decorations and costumes are asked to be family friendly. For more information on being a vendor, or if you want to make a donation of cash or by check, please contact Deputy Derrick Marfitt at derrickmarfitt@gmail.com or by phone at 573-247-7504; or Sergeant Chris Robbins at crobbins1264@gmail.com. 

The Missouri Department of Conservation and Rolla Parks & Recreation will host a free Introduction to Atlatl event November 1 from 1:00 to 5:00 in the afternoon at Green Acres Park in Rolla. MDC Conservation Educator Dwight Warnke will instruct the program. The minimum age is 10 due to the strength and control required to throw a dart with an atlatl. The program is not recommended for adults with shoulder or back injuries. All equipment will be provided by MDC. Registration is not required. Green Acres Park is located at 550 Green Acres Drive in Rolla. For more information, contact Dwight Warnke at Dwight.Warnke@mdc.mo.gov. To request ADA accommodation, visit mdc.mo.gov/accessibility. 

It’s not too late to attend the popular Healthy Dent County line dancing classes! The last two classes will be tomorrow and next Tuesday evening at 6:30. The cost is $5.00 per person, and participants pay at the door. The classes will be held at the Salem Community Center@The Armory at 1200 West Rolla Road. For more information, call Susie at 573-739-1127.