News – Monday, April 27th, 2026

Salem’s Community-Wide Yard Sale is set to begin this Saturday. If you need space to hold your yard sale, spaces are available for rent in the parking lot behind the City Administrative Offices at 400 North Iron Street. Spaces are $8 for two parking spaces. You reserve spaces by coming into the office at 400 North Iron Street or by calling 573-729-4117. After the Community-Wide Yard Sale is the semi-annual Residential Cleanup for Salem residents. This will be the weeks of May 4th through May 8th, and May 11th through the 15th, on your regularly scheduled trash day. Have all items for pickup sitting curbside the night before your trash day. EPA law will not allow collection of the following material: yard waste, batteries, tires, motor oil, chemicals or solvents, paint, appliances, or non-compactable items such as concrete, tree stumps, steel, construction debris, etc. All mattresses must be wrapped in plastic and loose items must be bagged to be picked up. For questions on the residential cleanup, call 1-800-926-3953 or 417-741-7714.

MoDOT has released a list of general highway maintenance and construction work planned in the mid–Missouri area going on now through Sunday. Keep in mind that weather conditions may postpone scheduled work. In Dent County, pedestrian facility upgrades on Highway 19 continue in the city limits of Salem. Minimal traffic impacts are expected during the project, expected to be completed by September 2026. The bridge over Dry Creek remains closed with a project to replace the bridge scheduled to be completed this year. In Phelps County, pothole patching is planned on I-44 between Route V and Hwy. 72 in both directions, now through Thursday. One lane will be closed nightly from 6:30 in the evening until 6:00 in the morning. Meanwhile, pedestrian facility upgrades continue in Rolla on Highway 72, with project completion expected this June. Work will require intermittent single-lane closures. Route J is closed for bridge rehabilitation over I-44. The on- and off- ramps at the overpass at Exit 169 will remain open and a signed detour will be in place. Project completion is expected this June. The bridge rehabilitation project over I-44 continues at the Business Loop 44/Hwy. 72/Kingshighway exit. The bridge is closed to all westbound traffic. A signed detour is in place, and project completion is expected this July. 

At the Dent County Health Center Inaugural Gala and Awards Banquet held Friday night at the Salem Community Center @ The Armory, Health Center Administrator Zach Moser served as the emcee and presented numerous health related awards to community members and organizations, voted on by the public online. The awards handed out at the well attended event were: the Fay Schafer Achievement Award that went to Joan Fleener; the Physician of the Year Award presented to Brady Floyd; the Nurse of the Year Award went to Brittany Shepherd; the Nurse Practitioner Award was given to Sandra Headrick; the Pharmacist Award was presented to Hershel Moser; the Allied Health Professional Award was given to Teresa Wisdom; the Emergency Excellence Award was won by Logan Pogue; the Preventative Care Award went to the SMDH Mammography; the Rural Health Impact Award was presented to Phelps Health; the Emerging Clinical Leader Award was given to Brady Floyd; the Clinical Team of the Year was won by Sandra Headrick and her Phelps Health team; the Health System of the Year was awarded to Phelps Health; the Community Health Partner of the Year was given to Aging Best; the Friend of Public Health was presented to Kala Sisco; the Social Services Impact Award was taken by Sara Arnett; the Community Charity and Outreach Award was won by Love Thy Neighbor; the Community Health Initiative Excellence Award was presented to the SMDH ToRCH Program; and the Humanitarian Excellence Award was given to Thom Haines. Congratulations to all!