News – Monday, June 15th, 2026

The Missouri Department of Transportation has released a resurfacing project spanning across Dent County along Hwy. 32, originating from Hwy. 63 in Texas County and ending at Hwy. KK in Iron County, is scheduled to start. Resurfacing work is scheduled to begin today. Paving work in Licking and Salem will take place at night, with all other work scheduled during daytime hours. A 10-foot width restriction is in place around-the-clock for the duration of the project, which is expected to be completed by mid-September. One lane will remain open, and crews will flag traffic through the work zones.

The Salem Public Library Board of Trustees held its regular meeting Thursday evening at 5:00 in the library’s conference room. After approving the minutes from the previous meeting, Library Director Kate McBride presented the Librarian’s Report, noting that the library’s e-book and audiobook circulation, as well as its children’s, adult, and passive programming, had increased over the same period last year. Following the treasurer’s report, the board discussed book reviews. Under Old Business, McBride updated the board on ongoing renovations to the library’s south basement, and the board voted to approve an insurance quote from State Farm of approximately $12,000, pending clarification on coverage details. Under New Business, the board approved the budget for the upcoming fiscal year. After an update on upcoming library events, the meeting adjourned. The next regularly scheduled meeting of the Salem Public Library Board of Trustees will be held July 9 at 5:00 in the conference room and is open to the public.

The Missouri Department of Natural Resources is investigating the presence of dead fish within the tributary of the West Fork of the Black River located in Reynolds County. Following an alert from a concerned citizen, the department immediately notified the Missouri Department of Conservation and began an investigation into the cause. On the evening of June 6th, the Doe Run Company notified the department of a potential release from the company’s wastewater treatment facility. The released wastewater was suspected of exceeding permitted effluent limits of pH contributing to the fish kill. The department collected water quality samples upstream and downstream of the West Fork of the Black River, including sampling points for several miles downstream on the river. The water quality monitoring results were within acceptable levels for pH and dissolved oxygen, and are protective for whole-body contact for human health and aquatic species. This event is no longer an environmental emergency, and the department continues to investigate. Any violations discovered during this investigation will be referred for enforcement action.

The Salem Area Chamber of Commerce will be hosting the upcoming Independence Day parade on Saturday, July 4th at 6:00 in the evening. Line up for entrants begins at 5:00 on Grand Street, in front of Southwest Baptist University. The  parade will depart east on Franklin, North on MacArthur, East on Fourth Street, and end at the Dent County Courthouse. The theme of this year’s parade will be America’s 250th: Celebrating Our Past, Present and Future. To sign up or for more information, contact the Chamber of Commerce at 573-729-6900. If you can’t make it to the parade, KSMO Media will be streaming the parade LIVE on the KSMO Stream Facebook page, the KSMO YouTube channel and on ksmoradio.com which is our Twitch channel. All three of the streams are free and will be available at the KSMO website home page (ksmoradio.com). The parade will probably begin streaming around 6:15. If you can’t watch it live, it will be archived for playback at a later time. After the parade, visit the City of Salem Park for a fireworks show put on by the Firework Committee.

Interested in learning how to safely preserve your favorite food at home? Join a hands-on Water Bath Canning Workshop this Thursday from 6:00 to 9:00 in the evening at the Salem Community Center @ the Armory. Whether you’re brand new to canning or want a refresher on safe water bath canning techniques, this workshop will guide you step-by-step through the process. The cost is $25 per participant, and registration is required. Feel empowered and prepared as you learn techniques for safely canning high-acid foods, using equipment correctly, and following tested recipes. Build skills that protect your health, reduce food waste, and help you preserve nutritious foods for your family year-round. To register, visit MU Extension’s website at extension.missouri.edu and search “Water Bath Canning Workshop.” A registration link will be available at the first result.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol will be holding its 2026 Youth Academy Program in Piedmont at Eagle Sky at 1 Eagle Sky Drive from Aug. 3rd through Aug. 7th, with a deadline to apply by this Friday. There is no cost to attend the program. This program is for those interested in a career in law enforcement and must be high school students or recent graduates between the ages of 16 to 18. Cadets must be in good physical condition, capable of enduring aerobic and endurance activities requiring a reasonable fitness level. Cadets must reside at the camp facility for the duration of the program. For more information or to receive an application, contact Cpl. Logan Bolton at 314-348-4428 or email logan.bolton@mshp.dps.mo.gov. 

Dent County Collector Shannon VanKirk reminds those that are age 62 or over and own their own home to pick up an SB190 application from the collector’s office. Applications are available until June 30th. For questions, call 573-729-3911.