Your World Today

The 140th Graduation Ceremonies of the Salem R-80 High School is scheduled to be held tonight at 7:00 at the Bill Schuchardt Football Stadium. After the procession of 140 graduating students, the National Anthem will be performed by the Salem High School Chamber Choir Singers. Assistant Principal Clay Moody will present the Senior Class Citizenship Awards and Glory Awards. Principal Jody Heavin will present the Best Overall Excellence Awards to one girl and one boy, and the Missouri Scholars 100 Award. Heavin will also introduce the A-Plus students, students who are entering the military, the career and technical certified students as well as those students’ attending college. Senior Class President Liberty Ross will give her speech before Senior Class-Vice President Lindsey Hinderliter gives her speech. Diplomas will then be awarded to the Class of 2025 students by Superintendent Dr. Nathan Wills and President of the R-80 Board of Education, Drusilla Howard, followed by the tossing of the caps. The graduation exercises will be streamed live on KSMO Media. Those wanting to stream the graduation exercises can go to the Salem R-80 website which is www.salemr80.org, go to their activities menu and you will find a link to the KSMO Stream which is our Twitch account. People can also go directly to the KSMO Radio website at www.ksmoradio.com and from the homepage, they can click on the stream of their choice including the KSMO Stream Facebook page, KSMO Twitch page and on KSMO’s YouTube page. There is NO charge to watch the services. Should the exercises be rained out, they will be held Sunday afternoon at 2:00. 

Free trout fishing, a casting contest for prizes, and free hotdogs are enough to make any kid’s day.  Those are exactly the makings of Kids’ Fishing Day, Saturday, May 17 at Maramec Spring Park, located near St. James.  The event is hosted by the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) in cooperation with The James Foundation.  It offers free fishing and other fun activities for children 15 years of age and younger. The park will open at 5:30 a.m. and the Kids Fishing Day event will be held from 6:30 a.m. to 8:15 p.m.  The entire upper half of the spring branch will be reserved for kids 15 years of age and younger. Free daily fishing tags for children will be available to pick up Friday, May 16, at the James Foundation Store and on Saturday, May 17, at the Mill Pavilion by the big tent.  Any car that has a child 15 and under gets into the park for free as well. MDC will stock rainbow trout throughout the day to ensure plenty of action to keep kids engaged and excited.  Among them will be some lunkers and tagged fish that kids can redeem for prizes.  Volunteers, along with MDC staff, will be on hand all day to assist young anglers.  A limited number of loaner fishing poles will be available, but children are encouraged to bring their own fishing poles and equipment. The World Bird Sanctuary will be on hand featuring a live bald eagle and American kestrel.  Everyone can enjoy free hot dogs and soda, along with attractions like archery, t-shirt painting, and a casting contest.  There will even be a drawing for big prizes like free guided trips. The event will be held rain or shine and sponsored by Phelps County Bank, St. James Chamber of Commerce, St. James Trout Fraternity, surrounding Wal-Marts, Missouri Trout Fishermen’s Association, Dickey Bubs, Rockin’ C Outdoors, LOZ Lures, Mutzie’s Bait, HAWGZ Custom Baits, and Bait WrX. Maramec Spring Park, owned and operated by The James Foundation, is located on Highway 8 about six miles east of St. James, approximately and hour and a half from the St. Louis area.  The park’s hatchery is administered by MDC and produces about 100,000 trout each year. For more information about the event, call the Maramec Spring Hatchery at 573-265-7801. To learn more about fishing in Missouri, at mdc.mo.gov/fishing.

Missouri native plants will be on sale on Saturday May 17th from 8:00 in the morning until noon at the Rolla Farmers Market in the JC Penney parking lot. Whether your garden is sunny or shaded, your soil wet or dry, vendors from Prairie Hill Farm and Doolittle Gardens will have plants to suit your growing conditions. As native Missouri plants have adapted to our local climate and soils and are part of our native ecosystems, they can provide beauty in all seasons with less maintenance and the greatest benefit to wildlife. The sale is sponsored by Meramec Hills Chapter of Missouri Master Naturalists and Paradoxa Chapter of the Missouri Native Plant Society.

The Board of Aldermen held their regular meeting on Tuesday evening at 6:00 in the Auditorium at 202 N. Washington Street. Following the approval of the agenda and consent agenda, the Board authorized a three-year contract with Kristen Deluca Audit Services, LLC. The agreement includes payments of $14,000 for fiscal year 2025–2026, $14,500 for the following year, and $15,000 for the third year. Deluca has served as the City’s auditor for several years. The Board also approved the Airport Engineering Consultants Request submitted by H.W. Lochner. However, the Staff Summary Report was not included in the meeting packet, leaving the fiscal impact unclear. City officials reported that a pre-application has been submitted to the State of Missouri Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) for funding through the Hazard Mitigation Program, as well as a full application for a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), In response to the active storm season, the City published a request for bids for storm siren repairs. The Board voted to reject all submissions to continue pursuing grant options. Under new business, the Board approved Resolution 17-2025, a $10,000 agreement with the Salem Chamber of Commerce, budgeted under the Economic Development fund. They also approved a conditional use permit for a vacation rental at 304 E. Center Street. First readings were held for Bill No. 3654, proposing updates to water rates, and Bills No. 3655, 3656, and 3657, which revise Utility Policies. Additionally, the Board heard the first and second readings of Bill No. 3659, an ordinance to rezone property at 501 S. Grand Street from residential to commercial use. Bill No. 3660, also read twice, a change order with B&H Drilling & Pump Services Inc., authorizing the addition of 6.3 yards of cement grout seal and a steel surface casing due to soft wall material identified in the well. This change order will cost $49,487.33, funded by ARPA grants, with a total City match of $494.87. Bill No. 3661, Change Order No. 2, was approved contingent upon approval by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources. It authorizes a second well test at a slower flow rate of approximately 200 gallons per minute, gradually increasing to 300 gpm over 24 hours. The initial test, conducted at 450 gpm, resulted in high turbidity . The second test will cost $38,500, funded by ARPA, with a City match of $385. All bills presented were approved by the Board. During reports from City officials, City Administrator Sally Burbridge noted that the grant application to replace citywide streetlights was denied; Mayor Greg Parker reminded residents that the Citywide Clean-Up will conclude on Friday; Public Works Director Steve Paine announced that Forester crews will resume work next week to trim trees and foliage around the main feeder lines. Residents will be notified in advance if crews need to access their properties. Debris cleanup will follow trimming efforts. Parks and Recreation Director Melissa DuBois reported that the tile repair at the City playground is scheduled for May 31 through June 13, weather permitting, and that the community pool is set to open on May 24. The meeting concluded with an executive session.

Preliminary data from the Missouri Department of Conservation shows turkey hunters checked 46,562 birds during Missouri’s 2025 regular spring turkey season, April 21st through May 11th. The top harvest counties for the regular season were Franklin with 956 birds harvested, Callaway with 873, and Texas with 860. Young turkey hunters also harvested a near-record 4,449 turkeys over the spring youth weekend, April 12 and 13, bringing the overall 2025 spring turkey harvest to 51,011. The 2025 harvest showed about an 8% increase in the overall harvest compared to last year, and the largest harvest in Missouri since 2006. Totals for the other counties in our area showed Phelps County with 809 birds taken, Dent County with 691 birds harvested, Crawford County reported 667 turkeys taken, Shannon County had 450 birds harvested, Reynolds County had 257 birds taken and Iron County had 247 turkeys harvested. Last year, young turkey hunters harvested 3,739 turkeys over the spring youth season and hunters harvested 43,380 during the regular spring season for a 2024 spring season total harvest of 47,119.

The Dent County Commissioners met Monday morning at the Dent County Courthouse. Dent County Treasurer Denita Williams presented the sales tax monies received in May. The General Revenue Fund and Law Enforcement Sales Tax Fund each received $88,525.67 which is $315.04 less than for May of 2024. Those funds year-to-date are both down $1,039.31 from last year. The Road and Bridge Fund received $44,262.67 in May and that is up $2,350.04 over May of 2024; and year-to-date, the Road and Bridge Fund is up $14,506.35. The Dent County Jail Operating and Trust funds each received $88,940.92 in May and that is up $4,693.49 over May of 2024. Year-to-date, the jail funds are both up $29,090.16. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Keith Green said the crews will be doing maintenance on the Mannis brush cutter again, and a man will be going to Springfield to get oil for chip and seal repair on the Schwartz Road. Green said the side of Dent County Road 5615 collapsed into a creek after the tree stabilizing that part of the road fell across the creek. He said crews will work on repairing that road. He also said crews will be checking county roads 4120 and 5630 for damages to crossover pipes where those culverts may need to be replaced. Green reported that Tri-State is bringing a truck to the county road shed for the county to check out. District 2 Commissioner Jimmy Williams said crews will be adding and spreading rock on county road 5260, while rock will be added to county road 3210 where a driveway pipe will be installed. Williams also said rock would be added to county road 3290 where a crew will be rebuilding the edge of the roadway. Presiding Commissioner Gary Larson said the county received a contract from Kone Elevator Company for maintenance at the Dent County Jail elevator and he said he would reach out to Sheriff Wells for his input. He also said he would be attending a Solid Waste Management Board meeting. Dent County Collector Shannon VanKirk said the monthly turnover for April was $142,432.26 which will be sent out to the taxing entities. She also said the county reclaimed $1,841.93 in taxes that were paid in protest. VanKirk had to wait until the end of April to see if further action had been taken and none had, so the monies and interest from the protest will also be turned over to the taxing entities this month. She wanted to remind those who have not yet paid their real estate taxes from 2022 that those taxes must be paid by June 30th or that parcel will be sold on the courthouse steps. VanKirk did report that over 200 of the SB190 Homestead Tax applications have been picked up and so far, she says that almost all of them qualify. Legends Advisors came in to talk with the commission about providing additional employee benefits that would actually save the county money on payroll taxes. The commission agreed to provide them with county payroll information to see if there are tax savings available to the county as they discussed. They will return in June with their findings. At the last meeting, Matt Lloyd with Fabick Caterpillar came in to discuss graders, trade-ins and warranties. Road supervisor Billy Shepherd was also in attendance at that meeting. The next meeting of the Dent County Commission will be Thursday morning at the courthouse at 9:00 and the meeting is open to the public.

The Salem R-80 Board of Education will be meeting Thursday at 5:30 in the R-80 Board Room. After the Call to Order and the Pledge of Allegiance the Board will approve the agenda and the consent agenda. The Board will then recognize the Salem High School Art Department and students. In the Superintendent’s Report CSIP Goals will be addressed, updates will be shared on the FEMA building, the budget, the roof repairs, and Long Range Facilities. Administration reports will be heard from William Lynch, Upper Elementary, Middle School, High School, Athletics and Activities, Special Education, Technology, and Maintenance. In new business the board will consider a number of approvals including the Turf Tank Contract, a private contract for a Vision, Orientation and Mobility Teacher, National FFA Trip next year, MSBA Policy updates, Middle School Athletic Cooperative, Chamber Singers attendance at Nationals in April of 2028, request for FFA to attend the National Convention in Indianapolis October 28th through November 1st, a bus purchase for $97,330, June Board meeting date change from the 19th to the 26th, and E-rate contract. The Board will authorize the solicitation of buds for Upper Elementary roof damage repair. The Board will address resignations, hires and transfers before adjourning and moving into Executive Session to consider personnel and student issues.