Local News

KSMO Media is proud to announce the winners of the Big Family Christmas Giveaway at Southtown Furniture and Terrill’s Complete Auto Care, and the Kid’s Christmas Giveaway at Aaron’s Rent-to-Own and Jet Tires and Auto. In the Big Family Christmas Giveaway, the winners of merchandise valued over $2,500 were Laylah McGraw at Southtown Furniture and Kate McBride at Terrill’s Complete Auto Care. The winner of Kids’ Christmas Giveaway was Becca Counts at Jet Tires and Auto, while Jonathan Stroot was the winner drawn at Aaron’s Rent-to-Own. KSMO Media congratulates these winners and thanks all those who entered the contest. They also want to thank this year’s sponsors for making it possible to hold these contests here in Salem. Merry Christmas to all from KSMO Media!

The Salem Memorial Hospital Board of Directors will hold their regular meeting Monday evening at 7:00 in the hospital library. At the meeting, the Board will review and approve minutes from the October Special meeting and the November regular meeting, before they hear the report from CEO Brooke Bollman. The Board will then hear the summary of operations and statistics for the month of November, be updated on the 340B program, hear the Chief Nursing Officer report, and be updated on Human Resources before hearing a report on quality information. The Board will address old business followed by new business that includes candidate filing update, Finance Committee members, and Board meeting dates. The board may then vote to go into closed session. The Salem Memorial Hospital Board of Directors meeting Monday night at 7:00 at the hospital library is open to the public. To attend the meeting electronically, contact the hospital administration office at 729-6626, extension 4005.

The Dent County Commission held their regular meeting Monday morning at the Dent County Courthouse. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Wes Mobray said rock would be added and grading was being done on Dent County Roads 5150, 5170 and 5130; while only brush was going to be cut on county road 5600. District 2 Commissioner Gary Polk stated rock would be added and grading was being done on Dent County Roads 4290 and 4340. Presiding Commissioner Gary Larson said the county needed to address available positions on the Enhanced Enterprise Zone Board that are five-year terms. Larson said both Dustin Howard and Daniel Salyer agreed to be re-appointed and the commission approved their re-appointment. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley said she continues to work on the 2025 county budget. She said the courthouse would be closed Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. She also wanted to remind all vendors to have their invoices and statements submitted Monday morning, December 30th, if they want to have them paid this year. Starting in January, the only payments the county can make is payroll until their budget is approved. If you have questions, please contact the county clerk’s office at 729-4144. At 10:00, bids were opened for county surplus property. Billy Shepherd had the highest bid for the 1997 Dodge 1500 4×4 pickup at $1,226, and $75 for the air compressor. Jason Akins had the high bid for the Salt Dog Salt Spreader at $500. Mike Elliott from Town and Country Insurance was in to review vehicle and building coverage for the county as the commissioners have elected to reduce the coverage on all the older road and bridge department and other county vehicles to liability only to help save some money. This does NOT include any of the sheriff’s department vehicles. The commission also doubled the coverage from $50,000 to $100,000 on the contents of the road and bridge department building. Elliott will make the requested changes to help reduce the premium that came in at $272,000 from Tokio Marine HCC. The next meeting of the commission will be Thursday morning at 9:00 and it will be open to the public.

Preliminary data from the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) shows deer hunters harvested 14,607 deer during the late antlerless portion of firearms deer season, December 7th through 15th. Top harvest counties were Pike with 477 deer harvested, Callaway with 391, and Lincoln with 382. In our area Crawford County harvest was 110, Dent 125, Maries 86, Phelps 79, Reynolds County 66, Shannon County harvest total was 80, and Texas County totaled 147. This year’s harvest total was down from last year’s late antlerless portion harvest total of 18,916 and slightly (4%) below the previous five-year average. For current ongoing preliminary harvest totals by season, county, and type of deer, visit the MDC website at mdc.mo.gov. Archery deer hunting continues through January 15th, 2025. The alternative methods portion will run December 28th through January 7th, 2025. Get more information on Missouri deer hunting from online at mdc.mo.gov.

Relative to the fire on Tuesday that destroyed the Scenic Rivers Industries, investigators say the cause of the massive fire that destroyed the recycling facility and over 130 bags of toys is undetermined. Firefighters do not believe the fire is suspicious. A spokesperson for the Missouri Department of Public Safety mistakenly told KY3 News midday on Friday that the fire had become a criminal investigation. KY3 has updated the story online to reflect the mistake.

The Salem R-80 School Board of Education held their regular meeting on Thursday evening at 5:30 in the district office. After approving the agenda and consent agenda, the Board recognized six students from the Salem Upper Elementary School who had their artwork chosen for the art show. Assistant Superintendent Dan Copeland updated the board on the performance results. The overall test score for the district is 78.7 APR, which is up from last year’s results, and above the state’s average. The Salem R-80 district has also seen substantial improvements in math and is up two points on attendance scores. Superintendent Nathan Wills gave an update on the FEMA shelter construction and stated that some of the principals attended the West Plains job fair, to make connections and meet people that may be interested in coming to Salem. During the administration reports, Dr. Blau stated that the students at William Lynch Elementary were able to provide Christmas for twelve families and with the help of Oak Grove Baptist Church, passed out twenty food baskets, thanks to their Community Benevolence program. Mr. Piatt stated that thanks to various donors from the community the Upper Elementary was able to provide Christmas for eight families. Dr. Green stated that the students at the Salem Middle School decided to donate $300, the proceeds from ticket sales of their winter dance, to the Shelter Workshop. Mrs Heavin stated that Salem High School allows students who have at least 95% attendance and no in-school or out-of-school suspensions the option to opt out of one of their finals. This semester, there were 400 students that qualified for final exemptions. Two students from the High School updated the Board on their attendance at the Missouri Association of Student Council Meeting. The Board approved the 2025-2026 tuition rate of $9,775.00. After discussing the recent resignations and new hires, the meeting adjourned to closed session.

An accident occurred Friday morning at 7:20 on County Road 8360, one mile west of Highway 63. According to the Highway Patrol report a 2007 Jeep Liberty, driven by a 26-year-old Licking female, crossed the center line and struck a 2012 Ford Escape, driven by a 73-year-old Rolla female. The Licking female suffered moderate injuries and was transported by Phelps Health Ambulance to Phelps Health. The Rolla female suffered minor injuries and was transported by a private conveyance to an unknown hospital. The report stated that the 26-year-old female was not wearing a safety device, while the 73-year-old woman was. Both vehicles were totaled and removed from the scene by C & C Towing.

Dent County Prosecuting Attorney Andrew Curley released this court case on Wednesday December 18, Tristan Gaddy of Salem, was on probation for possession of a controlled substance, meth. He originally pled guilty in March of 2022. His probation was extended by 1 year in 2024 due to violations of probation. On Wednesday December 18, 2024 the defendant was again found to have violated probation. Prosecutor Curley sought revocation under 559.115. Gaddy sought continued probation with in-patient treatment at Teen Challenge. Over the objection of the state, the defendant will continue on probation by Judge Randazzo.

There will be no Your World Today tomorrow or on Christmas Day. From All of us a KSMO Radio, KSMO Media, and Your World Today, we wish you a very merry Christmas and safe holiday travels.

Dent County Commission held their regular meeting Thursday morning at the Dent County Courthouse. Rick Emory, Sr was in attendance to comment on the poor condition and culvert problem with Dent County Road 5130 as well as work that needs to be done on county roads 5150 and 5170. District 1 Commissioner Wes Mobray said the county is getting to all the roads affected by the heavy rains making sure they are “passable,” not in pristine condition. In the road report, Mobray stated rock would be added and grading was being done on Dent County Roads 6245 and 6460. For District 2, Commissioner Gary Polk stated grading was being done on Dent County Roads 2090, 3170, 3173, 5320 and 5325. He said rock would be added to county roads 2210 and 4030. Presiding Commissioner Gary Larson said he attended the Tourism Tax Meeting Monday night where three applications were submitted, and one was denied. He said there were four reimbursements approved. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley said she continues to work on the 2025 county budget. Larson talked with the commission about a new policy for county office holders and their employees on submitting a grant request. The policy says they must bring a request to apply for the grant to an open commissioner meeting and continue to update the commission on its progress in open meetings. The signing of any grant awarded with commission approval must be at an open session of a commission meeting with the submission of all appropriate grant paperwork. This policy is being adopted to make sure the commission is aware of possible grant awards and timing of those awards that will have to be accounted for in current or future county budgets. Commissioner Larson also announced that all Rural Addressing correspondence will go to the Sheriff’s Department Dispatch office located at the back of the Judicial Building at 112 E. 5th Street starting January 1st, 2025. Dent County Treasurer Denita Williams reported on the CART tax received for the month of December. The county received $92,239.35, and the CART funds year-to-date are 5.6% more than last year’s total. Commissioner Gary Polk wanted to express his concern about people posting misinformation on Facebook about what the county is and is not doing without having all the facts. As an example, county road employees cannot grade frozen roads and may have to wait some time that day before they begin grading the road, or they are waiting for the grader to warm up before being operational. He said it is not fair comments are made by people without knowing everything required by the job or conditions that can prohibit work being completed. The next meeting of the commissioners will be Monday morning at 9:00 at the courthouse and the meeting is open to the public.

The City of Salem has announced the participants in this year’s Holiday Lighting Contest. The contest was open to both residential and commercial properties, encouraging those to show festive displays that celebrate the spirit of the holidays. This year’s participants are located at 1104 North Main Street, 600 North 10th Street, 711 North Pershing Avenue, 1106 Bay Court, 403 East Scenic Rivers Blvd, 1401 South Louise Street and 13 Westwood Drive. The winners will be announced on December 27th. Winning entries in each category will receive credits on their City Utility bills starting with $25 for 3rd Place, $50 for 2nd Place and $100 for 1st Place. Funds for contest awards come from the Community Support line in the City’s General Fund.

The Salvation Army Dent County Service Unit volunteer bell ringers will begin raising funds for those in need at Country Mart and Wal-Mart every Friday and Saturday through December 24th. Counter kettles will also be located 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. 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.

Holiday celebrations often center around the Christmas tree. Picking the right tree and caring for it properly can ensure a safer, longer-lasting tree. These simple steps show you how. Make sure that the tree you select is fresh. To test freshness, gently shake one of the tree’s branches. It is normal for a few needles to fall, but if an excessive amount of green needles fall, it is a sign that the tree is not fresh. As an alternative to a cut tree, consider purchasing a live evergreen from your local nursery or garden center. Not only will it make a beautiful Christmas tree, you also can plant it in your yard after the season and enjoy it for many holidays to come. If you’re considering a live tree for Christmas, proper planning is essential. Remember water is the single most important factor in caring for your Christmas tree. A fresh tree that is kept in water should last four to five weeks. And don’t place your tree near a heating vent, wood stove, or fireplace, as this tends to dry the tree out. Ensure that your tree is secured in a sturdy tree stand away from high traffic areas and sources of open flames, such as candles and fireplaces. Check to see that all lights have cords that are not worn or frayed, and never leave home or go to bed with the Christmas tree lights on. When the holidays are over, you can place the tree in the backyard to offer cover for wildlife, or under bird feeders to provide nesting locations in the branches. Your tree can be shredded or chipped for mulch, or you can sink it in a pond to enhance fish habitat. If you used a live evergreen and your ground is still soft enough to spade up, add it to your home landscape for years of enjoyment and wildlife cover.

Dent County Collector Shannon VanKirk said her office in the Dent County Courthouse will have extended hours for those wanting to pay their tax bills in person starting Friday, December 27th and continuing through Tuesday, December 31st from 8:00 in the morning until 5:30. She reminded everyone that the post office is only open until noon on Saturday, December 28th. Payments mailed in must be postmarked NO LATER than December 31st. She recommends if you wait until that day to take your envelope inside the post office to have it hand stamped at the window. There is also a drop box in the front of the courthouse at the southwest corner of the courthouse square where you can leave your payments through Tuesday night, December 31st. Payments can also be made online by following the instructions on your real estate and personal property tax bills.

The Healthy Dent County Fitness Center is excited to ring in the New Year with a special bonus fitness class designed to jump-start your fitness goals in 2025! Starting on January 6th they’re offering a limited-time Armory X Fitness Class featuring CrossFit-style workouts under the expert guidance of Eric Metcalf, a local instructor, teacher, and assistant football coach at Salem R-80 School District. This class is a high-intensity, coach-led workout that incorporates constantly varied functional movements like bodyweight exercises designed to develop broad physical capabilities including strength, power, endurance, agility, and coordination, all while being scalable to different fitness levels through modifications and proper coaching; typically featuring a warm-up, skill development, a “Workout of the Day” (WOD), and a cool-down, with the WOD often scored to track progress and encourage competition. This energizing class will be held every Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday evening at 5:15 PM throughout the month of January at the Salem Community Center @ the Armory. The cost is $35 for Healthy Dent County Fitness Center members or $60 for non-members. For those who aren’t yet members, there is a membership special at just $24.75 for a full membership! Becoming a member will grant you access to the Armory X Fitness class where you get both a membership and this class for $60.00. Spaces for this class are limited to the first 20 registrants, so we encourage you to act quickly to secure your spot. Registration must be completed and paid in full before your spot is confirmed. You can register by calling 573-739-1127 or email susie@salemcommunitycenter.org.

Montauk State Park will be closed to guests until at least February 21st, 2025. Park crews are actively assessing safety concerns and addressing damage to park infrastructure caused by early November flooding. The extent of the destruction and the work required to reopen the park is substantial. While the park remains closed to the public, the Missouri Department of Conservation announced that winter catch-and-release trout season remains open at Roaring River and Bennett Spring state parks and Maramec Spring Park. When heavy equipment use is complete, opportunities for volunteer cleanup efforts may become available. If you are interested in helping, please email dspvolunteercoordinator@dnr.mo.gov. For more information on state parks and historic sites, visit mostateparks.com.

A devastating fire destroyed the Sheltered Workshop in Salem yesterday, leaving employees and community members stunned by the loss. The workshop, which mostly employs individuals with special needs, lost not only its facility but also approximately $13,000 worth of toys that were collected throughout the year and prepared for distribution to approximately 130 local children. Community members not only in Salem and Dent County; but neighboring communities poured in their support to replenish the lost toys. In less than 11 hours The Dent County Toy Drive reported on their Facebook page that not only had they been able to replace all of the toys lost in the fire, but were overwhelmed with donations. In a post they stated that they’ve been inundated with an outpouring of love and support. The toy distribution day has been postponed to Monday as volunteers need extra time to sort through all the donations and reorganize gifts for each child. With their financial and toy needs met they announced that any excess will be used in future toy drives. They are urging anyone that still wants to donate to please direct your generosity to Scenic Rivers Industries. To donate online you can go to PayPal.com/fundraiser/hub and search for Salem Area Community Betterment Association. Monetary donations are also being accepted at The Bank of Salem and The Salem Area Chamber of Commerce is accepting monetary donations, shelf stable foods, and toiletries for Scenic River Industries and their employees. The Chamber is located in the Crossroads Shopping Center at 1136 S Main Street in Salem.

The Dent County Sheriff’s office released some reports for the 2nd week of December. First on Sunday December 8th deputies took a report for an assault that occurred in the 1800 block of W. Highway 32. The investigation revealed that a 28-year-old Salem man was struck by a 28-year-old Salem woman. The investigation is ongoing. The next day Monday December 9th deputies conducted a traffic stop at Doss Rd. and E. Highway 32. During the course of the stop, a 42-year-old Salem man was arrested for possession of a controlled substance. The suspect was transported to the Dent County Jail and placed on a 24 hour hold pending issuance of formal charges. Then on Tuesday December 10th deputies responded to the unit block of County Road 6080 for a reported trespassing complaint. During the course of the investigation, a 43-year-old Salem man was arrested for violation of an ex-parte order of protection. The suspect was transported to the Dent County Jail and placed on a 24 hour hold pending issuance of formal charges. The following day Wednesday December 11th deputies conducted a traffic stop on W. Highway 32 near the Ranch Motel. During the course of the stop, the operator, a 31-year-old Salem man was found to be driving with a revoked driving privilege and no valid insurance. The investigation is ongoing. If you have any information on an ongoing investigation please contact the Sheriff’s office at 573-729-3241.

The Missouri Conservation Commission met December 12th for a closed executive session, and December 13th for its regular open meeting, both at the Missouri Department of Conservation St. Louis Regional Office in St. Charles. Among other items discussed, the commission approved recommendations to set season dates for each portion of the 2025-2026 firearms deer hunting season and recommendations to modify cervid carcass transport regulations and establish cervid carcass disposal regulations. They also approved recommendations to establish season dates and limits for the 2025 Missouri Spring Turkey Hunting seasons and regulation recommendations for conservation areas and managed hunts. The commission approved the advertisement and sale of an estimated 1,272,028 board feet of timber located on 586 acres of Compartment 33 of the Angeline Conservation Area in Shannon County. They also approved the advertisement and sale of an estimated 6,386,003 board feet of timber located on 1,375 acres of Compartment 22 in the Current River Conservation Area in Shannon and Reynolds County. They then set their next meeting for February 7th.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol would like to remind the public that driver examination stations throughout the state will be closed during the holidays starting with the Christmas closure Tuesday, December 24th at 12 noon and Wednesday, December 25th. Normal operations will resume on Thursday, December 26th. New Year’s Day closure will be Wednesday, January 1 with normal operations resuming on Tuesday, January 2, 2025. For more news, follow the Missouri State Highway Patrol on X @MSHPTrooperGHQ

The Salem R80 Board of Education will hold their regular meeting Thursday evening at 5:30 in the R80 Board Room. After the call to order and approval of the agenda will be recognition of Upper Elementary students and their artwork exhibit from the art show. During the Superintendent’s report CSIP Goals will be addressed in all reports, plus Mr. Copeland will present the APR Review. Administrator 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 2025-2026 Tuition Rate is to be approved. The Board will consider resignations, hires, and transfers, followed by adjournment and moving into Executive Session to consider Student Issues and Personnel. The regular meeting of the Salem R80 Board of Education is open to the public. 

The Dent County Commission met Monday morning at the courthouse for their regular meeting. District 1 Commissioner Wes Mobray was not in attendance due to a previous commitment. District 2 Commissioner Gary Polk gave the District 1 report and said the crew is checking roads and training a new employee on the brush cutter. In District 2, Polk said a crew would be changing the oil in pickup #82, then checking the battery on another truck before doing general maintenance on yet another truck. He also said a crew would be cleaning out a pipe on Dent County Road 3170 and installing a new sign on county road 2200. Presiding Commissioner Gary Larson attended a Transportation Advisory Committee meeting and an MRPC meeting last Thursday in St. James. In the TAC meeting, Larson stated Dent County received the highest points in each category on the MODOT priorities list. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley reported she attended a South Central Clerk’s Regional meeting last Friday. The next meeting will be Thursday morning at 9:00 at the courthouse and the meeting is open to the public.

The Dent County Fire Protection District Board of Directors at their meeting Tuesday evening, December 10th, reviewed the annual fire district incident report.  The annual reimbursement report showed a total of 233 calls for the fiscal year from December 1, 2023, to November 30th, 2024. Those calls included 87 fires making up 37.33% of all calls and they were comprised of 17 grass or brush fires, 22 building fires, 19 forest or woodland fires, one mobile home fire, six outdoor rubbish or trash fires, two natural vegetation fires, eight passenger vehicle fires, two transport vehicle fires, three fires classified as other, and seven other types of fires. The fire department responded to 27 accident calls, 25 medicals assist or emergency calls, 23 alarms sounding calls, 15 hazardous material calls, seven agency assist calls, two rescue calls, five utility problem calls, eight public service calls and one smoke investigation. The fire department also had nine calls canceled while en route to a destination. 

The Meramec Regional Planning Commission’s Sub-District Coalition for Roadway Safety Subcommittee will be meeting on Friday, December 20th with lunch at 11:30 followed by the Meeting from 12:00 noon until 1:30 at the MRPC offices. The subcommittee will hear an overview from Central District Safety Engineer, Trent Brooks from the Department of Transportation, about the coalition before they review the fatality reports from across the state and Meramec Region. The subcommittee will be addressing ATV/UTV incidents among young operators with Ellen Duysen, who is a Research Assistant Professor from the College of Public Health Central States Center for Agricultural Safety and Health. She will discuss the growing need for outreach concerning ATV/UTV safety especially regarding children and how dangerous these machines can be especially for those who the unit is not built for. The subcommittee will then hear and overview of Missouri Strategic Highway Safety Plan from Joseph Jones, an Assistant State Highway Safety and Traffic Engineer, who will discuss the importance of having a plan of this type. The MRPC Roadway Safety Program Review will then be heard with Mag Roberts reporting on the docudrama Planning; then Caitlin Jones will report on the Bicycle and Pedestrian Program, the Buckle Buddy/Arrive Alive Efforts, and the Project Graduation/Docudrama Grant Application. After reports and comments are heard from the Central District, Missouri State Highway Patrol, MRPC, and other partners attending, the meeting will be adjourned. For more information on the meeting, to verify your attendance at the meeting, or to get Zoom information, contact Caitlin Jones at (573) 265-2993 Ext. 125.

Taum Sauk has granted the City of Bunker another grant for their park. The city crews will be removing the gazebo and placing a pavilion on a concrete floor, sidewalks for handicap accessibility, and metal picnic tables. The City of Bunker is so appreciative that the Taum Sauk Foundation is funding this project. The park has been a HUGE asset to their community. They look forward to getting started on this park improvement project!

The Salem Community Choir will present “What Sweeter Music,” a festival of carols on Friday evening, December 20th at 7:00 and again on Sunday afternoon, December 22nd at 2 pm. Both performances will be held at the Dry Fork Church off Route F in Salem. The performance features well known carols and various soloists and is under the direction of Catherine Dent. Refreshments will be served following both performances.

The Dent County Commission held their regular meeting Thursday morning at the Dent County Courthouse. At the meeting, District 1 Commissioner Wes Mobray was not in attendance due to a prior commitment. Grant Wilson from Jason Smith’s Rolla Office was in attendance and told the commission that Jason had been reappointed as the chairman of the Ways and Means Committee. He also told the commission about five bills that are currently on the floor of the house including S310 which is the Disaster Contract Improvement Act bill which has already passed the Senate and is waiting House approval; HR9541 which is called the Power Act of 2024; HR7671 which is the Disaster Management Cost Modernization Act; HR 2892 that will address the effectiveness of the EAS Alert System; and HR 2672 which is the FEMA Loan Interest Payment Relief Act. In the road report, District 2 Commissioner Gary Polk gave the road report for both districts. For District 1, he stated rock would be added and grading was being done on Dent County Roads 6220 and 6370, while only grading would be done on county roads 6010 and 6590. For District 2, Commissioner Polk stated that rock would be added and grading done on Dent County Roads 3160, while only grading would be done on county roads 2083 and on 4410. Presiding Commissioner Gary Larson said he attended the Ozark Rivers Solid Waste Management meeting and banquet Tuesday night in St. James and acted as the emcee. He said no awards were presented to any Dent County businesses. He also attended the Transportation Advisory Committee meeting Thursday as well as standing committee meetings and the regular MRPC meeting. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley continues to work on the 2025 county budget, and said filing has begun for the April 8th Municipal Election and that will end on December 31st. This is for school boards, City of Salem and Bunker alderman positions, three SMH board positions, a Dent County Health Center board position, and others. You need to file at the offices of the taxing entity. Make sure that you meet the qualifications to serve for the position you seek and are aware of the length of the term you would serve. Curley reported on her trip to Jefferson City Tuesday where they witnessed the filing of the Election Harassment Bill to protect poll workers, election officials and their families and others. The next meeting of the commissioners will be Monday morning at 9:00 at the courthouse and the meeting is open to the public.

The Salem Police Department has released a report for incidents from Wednesday, November 20th through Monday, November 25th. On Wednesday, November 20th at about 8:30 in the evening, officers responded to the intersection of Warfel and Hawkins for a report of a traffic accident. It was reported that a single vehicle had crashed into someone’s garage. During the investigation, it was found the operator of the vehicle was impaired. As a result of the investigation a 38-year-old Salem man was arrested and later released on summons for excessive blood alcohol content. On Monday, November 25th near 3:00 in the afternoon, officers arrested 54-year-old Glen Head of Salem, on his outstanding warrants out of the City of Salem. Head was transported to the Dent County Jail to await bail. That same evening at approximately 11:00, officers conducted a traffic stop at the intersection of Highways 19 and 68 for various traffic violations. It was found the driver was impaired. After a short investigation, a 34-year-old Salem man was arrested and later released on summons for excessive blood alcohol content. Please contact the Salem Police Department at (573) 729-4242 if you have any information regarding any ongoing investigation.

The Dent County Fire Protection District Board of Directors at their meeting Tuesday evening, December 10th, reviewed the annual fire district incident report.  The annual reimbursement report showed a total of 233 calls for the fiscal year from December 1, 2023, to November 30th, 2024. Those calls included 87 fires making up 37.33% of all calls and they were comprised of 17 grass or brush fires, 22 building fires, 19 forest or woodland fires, one mobile home fire, six outdoor rubbish or trash fires, two natural vegetation fires, eight passenger vehicle fires, two transport vehicle fires, three fires classified as other, and seven other types of fires. The fire department responded to 27 accident calls, 25 medicals assist or emergency calls, 23 alarms sounding calls, 15 hazardous material calls, seven agency assist calls, two rescue calls, five utility problem calls, eight public service calls and one smoke investigation. The fire department also had nine calls canceled while en route to a destination. 

The Salem Police Department has released a report for incidents for the first week in November. At approximately 1:30 in the afternoon on Saturday, November 2nd, officers were dispatched to a traffic accident near the intersection of Macarthur and Franklin Street.  During the traffic accident investigation, it was found the operator of one of the vehicles was visibly impaired. After further investigation a 53-year-old Salem female was arrested and then later released on summons for excessive blood alcohol content. That same evening near 5:30, officers responded to the Crossroads Inn after receiving information a male subject was there with an active felony warrant out of the Johnson County. As a result, officers arrested 38-year-old Charles Copper of Knob Noster without incident for the felony warrant with a bond of $15,000. That same Saturday night at around 6:00, officers conducted a traffic stop at the intersection of Highway 19 and Hunt Street for a person who was suspected of driving drunk as their vehicle was swerving all over the roadway. Contact was made with the driver, and it was found the driver was impaired. After a short investigation, a 35-year-old Sullivan man was arrested and later released on summons for excessive blood alcohol content. On Tuesday, November 5th around noon, an officer was dispatched to the Phelps County Jail to extradite 22-year-old Jordan Sanders from Salem who had an active capias warrant out of the City of Salem.  Sanders was extradited and incarcerated at the Dent County Jail. Please contact the Salem Police Department at (573) 729-4242 if you have any information regarding any ongoing investigation.

The Utility Committee held their regular meeting Wednesday evening at 6:15 in the Auditorium. After approving the agenda, the Committee watched a presentation by John Pettit on Hometown Grid, a company that provides a simple, secure, and affordable solution for residents of the community to report electrical outages. Customers would be able to call or text this system to report an outage in their area, which will then be updated to a live map of the City of Salem, and with follow up questions from the system, utility crews will be able to prioritize customers that may need immediate or emergency assistance. The City’s current procedure to report an outage has residents calling the police department’s non-emergency line, and at times, experiencing extended hold times or busy signals, especially if many people are calling at the same time. Hometown Grid would immediately eliminate the strain on the phone lines. For a five-year plan, the total price for this service would be $38,000. The Utility Committee will hold off on making a decision regarding Hometown Grid until they can see what the financial implications will be within the City’s budget. Bob Blank and Dan Caswell with Utility Financial Services (UFS) presented the Cost of Service Study. They recommend reinstating the service availability fee by charging residents $13.47, and commercial properties $21.56, while lowering the cost per kilowatt hour, to achieve neutral revenue. The Committee agreed that since the utility billing underwent a change recently, the recommendation from UFS should be tabled for now. Finance Director, Stacy Houston presented the financial updates. During her report, Houston noted that the Water Reserve Fund is at a $68,000 deficit due to the purchase of a replacement motor and pump, however, the City is currently waiting on the insurance payment to cover this. The Sewer Reserve Fund is in a $30,000 deficit due to a COP payment made in November and the purchase of a $16,000 pump for the lift station. This deficit will be offset with prior year fund balances. Public Works Director Steve Paine gave an update on the utility crews, and a resident expressed their concern about the proposed utility rate changes during the questions and comments portion of the meeting.

The Board of Aldermen had their regular meeting on Tuesday evening at 6:00 in the Auditorium. After approving the agenda and consent agenda, the board heard a public comment from a citizen who asked about the status of the annual audit conducted at the end of the last fiscal year, and asked if it was the City’s responsibility to provide fresh potable drinking water to its residents; there was no response to the board. The Board approved the application to the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) for $220,000 to replace the remaining incandescent street light bulbs with LEDs, and approved Mayor Parker to sign the Financial Assistance Agreement and the General Terms and Conditions documents for the ARPA Waste Water Improvement Project Grant Award. The bid for this project was awarded to Mid-State Pipeline Maintenance, LLC, for the amount of $4.2 million. The Board of Aldermen meeting scheduled for December 26th will be rescheduled to January, pursuant to city code section 110.170. The Board approved the request to reappoint Dustin Howard of The Bank of Salem, and Daniel Salyer of Phil-Mart, to another five year term for the Enhanced Enterprise Zone. City Administrator Sally Burbridge presented the first and second reading for bill number 3536, an ordinance changing the official meeting location for the Board of Aldermen to the City Hall Auditorium. During the city officials’ reports City Clerk Tammy Koller stated that business license renewals were mailed on November 27; businesses should contact her if they have not received theirs. Finance Director Stacy Houston stated she has reached out to the auditor who hopes to have finalized their report by mid-January to present in February. Mayor Greg Parker wished citizens a happy and safe holiday season. Public Works Director, Steve Paine gave an update on the utility crews,  and Parks and Recreation Director Melissa DuBois stated she has reached out to different companies for estimates on replacing the Al Brown fences as well as the dirt and tiles at the playground. Alderwoman Catherine Dent stated the Salem Community Choir will be presenting Festival of Carols the evening of December 20th at 7:00 and again on Sunday the 22nd at 2:00 at the Dry Fork Church off of F Highway. 

The Dent County Fire Protection District Board of Directors met Tuesday evening at the fire station at #2 South Main Street. The board reviewed and approved minutes from the previous meeting. The financial report was reviewed with an ending balance of $187,111.19. All bills, payments, and statements were reviewed and approved. The budget for 2024 and 2025 were reviewed and approved as presented. The monthly reimbursement report showed a total of 15 calls for the month of November bringing the total calls year to date to 233. Some of those calls included seven fires comprised of two grass fires and five building fires, two special incidents, three medical assists, one rescue with the extrication from a structure, one alarm and one public service call. In old business, it was reported a bond or tax issue was discussed and the paperwork has begun. In new business, Chief Dennis Floyd said the AFG grant is about half done at this point, and he stated the ladder truck is going in for repair on December 30th for pumps, hydraulics and air conditioning. Floyd said the annual pump test will be done while the truck is in for repairs. Chief Floyd said the department needs to order a 1 3/4-inch hose which the board approved, and the Salem High School is having a first responder appreciation on December 20th. He also indicated the department will be sending two firefighters for training in February to the MU Fire School. The chief also reported that at the Christmas Party held December 5th, the department retired badge 814 that belonged to the late David Jarvis, and it was presented to Mrs. Jarvis. The next meeting of the board will be January 14th at 6:00 at the fire station. The board then went into closed session before coming back into open session where it was announced that two new firefighters, Dell Hoffmeister and Christian Michno, would begin training for the department. It was also announced that Jeff Stokes, Jr. had been appointed to fill the term of Craig Smith who had resigned from the board. The appointment will be until the April 2025 Municipal Election. The meeting was then adjourned.

Tomorrow night, from 6:00 until 8:00 at the Creative Arts Center, students can learn to make a Chunky Knit Blanket with Danielle Kissir. Learn how to finger knit a chunky blanket. This is a beginners class and is fun for all ages. Crochet or knitting experience is not required but will be beneficial. The class is open to those 10 years of age and older. The cost of the class is $75 with yarn and supplies included. There must at least five people sign up to hold the class and it will be limited to ten. To sign up, go to the SACBA website, click on “Programs” link and then on the Creative Arts Center.

PJ’s & Pancakes & Fun for the whole family will be held on December 14th from 7:00 to 10:00 in the morning at the Salem Community Center @ The Armory! This event is hosted by the Salem Fireworks Committee to help raise funds for next year’s show. There will be pancakes, coffee, hot chocolate, Christmas movies, and pictures with Santa! Tickets for the event are $10 for adults. For those who are 12 years of age and under, they are FREE! Tickets are available at the Chamber office in Salem, Town & Country Bank, Bank of Salem, Riverways Federal Credit Union, and Progressive Ozark Bank.

The Dent County Opioid Settlement Committee held a meeting Thursday evening at 6:00 in the Dent County Associate Courtroom. After reading and approving the minutes from the previous meeting, the board discussed priorities for funding as well as the amount that an organization can request. With around $324,000 in the budget, the board decided not to set a limit on how much or how little an organization may request. The county priority areas will include: transportation, re-entry services, and community support services including social and legal services. For a full list of priorities, prospective applicants can visit the MRPC website at https://www.meramecregion.org.  The first deadline to submit applications for funding is January 15, 2025. The Board will require applicants to attend the committee meeting on January 30 for discussion and further questions. For additional questions, applicants can contact Lieutenant Rick Letchworth at rickletchworth@dentcountysheriff.org

The annual “Shop with a Cop” was held Saturday at Wal-Mart and it was a huge success. They were able to help bring a Merry Christmas to 48 children in our community which is eight more children than last year!! A special thank you to the Dent County Sheriff’s Office, Salem Police Department, Missouri State Highway Patrol, Missouri Department of Conservation, and the Missouri Division of Fire Safety-investigations for shopping with the kids. A special thank you goes out to Wal-Mart for helping coordinate the event and help it run smooth. Finally a big thank you to this community who donated so those children could have a good Christmas. 

It seems black bears are making the news in the St. Louis region each spring as they are beginning to show up more and more in the area.  Since bears are becoming a more common part of the Missouri landscape, especially if travelling to the southern parts of the state, it makes sense to learn more about them. The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) is offering a chance to do just that through an online class.  Missouri Black Bears is a free virtual program happening Friday, Dec 13, from 3 – 4:30 p.m.  MDC naturalists will cover the most important information Missouri residents should know about the Show-Me-State’s expanding bear population. Once considered extirpated from the state, Missouri black bears are beginning to make an impressive comeback. This program will explore the complicated history of these fascinating mammals, and the research efforts which are helping them return to their former range. It will also discuss how to reduce human-bear conflict as their numbers continue to grow. This virtual program is free and open to the public, however each participant must register separately in advance at http://short.mdc.mo.gov/4Kb to receive an online meeting link. Log in instructions will be provided to participants beforehand.  The program will be held via Webex and participants will have the chance to use the chat feature for a Question and Answer portion with the naturalists. Sign up for email or text alerts to stay informed of MDC’s latest programs and events by going to short.mdc.mo.gov/ZoP.

An accident occurred in Dent County Tuesday morning at approximately 8:30 on Highway EE three miles south of Highway 32. According to the Highway Patrol Report, a 2002 International Dump Truck, driven by a 62-year-old Licking male, and a 2006 Sterling Dump Truck, driven by a 74-year-old Jadwin male, struck each other, causing the Sterling’s mirror to strike the driver. The man suffered minor injuries and was transported to Salem Memorial Hospital by a private conveyance. The report stated that there was minor damage to both trucks, and they were driven from the scene and that both drivers were wearing safety restraints at the time of the accident.

The Creative Arts Center in Salem will hold a class on making Ceramic Christmas Trees Friday night, December 13th from 6:00 to 8:00 with Danielle Norris in the pottery room. Students can come and glaze your very own keepsake 10-inch Christmas tree! Create a beautiful display piece that can be passed down from generation to generation. The cost is $30 for trees without lights, and $36 with lights. You may paint and take the night of, or glaze and pick up another time. The class is open to those 12 years of age and older. All supplies are included. There must at least four people sign up to hold the class and it will be limited to 12. To sign up, go to the SACBA website, click on “Programs” link and then on the Creative Arts Center.